REVIEW: BIRCHBOX X GLAMLIFEGURU GUEST EDITOR BOX (WITH TATI WESTBROOK)

Hi, it's Diana, Nathalie's BFF and a new contributor to WoahStyle's Beauty Section. If you're wondering what I'm doing here, you can read Nathalie's intro and my first post here. 

A few weeks ago, Nathalie told me that she was going to interview someone named Tati, who was launching her own line of cosmetics. Don't get mad, but I totally didn't know who she was. I don't spend a lot of time on YouTube, and when I do, it's mostly to watch cat videos. When Nathalie asked me to review Tati's new Guest Editor Birchbox, I thought it'd be a good idea because I'm impartial. Impartiality is super important when reviewing things. Here, I'll share an example. I have a friend who loves Madonna. He loves her so much that every online username he had in university had some variation of her name in it. Every time one of her new albums comes out, he'll talk about how it's the best one she's released to date. And he'll backup all of her questionable actions - including that kiss with Drake. My point is, idols can sometimes cloud judgement, so it's always good to have someone around to keep it real. Let's be honest, that Drake/Madonna kiss was hella weird.

BIRCHBOX X GLAMLIFEGURU GUEST EDITOR BOX (WITH TATI WESTBROOK)
FIRST IMPRESSIONS

• EMBRYOLISSE LAIT CREME CONCENTRATE
  SAMPLE SIZE: 5ML
  A lot of people love this. I could take it or leave it. It says that it's a multi-purpose product that removes make up, works as a repairing mask, as an after shave cream and it's sensitive enough for babies. I used it the other day to remove my make up and it did an awful job. Most of my make up stayed on after trying to wipe it away with a cotton pad, and it made it harder to take off. I had to use an eye make up remover, a cleansing wipe, and wash my face TWICE to get all of my make up off. I usually don't have to do that. However, I do think it would make a good repairing mask for those who don't have sensitive skin. I don't break out often, and when I do, it's usually after using a product that disagrees with my skin. I broke out a day after using this.
   
• LIVING PROOF PERFECT DAY (PHD) DRY SHAMPOO
  SAMPLE SIZE: 92ML
  Oh yes please, I'll take some more. Leaves your hair looking and feeling clean without an overpowering scent. I find some dry shampoos leave hair feeling really dry, this definitely didn't. My hair passed as freshly washed too, which isn't always the case when I use an inferior dry shampoo. Would absolutely buy the full-sized version of this. 
   
• LOC ONE & DONE SHADOW STICK - DAY TRIP
  SAMPLE SIZE: 0.05OZ
  Tati's known for being a make up guru and her foray into her own make up line is impressive if I was to judge it on this one item. Beautiful colour pay off, didn't crease or smear throughout the day, no touch ups necessary. 
   
• THEBALM COSMETICS FRATBOY BLUSH/SHADOW
  SAMPLE SIZE: 3.5OZ
  Would look fabulous on ladies with lighter skin tones. Did nothing for my medium complexion. Lasting power hard to judge because it just didn't show up on my skin. 
   
• SKYN ICELAND HYDRO COOL FIRMING EYE GELS
  SAMPLE SIZE: 0.11OZ
  I actually love this brand. I've used their moisturizers in the past and they're great. I hated this. I read online reviews on this product and I don't understand how people rave about it. Maybe I got a defective sample? I followed instructions and left it on for 10 minutes. As I tried to take the pads off my undereye area, it pulled at the fragile skin! Also, I found that my undereye area didn't feel refreshed at all, I would go as far to say as they felt a little dry. Very disappointed.

Swatch samples on Nathalie's light-medium olive skin. As you can see theBalm's Frat Boy blush shows up well on her skintone. 

