Sneaking SPF into your Summer Beauty Routine

Being pale and freckled my entire life, I've become quite an expert at finding the least-gross-feeling ways of wearing SPF. After all, if it feels gross and sticky, I'm not likely to wear it...and that means sunburns are in my future. Especially after last summer, when temperatures hit record highs, I started taking a closer look at all the options out there, from skincare to makeup, to see how I could start changing up my summer beauty routine!

Sunscreen for body:

I think it's safe to say that the reason most people hate sunscreen is texture. You buy the cheap stuff, and it feels sticky, greasy, and it just gets even worse when you start sweating. Now, I'm not here to tell you I've found a miracle solution, but I can guarantee you that if you invest is the "derm" brands that are a bit pricier, the texture is waaaay better! I got this High Protection Spray with SPF 50 from Avène (available at London Drugs) a few weeks ago, and have been really happy with it. So far, it's the best sunscreen I've used in my 25 years of being pale!

Sunscreen for face:

You can definitely use a regular sunscreen on your face (although you should make sure to apply with care around your eyes), but I really don't love the feeling. Especially once I start sweating, it certainly isn't keeping my face mattified. A London Drugs Beauty Advisor introduced me to the Lise Watier Sun Smart Universal UV Shield (available at London Drugs) over a year ago, and it has become my absolute go-to for summer! I can't get over how amazing the texture is, and how it doesn't smell the least bit like sunscreen. I actually think it feels better on my skin than most of my face primers! It keeps skin protected with SPF 30, while also keeping it perfectly mattified and prepped for foundation.

BB Cream with SPF:

Next step for me after applying the Lise Watier Sun Smart is a BB Cream. I've searched for a long time before finding a BB Cream that actually matched my skin tone, and was so happy to find a match in their M Perfect Cover line (available online at Missha Canada and H Mart). I'm No. 13 for your reference. The BB Cream has an SPF of 42, although it actually isn't approved in Canada. When I purchased it at my local H Mart, it came with a little sticker stuck over the SPF label on the bottle. I've heard that Canadian requirements for SPF are really strict, and a lot of companies opt to not go through all the hoops to be able to label their products with SPF in Canada.

Lip Balm with SPF:

I lived most of my life without ever burning my lips in the sun, so I just never really bothered to protect them. But when I went to Texas last year, I got one of the worst burns I've ever had, head to toe, and even my lips burned. It was not a pleasant experience, let me tell you. Ever since that, I keep a stick of lip balm with SPF in my purse all the times! RoC's Soleil Protexion Plus Lip Balm (available at London Drugs and drugstores) has SPF 30, and keeps my lips nice and soft.

Tinted Lip Balm with SPF:

I don't like the idea of sacrificing colour in my makeup routine just because I need to wear SPF. On days when I want a tinted lip balm, I reach for my L'Oreal Colour Riche Lip Balm (available at London Drugs and drugstores). I have the shade Caring Coral, and it's the perfect touch of pink/orange colour that's packed with moisture and shine. I love how it looks with a fresh-faced summer look! Mascara, a dab of creamy coral blush, a swipe of this lip balm, and I'm good to go! The most important feature though, of course, is the SPF 15.

With the exception of a whole truckload more freckles, I intend to come out of summer with my skin looking the same as before, thanks to these SPF favourites! No wrinkly, leathery skin in my future, no thank you.

If you've got some SPF favourites, let me know in the comments! I'm always searching for the latest and greatest.

Sunscreen - Avene High Protection Spray | BB Cream - Missha M Perfect Cover | Facial Sunscreen - Lise Watier Sun Smart | Lip Balm - RoC Soleil Protexion | Tinted Lip Balm - L'Oreal Colour Riche Lip Balm

T-Shirt - (similar) | Jeans - Urban Planet | Sandals - thrifted | Towel - c/o Chapters

Happy Styling!

