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Calgary Lifestyle blog

Fall, Fashion, Flower Education, Flowers, Inspiration, Life, Local Love, Summer, Travel

A GUIDE TO BOWDEN SUNMAZE & EAGLE CREEK FARMS

It’s sunflower season — and I’m absolutely elated! Whether you’ve followed along for just a couple of weeks or a couple of years, you’ll know how much I adore sunflowers. From bringing them into our home, to incorporating them into my FLOWER content, to road-tripping to see fields of these sunny blooms, sunflowers have graced the pages of JustineCelina many times! If you’re reading this post, there’s a good chance you love these sunny, quintessentially summer blooms just as much as I do. Last year, my Mom, little sister and I headed north to visit Bowden Sunmaze & Eagle Creek Farms for an unconventional girls night, to catch a glimpse of their renowned sunflower fields at sunset — and it was an absolutely beautiful evening. Each summer, I looking forward visiting when they reopen for the season!

If you’ve always wanted to visit a Sunflower Field or U-Pick Flower Field but aren’t sure what to expect, this post is for you! I’m thrilled to bring you along on our trip to Bowden Sunmaze & Eagle Creek Farms as I detail everything you’ve ever wanted to know about visiting a sunflower field and flower u-pick — from location, to cost, to activities, to the best times to visit, to my best sunflower field photography tips! Craving a little adventure as we transition into autumn and want to see these stunning Alberta Sunflower Fields for yourself? Be sure to visit their website and socials for the latest updates regarding the current season. If you’re looking for a family-friendly outdoor activity, or are simply yearning for a cheerful digital escape, join us as we visit Alberta’s Bowden SunMaze on a gorgeous midsummer evening!

August 15, 2021 by Justine

Beauty, Makeup, Natural Products, Sponsored, Spring

5 FRESH NEUTRAL LIP COMBOS TO TRY THIS SPRING

For me, spring is synonymous with experimentation — especially in the beauty department! It’s a time when I feel inspired to refresh my makeup routine, go lighter and brighter, try new trends and explore new colours, finishes and formulas. With the first days of spring finally upon us I’m already embracing the softer side of the season — on my lips! Spring 2017 is all about the un nude lip. These new nudes include a spectrum of matte, metallic, cream and gloss finishes ranging from fair nudes to the richest, deep neutrals. With so many new lip trends surfacing this spring, almost every brand has released new formulas, finishes and shades — and I’ve put them to the test behind the scenes here at JustineCelina!

Today I’ve teamed up with Sephora Canada to share 5 Fresh Neutral Lip Combos to Try this Spring — including my favourite traditional lipsticks, liquid lipsticks, glosses and hybrid formulas, paired with coordinating lip liners, across a full spectrum of neutral shades! Each of these 5 lip combos was carefully curated to showcase the best Spring 2017 has to offer in a variety of shades, formulas, finishes and price points. There’s something for everyone — whether you can’t resist a classic nude lip, tend to favour natural products, love your liquid lipsticks, live for luxury or just want to try something totally unique (there may be a glittery, duo chrome gloss on the menu!). If you’re looking for some beautiful new lip products to update your beauty routine this spring, here’s what’s on my hit list!

March 29, 2017 by Justine

Beauty, Makeup, Nails, Natural Products, Reviews, Sponsored, Spring, Trend Guides

SPRING 2017 BEAUTY TREND GUIDE

There’s something about the springtime that evokes the urge to refresh and start anew — whether it be in our lives, in our homes, in our wardrobes or in our makeup bags. With Spring Equinox dancing on the horizon (it’s less than a week away!) and new beauty launches galore, I’m thrilled to bring you my Spring 2017 Beauty Trend Guide in partnership with Sephora Canada! Next to holiday, spring is my favourite time of year for beauty. This season there are so many limited edition collections, trends to explore and innovative formulas to discover — this post has been months in the making and I can’t wait to share my favourites with you!

Whether you’re looking for a few new products to inject the spirit of spring into your beauty routine or a crash course on my favourite beauty trends and how to wear them, you can find it in my Spring 2017 Beauty Trend Guide! This spring beauty mega post is dedicated to bringing you the best of the best across categories. I’m also chatting about the highlighting craze, metallic textures, the un-nude lip, a new wave of hybrid liquid lipsticks, my favourite products for a springtime flush and how I’ve been nursing my nails back to health after years of gel polish! You know the drill — if you have an hour to spare, pour yourself a chilled glass of rosé or a cup of herbal tea, get comfy and let’s chat about all things spring beauty!

March 15, 2017 by Justine

Beauty, Drugstore, Fragrance, Hair, Luxury, Makeup, Monthly Favourites, Natural Products, Reviews, Skincare, Wellness, Winter

FEBRUARY 2017 BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Welcome back for another edition of Monthly Beauty Favourites! I have a little bit of everything to share with you this month — including including makeup, haircare, skincare, fragrance and wellness recommendations that span categories here at JustineCelina. My February 2017 Beauty Favourites is a long one, so if you’re spending this snowy Sunday afternoon at home with half an hour to spare, curl up with a nice hot mug of tea and let’s chat chat about a few of my favourite things!

