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A couple weeks ago I was twirling my hair like I usually do only to find some unusually short pieces in the back. As my fingers searched, I found a few more small sections that were more than six inches shorter than the rest of my hair. Panic. I’ve always had long, strong, soft hair and never experienced any breakage.

A few weeks before this incident, I started using the shampoo bars from Lush in an effort to save cash. Though I know that shampoo that excessively lathers generally isn’t good for your hair, I liked the smell and felt squeaky clean afterwards, so I kept with it. That is, however, until I found tons of broken, thirsty, stripped and damaged hair.

I didn’t waste a single minute booking with Mari at Lounge Hair Studio. While most people would like to sugarcoat a situation, Mari simply shook her head and told me it’s “really bad.” An hour and a half, a follicle treatment, deep conditioning and almost six inches later, this is the result:

Shorter? Yes, but with new layers, swing and softness – and thankful I didn’t walk away with hair as short as Betty Draper. I’ve been forbidden from using Lush’s shampoo bars ever again and cautioned against any other cheap-quality shampoos. Keep your meat-eating snickering to yourself because this is the first time this has ever happened to me. As much as I’d like to save money, I’m indefinitely back on the Bumble train.

Check back in a few weeks… Mari’s giving me Cameron Diaz’s colour.

After searching for a new facial cleansing routine, I ended up deciding to give Lush a try. Aside from the intoxicating aromas and elixirs, Lush is known for supporting their community (which just so happens to be Vancouver), protecting the planet and saving animals from cruel and unnecessary testing.

After consulting with one of the associates and being offered a number of products in a wide price range, I decided on the Angels on Bare Skin cleanser, Eau Roma toner and the Celestial moisturizer. It’s nice to buy products on which you can read the rather short ingredient list. The associate was delighted that I’d picked all the same products she uses at home – and she had terrific skin.

The best way I can describe what cleansing my face with Lush products is to think about your favourite place in nature, bottling it up and smearing it on your face. I basically just washed my face with the rainforest in Tofino. It felt so great, in fact, that I didn’t put any make-up on my skin before leaving the house today.

Hand-made in Vancouver, Lush products – many of which are vegan – each boast the friendly face behind what you’re using. While the products have a much shorter lifespan due to the lack of preservatives, they’re all date-stamped with the date of creation and expiration.

Being that I dropped more than $50, I was entitled to a free shampoo bar (this promotion runs through to the end of June). Though skeptical, I chose one being that it was free and settled on the Godiva bar…

If only you could scratch and sniff your computer screen. This shampoo bar created a luscious, fragrant lather and left my hair squeaky clean.

The final piece of loot I stuffed in my bag was the Marilyn hair moisturizer. Comprised of chamomile, organic lemon juice and saffron, it’s designed to soften, brighten and love your hair.

I want to avoid dying my hair from now on (harsh chemicals can’t possibly be good for a girl’s tresses), so I brought Marilyn into my weekly hair care routine. After only one use, not only is my hair kitten-soft, the mousy coloured roots of winter have practically disappeared!

Lush can be found on Vancouver Island at Woodgrove Mall (6631 Island Highway, Nanaimo), Hillside Mall (1644 Hillside Avenue, Victoria) and in downtown Victoria at 1003 Government Street. Please visit the Lush website for Greater Vancouver and all other locations.

Photo: Thomas Hawk on Flickr

I accomplished no less than the following over the last 48 hours:

- polished off six bottles of red wine with three friends
- broke a coat rack
- ventured to Ikea in the dark and pouring rain to replace said coat rack
- got dog poo all over my hand
- saw Mari to have my hair toned (it’s its original colour for the first time in 5 years)
- hung out in a deserted arrival area at YVR at 2am
- saw a cover band play in an industrial Deep Cove warehouse
- downed some scrumptious Indian food with Jenni and Amy
- downed some Diet Pepsi after said scrumptious Indian food
- slipped on a smashed pumpkin and landed on my bum
- got a $30 parking ticket; I’m totally disputing that b.s.
- ate far too much Halloween candy with Becky
- admired the Christmas decorations at the Bay and at Ikea
- played “Truth or Dare” for the first time in a decade

I’d better not get that cold that is starting to go around. I slept a lot yesterday. Not lots of photos because, well, I just wasn’t feelin’ it. In a feeble attempt to appease, I snapped one with Photo Booth last night. I don’t like it. I do like my hair though.