~ Britta

Why Everyone Should Have 1 'WOW' Dress in Their Closet

It's easy to justify your way out of buying a beautiful, dramatic formal dress when you don't have a prom or wedding or gala in sight. I know the rule of thumb when buying something is to always think of at least three ways you can wear it, but sometimes it's not always about practicality.

I bought this dress a few years ago, with the intention of wearing it to Vancouver Fashion Week. It was bold - perfect for the occasion, but to be honest I had no idea when I'd every where it again. It has become a surprising go-to over the years, though. Whenever I feel like I need something a bit above and beyond a cocktail dress, it's perfect. Something different. And it makes me feel special too - like when I played dress-up as princess when I was a kid! And everyone wants to feel special like that every once in a while, right? No matter what you're dressing up in. The whole I idea is to have something bold and fun you can go to in your closet when you want to spice things up.

This dress even got some good use at Halloween last year, and most recently I had the chance to wear it to a white dress code event in Vancouver called "The White Effect", which is the photos you'll see below. (Pretending to be a model for the evening ain't so bad - although I felt awkward as hell!)

My one recommendation in this whole "buy the impractical fancy dress" idea? Make sure it's in a neutral colour like white and black. You'll likely get a whole lot more wear out of it if you do decide to pick a neutral colour. But remember, the whole point is to have something you feel great in, so if you want to throw that recommendation out the window and go for colours and patterns, then go for it!

Photography by Cyrus Wu

Dress - Asos | Earrings - H&M

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Designer Spotlight: Vancouver's Hetki Designs

This post isn't the usual street style or event post you're used to seeing here on Vancouver Vogue, but it really does fall under the mantra of VV when it comes to eco-friendly, sustainable fashion. I thought it was important to share with you this amazing local brand: Hetki Designs. Plus, what makes this even more exciting, is that the designer of Hetki Designs, Kate Schreiner has been a follower of Vancouver Vogue since its early days! Turns out, we actually went to the same high school as well - Kate in Grade 8, and I in my graduating year. Many of you have heard my stories of my locker being stuffed full of high heels - Kate saw it first hand!

Now a graduate of Kwantlen's fashion design and technology program, Kate has launched her very own clothing line, and it's all about slow fashion. Rather than feeding the fast fashion trend frenzy, Hetki Designs aims to provide classic, timeless styles with a taste of trendiness that are meant to last years rather than months. They're investment pieces.

As a reader of VV, you all know that thrift shopping is my way of easing my demand for fast fashion and supporting more sustainable shopping measures. Now that I get older though, I've also started to look to brands like Hetki Designs for curated staple pieces I can add to my wardrobe for the long haul. I had a chance to see some of Kate's designs in person at a fashion preview event in Vancouver - see below for a closer look!

Photography - Linus Wong

Hair & Makeup - Maliha Artistry

Styling - Jessica Chauhan & Kate Schreiner

With Kate at her design preview at Portside Pub in Gastown, Vancouver

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

The Best Rain Boots for Raincouver

Ok so not all of you live in Vancouver (aka Raincouver), but if you live somewhere as equally rainy as our wonderful city, then you'll know how important it is to have a good pair of rain boots and umbrella on hand. The irony is, I've actually gone without having a proper pair of rain boots for far too long.

I've always put off buying rain boots because always wanted them to look good and not just be about function. Hunters are cute too with their loads of colours, but the price tag is just a bit to much for me. These Bearpaw Constance rain boots are super cute! They not only fit like a glove (nicely shaped to my calves, rather than gaping around them), but they also have a trendy snakeskin texture. Plus, unlike all the zippered boots I've been wearing in place of rain boots, these will actually keep my feet 100% dry. Oh PS they have a tin fleece lining, making them a lot comfier than most rain boots. Of course, when I decided to shoot these photos, the weather was miraculously wonderful here in Vancouver (shocker!), so I'll have to wait to do puddle jumping in these boots another day!

