Summer ravaged hair needs a visit to Royal Blush Salon in Toronto!

Pakistan's loss is Toronto's gain as Nida Rizki joins the staff of Royal Blush Salon in downtown Toronto. Nida has a real gift for turning dry, frazzled, frizzy hair into a sleek, shiny waterfall of locks - as you can see left and is also happy to share her at home tips to help keep it that way.

Like, did you know that using a natural oil such as coconut olive or almond for 20 minutes on your scalp and through the lengths of your hair before each shampoo helps maintain your lustre and strengthens the hair shaft - now you do and you're welcome!

When I went in to see Nida I had a little bit of frizziness but my main problem was lackluster colour. Nida performed some hair-magic and brightened up my washed out auburn locks with this brilliant red from Luocolour by L'Oréal Professionnel and then added L'Oréal Professionnel platinum highlights for some extra pizazz - it's amazing how soft and shiny it looks!

I asked Nida for her best summer hair tip and it was surprising uncomplicated: Make sure that you keep your hair clean and hydrated. Use a clarifying shampoo to cleanse your hair of sweat and dust and a deep moisturizing conditioner to replenish lost moisture and to protect your hair from sun damage. 

 

L'Oréal Professionnel makes a great summer line - Solar Sublime - the Shampoo - 250ml - $20 - offers intensive cleansing and nourishing action to counteract the drying effect of sun, salt and chlorine, especially developed for highlighted or sensitised hair. Enriched with a nutritive oil and an anti-oxydant vitamin E derivative, the formula cleanses the hair fibre, while providing conditioning nourishment to remain supple, replenished and radiant; while the Masque - 200ml - $25 - moisturizes the scalp and deeply conditions and nourishes the hair to add softness and shine and intense post-sun nourishment.

You'll find Nida and the Royal Blush Salon at 47 Colbourne Street in Toronto - www.royalblush.ca - 416-304-1814 - her pricing is very reasonable: cut, wash and blowdry - $50 and up; root touchup: $60; full colour: $65 and up; and highlights/lowlights/balayage/ombre and all specialty colour: starts at $100 - the salon also specializes in laser so Nida can fix your hair on the top and then you can get rid of the rest while your at it! And you can see more of Nida's work on her facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/nidarizkisalon

 

- Lisamarie -

Celebrating our crowning glory at the Contessa 27 Canadian Hairstylist of the Year Awards!

Things were hip and happening at the Westin Harbour Castle last weekend as the best and brightest in the beauty industry gathered for the Contessa Awards. Presented by Salon Magazine and founded in 1988, the Contessas, The Canadian Hairstylist of the Year Awards, are Canada’s longest-running and most prestigious awards honouring excellence and creativity in salon professionals. The best way to describe it really is as the Oscars of the beauty world!

The mandate of the Contessa Awards is to highlight, promote and recognize Canada’s premier professional beauty talent. The event unites the industry from coast to coast and presents an opportunity for beauty professionals to share their knowledge, inspiration and passion for their profession with their colleagues.

With so many qualified and imaginative entries it must have been hard to pick the winners - here are a few of the photos I especially loved:

Canadian Colourist - Ann-Marie Goupil - Salon Espace C, Brossard, QC
Makeup Artist: Jacinthe Benoit - Photographer: Brian Ypperciel, www.brianypperciel.com 

Canadian Hairstylist of the Year - Mandy MacFadden - Salon Decorum, Newmarket, ON
Makeup Artist: Sherlyn Torres - Photographer: Allysandra Cervantes, www.allysandracervantes.com 

New Hairstylist - David Vendittelli - Valvano Salon, St. Catharines, ON
Makeup Artist: Meaghan Bell - Photographer: Kale Friesen, www.kalejf.com

Makeup Artist - Virginie T. Simard - Guylaine Martel Artistes Coiffeurs, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, QC
Photographer: Alain Comtois

Canadian Nail Artist - Naomi Misu - Tips Nail Bar, Toronto, ON
Photographer: Joseph Saraceno, www.josephsaraceno.com

And although he didn't win, Canadian Colourist finalist, Norm Wright had some words of advice about the importance of a good colourist: 

"Determining how far to go with each individual’s new look should be determined during the consultation: analyze skin tone, eye colour, face shape and bone structure. Hair colour can make a face look longer, it can bring out eye colour, and it can accentuate a hair layer that might not have been visible. The intensity of the application is dictated by the individual’s personality, profession, and lifestyle.

