Ever since I turned 30, I’ve been much better about sunscreen than I used to be. I may not have slathered on the baby oil and used foil reflectors like my sun-happy parents did back in the day, but in my carefree youth, I wore SPF 8, which now sounds just as crazy. I graduated to 15 sometime around the end of high school and to 30 in my mid-20s. Lately I’ve been all about the 50, and where I used to only apply sunscreen when I was (ahem) sunbathing, I now use it most days.

It should come as no surprise that the Joe Fresh show at Toronto’s LG Fashion Week Tuesday night was one hot ticket. Arguably the most accessible clothing line in Canada – but doesn’t it make grocery shopping so much more fun? – Joe packs a whole lot of style and adorableness into prices that are hard to resist. The Fall show featured classic looks, with swing coats, sparkly minis, lots of knits and some cozy-looking sweaters. Classic colours too – lots of camel, grey and black with fantastic hits of colour and gold accents (even gold-painted jeans!). Yes, the show opened with what has become Joe’s trademark orange but also, some fabulous jade and indigos that will definitely take the blah out of fall. Since we (Joanna and Alyssa) were lucky enough to snag a seat, here’s a peek at some of our faves…

It’s not even two weeks past Labour Day, and the long, hot summer that was feels long, long ago. In Toronto today, it’s cold and rainy – early fall at its soggy finest. My closet, however, has not yet caught up.

So in what comes as close to important political news as you'll find on this blog...

Move over Zara … the famed cheap-and-chic U.K. label Topshop is about to open its doors in Canada ... finally!

Over the years, I’ve read a few mentions of beauty editors and celebs who swear by baby beauty products for their own use. And while the idea of using soaps and lotions geared to infants makes sense on a logical level (baby skin is notoriously thin and sensitive; my skin gets dry and irritated faster than you can say “binky” – and did I mention that moisturizer makes me break out?), I never got around to trying any – half because I never make it anywhere near the baby product aisle at the drugstore and half because I’m a born skeptic.

But when the press kit for the Live Clean Baby line crossed my desk a couple of weeks back, it didn’t for a second cross my mind to pass the moisturizing bar soaps on to my sister, who has a two-year-old and another on the way, or to any of my friends with babes at home… I couldn’t wait to try it on my own face.

The verdict?

A few years ago, when I was working at a women’s magazine, the beauty editor said she thought someone should open up blow-out places that were like nail salons – cheap and quick and the kind of place you could stop in between haircuts for a quick style fix without an appointment. It’s too bad she didn’t invest in such a business because in the last couple of years, it seems blow-out salons have taken off.

I feel like I should be writing this post under the cloak of anonymity. Yesterday, I went outside of what is probably the longest-running monogamous relationship I’ve had in my life. And yet aside from the fact that it feels wrong to boast about cheating (and I don’t want her to read this!), I also feel refreshed, excited. Like this break from the same-old is exactly what I needed.

Ever bought an eyeshadow palette? Then you know exactly the colour I'm talking about - the bright, vivid one that's oh-so-pretty and vivid but you're just too afraid to use? Well, with the grey days of winter (possibly... dare we hope?) coming to a close and spring on the horizon, I’m daring you to go bold. From pretty pinks and corals to vibrant greens and blues bold colours feature big in this spring’s makeup looks. But while it’s a look we may admire on the runway or red carpet, some of us (and by “some of us” I mean me) lack the balls to try out those bold colours ourselves.

Enter Maybelline New York’s global makeup artist, Charlotte Willer, with some tips for getting over being timid.

I'm fresh home from an event for Maybelline New York (more to come... lots of great tips for actually wearing the season's bold colours for cheeks, lips and eyes), but I have on tip that's too good to wait.

As you've likely noticed, one of the big makeup trends heading into Spring is the bold red lip (it continues into Fall too). The problem is finding the "right" red. Well, makeup artist Charlotte Willer, has a foolproof tip for finding the right red (or any lipstick colour).