Shopping | Style Blog | Canadian Fashion and Lifestyle News

Beauty: CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Summer 2017 Launches

25 July, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

If you’re a fan of the glowing “no makeup” makeup look, do I have great news for you! CHANEL has just released the new Les Beiges Healthy Glow Gel Touch Foundation ($70) and it’s fantastic if you’re into dewy, glowy, fresh skin that actually looks like skin. This foundation is lightweight, but buildable if you want more coverage, doesn’t get cakey, and gives your skin a boost of hydration (it’s made up of 56% water and loaded with hyaluronic acid). The recently-released Retractable Foundation Brush ($65) is the perfect tool to apply this gel foundation, with soft, angled bristles, it’s great for daily application and on-the-go touch-ups.

Along with the foundation, CHANEL has also released two new shades of Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Stick ($53) – shades that can go from summer to fall and add just the right amount of sheer colour to any makeup look. The creamy, velvety stick makes it very easy to apply – it’s virtually mistake-proof!

Lastly, I am obsessed with CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette ($70) – it is the perfect neutral palette for everyday, natural eye makeup. It goes on silky and sheer when dry, and can be intensified by layering, or used as an eyeliner when applied with a wet brush. If your haircolour is on the lighter side, you can also use this palette as a brow intensifier…alas, my brows are too dark, so I’ll be using it for my daily eye makeup instead.

Have you tried the new CHANEL Les Beiges launches? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Beauty: Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick

18 July, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

Last week, I attended the launch of the new Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick at Chocolates X Brandon Olsen (literally my fave chocolates in the city!). Before learning more about the collection, we had the chance to make our very own chocolate bars with cocoa butter in lovely shades of Bite’s lippies. Suited up in our Bite Beauty lab coats, we got down and dirty with cocoa butter, dark chocolate, hazelnuts, and other delicious ingredients, to make our dream chocolate bars.

Once our creations were put in the fridge to harden, Bite Beauty Founder Susanne Langmuir introduced us to the new lipstick collection. Just like the chocolates we were making, Bite Beauty liquid lipsticks are created by hand in small batches in Toronto, using natural ingredients like monoi butter and coconut oil, which leave lips feeling healthy and nourished. The new liquid lipsticks have a semi-glaze (satiny) finish and come in 12 highly-pigmented modern shades with fun names like Braised, Flambé, Eclair, and Marsala. After trying a couple of shades, I am so impressed with how rich and long-wearing the pigments are, and unlike with other liquid lipsticks, my lips don’t feel dry or sticky during and after wearing Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick, on the contrary, they feel nice and hydrated! And while I already have quite a sizeable collection of lip products, the liquified lipstick shades are just so good, I’ll be wearing Flambé and Candied throughout the summer and Marsala, Braised, and Whip come fall.

Are you excited about Bite Beauty’s new liquified lipsticks? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More photos after the jump!
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ERDEM X H&M Collection Is Coming This November!

13 July, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

So excited right now!!! It was just officially announced that ERDEM x H&M Collection is hitting the stores on November 2nd, and I hope you are ready for line-up madness, because this collection looks LIT! Sorry, I don’t usually use words like “lit”, but I simply had to. A dreamy Baz Luhrmann teaser film was released today, and you can catch glimpses of the collection in it – the signature Erdem florals, a leopard print faux fur coat, printed silk PJs, pleats, and more. I can’t wait to see the lookbook and make my shopping wishlist…I anticipate that I’ll be adding a few party frocks (and that printed PJ set) to my closet come November.

The ERDEM x H&M collection will also mark the first time that the Canadian-born, London-based designer will be creating a menswear collection. “I’m so happy to collaborate with H&M, and to explore my work on a whole new scale including a menswear collection which I have never done before. It’s also such a thrill to work with Baz Luhrmann, on of the most important storytellers of our time”, says Erdem.

As a huge fan of Erdem Moralioglu and his designs, I am now super excited for November! Are you? Share in the comments.

