LA Beauty Haul
Seems like a week can't go by without me heading into my nearest Sephora to see what's new and what's awesome. While I was in LA I ended up picking up a couple of new goodies to try. Some had been on my radar for months (hello posh cotton pads!), while others where totally unplanned, like the NARS VIB Rouge exclusive blush colour in my welcome kit. Keep reading to see what's new in my beauty drawer and what I'm loving right now!
xo, Nathalie
CLE DE PEAU BEAUTE COTTON
I became obsessed with the idea of posh cotton pads after reading an article from The Beauty Lookbook (here). I was originally looking for the Chanel cottons but I couldn't find them in any stores so I went for Cle De Peau instead. I must have been either desperate or delirious for these things because I coughed up $20 USD for 120 cotton pads! Mind you they are wrapped in silk and supposedly help your skin absorb product better. I'll give you guys the down low in another post.
MAKEUP & NAILS
Something about the LA sun made me crave bronze and pinks. Makeup For Ever's Pro Bronze Fusion Bronzer in Natural Matte Sand gives my skin a "tanned glow" without the sun's harmful rays. Since I like a pop of colour of my cheeks, I picked up Milani's infamous Luminoso, a peachy shimmery blush. I also scored Goulue from NARS, a pretty pink shade that's exclusive to VIB Rouge members at Sephora. I got it in my welcome kit in Sanata Monica since all of the stores in the GTA seemed to be out of these.
A touch of gold on the lids helps brighten up a bronzed face so I grabbed Milani's Bella Copper eyeshadow. It's so pretty and only needs a touch of black liner to come to life. I've really been digging nude lips so I went for the Marc Jacobs sheer lipstick in Understudy, a pretty terracotta pink. For nails I went for two totally different shades, Evocative, a pretty mocha, and Lucky Starrr, a bright pink glitter polish created by Patrick Starrr. (How cute is his Sephora video with his family?!)
BIG BOLD LASHES & EYES
I'm generally too lazy to curl my lashes and I find a volumizing mascara does the trick so I went for the Better Than Sex Mascara by Too Faced. I find it comparable to Marc Jacob's Velvet Noir mascara but I prefer BTS since it doesn't clump as much or weigh down my lashes. Before I apply mascara I use Benefit's They're Real! Tinted Lash Primer to help beef up my lashes. For eyes, I've been loving a lot of liner these days and I find that Marc Jacobs gel eyeliners stay on from day to night. The retractable pencils come with a built in sharper and glides over my waterline beautifully. I have it in black and navy blue for when I want a bit of colour.
DRYBAR & SEPHORA COLLECTION
While I was in LA I was able to stop by Drybar and fell in love with their Triple Sec 3-in-1 volumizer, texturizer and dry shampoo. I'd been looking for a good texturizer for some time now and this one does a good job and smells nice. I also like how it works as a dry shampoo since the product doesn't need to be brushed out, a bonus for me since I don't like brushing my hair. From hair to makeup brushes, I picked up a brush cleanser bar from the Sephora Collection. It does an excellent job at deep cleaning my brushes and doesn't dry out my hands since it contains argan oil. Bonus, this one also smells nice.
Well I hope you guys enjoyed my LA beauty haul. I know it's a little much but I didn't buy any clothes while I was there so I just spoiled myself in the beauty department. I also want to say thank you to FASHION magazine for including me in the #want section of their March 2016 issue. (My IG name is spelt incorrectly but the magazine has since sent me a personal apology for the error. Thank you.)
Blogger Myth: The Shopping Diet
Between traveling to LA and NYC this month and, toying with the idea of quitting my job and going full time as a blogger, I've been trying my best to save for a rainy day. The thing is, I'm not much of a saver. As 15 year-old kid with my first job, I used to spend every last cent of my paycheques on clothes, makeup and shoes. So many fucking shoes. (Even now that I'm in my 30's.) It's been a long and rocky road for me to learn how to be financially responsible and even still, I'm far from perfect.
