Prepping Your Summer Beauty Routine? It’s All About the Hair!

May 31, 2017 by Kathryn 1 Comment

I try my best to keep up with my usual beauty routine even in the winter, but when you live in a province that sometimes has snow from October to May, that can be hard! That’s why late spring always feels a bit like a renewal for me, as I pull out my favourite skirts, freshen up my look and get ready to spend as much time as possible outdoors in the sunshine. But staying summer fresh can take time…time I’d rather be spending outdoors! That’s why this year, I’m vowing to sleep more and shave, well, never! Seriously! I’m also going dry…dry shampoo that is. Want to know more?

Let’s start with your locks. A good hair day can make all the difference to your look, but spending time shampooing, conditioning and blow drying every morning can leave you frantic and frazzled. My new secret weapon for fabulous hair is Batiste Dry Shampoo. If you haven’t heard of dry shampoo, I suggest you run, not walk, to pick up a can of Batiste. It works to instantly revive oily hair, leaving it looking and smelling clean and fresh. No wet washing required and, most importantly, no blow drying. If I have a few extra minutes to spare, I sometimes re-style my hair, but it’s not necessary. Batiste comes in a variety of fragrances – New Batiste Dry Shampoo Cherry is perfect for summer with top notes of pear, melon, kiwi and wildberry! [Read more…]

Look Slimmer and Sleeker with Built-in Shapewear Clothing from Svelte-Giveaway

March 14, 2017 by Kathryn 145 Comments

Having officially reached an age that could be referred to as my “late thirties,” I’m pretty pleased with my physical health overall. My weight is reasonable, I eat well and I manage to work out at least a few times a week (and sometimes even daily when I get in a good groove). But I do still have those problem areas that I like to smooth and tone if I can. And thanks to Svelte clothing, I can do that with no workout required!

Svelte features built-in shapewear to help tame that tummy, eliminate muffin-top and smooth your silhouette. Recently I had the chance to test out any item of Svelte clothing for myself and after some deliberation, I decided on the Slim Cut Denim Jeans in a size medium. I generally prefer boot-cut jeans since I sometimes find slimmer cuts to be unflattering, but with the right outfit, slim cut jeans can actually work well on almost every body type. I was curious to see how the shapewear would work with the slim look of the jeans to create a sleeker silhouette.

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Get Through the Dreariness of January with these 5 Mood-Boosting Ideas

January 26, 2017 by Kathryn 31 Comments

Personally, I’ve never found January to be a depressing month. It starts with a holiday and it ends with my birthday, which makes it a-okay in my book! But for many, the cold, snow and emotional let-down after the holidays make it a month that leaves much to be desired. If you’re one of those people that can’t wait for January to end, here are five tips to help you get through a month some call the dreariest one of the year with a smile on your face!

Sit & Soak

Take some time to de-stress after the holidays are over and focus on relaxing with a candle-lit bubble bath. Add your favourite essential oil to your bath water and play spa-inspiring music in the background to help you enter a total state of Zen. [Read more…]

3 Things I Didn’t Know About Lash Extensions

January 23, 2017 by Kathryn 16 Comments

I’ve always thought that my blogger friend Randa of The Bewitchin’ Kitchen has gorgeous eyes. And when we attended a Carnival Cruise press trip together, I found out why. Randa is a big fan of eyelash extensions. And when I saw how they made her eyes pop, I wanted to try them too. So recently I took the plunge and got my very own luscious lashes. I love them, but they were definitely a learning experience. Here are three things I didn’t know about lash extensions:

1) They Take a LOT of Time

The reason lash extensions look so thick and dramatic is because every natural lash, even the littlest ones, get an extension carefully glued into place to make them longer and thicker. This process involves tweezers, a magnifying glass, lash extensions in a variety of different sizes and literal hours of work. When I went for my first set, I confidently told my husband that I was sure I’d be home in an hour or so. Over three hours later, my appointment was finally over. The results last for two to three weeks before you need a shorter “fill” appointment and up to four weeks if you just leave them to wear off, but be prepared to spend a good chunk of your day getting glamtastic! [Read more…]

Show Off Star Style with 3 Easy Red-Carpet Hair Looks You Can Create at Home

September 13, 2016 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

Toronto has officially rolled out the red carpet for some of the hottest names in Hollywood to celebrate the best films from around the world at TIFF. And along with these cinematic masterpieces, many people are also being captivated by the incredible celebrity looks to grace the red carpet.

Nina Farrauto, official Stylist for Batiste™ Dry Shampoo Canada, has predicted the top three red-carpet hair styles for 2016 and shares her trade secrets on how you can get the look at home. You’ll be amazed at how easily you can be red carpet ready in 3-2-1 without the expensive blow out and complicated techniques. It’s all about simple, elegant looks you can master in the comfort of your own home.

1. Loose Waves

“Loose, sexy waves used to be seen as a more casual look, but we’ve seen celebrities rocking more glamorous waves at recent award shows and I’m sure we’ll continue to see lots of waves on the red carpet this fall” – Nina Farrauto, Stylist for Batiste™ Dry Shampoo Canada

How to get the look: [Read more…]

Add Summer Flair to Your Wardrobe with Sox Trot Knee High Socks-Giveaway

May 12, 2016 by Kathryn 75 Comments

With spring finally here, I’m having a blast pulling out all my favourite skirts, shorts and dresses in preparation for warm, sunny days. And that means I’m also on the lookout for fun ways to accessorize my favourite outfits to give them a little extra pizzazz. As a lover of quirky styles and bright colours, knee-highs seemed like the ideal choice for my wardrobe. And recently Sox Trot gave me the chance to review a few pairs of its knee-high socks to see how they could dress up my look!

Now the first thing I noticed when the socks arrived is that they’re really more tights than socks. They’re thick enough to be washed and worn multiple times but they don’t have the knitted texture of actual socks. I actually preferred that style, though, since it means that they’re nice and light for summer wear!

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Minimize Wedding Season Stress with 4 Simple Tips #ChurchandDwight

May 5, 2016 by Kathryn 32 Comments

Did you know that May is the unofficial start of wedding season? Even though my own wedding isn’t until October, that doesn’t mean there won’t be other celebrations over the warm spring and summer months. In fact, both Jeremy and I have cousins getting married between now and our own wedding! I’ll admit that the thought of those multiple events, and the prep that goes with them, has my head spinning a bit already. Just being a guest at numerous weddings can be taxing! Luckily, Church & Dwight has four great tips for a stress-free wedding season:

[Read more…]

Smooth and Enhance Your Figure with Amia Shapewear from Hourglass Angel

May 4, 2016 by Kathryn 11 Comments

Like most women, my weight has always gone up and down depending on the season, my eating habits and my activity level. But when I reached my thirties, I noticed a big change in the way the weight was carried on my body. For the first time in my life, I found that weight was accumulating around my stomach instead of on my hips and thighs as it had in the past. Basically, my body bulged differently. And I wasn’t sure I liked it.

I have pretty good fashion sense, so the shape of my body didn’t bother me too much. I just chose my clothes carefully to ensure they suited my shape. But recently I decided to try a different solution…one that many women in their thirties and forties swear by: a shapewear bodysuit. Hourglass Angel offered me the chance to review its new Amia Lacey Mid-Thigh Bodysuit and I couldn’t resist the chance to see if it made a difference.

[Read more…]