Starting Out: Decorating Your Apartment

             When you're in your 20's and starting out in a new apartment, chances are you're not going to have a lot left over in the budget for decorating. Unless of course you're one of those young people who gets everything handed to you, in which case I hate you. Kidding! (Kind of) But yes, while starting your first real job, making it through school and/or paying off the massive debt you've accumulated whilst in school, decorating is not going to be your number one priority. However, you still want your apartment to look nice and presentable and have a homey feel to it. This is what I've been trying to achieve since moving into my apartment with my boyfriend, and I've picked up a few tricks on how to do it without having to spend too much. Not everything is going to match right away, and some furniture may not go with others, but you do the best you can!

Everything in this photo are things that we've picked up over the years, with the occasional new item we've bought for our apartment. If you have an island area like we do, it is essential that you pick up some bar stools, as they make the biggest difference. I believe these were about $30-$40 each from Canadian Tire. They're comfortable, really sturdy and are a great way to add more seating options to your apartment.

I never thought I'd be one to buy fake flowers, but I LOVE these! These cost $10.00 altogether from the Dollar Store. It's a great way to always have seasonal looking flowers without constantly having to repurchase. Just fill the vase up with water and it's hard to tell the difference between real and fake!

Let me just say, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this dog. This is the Bulldog Decorative Figure from Urban Outfitters, which I got on sale for $27.99 from their website. Unfortunately he's no longer available, but I think he's such a cute addition to our apartment. He's quite heavy, and has little grips on the bottoms of his feet. This dog was originally $59.99, so I couldn't complain about the price.

This is another recent purchase from St. Lawrence Market. This was from one of the souvenir stores on the first floor, and was the only one there. I wasn't originally going to buy it, as it was on for $34.99 and the very top was broken off. However, I managed to bargain down the store owner to $20.00 and he fixed the top for me. 

The best thing about this by far, is that it's a tea light holder! Once I realized that I couldn't just let it go. (That may look like dust around the edges, but it's not!)

This is the Bonjour Multi Hook in silver from the Urban Outfitter's website as well, which hangs by our doorway as a key holder! It really couldn't be much of anything else as it is quite small, but it's a nice touch as you walk in the doorway. This was not expensive at all, I purchased it for $12.00 at regular price.

There are all kinds of prints going on with our dining table, but that's okay! We actually got the table and chairs for free from someone who was getting rid of them in our building, so that was a bonus. However, the top was fairly scuffed up, so we purchased a tablecloth from Homesense to just throw over it for now. The elephant LED light was about $10 on sale from Pier 1 Imports in Guelph, and the seat covers were $12 each from IKEA. IKEA will become your new best friend when you're starting out in your apartment.

Last but not least, at any given time you will find about 5-10 items from Bath and Body Works in our apartment. This is the Birdhouse Mini Candle holder, which you can't get anymore. I need to go purchase a fall one! I have 3 Wallflowers in our apartment to keep it smelling fresh, and numerous soaps. You can always get amazing deals at Bath and Body works, and it's a great way to find little decorative details for your apartment. 

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND! xx

Living in Toronto in your 20's

               Toronto is the place to be when you want to experience pretty much anything. Whether it's going shopping, going to the theater, concerts, baseball games or eating any kind of food imaginable, there is little you can't do here. I know so many people who whenever they come to visit, say how much they would like to live in downtown Toronto. But what is it actually like to live here on a daily basis? I had no idea what it would be like before I moved here. And although I love it, what I thought it would be and what it actually is are two different things.

The Toronto Harbourfront

Toronto Music Garden

My two favourite places to go in Toronto would have to be the Harbourfront and the Toronto Music Garden, which are in the same area. These are my two favourite places, because you can get away from the noise of the city, smell the fresh air and hear yourself think. I could spend every day visiting either location in the summertime, just relaxing and lying out in the grass. They are both incredibly relaxing and peaceful.

Downtown Toronto is an amazing and relatively safe place to go out at night. You definitely get the odd crazy (I've had my share of experiences with these kinds of people) but overall there's always plenty of people around, and everybody's out with friends or on dates and just wanting to have a good time. However, once you actually live here you begin to avoid the main tourist spots like Dundas Square. This is funny to say now, because it used to be my favourite area when I'd come down to visit, as I always found it so busy and exciting. The fact that it's so busy is exactly what I don't like about it now, and I rarely visit the area, even to go shopping.