I was truly all over the map this month in terms of products I used and loved, which makes for a very eclectic medley! Makeup wise I found myself drawn to romantic, rosy hues, nude lips and colourful, blown out smoky eyes — I’m craving spring inspired hues, but still embracing the drama of winter. Extremely dry, frigid winter weather persists here in Calgary (and unfortunately March is looking cold!) so my skin has definitely been feeling the effects. I discovered some extremely hydrating products for both my hands and my lips containing nourishing oils to aid in hydration. I also found a great product for taming those pesky flyaways, an inexpensive, no frills setting powder for the face and I rediscovered my love for a metallic, budget friendly eyeliner. I also visited my favourite spa in Canmore for a massage and picked up a chakra balancing essential oil to enjoy at home (in fact, I have some in a warmer right now!). On the completely other end of the spectrum, I feel head over heels for Mon Guerlain Eau de Parfum after attending a lovely event celebrating its launch earlier last month!

March 5, 2017 by Justine

Beauty, Fragrance, Luxury, Makeup, Monthly Favourites, Reviews, Skincare, Winter

JANUARY 2017 BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Well hello, beautiful people! Today I’m sharing my January 2017 Beauty Favourites — and it’s been almost a month since my last beauty post! You may have read that I’ve been doing some major purging and reorganizing in preparation for the SPACE REFRESH I have planned this year. This also included a complete overhaul of my makeup collection! I spent a large part of January sorting, donating and making an effort to rediscover forgotten products while exploring the holiday gift sets I purchased back in December (I purchased most of them for gifting, but kept a few items for myself!). There are a lot of minis in today’s post!

This January, it was back to basics in the beauty department. I spent a lot of time planning for 2017 (including lots of exciting new beauty content that I can’t wait to share!) and working behind the scenes, so overall it was a pretty minimal month for me makeup wise and my favourites definitely reflect that. It’s also been insanely dry here in Calgary this winter (YYC gals, I know you feel me!), so I was drawn to lightweight, slightly hydrating and more natural products to help combat winter skin. I also had a chance to explore the mini fragrance kits I picked up December (I’ve been wearing a few new fragrances each week and it’s been so much fun!) so I have a couple of new fragrance favourites as well. If you’re looking or some great winter basics, get cozy on this chilly February afternoon and let’s chat beauty!

February 4, 2017 by Justine

Business, Creative Process, Goals, Inspiration, Life, Planning, Wellness

NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS: CULTIVATING A BALANCED 2017

So we’re half way into the first month of a fresh new year — how’s everyone doing? Did you set new goals, intentions and resolutions for 2017, or are you not really into that whole thing? Each year, I take the beginning of January as an opportunity to reflect on the year prior and evaluate how I can continue to grow and better myself in the upcoming year (if you’ve been with me since last year, you may remember my New Year, New Goals: Planning for a Successful 2016 post). I truly embrace the inherent fresh start that a new year provides and while I make it a priority to check in with myself often, a major overhaul was needed this year! I think the start of a new year is just as good a time as any to reflect, evaluate and set fresh intentions.

Today I’m sharing 5 goals and plans I’ve created for myself with then intention of cultivating more balance in my life in 2017 (and beyond!), plus what I’ve already done to work towards them. I’m also sharing some of my favourite planning, scheduling and creative tools to help me maximize my time, get organized, grow creatively and stay inspired! If you’re still in 2017 planning mode or want to learn more about my goals and plans for 2017 (and there are some big ones!), pour yourself a cup of coffee and get comfy — let’s get ready to make 2017 our best year yet! UPDATE: Check in on my progress 7 months later!

January 19, 2017 by Justine

Beauty, Luxury, Makeup, Monthly Favourites, Reviews, Skincare, Winter

DECEMBER 2016 BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Happy New Year and welcome back for my first beauty post of 2017! Today I’m recapping my favourite products from the last month of 2016 in my December Beauty Favourites. December was a very busy month for me both professionally and personally (it’s the craziest time of year, isn’t it?). I was testing new products and shades for my 2 last posts with Sephora Canada for 2016 — my 5 Festive Lipsticks to Try This Holiday Season (who did me proud and wore red lipstick on Christmas Day?!) and My Routine for Flawless Looking Skin. I didn’t have much time to test other products, so most of my December Favourites are products I’ve mentioned in my beauty content over the last couple of months, or new shades from my favourite ranges! Although the list is small this month, I reached for these products almost daily and even packed most of them with me when we headed east to visit with family and friends over the holidays.

In December I fell in love with an chic, burgundy liquid lipstick, a new mascara that makes my lashes look voluminous and fluffy, a versatile (and ultra luxurious) eyeshadow palette, an intense gold pigment, a makeup setting spray perfect for special occasions and a suite of indulgent (and heavenly scented) body care products from L’Occitane. It’s been awhile since we chatted Monthly Beauty Favourites — so kick back, relax and let’s get into a few of my winter must haves!

January 5, 2017 by Justine

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