Month: March 2016

My 2 holy grails <3

If I was stranded on an island and I could only bring 2 things with me, it would be these 2 babies. So in love with them because they offer me endless and unconditional love and hydration, hello!!! This is why I love them and will continue to repurchase them…unless I find something better (I kinda doubt that).

Product #1
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The first product I cannot live without is Avene’s Cicalfate Repair Cream. This little metal tube of white thick emollient is ready to rescue skin from any mishap. Slight burns, dry spots, over exfoliated skin, hair removal sores…the bunch.

This potent cream has anti-bacterial agents that encourage healing, which is amazing to protect irritated skin. It is also perfect for sensitive skin because it is fragrance and paraben free. Its combination of copper sulfate and zinc sulfate reduces the risk of bacterial proliferation. Let me tell you that it is super super soothing to those who have fragile skin.

It was recommended to me by the allergist after going through endless creams to help protect and sooth my irritated, allergic skin (especially my eyelids..thank you contact dermatitis :(..blah!). Now, I cannot live without this baby, especially when I have bad eczema outbreaks. Thankfully this hydrates my skin without causing further damage or breakouts.

The CICALFATE CREAM is formulated for dry irritations in adults, children, and infants. It can be applied on skin or parts such as the lip (I have used it a few times as lip balm) or nostril (especially when you have a cold). This tube was about 20-30$ at the pharmacy and it lasts for a long time because a little goes a long way. This price is really not bad for a skin savior (superman in a metal tube)….

Product #2
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This little tube is magical and wonderful and just all over fabulous. Bite’s agave lip mask is the answer to your chapped, irritated lips. When going on long flights, going through the super rough cold weather or simply licking your lips way too many times a day; this mask is honestly the best thing you will ever try to combat dryness. I usually put this at night before going to bed and sleep with it. Then the next morning I wake up with super soft, subtle lips. Or sometimes, when I really really need it, I will put a very thin layer in the morning. This is a very thick mask, so when you put it in the morning, you have to be careful, because sometimes it causes you to have a white film on your lips.

Basically this tube is like the perfect friend that is always there for you when you need it most. And a little goes a long way. This tube lasts forever and costs 30$ at Sephora.

 

So, if you were stranded on an island, hypothetically speaking, what would you want to have with you?

Until next time!

Cheers xo

 

 

 

My dermapen experience!

So I have been in dire need of a facial..but one that would help reduce my scars (after a severe allergic breakout/naughty phase). I also needed a facial to give me luminosity but in a kind and gentle way. Since my skin is now super sensitive and I suffer from contact dermatitis, I have to be really careful with what I do with my face. This is when Linda came to the rescue! She is a wonderful esthetician and a great friend. I started doing hair laser removal with her and that’s when she noticed my skin getting from good to bad to worst. She suggested I take care of my skin with cleansers and gels, but also suggested I start needling (a.k.a dermapen treatment).

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Linda’s info if you are in the Montreal/Laval region. You can follow her on facebook or instagram @megalash

I was super curious to know what this was all about. When she explained and showed it to me, I kinda really panicked. The thought of having needles stab my face constantly for about an hour was not so promising nor exciting! I was totally against the idea but when my face was becoming really bad, I couldn’t help but think…what’s the worst thing that could happen?!

That’s when I booked an appointment and went for it. For those who are unaware of what dermapen is…here’s a tiny summary:
Needling is a technology that uses multiple needles (a disposable head) that vertically pierces the skin with a vibration function. This lightly punctures the skin (sounds painfullllll!!!) while moving across the skin’s surface and thus stimulates natural collagen reproduction. Along with other different benefits, this process helps and increases the absorption of active ingredients into the skin. So basically the dermapen technology creates stimulated repair and faster resurfacing results without any major downtime. There are different levels to the needle penetration depending on pain tolerance. You can also prep the skin with numbing cream. I usually go in there without any numbing cream..I mean it hurts but it’s tolerable (for me anyway).


This is what my face looked a few weeks before my treatments and so far I have had 3-4 treatments a few weeks apart:

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This is the only photo I found that actually showed my scars on my cheek and some minor breakouts on my forehead. (PS: This photo is not retouched)

I took pictures right before the session, during and right after…here they are:

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This is before I got anything done and after 2 sessions and my continuous use of my Skinceuticals’ range.

 

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After cleansing, a layer of collagen is slathered on the face to help the pen glide better and help boost the skin’s healing process. (obviously I’m excited…NOT!)
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Disgusting I know and not nearly as glamorous as Kim Kardashian’s vampire facelift. But this is what it looks like during the dermapen treatment.
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Right after wiping the blood of and hydrating the skin. It looks red and irritated but it calms down after a few minutes…promise!

Want to know what it feels like right after needling?!?!  Well, it felt like I had a bad sunburn. It felt tight and I looked red. But it wasn’t bad at all. Afterwards, you can’t wear makeup for at least 24 hours and should be gentle to your skin for several days after the treatment.

