March Favourites | 2015

It's monthly favourites time once again! Today I have my March favourites to share with you! March was a bittersweet month for me. Some things came to an end like the Target I worked at closing down and Glee having its series finale, but I also have some new and exciting things in the works too! I'm so glad it's spring now, though it has been cold lately. Hopefully by the time I write my next monthly favourites post we will have had some nice weather! Anyway, onto the favourites!

MAC x Toledo Ripe Peach Blush Ombré / I know, this is a limited edition product, but I really did get quite a lot of wear out of this blush this past month! It's a beautiful peachy pink shade that gives the cheeks a nice healthy glow. I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of it over the spring and summer!

Colourpop Super Shock Shadows in La La and Desert / I finally got around to trying out the Colourpop shadows this month and the formula really is as good as everyone says it is! The two shades I got are both light, warm toned golden browns (one metallic, one satin), but they make for lovely everyday eyeshadow colours.

H&M Gold Bar Pendant Necklace / I've wanted a bar pendant necklace for a little while and I spotted this beauty at H&M this month for only $5.95! I've worn it quite a few times this month and I really love it! I hope to find a similar necklace in silver to wear on days I wear silver jewelry!

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge / I love this sponge. I've gone through a couple of them because they do stain and get a bit grubby looking, but they work so nicely at applying foundation! Lately I've been opting for a more moisturized and glowy complexion, rather than heavy and matte as I wore during the winter months, and this sponge helps me achieve that look!

Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Marvelous Mauve / Apparently this is a highly sought-after lip product at the moment and I'm so glad I have it in my collection. I found this at Sephora at the end of February and managed to scoop up the last one in the store. Since then I haven't seen it in stock at any Sephora I've been to, so I'm lucky I got it when I did! It's a gorgeous neutral mauvey pink shade on the lips and it seriously lasts all day long. I now have 3 shades from this range and I'd love to get more!

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Bellissima / I've had this lipstick for quite a while actually (I hauled it last June) but I always thought it was too light of a lip colour for me. Well, I tried it on again this month and ended up loving how it looked! I even included it in my most recent Get Ready With Me video since I find it to be a beautiful colour for spring!

Sephora Formula X in Thrilling / I'm still on a nude polish kick, and I gave this one a try this month and really loved it. The formula and application were fantastic, and it also lasted over a week on my nails with very minimal chipping (and I was working with my hands quite a bit)! I'm so "thrilled" with this polish (see what I did there? ;) haha!).

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven / One of my goals this year was to read 1 book a month. Well, this was supposed to be my February book but I didn't end up finishing it until mid-March (whoops!). I did really enjoy this book though! It's said to be comparable to The Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor & Park (two books I enjoyed as well) and I can see the similarities in the book styles for sure. I'd say if you like YA fiction to give this one a read! It's also being made into a movie apparently so I'm excited for that!

Those are my favourites from March! What products have you been enjoying the past month?

February Favourites | 2015

Time for another monthly favourites! The end of February really snuck up on me, but I've put together some products I've enjoyed using over the past month.

COLAB Dry Shampoo / This is a product I've heard about from quite a few bloggers over the past 6 months or so as it's a dry shampoo line by YouTuber and model, Ruth Crilly of A Model Recommends. As far as I know this product is only available in drugstores in the UK, but I happened to find a few cans of it at my local Marshall's so I had to pick it up to give it a try! Before this, the only dry shampoo I had previously used is the Batiste one. I find this one left my hair feeling like it has less product buildup in it after using it compared to the Batiste dry shampoo which I really liked. It also gives nice texture to the hair and smells fantastic!

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso / One of my favourite YouTubers, NikkieTutorials, has recently started using this blush a lot and after all her raving about it I finally decided to pick it up. I've actually heard nothing but good things about this blush over the years but for some reason had always put off buying it! I'm so glad I've finally bought it though, because it really is beautiful. It's a gorgeous glowy peach blush that really adds dimension and a nice flush to the cheeks. I think this will especially be gorgeous in the summer time!

Sonia Kashuk Velvety Matte Lip Crayon in Pinky Nude / This range of lip pencils from Sonia Kashuk have become some of my favourite lip products over the past month. As some of you may know, Target Canada stores are closing down, so while I still have the chance to I've been buying some Sonia Kashuk beauty products to (finally) try since it is a Target exclusive brand. These matte lip pencils are practically dupes for the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils!! I'll be doing a post and possibly a lip swatch video featuring these sometime soon!

Essie Chinchilly / This is a new polish to my collection this month and it's absolutely gorgeous. It's the perfect balance between taupe, gray, and purple and it's stunning on the nails. I've really been into neutral nail colours lately and this is one of my new favourites!

Ikea SINNLIG Vanilla Candle / When I went to Ikea a little while ago to buy new furniture, I also picked up this vanilla candle because it was under $2. I started burning it this month and it smells absolutely amazing! It's not too strong of a vanilla scent but it has the most deliciously sweet fragrance! Next time I go to Ikea I'll definitely be buying some more!

Sonia Kashuk No. 29 Brush / This is another Sonia Kashuk product I've picked up in the past month and it's the most perfect blush brush! It's super soft and I love how the shape of the handle sits in my hand when using it. It's also just the right size for blush, not too big or too small like some of my other blush brushes are. If you're looking for a new blush brush I'd highly suggest this one!

Those are my favourites from the past month! What products were you loving in February?

January Favourites | 2015

It's time for the first monthly favourites of the year! I know everyone says this, but I can't believe the month is over already. I'm excited to share with you my favourites of the past month so let's get started!

