Tuesday 31 December 2013

NYE 2013 .:. Commitment: Here Goes!!

Write a new post everyday in January...?

Commitment.

It usually involves someone relying on you for something or having to fulfill a role or obligation. It's a kind of promise, and those I don't take so lightly. (...so I guess, if anything, you know I keep my promises haha)
This is why I have difficulty with commitments sometimes.
The struggle.

But, today is New Years Eve, and I've been thinking lately that I'd like to do something - have a project of some kind - and came to thinking about my blog! I used to love reading and writing, but as I got older and started University, more things started taking up my time. But now that I've graduated, I've been trying to do other things that I've been wanting to do, and writing is one of them!

So, I came up with (just today), that I'm going to try my damnedest to:
Post everyday of January 2014...!!
(You have my permission to constantly remind me if I start slacking)

Thursday 21 November 2013

The Sweater Weather Tag!



1. Favorite candle scent?
¤ I don't actually use candles! I think because when I was younger I was scared of accidentally ever catching something on fire since I was kiiiind of a clumsy child...but I've been thinking about maybe buying a Christmas-y scented one for the holidays, just to have around the house for an hour at a time.

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?

¤ Hot Chocolate. Whipped Cream. Chocolate Flakes. Mmmmmm......

3. What's the best fall memory you have?

¤ I think, maybe, school time...?...! Growing up I always looked forward to school. I'd go back-to-school shopping as early as I could, have my mom drop me off at Staples/Walmart and just spend hours going through all the new gel pens, notebooks, smelly markers, pencil topers, geometry sets, duo-tangs, etc, etc, etc. And there were always the events my school had for Halloween and all of the pre-Christmas hype... good times indeed. Ahh, nostalgia... :)

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner?

¤ Winged Eyeliner - I've been using Sephora's Colour Proof Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in 01 Black and Rimmel's Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Black. Sometimes do a wing, not always, but just in general, I prefer eyeliner to dark lips on me. (But if you can work it, go 'head!!)

5. Best fragrance for fall?

¤ Vermont Sugar Maple from Bath & Body Works - We just recently got a Bath & Body Works in the city where I live, and after hearing so many people saying "I got this," or "I got that from BBW", I thought I'd check it out. I have allergies to... really, any, fragrance scents, :S so never have worn a perfume or body spray, HOWEVER, when I saw and smelt the pocket sized hand sanitizers I was psyched! The Vermont Sugar Maple reminds me of the smell of a hazelnut latté - so sweet and delicious - and the best part is, the scent slowly fades. 

6. Favorite Thanksgiving food?
¤ Mashed Potatoes & Gravy... SO GOOD! Even though Canadian Thanksgiving has already come and gone, I'm seriously considering just making a mini-Thanksgiving dinner myself too.


7. What is autumn weather like where you live?
¤ No snow but it gets really chilly and there's frost outside every morning - I kinda prefer the warmer weather :D not a huge fan of how static-y everything gets and wearing glasses, you walk inside after being in the cold and BAM! You can't see.


8. Most worn sweater?

¤ Navy & Burgundy chunky knit sweater from Forever 21 (I'll try and add a picture of it here in the next day or two!) - Their sweaters, I mean, there's just SO many of them and they're affordably priced too, so they're a great fit for me! ;)

9. Must-have nail polish this fall?

¤ OPI DS Extravagance - Deep burgundy w/ a subtle sparkle
¤ OPI DS Classic - Warm gold w/ a subtle sparkle
¤ Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Midnight Sky - Dark silver/grey with a slight metallic sheen

10. Football games or jumping in leaf piles?
¤ Jumping in leaf piles! - Football just seems like it takes so long, like an hour for a couple minutes of play in some instances... whoa.


11. Skinny jeans or leggings?
¤ Skinny Jeans - They're a bit warmer in the cold weather. Thinking of getting some chunkier knit tights this winter though. Jeggings are nice too sometimes!


12. Combat boots or Uggs?
¤ Oh man, if I could style combat boots, then those hands down! (styling attempts in progress)


13. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype?
¤ Not sure, haven't had it before. Wasn't ever really a fan of the taste of pumpkin **don't hate me**


14. Favorite fall TV show?

¤ The Goldbergs! - Seriously guys! The episodes are only ~25 mins, you should check 'em out! :D

15. What song really gets you into the fall spirit?

Hmm... songs I've really been liking lately are:
¤ Team by Lorde - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g03b4U_aPk
¤ Counting Stars by One Republic - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT_nvWreIhg



Well, that was fun. :) Nice way to ease back on into writing some good 'ol blog posts!