My blogger bestie, Michael of Global Garçon, and I recently had this insane idea were were going to go on a shopping ban leading up to our NYC trip this weekend. His diet lasted maybe 2 days and I laughed, not maliciously of course, when he told me about the stuff he had just bought - a Marc Jacobs jacket, Dior perfume, skincare and New Balance sneakers. This is probably why we're besties, not because we're vapid bitches who love to shop but because we get each other and support one another through our madness. I on the other hand have bought multiple Starbucks Americano Misto's and new lipsticks (yes plural) at Sephora. I was doing pretty well until I walked into Aritzia and tried on the coat I had been resisting all season long. Diana, my BFF, took one look at it and said "you have to get it". Christ. If Diana says it's good, then it's good. So with that, I bought my coat and a new black v-neck t-shirt because I am incapable of only buying one thing, and broke my shopping diet. I guess being in the blogger means it's nearly impossible to not shop. I do receive a fair share of gifted pieces from some very lovely brands but still, it's inevitable not to dig into my own wallet to keep my look current. Plus, I don't always love what I'm gifted (sorry!) so it's only a matter of time until I'm buying something new. So with that, I say that bloggers and shopping diets don't mix and for anyone who says otherwise, I call bullshit!
xo, Nathalie
WHAT I'M WEARING
Aritzia Neelam red buffalo plaid coat (exact on sale) & Vivienne slip dress (exact). Mackage leather leggings & Rubie studded bag (exact). Alexander Wang ankle boots (similar). Armani sunglasses.
Trending: Pop Of Colour
Spring is just around the corner and I'm celebrating the warmer weather with a pop of colour. While everyone else is crazy for the pastel Pantone shades of the year, Mackage is speaking my language with beautiful bright reds from their SS16 line up. I just can't seem to get enough of this shade. #colourtrend
xo, Nathalie
MY L'ORÉAL PARIS COMMERCIAL
My commercial is finally here!!!!!! Remember when I flew out to Montreal two weeks ago to hang out with L'Oréal Paris in their loft-? Well this is what I was working on, transforming my brown hair into burgundy Feria Rebel Chic laden locks!
I had so much fun working on this and I'm thrilled I can finally share it with you guys! Actually the first time I saw it I was in a meeting and my heart skipped a beat! Note to self, don't open awesome emails in the middle of meetings!
I typically don't get overly excited about a project until I've signed on the dotted lines because I'm realist. I haven't seen much fall through the cracks but still, I'd hate to get my hopes up and not have a project. So when L'Oréal Paris first started talking about this project I thought "holy shit that sounds amazing"! I knew it was for Feria's new Rebel Chic hair colour and I knew that it was be a two part project but I had no idea that they would be surprising me with a trip to the Grammys this weekend. From there everything took place quickly, and next thing I knew I was flying out to Montreal for my transformation. Fast forward to present time, I'm sitting on the couch of the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood getting ready to work more exciting content for you guys.
It's my first time in LA and I'm so happy to be here with the L'Oréal team. I'll keep you guys posted on everything happening along the way. I've also partnered with some of my favourite brands to bring you guys street style posts from location. Stay tuned.
xoxoxo, Nathalie
Romantic Getaway: Prince Of Wales Hotel
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner and my being in LA, Geoff and I decided to move up the romantic holiday and celebrated last weekend. Honestly, our whole approach for Vday is generally very casual and we usually just do with a home cooked meal and maybe a little gift for each other. This year we had the chance to do something different and headed out to wine country as guests of The Prince Of Wales hotel.
It’s crazy to think back on all of the memories we have in this area starting from when we got engaged. The story goes like this: It was our first time at NOTL. After a quick lunch we walked around the main street and ended up at the cute park across the street from the Prince of Wales. It was November and these massive fluffy snowflakes had just started falling from the sky. I’m not even kidding guys, it was just like the movies! It was as picturesque as it could get and the next thing I know Geoff is holding out an engagement ring. Me being the dummy I am, was so caught off guard that that I asked him if it was really happening and if the ring was real! I always manage to say something stupid!
