By Adriana Ermter

Walking along Front Street, we follow the arrows and signs pointing us toward AIRE Ancient Baths, expecting the entrance to reveal itself immediately. Yet, as we stand inside a concrete courtyard surrounded by tall buildings, it takes us a moment before spotting the oversized, wooden doors tucked behind a corner, almost hidden. It feels like discovering a secret entryway—one that opens from the bustle of downtown Toronto and into a tranquil setting.

Inside is dim, lit only by flickering candles and a handful of wall sconces and our eyes have to adjust. Instrumental, Middle Eastern music plays softly in the background and instead of the white, bright, polished aesthetic typically associated with modern spas, we find brick, timber, filled bookshelves and an old-fashioned fireplace. Two oversized lanterns rest on the floor. An old printing press sits in a corner. On a wooden bench, a couple sits in front of a wall withsquare cutouts, each indent flickers with the light of a small candle. Another woman rests on a linen sofa. We take the leather one.

A receptionist dressed in an understated suit greets us, quietly offering tea and water. Behind him, past the reception desk, shelves hold vintage books alongside metal-looking antique teapots. We notice the details because there is nothing else demanding our attention. No television. No rush. No digital noise. The atmosphere is intimate without feeling hushed. It’s like we’ve stepped into another era.

And that is precisely the point.

AIRE occupies a 1912 Edwardian building that once belonged to Copp Clark, a publishing company and the property’s literary and industrial past has been deliberately woven into its new identity. The heritage building retains elements of its original character, while the 23,000-square-foot space has been transformed into a candlelit world of thermal baths, stone, water and quiet. It’s hard to believe we’re in downtown Toronto. 

The luxury Spanish brand’s decision to put its first Canadian spa in the middle of the city rather than somewhere remote is intentional. As Sarah Bahreini, AIRE Toronto’s public relations and marketing manager explains, “wellness should be an escape from everyday life, but that escape doesn’t necessarily require leaving the city.” She describes AIRE as “a destination,” somewhere guests can disconnect from schedules and the outside world for a few hours.

The building makes that disconnection especially convincing. The space gives way to history: large wooden planks, cement beams, exposed brick and the scale of an old industrial building. The architecture is part of the ritual, “honouring the building’s literary and industrial past,” says Bahreini and is fundamental to AIRE’s design approach.Each of the brand’s destinations, including Barcelona, Chicago, Copenhagen, London and New York City, is shaped by its historic setting. The first spa, launched in 2000 in Seville, Spain, is set inside a 16^th-century palace. Toronto’s 510A Front St. locale is the latest addition to the roster, number 10, and like its predecessors draws on the bathing traditions of Roman, Greek and Ottoman civilizations to create an old-world, intimate approach to water therapy.

There’s something deeply satisfying knowing that we’re about to press pause in a place that has witnessed more than a century of people working, creating and moving through their days. And as we enter the bathing area, we begin to notice that time feels more fluid somehow. Maybe its because there are no clocks to tell us otherwise. 

While the centre of the spa experience is the thermal water circuit, inclusive of a sauna and steam room, there’s no prescribed order in which to experience it. So we wander. Slowly. Taking everything in as we decide which of the nine baths to slip into first. 

The Tepidarium, a warm bath, wins and we sink neck deep within it, our tension releasing into the water. Next, the hotter Caldarium bath pulls us deeper into relaxation and we simmer there. Pulling our bodies upright we get out and bravely, for just a few seconds, step into Frigidarium’s small, freezing cold bath. The sharp contrast of temperatures leaves our body tingling and we quickly retreat, letting Caldarium’s warmth envelope us again. 

After a while, we walk over to the Balneum, or Bath of One Thousand Jets and, laying on our backs, allow the pressurized streams of water to work their magic across our body. The powerful hydro-massage loosens our tight hamstrings and lower back. When we’ve had enough, we soak in Flotarium’s concentrated salt water. Our body light. Our skin glistening in the shadows. Our mind, blissfully blank. Long minutes go by. 