Till next time,
TCTTFN!

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Makeup Haul TRIO: Maybelline & NYC

I haven't been able - or rather, I haven't let myself buy any new makeup for a couple of months now due to my current unemployed-ness... however, I figured it'd been long enough, after all, it could come in handy during a future job interview, right? ... yes!


I also thought I'd maybe experiment a bit more with "the look" and got to thinking, I really could chop all my hair of and dye it red and it really wouldn't have a negative effect on anything I'm currently doing. Strange feeling really, kind of reminds me of a Jack's Gap video I saw a while back - as a result of a happier circumstance - but, you get the gist.
Just so many options.
So here goes, the mini haul!
----------

The Finds:

1. Maybelline Fit Me Shine Free Foundation Stick - 330 Toffee Caramel
Oooooo...!!
Ahhhhh....!!
WHY?
I've never worn foundation - liquid or powder - except very, very special occasions, so I thought why not give it a go. I had heard of this 'stick' before and seen it while on my typical drugstore/walmart-run, and had even had fun with the 'Testers' to find my shade, but, even though I liked it, I just didn't think I'd use it enough to make it worth it. The other day however, it went on sale, and that was good enough for me!

AND SO?

- Blends very well! (As long as you get close to your skin tone, it should look just fine because of this)
- Light coverage - won't replace a concealer if you use one
- Mattifying formula isn't harsh looking (still have dimension on your face - not that harsh thank goodness :)! )
- The stick will last a while (partly due to the fact that I'll only use 2 or 3 short strokes on days I want to do full makeup haha)
- And, being able to throw it in your bag & go. <3

Y/N: I'd buy it again maybe when I eventually get through this one


----------

2. Maybelline The Rocket - 401 Very Black 

Loved the packaging
Solid plastic-tip bristles
WHY?
I found myself standing in the middle of the cosmetics aisle in Target, quickly googling each mascara that I saw for under $10, trying to gauge what people thought of them all (Makeup Alley was a good summary database), but nothing stood out. After about 15 minutes walking slowly up the aisles, I finally just picked a random one that I had seen once or twice on YouTube, and hoped for the best!

AND SO?

- Grabs each lash right from the root & separates really well!
- Doesn't irritate my eyes (I try and buy hypo-allergenic when I can)
- Doesn't clump or leave lashes feeling hard (Benefit's They're Real! did for me)
- Adds length, not so much volume
- Best mascara I've bought in a very long time!
- And, look at that blue & pink. <3

Y/N: I'D BUY IT (Again)!


----------

3. NYC Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm - 353 Pink Lady
Compact packaging
Light apple-shaped core
WHY?
I'd almost given up on finding a pink/natural looking colour for my lips. I've swatched lip balms, lip butters, lip glosses, lipsticks, lip stains, and nothing I'd come across looked right :(. Having somewhat darker skin (think Christina Millian's complexion), naturally my lips are darker than a light pink shade, which I find either the colour doesn't show up enough, or it looks different on than it does in the package... tricky, tricky. On a whim, I saw the NYC products on sale, and decided to pink up this lip balm for $2.99, and if worse came to worse, it was only some change :)

AND SO?
- Best. Pink. Yet. (Best I've ever tried!!)
- Light & natural looking but still shows up (more than a L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm, less than a Revlon Lip Butter)
- The subtlest of sparkle (subtle meaning you'd have to be up close and personal to even tell)
- Smells deliciously sweet indeed
- Good for work, school, or day-to-day wearing
- Does not have any added benefit for dry lips so continue using one if you have one (ie. EOS balms)
- And, look at that apple core. <3

Y/N: I'D BUY IT (Again)!


TCTTFN :)

Thursday 19 September 2013

Go Offline & Outside :)

During high school, I wasn't interested in buying makeup or extra clothes. It really wasn't until University that I actually found it fun to spend a few hours at the mall, looking back on it, I'm happy about that :)
I spent my time outside either on my farm or playing new sports, while some of my other classmates took to the mall, quite well.

When I started thinking about it, my mind drifted to the internet, and how it's the biggest culprit for distracting people now a days from exploring the real world! There's a lot to see and do out there (and not just look at through a computer screen).
I feel like because computers and the internet are so entwined with our everyday lives, that it sometimes can even seem like a challenge for some people to find other things to do which is a strange thought.
I guess because it wasn't even an option when I was younger, coming up with things to do didn't seem as hard at the time, but I think it's still important to spend time thinking about those other things, if not even more so now.