Each person deserves to know their full potential and we as professionals aren't doing our jobs if we don't discuss every option.

I think the biggest mistake a hairstylist can make is underestimating the person in their chair.

We are very lucky in this country to live through four seasons and with each new season, fashion and trends change. I recommend slight nuance changes seasonally.

I've been doing hair for 30 years; each change makes each person look at themselves from a different perspective. Hair design reflects how you feel, and in the eyes of others, projects who you are. If you buy new clothes seasonally, your hair should reflect those changes.

And finally, maintaining your hair colour with the right products is just as important as the tones you choose.

The pH scale measures acidity and alkalinity, human hair's pH is acidic and if you’re cleansing, conditioning, and using styling products that are too high in alkalinity, the hair's cuticle opens and all the goodness falls out. Ironically you will save money on products, but your hair visits increase three fold."

I'm inspired to go get something done with my hair now - see you at the Contessas next year!

- Lisamarie -

The Private World of Mary Tripi Salon is ready to give your hair the SHOCK of it's life!

If your hair is still suffering from the winter and spring-that-wasn't blahs - feeling dry and brittle and looking dull and lackluster then a big SHOCK (treatment) is just what it needs!

I recently visited The Private World of Mary Tripi Salon to try the treatment myself and it was a little more involved then I was expecting. After washing, a solution is applied to the hair to open up the cuticle, then under the dryer you go for heat to help along the process. After cooking for awhile, that solution is washed out and an intense moisture treatment is added and back under the dryer you go. More cooking, more washing and finally a solution to seal the cuticle back up and add shine goes in, more cooking, more washing and ta da - one quick blow dry later super soft and shiny hair is revealed - Winter? What winter?!

Even all the waiting time under the dryer isn't boring - you'll have lots of time to take in the funky atmosphere, admire the cool decor and do a little people watching and chat with the super-friendly staff - although I do maintain that waiting time in a salon is meant to be occupied with reading the kind of trashy magazine that I would never actually buy because it's meant to be read in the line at the grocery store or during beauty treatments!

The treatment will set you back $100 and your hair will thank you for it so book your own SHOCK at The Private World of Mary Tripi Salon which you will find at 890 Yonge Street in Toronto - 416-968-3303 - www.marytripi.com.

- Lisamarie -

Yorkville gem - Oskar On Scollard Hair Studio!

Hidden away in Yorkville is a jewel box of a salon - Oskar On Scollard Hair Studio - walking by if you didn't look down as you passed you could miss it, and that would be a real shame! Unlike other Yorkville salons that I've been to that seem to try to cultivate an atmosphere that is so exclusive that I never feel fancy enough to be there, Oskar's has a welcoming vibe that is friendly, relaxed and perfect for spending a few hours getting beautified in.

I recently visited Darren, the senior colourist at Oskar On Scollard for a summer colour refresh. What I really liked about him was that rather then just showing me hair swatches and then applying the colour I picked out, he took the time to discuss the pro and cons of various options and I ended up with one that wouldn't have been the one I would have chosen but was the one that would blend best with the colour already in my hair - this is the reason to go to an expert!

Once my hair was a rich auburn shade I was off to see Ethan, the senior stylist for a blowout. You might not realize how important a good blowout is after colour but the longer you can hold off washing your hair after colour, the better off you (and your colour) will be - I always try and leave it for at least 2 days - and if you have a great blowout you will have the volume to hide that fact that your hair might not be the cleanest. This time there was so much nice volume in my hair I was able to go 3 days without washing it!

And while I loved my colour and blowout I have to say that my favourite part of my visit was the Gloss Treatment that was applied to my hair after the colour - which left my hair so smooth and shiny it was like glass - I plan on making this treatment a regular part of my life!

Depending on who you see, prices vary - cuts start at $50, colour at $90, highlights range around $130 and the amazing gloss treatment is a bargain at $30 - it can be added to any service or had on it's own!

