We’re home from Christmas in November at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and tonight I’m recapping our experience! What is Christmas in November, you ask? Basically, it’s a giant meeting of people who love all the same things I love — great food, wine, entertainment and seasonal inspiration. This past weekend we cooked with celebrity chefs, learned about holiday decor from industry experts, came away with tons of culinary inspiration and tasted wine from all over the world. Sounds like a good time, right? Now, imagine that experience set in a charming, rustic lodge, overlooking a serene mountain lake in a picturesque National Park. That, my friends, is what Christmas in November at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is all about! I’m sharing every detail of our trip — including the accommodations, the food, and drink, the lodge, the spa, the setting, the sessions, the after parties, who we met and what I wore! Come along with us to Jasper, Alberta on this festive retreat nestled in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and let’s kick off the holiday season in style!
cocktail
LUXURY BEAUTY PRODUCTS WORTH THE SPLURGE
Whenever I’m chatting beauty with someone, the most common question I’m asked what my favourite high end products are from different categories! I’ve always wanted to create a post that my readers, friends and family members can use as their ultimate resource to inform their luxury beauty purchases. Well my friends, today is the day! I’ve partnered with Sephora Canada to share a comprehensive guide of my all-time-favourite Luxury Beauty Products Worth the Splurge — the ones in my stash that I couldn’t live without, have repurchased multiple times, use frequently on others, or that have completely wowed me lately!
If you’ve been reading JustineCelina for any length of time, you’ll know that I love a mixture of drugstore and high-end products — I truly believe you can find great beauty products at any price point. Today I’m sharing products that are worth the extra investment — they’re just that good (I promise the price tag is totally justified!). This mega post is organized into categories to highlight the best-of-the best products in every part of my routine — including skincare, haircare and of course, tons of beauty favourites. Want to upgrade your beauty regime? Looking for some early holiday gifting ideas? Taking advantage of annual sales? My friends, this post is for you! Kick back this weekend for my ultimate guide on what’s worth your hard-earned cash this season!
Maybe I’m just getting older, but — wait, who am I kidding? Girls nights in are way better than girls nights out, am I right?! Give me a room full of my closest friends, some great wine and snacks, gorgeous blooms, cozy threads (and comfy pants!), good reads and a toasty fire — I’ll take that over going out any day! To celebrate the joy of staying in, Rebecca Dawn Design and I teamed this month up to share some inspiration for A Cozy Girls Night In — a snapshot of everything home decor, entertaining, flower and casual style we’re loving this autumn!
With everyone leading such busy lives, there’s truly nothing I cherish more than spending quality time with family and friends. Since there’s usually not a lot going on in November, I think it’s the perfect opportunity to reconnect with your girlfriends before the holiday hustle. Fall back with us on this gorgeous November evening where we’re chatting casual entertaining infused with a few thoughtful touches to make your next girls night in a memorable one!
My love of fragrance extends as far back as early childhood. I’m sure most of us remember watching our mothers perched at their vanities, applying perfume — the finishing touch that completed their transformation. I was always enthralled by that process, even as a young girl. Fragrance has always had a special allure for me and over the years I’ve collected quite a few favourites. In my eyes, there’s nothing more feminine or sophisticated than a captivating scent. Even on more natural days, I always apply a fragrance in the morning — it’s a luxurious part of my routine that helps set the tone for my day. The right fragrance always gives me a burst confidence and makes me feel empowered!
In my AUTUMN / WINTER 2016 FRAGRANCE EDIT, I’m sharing my all-time-favourite cool weather fragrances — you know, the ones that pair well with cozy sweaters, red wine and a toasty fireplace? Like fashion, beauty and food, I also transition my fragrance along with the seasons. During the summertime I tend to favour crisp, clean, fruity scents — but bring on the drama during the autumn and winter! My favourite cool weather fragrances are deep, comforting and warm. Many of my choices are unisex, so you can share them with your partner (what’s sexier than that?), or keep them all to yourself. Dive into my comprehensive guide to ten of-the-moment fragrances available at Sephora Canada from Elizabeth & James, Mason Margiela, ToykoMilk Dark and newcomer Derek Lam — including holiday gift ideas!
If you know me in real life, you know I love lipstick! I’m also a huge design and colour nerd, and have always approached makeup as an art form (hey — I did go to art college, after all!). This autumn, I’ve been feeling extra inspired by the Fall 2016 PANTONE Fashion Trend Report — if you’ve been following along, you’ll have heard me mention it in my September Beauty Favourites, my first Autumn 2016 Trend Guide, as well as my latest recipe. Colour is something that has always spanned categories in my creative work and it also spans categories here at JustineCelina. Today, autumn colour trends are spilling into my beauty space as I share this comprehensive guide, covering everything you need to know about liquid lipstick this season!
5 Liquid Lipsticks to Try the Fall combines my love of liquid lipstick with seasonal colour trends — I’ve matched my favourite liquid lipstick formulas up to 6 shades from the Fall 2016 PANTONE Fashion Trend Report. I’m thrilled to be bringing this post to you in partnership with Sephora Canada — where you’ll find each one of these lipsticks, along with a list of alternatives (girl, I’ve totally got you covered!). Grab a latte or pour yourself a glass of wine and let’s chat about this season’s hottest liquid lipsticks — including formula overviews, colour trends and limited edition liquid lipstick sets for Holiday 2016!
BLUEBERRY LEMON AND CUCUMBER GIN MOJITOS
I hope you guys aren’t getting sick of collaborative content, because today’s post is a collaboration with a good blogging chum of mine, Dana over at Killing Thyme. Dana’s blog may sound familiar because I’ve mentioned it a few times here at JustineCelina! Dana and I met last year through The Food Bloggers of Canada and you could say we became fast blogging friends — we clicked right away. I love Dana’s zest for life that’s wildly apparent in her content, her voice and authenticity, her generosity, and of course, her fantastic recipes and culinary knowledge! You see, Dana has been at this whole blogging thing a lot longer than I have and she’s always been so supportive of what I’m doing. In short, she’s a an absolute gem and I’m sure you’ll love her content and her blog just as much as I do! Pop over to check out my guest post and grab the recipe for my Blueberry Lemon and Cucumber Gin Mojitos.
So, when she asked if I’d be up for a guest post on her site, I jumped at the opportunity! You see, we both love a great cocktail, so I knew my Blueberry Lemon and Cucumber Gin Mojitos would be a perfect fit! They combine sweet blueberries with refreshing lemon, cucumber and mint with a healthy dose of gin and a splash of soda water for just the right amount of sparkle. These late summer sipper are free of refined sugars and made with all natural ingredients — so the next time you’re craving a cooling summer cocktail, indulge yourself with a fresh twist on the classic mojito! Cheers to sharing the love, to new blogs and new friends!
JULY BEAUTY FAVOURITES
Welcome back for another Monthly Beauty Favourites post! This July I fell in love with a gorgeous new summer fragrance from Givenchy, discovered a budget friendly liquid eyeliner that rivals my high end favourite, wore my new Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche lipsticks to death and found the perfect coral lip liner to go with them!
It was a pretty low-key month for be beauty wise and I tended towards pairing bolder lip colors with a simple winged eye — which is one of my favourite summer looks. I also used my favourite eyeshadows from Makeup Geek almost everyday! If you’re looking for great summer beauty and fragrance recommendations, stay tuned for a healthy mix of drugstore and high end discoveries. I also take you along to Givenchy’s Art of Perfumery presentation at Anju!