TIFF | Bask-It Style Lounge 2023

This year’s Toronto International Film Fest was so much fun. I was hot off the heels of Venice Film Fest and the whole experience felt like a movie. One of my favorite events every TIFF season is the Bask-It Style lounge hosted by Glo Communications. They bring together a variety of brands spanning fashion, beauty, and lifestyle, inviting media to discover what’s new and take home a great selection of items. Natalie and I met up to view the brands together and it was truly a great time. We had our makeup done by Stila, hair by Marc Anthony, tried on glasses by Victoria Beckham, and more. One of the BEST gifts was the Philips Sonicare Prestige, it has Bluetooth, an app, and uses AI to get to know your mouth. Incredible! We sampled wine from the Rueda region in Spain. A personal favorite of mine, ever since I visited the region back in 2019 (see here!). Wine sommelier Renée Sferrazza was on site to take us through the different blends and I took home a 2020 bottle of Nēkora by Diez Siglos. Renée was a guest on our Cast of Creators podcast earlier this year, listen here.

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Fresh Hair for Spring

It’s spring! Finally! Soon enough flowers will start blooming and it won’t be as cold. Hard to believe we’re almost into Q2 of 2023. The start of this year has been interesting, sometimes I feel like it’s all going as planned, and then the next minute I just don’t know! In other news, I hadn’t had my hair done in ages and decided it was time. A friend recommended. Beni at Blunt Hair Co. so I booked an appt and went. I am so happy with how my hair looks now, obsessed. Book him here, he’s incredible. I am also so in love with my new freckles done by my friend Misty Fox! She’s an incredible makeup & SPF artist who is now doing semi-permanent makeup freckles. If this is something you’re interested in, send her a DM on Instagram @mistyfox and tell her I sent you. If you’re looking for a new cut, color, or style, go see Beni! Follow him on IG at @hair.by.beni.

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New Scents & Bubbles!

This summer has flown by, how is it almost September?! Yes, we still have lots of warm days ahead but the nights are getting colder, and it’ll be spooky season before we know it. Got two great packages in the mail this week, new scents & bubbles! Both fit right into my weekend plans of relaxing, recharging, and treating myself to some self-care. The thing I love about September is the ‘new year’ energy it brings. I like to start things in September most people would kick off January 1st, that way, by the time the holidays come, I’m good and ready for the new year. Ok, now onto the packages… The first package was from MicroPerfumes, which just announced their expansion to Canada. I didn’t know about this well-kept beauty secret but I love the idea. Don’t wear a lot of perfume but I often buy the smallest size so I can travel with it or test it out. I’ve loved wearing Santal 33 for the past few years and before that was dedicated to a Dolce & Gabanna perfume that’s now discontinued. The cool thing about MicroPerfumes is you can order all kinds of designer scents in travel sizes for a fraction of the price. I got a gift set of three scents: Santal 33, Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme Intense (similar to my old fav!), and Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille (unisex). The other weekend I was op at the cottage and ran into one of my cottage besties who works for Vitabath. Well, am I ever lucky! Today a gift box showed up full of bubble baths, bath salts, lotions, body wash, and more. She even sent some goodies from the men’s line for Sean. I can’t wait to run a nice bath this weekend and pamper myself.…

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Day 595: Blonde Me!

Went to Sassoon in the afternoon for a fresh round of highlights. Ready to say sayonara to my natural pandemic look and brighten things up w/ a bit more blonde. Posted a video of my new look here!

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Day 591: So Lovely

Had a nice little Sunday with Cory Lee! We popped in to see Morgan Lovely and her new spot, THIC Studio, a beautiful hair salon + studio you can rent to shoot in. The space is stunning with beautiful light, great details, and lots of plants. Morgan gave me a bang trim and I got a B12 shot from the TIGHT Clinic who was onsite. Very thankful for the much-needed bang trim as I’m having colour done at Sassoon later this week. ? Late last year Morgan created THIC, the hair inspired company and introduced a Daily Hair Perfecting Oil. I’ve been using her product since January and it is SO LOVELY. It’s really helped my hair to grow and feel healthy. I have fine hair so I was hesitant to try and oil on it but I swear it doesn’t make my hair greasy. I use it almost every single day. Saw this little window box as we were leaving and of course, I stopped Cory to take my picture. You gotta find joy in the little things!

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Day 566: Sassoon Toronto Has Online Booking Now!

