HAIR TUTORIAL: ERIN WASSON'S EFFORTLESS BEACHY WAVES
Yesterday I uploaded my first vlog on YouTube. It's a short one but it gives you a behind the scenes look of what happens on press trips like this one with Herbal Essences. Make sure you hit play below and watch it okay? ;)
In this post I'll be talking to you more about the new Bio:Renew line and go through a new hair styling technique I learned from celebrity stylist, Charles Baker Strahan so keep reading.
Bio:Renew is a new premium line from the Herbal Essences family (price range $6.99 - $9.99). It was created to protect hair from daily harmful elements and helps revive dull hair. The line up includes shampoos, conditioners and styling products made with a blend of antioxidants, aloe and sea kelp.
Something I really enjoy about Bio:Renew is its ability to protect the hair from the daily elements that will eventually deteriorate the hair but also the ability to control frizz and create soft manageable hair. The Bio:Renew technology comes from the antioxidant called Histidine, which works for the hair the way superfoods work for the human body. It purifies and protects and by trapping, neutralizing and removing build-up free radicals that weaken hair.
Since the Herbal Essences brand is built on a foundation of natural hair care, I wanted to know a little more:
Is the Bio:Renew line biodegradable?
The majority of each formula is biodegradable. Each formula has a different levels of biodegradability.
Is it 100% natural? If not, can you tell me the percent of natural ingredients.
The Bio:Renew products are not 100% natural. We use the best of nature and science to craft products with amazing performance. Science can do beautiful things!
I read somewhere that all shampoos and the entire product line is safe for colour treated hair. Can you confirm?
Yes - all shampoos and conditioners are colour-safe. Coloured hair will soak up the antioxidants in Bio:Renew to protect from harmful oxidation.
Is there a heat-protecting product in the line up?
There is no specific heat protectant in the lineup. However, conditioners are your best defense for high heat. Applying the Herbal Essences oil-infused crème (Coconut Milk or Argan Oil) to damp hair will leave hair prepared for heat styling.
I have a lot of thick hair thats highly prone to frizz and only certain high end styling products tame. I was surprised to see that Bio:Renew left my hair with the same results as my $30 shampoo and $50 styling creme. I know it's a lot of money I spend on hair care but in my experience, not a lot of hair care is compatible with my hair type (thick and frizzy. Think Hermione from Harry Potter if my hair is au naturel.) Not gonna lie, I was really surprised and happy to see what a drug store product could do for me.
To give you guys a bigger picture, Bio:Renew was created with different hair types in mind in an array of luxury scents. The three models style here by celebrity stylist Charles Baker Strahan went from wavy hair, thin hair and black hair and all ended up with beautiful, shiny, managable bouncy hair.
If you like perfectly-undone-beachy-waves, pay attention to the mini tutorial below to see how Charles gets those gorgeous waves. He's worked on some of my favourite style icons like Erin Wasson and created a similar look on my hair. Since returning back home I have been using the Bio:Renew Argan Oil of Morcocco shampoo and conditioner and I'm still loving it. I've also been styling my hair the way Charles taught me and I find my style lasts longer and is easier to manage.
Click PLAY to learn how to get textured waves.
Click PLAY to watch my NYC vlog.
Photos and video content by Michael Biro and Nathalie Martin.
Hair by Charles Baker Strahan for Herbal Essences.
This post is sponsored by Herbal Essences. All opinions are my own.
TRAVEL DIARY: 24 HOURS IN NYC
As a full time blogger I'm very fortunate to be my own boss. Occasionally I get to partake in fun PR trips to some cool locations with some of my favourite brands. When Herbal Essences emailed me about a quickie NYC trip to check out their latest assortment of hair care, I was pretty excited, especially since I was accompanied by my very dear blogger friend, Michael, globalgarcon.net. We were there for 24 hours so we made the best use of our time checking out the city between PR appointments.
We stayed at gorgeous Bowery Hotel, which has a warm inviting old school vibe with a contemporary twist. Lucky for us our hotel was located in the Lower East Side which felt pretty central to everything. We were a quick 10-15 minute Uber drive from SoHo where we spent a majority of our last day. BTW - I did film a short vlog during my stay but I can't seem to find the footage so stay tuned for that.
By the time 5pm hit, we were en route to La Guardia and headed back to Toronto. I think most cities can be done in a quick 24 hour trip and it's just a matter of how you prioritize your time to see everything. Just go watch an episode of Richard Ayoade's Travel Man for some inspo (his trips are 48 hours but you get the point).
