Di Morelli Skin Care

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a special VIP lunch at Market by Jean-Georges at the Shangri-La hotel with Di Morelli Skin Care. The brand was founded by Dr. Robert Morell of the Medical Rejuvenation Centre here in Vancouver and features a range of "cosmeceuticals" (a combination of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals with biologically active ingredients).

While we dined on some seriously delicious food, Dr. Morell and his staff walked us through a few of the key products in the Di Morelli Skin Care line aimed at targeting certain key concerns like anti-aging and brightening. Dr. Morell explained why he decided on which ingredients to include in each product, which I should also note are 100% Canadian developed, manufactured, and warehoused.

Since I am especially concerned with sun protection, it was interesting to learn about the differences between basic drugstore sunscreens, which only protect the skin from UVB rays (burning) versus cosmeceutical sunscreens, which also protect the skin from UVA rays (a cause of premature aging).

SPF 35 is made with micronized zinc oxide to protect against both UVA and UVB, and dries to a matte finish, making it an acceptable base for makeup. I have been using this daily and I like it a lot although it does smell like your typical sunscreen (no fancy scents... it's all business with this one).

I can't wait to try out more products from Di Morelli and lucky for us all, the brand is now available at Nordstrom Vancouver.

Crazy for Chloe

Figured I'd break out my birthday present to myself (a.k.a. my new boots) for the first time this weekend for a day of shopping and eating with some friends. Paired with this handbag, I found myself perfectly accessorized with all things Chloe.

Sweater: Talula (Aritzia) / Jeans: FRAME (similar style)

Boots: Chloe (here) / Bag: Chloe (here)

Ballerina

A while back, I posted these flats on my Instagram, which are obviously inspired by the much more expensive Miu Miu ones. Growing up, I actually took ballet lessons for a number of years at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (little known fact: I grew up in Winnipeg) and although those dance years are long behind me, I still have a soft spot for anything ballerina-inspired.

Sweater: Papaya / Crop Top (layered under): Wilfred Free (Aritzia)
Pants: Babaton (Aritzia) / Shoes: Zara
Bag: Miu Miu (in orange) / Sunglasses: Polette (c/o)

Chloe Susanna Boots

The first iteration of the Chloe Susanna Boots (then called the "Susan") first came out in 2008 and I've been waffling over them ever since. On one hand, I couldn't tell if they were too over the top and maybe a little bit "country" which is not my style at all; on the other hand, I was somehow inexplicably drawn to them.

Over the past 5 years or so, booties have become an absolutely integral part of my Fall/Winter wardrobe (for example, my Alexander Wang Kori Oxfords are now well-worn and my Vince Yarrow booties bought in January are getting there too) so I finally decided to bite the bullet. With the gold hardware, these are definitely a unique addition to my shoe closet.

These were also a birthday present to myself since I just turned 30 on Monday (ugh... I still can't believe I'm no longer in my twenties). As you guys know, I typically buy myself something from my lust list each year. Last year it was my Burberry trench coat and the year before that it was my Proenza Schouler PS11.

Since purchasing my Chloe Marcie bag I've kind of become obsessed with all things Chloe so these were an easy pick. Plus, what else would you expect from a girl with a shopping addiction who's looking to take the sting away from getting older? Retail therapy is the answer, obviously.

The Perfect Texturized Ponytail with MoroccanOil and Hair Slinky by La Vita Glam

Since my hair is so fine and straight (seeing it in its natural state is a rare occurrence), if I want to wear my hair up (another rare occurrence), creating a ton of texture is key. Without it, all I've got is a very sad looking ponytail. It was thus rather fortuitous that I was sent some products from MoroccanOil a few months back, which allowed me to come up with this routine for the perfect texturized ponytail.

After showering, I dispense a golf ball sized amount of the MoroccanOil Beach Wave Mousse, concentrating from mid-length down to the ends. You can let your hair air dry if you've got the time but to speed things up, I blow dry with my diffuser attachment on. Since my hair is so slippery, this mousse adds a good amount of texture without feeling gritty (though you can definitely feel that there's some sort of product in it).

To create a bit more volume, I like to add some random curls with my ghd 1" styler. Next, I use the MoroccanOil Dry Texture Spray, lifting my hair at the roots and spritzing. I like this spray because it definitely adds texture but doesn't seem to leave a lot of product buildup like the mousse.

Finally, for a more piecey look, I rub a little bit of MoroccanOil Texture Clay on my hair ends. I think this clay is probably intended for shorter hair styles as it's considered a unisex product but it works for this purpose as well.

To secure my hair up these days I have been using the Hair Slinky by La Vita Glam. These probably look familiar to you as I'm pretty sure I've seen key chains that look like this. However, you can also use them for your hair! The company claims they're creaseless and won't cause breakage when you pull them out. Plus, the bigger ones can double as bracelets which is kind of fun.

I like the idea of the Hair Slinky but don't love how visible they can look when they're in your hair -- just my personal preference. As such, I've been opting for the smaller sized ones since they're not as noticeable when worn (I'm wearing the small brown one in the picture below). Another pro tip: if your Hair Slinky stretches out, which is inevitable, you can drop it in a cup of hot water and it will shrink back down. Apparently blow drying works the same too.

A Hint of Skin

I wore this exact same outfit to the Rihanna Anti World Tour 2016 back in April after debating over a number of different ones in the days leading up to the concert. This skirt ended up sealing the deal for me... after all, clearly I have a thing for mesh details (see here, for example). In fact, what I realized afterwards was that this just ended up being the "night out" version of one of my work looks!

Crop Top: Wilfred Free (Aritzia) / Skirt: Forever 21

Shoes: Valentino (here) / Clutch: Rachel Zoe

MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Rouge Lipsticks

A fun package showed up in my mailbox a few weeks ago and inside was a selection of the new MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Rouge Lipsticks. With 45 shades (14 matte and 31 cream) plus a dizzying array of colours, I can already tell this lipstick line is going to be a hit.

In keeping with MUFE's minimalist look, each lipstick comes housed in a black and silver metal tube. If you recall my post on the Andreja Pejić Eyeshadow Palette, you'll see the same packaging concept carries over here. As usual, it's no frills and no fuss with a focus on extensive shade range and quality product instead.

These lipsticks feature 25% more pigments than the Rouge Artist Intense line, which was MUFE's last generation of full-coverage lipstick (featured here). As you'll see from my swatches below, the colours are intensely vivid. Each one is also specially formulated for comfort and long wear, while the tear drop shaped tip is designed to make application easy without needing a lip brush.

My sampler provided me with a good range of shades to play with.. you can really see that there's something here for everyone. Artist Rouge was launched in collaboration with electro-pop duo Icona Pop, so there are a few limited edition ones to look out for as well!

(L-R: C105, C211, M401, C502, C603, C506)

C105 (Grege Beige) is a pale pinky nude. I'm always drawn to this type of shade even though it has a tendency to look corpse-like on most skin tones. For something more wearable, there is C211 (Rose Wood), a perfect blend of pink and brown hues which MUFE touts as universally flattering on all skin tones. And then of course there is the classic matte red in M401 (Hot Red by Icona Pop).

If you're looking for more unique and interesting colours, C502 (Taupe Violet) is a matte pale lavender. Or, for the more adventurous, there is C603 (Midnight Blue by Icona Pop), a teal blue. I've noticed this seems to be a hot shade for lipstick these days and am glad I finally have one of my own even though I'm not sure where I would ever wear this. For something in-between, C506 (Dark Purple) is a deep berry/wine which is always a Fall/Winter staple.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Rouge Lipstick retails for $27 CAD each and can be found at Sephora.