Sali Hughes - Pretty Honest / I started reading this about halfway through the month and I absolutely love it. There's a lot of hype around this book lately but honestly it lives up to it! If you're even slightly interested in beauty I'd highly recommend giving this a read. It has tips about makeup and what products to use, but also tips on how to act at a makeup counter, what to do when you go to a salon, how to take and give compliments, and so much more. I'm currently about 80% done this book but I'll probably be finished in the next day or two!

Fall Out Boy - American Beauty/American Psycho / Fall Out Boy released a new album this month and it's fantastic. It's all that I've been listening to since it came out 10 days ago. My current favourite songs are Fourth of July and Uma Thurman.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in Fair / I used one of these concealers up last year but then moved on to other concealers. I picked up a new one this month and I had forgotten how much I love this stuff! It's super quick and easy to apply, blends in like a dream, and provides good coverage to under eye circles (and even spots in a pinch) without feeling heavy at all. I don't know how I ever went without this, but I won't make the same mistake again!

Colourpop Lippie Stix in Creature / I received a couple of Colourpop Lippie Stix for Christmas this year and they are amazing. My favourite of the two shades I got is Creature, a matte deep red. These apply wonderfully, have fantastic staying power, and for a matte are quite comfortable on the lips. I loved these so much in fact, that I placed an order last night for more! Expect a haul and swatches when I get them in the mail! (Review)

Bite Beauty BB for Lips in Tawny / This came in a Bite Beauty set I got for Christmas and I've been using it quite a bit! I'll apply this most mornings after my skincare routine and before I apply my makeup to prep my lips for the lipstick I end up applying at the end of my makeup routine. This also has a slight tint to it so I have worn it on it's own a couple of times too! It's nice and moisturizing without feeling heavy or sticky on the lips and it smells great too! (Review)

Lorac Pro 2 Palette / This has been a staple for me since I got it last month. I've used this at least a few times a week since I got it and I love it! The shadows are all gorgeous and unique shades for a neutral palette, and have incredible pigmentation. (Review)

Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer / I've had this primer in my collection for quite a while but only really started using it this past month. It came in a Smashbox gift set I picked up at Winners I believe sometime last year. I've really enjoyed using it this month though! Unlike most eye primers I use, this comes in a tube with a wand and applies to the lid similar to a concealer. It's pigmented and cancels out any discolouration on my lids and works great as a day-to-day primer!

Conair True Glow Sonic Skincare Solution Brush / This product has saved my skin I think. I started using it this month after I picked it up on sale at Target and my skin has only looked better and better since I've used it! I use this 1-2 times a day and it works great to buff off any dead skin as well as cleanse my skin. And it's much more wallet-friendly than the Clarisonic. (Review)

Tarte Tartelette Palette / Along with the Lorac Pro 2 Palette, this has been my other go-to palette for the month. It consists of 12 gorgeous matte shadows that range from warm to cool to plum-toned. This palette is ideal for everyday neutral looks, but works great in combination with other shadows and palettes too! (Review)

Julep Margit Nail Polish / I'll admit it, I've been incredibly lazy with my nails this month. I think I only painted them twice, as opposed to my usual 4-5 times. Part of that reason would be this polish! I wore it for about 2 weeks before any substantial chipping began happening, which was amazing. There was slight tip wear of course, but nothing bad enough to make me want to repaint my nails! Also the colour is a gorgeous taupe with a very slight pink sheen to it which makes it stand apart from other neutral polishes in my collection!

What were your favourite products from January? Let me know below!

December Favourites 2014

Time for the last monthly favourites post of the year!! I can't believe the year is just about over. I'm really happy I kept up with blogging for the whole year! Thanks to everyone who has followed or read my blog these past 12 months! Now, onto the faves!

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in Eastend Snob // This is a lip liner I've heard quite a bit of raving about in the beauty community lately so I thought I'd try it out. It's a great nude pink for everyday and pairs well with so many of my nude and neutral pink lipsticks! I like how it's twist-up too so I don't have to sharpen it.

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Black Dahlia // This has been my ideal vampy lip liner this past month. I've worn it with a few of my favourite deep lipsticks and it helps to keep them lasting all day long! It's really nice to apply because it's creamy enough that it doesn't drag on my lips when I apply it but it's not too creamy where it slips off my lips either.

OPI Coca Cola Red // This is hands down the best bright red polish I've tried. With just 1 coat you get amazing bright red nails perfect for the holidays!

Avon Brushed Gold nail polish // This gold nail polish is amazing. It applies opaque in 2 coats and looks incredible on the nails. Gold glittery goodness!

MAC Faux // This has been my go-to everyday nude lipstick since I got it at IMATS at the end of November. It's a really nice nude-pink that pairs well with any makeup look. I've been loving wearing it with the Rimmel Eastend Snob lip liner too!

NARS Audacious lipstick in Charlotte // Hello, new favourite lipstick. I got this lipstick this month and the formula and pigmentation is everything I dreamed it would be and more. Not only is the colour absolutely stunning, but it lasts for hours on the lips and it's really comfortable!

L'Oreal EverPure Shampoo // This month I made the switch back to sulfate-free shampoo. I noticed my hair colour was fading quite a bit with the previous shampoo I was using but once I switched to this I noticed a significant decrease in my colour fading!

First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser // On Black Friday I picked up the First Aid Beauty kit they had for $12 and I'm so glad I did. One of the products in it was the face cleanser and I've been loving it! It's super gentle on the skin but makes my skin feel really soft and clean!

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream // This is the other FAB product included in the set I got and I've used this every day this month. It's super hydrating and keeps my skin free of dry patches but it's not too thick to wear under makeup either. I love that this can be used on the face or other dry patches on the body too! When I run out of this I'll definitely be repurchasing it.

