What’s On My Christmas List This Year

With Christmas approaching faster than ever, I’m getting asked for my Christmas list. Yes, I’m a professional in my mid 30’s and I still provide a list! The truth is that I would be happy with just spending some time relaxing with loved ones. I love everything about this season and one of my favorite things is when my husband and I have our annual Christmas date night where we dress up and go to a nice restaurant. I would honestly be happy with just that! But for those who need something more tangible, this is what I’m wishing for this year:

 

Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Hair Mist – $65

If you have been following my blog for a while you will know that Flowerbomb is one of my favorite perfumes, so you can imagine my excitement when I saw that they make a hair mist with the same scent. I’m new to the hair mist party but I have a feeling I’m going to love it.

Barefoot Dreams Blanket – approx. $246 Canadian

The dream in the brand name is probably more likely where this blanket will be for me, but I can wish for it though right?! I wasn’t sure what the hype was with this blanket given the cost of it… until I tried it in store. It’s so incredibly soft and cozy that I keep thinking about it.

Just about anything from Lush

Bath bombs, lip scrubs, shower gels, massage bars, bubble bars, I love it all! Anything from Lush will make me deliriously happy. When all else fails when it comes to shopping for me, go with Lush.

 

 

Gift Cards – Nordstrom/Aritzia/Sephora

Gift cards are not given the credit they deserve. When you get a gift card for someone you’re not only giving them the freedom to pick out their own gift, you’re giving them the gift of a trip to their favorite store. How can you go wrong?! Answer: you can’t.

 

Does anyone else have a Christmas list? What are you hoping for?

-SS

Choosing Happiness Isn’t Always Easy

This post is going to be a little different to what I usually write about. I do have a list of posts I want to write but I feel as though I need to veer off track for a moment. Yesterday one of my favorite fashion bloggers, Kyrzayda Rodriguez lost her battle with stomach cancer and although she may no longer be with us on earth, her inspiration and positive attitude has made an impact on many, myself included. In her last IG Live post her words to her 300k followers were simple yet powerful:

“What you want to do in life do it now! Don’t wait until the next hour or tomorrow.. no, go do it now!” – Kyrzayda Rodriguez

That one simple statement is really making me think and reflect. I have am spending so much of my life unhappy lately and I’m so tired of it. I want a change and I need to make it happen. Or, I at least need to be open and honest about how I feel.

Fall always brings a plethora of emotions for me. I suffer from severe seasonal depression (SAD), so when most people are excited about the leaves changing color and the start of the season of all things pumpkin, I’m just focused on how to keep my head above water for the next 8 months. In addition to the SAD, I’m a true summer soul and pumpkin spice lattes and the boots/leggings/scarf obsession just makes me want to run away.

On top of the feelings that I get from the change in seasons I’m feeling especially overwhelmed with some other aspects of my life. On the surface my life seems like it’s perfect. I have an amazing husband and a great marriage, two awesome pets, a beautiful home, a nice car, a closet full of clothes, great vacations… you get the picture. But the truth is that on the inside I feel as though something is missing. I have felt like this for a long time and it also consumes me with guilt because it makes me feel like the things I do have aren’t good enough, which is so far from the truth. My reality is that both my job and the city I live in make me unhappy every single day.
My mental health suffers daily because of those two things and trust me, I’ve tried it all to feel better. I could go on and on about how they make me unhappy but I can’t go down that rabbit hole. I’m dealing with almost two decades of unhappiness caused by both of them because no matter how hard I try to make them work, they never will, because they’re not right for me. The only thing that will work for me is change, and the only person who can make that change happen is me. At this point in time I don’t know what this looks like so stay tuned I guess!

On the positive side, this is where fashion and beauty come in. I have always been interested in fashion and beauty and it has always been a passion of mine, but as I get older I realize that it’s much more than that. It’s an escape for me. A way for me to focus my mental and emotional energy in a positive way rather than the struggle I feel in my day to day life.

If you made it this far, thank you for listening and for accepting my little space in the world where I feel as though I can share this. I’m so thankful that I have somewhere I can go to share the things I care about where I feel free from the judgement I feel in my daily life.

-SS

Friday Favorites: August 17th

If you saw my last post, you will have read that I have been crazy, insanely busy this month, but what you probably don’t know is my skin has definitely taken a hit from it. Lack of sleep, running around, lots of wine and eating out, tons of time in the sun…. yup, my appearance is paying! I’m so thankful for the products below for keeping me looking and feeling great over the past couple of weeks and I’m excited to share them with you guys.

