Mommy: You Inspire Me.

Hi lovelies,

Mother's day is next week (May 12th!), so I thought I would talk a little bit about mothers. I think that there is no other special bond like the one that you share with your mother. A mother is a teacher, provider, caregiver, and supporter...she is a best friend, shopping partner, advice giver, but above all, a role model.

I don't know what I would do without my mom. She is a constant support for me in everything that I do and she is always there to listen. We always have the best talks, the best laughs (and sometimes much needed cries), and the best times together. She is my rock, she is my inspiration, she is my hero. She inspires me to be stronger, to believe in myself, to strive through even when things seem tough. She makes me want to be the best that I can be. I love my mom.

I recently came across this video by Almay featuring the powerful mother-daughter duo Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn. They are both such amazing actresses, strong supporters of many humanitarian causes, and just all-around seemingly very humble people. And of course, they are both stunningly beautiful.

One thing that caught my attention regarding the video was the message that they conveyed about mother/daughter bonds being special. That is exactly how I feel. I definitely felt the connection and love between the two when they were telling their stories and talking about one another. A mother-daughter bond is a special gift, and definitely one that I cherish and hope to sustain between my mommy and I forever.

Almay is also holding a contest to win a trip to NYC. Check out their site for more info.

I definitely recommend watching the video...it truly captures the essence and beauty that is a bond between mother and daughter. Of course, one should appreciate and love their mothers everyday, but here's to all the amazing, hard-working and loving mothers around the world. Happy Mother's Day!

*I love you mommy

Thanks for reading,

What's Your Perfect Güd Morning?

Hi lovelies,

My mornings usually consist of my annoying alarm clock blaring at me until I gain enough energy to shut it off, preceded by me shuffling to the bathroom to start my quintessentially neutral day. After a quick shower, applying my makeup routine, and choosing an outfit I am off to the bus stop. After a routine stop for my daily Starbucks run (venti green tea - it's an addiction lol), I find myself sitting in a sterile classroom awaiting for the teacher to begin.

Although everyone may have seemingly different morning routines, I am sure we all have one thing in common...and that's a cyclical routine. We find ourselves daily doing the exact same things, not necessarily because we want to but because we have to. With all the craziness that life seems to throw at us, we sometimes forget to just take a moment and breathe. Think about a dream morning, separated from your daily routine...what would it be like?

güd is a line from Burt's Bees that includes fragrances, haircare, and bodycare products. As with all Burt's Bees products, their products are all natural, not tested on animals, and güd for you (see what I did there? lol)! All of güd's products have super cute packaging and smell amazing too. One of their newest scents is Red Ruby Groovy (grapefruit and thyme - yum!), and in collaboration with the new launch...they're holding a contest!

Check out this awesome video here for more! :)

güd from Burt's Bees is giving you the chance to make that dream morning come true! Sounds a little too güd to be true right? ;) But it's not! It's super easy and you may find yourself one step closer to that dream morning of yours!

The contest is in correlation with Pinterest. All you have to do is create a board called "My perfect gud morning", pin the contest pin onto it, and then pin everything that would make your perfect, güd morning! Check the links for more information. You may just find yourself having that perfect morning you've only dreamt about - here's your chance to make that happen! One person will win their dream morning, followed by 10 runner-ups who will win one thing from their dream board as well a limited Red Ruby Groovy sampler. Seriously, most amazing opportunity ever!! So what are you waiting for? Get pinning! ;)

Click here to enter! :)


Güd luck!

Burt's Bees Lip Products!

Hi loves, 

Today's post is going to be on Burt's Bees, specifically on their lip products. Did you know that the average woman consumes approximately 9 pounds of lip products in their lifetime? I was so shocked to find that out! Being someone who absolutely adores lip products (especially my lipsticks and lipbalms), it makes me wonder what exactly I've ingested from those lip products to date...not really something I want to think about (eek!). 

The company Burt's Bees are a 100% all-natural products beauty and skincare line, with the benefits of eco-friendly packaging and an aversion to testing on animals (yay!). To them, they want to provide their customers with high-quality and good makeup and skincare products that are also chemical-free (we definitely don't need any added toxins in our systems!). I definitely stand by their commitment to stay true to their strong beliefs.

