For those of you I haven't seen since November 2019, it's currently the first week of August 2020, It's officially almost 5 months COVID-19 pandemic. I haven't been to my office since March 12, I'm still working my day job thankfully, just remote while wearing essentially pajamas, but physically I am "out of office". Toronto just got Stage 3 of our re-opening on Friday but I've decided to wait 3 weeks to see how things are going before making any lifestyle changes.

For those visiting this post from the future, here's an update as to where we are at with the pandemic. International travel is a no-no, staycations are very hot, and I'm learning about how to optimize the 'no-makeup-makeup look' except this time I'm ACTUALLY not wearing any makeup. And my hair? Don't even THINK to ask about how often we're washing it, you DON'T want to know. I have a hair appointment in September but my hair is the longest and most natural it's been since 2015 and honestly? Not a huge fan! While some people are online shopping their woes away, others are turning into pilgrims and baking bread, preserving fruits, and crafting everything under the sun. But all in all, if being bored and slightly anxious is the worst thing that's happened to you, count your blessings. I know I am.

So. 2020, what a year. I was actually planning on picking back up on this blog in the spring. Really, I swear! At the end of February I had laser eye surgery and I was so excited to do a few posts about 'how do I relearn how to do makeup without glasses!?' but that was superseded by, well, everything. And then the depression and anxiety kicked in, so even the idea of typing on a computer once my work day was over was just..not happening. So it's been a long, long time since I wrote anything on this site! Don't worry, I'm not going to be surprised or offended if you've come here not knowing anything about this blog, where it came from, and who I am today. I've spent the better part of a year coming to terms with myself in ways both very satisfying and uncomfortable at the same time and COVID-19 is just another obstacle in my way.

And while makeup, skincare and beauty isn't the big passion it was for me for the last 5-6 years, I pondered closing this blog and starting anew. But I KNEW I needed to write. I've been writing online for over 20 years, I even recently found the login to my Livejournal and wisely decided not to look at it! Throughout my teens and twenties I wrote about anime, movies, politics, cycling, personal finance and eventually made my way to beauty and it's only natural that I've moved to another life cycle. But I've made the decision that this time, instead of starting fresh, I'm keeping it. While I might archive some of the oldest posts, the rest are staying here and so am I, because I have so much more to write about and I can't wait to get started!

When it comes to beauty services, people tend to know their regular frequency of use. We have a rough idea about when we need to get our hair done, when our gel polish needs to be removed, or when eyelashes or brows need to be redone, because those are things we see every day. But do any of us really know how much product we use in a month or a year, and realistically, how long it would take for us to "use up" something on a regular basis? Until last month I had absolutely no idea.

While there are entire communities online dedicated to "empties" or "pan porn" full of people working through their beauty and skincare collections on Reddit and Instagram, I rarely ever see anyone else discuss how long it takes to finish said product. After my 2018/2019 No-Buy Project and subsequently collecting eight months of empties, one thing I've become VERY interested in is finding out how MUCH of certain skincare products I would go through if I normalized my routine and used a small number of products consistently every month. This could be hard to calculate if you have multiple products working at a time, but I feel like I should be able to average out my use if I make this test over a long enough period of time, say six months or more.

LUCKILY, because I just collected eight months of empties, I was able to go through my own trash and get some clues about my consumption habits. These calculations aren't perfect because I didn't account for how much use each of my products had when I started collecting my empties, but moving forward I'm going to mark on my daily products with what day I started using it, and try to stick more generally to a routine to finish them up. (Also my skin might like me better if I was more stable!)

Here's how much skincare I think I use in a year.

Face Wipes - This was one of the easier ones to track, it appears I use about 12-15 wipes a month. I tend to micellar water most days, and only use wipes when I'm wearing a LOT of makeup or need to crash before bed. I used to use a lot more but I've been actively trying to reduce single-use products in my life.
How many per year: 144-180 wipes or about one 30 pack every 2 months.

Micellar Water/Cleansing Balm- This was also an easier thing to esimate as empty bottles don't lie! Over the course of my eight months of empties, I went through approximately 75ml of micellar water a month. I also tend to have a cleansing balm rotating in and out but I use it MUCH less frequently than the micellar water, and have been known to just use coconut oil to get off stubborn lipstick (looking at YOU Maybelline Stay Matte) or eyemakup off.
How much per year: 900ml a year in micellar water, 100ml in balms/coconut oil.

Cleanser - This is really tricky because I feel like I can have a 120ml bottle of cleanser for six MONTHS at the very least, and I also tend to share facial cleansers with my partner as we have a shared one in the shower. It took us the better part of a year to finish a cleanser last month (while I also had another one on the go as well) so this may be a shot in the dark but I'm going to say about 200ml?
How much per year: 200ml a year? Who really knows.

Toner - I've been rocking the same IT Cosmetics Miracle Water Toner since mid-January and there's only about 20% left, so I feel like I can solidly say I use one entire large bottle a year. I don't use toner EVERY day, but probably 3-4 times a week, depending on my skin. (Watch this one be wildly wrong!)
How much per year? 250ml.

Actives - I'm still not the most regular when it comes to the actives in my routine as I alternate them and tend to use them more sparingly. I've recently started using a retinol every other day since July and I've been working through a Vitamin C dropper for the better part of about 4-6 months. From my research however, it seems the average person goes through a 30ml of actives every four months, but it doesn't say if they use multiple, so I'll say it takes me six months per 30ml to be safe.
How much per year: 60ml Retinol/ 60ml Vitamin C.

Serums - This is an easy one, I average one 30ml bottle of The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid every three months like clockwork, and did about the same when I used a different now-defunct hyaluronic acid as well. My skin is THIRSTY and I will FEED her.
How much per year? 120ml per year.

Eye Cream - This is another wild guess as I've been working through sample tubes of eye cream for literally a year and can't remember the last time I bought an eye cream. I definitely took at LEAST eight months to finish my current 25ml eye cream and it's still going. This could be way off so I'm just going to stay low.
How much per year? 30ml a year.

Moisturizer - This one one of the easier categories. I've been tracking my moisturizer use for years and I go through approximately 25-30ml of moisturizer a month. I use SLIGHTLY more in winter than summer, but honestly I average about 30ml.
How much per year? 360ml a year.

To make this fun, I'm going to try to replicate my routine with a high and low cost version of products I actually like to see where I need to scale back my routine, and where I could afford to spend a few bucks to get something nicer! I'm really curious to see how much I would be "spending" a month, THIS is the closest I've ever been to figuring it out! I'll be uploading that blog post soon, and I hope to be able to come back to this post in about six months to see how accurate my predictions were!

It's hard to believe that it's already October and that 2019 is finally entering Q4 or the home stretch! If your job doesn't revolve around financial quarters, Q4 (October to December) often has the most pressure attached to it, but often offers a LOT of rewards too. Over the years I've found that my life always seems to change DRAMATICALLY in the last few months of the year, (for better OR for worst), and I have an inkling that 2019 will not disappoint in that regard!

Now, to get to the meat of the post, I didn't INTEND to hold all my empties for eight months. AT ALL. I actually didn't even mean for my empties to be held for SIX MONTHS. It juuuust kinda happened that way. After finishing my 2018/2019 no-buy in February, I still found myself overwhelmed by the amount of products I had, and despite my best intentions, felt like I was buried under unused products. SO I spent the better part of the year continuing to reduce my purchasing, while also persevering to use up major chunks of my hoard. Everytime I felt the urge to chuck all my empties, something made me want to hold on to them just a LITTLE bit longer so I could learn something, and here's what I figured out.

1. There's not as much stuff as I thought

This was a VERY surprising learning for me. I'm so used to watching empties videos or reading posts where people are literally dumping BOXES of product every month. I tend to wear at least a little bit of makeup almost every day, while I generally do full face about 2-3 times per week. Am I really using that much less than other people? Does everyone go to work with a full face?

2. There's also not a lot I would rebuy.

This was not too much of a surprise, but I found myself using up a lot of PR samples or giveaway products that I PROBABLY won't be repurchasing. It wasn't necessarily "bad" stuff, just things that didn't really resonate strongly with me or already had alternatives at the ready. I have some ride or die products in my skincare and makeup collection and tend to buy the same thing when something works for me.

3. Some parts of my collection are still HUGE.

I basically have enough body wash to keep me and my partner clean for probably 2 years, I estimate there's about 4-5L of body wash in various containers scattered throughout my home! I also don't need to buy body lotion until the end of time, and I estimate still have enough hand lotion to get myself through to the end of this winter. And let's not get me started on mascara, I have almost a dozen unopened mascaras. A DOZEN!

