ABA Show a bevy of beauty

The things we do for beauty… I didn’t feel very beautiful the other night when I was sitting at my kitchen table, products strewn across it, each finger wrapped in a robot finger of tinfoil. I was trying to remove the gel mani I had received from Lisa, an amazing aesthetician I met from Artistic Nail Design at Toronto’s recent ABA show.

It was my first gel mani and it was amazing. It was the best shade of pink and it lasted for two weeks. Lisa had given me specific removal instructions because I knew I wouldn’t be going into the spa for another mani immediately. It took a while but I got it off!

I was also able to pick up some great product samples at the ABA show. The media room was chock full of goodies and I’ve been trying to test them all. Here are a few you may want to try:

The Wet Brush has soft, super-flexible bristles that don’t pull out my fine hair when I wash it. I’ve used it on my two-year-old daughter as well and it’s made brushing her hair a lot easier. www.mywetbrush.com

Cuccio Colour polish. I chose Kyoto Cherry Blossom. It reminds me less of cherry blossoms and more of pink bubble gum. Gorgeous for spring! http://cuccio.com

Mirabella Eye Essentials kit, which contains a mascara, lash primer and Magic Marker Eyeliner. I found the mascara a bit flaky by the end of the day, but it looked great and came off easily. www.mirabellabeauty.com

Elin Bianco Hair Perfume smells amazing and lasts the whole day but my bottle kept leaking and I was afraid I was losing too much of the precious spray! www.elinbianco.com

The Verge Bubble Wand gives you hair as fun as it looks. The bumps give you those loose, sexy waves that would look equally great for day or for a night out. I tried it on myself and my daughter and it was really easy because the idea is not to look perfect! www.vergestyling.com

I sprayed Moroccan Oil Heat Styling Protection on my damp hair right before blow drying. It smells incredible and made the brush slip right through my hair. My hair felt smooth and silky all day and I loved the smell every time I moved. It’s not something I can use every day but a couple of times a week has made a difference in the way my hair looks and feels. www.moroccanoil.com