Interview with Organic Surge Founder Alan Mackenzie

The last few weeks have been filled with events. Everyone is launching something or has important people in need of interviews!

One of my highlights was meeting Alan Mackenzie, the founder of Organic Surge. Organic Surge is an organic skincare line from the UK that is available now at Shopper's Drug Mart. I have reviewed a couple of the products here.

What makes Organic Surge really special is that they give back to charities in Africa in a really big way. They also have volunteer opportunities that I'm itching to find out more about.

I took a short video from my interview. Enjoy!

www.organicsurge.com

Newsletter September 29th: Win $400 of Beauty Products & Shop Crawl 4

Hey Everyone! We hope you all had an amazing summer and are enjoying the fresh fall weather and the start of fashion's best season.

We have a number of very exciting things happening over the next few weeks! First, our next very popular Shop Crawl is happening in two weeks on College Street. We're planning a whopper of a party and we hope you love it! We're also doing a major giveaway in the next month with a prize pack containing over $400 worth of some of my favourite products!

There's a lot of info in here so scroll down to make sure you don't miss out on any of the goods. Have a fabulous day!

XOXO, Ali & the ChickAdvisor Team

Toronto: Shop Crawl Thursday October 16th


Are you ready to Shop? The 4th installment of our signature popular event takes in Little Italy! Tickets are on sale for $25 and we are already 50% sold out! Click here to get your tickets.

The Stores
On Thursday October 16th from 6-9pm, Get exclusive discounts from Girl Friday, Balisi, Lilliput Hats, American Apparel, Ziggy's At Home & Red Pegasus. Revamp your fall wardrobes and pick up a few early Christmas gifts at a steal!

Not sure what to buy at the Shop Crawl? Check out our Top Picks from each boutique

The Perks
Shop with a Stylist! Giselle Rojo Del Ponte (Where'd You Get That?, ChickChat TV), Christa MacLellan (Petite Fashionista) and Olga Barsky (She Does the City) will be giving free style advice while you shop!

Free Makeovers! Joy David Tilberg (Makeup Junkie, Where'd You Get That?, ChickChat TV) will be doing free makeovers at the after party (first come, first served).

The After Party Hosted by Vecchio Frak, starts at 9:15 and you will experience the best thin crust pizzas in the city, drinks, prizes and a fashion show featuring you and what you bought that night. The best outfit will win a cash prize.

Bonus: Vecchio Frak owner Giovanni is working on getting us some live music for the evening!

The Prizes and Swag
There will be over $1000 worth of prizes to be won at the after party and you will each take home a fabulous swag bag, compliments of Maybelline New York, Petite Feet and our other sponsors. Didn't get to test the Colossal mascara from our recent Product Review Club offer? You will all be getting one for free at the crawl in addition to the rest of your loot!

Plus enter to win generous gift baskets loaded with hundreds of dollars of your favourite products from some of Toronto's best bloggers: Joy David-Tilberg, Janine Falcon, Anita Clarke & Shannae Ingleton.

Contest Alert: Win Ali's Top 10 Beauty Products

Have you seen the Internet show, Twenty Something? Hosted by Jill Clark, it is a mix of young women dishing on everything you talk about with your girlfriends. They describe it as Sex and the City meets The View and no subject is taboo!

Ali has appeared on the show several times as a guest and on their most recent episode, shared her 10 favourite products to have in the bathroom, worth approximately $400. We are giving all 10 of them away to one lucky ChickAdvisor member! Keep reading to find out how to enter...

Petite Feet Sample Sale - Don't let the name fool you!





Our friends at Petite Feet are having another massive sale at the International Center in Mississauga on the following dates:

Thursday Oct. 2nd 10-9

Friday Oct. 3rd 10-9

Saturday Oct. 4th 10-6

Sunday Oct. 5th 10-6

Despite the name, Petite Feet carries designer shoes in all sizes from Franco Sarto, BCBG Girls, Fergalicious, Jessica Simpson, Via Spiga and more. They also have a nice selection of handbags. Check out their website for more info.

Bonus: All Shop Crawlers will be getting a two for one coupon in their swag bags that can be used at their next sale and two of you will also win a free pair of shoes (or handbag) of your choice!