And last but not least.

4. I'm having major thoughts about my consumption.

I feel absolutely no urge to shop or buy things because I have stuff at home, and even the idea of getting new things to review makes me feel slightly guilty about the amount of things I have that I'm not using. I've never been one to like "hoarding" products and after 5+ years of blogging, I managed to amass a lot of banker's boxes just full of STUFF I wasn't using and I definitely want to feel like I've used up more of that before I go into "shopping" mode again. This isn't to say that I'm judging anyone who DOES enjoy buying products or building up their own collection, just that I'm kinda ok with where mine is at right now.

So what does this mean?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not 100% stopping buying products anytime soon, but I am making changes in how I participate in this economy, and where my money and attention will be going. That doesn't mean there aren't a few things I'd like to pick up, I've destroyed a few brushes this year, I still want a bright eyeshadow palette for more colourful looks and I need to switch up my primer (my skin does NOT like Smashbox Photo Finish anymore!), but otherwise? Don't expect a lot of new stuff to enter my world.

Having eight months of empties HAS provided me with a lot of information and ammo and I've got a few projects in the works about skincare that you can look forward to, and I've been digging in my nail polish collection lately so look for some blasts from the past coming soon!

Are you cutting down on your makeup purchasing lately? Let me know in the comments.

This product was purchased by myself, and all opinions are my own. Now, when you see the word "detox", I'm BEGGING you not to close the browser in exasperation, this is NOT your regular detox. I'm not drinking smoothies or putting crystals in my underwear, this is merely about the process of shifting from conventional antiperspirant/deodorants (which usually use a lot of aluminum and other irritating substances) to a more natural product. So if you're still here with me, stick around for awhile!

Why am I making the switch?

Over the years I've suffered from unpredictable sensitive skin, and even had a few major bouts of excema in my twenties. It calmed down a bit in my thirties, but over the last few months things started to change. I've used conventional deodorants for over 20 years at this point, normally using a stick deodorant but occasionally using a spray, and starting this year I began developing rather itchy armpits. And I mean ITCHY, it didn't matter whether I used stick or spray, my armpits were uncomfortable and noticably itchy throughout the day. There was no rash, or anything out of hte ordinary, but I was just. SO. ITCHY and sometimes sore. I've been considering testing out natural deodorants since earlier this year but dreaded the "detox period' and never commited. But after the last few momnths of unbearable itchiness, I had to bring myself to make the swap.

How did I pick the Takesumi Detox?

To decide what to do, I sat down and read and read and read and read about natural deodorants, the "detox process" of making the switch, and possible side effects that could arise. Quickly I learned that I would want to avoid baking soda based natural deodorants as I generally seem to be very sensitive to baking soda in my skincare skincare, so I looked into charcoal options instead. I was very lucky to find rave reviews for Kaia Naturals and the Takesumi Detox in particular, and made my way over to The Detox Market in Toronto to find out more. Upon arrival, the staff member helping me was ACTUALLY someone who used the product herself. She had tried several of the scents but recommended Sakura Blossom as it was floral but not too strong. She advised me that it would take 3-4 weeks to adjust to the deodorant but it was the most popular one they sold with a lot of people returning to repurchase it, so I took the leap and bought it.

Week 1

I had fully expected week one to be the WORST WEEK of my detox and even joked with my coworkers about sitting too close to me in meetings. But I have to say, while I felt sweatier, and definitely a little stinky but it was significantly easier than expected. Turns out, I was way too optimistic!

Week 2

HELLO STINKY. So this week was, what I later realized when I read more personal experiences online, the hardest week. I was SO SWEATY and felt SO SO STINKY, like onions, and was super self conscious about raising my arms above my head. I begged my boyfriend and friends to be brutally honest with me if I smelled bad, and only ONCE did my boyfriend (who is regularly brutally honest with me) say I smelled a bit ripe. So this made me think of how hyper-conscious we are of our own bodies and how they smell, while others who are physically separate, may not pick up on it.

Week 3

From Week 2 onward, I started carrying my deodorant with me to work because I generally bike to work and even when using conventional deodorant would re-apply post-cycling. But I did notice that the odour was lessened from Week 2 and that my self consciousness also lessened. Not once had I felt itchy or uncomfortable in my armpit area and was ok with carrying a product in my bag for easy reapplication. (They also sell tiny versions that are way smaller than the tube, if you really want a versatile "on the go" option.)

Week 4

This was when the payoff happened. I LEFT my deodorant at home once or twice after biking to work, and didn't even really care. My sweat levels have regulated, and I also think I've gotten used to the slight natural smell I have now? It's SO light and barely there that I can't even really remember how fragrant I felt in week two. At this point, my "detox" is complete. Whether or not I continue using Kaia, I think it was a great product to get the ball rolling!

What did I learn?

Body odour is SO personal and SO different and we're conditioned to be hyper-aware of it from such a young age. When I thought that I was NOTICABLY smelly, I was really barely noticeable to even the closest people in my life, and that made me rethink how much body odour shaming is from people trying to sell products. That may be something more intense to think about later, but for the moment, my armpits are ITCH FREE and while I may test some other deodorants in the future, I like this one for now.

Final Thoughts & Update

I initially tested this product in June, writing up the blog post about a week afterwards in July. Then I procrastinated for awhile. By the time I finished the review, temperatures in Toronto rose to the high 30s and flirting with the 40s, and I must say, this product just couldn't keep up. I'll still use it again in the fall or on cooler days, but I did have to find another product to make up for those steamy, sticky hottest days of summer!

I purchased this product from The Detox Market where you can buy the full-size product for $22CAD, or the smaller travel-sized for $10 (perfect if you want to give the detox a try!). You can also purchase it from KaiaNaturals.com or Well.ca.

Products featured in this post were received for review, but all opinions are my own.

It's the first week of April in Canada and despite what the calendar says, it's still cold, hovering around freezing and my ankles haven't seen the sunlight in months. MONTHS! To get around this feeling of eternal winter, I've been playing with different kinds of makeup looks the last few weeks to perk myself up, and I was fortunate enough to receive some new-to-me products from Revlon with a challenge to make a 'Mythical Light' look, giving me a challenge to try something new.

I'm usually a girl who likes a BOLD, BRIGHT eyeshadow look. I rarely go neutral unless I'm really running late for a work event or something, more often than not I have something pigmented and eyecatching on my eyes. This is why I was intrigued by Revlon's Colorstay Creme Eyeshadow because it's more of a subtle shimmer than what I'm used to using, I rarely use cream eyeshadows because I have rather oily lids so I wanted to give this a try and see if I'd be able to work this into a look, or how I'd be able to build on it in the future.

On My Face

I'm using Revlon Colorstay Full Cover Matte foundation in 200 Nude. This has been my go-to for medium coverage foundation for awhile, most of the week I go rather light and use BB/CC cream or a lightweight foundation like my Mix Beauty Lab custom foundation, but for days I want a little more coverage I reach for this foundation. I have combination skin that tends to go more dry in winter, so I really like that this foundation doesn't go TOO matte and stick on my dry spots, but it blends really easily and tends to last for at least 10+ hours. It will break down if I'm having a particularly long or intense day but I'm not usually a "go all out day and night" girl so I haven't really seen any problems wearing it for extended periods of time.

Overall, the Revlon Colorstay Full Cover Matte Foundation is one that I highly recommend trying for yourself. It reminds of the Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation I used to like, but I eventually found that one was TOO matte for my liking and this one fits in that sweet spot for combination skin havers like me! The foundation costs

On My Lids

On my lids I'm wearing Revlon Colorstay Creme Eyeshadow in 705 (the pale gold shimmer) and 740 (the intense purple glitter.) To achieve this simple look, I used the purple 740 on the middle and further corners of my eye, and the gold 705 on the inner area to brighten it up. Because I'm used to a more pigmented shadow, I made this look SUPER INTENSE and shimmery which normally isn't my look but hey, not bad! The application left something to be desired though, as I had to wait quite awhile for the cream shadow to dry before applying my eyeliner, and while I was waiting for it to dry, I could definitely feel tackiness on my lids.That said, once it was all dry, that eye shadow didn't MOVE. There was a bit of breakdown in the crease area, but the majority of it didn't budge and stayed shimmery and eye-catching all day!

While I wouldn't necessarily recommend putting a look together with JUST this eyeshadow (it does better as a contrast to a powdered base/look), I quite enjoyed the shimmer effect and found myself catching myself in mirrors all day long. I would recommend grabbing one of these to play with yourself, as it comes with a little brush in the base that is actually quite good for an on-the-go touch up!