Alex & Sierra - It's About Us // Normally this time of year I'm all about Christmas music, but ever since I downloaded this album this month it's literally all I've been listening to. Alex & Sierra were the winners of the X Factor a couple of years ago and I loved them on the show. Their album is acoustic pop and so so good! Definitely worth checking out!!

That's it for my monthly favourites for the year! I'll be doing my 2014 favourites sometime soon so keep an eye out for that!

November Favourites 2014

 

Time for November favourites! I have quite a few products to go over so let's get started!

Tarte Bon Voyage Palette // One of the holiday sets I bought this year was the Bon Voyage set from Tarte. Included in this set was an eye shadow palette with 20 gorgeous purpley and neutral shadows and I've been using it so much this past month! Check out my review and swatches of the set here!

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Fair // I ran out of my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer a little while ago and instead of repurchasing it I decided to try the Fit Me concealer and it's been great! It does a fantastic job covering under eye circles as well as any redness or blemishes I may need extra coverage on. It's lightweight and doesn't crease either!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper // This year I've been buying a different liquid liner every time I run out of another. Liquid liner is part of my daily makeup routine and I'm on the hunt for the perfect one! I've liked all the ones I've tried from Sephora so far but this has to be close to the top of the list for me. Of all the liquid liner pens I've tried this is the first one with a brush tip rather than a felt tip and it is such a precise tip and application is really great. And it's super black and long wearing!

Urban Decay DeSlick Setting Spray // This is a product I've been meaning to put in my favourites for months now! I bought it back in July and it's been part of my daily routine since. I use this to set my base makeup every morning and it helps it last all day and helps my skin not get oily throughout the day. I love it!

MAC Salon Rouge Lipstick // This lipstick is a matte slightly deepened/berry-toned red lipstick that is absolutely perfect for this time of the year. It's part of MAC's holiday collection and it's absolutely beautiful. It's really long wearing as well!

Deborah Lipmann Hannah Nail Polish // This nail polish came in a set of 4 'Girls' nail polishes I found at Winners on clearance for $12. I've never watched Girls (not really interested to) but I couldn't pass up that deal for 4 full-sized Deborah Lipmann polishes! One of the ones from the set I tried in November was Hannah, a khaki hunter green with a cream finish. I love this polish colour for fall/winter!

Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil & Konjac Sponge // These two products came in my October Julep Box and I ended up really enjoying using them together! Both products are very new to me (I've never used a cleansing oil or konjac sponge) but they were great to use to remove my makeup at the end of the day. I use the konjac sponge damp and put a few pumps of the cleansing oil onto it and work the oil into my skin with the sponge and it takes off all my makeup! On most nights this month I used this and I found my skin to be super soft from the oil after cleansing as well!

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Soft Brown // This is one of the products I picked up during the Sephora VIB sale this month and I've used it daily since I got it. It's such a great brow product. It's easy to use and my brows last all day long. I really want to try the auburn shade as well from this range but I'm happy with how Soft Brown works for me too!

Bath & Body Works Pumpkin Gingerbread Candle // Hello, new favourite candle! Previous to this scent, Pumpkin Cupcake was my favourite candle scent, but this new Pumpkin Gingerbread fragrance has taken over the #1 spot for me! It's sweet and spicy at the same time and it just smells incredible. Next time you're at Bath & Body Works give it a sniff!

Mossimo Plaid Scarf from Target // My mom actually bought this scarf for me back in October for my birthday and I absolutely love it. It's oversized (and not going to lie I've used it as a blanket while on long train/bus rides) and it's so soft and keeps me nice and cozy in this cold weather we've been having!

Well, there's another monthly favourites done! And now tomorrow is December, I can't wait! Let me know what your favourites from November were below!

October Favourites 2014

 

Can you all believe it's November already? Christmas is just around the corner now, it's crazy! October was probably the best month of 2014 for me though. I got to see some friends I hadn't seen in a while, I went to some really cool shows and events, and it was my 21st birthday on the 19th! Here are some of the items I loved throughout the month!

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle / I've had this on my makeup wishlist for literally years now and I finally got it this year for my birthday! I was planning on buying it soon anyways but I had mentioned to my mom how much I wanted it and she went out and got it for me! I've used it every single day since and it's just as beautiful as I've always dreamed of it being.

Milani Color Statement Lip Liner in All Natural / I'm very slowly becoming a lip liner person, and this one is something I've used constantly this month! Whenever I've done a nude lip I've used this as a liner and to fill in my lips beforehand and it's such a beautiful brown-pink nude! It also isn't too drying as some other lip liners I've tried are. I really want to try some other lip liners from this line!

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen / This has become my go-to deep lip colour this month. It's a beautiful deep berry-burgundy-red. I love the formula of the NYX SMLC's as well since they're so long lasting and super matte!

Tarte Pin-Up Girl Blush Palette / I wrote a review on this palette a couple of weeks ago and I've been using it almost daily since I've gotten it. It's a gorgeous palette with 5 beautiful blushes. How could I go wrong?

MAC Nail Lacquer in Double Trouble / I picked this nail polish up when I was in Ohio this summer and I finally got around to using it! It's a gorgeous navy creme that's perfect for fall!

Equate Nail Polish Remover Dip / I've wanted to try something like this for a while, so when I saw this remover dip at Wal Mart for just over $2.00 I had to pick it up! It's basically a tub filled with a sponge soaked in nail polish remover and you just dip your polished fingers into the sponge to remove your nail polish! So quick and easy, I'm really glad I got this!

Buffer Festival / Lastly, my favourite thing of all this month was Buffer Festival. Buffer Festival is a YouTube film festival that took place in Toronto over the weekend of the 17th-19th (which was also my birthday weekend). I went to Buffer last year and really enjoyed it, and this year I was hired as the graphic designer for the festival so I got to see a bunch of things I designed all around Toronto and it was really, really cool. I made a little post about it on my design/photography blog here if you want to see some of the work I did! It was a really incredible weekend though.

