Note Cosmetics is a global makeup line that can be found in 72 countries and now available at Rexall drug stores. I love the simple packaging with cosmetics. Note cosmetics is sleek and black. A very sophisticated look. The brand is also cruelty-free, paraben free, fragrance-free and vegan. You can find this brand in Toronto.
NOTE Cosmetics at Rexall is here in Canada
Here’s a sneak peek of some of the NOTE cosmetics products they have and why they’re different from other brands you may be using.
This blusher has argan oil in it and is free from parabens! Super soft to the touch and helps to boost moisture levels in the skin. This product has also been infused with botanicals.
NOTE Mattemoist Lipstick – Miss Kiss – $14.50
This matte lipstick isn’t as dry as some of the other brands I wear. This formula actually goes on creamy and it sets matte. The macadamia oil and vitamin E in the lipstick, protect and soothe lips.
NOTE Real Look Mascara – $17.95
I love mascaras that have thick and bushy wands! I always get the best look with those. This mascara curls, thickens and gives you voluminous lashes. It also has vitamin E which means it nourishes your lashes from the root to the tips of your lashes. Fragrance, Paraben, and cruelty-free!
During my early years as a blogger, I wondered what it would be like to sit among other like-minded individuals in the blogging world. So here I am, this year, with lots of breakfast, lunch/brunch and dinners with other bloggers and I gotta say, what an awesome experience! Some bloggers are very different in person from what I actually thought they’d be like according to their posts and online voice. And others, like the below crew, are exactly the same offline as they present themselves online. When they’re exactly the same, I have to admit I get such a feel-good feeling. It’s wonderful to see that realness and authenticity come to life. So here’s what happens during brunch with bloggers:
Last month I met up with some amazing bloggers for brunch, in downtown Toronto. You might recognize them(see above). First, there are the quick intros and then the “omg that’s you!” chit-chat. And then lots of talk about blogging. Everything from how to editing, favourites applications, google analytics and SEO – (I’m drooling!) brands and events. I love talking tech! Plugins and what works for us and what doesn’t. If there is one takeaway you should get from this post, it would be “together we are stronger”. As similar as we may seem for content creation and voices; we all still have our own style, community, and our own niche experiences/opinions.
I love how bloggers bounce ideas off each other and the best part is when the food comes out, it comes out altogether so we can take flat lays, single shots and just pictures galore without anyone getting upset. Because we all get it! It’s a no judge zone and at that moment while taking pictures we are all pulling in the same energy and are alike. That is the very moment everyone really comes together. When we’re in our natural blogging element. Brunch with bloggers is not only about food, but getting to know the beautiful individuals I love to follow online and getting to know them at a much more realistic level.
Leather crop top – ZaraBomber Jacket – Dynamite/Garage Clothing Outlet at Dixie Mall
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Here’s what I wore to the brunch. I have been looking for a pleated winter skirt for so long! Now that I’ve found it, I want to wear it as much as possible! I found this skirt online at Aritizia and it was on sale for $80. Linked it and some others:
It’s that time of the year when to give is beautiful. This weekend I had the pleasure of attending a holiday event at Vaughan Mills shopping center as a Fragrance expert. I took people who attended (open to public) through a fragrance experience that peaked all of their senses! All fragrances I spoke about are available at Shoppers Drug Mart’s beauty boutiques. In case you missed this event, don’t worry! The next one is happening at the Eaton Center, Dec 2nd and 3rd from mall opening to close hours.
To Give Is Beautiful – Shoppers Drug Mart – beautyBOUTIQUE
So here’s what went down: You’re greeted by some beautiful ladies, who go through a summary of the experience you’ll have. Then directed to the fragrance station. Here I asked people what fragrances they were most drawn too. Based on their answer that gave me an idea of which ones I should start off with showing. We discussed different scents, notes in the fragrance and before testing the fragrance some tips on how to best apply it. In a nut shell, beautyBOUTIQUE wants Canadians to step into the holidays with this year’s must-haves in fragrance from beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart.
Based on their fragrance choice there was a mocktail to match!
