Lady Latitudes

04/12/2022

Solitary woods walk on Day 2 at the chalet, admiring the little details ✨

📍Saint Damien, Quebec

03/12/2022

Some Day 1 scenes from a weekend away with a bunch of pals at the Ketchup & Mustard chalet. 🌲🌲🌲

Fun name that makes you want to eat a veggie dawg, but in this case we just had Gusta sausages.

❄️ My favourite part of Day 1 was the diy thermal spa circuit created by rolling down a snow bank before jumping in the hot tub.


📍St Damien at the border of Lac Lachance

19/11/2022

Got poked last night by a talented lady🍓

While my arm is half (maybe a third) complete at this point, I just want to draw attention to the cuteness of this strawberry.

Next to come are: the (worries) half of the No Worries candy hearts, an open pearl clam shell, a bouquet of lavender, maybe some more berries, and more.

Swipe to the end to see my loyal Chatperone supervising. 🐈

02/11/2022

Scenes of the week 🍂🧡

While preparing to hibernate, this heart is melting over: all the leafy textures, good coffee, crunchy sidewalks, new Mtl kitsch prints from , chunky soups, and this one particularly ✨wholesome✨nap view.

29/10/2022

This afternoon’s chapeau shopping at the cutest lil hat boutique in Montreal - ✨

The patient and super helpful customer service, chill and adorable vibe, and beautiful creations make it a stop you must peep in at. Now they have all the pastel fluffy hats too!

Deeply regretting not taking a photo of the unique lamp “hat for the store” with its papier-mâché type butterflies and bumblebees, and the lovely spider and caterpillar jewelry.

(Also, someone please teach me how to slant a beret properly.)

Next time, I am getting one of the embroidered face hats! I was leaning toward raspberry originally but just couldn’t quite decide on the colour today. Which one would you choose?! 🍓

20/10/2022

Some lil QC souvenirs from this women’s committee work trip ✨

18/10/2022

Always a window seat kinda gal 🍂

There is something special about train rides in autumn. Especially when the fog hangs low and thick, and tiny drizzle droplets speckle the window.

Are you a window or an aisle seat? 🚂🍁

06/05/2022

Some pieces in my skincare cabinet lately 💗

The brand makes clean, cruelty-free, plant-based skincare with fun colours, textures, and natural fragrances.

Whether it is their Cloud Jelly collagen, tremella and strawberry plumping serum, their Bakuchiol retinol alternative, Lapis facial oil, or the Blue Tansy clarifying mask, you'll find fun products that feel good on your skin and your conscience for choosing eco beauty for your self-care routine. 🍓🌸

On a side note: thanks for your patience while I was posting less travel and place content this last year (even journalism took a bit of a back seat!) to focus more on aesthetics and wellness during these beauty school days. To update you all, my friends, I am already certified as a medical esthetician at this point, but have just completed my extra lash extensions, tint and lift, and brow tint and lamination certificates last month.

So, just two more courses to go before I open up shop!

Then, once I've completed the microblading and lip blush trainings this month, I'll be able to announce where I am opening soon, AAAAND of course I'll finally be able to get back into the travel and lifestyle journalism content I detoured around during the Great Pandemic Pivot ✈️💕

Get ready for a summer full of little trips through the Outaouais, NCA and Eastern Canada, as well as all the exciting news about my blossoming spa and aesthetic services!

30/04/2022

Goodbye winter, hello "real" spring ☀️

Some of our sweet souvenirs this sugaring-off season: a lovely organic and plant-based sugar shack in the Laurentians.

🍁 Not only is this cabane à sucre all vegan and all ingredients organic and sourced locally, but their recipes are just *chef's kiss*.

Inside the restaurant, you'll find yummy millet tourtières, herbed potatoes (the first to be finished), tempeh omelette, baked beans, apple sauce, soup, pickled beets, kimchi, seaweed slaws, and quite frankly the best maple syrup I've ever had. 🥞

Outdoors, on their wooded property, even more to discover...

To the side, there is an axe throwing activity set up, surrounded by conifer forest to walk or snow shoe through.

🌲 As well, tucked behind the first cabin, you'll find the little shack where visitors get a fresh baked dessert, a fragrant maple flavoured tea, and of course the essential, the iconic - syrup on a stick to roll in fresh snow.

