Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at 8:38PM 
Originally posted in The CLOSET
Stuck in a serious style rut? See 18 fall finds that will help you jump out of your comfort zone for good...
Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 9:47PM 
There’s getting dressed and then there’s getting dressed. While Queen’s Plate might have horse racing at its roots, everyone knows it’s really all about the fash-un. I mean, where else do you get to wear a bright floral formal dress for day? Where else do you get to hang with loads of dapper dudes all decked out? I’m talking suspenders, bow-ties, jaunty hats and pastel jackets - sometimes all at once. And unless you find yourself on the guest list at a British wedding, when else will you ever get to wear a fascinator? Never. Which is why Queen’s Plate should be on everyone’s summer bucket list.
While the Queen’s Plate event might seem intimidating to a first-timer, it’s so not. When it comes to Queen’s Plate, I’ve learned that anything goes. The best part? You don’t have to spend all your winnings to look amazing. Head over to the Vaughan Mills blog to see the need-to-know Queen's Plate style tips I’ve gleaned over the years...
Friday, June 10, 2016 at 9:36AM 
I’m nervous. Naturally, I’m nervous. As someone notoriously laissez-faire when it comes to hair, I can barely deal with a dryer, let alone hair dye. And yet, that’s exactly what I’ve been asked to do. Like handing a toddler a pack of matches, I’ve been asked to use some revolutionary new at-home products that allow you to lighten your hair in the shower. By yourself. This, to me, is completely terrifying.
‘Life’s too short not to take risks,’ I tell myself. ‘I can always dye it back,’ I reason. And so, I’ve signed and sealed a contract with John Frieda® to try out their Brilliant Brunette Visibly BrighterTM collection. I love John Frieda®. A loyal, lifelong fan since I was a teenager, but still...I’m nervous.
This is my hair now. I had it dyed dark last month and loved it at the beginning, but as you can see, it has now faded into a basic block of brown. I decide to read up on exactly what I’ve committed to. The John Frieda® Brilliant Brunette® Visibly BrighterTM collection is designed to instantly lighten your brunette to 1 shade lighter than your current colour. It lightens your hair within its normal spectrum, so it won’t appear bleached or orange. Okay, that’s good. You don’t need to be precise with the application. Also good. And it can be used on natural or colour-treated hair like mine. Perfect. Okay, here goes nothing. Ack.
DAY 1
Before I begin, I make sure to have some inspirational summer things nearby as comfort. My husband’s in California for work this week and my kids are at school right now, so I have no moral support here. My new sunglasses and a sunny yellow tulip make me think happy, sun-kissed, perfect summery hair thoughts. The Brilliant Brunette® Visibly BrighterTM In-Shower Lightening Treatment has a dual tube applicator with a developer and activator that you blend together in your hand in the shower. The formula activates and foams up once you mix it. The instructions are suspiciously simple:
1) Snap off cap
2) Blend formula in your hand
3) Work through hair
4) Rinse hands
5) Leave on for 5 minutes
6) Rinse
7) Follow with Brilliant Brunette® Visibly BrighterTM Subtle Lightening Shampoo & Conditioner (if desired - yes, I desire) for daily maintenance.
The In-Shower Lightening Treatment definitely smells like hair dye which freaks me out a little, but the product really is super easy to use - even for someone as inept with hair as I am. I’m amazed that it only takes 5 minutes to get results, but since I don’t want to overdo it, I skip the shampoo and conditioning part and decide to wash my hair tomorrow. Baby steps. I get out of the shower and inch my way towards the mirror. My hair still looks dark, but then again, it’s soaking wet. I’ll have to wait. Still nervous.
I let my hair air dry like I usually do. It looks like it’s maybe a shade lighter than before, but if it’s lightened, it’s really subtle. This relieves me to no end. My hair feels a bit dry, but considering I didn’t use any conditioner, I’m surprised to find that it still feels quite healthy. Less nervous now.