Bye.

1. My Hair

Thank you all for your marvelous input and suggestions on my new ‘do this weekend. I suppose it comes with no surprise that “the big reveal” will take place on Saturday, so stay tuned for the drum roll…

2. The Women

Last night, after a gorge-fest on Olympia pizza and Pacific Pilsner beer (what can I say? I’m an Island girl), Amy and I burned off calories by heading across the Burrard Street bridge and found ourselves at Fifth Avenue Cinemas. In the spirit of all things womanly, we took in the 2008 remake of 1939′s “The Women,” starring, well, a lot of women.

In particular, some of those women include Meg Ryan, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, Bette Midler, Candice Bergen, Cloris Leachman (who was terrific!) and Annette Bening (who is very quickly becoming one of my favourite actresses). Though I felt the movie lacked in character development, it made up for it with humour, relatable storylines and a few fabulous handbags. [website]

3. Stella McCartney CARE

I’ve now had a few days to try out the full line of Stella McCartney CARE products sent to me last week by Matchstick. My tote bag full of delicious-smelling, pretty-packaged, 100% active organic ingredient skin care has proven to be a lot of fun to try! Here’s the breakdown…

Purifying Foaming Cleanser – This by far my favourite of the two cleansers sent to me. It has a delicate and light – yet luxurious – foaming quality to it that truly leaves my skin feeling clean.

Gentle Cleansing Milk – This was the second of two cleansers I tried, and while the idea of a gentle milk to cleanse my skin sounds dreamy, it didn’t feel as though my skin was clean after (and that feeling is important to a girl!) so it’s not the cleanser I’d choose. Smells great though…

Toning Floral Water – I wish I had this a few months ago in the heat of summer! It’s a refreshing, aromatic water mist that spritzes in a steady stream, leaving my skin feeling cool, dewy and fresh.

5 Benefits Moisturizing Fluid – One of two daily moisturizers and this one has been receiving the majority of my attention. It’s a milky, light cream that locks in the love I get from the Toning Floral Water. I’m totally okay with natural, woodsy scents, so this one gets two thumbs up from me.

5 Benefits Moisturizing Cream – This is the sister product to the 5 Benefits Moisturizing Fluid and to me is really no different except in that it’s seemingly got a heavier concentration and a richer viscosity. I haven’t used it as much but have no doubt that it will be fantastic when those drying days of Winter hit.

Nourishing Night & Day Cream – Definitely not something that is necessary on a daily basis, but sometimes a girl’s skin needs a bit of extra TLC. This is where the Nourishing Night & Day Cream comes in. It’s like the 5 Benefits Moisturizing Cream on natural steroids. It’s rich, it’s deep and it’s intense. Use only before bedtime.

Radiance & Youth Elixir, Calming & Soothing Elixir and Nourishing Elixir – Ahhh…the elixirs. My absolute favourite part of the line! Remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books we all loved as kids? Consider the elixirs to be somewhat of a “Choose Your Own Skin Today” potion. Each is a heavily concentrated serum intended to pair up with your moisturizer for added benefits, and each is designed with a different skin goal in mind.

I’ve found the Radiance & Youth Elixir great in the mornings before applying make-up for a brand spanking new skintone and the Calming & Soothing Elixir does just that at the end of the day. The Nourishing Elixir is strong and derived of natural oils, so use it sparingly and only when your skin needs a bit of extra attention.

IN SUMMARY

My overall impression of Stella McCartney’s CARE skin care line is definitely favourable! I’ve long been a big fan of natural and organic products when available but find they often miss the mark. While I feel there is a bit of room for tweaking, I am quite sure Stella is onto something really good here.

Suggestions for the future? One absolute essential that is missing from the line is a daily exfoliant or scrub to slough off dead skin cells. Also, I am rather fond of cleansers that take off all make-up – including mascara. It was a bit of a pain in the butt to employ the use of a specific make-up remover. Sometimes a girl just doesn’t have time!