 

Burt's Bees provides many different types of beauty and skincare-related products for women, men, and even babies! As a lipstick aficionado, I definitely am a fan of their lip products specifically. Their lip products are more natural in shade, but are great for everyday and have an amazing moisture factor to them (perfect for the current dry winters!). 

But likewise, they have an amazing array of different products to choose from, from regular lip balms to tinted lip colours (lip glosses, tinted lip balms, lip shines, and lip shimmers) - there's something for every type of lip product fanatic! It's just about choosing which type of lip product is right for you :) My favourite current combo? Pink Blossom tinted lip balm + Spring Splendor lip gloss (I heart my pinks hehe!). 

   

Celebrity makeup artist, Katey Denno showed three beauty bloggers three different looks using Burt's Bees lip products: a day look, a nigh look, and a pop of colour! Click here to watch the video for more. You can also check our Burt's Bees website here for more information, as well as their Facebook page and Twitter. Check them out at your local beauty store! :)

Of course I won't stop wearing my other lip products, but I definitely will be swapping for my Burt's Bees more often! Always make sure to read the ingredients list (and about the company) before buying...remember if you don't know what it is, you probably shouldn't be putting it on you :) 

 This was a different type of post, but I hope it was interesting! :) 

 Thanks for reading,

Rachel Roy Fall/Winter 2013 Digital Runway Show

Hi loves,

Today I wanted to talk to you about fall/winter 2013 fashion...I know, winter 2012 isn't even finished yet and here I am talking about the following year's trends. But, with the way that the fashion world works, we all know that the trends of following seasons are always planned way in advance (with fashion shows showcasing pieces for the following fall/winter seasons in spring and vice versa, I know, the fashion world is a strange and crazy one...but it still encapsulates us all hehe). One fashion show that I was particularly interested in is the Rachel Roy digital fashion show for fall/winter 2013. You can watch the video here, but I wanted to recap some of the highlights of the show/my favourite pieces and trends. Let's go! :)

Firstly, I think all the pieces Rachel Roy showcased in her show perfectly embodied fall and winter. The colour palette was mainly neutrals, which are exactly what I wear in the fall, with a splash of colour (in her case, she chose a beautiful, bright cobalt blue - love it!). Her collection included tailored pants, cozy knits, statement blazers and jackets, and bold damask prints. The aura around her collection was a relaxed feel, more focused on streamlined pieces, but occasionally belted at the waist (with fantastic statement belts by jewelry artist Christopher Ross I might add!) for that perfect, hourglass shape. There was also a mix of different textures within outfits,including leather, velvet-like patterns, lace, and even a bit of sparkle (love!!). Reiterating colours in her collection were white/black/grey, olive green, and of course the infamous cobalt blue.

What I really enjoyed was the seamless-ness surrounding Roy's fall/winter 2013 collection. There were quite a few trends and textures within her collection, however she found a way to streamline her pieces to look effortless together. All of her pieces looked like they belonged in the same collection, which is something that I look for and enjoy when looking at a designer's collections - runway shows that try to showcase too many colours/trends at once can look overbearing and clashing. Roy's fall/winter 2013 runway was simplicity at best!

Here are some of my favourite looks from Roy's Fall/Winter 2013 show:

(LOVE burgundy for the fall and winter!)

(Chunky knit sweater + damask print = LOVE!)

(I love the breaking up of this all black outfit with this statement belt - Christopher Ross is a genius! :))

(This cobalt blue colour is TDF!! hehe)

(I'm a sucker for clean v necklines..and this olive colour is perfect for fall)

(who says you can't wear white after labour day? & those bold shoulders are killer)

(I adore mixing prints and textures...and this outfit definitely combines both!)

I hope you found some inspiration in this post! Be sure to check out the video for more. Let me know what you think :)

Thanks for reading!

Spring 2013 Trends!