Kopari Coconut Rose Toner

I already posted about this toner in my last post, but I have to post about it again here because it’s seriously that good! We have had some unseasonably hot days this year and a spritz of this toner after being stored in the refrigerator is just heavenly! If you’re looking for a great smelling, completely clean toner, this is what you need. With a trifecta of witch hazel, coconut extract, and rose extract, it freshens skin, tightens pores, and can also be used as a face primer or setting spray.

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

I received this lip scrub as a birthday gift earlier this month and I’m obsessed! I love pretty much everything from Lush and of course this is no exception. I mean, it smells and tastes like bubble gum, how can we go wrong?! The sun, hot weather, lipstick, and the aforementioned excess of wine left my lips feeling a little dry and flaky and in desperate need of some TLC. Using a mix of castor sugar and hydrating organic jojoba oil my lips were back to normal in no time!

MILK Makeup Cooling Water

This was a last minute waiting in line purchase at Sephora (any Sephora fans know exactly what I’m talking about), and I definitely don’t regret it. I have been using it under my eyes both under my makeup in the morning and whenever my face needs a quick wake me up look. This gel stick is formulated with caffeine and seawater for a cooling, de-puffing and soothing look and feel.

Anyone else love this weeks’ Friday Favorites?

-SS

How I Stayed Sane this Month

Remember how I said I had the busiest two weeks coming up on my last post? Well, that ended up being an understatement… those two weeks were INSANE! But, I had the best time enjoying my sister’s wedding, getting ready for the wedding, hosting a couple of events at our house, spending time with out of town guests. I’m almost ready to do it all again… after a break of course 😉 I now have just over a week to get myself rested up for our summer trip to Vegas (I am SO excited for this getaway!)

 

For the past two weeks my days looked something like this: wake up at 5:30am, go to work for 9 hours, some kind of appointment, go for dinner/BBQ, get home around 11pm, get everything ready for the next day, go to bed. And repeat. The wedding weekend was even busier. I was seriously non-stop, but I managed to keep on top of everything and surprisingly, not only did everything go to plan, I also didn’t feel too stressed! Unfortunately, I was too busy to really workout, which is usually my go-to when I need energy so I had to find other ways around it.

 

So, here are my top 5 tips for keeping yourself sane when you’re completely-out-of-your-mind-busy:

 

1. Music. Sometimes I feel like the power of music is underestimated. I created an “August 2018” playlist (I use apple music) with all of my favorite songs and I listened to it whenever I wanted a distraction. I mixed fast songs when I needed some energy, slow songs for if I started to feel a little overwhelmed and songs that are easy to sing along to when I needed a little pick me up. Whenever I create a playlist I always include songs that give me happy memories so I’m instantly transported back to that time. It really helped to keep me sane!

 

 

2. Food. It’s so hard to skip eating when you’re busy but it’s so important to keep your energy levels up and to give your body the fuel it needs to keep going. There was a lot of eating out, which can cause me a little stress sometimes but I didn’t let it bother me. Instead I tried to pick healthier options and not let myself go hungry. I also carried a water bottle around with me everywhere to make sure I was hydrated.

 

3. Caffeine Nap. When I’m really busy, sleep is always the last thing on my mind and my sleep cycles definitely suffer. I know that this will never change because it’s just the way I am, so I tried to fit in small naps whenever I could. My favorite way to nap is a “caffeine nap”. Caffeine takes a few minutes to kick in so what I do is I drink a coffee (usually iced), then have a quick 15 minute nap. By the time the caffeine kicks in it wakes me up and I feel refreshed from the power nap and energized from the caffeine.

 

4. Delegate. I realize that this one might not always be feasible but if it is, do it! We hosted two big events at our house over the past couple of weeks and I couldn’t have done them without the help of others. I made a list of what needs to be done and purchased/made and had almost everyone do something to help. It took a lot of pressure off me and gave me more time to enjoy the events, rather than just stress about them.

 

5. Kopari Coconut Rose Toner. When nothing else had worked and I was starting to look a little tired, I resorted to a quick spritz of this toner. It’s meant for a facial toner but I used it just about everywhere. The scent is both relaxing and uplifting at the same time, it’s soothing on overtired skin and gives your face a quick pick me up throughout the day. Oh, and did I mention that it’s vegan, non-GMO, cruelty-free, noncomedogenic, and formulated without silicone, gluten, and synthetic fragrances. This will definitely become a summer staple for me!