What were some of your favourite things in October?

August Favourites 2014

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Let's Get Naked // I picked up this lipstick in August and it has very quickly become my go-to nude lipstick. It's a perfect nude-pink that isn't too pale, too deep, or too nude (to where it looks like I put concealer on my lips). It is super comfortable and moisturizing on the lips too!

Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Backstage Bambi // I love this lipstick. It's a matte bright, deep pink. It has a super matte finish, which also means it's quite dry on the lips, but it's comfortable enough that I can wear it for a whole day. It has great staying power as well!

Kat Von D Ink Liner in Trooper // Lately I've been trying a few different liquid liner pens from Sephora and I've really been enjoying this one so far! It's super black and has fantastic staying power. It has a nice felt tip that works great to create the perfect winged liner!

Julep Maddy // I got this polish in one of my recent Julep Maven boxes and it is gorgeous! It's a deep bright pink with subtle shimmer (the shimmer disappears once applied to the nails though). I wore this polish for about two weeks straight and it held up great with minimal chipping, and it only required one coat!!

OPI Incognito in Sausalito // This is a deep navy cream polish that's wonderful for the transition into fall. I'm really impatient for fall to get here so I wore this deep polish this month!

Lorac Pro Palette // I got this palette in July on my trip to the states and I can see why it's one of the most raved about palettes out there! All of the shades are so wonderfully soft and pigmented! I've loved using this palette so far!

Naked Flushed Palette in Streak // This has been my go-to cheek product this month! This palette contains a bronzer, blush, and highlight and I really love all 3 of them! It's so easy to only have to reach for 1 product to get beautifully contoured, highlighted, and blushed cheeks!

I hope you all had a great summer! What were your favourite products this past month?

July Favourites 2014

Hey guys! I've had quite a month. About half-way through the month I travelled to Ohio to visit my internet best friend and after a week there we both came back to Canada where she stayed with me for a week! So needless to say I went two weeks without blogging. But I have a bunch of posts lined up for August already so I'll be back in the swing of things! This month I don't have a ton of beauty favourites but I thought I'd share with you some things I've loved throughout July!

Fujifilm Instax Mini 7s Camera / I've had this instant camera since last summer but I had only used it a couple of times. I ended up using it a few times during the month and it was just fun to use! I definitely plan on getting more use out of this because I love the cute instant photos it takes!

Julep Vicki / I got this nail polish in my July Julep Maven box (post coming soon!) and it's just the most beautiful bright pink creme. I've had this colour on my toes for over a week now and it has barely chipped which I'm really impressed by! And I painted it on my finger nails today and most of my nails were fully opaque with just 1 coat! 

MAC Kelly Yum Yum Lipstick / This has been my go-to bright lip colour for the month of July. It's such a beautiful vibrant fuchsia! Also I love the lilac packaging.

Tarte Aqualillies Waterproof Eye & Cheek Palette / This is a palette I got last summer as part of the Aqualillies for Tarte collection and it has honestly been a favourite for this entire summer so far. It has a full-sized Amazonian Clay blush, a bronzer, a highlight, and 6 eye shadows that are all perfect for summer. I brought this on my trip as well since it's a great all-in-one travel palette! Tarte actually has just released another palette in this format for Fall 2014 and I definitely want to get my hands on it!

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette / I have talked about this palette on my blog so many times before but it's honestly my most-used eye shadow palette. This is the only other eye shadow I brought on my trip besides the Tarte palette and I probably used just this palette for 5 of the 7 days. It's just perfect in every way!

ELF Shine Eraser / These are just oil blotting sheets I got in an ELF order a while back. Over the past few weeks I've been spending a lot of long days outside and these are great to blot away any oil that's going on in my T-zone! Especially in the summer I want to refrain from applying any more powder to my face to get rid of oily spots, so these blotting sheets have been fantastic!!

Boostcase / This is a battery charging case for my iPhone I picked up before I went on my trip! It holds an extra 150% battery for your phone and it comes with a simple iPhone case to keep on your phone that the battery case attaches to whenever you want to boost your battery! This has been a lifesaver for the past few weeks and now I can't imagine not having it!

Those are all my favourites for the month of July! What were some of your favourites?

June Favourites 2014

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge / I've always been a fan of dense synthetic brushes to apply my foundation, so I was really surprised when I tried out this makeup sponge and ended up loving it! It applies my foundation so smoothly and evenly and I find application is quicker when I use this too! If you haven't tried this sponge you need to! (Review)

L'Oreal Ideal Moisture Day Lotion for Normal Skin SPF 25 / For the summer I wanted to get a new daily facial moisturizer that had an SPF. The foundation I often use (Covergirl 3 in 1) has SPF 20 but I wanted the added sun protection of a moisturizer as well. I picked this one up on a whim and I'm really enjoying it. It doesn't affect the wear time or application of my foundation on top of it and my face hasn't gotten sunburnt at all since buying it, so it must be working!

MAC Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Lorelei / This eyeshadow has been perfect for creating beautiful golden summery eye looks. It's such a beautiful peachy gold shadow, and the packaging is amazing too! (Review)

Essie Too Taboo / I bought this nail polish this month and it has been on my toes since. It's such a perfect pedicure colour! It's a beautiful bright purpley-pink that is unlike anything else in my nail polish collection and I absolutely love it!

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in 01 Light Matte / This is the star of this post in my eyes. I bought this bronzer when I saw it was on sale for 50% off at The Body Shop after wanting to try it for a while. I am so, so glad to finally have this bronzer in my life. It is by far my favourite bronzer I've ever used. It's so smooth and applies and blends so nicely. It's also the perfect light shade for my fair complexion! If you're a pale girl like myself you need to try this bronzer!!