While I can’t say I would purchase the entire line, there are certainly a few pieces that I can’t imagine not having in my bathroom – in particular the Toning Floral Water and a couple of the Elixirs. Stella McCartney CARE is available across Canada at Holt Renfrew and in the United States at Sephora. For more information on the entire line of products, please visit the official Stella McCartney CARE website.

The appointment is next Saturday. Tell me what to do.

You know how you wake up each day, go through the usual morning routine of showering, washing your hair, moisturizing, blah blah blah? And then one day, as you’re in the middle of said routine, a glance in the mirror causes an “ewww…what’s with my hair?”

Long and straight doesn’t require much maintenance, and I normally only get my hair cut about three times a year. A week ago, I had that “ewww…” reaction and promptly booked an appointment with my favourite pro.

I was supposed to go yesterday, but being that I spent two days holed up in bed with wicked food poisoning (or maybe a flu bug?), I had to postpone until this afternoon. I’ve been seeing Mari at The Lounge Hair Studio for almost two years, and it would take somethin’ fierce to convince me to see anyone else when it comes to my tresses. It’s like she told me today, working with me is more like working with a girlfriend than a client; we can talk, share things with each other and indulge in some good old-fashioned celebrity juiciness.

Not only does she do a wicked job each and every single time, she knows her stuff. Plus, it’s the place to hit up if you’re seeking out some Bumble-y goodness. I know I’ve already sent one satisfied client Mari’s way. Let the sun shine in, indeed!

I’ll make this short, sweet and to-the-point (or at least try)…

I got a lil’ haircut on Friday after work. Not much, but I’ve decided to grow my hair way out. I want mermaid hair. I want it to be soft, blonde, silky and just long enough to hide my sweater kittens when walking around in my panties. Did I say too much?

My brain is bursting at the seams with stuff to write to you all about, so hang on to your skivvies because here we go…

I am in a new relationship – with myself. Actually, with my body in particular. I am a firm believer that if you love your body by nurturing it and filling it with good things, as you would a relationship, goodness will be reciprocated.

I couldn’t wait for the work day to end because I knew that a budget-busting trip to Capers Market was going to occupy my evening. I very briefly touched down on some personal goals for myself without expanding on them a few days ago on my blog. One of these goals is as I just mentioned – loving my body by filling it with wholesomeness (I said my body, not my mind).

Tonight’s haul…

$100 and change later, my fridge and cupboards are now filled with an armful of organic vegetables and fruits, organic peanut butter, organic honey, organic coconut oil (good for cooking and just about everything you can think of – insert obvious wink here), cottage cheese, goat cheese, greens and herbs, applewood smoked cheddar cheese, bio-active yogurt, nuts, grains, mixed sprouts and so much more.

When I was in the Comox Valley and shopping at Edible Island Foods (no website, sorry) just about every chance I got, I discovered “Hornby Island Energy Balls.” They’re made of entirely organic ingredients by a woman on Hornby Island, and I was hooked instantly. I snagged two to scarf down before snowboarding. Fantastically enough, I found the recipe online and made up a dozen and a few tonight.

Sooo…tasty!

Before the night was through, I also managed to cook up a huge pot of organic turkey soup. One thing I did almost instantly upon returning to Vancouver was reorganize my kitchen in small ways. I figured that if I made the space more conducive to cooking, I’d want to spend more time in there making meals, even if only just for myself. On New Year’s Eve, I couldn’t help but continuously marvel at my Aunt Fran’s kitchen. It’s my dream kitchen, without a doubt. So in reorganizing my kitchen, I was inspired in little ways by her kitchen. I’m most excited about my new “tea drawer.”

There are more than a few other ways in which I’m making “body changes” in keeping with this new goal, so head on over to my Flickr for illustrations.

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Becky, you’re going to “go nuts, go apeshit” when you hear what I’m about to share with everyone.

Question: What is better than a combination of moonlight, shredding in powder and watching hot boys on snowboards?

Answer: A combination of moonlight, shredding in powder, watching hot boys on snowboards and a free lift pass!

Monday nights at Mt. Seymour is now known as “Guys Night Out” – and the girls ride free!

