Trying a new lip colour is such a fun way to refresh your look, and today I’m sharing my 6 of my favourites for spring — including 2 natural options to celebrate Earth Day! From beautiful inexpensive lipsticks to luxurious splurge-worthy items, I’ve selected a variety of shades and formulas — from sheer gloss to full-on colour in a fresh spring palette.
bite beauty
ULTIMATE HOLIDAY INSPIRATION ROUNDUP
In preparation for the holidays each year, I relish in the process of pouring over all the festive content I’ve created here at JustineCelina over the course of my blogging career to get inspired (now 30 posts and counting!). With each year that passes, it seems holiday content begins trending earlier than ever — so I thought it was the perfect time to compile this Ultimate Holiday Inspiration Roundup post, featuring a collection of my favourite holiday-themed posts across categories, for easy browsing reference! I’m committed to finding joy, continuing to create and make things beautiful, embracing new traditions and making new memories — and I hope I can inspire you to do the same. If you’re looking for creative, fun and attainable ideas to inspire you to eat, drink, DIY, decorate, entertain, dress and glam in style this holiday season, you’ve come to the right place!
Whether you’re in search of modern decor ideas, casual holiday-at-home outfit ideas, how to choose the perfect red lip, gift ideas for the ladies in your life, easy cocktails or plant-based festive recipes, simple DIY projects, flower arranging tips, or entertaining inspiration for 2 – 4, I’ve got you covered! You know the drill — put on your coziest robe, pour yourself a delicious glass of your favourite festive libation (may I suggest my Homemade Dairy Free Coconut Rum Eggnog?) and cozy up with me to celebrate the holidays JustineCelina style. Cheers to a happy, healthy and joyous holiday season!
MY TOP 5 PHYSICIANS FORMULA PRODUCTS
Beauty lovers, I’m absolutely elated to partner with Physicians Formula today to bring you a fresh instalment in MY TOP 5 series — My Top 5 Physicians Formula Products! Longtime readers will know I’ve featured and worn Physicians Formula products here at JustineCelina for the duration of my blogging career — but my love for the brand actually extends all the way back to my teenage years. You see, I’ve always had very sensitive skin and eyes — and Physicians Formula was one of the first makeup brands I discovered at the drugstore that actually worked for me when I started wearing makeup. Over the years, as my love of BEAUTY (and my makeup collection!) have grown dramatically, Physicians Formula has remained one of my favourite drugstore brands. Having the opportunity to work with them over the past few months (come join me on Instagram to see the other campaigns we’ve created together!) is such a full circle moment and a truly dream come true. I couldn’t be more excited to extend our partnership to the blog today as I share My Top 5 Physicians Formula Products across eye, lip and complexion categories — along with a general overview of the brand and a massive beauty giveaway (which has now closed), to provide you with the opportunity to try my favourite products, too!
Here at JustineCelina, I’m passionate about living (and promoting) at healthy lifestyle that’s attainable. A clean, plant-based diet free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar helps me manage numerous intolerances and sensitivities while also helping me look and feel my best — and whenever possible, I look for these qualities in my cosmetics as well. That said, I’m not willing to sacrifice performance at the cost of a healthy ingredients list — and Physicians Formula is my go-to brand for high-performing, natural, hypoallergenic beauty products at an accessible price point. Although it was difficult to narrow it down to just 5 for today’s post (and I may have cheated a bit!), these products remain at the core of my beauty routine year after year, as trends come and go. With all the time I’ve spent at home lately, I’m simply not drawn to anything that isn’t comfortable or effortless these days — be in it my wardrobe, my beauty routine or my creative work. Over the past 20+ years I’ve relied on Physicians Formula for comfortable, clean, beautifully formulated products that make me feel like the best, most confident version of myself — and I can’t wait to share My Top 5 Physicians Formula Products with you!
WINTER / SPRING 2020 LOOKBOOK + CONTENT UPDATE
Hey, friends. How’s everyone doing? Wow — what an intense couple of months its been! If you keep up with me on Instagram (and if you don’t, I’d love for you to join me!), you may have some insight into how quickly life has changed here in Calgary as a result of COVID-19. It’s crazy to think that we started shooting my Winter / Spring 2020 Lookbook back in February when the world was a completely different place — I was still planning outfits for all the different personal and professional situations I would typically find myself in as we transition from winter to spring. Things evolved rapidly, so I polled you on Instagram Stories to see if you’d still like to see this LOOKBOOK — and 100% of you responded yes! That said, as we heed the advice of local authorities to stay in whenever possible, I feel it’s important to share we shot these images nearly 2 months ago — and I’ve been working from home ever since to get this post ready.
Today, I’m thrilled to finally share my Winter / Spring 2020 Lookbook with you! If you’re in search of a sartorial escape from reality and a look at a handful of my favourite winter-to-spring transitional trends mashed up with wardrobe staples and practical outfit formulas, you’ve come to the right place. As always, you can expect a melange of high, low, old, new and vintage here today — as well as shoppable links at every price point for those in need of a little retail therapy. This LOOKBOOK features my favourite early spring outfit formulas, ideal for temperatures ranging from about 10 degrees on either side of freezing (believe it or not, it was still snowing here last week!). Even though we’ll be spending the majority of our time indoors for the foreseeable future, I still enjoy seasonal trends mixed with easy basics — and showing you how to re-style them season after season (and year after year!). Pour yourself a delicious glass of rosé and settle in with me this weekend as I highlight my favourite winter-to-spring transitional trends, patterns, prints and colours — plus, how I incorporate them into my work-from-home wardrobe!
