Loulou's views

Taking care of our skin is really important, and now that winter is over, it's time to get our skin ready for spring and summer. I'm a huge believer in taking preventative measures to help fight skin damage, and to keep our skin looking youthful and healthy.  I was recently introduced to  SkinCeuticals , one of the most trusted names in skin care. These products are amazing . Changing up your beauty routine with each changing seasons is a great idea, and when you find products you love... keep using them! I was introduced to SkinCeuticals when I reviewed Gee Beauty in Bal Harbour . Here are the products I received and love using every day: Serum 10  This serum is ideal for sensitive skin and works quickly to restore healthy looking skin, Serum 10 AOX+ neutralizes free radicals, defends against environmental damage, and helps fight the appearance of aging. Here's the best part: once absorbed into your skin, this serum can't be washed off; it continues w...

Okay, you guys... spring has arrived and I am so excited. My children are, too, and we're already back to our usual routine of taking a long walk after dinner around the neighbourhood with a stop at our favourite park. Soon the weather will be nice enough to wear flip flops, play basketball in the street, and go for frozen yogurt after school. I love everything about spring and summer—even the process of getting ready for the new season, like making room in my closet for new dresses and shoes, buying new make-up, and taking care of my hair that gets oh-so-damaged and dry during the winter months. I wear a lot of hats (literally and figuratively) and as much as I love the look of a nice winter hat, I'd much rather be rocking an oversized sun hat on the beach, or letting my hair flow free in the wind as I drive with the windows down. Okay, time to get spring ready. First step?  Some TLC for my hair. Pantene to the rescue—again. Seriously, take it from someone who has gone t...

If you're looking for a luxurious hotel with incredible service in the heart of downtown Toronto, look no further than the Ritz-Carlton . Having stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Montreal and the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour , I knew I was in for a treat when I was invited to join Toronto Tourism on a Luxury Press Tour and a stay at the Ritz-Carlton. The Ritz-Carlton Toronto opened its doors in 2011, and still looks brand-new. The hotel is not only beautiful, but the service is second to none—exactly what you'd expect from a Ritz-Carlton hotel. It's the little things that stay with me once I've checked out that make me come back for more—the attention to detail, the friendly service, and the special care given to children. This five-star luxurious hotel not only caters to adults, but to children, too, and this is important to me. Here's a bonus I loved: the hotel offers complimentary car service (a beautiful Audi) to take guests around town. A cheese cave, exceptio...

Spring is finally here. It's been a long winter, the snow is (mostly) melted, and I'm ready to toss all the winter gear in a box. Yes, you could say I'm ready to embrace all that spring has to offer—mild weather, sunshine, the great outdoors, and wearing flip flops and little dresses again. The beginning of spring always begins with Easter for me—and what better way to celebrate Easter than to indulge in chocolate? Good chocolate.  Lindt  chocolate, to be exact. I don't want to be the only one eating chocolate, though. I'll go workout at the gym, while you enter my contest, because... I'm giving away a Lindt Easter Basket filled with your favourite chocolate treats: 50g Milk Gold Bunny 100g Chick 90g Happy Easter Bell Box 138g Lindt Crystal Gift Egg 100g Lindor Mini Egg Pack (Milk Chocolate) Mini Gold Bunny 5-pack (Milk chocolate) Lindt is celebrating the launch of a beautifully written illustrated storybook app called "The Bell that Rang...

Are you ready? March Break is just days away, and that means we've got to keep the children busy. Heading somewhere tropical and warm is always a great idea, but so is saving money, whether you're travelling or staying closer to home. Join President's Choice Family Finance Advisor Rubina Ahmed-Haq , Chief Family Advisor Kathy Buckworth , and myself, MrsLoulou , on Twitter on Thursday March 10th from 8-9pm EST f or a Twitter Party that'll help you save money this March Break. We'll be sharing some great tips on helping you save money using financial tools, too. We're also giving away some PC Gift Cards  ($600 worth!) to help you save money with whatever you've got planned this March Break. Let's chat more tomorrow night—I can't wait to share to some helpful travel tips with you. There is no RSVP required for the Twitter Party—just follow @PCFinancial and use the hashtag #PCPointer to join in the fun. See you tomorrow night—and Good Luck! ...

A trip to the grocery store can actually be a fun way to get kids to understand the importance of eating well and what "serving size" really means. (Uh, not the entire jar of Nutella in one sitting, for example.) Teaching children good eating habits from a young age is necessary, and  Focus on the Facts  makes it easy for parents to do that. This tool is designed to increase awareness, use, and understanding of the Nutrition Facts table and help people make informed food choices for their families. The campaign encourages Canadians to "Focus on the Facts", by starting with the Serving Size and then using the % DV (Percent Daily Value) to choose the nutrients you want a lot—or a little—of. This way, you can consume the foods that have more of the nutrients you want to consume, like fibre and calcium, an less of those you don't want—like saturated and trans fats and sodium. (Basically, 5% DV or less is a little, and 15% DV or more is a lot.) It's an e...

Every year, I talk about making resolutions and sometimes, I don't follow through. Pretty common, right? However, this year—2016—I made realistic resolutions about taking better care of myself, starting from within. That means spending more time actually working out and being active, and not just talking about it. This means using my gym membership more than I did a year ago, and it means getting out and having fun with my children. There's nothing like having fun while staying active, like taking bike rides with the family, playing soccer, swimming, or skiing. I'm also eating better. It's amazing how even minor changes make me feel good right away; sure, I have cheat days where I indulge in dessert or chips, because you have to enjoy everything, in moderation; but overall, eating better makes me feel better, and sets a good example for my children. I'm taking daily vitamins, too. My favourite vitamins are  Nature's Bounty , especially Nature's Bounty ...

I don't often talk about health issues on my blog. However I thought it was important to bring up an issue that is near and dear to my heart and to spread the word about having The Talk about heart attacks.  Yes, I'm only in my 30's, however it is important to make sure we're aware of the warnings signs of hearts attacks and what we can do in emergency situation. This issue became really personal to me because last year, my father recently found out he has a pretty serious heart condition. Since then, I've become much more aware about heart attacks, what causes them, and what we can do to better prepare ourselves if we're in the same room as someone suffering a heart attack, or even if we are having one ourselves. Here is what you should know: In the event of a heart attack, call 911, then crush or chew two ASPIRIN 81mg tablets. This is vital and might help save your life or the life of someone you love. Did you know that one heart attack hap...

It’s amazing how quickly children grow and with that, leave one phase behind for another phase. Some phases are easier to go through than others, but of course, parenting is always a challenge, no matter what we’re facing.  The hard part is, while you’re going through a certain phase, you feel like perhaps it will never end—whether it’s night waking with your colicky baby or dealing with the terrible two’s (that—let’s face it—don’t quite go away until your child is… oh, about four?) every phase seems to last long and sometimes, you’re at a loss about what to do.   One phase that was challenging for me as a mom was getting through the bedwetting phase with my youngest son. Even after the age of four, my son would sometimes wet the bed in the middle of the night. Although I kept repeating “This too shall pass”  as we were going through the phase, it didn’t make things that much easier when I was waking up at 3 o’clock in the morning to a sad and wet child. I...