GLOW GETTER | Why I'm Officially Obsessed with Belif + a Glowing Skin Giveaway

Friends (with benefits).

My NY Resolution for 2017 is simple: don't let anyone stick needles in my face. I make the same resolution every year, and I always succeed since there aren't needle-wielding weirdos wandering around looking for faces into which they can jab needles. Luckily. And yet, I'm approaching 40. And as my fine lines contemplate legit wrinkledom, the temptation is real. SO many people I know do it. And I'm sure loads of others do it on the DL. But I just don't want to willingly pay someone to paralyze my face. Also not a fan of paying someone to take off my face and put it back on, but let's revisit that in another 10 years shall we? Until then, I'm all about avoiding needles in my head. 

In an effort to age gracefully (read: desperately cling to my youth) I'm always on the hunt for products that deliver real results. My skin is super dry and overly-reactive and like so many other Canadians, it becomes particularly parched in the winter months. I need major moisture, but with a sensitive touch because I break out easily. Anything with parabens or sulfates are out. So are creams that cost $200 or lengthy nightly regimens that cut into my Bachelor-watching time. Too much to ask?

I've been hearing the buzz around Korean beauty brand belif for the past year so was excited to finally give it a go. Koreans are notoriously discerning with their skincare products so the fact that belif's The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb is the #1 beauty product (across all categories) in Korea's crazy competitive prestige beauty market speaks volumes. 

I started using belif over the holidays and The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb is like 8 glasses of water straight to your face. It's clinically tested to provide up to 26 hours of moisture and while I didn't actually count the hours since I was too busy eating cookies, my skin feels soft and supple all day long when I wear it. The cream releases an instant burst of moisture to your skin and then absorbs right away, without the heaviness or stickiness of some other heavy-duty creams I've tried. My skin has become calm and clear and dare I say, a little bit dewy. I don't know how it works (something about apothecary herbs and comfrey leaf) but it does. Oh, and did I mention it contains no parabens, sulfates or phthalates, plus no mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic preservatives, dyes, fragrances, or animal origin ingredients. Love love love. 

I told the team at belif how much I love their products so they recently sent me the Hungarian Water Essence to test-drive. It's a lightweight, hydrating serum formulated with Hungarian water and a blend of 10 herbs including Rosemary & Gotu Kol. I've started using the serum before applying The True Cream and if anything, it has made my skin feel even more hydrated. Two simple steps every morning and I'm good to go.  Want to try belif and get your glow on in 2017? Pick up Belif products now at The Face Shop. In case I didn't make it super obvious, I am SUCH a fan. 

I originally bought Belif on my own so this is a 100% honest review which I wanted to share with you because I'm crazy in love like Beyonce. As in, if I wasn't already married, I might marry it. As in, I have nightmares about them discontinuing it. As in, I'm now an official Belifer. Speaking of which, check this out:

GIVEAWAY ALERT! :)

We're giving away a BELIF PRIZE PACK containing The True Cream ($47 value) and Hungarian Water Essence ($51 value) to one lucky winner so you can get the gift of glowing skin, too. Here's how to win it:

1) Follow me on Instagram @realliferunway

2) 'Like' the Belif giveaway post

3) Tag 2 friends in the post

Will announce the winner this Friday! Best of luck, beauties!

 

FLIPPING AMAZING | One Girl’s Fun Day Out at Triple Flip

My daughter is always on the move. I mean, like, never stops moving. And while we always manage to get from A to B, the trip rarely involves walking - it alternates between hopping, twirling, cartwheeling and leaping as we make our way around our city from day to day. When shopping for clothes, I’ve learned that everything from top to toe needs to be able to stretch, spin and move with my little. Oh, and it needs to be fun. Always fun. Triple Flip is one of my daughter’s newest obsessions so when the Oakville store asked us to come in and shop the new collection, both she and I did a little happy dance.

If you’re not familiar with Triple Flip, it’s time to get in-the-know. The brand began in Calgary in 2005 when the company recognized the need for a fun, aspirational brand for tween girls. Based on 400 actual girls’ bodies and feedback from tweens, Triple Flip created its own unique design aesthetic and sizing scale to promote healthy lifestyles and body confidence. With both form-fitting and relaxed styles in the line, girls can mix and match without focusing on labels.  As a mom who wants nothing more than to have a happy, confident daughter, I love this philosophy so much.

Triple Flip is way more fun than your average store - loads of bright colours and fun prints dominate the space, while silver poufs and ‘super fancy’ (her words) change rooms make shopping a joy for moms and kids alike. Seriously. My daughter normally has a 15-30 minute (max) shopping limit before she gets bored but we stayed at Triple Flip for 2 hours at which point I had to drag her out of the store in full pout mode so we could get home for dinner.

The new summer collection is full of so many pieces I wanted to bring home. I normally shop the brand for C’s dance and gymnastics gear online so was happy to discover all of the great summer dresses and swimwear they carry, too. The bold print Twirl Dress is made of moisture-wicking fabric to keep girls cool and comfortable on hot summer days, while the sweet swimwear and rash guards are designed to let kids dive right in. We tried on dresses, bodysuits, printed leggings (um, hello flamingo), and of course Triple Flip’s famous, coziest-ever Minky Dimples line and then it was finally time for the accessories.  

From irresistibly cute bags to colourful scarves to sweet jewellery, we finished off our shopping trip with our arms loaded with colour.

Thanks for the fun Triple Flip. Can’t wait to come back soon - if my daughter has anything to say about it, should be next weekend ;)

Be sure to check out Triple Flip online or head a Triple Flip store near you. Can’t wait to hear what you think!