MAC Blush in Cheeky Bugger / I picked up this blush from the MAC Osbournes collection that was released this month and it has pretty much been my daily blush since! It's a beautiful peachy shade that goes so well with any makeup look. (Swatches)

Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipstick in Just Peachy / I've owned this lipstick for a while and for some reason I had it in my mind that I didn't like how it looked on me so I never ever wore it. Well I pulled it out again this month and I've been loving it! It's a matte peach that works great with most eye looks! These lipsticks are so long-wearing too!

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer / I finally gave into the hype and picked up this concealer. I've been using it for a couple of months and I'm enjoying it! It's not too heavy of a concealer for the under eye area which is nice. I don't have too bad of dark circles so this does a good job concealing the little bit of darkness I have under my eyes.

Urban Decay Ink For Eyes Liquid Eyeliner Pen in Perversion / My Stila Stay All Day liquid liner was running low so I picked up this liner a few months ago. It took me a while to get used to it but I have really been enjoying it! Application is really easy and it's super black! I can really easily create winged liner with this too, which I do daily. It's really long wearing and doesn't fade or smudge at all throughout the day!

The Fault In Our Stars / This is a little honourable mention/non-beauty favourite that I had to throw in here. TFIOS has been my favourite book since I first read it when it was released in 2012 and the movie came out this month!! I saw the movie the night before at a 'The Night Before Our Stars' event and it was so, so good. I've seen the movie 2 more times since then and I can't get over how great the movie is. If you haven't read the book - read it; and if you haven't seen the movie - see it!

What were some of your favourite products this month? Let me know in the comments!

May Favourites 2014

Marc Anthony Healing Macadamia Oil Body Butter / This month I've been using this body butter nearly every day. It's really moisturizing and also smells amazing.

Minicci Necklace / I got this necklace from Payless this month and I've been loving wearing it. I wear a lot of black and white so I love the colour this adds to an outfit. It's not too heavy of a necklace either so I can wear it all day without it bothering me. I really want to get a couple more statement necklaces like this for summer!

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! Mascara / I got this mascara as a 100 point gift from Sephora this month and I've been loving it. I've pretty much only ever used drugstore mascaras (besides the odd sample here and there) but I'm seriously considering buying this mascara when I'm out of this sample. It makes my lashes so long and volumized!

LUSH Grease Lightning / I picked this up about a month ago and I've been using it almost every night this month as a spot treatment on blemishes. It helps clear them up and I like knowing there's no harsh chemicals in this product. It pumps out as a clear gel and I just dab it over any problem areas after washing my face at night!

NYX Mauve Blush / I'm a big fan of the NYX blushes and I picked up a new one this month! Mauve is a soft warm pink with a matte finish. It's such a lovely everyday shade that works with any look. It's also very nicely pigmented and lasts all day!

Marc Jacobs Honey Perfume / I got such a great deal on this perfume this month. I found it at Costco for only $50, when at Sephora this size of the fragrance retails for over $100! It has notes of pear, juicy mandarin, orange blossom, peach nectar, apricot, honeysuckle, honey, golden vanilla, and smooth woods. It's such a nice, fresh and fruity fragrace that is so perfect for the summery weather we've been having lately. And the bottle is too cute!

eBay Angled Synthetic Brush / I got some brushes from eBay in the mail this month and they're basically knock-offs of the Sigma Sigmax line. I'll be posting a full review on them but I've been really loving this angled synthetic brush for my foundation! It blends the foundation into my skin really smoothly and easily and makes applying my foundation quite fast!

MAC Mangrove Lipstick / I have completely fallen in love with this lipstick. I was never an orange lipstick person before this lovely tube came into my life but now I'm obsessed. This is such a beautiful matte orange-red. I feel like this lipstick really suits my complexion which I was surprised by! It also stays on for hours and hours. (Review)

Essie First Timer / I got this nail polish last spring but I wore it again this month and I had forgotten how much I love this polish! The polish is such a unique and beautiful colour. It applies smoothly and opaque in 2 coats and lasts quite well without chipping.

Urban Outfitters Dreamy / This nail polish is a beautiful powder blue/periwinkle polish with a very slight silver shimmer throughout it. I love periwinkle shades for nails and this is no exception! It did chip fairly quickly but I don't mind painting my nails often anyway.

Rx7 25mm Curling Wand / I got this curling wand for my 19th birthday (hauled here) but over the past couple of years I was only using it maybe 2-3 times a year. I used to be really slow at curling my hair but this month I've been experimenting some more with it and I've started curling it quicker by doing larger sections. Now I curl my hair a couple times a week and I love how it looks! You can see some pictures of my curled hair on my instagram!

What were some of your favourite products this month? Let me know below!

April Favourites 2014

Another month has passed and it's time to share my monthly favourites with you! April was quite the month for me. I finished my internship and college this month, then I went through an awful week with an ear infection, and now the month is already over! I did get quite a few beauty products this month which I have absolutely fallen in love with though!

OPI I Just Can't Cope-acabana / This polish was released with OPI's Brazil collection for Spring 2014. It's the perfect yellow nail polish. I don't know what else to say about it! The formula is fantastic, being very creamy and opaque and the colour is just bright enough. (Swatch)

Urban Decay Naked Basics / I bought this palette during the Sephora 15% off sale and I am so, so glad I did. I've had my eye on this palette since it was first released but put off buying it for some reason. Since I've bought it though, I've used just this palette to do my eyeshadow nearly every single day. It's very quickly become a staple for me! (Review)

H&M Lip Tint in Hot Pink / I picked this up on a whim this month and it really, really surprised me. This product is similar to an OCC Lip Tar in that you only need a little bit of product to get a bright, opaque lip colour. It was also very long wearing! I'll be posting a review on this soon and I hope to buy more of these too! 