The Cold Effect

It's crazy to think it's almost December and here I am dressed like early fall. While everyone has been relishing in the warmer weather, I can't help but worry. I think about the polar ice caps melting, polar bears in trouble, water levels rising, you know, the environmental repercussions what we're ultimately doing to our planet. I know it sounds like a total downer to write about this in a fashion blog, but these are the things I worry about and the reason I stopped eating animals. I'm just trying to do my part for the planet. Before you go ahead and call me a hypocrite, I'm very aware that I wear leather and I'm not saying that I'm perfect by any means. I don't believe in throwing something away unless it's truly garbage. In my house, we donate a lot to the Salvation Army. We use Kajiji and eBay to find a new home for designer shoes or furniture we no longer need. I gather up unwanted makeup and skincare samples and share them with my mum, bff, relatives and colleuges. I hate wasting food and would rather ask for a doggy bag before throwing out a half-eaten meal. Remember guys, reduce, re-use, recycle. Don't hate me for this post. These are just some of the things I think about.

xo, Nathalie  

WHAT I'M WEARING
Banana Republic jeans and striped shirt.
The Kooples, leather moto jacket.
Valentino, Rockstud shoes and clutch.
Daniel Wellington, Lady Sheffield Watch.

those grunge vibes

From the age of thirteen to fifteen I went through a major grunge stage. All I listened to was Soungdaren, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Mudhoney, Alice In Chains. You know, the Seattle rock bands of the 90s'. I dressed like the guys in my favourite bands with grungy distressed jeans, Doc Martens, Chuck Taylors and concert t-shirts gallore. OMG I owned every concert tee out there and when I couldn't find anymore to collect, I moved onto band posters and rarity B sides tapes of hard to find music. This was pre-Napster my friends when people still collected tapes.

After my grunge obsession fizzled out, I turned goth for some time. I was one of two kids in my high school that dyed my hair black, shaved half my head and wore black nail polish (it was really hard to find back then). All of the kids thought I was weird but I was making a statement and I really didn't care. Post grunge, came my hippie stage. All I listed to was The Beatles and I watched all of their movies on VHS. Peter Sellers movie, The Party was the best thing I'd ever seen and I couldn't get enough of the 70s' during this time. That stage eventually died off too. My mum helped bring my back to present time and took me shopping at Ralph Lauren and Club Monaco, which started a whole other obsession.

There are days when I get dressed, like this outfit here, and I realize that grunge stage never really left. It's much more refined now and more glam-grunge than anything but it's still there. There's no denying it. 

xo, Nathalie

WHAT I'M WEARING
The Kooples, t-shirt and fringe bag.
Rag & Bone, jeans.
Mother Denim, utility jacket.
Isabel Marant, Angie boots. 

Fresh Skincare Affair Collection

In this post I’m thrilled to announce that my bff, Diana, will be joining WoahStyle as a regular contributor on all matters skincare and beauty! Aside from my favourite YouTube vloggers, there is no one I trust more for beauty advice, and knowledge, than Diana. We’ve been friends since we were 10 years old and have gone through everything together, including our obsession with Sweet Valley High, Cover Girl cosmetics when we were thirteen, and even running our own business in our early 20’s. You’ll still be seeing plenty of beauty posts and reviews from me, but you’ll be seeing Diana in the mix as well. 

I hope you guys enjoy her first review and learn something from it. I’ll be honest and tell you I’d never heard of micellar water till I read her article here. Then I ran to Sephora, like a fucking nerd, to buy some.

xo, Nathalie 

Some people say silly things like, "I don't care about Oprah or her favourite things." Those people are foolish because Oprah will always have mad game and she knows what's going on. She's rich, she can have whatever she wants, so I'm gonna listen when she endorses things. And you know which brand she endorsed on her Favourite Things list this year? It was FRESH.

I've been a fan of Fresh for a few years now. One of the first things I bought from them was their Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment and I made the mistake of purchasing it in front of my boyfriend, who was appalled that I'd spend almost $30 on a lip balm. But let's be real, part of the reason he likes me is because he thinks I'm attractive, and if I had gross, crusty lips, he totally wouldn't want to kiss me. He should totally be thanking Fresh, and realize the huge and lasting impact that this lip treatment has on our relationship. 

Every year Fresh kills it and brings out these amazing Limited Edition kits for Christmas that are 1) an amazing value and 2) filled with legit products that you're going to buy full price after trying them, whether you can afford to or not. Their Fresh Skincare Affair Collection is filled with top rated products and two of the five products are full-sized. Pretty mental for $85 -  especially since the kit retails for $114 when the products are sold individually.