📍Cabane a Tuque sugar shack, Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

24/04/2022

Spa moments in a bottle. ✨

Much of the good skin situations I am experiencing lately are due in part to the Hyalu B5 serum I have been using twice daily for a couple months now.

Bright, clear, silky smooth.

This pretty blue bottle is intended as an anti-aging concentrate with pure hyaluronic acid, as well as vitamin B5 and madecassoside. It repairs, replumps and keeps the face dewily hydrated which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It helps with volume loss and elasticity, intensely hydrates and nourishes the skin, and repairs the skin barrier function.

✔️ The texture is super dreamy - glides on like a silky, silky gel and absorbs quickly with no stick or pilling. It just feels like healthy skin once it dries.

✔️ Has a light blue/aqua type fragrance that is pleasant and not overpowering (and doesn't seem to be drying for me, like some perfumey products do).

✔️ Suitable for sensitive skin and for those with nickel allergies.

✔️ Truly does do as it claims as fine lines vanish, elasticity and plumping is restored with regular twice daily use.

⭐ I'd recommend this to anyone concerned with signs of aging, dehydration or dry skin, particularly if you have sensitive skin, as long as scents are not an issue for you. It is even convenient too because you can find it in most of the popular pharmacies in Canada.

19/04/2022

Doing laundry is more fun when you're also doing good for the planet. ☀️

Some of the best aspects about Tru Earth Eco Strips laundry detergent are how simple they are to use, how eco friendly they are, how lightweight the product is so shopping/shipping/using isn't heavy, and how good they are for people with sensitive skin.

The strips are easy to use, but you may have to cut the strips into smaller pieces in some machines (I had to do that). Still, freshly cleaned clothes, done more ethically than traditional detergents!

Other key points worth loving:
💚 Manufactured in Canada
💚 Vegan
💚 No parabens, phosphates, dyes or chlorine bleach
💚 Not tested on animals
💚 Zero plastic packaging
💚 Hypoallergenic
💚 For every subscription, the company donates a 32-load package to front line workers and people in need

I was three packs of these in exchange for an honest review - that is almost 100 laundry loads! There is a package specifically for babies, a package that is without perfume, and a freshly fragranced one as well. My favourite was the lightly fragranced one.

06/04/2022

Happy third anniversary to this cute husband! It was hard to choose just 10 pictures to sum up all our adventures these last few years, but here's to collecting so many more 🥂 💕

05/04/2022

It was such a pretty place, and we had a good time, but I cannot in good faith recommend this Chertsey, Quebec chalet. Read all about it here 💕

A Chertsey, Quebec Airbnb cottage review A light sprinkle of rain fell over us as we lounged, a smoky mist forming like a cloud above the hot tub. To the left and right, little snowy hills leading …

26/03/2022

Some chalet shots from our recent weekend getaway with friends at a fancy Chertsey, QC cottage 🥂✨

From watching found 90s DVDs like Mrs Doubtfire and a night in the hot tub under freezing rain, to board games and shared yummy meals we packed way too much food and bubbly drinks for, I would say we had a pretty good time. While there were some pesky funny/sad/scary flaws we weren't prepared for on the trip, it is mostly the people you are with that can make or break a holiday.

You'll be able to read more details about our time at the chalet soon on the blog! Check ladylatitudes.ca on Monday for all the details 💗

📍Loma Sur Le Lac, Chertsey, Quebec, Canada

11/03/2022

🌼🍊🌼🍊🌼🍊🌼

This neroli oil under-eye serum is one of my obsessions lately.

Vegan, plant-based, and cruelty free, this roll-on oil helps to depuff the under-eye, while hydrating and nourishing the skin.

Neroli oil is such a magical fragrance - a little citrus, a little flower, a little fresh greenery.

Random fact: Did you know neroli is believed to be one ingredient in the secret Coca Cola recipe?

28/02/2022

These flats are the comfiest and form-fittingest I have ever worn.

I was these shoes a few weeks ago in exchange for an honest review slotted for today, and I have to say I am surprised by the quality and comfort level, while also being shaped cutely.

Often, flats have a toe that is too rounded or a pointed toe shaped awkwardly - not these! Great shape, excellent sole padding, and the material is flexible. Even more often, basically every pair of flats I have ever owned, flats' sides and edges are low and sharp/rigid, and give me blisters for the first couple weeks while I wear the shape in. Again, not these! I even have one foot a bit bigger than the other, and due to their flexible material, they both fit perfectly.

