Busting Out the BB
BB cream—which stands for “Blemish Balm”, “Blemish Base”, or “Beauty Balm”, depending on who you ask—has finally arrived in Canada. The makeup product, which was invented in Germany in the 1960s to reduce scarring for post-op patients, gained popularity in Asia in the early 2000s. Besides providing light, foundation-type coverage, BB creams also soothe and refine sensitive skin, correct skin pigmentation, and protect skin from harmful UV rays. Now, two cosmetics companies—Marcelle and Garnier—have brought BB creams to Canadian drugstores. Marcelle’s Beauty Balm ($22.95 for 45 ml at London Drugs [various locations] ), is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and available in two shades. The first BB cream made by a Canadian company (Marcelle is based in Montreal) has vitamin E, aloe vera, green tea, chamomile, aquaxyl, and hyaluronic acid as active ingredients. Beauty junkies will find similar properties, as well as SPF 15 UV protection and caffeine, in Garnier’s Blemish Balm ($15.99 for 50 ml at Shoppers Drug Mart [various locations] ).

> Michelle Da Silva

Hunger Games Glam
They say that art imitates life, but sometimes life—particularly fashion and beauty—imitates art. A California-based nail-polish company, China Glaze, has unleashed a collection of nail polishes inspired by The Hunger Games movie. The Capitol Colours line ($8 each at the Spa Boutique [3630 West 4th Avenue] ) includes 12 shades, including several subdued earthy tones. The majority of the collection, however, features enough glitz and glamour to have you as red-carpet ready as the stars of the movie. Smoke and Ashes is a bluey-black hue with multicoloured shimmer, Electrify is a glistening mix of gold and red glitter, and Riveting is a shimmery coat of neon orange.

> Michelle Da Silva

Cheap and Chic
Ask anyone in Europe what Essence is, and they’ll recognize it as the wildly popular drugstore cosmetics brand. Now it’s available here, at Shopper’s Drug Mart, with every item under five bucks. The colours are fresh and young, and the quality isn’t bad for the price. We like the neon Lime Up! quick-drying nail polish ($1.49), the perfect spring plum Sparkling Miracle lipstick ($2.99), and, especially, the I Love Glam Powder Eyeliner ($3.99), which achieves an easy ’60s-style swoop across the eyelid without the goopy mess.

>Janet Smith

ChenMan Love M.A.C.
Cosmetics has teamed up with Beijing-born photographer Chen Man for a new spring makeup collection called M.A.C. ChenMan Love and Water. Chen Man is a young graduate of China’s prestigious Central Academy of Fine Arts who quickly rose to prominence after her unique fashion photographs—which are enhanced with computerized 3-D rendering—were selected for the cover of Shanghai-based fashion mag Vision. Soon after, Chen Man’s work appeared in Chinese versions of Vogue, Elle, and Esquire, as well as at art galleries like London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. Chen Man’s collaboration with M.A.C. is inspired by love and water, with bubble-gum pink and smoky-blue hues dominating the colour palette. Highlights include the ChenMan Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo ($24 for three grams at M.A.C. [various locations] ), which comes in three colour combos, each displayed in a yin-yang shape. The Love Cycle duo of sky blue and royal blue is a modern take on the popular 1980s shade, while the bronze and golden-pink hues in Supersweet are perfect for spring. In the nail department, a dark periwinkle and a soft pink complete the ChenMan Nail Lacquer ($19 for 10 millilitres).

> Michelle Da Silva

Colour of the Year
In late 2011, U.S.–based colour authority Pantone announced reddish-orange “Tangerine Tango” as the colour of 2012. Now makeup and cosmetics company Sephora has teamed up with Pantone to launch the Sephora + Pantone Universe makeup collection this spring, with that same hue as a standout. The collection includes a lipstick and lip glosses, an eye shadow palette and eyeliners, blush, nail polishes, and even false eyelashes. If you’re shy about wearing a bold red-orange shade on your face, start with the Color of the Year Nail Enamel Set ($24 for four 15-millilitre bottles at Sephora [various locations] ), which includes nail polishes in cream, shimmer, glitter, and matte Tangerine Tango. If you’re ready for something a bit bolder, the Color of the Year Crème Lipstick ($18) goes on extra smooth and opaque, while the four glosses in the Color of the Year Lipgloss Set ($20 for four 21-millilitre lip glosses) give lips a bright, shimmery finish. For a night out, have fun wearing one of three pairs of feathery orange-tinted lashes from the Tangerine Tango Faux Lash Set ($28) and finish the look off by lining your lower lash line with the orange pencil in the Color of the Year Eyeliner Set ($22 for three).

> Michelle Da Silva

Skin-tastic
A skincare line that was previously only available through dermatologists and plastic surgeons is now stocked at the Spa Boutique (3630 West 4th Avenue). VivierSkin, a subdivision of VivierPharma—a Montreal family-run skincare company—is one of the world’s leading vitamin C–based skincare line that includes cleansers, toners, rejuvenating treatments, eye creams, and moisturizers. VivierSkin’s collection of sunblocks and sunscreen moisturizers cater to a variety of skin types—from dry, sensitive skin to oily or acne-prone skin. The VivierSkin Triple Protection Moisturizer SPF 30 ($39.50 for 60 ml) provides broad-spectrum UV protection, while delivering vitamin C and E to the skin. It’s fragrance-free and lasts for up to 12 hours. Those with sensitive skin may want to try VivierSkin Sun Protection SPF 45 ($39.50 for 60 ml), a light sunscreen containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide that can be worn under makeup.

> Michelle Da Silva