Covet & Acquire

One of my favourite outfits when I was a kid was a pair of hot pink-flecked grey bike shorts and a perfectly oversized LA Gear t-shirt.

I recall wearing it for a rare family vacation to Disneyland, during which I was very pleased to have the ensemble immortalized in photos and on videotape (yes, tape). 

So, when I got a pair of bike shorts recently from the Canadian brand From Rachel, I immediately felt like, no matter which way I styled them, I would be paying homage to that beloved look.

Unsure of how well I could pull off a more literal athleisure look with this short style, I opted to go more elevated, pairing it with a pink, Jacquemus-inspired blazer from Aritzia. The effect was polished and trendy — and just the right amount of throwback to the look that young me loved oh-so much.

Are you wearing bike shorts this season?

I wore this look a couple weekends ago while in Osoyoos.

Safe to say, I stood out amongst all the tank-top-and-cutoff-jeans combinations. Featuring a sleek top and side-slit, wide-leg trousers from Le Chateau, I felt effortlessly chic (you know that's my favourite) in this look.

The pants, which are currently on sale for less than $30 (!!) had the perfect high-waist that ensured they looked glamorous when paired with my bandeau bikini top while piloting a pontoon boat. (A first for me!) And, I'm pretty sure I'll be buying this comfy halter-neck top in several colours this season.

Happy Friday and thank you for stopping by!

Today is National Lipstick Day (I know, I know — another 'day'?).

As a longtime lover of a good statement lip, this is a fake holiday that I can fully embrace. After all, who doesn't love the idea of a new little lip product? Even if it's just a smoothing balm.

Sephora Canada is offering 25 per cent off select lip products to mark the 'special' day, now through July 31. There's a pretty good lineup of brands and products on offer to choose from. So, you know where I'll be online shopping this afternoon. ;)

Wondering which lipsticks to check out? Here are a few favourites reviewed recently on the blog:

BITE BEAUTY CRYSTAL CREME SHIMMER LIP CRAYON

What it is: A collection of cream-based blushes and contours as well as sheer, glossy lipsticks for summer 2020 from Rihanna's beauty brand Fenty Beauty.

Beauty bonus: Orange blush works for us. Who knew? RiRi did! This blush is buildable — a perfect intro to cream blushes.

Beauty bummer: None!

Overall: Fenty does it again with fun, cream-based products that are perfect for warm summer days.

The blushes were our faves, with summer-ready bright hues perfect for sun-kissed skin.The lipsticks are also beautiful, providing no-fuss glossy colour that's super comfortable for all-day wear (and re-application).

Feeling adventurous? The darker purple shade is surprisingly subtle — give it a try!

Would recommend? Yes
Price: From $26
Where to buy: Sephora

I headed out of town for the weekend recently, opting to visit one of my favourite vacation spots in B.C.: Osoyoos.

Visiting specifically for my sister's bachelorette party — we were supposed to go to Vegas but, well, COVID — we stayed at the Watermark Beach Resort and spent the weekend visiting wineries and boating.

To say it was wonderful would be an understatement. (If you haven't been, I highly suggest you go!) 

I wore this easy look on the drive up. Featuring two key pieces from Canadian brands, this simple summer ensemble has some seriously good Quebec connections. The wrap skirt is from the Montreal-based brand From Rachel, while the chic leather sandals are from my go-to, Le Chateau.

This is one of those looks that is comfortable and classy. It's sure to make a repeat appearance (or several) before summer's end.

Happy Friday and thank you for stopping by!

My bike has been put to good use this summer.

Pretty much every day after signing off from my computer (I'm still working from home), I hop on my bike and go for a ride. It's a nice way to unwind after a day spent staring at a screen.

I bought this bike basket from the Canadian company Goodee so that I could bring a few essentials on my daily rides. It's been such a nice feature — and I appreciate that the basket, which is made by Baba Tree, is fair trade and supports artisans working in Ghana.

I featured another one of the company's market items in a recent article for Postmedia News. If you're interested, you can check it out here.

So far, the basket is fabulous. The woven straw is sturdy, it was super easy to strap on to my bike and it fits quite a few things in it (as you can see in the pic). I suspect it'll be a fixture on my bike for many years to come.

Happy summer, everyone!

I'm just going to come right out and say it ... I miss Paris.

I've been fortunate to travel to this city at least once a year in recent years and, I must admit, I'm really missing not being there. I also cancelled a work trip there during Paris Fashion Week due to the escalating novel coronavirus, so perhaps that's also where the yearning stems from.

With the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the pandemic meaning that, for many of us, international travel is off the books until — who knows when? I was happy to receive a little piece of Paris on my doorstep thanks to Ladurée Canada.

The iconic French patisserie, which operates locations in Vancouver and Toronto, is offering picnic sets through their Vancouver location for purchase that bring a flavour of France right to your doorstep (or backyard, or local park, or ... you get the idea). 

Whenever I visited Paris, especially before Ladurée set up shop in Vancouver, I always made a point to bring back a macaron treat for family and friends, so this is such a lovely reminder of those memories.

The pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way we think about a lot of things.

And one of those things (for me, at least) is makeup.

