March Favourites 2014! ♥

           Welcome to my March favourites 2014! As showcased in my YouTube video below, I had a decent amount of products to share with you this month, so I thought I would do a mini review here of each, and provide some links for you! 

Watch me showing off my favourites here!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Light & Blonde: Do I ever love this product! It gives off the perfect hint of colour, which can really help camouflage your roots in my opinion. The best thing about a dry shampoo with a hint of colour, is not only does it make your hair look and feel clean, but it provides that brightening effect, so it really can give the allusion of recently dyed hair. I picked this up at Boots when I was in Ireland!

Marc Anthony Hydrating Coconut Oil & Shea Butter Sulfate Free Conditioner: I have been absolutely thrilled with this conditioner this past month. I plan on purchasing all of the products in this series so I can do a proper review on it, as there is also a shampoo and a treatment. But this is amazing for bleached, colour treated and damaged hair. It immediately makes your hair super soft and manageable, and adds shine. I highly recommend this conditioner!

No7 Pore Refining Serum: I have mentioned this multiple times in my blog already, but I have just recently fallen in love with it. I use this more as a light moisturizer than anything else, as I believe that's what it works the best as. It really makes your skin super soft and silky, and does a really great job of diminishing your pores. I will definitely be repurchasing, as I just ran out! :( As far as I know, you can purchase it at Boots, Shopper's Drug Mart and Target. 

Essie Go Ginza: This has been a huge favourite of mine since the moment I picked it up! What a beautiful colour for spring! When you have it on, it looks more mauve than anything. I thought that I wanted to pick up a true lilac colour until I saw this. The website actually defines this colour as a "soft, cherry blossom pink". Hmmm. Either way, gorgeous colour, and I will continue to be wearing it throughout the spring and summer! It has a fantastic staying power as well, like all Essie polishes! 

Bourjois 1 Seconde Nail Polish in Rainbow Apparition 14: This definitely makes my all time favourite nail polish list. It is the most perfect purple, sparkly nail polish you've ever seen. In the photo above, I am actually wearing it combined with Essie's Go Ginza, which has been the most perfect combination this month. You definitely want to wear a pink or a purple underneath, as the colour looks significantly better when it's not just by itself. If you are a Bourjois fan or just a nail polish fan in general, PICK THIS UP.

Tarte Deluxe Marajuca Lip Glosses: I actually got these in the Tarte of Giving Collector's set, which is my favourite makeup gift I have ever recieved! I'll link my full first impression review of the set here, as it really is fantastic. They do finally make lip glosses in regular sizes now (LipSurgence Lip Gloss), which I am dying to try. I have yet to find a more perfect formula than these lip glosses. They're incredibly moisturizing, they plump up your lips, aren't too sticky and smell like mint. What more could you ask for? 

Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate in 111 Kiss of Life: This is quite surprisingly my first ever red lipstick, and I think I made an excellant choice! I never really thought I could pull off red lipstick because I'm so pale, but I believe that there is a red lipstick to suit everyone. This colour is not too orangey, and not too deep red, it is just perfect. I also chose this lipstick over others because of the very reasonable price and the consistency. It is moisturizing, and stays put for a decent amount of time. This will not stay tattooed on your lips for the entire day, you will need to touch up in between eating, but that is certainly not a big issue for me. Love it!

Clinique All About Shadow Single in Sunset Glow: This shadow is in their Super Shimmer range, and I am so obsessed with it! This will probably be the only day to day colour I wear on my eyes for a long time, until I find something just as good. It's the perfect bronze colour for my skin tone in my opinion. I've been wearing it every day this month, and I will definitely continue to throughout the rest of the spring and summer! It has a great staying power, and beautiful finish.

Bourjois Little Round Pot Light Eyeshadow in No.03 Brume: I wear this in combination with my Clinique eyeshadow every single day as a highlighter. This is the most amazing highlighter you will ever use. If you like a shimmery, but not too out there brow bone highlight, than this one is for you. I use it in my inner corners as well, and it really helps brighten up my eye area. I am not sure if they have the Light range in Canada yet, as I got this in Ireland, but it is definitely worth ordering. 