Here's what you get and what I think about it:

SOY FACE CLEANSER
Feels super gentle but does some hard work. I'm pretty diligent about makeup removal, so I used a makeup wipe before washing my face with this cleanser. After cleansing, I found all traces of makeup were gone, which is rare - I usually have to use some micellar water after. Didn't have to this time.

BLACK TEA INSTANT PERFECTING MASK
Love this so much. I spend the evening at my BF's parent's house. They have a cat that I love, but am insanely allergic to. After spending an evening sneezing and blowing my nose, this was a heaven sent. My dehydrated and puffy face felt soft, renewed and moisturized after leaving it on for 15 minutes.

SEABERRY MOISTURIZING FACE OIL
I've bought this in a full size a few times now. If you haven't tried it, you have to. I know a lot of people are uncomfortable replacing their traditional moisturizer with a face oil, but it simplifies your routine so much and honestly, I feel like this is more moisturizing that any moisturizer I own.

ROSE HYDRATING EYE GEL CREAM
First time trying this. Felt cool and very nice under the eyes. Started using it on a Wednesday and saw my Mom on a Saturday who commented that I looked rested. Hmm...

SUGAR ADVANCED THERAPY LIP TREATMENT
I've been with my boyfriend for almost 10 years. I've been using this stuff for 9. Coincidence? Not gonna stop using it to find out.

I was at Sephora today and I noticed a lot of their holiday gift sets are flying off the shelves. A few weeks ago, my local store had 8 of these on their shelves. Today, they had 3. So go on girl, treat yourself. Or buy this for the crazy skincare lover in your life. Or both, cause life's short and everyone should have awesome skin.

K bye cya later,

Diana

Photos by: Nathalie Shible Martin
Article by: Diana Aldea

The Fresh Skincare Affair was provided to WoahStyle for this review. All opinions are our own. 

THE OCD Files

Sometimes I wonder if I have a touch of OCD. I always have to wash my hands for a minute before I feel clean and I brush my teeth for like 5 minutes at a time. So weird, I know. I also become crazy obsessive when I really love something. This post is all about my current faves that I can’t get enough of. 

These boots Giuseppe Zanotti boots have been galavanting all over town with me these days. I wear them with skirts, jeans, leather leggings and cotton leggings alike. I just love how they look. I think they’re elegant as for as combat boots go, and they make a statement without saying “look at me”, like my glitter pink Saint Laurent boots. (Which I treasure and love so much btw).

This coat is a recent purchase from Aritzia and I got it when the Wilfred store opened at Sherway.  I’ll be honest with you, Aritzia sent me an email saying this coat is faulty because it doesn’t button up properly, which is too bad. I think I have the option to return it, but I haven’t seen this style on colour on their website, so I decided to keep it. It was also gifted to me by Aritzia themselves, so I don’t mind that the placket is a little off. It’s still beautiful in my eyes. 

My leather leggings are from Mackage. Since I got them last spring, they become my favourite fall/ winter pant. I’d recommend everyone get a pair of leather leggings if you can! 

If you notice the backdrop you’ll see I’m at a mall. The Halton Hills mall to be exact. Since The Kooples opened here recently, I can’t seem to stay away. I think even the staff knows my name now. #whoops 

Told you I had a touch of the obsessives-something-or-other. If you guys are getting sick of me wearing the same thing, sorry but not really. i just like to be cozy in the cold weather. 

xo, Nathalie

REVIEW: NARS X STEVEN KLEIN COLLECTION

When the NARS x Steven Klein collection landed on my doorstep, it took every ounce of willpower to refrain from swatching and playing with the colours right away! I like NARS as a brand fine enough, yet I always seem to gravitate towards their collabs more so than the permanent collection. Perhaps I’m just a sucker for good marketing.

So the story goes like this; Steven Klein, fashion photographer, and François Nars, NARS founder, have been pals for about 20 years. They came together to bring us a collection of beautiful, bold, inspirational colours just in time for the holidays. The holiday kits are wrapped in Klein’s hauntingly beautiful photography (seriously, they’re amazing!) or if you’re not a makeup kit kinda person, you can get singles of the nail polish, lipstick, lipgloss and eyeshadow shades that peak your interest. I was lucky enough to receive five pieces from the collection to share with you guys here; 

• Killer Shine Lipstick in No Shame (bold berry) and Redemption (pale pink champagne).
• Killer Shine Lip Gloss in Fast Life (shimmery mauve/pink).
• Single Eye Shadow in Mortal (shimmery white) and Never Too Late (olive with gold shimmer).