On My Cheeks

I was really excited to get the Revlon Galaxy Dream Holographic Highlighting palette in Dream Galaxy to play with, as highlighters are definitely one of my favourite makeup products and I absolutely cannot justify buying another one in my lifetime! This palette reminded me quite a bit of the Kat Von D Alchemist Holographic Palette, which I never bought but was completely tempted by, so I was quite pleased to play around with these shades. In this look, I'm using the top left colour which is a warmer peach shade, and while it goes on subtly, it is definitely buildable coverage. Unlike the Anastasia Beverly Hills or Smashbox highlighters of the world this had less intense pigmentation but that also offered me the ability to add dimension instead of going out like a blinding disco ball with one brush swoop.

On My Lips

Last but not least, I was also sent the Revlon Kiss Cushion Lip Tint in Pink IRL and Extra Violet. I was a bit confused about this product at first, because it comes in an opaque tube with no instructions on how to get product through the tube, but after twisting the tube and hearing click-click-click about 50 times, product beads to the surface of the cushion and then you can used that to either dab for a lighter just-bitten look, or use it as a traditional liquid lipstick for a more pigmented pout. This balm/tint formula reminds me of a slightly less pigmented version Sephora's Cream Lip Stain, down to the tasty vanilla scent that goes along with it. I actually REALLY like the feel of these tint/balm/whatevers as they don't dry out the lips and leave a touch of moisture. It can dry down a bit tacky in the middle of your lips, but with my colours it wasn't so noticable. There's only ten colours in the line so far but I'm curious to see if they release some more variety soon.

So that's it! I got to test drive some new products, try out a slightly different look and maybe these will be things I bring along with me when spring comes a-knocking!

I'm the kind of person who loves standing up to a challenge. Whether it's committing to run a race, doing yoga 6 days a week, saving a certain amount of my income, I love a good goal! So in early 2018 I decided to make a change in my shopping and consuming habits by embarking upon a year-long makeup no-buy/low-buy challenge. I've been blogging about it on a regular basis to keep myself accountable and on task, and I finally have my final numbers for how much I spent, my thoughts about the challenge itself, and my regrets along the way. While I've done smaller no-buy challenges in the past, this was the most extreme challenge I've ever completed, and I'm very glad I did it.

Why I'm Glad I Did the Challenge

One of the primary reasons I'm very glad I started this challenge in February of last year was because about six months into my challenge, I was laid off. That meant I had to significantly curtail my spending in ALL categories of my life, so it was great that I had spent the previous six months practicing mindful consumption!

By the time of my layoff in late July/early August, I had become a pro of evaluating my purchasing decisions, for beauty, clothes, almost everything and found that I didn't suffer too much from my change in income with regards to shopping temptation. I had a tricky time in May and June and it made me really reflect on my triggers and coping mechanisms. While at times it was tiresome and frustrating, I was so used to being mindful of my habits that I found it was easy to adjust, probably easier than some of my fellow coworkers during that same difficult period.

And this mindful spending definitely followed me throughout the rest of the year. I was concerned that when I started working again, I would fall back into bad habits, but it was actually a breeze. I ended up spending nothing my last month of the challenge, and the following month afterwards because I'd completely detached from my "urge to purchase" and was able to just go through my days NOT being enabled by people.

I'm also really glad I did the challenge because I was able to use SO MANY PRODUCTS in my collection. I finished up so many things because instead of having five different versions of the same primer or moisturizer or foundation or mascara, I was slowly working through things all year long and had a lot of empties to show for it.

How much did I spend on makeup in 2018?

Essentially within the rules of the challenge, I told myself I was allowed to spend $25 a month on products, prioritizing things I needed to get as replacements (i.e. makeup removal wipes, primer, setting spray, foundation, etc.) From February 2018 to the end of January 2019 I spent approximately $219, or about $18.50 a month.

I did have some back-and-forth over what was considered a "gift" or not because I had some spending money from a giftcard I got for my birthday and won another giftcard as a prize at work which amounted to $60 each of those months, but I decided it was ok within the scope of the challenge.

Things I did NOT count as makeup/beauty purchases during this time was my Fab Fit Fun subscription and my hair appointments. My first Fab Fit Fun box I purchased with the gift card I won from work, and I enjoyed it so much I maintained a subscription throughout the rest of the year. I personally felt it was ok to not count as the makeup challenge don't usually opt for the makeup products in the box (and have actually traded most of them away), and have actually used almost everything I've received. With regards to my hair, I don't do any other type of treatments (nail, facials, spa, etc) and my hair legit brings me so much joy, so that was never part of the challenge.

I feel it's good to always be up front about this, because some people may say I'm "lying" or pretending to not be so frugal, but I really wanted to focus on my mindless purchases with this challenge, and things I anticipate and prepare for, were not the goal of this year.

What are some of my regrets?

The entire idea for my 2018/2019 no-buy/low-buy challenge solidified with me last February when I realized I had purchased YET ANOTHER brand-new makeup primer, while I still had at least two Smashbox ones left to finish sitting right on my vanity. Somehow, even then, I knew that primer would come to haunt me, and lo and behold I ended up not even needing to USE that primer until FEBRUARY of 2019. So yeah, that's right, that primer that broke the camel's back lasted an entire YEAR before I needed it. So I think one of my major regrets was that it took so long for me to realize what I was doing with my purchases in the first place.

I have to say, I wish I had more "drama" during this challenge, but even when I stumbled, I didn't do that badly. So I don't really have too many "regrets" when it came to spending money. I think the one thing I addressed head on was my impulse purchase of one of those cutesy Sephora skincare sets last June, of which I'M STILL using some of the products from. Otherwise the purchases I made were pretty well-thought out and planned. I felt SIGNIFICANTLY less purchase regret, I literally lost my desire to 'cruise' through Shoppers Drug Mart or Sephora, and I unsubscribed from SO MANY EMAILS. Inbox zero here I come!

So all in all, I 'completeted' the No Buy Challenge in February, but I'm happy to say that I've spent less than $10 so far on beauty in 2019 so far! I bought a Blistex lip balm because I lost my mentholated one but ended up FINDING IT like 3 days later, and a hydrogel face mask for an upcoming review. Not a bad start and I have the 2018/2019 no buy/low buy challenge to thank for it!!

• You can start from the beginning of my No-Buy Challenge here
• And you can see all my monthly posts here.

One of my goals for 2019 is to get a little bit personal in my writing again. I used to share a WHOLE DANG LOT but I've found over the years I've buttoned up a bit and I'm not sure why? So why not start off with a trip down memory lane with some of my favourite makeup products?

A few months back Melanie from I'm Not a Beauty Guru wrote about some of her favourite beauty products based on what they meant to her, so I decided to try thinking about my collection and what certain products meant to me! Some of these stories were obvious winners from the start, while others I didn't even THINK of until I started poking through my makeup vanity! And now it's time to share it with the world, I hope you enjoy learning a wee bit more about me :)

Benefit Cosmetics Sugarbomb Blush

This may seem a weird choice, but I think this is an appropriate place to start. WAY WAY WAY back in 2011 or 2012, I won a HUGE Benefit Cosmetics contest, right when Darling Magpie was just a twinkle in my little eye. To my absolute delight I received a big box with $1000 of products and promptly went from drug store diva to a trendy-gal in a blink of an eye. While some of those products have come and gone, this Sugarbomb blush still remains! It'll be a sad day when this guy is empty, but I'll still think fondly of these prizes because they came at a time when I was still paying off significant parts of my student debt, accruing MORE from my post-grad and generally didn't have much money to spend on myself. This prize gave me the opportunity to up my game and also treat myself at the same time!

MAC Cosmetics Instagator Matte Lipstick

This was a product that came into my life in 2015. By that point, I'd spent a few years building up my beauty skills and was one year into beauty blogging (yeah that's right, Darling Magpie is FIVE this year!) But when it came down to it, I was still pretty tame when it came to my makeup looks. I was still using more neutral palettes like Urban Decay's Naked 3, and my lipstick was usually, red, pink or nude. But of course my pink-haired goth-girl style icon Kate Leth wore really good dark lipstick and I decided to give into my teen-goth desires and grab some too. Following her recommendation, I bought MAC's Instigator and have never looked back! I don't wear it THAT much any more as the formula is a lot more drying than I like these days (GLOSS FOREVER) but if I want to whip up a dark look in seconds, it's my pick.

Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Palette

I pined, I waited, I imported and it was worth it! Some of you may have read my Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Palette review before where I mention how I managed to snag one of these babies, but I thought I'd mention it here too. The year was 2016, and if I remember correctly, it was a particularly FRUSTRATING year for Canadian beauty lovers, the Canadian dollar was at a 10-year high at the start of the year, companies were raising prices on Canadian goods and getting things across the border was getting expensive. Now, we all know Too Faced products are usually fun and cute but there was just something here that piqued my interest, and with some gumption and VOCALNESS, I was able to get this illusive palette by teaming up with a Canadian who regularly shopped cross-border at Ulta, who nabbed it for me. This is a perfect example of what Marie Kondo means when she says "Does this spark joy?" because I still use this palette on the regular and every time I take it out, I get a little more happy.

Charlotte Tilbury Secret Salma Lipstick

2017 was a weird year for me. I was one year into owning my condo and was finally over the "hump" of refilling some of my savings accounts and getting used to my mortgage payments. But despite having a decent income and a good savings rate, I still felt guilty about spending money! Over the years as a makeup hobbyist, there were still a few brands I had yet to "splurge" on, even with my reward points from stores or from gift cards, and Charlotte Tilbury was one of those. I HAD won a Charlotte Tilbury Film Star palette at an event and used it quite frequently, but I'd had my eye on getting a Charlotte Tilbury lipstick for MONTHS as I knew so many people who swore by them. But I just felt GUILTY. Luckily that Christmas my boyfriend and I had made a pact to only get each other some smallish gifts instead of expensive ones, and he thought the price was perfectly fine for a little present under the tree! (I also got a Gudetama Funko pop, but that's a story for another day.) I adore this shade and this is my go-to lipstick for weddings and special events. J'adore! https://www.instagram.com/p/BdIg_TMHyMy/

Vera Wang Princess Perfume

Last but absolutely not least, is Vera Wang's Princess. I'm not sharing this one in 'chronological' order most of the other products because this is a different kind of story, a longer story. For those not in the know, Vera Wang was the "IT" perfume of the mid-00s and pretty much everyone who even cared a lick about perfume had it. However, back in the early 00s I was still significantly stuck in my tomboy phase and yet, uncharacteristically of me at the time, I begged my mom to buy me it for Christmas. (I was a very-broke university student at the time!) While it was a floral, feminine type of scent, it also smelled like adulthood to me at the time (now it reminds me of my youth} and really was the first proper adult perfume I owned that wasn't a sample size or gifted to me. It's not my favourite anymore and it definitely isn't as sharp a scent as it was, but it's absolutely my most-used perfume in my collection and I'm going to keep it until the bitter end. You can read more about my perfume history here.

I have to say, writing this post was really nice because I was able to dig down and bring up things with positive memories for myself, and I didn't even realize how much these products meant to me until I started writing about them! The way that Marie Kondo talks about what 'sparks joy' is how I want to tackle my writing as well, and this was a great start.

Do you have any sentimental products on your vanity or in your life? Let me know what they are and why they are so special!

Some products received for review.

It's hard to believe that this day has come. After 12 months of success and failure, of learning and re-learning, I've finally come to the end of my 2019 No-Buy/Low-Buy, with a particularly spectacular month. Let's get into it!

No Buy Challenge Update

In my November and December 2018 empties post, I made a small extra challenge to myself to not spend any money on beauty products whatsoever. I wanted to end the challenge on a high note and I knew it was probably an easy target, but I still wanted to see how I would do anyway.

And, reader, I totally killed it. Not only did I not buy a single thing in January, I wasn't even TEMPTED to do so. I actually entered February thinking "Oh, here we go, time to get some STUFF" but honestly, the only thing I bought was some makeup remover and a Blistex lip balm since mine is grody. That. IS. IT! So glad to finish this challenge on a high note.

I'll be putting together my thoughts in the next week or so about the challenge, what I learned and where I'm taking this new mindset in the future. For now? Let's tackle my beauty trash which is almost entirely skincare this month!

Empties

Dr Belmeur Cica Recovery Serum- I received this for review from ChickAdvisor in the fall and was quite impressed by how much my skin really liked this serum. It had a very soft cream fragrance, and while thicker than the serums I usually use, but it didn't cause any pilling when I put moisturizer on top, and sank into my skin quite quickly actually. The only thing I didn't like was the packaging, it was super hard to know how much was left and I actually tore mine apart because I thought I broke the pump until I realized that no, it's actually just empty. I MIGHT buy it again.

Dr Roebucks Face Moisturizer - Oh look, another doctor! But in all seriousness, I won this in an Instagram contest for Dr Roebucks and I was elated because I LOVE their Face and Pure moisturizers. They are extremely hydrating for the winter, and help plump up my face and leave it feeling super soothed all day long. You can check out my review from the first time I tried their products right here. I would definitely recommend this to anyone with sensitive skin or who just wants a clean, fragrance-free product to test out.

IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF50 in Fair - Received for review. I absolutely love this CC Cream, it's a lightweight foundation basically, that does an amazing job balancing out your skintone, without adding too much coverage. I'm a person who doesn't enjoy cakey foundation so this was a godsend, and with 50spf? Sign me up! You can see my before & after here & see my review on my Top Beauty Products of 2017! Would definitely buy again.

IT Cosmetics Confidence in an Eye Cream - Received for review I remember in my mid twenties I was such a young, hopeful girl that I didn't realize the power of eye creams. I'm not one to get weird treatments or chemical processes, but a great eye cream is nothing to sniff at and this one does it for a fraction of what professional treatments cost. While I didn't see "epic" transformations, I definitely noticed a difference and found the skin more supple and less puffy in the morning than going without it. Definitely worth it. Check out my full review here.

Le Petit Marseillais Orange Blossom Extra Gentle Shower Creme - I absolutely LOVE THIS STUFF. I received two of these body washes for review awhile ago, but as any regular reader of mine knows, I have a problem with body wash so it took me THIS LONG TO FINISH IT. While it doesn't have the same lather that a L'Occitane or Philosophy offers, it is still rather moisturizing and has the same quality of fragrance for a FRACTION of the price. Definitely worth picking up and I'm currently working through the White Peach Nectarine now! Read my review here.

Shiseido Bio Performance Glow Revival Serum - Now here is a product that does some amazing things, but also fails in a spectacular fashion. This serum literally helps your skin GLOW. I had such a nice shimmer after adding this serum that sometimes I would skipp BB cream altogether and just wear some SPF moisturizer and head out the door. But the problem is that the fragrance they used was SO strong. It smells like old-school beauty products with that heady cream-floral scent and it's absolutely not what I want to put on my face. I finished it, but I wouldn't buy it again or recommend it.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer in Pore Minimizing - Yeahhhh, this is what happens when you take a gamble on something new. I'm a big fan of Smashbox's OG Smooth and Blur formula but when I saw a sale on this lil guy, I decided to take a chance on it and I'M NOT HAPPY that I did. I found this one was EXTREMELY dry and hard to move around my face, it sometimes flaked and pilled and generally just didn't do much to help me. Definitely won't be buying it again. It took me so long to finish it because I disliked it so much!

Tarte Lipsurgence Lip Gloss in Magic- I'm not even going to mention how old this gloss is because it's gross and unimportant, but what IS important is how wearable Tarte's lip glosses are! I love the hint of shimmer in this gloss, it's great to just pop on when you want a little glitz without much effort, and the vanilla cake batter scent truly never gets old with me. Definitely worth picking up a mini from Sephora and trying it for yourself (they are on offer quite often)!

Tosses

Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation in Ivory - Honestly, while I didn't mind this foundation, it wasn't one I reached for often. After I wrote my review which was mostly positive, I found myself only reaching for it every once in awhile. I tend to finish my foundations but this is one that went bad before I could finish it, so that says a lot there. Probably safe to skip this one.

And that's it! A fairly quiet month but considering the huge hauls I had in the fall, I'm not too surprised. I think I'll have more tosses at the end of February as I'm going to do a bit of a KonMari of my beauty and skincare products this month, so check back in a few weeks!

Around this time of year, the waning weeks near the middle of winter (honestly it's winter until April in Canada, you just gotta deal with it) I really struggle with motivation and direction in all aspects of my life. I've suffered from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) for probably most of my life, but only really realized a few years ago. Normally I try to tackle this by traveling or working out more, booking events, meetups and hobbies to keep myself active, energetic and socialized.

Except this year I had to scrap pretty much all those plans because I sprained my ankle. Badly.