DAY 2
I’ve just washed my hair with the Brilliant Brunette® Visibly BrighterTM Subtle Lightening Shampoo & Conditioner. It’s formulated with honey and marigold flower extract, and cleanses while gradually infusing golden tones to illuminate the spectrum of your existing brunette. I’m thrilled to see that it’s ammonia and peroxide free. The conditioner is dreeeaammmy. I can tell that my hair is going to feel super soft when I’m done. And it does. Once my hair dries, I can see that it’s a little bit brighter.
DAY 3
Day 3 is when I start to become a real believer. I wash my hair again and this time, I can really see the brightening effect. My hair is multi-tonal and looks like it has loads of movement. Without adding anything to my hair at all (like literally no product other than the shampoo & conditioner) my hair ends up looking like this after using a curling wand.
DAY 4
Time to wash my hair again. I’m the kind of person who washes my hair only when I really need to wash my hair. I normally wash it every 3 days (or 2 if I go to hot yoga) and so am expecting my hair to dry out quickly. Incredibly, instead of drying out, it seems to just be getting softer. Again, no other styling products.
DAY 5
After washing my hair today, I decide to do the car test. According to makeup artists I’ve worked with on TV, natural, driver-side visor mirror light is the most honest light you’ll ever find. This pic has no filters, no indoor lighting, no hiding from the truth. And I’m so thrilled to see that my hair is brighter and dimensional and seriously, exactly how I’d want a stylist to give me highlights if I paid a stylist to give me highlights.
DAY 6
I’m now fully, completely, obsessed with the Brilliant Brunette® Visibly BrighterTM collection. I look like I’ve had balayage. In fact, a friend at school drop-off just asked who does my balayage in Kitchener. ‘I DID MY OWN BALAYAGE!’ is what I want to scream, but instead I take out my phone to show her a pic of the John Frieda® products, ‘You seriously have to try this stuff.’
DAY 7
Now that the week-long trial is over, I going to stop washing my hair every day. But as a total super-fan, I’ll continue to use the Brilliant Brunette® Subtle Lightening Shampoo & Conditioner any time I want to subtly brighten up my locks. I’m thrilled to know that I can get a basic dye with my stylist to cover any greys, and then use the Brilliant Brunette® collection to give my hair healthy, natural-looking highlights. Thank you John Frieda® for my brilliant, brighter new brunette locks. Like I told my friend, you seriously have to try this stuff.
Ooh, and don't miss this: our friends from John Frieda are holding #AHairBetterContest where you could win a hair makeover and a stylish weekend getaway for two! Get your luscious locks over to their contest page for more info. Good luck!
As a FLARE Style Scout, I received compensation for participating in this program; however, all views are my own.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at 9:26PM 
Originally posted in The CLOSET
Moms like me don't ask for a lot. Thank-yous, pleases and R-E-S-P-E-C-T are all we moms really need. But I don't know a single mom who wouldn't love a little something'-somethin' from Sephora to really drive home that thank you. I'm not familiar with any fellow parentals who wouldn't love a new handbag (PLEEEASE??). And, of course, nothing shows true appreciation like a pair of gold Dr Dre headphones. Um, do they come in the noise-cancelling variety? Respect.
Since my kids don't have any credit and I certainly don't want my husband to destroy our family budget on my behalf, I'm guessing that many of you moms are in the same boat. I've rounded up 40 gorgeous gifts - some expensive, most not - that are on my radar this year. The presents on this shortlist are sure to please any mother-in-law. These picks are designed to delight any doting grandma. This guide will help, well, guide any lost husbands out there. And if you end up with a card, some flowers, or even nothing at all, feel free to use this list to belatedly treat yoself. After all, being a mom is a 24/7, 365 kind of gig. You just never know when you might need a little pick-you-up after a particularly tantrum-filled/juice-spilled/couch-ruined/tear-out-your-hair kind of day. This is when those gold headphones really come in handy...
Monday, April 18, 2016 at 10:47AM 
Ready for some spring cleaning? Forget ugly boxes & bins - Vaughan Mills asked me to find some pretty storage solutions to help score a closet that's both neat and chic.
Read on to see what I scored on the Vaughan Mills blog...