Hi girlies (and gents? lol),

So guess what is coming up officially in 15 days? Well, if you’re like me you’ve been counting down the days till spring. I am the type of person who is always counting down the days till the next season, but I especially love spring for its fashion (and for the fact that it’s my birthday season hehe). I thought it would be a fun post, since I am trying to blog more, to go through my top trends for spring that I am most excited for/will be ‘rocking’ this upcoming season!. 

1.  Stripes:

I have been obsessing over anything striped as of late – but it has to be the right sort of stripes. I am a sucker for anything nautical inspired, so navy and white/cream stripes are right up my alley. I have been on the hunt for the perfect striped tent dress and baseball T for this upcoming spring. I have been seeing a lot of black and white striped pants (not really a fan) and blazers in a lot of the main street stores, such as F21, H&M, and Zara. I definitely will adding a few new striped pieces to my wardrobe.

(I want this dress so badly ugh lol ^^)

    2. Kelly green (emerald, hunter green, any shade of green really...)

        I have no idea why but I have lately been gravitating towards shades of green lately, in clothing. I especially have been loving kelly green, but am not adverse to other shades too. I am on the hunt for the perfect kelly green shift dress, a kelly green maxi skirt, and maybe a couple of knit sweaters. I have recently found a pair of green jeans from Zara for $15 (seriously cannot beat that deal!!) that I am in love with and can't wait to wear for spring! As well, I bought a kelly green romper from Ark & Co. that I have yet to wear, but am soooo excited to - eeee, I can't wait! Emerald is supposedly the pantone colour of the year, which I only found out about later by new-found love affair with kelly green haha. Likewise, this is going to a new colour I am excited to add into my wardrobe!

 (^^ this picture sparked my love affair with kelly green hehe)

    3. 60s inspired silhouettes

      I have always had a love for 60s fashion, especially the cute shift dresses and pouffant hairstyles. The 60s forever encapsulated two distinct styles: mod (think Twiggy) and the hippie era (late 60s, which carried on into the 70s). I adore both of these styles and will definitely be incorporating both into my outfits for spring. I absolutely adore boho headbands, flower crowns, flowy skirts, and oversized sunglasses as well as cute shift dresses, hourglass shapes, kitsy sweaters, and cap-toe shoes. I will definitely be rocking both styles of the 60s! My spring wishlist: floral headbands, a cute shift dress, polka dot ankle skinnies, cap-toe pointed flats, and a Chanel-eque tweed blazer.

     4. Bustiers

      Like most "trends", styles carry on from previous seasons and bustiers/crop tops/bandeaus were super popular last spring and summer. I definitely hopped onto the bandwagon of this trend last year, and will definitely be bringing them out this year. I love wearing bustier style tops with high waisted skirts and shorts, which gives a 60s-vibe. As well, bandeaus are great under flowy tops and baggy tanks. This year, I am looking for a black-style bustier from Brandy Melville that I will be able to wear under tops, exposing a bit of the top for a fun vibe. I haven't really been loving the lace/boudoir trend I've been seeing, but definitely will be rocking the bustiers for spring.

     5. Military Colours

       This is a trend that has been around for a while during the fall and winter seasons, but I think it will carry on to the springtime as well. I didn't really catch on with the whole military-inspired trend for fall, but right now I am loving all the army green clothing (maybe it has to do with my new-found love for green? lol). I'm not such a fan of the camo print yet, I still need to warm up to it, but I definitely am loving the cargo jackets and cargo skinnies. For the military trend, think olive green and khaki! I already bought an army green utility jacket from Zara that I am so excited to wear! I am in the search for a pair of khaki skinnies and an oversized, long cardigan (AA) for spring. The weather just needs to warm up a little...hear that? Yes, I am talking to you Mother Nature lol.

        Of course there are a ton of other trends for spring, but these are my top 5 "trends" for spring 2013 (ie. more of the things that I will be wearing for spring 2013 whether or not they are "in" lol). As well, there are other pieces that I will probably buy this season, not on this list haha. Likewise, I hope this gives you a bit of inspiration. Let me know what you are excited to wear for the upcoming season! :) 

         [Most pictures are bookmarked from my tumblr ")]

        Thanks for reading!

