All posts filed under: Geekiviews

Leaves of Trees Deodorant

geekiviews: Leaves of Trees Deodorant (It’s the Best!)

I figured that short lasting and under-performing was status quo in the natural deodorant world. I tried different brands and delivery methods over the years. eventually I learned that I didn’t have much of a choice and gave up searching. Then I stumbled on the holy grail when introduced to Leaves of Trees deodorant. Leaves of Trees is a luxury skincare line based in Toronto that uses all organic products. Brand founder, Roohi Qureshi, MD uses her extensive background medicine and chemical engineering to choose the best natural fair-trade ingredients that produce healing benefits. Leaves of Trees products are formulated using a base of the highest quality unrefined argan oil sourced from a woman’s cooperative in Morocco. The argan nuts are crushed and then cold pressed by hand which results in a higher concentration of antioxidants which prevent and repair skin damage caused by free radicals. All products are handmade in small batches at the Leaves of Trees Flagship store at 177 Queen Street East. Products are free of artificial fragrances, colours and preservatives. I …

Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer by Marc Jacobs Beauty

geekiviews: Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer by Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs announced a beauty line earlier this year and the reaction was pretty massive. As a teaser, the press release included photos of of the packaging design. I was in love already. The design was so compelling. Black and silver dominated the packaging that played with long lines and curves. The design was simple but managed to capture a distinct, expensive look of its own. It didn’t matter what the product was like I would be buying some nail polish and mascara. Marc Jacobs and Sephora are both owned by LVMH. Marc Jacobs Beauty is a collaboration between the designer and Sephora Originals, the company’s private label. This is first foray into cosmetic collaborations with designers from the LVMH family. Originals produced lines for Hello Kitty and a few smaller designers previously. So fast forward to September and the collection is in Sephora stores. I’m on a mission to buy the Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer by Marc Jacobs Beauty. I spend an agonizing time figuring out which colours to buy. The selection of colours …

geekiviews: Sodastream

Believe the hype. The Sodastream is an amazing kitchen appliance. The Sodastream system allows you to carbonate plain old tap water at home. Pair this carbonated water with many of the different flavours of sodamix and you have an alternative to buying pre-packaged bottled and cans. Most Sodastream systems carbonates tap water without electricity or batteries. It uses an exchangeable CO2 carbonator that can be refilled with beverage-grade CO2 drawn from the air. The company also makes flavoured syrups so you can make your own drinks like cola, root beer and even tonic. The flavours have less calories and carbs than traditional sode and the major bonus of no awful aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup. Weeks before I got my hands on a Sodastream system I heard nothing but praise. “It’s a game changer” is something I’ve heard from more than one person when describing the Sodastream. These incredible endorsements from people I trust peaked my interest, perhaps I should invest in a Sodastream. I love pop and my local convenience store can attest to …

geekiviews: Tickled Pink Foundation Garment by Saxton Chayse

Foundation garments are a staple in my wardrobe. The use slips, camisole and tshirts are a common practice in my fashion world. I’ve added a new must have item to my foundational garment roster, the Tickled Pink undershirt. It’s the perfect garment as it works as an undershirt and prevents sweat marks and pit stains without resorting to using those underarm adhesive pads. Saxton Chayse sent me a Tickled Pink undershirt to test drive last summer. It wasn’t something that I thought of using during that season so I didn’t look at it until the fall. I was in love after our first outing, it was a miracle worker. I tend to sweat a lot and avoid wearing long sleeves some days because of embarrassing sweat stains. With Tickled Pink I no longer worry about it because of the triple layered pad sewn into the armpits. It’s not bulky which surprised me as that was one of my initial concerns. The deep v neckline and short sleeves accommodates all kinds of outfits. The synthetic fabric …

geekiviews: Microsoft SurfaceRT

I’m a Microsoft Girl. It’s not sexy and probably not cool but Windows is my operating system of choice since the DOS days. Now while I might be a windows junkie, I’m also very, very slow to adopt new versions. I ran Windows 2k and XP till the bitter end. I skipped everything in between XP and 7 and only reluctantly started using Windows 7 when it came pre-installed on a Dell laptop. So just as I’m getting comfortable with 7 here comes Windows 8. My aversion was at high alert again. I read about how differences in the OS, including the moaning of the missing Start button. I started thinking about how long I could put off upgrading again. The Start button is life on a Windows platform. A constant reassuring feature that every Windows user understands. Now that I’ve tried a flavour of Windows 8 I don’t have the same extreme aversion I used too. I got over myself a bit. I don’t do well touch devices. I’m a staunch Blackberry lover. I …