Oskar On Scollard is located at 68 Scollard in Yorkville - 647-346-3306 - www.oskaronscollard.com.

- Lisamarie -

Goldwell Kerasilk Keratin Treatment Service - for hair like silk for up to 5 months!

I recently had the opportunity to check out the brand new Goldwell Kerasilk Keratin Treatment at the Haartek Salon in Toronto. What makes it different then the other smoothing services available is that it is entirely customizable to your hair type and desired outcome. Wavy to curly, frizzy to unmanageable - it makes unruly, frizzy hair manageable, softens curls and smooths frizz and reduces daily styling time significantly - whatever the issue, the treatment has a solution!

I was super impressed when I saw the before and after on this lady (although I really hope they treat the other side of her head before she goes home) - frizz ball to sleek and gorgeous! And the other thing I found noticeable was the lack of smell - there were many treatments going on at the same time so some sort of chemical smell would have been expected and yet I could smell nothing!

The Kerasilk Keratin smoothing service utilizes a new generation of technology - consisting of glyoxylic acid, keratin and silk proteins - that penetrates the hair structure and creates a matrix of new keratin bonds that reinforce and stabilize hair for up to 5 months - you can see the amazingly smooth and shiny results here!

My hair wasn't frizzy/curly/scary enough to need Keratin so I was treated to a Goldwell Dualsenses 60sec Treatment instead (sigh, bliss - thanks Dakota!)

There's also a range of at-home products to compliment and maximize the salon service enriched with Kerashape Technology in both Rich and Ultra-rich formulas. The products can even be used if you haven't had a treatment to help smooth hair and control frizz.

The Kerasilk Keratin service takes about 2 1/2 hours and costs $300 and up - depending on the length and condition of the hair. Check it out at Haartek Salon in Toronto at 55 Bloor Street West in the Manulife Centre - 416-962-3355 or other participating Goldwell salons - find out more at www.kerasilk.goldwell.com.

- Lisamarie -

Brow customized just for you with Ritual browWOW!

If your brows haven't been wowed lately, then are they ever missing out on something! Luckily this oversight is easily remedied at Ritual Hair Skin Beauty on King Street West in Toronto:

Ritual browWOW - $30 - is bespoke eyebrow tailoring involving waxing, threading, tweezing and tinting to achieve a precise shape that maintains brow fullness and fully complements your face and features.

For some extra WOW, you can add on a Microcurrent Brow Lift for $15 - performed with the Nuface hand held device and emits a low level electrical current which lifts and tones the muscles in the forehad an brow while stimulating collagen and elastin production in the skin. Results are immediate and cumulative and you can expect them to last a couple of days for one treatment - so a great thing to have right before a special event!

The service is completed with the Beauty by Ritual browWow Palette to enhance and highlight the brows and includes 3 products including: a brow enhancing powder in a choice of 5 shades - to fill in any sparse areas of the brows and accent the shape; a cream highlighter - is applied under the brow bone and helps the defined shape of the brows pop; and a shimmer accent shadow - can be applied over the highlighter cream and in the inner corners of the eyelids to make eyes glow.

Claudia had a go at my brows:

Here they are before...

and here they are after, they don't look crazy different, just fuller, better defined and more polished! The chestnut tint she used is perfect with just a touch of red in it so they match up with my hair.

You'll find Ritual Hair Skin Beauty at 789 King Street West in Toronto - 416-306-0040 - www.ritual.ca.

- Lisamarie -

Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Royal offers high definition colour!

Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Royal offers true colour in high definition with great coverage, ultimate colour intensity and excellent durability under any styling conditions. It delivers 100% reliable results in every situation, meaning: true, vibrant and lasting colour - even on damaged hair. The updated Igora Royal assortment includes 111 exciting new shades which means there isn't a colour you can think of that it can't deliver!

I was recently had the opportunity to try Igora Royal myself with the help of Schwarzkopf Professional Essential Looks Artist, Joey Marchese who changed my drab and faded copper into a rich and vibrant medium auburn!