While enjoying their mocktails; they waited their turn to get a make-up application.
Once done with their make-up, everyone received a gift that had a make-up bag, a Christmas tree beauty blender and a 20x points + $10 gift card to be used at beauty boutiques.
There was also this super fun glitter wall that everyone took pictures in front. The lovely beautyBOUTIQUE ladies were taking polaroids of those who got their make-up done.
Those who made a purchase at the beauty boutique that day could bring it to the calligraphy station. To receive a tree ornament customized, 3 deluxe samples, $10 gift card – all beautiful wrapped in a silver box. Check out Mandy on Instagram who was doing beautiful calligraphy. Here.
So lock it in your calendars, the next event is happening at the Eaton Center, Dec 2nd and 3rd from mall opening to close hours. If you post your images or videos online, be sure to use the hashtag #ToGiveIsBeautiful.
This blog post was sponsored by beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart but the opinions are all my own.
This summer I had lots of fun catering to my sweet tooth in Toronto. So many new ice-cream shops popped up in the last few years. With so many to choose from, I’ve narrowed them down to this summers favourites. Here are my 5 Toronto Ice-Cream shops you won’t regret trying. Call me crazy, but I’ll be going back to these places this Fall/Winter:
1. BANG BANG Ice-Cream
Location: 93A Ossington Ave
I remember the first time I came here with our dear friends, it was a cold Saturday afternoon some time in the Winter/Fall. There was a line up out the store, down the street. That should say a lot on its own of how good this place is.
It’s not big inside, very minimal space to sit or stand. It didn’t matter, we ate ours just outside the shop.
cookies to choose from
We went with the ice-cream sandwiches. You choose the cookie and ice-cream combo and
I was on a mission to try their cookie monster ice-cream! One of the things I remembered about the cookie monster ice-cream was that it wasn’t overly sweet and the cone was my absolute favourite part!
Inside the shop you’ll find about 5 – 10 seats and a huge chalkboard menu/graffiti. Feel free to write your name on the wall or whatever.
The wackiest ice-cream shop I ever saw. With Aladdin on his magic carpet, vintage decor and overall known to be a children’s fantasy land. You pick your ice-cream flavour, pick a cone and then pick your toppings.
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There was a long line-up for this place and very little space inside the shop, but there’s a bench right outside if you have someone to wait for. I love that this place has so many creative flavours that actually taste good! Plus, when’s the last time you saw a lit candle on an ice-cream cone?
Cafe Cancan is a fairly new cafe that opened up on Harbord Street in Toronto. Harbord street is a nostalgic area for me because I went to high school near there. The night before going to Cafe Cancan I did some research about the place and went on to their website to do some light reading about the cafe, the owners and anything I needed to know before I went there.
Patio lights
I love the fact that this cafe is actually designed by Tiffany Pratt. I love her happy go lucky style and everything she touches with her sense of design is incredible!
If you decide to visit this place, keep in mind that parking is a little bit hard to find in this area. We were fortunate enough to find a spot in the residential area, a block from the cafe. I was so excited to check this place out I didn’t mind the walk, although it was really hot. So I got Baby Z cozy in her stroller and we were on our way! So anyways, we get to the cafe and the front view of this place is just so pretty! If you know me, I have this thing with coloured doors. And a pink one! I died. It’s so cute! Immediately I thought, photo opp!
There are a few steps to enter into the cafe, but that’s no problem with the jogger stroller I have.
As soon as we entered Cafe Cancan we were welcomed by a lady and I asked for a booth for two by the door so I can tuck my stroller away. She looked at me and said “Okay, just a second.” and walked away. A few minutes later..
another lady came over. She leaned forward and said “Sorry, there are no strollers allowed here.” You can imagine I was taken aback and baffled. I had never been to a place, no where in Toronto and even in all of our travels with our stroller (Italy, Mexico, Niagara Falls *lol*) did anyone ever say to me, no strollers allowed. I guess I was at a loss of words so I was just staring blank at her and my brother who was with me also didn’t know what to say either. Then, and I don’t know why I said this… “I guess I could just leave my stroller outside and try to watch it from this booth?” And she replied, “sure.” I walked outside, and then of course after baby brain stopped kicking in, I realized, no way. I’m not leaving my $1000 stroller outside!
