The Body Shop #ComeGiftWithMe

Last week I was invited on a fun VIP store visit to The Body Shop in Pacific Centre to learn all about their holiday offerings (thanks Heather!) and simply could not wait to share with you all.

This year's theme is all about playfulness with a portion of proceeds going towards the Peace Play Project in Lebanon, a fund that provides play and activities in a safe place for Syrian refugee children. All the seasonal gift packaging is interactive in some way; some gift boxes feature word searches and mazes while others like the Dial-A-Flavour Body Butter Trio ($15 CAD) have an arrow that you can spin to pick which one you're going to use.

For lip balm fans, you need to get your hands on the Kiss and Tell Born Lippy Wand ($18 CAD) or the House of Holland x The Body Shop Kiss Me Cube ($20 CAD). That's right -- The Body Shop has teamed up with House of Holland, the iconic British fashion line, on the colourful prints used on some of the limited edition holiday sets. I'm particularly obsessed with the House of Holland x The Body Shop Wonder Cube ($60 CAD), which is seriously fun to play with and features a different beauty surprise in each numbered compartment.

There are three limited edition holiday scents as well: Frosted Plum, Vanilla Chai, and Frosted Berries. I really like the hand creams, but you can find these scents in a range of products and gift sets. For something super special, the Festive Tin ($28 CAD) is modelled after a round ornament, while the Tin Of Delights ($45 CAD) is larger and shaped like a hatbox.

If you've got someone on your wishlist who loves a particular scent from The Body Shop's regular line (Satsuma, anyone?), a pre-packaged gift set is definitely the way to go. They come in a few sizes to fit your budget and are a great option if you aren't really sure what to buy someone on your list. The smaller sets make excellent stocking stuffers, Secret Santa gifts, or presents for your coworkers. Check out the Gift Cube ($10 CAD) and Gift Pouch ($15 CAD), which are apparently quite popular.

What I'm personally most excited about, however, is the Countdown to New Year! Advent Calendar ($69 CAD). Most of us are used to the typical advent calendars which count down from December 1 to Christmas (The Body Shop has some great ones), but this is the first advent calendar I've seen that counts down from Christmas Day to New Years Day.

Housed in a colourful star, each triangular box contains a product aimed at prepping you for any NYE parties you might be attending; for example, the Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Face Mask and Gold and Pink Glitter Dust for sparkle.

Find all The Body Shop holiday items in-store or online.

Riding Around

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already gotten a peek at these pictures taken from what was probably my last bike ride of the year. Given the weather, I really don't think I'll be hopping back on for a spin until it's warmer and drier (basically Spring 2017). This is also the first time I'm featuring my new bike, which you may recall I picked up this summer as an addition to my beloved city cruiser. As you can see, it's totally different and my need to own two different bicycles was absolutely justified ;)

Hoodie: American Apparel (here) / Leather Jacket: Mackage

Leggings: Adidas (here) / Shoes: Adidas

Keep it 100

I alluded to an upcoming vacation in this recent post and wow, it's already time for me to jet off once again. Where am I going? Europe -- London, Budapest, and Vienna, to be exact! If you've been following my blog since the beginning, you may recall that I was last in Europe a few years ago visiting London, Paris, and Rome. European vacations are always fun and I'm especially looking forward to exploring two cities I've never been to.

I'll be taking a brief blogging hiatus while I'm away but you should still be able to catch me on Instagram... coincidentally where I originally posted this outfit a few weeks ago. Turns out I had a whole series of photos from this day!

Sweater: TNA (Aritzia) / Leggings: Lululemon / Jacket: Mackage

Bag: Proenza Schouler (here) / Shoes: Nike (here) / Hat: Golden State Warriors

Sneakers & Platform Oxfords

My Monthly Must-Reads girls and I have teamed up this month for a reunion post (it's been a few years since we last posted together) to discuss our favourite Spring trends. If you've seen my outfits you'll know I don't straight up follow trends and I also don't wear much colour so instead I have decided to share two types of shoes I've been loving this season.