 

Let me know if any of these tips work for you, or what you do when you’re feeling overwhelmed!

-SS

Bachelorette Party Favor Bags

In keeping with my last post about what to wear to a wedding, I wanted to share these cute little gift bags I made for a bachelorette party this weekend. The bride wanted a low-key day with no fuss and nothing to “bride-y” so we decided on an afternoon at the spa (with wine!) followed by dinner and some games at a local arcade type place. Even though she didn’t want attention to be drawn that it was anything more than just a girls night out, as maid of honor I wanted to do something special! So I decided to make gift bags for everyone as a thank you for attending.

In the bags I included:

• Sugarfina Pressed Juicery gummy bears – kind of a fun way to get your “greens” in!
• Masque Bar Face Mask – to relax from the night before and start to prep your skin for the wedding. These are individually packaged so they are a great idea for a gift bag
• Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer – I just love hand sanitizer and you can never have too much, especially when we were visiting an arcade
• Advil – in case you indulge in too much wine the night before
• Tums – again, too much wine = heartburn
• Band Aids – you just never know when you will need them
• Mints – to freshen your breath after dinner
• Ring Pop – because it was a bachelorette, after all!

I bought pink paper bags from Michaels and decorated them with “I-Do Crew” tags also purchased from Michaels. It was such a simple and inexpensive thing to put together but the thought was appreciated.

As a bride did you have gift bags for your bachelorette? What did they include?

-SS

What to Wear as a Wedding Guest

We’re just over halfway through July and if you guys are anything like me, you are deep into wedding season. With the exception of what gift to get the couple (registry or cash, always), I think the most frequent wedding guest related conundrum is what to wear.

Below I have shared my top 5 tips for what to wear as a wedding guest as well as my top 5 favorite items:

1. Don’t wear white. This one should go without saying, but you never know. Even if the bride is wearing a color (blush wedding dress = so gorgeous!), don’t wear white.
2. Keep it appropriate. Not too tight, not too short, it’s a wedding not the club!
3. Black is fine! I have heard many people say not to wear black to a wedding I strongly disagree with this. Black is chic, flattering, easy to wear, and always in style!
4. Chic pants or jumpsuits are acceptable. Leggings and sweats are not.
5. Avoid denim. Another one that should go without saying but again, you just never know.

Keep scrolling for my favorite wedding guest outfit ideas in a variety of styles and price points.

Vici Collection  (FYI – Vici has a Wedding Guest section)

Jumpsuit – $52 / Floral Midi Dress – $20 / Lace Dress – $68

Nordstrom  (Nordstrom also has a Wedding Guest section)

Peach Dress $63 / Maxi *OMG love this* $330 / Coral Dress $260

Aritzia

Wrap Dress $98 / Jumpsuit $178 / Floral Dress $115 (currently on sale)

Dynamite

 

Belted Floral Dress $44.95 / Lace Romper $64.95 / Jumpsuit $64.95

Now you can go and enjoy the champagne and dancing!

-SS

5 Ways to Stay Healthy & Fit on Vacation

Staying fit and healthy on vacation can be difficult. Sometimes it’s much easier to indulge and ignore all of the hard work that you put in at home. And while in no way am I suggesting that you get strict with diet and exercise on vacation, there are definitely things that you can do to maintain your current health and fitness state while also enjoying some well deserved time in the sun!

I am sharing my top 5 ways to stay healthy and fit on vacation:

 

1. Don’t go overboard: It’s so tempting to eat all of the delicious local food and drink all of the local cocktails, especially when you’re frequently eating out. But keep your health and fitness goals in mind when deciding to indulge. Stop eating when you’re full and remember that you don’t have to eat it all. I try to limit my “unhealthy food” to only one meal a day when on vacation, and I try to add healthy sides and snacks.

   Bonus tip: start out the day with a healthy breakfast and black coffee. You will feel much less guilty about indulging later!
   
   

2. Use the hotel gym or take a class: Depending on where you are staying, a lot of resorts have free fitness classes. For some reason working out on vacation feels so much better than at home. I actually really enjoy getting up early on vacation, working out and then having a coffee before starting my day. Also, free ocean-side yoga?! Sign me up!

   Bonus tip: even if your hotel/resort doesn’t have classes, a run along the beach or park will give you a great workout while also resulting in some serious sightseeing.

