Healing, moving forward and savouring my freedom with style

Happy August Everyone!

The past two months have zipped by, and it’s hard to believe that we are already halfway through the summer! I realize that we are already a week into August but I was having a difficult time putting together my mood board for the month as I entered August under a bit of a dark cloud.  I had finally decided to re-evaluate a toxic relationship in my life that I had let fester for far to long. I took it upon myself to reach out and be completely honest about how I was feeling.  I thought that I was heard, and I was hopeful that things would change for the better.  I gave the person some space to think about our conversation, quietly hopeful to enter a new chapter in our relationship. Unfortunately despite trying to reach out to this person I was met with resounding silence.  Rather then being treated with respect, I was ignored and put off as if my concerns and issues were not valid.  While I am generally a pretty easy going person who hates confrontation, I was left with no choice – either I could accept being treated as an after thought who’s feelings didn’t matter, or I could cut the cord.  That’s when, while scrolling through Instagram I saw the words of wisdom that I posted above “do not look for healing at the feet of those who broke you – Rupi Kuar”.  And I knew what I had to do.  So while I am sad that things didn’t work out, I am grateful for the opportunity to move forward without any regrets. I can honestly say that I tried my best to salvage what could have been, but I couldn’t do it alone. And now I have to move on.  So for the month of August, I will be enjoying my freedom from finally being out from under a dark cloud.  I will be healing any residual wounds I may still carry and taking some time to live in the moment and breathe, all the while rocking some of my favourite warm weather fashion.  My mood board for August reflects all of these goals – enjoy!

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Images from Instagram (@thegoodquote, @wellnesswithkenzie) and Pinterest

I hope that you have a beautiful and sunny day! XXS❤️

Holistic Beauty Review – The Best At Home Chemical Peel I have Ever Tried

There seems to be a myth that clean beauty is not as effective or as powerful as regular (read: Toxin filled) beauty products.  While that may be true with some products, the Juice Beauty Green Apple Full Strength Peel is not one of them.  This is the the best clean beauty product that I have ever tried.IMG_0409Peels and sheet masks are two of my favourite skin care products, so my expectations are quite high when I am trying a new product.  I first discovered the Green Apple Peel during a routine visit to Sephora last year.  I was not familiar with the product and hadn’t read any of the reviews, but I was swayed by the information on the box and decided to give it a try.  That night after washing my face, I carefully applied the peel according to the directions on the box and waited for it to work it’s magic.  There was a bit of tingling but nothing crazy, then nothing.  10 minutes later, I washed off the peel to reveal fresh, soft glowing skin – I was hooked.  There was a bit of redness which disappeared by the next morning, but the glow remained.  I am a beauty junkie and it is rare for me to repurchase a product but, I am currently on my third jar of this stuff and I see no reason to switch it out of my weekly skin care regimen.  It is fabulous!

So here are the details:

This peel is designed for all skin types (with the exception of people with sensitive skin or rosacea).  It helps to even out skin tone by fading dark spots, uneven skin tone and it also helps to refine the texture of the skin.  This peel also helps to blur the appearance of fine line and fights free radical damage on the skin.  The superstar ingredients in this peel include apple juice and resveratrol both of which are rich in vitamins and contain powerful antioxidants, lemon to help to clarify and improve the skin tone and aloe leaf juice to improve the hydration and the natural moisture content within the skin.

As with all Juice Beauty product, every effort has been made to keep this product as clean as possible.  This peel is free of parabans, petroleum, propylene, butylene glycol, sodium lauryl, sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances.  It has also not been tested on animals.

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Pros:

  • It is a very effective exfoliator
  • The texture is smooth and not so sticky
  • It has a fresh lemon scent
  • Washes off easily with a wash cloth

Cons:

  • Price – the first jar of this that I purchased was $45 but it now retails for $60 at Sephora.  I love this product which is why I continue to repurchase it, but the price increase does bother me
  • The package design is kind of boring.  Superficial I know but the former fashion girl in me wishes that it had a sleeker look.
  • It is a strong exfoliator (which is what I love about it) so if you have sensitive skin this is not the right product for you

Overall I would rate this product a 4.7/5

I love the Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel and it is hands down one of my favourite skincare products. I have been using it for nearly a year and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in trying an effective clean beauty product.

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I hope that you have a beautiful day!  XXS

Inspiring Interior

Hi Everyone!

My love for designer Katty Schiebeck’s work knows no bounds.  As I have mentioned before, she is one of my favourite designers.  Her work is filled with clean lines and natural light, along with sophisticated colour palettes and beautiful, unexpected details.  Today’s Inspiring Interior is no exception.  This penthouse in the Sant Gervasi neighbourhood in Barcelona is perfection.  It is a small space, but by keeping the space predominately white it feels larger and more open.  The apartment overlooks the beautiful city of Barcelona including a direct view of La Sagrada Familia in the distance.  The terrace is the perfect place to enjoy the gorgeous Spanish weather, and the large windows throughout generously permits natural light into the space.  I am obsessed with the minimally decorated living room where the decorative touches in wood and brown creates a beautiful palate against the white background.  Katty’s design talent is showcased beautifully within this apartment and I can’t wait to see what she designs next!

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All images from http://www.kattyschiebeck.com

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS❤️

Walk Into It With Style

Hi Everyone!

June has been a very hectic month!  I unexpectedly completed my program early and I am now officially a certified Holistic Nutritionist along with being a holistic health and nutrition coach.  While I am very excited to begin this new chapter and career in my life, I am also feeling a bit of trepidation.  I have decided that the best thing to do is to lean into the fear as difficult as that may be at times.  With that in mind, my July mood board is filled with strong fashion detailing, a bit of motivation and esthetic inspiration as I work to lay the ground work to achieve the goals that I have set for myself.  Enjoy!

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Photo credits: @jenniferfisherjewelry, @happilygrey, @dylanlex, @alltrueist_btq, @pazhunter, @figtny, http://www.pinterest.com

I hope that you have a wonderful day! XXS❤️

Sandals, sun, matcha and buns

We have made it to June! Hopefully the sun will come out a little bit more and we can begin to enjoy the new season! My mood board for June has me dreaming of new adventures, sunny memories, yummy food, gorgeous shoes and unfussy hair to help motivate me through the month.  Enjoy!

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Photo credits: Instagram (@alltrueist_btq, @pepamack, @city_fashion_blogger, @theclassbytt, @bodyism, @whatscooking, @oliviaculpo), http://www.theyallhateus.com, http://www.pinterest.com

I hope that you have a fabulous (and sunny) day! XXS❤️