Photo Credits: H&M

Shopping: The Best of Shopbop’s Summer Sale

31 May, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

Sale season is in full effect, and I am finally pulling the trigger on all of those “wishlist” items that I’ve been diligently bookmarking/hearting/saving on my computer and phone. And no one does the wishlists better than Shopbop. And while I’ve already picked up a few of my summer must-haves, I thought I’d share some of my fave summer vacation essentials that are currently available on Shopbop at steep discounts. From the adorable Charlotte Olympia watermelon tote, to the chic and timeless Victoria Beckham striped dress, these are the pieces you didn’t know you needed this summer.

The deals are really hard to resist, so proceed with caution!

Shop after the jump!
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Shopping: Orlebar Brown at Holt Renfrew

26 May, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

It may not look like it, but summer is on its way, and with it, sunny days by the lake/ocean/inflatable pool in your backyard. And while women usually have a wide variety of options available to them for such occasions – from cute bikinis to stylish one-piece swimwear, men’s swimsuits are usually limited to those ubiquitously unattractive board shorts in loud (and often unattractive) patterns. Well, British label Orlebar Brown is aiming to fix that gap by offering a wide selection of very stylish swim trunks for men – ones your significant other can wear to the beach and to the nearby restaurant with ease.

Last week, Holt Renfrew hosted an intimate dinner to celebrate the Orlebar Brown pop-up at the flagship store on Bloor St with founder Adam Brown as the guest of honour. Brown revealed that having a pop-up at Holt Renfrew was a bit of a dream come true, as the Canadian store was on his short list of retailers when the label first launched. Brown himself is a great spokesperson for the brand (charming, sophisticated, and impeccably dressed), and can be seen wearing the label in numerous Instagram snaps from various exotic destinations, along with photos of his two adorable dogs Arthur and Rudi.

And while the Orlebar Brown pop-up shop offers plenty of styles and prints to choose from, I love the brand’s “Design Your Own“ service. Apparently, family photos and snaps of pets are the most popular, but pretty much anything can be turned into a pair of one-of-a-kind swim shorts. Oh, and every pair of swim shorts comes with a 5-year guarantee!

The Orlebar Brown pop-up will be available until September 4th as part of Holt Renfrew’s Cool Summer concept shop on Bloor St. Happy Shopping!

Photo Credits: Holt Renfrew and George Pimentel Photography

What I Wore: The First Long Weekend in May

18 May, 2017 Nelia 3 Comments

Victoria Day long weekend is just around the corner and for many Canadians this weekend marks the beginning of cottage season. While le bf and I aren’t cottage-owners, our usual Victoria Day long weekend plans involve packing our bags, renting a car, and driving to a hotel in Gravenhurst for a few days of sunshine, hiking, and swimming. Depending on the weather, my packing list for these trips is fairly uncomplicated – sweatshirts and comfy denim for chilly evenings, a dress or two for dinners out, a swimsuit, sunglasses, my fave HBC beach towels, beauty essentials, and a couple of easy to pack Tide PODS for clean laundry in a pinch (no musty towels for us!).

And since Victoria Day is the unofficial kick-off to cottage season, I partnered up with Tide to share the Cottage Laundry Care Guide for any upcoming weekend getaways you may have planned. Check it out after the jump!

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What I Wore: #BeNice

14 May, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

With Canada turning 150 this year, Roots has created the #BeNice campaign to celebrate Canadians who make this country a better place to live. You can nominate someone who deserves the title of Canada’s Nicest Person by sharing your stories on Facebook or Instagram and tagging @rootscanada with hashtags #BeNice and #RootsIsCanada. Canadian Olympic Champion Adam Van Koeverden will select the top 10 finalists, and it will then be up to the public to vote for who they believe is the nicest. The winner will be announced on June 20th, and will be recognized with a $10,000 donation to his or her charity of choice.

“We want to acknowledge those who embody Canadian nice – the kind of nice that takes guts, courage and strength,” says Van Koeverden. “We’re calling on Canadians to nominate nice and let us know who goes above and beyond to champion what they believe in to really make a difference.”

