Sympatico.ca last week added a new site to its Lifestyle network that will focus on beauty, wellness and fashion. It’s an area that the network needed to build out, says Veronica Holmes, senior director, strategy and content, at Sympatico.ca.

‘It’s going draw a very targeted audience,’ says Holmes of 29Secrets.com, which is owned by Ideon Media, an ad network that works mostly with US-based publishers but also partners with Canadian CookingNook.com.

Sympatico’s Lifestyle network currently attracts 1.36 million unique visitors per month (according to ComScore data for November 2009). It includes Fashionism.ca and sub-portals in the living, fitness and money categories. 29Secrets.com will be promoted through the Sympatico homepages, in the form of in-house ads or through links and promotions in related stories, says Holmes.

Targeting women aged 25 to 34, the new website focuses on products, salons and beauty treatments that readers can access in Canada. It also features a gossip section called the Daily Whisper, and a Digg-like interactive feature (which posts comments and videos that attract web-addict commenters). Current advertisers include Smashbox Cosmetics, Shoebuy.com, and beauty brand Makari De Suisse.

‘It’s a soft launch. The timing around holidays is always tough,’ says Holmes. ‘We’re [going] to refine it, we’re going keep watching how it works, and working with [the Ideon Media] team to make it really sing.’