KILLER SHINE LIPSTICK
The first thing that surprised me about this lipstick is how high gloss it is, and yet it don’t feel like a typical lipgloss. For a more subtle day time look, I ditch the liner and just dab it onto my lips straight from the tube. For a more dramatic evening look, I found this lipstick has much more of an intense shine when paired with a lip liner and applied with a lip brush. No Shame, the bold berry shade, wears better than any lipstick I’ve ever tried, even without a liner. It stayed on even after drinking and eating and left a pretty stain on my lips. As a result, this shade needs minimal touch ups. 

Redemption is a shimmery pale pink champagne shade that scared me right off the bat. Keep in mind that I like a bold lip and the idea of donning a nude mouth always terrifies me. I tried it on, sans liner, and I was pleasantly surprised with how pretty it looked. Even still, I don’t think I like it enough to wear it in public. If I did, it would be paired with either a brown or aubergine lip liner, because that’s just me. I think this one is going to my mum. 

KILLER SHINE LIP GLOSS
I got this lipgloss in the shade Fast Life. It’s a shimmery mauve-pink shade that’s my idea of a nude. I think the colour is super pretty, but I find that NARS lip gloss and me just don’t mix. Even if I wear a liner, the gloss seems to bleed over my lip line and I end up with a ring of colour around my mouth. The formula itself is high shine as promised. If you don’t have the same weirdo lip gloss issue I do, I’d say this is for you!

SINGLE EYESHADOW
The description on the NARS site says these eyeshadows give a "true colour application" and they do. Be sure to spritz your eyeshadow brush with a nice primer first, and you’ll be crazy impressed with the colour payoff. Mortal, the shimmery white shade, acts as a beautiful highlighter on the eye when used with a dry brush. Never Too Late, is a pretty olive colour that could work on it’s own, or layered in with gold and brown for a more defined eye. In my opinion NARS makes amazing eyeshadows and so far, I’ve been loving these! 

The NARS x Steven Klein collection was gifted to me. All opinions are my own. 

Just Get It Done

Blogging isn't always easy. It might look all glam and effortless once the finished product gets published here, but there's a lot of work that happens behind the scenes. For example, we shot this post early evening on a busy Sunday. The sun was beginning to set, so we were worried about light and it was getting cold really fast. I don't typically get embarrassed taking street style pics anymore, but when a family consisting of three generations and their dog, stops to stare, I will get shy. With all of the elements almost working against this shoot, it's hard to remain composed but, I think determination is always key. Apply that to blogging, or just to life in general but just get it done!!!

xo, Nathalie

WHAT I'M WEARING
Vaughan, silk blouse with bow tie.
The Kooples, smoking jacket and leather skirt.
Saint Laurent, monogram crossbody.
Jcrew, black suede pumps.  

The Special Occasion Dress: Paper Crown

I can't even believe I'm about to say this but, I have my first Christmas party of the season next week! When it comes to fashion, I always like to plan ahead and when a collaboration with Lauren Conrad's Paper Crown presented itself, I knew it would be perfect for the holidays or maybe even for my birthday next month!

Out of all the pretty dresses on PC, I went with the Francesca dress because I don't have anything like this in my closet. The double side slits give this maxi just the right amount of sex appeal. I also really like the halter neckline, which is so pretty and feminine and perfect for showing off my necklace, a gift from Tessa Virtue, from her Hillberg & Berk collection. I think there's something so special about the pieces that Tessa designed. I love how they can elevate a casual outfit and also compliment a dress like the one I'm wearing here.

With all of the feminine details happening here, I felt that grounding the look with a leather jacket was the right thing to do. I always say that staying true to your personal style is outmost importance. Keep that in mind, even when dressing for a special occasion. You want to be comfortable and feel like yourself no matter what. So with that, have fun when getting dressed up and don't overthink what you're going to wear too much. Pick a beautiful, flattering piece of clothing, and remember to accessorize.

xo, Nathalie

A NOTE ON SIZING
Shopping online with a brand for the first time, I never know what to except in terms of sizing. I was relived when I tried on the Francesca dress, and the length was perfect for my petite, 5'4" frame. Make sure you stay TTS when ordering from Paper Crown.