Fast forward to a few months later. We’re trying to plan our wedding and got to the point where we feel like we'd exhausted every venue and idea. Out of the blue a colleague of mine forwards me an email for weddings at the Pillar And Post, one of the other Vintage Hotel locations in NOTL. We go, we see and we fall in love with the location. A couple of months later, we get married there.
It feels like so crazy long ago now. We’ve celebrated so many anniversaries at the Vintage Hotels and we've even invited Diana and her BF along to vacation with us. No word of a lie, it’s become a very special place for them too. Going back to NOTL as guests of the Prince Of Wales was the perfect pre-Vday getaway. I know I’m getting a little cheeseball and sentimental here but hey, it’s the Valetine’s Day weekend so let’s just roll with it. ;)
Throughout the years we’ve visited each of the Vintage Hotel locations but P&P is still our fave for obvious reasons. We’ve swam at the pools of the Queens Landing, got married at the Pillar And Post and had the best high tea ever at Prince Of Wales.
The quaint British charm at POW just adds to the whole experience. Their staff is super friendly and helpful and when I called on the Friday night saying I couldn’t check in until the following morning due to a cat sitter mix up, they were willing to accodmate in our potentially brining our fur babies on holiday with us. (Shoutouts to Haze at the front desk for listening to my hysteria over cats!!) With the cat sitter issue resolved we headed up early Saturday morning and the best pre-Vday getaway we could ask for.
Thanks so much to the team at The Vintage Hotels and special thanks to Erica, Hazel and the staff at Prince Of Wales. We can’t wait to make it back. :)
xo, Nathalie
WHAT I'M WEARING
WINDSOR STORE, pajama henley romper
JENNY BIRD, serpent bracelet
COLOUR POP, matte liquid lipstick in Avenue
FORMULA X, nail polish in Fahrenheit
LISBETH JEWELLERY, star necklace available in silver
SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE PRINCE OF WALES, VINTAGE HOTELS, NIAGARA ON THE LAKE, ON
Valentine's day casual
If you guys follow me on snapchat (@woahstyle) and Instagram, you'll already know that I spent a weekend getaway in beautiful Niagara On The Lake at the Prices Of Wales hotel. Geoff and I love this area for so many reasons but mainly because we got engaged and married there. I'll upload my travel pics for you guys soon but first, I'll want to show you a different kind of Valentine's Day outfit we shot while we were there.
Normally I wear baggy tshirts but since we were on a romantic getaway, I thought I'd go for a more body hugging top and reached for my henley romper. It's actually a pj romper but I really like how it looks with jeans. I mean, it's like a body suit right so who cares if I'm wearing pj's in the daytime! A Kooples blazer and Alexander Wang boots meant I was date night appropriate. For a little contrast I went for my Boston bag instead of the predictable night-on-the-town clutch and accessorized with these brass hoops that I got during a Jenny Bird site sale. You guys know me, I always need to add a twist to my outfits, as subtle as they might be. A dark lippie finished off my look and I was ready to head out.
I think this is a good Valentine's Day look if you're doing something low key but still want to dress up more than your everyday jeans and tee. Alternatively, you can go for all black which you know I'm a fan of. ;)
xo, Nathalie
WHAT I'M WEARING
WINDSOR STORE, pj romper
JBRAND, jeans
THE KOOPLES, black blazer
JENNY BIRD, brass hoop earrings
LISBETH JEWELRY, star necklace (Sold out. Silver available here)
GUCCI, Boston bag (exact)
ALEXANDER WANG, black ankle boots
COLOUR POP, ultra matte lippe in Avenue
5 Things I Love Right Now
Being a beauty junkie means that you have favourites that might not make sense unless you're a certified beauty junkie as well. I've been spending a lot of time at Sephora these days in hopes to problem solving a few things (hello dry, dull winter skin and dark circles) and these are the five items I just can't do without these days.
xo, Nathalie
BITE BEAUTY AGAVE LIP MASK
I'm obsessed with matte lipsticks but not that dry lips that comes with the territory. After reading the reviews online, I finally decided to take the plunge and shell out $30 for this lip mask. It's ultra moisturizing like no lip balm can deliver and a little goes a long way. I apply it in the morning as I'm doing my makeup to prep my lips for matte lipstick, and at night before I go to bed to restore moisture. Pucker up bitches!
