What I'm wearing on REPEAT (are you really surprised?)
REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT
It probably comes as no surprise that the item I'm wearing on repeat are my Saint Laurent Candy platform boots. At first I was hesitant on buying them considering the 5" heel height and they're so different from what I normally buy, but I was so crazy in love with them straight away! Michael, Diana and my mum where all against them. Geoff said "what are you wearing?", when he first saw me with them. Not in a mean way, just in a confused, "you never wear anything like that", kinda way. But that's where that whole "buy what you love thing" comes to play because I seriously can't stop wearing this shoe! I wore them on my 24 hour trip to NYC and they are seriously so comfortable! You guys know that my style is pretty laid back and having a statement shoe like this just elevates my look. So there you go, seriously no regrets when you buy what you love.
SHOP THE LOOK
WHAT I'M WEARING: Tristan polka dot blouse. Rag & Bone jeans. Saint Laurent platform boots and cross body bag. Kate Cate fringe strap. Ray Ban aviators.
BUY WHAT YOU LOVE
When it comes to shopping my approach is always buy what you love. Seriously, how many times have you already heard me say this already? With the growth of social media, fashion enthusiasts are flying around like drones looking for that next trend - Chanel boy bags anyone? How about those embellished Gucci sneakers? And let's not forget about the Gucci belt that everyone and their mother seems to be wearing. If you ask me what starts to happen is that these special luxury items actually start to loose their appeal. #noshade I'm more inclined to go for pieces that I consider special because they reflect my personality. I also prefer to wear something that doesn't have overexposure on social media because I know that I'll eventually tire of looking at the same thing over and over again. For example, the Gucci loafers that were all over Instagram last year was SS16's most featured shoe. I for one am guilty of having not one, but two fucking pairs, but you know what, I went for the colours that spoke to me - vibrant gold and metallic hot pink. I know that even when this whole Gucci loafer trend dies down that I'm still going to be rocking my loafers because I love them.
Side note: my hair is all sorts of brassy in this post. Get me some purple shampoo & toner asap!
THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKING
SAINT LAURENT CANDY PLATFORM BOOTS CIRCA FW2016
Photography by Michael Biro.
Shot by the Hotel Gault in Old Montreal.
In collaboration with Tristan.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as form of compensation.
Donating my designer bags to DRESS FOR SUCESS!
On more than one occasion, I’ve gotten a job based on my style. I know that might sound superficial, but the reality is employers look at the entire package when hiring someone and that includes how you present yourself through your attire. I’m all about helping my fellow ladies, especially when it comes to achieving their career and financial goals. This is why I’ve donated one of my designer bags to the Success… is in the Bag program, a first-time initiative for the non-profit organization Dress for Success.
The bag I donated will be auctioned off on the Love that Bag website starting May 2017. All proceeds will go towards empowering low-income women across Canada achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and development tools that will help them succeed in work and life.
You can help too! If you have a designer bag that you’d like to donate, you can do so by contacting canadianpartnerships@dressforsuccess.org until March 30, 2017. They’ll even pick it up from you and you’ll be issued a charitable tax receipt if the value of the handbag is $1,000 or more.
You can also join the conversation online and help spread the awareness by using #successisinthebag across social media. More information about how you can get involved can be found here.
WHAT I'M WEARING: Aritzia coat from last year and baseball cap. Mackage leather skirt. Givenchy Pandora bag with a Kate Cate fringe strap. Givenchy leopard printed studded boots. Rachel's Box black tights (subscribe to their monthly tights program here). Dior frames.
About Dress for Success Canada:
The mission is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and life. Dress for Success will arrange a charitable tax receipt, work with affiliates across Canada to reach out to supporters to help collect bags, and distribute net funds raised to Dress for Success across Canada
Through Dress for Success Canada, the campaign will benefit all the Dress for Success organizations in Canada:
- Vancouver
- Calgary
- Red Deer
- Regina
- Saskatoon
- Toronto
- Orillia & Barrie
- Kingston
- Ottawa
- Montreal
- Halifax
Photography by Geoff Martin.
This post is sponsored by Dress For Success. All photos and opinions are my own.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as form of compensation.