What makes it different then some salon colours - there is absolutely no scalp burning, stinging or tingling and although I had a bit of a cold so can't confirm this for sure, I'm told there is no harsh smell - and since the colouring did not clear out my sinuses the way I would normally expect it to, I have to believe it!

And check out the results:

I especially love all the dimension my new colour has - this is strictly a one step process - no highlights were added!

You can get your own Igora Royal colour in all Schwarzkopf Professional partner salons - for more info or to find one visit www.schwarzkopf-professional.ca and if you're in Toronto you can find Joey at the Bob + Paige Salon at 239 Danforth Avenue - 416-850-9719.

- Lisamarie -

Find your Blyss and Exit bad hair in Yorkville!

Two great Yorkville salons - Exit and Blyss have joined forces to form a powerhouse alliance and bring fabulous hair to Torontonians! After 10 years of running the busy Exit Salon, Rob Pizzuti decided to take his colour expertise and the best of his staff and join up with Blyss Salon owners Angie Trovao and Lesley Kernan at the existing Blyss Salon location.

I recently had a chance to visit the newly expanded salon - which I was expecting to have that swank and somewhat stuffy feel that Yorkville salons tend to have but instead found something that would have been just at home on trendy Queen Street West with just a dash of swank thrown in so you knew you were still in Yorkville!

I met with one of the owners, Lesley for a cut and she made it an entirely painless experience for me. I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to my hair - I've had so many bad haircuts that new places tend to be an ordeal for me. Note to all hairdressers out there: a new client is not the time to demonstrate the wonders of a pixie cut on her shoulder length hair or prove that perms really are coming back!

Lesley wowed me an improved version of the cut I already had and had said that I liked but as an added bonus, the most awesome bang trim that I have ever experienced. I like my bangs thick and perfectly straight which seems to be an impossible task judging from the number of times this actually happens, but not for her! In less then 40 minutes I was out the door with perfectly shorn, shiny and healthy looking hair - it's my understanding that Rob does fabulous colour so he will need to be my next visit!

While you're there, be sure to also check out their haircare line of choice - Davines - an Italian line that smells divine!

Have your own Blyss-ful experience at25 Bellair Street in Toronto - call 416-921-7860 to set it up and you can visit their website at www.blysssalon.com.

- Lisamarie -

Contests, events, deals and steals from The Shopping Channel, The Body Shop, TopSpas.org, Salonbookr and Goody!

In honour of their 25^th birthday, The Shopping Channel has launched its biggest giveaway ever – the chance to win one of 25 Caribbean cruises, in partnership with Travelocity.ca! All you have to do is spot the Travelocity.ca Roaming Gnome throughout the on-air broadcast or online to qualify to enter to win the chance for a four night, five day cruise throughout the Caribbean. More information on how to enter the contest can be found at theShoppingChannel.com/birthday.

Throughout the month of February, Canadians will be able to shop for incredible values culminating in a very special day on February 25th in what could be the biggest-selling Today's Showstopper in The Shopping Channel's 25-year history. Tune in February 25th to find out more! And while you're doing your shopping, don't forget that every day, one lucky duck will win their purchase!


Feel free to invite me as your cruise guest if/when you win! 

Calling all Chocoholics! On Friday, February 3,  from noon to 4pm The Body Shop at the Toronto Eaton Centre will host an exclusive launch of its newest indulgence, the Chocomania Bath and Body collection. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Toronto fans will have a special sneak peek of the sensuous new range that will also be available for purchase. With the help from a few special guests, including a pair of sexy chocolate painted models and live DJ, The Body Shop at the Toronto Eaton Centre will be sizzling with love.

Chocomania is a decadent, sensuous and indulgent range guaranteed to plunge you, your skin and your senses straight into chocolate heaven. Pleasure rich and oozing with luxurious texture and fragrance, lavish this year’s Valentine with the guilt-free satisfaction of knowing that these products help spread hope and happiness worldwide, thanks to The Body Shop Community Fair Trade program. The Chocomania collection will be available at all other The Body Shop locations nationwide on Monday, February 6. 

Looking for someplace local (or not) to spa? Check out TopSpas.org, an online directory of over 6,000 spas across North America. Their goal is to become a leader in providing information for people looking for spas and relaxation. This is a great idea if you are going on vacation or to another province/state for some reason and need to find out about the local spas!

