Tea & Topaz

I can't believe it's the end of the month already! Here are the products I've been loving during February. 1. Ecotools Essential Eye Set : I'm a big fan of Ecotools cruelty-free and natural makeup brushes. I recently needed some new eye brushes so I picked up this set. Don't expect Mac, Real Techniques or Sigma quality, but you really do get a bang for your buck with this set. I've been very happy with how these brushes perform.  $15 at Rexall and Lawtons drug stores 2. White Barn 3-Wick Candle in Lilac Blossom and Honeysuckle Bouquet : I am so ready for spring, especially with the winter we've been having in Toronto. I love decorating my apartment with these 3-Wick Candles from Bath and Body Works, and last week I decided it was time to pack away my fall/winter candles and replace them with some spring ones. I picked up these two floral scented candles and I love them. Bath and Body Works normally has promotions on these candles, which is an add

This was an eventful week across the pond with London Fashion Week, the Elle Style Awards and the Brit Awards all taking place. These are my top looks of the week, worn by some of my favourite British stars. 1. Emma Watson Emma never disappoints on the red carpet. She looked amazing in a black top and skirt from Giambattista Valli's Spring 2014 Couture collection at the Elle Style Awards. She topped off her look with Louboutins.  (Source) 2. Ashley Madekwe The Revenge actress wore a black midi dress, Burberry leather jacket, and black and gold strappy sandals to the Burberry F/W 2014 show at London Fashion Week. She accessorized with a red purse and a red lip. This is the perfect outfit for both your next date night and girls night.  (Source) 3. Poppy Delevingne Poppy, sister of model-of-the-moment Cara Delevingne, wore head-to-toe Burberry to the Burberry F/W 2014 show. Her emerald green sandals added some fun to an otherwise conservative outfit. This

Today I wanted to share a healthy recipe with you. These sweet potato muffins are full of nutrients, can be made vegan, and make a perfect breakfast or snack. Sweet Potato Muffins Makes 12 Adapted from  Canadian Living 1 sweet potato, baked and mashed 2 cups all-purpose flour, either white or whole wheat, or a combination of both (I used whole wheat only)* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (if you prefer a sweeter muffin, increase to 3/4 cup) 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 2 eggs or equivalent vegan egg substitute** 1/3 cup organic coconut oil, melted 1 cup almond milk, preferably unsweetened, heated to prevent coconut oil from solidifying 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut In a large bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together mashed sweet potato, eggs, coconut oil and almond milk until smooth. Pour over dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir

I had a lovely weekend filled with dinner and shopping dates with friends, as well as some much needed me time. I thought it would be fun to share with you the pictures that I posted to my Instagram account this weekend. Enjoying a matcha tea latte from Rachel's Coffee House in midtown Toronto Fresh flowers at a fruit market Valentine's Day sushi with one of my oldest friends Relaxing with a book Shopping at Yorkdale Decisions, decisions... Baking healthy muffins for a future blog post I hope you all had an equally lovely weekend!

A lot happened this week: premieres, runway shows, presentations, galas, and the Berlin International Film Festival. New York Fashion Week ended on Thursday and London Fashion Week kicked off on Friday. With so many red carpet and street style looks to choose from, it was very difficult to choose the best looks of the week.  1. Diane Kruger Diane wore Elie Saab, one of my favorite designers, to the premiere of The Better Angels at the Berlin International Film Festival. She looked absolutely stunning in her white gown, which she paired with a red lip.  (Source) 2. Lupita Nyong'o & Naomi Watts I couldn't chose between these two, so I went with them both. Lupita and Naomi looked lovely in pastel Calvin Klein dresses while sitting front row at the designer's F/W 2014 show at NYFW.  (Source) 3. Kourtney Kardashian I had to include this look because I think it is so fun. Kourtney paired a white jacket and leather leggings with a Cheshire Cat graphic

