Halloween Make-Up Tips and Tricks

With the spooky day  just around the corner, I wanted to share some great make up tips.  I have never been something scary for Halloween, not even when I was a kid.  I always wanted to be something glamorous, something girly, or something movie star-esque.   With that theme in mind let’s talk make up tricks for this Halloween season.

Cat eyes

Whether you want to be cat woman, Cleopatra, or another dramatic womanly character the cat eye is a must have.  To make this look come to life you need to draw your eyeliner upward and outward beyond the outer corners of the eye and then smudge it slightly with a Q-Tip. For extra drama, apply a few individual falses lashes to the outer corners of your eyes.  The photo above is courtesy of fashionpeal.eu where you can also find very specific instructions on how to create this exact look.

This is an uber-sexy look and if it is done without the extra Halloween drama you can easily incorporate it into your “a night out on the town” make up look.

Fake a Beauty Mark

What do we all think of when we think of Marilyn Monroe? The white dress and the beauty mark of course!  Other noteable beauty marks, Cindy Crawford’s just above her lip or Serena from Bewitched just under her eye.

If you are creating your own, choose the spot that best suits you – or the character you are trying to create, a sexy beauty mark can be used to draw attention to your lips or your eyes .  Start with an all-over application of foundation this gives the beauty mark something to stick to.  Soften an eyeliner pencil (black or dark brown is best) by heating up the tip with your blow dryer.  Draw the mark directly onto the skin where you want it.  Then set your new beauty mark with loose translucent powder.

Lips

What other time of year could you get away with wearing some radical colour of lipstick.  Maybe you’re planning to be an alien this Halloween or a Smurf, or a witch or any another character with crazy coloured lips.

The easiest way to achieve a lip in a colour you want without having to buy a Halloween specific lipstick that you may never use again is to use an eye shadow you already have in the right shade.  Scrape a little out onto the palm of your hand or some sort of hard surface and add some Vaseline or clear lip gloss to create the perfect shade!

Do you know another cool Halloween make-up tip?  If so be sure to share it here!

Bath Time Fun

As a working mom the days can seem very long, especially since my son has decided that 5am is a great time to wake up.  I don’t know anyone else who is up 3 hours before they need to leave for work, it is really just crazy.  Days when I was a stay-at-home mom were no better, in that case not only was I up at 5, I had to maintain my patience all day with two under 3…and being up at the crack of dawn definitely doesn’t increase my patience.  That being said, although bath time comes at the end of the day the time in the bath is one of my favourites.  Heck on a rainy day I sometimes fill it up in the middle of the day just to pass some time.

All moms know that kids can get cranky right before dinner and into the early evening hours, what my sister likes to call “the witching hour” or hours in my case.  Although this can be a very challenging time of day there is one refuge I can always count on…BATH TIME! Nothing brightens their spirits or their moods more than the announcement that it is time for some fun in the bathtub.

When my son turned about 7 months old (or thereabouts, who really knows sometimes it is a bit of a blur) he started to have really awful reactions to the soap we had been using on my daughter since she was born and never had an issue with.  When I approached my doctor about the breakouts my son was having he informed me that we were dealing with eczema.  Much to my dismay this meant that I had to

1.  Stop bathing him everyday (crap now what am I going to do when I am desperate for a fun distraction?)

 and

 2.  Find a soap with more natural ingredients that wouldn’t irritate him 

Easier said than done I can tell you first hand.  The first problem was that giving his sister a bath and not including him set off a colossal overreaction, the kind that only a child can have.  Seriously, my neighbours must have thought that every night around 6pm I was pinching him for a half an hour period.  This made for a very peaceful end to my day…yeah right.  Second issue finding a soap that I could use that would give his skin the sensitive treatment it required that I was happy with was no easy task.  I found there were many options on the market from goat’s milk, to oatmeal, that bee line we all recognize very well and though I tried all of them there wasn’t one I really liked.  They either had no scent or didn’t create any suds or both.

Enter Naturally Baby byUpper CanadaSoap.  Yes I work here, but no I am not writing to you about this just because I do.  Granted I only found out about the Naturally Baby line because I got a job here; however my love for the product is genuine.  Let’s start with the nitty-gritty:

What’s in it? 