Try sitting down for 30 minutes before bed or on your way home, and write a list of things that you've always wanted to learn more about or how to do or places you've always wanted to go! What a broad concept though, hey? "What do you want to do?" Hmmmmm...

  • Take inspiration from your Tumblr/Twitter accounts - what do you repost? Food, fashion, quotes?
  • Is there something unique about the town you live in? What would someone describe it as in 3 words?
  • What teams are you a part of right now? Sports teams, after-school programs, art classes?
  • Is there something that someone you know can do well that you wish you could do too?
  • What makes you happy? :)

Build off of these things and try to be creative!
Always wanted to be more athletic? Join your local intramural sports team;
Reblog those tumblr and instagram pictures people take of their food? Learn how to cook;
Love to learn about new countries and read travel blogs? Work towards being able to travel somewhere!

Have a little talk with yourself and go try something new! :) 9 out of 10 times, if it's fun, safe, and legal (I felt the need to throw that in there haha), you'll be glad you at least tried. And if not, you can just add it to your list of memories to look back on down the road <3



TCTTFN :)

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Friday 13 September 2013

I've never been great with diaries... oops!

Hi there!

So, it's not that I haven't thought about this blog at all, it's just, wow procrastination is a hard one to beat!!

Haha, but seriously, I'm constantly coming up with new ideas to write about and take pictures of for this blog, and just had been so busy with my last semester of school, I slipped up on actually following through...! :(

I have loads of ideas, and now that I've graduated University (!!) I'm going to make a real effort to post here on a regular basis, because I know it's something I really would like to do & hope you guys find it  interesting or even helpful in some way! :)

That's all for now guys ~ Looking forward to posting more content!!

TCTTFN!

P.S. I've also updated my Music page too ~ There are some great new songs out these days!
;)

Tuesday 23 July 2013

Empties!

Review
Today turned out to be a 'cleaning' day and I started to came across a few empty containers & used-up product bottles, and I'd usually think one of two things: "I really need to remember to buy this again", or, "That literally took me ages to finish...!"
I've seen a ton of reviews for products online - comments on product websites & video reviews on YouTube - and I find them extremely helpful :)
Some beauty bloggers out there seem to buy new makeup & products like every other day (..!!) and though I use their reviews to make some of my purchase decisions, I wonder what their absolute favourites are that they buy over & over again?

Here are some of the things I've used up recently!

EOS Lip balm
Mint

So good. These are so good. I currently have four (the 3 in the picture + a red one) and I must say, they last a really long time! They have such cute packaging too - so easy to just through in your bag or car and carry around for the day. For me, I find the Mint one works the best, but the others smell so good, I had to pick them up & give them a go too.
 LUSH Lemony Flutter
Cuticle Butter

This was the first  thing that I ever bought from LUSH. As you might have seen from one of my last posts, I like all things nail polish related, so I thought I'd try this and see if it made any notable difference! It smelled very lemony just  as you'd expect, and the consistency is extremely thick. The product worked alright as cuticle butter, but for me, I found it didn't make a huge difference - glad I bought it to try though!

Jergens Ultra Care
Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer

Moisturizer are right behind lip balms in my list of hardest-products-to-find...!! I don't really like the feeling of greasy lotion, so usually I just avoid it all together ... and then I found THIS. Every since I bought & used this moisturizer I haven't needed to buy any other kind - it's amazing! 
Maybelline Expert Eyes
Oil Free Make-Up Remover

I've never stuck to just one make-up remover ALTHOUGH I do only tend to wear eye make-up (no foundation, rarely ever  bronzer or blush), so that cuts down on having to buy really expensive all-over face make-up removers. I liked that this Maybelline one was really inexpensive & I could buy it at Walmart, London Drugs, Shoppers, Pharmasave, wherever really :) All in all, it worked well and the pros definitely outweighed the cons - I bought another one when I ran out. 
LUSH The Comfortor
Bubble Bar
First bath product from LUSH that I'd ever bought! At first, every time I walked past a LUSH store I couldn't really stand the smell (I have pretty bad allergies & strong fragrances just give me a headache) BUT I kept seeing review after review about their products so I thought I'd give it a go. When I bought it, the lady in the store suggested I get it cut into 8 pieces so that's what I got. I really like this bar turns the water a transparent pink colour & smells sweet instead of florally :) Makes tons of bubbles too which makes it seem like quite the indulgence - Definitely will buy again!