Now that salons are open again, I was so excited to get an appointment at Sassoon Toronto. I’ve been going to Sassoon for almost 5 years and they’ve seen me through every hairstyle from a shaved head to long hair. I absolutely love the team there and always leave feeling fabulous. It had been nearly a year since I had my hair done and I’ve grown to quite like my natural look. I had bleach blonde hair for over a decade and hadn’t seen natural hair since I was about 12. I didn’t really know what colour my hair was! I’d been cutting my own hair for months and was certain I’d done a good job, well…I WAS WRONG. Look how lopsided my hair was! First two photos are before, second two are after my cut/colour. Tricia asked if I was left-handed, she could tell by how I’d cut my hair. Ha! Won’t do that again. Since my hair was a bit of a mess, I asked what kind of things they’re seeing from other people post-lockdown??? Turns out, a lot of people opted to grow out their natural colour. During the first lockdown, they had a bunch of clients who turned to drugstore products, then had to have their hair fixed when salons opened. During the second lockdown, a trend emerged to not go the DIY route and wait it out. If you happen to have roots and you’re not sure what to do next, give Sassoon a call or book an online consultation. There’s heaps of low maintenance options where you can brighten your look and still keep it natural. During the lockdown months when Sassoon Toronto was closed, they took the opportunity to do some upgrades to the studio and their online presence. They now have a…

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Day 503: Bloom with D Luxe Lab in Yorkville

My friend invited me to stop into the re-opening of D Luxe Lab, a premier cosmetic treatment clinic located in the heart of Yorkville. It’s absolutely beautiful! I sat down for a chat with the female founder, Dema Najjar scroll down for my interview with her. Dema is an immigrant to Canada from Syria and a graduate of Rotman Business School’s MBA program, alongside many other talents. I had a consultation followed by treatment with Dr. Basil. I’m very happy with the results, workin’ to keep my face looking rested and refreshed! As a female immigrant in Canada, how did you best prepare yourself for becoming a business owner? I moved to Canada with the intention of establishing a connection with Canadian culture and community. I completed an Executive MBA at Rotman School of Business and then integrated the Canadian work force. I spent 5 years working in the financial industry at MCAP, which allowed me to build and expand my knowledge base of this industry, as well as to grant me exposure to meet new and different people. From this, I was able to better understand Canadian culture and experience daily life as a Canadian. Through my work with MCAP, I gained valuable insight into agreements and deal-making, which encouraged me to pursue a Global Professional Masters of Laws at U of T.  During the past ten years in Canada, I have had the chance to work in finance, marketing and accounting, and through my network, I have been fortunate enough to be exposed to many wonderful people who have encouraged me along the way. A couple of years ago, I took a step back and began thinking of how I could combine my Canadian experience with that of my family’s in Syria. After evaluating the cosmetic beauty industry market and establishing that…

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Day 484: Treat Yourself – Bespoke Facial at Youth MediSpa

With restrictions opening up we’re finally allowed to access more personal care services. I was so excited to go back to Youth MediSpa for their bespoke facial treatment. My last visit there was in July 2020 (Day 122) for a little Botox touchup. After months of being at home, I’ve really started taking good care of my skin but some things can’t be fixed with a good cream or face mask. This year I turned 39 and some skin concerns I have are signs of aging, sun damage, redness, and hydration. I was keen to get the bespoke facial from Youth MediSpa because it’s catered for each person and their skin needs.

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Day 122: I Went To A Spa! Introducing YOUTH MEDISPA, Toronto

It’s been ages since I went to a spa so when I was invited to check out the brand new YOUTH Medispa in downtown Toronto, I was so excited! I had a Bespoke Medical Facial followed by Botox and filler. This is more than a beauty clinic, they’re a female-led, luxe anti-ageing spa with over 30 years in the business. They offer Injectables, advanced laser and facials, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), hair restoration, skin tightening, vaginal rejuvenation, and plastic surgery consultation. Inside YOUTH Medispa, Toronto With the new Covid19 restrictions, they’re allowed to book patient appointments and are taking all the precautions necessary to make sure your visit is safe and enjoyable. The day before my appointment I was sent several forms and waivers to sign-off on my treatments and informed they would provide a mask if I didn’t have my own. I arrived 15 min early for my appointment and was greeted at the door with sanitizer and one of their specialists who was also wearing a mask. I was so excited I wore a dress and heels for the first time in months. I was the only patient at the time and as restrictions change for Toronto, they will continue to stagger appointments and have both entry and exit doors so no two clients cross paths. The entire space is 3,100 square feet with 4 floors, 4 main areas, and 9 treatment rooms. Big fan of the art displayed, their look is very minimal, black & white, with a pop of colour here and there. They’re paperless and wireless meaning you can pay for your services ahead of time or inside the treatment room without having to go back to through the building. YOUTH Medispa – Bespoke Facial My first treatment was a Bespoke Medical Facial that…

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Get to Know High Beauty, Sativa Seed Skincare

I recently went to the launch of High Beauty, a line of skincare made with Cannabis sativa seed oil you can now find at Hudson’s Bay in Canada. I’ve been using the products for a week now and my skin feels soft and radiant. I was so impressed with the products and beautiful packaging, I wanted to learn more about the brand. I’m really interested in new products that contain anything derived from hemp for cannabis. I reached out to the founder to get a bit of a backstory and learn more about the company. Scroll down for my interview!