Essence Eyebrow Designer Pencil in 04 Blonde: Although it is a pain to have to sharpen anything, this pencil is worth it to me. This is the only pencil I have been able to find in the drug store that is the perfect colour match for my eyebrows. It looks natural, has a great staying power, is under $3.00 and has a little brush at the end. What more could you want? (Besides a retractable pencil of course).There are just two other shades, which are 02 dark brown and 01 black.

PürMinerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup with SPF 15 in Light: I have been using this as a setting powder for my foundation this month, and it works so nicely. I am not a huge fan of wearing mineral foundations just on their own, although this would look amazing over top of a tinted moisturizer. It's extremely natural looking, and really gives your skin a flawless finish. It also controls oil really well! I rarely have to touch up during the day at all when I use this. I got this in the 5-Piece Start Now Kit, which I got an amazing deal on. The Chisel Makeup Brush comes with it, which is a really nice brush for applying bronzer and blush as well!

Indigo Large Pouchette in Red: Ahhhh, this is just the cutest little pouch! I received this as a gift from my boyfriend, and I just think it's the most precious thing. It has a top zip closer with a heart charm, as well as a key ring attached on the inside. The quote in the lining reads: "When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew". How does that not brighten anyone's day?! It's still available at Indigo, so go buy it now!

Indigo Compact Mirror With Hearts in Light Pink: How adorable is this compact? I use this every day to check my makeup when I'm on the go. It has one mirror which gives you a close up, and the other is just a regular mirror. It's really sturdy and well made, so I'm thinking this is going to last me a long time! This is currently 34% off on the Indigo website at $9.50, so definitely grab it! This is for sure my favourite purse accessory at the moment. 

And that is all! Hope you enjoyed this post, and please check out my video! xx

November Hits and Misses!

           I tried some new products this month, both sample and full size, and have to say there were a lot of prominent hits and misses. Hence the idea for the post! I apologize in advance for my camera, I could not get it to focus properly for the life of me. Below are some of my favourites and some of my not so favourites for this month!

HITS:

bareMinerals Original Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15: I received this as a sample from Sephora, and thankfully a little goes a long way. This is a foundation I will eventually be purchasing in full size. I had heard amazing things about it but was still a little skeptical, as it looks like it would dry my combination skin out in the wintertime. However, it is not drying at all and leaves your skin looking flawless. The shade I was given was Fairly Light, which is for porcelain-light skin tones with neutral undertones, which turned out to be perfect for me. 

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation: I have already done a review on how much I love this foundation, and it has definitely been a favourite this month. I change it up every couple days with my Bourjois Healthy Mix and it really illuminates and leaves your skin looking radiant. Only downside is it could be a tiny bit more moisturizing, but other than that, it's fantastic! I have the shade porcelain/light ivory.

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick: Although this particular colour has been my go to lip colour this month, I would definitely repurchase more from this line, as they're so smooth and hydrating! This one here (and swatched above) is 700 Nude Delight. This is pretty much a perfect nude for me. The great thing about these is that they're super affordable, and are really good for your lips. They contain SPF 20 and vitamins A, C and E.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Spot Treatment and Concealer: I LOVE the formula of this concealer! I've heard so many YouTubers rave about the Age Rewind Erasers, and yet I was still surprised to see how good it was. This particular one contains vitamin C in order to treat and conceal sun spots, dark spots, acne spots and acne discolorations. Although my skin is quite good right now (knock on wood) I still decided to get this one for the extra benefit of Vitamin C. I'm using the shade Fair 210. An amazing concealer for any age range.

Ojon Colour Sustain PRO Fade-Fighter Weekly Conditioning Treatment: This was another deluxe sample I got from Sephora, and I was pretty impressed with it! It's really gentle on your hair and super conditioning. It's meant to protect your hair colour for up to 40 washes, and shields hair from environmental damage. Living in the city, I'm always looking for products that specifically claim that they shield from environmental damage, because you are absorbing so much crap into your skin and hair every day. It also contains UV sunscreen, which is always a plus. Seeing as this is a weekly treatment, the 3.4 ounce bottle should last you a decent amount of time.

