If there’s one person who knows a great swimsuit when she sees one, it’s 36 year old ex-supermodel and former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition glamour girl Monika Schnarre. Coming out of her 15 year retirement from modeling, she is now the new spokesperson for Sea Queen. Never heard of the brand? Neither had I. That’s because the swimwear maker has just returned from a 10 year hiatus from the market. And why should we care? Because this is a brand specifically designed to fit and flatter women 35 and up and has figured out what makes the perfect swimsuit. Check out the video or click on to find out what the secret is!

“Let’s face it – gravity kicks in after you turn 30 – no matter who you are or how fit you are,” says Monika. “Until now, the choice has been limited to padded cups that soak up water; unflattering and uncomfortable underwires or shelf-bras that are added to the swimsuit as an afterthought; or just letting everything sag.”

Understanding that the key to a beautiful beach body is a gorgeous bustline, Sea Queen has reinvented bathing suit construction with its proprietary new SwimTech ContourLift Bra – and designed the latest swimwear trends around it.

Created by an actual bra designer, SwimTech ContourLift Bra features malleable moulded cups that maintain a perfectly natural shape both in and out of the water. Flexible underwires are fused within the cups’ high-tech, ultra-thin foam fabric so they never poke or prod. A comfort band wraps around the rib cage for enhanced support. And because the bra doesn’t retain water like the padded cups found in so many swimsuits, it delivers consistent, curve-enhancing lift for A, B, and C cup sizes.

Made of high-denier Italian microfibre with Lycra / Spandex, some suits offer cuts featuring supportive cup lining, while others also feature a light net lining for a touch of tummy support.

But “of course, all the clever technology wouldn’t mean a thing if the styling weren’t there,” asserts the statuesque Torontonian. “The new collection features the hottest trends in swimwear with hidden support that provides a welcome boost!”

Sea Queen has interpreted the key runway trends in its all new collection of 50 sophisticated one-piece, two-piece and tankini bathing suits – all named after the world’s most fabulous seaside destinations.

Looking for glam? There’s the retro-goddess appeal of Odessa (1), a draped empire maillot. Belts are big now, and Sea Queen’s got them – at the empire waist of the sculpted Monte Carlo one-piece with SwimTech ContourLift Bra (2); and in the obi-like midriff wrap on the two-tone Montecristo maillot (3). Metallics are a must so the Monte Carlo halter bikini (4) and the Monte Carlo maillot (5) make waves in molten gold. Today’s penchant for animal prints is satisfied in the grrreat tiger pattern of the Santorini halter bikini (6), while fashion’s appetite for brights is fulfilled with the exotic jungle print of the Bora Bora halter bikini (7). The current feeling for 40s femmes fatales shows up in the pin-up girl styling of the Odessa bikini (8).

Sea Queen swimwear ranges in price from $80 to $120 CDN and is available across Canada through The Bay, and also here in Vancouver at Swimco, Swimwear Etc, and The Just Cruisin’ Shoppe (also in White Rock at Wishes & Co Fashions). Click here for more information.

Photography Courtesy of: Paco Garcia for Sea Queen

A bunch of years ago, my brother thought it would be a good idea to get rid of all the hair on his back. The best way to do this he thought? A cream depilatory. This story invariably ends with the horrible smell of chemicals mixed with burning hair, a patchy looking pattern of back hair, and a week of my brother not feeling confident enough to take his shirt off and go swimming. Tragic. So when it comes to hair removal techniques, I go pretty standard with a razor. In an attempt to convert the simpletons like myself, Veet has come out with an entire line of hair removal products. The line, consisting of both painful and painless methods, has a solution to every kind of hair removal procedure you can imagine. Female mustaches be gone! Let’s see what we can find out.

So, unfortunately for Dabbler and your reading pleasure, but incredibly fortunate for me, I didn’t have a reason to try out the mustache wax. What I did get to try is the Salon Line Ready to Use Wax Strips, the Stripless Warm Wax, and the Hair Removal Gel Cream. I put my underarms and my legs to the test and tried everything. Forget blood, sweat and tears, I put my relationship on the line by giving my leg and underarm hair a solid week to grow so I could really test this stuff out. Ideal length for removal is two to five millimetres; or in more common terms, somewhere past careless stubble, just before sasquatch. Your product of choice will run you from about $7 to $17 and will eliminate hair from your face, underarms, bikini or legs.