I started to think, forget it. I’m not staying here. Let’s just go home and eat whatever we can grab. But as we started walking back I thought, I shouldn’t change my plans because of one road block. I should find a way around it and do what I wanted to do. Why have this ruin my excitement to go there and enjoy the food and ambiance? So we walked back to the car, dropped off the stroller, I put a hat on Baby Z and we walked back in the heat. It makes me sad to think that what if I was a new mom and this was my very first day coming out of my house and treating myself to a nice lunch with my little one and then to have them say to me “no strollers allowed.” I know for sure I’d go back to my car, go home and cry. Thinking perhaps moms shouldn’t go to cute places. Or maybe, baby and I don’t belong in a restaurant. But truth is, that’s ridiculous. And if a restaurant doesn’t allow strollers, then they should do their due diligence to write that on their website or by the door. Because I did mine by going on and checking to make sure it was a big enough facility. There was lots of space there for me to fold my stroller and tuck away. It wasn’t even busy the entire time I was there, there was a total of 3 tables being served and 2 people came in to get coffee to go. There’s also a decent long hallway to the patio in the back of the cafe.
We ordered burgers. I got the veggie burger and it came with a side of fries. I was really happy with the amount of avocado they used in this burger. I love avocado. It was nice. If I were to go back I would try something different as I wasn’t in love with it. It’s a messy burger so I cut mine in half. The soda was really good, but it’s $6. I’d love to go back for lattes and dessert. The owners of the cafe were there and they were super nice. I didn’t mention what had happened. Would I recommend this place to others? Sure. Would I go again? Maybe. Only because the owners are nice, food was good and the place is so damn pretty!
P.S Later that same day we went to Lavelle and they were super accommodating. I folded up the stroller and put it against a wall that was pretty out of sight. Lavelle is a restaurant/lounge on a roof top on King St.
Have you ever gone somewhere and you felt not welcomed or discriminated?
It’s one of those days, when you’re running from one event to the next. A busy day, with no time to go home and change. Days like this you have to plan ahead and make sure you’re wearing something that will be the best day to night transitioning outfit. I shopped at Dixie Outlet Mall to pick out the perfect Day to Night summer look. This is a very minimalistic style that can be worn for practically any event.
During the day, I made a trip downtown to see my mom with baby Z. Soon after seeing her we headed over to one of my favourite places for brunch with my sister. It was a really windy day so this bomber I got from Dynamite came in handy from getting cold. Have you ever gone into a store and came out super content with everything you’ve purchased? I’ve had that feeling at Dixie Outlet Mall’s Dynamite Outlet. This bomber was regular $39.99 and I got it for $20! That’s 50% off! The fabric is perfect for summer because it’s breathable and light. I also love the soft powder blue colour. They had a black bomber jacket there with leather arms for $25 (Regular $55) that I couldn’t resist so I bought it as well.
Underneath the bomber jacket I’m wearing a tank top I found at Treasure Hunt in Dixie Outlet Mall. If you haven’t been to this store yet, you’re in for a surprise. It’s a little overwhelming at first but if you’ve shopped at Winners before, you’ll be familiar with the store’s format. I got this Gap tank top for only $10 at Treasure Hunt.
After brunch we walked around for a little window shopping. Whenever I go for walks downtown, I like to wear comfortable yet fashionable shoes in case I decide to meet up with friends. I found these gorgeous loafer slides from Winners at the Dixie Outlet Mall for $34.99! These beauties were regular priced at $65. I love them because they remind me of the Gucci loafer slides that are trending at the moment, but these are better because they don’t have the fur (which I’m not a fan of).
I have a thing for pleated skirts. These loafer slides paired perfectly with this beautiful pleated skirt from Dynamite. A pleated skirt is so classy and look great with loafer slides for during the day or night. But for a sexier look try matching this skirt with heels for a night look. This skirt was only $20 marked down from $45! Note: I previously bought a similar looking pleated skirt for $80, so getting one for $20 is an AMAZING deal! And yes, the quality is at par with the $80 one.