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A DNA Test and One for Gut Health

Last year I explored taking probiotics and started earning about gut health. It really opened me up to know more about my body, what foods are best and expanded my knowledge of microbiomes. A couple of weeks ago I got an email to try out a gut health test from Atlas Biomed. Obvs I was 100% down. They also sent a DNA Test which I had Sean do because I did one a few years ago. Side note, since I did my DNA test, we’ve been very interested to find out Sean’s DNA results and what percentage of neanderthal DNA he has. This is because when I did my test, we found I had a larger percentage of neanderthal DNA than the average human. He’s been bugging me about and calling me ‘Cave Casie’ since lol. Atlas Biomed launched in Canada this past summer and offers DNA & Gut Health testing in order to help people in heath & wellness. They’re the first company to offer both test directly to the public. Read more about their launch here. “Our mission is to deliver knowledge directly to consumers to help them live longer, healthier lives and we’re excited to be able to bring our products to health-conscious Canadians.” Atlas Biomed CEO Sergey Musienko The Gut Health Test Learn how microbes protect you from disease Understand how diet affects gut bacteria Optimize microbe’s vitamin synthesis Dietary fiber breakdown and butyrate synthesis Personalized food recommendations Probiotics and beneficial bacteria report The DNA Test Disease risks influenced by genes and lifestyle Carrier status, child risk for hereditary diseases Impact on vitamins, nutrients and food intolerances Athletic predisposition to performance and injury DNA ancestry, origins, and Neanderthal genes Unique personal traits determined by genes It takes a couple of weeks to get the results so I will be anxiously awaiting…

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The 2019 Breast Cancer Campaign w/ Estee Lauder

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, a woman is diagnosed EVERY 15 SECONDS. Multiple women will be diagnosed by the time you read this post. I was asked to be part of Estee Lauder’s 2019 Breast Cancer Campaign with a goal to raise $9M for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. By joining the campaign, I’m here to raise awareness and money to help fund more research so we can *hopefully* beat breast cancer. It breaks my heart hearing stories about how many people die from it and also talking with friends & family about our own personal connections to breast cancer. It can affect anyone. This year, an estimated 268,600 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and 62,930 women will be diagnosed with in situ breast cancer. An estimated 2,670 men in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. cancer.net 25 years ago, Evelyn H. Lauder created the Cancer Campaign and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (#BCRF) and since have raised millions to find research, education, and services. All Estee Lauder companies participate in donating the BCRF and you can shop their pink ribbon products here. It really is something that can never be done by any one person; it has to be done by a group. Evelyn H. Lauder For every in-feed IG post shared in October and tagged both #TimeToEndBreastCancer & #ELDonates, @esteelaudercompanies will donate $25 to @bcrf up to $250K, which will fund an ENTIRE YEAR OF RESEARCH. Hair @sassoontoronto MUA @beyondbeautifulbybrittLashes @true_glue_beauty Photo @aplus_creative Buy Abilify buy Aciphex No Prescription buy Isotretinoin online buy Nexium online

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Sassoon Style: A Breakdown on Colour Technique

It’s been years since I’ve had my hair long as it is right now. I can’t remember the last time I was able to put my hair up in a pony, do french braids, or pop in extensions. I love it! It’s so fun to be able to play around with barrettes and accessories to change my look. At the start of summer, I stopped into Sassoon Toronto to brighten up my blonde and trim my little bob. LET’S COLOUR In this post, I’m breaking down some of the different colour options you can get at Sassoon and what they mean. I use to do all-over colour (blonde) but in effort to grow my hair longer and healthier, I’ve switched to highlights. They’re BALAYAGE This popular technique is pretty low maintenance if you’re looking for a look that doesn’t need a lot of upkeep. At Sassoon, they mix freehand painting with foiled highlights meaning you can have a natural sun-kissed look or something more dramatic. Commitment: 2-3 Months Great For: Creating soft, sun-kissed hair that is natural-looking, wearable, versatile View this post on Instagram A post shared by SASSOON TORONTO (@sassoontoronto) on Jul 6, 2019 at 4:33am PDT TWO TONE I love this look and it is VERY Sassoon. This technique uses darker tones underneath laters of lighter colors to create depth and tone. It’s a bit more of a commitment than balayage but so stylish! It really accentuates a haircut like this one I had a couple of years ago. Commitment: 6-8 Weeks Great For: Adding depth and tone to an amazing cut FACE FRAMING Face frames blend into your natural colour accentuating your face and can be a variety of colours. This helps to illuminate your look and brighten your face without a big commitment. Commitment: 2-3 Months…

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Tips for Growing Out Short Hair

Here’s a few tips for growing out short hair from my stylists at Sassoon Toronto.

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