I’ve created a series of new videos reviews for a number of products that I’ve tested recently.

1) Nars skincare for perfect skin review

2) Phytokarite hair mask review

3) Pur Mineral Pur Body Butter review

4) Jurlique exfoliating cream review

***If you like this video, please do leave me a video review and also leave any comments you might have at the end of this post***

>>> In the following video, I compare EZ Combs to HairZing:

>>>>You can read the original review on HairZing and the comparison between HairZing and EZ Combs here:

1) Review: HairZing Combs are a superb invention

2) HairZing versus EZ Combs

****If you like this video and found it useful please rate it!****

>>>> Don’t forget to leave your comments at the bottom of this post if you want to add to the discussion!

Don’t forget to read my original review on the EZ Combs here: Review: EZ Combs are WAY better than I expected

When it comes to shoes, we’ll see a few recurring trends and a few surprises this upcoming season.

The pointy toe black pump is de rigeur (must have) again and we’re going back to the equestrian boot. The new spin on the equestrian boot is that it’s a knee high boot. I don’t know how many women might have equestrian boots in their wardrobe. They were popular quite a number of years ago and it will be interesting to see who will dust off their old pair or fork out money to buy the newer models.

If you had bought some high heeled booties a few years ago when they were in fashion, you can pull them out again, but they are trendy.

One of the most surprising trends to me is the “winter sandal”. I’ve got to admit to not being sure I can warm up to this idea because I really don’t like wearing nylons to start off with and the idea of nylons and sandals has always been a huge no-no in my book.

That said, the biggest trend of the season is the high heel winter sandal or the platform winder sandal with nylons or thighs. I will go out on a limb here and say that this is a look that might work really well on 20-something women, but I’d err on the cautious side for women in their 40s and up because it might look a bit matronly.

You’ll also notice a number of really sexy high heeled shoes for those out there who have mastered the art of walking around in heels (not moi). I really love a pair of Christian Louboutin that you’ll see in the video below, but I would really walk quite ungracefully if I attempted to stroll around in those shoes.

I’d like to thank luxury retailer Holt Renfrew for agreeing to let take these photo to share them with my readers.

Here’s the list of brands that you’ll see and the corresponding price (prices are in Canadian and no doubt cheaper in the U.S.):

I hope you’ll enjoy the video below and I hope this will inspire you:

Miu Miu heels ($685)

Miu Miu heels ($785)

Dries Van Noten winter strappy sandals ($715)

YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) platform shoes ($870)

Giuseppe Zanotti booties ($925)

Pura Lopez shoes ($420)

Marc by Marc Jacobs green resin heeled shoe ($595)

Michael Kors winter sandal ($148)

Christian Louboutin killer heel ($1020)

Prada purple shoe ($685)

The same principle goes for these shoes as for the bags I featured in my earlier post … they might not fit everyone’s budget, but you can use the trends as inspiration if you cannot afford them!

prada_runway_handbag_collection

It’s safe to say that the handbag is THE most important accessory for any designer. While many women might not be able to buy an entire Gucci or Prada wardrobe, most will be able to save enough money to buy the latest “it” bag from their favourite designers.

I spent a few hours at the luxury department store Holt Renfrew to pinpoint the bags that will become the hottest arm-candy for fall 2008.

I’d like to thank luxury retailer Holt Renfrew for agreeing to let take these photo to share them with my readers.

If you are interested in any of the bags, I’ve listed the brands and prices in order below (prices are in Canadian and no doubt cheaper in the US):

1. Lanvin purple patent bag ($1,995)

1. YSL bag (Yves Saint Laurent) ($1,495)

1. Jimmy Choo small purple bag ($850)

1. Jimmy Choo large purple bag ($1,975)

1. Burberry trio of gold bags ($3,235 and $1,395) – I found this to be an interesting twist on the “overdone” Burberry bag

1. Burberry duo of bags ($795 – for the clutch and $1,395 for the bigger bag)

1. Marc Jacobs fabric bag ($920)

1. Chloe bronze bag ($940)

1. Marc Jacobs two toned purple bag with chain ($1,265)

1. Salvatore Ferragamo purple bag ($1,830)

1. Salvatore Ferragamo orange bag ($1,730) – this is one of my favourites!

1. Prada Mordorie bag in bronze ($1,150)

1. Prada Runway Collection bag in a brown shimmer ($2,405) – this bag was to die for … really!

1. Prada purple clutch bag ($1,210) – this was really a precious bag

1. Prada fabric clutch bag ($790)

1. Marni bag in a colour that I would describe as butter ($1,595) – the resin strap made this bag so interesting … it’s THE bag to have this season!

1. Marc Jacobs tote bags in pink, fuchsia and green ($110 each)

1. Marc Jacobs carry bag/laptop bag ($295)

I know that some of these prices will seem insane for a lot of readers, but the idea is to use these high-end bags as inspiration if you cannot afford them!

french_lingerie

A few months ago, I was invited to a fall 2008 French lingerie evening to view the upcoming collections from some of the top French brands.

It’s so crucial to wear the right underwear because the reality is that the foundation to any wardrobe is your underwear. If you have larger breasts or if you had kids, it’s imperative that you get a bra fitting in order to wear the proper size bra that will not only give you support, but also ensure that your clothing falls as it should.

The same applies to your undergarments. Nothing can ruin a nice dress or a nice skirt faster than an undergarment that can be seen from 10 kilometres away or worse an undergarment that spends most of its time fitting in an uncomfortable position that forces you to constantly pull and tug at it.

Another reason why women should mind their underwear is because there is something quite sensual about nice feminine lingerie that brings out the vixen in all of us and the truth is that sexy underwear will boost our confidence and make us feel good about ourselves … even if no one else will see them. Any time you boost your “feel good” hormones, you are adding years to your life!

The French have always given underwear the place it deserves and have always made it as important as anything else you put on in the morning.

A mistake so many women make is to hold on to old underwear for far too long because they are “comfortable” and they cease to understand why clothing doesn’t look good when they try it on. The equation is quite simple = underwear can make or break anything you wear.

Another huge mistake is to keep “sexy” underwear for “special” occasions … life IS a special occasion and I think it’s a crime to walk around during the week in dated and loose underwear when you could be walking around in something that makes you feel incredibly attractive.

Take a lesson from the fashion pages of French women and buy something pretty for the week.

I’ve created a quick video showing you the latest trends from France in the world of lingerie.

You’ll notice that sexy lingerie is not only black and just like in the world of fashion, French lingerie designers are using colour to add a bit of vibrancy and fun to our underwear drawer.

The French Lingerie Fall 2008 fashion show featured the following brands:  Aubade Paris, Barbara Paris, Chantelle Paris (which has recruited Stephanie Seymour as their new face), Lise Charmel, Elixir de lingerie, Empreinte, Gerbe, Huit Lingerie, Simone Perele, Passionata, Rosy and Legaby.

These are brands that can easily be found today in either high end department stores of small lingerie boutiques across Canada and the U.S..

If you’ve always shied away from buying nice and maybe a little more expensive underwear, I hope this video will inspire you to change your ways:

Here’s a quick video to help you:

You can also read our original feature here: Slowing Down Life: 5 Tips to Sleeping in on Weekends

You can watch it below:

They are both the same price and you can get both the Maybelline Collosal Mascara and the Cover Girl Lash Blast at pretty much any drugstore and at Walmart.

So which one of the two should you buy?

Watch our video review to find out!