For a day to night style you want to keep jewelry simple and not too flashy or complicated. I went over to the GUESS store to check out their BUY ONE, GET ONE 50% OFF jewelry rack by the cash register. These swirly elegant studs come in a pack of 3: rose gold, gold and silver for only $10. The bracelet was $15 but I got it at 50% off!
I’m taking my day look into a night look by just making a simple change by swapping out my loafer sliders for heels. For a more sophisticated look for an evening event, you can tuck in your tank top into the skirt for a cleaner silhouette.
How do you transition a day look into night?
Disclaimer: I’m a Dixie Outlet Mall ambassador and this post has been sponsored by Dixie Outlet Mall. However, all views and opinions expressed in this post are of my own regarding the products and services.
It is now 12 weeks since I had my baby girl. I’m itching to get back into an exercise routine. To be honest, I never really had a “routine”. Being active was second nature to me and I never really put any effort into staying healthy or to stay the XS small size I had a love/hate relationship with. Okay, please don’t kill me for saying this. For years I would have trouble gaining weight. This is before I had children. “You have a fast metabolism”, they said.
Fast forward after having two under two, and I’m having trouble losing it. Of course it’s in all the wrong places. My friends and I have countless times joked about a machine that could suck it out from one place and put it in another. Funny enough I found out a month ago a friend of a friend of mine actually did that and such technology exists! Crazyyy. And no, I wouldn’t try it. Surgery scares me. So here goes my steps to getting into an exercise routine:
Postpartum Fitness: 5 Steps to Getting into an Exercise Routine
STEP 1
Don’t start until you’ve healed and/or have stopped bleeding. Also, if you’re nursing, you don’t want to go to heavy either. You need to stay hydrated and not lose too much weight too fast. Some doctors say it could affect your milk production. Always check with your doctor before you do anything. Every body is made different and handles exercise differently too. Be safe!
STEP 2
Get some workout clothes you feel comfortable in. I shopped online and got some stuff from Shein.
The tights were great for my yoga routine and also wear really well if you have to go somewhere after. For a quick top to get on after your workout to look fly af, I paired it with my favourite white tank with the black lace. Click images below to shop
STEP 3
Before you do any core workouts find out if you have diastasis recti, commonly known as abdominal separation. A diastasis is defined as a separation of the rectus abdominis muscle into right and left halves. Ask a doctor to check or check yourself here.
Stay motivated. This will be the hardest step. You’ll want to give up and just cuddle and take those naps with your little one instead of working out while they sleep. But don’t fall into that rut. Stay motivated by finding new challenging workouts or don’t discourage yourself with things you can’t do yet and instead just go for a walk.
How do you stay motivated to get some exercise? Comment below with your tips! #Notgonnalie – I need that motivation right now.
The early days of being pregnant for the second time, I remember people asking me, what do you want? A boy or a girl? My main concern was, which would little one D get along with more? Would he be more jealous if it were a boy vs a girl or vice versa? Transitioning a toddler from being your one and only to ..”you’re a big brother/sister” can be difficult and/or naturally easy. Every child is different. I’m not sure if it was just luck, or if everything I did leading up to the birth and a month into her being here actually worked. He absolutely adores her. His transition and current status of being a big brother is working. He’s everything I wished for him to be towards his baby sister.Thank god!
Sibling Love: 5 Tips On Transitioning Your
First Child Into Being a Brother/Sister
I’m sharing the best tips and advice I either read about in baby forums or was told to try via friends and family. P.S I don’t consider myself some kind of baby/toddler expert. I’m constantly absorbing as much information I can on how to handle every stage of life for my LO’s. I also still believe a mothers instinct wins over any advice or tips. Here goes:
<Disclaimer: These tips may not work for everyone. Every child is unique and their personalities require less/more attention when it comes to preparing them for a sibling. A mother always knows best. And only YOU can determine what’s best for your child. Watch for cues from your child on what to do and say. Congratulations and good luck!>
Click image to view more details on Baby Z’s new favourite blanket.