A 100% Plant Derived cleansing product, with glycerin and aloe, for replacing lost moisture.

More importantly, what isn’t in it?

Naturally Baby is a brand designed to offer mothers a natural alternative that is free of SLS, parabens, synthetic dyes and mineral oil for their babies.  A soap made with all-natural and gentle ingredients to pamper, nourish and soothe your babies sweet skin.

Why do I love it?

• It smells amazing.  The Soothing Mint Lime is as sweet and refreshing as it sounds.

• It makes suds!  I have to admit I like a soap that gives me suds and although “they say” (whoever they are…I still haven’t figured that out yet) you don’t need suds to have clean I like to have them.

• It’s gentle.  My son’s skin has been perfect since we started using it.  Now mind you my little guy has mild eczema and there are no medical properties to this soap but for us it has been fantastic.

• The pump style bottle is perfect for the one-handed pump.  If your monkeys are like mine I am usually trying to make sure someone doesn’t fall on their face and chip a tooth (learned that lesson the hard way) as they are constantly trying to stand up.

As a mom I highly recommend it.  My kids love it and I love it! 

Another mom-friendly tip is you won’t have to lug the kids in and out of the car as you can buy it and have it shipped directly to your door.  What could be better?

You can check out the entire Naturally Baby Collection of products here.  In addition to the body wash there is a calming body lotion, a mild shampoo and a completely unscented and 100% natural diaper cream.  If you try or have used it in the past it we’d love to here from you.

Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for tips, tricks and special promotions!  Hope to connect with you soon!

Our 5 Must-Have Travel Accessories

As the season of cooler weather approaches many of us are making travel plans to escape to a sunny destination this winter.  With that in mind we wanted to share our 5 favourite travel accessories that Upper Canada Soap and Danielle Creations have to offer.

1.  Must-Have Travel Bags

For all of your personal care items you will need while travelling  Danielle Creations has a wide array of travel bags to ensure you can travel with ease and style.  Here are just some of the travel cases we have to offer, click the image to see all of the product options and details on our site.

2.  In-Flight Bags

Though in-flight travel size containers are only mandatory if you want to carry on your lotions and potions it is always nice to take comfort that if you do bring these travel size items in addition to your larger sizes in one of the above bags you will never be without your must have personal care items.  These in-flight totes come with the TSA approved containers inside for you to fill with whatever liquids and gels you need while travelling.  The cases come in three neutral colours, black, gold or pewter which make a great gift for any traveller.

3.  A Great Mirror

We have all been in a hotel room where the lighting is awful trying to do your daily beauty routine, make up application or shaving for the guys would be next to impossible.  Enter our fantastic suction cup mirror.  This mirror has a 6x magnification on the front and suction cups on the back so you can take it to where the light is best and use it there.  The mirror comes in a large or small size to suit your travel needs.  This is also a great option to keep in your carry-on if you are flying so you can freshen up at your seat on the plane instead of the stuffy, uncomfortable bathroom.  The suction cups will stick to any smooth surface, like the back of your meal tray for instance.

4.  Manicure Sets

Perfect for travelling or to keep in your purse daily our manicure sets are your hands best friend.  There is nothing worse then being away from home and having a broken or chipped nail…or worse a painful hangnail and not being able to do anything about it.  Our manicure kits are perfect for that as they are small enough to take on the go and stylish enough that you won’t be ashamed to pull it out in public.

5.  Body Butter Balm Stick

If any product is a must-have for travel or for any day when you are on the go our Body Butter Balm Stick is it!  Our balm stick provides moisture where you need it most while in the go in a no-mess stick.  Not only is the a product made of 100% natural ingredients it also is a major moisture power player.  You can use this wonder stick in 8 different ways:

1.  Moisturize cracked heels

2.  Hydrate dry elbows

3.  Condition lips

4.  Nourish cuticles

5.  Groom your eyebrows

6.  Comfort a chapped nose

7.  Soften dry hands

8.  Tame flyaway hair

This product is literally useful from your head to your toes!

