How To: Perfect Summer Glow!

Hi lovelies,

Well summer is approaching, and if you are like me, your skin has been in hibernation underneath layers upon layers of clothing these past couple of months. Needless to say, my skin was looking more paste-y than naturally. In the wise words of a waiter at a Chinese restaurant, I am "so white" as compared to my family lol. I naturally have pretty fair skin that I actually don't mind, but I like a nice glow for the spring and summer time. I am so jealous of those who look incredibly goddess-like with a beautiful, rich tan but I also don't think I look that great with such a dark colour.

I probably am in the minority here, but I am not a fan of tanning. I love the sun and like to bask in it every so often, but I am definitely not one of those people who enjoy laying out in the sun for hours. I think it has to do with my exceptionally-crazy-over-thinking kind of mind that doesn't allow me to feel any sense of relaxation of laying in a sedentary state. Yeah, I'm not normal lol. Likewise, because I am fair I tend to get sunburn more easily (even with slabbing on a ton of sunscreen) and honestly, I just don't like being under heat for that long (high-maintenance hermit much? lol oops!)

With all that being said lol, I am a fan of gradual self-tanners because it allows me to control the colour that I want slowly, and I can build up the colour as I want. There are a lot of self-tanners out in the market, but the majority of them give me a more intense summer glow than I would want in just one shot. I just want a healthy glow for the spring and summer.

I have been using Jergen's gradual tanning lotion for years now, and it has continued to be a favourite of mine because it allows me to get that perfect, healthy look without being too tan (unless I want to). I had the opportunity to try out some of Jergen's tanning lotions which I was very excited by, and I thought I would tell you my thoughts on them after having tried them out for a couple of weeks.

Even though Jergen's is more of a gradual tan, being as fair-skinned as I am, the fair to medium lotion gave me a nice tan in about 2 days and stayed for about a week. That was definitely a plus, because I love things that are low-maintenance and easy. I am definitely a fan and will continue to use it as my favourite gradual tanning lotion. The products that were sent to me were the Jergen's daily moisturizer, Jergen's firming + daily moisturizer, Jergen's face moisturizer, Jergen's foaming daily moisturizer, and Jergen's 3 days to glow moisturizer. The following are my thoughts on each product:

Jergen's Natural Glow daily moisturizer:

I am an avid user of the regular daily moisturizer, so I already knew that I loved this product. The application was very easy. Because it is lotion-based, it is applied just as you would a normal moisturizer. Only thing is to make sure you wash your hands afterwards because it is still a tanning product. You don't want tanned palms! As for the smell, the bottle stated that the formula now had no odour. There was still a slight smell to the moisturizer, but once it soaked into the skin it went away. I saw results in about two days and didn't reapply until about 5 days. It gave me a healthy looking tan and there was no streakiness at all. As well, because it is lotion-based, it provides your skin with moisture content as well, so I love that it's a two-in-one product.

Jergen's Natural Glow Firming + daily moisturizer:

I was very interested in testing out the firming aspect of this moisturizer. Of course I wasn't expecting miracles, but I was intrigued by the product. The product was essentially the same as the regular daily moisturizer in smell, application, and overall tan look. I can't necessarily say that I saw an excremental change in firmness, but I do find an added smoothness to my skin that I enjoy. I haven't used this product for that long, but I am going to continue using it on my legs to further test out the firming aspects. However overall, this product was just as great as its regular counterpart, with a slight added smoothness factor.

Jergen's Natural Glow Foaming moisturizer:

I was very intrigued by this product when I saw that it was a foam as opposed to a lotion. Initially I wasn't sure how well it would pan out, and was expecting more of a streaky application. The foam is comparable to hair mousse in that it has a light, white foam consistency that "melts" as you apply it. Initially, I had to get used to the application because I kept applying too much foam but after a couple of trials, I got used to the amount I needed. After the foam disintegrated, it felt like more of a wet, gel consistency when I applied it to my skin. I liked that it dried quickly (no left over residue) and that there was almost no tan smelling odour. Surprisingly, it also made my skin feel incredibly soft and supple after application. As for the tan aspect, I saw results within 2 days of application and was the same intensity as the regular moisturizer.

Jergen's Natural Glow 3 days to glow moisturizer:
The claim that it states "3 days to glow" is very true. I actually was able to get a healthy glow in just one application. I applied it at night, and the next morning my skin had a nice, healthy glow to it. It is perfect for those days where you want a natural looking glow within the day. Again, application was easy, the tan was not streaky, and it made my skin nice and soft.

Jergen's Natural Glow face moisturizer:

I was skeptical about using a gradual tan face moisturizer, but I actually really like this one. I don't use it everyday, but I like that it makes my skin look really vivant and glowy (overused word of the post...sorry!). Because I have been "tanning" my body, I love the option of a face moisturizer so that my face can also have some colour. I also love that it has spf 20 in it, which is essential for a day moisturizer. I use it underneath my foundation, and makes application super easy. Another plus is that, having sensitive and acne-prone skin, it hasn't broken me out.There is a slight sunscreen smell to it from the spf, but nothing intolerable. I really enjoy this face moisturizer, and will continue to use it in conjunction with my body moisturizers.

Now that I provided some insight into my thoughts on the Jergen's Natural Glow products, I thought I would finish up the post with telling you how I achieve a perfect summer glow!

I always start off with a body wash and body scrub to clean away any dirt and dry skin so that my skin is smooth and supple.

Next, I like to shave...cause you know, no one wants glowy, tanned, and hairy legs lol.

Then I apply my choice of gradual tan moisturizer - my current favourite is the Jergen's Natural Glow 3 days to glow moisturizer!

I finish off with coconut oil for added shine and glow, and my favourite body spray so that I can not only look like but also smell like summaatime hehe :)

And finally, for my face, I sometimes like to apply my favourite bronzing products for that added touch of summer glow.

I hope this post has been helpful for you in achieving that perfect, summer glow. Let me know what your favourite summer glow products are!


Thanks for reading,

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!