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara: This may be my new favourite mascara! As well as volumizing and adding length, it actually is conditioning your lashes with the natural properties of olive oil. It's not supposed to smudge, clump or flake, which I've found to be true. They currently only have one colour out, Jet Black, which is fine as this is the colour I would have chosen anyway. Such a great mascara! 

MISSES:

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion-Anti-Aging: So many people are OBSESSED with Urban Decay's Primer Potions, but after trying this one, I'm having a hard time seeing why. I suppose it's because I've always primed my eyelids well with foundation and/or concealer and powder, so I've never really had an issue with my eyeshadow staying on. I did not find that it made my eyeshadow look more vibrant either. Overall, just not really something I need!

Essence Mono Eyeshadow: The shade I have here is 02 Dance All Night, and I have to say I find it very strange. I found it beautiful to look at, as the top part is a really pretty gold metallic colour. But then when you work your way through the top layer, it has a different, darker colour underneath. It's definitely still usable for something, but not a colour I would have bought had I known that it would be underneath.

Sephora Collection Primal Instincts Eyeshadow Palette: I'm actually really bummed out that I don't like this palette anywhere near as much as I thought I would! I kind of wish I had bought the first palette I picked up instead, which was Benefit's Easiest Nudes Ever. I LOVE shimmery shadows, but there's almost too many in this palette. I definitely need to learn when using this to stick with just one of the shimmery shades for one look. Having said that, they are gorgeous colours when swatched. The other problem I had, was that they are not super blendable. The edges tend to stick after a few minutes, and when you try to fix a mistake it comes off a little patchy. Other than that, I'm still going to try to find ways to make this palette work!

Covergirl LineBlast 24 Hour Eyeliner: I have to say, this was pretty much crap. It tends to dry up fairly quickly as you're putting it on, and by the end of the day it does smudge a little. If it weren't for these two things, it would be a really easy eyeliner pen to use, as the tip is fairly sturdy. It only comes in two shades, which is the one I have (Enduring Black) and Eternal Brown. Not impressed.

Vasanti Casablanca Silky Eyeshadow: I always like trying out Canadian brands, so I thought I would give this one a go. The packaging is nice and sleek, but it seems that's what you're paying for. It's not on the cheap drug store end price wise, as it's $15 for a mono eyeshadow. The colour just did not impress me at all, even as a base. It was very sub par to other gold eyeshadows I've tried. I went back to my Gosh Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick in Gold immediately after using this. (After taking these photos, I dropped this eyeshadow on the bathroom floor, and lets just say the packaging is not durable at all).

GOODNIGHT! xx

October Favourites!

             I can't believe it's November in 2 days! So crazy. This means less than 2 months left until Christmas, and also less than 2 months left until I go to Ireland! Ahhhh! I have been loving anything moisturizing this month, as my skin has officially made the changeover from summer to winter. I also have a few random favourites that I will include as well. I have mentioned some of these products before, so there will be a few familiar ones. Let's get into it!

LIP PRODUCTS

Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm With Kokum Butter: I've started using this lip balm as a base before I put any sort of colour on my lips. It's meant to condition your lips for 4 hours with one application, which I find to be true. I purchased this forever ago, and have busted it out again for the cold weather. A must have for the winter!

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm: The shade I'm using is called Honeysuckle, and it is the perfect colour for me. It's a brownish nude, and goes extremely well with my well loved Gosh Velvet Touch Lipstick in Cappuccino. This tinted lip balm is super moisturizing, and conditions with Shea Butter and Botanical Waxes. I'd highly recommend this for the fall/winter! 

