Life after Instagram
My morning routine goes like this; I roll over, grab my phone, and hit play on Shane Dawson’s latest YouTube video. His weirdly funny videos always make me laugh uncontrollably. He's original and entertaining, and by the end of his video, I’m usually wide-awake and ready to get my day going.
Since there was nothing new from Shane this morning, I found myself watching one of those drama YouTube channels instead (another guilty pleasure of mine). The topic was originality and copy cat content creators.
That got me thinking about the Instagram community and how much of what we’re seeing is fake. Recently, Instagrammer Amelia Liana has been under a lot of scrutiny for fabricating her travel photos and Photoshopping busy landmarks like the Taj Mahal, where it’s seen without the scaffolding and usual crowds. A lot of people are angry that her picture perfect depictions aren’t reflective of real life and I don’t blame them. I recall a photo she posted a while back in a beautiful blue gown in a New York cross walk with nearly empty streets - an unusual moment for NY, even at 7 am which according to her caption, is when she captured the moment. I paused on her photo and found myself wondering how she was able to get nearly-empty street shot from one of the world’s busiest and over populated cities. Upon closer inspection, even the sky has been clearly edited to “match her feed”. Whether or not she photoshops herself in front of landmarks, and how chooses to edit her photos is totally up to her. It’s apparent that a lot of thought and planning goes into her photos and that she’s very happy with her work as an influencer. She even addressed the Photoshopping allegations on her blog and the words “I’m sorry” are nowhere to be found.
I’ve been following Amelia on IG for a couple of months now, curious to see if I’d be inspired by her dreamy travel photos. Instead, I’ve found myself genuinely confused by her elaborately expensive, picture-perfect life but maybe it’s because I’m not her audience and her content doesn’t speak to me. Only a small percentage of the population is able to live such an extravagant life of first class travel and designer shopping and while yes, it’s part of her job, I started to wonder, what life would be like after Instagram? What if she had to get a 9-5 job and what would her potential employer think of her based on her feed? What does that mean for the rest of us smaller influencers and are we making ourselves unemployable by living out these highly curated lives online?
It’s interesting to think about these things and put it into perspective. It’s important to remember that Instagram isn’t real life, and often what we’re seeing is a well-curated version of the way someone lives. In a sense, it’s kind of like the movies with fantasy, unicorns, and cotton candy coloured skies. I for one have an aversion to IG accounts that are too show-offy, that promote excess, and over consumption. My favourite accounts inspire me to style the same piece of clothing in a ton of different ways and inspire me to buy a new lip balm because they product knowledge to back up their endorsements. Or in the instance of Shane Dawson, they're just flat out funny and that’s fine too.
WHAT I'M WEARING
ZARA rattan bag, striped top and zippered jeans.
SAINT LAURENT metallic striped platforms.
TOMS sunglasses.
HERMES and ALEXANDER McQUEEN bracelets.
My Topshop off the shoulder dress
Let me tell you a little story about this adorable off the shoulder dress I'm wearing here. I got it recently at Topshop and fell in love with it right away because it's such a timeless style and it's not super short. In my twenties, I preferred super-short dresses but these days I want a little more length for modesty purposes.
Anyway, I thought it looked cute until Geoff and I went out and shot this series here. Then I can home to edit and nearly fell off my chair!
No thanks to my strapless bra, my boobs liked 10 times their normal size because the damn thing kept slipping down my torso and made it look like I had weird saggy bubble boobs. (Come on ladies, who's been there?) Also, it looked like I had eaten 5 burritos. I probably should have worn some nude Spanx to hold in my burrito belly but mainly because my blue underwear was visible in some of the shots.
To say the least, it was a disaster. I was a disaster! I deleted the unflattering pics and decided to move forward with the most flattering angles and share this post anyway.
Look guys, sometimes blog posts are a lie but you know I always try to keep it real with you. Fashion comes and goes but at the end of the day, it's so important to feel good and comfortable in your clothes. Pulling at your dress or picking a wedgie through ill fitting pants isn't cute. But you know what is? Feeling good. That's why I wore this dress this one time and returned it the next day. Thank goodness for return policies. (And cameras because my mirror lied to me.)
WHAT I'M WEARING
TOPSHOP Bardot dress.
ZARA suede market bag.
VANS white high tops, Nintendo edition SK8-HI.
JENNY BIRD medallion necklace from a few years ago.
LISBETH delicate round necklace.
FERRAGAMO sunglasses.
HERMES and DAVID YURMAN bracelets.
