Prepping for Summer (& Swimsuit Season)

I have to keep reminding myself that it's not officially summer yet, but we have been getting such a good taste of what's (hopefully!) to come weather-wise. I've been going on weekly bike rides and walks around the Seawall (evidence here, here, and here) and basically trying to get in as much sun as possible.

Since I plan on spending lots of time at the beach soon, I've been in major prep mode. First up: a new swimsuit thanks to Hapari. I actually have another swimsuit from them but this year I wanted to go for something with a bit of a retro vibe. I ended up choosing a black bikini top paired with boy shorts to get the look I was going for and I could not be more pleased.

This bikini is extremely comfortable and served me well on my visit to the Scandinave Spa last month (hence the picture of me pretending not to be freezing under the Nordic Shower). It will definitely be in heavy rotation soon enough!

And with swimwear out of the way, I've also been gathering items for my beach bag. You can't go wrong with some sun care, beachy hair, and a yummy fragrance. Can you tell I'm a little overeager for beach time?

mark. That's Beachy Texturizing Surf Spray / mark. Hair to Stay Hairties

AVON Sun+ Sport Refresh Sunscreen Lotion / AVON Sun+ After Sun Aloe Gel

mark. Saint Barts Soleil Instant Vacation EDT Spray

FOTD: Lise Watier Eden Tropical

We've already been getting a taste of summer here in Vancouver so I've been making a concerted effort to have my makeup mirror that. Thankfully, I've had a little help from my friends at Lise Watier, who recently sent me a preview of their Summer 2014 Collection, Eden Tropical.

Full of lush colours that evoke the hues of a tropical paradise, this is a quintessential summer collection. The Palette Eden Tropical ($43 CAD) offers a range of shimmery but wearable shadows, while the Eden Tropical Bronzing Powder ($38 CAD) features a peach blush at the centre -- perfect for blending together or using separately. Plus, how pretty is the packaging?

In addition to these two namesake palettes, I used a few other products from the summer collection to complete my summertime FOTD. The Blush Crème Satin ($24 CAD) in Rose Eden is a gorgeous light pink, while the Hydra Kiss Colour Balm ($22 CAD) in Coral Paradise adds juicy colour to the lips. For opaque black liner, the 24 Hrs Gel Liner ($25 CAD) is also a great alternative to my personal fave Blacktrack Fluidline from MAC.

The Lise Watier Eden Tropical Collection is limited edition and only available July 2014. Be sure to check out the full line of products online or at selected retailers like London Drugs.

MAC Patent Polish Lip Pencils: Innocent + Spontaneous

My lip crayon/pencil addiction is still going strong and these MAC Patent Polish Lip Pencils ($24 CAD/each) are the latest additions to my growing collection.

Like most beauty bloggers I'm a sucker for packaging and, for some reason, I find these pencils absolutely adorable. It's probably a combination of their chubbiness and the unconventional rounded tips (most lip pencils I'm used to seeing have pointed tips which double as lip liners). The ends feature a colour swatch, which is very useful, and they are also twist-ups which means not having to deal with sharpening.

Spontaneous is described as a "soft plum with pearl" and Innocent as a "nude beige." The former is a very wearable pink but unfortunately the latter is too light for me (kind of gives me a corpse-like look... a.k.a. not good).

Both feel comfortable on the lips thanks to a blend of creamy emollients and the formula isn't sticky. However, I wouldn't reach for these lip pencils if you want a really good hit of colour - in my opinion, they are best viewed more as tinted lip balms/glosses. 

Fresh Face: Biotherm Aquasource

Fresh faced "no makeup" makeup is always popular, but the key to making it work best is, in my opinion, great skin. After all, your skin is the canvas to every look, so why wouldn't you want to keep it in tip-top shape?

This past month, I, along with a few other members of the FASHION Magazine Beauty Panel have been testing out BIOTHERM's iconic AQUASOURCE line. Formulated with thermal plankton cellular water, these products offer long-lasting deep hydration without the heaviness of more rich creams.

The Deep Serum is incredibly light and absorbs quickly. Similarly, the Deep Hydration Replenishing Gel for Normal/Combination Skin feels fresh and preps my skin perfectly.

In line with the minimal makeup theme, I've also been using a combination of the AQUASOURCE CC Gel and BB Cream. The CC Gel is a unique transparent gel that appears to have the slightest hint of colour once you rub it in. It's intended to minimize imperfections in a very subtle way. Topped with the BB cream, which I like to apply with my Ecotools Skin Perfecting Brush (c/o), coverage is light and somewhat dewy. I personally prefer a more matte look, however, so I often top with a powder.

For the full list of products used, be sure to check out my post on FASHION Magazine's website.

LE CHÂTEAU New Concept Store at Richmond Centre

Yesterday, LE CHÂTEAU debuted its newly renovated concept store at Richmond Centre, which I was excited to check out since it's been a while since I last shopped there.

The new store is super nice, with glass display cases and so many clothes to choose from. The layout is also really easy to navigate, with three separated sections: womenswear in the centre (featuring a range of casual to dressy), menswear on the left, and special events (think prom/cocktail parties/formals) on the right. 

Of course, I couldn't say "no" to a little shopping of my own... I am obsessed with this wrap-style dress (left) that I purchased, which will be perfect for work. I passed on the blouse (middle) though I loved the pop of citron, but did end up picking up the striped maxi (right) for summertime wearing. Unrelated: is it just me or are fitting room selfies really hard to take?!

If you happen to be in Richmond, be sure to check out the new LE CHÂTEAU! Lots of great Spring/Summer pieces are in-store and, in my opinion, it's never too early to start getting ready for the warm weather ahead.