3. Walk: Walking is such a great way to get your fitness in for the day and it’s always so much more interesting on vacation because there’s so much to see.  Exploring on foot allows you to experience someplace new and get your steps in.

   Bonus tip: track your steps with a FitBit, iPhone, or other steps tracker. See if you can beat your at home numbers!

4. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate: Upping your water intake on vacation is even more important than when you’re at home (although you should always be well hydrated regardless of where you are). The climate on vacation is usually different than at home so your body will need some more hydration to help adjust. Don’t forget to drink one glass of water for each alcoholic beverage if you are partaking in some cocktails with a view, your body will thank you.

   Bonus tip: add some fruit into your water to make it taste better

5. Don’t stress: This the whole point of vacation. Even if you’re having too much fun to do the other 4 things on this list, if you stress less than you do at home then your vacation was worth it.

   Bonus tip: treat yourself! Whether’s a massage or a fun souvenir, treat yourself with something that will make you instantly feel happy.

   Most of all, remember to have fun, it’s called a vacation for a reason!

   Does anyone else have any tips for staying fit and healthy while on vacation?

   -SS

Time to Talk Botox!

Scroll down if you want to skip the reading and just check out the before/after pics!

This post is about sharing my experience with Botox and why I am so happy that I got it. I was undecided if I was going to blog about this, but then I decided it’s 2018 and it’s about time that people stop feeling the need to hide certain things that they do for fear of judgement from others. #girlpower

The truth is that although I’m mostly happy with how I look, I can’t deny that over the past few years there have been some small things that I have wanted to change. We are all self-conscious about something and for me that was the wrinkles between my eyebrows. I have been a frowner for basically my entire life, I have an expressive face and I also don’t wear my (reading) glasses as much as I should, which ended up giving me the dreaded “11” lines between my eyebrows. It doesn’t help that the way I sleep kind of squishes my face and the lines have been getting worse overnight. Once I started to hit about age 31 those lines started to get deep enough that after I frown, they weren’t completely going away gifting me with the, oh so popular “resting b***h face” look. I was also starting to look as tired as I felt and I wasn’t okay with that. For about 2 years I researched and tried just about every product on the market different product and DIY remedy I could, but nothing would get rid of those lines. Nothing.

After finally getting sick of comments about me looking mad, tired, or sad I decided to make an appointment with a local medical aesthetic clinic to find out my options. I met with the doctor there (a licensed MD) and she recommended that I stop with all of the expensive creams that haven’t been working and just go straight to Botox.

I was very clear that I wanted to avoid the “frozen face” look so we just went with 20 units between my eyebrows, which was injected as one in the middle and two on each side. I need to point out here that I am terrified of needles and suffer from a vaso vagel response every time I am near one (basically passing out). These needles were SO tiny that all I felt was a small pinch and then it was over. The entire appointment took around 10 minutes. I was surprised at how easy it was!

As for side effects, I had a little tenderness around the injection site for about a day or two but that was it. No additional pain, no bruising, not even a headache.

The doctor said it would take 3-7 days to start noticing the effects of the Botox, and for me it was closer to 7 to get the full effect, I think because my lines were so deep. After about 10 days the lines pretty much disappeared. My face is definitely not frozen, I can still frown but the lines are nowhere near as prominent as before and they don’t stay there. My skin also looks so much smoother. No one has noticed that I got anything done but people have said that I look happy and refreshed! Ha, I don’t feel it but nice to know I can at least fake looking it.

So, as much as I love how Botox has made my face look, it’s actually how I feel that will make me into a repeat customer. For the past few years I have been waking up every day with a tension headache and more often than not, I have had to take medication for it. Since the Botox, these headaches have reduced to almost never and I haven’t had to take one single pain pill. This is so huge for me!

My treatment cost $220 (Canadian) and she said I will need to redo it about every 3 months. I actually just went back for my second treatment right at the 12 week mark because the headaches started to return. I’m one week post treatment and again, no side effects, and the headaches are completely gone.

Now for the pictures! On a side note, does anyone else just hate how they look in pictures or is that just me?!

Before Botox. Relaxed face, no filter.

After Botox. Relaxed face, no filter (but great lighting!) It’s definitely difficult to ignore the difference a tiny bit of Botox has made!

Does anyone else unapologetically get any cosmetic procedures and want to share?

