Experience – Suburban Style Files

My Rocksbox Jewelry Membership

Published on June 18, 2019 by Suburban Style Files1 Comment

I am a girl who LOVES her accessories. When I was younger my mom would always question if I left the house without earrings- like I was forgetting my pants or some other vital part of my clothing LOL! To this day I still don’t feel dressed without my jewelry. This is why I was so excited when Rocksbox reached out to see if I would like to try their service.

If you haven’t heard of this company before, Rocksbox is a jewelry membership service featuring top designers such as Kate Spade, Kendra Scott and Sophie Harper (just to name a few). You start by creating a Style Profile where you fill out your accessory preferences such as gold, silver, rose gold and particular trends you usually wear such as statement earrings, pendant necklaces, more delicate rings etc. You then create a Wishlist of jewelry that you like. A stylist selects 3 pieces at a time to send to you from your Wishlist. You can swap any or all of these selected pieces and give your final approval before they ship. You get to keep these 3 pieces as long as you wish or return and reorder as many times you want with your membership. The Rocksbox membership is a flat $21 a month and includes free shipping both ways. It is up to you how many different pieces you will be sporting in a month! Once you send your current box back, you can immediately select the pieces for your next box.

If you are someone like myself, I enjoy having beautiful and trendy jewelry. Rocksbox is the perfect way for me to stay accessorized without constantly spending a fortune to keep my accessories current and fresh. It is a super easy to use and affordable service. I have been receiving so many compliments on all of my jewels!

For my first month I selected my 3 pieces of jewelry all to be earrings as that is what I tend to accessorize with the most. I was really impressed that they were all in pristine condition. Each pair came bubble wrapped and their own little jewelry bag wrapped up in the cutest little box. If you end up falling in love with one of your pieces (or all of them!) you also have the option to purchase it. Just don’t included them when you ship the box back and you will simply be billed for the item. The great part about this is Rocksbox actually lets you apply your $21 monthly membership fee towards the purchase of your jewelry! I may or may not have been unable to part with the Wilde white beaded drop earrings below… 😉

If you are at all curious about Rocksbox and are wanting to give it a try you can use code suburbanstylefilesxoxo at checkout to try Rocksbox free for 1 month! There is absolutely no commitment and you can cancel your membership at any point you feel like you are no longer utilizing or loving it. I have been absolutely loving mine and there are probably about 50 pieces on my Wishlist that I cannot wait to style 🙂

Thank you for reading!

Shannon xx

Training with Vi

Published on February 18, 2019 by Suburban Style FilesLeave a comment

Last January I experienced a pretty bad knee injury and I had to take a break from working out. Needless to say, a year later it has been a pretty slow go getting back into the swing of things. I am not the best at motivating myself and have always found that personal trainers and bootcamps have been the key to my success. I have a bootcamp that I love but unfortunately the class schedule no longer coincides with mine or my husbands work schedule or our weekly family commitments. This is why I am so excited that I discovered the Vi Trainer! Vi is a digital trainer that works as your customized and personal running coach. She that will train you towards your fitness goals, whether they be walking, jogging or marathon running!

You can download the Vi Trainer directly to your phone and she delivers a personalized workout plan to meet your fitness goals! Vi coaches you through your customized run and delivers real-time audio guided coaching. It is literally like having a personal trainer to keep you motivated throughout your workout. She senses when you start to struggle and gives you motivation! She even compares your workout to previous jogs or runs and adjusts her guidance accordingly. You literally plug-in your running goals and at your fingertips the Vi Trainer makes sure you stay on track.

With the Vi Trainer at my fingertips I actually have no excuse not to exercise now. I don’t have to follow a class schedule and have a customized running plan based on my fitness level. Click the following link if you would like to download Vi and try the app for a free 14 day trial: Train with Vi!

Thank you for reading!

Shannon xx

My Every day Skin Care Routine

Published on February 11, 2019 by Suburban Style FilesLeave a comment

Today I am rounding up my favourite skin care products that I use on a daily basis. I am waiting on a couple of my favourite face washes to be shipped so I was unable to photograph them, but I will still list them 🙂 Once I entered my 30’s I truly realized how important it was to start to take care of my skin. My Mama has beautiful, youthful skin so I am praying that I will be blessed with this from her, but just in case… I have started to take some preventative measures!

Favourite Cleansers:

I have a few different cleansers that I like to use because they have different purposes IMO. I love the Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 and Tula Purifying cleansers because they are both fantastic at removing my makeup and leave my skin feeling super clean, without drying it out. The Rodan + Fields Unblemish Acne Sulfur Wash is truly amazing! I swear by it for breakouts. If I notice my skin starting to breakout at all, I use this one and it clears it up super fast! There are two other cleaners that I love by Rodan + Fields but I am currently out of them. I also use the Redifine daily cleansing mask and the Reverse deep exfoliating wash (not pictured). If you have been wanting to try Rodan + Fields but are unsure of which regime of their products would be best for your skin type, you HAVE to contact by girlfriend Terri Lynn Abbey! She was the one introduced me to the line and she is BEYOND knowledgeable and not pushy at all. The products are truly wonderful. You can get in touch with her or explore the products they offer HERE.

Favourite Toner:

I have tried a multitude of different toners and my current favourite is this Thayers Rose Petal with Aloe Vera one. It is alcohol free and smells amazing. I find a lot of toners can be over priced. This one is budget friendly and leaves my skin feeling super fresh and soft!

Favourite Serums:

I am absolutely obsessed with these products from the Abnormal Beauty Company. I recently just discovered this store when I was in New York city… only to realize it was a Toronto company and there were a couple of local stores here in Vancouver… LOL! I have since made a few trips in to stock up on more. Their products are cruelty free, gluten-free, vegan and incredibly well priced! I cannot recommend them enough. These three are the ones I am currently using on a daily basis. Poor Flush is the first product after my toner. A quick spritz on my cheeks to clear out any congestion in my pores. Next I apply a few drops of the Marine Hyraluronics over my entire face. This has a super lightweight (water) feel to it and my skin just drinks it up for extra hydration and gives it a really glowy feel. I use both of these morning and night. In the evening as a third step I have been using the Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion. I was looking to introduce Retinol into my skin care and it was recommended to me I start with this product. This serum is supposed to help reduce wrinkles and the signs of agin without being as harsh as retinol. I smooth a couple drops over my face in the evening. I have only been using it for a few weeks, but so far I have been loving it. My skin feels incredibly smooth.

Favourite Moisturizers:

I have three moisturizers that I love. Rodan + Fields Soothe Replenishing Cream is incredibly moisturizing and reduces any redness in my skin. I love the Natural Moisturizing Factors from the Abnormal Beauty Company as well! I actually grabbed this when I was in the store because it was $5.80… WHAT?!?! It is seriously amazing. Non greasy and leaves my skin feeling super smooth. I also cannot say enough about the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream. This is the priciest of my moisturizers but it is really wonderful. It feels almost whipped going onto your skin and the idea behind it is supposed to be like a protein shot for your skin. It leaves my skin feeling strong and vibrant. It is really fantastic as well.

Every few nights I add in this Rodan + Fields Derma- Roller and renewing serum to my routine. My biggest issue has always been my skins texture. The roller helps with lines and wrinkles, tone and texture and to keep my skin’s surface feeling smoother.

A couple of times a week I use this Rodan + Fields Micro-Dermabrasion Paste for a really thorough exfoliation. My skin is so ridiculously shiny after a good scrub with these!

There you have it! I have not received any compensation to endorse any of these products. These are my honest to goodness actual opinions and I have been really happy with all of them 🙂

If you have any favourite products to recommend, let me know in the comments section. I would love to try them.

Thank you for reading!

Shannon xx

Whitening Sensitive teeth at home!

