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Toronto Life - The Goods

Up-to-the-minute coverage of store openings and fashion gossip. Plus, daily finds for deal seekers

Beauty School

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July 13, 2011 | 4:39 pm

Behind the Scenes: at MAC cosmetics’ factory headquarters in, um, Markham, Ontario

We were not permitted to eat these pigments. (Image: Lia Parsley)

We recently had the opportunity to take a party bus to MAC headquarters (all the way up the 404), where, as some people may find surprising, their entire product line is manufactured in one of two factory facilities. Some may also be surprised to hear that MAC has been manufacturing its makeup on home turf (in Markham) for about three decades. We certainly didn’t know that, nor could we imagine prior to this visit that any global style brands were born next to Pacific Mall. Take a look at how the stuff we apply to our faces gets made—right in our backyard— in a gallery after the jump

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Beauty School

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June 29, 2011 | 11:14 am

Video: how to pull off—or not—365 layers of makeup

There’s always been some debate about how much makeup is too much, and in this video we found, it seems directors Lernert and Sander wanted to push the limits of how much can be pancaked on before a waif model suffers serious skin damage. After nine hours and 365 layers of different kinds of makeup, doesn’t she look, um, amazing? Who doesn’t like looking like their face has melted?

• Lernert and Sander: Natural Beauty [Nowness]

Beauty School

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June 28, 2011 | 2:15 pm

The IIFA Look: 100 bobby pins and half a can of hairspray are just some of the trade secrets

Each high-maintenance head takes at least 45 minutes. (Image: David Pike)

Bollywood would be nothing without its opulent dance sequences featuring lithe performers, sumptuous costumes, immaculate hair and dazzling makeup. Making sure the hair and makeup withstands the hot show lights, acrobatic dance moves and sweaty skin takes a lot of effort, and it’s especially important when 22,000 people are watching live and another 700 million are tuning in on TV, as was the case with the International Indian Film Academy Awards this past weekend at the Rogers Centre.

For the ceremony, over 50 stylists from both MAC cosmetics and Marc Anthony were on hand to prepare the 130 or so dancers entertaining during the night. In fact, even bold-faced names like Hilary Swank, Shilpa Shetty, Bobby Deol and Irrfan Khan sat for 45 minutes or so to get their green carpet looks in order. Some of their tricks?  For sweaty skin, the MAC team used mulmul, delicate muslin brought in from India, to dry the dancers’ faces off between routines. For the hair, up to 100 bobby pins and half a can of hairspray were used per head to make sure each strand stayed in place.  Check out our backstage look at the performers getting ready for the show after the jump.

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Beauty School

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May 9, 2011 | 5:15 pm

Looking for a soak-off gel lacquer manicure? Check out Toronto’s top four manicure meccas

A client receives arty pink tips at Tips Nail Bar (Image: Paige Dzenis)

We all know the post-manicure mantra: “Don’t rummage through your purse, and forget whatever’s in your pockets.” Even if we make it home smudge-free, the best polish job is bound to chip within days. We’ve noticed that soak-off, UV-cured gel lacquer is quickly becoming the norm at some salons across the city — thin layers of colour are applied to the natural nail, exactly like polish, except that each coat is cured under a UV lamp, making it instantly dry to the touch.

Tips Nail Bar, WowWow Nails, The Ten Spot and Ritual are among some of the best practitioners in the city, and with two leading nail polish companies producing their own soak-off gel systems (OPI has Axxium and CND makes Shellac), we can pick a Pantone and replicate it on our nails (and a gel lacquer manicure stays shiny and chip-free for longer than two weeks). Unsurprisingly, a nail technician at Ritual said nail polish is “so 2010,” which means we can keep our hands in our pockets until there is an unnecessary 2010 revival.

Click on to see our rundown of the best manicure specialists in the city »

Beauty School

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November 16, 2010 | 3:01 pm

Torontonians will have to fly to Edmonton for Canada’s best haircut

Canada's top stylist, Tony Ricci (Image: Ara Sassoonian)

The country’s top stylists gathered in Toronto on the weekend to attend the Contessa Awards, the Oscars of their biz. But the country’s best haircut isn’t in Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver, but in Edmonton. That’s where Tony Ricci, who was named hairstylist of the year, runs the Ricci Hair Co. Ricci was also honoured with three other awards, including a nod for the entire salon team. Some local talent was recognized; the Toronto winners, after the jump.