Shop Crawl 4 Top Pick List

You have your ticket for the Shop Crawl, you've convinced your best friend to join you... now what to buy? Though you have from 6-9 to shop, it's easy to get caught up in one store leaving less than enough time to explore the rest of them properly. You need a solid game plan. We've done a little homework (and the math) to help you get ready for October 16th! These are our top picks from each store:

1. Sterling Silver Swallow Necklace by Zippan Designs, a local Toronto designer. Available at Red Pegasus. This necklace is so beautiful, I wanted to snap it up on the spot. Hand made with sterling silver, this necklace comes in several different gorgeous designs. It's available online on Etsy too, but it's more expensive there. Regular Price $70. Shop Crawl discounted price = $52.50

2. Bos & Co "Ariel" patent bootie style pumps. Available at Balisi. This shoe is a big trend for fall and one of Balisi's best sellers. Pair it with tights/pantyhose and a mini or wear them to the office with dress pants. Regular price $129.99. Shop Crawl discounted price = $103.99

3. American Apparel Bandeau Pencil Dress. Available at American Apparel. This dress can be worn in so many different ways, it is one of their best sellers. I am also told they will have their new Vintage collection of clothing ready in time for the Shop Crawl!

Regular Price $41. Shop Crawl discounted price = $36.90** When you spend $50 or more, you'll also get a $5 gift card. We recommend grabbing 2 pairs of colourful pantyhose in a bright red or blue hue for $12.60 each.

Spotted at: American Apparel & Balisi


4. Kobo Vetiver And Shaved Vanilla pure soy candle. Available at Ziggy's At Home. These candles are made with all natural ingredients (NO chemicals) and smell so divine you'll wish you could wear it as perfume. Regular Price $41.90. Shop Crawl discounted price = $33.52

Spotted at: Ziggy's At Home & Girl Friday

5. Soia & Kyo Margo H Wool Coat. Available at Girl Friday. Soia & Kyo is a Canadian brand from Montreal that makes gorgeous coats you are guaranteed to get compliments on. October is a great time to get a winter coat before the snow hits. Regular Price $280. Shop Crawl discounted price = $224.

6. Lilliput Original New Tyrolean Hat in Leopard. Available at Lilliput Hats. All Lilliput hats are hand made in the very store you buy it from. You can actually watch hats being made as you shop. You won't find selection or quality like this anywhere else. Regular Price $170. Shop Crawl discounted price = $136.

Spotted at: Lilliput Hats

7. Patent Handbags in assorted colours. Available at Balisi. There are so many fabulous bags to choose from here you will have to pick for yourself. Styles usually only come with one or two of each so it's all first come first served. Regular Average Price $65. Shop Crawl Discount = $52 depending on the base price of the bag. (Discount is 20% on everything)


Thin crust pizzas, bruschetta, drinks, prizes and goodie bags to follow at Vecchio Frak.


Read more about the Shop Crawl

Toronto: The Shop Crawl Part 4

Ciao, Bella! This round of our popular signature event takes us to Little Italy. Though College Street is better known for the food than the shopping, it does have a tidy collection of beautiful boutiques that make it a perfect destination for our night out!

On Thursday October 16th Join us for a night of exclusive shopping followed by an after party! We will have stylists along on the crawl to help you coordinate the perfect outfit, and a makeup artist will be at the After Party giving complimentary makeovers!


Part 1: Shopping 6-9pm. We will be taking College Street by storm. Get exclusive discounts from the following boutiques:







Girl Friday - 20% Off
Designer/Owner Rebecca tells us she'll have her new fall/winter coat collections in just in time for the crawl in addition to her signature dresses, Dish Denim, shoes, bags and accessories. Girl Friday was a big hit from our last Shop Crawl.






Balisi - 20% off
Balisi was also a major hit on our last Shop Crawl. Their College Street location is all about SHOES! They carry bags and a few clothes as well, but here you'll want to snap up a pair (or two) from their colourful collection.





American Apparel - 10% off, plus $5 gift card when you spend $50 or more
Leggings, T's, Uber stretchy tube dresses, athletic wear, underwear and every day staples for the Hipster wardrobe. You shop there anyway. Why not get a discount?