I hope you enjoy this short NYC Travel Diary! Let me know what your favourite places to visit in NYC are so I can get an idea of where to visit the next time I'm there. As always if you like this pictures, be sure to share the love on Pinterest and leave me a comment if you want to see more like this.
WHERE TO STAY
The Bowery Hotel, 335 Bowery NY, located downtown on the Lower East Side. I had the prettiest sunrise view from my 8th floor room. Make sure you order room service, the pancakes where amazing!
BE SURE TO VISIT SoHo
The iconic architecture is even more impressive in person and every corner is just as photogenic from the next. SoHo is fashion mecca for those who love high end fashion. Each corner is scattered with shops like Isabel Marant, Chanel, Saint Laurent, & Other Stories, The Kooples and so on.
WHERE TO EAT
Be sure you stop by Chloe, 240 Lafayette in SoHo. This vegan joint specializes in "fast food" type fare with burgers, fries, salads, cupcakes and smoothies. Make sure you try the guac burger and the beet ketchup with your fries because they're out of this world.
WHAT TO WEAR
Jeans, a leather jacket and a comfortable shoe for walking around NYC. I opted for my Saint Laurent Candy platform boots and my small cross body. The boots surprisingly comfortable and make a statement.
Photography by Michael Biro and Nathalie Martin.
Special thanks to Herbal Essences for the trip to NYC.
NYC STREET STYLE
I love NYC! Who doesn't? While I was only there for a short 24 hours I made the best of my time there and made sure to explore SoHo and stop by vegan hot spot, by Chloe. OMG was that bean guac burger ever amazing! I'll be putting together a mini NYC travel diary together for you guys as well as pics of the Bowery Hotel where I stayed with Herbal Essences.
I also have to shoutout Michael, aka Global Garçon, for taking these pics. I don't know what it is but whenever he gets behind the camera I turn into a different person. I smile more in pics and feel freer in photos. It's probably because we're such goofs when we're together and we're always laughing like two little school girls. If you haven't already, make sure you check out his blog. His personal style is very similar to mine so I know you guys will dig it. Can I just say, if I was a dude, I'm pretty sure I'd dress like him. (Except I'd show more chesticle. LOL) Love you Michael!
I'm wearing: The Kooples leather jacket, Zara jeans, Frank & Eileen plaid Grayson shirt, black v-neck tshirt from my private collection (available on my shop here), Saint Laurent Candy platform boots and small cross body bag, Holt Renfrew beanie, Valentino Rockstud bracelets, David Yurman bracelet and Ray Ban aviators.
SHOP MY LOOK
Photography by Michael Biro, globalgarcon.net
Special thanks to Frank & Eileen for the plaid shirt. All opinions are my own.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as form of compensation.
VINTAGE COFFEE, IS IT WORTH THE HYPE?
Like fine wine and hard to find limited edition Chanel bags, somethings just get better with age and yes, coffee is one of them. That's right, add vintage coffee to your favourites list because I promise, this one is all sorts of next-level-amazing.
If you're like me, you'll have to leave the non-dairy creamer in the fridge because Nespresso's very limited Selection Vintage 2014 roast, 3 year aged beans, (available for both VertuoLine and Original Line) is best enjoyed black. I normally prefer a level 3-4 (light roast) and the Vintage 2014 is a level 7 (medium to dark roast) but because it has such a smooth taste, I don't miss the almond milk one bit. You don't need to dilute the flavour and you wouldn't want to either. Coffee connoisseurs will hate me for saying this but the Vintage 2014 almost has a chocolatey taste. I'm not too far off because the aromatic profile is described as a "complex taste with elegant woodiness and soft fruity notes".
Like a fine wine, this coffee is perfect for pairing with a slice of chocolate cake or aged cheddar. If you ask me, it would have to be with cake.
Let me summarize Vintage 2014 for you in the best, most honest way I can:
This coffee is like a treat you keep in the back of your cupboard where your significant other won't find it and you can have all of it to yourself. It's like a treat that you save for last and don't share with the guests. (Sorry mom!) And if you like them as much as I do, you're going to have to stock up before they're gone because when Nespresso says limited edition, they mean it.
Nespresso Selection Vintage 2014 is a complex taste with elegant woodiness and soft fruity notes.
WHY I F@!#ING HATE NEW YEARS
I'm not gonna bullshit you guys. I hate NYE. Like I really fucking hate it.
