Ladies: Tell Your Friends. 

I would like to introduce the beauty-full companies that will be participating in my Summer Beauty & Fashion Guide next month:

(I’ll wait while you pick yourself off the floor.)

Do you follow my blog? I hope so – because blog followers will earn two (2) extra entries for all giveaways. I know, it’s pretty awesome.

I’m just finalizing the fashion sponsors, but the list is looking pretty hot. More to come. xxoo

LOVE when companies give back.

This season, look your best – and help girls around the world reach their full potential – with products from Marcelle’s limited edition Because I Am A Girl branded products.

It all started with Plan Canada’s initiative to harness the incredible power that girls and women have here at home and in the developing world. Because I am a Girl is Plan’s global campaign to break the cycle of poverty and gender discrimination.

Girls have the right to be educated.
Girls have the right to eat.
Girls have the right to be safe.
Girls’ rights are human rights.

Ambassador for Because I Am A Girl, two-time Olympic medalist Jennifer Heil, has a goal to raise one million dollars for the initiative, and Marcelle is lending their support. For a limited time, when you buy any of Marcelle’s three best-selling products, $0.50 will be donated to Because I am a Girl. The three products are available at the majority of retailers across Canada that sell Marcelle products, and are easily recognizable in their special pink packaging.

The products include:

Cleansing Cloths (25 cloths)
Ideal to drop in your suitcase, purse or gym bag! In one easy step, cleanse and remove face and eye make-up without leaving a greasy after-feel. They eliminate long wearing make-up, including waterproof mascara, while preserving the skin’s natural moisture balance. Thoroughly cleansed, the skin feels comfortable and regains its softness. Pre-moistened with a mild lotion, they respect the eye’s delicate pH balance, so it is safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.

I’ve been using Marcelle’s cleansing cloths for over a year now – usually on nights when I’m too tired to remain standing, let alone go through a whole cleansing/ toning/ moisturizing routine with up to six different products. After a quick wipe with the cleansing cloths, my skin is clean, refreshed and smooth – never dry. And I simply LOVE the special pink packaging!

Multi-Colour Powder Blush (Timeless Charm)
A two-in-one blush and highlighter, with five perfectly coordinated shimmer tones, which illuminates and defines cheeks for a pretty pink glow. It’s hypo-allergenic, perfume free and provides long-lasting colour.

If you’re looking for a pink blush that exudes “sweet and innocent”, this is the one for you, ladies! The perfect petal pink with a healthy dose of shimmery highlights. Simply gorgeous.

Lux Gloss Sheer (Sorbet) 
Jennifer Heil’s favourite gloss colour! A light gel-based liquid formula that is non-sticky and won’t run, and provides long-lasting hydration, long-lasting colour, exceptional comfort and light coverage. Enriched with emollients and a revitalizing cocktail of ingredients, it’s perfect for achieving a plumping effect for seductive lips. It’s hypo-allergenic and perfume free.

One of my faves too! For more information on Because I Am A Girl, visit plancanada.ca/becauseiamagirl

To view some of the hottest trends in beauty and makeup, visit Marcelle Cosmetics.

It’s no secret that I’m having the ultimate Beauty & Fashion Bash in July. I’m just waiting on a few sponsors to confirm, but it looks like there will be a giveaway for EVERY day of the month.

(Don’t mind me – just doing a happy dance.)

Yesterday, I received a very summery package of goodies courtesy of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, one of my fabulous sponsors. Now while I’d normally wait until the event to post my review, I simply can’t contain my excitement for one of the products: Bobbi Brown beach Body Lotion.

“This lightweight body moisturizer contains a soothing and hydrating blend of Aloe Vera and Olive, Jojoba and Sunflower Oils. beach Body Lotion helps reduce peeling and prolong the life of your tan. Green Tea and Vitamin E provide antioxidant protection. Freshly scented with beach Fragrance.”