Here's a clever mobile application that allows you to search salons, spas and tanning studios in your location and book an appointment according to your salon needs - SalonBookr - perfect for the busy women on the go - just open the app, search and book an appointment all at the touch of your finger!They're still beta testing but you can sign up to be notified as soon as they go live!

Goody has made it to Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/GoodyCanada), and to celebrate they are giving away $150 prize packs just for liking them! You can now also find them on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/GoodyCanada) and Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/goodycanada) too! Goody will be featuring creative editorial content to support interaction among beauty lovers across the country. Channels will include expert advice and exclusive news on the hottest hair trends, tools and accessories for a Canadian audience.

- Lisamarie -

Test Driving Kérastase Ritual Treatments!

Go ahead, admire my soft, fluffy hair! Intrigued about how I got it? Then read on...

In the past few weeks I've made a couple visits to the Solo Bace Salon at 860 Yonge Street in Toronto for a Kérastase Ritual Treatment. If you've never heard of  it, it's a dual-action 10 minute treatment that works deep down in the hair fibre and scalp. If you're an instant gratification kind of person then you will like the amazing results achieved in such a short space of time!

What results will you achieve? Well they will actually be very individualized to your own particular hair needs/problems, when you go in for your treatment they will assess what it is your hair needs - the more damaged your hair the more often they recommend you come in until it is looking/feeling healthy again - after that you should get a in-salon treatment once a month or every time you visit your hairdresser for a cut as well as use the line of at-home products to help keep up the results.

My treatment consisted of a wash, then a strengthening treatment was sprayed into my hair and left for 3 minutes followed by a masque that was left in for 7 minutes. Honestly though the best part is what happens while the treatments are sitting in your hair - can you say head massage - only my 2 favourite words in the English language! While waiting, or maybe even to help the product penetrate, I was treated to the most amazing and relaxing head massage - the kind that I could have fallen asleep to - heaven! After the masque they rinsed me off and after a blow out by the lovely Shaareen, I was left with the soft, silky, shiny flippy hair that you can see in the first and this pic.

Speaking of which, these photos were taken by the very talented Josh Fee - you can check out his work at JoshFeePhotography.com  - he also does weddings and when asked will tell you horrifying stories of weddings gone very, very wrong!

Here are some of the at-home products available to help enhance the results of the spa treatment:

Kérastase Résistance Bain de Force - 250ml - $36 - reinforcing and resurfacing shampoo for weakened and damaged hair that reinforces the hair and resurfaces the outer layer of the fibre with a protective film.

Ciment Anti-Usure - 200ml - $44 - reinforcing and resurfacing treatment for damaged lengths and ends to fortify the hair's internal structure and resuface the external layer of the fibre.

Fibre Architecte Renovating Dual Serum - 30ml - $44 - a leave-in serum that helps repair very damaged hair and split ends

Masque Force Architecte - 200ml - $57 - a reconstructing masque for brittle, very damaged hair and split ends.

Double Force Multi-Protective Spray - 300ml - $36 - helps protect weakened hair from climate-specific factors as well as provides a controlled hold.

And my particular favourite:


Elixir Ultime - 125ml - $50 - good for all hair types it contains a combination of camellia, argan, maize and pracaxi oils to give you hair that is nourished, protected and enhanced and leaves it feeling light, soft and supple with incredible shine. I have become a big fan of hair oils recently and this is one of the best ones I've tried - I have fine hair so I have to be careful not to use anything too heavy or my hair just ends up looking greasy. This one is light, smells amazing and leaves my hair soft and shiny!

Book your own Kérastase Ritual Treatment at the Solo Bace Salon at 416-962-4250 - the nicest part other than the healthy hair that will result is the price won't break the bank, it's only $26 a treatment. Of course if you're feeling flush, you can treat yourself to a more intensive Kérastase Kerathermie Treatment that lasts about an hour and will set you back $135.

You can also go to http://www.kerastase.com/sites/_en/_ca/store/salon-locator.aspx to find other salons in Canada that offer the treatment.