           If you're like the majority of those living in downtown Toronto, you take public transit pretty much everywhere. Now, there are times when taking public transit aggravates me to no end, and I'm in a furious mood by the time I get off the subway or bus. This is mainly do to the behavior of other people. Also, the TTC cannot always be relied on if you want to get somewhere on time, such as needing to get to work or showing up on time for an important test. But generally, I don't mind the TTC, and use my commute time to listen to music and sip iced coffee. Due to the fact that I'm in school right now, I am lucky enough to mostly avoid the main commuter times where the subway and buses are absolutely JAMMED and you cannot move for the people. There are times where you cannot even turn around and have to push your way off of whatever form of transportation you're on. I've seen people just barely miss their stop because they can't get off the subway (I, being one of these people). It can also get very hot and sweaty, and mess up your hair and makeup before you get to where you're going. Thankfully, I haven't had to experience that in a while!

As much as I complain about living in the city, (and I do a lot) when the day comes that I no longer live here, I will miss it. I didn't think I would until last year, when there was a period of time that I moved away. I literally became homesick for this city. All the sights and smells that I thought just aggravated me became things that I couldn't wait to have around me again. This city truly is an interesting and exciting place. There are so many little areas where you think you've stepped out of the tall buildings and construction that is Toronto, and entered somewhere beautiful.

Sometimes I feel like I need to step back and appreciate where I am, and not let the craziness of the city get to me. Although some days I want to be able to just walk outside my door and smell the fresh air, that will come in time. Right now, it's time to just enjoy what's around me!

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

Gosh Cosmetics Review

           First off, I did not know that Gosh Cosmetics is in fact a Danish brand, not a Canadian brand as I had originally thought! All the more reason for me to support it, as I'm happy to see a Danish brand doing so well in our drug stores! I've got to support both of my countries! Price wise, this brand is between drug store and high end.        

I started experimenting with this brand at the beginning of this summer, when I found myself searching everywhere for a lipstick that would actually suit me. Coloured lipsticks look AWFUL on me, and every nude I've tried just blends right into my lips. I wanted something subtle, but to actually be able to tell I was wearing lipstick at the same time. Purely based on colour, it came down to the Velvet Touch Lipstick in 146 Cappuccino by Gosh and the Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Creme Brulee. The Velvet Touch Lipstick won hands down when compared beside each other on my hand. Although similar, Velvet Touch lipsticks have an amazing consistency, feel exceptionally soft when testing out on your skin and contain SPF 6. The colour is more of a brownish-pink, instead of what you find with the typical nude lip colours. Having said that, this product does not a very strong staying power, probably due to it's extremely creamy consistency. It needs to be reapplied a few times throughout the day. However, seeing as this is the exact colour I've been looking for, I can't complain too much.

From top to bottom:  Waterproof Eye Shadow Stick in Gold, Long Lasting Eye Liner Pen in 005 Purple, Velvet Touch Lipstick in 146 Cappuccino

The Waterproof Eye Shadow Stick in Gold was the second product I purchased, and I've been using it almost every day since July. The stick is still nowhere near finished. This product is very creamy, therefore it blends very easily and is the perfect natural gold colour. It also contains no mineral oil or preservatives.  The only thing that I don't like about this eye shadow, is that it is definitely not smudge-proof when it dries and I do not believe that it is particularly waterproof either, despite it's name. Other than that, a highly recommended product.

The latest product I've purchased was the Long Lasting Eyeliner Pen in 005 Purple. The staying power of this eyeliner is unbelievable. Not only is it extremely shiny and applies easily, but you cannot get this eyeliner to smudge for the life of you. It does not come off with soap, and it doesn't even come off easily with makeup remover! I'll definitely be purchasing more of these eyeliners, as it does not compare to any liquid eyeliner I've tried to far.

As you can see, after doing the smudge test with all three of these products, the eyeliner is the only product that held up exactly as it was before. It is still going strong even as I am typing this! 