First up to bat is the Stripless Wax. Basically, you smooth the wax on using the applicator, wait for it to dry, and then peel it away like you would the traditional strip. After heating the wax in the microwave, I “smoothed” it on to my underarm in the direction of the hair, stood there like an idiot with my arm over my head while it dried, then swiftly pulled the strip off against the grain of the hair. After the tears cleared from my eyes, I took a look at the strip, and saw approximately three hairs on it. Second try lent itself to a slightly better result, but was accompanied by even more tears so I let that one go.

Next up, Ready to Use Wax Strips. My other underarm had the joy of trying these puppies out, as well as the benefit of my having used this type of wax strip before. I rubbed the strip between my hand for a few seconds to heat it up, and placed it in position. After making sure it was securely affixed, I grit my teeth a ripped away. I made much better progress with the strips than without, but it still resulted in tears.

Moving a little lower to my legs, it was time for the Hair Removal Gel Cream. These products are notorious for smelling incredibly bad so I wasn’t entirely excited about this. With warnings all over the instructions screaming not to leave this stuff on for longer than six minutes and to wash my hands thoroughly after application, it didn’t do much to quell my nerves. Sitting on the edge of the tub, after a minute long hand washing session, I waited for the tingle and scent of burning hair to begin. Ah yes, there is was. And the results? Mediocre at best. Bonus feature…you lose all the hair in your nose too!

So, the verdict is in. The Stripless Wax is recommended by Veet for advanced level waxers, something I obviously am not. No success there. The Ready to Use Wax Strips are easier to use and worked pretty well – thumbs up for beginners if you’re willing to suffer through the pain involved. I’m told you get used to it?! The Hair Removal Gel Cream, I came in with a bad attitude, and left with the same one. Somehow burning hair off my skin with creamy moisturizing chemicals just doesn’t do it for me. On top of which, it just didn’t work very well. The cherry on top is that I had to walk around looking like a hippie for a week to get my hair the right length to do anything with it.

For this hairless wonder, gimme a disposable razor, some shaving cream if it’s handy, and I’ll be smooth, chemical free, and still in a loving, caring relationship when it’s all said and done.

What does it take to make it in Vancouver’s fashion industry? Determination, money, design skills and a lot of support. There are hundreds of fashion graduates entering the industry each year, vying for their chance – Portobello West and fellow sponsors are helping one talented grad by putting everything they need on a silver platter.

The Portobello West Graduate Award will provide one outstanding fashion student with the means to launch their line. They will receive over $15,000 in prizes, including one year at Portobello West fashion and art market, a website, a professional photo shoot by Co.lektiv Images, five months of PR support from The Honey Mustard Fashion and Media Services, a Fashion High membership, a full page ad in The Block Magazine, and a one year membership including a $250 starter kit of eco-friendly fabrics from SYKA Textiles.

You’ve only got one month left to apply so click on to read the rest of this press release!

Last year’s winners – Bad Apple Fashions, two Kwantlen University College graduates – have benefited immensely from the award. “It was a great opportunity to meet so many supportive people. The sponsors were amazing to work with and we have developed relationships that we will be fostering going forward.” says Carmen Merkel of Bad Apple.

The award is open to all fashion students currently enrolled in a BC fashion program or who have graduated since June 2007. The deadline for submissions is June 30th and the winner will be announced at Portobello West on August 30th.

Click here for entry details.
Click here to download the application form.
Click here to check out last year’s finalists.

The next Portobello West Market is on Sunday June 29th at the Rocky Mountaineer Station (1755 Cottrell St, Vancouver).

About Portobello West Market

Portobello West began in Vancouver, BC in August 2006 and has now had 18 monthly shows, each drawing over 2000 shoppers. It was created to provide a venue for local designers and artisans to interact with the end consumer and is held the last Sunday of every month (from March to December, Noon to 6 PM). There are now over 100 designers and artists at each market with a composition of 50% clothing designers and 50% jewelers, potters and artisans. Admission is $2 (children 12 and under get in free).

Click here for contact info.