KAIA NATURALS BAMBOO TAPIOCA BEADS
Sugars and crushed nut shells can be too abrasive for exfoliating the face because they cause micro tears. Micro beads are gentler for your face but they're bad for the environment. That really narrows down the amount of good quality natural exfoliator on the market. I love this one from Kaia because it leaves my skin silky without harming my skin or the planet. Just mix 1/4 teaspoon with a drop or two of water and exfoliator your way to baby butt soft face.
SHISEIDO BENEFIANCE WRINKLERESIST24 INTENSIVE EYE COUNTOUR CREAM
I got a trial of this in my Quench Your Skin Sephora Favorites and loved it so much that I bought the full sized jar for $68! I've been experimenting with eye creams a lot these days because my under eyes are so dry. I don't know if it's the winter weather or that I'm in my 30's, but regardless dry under eyes are the worst. This stuff is creamy and and hydrating and almost makes me feel 20 again. The theme of this post seems to be "a little goes a long way", but it does, making the price worth it.
MAKE UP FOR EVER ULTRA HD CONCEALER
Let the heavens part because this is the new holy grail of concealers!!! These concealers are a little pricey since they're meant to work together and cost $32 each. First apply your corrector to cancel out the blue under your eyes. (The corrector will begin with an R. For example, My medium olive skin is shade R30.) Then apply the concealer for flawless skin. (This shade will start with a Y. I'm Y31). I have dark under eyes and have always used a corrector so I like that these two work together so well. They're creamy, full coverage, buildable and they're not drying. Again, a little goes a long way so should last a long time.
SEPHORA INSTANT NAIL POLISH REMOVER FOR GLITTER
I love doing my nails but I hate, I mean HATE, taking my nail polish off. This little jar is easy, peasy for lazy bums like me. Just dip your finger in and your nails come out clean. I got the one for glitter since glitter polish is such a pain to get off and this stuff does work. ;)
How To Style It: Fringe
If you guys follow me on snapchat you'll know that I received the coolest fringe scarf from Mackage last week. It's made of wool with leather fringe and adds extra warmth to my leather jacket which means I can wear it out in the winter months when it's a bit more mild. I'm thinking -2 degree weather, not -20. Anyway, it looks so damn badass that naturally I had to wear it with all black. Distressed jeans, black ankle boots and a cute bodysuit helped bring this outfit together. #yas
xo, Nathalie
WHAT I'M WEARING
MACKAGE, fringe scarf (exact), Rubie crossbody bag (exact), and leather jacket (similar)
WINDSOR STORE, body suit (exact here)
RAG & BONE, the skinny jeans (exact)
ALEXANDER WANG, black ankle boots
JENNY BIRD, Lezark earrings (exact)
COLOUR POP, ultra matte lippie in Avenue (exact)
ESSIE, Life Of The Party nail polish
Pattern Play
Rocking a little bit of pattern today with this rolled mock neck knit from Sanctuary Clothing. You guys know my penchant for dark colours and I originally wanted the navy one (here), but ended up getting this one instead. I love the bit of pattern in the knit and how it breaks up my outfit. What do you guys think? Can I rock the pattern? ;)
xo, Nathalie
WHAT I'M WEARING
SANCTUARY CLOTHING, black and white knit (available in navy here)
THE KOOPLES, moto leather jacket
ZARA, DIY-busted knees skinnies
ALEXANDER WANG, black ankle boots
SAINT LAURENT PARIS, nano Sac De Jour
ARMANI, sunglasses
KAT VON D, liquid lipstick in Susperia (bright lavender)
JENNY BIRD, slant ear cuff
LISBETH JEWELRY, Sophie rings