Just about three weeks ago I was participating in a work-event at a trampoline gym, an event I voted for us to do! The space had trampoline dodgeball, trampoline puzzles, a free-play area and even a rope climbing course, everything that you needed to get some good team-building done. And it all seemed to be going swimmingly... until approximately 10 minutes in when my foot got wedged between the trampoline and the edge of the trampoline and while I flew forward, my ankle certainly did not.

Not 24 hours later I was in an aircast with multiple xrays, ultrasounds and other fun doctoral/hospital activities to follow in the coming weeks. Turns out that not only did I sprain my ankle, I tore several ligaments and have significant bruising on my foot. I'm seeing a physiotherapist 1-2x a week and have activities to help me strengthen my ankle, so perhaps by mid-to-late spring I'll be back to full strength.

To make matters slightly worse, over the last three weeks we've had some of the most extreme winters Toronto has seen in a half-fozen years. Combine an aircast with the icy, slippery conditions and I basically can't travel anywhere without a car. The closest accessible subway station about half a kilometre away and the buildings on my street have been less than helpful by refusing to shovel and ice their walks. Lyft has been my best friend this month, and it's an expensive friend.

To say it's been frustrating is the understatement of the year.

How can I combat my SAD if I can't GO anywhere. I "max" out my walking after about 500m on clear, dry ground (which has only happened for 3-4 days in the last 3 weeks) which means I can either get a donut or go to Shoppers Drug Mart, that's about it. Awful weather means it's hard to convince people to come to me (the ones who have, I love you!) and life just goes on.

So here's what I've been doing to tackle this unfortunate set of circumstances...

• I've continued my Marie Kondo'ing of my life (please refer to my previous post where I purged my clothes) and we've tackled the kitchen, our clothes again, books (I just said goodbye to over 100!) and next up is the dreaded paper and 'komono'. It feels good to spend some time focusing on enhancing my home, especially since I'm spending more time here than usual.
• Absolutely vegging out. I'm not one to sit and watch hours and hours of TV or movies, but considering I'm literally doctor-ordered to rest with my foot elevated for several hours a day, I'm doing just that. My current Netflix recommendations? Russian Doll, Instant Hotel and Derry Girls, and I've been finishing Ni No Kuni II on Playstation 4!
• Setting up for a digital detox. I've recently unsubscribed from hundreds of email lists, I've whittled my inbox from over 2,000 emails to about 700 and dropping, and I've set timers on my devices to make sure I'm not spending too much time on any app. More on this in the coming weeks.
• Organizing my finances. I realized I hadn't turned back on my automatic deposits since starting work full-time again in the fall, so I went through all my savings and investing accounts and optimized them. Phew!

Here's what I haven't been doing.

BLOGGING. I think I fell into a bit of a pity-hole. I didn't feel interesting, or creative, or even very verbose. Every time I sat down in front of my computer it was like "WHY BOTHER". But I know that being open and writing things down is part of my process, even in the course of writing this post, I felt a weight off my shoulders and felt more free.

So here's my plan. Even if it's dull and boring, I'm going to try to do a weekly update about my progress, because I think it's good to document my battle against both things simultaneously even just to watch my trajectory in retrospect.

This isn't really beauty or lifestyle related, so I know it's not what some people come here to read, and that's ok. There might be some beauty along the way, being stuck at home DOES make me more likely to paint my nails and wear face-masks, so look forward to more of that in the coming weeks.

Otherwise, please send me healing vibes or share your stories about getting over ankle injuries in the comments!

Post may contain some affiliate links, some products received for review.

Another month, another update! It's been eleven months now since I started the No Buy Challenge AND it's a double-empties month, so I have a LOT to talk about. I'm not going to waste any more words here, read on for my progress and products!

No Buy Challenge Update

November and December are absolutely without a doubt the two hardest months in a beauty lover's calendar. Black Friday deals start earlier each year and it felt like Sephora had more sales and VIB offers out than ever before. But I can HAPPILY say that I managed to avoid ALL sale temptations during these two difficult months! The only products I purchased were replacement products: shampoo and conditioner for my hair, a new bottle of nail polish top coat (my old Seche Vite ran out) and then a DIFFERENT shampoo and conditioner for my hair because the first one caused significant breakage with my bleached hair.

All in all I spent about $43 in November, and $45 in December. More than my budget technically, but I didn't want to use products that would damage my colour treated hair. Whats the point otherwise?

So leading into 2019, I'm getting excited and a bit nervous because I only have ONE MORE MONTH of this limited budgeting left and I'm aiming to spend NO money in January! What am I going to do come February? Part of me thinks I'm going to go on a bit of a splurge once I'm "allowed", while another part of me thinks that this challenge has significantly changed the way I consume makeup. It's clear that I'll need some time to figure it all out.

Empties

Bleu Lavande Cleansing Milk in Sea Lavender - When I received this for review, it was the first cleansing milk that actually made me realize why people love cleansing milk! It's so soothing and the lavender scent is so wonderful I was really sad when I finished this bottle. I'm currently working on another different cleansing milk now, but I'm seriously considering grabbing another one of these. You can find my full review here.

IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream - I've been thoroughly impressed with IT Cosmetics over the last few years, they've really come to replace a lot of products in my arsenal with their high quality offerings and this cream was no exception. I found that it significantly improved the consistency of my skin and left it hydrated and supple all day. You can read my full review here or just buy this miracle moisturizer at Sephora. Received for review.

Jergens Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Moisturizer - This is one of my all-time favourite body moisturizers and I've gone through SO many bottles of it over the last few years. It's the perfect formula for winter, it goes on smooth with a very subtle but tasty scent, and I can't recommend it enough. It's often on sale at the drug store so you could even leave with a giant bottle and be set for a year!

Lancome Grandiose Eyeliner in Brun - This was one of my favourite makeup products of 2017, so much so that the item pictured in this photo was actually a brand new replacement product since I finished up the entire tube by basically using it every day. I was more adventurous with my eyeliner this year and used more pencils than I have in ages, but this is still my go-to and when Shoppers Drug Mart has another points redemption weekend, I'm grabbing another one of these babies! Received for review.

L'Oreal Voluminous Feline Mascara - I really liked the plastic wand when I first got this mascara and found the formula definitely helped add some volume to my lashes, but I eventually realized it was a very unpredictable formula and sometimes I would be fine all night, and others I would smudge and look raccoon-like in a few hours. It was too unpredictable for me to use with confidence.

Ole Henriksen Counter Balance Oil Control Hydrator - This was only a teensy tiny tube but I've had really good experiences with this brand and I felt like this moisturizer was very hydrating and perked my skin up when I used it. It worked really well under foundation and while it's meant for oilier skin than mine, I didn't really see any greasiness when I wore it. Definitely worth a try.

Riversol Daily Moisturizing Cream & Cream Cleanser - I received a 2 week sample of Riversol skincare a few weeks ago and I've been slowly going through the small packages of their products. So far, so good, it's definitely a gentle formula which will be helpful for people with sensitive skin, but I didn't feel particularly hydrated from using their moisturizer. It just seems ok, which isn't bad, just something I'm not going to continue pursuing.

Rocky Mountain Soap Company Organic Sugar Scrub - This stuff is so perfect at this time of year, when your skin gets dry and scaly and you're constantly trying to keep from turning into an alligator. I loved this French Lavender scent as it made a simple shower smell like a spa experience, and this scrub moisturizes nicely, while also having enough scrub to work into my skin. The company is also Canadian, and you can get a nice big jar for $25.

Urban Decay Eyshadow Primer Potion - Guys, it's happening. Other bloggers have warned me about this, BUT MY EYES DON'T LIKE THIS PRIMER ANY MORE. Eyeshadow just slips off it now, I find it's not as long lasting and I think my lids are greasier? ALAS, I do still recommend this primer, but keep in mind your body may just change on you one day.

Tosses

Bare Minerals & Clinique Duo-Eyeshadow Compacts - Nothing is particularly wrong with these formulas or colours, I just never reach for them because why would I grab a travel compact? Also, my Smashbox Covershot palette is perfect travel sized, so I don't need anything this size with only 2 shades.

Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat - I'm not sure if this product is expired, but it caused MAJOR shrinkage of my polish, I couldn't believe it! I ran out of my Seche Vite and tried using this and it ruined an entire new mani. NO THANKS.

