Canadian Living

You will have noticed that our main coverline this month is Here Comes Spring! The exclamation point? We considered that absolutely necessary. While we manage to get along with winter okay, we tend to think of it as that annual visit from a distant relative who’s all bluster and icy statements of disdain, and who, despite a few moments of thaw—and even fun—in their rigid demeanour, we never really warm up to. In other words: Nice of you to come, happy to see you leave. Uh-huh. Same time next year. Spring, on the other hand—she’s a literal breath of fresh air. Young and cool, she’s not as predictable as winter or as even-tempered as summer; she has fits of tears and sometimes gives us the cold shoulder, but when she smiles…well,…

1 LOCKED AND LOADED Remember the lockers that lined the halls of your high school? Well, they just got a major style upgrade courtesy of storage solution brand Mustard. Ramp up the storage in your office, bathroom or garage with sleek lockers available in a bunch of sizes to fit every space, from the quintessential tall and thin locker to shorter and wider varieties. Totally practical but available in a rainbow of colours to complement any aesthetic, it might be tough to stop at just one! 2 keeping it pore-fessional Did you know you have more than 20,000 pores on your face? To take care of each and every one, Benefit Cosme tics has released an all-new collection of products to minimize, clear and smooth pores. The Pore Care Collection offers a cleanser,…

CARROT CAKE CHEESECAKE MAKES 16 SERVINGS HANDS-ON TIME 2 3/4 HOURS TOTAL TIME 7 3/4 HOURS Carrot Cake 1 cup all-purpose flour1 tsp baking powder1 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp ground ginger1/2 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp nutmeg1/4 tsp salt1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup vegetable oil1 tsp vanilla2 eggs1 cup finely grated carrots1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans Cream Cheese Filling 750 g cream cheese, softened3/4 cup granulated sugar3 eggs1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt1 tbsp all-purpose flour2 tsp vanilla Vanilla Frosting 125 g cream cheese, softened2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened1 tbsp sour cream3/4 tsp vanilla3/4 cup icing sugar (approx)1/2 cup chopped toasted or caramelized pecans, chopped store-bought caramel sauce (optional) Carrot Cake Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Wrap outside of springform pan with several sheets of heavy-duty foil. Set aside. In bowl, whisk together flour,…

Rather than rubbing this stick highlighter directly onto your cheekbones, take some product on your ring finger and gently tap it onto the skin. This helps to warm up the formula, making it adhere better over existing makeup. LA BOUCHE ROUGE PARIS La Lumière Dorée Highlighter, $53, thedetoxmarket.ca. For rosy makeup in a hurry, coat your pout with a coral red shade, then pat your lips to take off the excess and tap it onto your cheekbones as blush. LAURA MERCIER Petal Soft Lipstick Crayon in Agnès, $42, lauramercier.ca. For a fuller, lavish eye look, first apply this eyebrow wax with upward strokes, then fluff your brows by combing against the direction of hair growth. Finally, carefully brush them into your desired shape for a feathered look that’s set all day. BENEFIT COSMETICS Fluff Up Brow…

Dedicating time each day for selfcare can easily fall to the bottom of the to-do list. But slowing down and indulging in a minute—or an hour!—of “me” time can make a big difference. “I feel our highest calling is to be of service to other people as well as the planet. The world needs helpers, but we can’t pour from an empty cup,” says Laura Whitaker, founder of Toronto-based natural wellness brand Wildcraft. “We need to look after ourselves before we can give back.” This could mean adding a new selfcare ritual to your schedule or tweaking your current regimen to maximize relaxation and mindfulness. Here are a few easy-to-implement techniques to add a dash of self-love to your everyday. CANDLES Lighting a candle can be a great way to transform doing…

The concept: Maximize results and minimize irritation by following a four-day skin-care regimen that calls for specific ingredients each evening. All the rage on social media, this routine, called skin cycling, was created by American dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe. Besides having a catchy name, this routine is quick and easy to implement. While it’s now having its moment in the spotlight, the concept of alternating products with different active ingredients, rather than using them all daily, isn’t new—many estheticians and dermatologists recommend it. “I believe Dr. Bowe’s success is in making this approach more accessible by creating a sequence that’s easy to understand,” says Vee Mistry, celebrity esthetician, skin-care specialist and founder of facial studio SKINBYVEE. The routine Here are the steps to Dr. Bowe’s skin cycling method. EVENING 1 Chemical exfoliation On the first…