WHAT I'M WEARING
Paper Crown, Francesca Dress.
Tessa Virtue x Hillberg & Berk, earrings, ring and necklace. 
The Kooples, leather jacket. 
Valentino, burgundy Rockstud clutch.
Alexander Wang, kitten heels. 
Bulova, watch (bday gift from my mum last year).

Special thanks to Paper Crown and Tessa Virtue for helping me get holiday ready.

REVIEW: Tati Westbrook's LOVE OF COLOR Collab with Birchbox

If you guys read the beauty section of my blog, you'll know that I love watching YouTube for makeup tutorials. I also have YouTube to blame for my new found makeup obsession. When a chance to meet with Tati Westbrook of GlamLifeGuru came up, I jumped on it! I met Tati at the Four Seasons in Yorkville, bright and early at 8am. She walked into the room glowing for such an early morning meeting. Clearly I need to watch more of her channel because this girl's makeup game is STRONG!

We chatted about her new collection, exclusive to Birchbox, called Love Of Color. She walked us through the formulas and the shades she developed. Staying power and wearability is a big deal to Tati and it really shows. Just read my review below. ;)

Even through my eyes, Tati's LOC collection is a dream come true in terms of hard work and determination. She started her YouTube channel 5 years ago and now has over 826K subscribers (myself included), and over 101 million views, and now, her own makeup line. Congrats Tati! Can't wait to see what's to come next!

xo, Nathalie

ONE & DONE SHADOW STICKS
I love these shadow sticks! Smudge these around your lids quickly because they'll set in 30 seconds time, and won't budge! You can layer them on as you would a regular shadow but the advantage here is that they're easier to play with (in my opinion anyway). I tried using these shadows without a primer to test the staying power and they failed. I have oily skin and without a primer my makeup just comes right off. Someone with normal to dry skin would probably be okay sans primer, but not me. Overall, I love these and if I could recommend only two colours, they'd be Day Trip and Nite Owl. They work beautifully together and on their own. Regardless of what shades you pick up, the whole colour collection is made to work seamlessly together so I don't think you'll be disappointed.

• ON POINT: shimmery champagne.
• DAY TRIP: shimmer rich gold with orange undertones.
• IMPRESS ME: a beautiful coppery shade with mauve undertones.
• SMOKE SCREEN: shimmery steel.
• NITE OWL: a beautiful aubergine iridescent shade.

VIBRANT MATTE LIPSTICKS
The formulas of these lipsticks are creamy, matte and non-drying. You can ditch the lipliners with these, but after testing the staying power, I feel much more confident in using them with a liner. If there's only one lipstick you can buy these seasons, I'd recommend Glam Life. It's so beautiful and flattering and really makes a statement!

• FIRST KISS: The perfect nude.
  The perfect nude for all skin tones! Tati swatched this on the back of my hand and I was immediately impressed with how pretty it looked against my olive skin. Nudes are the most difficult colour for me to wear, and while most people feel outside of their element wearing red, I feel outside of my element in nude lipstick. As pretty as this one is, I use it to tone down oranges or browns and I want a more subtle lip. I just can't do a full nude.
• WILDEST DREAM: A flattering cool red.
  This vibrant red is a dream come true! It's a cooler red than I'm used to with some blue undertones, but it's still very flattering with my olive skin. 
• GLAM LIFE: Bordeaux luxe.
  Where has this colour been my whole life? I think Tati really hit a "home run" with this shade. It's a beautiful deep burgundy shade that is perfect for this time of year. I got tons of compliments when I wore it for the first time but I found the staying power wasn't the greatest on me. I've been using it with NYX's Auburn lip liner to help it last even after my morning coffee. It's comparable to Chanel's Rivoli, but Tati's Glam Life is much, much better! 

Thank you Birchbox for hooking me up with the LOC Ultimate Collection. Like always, opinions listed on my blog are my own.
I'll update the post shortly with colour swatches so stay tuned.