Must Haves For Flawless Skin!

Here are my current Must Haves for achieving flawless skin! Step up your face care routine this winter to make sure your skin stays flawless!

PRODUCTS FEATURED:

Biosource Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Toning Mousse

Bioderma Sensibio H2O

Nip + Fab Scrub Fix

Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer

The Body Shop Luxury Flannel Face Cloth

Tarte Maracuja C Brighter Eye Treatment

Current Offers!

The Body Shop 

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Biotherm

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Hope you all had a great weekend! 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

Everyday Cleansing/Moisturizing Routine!

          For whatever reason, girls are incredibly interested in what other girls use in their pre-getting ready routine, the stage before you do your hair and makeup and figure out what you're going to wearing for the day. I suppose this is because it's such critical part of the daily routine, and people just want to know what works. And seeing as I haven't done anything of note lately that would be of any interest to blog about, I will show you what I have been using!         

Even though I do switch up my shampoo and face wash a couple times a week, this is what I grab on a regular basis. I try to only shampoo and condition my hair every other day, as it is bleached and can be quite dry. I would have to say that all of Bed Head's Products are amazing for putting strength and nutrients back into your hair. The Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Shampoo is no exception, and feeds my bleached hair extremely well! As mentioned numerous times before, I wash my face twice a day with my lovely Biotherm Hydra-Mineral Cleansing Toning Mousse in the Biosource range. Then for my body wash, I use Dove Visible Care Toning Creme Body Wash. I actually like to shave my legs with this as well, as it leaves your skin incredibly soft. You barely even need to moisturize afterwards. This will definitely be a continued favourite, especially for the price.

I try to use a treatment on my hair at least once a week, and leave it on for as long as I have the time to. Lately, I've been using my Bed Head Self Absorbed Mega Nutrient Conditioner and it gets the job done beautifully. You do need to use quite a lot of it, as it's not as thick as it seems, but it's worth it. Also, the citrus scent is amazing!

When I get out of the shower, I moisturize with my Coconut Body Butter by the Body Shop, which is my favourite in their selection. I can't get over how soft it makes your skin feel! However, I'm really not crazy about having to dip my hand into a pot, I find it a little unsanitary. If they come out with this same formula in a squeeze tube, I will be a happy, happy person.

After brushing my teeth, the last part of this routine is applying my L'Oreal Paris Ideal Moisture Radiant Tone Day/Night Cream! Although it could be a tiny bit more moisturizing, this has worked well for me so far, and I have been applying it both morning and night.

GOODNIGHT!! xx

Growing out Bleached Blonde Hair (Things I wish I had done a long time ago!)

           If you have bleached blonde hair like me, you'll know that it's nearly impossible to grow out long, thick hair. It's no secret that bleach damages your hair, along with heat styling and frequent washing. So if you REALLY want long hair, you're going to have to put in the work. And by put in the work, I really mean significantly reduce the work you're putting into styling your hair, and let it be.

This is easier said than done, and it took forever for me to be willing to stop using heat on my hair and to not wash it every day. The primary reason I was washing my hair every day, is that when I would sleep on it it wouldn't hold it's shape at all no matter what I did to it, and it wouldn't look the same if I tried to restyle it. This was especially true if I slept on my naturally wavy hair.

I decided months ago to take a look at what I was doing to my hair and what I was using on it, and make some serious changes if I really wanted to grow out my hair. Here are 3 tips to get your hair in better condition and start seeing it grow longer!

1) USE PRODUCTS THAT HELP REPAIR YOUR HAIR

From left to right: L'Oreal Everstrong Thickening Tonic, CHI Keratin Mist, Dove Colour Care Leave-On Conditioner, Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum, TIGI Bed Head Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Shampoo, Rusk Sensories Bright Chamomile and Lavender Colour Shampoo, L'Oreal Vitamino Colour Masque, Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Conditioner

Bleached hair needs tons of moisture in order look healthy and shiny, as well as keratin to put protein back into your hair. In it's natural condition, your hair contains about 10% moisture and 90% keratin. When we bleach our hair, it affects both our natural amounts of moisture and keratin, which often results in our hair becoming brittle and breaking off.

Each of the products shown above are products that I alternate using every time I wash my hair. These are all products that benefit bleached blonde hair in some way. In terms of both moisture and protein, the top 3 products I would recommend are the Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum, the TIGI Bed Head Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Shampoo and the L'Oreal Vitamino Colour Masque. However, all of these  products work for me and are definitely work taking a look at. With the exception of the Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Conditioner, these can be found in your local drugstore and occasionally Winners or

TK Maxx 

2) GO LONGER IN BETWEEN BLEACHING

This was hard for me to do in the beginning, as I used to get my hair dyed a solid blonde colour, and then was convinced to start letting some of my natural colour grow through. I'm glad I finally listened, as not only does the colour suit me a million times more, but I can go longer in between getting my hair done. I used to have to get my hair bleached every 5 weeks in order to keep my colour maintained. Now, I go every 3 to 4 months and that works fine for me. Get some headbands to cover up those roots in the last few weeks before you get your hair done, and you'll look fine! Make sure you get the tiniest bit cut off each time you do get it done, as split ends do not work when growing long, thick hair.

3) CUT OUT HEAT STYLING ALTOGETHER

I won't pretend that I NEVER use a curling iron or straightening iron on my hair anymore, but it is very rare. I really don't feel the need to unless it's a special occasion. This is because I have started to realize that my natural wavy hair looks much healthier and nicer than when I heat styled it on a daily basis. Also, I was completely behind on discovering how to do a top knot with my hair, which is now a style I constantly use, especially on second day hair. If you don't think you can cut out heat styling altogether, only use heat tools every other time you wash your hair. Scrunch it with a curling product, use a beach spray or just let your hair completely do it's own thing. Honestly, it probably looks a lot better than you think it does, and it definitely looks healthier. 

My hair after scrunching it with Organix Coconut Anti-Breakage Serum and letting it dry naturally

HAVE A GREAT NIGHT! xx