How to shop online sales like a pro
Alright, guys. So at this point, I think it's obvious that I have failed my shopping ban. My wardrobe was getting a little stale and I felt like I needed to add a few key pieces to get myself hyped up for summer. Since fall is just around the corner, I choose pieces that would transition well into autumn but can be worn now as well.
If you recall from my I Quit Shopping post, one of the reasons I wanted to cut back was to focus more on travel and to upgrading our house. Well, I'm thrilled to say that Geoff and I have booked our vacation to Iceland this October and we're close to finishing our basement! As soon as that's done, we're going to work on the master bathroom and then reno the kitchen as well!
Seeing as there are lots of life plans happening, I want to keep my shopping to a reasonable budget so I was very strategic about what I got. Most importantly I waited for the sales because hi, who likes paying full retail? I got my Manolo's for over half off and all of my Zara haul on sale! Even my Balenciaga bag was 50% off! Lastly, I scored an amazing pair of Saint Laurent platform sandals in metallic stripes on super sale as well but you'll have to wait for another post to see those.
TIPS FOR SHOPPING SALES
1.
Find out when the sales are! If you don't know, a simple Google search should help.
2.
Make a wishlist of the items you want.
3.
Get there early!
If you're an online shopper, log in when the sales start to get first dibs. Zara's sales (which are on now) always start at midnight so I was sure to log on at 12:00 on the dot to get what I wanted.
4.
If you're an in-store shopper, get there early to make sure they have the style and size you want. Stores are also more organized in the morning meaning shopping is easier. Have you ever been to Zara at the end of the day during sale season? DISASTER!
5.
Designer sales are my favourite! I frequent SAKS and SSENSE for my stuff and I was able to score both my Manolo's and Saint Laurent sandals for over 50% off during their second round of markdowns!
Watch my sale haul!
Honest look at the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette
Hello and happy Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend and are excited for another week!
If you guys follow me on Instagram, you'll know I attended the Masterclass by Makeup by Mario and had a chance to meet him as well. (Shoutouts to Artis Brush for sending me as one of their partners!) I was a good little student and took lots of notes during Mario's Masterclass, which I plan on sharing with you guys in some upcoming videos where I'll cover brows, eye makeup, foundation, etc.
Today though I want to look at Urban Decay's new Heat Palette. To be honest, I wanted to have this post up before the palette hit stores but honestly, I had a hard time getting into it until now. Don't get me wrong, I love warm colours, in particular, orange and reds, so this palette got my heart racing when I first heard of it. When I got my hands on it though I felt differently. The colours are more subdued than I was expecting and the purples left me confused. Purples generally don't look the greatest on my olive skin so I stay away from them for the most part.
Anyway, after a few attempts with the new Heat Palette, I finally created a look that I'm really happy with. It's appropriate for both daytime and night time wear depending on how you wear your lip. Pair the look with a neutral lip for day and for night, a deep russet lipstick will be perfect for adding oomph.
Honestly, I really like this palette now that I finally got a grasp on how to use the shades together. Of course, attending a Masterclass taught by Kim KW's personal makeup artist totally helped! I really don't think I could have been able to create this soft smokey eye look before hand.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Alkaline (deep wine) and Torch (sienna)
Limited edition, part of the Urban Decay Heat Collection
$25, available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Sephora and where ever UB is sold
Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette
Permanent Collection
$66, available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Sephora and where ever UB is sold
12 new, amber-hued neutrals—including warm browns, burnt oranges and rich siennas. From a super-smooth red-brown matte and a glimmering copper to a deep, shifty bronze, this palette has everything you need to create sultry daytime looks, intensely smoky nighttime looks and everything in between.
Comes with a duo head synthetic bristle eye brush.
Shades included:
OUNCE (ivory shimmer)
CHASER (light nude matte)
SAUCED (soft terra-cotta matte)
LOW BLOW (brown matte)
LUMBRE (copper shimmer w/gold pearl shift)
HE DEVIL (burnt red matte)
DIRTY TALK (metallic burnt red)
SCORCHED (metallic deep red w/gold micro-shimmer)
CAYENNE (deep terra-cotta matte)
EN FUEGO (burgundy matte)
ASHES (deep reddish-brown matte)
EMBER (deep metallic copper-burgundy)
EASY SOFT SMOKEY EYE
1.
Start by lightly swiping OUNCE all over the eyelid from brow bone to lash line.
2.