HOW TO: Easy Glitter Eyeliner
Over the holidays I was obsessed with creating a mermaid glittery eye makeup look that I saw on Nikkie Tutorials YouTube channel. I was so obsessed that I went out and bought a shit load of glitter makeup so that I too could have mermaid eyes. After a few trails, I think my mermaid eyes came pretty darn close to Nikkie's (okay probably not as good but still...), and I was sufficiently satisfied with my new found makeup skills. Fast forward to three months later and now I'm realizing that I have more glittery makeup than any one should ever have. What's a girl to do? Wear glitter everyday!!!
The look here is inspired partly by Nikkie and partly by a post I saw on Pinterest featuring a teal winged glitter eye. I love the exaggerated look from the Pinterest image, but I wanted to create a day time version for everyday wear so I created a thinner line. I also went for blue liner because, ahem, I already have a ton of it, but mainly because blue is flattering with my eye colour and skin tone. I suggest using your favourite colours when replicating this look and go as thick or thin as you want with your winged line. Remember, makeup is all about having fun so at the end of the day, do what you love!
Let me know what you think of this glittery winged eye liner in the comments below. Would you wear this look for day time or is this strictly a night look for you?
SHOP THIS POST
1.
Take a liner brush, like MAC #266, and pick up Sephora's Waterproof Shadow & Liner in My Boyfriends Jeans. Draw a thick winger liner, or if you prefer, draw a thin one. Whichever you prefer works best.
2.
Using the same liner brush, dip it into Urban Decay's Moondust eyeshadow in Crux and trace overtop of the blue winged line you just made. TIP: Avoid fall out by holding a tissue under your eye to catch any glitter or shadow.
3.
Using Urban Decay's Heavy Metal glitter eyeliner in Spandex, trace overtop of the winged line again. Building your liner in stages this way will create a more bold and long wearing glittery winged line.
4.
Dip a small brush like MAC's #221 in MAC's Reflects Glitter in Transparent Teal and lightly dab it on the inner corners of the eye for a pop. Then brush some blue highlight like Kat Von D's Blue Saphyre from the Alchemist Palette, onto the brow bone.
SHOP THE POST
Photography by Geoff & Nathalie Martin.
Some items in this post where provided as PR samples.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as form of compensation.
FEBRUARY EDITOR'S FAVOURITES: CHANEL, TOM FORD & MILANI!
Let me just start by saying that I really wanted the visuals for this post to have been more editorial and artsy like in last month's FAVES, but that post took me a million years to put together! I'm going back to a more traditional layout for Feb's Faves because you guys know that I have been under a lot of stress recently and I haven't exactly felt like myself. With that being said, February was an odd month with lots of good to celebrate, but also ridden with lots sadness. I didn't wear lot of makeup in Feb, but on the days I did, the below items were my go to. I consider all of these items versatile, long wearing and pretty much cry proof because hey, sometimes life deals you a shit card and you have to let it out.
CHANEL Poudre Libre Fini Naturel, 40 Doré
I bought this powder on a whim when I was sad and needed a little bit of Chanel to lift my spirits. It's the first loose powder I've bought in a long time that has a translucent tint to it. Normally I go for those colour free powders but I've recently noticed that they leave a bit of a white cast on my skin. Yikes! Anyway, Chanel's loose powder has micro shimmers so that your skin looks radiant and fresh without the cakiness. I'm not gonna lie, it's pricey so buy it if you're feeling bougie or if you need some retail therapy and I promise you won't regret it. Send me the bill if you do. LOL
These are brand new to the Bite family and to be honest I didn't expect too much. I'm a lip pencil fiend and my favourites are from the drug store because they're inexpensive and do the same thing a luxury pencil, but these are next level! They're creamy, highly pigmented and don't tug. They stay sharp after a few uses which is surprising because in my experience creamy formulas wear down easily. These are well worth the $20 if you ask me and come in an array of beautiful nude shades that are flattering on every skin tone.
MILANI Luminoso Baked Blush + BENEFIT Hoola Bronzer
Let me just start by saying Milani's blush in Luminoso is exactly what I wanted to the Too Faced Peach blush to be, except it wasn't. I returned the Too Faced blush and dug deep into my beauty drawer and only to pull out this old fave. It's the perfect peachy shade with just the right amount of shimmer. It's also vegan and super affordable at $8! My best friend tried it when she was at my house and she ran to the store to grab her own. LOL!