Finally, we get out and stand in an oversized shower-like area where we pick up an enormous wooden ladle and scoop a heaping mound of loose salt from a large basin. Dumping it into our hands, we rub it over our skin. Beneath a rainforest shower, watching the salt wash off our body feels simultaneously soothing and refreshing. We turn the shower off and walk to Palestra’s balmy bath. 

Easing into the hot water, we sit down on a stone ledge and decompress further until eventually, we submerge our entire body beneath the water and swim under its glass enclosure. Head and face wet, we resurface in a private, outdoor pool area. This is, perhaps, our favourite part of the experience. Secluded, surrounded by stone, wooden parapets and a cocoon of thermal water, while feeling crisp air on our skin and looking up at the blue sky above reminds us how much we love our city life and all it offers. Yet this time spent away from it all, has allowed us to discover a well of deeper connection. 

Without question we’ll return. And when we do, we’ll indulge in a massage, body treatment or most likely AIRE’s Wine Bath—a full-body immersion inspired by the antioxidants of Spanish Ribera del Duero red grapes, replete with a cranial treatment, full-body massage and a tasting of Matarromera wine with cheeses. 

Our soak here may be an emulation of ancient activity, but its appeal has much current relevancy.

The post AIRE Ancient Baths Might Just Be Toronto’s Most Luxurious Escape appeared first on 29Secrets.

By Alison McGill

The Cashmere Collection runway show is a highlight of Toronto’s fall fashion season. This year’s event, Symphony, was held last week at Evergreen Brick Works and showcased the work of 16 designers from across Canada, who were tasked with creating one-of-a-kind designs from bathroom tissue.

Over the past 22 years, the show has raised more than $5.6 million for the Breast Cancer Cause. Designers participating in the 2026 show were a curated mix of Cashmere Collection veterans and several newcomers. Participants included Antoinette Di Carlo, Christopher Paunil, Donn Sabean, Catherine Addai, Kelsey Erin, Lesley Hampton, Nikki Yassemi, Oscar Mendoza, Sam Wong, Claudette Floyd, Curtis Matysek, Funmilayo Odeniyi, Richard Wei, Somaya Ahmadi, Sudha Arjun Sharma, and Tia Kureshi.

Montreal designer Antoinette Di Carlo has been part of the annual showcase for many years and says one of the things she loves most about the event is that it brings together two of her passions—fashion and giving back. “I love the challenge of transforming such an unexpected and delicate material into something beautiful, while knowing that the work also helps bring awareness to breast cancer and supports an important cause,” Di Carlo says.

How difficult is it to create haute couture using bathroom tissue? Di Carlo says the process is both creatively challenging and incredibly rewarding. “We have experience from participating in previous seasons, but every design reacts differently, so there is always a lot of trial and error. This year, we reinforced the tissue with a canvas base so that we could create and manipulate the pleats while maintaining the structure of the dress.”

For this year’s Cashmere Collection, Di Carlo created a sculptural mini dress with a sheer underskirt dotted with glittering microcrystals. “My design is a feminine, timeless silhouette with a touch of drama,” she says. “I was inspired by the theme, Symphony, and interpreted it through the pleating around the corset and waist, creating an outburst of tissue that feels almost like the crescendo and finale of a musical piece. I added subtle touches of sparkle to enhance that sense of movement and drama.”

Di Carlo says the overall creative process for her Cashmere Collection design took approximately four weeks. “I prefer to work on a design in stages,” she says. “I might spend a few hours draping and manipulating the tissue on the mannequin, then step away and let the idea develop before coming back to it the next day. That process of observing, experimenting and building on the idea gradually allowed the design to evolve naturally until everything came together.”

This year’s Cashmere Collection was brimming with romantic, dramatic and fashion-forward designs, which you can now see here online. Cashmere invites you to vote for your favourite, and for every vote, it will donate one dollar to the Breast Cancer Cause. You can vote daily until November 15^th; each vote also enters you for a chance to win a grand prize of $5,000. 