Lilliput Hats - 20% off
These coveted one of a kind hats are famous all over the world. They are made in-shop and have an unbeatable selection. Hats are a popular trend this fall. Snap one up at an unheard of discount.

Red Pegasus - 25% off
This little gem of a store has everything from Lug bags to greeting cards, candles, earrings and even a few really funny gag gifts. Pick up a necklace, a birthday gift or a mullet shampoo...

Ziggy's at Home - 20% off (everything except books and cds)
This gorgeous housewares store has everything from furniture to scented chemical free candles, bath products, housewarming gifts and more. You will have to budget your time here you will want to stay!

Part 2: The After Party at Vecchio Frak (9:15pm - 11ish- whenever you go home-ish)


Vecchio Frak makes some of the best thin crust pizzas in the city! Enjoy complimentary food and beverage, a goodie bag from our sponsors, prizes and someone will win a cash prize for the best outfit purchased the night of the Shop Crawl.




Sponsored in part by: Maybelline New York
If you didn't get a chance to try their popular Volum' Express Colossal mascaras from the recent Product Review Club offer, don't worry. You'll be getting one at the Shop Crawl... in addition to some other loot!


Sponsored in part by: Petite Feet
Two lucky shoppers will win a free pair of shoes of their choice at the after party! Plus: All of you will get a buy one get one coupon towards shoes in your swag bags.






Sponsored in part by: SeaVital Dead Sea Cosmetics
SeaVital is a line of skincare products for face, body and bath that uses minerals from the Dead Sea. Some of their products have already been reviewed on ChickAdvisor and now you'll each get some to try for yourself!

Tickets are $25 and must be purchased online in advance here:
http://chickadvisorshopcrawl4.eventbrite.com/

We sell out every time so don't wait or you will be disappointed!


**Extra Perks**

Shop with a stylist!
Get style advice from our Pros! We will have some stylists along on the crawl to help you put together your perfect outfit!



Giselle Rojo del Ponte from our video series Where'd You Get That? and an upcoming episode of ChickChat TV will be there!


Olga Barsky from She Does The City has an enviable style and ability to pull together outfits for pennies. She will be there!



Christa MacLellan from PetiteFashionista.com will help those of us under 5"4 pull together picture perfect outfits.




Get a Free makeover at the after party!

Free makeovers are courtesy of Joy David-Tilberg, from our video series' Where'd You Get That? and ChickChat TV. This treat is first come, first served.


Win prize packs from your favorite Toronto fashion and beauty bloggers

Some of our favourite bloggers are putting together prize baskets loaded with makeup and other beauty products to be won at the after party.



Krizia from MyBeautyMatch is giving away over $160 worth of indulgent soothing products to help you slow down and enjoy life.

I Want - I Got Beauty Bonanza Gift Basket
Founder Anita Clarke's basket is loaded with makeup, haircare and bath products. Value of over $165

Makeup Junkie is offering more than free makeovers at the after party. Founder Joy David-Tilberg is offering a basket loaded with some of her favourite items.


Beauty Geeks founder Janine Falcon is giving away a beauty laden basket worth over $225!


What Women Want founder Shannae Ingleton is offering two tickets to two tickets to her next event "Literary Journey" taking place on Sunday October 19, 2008 from 3pm-6pm at One King West.

With the tickets the lucky prize winner will get two copies of the book "Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin, two 3 course dinners, complimentary cocktails and two swag bags. The tickets are valued at $55 each for a total value of $122.

Hope to see you there!

Check out our video from Shop Crawl #2

Read more about past Shop Crawls

Thanks to our media partner, Red Flag Deals

Montreal is Friendlier Than Toronto (Gasp!)

Me hunting for Fashionistas on Rue St. Denis

This weekend we were in Montreal shooting an upcoming episode of ChickChat TV. I have to say I was astonished at the differences between shooting in Toronto vs. Montreal.

Toronto is certainly fashionable, and you can't throw a stone without hitting an expensive handbag or high end pair of shoes, but there is a heavy reliance on designer name brands. Montreal is somewhat the opposite. A woman will look immaculate but rarely is there a telltale label to account for it. There is also quite a difference in the personality of the two cultures. I live in Toronto and don't consider myself outside of what I'm saying so please take what I am about to say as a constructive criticism.

