Simply Summer

Last week was jam-packed with events, including the London Drugs #LDBeauty Preview, a nail art tutorial with Rita Remark of Essie, a picnic with Almay, and live reviewing products at the ChickAdvisor ShowCase. I also saw Aaron Carter in concert for the second time (because, you know, reliving my pre-teen years is always fun). I'm now finally getting a bit of a reprieve from the craziness - just in time for the official start of summer! This also means I've been embracing some pretty simple dressing... a comfy black dress (with some peekaboo action) and sandals are A+ in my books.

P.S. Be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram for real-time updates of everything I'm getting up to!

Dress: Wilfred Free (Aritzia) / Sandals: French Connection (here)

Bracelet: Zara (similar) / Sunglasses: Michael Kors (c/o) (similar)

Bellavance x Burt's Bees

Launching earlier this month, the Bellavance x Burt's Bee's Limited Edition Lip Collection & Holster is an absolute must-have for all lip product lovers.

In collaboration with Bellavance, an award-winning fashion label founded by up-and-coming Canadian designer Nolan Bellavance and his partner Ava Hama, the brand has released a cute "holster" packed with all the Burt's Bees a girl needs. The 100% organic cotton wrap-around case is handy for throwing in your purse and features a fun print which is reminiscent of the stripe motif from Bellavance's Spring/Summer 2014 collection. The elastic straps are custom fitted to hold the collection but are also flexible enough to secure any lipstick -- so you can get lots of use out of it.

Inside are two best-selling Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balms in Blush Orchid and Hibiscus (which I've previously reviewed here). There are also two brand new Lip Shimmers in Grapefruit and Apricot.

Even better, all proceeds from the Bellavance x Burt's Bee's collection, which retails at $19.99 CAD, will go to Pollinator Partnership Canada, a charity which aims to support lost and solitary pollinator bees by building sustainable bee hotels across the country. Beloved lip products for a good cause? Count me in!

Find it online and in boutiques where Bellavance is sold.

Whitening Skincare from Yves Rocher and The Body Shop

I'm no stranger to whitening products, having experimented on and off with various Asian brands over the years. However, a number of western brands have recently expanded their offerings as well. Here's a run-down on a few that I've been trying...

Yves Rocher White Botanical combines two plant extracts, White Licorice powder and White Lupin extract, to aid in dark spot correcting and anti-aging. The line contains 0% parabens, mineral oils, and colorants and boasts "100 % effectiveness." I'm not entirely sold on this claim since the usage test was carried out on only 22 women, and for me personally, I didn't notice much of a difference in my skin (I think this line may be targeted towards a slightly older demographic).

The Exceptional Youth Essence ($56) does nonetheless feel great on the skin, and it is used in accompaniment with the Exceptional Youth Eye Contour ($42) and the Exceptional Youth Cream - Night ($56). For age spots, there is also the Exceptional Youth Dark Spot Corrector ($30) which has a precise applicator tip to target specific areas.

A #1 seller in Asia, The Body Shop has now also brought over their popular Japanese formula, Moisture White Shiso Brightening Serum. Infused with shiso, vitamin C, licorice, and Community Fair Trade aloe vera, the serum is intended to even out the appearance of skin tone.

I inserted this serum into my usual skincare routine but it seems a little too greasy for my oily/combination skin. Also, I have to be honest and say I haven't noticed much "brightening" per se. I feel like I always expect whitening products to be miracle workers and that's never the case. Maybe I just expect too much!

Insta-Lately: Super Late Spring Edition

I'm cutting it a little close with these snapshots but it is still *technically* Spring... be sure to follow me on Instagram for more snippets from my everyday life!

A new wallet from Louis Vuitton: the Insolite in Corail (Summer 2014 colour)

Hanging out at the Faculty of Celebrity Studies with Lainey Gossip

Brunching at The Oakwood Canadian Bistro

Aforementioned trip to the Scandinave Spa in Whistler

Lots of Seawall bike rides

After workout juicing at Body Energy Club

Dark and Story, Calabash Bistro's signature drink

Peonies: a fashion blogger essential

Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-On Manicure

Fake nails have never really been my thing so when I received an Influenster VoxBox containing two sets of imPRESS Press-On Manicures by Broadway Nails I was initially reluctant to try them out. Plus, I must have been on the "wild animal print" list, for some reason, because the two designs I received are definitely not ones I would have chosen for myself (to put it nicely).

Over The Moon (left) and Dancing Queen (right)

I decided to give these a go anyway and ended up (somewhat) pleasantly surprised. Unlike the rigid acrylics I was expecting, imPRESS nails are actually flexible plastic nail covers that have a peel-off adhesive on the back. Each package contains 24 nail covers of varying sizes which unfortunately might not work for people with small nail beds since they seem to be on the larger side. However, as a bonus application tip: there are numbers etched on the back of each nail to help match up sizes for both hands. It would have been nice if I had realized that before I wasted a ton of time trying to match my nail covers...

After you assemble all the covers to fit your nails, application is super quick and easy. Wipe down your nails with the enclosed prep pad then peel off the adhesive backing and stick. The whole process took no time at all and I was left with a very eye-catching mani.

While I don't think I would wear these regularly, the imPRESS Press-On Manicure is an excellent option for a night out when you don't have time to do your nails. There are also tons of designs available (french manis, basic colours, etc.), so don't let the hideousness of the ones I received deter you from trying them out!

Espadrille Time

While Chanel's ubiquitous espadrilles have been on my lust list for quite some time, they have also become near impossible to locate. So last summer, in my search for dupes, I purchased these Tory Burch Weston Espadrilles (and then promptly forgot about them once they arrived... #shopaholicproblems). Anyway, now that they've re-emerged from the depths of my shoe closet, I'm pretty sure they'll be getting the wear they deserve!

Tee: Wilfred Free (Aritzia) / Jeans: Paige Denim (similar and lighter wash)
Espadrilles: Tory Burch (similar) / Fedora: Urban Outfitters (here)
Sunglasses: Gucci (here) / Tote: Joe's Jeans (c/o) (similar)