**PS: Each session costs between 100-150$ depending on your esthetician.**

To sum it all up, this is what dermapen helps you with:

-Refining pores
-Reducing scars
-Collagen induction
-Firming skin
-Reducing fine line
-Even helps reduce stretch marks

The last photo is to show you what the face looks like a day after having the treatment. Now, what’s really important after the dermapen treatment is hydrating your skin with a good and deep moisturizer. It is crucial to let you skin heel on its own and not pick at dead skin. The skin will definitely flake!!! But it doesn’t matter!! It’s part of the regenerating stage. Also, for maximum and positive results, try to avoid putting makeup a week after the session (at least). Like that, you let your skin breath and take in all the goodness without pressuring it or damaging it further more. It is okay if you have scars nor perfect skin!! The road to achieving that is it to take the time and be patient. Give your skin the necessary time to get better on its own.

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Hope this detailed post helps you in any way possible and please remember that what is good for me might not be good for the rest. So take the time to do your research and learn about what’s good for you and your skin. Find a good practitioner or esthetician you trust before you decide to go through with this treatment.

For more info and details about this process, you can visit this site.

http://www.dermapenworld.com

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!! It will be my pleasure to answer them and give you more details!

Cheers xo

Weekend outfits

The sun was out this weekend and I was super excited to go out and dress up. I am sharing with you today 3 outfits I wore for my outings around town. Hope hope you like them!!!

Look #1

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What I wore:
– Pink Tartan Coat.
– Long Zara top with high side slits.
– House of Harlow pants.
– Charles & Keith shoes.
– DCK necklace.
– Aldo sunglasses.

Look #2

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What I wore:
– Only leather bomber jacket.
– White Forver 21 top.
– Guess overalls.
– Thrifted tartan shirt.
– Adidas sneakers.
-Aldo sunglasses.

Look #3

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What I wore:
– Red Zara Coat.
– Reitmans sweater.
– Tommy Hilfiger Skinnies.
– Aldo heels.
-Simmons sunglasses.
– Calvin Klein bag.

I had so much fun dressing up this weekend…the sun definitely gave me the push I needed to be active and go out with family and friends.

Let me know in a comment below which look you liked best!

 

Cheers xo

 

 

Wanderer

This week I was feeling quite nostalgic. I have been missing my friends and my summer vacation so badly…So to get back to it a little, I decided to dress and express myself freely. I wanted my outfits to recall everything I felt while wandering the Middle East for 6 weeks. My vacation was nostalgic, romantic, exotic, scary, emotional, beautiful and most importantly super liberating. I am sharing with you some this week’s outfits and I hope you like them as much as I do.

The boho casualist
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For this outfit, I wore my favorite Zara Boho Kimono and paired it with a red top and Tommy Hilfiger high-waisted jeans. I topped this look off with a tasseled necklace, a wedged heel and a gold scarf. The beige coat is thrifted and I am super in love with the fit and feel of it. Makes me definitely feel lady-like and super chic.

The Wind Chaser

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For this outfit I wore a Forever 21 long tunic with a 90s vintage pencil skirt and topped the whole thing off with a statement necklace, orange scarf and keen-high boots. This is one of my favorite looks because I felt super gracious, feminine yet very fierce.

The Middle Eastern Princess

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If I had to pick one look to wear constantly and apologetically, it would definitely be this one. I felt amazing wearing this 90s Liz Claiborne Maxi dress. I paired this beauty with a Zara floral kimono and accessorized the whole look with a red scarf and stackable rings. The vintage necklace was the focal point of this look…but guys, let me tell you that it is the heaviest necklace I ever wore…Gosh after a couple of hours…it starts to hurt!! And As proof, here’s an extra photo of me wearing the necklace on my head after my neck gave out!! X)
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The modern day Gypsy

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For this look, I kept it simple and played more with the accessories. The main focus color was blue. I played around the gypsy look and made it my own by wearing a plain black top and skinnies, and then I combined my white Forever 21 tunic. I wore my favorite Charles & Kieth oxfords. I added a cute vintage necklace around my waist as a belt to give this outfit a bit of oomph. Then I stacked a couples of bracelets and bangles.

So that was it for this week..I had so much fun with this bohemian theme. I usually don’t follow any particular theme and I dress according to my mood. But lately, nostalgia hit me pretty hard and I just wanted to feel my feelings in the most healthy way possible! FASHION ❤ Dressing up definitely makes me happy and looking good gives me confidence.

We should always dress good!!! Not for others, but for ourselves. Hope you liked these looks! Please leave me a comment below on which look you liked best.

 

Cheers xo

 

Weekend outfits

Last weekend I took advantage of the nice sunny days to dress up for some outings in town and since I was feeling pretty confident and super happy with what I wore, I wanted to document it. For the most part of the weekend, I had to run errands and then had a dinner in a restaurant and this is what I wore:

Saturday

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What I wore:

– Retro dress
-Vintage vest
-DCK necklace
-Vince Camuto booties
-Simmons sunnies

 

 

Sunday

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What I wore:

-Thirfted jean shirt
-Reitmans sweater
-Calvin Klein marble jeans
-Vintage pearl necklace
-Vince Camuto booties
-Kate Spade sunnies
-Forever 21 Jacket

I hope you like when I share my random photos with you, it’s something I really enjoy doing and I feel like it’s a great way to share my outfits with all of you all over the world. Maybe it will inspire you to include and welcome vintage in your wardrobes.