Dot & Lil: Spring Media Preview 2013

Hi everyone!

Last week, I was flattered to be invited to the Dot & Lil Spring media preview for its upcoming collection. After an adventure in itself getting there because we had assumed the wrong address {*nudge* Cynthia *nudge*}, we finally arrived! We were greeted by two super sweet girls who took our coats and offered us some infused pink lemonade (so good!), before stepping into a world of beautiful bath products. The vibe was definitely girly, kitsy, and vintage-y. Antique items were used to adorn the space, as well as to showcase products [ie. cupcake holders and vintage boxes]. Everything was super, super cute! It was a bath and body products lover's haven. I took pictures of some of my favourite products:
  I absolutely adored the moulded flower and Eiffel Tower soaps, as well as the body butters. And let me tell you, everything smelled incredible and yummy - scents of lavender, blood orange, lemongrass, satsuma, and more filled the air! As well, in correlation to the beautiful products in themselves, I would pretty much pay for the packaging lol {cute takeout containers, adorable tins, vintage teacup candles - need I say more?). Adorable products, amazing scents, equally adorable packaging - seriously, what more could a girl want?

The event was at the main studio where all the magic pretty much happens, so it was a neat experience to see more of the behind-the-scenes of everything that goes into creating the products. I also had the privilege of meeting and talking with Anne Dardick, the brains behind the company. She told us more about the inspiration behind her products and how her company started up. It was neat finding out that she actually started up the company with her sister and that it is named after two Hollywood sisters Dorothy and Lillian Gish [considering Cynthia and I are sisters, that's pretty awesome hehe].

Furthermore, the company is Montreal based (woot, woot represent!) and sells across Quebec and Ontario, as well as online. Anne was super sweet and very amicable, and she created such a beautiful event. My sister and I also got some goody bags to take home (yay!) and we've already made a list of products we want to buy when the new collection launches. My sister and I are probably not going to want to use the soaps we buy because they'll be too adorable in our bathroom as decoration lol ;) And consider pink is my favourite colour and green is my sister's...yup, needless to say we love this collection hehe.

Here's a sneak peek at the Spring Collection:

HAND AND BODY SOAPS:

These hand and body soaps are "pure soaps that feel creamy and soft on the skin with a luxurious foaming lather and great strong scents. They are great to use as a hand wash at the kitchen or bathroom sink and also feel and smell fantastic in the bath or shower" - retails for $16, 8 oz bottle.

RICE FLOWER PERFUME OILS:

- retails for $20

SOAPS:

Black tea and cassis - "a fresh, fruity, and tart scent with a touch of freshly brewed black tea" - retails for $7

As well as returning favourites: sweet pea and lilac - retails for $7

SHEA BODY BUTTER:

Lilac and shea body butter - "like the rest of our body butter line, it is a waterless, rich moisturizer that is over 80% shea butter. The almond oil and vitamin e in here help to make you all soft and smooth. Great as a hand balm and especially for gardeners" - retails for $15

REPAIR & CALM SHAVE SERUM:

"This shaving liquid can be used before shaving to soften hair for a closer shave and after shaving to soothe and calm skin, preventing irritation" - retails for $30

SPRING & SUMMER SOAP SET:

"Celebrate the freshness of the season with our four seasonal limited edition soaps in one sweet little gift. Sweet pea, lilac, lemon & sage, and black tea & cassis soaps are all packaged in a takeout gift box" (seriously how cute is this for a gift? :)) - retails for $26

TEA CUP CANDLES:

"Made with pure beewax, olive oil, and a cotton wick they are a healthy vintage-style way to light up your home. [...] Each candle is poured into a vintage china teacup and matching saucer and comes in a pretty white gift box" - retails for $30

LIP BALMS:

- retails for $8

The Spring collection officially launches on February 27th, 2013. Be sure to check out their website for more here!

I hope you found this post fun to read, as it was a lot of fun to write :) My sister and I had a lovely time at the event and would like to thank Anne for inviting us! As well, our bathroom is very excited for the collection to be launched hehe ;)

Thanks for reading!