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter: I have to say, I really wish I had tried this stuff sooner! The shade I have here is 065 Creamsicle. This may seem like more of a summer colour, but for some reason I only started getting into the light pink shades this fall! You don't need to apply any sort of a base underneath, as it's exceptionally hydrating and glides on effortlessly. Will be repurchasing more shades ASAP!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain: I just did a review on this, which you can find by clicking here, but I love this gorgeous colour! This one is 035 Charm. It lightly stains your lips while giving them a moisturized feel. Unfortunately, the moisturized feeling doesn't last for too long, so I'm really only a fan because of this specific colour!

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub: I actually received this as a gift for my birthday in May, but only needed to start using it recently. This has become part of my daily routine when I'm getting ready to go out, to make sure that there's no dry skin building up on my lips. My lips get chapped SO easily because of the cold weather, so this helps significantly in getting them ready for the day.

Top to Bottom: Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Honeysuckle, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 035 Charm, Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in 065 Creamsicle

EYES + FACE

Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix -Light: This is a really nice concealer and surprisingly moisturizing! I don't have dark circles under my eyes, but this concealer does make you look noticeably more awake and just brightens up the whole eye area. It contains light diffusing particles, as well as beeswax and vitamin E to nourish and protect. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to start carrying for their under eye area and brighten it up at the same time.

Essence Stays No Matter What 24 Hour Jumbo Eye Pencil & Shadow: This eye pencil was extremely cheap and does it's job exceptionally well! I use the shade 07 Whipped White Frosting for the inner corners of my eyes, and it's really made a difference in the presentation of my eye makeup. My eyes look brighter and stand out more. It really does not budge all day. I'll definitely be using throughout the fall and winter.

Revlon Matte Powder Blush: Apparently I'm a big fan of Revlon this month! They actually come out with some really great products, I don't think they get enough credit. I have the shade Perfectly Peach, which I've been wearing forever. I always tend to gravitate towards peach blushes as opposed to pink, just because they seem to look more natural on me. This blush has quite a long staying power, as when I take my makeup off at the end of the day it's still there. There is quite a lot of product there, so it does last you a long time. Big thumbs up!

NAILS

Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer: All Hail the Queen....there's really no need to say anything else. Check out my review here!

CLEANSERS + MOISTURIZERS

Biotherm Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Toning Mousse: I've talked about this cleanser so many times that it seems to be getting a little repetitive. However, I've been using this all month long and it is the perfect cleanser as it really does tone your skin at the same time. I wish it were a LITTLE more moisturizing for this month, so perhaps I will purchase the one that is meant for dry skin as well. Excellent product.

The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter: I have both the 50 ml size and the 200 ml size, as I like to carry one in my purse. This is a must have for the winter. Incredibly moisturizing, made with Community Fair Trade virgin organic coconut oil, you cannot go wrong with this stuff. I love using this as soon as I get out of the shower and/or on freshly shaven legs. 

Be Better Sakura Sensation Foam Bath: I received this as a gift, but I believe it's from Rexall Pharma Plus, which is a Canadian drug store. I've been using this all month long, as I take baths constantly and it smells amazing! It's made with natural ingredients and is paraben free. Love this stuff!

OTHER

Coconut Oil: I have been a huuuuge fan coconut oil for the past year, but after discovering it's most recent purpose, I've become an even bigger fan. My cat Kenya has not been feeling well (send her good vibes!) and had a really sore throat. She wasn't eating properly and was having a hard time swallowing. I started giving her about a tablespoon of coconut oil twice a day to sooth her throat, and from the first time I gave it to her there has been a huge difference! There's a million different amazing uses for coconut oil, and I'll link an article here in case you don't know about them. The kind I have here is Omega Nutrition Certified Organic Coconut Oil. However, it's best if you can get virgin or extra virgin. 

Owl Change Purse: I am obsessed with this little purse! I purchased it from St Lawrence Market I believe last month and it comes with me all the time! It's hand crafted and made with real leather. I actually use it to separate my subway tokens from my wallet. So adorable!