Have the talk. As soon as I started showing I was pregnant I had a talk with my LO (Little One). As a matter of fact, I had more than one or two talks. Finding the right moment, when your LO’s entire attention is focused on what you’re saying is the best time to have that talk. Even if it’s for a few seconds. They do retain that information. Especially if you’re having that talk more than once. Opportunities like, before/after reading a book to your LO. During a car ride. At the grocery store while shopping for your new baby. These are all great moments to have that talk. What does the talk sound like? What do I say? I start off with rubbing my belly and saying there’s a baby in here. Are you excited for the baby? And then I just ramble on about being a big brother, how much fun he’ll have when baby can play and how much he’ll love being a big brother. I would end my talk with the same belly motion and saying again, baby is inside here. Baby is coming! I believe repetition is key. To a certain extent of course.
Ask questions. Little D is 2 years old. I’m always asking him questions. Allowing him to make decisions and so naturally I always asked, “what’s inside here?” (Pointing to my belly) Because of our talks he knew I was talking about the baby and he would reply “bay-beeee!” There were some days where he wouldn’t answer at all and just give me a weird look. I’d ask 3 more times and if still no answer. I’d try again in a few hours or the next day. Especially closer to my due date, i asked him like clockwork everyday during his bath time. Building his excitement for the baby’s arrival. Now that she’s here, my questions have changed to: “Is she cute?” “Do you love your baby sister?” “Do you want to give baby a kiss?”
Our baby/Your baby. The first time Little D met Baby Z we got a present from her to him. A lot of my friends recommended this. I’m not sure if it worked and if he understood, but since so many recommended it, I had to try it. We got an elephant rocker and told him baby brought it for him. He smiled and played with it for awhile, and quickly lost interest in it. The excitement wasn’t there. Since I didn’t get the reaction I was looking for, whenever I took them both shopping with me, I’d get him something small and say this is from baby.
See, see, no touch. I know babies are tough, but newborns to me, will always be fragile little humans. So naturally when my LO wants to hug or touch Baby Z, I get scared and my first reaction in the beginning was to say “No.” But I soon realized saying no isn’t the best approach. Something I learnt from his daycare teachers was to use the word “gentle” instead. Now whenever he comes close I say “gentle, gentle.” It sounds obvious right? But when you’re in the moment, sometimes the first word to say that comes to mind, especially if it’s no, doesn’t seem to feel wrong to say. But the word no, could lead to your child feeling angry, confused or jealous towards the new baby. Gentle on the other hand, welcomes your child to be around the baby but to not be rough.
Let’s do this together. When Baby Z cries, my LO and I both look for solutions. “Does she want a toy?”, “Where’s her Tee Tee (pacifier)?” – He use to reach for her pacifier to use it and now because I’ve included him in giving it to her, he reaches for it to place in her mouth. Even when she needs a diaper change, I ask him if he wants to help. Sometimes while I’m nursing her, he’ll come and sit beside me, or if he doesn’t, I always ask him if he wants to come. To make him feel like, we’re in this together. As your child grows and changes, their needs and wants change, and so will their emotions towards everything around them. The best we can do is to engage, ask questions and ensure your child is always a part of everything. Now when anyone is around Baby Z, he’ll grab them and point at Baby Z and say, “aweee. So cute.” Moments like this make me feel like all that work to make that sibling bond strong is so worth it. What are your fondest memories with your siblings? Any tips for mama’s?
I’m so excited to be an ambassador of Dixie Outlet Mall, which means I’ll be sharing lots of #DixieDeals across all of my platforms! Hint* make sure you’re following me.
It’s been just about a year since we moved into our new house, and the living room has become one of the most important, if not the most important room in the house. We spend so much time here, from watching Netflix to cuddling/playing with baby D. We needed to make sure this room was comfy and cozy.
The challenge was that our schedules have been super crazy since we moved in, so it’s been hard to find the time to spruce up the place. Enter Dixie Outlet Mall to the rescue! We headed to the Winners first to see what #DixieDeals we could find to make our favourite room even cozier, and our Netflix nights more Chill.
