What to Buy from the Spring 2018 Sephora Sale

It’s back better than ever! The sale at Sephora starts again today for the spring season! Starting today, April 20 until April 23 all levels (Yes ALL levels!) – Sephora Rouge, VIB and Beauty Insider - can shop the sale of the season!

The reason this sale is so epic is that department stores will never give you this much of a discount off of beauty products! So if you’ve been thinking of splurging on the Clarisonic or Dyson Hairdryer now is the time to buy those investment pieces (there are a few exclusions which include: The Ordinary, one Dyson product per purchase, and three Drunk Elephant products per purchase). 

How to Shop the Sephora Sale

First off, you need to be a member of the Beauty Insider program (you can sign up here).

The way the sale works it’s in a tiered format:

To receive 15% off Items:

• Must be a Rouge or VIB member
• Rouge members – Receive 15% off April  13-16 and April 20-23 in store and online with code YAYROUGE
• VIB members – Receive 15% off April 20-23 in store and online with code YAYVIB

To receive 10% off Items:

• Beauty Insiders – Receive 10% off April 20-23 in store and online with code YAYINSIDER

If you aren’t familiar with the tiers here is a run down on how it works. The top tier is VIB Rouge which is for those customers that spend $1,000 a year. The next tier is VIB for customers who spend $350 a year. The third tier is Beauty Insider which is for any customers in the program who spend less than $350 a year.

What to Buy from the Sephora VIB Sale - Top 10 Items

1. Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer - Alright ladies, how many of you HATE blowdrying your hair? I know I definitely fall into that category with my long locks! What's worse is that I've gotten my hair stuck in a hair dryer.. seriously it's time to stop investing in cheapo hairdryers. The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer is one of the hot items this year with its high-speed, powerful, brushless digital motor and intelligent heat control for shine. I own a Dyson Hair Dryer and I LOVE IT! If you have any questions about this hair dryer feel free to ask!

2. T3 Styling Wand - This curling wand does WONDERS to your hair and creates long lasting curls! I always struggle with curls falling out soon after I've curled my hair so this item is definitely in my shopping cart! What's even better is that this comes in a set of THREE barrels so you get more for your money!

3. Clarisonic - Another must buy to have during this sale! This Clarisonic features a two-speed cleansing device paired with a radiance-boosting brush head and a makeup brush. This is seriously a game changer if you want your skin looking flawless!

4. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder - This loose setting powder is the KEY to setting my makeup especially under my eye area. I use this setting powder to set my under eye makeup so it doesn't crease or look cakey. It's seriously fool proof and makes your makeup last longer! There is also a mini travel size which I bought as part of the sale so I can toss it into my purse!

5. Foundation - These two foundations have been on my radar (and I'm sure alot of you as well!) Huda Beauty Foundation and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna. I've heard so many great things about both of these foundations and ca't wait to try them!

6. Contour Kit by Smashbox - Contouring has seriously changed the way I do my makeup every day. The kit contains a contour, bronzer, and highlight shade. It also comes with instructions if you are a newbie!

7. Shimmering Skin Perfector Highlighter by Becca - This is hands-down one of my favorite highlighters of all time. It gives you such a beautiful highlight and glow. I use this on my cheekbones and it really pulls my makeup together.

8. Beautyblender - Stock up on these beautyblenders NOW!! I can't even begin to tell you how many beautyblenders I've gone through or have lost. The beautyblender is essential to a flawless makeup application. I use it every single day to apply my make up!

9. Chanel perfume - Okay ladies, when does Chanel perfume EVER go on sale? I have both the COCO Mademoiselle and the Gabrielle CHANEL they are both amazing. I've gotten so many questions about what perfume I wear so these are must haves!

10. Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eye Shadow Palette - During the Sephora sale I always make it a point to pick up at least one new eye shadow palette! This palette is a beautiful everyday to night palette with 14 shades, including essential mattes and glam shimmer finishes.

I hope you enjoyed this type of post of what is in my Sephora cart!

Will you be shopping the sale and picking up anything? I would love to hear your thoughts!

The Ultimate Girls Weekend in Montreal

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of going to Montreal for a girls trip! Between all of us living in different cities and hectic schedules it’s always so hard to find a weekend when we are all free! A girls weekend is all about catching up, exploring a new city together, eating yummy food, dancing the night away and making new memories together!

Where To Stay

We found a cute three bedroom one bathroom apartment on Air B&B near Mount-Royal Park. The place was a little small and the walls were thin so you could hear your neighbors but the place was cute and very clean! The location itself was really good as everything was walking distance or a short Uber ride away! The location is about 30 minutes from the airport (you can either Uber or Taxi which is $40).

As far as currency goes, there are only a few places that are cash only which included La Banquise (Poutine) and Notre-Dame Basicilia which take both American and Canadian dollars. We were also able to use our credit cards everywhere (just make sure there are no transaction fees!).

Itinerary
What To Do and What To Eat

Day 1 - Arrival Day

The first night we had dinner at Le Serpent. The place was industrial looking and really cute. For appetizers we started with the Beets appetizer and Burrata appetizer. For the main course I had the Bucatini which was really good. The portions are on the small side but the amount we ordered was just perfect.

After dinner we headed to the infamous La Champagnerie. I would highly suggest this place for a girls weekend or a fun night of dancing. The drinks were really good and we had an area by the bar. They will also let you saber a bottle of champagne if you want! There was also a DJ playing music that night (the music was on point!). 

