THE SUSAN MILLER COLLAB ALL ASTROLOGY JUNKIES NEED
Horoscope junkies rejoice! Our favourite astrologist Susan Miller has collabed with the skincare giants at Fresh to bring us zodiac themed soaps. The limited edition soaps are come wrapped in beautiful artisanal papers and are available in four scents - Verbena (Aquarius, Libra, and Gemini), Sugar (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn), Waterlily (Pisces, Scorpio, and Cancer) and Mangosteen (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius).
These are fun for collecting if you're like me and can't start a new month until you read Susan's Astrology Zone. (I even have her daily app on my iPhone. LOL) The soaps also make an excellent hostess gift as your making your holiday/ NYE visits, just make sure you find out their sign first.
My only wish is that the soaps came with a 2017 horoscope overview wrapped inside. Is that too much to ask for?!
SHOP MY LOOK
I'm a sucker for anything personalized.
In collaboration with Fresh.
TECH TOYS FOR EVERYONE
2016 has been the year of tech toys for Geoff and I. We've invested in a new camera lens, 2 new Canon cameras, mics, and a ton of SD cards to help us do our job here at the blog but also because we love getting new toys! LOL
I'm happy to announce that I've partnered with Best Buy Canada for this post to bring you guys some goodies to consider during your holiday shopping, wether you still haven't bought a gift for someone or maybe you're out Boxing Day shopping for yourself here are two tech toys that should be high on your list.
BOSE SOUNDLINK color II splash proof portable SPEAKERS
$149.99
Geoff writes and composes his own music and in the last year he's spent quite a bit of time building himself a custom desk which includes a midi keyboard, audio interface, Shure stereo monitor professional headphones and studio monitor speakers. You'd think he was a professional musician but he does it all recreationally. I used to tease him for such an elaborate set up but I actually love his desk now that I do YouTube videos since I can sit there for hours and edit happily to my hearts content.
Seeing as music is such a big part of his life, I surprised him with the Bose Soundlink Color II speakers since he likes listening to music in our patio during the summer and likes to have music playing in the kitchen as we cook. The speakers are easy to hook up to any mobile device via bluetooth and the sound quality from this small box is superb. Best of all, I can steal it from him and listen to Sirius XM as I work so it's win win! These speakers are perfect for any music lover so consider this one while you're Boxing Day shopping this year.
iHealth Core scale
(ON SALE NOW FOR $99.99 UNTIL DEC 29, 2016)
2016 was the year of weight gain and bad health for me. I went from eating clean to stress eating junk food, not working out, not moving enough and gaining 10-15 lbs which has resulted in me going up a pant size for the first time in my adult life. I was vegan for two years and made the switch to vegetarian last year because I was too lazy and tired to make meals that nourish my body properly.
Getting back into shape and becoming a healthier me as been on the forefront of my mind recently as I think about expanding my family. I'm no spring chicken after all and getting my body and mind into shape is the best thing I can do. The iHealth Core scale measures your body composition - weight, body fat and tracks your lean mass, body water percentage, muscle mass, bone mass and visceral fat rating with the help of the app that tracks your progress.
This is an excellent gift for yourself or anyone who's interested in maintaining their health and getting back into shape.
This post is in collaboration with Best Buy Canada.
All photos opinions are my own.
WORTH THE HYPE? TOO FACED SWEET PEACH
If you weren't lucky enough to score the Sweet Peach shadow palette by Too Faced the first time around, fret not because the brand has just rereleased it. Expanding on the collection, there is now a blush, highlighting palette and peach oil lip gloss that comes in 8 shades.
Getting my Peach palette during the original launch was my own version of mini-makeup-hell, aka; calling 3 local Sephora's before being able to locate a store that still had them in stock. I love the palette so much that I've barely used it for fear of running out so I'm glad to see it stocked again. On the other hand, considering I did buy mine under the guise of it being "limited edition", it's a bit annoying as well. Regardless, I'm glad to see the line has expanded and I did go out to pick up a few goodies to go with my peachy shadows.
TOO FACED SWEET PEACH COLLECTION
THE OG
The one that started the craze, The Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette ($59) comes in 18 flattering peach scented shades.
GET THE LOOK
I used Georgia (light peach), Candied Peach (bright shimmery peach) and Summer Yum (peachy-brown) in the crease of my eyes. I popped Bless Her Heart (golden moss), in the outer and inner corners of the eyes and Bellini (gilded peach) in the centre of my eyes. I used a green eyeliner, from Make Up For Ever in shade I-34, on my waterline to accentuate the peach tones.
I finished the look with Kat Von D's Tattoo eye liner in Trooper and Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara on my lashes.