We love when fashion and philanthropy come together in such a beautiful, artful and meaningful way. 

The post Canadian Designers Create For A Cause With The 2026 Cashmere Collection appeared first on 29Secrets.

When it comes to skincare for sensitive skin, First Aid Beauty has always understood that effective doesn’t mean aggressive. The brand has made a name for itself with straightforward, skin-friendly formulas that aim to tackle our common concerns without leaving our too sensitive complexion feeling overwhelmed. And we’re grateful. Especially when we wash our face with its Brighten + Glow Exfoliating Gel Cleanser.

Mix mastered to do more than just rinse off dirt and grime, the cleanser combines gentle exfoliation with a deep clean that doesn’t leave our skin looking red or feeling tight. That’s because its formula pairs lactic acid, niacinamide and rounded jojoba esters to tackle the dullness, excess oil and larger than life (okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but yeah, they’re there) we see in the magnifying mirror we’re addicted to staring into. 

The lactic acid, which is a gentle AHA, helps loosen the dead skin cells sitting on the surface of our face, while the niacinamide gives our epidermis a a smoother, more even-looking complexion, eliminates oil and minimizes the appearance of the size of our pores. (We admit, we’re pore-size obsessed.) And the jojoba esters gently exfoliate without the scratchiness of the old-school facial scrubs we used to favour. But what we really like best is that our skin feels clean, soft and smooth and even looks a little younger and brighter when we’re done. 

First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Exfoliating Gel Cleanser, $48 for 177ml, available at Sephora.

The post Product Of The Week: First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Exfoliating Gel Cleanser appeared first on 29Secrets.

By Alison McGill

Lebanese-born fashion designer Elie Saab built his career in the bridal fashion business. His global design house began in the early ’80s, with Saab specializing in bridal couture. His designs were artful and dramatic, and he quickly became renowned for his incredible wedding gowns, crafted from intricate lace and heavily embellished with gemstones, crystals, pearls and elaborate embroidery.

Saab grew and evolved his fashion empire with a ready-to-wear line, which he launched in 1998. His haute couture gowns quickly became a mainstay of the red carpet, worn by A-listers including Beyoncé, Lili Reinhart, Lupita Nyong’o, Céline Dion and Halle Berry, who wore Saab’s now-legendary burgundy net dress to accept her Best Actress Oscar in 2002 (read all about Berry’s gown in our THE STORY OF feature).

This fall, Saab is bringing his divine couture designs to the masses as the latest global design powerhouse to collaborate with H&M. The ELIE SAAB X H&M Collection launches on October 22 in stores and online, with a lineup that includes dazzling occasionwear for women and men, as well as accessories and footwear. The mix also includes a wedding dress and veil, which means a red-carpet-inspired aisle style without a five-figure budget is entirely attainable.

“We are honoured to have an ELIE SAAB bridal look within the collection,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson of H&M. “We were all very moved to see Mr. Saab working on it in the studio, and the final garment is stunning.”

The bridal look closed the collection’s recent launch event in Paris. The mermaid gown features a ruched, off-the-shoulder neckline and layers of draped chiffon that cascade down the skirt into a showstopping train. Saab’s gowns are famous for their interior construction, and this dress is no exception. The corset bodice gives structure and support, while the back adds a touch of sparkle and sheerness with an illusion mesh panel detailed with glass sequins and beads.

For maximum drama, there’s an ethereal veil to wear with it. The cathedral-length design is crafted from mesh and features delicate, hand-embroidered floral motifs trimmed with more shimmering beadwork.

“Bridal is where everything began, the moment where the language of Elie Saab found its voice,” shares Saab, who is now the chairman and chief creative officer of ELIE SAAB. “Our foundations are creating dresses for the most important day in a woman’s life, and that connection has remained deeply personal. To be able, through this collection, to offer a bridal piece at a different price point is something meaningful. It allows a wider audience of future brides to experience our world on their own terms.”