 

Cheers xo

 

What’s for breakfast?

Having breakfast is such a hassle for me and I drag all the time!!!  Waking up in the morning and eating right away is super not appealing to me…but since I have to eat to get through my busy days and to maintain good health and body weight, I decided to find something quick and fun to eat/drink.

In this post, I am sharing with you what I usually have for breakfast on the daily; and that’s a super duper delicious smoothie. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s SUPER filling. You can choose whatever fruit you want and even add veggies to your own preference and taste buds.

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These are the ingredients I use:

-Almond Milk: 1/2 Cup
-Coconut Water: 1 1/2 Cup
-Almond Butter: 1 Tsp
-Fruits (anything you like): 1 1/2 cup
-Chia Seeds: 2 Tsp
-Flax Seed: 2 Tsp

You put the fruits (I chose bananas, strawberries and kiwi), the almond butter, the almond milk and coconut water in the blender to mix for 1 or 2 mins until fruits are smooth. Then pour your smoothie in your cup and voila! You’re done. Super simple and easy and let’s not forget amazingly tasty.

The almond milk is a good substitute for those who are lactose intolerant or those who aren’t into milk like I am. It is also beneficial to good health and skin because it has 50 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin E, which contains antioxidant properties essential to your skin’s health. It helps in muscle strength and healing because it contains plenty of B vitamins such as iron and riboflavin, both important for muscle growth and healing.

The almond butter has healthy fats and fiber. Almond butter offers cardiovascular benefits because of its fiber and fat content. Each serving of almond butter contains 18 grams of fat, made up primarily of unsaturated fatty acids. These are good fats and they help improve your blood cholesterol levels to combat cardiovascular disease, and also provide energy.

The coconut water is not only rich in essential electrolytes (calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and sodium), but it also good for good skin and hydration. It not only tastes good but it also adds benefits to your smoothie.

Fruits are obviously a good source of vitamins, energy and all the good stuff the body needs. Depending on the fruits or veggies you decide to use, the benefits will vary.

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Once all the those ingredients are mixed and poured into your cup, you can then add the chia seed and the flax seed on the top. The chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants, fibers, Omega-3s and more. Bottom line is the chia seeds are high in quality protein and this aids in  weight loss because they can drastically reduce appetite and cravings. The flax seeds are like the chia seeds; where they are full of antioxidants and Omega-3s. But they also help maintain a good digestive system due to the high percentage of fibers and magnesium.

The shake it all and drink it up. It usually keeps me pretty satisfied and full for a couple of hours. I sometimes don’t ever feel the need to nibble between breakfast and lunch.

Hope y’all enjoyed this post and found it helpful. If you are a smoothie/shake junkie like I am, leave a comment below on what you prefer using in your drink.

Cheers xo

It’s blazer week!!!

So, for ages, I’ve been thinking to clear out my closet since I tend to hoard a little…being in the fashion industry doesn’t help either. Wanting to do that made me notice how much I have been neglecting my blazers and my smart wear. I therefore decided that this week will be blazer week and I am now sharing with you my outfits.

Monday

Monday’s outfit consisted of my favorite 90s’Tristan & Iseut blazer, which I decided to pair with a thrifted white blouse and Tommy Hilfiger skinnies. For shoes I wore my favorite flats ever: Kate Spade for Keds. They are not only super colorful, happy and awesome but they are super comfy too.

Tuesday

Tuesday’s outfit consisted of another Tristan & Iseut vintage blazer. What I truly love about vintage is the tailoring and the fit. I notice that vintage pieces offer more quality than nowadays. So I paired my 90s blazer with skinnies and booties from Forever 21. For a pop of color, I wore an animal print silk scarf. When I first purchased these jeans from Forever 21, I was skeptical about the fit and comfort, but guys, these jeans are amazing and they fit just right!

Wednesday

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For Wednesday’s outfit, I wore my favorite 80s dress and paired it with a 90s striped blazer. For the pop of color, I added an orange scarf to bring out some of the orange in the blazer.

Thursday

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Thursday’s outfit was my favorite because of the colors. The outfit completely represents who I am and my personality. I wore a super cool blazer that was gifted to me by a friend recently and paired it with a vintage jean shirt and a pencil skirt from Forever 21. I topped the outfit off with a pair of knee-high boots that I bought from eBay a while ago.

Friday

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Since Friday is pretty much the happiest time for most professionals out there, I decided to dress a little more chill and casual. I paired this beautiful velvet blazer I got from Simons a few years ago with Forever 21 biker jeans, Kenzo striped sweater and Zara flats.

Hope you guys liked these outfits and I hope that I gave some of you inspiration and outfit ideas!

Comment below which one you preferred.

Cheers xo