Growing up my mum would make my brothers and I dress up in our holiday finest. I'm talking velvet and lace dresses that were a far cry from Valentino FW16. No. It was more like Little House On The Prairie meets Little Women. Come to think of it, I hated velvet until recently. LOL
My dad would make his roasted lamb with potatoes as a nice gesture to ring in the new year. Even now I recall the smell so vividly that it makes me gag. As a kid the thought of eating a baby animal was the stuff of nightmares! I'd push the piece of lamb around on my plate and would pick at the potatoes, which I swear tasted like lamb too. Honestly, I have so many memories of crying at the dinner table because I didn't want to eat my chicken or beef or whatever. Guess I was destined to be a vegetarian! #MeatFree
Aside from being scarred of lambs and velvet dresses growing up, I always thought New Year Eve was a sorry excuse of a party. Sure I have some strong opinions about the day but hear me out.
I'm an introvert (surprise!) and I've never been one to party so my ideal NYE is all about curling up in front of the tv while eating pizza, chips and beer, not lamb! Geoff and I typically spend the Eve with our closest friends while watching South Park or some other random comedy until the clock hits 12:00 and we say "Happy New Year". That's it. It's super simple and really not that cool but it's our tradition and it makes me happy.
And with that, Happy New Years dear readers! I hope you spend it how you want to, wether you're out partying your face off or snuggling at home with your cat.
xo,
Nathalie
shop the look
NYE BRUNCH WITH NESPRESSO
The holidays aren't over just yet people! Are you ready for round two?! As we gear up towards New Years Eve, more parties and brunch with the fam, I thought it would be fun to bring you guys a recipe to try this NYE weekend featuring poached eggs on toast, a personal fave in my house.
This isn't any egg on toast though. This is Wild Mushrooms & Coffee On Toast (!!!), a recipe by chef Olivier Perret at Renior in Montreal. I tried it at the Nespresso holiday breakfast when they launched the limited holiday coffee flavours and let me just say, these eggs are yuuummmm! I would have had seconds, and thirds, except I would have looked like a piggy asking for more. LOL
I'll be serving this dish for brunch on New Year's day alongside my cup of Nespresso and homemade donuts. Trust me, you'll want to do the same. It's a pretty simple dish to put together and it'll impress the heck out of your guests! Mmmm. Is it the weekend yet?
RECIPE: WILD MUSHROOM & COFFEE ON TOAST
SERVES 4
11 oz. wild mushrooms (chanterelle with stem)
2 gloves of minced garlic
1 French shallot, minced
1 cup vegetable stock
A pinch of each; fresh parsley, chives, thyme and basil, chopped
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 brewed capsule of Grand Cru Intenso Nespresso coffee
2 tbsp. white vinegar
4 eggs
7 oz. buffalo mozzarella
4 slices sourdough bread
2 tbsp. olive oil
PREPERATION
Sauté mushrooms in olive oil for 5-6 mins.
Season with salt + pepper.
Add garlic and shallot, stir for 2 mins.
Add stock and chopped herbs. Reduce liquid by 3/4.
Add butter and coffee. Stir continuously over high heat for 3 mins.
Pour into a bowl and let cool.
Boil water in a pot with a pinch of salt and the white vinegar.
Poach eggs for 3 mins each (drop them into the water one at a time).
Remove eggs from water and drain on paper towel.
Cut the mozzarella into thin slices and lightly season with salt + pepper.
Toast bread until golden brown.
On each toasted bread slice, arrange mozzarella slices and sautéed mushrooms, then top with a poached egg. Add a touch of olive oil. Serve with your favourite coffee.
Bon apetit.
Recipe by Olivier Perret, Chef at Renoir, Sofitel Montreal
Photo by: Natalie Ho, mylittlesecrets.ca
Photo by: Natalie Ho, mylittlesecrets.ca
SHOP NESPRESSO VERTUOLINE
Wild Mushroom & Coffee On Toast recipe by Olivier Perret.
In collaboration with Nespresso Canada. All photos and opinions are my own.
TECH TOYS FOR EVERYONE
2016 has been the year of tech toys for Geoff and I. We've invested in a new camera lens, 2 new Canon cameras, mics, and a ton of SD cards to help us do our job here at the blog but also because we love getting new toys! LOL
I'm happy to announce that I've partnered with Best Buy Canada for this post to bring you guys some goodies to consider during your holiday shopping, wether you still haven't bought a gift for someone or maybe you're out Boxing Day shopping for yourself here are two tech toys that should be high on your list.