geekiviews: MARNI Fragrance

Way back in November I sat down with Trudi Loren who is the Vice President, Corporate Fragrance Development at Estèe Lauder Companies. She was in Toronto to introduce Marni’s first fragrance to members of the press. I’m a big fan of Marni and head designer Consuelo Castiglioni. I see her clothing in person at Holt Renfrew and I find myself coveting everything. I wanted to know if she could translate that feeling to a fragrance. Marni isn’t stereotypical feminine either, how would that translate into scent. Trudi starts with the origins of the fragrance. Consuelo had specific ideas for the fragrance when she met with Estèe Lauder perfumers. They tweaked her custom fragrance after numerous design cycles using their knowledge to take the fragrance to market and still be true to Consuelo vision of Marni. She was very involved in every step of the design process, treating it like editing a collection. The starting point was typically material: it was woods and spices and the incense that Consuelo wanted, somehow reminiscent the woody landscapes of …

geekiviews: Guerlain La Laque Couleur Nail Polish

Guerlain is introducing a new permanent nail polish collection to its makeup line up. The collection features 10 shades as well as a Gel Top Coat and protective base. Gel top coats are going to be the next rage in the nail polish world. They claim to give a similar finish to a gel manicure without the need of the potentially cancer-causing UV lamps. What makes a gel top coat different is that it contains polymers or epoxy resin that provides the coverage, protection and finish. Julep, Deborah Lippman and Dior all have gel top coat products on the market. At the preview, I got to see the nail polish in person and I indulged in a mini manicure. Guerlain impressed me. The polish is very opaque and there was 95% coverage in the first coat. I love that Guerlain has the wide and flat brush design like Dior’s nail polish. The wide brush makes applying polish so quick and easy. Some people prefer a thinner brush but I’d love all my polish brushes to …

Run, Don’t Walk to Roger Vivier: Process to Perfection at the Bata Shoe Museum

The Roger Vivier exhibit at The Bata Shoe Museum is coming to a close and if you’ve been putting off going you need to stop now. April 7, 2013 is the last day you can check out the work of this master shoemaker. I finally got off my ass and took in the exhibit this week. Roger Vivier’s work is of exceptional beauty and technical design. He invented so many of the classic shoe styles some of which are as popular as ever more than 50 years later. Roger pushed shoe design to new levels with his creative and technical sides. Vivier perfected the modern stiletto in 1954. He never used the term stiletto but aiguille (needle heel). The Choc heel which looks like a concave stiletto came along in 1959. My favourite pair of the exhibit are a Choc heel and pictured above. Roger also debuted the Tibet heel in 1959. It’s shaped like a small inverted pyramid. The Polichinelle heel followed, it has a low hourglass-shaped heel. In 1962 he introduced another heel …

geekiviews: Layla Hologram Effect Nail Polish

I’m in love with Layla Cosmetics Nail Polish. It’s a 60 year old Italian company whose founder is responsible for bring nail polish to Italy in the 30s. I’ve tried a couple Holo like polishes but the Layla polish really delivers the perfect Holographic effect. I haven’t tried Nfu Oh yet but I’ve heard it’s good too. I purchased the charcoal/dark grey holographic called Flash Black. I figured I should get a neutral looking one to start. I really love the colour. Layla says you don’t need a base coat for this polish and that buffing your nails before application should be ok. Holographic polishes have a notorious reputation of being hard to apply so I purchased the Nfu Oh holographic base coat. It worked really well and suggest buying it when using these types of polishes. The application was very easy but I allowed more time to dry between coats. You have to allow the base coat to dry completely first for best coverage. The photo shows two coats but I’d use three for …

geekiviews: Shoe Innovations: A Visual Celebration of 60 Styles

geekiviews: Shoe Innovations: A Visual Celebration of 60 Styles

Firefly Books contacted me about a new fashion book called Shoe Innovations: A Visual Celebration of 60 Styles: by Caroline Cox. They also provided me with a copy for this review. Shoe Innovations is visual guide to the 60 most iconic shoe designs from the 20th and 21th centuries. Caroline Cox adds important social, historical and cultural context to the shoes in addition to the stunning photography and sketches. This is not just a picture book, Caroline provides meaty descriptions of each design. It’s a perfect reference to modern shoe design that can be read from cover to cover or picked up for reference. There are numerous photos of the shoes from the historical to modern. Shoe Innovations was published in August 2012 so it’s pretty current. I am very impressed with this book. It’s a great reference and guide that provides historical, designer, celebrity and cultural background to each style. It’s also a perfect size for a reference book. You can view some sample pages on the Firefly Books website. It can fit into …