Ooh, and don’t miss this...

CONTEST ALERT:

I’ve teamed up with Triple Flip for an exciting Instagram contest.  One lucky RLR reader will receive a Triple Flip discount code for $50 off of their online purchase.  

RULES:

1. Follow @tripleflipgirl and @realliferunway on Instagram.

2. Tag 3 friends who you think would like to be entered in the comments section of my Triple Flip IG post.

3. Winner to be selected randomly and announced on the @realliferunway Instagram post on Tuesday June 28th.

4. Contest open to Canadian and U.S residents only

GOOD LUCK!

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.

Clearly a Great Giveaway

Wearing my new Kam Dhillon gold frames. 

All accessories have the power to make or break an outfit. Glasses, though - glasses should never be underestimated. After all, they sit squarely on the bridge of your nose, making them literally so in-your-face that they can't be overlooked. While I wear contacts most days, I have a small (tiny, wee, rivalling my shoe obsession) obsession with fun glasses. Whether prescription-filled or not, I can't handle wearing glasses that make me look older/more serious than I am. I own round pink glasses, clear squares, and oversized tortoiseshells but I felt my collection was missing something. 

Luckily, Clearly.ca saved the day. The new Kam Dhillon collection is loaded with tempting peepers and they offered to send me one of their on-point pairs to test out. From gilded to pastel to boho, the collection hits on all of the season's top trends. I immediately honed in on the gold cat-eyes. So shiny, so sexy and so much fun - I had to have. Suddenly my other glasses look all kindsa boring. And I've officially stowed away my contacts for the fall. 

Thanks to the kind team at Clearly.ca, I'm giving away a pair of Kam Dhillon glasses to one lucky reader. Whether you're in need of a new pair for fall or just like to change things up like me, you're going to love this new collection. 

HERE'S HOW TO WIN:

1) Leave a comment below telling me which pair of Kam Dhillon glasses you want to take home from the options below

2) Follow @realliferunway & @clearlyca on Twitter and tweet the following for a bonus entry '@realliferunway & @clearlyca are giving away a pair of Kam Dhillon glasses & I want to #win! http://bit.ly/1h4nFeS'

3) Must be a resident of Canada to enter this contest. 

4) Contest ends Friday, October 2nd at 5pm

5) Good luck!

Kam Dhillon Claudia Bare

Kam Dhillon Theresa Hazel

Kam Dhillon Sophia Gold

WIN IT | Join Me for a VIP Advanced Screening of THE INTERN in Toronto

Loved The Devil Wears Prada?  Then you are going to luuurv this. THE INTERN opens on Sept 25th and it's a new fashion must-see. The film centers around 70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) who's discovered that retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway). The preview looks more feel-good than ferocious devil-boss but I'm down. I mean, two Academy Award-winning actors and Nancy Meyers (Something's Gotta Give, It's Complicated) at the helm? I can't wait. 

Now here's the exciting part: I'm giving away double passes to not 1 but 4 LUCKY WINNERS to join me at the Advanced Screening of THE INTERN on Sept 23rd in Toronto. 

Here's how you can WIN:

1) Like Real Life Runway on Facebook (if you already do, thank you! xx)

2) Leave a comment below telling me your favourite fashion movie moment of all time.

3) Winners must be able to get to Toronto on Sept 23rd for the screening.

4) Winners will be chosen at random using an online generator.

4) Contest closes Fri, Sept 18th at 5 pm.

GOOD LUCK! Can't wait to see you there!

#WIN IT | The Ultimate Queen's Plate Experience with Vaughan Mills + Watch Our Queen's Plate 2015 Style Guide

A behind-the-scenes shot of us on shoot day.

Yup, we're total posers.

Have I told you about my new job? As the Official Stylist of Vaughan Mills, I knew I'd have the chance to get out from behind my computer screen, but styling one of summer's biggest fashion events? Now that's awesome. Since Vaughan Mills has teamed up with Woodbine Racetrack as the official Fashion Sponsor of the upcoming Queen's Plate, my first mission (and I chose to accept it) was styling Queen's Plate 2015. As the most historic horse race in North America and the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, this year marks the 156th running of the Queen's Plate, one of Canada's top sporting and fashion events. We don't get too many chances in Canada to really dress up so this event is my jam.

Since it's hard to know what to wear to such a high-stakes fashion affair, we put together a Queen's Plate Style Guide for outfit inspiration. The best part about Queen's Plate? Anything goes. Custom-made fascinators are welcome, but so are ballcaps, flower crowns and oversized wide-brim hats. From short & sweet dresses, to flowy maxis to chic jumpsuits, it's all about using your creativity to stand out. Men show up in classic suits and dapper bowties but on a really hot day, pastel shorts and blazers can be a winning combo, too.

Don't miss our Queen's Plate Style Guide below (styled and modelled by me and my cute husband, who does a mean Blue Steel btw), then make sure you visit in-mall from June 23rd-July 2nd for a chance to win The Ultimate Queen's Plate Experience including a $500 shopping spree, a one-on-one styling sesh with me and 2 VIP tickets to attend the Queen's Plate on July 5th. To enter the contest, take your photo at one of the Queen's Plate Style cut-outs located inside the Event Court and post it to your personal Instagram account using hashtag #VMStylesQP and #QP15, making sure to tag @vaughan_mills in it so we can see your pic. Visit http://bit.ly/1Boyl1C for full contest details. Oh, and be sure to tune into Breakfast Television on June 30th live from Woodbine where we'll be showing more pretty Queen's Plate looks.

Can't wait for the big day! See you at Queen's Plate!