Covet & Acquire

What is it: The Body Politik Wax Bar is a no-fuss waxing space for men and women that will get you sleek for summer — or maintain your meticulous (hair) landscaping — from top to toes. 

Beauty bonus: We love the all-inclusive attitude of this wax bar!  The shop's owner, Carmen Perez, caters to everyone — "big bodies, little bodies, cis bodies, trans bodies, battle-scarred or airbrush-perfect: Every body is beautiful. Every body is deserving of care," according to her website. #love
Plus, she uses luxe I Love My Muff products to soothe skin, so your seriously smooth post-treatment.

This outfit post is a bit of a #FlashbackFriday as I shot it while on holiday in Palm Springs earlier this year.

I don't know what stopped me from posting it right after I arrived home from my trip, but what I do know is that this look basically started my love affair with pleated skirts.

Truth be told, I have long loved the uber-feminine style, but add in a midi length, and I will pretty much take one in every colour. But ... what DON'T I do that with?! Lol. Don't answer that.

Happy Friday and thank you so much for stopping by!

I can't resist a good summer sandal.

Add in a sole that is as cushy and comfortable as a yoga mat (maybe because it actually IS one!), and I'm sold.

Cue: the Sanuk Yoga Mat Primo sandal.

Available in a few neutral shades and sporting eye-catching animal print on the inside, these sandals are as comfortable as they are fun. Trust me, I wore them during a weekend of exploring San Francisco — on foot — and my feet couldn't have been happier.

(Full disclosure: The canvas-lined strap did rub a bit the first few wears)

Now all I need to do is get myself the other colours. :P

Happy Wednesday and thank you for stopping by.

Black and white are non-stop staples in my wardrobe — not that this comes as any surprise.

And despite the rising temperature, I've found myself sticking to my go-to leather jackets.

Paired with a silky tank and a midi pencil skirt, a classic leather topper can be both on-season for the warming temps and on-trend. Just the way I like it.

In addition to proving my love for all things leather and black-white, it also showcases my recent ambitions to pare my wardrobe down to key pieces that I can wear with everything.

From key jewelry items such as a watch, rings and bracelets, to a great, go-with-everything bag, I've been trying to save and spend on items that will last me a lifetime, versus spending on pieces that will end up in the donation pile at the end of the season.

Not sure how I'm doing with this goal, but looking at these pics makes me think I'm on the right track. :)

Happy Friday and thank you for stopping by!

What it is: A full-service brow bar at select Sephora and Benefit locations including Vancouver. The petite treatment bar offers brow waxing, brow tinting and lip waxing — as well as various combinations of these services. 

Donning denim is such an easy way to add colour to your wardrobe.

While I usually sway toward black, dark blue or white denim, this summer season, I'm captivated by lighter washes.

From culottes to this relaxed denim dress — I just can't get enough of these baby blues.

Happy Friday and thank you for stopping by!

When I spotted these denim culottes it was love at first sight.

They seem to strike the perfect balance between '70s cool-girl and oh-so right now. In short, I adore them.

But they can be a bit overpowering when they're on, so I decided to pair them with classic closet staples such as a simple T-shirt and a timeless trench.

Because, let's face it, looking '70s-inspired is chic — but looking like you just stepped out of the '70s via a time machine? Not so much.

Happy Wednesday and thank you for stopping by!

What it is: A gentle, no-rinse formula used to remove light makeup and impurities from skin.

Using gentle ingredients such as coconut-derived surfactant (the micelle oil part needed to take off the makeup without taking the lipid layer off skin, too), rose water and green tea extract (for antioxidant protection), this cleanser works to clean and protect skin.

Beauty bonus: With no harsh alcohol, parabens or soaps this cleanser is neither harsh nor drying.

Beauty bummer: If you're wearing full-on night out makeup, a wash with your fav cleanser followed  by this product may be your best bet for a squeaky clean feeling.

Overall: We weren't sure how to use this product at first (What is Micellar, exactly?!), so we tried it post-wash as a toner. And we were sort of correct in doing so ...

After a little research, we learned Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Petals has the skin-calming qualities of a toner, with the makeup-removing qualities of a cleanser.

It feels lovely on the skin and we were particularly impressed with how it removed trace amounts of lipstick without leaving lips feeling sticky or dry.

While we probably wouldn't use this as our sole cleanser, it's perfect for removing stubborn makeup and oil before applying moisturizer.

Would recommend? Yes
Price: Approximately $ 42
Where to buy: The Bay

I'm a huge advocate for proper skincare.

Whenever I hear about people who "forget" to wash their makeup off at night or are "too tired" to cleanse and moisturize in the morning, I just think ... HUH?

I always (always!) carve out time for washing and moisturizing my face — morning and night.

Maybe it's because I struggled with acne growing up (and still do, unfortunately), or perhaps it's thanks to my mom, who happens to have the smoothest skin I've ever seen — but I make my skincare a top priority.

So it should come as no surprise that when I got the opportunity to have Vichy products hand-picked by a team of skincare professionals for me based on my skin type and struggles — I said yes, yes, yes!

Take a look at my fave products from my #VichyWorksForMe selection.

What is it: A rechargeable facial cleansing brush that removes the day's oil and makeup using dual action sonic pulses and gentle rotations leaving soft, radiant skin. Cleans skin 10x better than regular soap and water.

Beauty bonus: With a 20-second run and a pause to let you know when to move to the next quadrant of your face, this brush does everything but turn on the shower.

Beauty bummer: A minute felt a bit short for our skin cleanse, so we ran the cycle twice just to make sure.

Overall: We weren't sure how the wand-like shape of this brush would work out, but it was actually quite comfortable to use.

Tiny tip: Make sure to move the brush and not your head. Movements in opposite directions drag the brush unpleasantly across skin.

We loved the squeaky clean, smooth feel of skin post-wash. Because the brush is so soft, the exfoliation is just right for everyday use — leaving skin radiant but not irritated.

Would recommend? Yes. If you are in the market for a sonic cleanser, this one is a good value for the money.

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: London Drugs

—Review by Covet and Acquire Beauty Editor Kirsten Harris

What is it: An innovative new women's razor featuring a flex ball that allows the razor to move in multiple directions for a smooth, quick shave.

Beauty bonus: A micro-fine comb guides hair toward the blade ensuring fewer missed hairs.

Beauty bummer: For delicate areas, the profile of this razor is a bit big.

Overall: Just in time for bikini season, this combo is sure to get you beach-ready!

The shave gel is very luxurious, lathering to a rich, moisturizing foam. It leaves skin feeling smooth and sun-dress ready.

We also tried the shaver without the shave gel and were pleased with the amount of serum included on the razor head — no excuse for dry shaving and subsequent razor burn here!

Would recommend? Yes, for legs and underarms —but maybe not for smaller bikini-area work.
Price: Approximately $4.99 (shave gel) and $15 (razor and refill)
Where to buy: Mass retailers nationwide

—Review by Covet and Acquire beauty editor Kirsten Harris