You Are Loved

I go for brunch pretty much every weekend and this is a typical casual look for me (I live in Vancouver so yes, I admittedly wear Lululemon leggings as pants). My Mezzi Mini Cosima bag makes the perfect companion as well... I love how it has a built-in charger and Bluetooth speaker, not to mention it's super cute in this tiny size.

P.S. I am getting laser eye surgery this afternoon so will be taking a brief blogging hiatus until I can see again. Fingers crossed for a speedy and pain-free recovery!

Top: Free People / Leggings: Lululemon / Coat: Ever New

Bag: Mezzi (here) / Shoes: New Balance (here)

Lisa Q of Sweden Velvet Chokers & Bling Strings

Although I have been avoiding most of the 90s fashion resurgence with a few exceptions (my mini backpack, for example), I have to admit that I did jump back on the choker bandwagon. While I refuse to don one of those tattoo necklaces that were integral to my grade 6 wardrobe, there are some styles that I have actually really been loving.

Lisa Q of Sweden sent me a few chokers to style and I wanted to share them with you since they are a Canadian brand (based in Burlington, Ontario) and are super cute as well!

The Dazzle Velvet Choker ($32 CAD), which I received in Midnight Blue, is a thin velvet choker with silver plated metal rings. It ties on and you can wear it two different ways: with the rings showing for a glam look or turned around so it's just the velvet for a more understated look.

For something more casual, Lisa Q of Sweden offers Bling Strings which are basically faux suede cords that you can tie around your neck in all sorts of different combinations. They come in a variety of colours and lengths, as well as some with crystals and beaded adornments.

Above, I'm wearing the Glow Bling String ($15 CAD), which is the shortest length. It's still long enough to tie a bow though I personally prefer it worn the second way I've shown or flipped around so it looks like a simple cord.

I like how versatile and inexpensive these pieces are for something so on-trend. All of the brand's products are nickel, lead and cadmium free too which is great for someone with as many allergies as me. If you're looking for a last minute present for a fellow fashionista, shop online by Dec. 21 (Ontario) or Dec. 19 (rest of Canada) to get them in time for Christmas!

Holiday Gift Sets from Burt's Bees and Fresh

The Christmas countdown is officially on and I wanted to share a few gift sets with you that I received from PR in case you're still stumped for ideas. I personally think you can't go wrong with a beauty or skincare gift set -- after all, who doesn't love sampling products? Plus, they're usually wrapped up in cute packaging to invoke some holiday cheer.

Burt's Bees, for example, has a ton of great gift sets under $25 featuring a selection of their natural skincare products and lip balms.

The Burt's Bees Face Essentials set retails for just $22.99 CAD and includes: Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream, Peach & Willow Bark Deep Pore Scrub, Facial Cleansing Towelettes with White Tea Extract, and a Coconut & Pear Moisturizing Lip Balm (my favourite Burt's Bees lip balm other than their classic one).

I've already covered stocking stuffer ideas, but another great pick is the Burt's Bees Beeswax Bounty which comes in a cute giftable snowflake box for $12.99 CAD. There's a version which features four of Burt's Bees classic Vitamin E & Peppermint lip balms, and then this Assorted Mix which includes the Vitamin E & Peppermint, Vanilla Bean, Pomegranate, and Mango. Yum!

I'm also loving the above Fresh Rose Skincare Ritual: Daily Essentials ($78) set. You get a tube of Soy Face Cleanser, small tub of Hydrating Gel Eye Cream, a tub of Rose Face Mask, and a bottle of Rose Floral Toner. They're all travel-sized as well -- perfect for the skincare loving jet-setter on your list.

If you've got more money to spend on a present, Fresh's holiday packaging is always on point and they're offering a wide selection of curated skincare and lip products. For example, (this amazing lip treatment I reviewed a few years ago is back again (in a new iteration) for $70.

FOTD: Teeez Cosmetics Fashion Vendetta Collection

I was recently sent a number of products from Teeez Cosmetics, a European makeup brand hailing from the Netherlands. Inspired by global runway trends, Teeez releases four new fashion-inspired collections every year with its latest one being the Fashion Vendetta Collection.

The first thing I noticed when I opened up my package was obviously the packaging. I mean, we all know I'm a sucker for packaging and there is no denying that these products are seriously gorgeous.

While the compacts are made with a typical shiny plastic, the lip products feature a more nubby matte feel (think NARS) which makes my tactile-loving self unable to stop touching them. Hmm... does that sound a little creepy?

The Fashion Vendetta Collection also features three different types of lip products to choose from depending on your favourite finish: Material Girl (creamy and hydrating), Read My Lips (satin matte), and Serial Lip Stain (a true matte).

I couldn't wait to play with everything so pulled together an easy but glowy makeup look. On my eyes, I am wearing the To Die For Eyeshadow Quad in "Cinnamon Revolution" which is truly the perfect set of neutrals. These shadows have a harder texture which left me a little concerned that they wouldn't apply well but, once on, you can see that they are actually quite pigmented.

Since I'm not a big fan of looking shiny I rarely wear highlighters, but I couldn't resist the Style Addict Highlighter in "Berlin Sunrise". It's a lightweight cream with micro pearlized pigments so the result really does leave you with a nice radiant glow.

To finish off, I went with the Serial Lip Stain in "Faux Pas". If you like matte opaque lip colours, you need to try this lip stain! Although I could feel it drying on my lips after application (you know that kind of tightening feeling you get with matte lip products?), it actually was very comfortable once on and I didn't feel like my lips were too dry throughout the day. 

In Canada, Teeez Cosmetics are available exclusively at select Hudson's Bay stores and thebay.com.

Imbue Goods Skin Recovery Mists

I spent last week up in northern BC for a hearing, which means my skin took a bit of a beating from the cold, freezing fog, and snow. Conducting a hearing is also a stressful time so I was glad to come home to this set of skin recovery mists from local Vancouver brand, Imbue Goods.

These skin recovery mists are made with a blend of distilled water, Rose Water, Vitamin E and various essential oils and can be used for a wide variety of purposes: setting makeup, as a calming mist at work, pre/post workout, as a hydrating travel mist, pre-bed ritual etc. I have personally been using these mists to revive my skin from the aforementioned harsh Winter weather and love how lightweight and refreshing they feel on my face.

Plus, as I've written before, I am a huge fan of aromatherapy and there really is nothing better than a good scent to lift your spirits. Imbue Goods currently offers 4 blends to choose from:

Lust  - Essential Oils of Orange, Patchouli, Rosewood, Indian Neroli, Bergamot, Cardamon, Cedarwood, Champa & Vetiver. This is a smoky, woody floral.
Soothe - Essential Oils of Bergamot, Grapefruit White, Lavender, Marjoram, Tea Tree, Spearmint & Chamomile. Reminiscent of a mojito, this is minty, cool, and calming.
Muse - Essential Oils of Grapefruit, Bergamot, Orange, Lime & Mandarin. Like a Gin & Tonic, this has refreshing citrus notes.
Heaven - Essential Oils of Tangerine, Jasmine, Rose, Neroli, Ylang Ylang, Vanilla & Lime. Summery and fresh like a French 75 cocktail.

It's hard for me to pick a favourite since I really like them all but I think I like Muse the most. A 60 mL bottle retails for $22 CAD, or pick up the full set for $78 CAD on imbuegoods.com.