BOSE SOUNDLINK color II splash proof portable SPEAKERS
$149.99
Geoff writes and composes his own music and in the last year he's spent quite a bit of time building himself a custom desk which includes a midi keyboard, audio interface, Shure stereo monitor professional headphones and studio monitor speakers. You'd think he was a professional musician but he does it all recreationally. I used to tease him for such an elaborate set up but I actually love his desk now that I do YouTube videos since I can sit there for hours and edit happily to my hearts content.
Seeing as music is such a big part of his life, I surprised him with the Bose Soundlink Color II speakers since he likes listening to music in our patio during the summer and likes to have music playing in the kitchen as we cook. The speakers are easy to hook up to any mobile device via bluetooth and the sound quality from this small box is superb. Best of all, I can steal it from him and listen to Sirius XM as I work so it's win win! These speakers are perfect for any music lover so consider this one while you're Boxing Day shopping this year.
iHealth Core scale
(ON SALE NOW FOR $99.99 UNTIL DEC 29, 2016)
2016 was the year of weight gain and bad health for me. I went from eating clean to stress eating junk food, not working out, not moving enough and gaining 10-15 lbs which has resulted in me going up a pant size for the first time in my adult life. I was vegan for two years and made the switch to vegetarian last year because I was too lazy and tired to make meals that nourish my body properly.
Getting back into shape and becoming a healthier me as been on the forefront of my mind recently as I think about expanding my family. I'm no spring chicken after all and getting my body and mind into shape is the best thing I can do. The iHealth Core scale measures your body composition - weight, body fat and tracks your lean mass, body water percentage, muscle mass, bone mass and visceral fat rating with the help of the app that tracks your progress.
This is an excellent gift for yourself or anyone who's interested in maintaining their health and getting back into shape.
This post is in collaboration with Best Buy Canada.
All photos opinions are my own.
WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON WITH ME
Anyone who follows me on Instagram will have noticed a few things;
1) I changed my handle name from @woahstyledotcom to @_nathaliemartin
2) I've been less active on the app these days
So why the name change and what's going on?
Let me tell you.
For one, I changed my handle to be more personal. Sometimes I meet people IRL and they say "hey you're woahstyle!" Cool story you know my handle but do you know my real name? It happens more often than you think and yes, while it's flattering to be recognized, it also irks me knowing that I've been hiding behind an IG name to a certain degree.
That leads me to the next point. What's going on with me and why have I been less active on Instagram?
Truth is, Instagram has been boring me these days. Everyone looks the same, everyone posts the pics and everyone wears the same clothes all for the sake of likes and trying to stay ahead of the algorithms. Enough already!!!
BTS I've been thinking about how to appease the app and myself without compromising who I am. If wear stripes for example my likes might be subpar but if I wear stripes with a logo or recognizable brand, my likes sky rocket! If I show the logo of a designer shoe, then my likes go up 10 fold and I can easily gain up to a thousand followers a day until that shoe pic makes it to the bottom of my grid. It's absurd really.
So if I haven't been posting on IG what have I been doing?
Well, I've been working on quality content for the blog for one. I hope you guys have noticed and based on your comments, I think you have so thank you! I've also been gathering lots of inspo from Pinterest and Tumblr. Yup I'm going old school! And when I'm not doing that I've been shooting new videos for my YouTube channel and I've been strategizing my 2017 plans. In the new year you guys will be getting to know me more; what fears and what life goals I have. You'll see what inspires me and what fuels my creativity. At the end of the day I might have a shoe closet that I'm damn proud of but I want to be known for who I am vs. what shoes I wear. ; )
Did you catch that all? Is it all making sense? Great!
Follow me on my social channels
SHOP THE LOOK
As much as IG has been stifling my creativity these days I'm grateful for the app. For one, I might not be a freelance blogger/ content creator without it introducing me to so many people. It's those people who have made my blogging journey more exciting. My IG friend Ruby from rougecloset.com was recently the guest editor of The Closeteur Magazine and she asked me to style this rad kimono from Sarah Lai. Click here for my interview. (Thanks Ruby!)
THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE FOR HER
For this holiday gift guide I have teamed up with some of my favourite brands to show you the very best of gift giving! There's enough variety in here to give you ideas on what to get the woman in your life - mum, wife, bff, sister, cousin, hostess, etc - at a variety of prices. If you like these gifts check back weekly because I'll be updating this page with more ideas as we near the holidays.
Oh - and if there's anything that you're lusting after, know that I'll be hosting a giveaway featuring some of the very goodies found here. (Watch my Stories daily for more info!)
FRAGRANCES + PERFUMES
- MARC JACOBS DECADENCE, $65.