And if you tend to forget your umbrella everywhere you go (like I used to), it might be time to invest in a nice one. I've found that ever since my friends got me this gorgeous umbrella from the Little White House Co., I've made a concerted effort not to leave it behind anywhere...I love it far too much to lose it!

Dress - Urban Behaviour | Necklace - Stella & Dot | Umbrella - Little White House & Co. | Rain Boots - c/o Bearpaw

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Now Trending: The Cold Shoulder Top

The off-the-shoulder top has been dubbed the "cold shoulder trend" by every magazine and fashion publication as of late, and it's the perfect flirty way to show of some skin this summer! I partnered up with online shopping site Romwe, and since I haven't worn off-shoulder tops in years, I wanted to give one a try again! I found this really cute one in blue and white that made me think of lounging on the cliffs of Santorini, Greece. Have I ever been before? No, I wish, but I created an outfit of what I imagine I would wear there, if ever given the opportunity! One can only dream...

Linen is one of my favourite summer fabrics - it has a very luxurious yet laidback quality to it (although the wrinkling is always a bit annoying). PS. You don't need to spend a ton to get linen, either. I got these for dirt cheap (like $10) at Ross Dress for Less a couple of years ago. The Romwe off-the-shoulder top works really well with the laidback style too! And the best part? If you don't usually like off-the-shoulder tops because they keep sliding down, this one is a great option: the elastic is just tight enough to keep everything in place, and if you need a bit of extra assurance, it actually has shoulder straps too! I actually found the top stayed up so well on it's own, I may just cut off the shoulder straps so that the shoulders are completely bare.

Have you given this trend a try yet?

Shirt - Romwe | Sunglasses - Target | Pants - (via Ross Dress for Less) | Sandals - Just Fab

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Graphic Print Blouses are the new Statement Piece

Graphic print blouses are kind of my jam right now. Did you see the insanely adorable macaron blouse I snatched here? And now there's this super cute lipstick blouse I picked up from SheIn! I'm not much a fan of button-up blouses; they're usually too stiff, bland and ill-fitting, so a fun graphic print like this, is a nice alternative. And no pulling around the buttons?? Yes, please! That's thanks to the boyfriend fit. Plus, I love half-tucking it in for a laid back look. Especially when the shirt has a nice silky texture to it like this one, it just drapes so perfectly!

Boyfriend jeans will always be a staple in my wardrobe - their versatility is just so great. You could easily wear this blouse with a nice skirt or dress pants, but I think it also works to pair it with ripped boyfriend jeans and some stilettos. Mix the casual and the dressy together for something a bit more interesting.

Blouse - c/o SheIn | Sunglasses - Simons | Jeans - American Eagle (thrifted via Salvation Army) | Heels - Aldo (thrifted via Salvation Army)

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

How to Wear Sequins in Summer

Well we had another blast of summer heat this past weekend in Vancouver, and man was that every great to have after the showers and thunderstorms the week previous. Time to hit the beach! Even for this pale, pale gal (don't worry, sunscreen is always in my bag!).

I've been dying to wear this maxi sequin skirt that I bought on sale at Maccs a while back. I actually was lusting after it when it was originally selling for $119, and clamoured to get my hands on it when it finally went on sale for a staggering $19!! (PS. it's still on sale right now if you want this gorgeous skirt too).

I wanted to challenge myself to style it in a casual way though, contrary to what you would usually think of when styling a full length sequin skirt. So lo and behold, my sequin "mermaid" outfit! By wearing sandals rather than heels, and half-tucking a slouched casual shirt, this skirt went from night-out-only attire, to a glam yet casual day ensemble. The key thing too, is not caring what anyone else thinks. There are no real rules and barriers in fashion: only the ones we create in our heads. Sequins at the beach?? Why not!

Shirt -  Vero Moda (thrifted via Salvation Army) | Bracelet - c/o Nobis & Grey | Skirt - Maccs (on sale!!) | Sandals - thrifted via Value Village

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta