Currently Loving : Teavana Teas

It's no secret that I love tea. Tea is my coffee, I need it, gotta have it, can't live without it. Tea is my religion.

Ok that got a little intense there, but you get the point. Tea is my jam!

David's Tea is a popular tea shop here in Canada and for the past few years it has been my ultimate tea-stination. However, there has been a new tea shop that has captured my attention and my taste buds, Teavana.

I've been aware of the existence of Teavana, but never really tried their teas before. After walking in and smelling a few different ones, I knew I was hooked. I chose four teas and here are my thoughts on them...

Makeup Love: Dr. Jart+ BB Creams

I've talked about my love for the Black Label Detox BB Cream by Dr. Jart+. It has been featured in many favourites posts. My love for this product is ongoing and now I've also found another BB Cream by Dr. Jart+ that I quite enjoy as well.

September Favorites 2015

It's October, Halloween is in less than a month and Christmas is just around the corner, but before we start getting frostbite and fed up with the lack of warm weather, lets reminisce about the last little remnants of summer we had to enjoy in September and the items that I loved using or discovering this past month.

Raw Matcha Protein Balls

Good day everyone, here is something different and new for my blog and I am so excited to share this with you all.

Healthy living is something I feel strongly about. I'm not trying to claim that I live a one hundred percent healthy lifestyle but I do make the effort to eat clean most of the time. This recipe is the beginning of what I hope will be many more simple and healthy recipe posts on my blog.

There are food trends, that is clear. Protein balls of many kinds have been popping up on my Pinterest and Instagram feeds for a while now and it got me quite curious. Today I finally decided to make some  of my own protein balls.

I looked up a few different recipes and using the items I had on hand kind of created my own concoction. It turned out quite well and it was incredibly quick and simple to make.

New Product: Lush Cup O' Coffee Scrub

Coffee scrubs have been all the rage lately. There's something in coffee that makes the skin more bright and enhances circulation.  This means the skin is boosted and the appearance of cellulite can even be reduced, if used to those specific parts of the body (i.e. thighs, stomach, butt).

When I was perusing through Lush's website a few weeks back and noticed they had a new coffee scrub on the market, I was elated. I've been having a major Lush obsession lately and this product needed to be part of my ever-growing Lush collection.

At first, this scrub was only available online and I waited until it came out in stores as well. I wanted to smell and feel the product before deciding whether or not it was worth a try. Obviously, since I'm writing this post, I decided to purchase it.

Here's what I think of the scrub so far...

Dying Your Hair At Home : My Experience

Saving money is always a good idea.  That's why I decided to try dying my own hair at home. Buying a box dye from the drugstore costs about $10 and getting my hair done professionally costs north of $100.  I decided, it was time to try and save some money on something that isn't a vital need. 

This was big for me, my hair is very important to me, yes I realize how vain I sound, but it is. I like being blonde, I like having nice, natural looking highlights. When deciding to do my own hair at home, I opted for a root touch up strategy. I was only going to colour my roots and not touch the lengths.  That way, if the colouring went awry, I would only have a couple inches of disaster, instead of a full head of ugliness. 

Here's what happened...

Top 5 Favorite Blushes

Here are my top picks for blushes. These are my tried and true, my most reached for and my go-to products for that perfect flush to the cheeks.

Eyes To Kill : Favorite Mascaras of the Moment

When wearing a new beauty product, something you're excited about, the best feeling is when someone notices the change. An even more amazing feeling is when they compliment you on it.

I mention this because, as a rule, it's not too often that I get compliments on my makeup. I'm not saying I'm completely rubbish at it and it looks crap all the time.  I'm simply saying that it's something others don't tend to notice as easily as a new dress or shoes.

August Favorites 2015

Another month has passed and it's time to look back and see which products made my life better in August.

Trip Planning: Still Deciding Where to Go

A few weeks ago I uploaded a post about planning a new trip for the end of August. I then looked at all my options, and most importantly, my budget, and decided it was wiser to stay home and work some more.  I can then save my money, and really properly plan a trip.