We all know that we should eat breakfast - it truly is the most important meal of the day as it fuels our body and mind for the day ahead. However so many of us skip it because we are too pressed for time in the morning. Recently I've been obsessed with drinking smoothies for breakfast as they are quick, healthy and filling, and this smoothie is the perfect way to start your day and still get to work on time. Chocolate Cherry Smoothie Serves 1 1/3 cup of oats* 1 tbsp chia seeds* 1 tsp coconut oil, preferably organic 1 tbsp cocoa powder, preferably organic 1/2 cup frozen cherries 1 ripe banana (use a frozen banana if you want a thicker, creamier smoothie) 1 cup almond milk, preferably unsweetened, or milk of your choice Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy! Notes: * If you prefer, the oats and chia seeds can be substituted for one serving of a protein powder of your choice. ** You can add a large

New York Fashion Week kicked off this week, so it was difficult to narrow down the top three looks of the week, but here they are. 1. Olivia Palermo Olivia could have dominated this list as I have absolutely loved all her looks at NYFW thus far. However her white BCBG Max Azria dress, which she wore to the BCBG Max Azria show was my favourite.  (Source) 2. Diane Kruger Diane wore Peter Pilotto for Target to the Peter Pilotto for Target show. If you love this look as much as I do, head to Target as the collection launched today!  (Source) 3. Jamie Chung  Jamie looked chic in Marc Jacobs at the Marc Jacobs Daisy Chain Tweet Pop Up Shop Party.  (Source) Honourable Mention: The Beckham Family David, Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz looked dapper while little Harper looked adorable at Victoria's F/W 2014 show.  (Source)

It can be difficult to decide what to wear on Valentine's Day, whether you are going on a date or having a girls night. Today I wanted to share some Valentine's Day outfit ideas with you. 1. Fancy Date Night For a fancy date night with your guy, you can't go wrong with a dress and heels. Wear a red lip, but keep the rest of your makeup simple.  2. Casual Date Night For a casual date night, stick with skinny jeans and a nice top or blouse. Add a pop of colour with your accessories and keep your makeup simple. 3. Fancy Girls Night  If you're hanging out with the girls on Valentine's Day, you can go edgier and trendier. Have some fun with a colourful playsuit and sequined blazer. Complete your look with a statement necklace, clutch and heels. 4. Casual Girls Night  For a casual girls night, try on-trend soft pants. I went with faux leather for this look to add some texture. Pair them with a chunky knit sweater, statement necklace and a d

Today I wanted to share with you my favourite products for the month of January. They are a mixture of random products that are helping me get through the winter! 1. David's Tea Glass Perfect Mug : I'm a huge fan of loose leaf tea and last month I decided that I needed to invest in a better infuser. This infuser is so fine that no tea will slip through into your mug. This mug also comes with a lid to keep your tea nice and hot. It comes in a number of different colours and designs, but I've been loving the clear glass mug since I currently don't have anything like it in my mug collection. $19.50 at David's Tea stores and davidstea.com 2. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Amused : This bright pink blush is an instant mood lifter during depressing winter days. Don't let the colour scare you; the formula is easy to blend and it looks fantastic on all skin tones.  (Image Source) $31 at tartecosmetics.com, Sephora stores and sephora.com 3.

This past week, celebrities attended a number of events including the Grammy Awards and the Directors Guild of America Awards. Here are my top three celebrity looks of the week: 1. Anna Kendrick Anna looked stunning at the Grammys in this strapless Azzaro gown and Barbara Bui heels. She kept her hair, makeup and accessories simple to ensure that they did not detract from her dress.  (Source) 2. Sandra Bullock Sandra looked amazing in this textured strapless Roland Mouret gown at the Directors Guild of America Awards. She paired her dress with a Roger Vivier clutch, Giuseppe Zanotti shoes, a dark red lip and a loose chignon.  (Source) 3. Jessica Alba  Jessica wore this gorgeous lace Ralph Lauren dress to Hollywood Stands Up To Cancer. She completed her look with strappy Jimmy Choo sandals, a dark berry lip and new shoulder length hair.  (Source)