Dip the small tapered brush from the palette and dip it into LOW BLOW, SAUCED & LUMBER and apply it to the inner corner of the eye until about the middle of the eyelid. Work in layers to build the colour intensity to the colour you want and to keep the look soft and smokey. Keep the colours low on the crease for a subtle look.
3.
Now dip the flat part of the brush into HE DEVIL, DIRT TALK and CAYENNE and apply it to the outer corner and take it to the middle of the eyelid. Again work in layers to build the colour up. Add a bit of EN FEUGOand ASHES to the outer corner and blend to keep the look soft.
4.
Using the ALKALINE 24/7 eye pencil, liner the upper lash line and keep it close to the lashes. Add a bit of brown liquid eyeliner to intensify the lashes even more.
5.
Curl the lasehes. Now add a bit of SAUCED and CHASER to the lower lashline and blend. Add OUNCE to the inner corner.
6.
Line the upper and lower lashline with a brown eye pencil. With a smudge brush blend the brown on the lower lash time to diffuse any harsh lines and to keep the look soft.
7.
Add some mascara to the top and lower lashes. You can also add more eyeshadow to the outer corner of your eyes if you want more drama.
MAKEUP BY MARIO TIP: Apply your eyeshadow in layers, taking the time to blend as you go along. This will prevent mistakes and prevent fallout as well.
DISCLAIMER: The Naked Heat Palette and eye pencils were provided as a PR sample.
All opinions are my own and completely honest.
Makeup, photography, and artwork by Nathalie Martin.
Marc Jacobs Daisy Celebrates 10 years with a limited edish bottle
I'm the kind of person that gets bored easily. Seriously, ask any of my closest friends and they'll tell you it's true. I can't sleep at night because I daydream about all of the cool things that I want to do and create. Then morning rolls around and I'm too bored to do anything about it. Wait, is that boredom, laziness or sleep deprivation?
Even still, Marc Jacobs Daisy has remained my all time favourite perfum.
My mom, knowing how much I love this stuff, has gifted it to me numerous birthdays and Christmases. (Thank you mama! )
It's the only perfum I've ever repurchased and even when I swore off all fragrances during my hippie/natural stage, Daisy stood by me.
This month MJ celebrates 10 years of Daisy with a pretty, white, limited edition bottle. Same good stuff on the inside, sleek new limited packaging for their anni.
The limited edition bottle hits stores this July.
"A DAISY IS A FRIENDLY FLOWER, NOT PRECIOUS, NOT EXOTIC, BUT EVOKES A SPIRIT OF A LOT OF WOMEN."
- MARC JACOBS
Fragrance Family:
Floral
Scent Type:
Fruity Florals
Top Notes: Wild Berries, White Violet
Heart: Jasmine Infusion
Base: Sandalwood
DISCLAIMER: The limited edition white bottle of Marc Jacobs Daisy is a PR sample.
All opinions are my own and completely honest.
Photography by Geoff & Nathalie Martin.
Artwork by Nathalie Martin.
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My Chanel patent leather Jumbo bag
I'm a self-admitted handbag and shoe junkie. When I see something I like, I can't get it out of my head and it becomes a bit of an obsession. I consider myself a collector because there are pieces I own that are a little-out there but they make me insanely happy.
My pink glittery Saint Laurent Babies boots get worn maybe once or twice a year if that. To me, they're works of art and I'd never part ways with them. My patent leather Acne high tops are the biggest pain in the ass to get on and off and I haven't worn them in ages but again, they make me deliriously giddy.
When I look at my collection, I see a lot of statement pieces that pair perfectly well with my staple jeans and t-shirts but the one thing missing was a classic, timeless piece that could outlast even me.
I got this Chanel Jumbo flap bag in the patent leather finish because it's more showy than the iconic caviar leather and it speaks to my personal style. I also opted for the jumbo size because a lot of my bags are small so if I was going to be investing in a Chanel bag, then I was gonna go all in. #noregrets
When I look at my accessories collection, I see a lot of statement pieces that pair perfectly well with my staple jeans and t-shirts but the one thing missing was a classic, timeless piece that could outlast even me. This Chanel jumbo bag in the patent leather finish reflects my personal style perfectly and goes with everything I have.
Photography by menswear fashion blogger, Michael Biro.
Artwork by Nathalie Martin.