The packaging is as cute as the shadows are delish. If you like warm shades, you're gonna love these.
THE BLUSH
If you like sheer, shimmery, natural blush then you're gonna love Papa Don't Preach, $38. I typically go for highly pigmented matte blush and this is the total opposite. My skin is a light-medium olive shade and I find this blush is too subtle. I layered bronzer under mine to give it more oomph.
THE GLOSS
The shades are sheer and very moisturizing since they're infused with peach oil. I'm wearing Tickled-Me-Peach, $24, the darkest shade from the collection. It reads like sheer deep peach shade on the lips. This gloss smells and tastes peachy so if you're sensitive to scents, beware.
THE VERDICT
The Sweet Peach collection is adorable but also pricey. If you have to pick one thing up, let it be the Sweet Peach eyeshadow palette. The colours are beautiful, unique and diverse enough to suit lots of skin tones.
Skip the blush if you're above a medium skin tone since it's super sheer and might not show up on your skin.
The glosses are fun, but nothing special at the end of the day. Save your money and look for similar colours and comparable formulas at the drugstore instead.
As for the highlight palette, I'd say test it out at Sephora before brining it home since 2 of the 3 products I tried where hardly impressive.
Let me know if you've tried the Sweet Peach collection and what you think of it. Do you agree with my comments? Let me know in the comment box below!
COLOUR POP HAUL + LIPPIE SWATCHES
SAFETY UPDATE: 12/30/16, 8:40 pm
While watching YouTube this evening I came across a video from KarinaKaboom stating that the ColourPop x Hello Kitty collection isn't safe for eyes based on FDA standards. I'm linking the video for you guys here so you can watch it and base your own opinion. I wanted to bring this to your attention in case you've had eye irritations using ColourPop products. I've personally used the eye shadows that are said to cause irritations and I didn't have any problems. Everyone reacts differently so what doesn't react on my skin might react on yours. I'd suggest using the Sephora Collection eye crayon in Call Girl as an alternative.
Skip ahead to 3:05 in the video to see ColourPop's admission to using pigments that are not safe for eyes in KarinaKaboom's video.
If you're looking for a cheap alternative to the much hyped Kylie Lip Kits, look no further than Colour Pop. If you haven't already heard, the LA based factory is the same one that produces Kylie Cosmetics and collabs with a lot of beauty gurus like KathleenLights, Ellarie, Jenn Im, Karrueche Tran and most recently, Hello Kitty!!!
I'm a big fan of the brand so I though it would be fun to show you guys my most recent haul and some updated swatches (view my January 2016 post here).
Let's just talk about shipping for a sec. I'm not sure how US residents find shipping, but as a Canadian resident, I've had nothing but pain in the ass experiences. Most recently I placed my order on 11/27. My order shipped out on 12/2 and arrived in Toronto on 12/7. On 12/8 it was headed to Montreal and by 12/12 my order was in San Fransisco! Basically my order touched down in Toronto before attempting to go back to sunny LA. To say I was annoyed by the detour is an understatement considering I needed some of the makeup for my best friends wedding on 12/10 but a week later, the order finally arrived on 12/18.
If you're going to order from Colour Pop, give yourself plenty of time. I've ordered from them a few times now and shipping to Canada is via ground shipping so it generally takes 2-3 weeks. On the bright side, there are no custom fees or duties once the order lands because everything is so cheap.
As for my haul, I paid $59.20 USD (I had a coupon code) for 10 eyeshadows, 2 blushes and one lipstick. Not too shabby. BTW - Colour Pop is cruelty free with a shit load of products listed as vegan.
The first item I got was the Never Not Chillin Super Shock Eyeshadow kit with 6 shadows for $30.
My eyeshadow & blush collection. Any storage ideas? : S
I had a couple of more lippies but I lost them along the way. With the lippies especially I find the colours you see online are different from the colours you receive IRL. it's a bit annoying so I've learned to read the colour description carefully.
SHOPPING TIP: I find the Ultra Satin Lips stay true to colour even after they dry but the Ultra Matte Lips dry 2 shades darker than what you see in the tube. Keep that in mind when you buy them! For example Bumble is a pretty medium pinky-brown based shade in the tube but as you can see from the swatch, it dries to a dark pinky-mauve colour.
Colour Pop Lippie Stix are $5 each. My favourites are the mattes for their staying power.
Most shades have coordinating lip pencils if you're a mess like me and can't do your lipstick without outlining your lips first. (LAWL)
I'm a big Hello Kitty fan!! The shades from this collection are more on the cool side and I'm partial to warm shades since I have olive skin but I couldn't resist these. The eyeshadow quad called Mama's Apple Pie retails for $18 and includes: deep blue, pearlescent white, bubblegum pink and peachy glittery shadows.