Last but not least, the nail polish! Although I'm not a huge fan of the colour of the Special Edition Nail Lacquer, (shown here is 617 With a Twist) it does stay on your nails considerably longer than other nail polishes I've tried that are more expensive. It also covers well, is extremely shiny and dries quickly. I will be repurchasing these nail polishes, but in different colours!

HOPE YOU ENJOYED!

Collective Autumn Haul (Urban Outfitters, Zara, H&M, Value Village)

           Fall is definitely my favourite time to buy new clothes and accessories, mainly because I always seem to need them the most this time of year! Here is what I have picked up so far this season. Please excuse some of the wrinkles in the clothes, as a certain someone wanted to lie on my clothes as I was getting them ready! Thanks Kenya!

I would have to say that I buy the majority of my clothes from Urban Outfitters and Zara these days, but this season I've picked up items from Forever 21, the Gap, H&M and Value Village as well.

I purchased all of these items with the exception of the Animal Slipper Socks from Urban Outfitter's website. There is nothing here that I wouldn't recommend. The Sparkle & Fade Cross-Back Sweater in Burgundy is SO comfortable and warm for the fall, even with the open back. It's perfect for going to school, running errands and then snuggling up on the couch after a long day.

I LOVE these shoes! These are the Ecote Hidden Wedge High-Top Sneakers in taupe. I never thought I would want a pair of high tops, but these look amazing and are super comfortable. If you're used to constantly wearing flat shoes like I am, they can take a bit of getting used to, but your feet adjust quickly. Such a great buy and a great deal. Get them before they sell out! 

Other items featured here: BDG Cigarette High-Rise Jean in Grapeleaf, BDG Destroyed Slim Slouch Camp Jean, Deena & Ozzy Embroidered Animal iPad case.

The next few items I purchased were from Zara. I have never been unhappy with the quality of anything I've purchased at Zara. The Soft Bowling Bag in Black was the first bag I have ever bought from there, and it's working out fantastically as an everyday school bag. 

This super cute Short Sweatshirt with Zip at the Back in Print-1 is not so much for the colder days of autumn, but works well for days when the sun is out, or with a light jacket over top. 

I have 2 pairs of the Classic Skinny Jeans by Trafaluc, and they are my favourite fit out of any pants or jeans I own. They look great, are great quality and are a reasonable price. These are the burgundy ones here. Although I can't find them anywhere online, they should still be in stores. The only thing I don't like with these pants is that they tend to stretch a little too much in the waist band over time, so I always end up needing to wear a belt with them.

This Cheetah Jacquard Hoodie from the Gap is SO warm and cozy, the quality is unbelievable. When I first tried it on in store, I liked it a lot but wasn't willing to pay $70.00 for it. However, I went home that night and checked the website, and they were having a 30% off everything in their online store! I absolutely love it, and it will definitely last me a long time.

This vintage leather Cornell purse was my favourite find of the season, and cost me less than any other item! I paid $12.99 from Value Village for this purse, and it actually looks like one of the most expensive things I own. I was never a big thrift store buyer, but I have found some items that I absolutely love at Value Village that I wouldn't have been able to find anywhere else. I am absolutely in love with this bag, and it will definitely be carrying me through the fall and winter.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! xx

Introducing: Chloe!

          Surprise, surprise, a post about my new kitten! For those who don't know me, these past few years I have definitely grown into a cat person! Not that I don't love dogs, but living in an apartment in the city, cats tend to be the better option. I have come to appreciate their unique personalities, their comforting nature and how relatively low maintenance they are as pets. I have always been an advocate for the humane society and other organizations that help rescue animals and give them homes. Recently, I decided to get involved with a charity called Toronto Cat Rescue. It was my intention to volunteer as a foster parent and give kittens temporary homes while they waited to be adopted. However, for personal reasons I decided to just go ahead and adopt from them instead. The Toronto Cat Rescue really does amazing work, and I intend on continuing to volunteer with them through other means. They are a no kill, 100% volunteer run registered charity. Visit their website to learn more about what they do by clicking here!

So, without further ado, this is 11 week old Chloe!