Kimchi Blue Kissing Swans Zip-Around Wallet: I purchased this online from Urban Outfitters about a month ago, and unfortunately it is sold out now! I love swans, so when I saw this I had to get it. It's got all the space you need and is made of incredibly smooth vegan leather. I'll be using this until it completely wears out.

H&M Leopard Print Scarf: I've been wearing this scarf non stop this month, as it seems to go with everything! I've even been wearing it with my winter coat (which may have to change, as it's not the warmest scarf). It's inexpensive, I believe I got it for $14.99 and is quite durable. I will likely be getting all of my winter accessories from H&M as well!

Back when it was warm enough to sit outside!

AND MY LAST OCTOBER FAVOURITE...

Chloe!!! Seeing as we just got Chloe this month, she is for sure an October favourite! She has settled in quickly, has grown and is such a pleasant little kitten. Her and Kenya love each other so much! Perfect addition to our little family.

THAT'S ALL! xx

My Everyday Fall Makeup Routine

For the most part, this is the way I have applied my makeup every day this fall. Occasionally I switch it up with the eyeliner or eye shadow, but I pretty much do the same thing every day! I would have to say the only major difference between what I do in the summer compared to what I do in the fall/winter, is what I put on my skin. I rarely wear anything but tinted moisturizer on my skin in the summer, but like to switch to something slightly heavier in the wintertime like my Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. I always go for a neutral look, as I find that suits me best. Wearing a darker eye look or lip colour tends to look strange on me!

These are all the product that I use on a daily basis! It seems like a lot when all laid out like this, but it all amounts to a very natural, clean look. I've been using some of these products for years, while some are still relatively new to me. Here's a run down of what I do below:

FACE: After applying my Neutrogena Naturals Moisturizer, I go in with the Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix in Light to brighten up my under eye area. I really like this concealer, as it's hydrating and contains vitamin E to fight off signs of aging (yes, at 22 you need to start thinking about this already!). Then, I just use my fingers to apply my beloved Bourjois Healthy Mix Gel Serum Foundation in 51 Light Vanilla all over my face, including my eyelids. I go in with a second coat over any breakouts, and around my nose where my pores are the largest. I am lucky enough to not have any breakouts right now, but I definitely do get them. Once this sets, I use a large brush (not pictured above, as it needs to be washed) and dust my face lightly with Covergirl's Clean Pressed Powder for Sensitive Skin. I've been using this powder for years, and repurchase it once every couple months or so. I then take my Bourjois Bronzing Powder in 51, and contour my cheekbones, temples and jaw line. To finish, I apply my Revlon Matte Powder Blush in Perfectly Peach to the apples of my cheeks.

Note: I do nothing to my eyebrows besides brush them out. Not into filling in my eyebrows!

EYES: Next, I take my Gosh Waterproof Eye Shadow Stick in Gold and apply it to my eyelids. Using my finger, I make sure it's all blended in, and that there's no crease. This has become my staple eye shadow, and I will eventually be purchasing more neutral colours from this line. Using a flat eye shadow brush, I take my NYX Love in Florence Palette in Meet My Romeo and sweep the lightest shimmery brown over my lids as well. I actually got this from the Urban Outfitters website in the summer, as I've never seen NYX in Ontario and wanted to try it. I then sweep the off white colour over my brow bone. I used to apply one of the darker brown colours in the crease, but I prefer a lighter look now. I have recently started adding the littlest bit of the Essence Stays No Matter What Jumbo Eye Pencil and Shadow in 07 Whipped White Frosting to the inner corners of my eyes. After this is complete, I use my favourite Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Ultra Black to create a winged out look. This took forever for me to learn how to do, and I'm still trying to get it right! I top this off with two coats of my Covergirl Clump Crusher LashBlast Mascara in Very Black.

LIPS: To finish off the look, I first apply Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Honeysuckle, (I often have foundation all over my lips by this time and need to put colour back into them!) and go in overtop with my Gosh Velvet Touch Lipstick in 146 Cappuccino.


Once again, this may seem like a lot to some, but it takes me on average 10 minutes to apply.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY NEUTRAL FALL LOOK! xx