Finally, what is blush without bronzer? Blush gives skin a youthful glow but bronzer? Oh yes, bronzer makes our complexion come to life! Benefit's Hoola is my all time fave because the colour is the perfect neutral matte brown and because I look like a zombie without it.
CONSONANT SKINCARE Ultra Moisturizing Organic Face Cream + Antioxidant Superhero Serum
I've been a huge fan of Consonant for years now and I always go back to their Ultra Moisturizing Organic Face Cream. It's 100 percent natural and organic (as per the name suggests) and it's suitable for all skin types. I'm new to their Antioxidant Superhero Serum and I have to say it preps the skin beautifully before applying moisturizer. If you haven't tried this brand, pop by a store (there's a few in Toronto) and ask for a sample. If not, you can always get them online at Sephora or at consonantskincare.com. Can I just tell you guys that I've gotten tons of friends and family to try this brand and everyone ends up loving them. I've even had followers DM me lovely messages about how they've fallen in love with the brand too. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
TOM FORD Neroli Portofino Acqua
I bought this Tom Ford fragrance last June thinking it would be strictly a summer scent but I'm surprised that it translates well to winter. It smells like a permanent vacation and it lifts my spirits every time I smell it. Go figure, Sephora describes it as "vibrant, sparkling and transportive" and has notes of citrus and amber.
MAC Face & Body Foundation + KAT VON D Lock-It Concealer
I heard about MAC's Face & Body Foundation from MUA Lisa Eldridge last summer and naturally ran out to buy it. I just started using it again because I've been going for that whole no makeup makeup thing recently. This stuff is sheer and dewy and gives natural skin vibes. It's super easy to apply with my fingers, no bougie makeup brushes or sponges needed. My only pet peeve is the limited colour range. MAC goes from shade N3, skips over N4 and continues with N5. I bought my foundation in the colour N3 but it's too light and N5 is way to dark. The best way to darken it to mix it with a liquid bronzer or colour adjusting drops like the ones from Make Up For Ever, that come in oil and water formulas to make blending with any foundation seamless.
Since my foundation has been sheer, I've needed a full coverage concealer to cover up my dark under eye circles. Kat Von D's Lock-It Concealer is as good as everyone says. It's a creamy formula that's not cakey and sets beautifully into place with a sheer powder.
I only realized what a difference this oil made in my hair until I stopped using it. It leaves me hair soft and manageable which is always good because my hair is crazy weird without the right products or styling tools. I apply it to the ends of my damp hair before blow drying to keep the frizz away. After I style my hair with a flat iron, I add a bit more to the ends to add shine.
SHOP THE POST
I QUIT SHOPPING
Okay so this might be one of the weirdest things I'll ever say considering that I'm a fashion blogger but sometimes change is necessary. As you know, these days I'm sharing more beauty secrets and tutorials, recipes, YouTube videos and travel diaries, and you all seem to be digging it, which is pretty cool and it makes me really happy so thanks!
So the crazy thing I want to tell you today is this: I'm done shopping.
That's right, I'm done. At first it wasn't conscious decision and more like, "Okay I haven't bought anything in a week. Cool story." Then it turned into a couple of weeks and then a month and so on. Because of the industry I'm in, shopping for the new clothes and new beauty items is almost a necessity so that you guys, my dear followers, won't get sick and tired of me wearing the same old thing. But that's just it. I'm perpetuating this cycle onto you guys to go out and shop over and over again and I feel like that defeats the purpose of being creative, which is why I started this blog to begin with! *Phew! Rant over*
My shopping motto is buy what you love so I’m fortunate to have built an amazing closet with pieces that truly make me happy. I also started investing in quality items WAY before I started blogging so I do have key pieces that make my wardrobe incredibly versatile. Hopefully with enough creativity and mixing and matching, you guys won’t get sick of my outfits. LOL
Now, I should clarify that I’m not done shopping forever or at all, it’s just that moving forward I’m making the conscious decision to shop less and even more carefully so I can renovate my home, save money for my dream house and visit Iceland with my BFF and our husbands.
Finally I want to address the topic of gifting in case you're curious as to how that's gonna work. It’s no secret that bloggers get PR gifts to promote clothing. My approach is going to be to only represent clothing items/ brands that I truly love so that you guys know that I’m not promoting abundance or trends but that I’m promoting personal style and creativity. I've always only worn pieces that I love, but moving forward I'll be accepting less gifts so that it falls more in line with my goals.