Plus, I like writing these posts, updating you on what I am up to and all.

Work/Office Appropriate Trios

I was trying to figure out what kind of post to upload today. I was looking at my products and decided to pick out three items from three different categories and talk about them here. 

I chose my current three favourite items in the nails, lips and fragrance categories. Why you may ask? Well, simply because I felt like it. 

Since I've been working crazy hours, the items I picked out are those I wear to go to work, almost everyday.

After further inspection of the products I picked out, I realized these are mostly items I use and rely on for work. My makeup cannot be too elaborate, nor incorporate crazy colours, so I reach for the following items religiously.

The 15-Minute Face

This post is a day late, I apologize for that. I have been working crazy hours over the past three weeks and have not had too much time to dedicate to this blog.

I figured since I hadn't had that much time for anything lately, including getting ready in the morning, this post was quite fitting.

I'll be showing you the products I use and rely on to get me ready quickly and keep me looking decent for most of the day.

Fall Fashion Wishlist

It's that time again, time to look in our closets and evaluate the clothes that will be useful as the temperature starts to drop.

There are a few items in the shops that I have had my eye on for the upcoming season and here they are.

Current Skincare Routine

My last post was about the new things I have purchased, and many of those items, actually all of them, were skincare products.

Apart from the new products from the previous post, I do have a skincare routine that I have become quite happy with and has made my skin calm down and become less irritated.

Here are the products that have changed my skin for the better.

A Skincare Haul

I popped in to the mall a couple days ago because I wanted to exchange my 5 empty lush pots for a fresh face mask.  I did exactly that, but I ended up coming home with a few more products too.

July Favorites 2015

Man was I ever glad for this month to end! July started out normally, actually pretty great, but then it took a turn for the worst around the second week and kept getting more horrible by the day. August is now here and I'm hoping to finally get to breathe a little and get some good news for a change.

Here's a look at the things I actually enjoyed in July.

Planning a New Trip

This is somewhat of a different and random post, but this blog is not just about makeup chat. I also want to share certain things I am up to and what's happening.

Unforeseen circumstances have made me cancel an upcoming trip to Germany, which now leaves me with days off and no destination. I now need to plan a trip somewhere else.

Therefore here is a post talking about the places I'd like to visit and maybe I'll continue this post with another or more in the future about my planning and how I decided on a new destination.

And perhaps by doing so I can inspire some of you on your next vacation.

A Massive Amount of Empties

My bag of empty products I keep in my room to review was overflowing. I figured it was then time to post a very large empties post and quickly give my opinion on these products.

To make it a bit easier to follow, I divided all the empties into categories.

Life.

This past week has been one of the most emotional, hectic, stressful weeks of my life. Losing a loved one will do that to you. Today was the final goodbye to my grandmother.

Times like these really make you think. It makes you think about life, the people in it and what really is important.

A brief travel diary : Frankfurt

Frankfurt is a city I've found myself traveling to often over the past several months and each time I am impressed with it's mix of modern/urban style with old German architecture. 

There are many things to do in this city from shopping, museums, parks, zoos, dining, etc. There is also the beautiful Main River that flows through the city and makes for great scenic walks. 

Closet Makeover: Wish List

I've mentioned a few times over the past month or so how I've been loving very simple and classic pieces and how I've been clearing out my closet, making room for more classic and timeless pieces. I've had this need to accumulate less stuff, but of higher quality.  Pieces which can last me years, be classic in style and great in durability.

Trend I'm Loving : Delicate Jewelry

For the past year or so I have been all about statement jewelry. Big chunky necklaces, large earrings, and statement rings have been my go to accessories for quite some time now. However for the past month or so I've been reaching for and buying more delicate pieces and I love them.

Clothing Haul

During my recent trip to Germany I made sure to do a bit of shopping while abroad. There are some stores one cannot find in Canada, namely Primark.