She really is such a pleasant kitten and so enjoyable to be around. We (my boyfriend and I) weren't intending to adopt a kitten when we visited Pet Valu's adoptathon that was being put on with Toronto Cat Rescue all over the GTA. We only attended because we had nothing else going on on that particular Sunday, and I wanted to learn more about the charity that I was volunteering with. However, as soon as we held her, we knew we had to take her (who can resist an adorable kitten purring in your arms?) What's extremely convenient, is that the adoption fee covers all of their first shots, as well as the cost of spaying/neutering, which is already done before you take your cat home.

Although our 1 1/2 year old cat Kenya was not thrilled for the first few days to have a new kitten on her territory, she is now adjusting extremely well. We catch her grooming Chloe all the time, as well as constantly pouncing around and playing with her. I'm glad that Kenya has a new companion, as she was raised with cats and has never quite adjusted to being without a friend. I actually rescued Kenya off of the street when she was about 5 weeks old, as she was born into a feral cat colony. For those who are interested, there will be a blog post on that at a later date. 

We love our new kitten!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation Review/Before and After!

I absolutely love this foundation! I would have to say that this is my all time favourite. The Healthy Mix Serum Foundation by Bourjois is actually a radiance boosting gel foundation that is meant to last for 16 hours. It is a semi-matte, buildable light to medium coverage foundation, that includes the "fruit therapy" of lychee, goji berries and pomegranate. The shade that I have is 51 light vanilla, which is the lightest shade they make. This foundation contains one fl oz, which is average for any foundation. I purchased this for $27.99 from Shoppers Drug Mart.

For the sake of the "before shot" for this post, I am going to do something I've never done before...post pictures of myself completely without makeup! My skin is actually quite bad right now compared to how it normally is, but that's okay!

BEFORE

So here is my skin without a drop of makeup and some light moisturizer!

As you can see here, at the moment I have texture in my skin, some discolouration and some full on zits. Not the best time for me skin wise! 

AFTER:

Although not perfect, my skin is more even, I look awake and alert and the colour blends perfectly into my skin. This is without any concealer, or any setting powder over top. I applied one layer over my entire face with my fingertips, and one more layer over my problem areas (cheeks, chin, forehead). This foundation is perfect for under your eyes to take care of any light discolouration without the need for concealer at all. I would not recommend this foundation to anyone that's looking for full coverage, but for skin like mine it could not be more perfect. Gel foundations do tend to be slightly more moisturizing, which is great for combination skin in the wintertime. Overall, fantastic product and will definitely be repurchasing!

Hope you're all having an amazing weekend!

My Skincare Routine (Combination Skin)

Although my skincare routine changes up often, this is what I have been using lately to keep my skin clear! I have hormonal combination skin, which gets better or worse depending on the time of the month, weather changes and stress. 

Bioderma is a cleansing water that I use to take off my face and eye makeup, including waterproof mascara. This particular formula is for sensitive normal to dry skin, which works fine for me as my skin tends to dry out in the colder months. This is possibly the only makeup remover that I have come across that doesn't sting my eyes. When my skin is really breaking out and unhappy, I use this as my only cleanser and it seems to calm my skin down! I purchased this 250 ml bottle from Shoppers Drug Mart on sale for $16.99.

The Nip + Fab Scrub Fix is the best affordable facial scrub I have found for acne in quite some time. It's one of those products that shows an immediate improvement in your skin after you use it. It's packed with salicylic acid and bamboo to treat and renew your skin. Although the packaging seems small, a little goes a long way, especially as this is only a once a week treatment. I picked it up for around $12.99 at Shopper's Drug Mart, but it can be purchased in select countries online on Nip + Fab's website.

I LOVE Neutrogena naturals! This is such a great line, especially for the price. When you're dealing with hormonal combination skin, the gentler the products the better, whether or not they are meant to treat acne. I actually preferred the Purifying Facial Cleanser over the Acne Foaming Scrub for my skin, as using an exfoliator twice a day can break my skin out and/or make it worse. The daily moisturizer is packed with vitamins and makes your skin glow. It's actually relatively thick, so you need very little. My skin seems to like it and it doesn't break me out. I purchased the Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Daily Moisturizer from Walmart for $16.99, and the Acne Foaming Scrub from Shopper's Drug Mart for $12.99.