Okay does that all make sense? Questions? Thoughts? Am I nuts for banning shopping? Leave me a comment and let me know!
This will be my last and final post for Town Shoes. I signed on as a brand ambassador in February 2016 for a year long term. In that time I've had a blast working with them and promoting their shoes and I'm very thankful to have partnered with them! The boots I'm wearing here are from Joie, a brand that I've been a big fan of since the early 2000's. Somehow it feels fitting to complete my partnership wearing a brand that I've loved and followed for so long. Thanks for having me Town Shoes! xoxo
JOIE LACOLE BOOTS FROM TOWN SHOES
I wanted my cat Theo to be the new Miu Miu brand ambassador because he looks like the kitty in the ad but gosh darn it, he was not cooperating! You can't tell a cat what to do right? LOL. Anyway, I want say special thanks to Miu Miu for sending me their latest L'eau Bleue fragrance. It's a lighter version of the original Miu Miu scent which I'm a big fan of. L'eau Bleue has notes of Lily of the Valley, Wild Rose and Akigalawood. The sunglasses are also courtesy of Miu Miu. #thankyou
I'm wearing: The Kooples leather jacket (from last year), Hot Topic t-shirt (from last summer), Zara jeans (from 3 years ago, shocking!), my YSL bag from last year with this amazing Kate Cate shoulder strap that was kindly gifted to me from the brand.
Theo wants to be the new Miu Miu ambassador. #HireHim!
Photography by Geoff & Nathalie Martin.
This post is sponsored by Town Shoes.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as form of compensation.
DRY SHAMPOO 101 BECAUSE I HATE WASHING MY HAIR
TRIED + TESTED
MY FAVOURITE DRY SHAMPOOS
There's a ton of dry shampoo's on the market but these are my favourites because they don't have to be brushed out and don't leave a nasty residue. From $10 drug store to $50 high end luxury, they all work well and have a pleasant scent. Which dry shampoo is your favourite? Do you have any recommendations for me to try?
I hate washing my hair so much that I put together a list of my top 6 favourite dry shampoos, as well some beauty hacks to extend your hair style to one week sans washing! Can it be done? Keep reading.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not dirty AF and I love the feeling of fresh, clean hair but I hate washing my hair! Like most Hispanic girls, I have a full head of thick frizz prone hair, which means washing it is time consuming as hell. My short hair style is actually a result of the anxiety I was getting because it would take me 30 minutes just to wash my hair and I couldn't do it anymore!! I'd hit my limit so one day I chopped it off and never looked back.
To keep me sane and (mostly) anxiety free, I've become reliant on dry shampoo. I've experimented with so many different brands through out the years, and I now have a solid list of favourites that are my ride or die.
For reference, I'm a brunette with thick hair and an oily/ combo scalp. All of the products listed below are great for that brunettes and won't leave a white cast or residue.
To put these faves to the test, I went one week without washing my hair to see how these products would hold up. Here's how it went down.
DAY 1 - Clean hair don't care.
DAY 2 - Style as usual. I used a little bit of Dry Bar Triple Sec to provide texture to my hair style.
DAY 3 - Oiliness is coming through. I restyled my hair with a flat iron and gave my roots a sprinkling of Cake's The All Powderful to absorb the oil real quick. It left my hair smelling nice and looking fresh and clean.
DAY 4 - Hair is looking flat and more oily. Similar to Day 3: restyle, powder on roots to absorb oil but this time I gave my hair a generous spray of The 'Do Gooder from Cake to absorb more oil and give my hair volume. Hair is smelling good and still looking cute.
DAY 5 - Hair is flatter and more oily. Today I did an messy top bun but I did sprinkle more dry shampoo powder so my roots so it wouldn't look oily.
DAY 6 - My hair is starting to feel gross and "residue-y" from all of the dry shampoo gathering up in my hair. Again I used powder on the roots, restyled my hair with a flat iron and this time I used IGK Beach Club Texturizer because I wanted to create more volume and texture to hide the fact my hair was dirty AF. Thankfully, IGK smells amazing so I didn't have stinky hair.