My entire OCC Lip Tar Collection- Back in the day before a lot of brands were making highly pigmented liquid lipsticks OCC was not only a trendsetter for colour, but it was the BEST product you could get. I had a small handful of mini and regular tubes over the years, and while I LOVE OCC and have reviewed some in the past, my remaining products are about 4-5 years old at this point, the pigment has separated and they smell. It's time to go. This was particularly sad since it appears that OCC is defunct now, having basically been bankrupted by Sephora. But, for how influential it was at the time, I will bin these lippies but keep my memories in my heart.

Physicians Formula Glow & Mood Boosting 2-in-1 Bronzer Blush - I've literally had this compact for over four years I think! I rarely reach for it anymore, it's hit hardpan and the lid has broken and snaps open randomly now. Time to go.

Pür Minerals Double Ego Eyeliner in Queensland - I really, really, really wanted to like this liner because the colour is gorgeous but it never really worked for me. The liquid side smudged too easily and wasn't long lasting, and the pencil side was SUPER hard and not creamy at all. Applying it hurt, I shouldn't have to warm up an eyeliner with a hairdryer just for it to apply nicely. Not worth the hassle.

And that's it! I actually started purging some of my nail polish collection but hadn't finished in time for this post, so look forward to a way larger toss pile next month!

Any product received for review is labelled and post may contain some affiliate links.

2018 is over y'all and I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER. This was truly an interesting year for me as a blogger, and a double interesting year for me trying to put together a favourites list for 2018. As regular readers might know, very few things that I received this year were "new" as I was on a no-buy from February onward. While I did receive some products from PR and other methods, I still had significantly fewer products to choose from and I even considered NOT writing this post at all! But when I thought about it, I realized that instead of focusing on products I purchased or received in 2018, I'd focus on things I used all year long, and then this list came to me in seconds. Please enjoy my favourite and most-used makeup of 2018!

NYX Bright Idea Illuminating Stick in Sandy Glow

So this illuminating stick actually came to me from a a contest that I won RIGHT around the time I started my no-buy! It was a fifth anniversary giveaway from The Happy Sloths and this product was a welcome addition to my collection. Up until this point I'd only used powder or cream-to-powder bronzers with varying levels of success. This stick was actually SIGNIFICANTLY easier for me to use, as you apply it to your skin like a crayon, and can buff or blend it in with a brush or blender of your choice. I reached for this almost every single time I did my face, only occasionally moving to my Too Faced Chocolate Soleil when I wanted a more structured look. These sticks come in a variety of styles, from blush colours to highlighters and are worth every penny of their $11CAD.

Covergirl Exhibitionist Mascara

I received this product from Influenster later in the fall and I've been SO IMPRESSED WITH THIS MASCARA you guys. I shouldn't be so so surprised since I've had good luck with Covergirl productws before, but, similar to my experience with IT Cosmetics Mascara, I've spent the better part of the last few years reaching for stubby mascaras, not thicker bristled mascaras, and it's to my detriment. This wand DOES cake on a good amount of product so be careful with application, but it dries quickly and does a great job adding volume to my lashes. It also LASTS ALL DAY and has no flaking and that is really shocking as a non-waterproof. It PROBABLY won't last through a sad episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but everything else? Excellent. I'm also very excited because Covergirl is now cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny certified, something I'll keep in mind as I move towards a more mindful 2019. You can buy this mascara for about $14 online from Shoppers Drug Mart or from everywhere you buy makeup.

Revlon Full Cover Matte Foundation in 200 Nude

This was a product I received for review earlier in the fall and I had started a review for it, but I was being picky with the photos I took, and during that time my camera died and I had to replace it! Luckily, I have a new camera now so you can look forward to a full blog post soon! Basically I was really surprised by this foundation because it offers a good medium coverage that somehow feels very lightweight and lasts ALL DAY on me. I've had fantastic luck with this formula and I would highly recommend it to anyone with combination skin who doesn't like HEAVY foundation but wants something that will do the trick when needed. You can get these at Shoppers or anywhere else makeup is sold for $16-20CAD.

Smashbox Cover Shot Ablaze Eye Palette

This was actually another prize from The Happy Sloths giveaway I mentioned above, and I was so excited to receive it. Before I embarked on my no-buy challenge this year, the one thing I thought I still wanted to purchase at some point was Urban Decay's Naked Heat palette. But it turns out, all I needed was the firey hues from this little palette instead! Smashbox really outdid themselves with their Cover Shots collection because if you're anything like me, you don't actually NEED another large palette in your collection. These little thematic palettes offer great quality and can help fill in the gaps of your collection, while being travel friendly to boot. In the future I might grab another one of them, currently I have my eye on Pinks & Palms and Ultraviolet which have some highly pigmented shades as well. The Smashbox Cover Shot palettes sell for $29CAD but they do go on sale semi-frequently.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Aurora Glow Kit

This was another product I really wanted to buy before starting my no-buy journey, but I couldn't justify spending money on it as I didn't NEED any more highlighters in my life. LUCKILY, I was doing some trading of makeup on Bunz this summer and was able to put together a trade with a fellow Bunz member and ended up getting this palette basically unused! (Bunz is a free online trading community that is very popular in Toronto and I use it quite a bit, sign up here if you're interested!) I use this palette on a daily basis, often reaching for Eclipse, Luna or Helia, but I have used Lyra quite a bit, and dabbled with Spectra and Orion as well. What I might start doing is using the darker shades for eyeshadows more frequently to get more use out of them, because they are GORGEOUS. You can't really buy this kit any more as it was limited edition, but it does show up at Winners from time to time.

IT Cosmetics Superhero Liner

I received this product from PR earlier in the summer and I already wrote a huge rave about this eyeliner a few months ago. Now that I've had it for several months, I can safely say that my love for this eyeliner has not subsided. It has a fancy felt/gel tip liner that is unlike many others ones on the market, and I can do a wing and a flick in SECONDS. It's so easy to work with, and once it's on it does NOT budge. I love this eyeliner so much that now it is literally competing against last year's favourite, the Lancome Grandiose Eyeliner, as my go-to eyeliner right now. The only catch is the liner is $32CAD at Sephore, but I'm already used to paying for Lancome for my liners so it's my splurge.

fresh Sugar Lip Caramel Hyrating Balm

This is actually a deluxe sample product I received from Sephora in a sample bag during Boxing Day last year. Normally I wouldn't include something like a lip balm on this list, but it's literally the best smelling lip balm I've ever had. It smells like a candy apple and does a great job hydrating my lips with a comfortable balm texture that isn't too sticky or heavy. It absolutely helps rehydrate my lips and it's been super useful during this dry winter we've been having. I've used Fresh Lip Balms before, but this one is tops for me now and I'll definitely be buying the fullsize for $22 from Sephora when I run out of this.

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick Musk

Last but not least, this lipstick! For somebody who usually reaches for aggressively bright lip colours, somehow this pinky beige became my go-to lipstick in 2018! I actually purchased this lipstick two summers ago, so this lipstick is the product I've had the longest of anything on my top list this year, but I also BARELY WORE IT until this year. I'm not sure what happened but I'm actually getting pretty close to finishing it! This lipstick is now discontinued but you can see more swatches and pictures on this review from 2016 here. I recommend Bite Beauty lipsticks in general and Sephora has a great collection of them for $30.

And there we have it! What were some of your favourites in 2018? Anything like mine? Let me know in the comments!

All products were received complimentary for review but all opinions are my own.

A few weeks ago I was invited to a custom makeup event at Mix Beauty Lab in Toronto to discover their salon and to make my own foundation and lip products. Initially I wanted to make this one blog post but it ballooned into TWO, so this post will cover the salon and the foundation, and a follow-up will feature my lip products!

What is Mix Beauty Lab?

Mix Beauty Lab is a beauty and skincare salon in Toronto that offers custom makeup creation, facials, makeup application, lash and brow services, mani/pedis and sells products by popular beauty brands like Herbivore Botanicals, Ren Skincare and Vita Liberta. It's basically a one-stop-shop for beauty! Located just around the corner from St. Clair West Subway Station at 216 Heath Street West, it's super easy to get to by TTC and as of the time this blog was written, is open Tuesday to Sunday for all your beauty needs.

I'd never been to the salon before, so I took a tour of the location and found it to be cozy, bright and welcoming. All the staff I met were super knowledgeable about the processes involved with creating makeup, and they didn't mind when I peppered them with questions about the makeup and my constant refrain of "Am I doing this right????"

The event I attended focused on Mix Beauty Lab's custom makeup offerings, and throughout the event we would create three different makeup products: foundation, lipgloss and lipstick. As I mentioned above, I'm going to cover foundation in this post and I'll link to the lipstick and lip gloss one as soon as it's completed!