First up: sneakers! I am especially happy that they have made a comeback... not that they have ever been "out" per se... Obviously sneakers and runners have a utilitarian function, but there's no denying that it's become much more mainstream for people to now wear them outside of the gym. I wear my black Nike Frees a ton, both to work out and as casual wear, and I recently picked up a pair of Nike Air Max Theas.

Another shoe trend I've recently gotten on board with are platform oxfords/brogues. They give height but are comfier than stilettos, and I think look great with menswear-inspired looks. These Nine West Vinata Lace-Up Oxfords (c/o) are a reasonably-priced alternative to the popular Stella McCartney platform oxfords we've been seeing around since last Fall, and they come in a range of colours apart from this black/pewter combo.

• Alison*Elle - Alison has been embracing 2015 with a helpful reminder from this love wall.
• Beautygirl24 - Noelle discovers her favorite Express camisole comes in a Spring-worthy floral print. 
• Ella Pretty - Zeba was super-excited to get a full page feature in a Canadian magazine!
• Fifth & Bloor -  Mehreen is loving her extremely ripped jeans! She talks about how to style them here.
• Love, Lipstick & Pearls - Kristen just announced Baby #2 and shared some pregnancy updates.
• Schnelle Couture -  Danielle discusses her new hair care finds.
• Sequins and Stilettos - Skylette channeled her inner Betty Draper with this dress for spring.

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

Insta-Life / Insta-Beauty

Can you believe it's already August? I feel like time has just flown by. Since things were so busy at the beginning of summer (my trip to Hawaii, moving, work, and life in general), I'm really hoping to make the most of what's left. So while I'm relaxing this long weekend (Happy BC Day!), here's a recap of what I've been up to lately...

Early birthday present from my boyfriend: Biria CitiBike 700C Step-Through 7 Speed... just need to get a wicker basket!

A little something from Louis Vuitton: monogram vernis key pouch in Pomme D'Amour

Adding some fun to my drink with these heart-shaped ice cubes

Gorgeous trees during a hike at Lynn Valley in North Vancouver

Kamei Baru grand opening party

Warming up with some ramen on a cool summer night

Last month I also introduced a new "Insta-Beauty" round-up blog feature, and have another set of products that I've been experimenting with to share with you all.

Firstly, Revlon's #DareToWearBlue campaign presented the fun challenge of creating a bold blue eye look with the PhotoReady Primer + Shadow palette in Avant Garde plus a few other products. The Lash Potion mascara comes in some of the prettiest mascara packaging I've ever seen but unfortunately the formula is too wet to hold a curl in my straight Asian lashes. The PhotoReady Kajal Intense Eye Liner + Brightener pencils are double-ended so that you can line with the darker side and use the lighter side on your water line. I've been loving blue liner lately so I particularly like Blue Nile.

Schick recently introduced their new Hydro Silk Disposables, a disposable version of their popular Hydro Silk Razor (which I previously reviewed here). These razors are almost identical to the originals, featuring the same moisture-replenishing benefits and Water-Activated Moisturizing Serum, except they have the added bonus of convenience/portability. The next time I travel somewhere these will definitely be my razors of choice.

Another exciting nail polish launch is on its way this September from AVON as well. Urban Splatter will feature six sheer colours with matte black & white flecks that can be worn alone or over another nail polish. The bases are quite sheer so I prefer to layer these but they're an interesting take on the standard glitter polish. They actually remind me a lot of the Maybelline ColorShow Polka Dots collection I've been seeing a lot of lately.

As always, don't forget to follow me on Instagram if you're not doing so already! My username is @alison_elle.

Insta-Beauty: AVON Fiji Paradise, Lise Watier Something Sweet & Sun Destination, Montagne Jeunesse Clay Spa Masks, London Drugs Fall Cosmetics Preview, and Philosophy Turn Back Time

In reviewing some of my recent Instagram snapshots, a common theme emerged: beauty, beauty, and more beauty. So without further ado, here's a product-themed round-up!