DAY 7 - The pic you see in this post is on day 7. By then I had given up. I didn't restyle and I didn't put on any dry shampoo. When we were taking this pic, Geoff noticed my hair looking gross and mentioned it looked greasy. I washed my hair right after.
The biggest trick into fooling Geoff that my hair was so fresh and so clean, was to restyle my hair every day. I'd start with the powder dry shampoo to absorb the oil at the roots and then gave it a quick run through with my brush. I found brushing distributes the oils to the rest of the hair and keeps it from building up at the roots and weighing the hair down. Then I'd style my hair and create messy waves with my flat iron. To finish it off I'd add volume by concentrating the the spray dry shampoo at the crown of my head, and then, teased the hair with a boar brush.
Let me know if you have any dry shampoo secrets I should know about. Also, what are your secrets to extend your hair style? Make sure you leave me a comment below and as always, share my pics on Pinterest if this is something you enjoyed. :)
THE POWDER DRY SHAMPOO
I was a skeptic on dry shampoo powders at first but this one from Cake Beauty changed my mind. I have the one for brunettes and it doesn't leave an obvious residue in my hair. I just sprinkle the powder into the palm of my hands and I rub it into my oily roots where I need it. It keeps my hair looking and smelling (!) fresh in between washings and if I want to add texture to my hair, I just use one of the spray dry shampoos to mess up my style a little. Cake is cruelty free, 100% vegan, gluten free, paraben free, naturally derived and, they're made in Canada.
Price, $18
THE ALL IN ONE DRY SHAMPOO
I first tried Triple Sec at the Drybar in LA last year and it's been my go-to ever since. I've repurchased this all-in-one dry shampoo/ texturizer/ volumizer more times than I should admit because it is on the pricier side. It leaves my hair smelling really nice and adds volume when I tease it with a boar brush. Most importantly, it doesn't leave that nasty white cast that brunettes get with dry shampoo AND you don't have to brush it out! It's totally worth the price because it makes dirty-hair styling super easy - just spray, tease and go. The one down side of Triple Sec is that the more you use it, the more build up you're going to start to get in your hair and it starts to leave hair a little weighed down. Typically I can't go more than 3 days straight of using Triple Sec because it starts to be too much.
Price, $33
THE LUXE TEXTURIZER
Technically not a dry shampoo but it does act like one. The first time I tried this spray was just before the 2016 Grammys. A stylist came to my room and gave my hair the coolest messiest waves ever. He had used a flat iron, a small boar brush to tease my hair and sprayed it plenty of Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray. It's crazy expensive at almost $50 for a 300 mL spray bottle but dammit, it's my all time fave. I just leave it to special occasions like the Grammys. LOL.
Price, $46
Another one Cake Beauty hits this list. I like using this one on my roots at the crown of my head. Then I tease the roots with a brush to get build volume and to get it to stay. Again, Cake is naturally derived and 100% vegan and cruelty free. Did I mention it smells yummy?
Price, $18
IGK Hair is the brain child of four stylists from LA, NY and MIA and launched the brand in 2016. Their Beach Club Texture Spray smells ammmmmaaaazing, like a mini exotic getaway with a subtle scent of guava, coconut water, pink lotus, midnight violet, and vanilla. It's such a good texturizer that it's almost on par with Oribe's iconic spray. "Formulated without mineral oil, petroleum, and gluten, it is vegan, cruelty-free, and color safe with UV protection."
Price, $29
The last drug store shampoo I tried was from Dove and the smell was so strong and so artificial and made me crazy nausea. The residue it left behind was so white and so strong that I couldn't use it anymore. That experience put me off drug store dry shampoo's for years even though I know Batiste and Klorane make good some good ones. Anyway, Herbal Essences Bio:Renew Cucumber & Green Tea Dry Shampoo is one of the best dry shampoo's for under $10 in my opinion. The formula is "a signature blend of essential antioxidants, aloe and sea kelp, designed to help purify and protect against impurities. The dry shampoo instantly absorbs oil and boosts scent for a waterless wash that leaves no excess residue."
Price, $7
Photography by Geoff & Nathalie Martin.
Some items in this post where provided as PR samples.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as form of compensation.
EVERYDAY BEAUTY HACKS YOU NEED TO TRY
Tried, tested and true - here are five of my favourite beauty hacks for life. Let me know if you've ever tried any of these or if you have any beauty hacks that should have made this list.
1.
