Toronto Uncovered

Posts Tagged ‘Shopping’

Kiehl's Samples

I feel like Christopher Columbus. I’ve made an incredible discovery. Albeit  one that’s undoubtedly already been made, I’m going to take all the credit.  The discovery in question? Kiehl’s.

“What is Kiehl’s?” you ask? Why, I’ll tell you: At present Kiehl’s is one of Toronto’s best kept secrets, a supplier of “attainable luxury” personal care products, that has actually been in business for over 150 years. Kiehl’s was initially established as a homeopathic pharmacy, in other words an apothecary, which this reviewer thinks is the coolest history a product line could possibly have. It reminds me of the Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde, but this has a happier ending.

Originating in New York, Kiehl’s presently has two locations here in Toronto: uptown and downtown (2518 Yonge Street near Yonge and Eglinton & 407 Queen Street West near Queen and Spadina). Lisa, the congenial Store Manager of their Yonge Street location, tells me Kiehl’s will be expanding.  After sampling some of their products I am not at all surprised.
It would’ve been neat to see the aesthetic evolution of Kiehl’s from pharmacy to retail shop. After visiting the latter(visiting the former would involve a time machine I’m not clever enough to build) my impression wasn’t of retail at all but of a dermatology clinic or high-end unisex spa minus the mani-pedi stations and those little rooms so many of us have been ushered into at one time or another for a little landscaping if you catch my drift.

The staff at the Kiehl’s location I visited are all incredibly good humored and down to earth. Their uniforms and bedside manner are reminiscent of seasoned estheticians. In fact, Shiloh, the Assistant Manager of the Yonge Street location, also teaches a cosmetics class at Humber. Many moons ago, I attended Humber for Fashion Arts and coincidentally took the same class as part of that program albeit with another instructor. It was the only class I actually liked and the required reading, “A Consumer’s Dictionary Of Cosmetic Ingredients” remains on my bookshelf for constant referral. The staff really knows their stuff, I realized, when I received an impromptu skincare consultation. Unexpected, but informative and fun!

Kiehl’s offers incredible products and matches it with my favourite brand of service: pampering. Not only do you get to test the products in-store but  staff will discus with you your skincare “goals” just the same as an esthetician would do and likewise will help you build a start-up a skincare regime. There’s zero reason to feel sheepish about your acne concerns or other such questions because as the staff will tell you: hey, we’ve all been there.

Then there are the samples. Lots of ‘em. Kiehl’s is not stingy with their samples like most retail beauty establishments and as an added frill you get to take them home in a cute, environmentally friendly bag. That’s not to say that Kiehl’s only caters to women, though. On the contrary, they have a ton of dude-friendly products. Actually, all of Kiehl’s products seem to me to have clinical or cleverly nondescript packaging so men who care about their skin don’t have to feel embarrassed about buying some “la di da” looking face wash or shampoo.

Prices are higher than drugstore merch but not as bank breaking as spa hawked products. Consumers too often forget that personal care is an investment and end up wasting money when they opt for those bargain drugstore does-nothing-but-smells-good type of products. I’m not advising you to sell your soul for a clear complexion or great hair, I’m simply reminding you that you get what you pay for. In this case, Kiehl’s seems to have found the appropriate middle ground with fair prices for effective products. I’ve only used their products for about a week now and have seen a big difference in my skin thanks to their “Ultra” line which feels like satin and makes my cheeks feel the same. Their “Stylist Series” for hair deserves an honorable mention as well, as do all of the samples I was given but being that I was given so many I think it’s just best for me to tell you to head on into Kiehl’s yourself and get your own consultation because I’m not sharing my swag.

Want to make those already generous samples last longer? Don’t tear them open. Instead, poke them with a pin. I learned that at Kiehl’s.

In recent years, the faux-vintage indie scene appears to have taken our city by storm.  I cite the replacement of many funky Queen Street shops, specifically between Spadina and University, with chain stores like H&M and Urban Outfitters as my evidence. Don’t get me wrong, I like both those stores but I miss the authentic vintage ambiance of “Old Queen”. Yard sales and flea markets are rare in urban cities, which is a shame because in a world where we’ve become so tech and trend obsessed sometimes a little nostalgic taste of the past can be good for the soul.

Fortunately, St. Lawrence Market is our metropolis’s retro oasis and its located right downtown at Front and Jarvis. It’s all too easy to get swept up in the hustle and bustle of contemporary city life and take for granted many of life’s simple pleasures. Get back down to earth by visiting St. Lawrence as soon as you can and might I specifically suggest you do so on the weekend. After an eventful Friday and Saturday a friend and I spent our lazy Sunday browsing the St. Lawrence indoor and outdoor flea market (Sunday Antique Market).  We came upon many marvels such as antique furniture, funky glassware, rare vinyl, retro albeit fully functional turntables, vintage clothes, watches and jewelry and so much more.