Feel free to pet me the next time you see me, you know you want to!

- Lisamarie -

Check out fabulous Yorkville spas for a lot less thanks to Beautylicious!

Toronto lovers of beauty rejoice - Beautylicious is back again!  For those not familiar with what it is, many of the salons and spas in the Bloor-Yorkville area offer consumers set value-priced packages and services for a set period of time.  there is a wide array of hair, spa, skin and health & wellness service packages available at three set prices - $25, $75 and $125 in four categories: hair (hair/colour/cut/style); spa (includes massage and/or facial and/or mani/pedi); skin (non-invasive procedures including Botox, Restylane or chemical peel); and Health & Wellness (nutrition services, dental, chiropractic services)

There are too many packages for me to even begin to tell you about but you can find all the event info at www.bloor-yorkville.com with details of all the participating spas and salons as well as the packages available.  But I will share with you a few of the ones I have my eye on as well as a few that I have tried already and can recommend:

Marc Anthony Salon - 38 Avenue Road - 416-413-1521 has an amazing $125 offering of an all-over colour, wash, deep conditioning treatment, Shiatsu scalp massage, haircut and blowout (for new clients only).  I got my hair cut there with Byron last week and it was great - you can read the review here.

Taz Hair Co. - 11 Yorkville Avenue - 416-922-6060 has a great $75 or $125 package involving colour and/or highlights - snag Susan if you can, she's great and they use the INOA colour there which has to be experienced to be believed!  You can read my review here.

Pure + Simple - 41 Avenue Road - 416-924-6555 - I can't say enough about the deluxe sea salt microdermabrasion so you will just have to go an experience it for yourself for $125!  You can read the review here.

and don't miss out on seeing Dr. Cory Torgerson - Facial Cosmetic Surgery - 70 Yorkville Avenue, Suite 31 - 647-343-0207 - who is offering special promotional prices on Restylane or Perlane injectable fillers as well as Botox.  If you aren't ready for that yet, he is also offering a complimentary consultation and 3D photo image session - check out what you could look like after a bit (or a lot) of work!  I did it and it was fun, you can check out the post here.

What sounds interesting that I haven't tried:

Clarins Skin Spa - 87 Yorkville Avenue - 416-924-9124 - for $125 I can have a Hawaiian Wave body treatment + Firmer bust: super moisturizing treatment for the body and bust and decollete treatment to stimulate and tone for firmer skin in this delicate area.

OxyBeauty - 14A Hazelton Avenue, Suite 304 - 416-929-4597 - for $75 I can have a OXYjet facial: removes pore impurities, replenishes antioxidant content and provides deep skin moisturizing for environmentally damaged skin

Spa at the Windor Arms Hotel - 18 St. Thomas Street - 416-934-6031 - for $75 I can have a 60 minute Pumpkin Body Wrap: this vitamin-rich masque stimulates blood flow and nourishes the skin.

I have no idea how I will ever choose - it's too bad I only have one face (unlike Christelle)!

Check it out at www.bloor-yorkville.com and help me make a decision and if you're going to book, do it soon, they book up fast and it only runs October 28-November 7!

- Lisamarie -

Relax on Avenue Road at Marc Anthony Salon and Pure + Simple Spa!

Is there anything better then a day of pampering?  I can't think of anything so last Saturday I spent the day in Yorkville going from salon to spa, it's a rough life but someone has to do it!

First stop was the Mark Anthony Salon at 38 Avenue Road - it looks exactly the way I would imagine a trendy Yorkville salon should look: white and polished with glass and chic people everywhere!

I filled out a form, was offered a drink, a complimentary manicure and then it was off to meet the person who would have my life (okay fine, hair) in his hands...

The very charming Byron was my stylist - he sat me down to have a look at my hair and chat about what I was looking for and then he sent me off with Silva to get washed - and all I can say is OMG!  There has only ever been one other place where I have had such a great shampoo (a little Asian place in Markham where nobody spoke English and I finally had to stop going to because we didn't understand a single word the other one was saying and I kept ending up with weird haircuts because of it, but damn, I miss those shampoos!) Silva used the perfect amount of pressure, gave the most wonderful scalp massage and didn't get any part of my body wet that wasn't supposed to be!  It was also quite luxurious because while I was being washed, Mizuki the manicurist was doing my nails, and continued to work on them during the cut - that's what I imagine it's like to be rich, you just laze around while teams of people work on you!