WAKE UP TIRED EYES
Brighten up those dark under eye circles by gently messaging your eye cream clockwise around your eye with your ring finger and then counter clockwise. Message each eye five times and finish by gently patting under the eye. The message will stimulate blood flow to help diminish dark under eyes. To reduce puffiness, simply apply something cold to the eye like ice or a chilled cucumber slice. Bonus points for storing your eye cream in the fridge.
Featured: Olay Eyes Illuminating Eye Cream, $29.99
2.
HOW TO REALLY SHAVE YOUR LEGS
Forget about shave cream. Seriously forget it. You'll get the best closest shave by using hair conditioner! Seriously! Now not all conditioners are ideal for shaving. Throughout the years I've experimented with a few and my holy grail for the best shave is Herbal Essences Hello Hydration. Start by exfoliating in the shower with a body mitt, then slather some conditioner on your legs and shave with a fresh razor. Viola, your skin is going to be less irritated and softer than with shave cream. Promise.
Featured: Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisturizing Conditioner, $5.99
3.
THE TRICK TO SUPER SOFT HAIR
Before you hit the shower, apply conditioner to the ends of your dry hair and let it sit for a few minutes. Then wash your hair and apply conditioner to your ends again as you normally would. The pre-conditioning on dry hair acts as a hair mask and leaves your hair super soft and manageable.
Featured: Pantene Moisture Renewal 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner, $5.99
4.
BODY WASH IS MORE MULTI PURPOSE THAN YOU THINK
Have a great smelling body wash you can't get enough of? Just pour it into a pump bottle and place it by your sink and use it as hand wash! Bonus: body wash makes an excellent cleaner for makeup brushes.
Featured: Olay Fresh Outlast Body Wash Cooling White Strawberry & Mint, $5.99
5.
SUPER SOFT FEET WITHOUT THE PEDICURE OR SPA
Keep your knees, elbows, hands and feet baby soft during the cold winter months. At night when you're getting ready for bed, just slather some of your face moisturizer onto your elbows and knees. Do your feet next and slather moisturizer to the tops and bottom of your feet and put on a clean pair of cotton socks to seal in the moisture overnight. Next wash your hands dry them and work in that moisturizer again, concentrating that face cream to the back of your hands. Remember, hands show your real age so treat them with the same care as your face.
Featured: Olay Regenerist Luminous Overnight Mask, $29.99
Photography by Nathalie Martin.
Some items in this post where provided as PR samples.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as form of compensation.
LOVE MEANS VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE + COFFEE
I'm not really one for Valentine's Day because I think it's cheesy AF. Then again, every year Geoff seems to surprise me with some adorable gesture that leaves me misty eyed. Just imagine my meat-eating husband taking the time to create a home cooked vegan meal and even going as far as to bake a vegan dessert just to say "I love you". I know. He's a keeper right?
This year it's my turn to return the favour. On the menu will be beef, organic and ethically raised of course, served with veggies and his favourite Yorkshire Pudding, all cooked by moi. For dessert I'll bake some vegan chocolate cake, topped with ganache and a cup of Selection Vintage 2014 from Nespresso. If you read last month's Vintage Coffee post I confessed to hiding the Vintage capsules from Geoff because, hey, I'm majorly obsessed with them and they're limited edition and yes, I'm a little bit of a jerk too for keeping these from my lovely husband but oh well.
Best of all vegan chocolate cake & Nespresso isn't exclusive to significant others and romantic meals and can be shared with any of your loved ones at any time of the year! AND, yes, you can whip these cakes up quickly because the recipe is super easy! I personally love chocolate cake and coffee together and will find any excuse to eat it, Valentine's Day or not. NOM.
The tea towel featured in this post was designed and made by me. Before WoahStyle I used design my own patterns and screen print fabrics. Then I'd sew the fabrics into kitchen linens and aprons and I'd upload them for sale on etsy and a few stores in Toronto. You can creep on my former DIY life here. LOL
RECIPE: VEGAN MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CAKE
MAKES 12 MINI CAKES or TWO 9" CAKE
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ancho chile powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 cup soy or almond milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup raw cane sugar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
1/2 cup soy or almond milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips
PREPERATION
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your baking pans with cooking oil and set aside. If making cupcakes, line the cupcake pan with papers. (I used a mini bundt pan.)