June Favorites 2015

I had a great month this June and there were some very good product discoveries that I am very excited to share with you, so keep reading and find out what I loved in June.

OOTD in Germany : A Day in Heidelberg

Last week I spent a few days in Germany and on one of those days I put together an outfit which I was quite happy with. The weather that day was overcast, slightly rainy but not too cold. My outfit was therefore practical (for the cold), but also looked quite good for walking around a castle and beautiful old town.

Old vs New: Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation

It's no secret that I fell hard, very hard, head over heels in love.... for a foundation. The Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation has been my favorite full coverage, special occasion, never have a bad makeup day foundation for over two years now.

However, all good things come to an end right? Laura Mercier reformulated this amazing product.  It has created two new foundations based on the Silk Creme. I had heard that the oil free version was the closest to the original formula, so that is the one I decided to pick up.

The Miracle Oil? New HG Product!

I dropped by my local Tau Market, an organic food store, where I wanted to pick up some more natural skincare items. My goal was to find a nighttime serum to replace my Ole Henriksen one, that I love, but can't always afford to repurchase.

The salesperson immediately suggested I try out this Nigella Oil. She said it has changed her skin for the better and that I will love it. I decided to buy it and see if this oil can possibly be as amazing as she claims.

Thailand Travel Tips

As I have mentioned in some previous posts, I went on vacation in May, to Thailand. Before leaving and while there I learned many things and picked up some tips and advice on how to travel around in that part of the world.

The total time I spent away was 16 days, including travel time, so there really wasn't much time.

We spent a few days in the capital, Bangkok, then headed south to the islands. I would love to go back some day and see the north of Thailand, but there just wasn't enough time on this trip to see everything.

Our vacation did not go smoothly the entire time. We did have fun, but there were times we wished we were elsewhere.

After all our adventures and misadventures in Thailand I figured putting together a tips and advice post would be helpful to anyone considering traveling in South East Asia.

The Happy Skin Tag

I just finished watching Youtuber Tanya Burr do this in a video and I knew straight away I needed to do this tag in a blog post, so here it is!

Spring/Summer Nail Picks

My nails have been getting stronger and longer lately, mostly due to two things: biotin supplements and the warmer weather. I can do a whole other post later on about biotin, but for now let's take a look at so nail colours.

Product Empties: Hair

Another empties post, this time all about hair products I've used up or have decided I don't like or don't use enough to justify keeping them.

Product Empties: Makeup

It's that time again, time to look into my trash! I've used up more products, and here are my thoughts on them.

May Favorites 2015

Another month has gone by, this time, I will say it, where the heck did it go? May was an insanely busy, crazy, whirlwind of a month. It started out with a two-week long trip to Thailand with my cousin where we had a very bizarre vacation, which ended not so wonderfully... but more on that in another post.

Most, if not all, of these products I brought along with me on my trip and were very well loved over the past couple weeks.

Travel Essentials : Thailand.

This is a late post, but better late than never. I have taken a two-week hiatus from this blog due to vacation, hence the subject of this post. I am now back, and there will be posts once again consistently on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

The items featured in this were gathered before my trip, obviously, and since I am back home now, I can give a full review of each and tell you how useful they really were. 

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue

Here is another product I have been hearing a whole lot about over the past several weeks. Can me crazy, but at some point these rave reviews got me curious.  I started looking up swatches, reading feedback on Sephora.com and waiting impatiently for the product to be released in stores in Canada.

Formula X The System To Go Review

Formula X has been the new star of Sephora products over the past year or so and I've been skeptical, as always, because my nails do not cooperate with any drugstore or high end product. Therefore, I didn't feel the need to rush out and pick up these new nail varnishes. 

Then one day I heard about The System and immediately started looking up reviews.  Most, if not all, of the reviews are positive, so I put on my wish list and waited for the ideal time to pull the trigger. 

April Favorites 2015

The snow is gone, the sun is shining, spring is here! This month I fully enjoyed busting out my spring-y colours and scents.