Published on December 11, 2018 by Suburban Style FilesLeave a comment

I was so excited when Smile Brilliant reached out to ask me if I would like to try their at home teeth whitening kit. A person’s smile is one of the first things I notice when I meet them. I personally went through 3+ years of orthodontics and previous whitening treatment for my own smile! This being said, if you know me at all, you will also know that I am a HUGE coffee lover. Well, coffee and sparkling white teeth do not necessarily go hand in hand! I have whitened my teeth in the past but my smile was definitely in need of a bit of a pick me up 😉

The Smile Brilliant whitening system allows you to make custom whitening trays from home with professional results. My kit included the materials to make the mold for my custom whitening tray, along with three tubes of 22% whitening gel and three tubes of Desensitizing gel. I ordered the T3 Sensitive System for light stains as I have previously whitened and noticed tooth sensitivity in the past. Each syringe of whitening gel allowed me four applications of whitening. I only used two tubes to whiten both my upper and lower teeth so I have ample left for touch ups in the future. You just use enough to cover your teeth with a thin layer and not too much or it just squeezes out of the tray and is wasted.

I was actually pleasantly surprised as I was preparing myself for crazy sensitive teeth. I definitely noticed a little bit but not so much that I had to take a break in between whitening sessions.

How to make your impressions:

To fabricate your custom teeth whitening trays, all you have to do is mix one of the catalyst pastes with one of the base pastes to create a solid coloured putty which you then place into the blue impression tray. The kit includes 3 of each (1 extra in case you make an error!)

Place the blue tray in your mouth making sure you are pushing your teeth evenly into the putty and it is covering all of your teeth and flows over your gum line. Leave the tray in your mouth for 3 minutes. (I have a pretty strong gag reflex and I was absolutely OK taking my impressions!) Use the from tab and carefully remove the tray from your mouth without wiggling. Check to make sure you can clearly see the impression of your teeth in the material.

Let your impression set for 30 minutes and then rinse them under cold water. One they have hardened, simply place them in the included pre-paid envelope and mail them back!

After the lab fabricates them, Smile Brilliant will mail you back your custom whitening trays and you can start brightening your smile! The trays are so easy to use because they are thin and fit snug to your teeth. I personally have three children and not a lot of down time to sit around beautifying myself… LOL! After breakfast in the morning I threw the whitening trays in while I dropped my kids off at school and daycare. I am all about convenience!! You are not supposed to eat or drink for an hour after so Smile Brilliant also suggests whitening before you go to bed.

How to whiten with your trays:

Brush your teeth with only water first. Place a thin layer of the whitening solution in your tray (1 syringe should last 3-4 applications). Plan the trays in your mouth for 45 minutes to 3 hours depending on the level of staining and how sensitive your teeth are. Rinse the trays out with water after.

Desensitize for 20 minutes if your teeth are feeling sensitive. After you remove your trays you can leave a think layer of the desensitizing gel on your teeth if needed.

I only ended up whitening for four days until I was happy with my results. I will not be giving up coffee or red wine anytime soon, so I am thrilled to have found an affordable whitening solution to keep my smile sparking 🙂

Before & After:

Im teaming up with Smile Brilliant to give one of you lucky readers your own custom whitening kit for FREE! ($149 value).

You can enter to win by clicking the link below:

www.smilebrilliant.com/g/suburbanstylefiles

They have also been so kind to offer me a 15% off code if any of you, my fabulous followers would like to try Smile Brilliant for yourself! Use code: suburbanstylefiles15

Thank you for reading!

Shannon xx

Professional Teeth Whitening

One year….

Published on June 25, 2018June 25, 2018 by Suburban Style FilesLeave a comment

I cannot believe it, but my little blog turns ONE today! This past year has flown by… It feels like just yesterday I was swallowing all of my nerves and pushing the “Publish” button for my very first Suburban Style Files post!!