I’m pretty good at some things and can wing most others, but if there is one thing that I’m absolutely clueless about, it’s beauty products. I’ve never quite understood why my sister refuses to leave the house without her makeup on or her hair just so. But while going through all the hair extension options available to us ladies (and some laddies) at the annual ABA (Allied Beauty Association) Show this year, I couldn’t help but try out some blue stresses against my black. Gone are the days when hair extensions meant pain and permanently damaged hair…actually, there are still products that will give you that, but the good news is that there are many other pain- and hassle-free ones that will still give you a gorgeous look one day AND a different one the next should you desire a change. Today, we’re featuring three such options and I bet you’ll want to try out at least one of ‘em before the video ends!

Gourmet meals, delicious sangria, stolen kisses. These are just some of the wonderful things our lips get to experience in the span of our lifetime. They also happen to be right smack dab in the middle of our face so we, women especially, go to great lengths to make them look fuller and more beautiful. You see, if we do that, there are a lot more stolen kisses in there, which tend to lead to the gourmet meals and sangria. You get it? It’s all interconnected.

Artificially enhancing your lips used to be an uncommon occurrence but has now become a regular procedure for women all over North America. I can name at least three different types of procedures to get this done and I would never even consider it. Voluntarily sticking needles in your face? Where do I sign up?! But the appeal still remains and that’s why companies like City Lips have come out with products like their advanced formula Instant Lip Plumper. It’s for wimps like me who may want to enhance their precious smackers, but aren’t willing to go through a clinical procedure for it.

The science behind it is actually pretty simple. The formula contains Collagen peptides and pure HA plumping spheres. When the spheres hit your lips, they suck in moisture and expand, making your lips look plumper and fuller.

On to the contenders:

City Lips Instant Lip Plumper (Advanced Formula). Their packaging actually explained a little bit of the science which I enjoyed. If something is going to make my lips numb (which it claims it doesn’t), I want to know why. I have the clear version and upon application, it worked in the shine department. Unfortunately, it went on like glue and didn’t really smooth out during the process. It was thick and sticky and didn’t feel great on my lips. It actually did numb them somewhat contrary to the claims on the box, and I don’t think it made a big enough difference in the plumpness category to be worth a purchase.

Urban Decay Big Fatty Lip Plumper. Their psychedelic box claims that I’ll experience up to a 20% fuller pout, results within 10 minutes, and noticeably pinker lips. The colour is clear with gold flecks in it and offers a pretty nice shine. It felt great on my lips, not too thick, but enough so that I could smooth my lips together easily and comfortably. I thought for about 15 seconds that I had a clear winner until the burning started. Burning and tingling were there for about 5 minutes and while my lips weren’t falling off with the pain or anything, not necessarily pleasant. Plumpness seemed non existent at both 15 minutes and half an hour.

So, the verdict is in. I have one word for people considering purchasing a lip plumper: bogus. If you’re not committed enough to go for the real deal, skip this part too cause you’ll just be wasting your money. As a gloss, Big Fatty was the better of the two…you know, once that nasty burning stopped. City Lips had the better pitch, making it sound all legitimate and scientific, but dropped the ball when it came for results.

For this pillow lipped Angelina incarnate however, I prefer to feel the burn in other ways.

Cars, houses…heck, pretty much everything! They don’t make ‘em like they used to. And textiles are no exception. Today’s clothes are largely composed of strange synthetics that combined with shoddy mass manufacturing, just can’t take the wear and tear of regular use. And that’s how big companies like it. How else will they get you to go back for more! Well, that wasn’t always the case. Fabrics from 20 or 30 years ago were more substantial and rivalled today’s standards.

Now thanks to the rise of Conscious Consumerism, people are realizing that there is a lot of life left in old clothes. You know that gorgeous party dress that you’ve had to shelf due to that conspicuous tear? Save for the hole, the rest of the garment can be salvaged and become part of a cheeky and cheerful new design. That’s Melissa Ferreira‘s artistic view anyway. When the Vancouver-based designer started Adhesif Clothing, she was inspired by the quality of older textiles and just how many unwanted clothes were out there. “It just made sense to use recycled fabrics,” she said. “There was already an abundance of it.”