Of course, when you start shopping in a store like Winners, it’s really hard not to pick up items for yourself too, but it’s all part of the job though, right?! I’ve been to the Dixie Outlet Mall Winners store a bunch of times and no joke, I always leave there with an amazing find. I made my way to the women’s section and found an awesome button-up Ralph Lauren shirt to wear to work for $40. A shirt like this usually costs between $100-150 at the Ralph Lauren store, so this was a major score! I opted for a boyfriend size/look so I could fit into it while I struggle get through the last seven weeks of my pregnancy. Naturally during pregnancy, when your belly gets big, everything else starts to stretch out… my waist isn’t as tiny as it used to be, so I picked up some super cozy PJ pants by Max Studio for $20! And with that, I was set to Netflix and Chill in all my cozy, but stylish splendor.
Fast forward to our movie night in, which is a rarity with our aforementioned crazy schedules, so they’re even more of a treat when we find the time to indulge. Speaking of time, part of the reason I love this Ralph Lauren shirt is it’s stylish, but also super comfy, so I don’t have to waste time do a full outfit change when I get home from work. Just a quick switch into my Max Studio PJ pants and I am good to go and get some popcorn poppin’!
But, remember part of the reason we went to Dixie Outlet Mall was to fix up the living room, and the best way to do that quick and easy is with great cushions, and a throw. These super-soft, plush, cream cushions were just $35 for a set of two and this lovely throw that you may have seen all over Instagram was $24.99!
All of the outlets at Dixie Outlet Mall have AMAZING clearance racks; these are even more discounted than the already marked down goods. I snatched this orb for $8 and these popcorn bowls for $15 from the Winners clearance rack, so make sure to always head to the back of the stores, you never know what you might find! There are so many great stores in Dixie Outlet Mall, I was amazed at how I found everything in one store for this shopping challenge, but that didn’t stop me from popping into other stores to get some more ideas…more on that later 🙂
How do you spend your movie nights in?
Disclaimer: I’m a Dixie Outlet Mall ambassador and this post has been sponsored by Dixie Outlet Mall. However, all views and opinions expressed in this post are of my own regarding the products and services.
I’ve been on the hunt for a really good lip pencil. I’ve tried so many brands and I couldn’t say I had a favourite one until now! Can you imagine, 10+ years of being a beauty advisor, VIB member at Sephora and not one lip pencil to be my go to. So cray!
Of course I was a bit skeptical before I tried BITE beauty’s new lip pencil. I thought, okay, here we go. Just another lip pencil. I was so very wrong. This lip pencil ($20, shop here) is my new found make-up love. I’m obsessed! It’s everything I ever wanted in a lip pencil. Soft, creamy, super pigmented and easy to sharpen.
In a nut shell, if you haven’t heard of BITE Beauty before, it’s a Canadian brand with their head office being in Toronto. Their lip products are highly pigmented made with hydrating formulas and are infused with food-grade ingredients.
The Nude Effect
Influenster sent out BITE beauty’s #TheLipPencil to 2500 Canadian Bloggers complimentary to try. On a side note, I always give my honest opinion on products that I receive complimentary and if it’s sponsored the brand is aware my honesty to my readers comes first. Having said that, as soon as I tried the nude combination I was in LOVE! I haven’t found a favourite nude and this is 100% it!
The packaging has a nice smooth finish and feels soft. One of my biggest pet peeves with lip pencils and lipsticks is when the lids come off in your purse! Worse, you put your hand in to grab something and get it all over the purse and yourself. The packaging on these products is perfect. Simple and practical.
I rarely wear lipstick colours that are this dark, but who doesn’t love to play with make-up? This colour gives off a more vampy look for those who have a lighter skin tone. The quality of the lip pencil is superb, ultra-creamy and super pigmented. Excited to swatch other colour options (40+ shades) from BITE beauty’s lipstick collection and lip pencil line (22 shades).
Check out the Toronto BITE Beauty’s lip lab to make your own custom colour!
If you love this post, you should check out the beauty section.
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BITE Beauty Lipstick: 