I have always loved reading blogs and when a girlfriend suggested I start my own, I just shrugged it off with a “who would want to read what I have to say?! There are already so many blogs.” Then I got to thinking, why not? I had become so wrapped up in my world of being a wife and mama and caught up with work that it didn’t even occur to me that it could be something fun to do just for myself. Well, I am so glad I have because it has become such a great creative outlet for me. I have always been obsessed with fashion, travel, photography, food etc. This blog has been such an awesome way for me to share all of this with anyone who wants to read along.

I love the friendships I have found in this little online community. I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has supported me from the beginning and to the others of you who have joined in along the way 🙂 I am super appreciative to my husband for letting me drag him along to photograph whatever vision or idea I have come up with… or letting me ditch him and our kids for a trip to the wineries with my girlfriends… “Honey, it’s for the blog”…. LOL! And also to my sweet friends (and sometimes even my mama!) who have stepped in to be photographers/ models for me as well whenever I have needed you! This blogging thing is WAY more work and time-consuming than I ever imagined it could be, but it is also incredibly rewarding. If you are someone who has ever considered starting a blog, but keep talking yourself out of it, I say take the plunge and go for it! The more, the merrier!! Everyone is unique and has their own story to tell 🙂 I am so grateful for all of the support and love I have received. So from the bottom of my heart on my blog’s 1st birthday, a giant THANK YOU to all of you!

Also… if you have never tried to take a picture with a giant mylar balloon on a day with any sort of breeze… it is WAY harder than it looks… LOL!

Pink Ruffle Trim Dress // Studded Heels // Tassel Earrings // “1” Mylar Balloon

Thank you for reading!

Shannon xx

Protecting my skin with Neutrogena

Published on May 22, 2018May 22, 2018 by Suburban Style FilesLeave a comment

I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend! The weather here was absolutely beautiful and we pretty much spent the entire time outside 🙂 The kids had a blast having a giant water fight with their friends in our neighbourhood and we spent the rest of the time playing at the beach! It was the perfect opportunity to put the new Hydro Boost Water Gel Sunscreen with SPF 50 I was given by Neutrogena Canada to the test.

Sun protection has always been on my radar, but recently I underwent fraxel laser treatment on my face for fine lines, wrinkles, scarring and the removal of sun spots. Protecting my skin has become a huge priority! I was naive in not realizing that even on overcast days I should be diligent in applying my sunscreen, not just the super sunny ones.

I absolutely love this Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Sunscreen with SPF 50! I found it to be lovely and lightweight, yet completely hydrating, without leaving my skin feeling greasy underneath my everyday makeup. The coverage was excellent and I cannot say enough good things about it. If you are looking for superior sun protection, I would highly encourage you to give this product a try 🙂 I am grateful I had the opportunity to try this new Neutrogena Sunscreen as it will definitely be my go to for incredible broad spectrum UVA/ UVB protection!

I hope you all got a chance to get out there and safely soak up some sunshine!!

Thank you for reading!

Shannon xx

* This was a sponsored post by Neutrogena Canada, but as always all opinions are my own!

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My Experience with Laser Eye Surgery

Published on April 9, 2018April 10, 2018 by Suburban Style Files1 Comment

Office fashion — Twenty five years of glasses!

I have been wanting laser eye surgery for what seems like forever. For the last twenty-five years I have been wearing glasses and contact lenses. After almost losing my contacts in the ocean during our last trip to Maui, I decided perhaps I could muster up the courage to finally have it done! My husband had a handful of coworkers who had all had the procedure done and were super happy with their results. I booked a complimentary consult at the London Eye Centre in New Westminster, B.C. This is where his friends had all had their surgeries performed. I don’t know about you, but I always feel more comfortable choosing a place to go based on referrals from people who I know. At my consult they explained the procedure to me and determined that I would be a candidate. I appreciated that there was absolutely no pressure to book after my consult.

