My Favourite Things: Kim Bieri & Audrey Attias

Audrey Attias and Kim Bieri are the fabulous, fun women behind the popular nail and blowdry salon BLØME located in Old Montreal. I had the pleasure of meeting the girls and getting a blowout (my first!), which left me feeling like the inner glamorous woman I really am.

The space is bright and relaxing and the girls are super friendly (and their prices are amazing). After seeing them transform my hair (I thought I couldn’t keep a curl! who knew! Kim is a genius!), I couldn’t wait to hear their beauty and fashion finds.

Read on to find out about the best hair products, a genius mascara and their favourite shops. And believe it or not… these two answered the questions completely separately. They were definitely meant to be together.

What is your daily routine?

Audrey: I’ve never been a big makeup person even though I own tons of it. My routine starts with a Dermalogica multivitamin thermafoliant and Special Cleansing Gel  every morning and again at night, before bed. To moisturize my face I typically use Nivea Aqua Effect Nourishing Day Care in the morning and Nivea Sensitive Night Care at night. It keeps my skin feeling fresh.

I use Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara by L’Oreal. This product has been around since 1992 and it’s popular with good reason – it is simply amazing!

M.A.C. Studio Finish Concealer hides any dark circles under my eyes and Maybelline Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Powder Foundation is also in my routine. I finish off my look with M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish Bronzer in Dark Deep.

Kim: I definitely wear makeup everyday or I would just look like I was sleep walking everywhere. I love Dermalogica products and I use their Special Cleansing Gel every morning and every night. It keeps my skin from breaking out.

I’m obsessed with intense black mascara and my favourite drugstore brand is Voluminous by L’Oreal.

I religiously use BB Creme Matte Foundation from NYC to keep my pores looking smaller and skin looking even. I also just discovered FaceStudio Master Conceal Camouflaging Concealer from Maybelline. So far, it’s the best concealer I have ever had. And thank goodness for the L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Powder that keeps my face in place and shine free for the day!

How do you ramp things up for special occasions?

Audrey: I usually focus on my eyes by playing with eye shadow. I like to create a cat eye and intensify my mascara. I also love a nice nude lipstick.

Kim: I’ll either do a cat eye with black eyeliner or a dark berry lipstick. I’ll do contouring if I have an extra 20 minutes to spare.

How do you get a good nights’ sleep?

Audrey: When I get home after a hectic day I take a hot bath to de-stress. That helps me relax right away!

Kim: My days are so intense and hectic, that falling asleep is definitely not an issue for me. By the time I get home, I can safely say that I can fall asleep before my head even hits the pillow.

Do you have any favorite hair products?

Audrey: Curls and Kisses by Fave 4 is the best! Not only does it smell delicious, but it also hydrates my hair and defines my curls.

Kim: By far Fave 4 Hair products. They are the first brand of products I’ve ever used that actually do what they say they are supposed to do. Bonus: The smell is just to die for!

What are your favorite Montreal Stores? 

Audrey: I don’t get to shop often because I have so little free time. When I do shop, I’m very specific about what I need and what style I’m looking for. You can never go wrong with ZARA, and KOOKA is by far my favorite place to shop. They have a very urban style, which I love.

Kim: I’m a very picky shopper. I can’t stand being in a big department store, or even a huge 2-floor store. It’s not for me. I get very overwhelmed and I walk out right away.

I need a really well laid out and well presented boutique. My favorite discovery this year is a boutique called KOOKA on Boulevard St Laurent. It has yet to fail me.

What is your favorite Breakfast place?

Audrey: This is a hard choice because there are so many delicious places in Montreal for breakfast. My favorite place right now for breakfast and lunch is Le Cartet. It’s delicious and right down the street from the salon, which makes it very convenient.

Kim: I consider myself to be a huge foodie. Had I not launched BLØME with Audrey, I might have ended up in the restaurant industry. I love going out and finding new and interesting places to grab a bite, or go for a cool cocktail. Right now, I’m obsessed with Régine Cafe. It’s literally the best brunch place I’ve ever been to and you can eat JUST breakfast foods every day.

Advice to my Younger Self 

Audrey: I would tell my younger self to follow your heart and simply breathe. There will be times of struggle and you can’t let the fear of failing hold you back. Believe in yourself and everything is going to be okay!

Kim: I would go back and tell myself not to worry. I will eventually find myself. And quit worrying so much about the future. Just try and enjoy the moment. It all passes by so quickly and everything falls into place with time.

And check out my hair!  It’s curly!  It’s fabulous!  Thank-you so much gals for letting me know that I too can have great hair (with your help!)  And Audrey… I’ll be back for the nails!

A big thank-you to Kim Bieri and Audrey Attias for answering all my questions.  

Ps BLØME has great fair prices, decent parking and they are a great place to escape for some much needed me time.

(Photo Credit: Top photo and second last photo courtesy of Westmount Fashionista)

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