In addition to our top 5 travel must-haves we also carry travel sets of some of your favourite Upper Canada lotions and bath products.  Click on the image below to check out our travel set options.  Happy trails!

Support the Cure with Upper Canada

As everyone knows October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM).  Every year this international the health campaign is organized by major breast cancer charities to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.  BCAM is also a prime opportunity to remind women to be breast aware for earlier detection.

I was recently made aware of a fantastic organization right here in our local area of Toronto, ON Rethink Breast Cancer.  Rethink Breast Cancer is an amazing organization whose mission is “To continuously pioneer cutting-edge breast cancer education, support and research that speak fearlessly to the unique needs of young (or youngish) women.”  They prove they are right on track with the recent launch of the new Your Man Reminder App currently available for free at the i-Tunes store and available for Android phones on October 17th (sorry Blackberry users, just add it to the list of reasons to get an i-Phone, can you tell I am bias?).

Check out this fun video showing off just what the Your Man Reminder App is all about.

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After watching the video I just had to grab the app.  And in case you’re feeling nosy I chose Christian for my man, don’t be jealous you can grab him too if you want!   The app is used to stay on top of your breast health. The Your Man Reminder App includes the following fun features:

• Customize – Update the App to fit your personal liking, with features that let you chose your man, his pose and more.
• Hot Messages – You’ll love the attention your man gives to you, with messages like “Any guy would be lucky to have you” and “Give your breasts some TLC.”
• Reminders – Tailor your calendar schedule with settings for weekly, monthly or surprise reminders directed by a sexy man of your choice.
• Education – The App includes a special “signs and symptoms” tab to hone in on the importance of early detection.
• Get Checked – Use a variety of scheduling options such as doctors’ appointments and many more.

Also, Your Man Reminder’s Facebook sharing capabilities will allow users to proudly announce when they’ve taken their breasts into their own hands and which sexy man from the App motivated them to check.  This will help remind the other women to stay on top of their breast health.

What a cool idea!  If you’re feeling as inspired as I am you can donate monthly or just once directly to Rethink Breast Cancer via their website.

Upper Canada Soap and our sister company Danielle Creations are doing our part as well all year round!  For each of the products you see below we will donate $0.50 per product purchase to breast cancer research charities.  You can click through to our website to grab these amazing accessories while doing a little social good at the same time.

3 Ways to Bring Your Fashion Into Fall

Now that fall is officially here many of us are thinking once again “I have nothing to wear”.  Why is it that when the season changes so many of us don’t know how to make the transition along with it?  Maybe it is that you are living in denial and just cannot bear the idea that summer is over, or maybe you were pregnant last fall and now your fall clothes are two years old…that would be me.  Here are 3 easy ways to transition your wardrobe into the fall season:

1. Add some tights – If you don’t already own them a pair of opaque tights is the must-have piece for your fall wardrobe.  They provide you with so many options and give that fall feel to any outfit.  Here’s how to do it right.

• Under a long sweater or cardigan (make sure it’s longer than bum length of course)
• Under your favourite sundress from the summer (throw a turtleneck or blouse under it too for an added effect)
• Under a short skirt you wore with bare legs this summer

Courtesy of Express.com

 

2. Boots are your best friend – I wait ALL year to be able to pull out my favourite pairs of boots.  I have a slight boot addiction but having many pairs is absolutely not necessary.  I recommend having two pairs, one black and one brown, these will be your wardrobe workhorses and will keep you warm, toasty and stylish all season.   Here’s how to do it right.

• With the opaque tight combinations I mentioned above boots are your go to footwear choice.
• Ditch the tights and pair them with a mini skirt and knee socks, top it off with a great fall blazer or cozy sweater and you will be turning heads.
• Take those skinny jeans, or narrow bottom pants you have been wearing with fabulous shoes all summer and tuck them inside your favourite pair of boots.
• Wear them with your summer capri pants.  Stay away from your very light weight summer capris and pair them with any jean capris or those in a darker colour.

Courtesy of chictopia.com

 

3. Layer, Layer, Layer – Since fall is all about being warm and cozy don’t ditch your summer tops now that the cooler weather is here just layer them over or under other pieces.  Here’s how to do it right.