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Manolo Blahnik Woven Slingbacks
In elementary school, I had a teacher named Ms. Kelly. She was brunette with stick straight brown hair and bangs that framed her eyes. In my memory, she looked like Brenda Walsh from 90210, but I was six-years-old at the time and my memory is probably a little off. What I distinctly remember is that she wore black, pointed toe slingback flats to school pretty much everyday. I know this because I used to stare at her shoes a lot. I was opinionated about fashion even then, and for some ridiculous reason, I couldn't stand her shoes. Don't get me wrong, she was a great teacher and a kind person but for some reason, I hated those slingbacks. I was six and my favourite shoes were a pair of jelly glitter huarache sandals so who the hell was I?
Fast forward to today. My go-to shoe this summer are my new white Manolo Blahnik slingbacks. They go with everything from all-black to denim-on-denim. The kitten heels makes them comfortable to wear when I have meetings in the city all-day and hi, they're so chic and timeless!
Finally, I totally get why Ms. Kelly wore those flats every day.
My go-to shoe this summer are these woven Manolo slingbacks. They go with everything from jeans to skirts and loose trousers. The kitten heels makes them comfortable and the pointed toe is feminine and elongates the leg.
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Monochrome makeup with Kat Von D's new Lolita eyeshadow & blush
Fans of Kat Von D's iconic lipstick Lolita are going crazy over the new eyeshadow/ blush duo. It's already sold out on Sephora.com and with reason. The chestnut rose colour is equally as flattering on the eyes as it is on the lips.
For a bit of depth and colour to the face, just add a bit of Lolita to the cheeks and finish the look with a swipe of Lolita lipstick and your monochromatic makeup is ready.
Monochromatic makeup featuring KVD's Lolita
1.
Prime the eyelids using your favourite primer and apply some of your favourite lip balm to the lips. Adding lipbalm in the start of your makeup routine will not only hydrate the lips but will also keep your lipstick from drying out and lasting longer.
2.
Now start with the eyes and sweep Lolita shadow on the eyelids and bring it up the crease. Blend with a clean fluffy brush until there are no harsh lines.
3.
Sweep a gold shadow on the lower lash line. I used a gold shimmer lipgloss from Bite Beauty's holiday 2016 collection.
4.
Now add a winged line for some drama. Curl your lashes and coat them with your favourite mascara.
5.
I added three individual lashes to my lower lash line and flipped the curl outward for a more dramatic effect.
6.
Now Sweep some Lolita blush on the your cheeks, focusing on the hallows of the cheeks blending upwards to the temple. Normally I wouldn't do this but I really wanted to emphasis the colour and celebrate the Lolita shade.
7.
Finally, line the lips using the Lolita Everlasting lip liner. Fill them in using the Lolita Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita. Once that dries, apply the Lolita Studded Kiss Lipstick to your entire lips. It might seem excessive but layering your lipsticks will give you a longer lasting lip and the lipstick will add moisture.
Lolita looks so beautiful on the eyes because it's a brown-based pink shade that's universally flattering.
I wanted to break up the monochrome look a little bit by adding a gold gloss to the lower lashline. I used a lipgloss from Bite Beauty's holiday 2016 collection but any gold eyeshadow will do.
DISCLAIMER: Kat Von D Lolita Collection was provided by the brand.
All opinions are my own and completely honest.
Photography by Nathalie Martin.
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Summer skincare, hair & beauty haul + The Ordinary mini review
It's been ages since I've done a beauty haul and yet there are so many new products that I've recently purchased and haven't talked about. This haul is spread over a couple of months and I didn't include everything I bought because it might seem like I'm sick-in-the-head-crazy about beauty products, which I probably am but oh well! It's a beauty haul people and we're here to have fun!
BTW - Sign up to my email list at the bottom of this post if you want a chance to win monthly beauty giveaways! I want to be able to stay in touch with you guys and share some of my hauls as wells. :)
SHOPPERS DRUG MART BEAUTY HAUL
Since the Shoppers closest to me renovated their Beauty Boutique to include Chanel, I have been obsessed! Not just me, but also Diana (bff & WoahStyle beauty editor). We find ourselves at the store at least once a week to see what's new. The best part - the cosmeticians have an incredible range of knowledge and have been able to answer our questions on retinoids, liquid peels and help colour match us in our fave new Chanel foundation. Coincidentally both Diana and I are both No. 30.
SKINCARE
Trying to keep my textured skin under control is always a challenge but I'm getting there. I picked up a few cream cleansers recently, which I'll be talking about in an upcoming post, as well as this scrub by Soap & Glory called Scrub Your Nose In It, which is excellent for the t-zone and keeping blackheads away. I also got a new hand cream because I'm always applying it after I wash my hands. This one by Nuxe has lots of essential oils and is super hydrating without being greasy.