The Foundation Process

At the Mix Beauty event, the lipgloss and lipstick portions were lead by a staff member, but actually mixed and molded by ourselves. THANKFULLY the foundation process is much more streamlined, as the mixologist who is a professional who actually knows what they are doing, does all the hard work. Phew! All you need to know is your own personal skin type, concerns and preferences.

I have combination skin with mild rosacea and I wanted to know what product would be good to use that would give me a dewy look without essentially becoming oily at the end of the day. She asked about my current products that I used and what I liked, and after discussing my options, I told her that I wanted to make a dewier version of my IT Cosmetics CC Cream. I really like my IT Cosmetics CC Cream but I find it a bit too dry in the winter, so I wanted something similar that would cover any excess redness or breakouts, but would still be lightweight on my skin. So with that product in mind as a "base", she added 25 SPF, a bit of shimmer, and more hydrating elements to create a wetter foundation to help provide some of that dewiness that I was in search of. After that, she mixed it all up and voila, my foundation was done!

Wearability

Since I already attended the event with a full face of makeup on, I didn't get to try the foundation until the next day. The mixologist initially advised me that I could use this foundation without any primer, but in practice I found that the foundation settled heavily into my pores when I did that, so I choose to use it with a primer whenever I bust it out. It is, however, a very wet formula that takes a few minutes to settle on my skin, going from dewy upon application, to a comfortable and flattering semi-matte about 10 minutes later. I usually apply everything in a rush, so when I use this foundation I apply use it first, then do my eye look and finish with blush/bronzer/contour/whatever I feel like using that day. One of my favourite parts of this custom foundation is that it's very similar to a BB/CC cream in that it looks like my skin but better, so I can truly just put it on without any makeup to keep my skin all nice and level, with JUST a hint of shimmer and colour and SPF to keep my skin all nice and protected.

While I essentially chose to create a BB/CC cream dupe, other people who attended the event went for thicker foundations or more matte finishes, so they can provide a variety of coverage, I just know that I am in no need of any more heavy foundation and wanted something wearable and breathable for my day-to-day looks.

Cost

The custom foundation at Mix Beauty Lab costs $65 for 1oz. It is pricier than the Smashbox and MUFE foundations I usually buy, but it's completely customized and while I don't see myself doing this again for awhile, I actually love the fact that this product has everything I need in it. I've been using it on a weekly basis and would absolutely consider returning to Mix Beauty Lab in the future to create another foundation specifically for me.

Overall I really enjoyed my visit to Mix Beauty Lab and my products are all in frequent rotation in my collection. I would definitely recommend stopping by and making one yourself, or getting a group of friends together to do a custom makeup party. It's a lot of fun and at the end of the day and makeup is so much better when it's FUN, right? You can learn more about Mix Beauty Lab on their website.

There's just something about the smell of coffee in the morning that can turn a dreary early morning wake-up call into a small moment of delight. But what if the coffee scent came from your lip gloss instead? Bite Beauty's latest lip gloss collection does just that! The French Press Lip Gloss Collection is a set of six coffee-inspired glosses that range from the barely there with Flat White, to the deepest of mocha hues with Black Coffee. I was lucky enough to win a set of these beauties in the summer and have been meaning to do this post for months! Come find out which of these glosses became my favourites.

Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss - Flat White

On first glance, this doesn't seem like such a bad lip gloss, but it wasn't one of my favourites. In close-up it doesn't look so pale, but in the full-face shot (which was blurry so none for you!) the colour didn't do much for me. Flat White is very pale on me, and I did find the colour seemed to stick in my lip lines up close. It's not that noticable from afar, or even from a foot away, but I am conscious of it nonetheless. I'll still wear this at home since it's such a comfortable gloss, but I probably wouldn't wear it out.

Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss - Vanilla Latte

NOW, Vanilla Latte is only a PINCH more pigmented than Flat white, adding a hint of a warmer beige colour, so it's almost a version of "My Lips But Better". It does suffer from the similar issue of Flat White where the colour does stick to your lip lines, but it was practically impossible to notice except in this close up. I do like the hint of colour this gloss adds, it's perfect for days when you just want to just add a touch of gloss and run out the door.

Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss - Salted Caramel

When I first saw the French Press Lip Gloss tubes, I was a little underwhelmed by the differentiation in the colours. Because when you look at the tubes, there's something about the design that doesn't really showcase their pigmentation properly. It wasn't until I saw other blogger's swatches coming out that I realized I absolutely had to have this shade. Salted Caramel is a nice warm, peachy colour that is so flattering on a variety of skintones. It's truly a genuine peach colour, something I would've liked to see in Too Faced's Creamy Peach Oil Lip Gloss line, but I guess I got from Bite instead!

Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss - Dirty Chai

Now, I would be basic if I said Dirty Chai was my favourite of the bunch, but I would also be lying if I said it wasn't. There's just something so rosy and gorgeous about this shade, and it is so easily wearable and versatile too. I regularly have this in my purse when I'm stepping out and don't want a heavy lipstick on, because the gloss dries down nicely and this colour leaves the perfect pink pout. C'est fantastique.

Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss - French Press

Oh HELLO THERE you gorgeous lip gloss you. French Press was the sleeper in this set. I didn't pay too much attention to it at first, as I naturally gravitated to Salted Caramel and Dirty Chai at first, but as I slowly started to try out all the shades, I super fell in love with this one. It's so interesting, but in the tube alone it just looks like a medium brown gloss, while in reality it looks significantly more reddish and vibrant. It's a good choice to name the collection after this one, it's so captivating!

Bite Beauty French Press Lip Gloss - Black Coffee

While I do love a dark, plummy lip colour, I've had consistent trouble with how patchy Black Coffee is when I've applied it to my lips. I wear it at home when I am in "A MOOD" (yeah, I often put on my gothy or dark lipstick when I'm working at home, I'm not sure why? It just became a habit and I roll with it) but I've been unable to wear this one outside the house because it's SO PATCHY. This is the best I could do and if you look close you can see some staining where I got it around my lips and had to clean it off. Despite how BOOTIFUL it looks, I'm not sure it's reliable enough on me.

Final thoughts

I have to say, when I first saw this collection I wondered why anyone would buy the full set, because I thought the Flat White/Vanilla Latte, and French Press/Black Coffee pairs both looked very similar. But after trying out all the shades I can truly say that is NOT the case, and as the pics above show, they are definitely different colours. While I do think Flat White is just too pale for me, and I've had application issues with Black Coffee, I have seen other people loving those colours so it may just depend on your skintone and lips. I saw The Beauty Lookbook suggested using a lip pencil underneath those shades, so that could be something to assist with the settling problem I was having. That said, my favourites of the collection are Dirty Chai, French Press and Salted Caramel in no specific order, I've been wearing these three quite regularly and don't see them leaving my makeup bag anytime soon!

You can buy all of the Bite Beauty French Press lip glosses at Bite Beauty or Sephora, but I might recommend Sephora if you're Canadian because despite being a Canadian brand, the Bite Beauty site is transacted in USD and returns are different than at a Sephora location. All of the glosses are $22USD or $26CAD.

Listen very closely. Can you hear it? A jingle of bells, a whistling wind, people laughing through the snow? That's right, winter and the holiday season are coming fast & furious and there's absolutely nothing you can do to stop it. Netflix is releasing holiday specials (A Christmas Prince: Royal Wedding comes out TODAY, Y'ALL!) every single aisle is laden with decorations, and beauty advent calendars are all the rage. But as any good Canadian knows, with Christmas comes winter, darkness and the urge to stay inside. So with all that to consider, here's how I try to stay 'hygge' all winter long.

Yes, I realize that "Winter" doesn't actually start until December 21, but honestly that date is so far away from the start of winter that it's patently ridiculous.

First thing's first. What is "hygge" anyway?

HyggeHouse has a great definition of Hygge on their blog and a fantastic infographic that I absolutely love. Girl knows a SURPRISING amount about being toasty and cozy despite being a Californian! While I do argue the "cold" factor is a big part about hygge for me, her site is pretty awesome.

I first encountered 'hygge' a few years ago when I read the fantastic "The Almost Nearly Perfect People: The Truth About the Nordic Miracle" which breaks down the myths and stereotypes (good and bad) that people have about Nordic countries. I was so fascinated by what I've learned that I've devoured other books about the topic ( The Year of Living Danishly is also excellent), because I definitely felt some sort of familiarity with what I discovered in the idea of hygge. Unfortunately, so did the rest of the world, which lead to NUMEROUS books and expensive THINGS that people think they NEED to get hygge, disregarding the fact that it's more of an idea and an ethos instead of a shopping list.

