0 - WELCOME

Hello!

Welcome to the one year anniversary of my newsletter! I can’t believe it was a year ago that I (somewhat) randomly decided to start a monthly newsletter. Thanks as always for tuning in and providing feedback. As a subscriber, I want to let you know that I’ll be doing a giveaway (my first one!) in the next few days on my Instagram, so stay tuned :).

This month, I will be traveling for a few weeks and visiting Dubai, Abu Dhabi, India (Delhi, Jaipur, Agra) and Paris. It’s been a trip that I’ve been talking about for a while now, so I’m really excited! I will be spending my birthday in Jaipur, so that should be fun. I was also in the Bahamas over the weekend to celebrate a wonderful friend’s bachelorette. Needless to say, I am rather sleep deprived and have been in zombie mode for the past couple days, but it was all worth it.

1 - FASHION

Skiwear

Skiing is one of my favourite winter activities, and of course, I like to dress up when I head to the mountains. Every year I tend to invest in a new outfit — my favourite ski brands are Fusalp, Bogner, Moncler Grenoble and Perfect Moment. Ski clothes can be quite pricey, so I buy mine on sale at the end of the season in April/May. Here’s what I have my eye on this year:

Beachwear

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the beach! If you’re heading somewhere warm this winter, I’m very excited for you. For my trip to the Bahamas, I packed a mix of classics along with items that weren’t necessarily “me”. I find that vacations are the perfect time to try a new persona by way of fashion, because when else, in my case, am I going to wear a matching Missoni Mare outfit (comprised of this similar bikini and these pants)? Lately I’ve been far more interested in one-piece swimsuits than itty bitty bikinis, so here are my favourites:

Five Things I Bought

Below are goodies that I bought and loved last month.

2 - BEAUTY

Hair Routine

I wrote about my hair routine last year, but things have changed and it’s time for an update. Thanks to the hair gods at Sekt Studio in Toronto (Nelson, who does my cut, and Fab, who does my colour), I always get compliments. I have naturally thick and wavy hair that becomes oily if I don’t wash it every day. Lately, I alternate between Oribe’s Gold Lust Repair Shampoo & Conditioner, and Virtue’s Volumizing Full Shampoo & Conditioner. Oribe is a dark, expensive hole, but I can tell you that it works (at least on my hair).

Once a week, I cleanse my scalp with a salt scrub - my scalp can get dry, so I find that scrubs really help to reset my skin. I use Goop’s G.Tox Salt Scrub Shampoo and Virtue’s Clarifying & Exfoliating Scalp Treatment, followed by Olaplex’s No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Hair Mask.

I like to air dry my hair, but it dries wavy, which I don’t always love. So, if I’m blow-drying, I use the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer and straighten with the GHD Max 2” Styler. I also use my straightener as a curler and crimper depending on my mood. If I need volume, I spray on Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray, which is hands down my favourite hair product — I carry a bottle with me whenever I travel. I also love Oribe’s Gold Lust Hair Oil and Virtue’s Smoothing Hair Styler for the days that I want a more put together look. Mason Pearson’s Handy Bristle Brush has been my favourite for years — I’ve purchased Manta brushes as gifts and everyone seems to love them too.

When I’m at home, my hair is almost always in a half ponytail, because I don’t like having to tuck my hair behind my ears. My go-to elastics are these ones from Silk, but honestly silk ones from any brand would do.

3 - ART

Julia Chiang

As you probably know by now, one of my favourite activities in NYC is to visit art galleries, discover new (to me) artists and learn about their creative processes. I stopped by Nicola Vassell Gallery and was blown away by Julia Chiang’s exhibition called Salt on our Skin. I’m certainly more of a modern art lover, and this was right up my alley. Her press release mentions the idea of transformation — this fluidity is translated into her pieces, which are equal parts celestial and mesmerizing. Pictures don’t quite do her art justice, so if you are in the city, I strongly recommend dropping by!

4 - OTHER

5 - PARTING NOTE

Lately, I’ve been mulling over starting a TikTok for a more behind-the-scenes look (like how I get dressed in the morning, my actual makeup routine, etc.). What are your thoughts? Would you watch?

Until next month, friends.