Wearing Melissa’s adorable, sustainable clothes is a great way to make your statement and celebrate the planet. “Start by taking small steps. Reduce, re-use, and recycle. At the very least, don’t be wasteful.”

For a listing of shops that carry Adhesif Clothing, click here.

Since the beginning of time, girls with curly hair have brushed, ironed, blow dried, and chemically treated, all in the name of their sought-after coifs. Sleek, smooth, pin straight locks are but a dream for many Shirley Temple types out there and I speak from experience when I say, I’ve tried it all. When ceramic irons first hit the market, my hairdresser personally called my mother after a hair show and told her she had to buy one for me. My mother wisely listened. While this does not reverse the extreme psychological trauma of two perms (that’s right, I said TWO perms) and blunt bangs I was made to suffer through in my youth, it was a start.

I’ve gotten pretty good at the straightening game, but I’m always looking for products to help me out. I’ve developed serious biceps from all of the blow drying and if I don’t find a helper soon, I’m going to end up looking like Ahnold. So when Pantene Pro-V came along with the new Extra Straight styling tookit, I took the challenge on with gusto. All three products can be bought separately but the entire line includes Extra Straight Shampoo, Extra Straight Conditioner, and Extra Straight Comb-In Cream. The suggested retail price for each is $6.49 (cdn) and they can be found pretty much anywhere you can buy other Pantene products.

In typical big business style, you won’t see the mega straightening benefits of any of these products unless you use them together. I hate that. But nonetheless, I put all three to work as soon as I received them. I washed, rinsed and repeated like it was my job for almost a month and threw some straightening cream in whenever I needed to fight with my unruly curls.

The shampoo and conditioner smelled good and made my hair feel as soft as any other I’ve tried, so no complaints there. No praise either though, considering I didn’t notice much of a difference from my regular products. The straightening cream also smelled great, but I think that’s about the only positive thing I have to say about it.

My most important piece of advice: make sure you don’t use too much of the straightening cream. That was my mistake the first time I used it and I ended up with hair that felt like I had squeezed a tube of glue into it. It doesn’t go on gluey at all – it actually feels good – but once you’re done drying/straightening, it’s as if you’d gone to bed with mounds of hairspray in your hair. It’s not sticky, but feels like something dried into it. Upon finding the right proportions however, it didn’t feel quite as bad, but I did still have a little of that ‘can’t quite run my fingers through it without getting stuck’ feel. And I’m beginning to think that the way straightening products really work has nothing to do with silicones and moisturizers as the companies claim, but actually just weigh your hair down by putting more crap in it. Am I bitter? Yah, probably.

So, the verdict is in. Sometimes I buy certain products just so that I can feel like I’m making some aspect of my life easier. But in this case, I feel like I’d be just as well off buying a tube of Elmer’s and doing some extra bicep curls. The line didn’t really help my straightening, nor did it make the straight hair last any longer. If you’re a strong believer in the placebo effect, you can jump on the Pantene Pro-V straightening wagon.

For this kinky haired gal with killer upper body strength however, I’ll just continue the workout and my quest to find a miracle cure for the curly hair blues.

What we’re working on…

Because Canadians throw away more than $1.5 billion worth of produce they buy annually simply because it has spoiled, Rubbermaid has come up with a solution. Or have they? Next week, Stasia‘s got The Goods on the new Rubbermaid Produce Saver food storage container, which promises to keep your fruits and veggies fresh a lot longer than traditional containers.

Got a great new product that you think could make it on Stasia’s shopping list?
Email us and tell us about it!

Blistex is about as far as I go when it comes to lip treatments. For some reason, I never took to lipstick. Years of dance kept me in bright red lip colour and I fear it tainted me for life. They always felt waxy, dried my lips out, and finding the right shade to complement my lovely pasty white skin was always a Herculean effort. Even when I got my makeup done by professionals, they’d generally ere on the side of gloss over colour. And I wasn’t complaining.

Anyone out there think wearing lipstick is a chore? The constant reapplication, the gorgeous red ring left on every cup (or cheek) you put to your lips, and the taste of it every time you reapply just made it an unnecessary evil for me. But according to Queen Latifah, CG has come out with a colour that not only stays supple on my lips for up to 16 hours, but comes in a range of 41 different colours to match any occasion. For $10.49, I get the tube of Lipcolor + a moisturizing top coat that gives the colour that “just applied” look, even if I put it on ten hours ago. To top it off, it purportedly doesn’t taste like I just bit the top off my favourite shade every time I lick my lips.