I took all of the information home and decided that I would go for the no touch PRK surgery. “PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) is a method of refractive laser surgery to correct myopia(nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism to eliminate dependency on glasses or contact lenses.” (Explanation courtesy of the London Eye Centre website.) To be honest, the though of anything actually cutting or touching my eye was too much for me to stomach, so I knew this no touch method would be the one for me, even though they explained the recovery would take a few more days. Being as I already have light-sensitive eyes, I decided to wait until the Fall when the days were a bit darker to have my surgery done, as it was explained to me that I would have increased light sensitivity while my eyes healed. For three days before the procedure I was not allowed to wear my contacts… thankfully I have been collecting cute glasses over the years… LOL!

Tortise shell glassess — Am I the only one who sometimes planned my outfits around my frames?!

Black jeans, black tank, turquoise glasses — These turquoise frames were a favourite!

The morning of my surgery I was super nervous… it is my eyes after all! It didn’t really matter how many people told me what an easy procedure it was and that I had nothing to worry about, I was a basket of nerves! It was also ended up being one of the sunniest day in November of course…

Morning of my laser eye surgery — Arriving at the appointment for my laser eye surgery!

My entire appointment was just over an hour. Once I was taken into the operatory, my eyes were numbed with eye drops. A tiny ring was placed around my eye and they explained not to force my eyes closed or the machine would shut itself off. The procedure itself was honestly less than two minutes each eye. It actually felt very quick and was not nearly as scary as I had built it up in my mind. I felt nothing and just stared at a flashing light and listened to a clapping sound. After the surgery, a bandage contact lens was placed on my eye. This was actually the most irritating part for me personally, as the opening of my eyes are tiny. They then gave me a super stylish pair of wrap around sunglasses (haha!) and sent me on my way!

My parents were kind enough to take my babies for a sleepover that first night so that I could just come home to rest and let my husband take care of me for a couple of days. When they initially offered, I was trying to be super mom and kept arguing that I would be ok to look after them. I am SO GLAD I took them up on their offer! I am not going to lie, the first two days of recovery were not fun. I had been sent home with numbing drops for my eyes and a prescription for pain medication. I like to think my pain tolerance is pretty decent (I have had babies after all!) but I definitely needed both of these for the first few days. I basically slept the first 24 hours away. I stayed in a dark room as my eyes were crazy light-sensitive, woke up to use my antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops and then went back to sleep as it hurt too much to have my eyes open. I also felt like the front of my forehead was going to split open from pain… but thankfully that only lasted the first day! The next day I was able to get out of bed to move around my dimly lit house and I was amazed that I could already see!

I had to go for a 24 hour, 3 day and 5 day surgery post op. After my 5 day post op I was cleared to drive and returned to work. I hadn’t realized that after this procedure your eyes actually overcorrect initially. I was unable to read my computer screen clearly and had to buy myself a pair of “cheater” glasses. This is opposite to what my vision used to be. I was always nearsighted and it was objects in the distance I had a problem seeing clearly. I wore the cheaters at work for a couple of weeks post surgery and haven’t needed them since.

It has now almost been five months since my laser eye surgery and I am amazed how perfectly I can see! It still feels funny climbing into bed at night without taking my contacts out first. We are heading back to Maui in a week and I cannot wait to go swimming in the ocean and actually put my face under the water and see!!!

Lastly, this is not a sponsored post in any way. I simply wanted to share my experience for anyone who has been considering having laser eye surgery performed. I am so thrilled that I decided to have my vision corrected and now I only wish I hadn’t waited so long 🙂 Please feel free to directly message me or comment below if you have any questions regarding this procedure. It is honestly one of the best things I have ever done for myself!

Thank you for reading!

Shannon xx

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Tag: Experience

My Rocksbox Jewelry Membership

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Training with Vi

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My Every day Skin Care Routine

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Whitening Sensitive teeth at home!

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One year….

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Protecting my skin with Neutrogena

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My Experience with Laser Eye Surgery

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