C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve / I bought this at Bath and Body Works as part of a 3 for 10 deal just because I needed a third thing, and I ended up loving it. It's a balm that can be used on the lips, but can also be used on dry skin or cuticles. I've mostly used it as a lip balm so far, but it is very hydrating and feels fantastic on the lips!

MAC x Proenza Schouler Blush Ombre in Ocean City / I know, I know. I've had this blush for all of what? Three days? But I am already so in love with this blush, I couldn't not include it. Since the promo images for this collection were released I've been dreaming of this blush and I'm so thrilled with it. (Review)

MAC Lipstick in Toying Around / This lipstick is part of the Playland collection MAC recently released and it's my perfect summer shade. I've worn it a few times already and it's the most gorgeous bright coral lipstick. I'll be wearing it all spring and summer long! (Review)

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak / This is the other product I bought from Sephora during their 15% off sale. I still haven't posted my review of it yet but this has very quickly become my go-to everyday lipstick. It's a bright enough shade that it's not boring or too neutral on the lips, but it's a very easy shade to wear and looks good with any look. And I love the formula and packaging of it too!

Julep Nail Polish in Monaco / I got this nail polish in my March Julep Maven box and it's a gorgeous bright blue creme. I've worn it in two manicures in the past month or so which you can see here and here! I love the formula of Julep polishes too. They apply smoothly and opaque, and last a long time without chipping!

Bath & Body Works Candles in Coconut Leaves and Tiki Beach / I bought these candles when Bath & Body Works was doing a buy 1 get 1 free candle sale one day. These candles are both so tropical smelling and I love burning them at the same time! Coconut Leaves is described as "a tropical fusion of juicy tangerine and papaya that gives way to soothing coconut and vanilla notes". Tiki Beach is described as "a luxurious blend of toasted coconut, vanilla musk, and orchids".

March Favourites 2014

Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral Matte Palette / I bought this palette back in November but have never featured it on my blog. It's a fantastic palette with 12 matte neutral shadows that perfectly compliment any neutral look! A lot of palettes lack matte shadows so this really comes in handy to go with some of the shimmery palettes I have and love!

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Audacious / I've been loving this matte balm in Audacious. Last month Elusive was in my monthly favourites and that has been a favourite this month as well, but I've been loving using this bright orange-coral shade!

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Lemon / I heard about this lipbalm from xsparkage on YouTube, as she's always raving about it. I was at Sephora one day and saw it by the checkout so I thought I'd pick one up! I definitely see what Leesha loves about this balm. It's so intensely moisturizing and it also smells amazing. I like to apply it at night before bed so I wake up with moisturized lips!

Bioré Blemish Fighting Astringent / I started using this astringent this month and I've been blown away by the results I've had with it. I've been using the Clean & Clear Deep Cleaning Astringent for Sensitive Skin ever since I was a preteen and started using acne-treating products and I feel like my skin has become immune to it or something because I never noticed any results from it anymore. On a whim I decided to try something new and this astringent clears up blemishes on my face so, so quickly. It also came with a bonus pack of blackhead strips which is always good!

Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfume / I got this perfume for my birthday in the fall but haven't worn it much since then since it is quite a spring fragrance. But now that it's officially spring I've been wearing it a lot more! I love this fragrance, it's so fresh and lovely!

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette / When I got my Naked3 palette last month I used it nearly everyday for an entire month.  I wanted to wear something different this month, so I broke out my old favourite Naked2 palette! For the month of March I wore a lot of this palette, but still enjoyed wearing my Naked3, just not quite as often as I'd worn it in February.

MAC Ronnie Red Lipstick / I bought this wonderful lipstick from a shop on Instagram and I'm so glad I did. It's such a beautiful cool matte red and I can't get enough of the packaging!

Sally Hansen Hard as Wraps Hardener / I started using this as a base for my manicures this month and my nails look so much better. My nails were really dry and always peeling and cracking, but they're much more solid and healthy now!

Julep Rae Nail Polish / This came in my March Julep Maven box and it's Julep's take on the Pantone Colour of the Year - Radiant Orchid. It's such a beautiful colour for spring!

February 2014 Favourites

Time for my February beauty favourites! This month I tried out quite a few new products that I really ended up loving.

Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Fortifying Conditioner // I've been using this conditioner for the past couple of months and I love it so much. It's really moisturizing and smells absolutely amazing too. I have used the shampoo that goes with it as well which I really enjoyed too!

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser // I've been using this every single day since I bought it. It helps blur the appearance of pores on my face and makes a nice smooth base for my foundation! (Review)

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink // I love Maybelline Color Tattoos and this shade goes so beautifully with my Naked3 Palette. I've used this nearly every day this month!

CoverGirl Clump Crusher Waterproof Mascara // This is an old favourite of mine. I used up a tube of it last year but haven't repurchased it since, so I picked up another one and was reminded of how much I absolutely love it. It adds beautiful volume and length to my lashes with absolutely no clumps! (Review)

Rimmel Colour Rush Balm in Sun Kissed // I love these Colour Rush balms! They're so moisturizing and come in such pretty colours! (Review)

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Elusive // This has been my go-to lip product this month. It's a beautiful shade and doesn't feel drying at all on my lips. This never leaves my handbag since I wear it all the time!

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Intense Black // I only got this in the last couple of weeks but it's already a favourite of mine. It's so pigmented and long lasting, I absolutely love this liner! (Review)

Sigma F80 Brush // I got this brush around Black Friday last year but I never really got into using it on a daily basis until this month. I've really been enjoying it with my Revlon ColorStay foundation though and I definitely understand all the hype around these brushes!