You get some great bounce and barely feel like you're wearing shoes at all. For now, they're my "inside shoes" I wear instead of slippers but I recommend them to others if you're looking for flats with those criteria. While made in China, the company markets itself as sustainable and eco friendly, with recycled materials used in the process.

22/02/2022

Be kind to your nails 💐

This is my favourite vegan, cruelty-free nail polish. Montreal-based B Kind's polishes come in some of the cutest colours, with a high quality finish, and some clever, fun, Quebec-reference names.

This one is Soy Latte, a soft grey-beige with purple tones. But you can also find a blue shade called Verdun Beach, a caramel shade called Montreal, a golden yellow called Val d'Or, and a smokey purple called Tiguidoo.

The brand .products also distinguishes itself as a 10-Free product, meaning it avoids the ten common toxic ingredients found in most nail polishes. Besides animal products, they exclude: formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, camphor, DPB, xylene, parabens, and perfumes from its list of ingredients.

15/02/2022

Hope you all had a beautiful Valentine's Day! 💝

These are the best chocolates I have ever, ever, ever had. Ever.

12/02/2022

What do your Valentine's nails look like? 💝

10/02/2022

Champagne and strawberries, but inside chocolate? Yes please. 🍓🥂

Ordered my first haul from Canadian online shop and was so pleased.

They have such decadent plant-based chocolates and desserts you can't find in most shops in Canada, all from a variety of local and international brands. Vegn Haus also offers other yummy, rare snacks, meals, and practical items beyond just desserts.

This chocolate has dried strawberry flakes and a splash of champagne blended in a smooth dark chocolate. The texture is dreamy, and the sprinkling of strawberry is perfectly balanced. Definitely recommend for your next Valentine's Day treats!

Their gourmet vegan easter chocolates are available now too 🐰🐣

06/02/2022

Hand sanitizer's best friend 🌟

I can get a bit crinkly and irritated on days where I have to use a lot of different hand sanitizers. Some sanitizers and alcohol sprays at the entrance of businesses are harsher than others. If you're prone to dry/sensitive hands, or finger eczema, all that sanitizing can cause itchy, flakey irritation. Enter: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5.

I was this soothing and repairing balm with 5% panthenol, madecassoside (a healing triterpene from centella asiatica/tiger grass), and shea butter. I was quite pleased with the relief and hydration I felt after my heavier hand sanitizer days. Even better, while it is deeply moisturizing and protecting, this Cicaplast Balm is a non-greasy formula that absorbs quickly. 🌿

Besides being recommended to protect and relieve rough, dry, cracked skin, it can also be used to soothe and moisturize irritations, chapped and chafed skin, diaper rash, and sensitive skin. It even helps to protect from the drying effects of winter's wind and cold weather, and is suitable for babies as young as 1 week old.

✨ Keeping this in my purse! Do you think you need it too?

01/02/2022

Winter cuteness ✨

I don't know who needs to hear this, but keep going!

💘 You're almost there.

27/01/2022

It's tea time 🍵🌿

What I love most about Teaology's Bancha Oil with green tea, marula, and jasmine is the texture. I have to say it is dreamy - not too thin like some others I have used, and not too thick. No grease, no stick, just sweet sweet suppleness and glow.

This oil locks in moisture along with antioxidant polyphenols, quickly restoring glow, and elasticity. There's vitamin C, E, and omegas found naturally within the ingredients for rich nourishment and radiance, as well as almond, olive, and jasmine oils for intense moisture.

Additionally, with its slender packaging, long dropper, and lava-lamp-like tea leaf infusion, the act of applying it can feel like a luxurious ritual. ✨

This oil can also be used all over the body, as well as the hair, wherever you might enjoy more nourishment, smoothing, and glow through botanical oils.

Since it absorbs quickly, the Bancha Oil leaves a natural dewy sheen which can be pretty necessary this time of year here in Canada.

22/01/2022

Sugarcoated mornings 💖

I'm in love with these plant-based bundts and other treats from the Verdun bakery .

Not only do they specialize in vegan treats but it's all gluten-free too. Even in a city like Montreal, it is hard to come by both of those criteria - let alone a whole shop dedicated to it.