During the past four months of working from home, I haven't worn much beyond the basics. To be honest, I've always been more of a statement-lip kind of girl — my sister Kirsten, the beauty editor of Covet & Acquire, is the one who's all about the eye shadow.

But, while working from home (OK, and snacking a bit more than I would at the office), even that go-to red or pink lipstick has fallen a bit out of the loop.

My beauty emphasis in the past few years has been my skin. And that's something that has intensified during the ongoing pandemic. My daily makeup routine has been remarkably streamlined — mascara, under-eye concealer, brow grooming and a touch of highlighter — while my skincare steps have, well, stepped up.

I'm currently doing a double-cleanse routine (once in the morning), followed by toner, serum (applied with a gua sha tool), moisturizer, sunscreen (morning only), and some oil. Masks have been incorporated a lot more lately, too.

Let's just say, I'm always on the lookout for a cool new skin product or tool. How, if at all, have your beauty practices changed?

I've linked a few of my current favourite products below. 

What it is: From the cruelty-free brand Honest, comes a new-to-Canada line of skincare and makeup that is as kind to the community as it is to your skin.

Beauty bonus: The eyeliner is highly pigmented and did not disappoint!

Beauty bummer: Not a bummer for some but the mascara was a little too natural-looking for us. We like a little more volume and while this wasn’t the most natural looking lash we have experienced, it was still not quite enough for us.

Overall: This is our first try of Jessica Alba’s beauty brand.

We are noticing that as we get older, our skin is changing and makeup needs us to use some extra products we hadn’t needed before. Enter in the Magic Balm! It is a little like a lip balm in consistency but that is exactly what our skin needs in specific problem spots to prevent weirdness when applying makeup.

The lip colours are good neutrals and wear well. (Skincare review to come!)

We are impressed with our introduction into the Honest world!
Would recommend? Yes
Price: From $16.99
Where to buy: Shoppers Drug Mart

What it is: A fresh summer beauty collection from CHANEL that's all about getting that perfect "natural-looking glow."

Beauty bonus: The liquid highlighter formula, called Les Beiges Sheer Healthy Glow Highlighting Fluid, is a new favourite. A little goes a long way, and whether dabbed on with a synthetic-bristle brush or blended with a fingertip, it gives a pretty, healthy shine to skin.

Beauty bummer: While easy to work with, we weren't as obsessed with the Les Beiges Health Glow Bronzing Cream (a universal bronzer shade) as we initially expected.

Overall: If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for two things: CHANEL and a good skin glow. And this post — and collection launch — sees the best of both of these.

The hues on offer in this summertime selection are spot-on for us. We're big fans of a bit of bronzer, hydrating highlighter and a kiss of colour on lips when the weather warms up, and this range delivers all of that in spades.

The Les Beiges Healthy Glow Lip Balm is a new favourite, offering buildable colour and a soft shiner. It's comfortable and wearable — very unlike the mattes and metallics we've all been wearing on repeat.

As mentioned above, the highlighting fluid is a treat and has been used on repeat lately along the high points of the face. It's comfortable and not sticky, plus it boasts a nice scent.

The eyeshadow is another new go-to, offering a new (sparkly) take on the neutrals that we love for summertime beauty looks.

Would recommend? Yes.
Price: From $35
Where to get it: Chanel.com

What it is: A Quebec-based lifestyle and beauty brand that takes natural, luxe, vegan and cruelty-free skincare to the next level.

Beauty bonus: The Honey Cardamom Mask is amazing. We saw an almost instant skin improvement to redness.

Beauty bummer: While we loved the spritzer format of the body oil, it didn’t absorb the quickest on us.

Overall: Just in time for Canada Day, we were excited to try this new-to-us Canadian brand. (It's something we always love doing!)

While it's easy to see why the Trio a la Rose is a bestseller — containing the oh-so-addictive Rose Floral Water — the honey mask was hands-down a fast favourite with beautiful results after just one use. A word of caution though: apply this mask with a brush of some kind (either silicone paddle or synthetic bristle) as it is a little sticky and messy without a brush.

The Karité Vanillé is our close second (or third after the aforementioned rose water) fave. A bit of a grainy texture in the jar but gently warmed with hands, the Shea butter smooths over skin wonderfully. We actually used a small amount on our face. It absorbed like a dream and left skin feeling hydrated and luminous, but not overly greasy.

Would recommend? Yes. This natural Canadian beauty brand's products are a must-try!
Price: From $31.50
Where to buy: MaisonJacynthe.ca

Want more Canada-loving content (and really, who doesn't)?
Check out a recent review of another Canadian beauty favourite, BITE Beauty, here, and my list of five Canadian fashion brands you need to know!

As I mentioned in one of my latest posts, this is the summer of dresses for me.

I'm all about the effortless, all-in-one ensembles — especially when they're easy and breezy.

While I've had this white dress from Aritzia for a few years now, I hadn't really worn it much. But, given my current predilection for loose house dresses at the moment, it's safe to say that it's been on pretty heavy rotation lately.

Paired with this super cute mini straw bag from the Canadian brand Poppy and Peonies, I loved this look so much that I didn't want to take it off.

I've linked a few cute white maxi dresses (Ok, and two floral ones, too!) below, should you be looking to add a similar style to your closet this summer season.