The fragrance – beach – is the cleanest, freshest, most tantalizing scent I have ever smelled. I’m hooked! I literally could not stop applying the lotion to my arms and upper body… and last night, I booted it to Holt Renfrew so I could pick up the beach Eau de Parfum.

beach captures the very essence of summer with a lightly intoxicating blend of sand jasmine, sea spray and mandarin. But it doesn’t merely smell like the beach. It smells like the beach at a 5-star resort, where a gorgeous cabana boy is offering you a fruity concoction while you turn over on your side to enjoy the view of the clear blue water lapping up to the shore.

Or, for my 80′s girls – running through the sprinkler in th backyard, wearing Coppertone sun tan oil, trading jelly bracelets and drinking Kool Aid. The fragrance evokes so many memories, it’s almost like a nostalgic drug.

Do you see why I couldn’t wait until July to share this with you?

The fragrance also passes the “guys love it” test – my husband described the scent as “hot” but “light and fresh” at the same time… and “that’s how all ladies should smell in summer”. LOVE it!

Click here to find a Bobbi Brown store near you.

Woot! Get those nails all purdy for sandal weather!

Valid the entire month of June. Click here to find a Trade Secrets near you.

It’s BACK!

Until May 19th, save 40% off ALL nail polishes and treatments. Select locations carry premium brands such as OPI (the real stuff, not just Nicole by OPI) so stop by your local store today!

Click here to find a store near you.

Need some inspiration? According to multiple sources, the hottest shade of Summer 2011 is…

Glo-Getter
Stop traffic with a day-glo mani. Gamma (left) looks like a bottled up fluorescent glow stick while Tangerine (right) has a subtle sheen that reminds me of a favorite summertime snack.

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Gamma, $14; sephora.com
Revlon Nail Enamel in Tangerine, $5; drugstores nationwide

Read more: Summer Nail Trends 2011 – Real Beauty

Around this time every year, I abandon my regular blush (MAC Blushbaby) and start dabbling in bronzers. It’s just not enough that I have a naturally tanned complexion – I need to have the most glowing, coppery, sun-kissed skin too. You could say I’m Snooki Lite.

This season, I’ve got a ton of awesome bronzing products to swish, swatch and review, and decided that CARGO’s BeachBlush in Coral Beach would be a worthy first try.

{LOVE}

First, I can’t deny that the signature metal tin isn’t a selling point for me, because I happen to be a freak about packaging. It’s hot.

Second, how cool is that stripy thing? “Four harmonious shades work together to provide perfectly flushed cheeks with a sun-drenched glow. Golden Goddess effects in a flash!”

(Did you know: BeachBlush earned its status as one of CARGO’s most iconic products ever since it appeared as a question on Jeopardy!)

When using, remember to swish your brush to mix up all the complementary shades. Simply giving one stroke will yield the following results:

As you can see (click to enlarge if you can’t) the brush has picked up pigment from the two center shades only. If I were to apply that on my cheeks, I would likely be arrested by the contouring police. Therefore please do give it a soft swish to combine all those great colours (I use MAC #129 Powder/Blush Brush).

The blush has a moderate sheen that I don’t find too powerful to use as an all-over bronzer… unlike some products I’ve encountered (cough, Estee Lauder, cough). It drives me bonkers when I encounter a high shimmer bronzer; for me, the whole point of summer makeup is keeping the grease, sweat and shine off my face!

Available in 6 gorgeous shades, non-comedogenic and has decent staying power (from day to night, only one retouch is necessary). But above all, I feel pretty when I wear it.

Here I am striking my “beachy” pose.

My Five:

- CARGO Cosmetics BeachBlush
  (applied all over as bronzer)
- Cover Girl Eyebrow Pencil/Brown
- The Body Shop Eye Definer/Black
- Make Up Forever Smoky Lash Mascara
- Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Peach

BeachBlush retails for $28.00 can be purchased from CARGO’s website. Free shipping on orders over $50 – call up a friend and order two :)

p.s. Just booked an appointment to lighten up my hair for the summer. The warm weather transformation begins!

Somebody queue Toto’s “Africa” – cause we’re about to take a little trip.

Go wild this spring with Sephora by OPI’s Safari Luxe Collection. Inspired by animal-print fabrics, snakeskin pumps, and stacks of gold bracelets, the collection takes after one of the hottest trends to hit the runways: safari chic. “We came up with a nail lacquer collection as stylish and fun as the trend itself,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI VP and Artistic Director. “And just like a leopard-print scarf spices up an outfit, each summery shade adds instant edginess to your wardrobe.”

Shades include (from left to right): Caught With My Khakis Down, Wild About Shimmer, I Don’t Bite, A Color That Can’t Be Tamed, Once a Cheetah, Always a Cheetah and Don’t Feed the Hand Models.

I absolutely, positively MUST have Caught With My Khakis Down and will be stopping by Sephora this week!

If you’d like to make a quick change with animalistic results, try their fun Chic Prints in Giraffe, Leopard or Zebra. These easy-to-apply, precut strips of varying widths last two days on either fingers or toes and provide a fast and fun way to update any look instantly.

Read this: “One set of Chic Print for Nails contains 16 nail patches of varying widths, for a one-time application to fingers or toes. The nail patch is a solid-film material with an adhesive back that is activated by friction. The warmth from friction creates conformability, allowing the patch to fit over the compound curves of your nails and seal onto the nail bed. Removes easily by rubbing and peeling off.”

Ingenius! Find these products at your local Sephora starting in May, and of course, at Sephora.com.

This post has been a long time coming… especially since the great deals, fabulous products and exciting news keep piling up!

Forgive for using a numbered list – I just want to make sure I cover it all :)

1. Have you checked out The Body Shop Canada’s NEW website? With increased functionality (you can finally see sale prices as you place them in your cart vs. waiting for the invoice), ability to accept coupon codes (more savings!) and a quicker, faster shopping experience, you’ll love shopping from the comfort of your home. Now I am a little disappointed to see that shipping rates have increased from a flat $5 to $7.95, but if you don’t live near a Body Shop and are currently pumping $1.38/litre (that’s what we filled up at yesterday – insane!) then it just may be worth your while to load up your online cart. You can also call a friend and combine your purchases to save on shipping.

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the main page and sign up for TBS’ mailing list; you’ll be first to know about promos, new products and worthwhile campaigns.

2. Until 11:59pm tonight, take advantage of their Mother’s Day sale. Simply add a gift container to your cart for $5, and then proceed to save 30% off your entire purchase! Plus, 50% of the proceeds from the gift basket purchase will be donated to the Somaly Mam Foundation.

3. Did you purchase last week’s Groupon for The Body Shop? If so, be sure to redeem it before May 30th to grab a cool $45 worth of goodies. After May 30th, the value decreases slightly to $40. Last time around, I was able to combine my Groupon with a similar 30% off promotion (Erin Mills Town Centre), but readers wrote in saying that they had varying degrees of success from store to store. Call ahead to see if you’re able to grab insane savings by using your Groupon today.

4. Gift Suggestions for Mom:

Spa Wisdom Collection ($16.00 – $28.00)

Help mom create a pampering paradise at home, with The Body Shop Spa Wisdom collection, which is inspired by beauty rituals, traditions and ingredients from around the world. The collection features Spa Wisdom Morocco, Africa, Japan and Polynesia.

These blissful collections combine authentic indigenous and Community Trade ingredients while featuring captivating fragrances and sensorial textures. Help your mom discover The Body Shop Spa Wisdom scrubs, body cleansers and moisturizers.

Coconut Bath & Body Range ($8.00 – $20.00)

Indulge your mom with the luxurious Coconut Bath & Body range that’s enriched with pure, organic, cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil, sourced from Samoa through the Community Trade programme. Skin is softened, conditioned and delightfully fragranced with the tropical scent of coconut that’s reminiscent of long, lingering summer days. It’s like applying pure happiness to your skin.

5. Shower the Earth Lovers Way - Make a positive splash on the environment by showering with the NEW Eco-conscious 100% biodegradable Earth Lovers shower gel range.

There are six refreshing fragrances: Lemon & Thyme, Mint & Cucumber, Watermelon & Eucalyptus, Apricot & Basil, Fig & Rosemary and Pear & Lemongrass.