Summer collections, as I mentioned in this post, have been simply amazing this year and AVON Fiji Paradise is no exception. I've especially been loving the All-Over Face Powder (a gorgeous gradient blush) and the new Speed Dry+ Nail Enamels (Teal Appeal is the perfect pedi colour).

Lise Watier, one of my favourite Canadian brands, has also been churning out some really interesting products lately. Their new perfume, Something Sweet, is a gourmand scent that's actually quite fresh at the same time. The fragrance is exclusive to Shoppers Drug Mart, with a roll-on set to be released next month. Rounding out the collection is the adorable macaron-inspired Sweet Lips lip balm which comes in three flavours: Berries, Chocolate, and Pistachio. Yum!

To keep my Hawaiian tan alive, I've been using Lise Watier's limited edition Sun Destination Collection. The Sun Bronzing Powder is gigantic and reminiscent of some much more expensive Guerlain bronzers, plus the Illuminating Bronzing Gel mixes well with makeup bases to give a nice glow.

Montagne Jeunesse, a drugstore staple brand, has been my go-to for skin pampering lately. The new Clay Spa masques are infused into natural bamboo fabric to allow for deep cleaning without the typical mess (once you're done, the clay gently lifts away with the fabric). Supplementing these masques is the new Exotic Fruits collection, which contains "freshly squeezed" ingredients and smells delicious.

In addition to testing out all of these wonderful products, I've also been busy attending a few fun beauty events/product launches. Here's a peek at what I've been up to...


London Drugs Fall Cosmetics Preview

London Drugs sure knows how to throw a party, as those of us invited to their Fall Cosmetics Preview quickly found out. Whisked away on helicopters, we were flown to a private airplane hangar where we got the scoop on the upcoming product launches at London Drugs (trust me when I say there's a lot to get excited about).

Representatives from many different beauty brands were present to give makeovers, tips, and demos. We also got a chance to play with the new products before they even hit the shelves. For a beauty blogger, this was seriously like being a kid in a candy store!

Here are just a few of the things you can look forward to seeing at London Drugs over the next few months:

Mineral Fusion nail polish, NYX, Maybelline

Revlon Skinlights, Cargo Water Resistant Blush in Ibiza, Maybelline Fit Me Stick Foundation, Layla Pro Nail Polish, Annabelle Twist Up Lipstick

Philosophy Turn Back Time

Last week, I also attended the launch of Philosophy's latest product, Time in a Bottle. This age-defying serum is formulated with a breakthrough DNA renewal complex and high-potency vitamin C8 activator (which you mix in yourself using a mini funnel). I'm consistently impressed with Philosophy so I can't wait to try out this product.

Phew, that was a jam-packed post! Be sure to follow me on Instagram for more of my beauty updates - my username is @alison_elle.

Insta-Calgary to Vancouver

Once again, I've let a ton of time pass since my last Instagram update (some of these photos are from Calgary and I've already been home for 2 months if you can believe it). Nonetheless, here are some snapshots of what I've been up to:

Winter snowstorms in Calgary made bearable with my trusty Sorel boots

White Chocolate Mousse Cake from Brûlée for my last day at the Calgary office

This did not taste like banana bread and I am still not a beer drinker

Snowshoeing at Cypress Mountain

Eggel and latka for breakfast at Solly's

Previewing the new Gorilla perfumes at LUSH Cosmetics (Sun is my favourite!)

Follow-up on my workout wishlist: I ended up with these grey/pink Nike Free Run v4 shoes

White chocolate and raspberry cheesecake at Trees

Karaoke = one of my favourite activities because I like pretending I'm a popstar

Brunch at Forage, a local & sustainable restaurant

For more snippets from my everyday life and updates in real time, find me on Instagram at @alison_elle.