Toronto is, to an extent, a city of 'Importanistas' i.e a culture with a distinct air of self importance. This is not to say they aren't important, but we tend to pretend we are more so than we may actually be. This may stem from lack of self esteem parading as confidence or it could just be a symptom of how busy we all are. We are a culture of busy. Within 10 seconds of talking to an acquaintace one of you will invariably tell the other how hectic your schedule is and the other will agree. As a result, an afternoon on Bloor street pulling aside Fashionistas results in a good chunk of rejections and even the use of "The Hand". They are too busy to stop, too nervous, and in some cases, too important.

ChickChat TV Fashion Wrangler extraordinnaire, Emily Dick takes a break for lunch in Montreal

In Montreal, Fashionistas were so happy to talk to us. Emily, one of our talent wranglers noticed that the French were so much more willing to stop and come and talk to her than Torontonians. A simple shout out got direct eye contact, a smile and a person willing to dodge sidewalk traffic to come over and find out what she wanted. Despite a language barrier in a few cases, they were willing to appear on camera and answer our questions. Would any of us Torontonians agree to an interview in French on a Saturday afternoon in the midst of shopping? I would suggest not. We would be too embarrased by our French, too busy or too disinterested.

My Dude Crew for ChickChat TV: Brad Dworkin (DOP), Geoffrey Webster (Production Manager/Motion Graphics)

I have often had strangers (men) shout at me when I'm walking down the street, "Hey smile!" I never know what to make of that. I consider myself a happy person and am generally content with life, but that makes me wonder what image I am projecting to the world. Do I come off as an Importanista? Am I the kind of person who would give someone The Hand when approached, even if I have no idea what it is for?

I've learned something valuable from Montrealers this weekend about being more open and approachable to people I don't know. The warmth we experienced from them this weekend was so refreshing and charming. We should never be too busy to smile or acknowlege a stranger. Who knows what could come of those chance meetings?

Death of a Blowdryer

Today I nearly lit my head on fire thanks to the Conair Infinity blowdryer (pictured).
This the second blowdryer I've purchased in the last 6 months from Conair. The first was a nearly identical model that just stopped about a month after purchase. The lovely people at Shopper's Drug Mart agreed to exchange it since I had purchased it from their store. I had hoped that the new one, despite missing a few attachments that were supposed to be in the box, would last longer.

I got a good 3 months out of it, before it showed early signs of death. It would take about 30 seconds to warm up, slowly roaring to life but then it would work fine. The last couple of uses it started firing sparks at me. It would first glow red, shoot out a couple of sparks and then go back to normal. Today it was a full out flame thrower. You'd think I abuse my hairdryers from the sounds of it but I only blowdry my hair every 2-3 days for about 20 minutes.

So now with only a few hair singed I am without a blowdryer and my hair is starting to look Lion King again. I am in need of a new blowdryer that will last me more than 6 months but won't cost a fortune. Any suggestions?

Can Funny do Pretty? Ellen as the New Face of CoverGirl

Ellen is a CoverGirl!

Ellen DeGeneres gears up for her first ad shoot with CoverGirl Cosmetics. Ads for her first campaign with the brand will appear in January 2009.

CoverGirl Cosmetics has officially announced their partnership with Ellen DeGeneres.

Quoting their press release:

"Toronto (ON) — September 16, 2008 — Beauty giant CoverGirl cosmetics confirms today that the Brand is partnering with Ellen DeGeneres as its newest face. This will be the first beauty campaign for the comedienne and Emmy award winning talk show host whose famous face will be the focus of new advertisements in January 2009.

“Ellen is the quintessential CoverGirl. She is smart, confident, natural, and beautiful from the inside out. Her beauty and down-to-earth personality fit perfectly with what CoverGirl represents. We look forward to our partnership – stay tuned for more news,” said Esi Eggleston Bracey, vice president and general manager, Global Cosmetics, Procter & Gamble Beauty. "

Visit www.covergirl.ca or www.covergirl.com for more information.

For a sneak peak at the live announcement that will air on Ellen’s show this afternoon, visit http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2008/09/ellen_is_the_new_face_of_covergirl.php.