Urban Decay Naked3 Palette // Last but most certainly not least, my wonderful Naked3 palette. I have probably used this palette (without any other accompanying eye shadows) for 25 of the 28 days in February. It's so beautiful and creates the prettiest looks. I absolutely love it! (Review)

What were your favourite beauty products in February? Have you tried any of the ones I mentioned above?

June Favourites!

June was a really good month makeup-wise for me. Since I now have a job I was able to splurge a bit more on some products I've wanted and I've loved everything I've gotten recently! Here are my favourite products from June!

1. Rio Rumberry Triple Moisture Body Cream (Bath & Body Works) // I picked this body cream up at the B&BW semi-annual sale for only $4 and it is seriously fantastic. I put it on my arms and legs after I shower and it has a lovely scent and makes my skin super soft! It absorbs really quickly into my skin as well and leaves no greasy residue. I will definitely be buying this cream in more scents in the future! (Hauled)

2. CoverGirl 3 in 1 Foundation // I just realized that I also put this foundation in my May Favourites but I guess I just love it that much! As you can see, I've already used up most of it. This foundation is a great foundation, especially for the summer. It has SPF 20 in it and has great lasting power. The coverage is medium-full which I prefer and it makes my skin look fantastic!

3. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder // I picked this up this month and have seriously been loving it. It's a very finely milled powder and does a great job of mattifying my face without making it look cakey at all. It's light on the skin and looks very natural!

4. OPI Rainbow Connection // I found this nail polish for 50% off at Trade Secrets this month and I'm so glad I got it. It's rainbow glittery goodness. (NOTD)

5. OPI Red Lights Ahead...Where? // This is such a gorgeous red nail polish. It's the perfect summer red since it's brighter than the average red nail polish! I currently have this on my fingers and toes too! (NOTD)

6. Julep Martha // This came in my June Julep Maven box and it is such a lovely creamy pale pink nail polish! I loved wearing this with OPI Rainbow Connection too! (NOTD)

7. Maybelline Vivids Lipstick in Shocking Coral // I've only had this for about a week but I love it so much already. It's a gorgeous bright pinky coral, is moisturizing and comfortable on the lips, and lasts for hours. And I love the colour of the tube! What's not to love? (Hauled)

8. MAC Flamingo Lipstick (All About Orange Collection) // This is my first MAC lipstick and I honestly couldn't have picked a better colour. It's such a pretty light coral lipstick that I've been wearing almost daily. (Swatches/Review)

9. MAC Royal Sunset Blush (All About Orange Collection) // I bought this when I bought Flamingo lipstick and this is also my first MAC blush! It's a beautiful light peachy coral that gives such a nice colour to the cheeks. I love it! (Swatches/Review)

10. Maybelline Color Tattoos // I've become addicted to Color Tattoos this month. I finally bought my first one this month and very shortly after I picked up 2 more. The shades I have are Bad To The Bronze, Barely Beige, and Bold Gold. They're so pigmented and smooth and long lasting, I love them! (Swatches/Review)

11. Aqualillies for Tarte Eye & Cheek Palette // I got this from Sephora this month and it's literally all I've worn on my eyes and for my highlight. I've also used the blush and bronzer in here a handful of times but my main loves are the eyeshadows and the cheek highlight! I don't think I've touched my Naked2 palette since I got this and that says a lot (I still love it though of course). It's my perfect summer palette! (Swatches/Review)

May Favourites

It's time for another monthly favourites post! Sorry I've been slacking on posts this week. I started my job at Target and worked 7 out of the past 8 days for 8.5 hours a day so I've been quite exhausted after work every day. But this week I only work 3 shifts so I should be posting more!

Beauty Secrets Acetone Nail Polish Remover // My first favourite is this acetone nail polish remover I got from Sally's. I had run out of the previous nail polish remover I was using so I went to Sally's to get this! It's a moisturizing formula so it doesn't dry out my cuticles too bad and it has a slightly fruity sweet scent!

Bath & Body Works Espresso Bar Candle // My favourite candle this month has been my Espresso Bar candle! It smells like you're in a coffee shop and is so delicious. I don't drink coffee but I love the smell of it!

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation // For summer time I wanted to try a new foundation with SPF in it! I would've continued using Revlon Nearly Naked because of how light it feels, but it doesn't have SPF! This foundation has SPF 20! It also has fantastic coverage and great lasting power. I really like this foundation so far! And I love that it has a pump!

NYX Blushes in Peach and Taupe // I got these blushes this month and I have literally used them every single day since I got them. Peach is such a pretty matte pink blush. I use a small duo-fibre brush to apply it so it doesn't go on too bright and can build up the colour to what I want! And Taupe is a fantastic contouring shade!

NYX Single Eyeshadow in True Taupe // I also got this eyeshadow this month and it has quickly become a staple in my eyeshadow routine. It works amazingly at blending out any deep crease colour and looks lovely smudged along the lower lashline for subtle definition!

Elf Cream Eyeliner & Angled Eyeliner Brush // I've begun using cream eyeliner this month since I got this one from Elf and it really is fantastic. The brush makes application really easy and I can make precise lines and sharp wings! I really, really love this eyeliner.

NYX Slide On Pencil in Azure // I love using this eyeliner to pop some colour along the lower lashline. Especially when I wear gold eyeshadow on my eyelids! It makes for such a pretty, summery look!

Marc by Marc Jacobs iPhone Case // I forgot to include this in the group photo above of everything, but I got this phone case this month and I am so, so in love with it. I don't think it's a real, authentic Marc Jacobs iPhone case, but I don't mind because I got it for only $5 on eBay! It feels like really nice quality and it's so cute!