Personally, I was delighted upon the discovery of a box of plush toys that took me right back to my childhood. Finding Care Bears was amazing but I was blown away to stumble upon a My Pet Monster with the cuffs intact. Another great benefit about the flea market is that the vendors are informative without being pushy. They’re also incredibly friendly and funny people to talk to so it’s a great place to go especially if you’re a social butterfly and/or new to the city.

Keep an eye out for celebrity sightings such as Colonel Sanders and Aunt Jemima. Alright, so actually they were just a couple of quirky figurines that we noticed were for sale and as tacky as they were it was still delightfully amusing to discover them amongst the sea of memorabilia.

The flea market will appeal to those of you looking for a bargain or a treasure hunt and, with some vendors selling old stamps and coins, it’s also a collector’s paradise.

Labour Day weekend blessed us with some of the most beautiful weather of the summer.  I spent most of the weekend outside, either at a pool, the beach, or on a patio. When Monday rolled around, bringing with it another spectacularly sunny, warm day, I took to the streets on my bike. I was in search of somewhere to wander and shop while I killed time – Kensington Market was calling.

My favourite area of Kensington is Baldwin St to Spadina and Kensington Avenue to Dundas. I feel like this L-Block embodies the real Kensington vibe: ridiculous costumes; great vintage finds; cowboy boots and sunglasses galore; and all the trinkets, jewellery and buttons you could ever ask for.

Baldwin provides necessary nourishment before you hit the shops on Kensington Avenue. Any street that has a chocolate shop (Chocolate Addict), cheese store (Cheese Magic) and bakery (Cobs Bread)  within a 50 foot radius of each other is good in my books.

Vintage Depot is at the top of Kenington Avenue, filled with racks and racks of clothing from all different eras and fashions. Whether you’re looking for tassels or jump suits you’re sure to find it here. Just South of Vintage Depot sits Exile. This store seems small from the outside, but is actually endlessly long. The best part of this store is that everything is somewhat organized: Glitter, Wigs, Printed Tees, Boas, Glamour and so on. For any homemade costume or themed outfit Exile is a great place to start – it really has everything. As you continue South down Kensington you’ll find Butterfly and Ego which are also great for those rare vintage clothing and jewellery finds. Clic Klak Fashion Studio is filled mainly with accessories – bracelets, leggings, hats, etc.  This vintage wonderland continues South until just before Dundas. By this point, if you have any room left in your hands to carry more items, you weren’t looking hard enough.

What are your favourite shops to hit in Kensington Market?

Queen Street West is well known for its diverse  collection of unique stores and shops.  No matter how familiar you are with the strip, there is always a new discovery to be made.  A few weeks ago a I was introduced to the owner of Insider Shopping Toronto Ltd, Barbara Captijn. Barbara organizes exclusive shopping excursions in and around Toronto. She took a fellow blogger , Betty-Ann Heggie, and I along Queen Street between Bathurst and Ossington in search of stores that cater all styles and all budgets.

Our first stop was Balisi at 711 Queen St. West. Although there are clothes and purses lining the walls, shoes are definitely the main attraction.  The owners make a few trips to L.A. and Europe each year, returning with their favourite finds. They only bring back a few of each item, eliminating the possibility of an embarrassing, “crap, she’s wearing the same shoes as me” moment. The styles are really fun, funky, and unique.  Most shoes were under $200 dollars, most ranging around $120.

Our next stop was Spectacle at 752 Queen West. The glasses here are trendy and ultra hip, with bright colours, different shapes, and attention-getting frames. We spent a long time modeling pair after pair. If you’re looking for glasses or prescription sunglasses Spectacle will not disappoint.

Preloved at 881 Queen West was one of my favourite stops. It embodies an eco-conscious, green-fashion philosophy. All clothes and housewares are manufactured in Canada entirely from recycled fabric such as  sheets, drapes, men’s dress tops, and other unused material. The designs are almost hippy chic and completely original. You won’t find anything like Preloved anywhere else!

As we waited for our next store to open (many shops don’t open until 11 or 12 on Queen Street) we ducked into the Red Tea Box.  This tea and dessert spot has a huge section of cakes and other baked goods. They looked so good  that you almost felt bad for eating them, almost.  We didn’t have enough time to indulge, but I will go back the next chance I have.

Pho Pa at 698 Queen West was my last stop that day. Pho Pa carries a number of different lines, all from Canadian designers. I ended up buying a beautiful leather belt for about $150. Other items ranged from about 100.00 to 300.00. Most of the clothes were really funky, painted in bright colours and embodying the class and daring attitude of a runway show. The sales people were really helpful and explained each piece and designer to us as we tried them on. I am big on supporting Canadians in all industries and recommend it for anyone looking for a great outfit without spending a fortune.

All in all a great day – if you are looking for a different way to spend a birthday or plan for an event with friends or colleagues Barbara can work with you to figure out which areas of Toronto you want to incorporate, and how best to get there. I know Ill be giving her a call for my next planned event!