Our take?
We love Ellen and think she is a blast but haven't ever thought of her as a beauty icon. Still kudos to CG for recognizing the different forms of beauty and not expecting us all to fit a certain mold.

What do you think?

Toronto: Win a Photo shoot from Canadian Beauty

Our friend at Canadian Beauty is having a contest for a free photo shoot!

Enter to win:

* approximately one hour on-location photo shoot
* up to three wardrobe changes
* email-quality proofs of the entire shoot for selection purposes
* final CD with three retouched, print-quality digital files

The value of the shoot is about $150.00 and because the photographer lives in Toronto, this photoshoot is only open to those in Toronto or those who are able to travel into the city for their photoshoot.

This is a great prize for anyone who has wanted to be professionally photographed but hasn’t had the funds or contacts to get it done. If you’re an aspiring makeup artist or model, this would be a great prize for you too. For more details, visit Canadian Beauty here.

Newsletter September 2nd: ChickAdvisor Got a Makeover

We've launched our new design!

Two years ago today, we flipped the switch on ChickAdvisor.com. It was 5 am and we had just pulled an all nighter. Our tiny condo living room was lit up with computer screens and though we were all deliriously tired, we couldn't wait to see the world's reaction. We stood up, shook each other's hands and passed out. Today marks our 2nd anniversary and the official unveiling of our brand spanking new design. Based on your feedback, this is the new ChickAdvisor!

What's new:

*Forums
Our popular ChickChat section is no longer under lock and key. Since we added the 'anonymous' function, you decide when to share your name and when to keep it private. Some of the best advice on the website is in our forums and we think it's time to share that. You will still have to log in to add your own comments.

*Videos
We have had videos hiding on ChickAdvisor for a Loooong time. Well, ok. One year. Now they are findable with one click on the main nav. Here you will find everything from our hot new video series, ChickChat TV to last year's street fashion series, Where'd You Get That? as well as our own random amateur vids Ali shoots with her little Canon PowerShot digital camera when she goes to events, meets designers, and other newsworthy events.

*New Content Player
The old design didn't have any place to display all of the cool new things we wanted to tell you about in once place, but now when you hit the homepage you will instantly see our latest offers, events and featured articles playing smack in the upper middle of the page.

*Layout/Design
We have totally reinvented the look and feel of ChickAdvisor to make it more stylish, easier to use and more flexible for change. We hope you like it as much as we do!

*Member Profiles
Goodbye grainy, pixilated images, hello big clean profile pictures, galleries and commenting! You can now upload as many pictures of your fabulousness as you want in your gallery.

*New Articles
Traditionally we have posted most of our articles on our blog but now those articles will be featured predominately on the website. Our blog will remain but only updated on occasion when we have news of some sort. You will be able to find everything you need on ChickAdvisor.com.


ChickChat TV Launches in Pizza Pizza stores across Canada!
We our so excited to tell you about our latest video series, ChickChat TV! Based on discussions that take place in our popular forums, we pose tough questions to strangers we meet on the street about life, love and style.

Our episodes are now airing in Pizza Pizza stores across the country and on ChickAdvisor.com here.

Each 90 second episode comes with a poll for you to answer and add your comments. This week, tell us what you think about Dudes who are more fashionable than you are ;)

ChickChat TV is sponsored by Rogers Media and Zipcar.

Softlips PURE Natural Lip Balm is now in stores



Introducing new Softlips Pure Natural Lip Balm! The chubbier version of their slick French sister, Pure contains 100% food grade ingredients and has no preservatives or colourants. The formula is silky smooth and contains Beeswax and natural moisturizing ingredients including Shea Butter Oil, Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil and Aloe Vera Extracts to protect and moisturize lips. Available in Bergamot, Citrus or Fragrance Free.

Earlier this month, 20 members of our Product Review Club received all 3 of these new balms and loved them! The reviews are still rolling in and you can read them here.

Now you'll have a chance to try them since they have just hit the stores. They are retailing for $4.75 each. Look for them in Wal-Mart, Zellers and other drugstores.



Save the date Toronto: The Shop Crawl Part 4!
On Thursday October 9th, we're hitting up Little Italy. We've already scouted the best boutiques and restaurants and are gearing up for another round of exclusive shopping. Mark it on your calendar, tell your friends and we'll update you with the details shortly.