So here's my issue with hairdressers, and I've had this problem constantly since moving to Toronto - you go, they ask you what you want and 75% of the time you leave with something entirely different then what you asked for.  I think the problem is they either don't listen, don't understand, can't do what you want or are drunk.  Options 1 and 2 are most likely but I won't discount option 4 in a couple of instances...  For this reason my favourite part of my cut with Byron was he really listened - I told him that I needed a cut that was low maintenance and didn't require any styling to look okay and that's exactly what I got - it's almost disappointing how well he listened because he didn't even style it fancy like they usually do at the salon, you know the style you can never replicate yourself at home?  I both hate and love that they do that!  The other great thing is that the styling product that he used was the same as the Marc Anthony products that you can buy at the drugstore, which is nice because then no one is hitting you up to buy fancy products when you are done! 

If you are shopping for a new hairdresser, I would totally recommend Byron, not only is he a good stylist, he's cute, he's straight and he flirts (not that there is anything wrong with gay hairdressers but flirting with them is like giving a blind man a subscription to Playboy - it's a nice thought but it's pointless).

Hair cuts for women start at $65 or $45 for men, colour starts at $70 and I was very interested to notice that they offer INOA for a $10 service charge.  They also offer extensions, highlights, perms, a blow dry club where you can purchase a package of blow outs for a reduced price, formal up-dos as well as bridal services.  You can get the full price list and info at www.markanthony.com  and if you're more of an uptown girl, Mark Anthony has another location at 1918 Avenue Road - 416-789-1212.

You can contact the downtown salon at 416-413-1521.

Then it was across the street to 41 Avenue Road to be pampered at Pure + Simple which is totally serene and relaxing inside and of course it smells amazing, just the way a spa should!

I was there to have the deluxe sea salt microdermabrasion.  I have never had it before but knew it was good for refining your skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines, pores, scars and pigmentation. My esthetician was Tahlia and she assured me it wouldn't hurt - which it didn't, it's an unusual sensation, a combination of light suction and a cat licking your face! Along with the micro, there is also a more traditional facial with cleansing, steaming, extractions, lotions, potions and my favourite part - facial massage!  Tahlia was great, even the extractions didn't hurt and most importantly, she did them by hand, not with something metal (which you should never let them do during a facial - fingers only)!  By the end I felt thoroughly cleansed, refreshed and relaxed.  And here's the really great part - my skin looked terrible the day I went, I was all broken out on my chin and around my mouth - by the next day I had started to clear up and within 4 days, my skin was beautifully clear.  Tahlia did warn me that I might see some flakiness right afterwards, which I did, and now that it's a week later, my skin really does look great - I will most certainly be going to have another treatment.  Some places recommend you have a series of treatments a couple of weeks apart but Tahlia recommended it be done once a month.

Once you are done your treatment, you can check out their Aladdin's cave (room) of products - Pure + Simple has their own line (made right here in Toronto) and an extensive line it is!  Every product for every skin type/issue you could think of, it probably has!  They also carry lots of other lines including: Dr. Hauschka, Jurlique, Jane Iredale Mineral MakeUp and Kiss Me.  Better yet, they will make you a sample of anything you want to take home and try!  Right now I am totally in love with the Pure + Simple Collagen + elastin Serum, it goes on silky smooth and makes my skin feel that way too!

As well as the microdermabrasion, Pure + Simple also offers facials, Intense Pulse Light Photo Facials, LED Light Treatments, LumiLift Facials, Skin Renewing Peels, Intense Pulse Light Hair Removal and waxing.

They also have 3 other locations if you aren't a downtown girl:  2375 Yonge Street - 416-481-2081; 725 King Street W - 416-366-8558 or 348 Lakeshore Rd. E, Oakville - 905-844-4900.  You can contact the 41 Avenue Road location at 416-924-6555 and if you want more info and pricing check out the website at www.pureandsimple.ca.

- Lisamarie -