geekiviews: Love Beach Flip Flops

Flip flops are utility shoe for me. They have their place in my public life and that’s at beach or in a gym shower. Flat leather sandals are my preferred choice for summer footwear. I have no rugs, hardwood floors and two cats at my place so I wear flip-flops instead of wearing the cute knit slippers my cousin made me for Christmas. The knit skippers would just be a dust and hair magnet. The random swag flip-flops I’ve collected over the years were all not very comfortable. I received an email about reviewing flip-flops that had some support features and I said why not. Bonus is that they are Canadian. Love Beach is a Ottawa based company. They are striving to make the perfect flip-flop that can be dressed up or down. The fashion aspect of the shoes didn’t really interest me but the claims of “Gentle arch support, Gel cushion heels for optimal wear-ability, Triple layer EVA soles for softness and durability, Nice “huggy” fit – no floppiness, Supple TPU uppers help minimize …

geekiviews: Bring It On: The Musical

I was in LA when I first found out that a there is musical based on the movie Bring It On. While driving to the Getty Museum, I noticed little Bring it On: The Musical flags attached to streetlights. How long this will take to migrate north, I thought starting out the window. Well, Six months is the answer because Bring it On: the musical is now playing in Toronto thanks to Mirvish. I’m not a fan of the teen movie genre. I avoid watching as much as possible. Of course, I enjoy a few like The Breakfast Club, Heathers and Pretty in Pink. So when I sat down to watch Bring it On for the first time I thought I would hate every minute. I hadn’t yet jumped on the Kristen Drunst bandwagon yet and she was just that kid from Interview with a Vampire grown. Bring it On was great to my surprise. The musical isn’t the same story as the movie but follows a lot of the themes and adds crazy ensemble …

geekiview: Simons Online Shopping

A few weeks ago I received an email from a web consultant that was working with Quebec based Simons. He asked me to write a review of the shopping experience and would provide me with a $50 gift certificate to get started. Simons has always been a must visit on my trips to Montreal. I accepted his offer and hence this post. The gift certificate came to me via email which I thought was excellent considering a physical card really didn’t serve a purpose in this situation. The Simons.ca website has a clean, simple layout and lots of white space. I hate websites will lots of bells and whistler or ones that use flash and play music automatically. It shouldn’t take the user many mouse clicks to get product into a shopping cart and I tend to give up on sites with lousy user interfaces. The Simons.ca user interface provides all the search functions I expect: colour, brand, price and date added. I purchased the Trompe-l’oeil plunge-neck sweater and a large cowl neck striped tunic. …

geekiview: The Pillow Boot by Cougar Boots

Last year, I reviewed some boots on the site. I made a flippant comment about not caring about Cougar because the don’t make my childhood pillow boot anymore. I was completely wrong. I learned at a preview that the classic boot was coming back for Fall 2011. The anticipation for the Cougar Pillow Boot has been building for months. I’m a such a sucker for some of these retro trends and thankfully Matchstick send a pair over to me. In 1976, a Canadian classic was born. A tan leather, calf-high lace up with its famous red lining took an entire generation by storm. This fashion icon is the inspiration behind the new Cougar Pillow Boot. Made with soft, supple leather this next generation Pillow melds a decidedly vintage look with a modern twist, while still giving you the option to romp through the deepest Canadian snow.(source: Press release) The weather isn’t conductive to a functional review but I’ve been wearing them around the house and they are very comfortable boots. I like the updated design. …

geekiviews: CND Shellac Manicure Part 1

I decided to put aside my fears of gel manicures as a TIFF experiment. High View Communications and CND invited me to Shellac SpaManicure Day where guests would be treated to a Shellac manicure and meet CND president and founder, Jan Arnold. The event was just in time for TIFF and I liked the idea of CND reps doing my nails. There are a couple of things that make me wary of these types of manicures. I like to change my nail polish up a lot. I worry about being bored with the one colour. The colour palettes aren’t as extensive as regular polish I’m pretty good at doing my nails myself. I don’t get a lot of manicures during the year I have a large amount of nail polish colours Hmm, I need to return to the salon to remove this stuff. UV lamps, pure acetone and protective masks Nail recovery horror stories The CND team setup their manicure pop-up in the Hazelton Hotel. I browsed the CND lookbooks while waiting for my nail …