Maybelline Master Drama
Eye Liner

The best pencil-like eyeliner. Hands. Down. Super easy to apply & is the best for your water line - I don't do my top tight line because, honestly, it kinda scares me :S so I'll use either a liquid/felt-tip or this same liner for my top lash line. I have the black & brown one of these but the brown one doesn't really show on my eyes as much so I use the black (Midnight Master), but good to know it comes in other colours too - Bought another one of these as soon as I knew I was running low! 


Thanks for reading guys! Hopefully I'll do another one of these in the near future!

TCTTFN :)

Monday 15 April 2013

Leaving the Country :)

University graduation in 4 months you say?

.
.
.



--  --

(SO READY FOR THIS! :) )

Sunday 14 April 2013

REVIEW: Nail Polishes!

My Nail Polish Collection! 

I was looking at my nail polish collection the other day and I decided that I think I might have enough colours (... for now at least haha)
After a long day at school or work, just sitting down and painting my nails seems so relaxing. Some of my friends say it's hard to make their nail polish look perfect and they don't like waiting for it to dry, which I totally understand!
^ Those were the reasons I had for not painting my nails for so long before.
I have about 50+ different polishes right now, although I really do think I'm gonna hold off buying any more for a while because I should use the ones I have already... yes.
I know some people might think "Why would someone have so many?!", but I really don't stock up on any other products & the polishes themselves last a really long time compared to say, a magazine that you just read once or something (... and the colours are just so pretty!)

So I thought I'd list a few of my current favourites & let you know what I thought of them :) 

--  --

Top 5 Favourites ATM:




CG Shocking Pink

The most neon pink colour I've been able to find for sure - About a month after I picked this one up, I went back and picked up 2 more in case they discontinued it! Turns out its one of their more popular colours, so I still come across a few here & there. Definitely a favourite of mine ALL year round :)


Sally Hansen Celeb City

I love this colour because it's not just a matte silver - it's metallic & has specks of silver in it which makes it really pretty in the sun! Because it's just a solid silver colour it also goes with any outfit & looks nice in the summer or winter/holiday season!


Sally Hansen Pacific Blue

One of THE best blue opaque colours I have ever bought! It also has a natural 'shine' when you put it on, even without a top coat (which is a nice step to skip if I'm in a rush!). It's definitely one of the boldest colours I have, but still a favourite!



Sally Hansen Violet Voltage

I usually wear this after I've worn neon bright colours for awhile because it's quite a bit lighter & has a pearly sheen. Just in general, I really really like that all of the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear polishes that I have are opaque after just one coat - Cuts down on application time & dries a lot quicker!




CG Flip Flop Fantasy

This one's the most recent nail polish that I bought - It's a neon colour like the CG Shocking Pink except it's definitely more of a coral. I've already worn it once and it's really pretty! Also, because of being so neon it'll be awesome for the summer! 




Side Note: The best top coat I've found so far is Seche Vite; It makes the polish super shiny & doesn't chip for at least a week - even on the really stubborn neon colours (bonus!). I picked it up at London Drugs for about $14.

Also, I don't usually use a base - I know I probably should - but I make sure to take really good care of my nails before & after I paint them! If I do use a base, I'll use OPI Nail Envy or any random drugstore base.




Friday 12 April 2013

Thesaurus

So ... I was thinking, what should the title of my first blogpost be?
Something creative?
Deep?
Funny?
Meaningful?
Something that I'll look back on and say: "Oh yes, oh yes she was really thinking then. Really thought that one through."

After watching about an hours worth of Say Yes to the Dress while listening to my iPod and browsing for clothes online, I came to the most obvious solution which is to do what I always do when I've got a paper to write: I'll use thesaurus.com!

(This may or may not be quite accurate)

I'm not really sure if other students even use a thesaurus or if my usage is above average for someone who *cough* should be more than proficient in the english language, but that baby is a University paper-saver.

Anyways, long story short, there weren't any words that I really thought described it well, or were unique enough, you know?
So, 'Thesaurus' it is!

I've never written a blog before. I have the usual Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr ... LinkedIn (just so professional) ... and I used to have a freewebs website if that counts? Haha
But I've never written full posts about the random things I come across, use, think of, experience, listen to, want to share, etc. and it came to me: a Blog!

I'm really excited to have this brand new blank canvas of 'website', so thank you to anyone whose kept reading! Much appreciated! :)

Do you have a blog?
I only know of a couple to be honest, but if you have one that you'd like me to read, just leave it below!

Thanks again !! :)


P.S. When you enter "start" into thesaurus.com, some of the suggestions it comes up with are:
alpha, arouse, dawn, first step, hit the road, initiation, kickoff, pioneer, sally forth, square one, and take the plunge.
Definitely Sally Forth.