• Layer a dark turtleneck under a summer top or lightweight dress
• Use a warm wrap sweater over a summer top
• Put on a jacket/blazer and wear your summer tops underneath

Courtesy of maxstudio.com

So now you are ready to don the fall gear with confidence.  We’d love to hear your great fall fashion tips as well.  Be sure to post them in the comments below, even better share your pics!

The First Day of Fall

The first day of fall has come and gone this week and with it comes a mournful feeling for some.  I can’t say I feel that way and was quite surprised to hear a friend tell me that fall always makes her feel a little sad.  To me fall means apple picking and hayrides, warm hot chocolate and apple pie, and of course last but not least the BEST fashion time of the year!

Boots, scarves, warm wolly sweaters without the need for big heavy jackets and rich jewel tones are what fall fashions are all about and I love it.  This is a new role for me hear at Upper Canada Soap so you can imagine my delight when I was able to go shopping for some new work wear in my favourite season of all.  The sad part has been that around here it has continued to feel much more like summer day after day and I am waiting and hoping the cooler days are soon to come.

Another reason I love the fall is the change of colours in a lot of what was once green around us.  Each year as the leaves on the trees change to a rich gold, a burnt orange or a vibrant red I find myself wondering what it looks like in other parts of the world when the fall season arrives.  Does everyone have such beautiful surroundings or are we here in the southern part ofOntario,Canada quite lucky for the beauty nature provides to us?

Our western counterparts I recently found out don’t have the fall colours like we do as they do not have maple trees.  A cousin of mine who lives out west said she was quite disappointed her first fall inCalgary,ABto find out that things went from green to yellow to snow in a matter of days.

One place I would love to visit in fall isParis.  Truth be told I would love to visit Paris any time of year but to me the fall would be the most romantic and the most beautiful.  Check out the shot below, does it get any better than that?

Courtesy of Searchlight88 via Flickr

September inParisis known as “la rentrée” when the locals return from their summer vacations (many of which span the entire month of August), looking great and feeling even better. You see inParis“les vacances” is not just a luxury it is a tradition not to be fooled with and returning toParisin September for the start of fall provides a feeling of buzz and excitement for the season or so I am told as I mentioned I have yet to go.

This year I had my own little “la rentrée” and you can too!  As I entered the doors of Upper Canada Soap I found these perfect little Parisian accessories and now I can takePariswith me everywhere I go.

The “Dreaming of Paris” button mirrors are one of my beauty must haves for the fall season.  Having one of these adorable mirrors to tuck in my purse will not only to allow me to check if I look good while I am out and about it will also mean I look stylish while doing it.  The prefect combination of beauty and functionality, c’est magnifique!

Click here to pick out one of your very own Button Mirrors and put a littleParisin your pocketbook this fall!

Waving Hello from the Land of Soap and Mirrors!

My name is Lindsay and I will be your go-to girl for everything you need from Upper Canada Soap and Danielle Creations.  We value our customers and we want to hear from you, truly and honestly we do.  This blog will be about sharing my daily adventures here at the Upper Canada Soap office or what I affectionately like to call the land of soap and mirrors.

I am a mom of two, three and under, first a girl and then a boy.  I have a wonderfully supportive husband who is my rock.  This is my first time back in a traditional work role since I became a mom (prior to this I was a work-at-home mom who had to squeeze in work whenever the children were sleeping or busy) so to say this is a refreshing change, to work uninterrupted and in the daylight, is an understatement.

Me and my kiddos!

I love all things fashionable and am a self-confessed acess-o-holic who loves anything that accessorizes and outfit.  Shoes, bags and jewels are close friends of mine and mortal enemies of my pocketbook.  I don’t travel so much now that I have kids but would love to do so when they are old enough to see the world with me.  I love to cook, though, now being a working mom who whips home with little time to spare to have dinner on the table, meals are quick and nutritious.  Well…most of the time they are nutritious…sham on me I know.

Please share your comments, post your ideas and share your stories here too.  I think of all of you as my virtual neighbours and hope we can build some online friendships…who knows maybe our paths will cross in real life someday as well.