Plus, these desserts go beyond just filling two niche needs at once. Audacieuse Vanille desserts have exceptional texture; beautiful designs; unique, gourmand ingredients; and they taste just succulent.

Seventeen years into being vegan, and I can honestly say they are the best plant-based desserts I have ever had. With edible flower garnishes and their creative plant-based icings, even omnivores will be delighted.

☕ That bundt with the periwinkle icing is Earl Grey flavoured.
💐 The other beside it is rose.
🥕 That larger treat on the second plate is a creamy, dreamy carrot cake.

This Wellington boutique bakery even has savoury options like a yummy chickpea and mushroom quiche, and a chickpea salad sandwich.

The only two suggestions I have for improvement would be: to offer artisanal baked bread for sale since fresh, vegan and gluten free breads are so rare (they say they hope to be able to do that in the near future, so yay) and to include calorie counts/other nutritional values on their products because... well, I'm obsessed and eat a lot of these!

20/01/2022

Amazing what a little brow tint can do 〰️🖤〰️

For those of us *not* naturally blessed with the darkest and fluffiest of eyebrows (hello 💁), tinting is a great way to add volume and definition, allowing you to have more hair to work with for shaping, waxing, and tweezing. Brows can really lift, shape, and draw attention to a face. For me, personally, I find my natural eyebrows give a "sad" look, and it doesn't help that I dye my head hair darker than my natural shade

Fun tip: If the tint is applied around a large perimeter of the eyebrow, it can darken many of the little golden vellus hairs, which gives the illusion of fuller brows and more shaping or arch opportunity because you have more hairs to work with.

Swipe to see snapshots of my process. ➡️

Photo 1 is the Before.

Photo 2 shows some of the items and products I used to cleanse, prep, tint, and rinse my own brows at home.

Photo 3 is the After. It shows the brows immediately after rinsing the tint off, a tiny bit of colour still staining the skin before showering. That is why it looks a bit patchy.

Photo 4 is what the brows looked like the next day, and onward for the next few weeks before touch up! 🦋

Comment below if you've ever had your brows tinted - what did you think of the results? Did you keep getting them done every few weeks?

14/01/2022

HOW DO YOU DEEW? 💫

This morning wake-up cream by Vancouver-based Deew Beauty & Wellness is tingly, invigorating, and rich in antioxidants. It is also vegan, tested on humans, and manufactured in Canada.

As a cannabis sativa seed oil body cream, with rosemary extract and peppermint oil, it is designed to help you wake up, while nourishing the skin.

🌈 Plus, it smells so good. 🌈

The murumuru seed butter is an emollient rich in fatty acids, preventing moisture loss and restoring the skin's natural moisture barrier. Murumuru is an excellent nut butter for a soft textured emollient, without leaving a greasy or oily residue in its wake.

Along with argan oil, aloe juice, and vitamin E in the Morning Dew cream, that Murumuru works together to soothe and protect any dry skin. Quickly absorbed, you're left with baby-soft skin that gently tingles to send you out sparkling through your day. 🌟✨

09/01/2022

SUNDAYS ARE FOR SNOWFIES ❄️

Other acceptable activities on this day include: winter waterfront walks with wild weather; noticing gnarled nature; introspecting on ice and practicing other pensive pauses; slurping sexy, slightly solid soups; tasting toasty tisanes; and perusing one's preferred paper publications. 💫

Which is best: chunky, fluffy snowflakes or tiny sprinkle speck snowflakes? Discuss!

05/01/2022

MEET MY WINTER SKIN SAVIOUR 🌿

If you know me at all you know I am obsessed with plant-based beauty and skincare, supporting Canadian businesses (particularly when they are women-owned,) and practicing, informing and promoting daily wellness.

This is why Three Ships Glow Serum is a triple knock-out for me. 💗💗💗

First, this serum is all-natural and cruelty free. It has just four ingredients, after all. At 49 per cent jojoba oil, 49% camellia seed oil, a bit of bergamot and vitamin E, it is only comprised of nourishing ingredients, skipping any harsh chemicals all too common in skincare.

Next, the main power of jojoba oil in skincare is in its near identical chemical structure to the skin's natural sebum. This allows it to help reduce excess oil production and minimize the appearance of pores when applied to the face.