I had the pleasure of trying the Apricot & Basil, Mint & Cucumber and Lemon & Thyme scents. The Apricot & Basil is very sweet smelling, and will be a runaway winner for those who are keen on peachy-like fragrances. Mint & Cucumber was my least favourite; I thought it was too “foody” and it felt like I was preparing a salad in the shower a la Kramer from Seinfeld. But, I can’t deny it’s refreshing after-smell and cool, tingly sensation. And I absolutely LOVED the Lemon & Thyme – a very masculine scent, the unique combination gives off a sensual fragrance which lingers hours after your shower. It’s currently my husband’s go-to shower gel!

6. If you buy just one eye palette this spring, consider TBS’ Limited Collection for Eyes. The packaging was designed by the London College of Fashion – tres cool my friends. I received the A La Mode (02) palette and love the night looks I’ve been able to pull together with the cool combination of shimmer and smoke.

7. Finally, I am in the process of reviewing The body Shop’s NEW Honey Bronze lineup. Just in time for summer, I can fake a sun-kissed glow (without the damage) thanks to their Shimmering Dry Oil, Brilliance Bronzer, Bronzing Powder and Lip Nectar. My initial feedback is that the Bronzing Powder is the perfect matte colour for a touch of sun without the shine. Try sweeping it along the bridge of your nose, across your forehead and of course, on your cheeks for a natural, lightly tanned look. Further reviews to follow… perhaps in time for my Summer Beauty Bash? Stay tuned!

Whew!

That’s a lot of exciting news from The Body Shop! The malls are now open… so if you’re sitting at home, reading this post… get off your duff and visit your nearest store today!

Click here to shop at The Body Shop Canada.

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that EVERY beauty-obsessed Canadian chick should have one of these:

The palette comes housed in an iconic Sephora shopping bag that can be hung from its chic red mini tie or carried in your bag when you are on the go. The cover art is inspired by the skylines of great Canadian cities from coast to coast.”

LOVE IT!

The shadows are a mix of matte and shimmer shades of pink, beige and khaki – perfect for a day look or a soft, smokey eye at night. As with most Sephora shadows, they can be worn wet or dry to create a variety of looks. Aren’t you loving the rose-tinged khaki on the bottom right? So romantic!

The Sephora Canada Palette is ONLY $18 ($60 value) and will be available for a limited time beginning next week at Sephora stores throughout Canada or by calling 1-877-SEPHORA.

Lena Loves this Palette For:

1. Any (and every) girlfriend’s birthday… or just because
2. A gift for Mother’s Day – which is just around the corner!
3. A gift for a hostess – especially if she’s hosting a Canada Day BBQ
4. For yourself, of course!

Let’s celebrate being Canadian… and being beautiful! xo

After my super-successful Holiday Beauty Fest, I realized – I want to do it all over again! So mark your calendars peeps… this July, tune in for Listen to Lena’s Summer Beauty Bash!

New brands. Old favourites. Bigger prizes. More chances to win.

I promise, you’ll want to be here for this one! If you’re a beauty brand that would like to be featured in my event, please send me an e-mail. Limited spots are available. Until then!

A big thank you to everyone who entered the Lena Loves… Sephora Spring 2011 Collection giveaway. I just LOVE Sephora contests, don’t you?

There are so many gorgeous new accessories for 2011, you simply must visit your nearest store to bask in them all. You can also check out What’s New at Sephora.com to see the latest in tools and accessories.

As a reminder, up for grabs is a $100 Sephora Gift Card! Plus, a second winner will receive a super sweet Flower Kabuki Brush Set! And the winners are:

Hey! Yola and trola! Cute!

Please send me an e-mail so that I can have the prizes sent to you right away. Thanks again to everyone who participated, and to Sephora!

Yesterday I had the distinct pleasure of spending an afternoon with some pretty fabulous ladies! The Toronto Beauty Bloggers, headed by über-talented Make-up Artist Farah, is a group of bloggers, make-up artists and beauty junkies who live, work and play in the Greater Toronto Area. Once every few months, Farah works tirelessly to put on a smashing event; it’s part meet & greet, part networking, part beauty chat – and ALL FUN!