The ELIE SAAB X H&M bridal gown and veil will be available exclusively in stores in Dubai, Paris and New York. In Canada, you can buy both online. Mark your shopping calendars, and don’t sleep on this collaboration: the wedding gown and veil will be available in extremely limited quantities.

The post The ELIE SAAB X H&M Collection Includes The Most Romantic Bridal Look appeared first on 29Secrets.

By Alison McGill

There are lots of things you should bring to a job interview, but an iced coffee is definitely not one of them. A viral debate blew up on social media last week on this very subject, and if you’re not up to speed, let’s catch you up. 

A TikTok video posted by Caitlin Wehniainen, president of a recruiting firm, went viral aftershe shared her professional opinion that bringing an iced coffee to a job interview is definitely not a savvy idea. In the clip she relates her commentary on the subject is the result of seeing so many Gen Z candidates arrive for job interviews with an iced coffee nonchalantly in hand.

“When you show up with an iced coffee or iced latte, this interview is just a stop on your list of errands for the day,” Wehniainen says. “It looks like you went to Target, then you went to Starbucks, now you are stopping by for your interview, then you are on to the next thing. It looks a little too casual to me.”

If you’re serious about getting the job, her advice is simple, sensible and goes back to the fundamentals of presenting yourself as a professional. “Don’t waltz into your interview all casual with an iced coffee. It just looks like you didn’t have time to finish your coffee beforehand.”

Of course, the internet had SO many feelings. “It’s bonkers to me that people are disagreeing with this,” said one commenter on Wehniainen’s post. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf cheekily noted, “We’d hire them on the spot…” My personal favourite comment questioned whether the type of drink brought to the interview made a difference: “Why are we specifying iced coffee? Is it more acceptable to bring a hot coffee?”

I wanted to hear more from an HR pro on this subject—I had many questions about modern workplace dynamics and etiquette. I spoke with Jennifer Cordeiro Peixoto, director, people at a Toronto-based company that owns and operates urban workspaces across Canada. Cordeiro Peixoto shared that not only is it inappropriate to bring food or a drink to an interview, but doing so also sends a clear message you are not serious about landing the gig.

“I don’t think this is appropriate,” Cordeiro Peixoto tells me. “It’s a distraction. If you really need your coffee, have it before the interview. Additionally, companies usually offer candidates water, coffee or tea. It’s also never appropriate to bring any food to an interview unless you’re a chef and that is part of the interview process.”

According to Cordeiro Peixoto, recruiters expect anyone coming in for a job interview to put their best self forward. “If they come in with a drink, and it becomes a distraction, that can take away from the interview,” she says. “The focus of an interview is to assess culture, fit and the skills a candidate is bringing to the role and organization.”

The things you should bring to a job interview? Knowledge of the company and a full understanding of the job description you are there to discuss. “You’d be surprised how many people do not read the job description,” Cordeiro Peixoto says. “Do some research on the company. Anything that you learn about the company that is relevant to your role or maybe as a core value of yours is something you should bring up during the interview.”

Another important to-do on her list? Dress appropriately for the role you are applying for. Cordeiro Peixoto says that if you are applying for a role in an office, make sure you are dressed appropriately in dress pants and a collared shirt or a blazer. “Don’t come in looking like you are wearing something that you would wear to the grocery store or a bar.”

She also cautions candidates to be mindful of fragrance, as many people have sensitivities. Never chew gum. Don’t tap or fidget during your interview. Never leave your cellphone on the table—it’s another distraction that looks unprofessional. Also, don’t be late, and if you are running behind, call ahead to let your interviewer know.

Cordeiro Peixoto also has one valuable insider tip about what you absolutely must bring to every job interview: “Always come with a question. This shows that you have done research about the role and you’re really interested in learning more.”

The post The One Surprising Thing You Should Always Bring To A Job Interview appeared first on 29Secrets.