Geekiviews: Rockport with adiPRENE by Adidas

Earlier in the summer I was sent a pair of Rockport sandals to test out. Rockport isn’t a brand I would normally wear but Adidas has partnered with them and have added the adiPRENE technology to make shoes more comfortable. I’ve had a passing interest in technology like this and wrote about Nike and Cole Haan’s collaboration efforts in the past. The technology has two parts: adiPRENE absorbs shock during walking in the heel and adiPRENE+ pushes on the ball of your foot to create a spring in your step. The selections of shoes presented to me were definitely not my style as they were too tame and too uninspiring. I don’t look at this as a problem for Rockport because I’m really not their target market. The look of shoe usually trumps any comfort aspirations I have. I’m willing to suffer for fashion in many instances. There are many women who can’t wear the heels I do and are looking for something comfortable but not ugly. While I find Rockport’s adiPRENE selection a little …

geekiviews: Cougar Boots

Matchstick sent me two pairs of Cougar Boots to review. One pair of rainboots and one pair of winter boots. There were a few styles to choose from and I was lucky to get my first choices. I was getting pretty bored of my Hunters so I was thinking of buying a new pair of boots. I’ve been looking around and thought about a big obnoxious yellow or purple pair. When I saw the Regal rainboot from Cougar, I needed to own them. They are rubber with a polar fleece lining. They are comfortable, warm and rated from 0°C to -24°C. I’ve only used them in above 0°C situations so I can’t comment on how they work in that weather. They are a sturdy boot, better made than my hunters. Most of all I love the motorcycle boot style. They look great. Regal’s retail for $85. The winter boot I selected is Ringo Star. I haven’t worn them outside since we have no snow yet. I can’t tell you about function but I love they …

geekiviews: Zi8 Pocket Video Camera

I received the Zi8 Pocket Video Camera just in time for LGFW this year. I’ve used the HD video feature on the Olympus E-PL1 so I was curious how these dedicated video cameras function. I guess the Zi8’s main competitor is the Flip video camera. I’ve never used the Flip camera before but I’ve held it. The Zi8 is a bit wider but they are very close in size. The camera has the following features: Capture video in 720p HD at 60 fps, or 1080p HD at 30 fps holds a up to 32GB SD/SDHC card External microphone jack takes 5MP 16:9 Widescreen HD photos built-in image stabilization 2.5 colour LCD screen Internal USB connector, no extra cables Includes HDMI cables so you can hook it up to your HDTV Included KODAK Li-Ion Rechargeable Digital Camera Battery Compatible with PC and MAC Includes video editing software The Kodak site has a great video that explains the features that the Zi8 offers. In perfect lighting the Ki8 takes some great video. It packs a lot of …

geekiviews: Hudson Jeans

Over the last few years I’ve seen Hudson Jeans infiltrated many denim bars in the city. The papers were talking about the death of designer denim but Hudson seemed to be thriving. It started in Los Angeles in 2002. It brings premium denim material from the best mills in Europe and Japan. The denim is constructed and hand finished in Los Angeles. The head designer and creative director of Hudson Jeans is Benjamin Taverniti who joined the company in 2007.  Hudson’s trademark is their fit and fabrics. There is both men’s and women’s lines for denim but they are also expanding into tops, dresses and jackets for women. Hudson has a huge celebrity following. If you look at any of the denim blogs you’ll see celebs in Hudson Jeans. I just assumed it was a denim line for skinny girls. Now before you say “Anita, you are a skinny girl”, let me explain. I’m skinny, but my history as an athlete doesn’t give me your stereotypical skinny body. My thighs and calves are muscular and …

geekiviews: Cromwell and Cruthers Shaving Oil 2010 Redux

This post is part old and part new. I had my friend The Grumpy Owl review Cromwell and Cruthers Shaving Oil back in 2009. It’s an awesome review which is reproduced in it’s entirety below. Cromwell and Cruthers have re-branded the product and I like the new slick look. I also like that Philip Sparks and Mackenzie James are involved in the advertising campaign. I have behind the scenes footage. geekiviews: Cromwell and Cruthers Shaving Oil Originally Published: 2009/01/02 This edition of geekiviews features a guest blogger, The Grumpy Owl. He’s a guy and the Cromwell and Cruthers Shaving Oil is for men. So it made sense that he review it instead of me. I hate oiling up my body. It’s the sort of the thing that one should have a person for. Preferably young, buxom and foreign. So, when Geekigirl gave me a plastic vial of Cromwell and Cruthers Shaving Oil, I viewed the product with some trepidation. Oil is bad enough but shaving is worse. The last time I combined the two, I …