Every Monday night, between January 7, 2008 and March 24, 2008, the ladies can snag a free lift pass in an effort to “bring the pretty” to boys’ night. For more information on this and other events and excitements, visit Mt. Seymour’s website, and for a complete list of where you can get a voucher, click here.

So, um, Jack…can I have the car on Mondays? Okay, thanks.

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Being the lover of Bumble products that I am, I can absolutely never be without. I skipped over to The Lounge Hair Studio today at lunch, since that’s where I normally go. However, I was dismayed to find that with a new year comes new prices.

One 8 oz. bottle of Gentle Shampoo, one 8 oz. bottle of Alojoba Conditioner and $63.01 later, this girl can rest tonight knowing that she has a full-stocked supply in her shower once again. I think next time it might be time to consider investing in the 1L size – I’ll save money in the long run. I’m sure some of you are choking at the price, but let’s face it…my hair is soft, silky, long, strong, smells amazing and is all-around pretty effing rad.

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The solution to beat those back-to-reality blues after a holiday and Christmas vacation? Keep your schedule packed!

Tomorrow I’m hitting up Fifth Avenue Cinemas with Amy to make use of our memberships and finally see Juno. We’ve been gushing over Michael Cera for about two weeks and the time is now.

On Saturday I’m going to hit up an art gallery with my Becky, but which one I’m not sure. I’ve got my fingers crossed for the Vancouver Art Gallery because one of my favourite Emily Carr pieces, Strangled By Growth, is there and I’d love to see it again. However, something tells me she has a different gallery in mind…

Sunday’s wide open. Any ideas?

Forget Sunday…as it turns out, I have to come into the office. However, in a weird twist of fate this works to my advantage because now I can take February 1st off without consequence. Stay tuned and I’ll fill you in on my upcoming adventure.

It’s winter and it’s cold. With the cold air comes the dry air and with the dry air comes dry hair. My hair has been very dry…not to mention over-processed. On a daily basis, I use no less than Gentle Shampoo, Alojoba Conditioner, Tonic, Brilliantine Cream and Does-It-All Hairspray, all from the Bumble & Bumble line. What can I say? I’m an addict.

Photo courtesy of Bumble & Bumble

This week is a no-blowdry/no-product week. Aside from shampoo, conditioner and my Tonic spray, my hair is going wild and free. It’s been two days and already it feels ridiculously softer. Just thought you needed to know that.

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On the weekend, I popped into my local SPCA shelter to support the Toy Drive for the Animals. I was, without a doubt, incredibly impressed by the outpouring of support from the community. There were toys, treats, blankets, beds, kennels and so much more, stacked as high as the ceiling. Touring the facility was encouraging in that there are a lot of people out there that care about lost, abandoned or hurt animals. It was, at the same time, heartbreaking because I just wanted to cuddle and hold each one I saw.

To those of you that were able to help out on Sunday’s Toy Drive, I extend to you a huge thank you! As I mentioned, there is a great need year-round, so if you’re in Vancouver, visit our shelter to find out ways in which you can help.

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And lastly, this Friday sees the beginning of my very-much-needed Christmas vacation. My work-related stress level is most certainly at its peak, and I need a few days to let that drop off. It will be two glorious weeks free of meetings, dress pants, agreements, orders, transcriptions and Chambers applications. It will be two glorious weeks full of baking, music, pajamas, Charley, my family, friends, Christmas tea, twinkling lights, falling snow and, undoubtedly, snowboarding at Mt. Washington with cute boys men.

HOT DAMN!

Photo courtesy of Mount Washington Alpine Resort

That photo was taken at 10:14 a.m. today. The mid-mountain base is already at 181 cm. I hopped into HMV yesterday to pick up some new music to ride to because my record collection has a serious case of complacency. I’m bored with it. I grabbed Jay-Z’s “American Gangster” and both “College Dropout” and “Late Registration” from Kanye West. I haven’t listened to either Kanye record yet, but gave Jay-Z’s a spin after work for a bit. Don’t get me wrong, there’s always room for Big Pimpin’, but he has most certainly evolved as both an artist and producer. The record is laced with rich beats and smart lyrics, so I’m already stoked to shred the slopes just listening to the record.