Prior to her visit yesterday. LOULOU Market Editor Liv Judd blogged about one of her new favourite beauty products - the Stila Loves Canada Compact.

This lovely palette includes 4 warm, wearable eyeshadows that suit any skin tone. Read what Liv had to say about this special beauty find in the LOULOU Editor’s Blog.

During our LOULOU Shops Here Show yesterday, LOULOU Magazine Market Editor Liv Judd commented on how our various Try Me Kits allow you, the customer, to be your very own Beauty Editor. And she’s exactly right!

Our Beauty Buyers have put together some amazing kits that give you the chance to sample several our best-selling brands to find your favourite (or favourites!) If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out …

Lashout Mascara Kit

The one bit of make-up most women won’t leave the house without, we’ve hand-picked mascaras from some of the top brands in the beauty industry. Play, experiment & achieve various looks from subtle to dramatic with magic wands from Stila, Duwop, Lise Watier, Pur Minerals, Skinn & Korres.

Summer’s in the Bag

15 great beauty items, one stylish patent tote + a $29.47 Savings Card to spend on any full-size item of the favourite you discover when you get this bag home. Sample best-sellers from Elizabeth Grant, Aloette, Lauren Hutton, StriVectin, Proactiv, GO SMiLE, Lise Watier and Pur Minerals.

Get a video pick inside this fabulous beauty bag:

Shop our full selection of Try Me Kits online. For trial or travel, these mini delights are the best way to sample our best beauty brands!

Sarah Lucero and Stila Cosmetics are back on The Shopping Channel today with great new shades and kits for Fall ‘08.  Some of our faves include:

Stila Chocolate Palette Set
- featuring a limited-edition three-eyeshadow palette, cheek colour, lip glaze and mascara. All you need to achieve a warm glow for fall.

Stila Lip Glaze Stick
- comes in 6 fabulous colours. Get the look sheer, sexy look of gloss in an easy-to-apply pencil.

Stila Smudge Pot Gel Eye Liner
- if you have not tried gel eye colour - do it! The unique consistency of the gel allows you to easily smudge your way to that perfect smoky eye - way easier than with traditional powered eye shadows. Also allows you to achieve a precise line as well.

Another thing we love about Stila is their Stila Girl illustrations (check ours out here). Created for the past 10 years by artist Caitlin Dinkins, Stila uses these sassy, sexy girls in place models or celebs. We asked Sarah Lucero for a bit of the back-story behind the Stila Girl … watch the below video to see what she had to say:

In summer, we’re looking for sheer finishes that make us glow. In this video, Sarah Lucero from Stila Cosmetics shares her tips for low-maintenance summer looks that will keep you pretty and polished, while providing that all-important SPF protection. To buy or learn more about innovative, easy-to-use, high-quality products by Stila Cosmetics, click here.

Although many worship the sun, there’s no doubt that it presents a range of beauty challenges. With these tips and product suggestions, we’ll put you on the right track for the summer beauty season!

Skincare
While skin becomes parched in winter, in summer those heavy creams may not absorb so easily. If you find your moisturizer suddenly feeling a little too rich, consider switching from a cream to a lotion. And, if you’ve got oily skin, look for an oil-free lotion with SPF, like Proactiv’s Oil Free Moisturizer with SPF 15.

While you examine your regime, take a look at how your other products are performing. If you’ve been product-loyal for many years, you may want to examine different offerings from the same brand. Or if you’re just not happy with the results you’re getting, it may be time for a complete assessment and overhaul.

Sun Protection
Of course, sun protection should be integrated throughout your skincare regime all year round. But this becomes even more important in the summer when the sun’s rays are at their strongest.

While protecting your skin through SPF-enhanced products is a first step, think about other areas too. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes (and to look Hollywood chic!) and apply sun block to other exposed areas of your body (neck, arms, legs and ears).

Of course, every dermatologist’s top advice is avoidance: Stay out of direct sunlight, especially around noon. And wear layers of light fabric and even a sun-hat to deflect those dangerous rays.

Self-tanning and bronzing
No matter how much we hear about the negative effects of the sun, we still love that tanned look. Thankfully, you can achieve this effect with many products without causing aging and dehydrating sun damage. None of us wants to look like an old, leather boot in 20 years!

If you’ve tried self-tanning products in the past and found the results unsatisfying and the process messy and smelly, rest assured: Things have improved. Today’s self-tanning products make light work of tanning.

And, for a more temporary look, try bronzing powders like Smashbox’s Desert Chic Fusion Body Bronzer. Applied to the cheeks and decolletage, this will give you a glowing, sexy look that’s ideal for evenings full of summer seduction… even if the only seduction you’re getting is from the chicklit novel you read while on vacation!

Make-up
Finally, make-up should also lighten-up. Nobody wants to see their face slide down their crisp white sun-dress. So consider skipping foundation and choosing a tinted moisturizer instead.

We all know trouble areas don’t just go away, so choose non-heavy but highly effective products. YSL’s Touche Eclat is a legendary product that gets rid of under-eye circles without feeling caked-on or heavy. And if, like me, you suffer from an oily t-zone, try blotting papers or a powder like Laura Geller’s Matte Maker Blotting Powder.

Rather than wearing layers of eyeshadow and liner, keep it simple. Curl those eyelashes and apply a waterproof mascara so you look bright-eyed and vibrant.

The finishing touch is a wipe of blush or bronzer, applied to the apples of your cheeks (not beneath the cheek bone). This will give you that radiant flushed look. I love Stila’s Colour Push Ups

Whether you’ve got the complexion of a bronzed beauty or an English rose, there are products out there to help you get stay radiant all summer long.

Discover what the 20 beauty-ful days of our Summer Beauty event have in store for you.