geekiviews: Sitamaa Spa

I had an amazing treatment at the Sitamaa Spa in Yorkville. It funny how it took a New York based twitter friend, @michellejoni to let me know about it. Michelle works at SpaWeekDaily.com and contacted me with a Spa review opportunity. I love the spa so I said yes. I was amazed she was working with people in Toronto. The owner is 15 year industry veteran, Vaidehie Mistry.  She is a regular guest on the Steven and Chris show.  She’s also active on the speaking circuit holding lectures and seminars on skin care and beauty treatments. The Sitamaa Spa aims to be a knowledge centre for its clients. The environment is stark white which is deliberate. The client is to focus inward while at the Spa therefore the environment has minimal distractions. Vaidehie believes it’s time to refocus on the self. The Spa is there to make it easy for that serenity and concentration to happen. I had the Kyoshi Detox Wrap ($95). You are given disposable underwear to wear and the treatment takes place …

geekiviews: The Red Door

The Red Door provides foot massages for men and women. It operates out of the Che Bella Spa every Thursday, Friday and Saturday between 7 and 11 p.m. I missed the opening launch party for Red Door so rock-it promo provided me with a complementary couples treatment. I brought Danielle from Final Fashion and I learned that this was her first trip to a spa. Massage therapists provide the treatment. It’s 45 minutes long and includes a hot foot soak and massage of feet and legs. Prices are $55 per person, $100 per couple and $185 for a group of four. Che Bella Spa is in an old Victorian home. The space definitely has that homey and welcoming feeling. There are three treatment rooms available. Danielle and I had the attic like room upstairs that is totally private. It’s perfect for couples with the shared couch and quite tranquil.   Televisions are available for watching but we kept it off. When I’m at the spa I like to relax and focus on myself and the …

geekiviews: Kushyfoot Fishnet Tights, Ultra Low Cut Foot Covers and Flats-to-Go

geekiviews: Kushyfoot Fishnet Tights, Ultra Low Cut Foot Covers and Flats-to-Go

Brittany from Lipton Publicity send me some samples from a company called Kushyfoot. They create tights and hosiery based on reflexology. The unique massaging sole relieves tension and discomfort in achy feet—and stress and fatigue throughout the entire body. Kushyfoot has the perfect sock for evey shoe in your closet, from foot covers and toe covers to trouser socks and sheer knee highs plus sports socks and tights. Check out our shoe-to-sock selector to get started finding the right sock for even your most uncomfortable shoe.(source) I was skeptical but I said yes to the pitch. I received a huge media kit and some samples of the Kushyfoot Fishnet Tights, Ultra Low Cut Foot Covers and Flats to Go. It took me only two wears of both the foot covers and fishnets to become a fan of their comfort. In addition to dress shoes and heels, the foot covers were a perfect compliment to my pink Converse. The low-cut covers were low enough not to be seen and stayed in place unlike others I’ve tried. …

D&G Anthology L`Amoureaux 6 Fragrance

geekiviews: D&G Anthology L`Amoureaux 6 Fragrance

I’m not a loyalist when it comes to fragrances.  I went from not wearing anything to having a whole collection (Thank you gift bags).  I don’t stick to one scent like some people.  I like the variety and the options I can play with.  Right now I find myself wearing the D&G Anthology L`Amoureaux 6 fragrance a lot. Dolce & Gabbana presents five perfumes of their collection The D&G Anthology, which arrives on the market in September 2009. Two other fragrances will join the collection next year.   The collection The D&G Anthology was inspired by tarot cards and their marks. The fragrances of this collection were named: Le Bateleur 1 (Tyson Ballou), L’Imperatrice 3 (Naomi Campbell), L’Amoureaux 6 (Noah Mills), La Roue de la Fortune 10 (Eva Herzigova and Fernando Fernandes), La Lune 18 (Claudia Schiffer).(source) L’Amoureaux 6 has fragrance signatures of spices, juniper berries, bergamot, pink pepper, cardamom, birch leaf, iris root, wood and musk. Since the model is Noah Mills (Hot!), I’m assuming the fragrance is more masculine. I can see it …

Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics Nail Polish

geekiviews: Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics Nail Polish

I was sent a package containing some Cheeky Monkey Cosmetics Nail Polish. The package contain a base coat, top coat and four colours. The names are stewed in a lot of pop culture and rub some people the wrong way. Brazen Hussy = metallic dark fuschia; Camel Toe = medium dark neutral beige, Virginal Pink = light pink and Cougar = medium red with blue-orange. I’m ambivalent about the names to be honest. I like regular colour names, it’s easy. I guess I’m a traditionalist in that sense. Brazen Hussy was my favourite of the bunch. It’s the type of colour I would wear normally. I like dark colours in nail polish like purples and blues with metallic finishes. I’m also a fan of neon and grey based shades. I decided to try something different and went with Virginal Pink, a colour I would never wear. I applied the nail polish as laid out in the instructions with slight modification. Two base and top coats were needed. I went with three coats of Virginal Pink …