Day 2

No girls getaway is complete without some sort of spa services! We had massages booked for all six of us at Rain Spa. It is located on the third floor of the Hôtel Place d'Armes. The 2,500 square foot spa has 10 treatment rooms spanning two floors. There are many different services, a traditional hammam room (included with any services more than 60 minutes), and a rest area serving teas and flavored water. 

For lunch what we initially wanted to do was go to Olive and Gourmando since they are one of the top rated place in Montreal for lunch. However, there was a 45 minute wait for a table so we ventured around the streets of Old Montreal and passed by the Notre-Dame Basicilia (more details on that down below).

While wondering the streets of the historic Old Montreal and in dire need of food, we discovered Venice MTL. We loved the atmosphere and vibe of this place (everything was honestly so Instagrammable!). We ordered poke, flatbreads, and tacos. Everything tasted really good.

Afterwards, we walked around Old Montreal and stopped in at Maison Christian Faure, which is a charming pastry shop for pastries and tea. It was honestly the best afternoon.

We then headed back to our Air B&B to rest and re-fresh for dinner and a night out. For dinner we headed to La Banquise which is the best poutine place in Montreal. They have over 30 different types of poutine and it was definitely worth the wait! They are open 24/7 so you could literally go there any time you want!

We ended the night at La Distillerie No. 1 which has the most amazing cocktails, a fun DJ, and board games! The menu was so much fun to browse through as it is unique. One of the owners of the restaurant was actually one of the bartenders! 

Day 3 - Departure Day

The last day we ended the trip with some yummy brunch and mimosas at Restaurant Hambar, which is located in the heart of Old Montreal.  

Afterwards, we walked over to the Notre-Dame Basilica which is a must-see if you are in Montreal. It was absolutely breathtaking and beautiful.

It was a great way to end the trip and we had a great time visiting Montreal!

What to Wear from Desk to Dinner

Jacket: Zara (Similar Jacket by Ulla Johnson)
V-Neck Shirt: GAP / Jeans: JCrew / Flats: JCrew (Similar)
Work Tote: Tory Burch (Similar) / Watch: Movado Bold  
Necklace: Kate Spade / Sunglasses: Sperry (Similar)

Come Friday there is always the same question I struggle with on a weekly basis which is "What office appropriate outfit can I wear to work and also wear out to dinner?"  Last week was the perfect example of this instance. I was leaving work at 5:30PM and had to be at dinner by 6:00PM over at Fat Salmon Sushi (soo good by the way).

For me the key to a desk to dinner look is a great jacket, polished pair of jeans and a great pair of flats. These high-rise skinny jeans from JCrew are currently my favorite and goes perfectly with these pair of pointy toe flats which are also from JCrew. Since I had a few meetings that day I opted for a beige jacket with a little bit of the fun tassel tie details.  My Zara jacket is currently sold out but was a total dupe for the Ulla Johnson jacket!

There are always a few rule of thumb that I follow when dressing from the office to dinner. The first one being is to always start with the basics. Make sure you have neutral closet staples that fit you well and you can mix and match. That could include a perfect pair of skinny jeans, the perfect fitting white blouse, or a pair of black pants. Secondly, add layers. I always throw on a blazer or cardigan while I am in the office to add to the professional look which can be removed at dinner. Last of all, I always freshen up before heading out the door – may that be running a brush through your hair, powdering your nose and a spray of perfume!

How to Wear Florals this Spring

Cold Shoulder Blouse: Zara (Not available online - Similar here)
Jeans: JCrew / Heels: Levity (Similar) / Purse: Saint Laurent
Watch: Movado Bold / Sunglasses: Sperry (Similar)

Like the saying goes, "Florals? For spring? Ground-breaking" (Devil Wears Prada), this years floral trend is back for the spring season but with a fresh new look.

There’s something about spring and the warm weather that always has me craving florals. Despite florals being a predictable trend for spring and the fact that it’s been done many times, this years trend has been updated to include different colors, bold florals (think tropical prints), and statement sleeves (cold shoulder, off the shoulder, etc).

One of my favorite pieces in my closet right  now is this beautiful flowy floral cold shoulder top from Zara (only available in store right now!). This blouse is feminine, airy and romantic - honestly it's perfect for any occasion! I wore this outfit to my husband's birthday dinner last Friday and I can't wait to pair this blouse with shorts for the summer!

I linked a few other of my favorite cold shoulder floral blouses below. What do you think of this trend?

Five Neutral Cardigans You Need For Spring

Cardigan: Zara (Similar) / Jeans: JCrew
Flats: JCrew (Last Season) Similar flats here and here
Purse: Chanel / Sunglasses: Sperry

Gone are the days of heavy winter jackets and in are the days of spring cardigans! I am a strong believer in investing in neutral layering pieces that can be worn year-round just like this black cardigan from Zara. Cardigans are the perfect transition piece from winter to spring or layering with your outfit for those cool spring nights. I can't wait to add more neutral cardigans to my spring wardrobe!

Here are my top five neutral cardigans you need for spring:

1. Stripe Long Open Cardigan
2. Drop Shoulder Tie Waist Cardigan
3. Oh Pretty Daze Cardigan
4. Rivington Lightweight Cardigan Sweater
5. Nightingale Cardigan