So remember I was raving about my trip to Montreal recently? I wanted to tell you more about why I was there in the first place. Lise Watier, a leading Canadian beauty brand, has officially launched stateside with their US website, www.lisewatier.us and they brought us over to give us a little taste of their high quality cosmetics, and of its wonderful birthplace. Here are the cliffsnotes from the trip and some of their products that I already can’t get enough of!
WHERE WE STAYED: The luxurious Hotel St. Paul Old Town. Robes, a humongous bathtub, a decadent bed, and comfortable lighting made it hard to give it up when it was time to check out!
WHAT WE ATE: First stop, Hambar for a quick lunch after we landed (I had a delicious pasta in a creamy sauce and ordered a side of fries because they were to die for). Others had duck confit, seared salmon or hangar steak.
We were told we couldn’t leave Quebec without having poutine (a dish of french fries, topped with gravy, and cheese curd that you can’t find in the US!), so we made a late night stop at La Banquise. Dinner for champs!
And finally, a fab brunch at the Ritz-Carlton’s Boulud restaurant. I had french toast, and others opted for the salmon and bagel, or poached eggs. So delicious!
WHAT WE SAW: An up-close look at the talented Montreal-based designer, Eve Gravel‘s studio.
She showed us this beautiful video (below) of her collection as a quick intro, and we got a closer look at her elegant clothes.
If it wasn’t kind enough of her to open her studio doors to us, she even gave us a parting gifts from the Winter collections — woven scarves and winter hats (I’m obsessed with mine!). That’s all of us with Eve, rocking our new gifts in the pic below!
WHAT WE DID: Of course, a considerable part of our trip was learning more about the brand and testing her products. We got to look first hand at her best-sellers like Portfolio.
We also got samples of her skincare line, after which seeing a difference after one use, I promptly ordered her Age Control Supreme Crystal Day Elixir and Black Night Elixir ($50 each) when I got back home. I was convinced after trying it and after hearing about it at our brunch (more on this below). The key ingredient in Labrador Tea, a tea leaf found in the Boreal Forest of Canada. According to their research done in partnership with the Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi, Labrador Tea is 20 times more potent than Q10 and three times more active than Vitamin C and grape seed extract as a powerful antioxidant.
Makeup wise, I need to do separate posts on this, but her LED-light up lip glosses and new intense eyeliner pen are everything.
Later, we got ready for their US launch party at Arsenal, where they went all out in beauty treats: edible lipsticks, a manicure nail bar, ballerina modern dancers, makeup touch ups, and a photobooth we had too much fun with…
WHO WE MET: We should have known after we were told we were having brunch at the Ritz-Carlton which recently hosted the Princess of Monaco, that we’d have an equally special guest: Lise Watier herself!
In one word, she is stunning in person with such presence and grace. It was surreal having conversations with her about her passion to empower women through her products and initiatives. She set up the Lise Watier Foundation, which is a non-profit that helps financial assistance to talented young girls and women and also provides a safe environment for women to regain confidence after hardships like domestic violence or homelessness. “Underprivileged women are also underprivileged children,” she told us at brunch explaining why the cause was so important to her.
To me, this was the highlight of the trip. Being in the company of Madame Watier really made me feel like we found the heart of the brand. Madame Watier has such an inspiring presence about her, and she laid so many gems of wisdom in our meal with her. Just making the time to meet with us really speaks to how much heart she puts into connecting with people and understanding their needs. It shows in every aspect of what we were exposed to in these two days.
“Creativity never gets old. Creativity keeps you alive. It’s a gift from God,” she told us about constantly striving to be inspired. “Young people need a dream. The dream hold you. When you have a dream, it helps you absorb life’s problems.” I felt like I could listen to her forever!
It was definitely a meal to remember! We finally wrapped up the trip with an elaborate photo shoot coordinated by Lise Watier, complete with hair provided by the fabulous Schwarzkopf team and makeup from the pros. Will share those photos and video soon!
Has anyone ever used any products from Lise Watier? What are your favorites? The more I discover from the line, the more convinced I am that it’s going to be HUGE in the US soon!
x
Shy
“Like” Beauty and the Feast on Facebook
Follow Beauty and the Feast on Twitter
On your next visit to Montreal, you can try checking in to Hotel Gault, it’s a luxurious boutique hotel located in the heart of old Montreal 🙂