Travel size trio of MJ's Decadence scent. Qualitative. Opulent. Surprising. Italian Plum, Iris Flower, Saffron, Bulgarian Rose, Jasmine Sambac, Orris, Vetiver, Papyrus Woods, Liquid Amber. - GIORGIO ARMANI Si Perfum, $30 - $199.
Graceful, modern and unconventional. Notes: Chypre, Blackcurrant Nectar, Airy Florals, Musky Blond Wood. - ETAT LIBRE d'ORANGE Noel Au Balcon, $105 - $185.
Cozy. Festive. Mischievous. Notes: Honey, Tangerine, Vanilla, Cinnamon From Sri Lanka, Nigella, Red Pepper, Apricot, Patchouli, Solar Musk Accord. - MARC JACOBS DAISY Rollerball Trio, $59.
Travel size rollerballs of MJ's iconic Daisy scents: Daisy, Daisy Eau so Fresh and Daisy Dream. - MIU MIU perfum, $35 - $130.
Feminine. Youthful. Sophisticated. Notes: Star Anise, Ginger, Green Lily of the Valley, Blooming Lily of the Valley, Jasmine Petal, Rose, Akigalawood, Sandalwood, Nirvanolide. - PHILOSOPHY Amazing Grace, limited edition, $60.
Feminine. Beautiful. Clean. Notes: Bergamot, Muguet Blossoms, Musk.
MAKEUP + BEAUTY
7. MAC COSMETICS, Nutcracker set $36.
Four high gloss nude lippies.
8. CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ, $90 - $680.
Luxury makeup & skincare in limited edition holiday packaging and colours for 2016. Brush set ($250), lip palette ($90), eye shadow palette ($160), and face cream ($680).
9. OPI x KERRY WASHINGTON nail polish, $10 - $12
10. ARTIS BRUSH, Elite Collection 5 brush set, $165 (USD)
Brush set includes; Circle 1, Linear 1, Oval 6, Oval 4 and Oval 3
11. ARTIS BRUSHES, Elite Collection #7 oval, $65 (USD)
12. SMASHBOX, Light It Up Holiday Lip Gloss set, $25.
13. PIXI BY PETRA, Limited Edition Holiday Sets, $12 - $34 (USD)
Ultimate Beauty Kit 3rd Edition ($34), 5 Eye pencil kit ($22), 5 Fairy Dust loose eyeshadows ($12)
14. PIXI BY PETRA, Glow Tonic & Skintreat must haves, $10 - $29 (USD)
15. BITE BEAUTY, Discovery Set, $45
A four piece set containing; Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Beetroot, Agave Lip Mask, Matte Crème Lip Crayon in Leche, Line & Define Primer.
16. BITE BEAUTY, Matte Crème Lip Crayon Collection, $360
The ultimate lip lovers kit; set of 18 full sized shades in a reusable tin.
HOME + ENTERTAINING
17. NESPRESSO Holiday sets and coffee $8.50 - $36.
Six limited edition coffee flavours and limited porcelain cups designed by Lorenzo Petrantoni. Clear cube capsule container also from Nespresso.
18. SAJE NATURAL WELLNESS, Best of Saje Wellness kit, $95 (sold out online but check in stores!)
Contains; Ultrasonic Diffuser, Liquid Sunshine oil, Relax-O-Ring, Peppermint Halo Remedy, Immune Remedy.
19. SAJE NATURAL WELLNESS, $28 - $30.
Electric Ceramic Diffuser with light ($30) and Good Cheers (limited edition, $28) oil blends in Peppermint Twist, Tree Scents and Celebrate.
20. DIPTYQUE, Softening Hand Wash, $53
Mild, soothing, repairing. This liquid soap gently cleanses and nourishes the hands. Lavender floral water purifies and comforts the skin.
BODY + HAIR
21. THE BODY SHOP Shea Premium gift set, $45
Contains; Shower Cream, Body Butter, Body Scrub, Body Mist and Hand Cream
22. DYSON SUPERSONIC HAIR DRYER, $500
23. L'Oréal PROFESSIONNEL styling products (available in salons)
24. PHILOSOPHY Hollyberries Holiday Set, $32
Contains; Hollyberries shower gel and body lotion
25. THE BODY SHOP, Festive Body Body Trio, $15
Contains scents; Vanilla Chai, Spiced Apple and, Frosted Berries
26. THE BODY SHOP Hemp Manicure gift set, $21
Contains: Hemp Hand Cream, nail file, nail buffer, nail clipper