At the end of August, I was fortunate enough to be one of 30 hand-picked Canadian bloggers invited to attend a beauty event in Toronto. At first, I wasn’t sure if everything was even legit; they would send a car for me AND handle all flight & accommodation needs? Sounded too good to be true, but that’s exactly what happened.
Sponsored by P&G (Procter & Gamble) and featuring Covergirl, Pantene and Olay products – amongst others, the Beauty United event brought us Canadian bloggers together, where we received the opportunity to not only view upcoming hair and makeup trends/products, but to learn more about the science of beauty, as well as speak first-hand with some of the industry experts who make it all happen.
The magic began from the instant the limo (yes, limo…) arrived at my door to pick me up & whisk me to the airport, where I was met by my travelling companions – one of them, none other than Maggie of Maggie’s Makeup AKA: my event buddy!
Upon landing in Toronto, the group of us were then brought (via an SUV/limo) to the Trump Hotel, one of the top-rated places to stay in this city, and the reputation is most certainly well-deserved; from the impeccable treatment of the staff, to the unique amenities (you need to swipe your key-card in the elevator in order for it to even move – now THAT’s security!), and finally to the luxurious appointments of the rooms, I can honestly say that every need was met. Each room comes equipped with its own Nespresso machine (one of my vices) and with electronically manipulated drapes & lights. I could have happily lived in the gargantuan bathroom, which sported a separate shower stall with an oversized rain shower head, heated marble floors, and a tv built into the mirror – came in handy, as I was able to watch the news & touch-up my makeup at the same time!
Deciding what to wear gave me some anxiety, but in the end I opted for a mix of casual & dressy – going with a drapey black halter top, faded destroyed super-skinny jeans, and capping that off with Valentino 5.5″ Rockstud sling-backs (which I had to seriously rip off by the end of the night – but they sure looked good, lol).
Upon arriving at the event (in the same hotel, mind you), we were greeted by a dessert-lover’s version of paradise: a chocolate bar, loaded with enough sweets to make a gaggle of dentists sob. With a glass of wine in hand, I made the rounds of the room, meeting my fellow bloggers while gorging (in a lady-like manner, naturally) on sweets, and having a bit of fun at the photo booth set-up: when Maggie, Christa (of Perilously Pale) and I decided to try the photo booth out, we didn’t realize that the damn thing took 3 photos at a time or that there was a delay between each shot, so our first attempt came out a bit on the lame side …
The presentation part of the event was not only informative – where we were given more insight in the science & research behind beauty, but fun as well, as some of the country’s top hair and makeup professionals presented us with their interpretation of the trends via live models. Later on, we had the opportunity to peruse all the products at our leisure by visiting the various stations set up around the room, and I was able to pick the brains of these industry insiders … and indulge in some shameless photo ops!
Once the event was over, we were presented with 2 goody bags each – brimming with a wide assortment of products, and after depositing this treasure back in my room, I then joined a few of my fellow bloggers for some continued fun in the Hotel’s rooftop bar. Another of the highlights of my evening, was in getting the chance to finally meet a girl (and blogger) that I’ve called “friend” for going on 3 years now, although we’ve never met in person before: Liz of Beauty Reductionista, who made the effort to come and see me – love ya tons, Liz!
Heading back to my room much later, I found a bottle of water and a truffle in a signature Trump box by my bed – so totally appreciated – while the king-sized bed was calling my name. See? All details thought of. The next day, and after downing a monster-sized breakfast, we were limoed back to the airport, and a driver was waiting to take me home when I landed back in Montréal.
After this whirlwind trip, the thought that kept racing around my brain was: did this all really just happen? Yeah, some heavy-duty self-pinching was inflicted. I have the bruises to prove it. No, not really … but it was definitely an amazing experience!
My ride – don’t I look comfy? I definitely deserve need to get my own personal driver …
The Trump Hotel, Toronto – luxury done so very right
Getting ready for the event, casual-chic style
A sampling from the chocolate bar: cupcakes, macarons & gold covered choclate-dipped strawberries
The presentation – check out my pensive pose in the bottom photo, lol!
The Toronto team: on the left – Justin German (head of hair) and right – Greg Wencel ( head of makeup), with their model
The Look: hair – deeply parted & slicked-back into a low pony, face – flawless skin, sculpted cheeks, nude lips & burgundy shimmering eyes
The Montréal team: on the left – Denis Binet (head of hair) and right – Amélie Ducharme (head of makeup), with their model
The Look: hair – deconstructed loose curls, face – pale & slightly matte skin, softly defined eyes & an intense vampy lip
Top left & bottom right – Upcoming Covergirl products from the Hunger Games collaboration, top right – Olay skin care, bottom left – Clairol color
From the left: yours truly, Maggie, Greg Wencel, model, Amélie Ducharme, a member of the PR team, and Shayna of A Pop of Colour
Clockwise from top left: with Justin German (Pantene), Greg Wencel (Covergirl), Luis Pacheco (Clairol), and Denis Binet (Pantene)
Just look at my face: totally adoring Denis Binet – the epitome of French charm !
So happy to finally meet Christa – such a fab lady! PS: That’s Dee Thomson from Liner and Glitter and Gloss, Oh My! photobombing (sort of!)
photo booth antics
The evening continues at the Trump Hotel’s rooftop bar
Heyyyyyyy, Liz!
Evian & chocolate – how did they know that was exactly what I was craving?
Got my CHANEL shades on & ready to check out!
That this was an amazing (and totally unexpected) opportunity, there is no doubt; I feel especially honoured to have been singled out amongst so many of my talented peers. I am now a Beauty United Ambassador, which means that I’ll have access to new product launches and information before it hits the public – all stuff that I’ll be able to share with my readers. I wish to thank all the fairy godmothers out there that made this event possible and for including me in the fun – looking forward to what will come next!
What was inside the generous gift bags – slowly working my way through this loot!
*Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.
*Some photos courtesy of Beauty United
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