forte et survivant

Chandelier at museum Nissim de Camondo, Paris

1745-1755

Ormolu trimmed with rock crystal, amethyst and smoky quartz

In the shape of vase topped with a crown, this chandelier is one of the finest examples known from the mid-eighteenth century, especially valuable for the scarcity of its materials and the quality of its ormolu mount.

Jean Louis Sabaji A/W 2015

Super Chocolatey Vegan Protein Smoothie - #CoolerWithAlmondBreeze

I’ve been using Blue Diamond Almond Breeze as a vegan dairy replacement on-and-off for the last 5+ years. I often switch back and forth between soy and almond milk, and Almond Breeze is one of my favourites.

I LOVE that they offer unsweetened versions of their chocolate and vanilla flavours. It’s nice to be able to customize the level of sweetness to my liking. I usually find that vanilla flavoured plant milks are WAY too sweet for smoothies (especially if I’m using really ripe bananas!)

One of the things that makes Almond Breeze stand out to me is the rich almond flavour. It actually tastes nutty - like almonds! I’m not sure why but I don’t get a lot of almond flavour from other brands and varieties that I’ve tried!

Besides being a great non-dairy milk for vegans, it’s also ideal for allergy sufferers! It’s free of wheat and gluten, soy, peanuts, dairy, and eggs.

One of my ABSOLUTE favourite ways to use Almond Breeze is in smoothies =) It’s nice and light at 40 calories per cup (for the unsweetened varieties) which leaves me free to pack my smoothies full of more calorie-dense ingredients like the peanut butter and hemp hearts I use in this recipe ↓

Super Chocolatey Vegan Protein Smoothie

This rich and chocolatey smoothie is packed with healthy fats plus 14 grams of plant-based protein! Enjoy it for breakfast, post workout, or as a snack!

Ingredients:

1 cup Almond Breeze unsweetened vanilla or chocolate

2 frozen bananas

2 tbsp hemp hearts

1 tbsp peanut butter

1-2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, blend, and enjoy!

Almond Breeze just got cooler! You can now find Almond Breeze in the refrigerated section of your grocery store!

THE UPGRADE: SECRET STARS

Add these under-the-radar obsessions to your beauty stash.

One of the amazing things about Sephora is we have access to data that tells us what our customers really like. Case in point: According to new numbers, we recently discovered twelve lesser-known products that are off the charts in terms of Sephora shoppers’ love. Below, we list the unsung heroes of our customers’ makeup bags—and let the Ratings & Reviews speak for themselves.

KELLEY HOFFMAN

Stella McCartney Stella A sensual fragrance with notes of rose, peony flower, mandarin, and amber. fembot, Beauty Insider: “Stella is a very feminine and modest fragrance. The scent is light yet tends to last all day. There is a very subtle darker tone to this fragrance, and it reminds me of a rose garden after a storm.”

Dior Diorshow Brow Styler Ultra-Fine Precision Brow Pencil  A double-sided brow pencil and brush that makes grooming a breeze in one, universal shade. starling14, Beauty Insider: “This pencil is AMAZING!! The lead is really thin so the result is really natural-looking—and the color works for both me (black hair) and my blondest girlfriend (really!).”

beautyblender the original beautyblender® An egg-shaped, non-disposable makeup sponge that delivers a flawless finish. cryptdoorscreak, Beauty Insider: “This is not just any sponge. It gives foundation a perfect, diffused finish. It instantly smoothes out concealer. It makes me happy inside and pretty outside.”

Buxom Buxom® Full-On™ Lip Polish A sheer lip gloss that plumps and protects in a full range of colors. pearlygirl, Beauty Insider: “The Buxom glosses actually cause puffier lips for me since my lips have thinned somewhat due to age-related collagen loss. Granted, they don’t give me a plastic surgery pout, but they do take the shape and size of my lips back about 10 years.”

SEPHORA COLLECTION Pro Full Coverage Airbrush #53 A synthetic, full-coverage brush that delivers a streak-free look and pairs perfectly with liquid or cream complexion products. Ellesven, VIB: “I absolutely fell in love with it and use it daily to apply liquid or cream foundations, and cream blushes. It applies evenly and easily, giving me a more natural-looking finish.”

Kat Von D Monarch Eyeshadow Palette A neutral eyeshadow palette containing twelve warm hues for endless combinations. Reshhhu, VIB Rouge: “True to all Kat Von D make up, this palette is EXTREMELY longwearing and highly pigmented. All the shadows apply smoothly and are extremely blendable.”

Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub A brightening exfoliator that buffs away dead skin cells and reduces the appearance of pores. JillyBeanTX: “After 6 weeks of use, I noticed a significant reduction in the appearance of fine lines and my (HUGE) pores. The surface of my skin has evened out and is soft, smooth and silky. I have new, brighter skin and no dry patchy areas.”

Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream An antiaging eye cream that improves the appearance of all eye-area wrinkles and prevents future fine lines. WannaTryItAll2, Beauty Insider: “After two nights of using the stuff, I could honestly see a major difference. I have never before seen such an immediate and drastic improvement in a cosmetic product like I have seen with this”

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream An intensely-rich hydrator that deeply moisturizes the body and face. Dreamyone: “It’s a really good all-purpose cream. What I really like about this is that it absorbs quickly and isn’t greasy.”

AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel A botanical-based exfoliator that softens and smoothes the surface of the skin. liueditor, Beauty Insider “I used the AmorePacific treatment enzyme peel just once…and I cannot believe how well it works. It totally left my skin smooth and took away all the flaky dead skin on my face.”

boscia Makeup-Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil A deep-cleansing oil that gently removes makeup and leaves skin rejuvenated. agentleilab, Beauty Insider: “This is by far the best eye makeup remover I’ve ever used, and the gentlest. Plus, looks like it’s going to last forever.”

Bumble and bumble Sunday Shampoo A clarifying shampoo that detoxifies and combats product build-up. kyc131, Beauty Insider: “Using Sunday Shampoo definitely gives my hair volume and life, but more importantly, my hair looks SO HEALTHY. I’ll use this once, sometimes twice a week, for a lovely midweek pick me up.”