Beauty Envy

By: Gillian Downes

IF GIVEN THE chance, who wouldn’t change at least one thing about their appearance? Whether we feel as though our behind isn’t booty-licious or we refuse to step outside without a full face of makeup, many of us are aching to change what our momma gave us. There are, however, simple alternatives to scheduling an appointment for a nip/tuck. Sway talks to three beautymakers who are changing the way others see us — and the way we see ourselves.

WHAT YOU’D CHANGE: Eyes that fade into your head without at least six coats of mascara. Not all black women are blessed with long, thick lashes; the truth is that many sisters have short, sparse lashes that need coat upon coat of eyeliner, eyeshadow and mascara to get noticed.

THE QUICK FIX: Eyelash extensions, a painless procedure whereby individual lashes are attached to the top of your lashes with an adhesive.

“Say goodbye to mascara running down your face in the summer — with eyelash extensions you can just getup- and-go,” says Veronica Tran of Pretty Lashes, who boasts a reputation for meticulously applying natural-looking, longlasting lashes to her clients.

Eyelash extensions typically take 90 minutes to apply and can last up to eight weeks, at which point a refill application is recommended. Caring for your extensions takes minimal effort — Veronica notes that many of her clients toss their mascara and eyelash curlers simply because they’re no longer needed.

For lashes that will get you noticed, schedule an appointment for the Pretty Lashes Pampered Girl procedure, $135. Pretty Lashes, 705 King St. West, P2 spa level. 416-629-6936. www.prettylashes.ca.

WHAT YOU’D CHANGE: Hair that refuses to grow into Beyoncé-worthy locks. Black women are known for their diversity when it comes to hair, but that diversity can be limited with short hair.

THE QUICK FIX: Channel Diana Ross’ over-the-top ’do or Whitney Houston’s pre-Bobby classic bob with hair extensions or a hair weave.

“Extensions are an addition to your own hair; think ‘extending’ your hair. A hair weave is a full head of extensions,” explains Leonie Hodge of Azan’s Hair Salon, who applies her more than 15 years of training to serving clients who want anything and everything when it comes to extensions. Though she is aware that hair extensions are still considered to be a bit taboo among black women, Leonie points to the benefits of receiving “immediate gratification with extensions.” From fiery red tresses to microbraids that hang effortlessly, extensions can transform your look with one simple twist of a braid.

Un-beweavable hair weaves start at $225. Azan’s Hair Salon, 126 Davenport Road. 416-944-0262. www.azanshair.com

WHAT YOU’D CHANGE: Your flat, lifeless booty. Dancer, cabaret performer and Flirty Girl Fitness striptease aerobics instructor Suzi Horton recommends the sultry art of sexy in order to firm that rear.

THE QUICK FIX: Striptease aerobics that’ll get you the badonkadonk you so desperately crave.

Flirty Girl Fitness offers two sexy ways to tame that jiggle: chair striptease and lap dancing classes for those who are looking for something more enticing than dumbbells and leg lifts.

A dancer since the age of three (she has performed onstage with such acclaimed artists as Perry Farrell and Prince), Horton’s company, She Visions, produces Tiger Lily’s, an erotic cabaret show that is performed every Saturday at Toronto’s Laurentian Room.

Years of dancing onstage, touring with celebrated musicians and performing in videos has allowed Horton to perfect the art of slinking sexily across a floor, and she encourages others to give it a try as an alternative to sweating it out at the gym. “(Striptease aerobics) is a unique way to exercise,” she explains. Thanks to an intense workout filled with bends, gyrations, contractions and deep pliés, those who are brazen enough to accept this sexy challenge may start to see results in two weeks. Significant results are achieved in six weeks.

Flirty Girl Fitness offers one hour drop-in classes and two-hour weekend workshops. Private classes are available for the shy. Drop-in classes, $20. Workshops, $40. Flirty Girl Fitness, 462 Wellington St. West. 416- 920-1400. www.flirtygirlfitness.com.

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