Yes it is true the holiday shopping season is upon us. Where does the time go?
In the next few weeks I will be showcasing some of the best buys for gifts for the 2011 holiday season. Some great ideas for office parties, house gatherings, for the unexpected guest as well as some of my favourite items this season. One of my favourite things this time of year is when I go on the road and meet Yummy Mummies all over Canada. Every year I spend at least two weeks travelling and teaching how to create the best holiday party looks at Daniel Thompson Beauty retailers.
Below is my schedule of appearances and where you can meet me in person and have an appointment to have me create the perfect look just for you. Appointments to meet me are always free but the spaces always book up very quickly.
If I am appearing in your city be sure to call and book an appointment. I would love to meet all the Yummy Mummies in every city!
November 19
Toronto, ON
Andrews
55 Avenue Road
416 969 9991
I will be appearing from 12 pm – 5 pm and there are only 10 appointments available!
December 3
Charlottetown, PEI
Mientjes Salon
140 Saint Peters Road
902 566 4780
I will be appearing from 10 am – 7 pm
December 4
Charlottetown, PEI
Allisons Salon
119 Kent Street
902 566 1141
I will be appearing from 12 pm – 5 pm
December 5
Halifax, NS
Chrysalis Spa
5521 Young Street
902 446 3929
I will be appearing from 10 am – 4 pm
December 6
Saint John, NB
Soft Touch Aesthetics
98 Princess Street
506 343 7939
I will be appearing from 10 am – 5 pm
December 7
Fredericton, NB
Sue Lawrence Salon
550 Queen Street
506 457 2922
I will be appearing from 9 am – 4:30 pm
December 10
Brooklin, ON
Orchid Spa
24 Princess Street
905 655 2424
I will be appearing from 9 am – 4 pm
December 13
Ottawa, ON
Daya Spa
200 Dalhousie Street
613 244 4333
I will be appearing from 11:30 am – 6:30 pm
December 14
Whitby, ON
MD Aesthetics
728 Anderson Street
905 666 5117
My appearance is still to be confirmed but please call direct for available appointments
Recently a reader asked me to review this Avon product. I have to say I was very surprised. I hadn’t looked at an Avon product for many years and I had the impression it really wasn’t a major player in the cosmetics industry. I know they have a great market share but I really have to admit I was quite ignorant about the advances they have made in their offering. Just goes to show even the Beauty Buster can learn a thing or two.
Avon Anew Genics Treatment Cream ($42 for 50 mL)
Of course, I caution against buying into the marketing hype around the so called "Youth Gene Technology." I have written before about how there is no topical product that can manipulate the genetic code of the human body and this product is no exception. However, it is actually fairly well formulated and includes many ingredients I would encourage consumers to seek.
Pros:
1. Glycolic Acid included to really resurface the skin while hydrating. AHA’s are a great way to polish and refine the texture of the skin and reduce discolouration.
2. Cell communicating peptides to rapidly speed up the desired results.
3. Trace minerals to reinforce the skin’s natural protective abilities.
Cons:
1. Excessive filler used to build volume in the jar. A lot of filler can dilute the actives.
2. Fragrance added – the most common sensitizing agent in cosmetics and really serves no purpose in skincare.
3. Dye added – also an intense sensitizer.
Overall – well priced, well formulated and actually able to deliver on promises.
The results will take time (up to 4 weeks) but they will appear. Avon has a well positioned product here. A good all purpose product that will work for day and night.
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I have written many times about how cosmetics companies use very carefully selected language to ensure their claims are above litigation but be as wordy as they can be to imply very specific results. Okrapeptide is a popular product both on The Shopping Channel and at drugstores.
In the very carefully worded ad copy, this product is touted as “a natural alternative to injections like Botox®”.
Let’s look at the language here:
1. “a natural alternative”: by definition anything other than the stated comparable item (in this case Botox®) is an alternative. The word means “available as a possibility”. While implying this product is as effective as Botox®, that is actually not what is stated – this statement simply means: there is the possibility this can be applied instead of Botox®. Well that is true of anything. There is no actual comparison to the results offered.
2. “to injections like Botox®”: this is a careful way to not actually compare anything to actual Botox®. This simply means “something along the lines of Botox® but not specifically Botox®”.
The reason this is important is because legally and scientifically speaking nothing provides results like Botox® except Botox®.
Okrapeptide ($39 for 30mL)
Pros:
1. Great cell communicating ingredients to speed the penetration of the active ingredients
2. Lipid identical plant extracts to create cushion and hydration
3. Fragrance and dye free
Cons:
1. High concentrations of irritating plant oils
2. Plastic filler which can occlude the skin
3. Lots of filler to build volume in the tube – these dilute any actives and create a film on the surface of the skin
Overall – a very run of the mill formula wrapped up in some overhyped marketing.
Not overpriced but not really all that well formulated. There are far superior formulas sold at the drug store.
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