The Step into Spring event was held at the ulta chic Loki Salon, located in the heart of Yorkville – and home of the Kavita Suri Beauty Academy. At first, just a few gals stood around the salon, casually making introductions. But in a matter of moments, the place was jam-packed with beauty crazed folk – everyone from sponsors (Hi! to the gals from Marcelle and Devon Consulting), make-up artists (I arrived with one of my faves, Mala Brar) and of course, Beauty Bloggers!

It was SO MUCH fun to meet the ladies behind many of the blogs I follow – in fact, I recognized a few “profile picture” faces right off the bat! And surprisingly, while most of the talk was beauty-oriented, we also chatted about kids, jobs, balancing work/ life/ makeup obsessions, and more.

Be sure to check the Toronto Beauty Bloggers website over the next few days for pictures from the event – as usual, I was sans camera, but just about everyone else was shutter-happy, so I fully expect some awesome shots will be available for viewing!

Farah also put together some smokin’ prizes – thanks to the incredible generosity of several sponsors, there were gift baskets galore up for grabs. I didn’t have a winning ticket (waaa!) but let me tell you, a lot of the ladies walked away with some major loot.

And speaking of loot – don’t even get me started on the swag bags. OMG. They were chock-full of goodies just begging to be swatched, sniffed and sprayed. Here’s what was in the bag:

(I recommend that you click the picture to enlarge.)

L’Oreal. Balmshell. Hard Candy. Marcelle. Diane Lai. Prada. Joe Fresh. Bioré. The Body Shop. Dermaglow. Vasanti Cosmetics. Foxy Originals. Burt’s Bees… just some of the awesome sponsors who contributed their best selling items. You can look forward to my reviews on many of the products – I think I’ll have to dedicate a separate feature to the Toronto Beauty Blogger’s Swag Bag!

All in all, a successful event thanks to Farah’s hard work, the generosity of sponsors, and participation from a talented bunch of gals. See y’all at the next meet up!

Last Sunday, I spent a “beauty-full” afternoon with some pretty special ladies. It was the ultimate girly fest – we had fun makeovers thanks to Mala Brar (check out my gorgeous eye makeup here), swapped beauty secrets and nibbled on yummy goodies (including sinful mini cheesecakes and delectable coffee cake courtesy of Shauna at Kindergarten Confidential. YUM). Oh, and we happened to raise over $500 for a pretty awesome charity.

Perhaps I should rewind. Now it’s no secret that I receive many products to review. We’re always testing a thing or two (or three, or four) chez Lena! But the reality is, sometimes I end up with more products that I have space for, and de-cluttering is in order. Such is the case with my 2010 Holiday Beauty Fest; while I loved reviewing all the makeup and beauty items, I simply had to find good homes for all the fabulous face candy. What’s a girl to do? Hold a Charity Raffle, of course!

So I created bundles of products that I had on hand. I invited a few friends to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win the bundle of makeup, with 100% of the proceeds going to charity. It seemed like such a good idea that more girls wanted in. So I contacted a few amazing sponsors – e.l.f., CARGO and Vasanti Cosmetics – and they generously sent even more makeup my way to raffle off. In the end, I had 24 bundles (each with a total retail value of $50 or more – most were actually closer to the $120 mark), and 15 ladies eager to get their hands on the pretty loot!

Here are just a few of the bundles up for grabs:

LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION: Courtesy of CARGO, CARGO Blu_Ray High Definition Mattifier, CARGO Blu_Ray High Definition Lip Gloss in Halifax, CARGO Blu_Ray Polishing Cloths, CARGO Essential Palette in Smokey Eye (Totally HOT!), CARGO Lip Gloss Duo in Bella Bella. Total Value $127.00

SEX ON A BEACH: Courtesy of Vasanti and e.l.f. Cosmetics,  e.l.f. All Over Colour Stick in Spotlight, e.l.f. Lip Primer and Plumper, e.l.f. Warm Bronzer, Vasanti Colour Palette in South Beach (HOT!), Vasanti Lipstick in Brazil, Vasanti Lipstick in Cancun, plus much more. Total Value $124.00

