We kicked off the year with the very best go-to-bed-early intentions, but it’s easier said than done.

Thanks to Turkish Rose and White Tea Eye Cream ($69.60) by Pangea Organics, you’d be none the wiser that we were up late for a The Bachelor marathon. Its all-natural formula delivers powerful anti-aging and antioxidants to the sensitive skin around the eyes. Plus, it is decadently rich (read: won’t smear all over your pillow) and feels so fabulous that it’s become our favourite step in the nightly routine.

Sorry Ben, we’re getting our daily rose intake from Pangea. —Christine Laroche

At Solospa, 429 Cartier St. W., Laval, 450-505-1500, www.solospamontreal.com and online at www.pangeaorganicscanada.com

For a hardcore downtown girl, Laval seems almost as far away as Maui. But we’ll take the half-hour commute to surf over a day-long flight to Hawaii anytime.

Montreal is now home to Maeva Surf the first indoor surfing site in Canada. Using Flowrider technology, a pump propels 8-inches of water over a trampoline like fabric, allowing riders to “flowboard” ($30 / 30 minutes), a technique mixing surfing and snowboarding.

Aloha abs!

Maeva Surf, 2005 Daniel-Johnson, Laval, 450 934-6238, www.maevasurf.com

We’ve never needed an excuse for a long hot soak, but now that Bath and Body Works has come north, running a bath is a daily ritual.

Its massive new emporiums at Carrefour Laval and Fairview Pointe-Claire have everything girlie-girls need for pampering like Aromatherapy Tranquil Mint Foam Bath ($13), Shea It Isn't So Foot Cream ($20) from the True Blue Spa collection and a Slatkin & Co. Autumn candle with notes of red apple and fir balsam ($22.50). Can’t decide? Each store has a sink so you can test everything out before you buy.

Time to turn in that BlackBerry for bath time.

Carrefour Laval, 3003 Carrefour Laval Blvd., Laval, 450-681-1152 and Fairview Pointe-Claire, 6801 Transcanada Highway, Pointe-Claire, 514-695-3336, www.bathandbodyworks.com

Rufus might be staging operas and playing Carnegie Hall, but our favorite Wainwright sibling has always been Martha.

We adore her even more with the release of Sans Fusils, ni souliers, à Paris, a live interpretation of Edith Piaf’s lesser-known songs. The tunes are both romantic and tortured (just like Piaf) with Martha’s folksy voice wobbling in all the right places.

Is it unfair to play favourites in families? Je ne regrette rien.

$9.99 on iTunes

Martha Wainwright in concert, 7:30 p.m., June 24, Salle Andre-Mathieu, 475 Boulevard de l'Avenir, Laval, 450-667-2327, tickets here ($28.25), www.admission.com

Queen Victoria had her castles washed in lavender water while Queen Elizabeth I wore it as perfume.

Little did we know that Canada’s truest form of this multitasking flower is produced right here in Quebec. Fitch Bay’s Bleu Lavande farm grows 100 per cent pure lavender without pesticides and transforms it into sweet smelling linen water spray ($18.50) for your bedding and towels, rich hand cream ($19.50) to nourish skin, and dark chocolate bars for pure edible pleasure. 

Long live the Queen.


At Carrefour Laval, 3003 Le Carrefour Blvd., Laval, 450-681-2445.

Tour the Bleu Lavande farm, 891 Narrow Road (Rte 247), Fitch Bay, Quebec, 1-888-876-5851, from June 12, tickets $6.

We skipped through summer tanned and bare, but with winter looming our sallow skin is screaming for foundation and rouge.

Our make-up routine has taken on a whole new glow ever since we discovered Faces Perfecting Skin Smoother ($45). This silky primer fills in lines and hides imperfections, so our skin looks plump, youthful and just plain pretty. Added bonus—it also shields from the wind and cold, keeping ruddy, chapped cheeks to a minimum.

We’re ready for our close-up, Mr. DeMille.

Faces, Carrefour Laval, 3003 Le Carrefour Laval Blvd., 450-682-2965, www.faces-cosmetics.com

We knew we’d found a kindred spirit when we heard Kate Hudson say she has “in-between hair” (neither straight nor curly).

So, we’ve been waiting in anticipation for WildAid, her new line of hair care products with celebrity stylist David Babaii. Sweet-smelling and chemical-free, 10 per cent of profits go to saving endangered animals.

We haven’t had much luck with eco-friendly shampoos, but the Hydrating Conditioner left our locks as silky as a lion’s mane. We also adore the Hair Polish with nettle, ginger and cucumber, and the non-aerosol Bohemian Beach Spray.

In-between girls unite!

Available at www.theshoppingchannel.com from $14.95.

Montrealers love to stand out in a crowd and now we’re getting a little help from the Danes.

Vero Moda has chosen our city for its first North American boutique. Featuring a rich palette of charcoal grey, pumpkin and jeweled plum, the wearable fall collection is perfect for ringing in the chilly season.

Get cozy in an angora crocheted sweater ($55) or a heat-seeking swingy cardigan with leather belt ($65). If you prefer to generate a little heat of your own, slip into a pair of chic high-waisted denim trousers ($79).

With prices like this, there’s plenty of room in your closet for at least one piece…or three.

Vero Moda, Carrefour Laval, 3003 Le Carrefour Blvd., #LA17, Laval, 450-681-1455, www.veromoda.com