To ease myself into this challenge, I selected the neutral shade “Nude” but also chose “Always Rosy” for a little variety and you know what? I was seriously impressed. I put the Lipcolor on first thing in the morning and every time I looked in the mirror it was still very noticeable, as referenced by the “You have pink stuff on your lips” from my boyfriend every time I walked into the room (have I mentioned that I NEVER wear lipstick?). My lips felt soft all day long, I never felt or tasted that waxiness I remember from my dance related hooker-red days, and it didn’t rub off on anything. I did everything with this stuff: ate, drank, kissed…there was no way it was moving.

When it comes to my eyes, mascara is the only thing that I will consistently wear. It’s what takes me from death zombie to super hot working girl in the morning – at least, that’s what I keep telling myself. Once again, CoverGirl to the rescue. With its new moldtrusion brush (a.k.a. weird orange spiky thing) and volumizing formula, LashBlast promises “thick, full-looking, dramatic lashes,” all for only $9.49.

Being a bespectacled woman, anything I do to my eyes has to be exaggerated or they don’t get noticed. Glasses hide my little to no effort, so I need my mascara to be perceptible. With my freaky lookin’ brush in hand, I applied a coat of “Very Black” mascara to my morning lashes. Sorry Drew Barrymore but first impressions were…not amazing. The new wand has more bristles and picks up more mascara, leading, in my opinion, to more clumps. BUT, with a little coaxing with the brush and my fingers, my lashes definitely looked more striking than usual.

So, the verdicts are in. If you tell me that lipstick is essential in any woman’s purse and that CoverGirl’s Outlast All-Day Lipcolor is a must-have, then you’re preaching to the converted. You won’t see me in shades like “Eternal Flame” anytime soon but I’m taking baby steps. For mascara on the other hand, I’d probably lean for the LashBlast if it were on sale, but otherwise, I’d stick to my tried and true and just go for another coat.

For this low maintenance gal who’s in the process of converting, you’ll see me with bee stung lips and fake lashes walking to the grocery store in no time.

What we’re working on…

Next week, Stasia‘s got The Goods on the new Reader’s Digest healthy lifestyle magazine Best Health.

Got a great new product that you think could make it on Stasia’s shopping list?
Email us and tell us about it!

Read on to get The Goods on Perfect 10!

The latest hair dye on the market.
The latest assignment from the big boss.
The latest favour I had to ask of my beautiful, wonderful, loving aunt.

Calling someone up and asking them if you can use them as a guinea pig is a daunting task, especially when the colour that you’re working with is this luscious blonde. I can only hope for it to be in an appropriate shade for my hair next time…but until then, let’s take a look at what we got.

With the technology available back in 1956 when Clairol introduced the first at-home hair dye kit, you can bet that it required a significant investment of your time, not to mention damage to your locks. More than 50 years later, Perfect 10′s promise is shiny, natural hair colour in just ten minutes using the new ‘AminoGlycine technology’ by Proctor & Gamble – The idea being that you get easy, permanent hair colour with less damage than other dyes out there.

With my hairdresser’s number on speed dial and a signed contract holding myself financially liable for any blunders, I somehow managed to pry the box of dye out of my aunt’s hands and was allowed to begin.

First on the tackle list: The claim that this dye isn’t going to sear the hairs out of my nose with each breath.

Upon first smell, I was really impressed. It smelled fruity and light…with a hint of chemical undertones maybe, but still, a vast improvement over the competition.

Moving on: Actually dye the hair.

Ah yes. One of my favourite pastimes. Hair dying for me has always been a challenge. The process is full of questions like “Did I get everything?” “Is my scalp supposed to have that slight burning feeling?” “When do I take it off?” “Did I really need to do that spot allergy test thing I read about?” “Hmmm…my head feels funny.”