Let's Play, $5, is a red matte lippie with glitter that's super flattering for olive skin.
Coin Purse, $8, is a bright pink blush that's perfect on the apples of the cheeks. Use a light hand though because it's super concentrated!
This post is not in collab with Colour Pop. I have purchased all of these on my own.
HOLIDAY GLAM MAKEUP FOR GLASSES WEARERS
Sit back, grab a cup of coffee and click play to watch my latest beauty video. This one is in collaboration with Giorgio Armani and is suitable for anyone who appreciates a bold lip, not just glasses wearers like me. ;)
Don't forget to hit that like button and make sure you subscribe!
WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON WITH ME
Anyone who follows me on Instagram will have noticed a few things;
1) I changed my handle name from @woahstyledotcom to @_nathaliemartin
2) I've been less active on the app these days
So why the name change and what's going on?
Let me tell you.
For one, I changed my handle to be more personal. Sometimes I meet people IRL and they say "hey you're woahstyle!" Cool story you know my handle but do you know my real name? It happens more often than you think and yes, while it's flattering to be recognized, it also irks me knowing that I've been hiding behind an IG name to a certain degree.
That leads me to the next point. What's going on with me and why have I been less active on Instagram?
Truth is, Instagram has been boring me these days. Everyone looks the same, everyone posts the pics and everyone wears the same clothes all for the sake of likes and trying to stay ahead of the algorithms. Enough already!!!
BTS I've been thinking about how to appease the app and myself without compromising who I am. If wear stripes for example my likes might be subpar but if I wear stripes with a logo or recognizable brand, my likes sky rocket! If I show the logo of a designer shoe, then my likes go up 10 fold and I can easily gain up to a thousand followers a day until that shoe pic makes it to the bottom of my grid. It's absurd really.
So if I haven't been posting on IG what have I been doing?
Well, I've been working on quality content for the blog for one. I hope you guys have noticed and based on your comments, I think you have so thank you! I've also been gathering lots of inspo from Pinterest and Tumblr. Yup I'm going old school! And when I'm not doing that I've been shooting new videos for my YouTube channel and I've been strategizing my 2017 plans. In the new year you guys will be getting to know me more; what fears and what life goals I have. You'll see what inspires me and what fuels my creativity. At the end of the day I might have a shoe closet that I'm damn proud of but I want to be known for who I am vs. what shoes I wear. ; )
Did you catch that all? Is it all making sense? Great!
Follow me on my social channels
SHOP THE LOOK
As much as IG has been stifling my creativity these days I'm grateful for the app. For one, I might not be a freelance blogger/ content creator without it introducing me to so many people. It's those people who have made my blogging journey more exciting. My IG friend Ruby from rougecloset.com was recently the guest editor of The Closeteur Magazine and she asked me to style this rad kimono from Sarah Lai. Click here for my interview. (Thanks Ruby!)
STYLE TIPS & HOW TO DEFINE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE
I recently bought a book called “The Cool Factor: A Guide to Achieving Effortless Style, with Secrets from the Women Who Have It”. It might seem a little like a self-help book for fashion but really I want to dig deeper into how to define one’s personal style.
Also, I’m getting a bit bored of everything right now and I want to challenge my own personal style and push my boundaries a little further. I don’t want Instagram or a magazine telling me what to wear and how to wear it because fashion is all about individuality after all and defining that in your style is one of the best things you can do.
Let me explain further. Anyone can wear a pair of jeans and a t-shirt but it’s how you wear it that matters. I say it all of the time; it’s how you style something that makes an outfit special and makes it you.
Let’s just jump right in with four style tips you can start with today.
STYLE TIPS
Size Up!
Don’t be afraid to go up a size or two to achieve a cooler more effortless look. The sweater I’m wearing size large and I bought it that way with the intention of being oversized and relaxed. Since the V neck is suddenly larger, I positioned the sweater to sit off the shoulder and love the results. Suddenly a cozy knit has a bit of sex appeal and character.
Play With Proportions
If your top is over sized, go with skinny jeans and if you’re wearing a fitted top, opt for a full leg trouser or a flowy maxi skirt. It creates visual interest and balances out an outfit.
LAYER
This is the best time of the year to have fun with layers because it’s cozy and they keep us warm. I opted for plaid shirt tied around my waist instead of wearing it traditionally buttoned up. Again this creates some visual interest and says “I do things my own way”. Most 35 year olds I know don’t tie plaid shirts around their waist but this works for me. Why? Because my personal style has an edge and you can see that even by my choice of accessories that I’m not exactly traditional.