40+ VALENTINE’S DAY IDEAS
Year after year as we approach Valentine’s Day, I find myself seeing through proverbial rose-coloured glasses and craving all things pink! And during the almost 6 years I’ve been blogging here at JustineCelina, I’ve created a plethora of dreamy, pink themed content. To celebrate love day this year, I’m sharing mega dose of all things pink, feminine and romantic in my 40+ Valentine’s Day Ideas roundup — featuring a collection of my favourite love day inspired things across categories. From what I wear, to the beauty products and fragrances I chose, to the flowers I bring into my home (or to my screen!), to what I eat and drink to how I entertain and practice self care, I love to incorporate February’s quintessential hue into Valentine’s Day — no matter what I’m up to!
Whether you’re in search of Valentine’s Day outfit ideas, the perfect rose toned lipstick, gift ideas for your significant other, pretty cocktails, seductive fragrances, plant-based pink recipes, flower arranging tips and education, self care ideas, or Galentine’s Day entertaining inspiration, I’ve got you covered! Plan yourself the best Valentine’s Day yet whether you’re single or attached, no matter how you celebrate by fixing yourself a delicious pink cocktail (may I suggest a Rose Infused Cherry Gin Fizz?) and cozing up with me tonight for some fun, attainable and creative ways to infuse a festive touch into your to your love day!
2018 REVIEW + 2019 GOALS
Well hello, friends! It’s been a little while since I’ve posted — I took some time during the first half of this dry January (it’s actually been great!) to reflect on the past year, get re-inspired and really put some thought into what I’d like to achieve in 2019. It’s been a very valuable exercise, so thank you for your patience! Today I’m dishing on everything I’ve discovered in this real, raw, lengthy (we’re talking the longest post I’ve ever written!) read recapping 2018 and sharing my intentions, aspirations and goals for the new year — plus exactly how I plan to achieve them!
When I look back on my goals post from last year, I feel grateful to be in a much better head space and place in my life — although it was a long road to get here. Longtime readers will know I’m always very transparent about the staggering amount of work that goes into blogging, content creation and creative entrepreneurship — and from the day I stared this blog in March of 2015 through to the end of 2017, I hustled hard. As a result, I entered 2018 feeling completely burnout, uninspired and unsure of how to proceed. I knew a change was necessary for me to move forward and progress in a way that would allow for more balance and well being in my life (and therefore more inspired work), but I wasn’t exactly sure how to get there. I felt like I needed to slow down and take life as it came, rather than creating an exhaustive list of all the things I felt I needed to accomplish — and I spent 2018 doing just that. I changed course and made chasing my passions for HOME and FASHION based content my first priority, which resulted in a pretty monumental year here at JustineCelina. That said, the largest shifts I made were off of these pages, in my mental and physical health, relationships and life in general. Fast forward to January of 2019 and I’m feeling energized, more inspired and productive than ever — and ready to make 2019 my best year yet! If you’re curious about what what’s to come, my favourite tools and resources to stay organized, inspired and fit, or in need of a healthy dose of motivation, cozy up with me and let’s chat about living and working with confidence and intention this year!
GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN TURMERIC MUFFINS
It’s been almost exactly one year since I published a baking recipe — but I promise, my Gluten Free Pumpkin Turmeric Muffins are worth the wait! Believe it or not, I’ve never actually baked with pumpkin here at JustineCelina, although I have integrated it into seasonal breakfast bowls, smoothies and energy bites (what can I say — I love pumpkin!). And what’s not to love? Besides being incredibly delicious, it’s also brimming with along with loads of fiber, vitamins A, B6, C and E, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, iron (great for us plant-based eaters!), magnesium, phosphorus riboflavin, potassium, copper and manganese. Coupled with the mega dose of healing, anti-inflammatory turmeric, fresh ginger and classic fall spices at play, these seasonal muffins also boast a wide array of health benefits and medicinal, healing qualities. I’ve mentioned many times previously that I believe you can treat yourself and nourish yourself at the same time — and these sweet n’ spicy seasonal muffins are the perfect example of that!
My Gluten Free Pumpkin Turmeric Muffins are free of dairy, gluten, refined sugar and oil — and a fantastic way to start your day while sneaking in tons of nutrition, even when you’re on the run! With the holidays just around the corner, these are incredibly busy times and I’m always looking for simple, nutritious options to help me stay on track with my health and fitness goals. Pumpkin puree (use a good quality store bought version, or snag my easy homemade recipe here), pure Canadian maple syrup, decadent coconut milk, freshly grated ginger and a kiss of pure vanilla combine with warming fall spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice to create a light and fluffy, plant based muffin to help you power through your day. Enjoy them at breakfast, as a mid-day snack, or as a lighter alternative to more calorie-laden pumpkin-based desserts. This deceptively ‘free from’ recipe and can be enjoyed by plant-baser eaters, people with food allergies and sensitivities and anyone that loves delicious seasonal baking!