LIP & FACE COLOUR
Lipstick is the one thing I can never be without. I feel naked and ugly without it so I always have at least three in my bag. The new Chanel Rouge Coco Glosses are amazing and I couldn't resist picking up another shade, 754 Opulence, a rich burnt red with gold shimmery. I also grabbed a similarly toned Rouge Coco Lipstick in the shade 418 Misia. On the recommendation of a peer, I picked up Revlon's Matte Balm in the shade Standout, a burnt berry shade. It's a comfortable wearing matte lipstick that's highly pigmented. Finally, I couldn't resist this pretty coral blush by Bourjois in the shade 41 Healthy Mix. It smells really nice and the colour is like a healthy glow on the cheeks.
MASCARA
One of my readers recently recommended Chanel's Le Volume mascara so I picked it up and have been using it since! It separates and lengthens my lashes and creates really nice volume. I also got the Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara in the waterproof formula because I've heard so many great things! Both mascaras are clump, flake and smudge free.
PERFUM
L'eau Chanel No.5 is feminine and sophisticated and makes me so happy when I wear it. It's a lighter, contemporary version of the iconic No.5. I got one of those refillable perfum sprays by Travalo to go with it because I rather not carry around a full bottle in my purse.
ACCESSORIES
Sali Hughes, beauty editor extraordinaire and my personal beauty hero, wrote about the Chanel compact in her book Pretty Honest. I couldn't get it out of my mind so I picked it up and now it feels like the ultimate luxury item in my beauty bag. Apparently they're hard to track down so buy it if you see it! While I was at it, I got yet another makeup brush to add to my collection. This Chanel foundation brush is great for blending my lightweight foundations.
Sephora Beauty Haul
HAIR
I became obsessed with my hair after I signed on as a Clairol brand ambassador for their Natural Instincts campaign. I learned how to style my hair differently and get softer, prettier waves. I also started brushing my hair *gasp* so I picked up Drybar's Super Lemon Drop brush! I have thick, wavy, frizzy hair so I never brushed it between shampoo's because I didn't want to disrupt my curls and introduce frizz. Well, turns out brushing it ain't so bad after all! I've been spraying a little bit of Drybar's Sparkling Soda Shine Mist on the ends of my hair to smooth it out.
PERFUM
During the last VIB Rouge sale I finally got Tom Ford's Soliel Blanc perfum. I'd been wanting it for ages but it's pricey so I waited months until the sale came around. I'm so happy it's finally mine!
LIP & FACE COLOUR
I also got Tata Harper's Volumizing Lip & Cheek Tint in Very Popular, a warm rose shade. I love it as a blush because the colour is builable and hydrating on the skin so it looks like a really nice healthy glow. It's also 100% natural and non-toxic.
Finally I couldn't leave Sephora without picking up Dior's new Lip Pomade. One of my readers told me it was really good so I was curious to see if it lived up to the hype. Stay tuned for a drug store dupe on this one!
THE ORDINARY
Just like everyone else I was curious to try The Ordinary's line of skincare. I picked up the High-Spreadability Fluid Primer, which is silicone based and sucks so bad, I could easily call it the worst primer ever! I used it a few times and each time it left my makeup patchy and streaky by the end of the day. It's actually worse than not wearing primer at all if you can believe it! It's also not a stable formula so it's begun to thicken considerably in the bottle since I bought it last month. If exposure to air is why the formula has begun to spoil, the company really should have put it in a pump bottle.
One item I do like from this brand is the 100% Plant-Derived Squalane. It's super hydrating and doesn't irritate my skin at all, even the skin on my chest which is hyper sensitive to oils and serums. My skin feels really nice and plump after using this product. For $8 a bottle, I would highly recommend it!
I also enjoy their Advanced Retinoid 2%. My skin reacts very well to retinoids and really took a liking to this one. It left my textured skin feeling super smooth and radiant looking. Normally I use this by going a few days on and a few days off to give my skin a break.
In the mornings I've been following up with their Vitamin C Suspension 23%. It left my skin feeling smooth and my complexion looking even.
Finally, I got the Hand Chemistry cream from their Chemistry Brand line. While I like the emollient properties of this cream, I can't stand the smell. It retails for $7 for a 30mL tube and I'd much rather splurge twice the amount to get the hand cream from Nuxe. If you can stand the smell of this cream, you'll probably enjoy Hand Chemistry.