ACCESSORIZE
Finally, this is a big one because I love splurging on accessories and I invest in pieces that I love and that I’ll have for a long time. My closet is full of statement shoes and bags that elevate the basic pieces hanging in my clothes because at the end of the day, I am a jeans and t-shirt kinda girl. What that means though is that I like to save money on my clothes and normally I’ll wait for a good sale or shop at places that offer amazing prices so I can justify a new pair of boots.
I hope my tips will help you guys think outside of the box more in terms of your personal style and help you define it a little further. If you’re curious about the outfit I’m wearing in this post, it’s all from the latest Concept shop-in-shop at Sears Canada (here) – yes, even the cozy knit. Just remember to size up! ;)
*In sponsorship with Sears Canada. All opinions and photos are my own.
#WIW TO MY BEST FRIENDS WEDDING
Happy Monday! It's finally back to normal at WoahStyle.com as I come off a busy weekend from celebrating my best friends wedding! Congrats Diana & Zach!!
Let's be real. I know you guys don't know my friends and are probably just interested to see what I was wearing (and I know because y'all asked on IG) so let's get to it.
My day time wedding attire consisted of:
- a navy mini dress with bell sleeves from Club Monaco
- black tights for warmth and chicness from Rachel's Box
- Platform Candy boots; from Saint Laurent (on sale here)
- patent leather Chanel jumbo flap bag, for that ladies that brunch vibe LOL
- and la pièce de résistance, a furry jacket from Revolve
Since it was a day time wedding I could get away with a more wild look but if it was black tie, I would have worn a long dress and my sparkly Valentino heels.
And yes, I'm basically wearing the same outfit as my Dressing For The Holidays post. #preach
SHOP THE LOOK
*In collaboration with Revolve. All photos and opinions are my own.
DRESSING FOR THE HOLIDAYS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
The holidays are here which means holiday parties left right and centre. From office parties to more formal company functions, family get togethers and just celebrating with your friends; you might be left thinking, "What do I wear?"
In this post I'm going to give you two core outfit ideas that will create the foundation of your holiday outfits.
I want to help you feel more confident this season regardless of what you decide to wear. My best advice - don't overthink it and just go with your gut because that will ensure that you'll feel amazing and if you feel amazing, you'll look amazing! Got it? Wear what you want and have fun! The holidays can be stressful enough as is so take a deep breathe, relax and grab a cup of tea and let's get this going!
OUTFIT #1
DRESSY, FORMAL, BLACK TIE
This is actually so easy that you're going to laugh when you think about it. Every time there's a formal function it's always the same - guys wear suits and ties and ladies wear dresses.
The right dress will take you far this holiday season so wear one that makes you feel like your best self. Forget the trends for a second and just think about what dress makes you feel good!
I had a black tie gala last month and guess what a wore? A dress! It was long with a slit down the front so when I walked it had a lot of movement. It was also peacock green with a deep V, short sleeves a tone on tone polka dot print through out. How I styled it made all of the difference - long loose waves, sparkly smoky eyes and a pair of strappy blue sandals.
My pet peeve is going to a company Christmas party and seeing ladies who look like the rented a prom dress from their local mall. You know what I'm talking about! Hold back from being so over the top that people don't recognize you! Instead dress like a sparklier version of yourself.
Finally, the biggest and most exciting holiday party I'm attending this season is my best friends wedding (!!!!!!). Since it's a small day time affair, sky's the limit. I plan on wearing the navy Club Monaco dress with bell sleeves that you see here. The hem line was originally longer but I had it hemmed to suit my body. I'm petit and I feel best in mini lengths. Finish the look with pair of sparkly heels and I'm set!
SIZE TIP: These TED BAKER sparkly pumps are in UK sizing. I'm normally a 6.5 - 7 so I go these in a size UK 4.
Go down 2 sizes from your Canadian size.
OUTFIT #2
CASUAL, RELAXED, BUSINESS CASUAL
This category has so many more options because anything goes! You can wear jeans (my personal fave), a skirt, a dress, whatever you want! Let's get started.
For casual holiday parties the theory is the same, to look like a better version of yourself. I'm a denim hoarder so naturally I'm going to reach for my favourite jeans. To dress it up, a blazer or a blouse is perfect. If you're a skirt person the rule is the same, blazer, blouse, or both. I opted for a deep V neck tee (from my collection! Also available in white here.) and added a pop of colour with my bright pink Saint Laurent bag. Since my outfit is so simple, I wanted to carry the festive theme into my footwear with the same sparkly of Ted Baker pumps.
I hope these tips and ideas alleviate a bit of the pressure from what to wear during the holidays. Remember to have fun and just be yourself!
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Town Shoes. All opinions and photos are my own.