-SS

Disclaimer: In this post I am sharing my personal experience with Botox. I would never recommend for someone to get any kind of cosmetic or medical procedures without consulting with a licensed medical professional first. 

Friday Favorites: July 13th

It’s Friday the 13th! Is anyone superstitious? Does this day freak you out? I personally have always viewed the number 13 as lucky so I get a little excited when the 13th falls on a Friday.

I’m dedicating this weeks’ Friday Favorites post to some of my favorite items from one of my favorite stores, Saje. If you haven’t heard of Saje yet, I highly recommend that you check them out. They are a Canadian company but they also have stores throughout the US and they ship internationally. All of their products are 100% natural, plant-derived alternatives to traditional medicine. At first glance you think there’s just essential oils, but there is so, so much more to Saje than that!

 

My first favorite Saje product is their Antibacterial Yoga Mat spray (Saje stores or online – $12.95). Although this spray is designed to keep your yoga mat bacteria free and smelling fresh, I actually use it for so much more! I routinely spray my carpets, rugs, curtains, furniture… you get the idea! My favorite thing to do with it is spray the rug in our living room where the dog sleeps all day. The scent is hard to describe, it’s a mixture of orange, patchouli, and niaroli, and it’s beyond refreshing and relaxing!

 

This Multi Clean Invigorating All Purpose Cleaner (Saje stores and online – $12.95) is another favorite and must have for me, and something else that I use for just about everything. Bathrooms, kitchen, you name it! It not only cleans but it deodorizes with rosemary, lavender and peppermint oil and who doesn’t want that?!

The Energy Revitalizing Nasal Inhaler (Saje stores or online – $9.95) is one of those things that you might not have known existed but once you do, you realize that you can’t live without it! I love all of their nasal inhalers but Energy is definitely my favorite because it actually works! One sniff of this and I feel like I just had a shot of espresso without the awkward side effects. This inhaler is packed full of peppermint, lemon and rosemary to give you that kick you need to get on with your day, and as with all Saje products, it’s 100% plant based for a natural pick me up.

 

This Happiness Diffuser Blend Collection (Saje stores and online $44.95) is my absolute, most used Saje product. I diffuse these oils all day long *of course in my Saje diffusers*. This set comes with four essential oil blends, which are all made up of spirit-lifting scents to bring happiness into your environment, no matter how your day is going. I love all four of them, but my favorite is Liquid Sunshine for the bedroom and Refresh in the living room.

 

Who else a Saje fan? Comment with your favorites below!

 

Have a happy Friday!

-SS

Friday Favorites – June 29th

Not only is today Friday, but it’s the best kind of Friday – it’s a long weekend Friday! I hope everyone has some fun plans for the long weekend. As for me, I have almost no plans. Zero. Zilch. And I couldn’t be happier! And, also, how is June almost over?! I swear it’s been, like, a week long.

It’s also time for a new Friday Favorites post!

I know I featured a lip product (and a tinted lip balm at that!) in my last Friday Favorites post, but this one is also so good that I couldn’t not include this week. I was at Shoppers Drug Mart just browsing, and I came across Benefit Cosmetics Hydrating Tinted Cha Cha Balm and I had to have it! Infused with mango balm and a super pretty subtle coral color, it is the perfect shade for summer. The color is build-able depending on the look you want, and the formula is incredibly moisturizing. I have worn this non-stop since I bought it and I think it’s going to be a summer staple for me!

 

The second product on my Friday Favorites list this week is another one that I randomly discovered during the same Shoppers Drug Mart trip as before. Admittedly, the St Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist is a little weird at first glance. It’s a clear scented spray that you apply on clean skin as a self-tanner. I was skeptical, but I love trying new products so I thought it was worth a shot, and I was not disappointed! The color it gives you is very, very subtle so if you are looking for that “I just got back from a week at the beach” look, this is not for you. But, it does give you a slight tan. Most importantly, the color is even, not orange, and does not leave streaks. What’s not to love?!

And last, but certainty not least, is something that I feel will be a Friday Favorite for a long, long time because I am absolutely, utterly obsessed with the Starbucks Pink Drink. I know that I’m way late to this party, but I live in Canada and sometimes it takes a while for us to catch up. If you haven’t tried this yet, you need to go to Starbucks right now and get one. It’s their strawberry acai refresher with coconut milk. It’s dairy free, only 140 calories in the grande size, and tastes like strawberry Starbursts! What’s not to love?!
What is everyone else loving this week?
-SS