That about wraps up my monthly favourites for May! What have some of your favourites been this month?

April Favourites

How is April already over? This year is going by way too fast. I am however very excited about the spring weather we're finally getting! I could do without all the rain, but at least it's not snow anymore! And with spring comes lots and lots of coral in my beauty routine! Here are some of my favourite products from the month of April!

Smashbox Studio Pop Ultimate Palette // First is this amazing palette that I picked up this month. I've been using the eyeshadows in it nearly every day since I bought it, and have been absolutely loving the blushes as well! I could rave about this palette all day long, but if you'd like to read more and see tons of photos and swatches, check out my review I did in parts 1, 2, and 3!

Elf Eyebrow Kit in Medium // I just got this about a week ago but I already love it! I've desperately been in need of a new eyebrow filler since the eyeshadow I've been using is almost gone and has since been discontinued, so I picked this kit up from ELF and it's fantastic! The tinted wax is great at filling in the gaps in my brows and shaping them, and the powder helps set everything into place! This doesn't fade or smudge at all throughout the day and keeps my brows looking great!

Covergirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Coral Twist // I love coral lip products, especially in the springtime, which is why I recently bought this gloss balm in a coral shade! I love how easy this pencil is to apply to the lips, and the subtle coral colour it gives my lips is lovely. I also love that I can build up the colour to be a brighter coral if I want to! This product is really light and moisturizing on the lips as well and is just a really great low maintenance, everyday lip product. I reviewed and swatched it here!

Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya // I am so in love with this lip butter. It has constantly been on my lips since I got it and I couldn't imagine not having it in my life. It gives my lips a hint of a peachy-pink colour and wonderful shine. I could seriously talk about how much I love this lip butter all day long, so I won't bore you. It's wonderful. See my review and swatch post here!

Rimmel London Kate Moss Lipstick in 06 // This is a product that was on my wishlist for this month and I am so glad I bought it. It's a gorgeous hot pink lipstick. It's perfect for a bold lip colour for spring and summer! I love the formula of these lipsticks too! See my swatches and review here!

China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy // My love of coral for the spring isn't just for my lips, I love coral nail polish too! I just got this nail polish last week but it's one I've had my eye on for quite a while and I'm so happy to finally have it in my collection. This polish is so perfect for summer. It's insanely bright (the photo doesn't do it justice) but it's so, so pretty. I created nail art using this polish which you can see here!

OPI I Eat Mainely Lobster // This is another new polish to my collection and I believe it's my favourite coral in my collection. It's more red than a lot of my other corals but I think that's why I love it so much. I love how it looks with my complexion and the subtle shimmer in it gives off the prettiest shine. See my NOTD of it here!

What were some of your favourite products this month? I'd love to know!

March Favourites

Once again it's time for my monthly favourites! This month is kind of a mixture of some new products I've been loving, and some older ones I've rediscovered!

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette (Suspect + Snakebite) // I love this palette. don't think I've gone more than a week without using this palette since I got it for my birthday back in October, but I often switch up the shadows I use in it! This month I've been wearing Suspect and Snakebite a lot! I'll put Suspect on the inner half of my lid, and Snakebite on the outer half and in my crease!

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in 110 Ivory // I've been using Revlon Colorstay foundation for about a year now but I wanted to try this one out after seeing some great reviews of it! I really like how this foundation looks and feels on my skin. It doesn't have as much coverage as Colorstay, but for day-to-day wear it's great! I also do get a bit oily on my chin when wearing this foundation but I only have to blot once or twice throughout the day so it's not too bad. This will be a great foundation for the summer time because of how light it feels on my skin! I'd still love to try the Nearly Naked powder as well!

Wet n Wild Megalast Lipstick in Stoplight Red // I got this lipstick last month from Nonpariel Boutique online with a few other of the lipsticks from this line and I have been so impressed with them. I wore this lipstick out the other day and wore it into the night when I went out and it lasted so well. I did have to touch-up a little bit after eating, but that's expected when wearing lipsticks. I was wearing this for roughly 10 hours though and it didn't cause me any discomfort at all, it didn't feather out of my lip line (and I wasn't wearing lipliner under it), and it didn't dry out my lips since it is a matte formula! This might just be my new favourite red lipstick. I swatched it here if you'd like to see!

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Coral Queen // I got this lipstick this month and I love it so much. It's the perfect bright coral lipstick for spring and summer. The colour is buildable so you can wear a sheerer wash of colour if you prefer, but can layer it to be super bright. The formula is also really moisturizing and comfortable! You can see swatches of it here!

Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake // This is something I've had since last summer but just rediscovered this month! This colour is a light pink that is perfect if you just want a little bit of colour on your lips. This stayed in my school bag for most of the month and was perfect to have if I wanted something light and comfortable on my lips!

OPI You're Such A Budapest // I only got this nail polish about a week ago but I am already so in love with it. It's probably in my top 5 nail polishes I own now. It's the perfect pastel periwinkle and it will be on my nails a ton this spring and summer for sure. I swatched it in a NOTD post here!

Slatkin & Co. Caribbean Escape Candle // I bought this candle on Boxing Day and oh my goodness I am obsessed with it. I've been waiting for spring & summer to burn it since it's such a summery scent, and now that I've started burning it, I can't stop. It is the most delicious smell ever. The description of the scent on the Bath & Body Works website says "Dive into this blend of tropical melon, raspberry nectar, and lemon mellowed by creamy coconut milk and raw sugarcane for a fragrant and exotic escape." If you like sweet, fruity scents you need to get this. I only have the 4oz. candle but as soon as I make my way through this one I'll be going out to get the 3-wick version of it.

What were some of your favourite products this month? Have you tried any of the products I mentioned? Also, Happy Easter everyone!