Beauty Products SWAP !

Last year I did my first swap with my good friend I have who lives in France, and we decided to do it again this year. We set a budget and we buy each other products that the other couldn't easily get a hold of in her country.

It's a really fun way to get to try out new products and get some fun things you might not splurge for yourself.

Here is all the loot that arrived from France last week.

Erin Condren Life Planner Review

I've been into writing stuff down in agendas and such for a while now. I love the feeling of jotting down a to-do list, especially when I have some nice paper and colourful pens to use.

Last year I purchased my first Erin Condren Life Planner and was super excited to start using it and become more organized. At the end of the year, I had to really think about whether or not I wanted to dish out the cash again and buy an EC Life Planner or try to find a much less expensive alternative. For the month of January, I decided to just purchase a simple planner from Target and use that instead, but after a few weeks of just not reaching for it, I knew I needed to go back to Erin Condren.

Beach Vacation Wishlist

I am in the process of planning my upcoming trip to Thailand and there are many items I wish I could purchase to bring with me. The weather there is very hot and we will definitely be hitting some beaches and enjoying the water.

Here are some things I've spotted and I wish I could splurge on ...

An All Natural Beauty and Food Haul

There is this place not too far from where I live that is basically Vitacost in real life. If you don't know what Vitacost is, I suggest you go check out there website now.

Tau Market is a store that sells organic foods and beauty products. I go there to buy stuff such as moisturizer and yummy foods that I cannot find anywhere else. It is just like shopping on Vitacost, and I love it!

Here are the things I picked up...

Spring Fashion Wishlist

With the warm weather finally starting to arrive and the snow almost completely melted, it's about time to start thinking about lighter clothing and putting away the heavy winter coats, boots, scarves, hats, and gloves.

Here are items I'd like to add to my wardrobe for the upcoming season.

Night Time Saviours: Face Oils

About a month ago I decided to pop into a local natural product shop and check out what they have in stock. I discovered many great things including some all natural oils. I purchased two of them because the sales person said these two oils combined are great for reducing red marks and scars all the while helping to keep the skin balanced and hydrated.

The Palette Appreciation Post

There is one item that I use pretty much everyday and when I do I cannot get enough of it. I am talking about the palette, whether it be for eyeshadows or face powders, palettes contain various shades of lovely products and sometimes it becomes quite difficult to choose just one or two shades to wear that day.

I've scavenged through my makeup collection and taken out the palettes that are the most used or the most lust worthy. Some of these are more on the neutral side, which are better for everyday wear, and others are more flashy and colourful which are fun to bust out for special occasions.

Here's a look at the palettes that I love love love !

Naturebox March 2015

I cannot rave about this subscription service enough! Food, snacking, health, are all words that are not often synonymous, but when Naturebox comes into play, they are!

Receiving this box every month is such a treat and I do have to contain myself from eating them all right away.

March Favorites 2015

March has been a very busy month and it truly has flown by. Spring is here and I'm hoping the snow is about to disappear. As I wait for the white stuff to take a  hike, here's a look at the products I loved in March.

Ipsy March 2015: Floral Fantasy

The first spring inspired Ipsy bag of the year ! Smells like fresh flowers and sunshine to me :)

The bag itself is very spring-y and I love it! The contents are also all very good and I am quite happy with it this month.

The Everyday Face

Everyday a big part of my getting ready routine is putting on my makeup. These are the products that have become my go-to over the past little while.

Happy St. Patrick's Day :D

In honour of St Patrick's Day, I round up some of my most-used green products.

The Fragrance of the Moment: Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt

A couple months ago I went away to Las Vegas and was able to try out the delicious smelling colognes at the Jo Malone counter in Nordstrom. The one I wanted to try out the most is the Wood Sage and Sea Salt, since it has been talked about over and over on beauty blogs for the past year or so.

I loved this scent so much I did not hesitate to purchase it, and I decided it deserved its own post :)