And while we’re on the topic of “nice”, Roots has also created the nice Button set ($3), with 100% of profits benefiting WE’s Indigenous Youth Empowerment Programming. For more info on Roots’ #BeNice campaign, upcoming events, celebrations, and art installations check out www.roots.com/nice!

More after the jump!
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CHANEL Resort 2018 Collection – Modernity of Antiquity

10 May, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

I’ve been meaning to write about the CHANEL Cruise 2018 show for a few days now, but life and work got in the way…until now. Unlike many of the CHANEL resort shows, this year’s Modernity of Antiquity collection was presented in Paris instead of the destination which inspired the designs. But of course, that just meant that the Grand Palais was transformed into Karl’s vision of Ancient Greece, complete with weathered columns and crumbling rocks, sparse greenery, and a headless statue of Venus (a copy of Coco Chanel’s own statue that I was lucky to see at her rue Cambon apartment in Paris). The collection itself was both very true to the spirit of CHANEL, but with many subtle (and not to subtle) nods to its Hellenic inspirations.

The palette consisted of neutrals and blues, punctuated by pops of gold. It’s not my personal preference when it comes to clothing, but I did appreciate the intricate vine embroidery and vase-inspired prints. Traditional CHANEL tweeds were transformed into chic togas, strappy heels had Greek columns for heels, and plenty of covet-worthy jewels were on display – from dainty chokers to stacked cuffs and armbands. Standout accessories included a gold coin clutch, gilded laurel leaf sunglasses (NEED!!!), and statement belts, though my personal favourite was probably the metallic backpack in what appeared to be pleated leather. Just like with the CHANEL Cuba collection, I predict the CC logo t-shirt to become yet another best-seller, both wearable and so uniquely CHANEL.

What did you think about CHANEL Cruise 2018 collection? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More photos after the jump!
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What They Wore: Fogo Island Shop Event at Holt Renfrew

18 April, 2017 Nelia 4 Comments

I’ve been loving Holt Renfrew’s H Project pop up shops for a while now, but I’m particularly obsessed with everything H Project’s Uncrate Canada has to offer, including the new Fogo Island pop up offerings. Last week, I attended an event hosted by Alexandra Weston in honour of Holt Renfrew’s Fogo Island pop up shop with special guest, Zita Cobb, Founder of the Fogo Island Inn and CEO of the Shorecast Foundation.

Speaking to the attendees, Zita Cobb referred to patchwork quilts as a “perfect metaphor for everything we are doing here. This little patch could be Fogo Island…one patch alone will not keep you warm in the winter. If you figure out how to stich yourself to the other patches and keep stitching and stitching, you have a quilt…..I want to say to Alexandra and your team, you are really wonderful stitchers. Thank you so much for stitching us in.”

The Fogo Island pop up will be available at Holt Renfrew Bloor Street (with some pieces available online) until early May and will stock a variety of vibrant quilts, delicious artisanal jams, and handcrafted home decor – all made on Fogo Island. So if you are looking for a unique gift with meaning, make sure to stop by and shop this lovely collection while you still can. And while you’re at it, check out the rest of Holt Renfrew’s Uncrate Canada offerings – I am obsessed with the Obakki and Laura Siegel dresses they have in stores right now.

More after the jump!
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Shopping: Shopbop Spring 2017 Sale!

11 April, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

Spring is officially here and it’s time to update your wardrobe for those warm days ahead, which is why Shopbop’s Event of the Season Sale could not have come at a better time! Until this Friday, get up to 25% off your purchase with promo code EVENT17…even sale items are included! And to help you narrow down your options, below are my top 5 must haves to add to your wardrobe this spring. From a comfy pair of fancy mules that add a little something to any outfit, to a pair of well-fitting jeans that show off your best assets, these items will serve you well for months (and years) to come!

What are you top 5 spring must-haves? Share in the comments!

1. Fancy Mules

2. Gingham Style

3. Fun Sunnies

4. Cool Denim

5. Roomy Tote