🌰 Jojoba is rich in vitamins B and E so it moisturizes and nourishes dry skin. It also can diminish the appearance of fine lines, boosts glow, and leaves the skin feeling soft and dewy. It also has antibacterial properties! Since jojoba oil is lightweight and absorbs quickly, you get all the sleek hydration with no heavy oil residue.

🍃 When it comes to this particular Three Ships Glow serum, since it is combined almost 50/50 with Camellia Oleiferra, your skin is also reaping the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits of the equally hardworking Chinese green tea shrub ingredient. That means similar hydration and skin barrier protection properties along with more anti-acne and anti-aging benefits!

When I use this serum during the winter, I get that radiant silky dew look I find comes much more naturally to me in spring and summer. Fine lines around the cheekbones and forehead are minimized, while skin tone and texture become clearer and unified. Not sure if this is a relatable feeling or not, but for me, when I have this kind of dewy skin, even just the act of smiling has a silkier ease. 🦋

27/12/2021

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A MAGICAL NEW YEAR 🎄🌟

Here's to cocooning and sipping tea!

No matter the holiday/s you celebrate this time of year, it is often an opportunity to pause, reflect, and consider what your next year will look like. What your values are. Your goals. How you will bring them to life in 2022.

I hope your next year is filled with love and joy, peace and health, and all those other good things that flutter our hearts.

☕ For me, I'll be making more time for tea.

I mean this as prioritizing wellness in myself and others, and taking time and care... above all things. That is, living with patience and cultivating a life in line with my own values, joys, and boundaries.

But also, specifically, making time for creativity and play... I realize I have been setting that aside over the last few months in the quest for the traditional sense of practicality (under capitalism.) And yet any time I have ever stifled creativity and let practicality win over, I have time and time again found that the illusion of "practical" isn't ever really, truly practical.

In the trade off, what we commonly view as practical has only ever resulted in less for me - less money, time, energy, health, or some other vital thing lost along the way when creativity is stifled.

So, my Christmas wish is that you also consider how you might be able to incorporate creativity and play into your life in the New Year... even if it's only just a smidge.

Make time for tea, if you will! ☕☕☕

Speaking of tea, this "tisane du terroir Quebecois" was a thoughtful gift from my mother-in-law, made by the folks at Floralie in Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, Quebec.

Check this stellar herb blend: PINE, SPRUCE, lemon thyme, mallow flower, mullein, coltsfoot, poppy, and hyssop. It like drinking an entire frickin' garden! 🌿🌼🍃🌺

24/11/2021

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW ❄️

It started snowing here lately, and that has put me in the mood for lots of holiday decorating, and meal prepping warm, toasty, hearty meals.

This week was vegan alfredo penne with tons of garlic and cherry tomatoes, along with so much salad with sage roasted potatoes, sweet pecans, root veg shreds, and about 20 other veggie ingredients I consider autumnal/hivernal!

I like how the white and red of the pasta has candy cane vibes. ☃️

Since Barilla penne noodles, which I was gifted by them to review, have these deep ridges for sauce holding, it is even more candy cane-esque. Yummy when al dente, but next time I'll use sun dried tomatoes instead of cherry to give more red stripey holiday vibes.

Do you ever make your meals match the season or holiday some times, just for fun? Or colour coordinate your dishes - Or is that just me?! ❤️🤶🤍

07/11/2021

S U N D A Y V I B E S _ It's a bubble bath kind of day. ✨

Here are a few plant-based skincare products I am currently obsessed with. No, this isn't an ad - just some of my honest faves right now. I want to share them with you so everyone can feel good in their skin.

🌿 Protection Balm with shea butter + green tea + neem. This cruelty free balm is made in Canada, in Montreal. It is great for sensitive skin and eczema as it is ultra nourishing and fragrance free. You can use it on your hands, elbows, feet, or anywhere else you need extra soothing protection. Feels so good!

🌿 Pink Peppermint foot lotion with arnica + tagetes minutes flower oil + peppermint. It moisturizes and revives tired feet, while soothing and smoothing away the day. This is my favourite foot cream because it leaves them feeling so silky and rejuvenated. Plus it smells great!

🌿.products wooden pumice brush. This bamboo brush includes a volcanic pumice stone on the backside to pamper dry skin with some versatility. You can use both sides as a natural exfoliant for the feet, or even for dry brushing for body lymphatic massage. These brushes are vegan, biodegradable, and compostable.

So tell me, what are your some of your current go-to bathtime products? 💫



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