TOO FACED: Courtesy of Sephora, Too Faced Enchanted Glamourland Palette: Eye Shadows, Shadow Insurance Primer, Glamour Gloss, La Vie en Rose Blush, Snow Bunny Bronzer. Total Value $49.00

The ladies each put in a minimum of $20.00, which offered them 20 raffle tickets. They were given the chance to allocate the tickets however they wished – Lotus topped off her three favourite bundles (and proceeded to win them all! You go girl!) while Runner Mama spread the luck around (and walked away with my favourite palette). Lots of ladies donated much more than the minimum amount, which allowed me to turn an afternoon of girlicious fun into raising a ton of money for a great cause. I can’t wait to do it all over again!

Since chatting about the event, here are some FAQ’s that have come up:

Q: I would have liked to attend. Why didn’t you publicize it?
A: It started off pretty small (just a few friends), and in the end, I had to limit the amount of ladies to space in my living room. Plus, since it was held at my home (with my children present), I wanted to make sure that I personally knew all those attending.

Q: Which charity did you donate the proceeds to?
A: Since I am regularly solicited by many charitable foundations, I prefer not to publicly align with one or another. Therefore, I will tell you this: all of the ladies who attended were made aware of the charity beforehand, and it is a well-known children’s organization.

Q: Will you do this again?
A: I’m working on it! I’m hoping to hold another charity raffle in the fall – if I’m able to grab some notable sponsorships, I may be able to hold it in a neutral location and open it up to local readers as well. I’ll keep you posted!

Some pics from the event:

It was too chaotic to lay out all 24 bundles, so a catalogue of prizes was sent out ahead of time; then simply pictures of the lots (plus a cup to place tickets) were presented instead. It worked really well.

The Too Faced Bundle – before the cup was crammed with tickets.

The very awesome SHIMMER ME TIMBERS bundle courtesy of The Body Shop:  Dreams Unlimited Eau De Parfum, Atomiser, Sparkler All Over Shimmer, Star Dust in Gold and Pink, Shimmer Waves in Peach

Mala Brar working on my eyes. Don’t you just love the romantic lavender and purple hues?

Three gorgeous guests waiting for their turn to participate.

Three more babes – including Runner Mama, who was waiting for her eye makeup application.

And here she is again, with mermaid-inspired eyes. You looked hot, girl!

Special thanks again to e.l.f. Cosmetics, CARGO Cosmetics and Vasanti Cosmetics. They all donated a generous amount of their best selling products to make several of the bundles some of the most envied prizes to be won.

Although it was hard to part with all that makeup, I put it in perspective for a few of the ladies at the event – if I was giving away all that I didn’t need, imagine how much I kept for myself! I’m still proud to declare that I’m a hoarder extraordinaire!

You’ve probably seen Pür Minerals makeup advertised on The Shopping Channel (and now in Shoppers Drug Mart). Normally, I watch in fascination but my interest wanes when the advertised “special price” is well over $100 for the set. That’s why I’m loving their Romance Kit!

For just $50 USD (a $129 value), you’ll receive:

Your choice of 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup shade
Universal Marble Powder in Bronze
Rose Zircon Pout Plumping Lip Gloss
Triple Impact Mascara
Pür Purpose Chisel Brush
Hot Rocks

Shipping is FREE on this kit and in the FAQ section of their website, it states that there are no duty charges on parcels sent to Canada.

I’ve heard nothing but good things about this line! The 4-in-1Pressed Mineral Makeup has a whopping 4.9 out of 5 stars based on customer reviews (and 527 out of 577 customers would recommend this product to a friend). That sounds pretty darned legit to me; it just may be the right time to indulge.

Click here to shop at Pür Minerals.

The wonderfully talented Mala Brar.

My “come-hither” eyes.

Pretty in Purple – it’s Lena in Lavender!

LOVE the shimmering highlights on the inner eye.

Mala – THANK YOU for making me feel less like a stay-at-home-mom and more like a glamazon – if only for one afternoon. You’ve inspired me to play with colour more often!