The pack comes with an easy applicator comb to help the process along. As usual, I feel Clairol may have over-exaggerated how easy it is to use the comb – and in the process made me feel like a fool because I did have a little trouble – but on the whole, it was easier than the more traditional dye bottles. The nice thing is that if you prefer the old bottles, they give you that option as well, providing you with both the comb and the tip for the applicator bottle.

After 10 minutes – no more and no less – my aunt was left with a beautiful hair colour that was shiny, soft, and evenly coloured. What started as dark roots and almost blonde ends, became a beautiful strawberry blonde. The downside: it had little to no resemblance to the advertised colour. Obviously the starting hair colour dictates the resulting shade but based on the legend at the back of the box, we were expecting a nice dark golden blonde. Quite the difference. While this was a concern, that’s the risk you take when you spend $15.99 versus $100 (plus tip!), and ten minutes as opposed to two hours on this kind of thing.

So, the verdict is in. Perfect 10 scores a slightly less than perfect 9 (yes, that looks as lame on virtual paper as it sounds in my head). The colour was even and left the hair looking shiny and feeling soft. I didn’t experience hallucinations from the fumes and it was easy to use. The difference between the box colour and the colour we ended up with turned out to be fine, but still registered as a point against.

All in all, I would recommend this dye to anyone considering an at-home dye job. For this hair diva who’s sprouting greys left, right, and centre, you might just have to fight me for that last box of Perfect 10 at the drugstore.

The Available Shades of Perfect 10:

What we’re working on…

Stress relief that actually works? We’ll see about that!
Next week, Stasia‘s got The Goods on the StressEraser!

Got a great new product that you think could make it on Stasia’s shopping list?
Email us and tell us about it!

Giving credit where credit is due. That’s the motivation behind the creation of this line of fragrances that embodies the classic art of perfumery.

Like a child who grows up in a circus and knows the trapeze naturally, Frédéric Malle was brought up in a family of perfumers and became sensitized at a very young age to the world of fragrances. It’s no wonder, considering his grandfather was Parfums Christian Dior founder Serge Heftler-Louiche, and his mother the art director of the design giant for many years.

Even though the choice seemed obvious, Malle thought that he would move on to a different field, and for a while he did. But having developed a very acute appreciation for scents, he was asked to work at the famed Roure lab, where his career took a significant turn. “The minute I walked into that lab, I realized that it was home for me,” he reminisces. Having just come from the field of advertising at the time, he found the understated and humble world of perfumers refreshing and inspiring.

Fragrances have always been fronted by famous faces or famous names. No one ever really gives a second thought to the people behind the actual creations. That is what Malle sought to change in 2000 when he founded Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle. Crazy as it sounds, after selecting nine of the best “noses” in the industry, Malle offered them the ultimate freedom to create their dream fragrances, “fragrances with no limits, with no compromises.” Money was no longer an object and deadlines were a thing of the past. Without such restrictions tainting the results, these famous yet unknown perfumers were given the rare opportunity to develop products that were not only truly their own (and showcased as such), but to be enjoyed with absolute pride.

Simplicity is the key to a successful scent. As Malle explained to me, the simplest formulas or as he puts it, “those that are to the point,” often turn out to be the best. Perfumes that are of poor quality are ones that try to say too many things at once. Asked how one selects the right fragrance for them, Malle turns again to his principle of freedom. There are many clichés in the perfume industry and he is very quick to brush them all off. Simply trust your nose and the emotions that a particular smell invokes. What you like is generally what will suit you and don’t let science or jargon muddle up what you think is best. There isn’t even a “right” way of applying perfumes, he tells me. Dab it or splash it anywhere you like according to the strength of the perfume and be careful with dark fragrances if you apply them on clothes because they’re likely to stain. In terms of guidelines, that’s as much as you need to know really. He did point out that if you wear perfume on your skin, you’ll still have it on even if your clothes are not. Oh the French eh!

Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle is available at Holt Renfrew and believe me when I tell you this: The people working there really really know their stuff. After we wrapped up the video shoot, I chatted with a couple of their personnel and before I knew it, I’d lost at least half an hour. I guarantee you’ll be impressed by the service and I have absolutely no doubt that you’ll leave learning volumes about not only these fragrances, but the very interesting science and history behind them all. Look for Bojana!

For more info on the people or the products featured in this piece, visit www.editionsdeparfums.com