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Beauty School

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February 25, 2010 | 10:05 am

Grey hair trend makes its way to Toronto

Drew Barrymore's TIFF dye job (Photo by James Helmer)

We’ve been wondering when the grey hair trend would make its way from celebrities, teen bloggers and fashion runways to the streets of Toronto, and it seems that time has come.

Toronto junior stylist Mike Baronowski went from dark brown to a platinum-silver months ago to match his clients at Greg May Hair Architects in Yorkville. But Greg May, owner of the salon, has seen a serious increase in demand for all kinds of wacky shades.

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Beauty School

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February 24, 2010 | 3:34 pm

Marketers (and girlfriends, wives and mothers) push for more men’s beauty products

Manly packaging from Toronto's Bread and Butter

According to a recent Globe article, more and more young men are taking their style cues from primped-to-the-nines man-gods like David Beckham, even if it means sporting such cosmetics as “guyliners” and “power bronzes.” The only problem is that due to a combination of general cheapness and a fear of being spotted in public buying flowery-looking jars of beauty cream, many men continue to shop for their products where they feel most comfortable: in their wives’ and girlfriends’ makeup kits. This, to the likely horror and annoyance of women everywhere.

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Beauty School

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February 10, 2010 | 10:07 am

Donato Salon and Spa is the newest resident at the Shops at Don Mills

Despite the huffing and puffing indie book shop McNally Robinson made when it closed its Shops at Don Mills location (it blamed the mall for its poor performance), there are still businesses willing to move into the complex. The latest is the 6,000-square-foot Donato Salon and Spa, which celebrates its grand opening tomorrow—Leigh and Harlow and Roots are also slated to open. This is the fourth location of Toronto stylist John Donato’s salon; Donato was named best editorial stylist at the 2008 North American Hairstyling Awards.

Beauty School

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January 25, 2010 | 10:16 am

The next big thing from Europe: mantyhose

mantyhose

Tights from Emilio Cavallini

Some fads never make it from Europe to North America, but trend watchers are betting that men’s tights will overcome the odds. Last week, Victor Fiorillo from Philadelphia magazine waxed poetic about the women’s pantyhose he bought at a drugstore, noting that they’re warmer than long johns and would look good under ripped jeans.

Pantyhose for men, or “mantyhose,” were spotted in Givenchy’s spring-summer 2010 show and are showing up in such on-line stores as We Love Colors (we found an affordable $8 version) and Italian hosiery designer Emilio Cavallini’s on-line boutique (which showcases more expensive pairs).

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Beauty School

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November 23, 2009 | 3:50 pm

My Edward Cullen Twilight make-over

twilight1

Norma Hill-Patton works on Style reporter Karon Liu

Even non-Twihards know that associating oneself with the Twilight series is a wise move, so when my editor found out that Norma Hill-Patton, the head makeup artist for New Moon, Catwoman and the last two X-Men movies, would be at the International Make-Up Artist Trade Show at the CNE yesterday, she sent me for an Edward Cullen make-over.

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Beauty School

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November 16, 2009 | 9:00 am

Just Opened: The Cabinet Salon opens atop Queen West

cabinetowners

Alex MacDonald and Emma Rose, owners of Cabinet (Photo by Karon Liu)

Cabinet, a relative newcomer to the salon scene, has a slight speakeasy vibe about it. Open since early fall, it’s tucked away on the second floor of a century-old building, above the knick-knack haven Outer Layer, and has a turn-of-the-century look that could be mistaken for a Murdoch Mysteries set.

Named for the 17th-century French term for a place where people met to discuss the fine arts, Cabinet is unfussy in its decor, with dark wood floors, neutral walls and antique-looking furniture. The space, which was once a photo and film editing studio, also serves as a rotating gallery (the Toronto artist Steve Rose is currently featured). The large windows overlooking Queen Street make it a prime spot for people-watching.

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