In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, ancho chilli powder and baking soda and mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine the non-dairy milk, maple syrup, safflower oil, sugar and apple cider vinegar and mix well.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 35 mins If making cupcakes, bake for 30 mins. TIP: Always rotate pans halfway for even baking.
Cool in pans on wire rack.
Make the ganache by gently heating the non-dairy milk in a sauce pan on medium heat but don't boil. Add the maple syrup and chocolate chips and whisk until smooth. Set aside until thick and then add to the top of cooled cakes.
Enjoy with a cup of Nespresso's very limited Selection Vintage 2014. Bon apetit.
Nespresso Selection Vintage 2014 is a complex taste with elegant woodiness and soft fruity notes.
The vintage Nespresso Capsules limited edition and can be purchased at Nespresso stores and nespresso.com.
Photography by Nathalie Martin.
This post is sponsored by Nespresso. All opinions are my own.
HAIR TUTORIAL: ERIN WASSON'S EFFORTLESS BEACHY WAVES
Yesterday I uploaded my first vlog on YouTube. It's a short one but it gives you a behind the scenes look of what happens on press trips like this one with Herbal Essences. Make sure you hit play below and watch it okay? ;)
In this post I'll be talking to you more about the new Bio:Renew line and go through a new hair styling technique I learned from celebrity stylist, Charles Baker Strahan so keep reading.
Bio:Renew is a new premium line from the Herbal Essences family (price range $6.99 - $9.99). It was created to protect hair from daily harmful elements and helps revive dull hair. The line up includes shampoos, conditioners and styling products made with a blend of antioxidants, aloe and sea kelp.
Something I really enjoy about Bio:Renew is its ability to protect the hair from the daily elements that will eventually deteriorate the hair but also the ability to control frizz and create soft manageable hair. The Bio:Renew technology comes from the antioxidant called Histidine, which works for the hair the way superfoods work for the human body. It purifies and protects and by trapping, neutralizing and removing build-up free radicals that weaken hair.
Since the Herbal Essences brand is built on a foundation of natural hair care, I wanted to know a little more:
Is the Bio:Renew line biodegradable?
The majority of each formula is biodegradable. Each formula has a different levels of biodegradability.
Is it 100% natural? If not, can you tell me the percent of natural ingredients.
The Bio:Renew products are not 100% natural. We use the best of nature and science to craft products with amazing performance. Science can do beautiful things!
I read somewhere that all shampoos and the entire product line is safe for colour treated hair. Can you confirm?
Yes - all shampoos and conditioners are colour-safe. Coloured hair will soak up the antioxidants in Bio:Renew to protect from harmful oxidation.
Is there a heat-protecting product in the line up?
There is no specific heat protectant in the lineup. However, conditioners are your best defense for high heat. Applying the Herbal Essences oil-infused crème (Coconut Milk or Argan Oil) to damp hair will leave hair prepared for heat styling.
I have a lot of thick hair thats highly prone to frizz and only certain high end styling products tame. I was surprised to see that Bio:Renew left my hair with the same results as my $30 shampoo and $50 styling creme. I know it's a lot of money I spend on hair care but in my experience, not a lot of hair care is compatible with my hair type (thick and frizzy. Think Hermione from Harry Potter if my hair is au naturel.) Not gonna lie, I was really surprised and happy to see what a drug store product could do for me.
To give you guys a bigger picture, Bio:Renew was created with different hair types in mind in an array of luxury scents. The three models style here by celebrity stylist Charles Baker Strahan went from wavy hair, thin hair and black hair and all ended up with beautiful, shiny, managable bouncy hair.
If you like perfectly-undone-beachy-waves, pay attention to the mini tutorial below to see how Charles gets those gorgeous waves. He's worked on some of my favourite style icons like Erin Wasson and created a similar look on my hair. Since returning back home I have been using the Bio:Renew Argan Oil of Morcocco shampoo and conditioner and I'm still loving it. I've also been styling my hair the way Charles taught me and I find my style lasts longer and is easier to manage.
Click PLAY to learn how to get textured waves.
Click PLAY to watch my NYC vlog.
Photos and video content by Michael Biro and Nathalie Martin.
Hair by Charles Baker Strahan for Herbal Essences.
This post is sponsored by Herbal Essences. All opinions are my own.