Last but not least, this is the Pore Refining Serum by No7. There is not too much to say about this product, other than the fact that it is meant to do exactly what it says in the name. I wouldn't say this product is a miracle worker, however it does make your pores slightly less visible, and can be used as a light moisturizer as well. I use this product once a day, sometimes in the morning and sometimes at night. I purchased this for about $18.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart. I will likely not be repurchasing this product, as it does not do enough for me for the price!

And that's it!

Christmas Shopping on a Student's Budget!

          If you're anything like me, you will be starting your Christmas shopping around the mid to the end of October. This may seem a bit ridiculous to some, but when you have a lot of people to buy for, Christmas creeps up on you all too quickly. Therefore, this is the time I start collecting the smaller parts of Christmas gifts, and only items that I know have no chance of being returned after Christmas!

These past few Christmas's have been known to raise a bit of an issue budget-wise, seeing as I've been in college and have had to primarily live off of student loans. Sure, I could have bought slightly cheaper gifts for my friends and family, but I'm one of those people that regardless of my financial situation, I don't like to skimp on quality (not always the best trait to have financially!) So, if you're in a similar situation, what do you do so you don't go broke during the holiday season? Here are some great tips to avoid breaking the bank this season, and still purchase great quality gifts that your friends and family will love.

1) SHOP ONLINE

I have found the most amazing deals in online stores. Many people aren't a fan of shopping online, as they will argue that shipping costs are not worth it, or there are limited stores that ship to their country. However, there are almost always ways to get around shipping costs once you locate the multitude of stores that DO ship to every country, or to your particular country. The majority of online stores offer free shipping for a purchase of $50 or more, which is a good excuse to stock up on Christmas gifts at that particular store.

There are also frequent online sales that are not offered in stores. My favourites are the additional percentage off of items that are already on sale, usually adding up to a savings of 60% or more. Stores like Urban Outfitters and Forever21 often offer these types of sales, and will alert you through their online newsletters when these sales are beginning.

Just a note: If buying clothes, make sure you look at the size chart on the website. As we know, different brands tend to fit differently, and can run big or small. I have never had a problem with purchasing clothes online if I have stuck to the size chart. If by some chance the item does not fit the person you are buying it for, there are almost always return options where the store will pay the price of the return. It can be helpful if you are purchasing from an online store that also happens to be a retail chain in your area, as you are usually able to take the item back to this store for a full refund or exchange.

2) COUPON CODES

Whether in-store or online, retail stores almost always have one or two coupon codes available for you to save money. However, some are harder to find then others. Always have a search online before you go out to make your purchases, or before you make a purchase on an online store. I frequently purchase from online stores, and have not yet completed an order before entering in a coupon code that I've found online. 

Always sign up for online newsletters from your favourite stores, as they will often send you these coupon codes straight to your email. There are many codes out there that are kept more under wraps, that you can search for on any search engine. Just type promotion/coupon code and the store you're looking to save from into a search engine, and more than half the time you will at least find a code for the online store. These coupons average anywhere from an extra 10-30% off your order. This extra few minutes of effort before making purchases is definitely worth it!

3) DO YOUR RESEARCH

There are so many great stores out there that not enough people know about that sell good quality and unique items both in store and online, and offer amazing prices. Retail markets are a great way to find unique and affordable items. Kensington Market, St Lawrence Market and the Distillery District in Toronto, Ontario are all amazing places to find these types of gifts if you look around. Warehouses and outlet stores are also a great way to save money. 

There are a ridiculous amount of stores online that few know about that I've only discovered through blogs or places like Pinterest. They have often lead to stores that offer free shipping worldwide, and have unbeatable prices for decent quality clothes that are all on trend. Taking the time to do research and scour the Internet when you have some some spare time can definitely be worth it financially. 

Here are some of my top online picks for Christmas shopping on a budget!

http://www.shepiner.com

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com

http://www.cafepress.ca/

https://www.hautelook.com

http://www.bathandbodyworks.com

http://www.ebay.com/

http://www.groupon.com/

http://www.ashleybridget.com/

http://shop.josephnogucci.com/