Hello again! I anticipated taking some time to collect my thoughts over the summer but didn’t expect it to turn into a hiatus. Nevertheless, she is back and we are ready to dive into a new season that’s honestly one of my faves. While it means fewer hours of sunlight and the dipping of temps, fall is all about getting comfortable and cozy with yourself. Embracing the end of the current year can prove challenging but the anticipation of a new one always comes through stronger, at least for me. These past few months have had their ups and downs and nothing has felt as easy as I hoped. However, I’m putting pen to paper — or finger to keyboard? — to reconnect with you and get back into the swing of things. Isn’t that what fall and all things back to school is about?
Without ANY further delay, here are 5 things I’m loving this fall!
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Concealer
As someone with dark undereye circles that love to be the centre of attention, I knew I needed the TikTok viral Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Concealer on my vanity. I’ve tried many a concealer, each with high hopes, but this baby did not let me down. Its smooth texture dries down quickly which I love because that slightly increases its coverage. It blends like a dream and surprisingly didn’t crease whatsoever thanks to hydrating and smoothing ingredients like Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, and Jojoba. The shade range is a standout as well with 30 shades to choose from. Trust me, if you thought you were a lost concealer cause, allow Charlotte to pick you back up again and sort you out.
Barry’s Lift
We all know and have a love/hate relationship with Barry’s Bootcamp. If you’re unfamiliar, do me a favour and find a Barry’s in your city and you’ll understand exactly why it’s known as the best workout in the world. Barry’s in Toronto has become one of my havens in the city and it’s where I’ve become a stronger and more confident version of myself. While the classes in the Red Room are always incredible and I do take them sometimes, I live for LIFT at the Richmond studio. LIFT is everything we love about Barry’s minus the treadmill so if you aren’t a runner, LIFT is for you. Shout out to Cammy + Steven for pushing me and being the only men who I let tell me what to do!!
Chica Toronto
It had been a looooong time since I ventured out, past dark I might add, to try a new restaurant here in TO. That resto is new tapas hotspot, Chica on Portland just south of King. As a downtown girlie, I’m almost wary of new King West spots because unfortunately they’re almost always overhyped and it’s never about the food. However, I was proved very wrong because the vibe, food, drinks, and service at Chica were absolutely incredible. It’s hard to pick just one dish to tell you about but my stand out was the Scallop Crudo that comes with compressed melon. Funny story — I absolutely despise scallops and melon but I couldn’t stop eating this. It was that good.
Milk Makeup Hydro Ungrip Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm
I’ve been a lover of cleansing balms for quite some time now and I’ve always been loyal to one brand in particular. That was until I was graciously gifted this cleansing balm from Milk Makeup. If you’ve never used a cleansing balm before, it’s an amazing way to start double-cleansing which really works to take off every speck of makeup and cleanse your skin. Start with dry hands and a dry face and take a small amount and massage onto the face and watch your makeup literally melt. What I love about this balm over the one I was previously using is that it has no added fragrance and it’s completely clean, vegan, and cruelty-free. It also melts into an oil in my hands quicker which is important because the last one I used stayed clumpy and sometimes a wad of balm ended up in my eye or mouth. Gross, right? It’s also a fraction of the price which sealed the deal for me.
The Skinny Confidential Pink Balls Face Massager
I never thought I’d ever add the words ‘Pink Balls’ to my shopping list or to an article for that matter. However, we’re here. Never one to shy away from innuendos myself, The Skinny Confidential is back with another life-changing face tool that I’ve fallen hard for. Designed to contour the F!@# out of your face, the disco-like Pink Balls are cool to the touch and actually grip the face to massage and sculpt. I love to give my skin some double duty by starting with my Hot Mess Ice Roller and then rolling with the Pink Balls. Pro tip: always apply face oil or moisturizer prior to allow for plenty of slip so you don’t pull or tug on the skin!