Here's what I need to get hygge.

Warmth: One of the absolute first steps in getting hygge is to start by adding some warmth in your home. I live in an older building where the floors tend to be cold no matter how much I turn the heat up, so I always have a variety of fuzzy slippers on my feet from November until March. I also tend to adorn my chair, couch and bed with a variety of blankets. I'm not a duvet person, instead I prefer blanket variety depending on the weather! A wool Hudson's Bay point blanket one day, a fuzzy faux fur throw on another. It doesn't matter if I'm reading a book, watching a tv or typing on my laptop, there is always a blanket nearby. Other methods of warmth that I enjoy include tucking my feet behind my partner's back while we watch TV on the couch, or when my cats crawl all over me and act as little portable space heaters at night!

Food: While I may not be a contestant on the Great British Bake off or Canadian equivalent, the Great Canadian Baking Show anytime soon, I definitely feel the urge to bake getting stronger the colder it gets. And what better way to invite people to your home than with a baked good? (Or just eat it all yourself, also TOTALLY FINE IMHO!) Pies, crumbles, galettes, you name it, you should bake it! Next on my docket? Sesame chocolate chip cookies and a Martha Stewart Honey Pie! (Sugar coma, incoming!)

Entertainment: While I already mentioned that I am binging on Netflix and Hallmark holiday specials (please see my Twitter thread for the updates), this type of entertainment could take many forms. Winter IS the best time to catch up on your favourite TV shows (I still have season 3 of Outlander to catch up on!), this could also include a great podcast (may I recommend Hurry Slowly for productivity types or Nobody Cares for those who need a laugh?) or a book (check out some of my favourites so far this year!). When I'm thinking of 'hygge' entertainment, I generally find that it needs to be something relatively positive. I'm not looking for podcasts about murderers (Dr Death!) or documentaries about climate change (Anthropocene!), I'd prefer some comedy, historical romance and things to help soothe!

Pampering & Self-Care: I could go on and on about this topic in length (actually, I already have!), but this could be as simple as using a sheet mask, to painting my nails or simply taking a hot shower. My skin turns into a raisin in the winter as all the moisture is basically sucked from my body and I REQUIRE body lotion, body oil and face masks to keep myself looking like a hydrated human! Whether you're using sheet masks, hydrating face masks or DIYing your own skincare from stuff in your fridge, you can do this too.

So really, all you need to do is combine a few elements into your week and watch as the hygge washes over you. The best part is that so many elements of this can be enjoyed solo or with others, so you can also incorporate more of a collective experience, or spend some time with yourself to relax. It's all up to you. Here's to your idea of hygge!

It's been a minute since I took pictures of my garbage for the blog, but the wait is OVER! I've actually made a pretty significant dent in my beauty and skincare collection over the last little while so there are a LOT more products than I expected, and there's more to come! Otherwise, I have some hits and misses and an update about my no-buy challenge. Let's get to it!

No Buy Challenge

I'm now in my tenth month of the no-buy challenge and I'm feeling really good. Good enough that I actually allowed myself to buy something that's been on my wishlist for three years and I don't feel guilty at all. For those just tuning in, this is more of a "low-buy" with intention to buy as little as possible, but for the last three months, I've barely spent my $25 monthly budget, so I made a small consession in October...

September - This month was absolutely easy, I spent $4.99 on my Life Brand Exfoliating Foot Mask for my review and that is completely it. September was such a breeze, I didn't even feel tempted once and it's starting to become second nature for me to breeze past beauty aisles and areas I used to waste time in, like it means nothing at all.

October - Because I've been so extremely good the last three months with my budget, I made a slight exception here. I spent just over $50 this month on an Urban Decay Electric Pressed Pigment Palette which I thought had been completely discontinued. Turns out the Urban Decay location at Square One Mississauga had a few left and ON SALE FOR $40. They also had a fair number of eyeliners half off and I bought a rusty red for my Halloween costume. And that's all she wrote! I'll probably do some swatches later, it's such a gorgeous palette!

Now, on to the empties! Lots of budget beauty this time around, so take a look.

Empties

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation in Petal - I actually won this in a contest a few years ago and it's JUST a few shades deeper than my actual skintone. So what I used this for, for YEARS, was to deepen my lighter foundation throughout the year. I tend to get very pale come winter and increase a shade or two come summer, so this keeps my from having to buy a completely different makeup collection from winter to summer!

Dr. Logy Moisture Mask Sheet - I recently did a trade on Bunz for a pair of these Tony Moly face masks which I'd never actually seen before. The fit was great, not too snug, there was a lot of essence in the bag, but the problem is that the product didn't seem to absorb into my skin at all. It was very gooey and just sat on the surface of my skin, even twenty minutes after taking the mask off, I basically had to just wash my face again because it would NOT settle in. Skip this one.

Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream - I absolutely LOVE this moisturizer. It acts as a tone balancer for your skin, which is especially useful in the summer and early fall with various tan lines. I often have multiple tan lines on my legs, on my arms and on my upper neck, and this stuff helps soften those harsh lines, and also keeps your skin feel super supple and soft too! I've owned multiple bottles of this and will definitely have another one next summer.

Klorane Dry Shampoo- Now THIS is a dry shampoo I always forget about, but really enjoy. It has a fresh, almost adult scent, manages to keep my scalp happy while also extending my hair for one more day without a shower. I still think Batiste is my #1 dry shampoo love but I'd grab Klorane if it was handy too!

Life Brand Exfoliating Foot Mask - Recently I wrote a review of this foot mask, and how it compares to the Korean foot-mask favourite, Leaders Mediu Baby Soft Foot. Check it out!

Make Up For Ever Sens'eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser - When it comes to makeup removal, I'm much more likely to grab a micellar water than a traditional eye makeup remover because I like that micellar water doesn't leave a residue and is extremely gentle on the eyes. That said, I actually like this formula to leave on my vanity to use for touch-ups and wiping away fall-out when I'm applying my makeup. So, while I probably won't buy it again, it has its use!

Nude by Nature Perfecting Primer - Recently I received a deluxe sample of this new cruelty-free brand and I was blown away by how comfortable this primer was. I always need to use a primer as my pores are HUGE and I need smoothing, and this stuff felt like BLISS on my face. Makeup applied like a DREAM over it. When I finish my current primers I'm absolutely buying one of these again. They are currently exclusive to Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada but I recommend you check them out!

Philosophy Peppermint Stick Body Wash - This body wash has travelled with me through THREE MOVES. THREE. If this doesn't explain my obsession with body wash, nothing else will. I made it my mission this year to STOP buying body wash and go through what I have, and even still at this rate I literally have enough bottles to get me through to 2020. But this one? Still one of my favourite scents and suds. Would absolutely buy again. But...not now.

PSST Instant Dry Shampoo - When I visited New York earlier this year I forgot my dry shampoo and had to pop into a shop to buy a small travel sized one. I didn't think about it too much so I grabbed this one and honestly, it suuucks. It's one of those dry shampoos that leaves my hair almost as greasy and heavy as it was BEFORE the shampoo. I kept using it to finish it up on days when I put my hair in a bun, but BLECH, never buying again.

Tarte Ready Set Radiant Skin Mist - I was really excited to test this out when I got it in my Sephora Summer Favourites kit this year, but honestly it was a let-down. The sample I received didn't mist very well, the scent was cloying and sickly, and instead of settling nicely on my face, I sometimes would find the product drying in "drops" on my foundation. NO THANKS. Definitely not buying again.

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray - I absolutely love this stuff! The bottle comes with a double topper so you can easily travel with it without leaking, it smells nice and settles nicely on the face. I've tried a few other setting sprays and this one is still one of my favourites. I don't always have the money to spend on it, so it's still a splurge, but it's a good one that keeps my makeup on my face!

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum - I already wrote a review of this serum on the blog a few months ago, but I liked it so much it took priority over my other serums and I can't believe it's already gone!

Tosses

Absolute New York Duo Stroke Eyeliner - A double-sided liquid eyeliner is, in theory, a great addition to any beauty lover's collection. You can get a thin tip, or a thicker tip with just a flip of the tube! One product for both! Unfortunately, it just needs to be on a better product. I felt like the quality of the liner just wasn't that great, it smudged easily and since my eyes often tear up, I need my liquid liner to be sturdier. I couldn't trust using this liner for a whole day out of the house.

Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser and Balm - Now, I'm not sure if this product is just too old or if my taste in cuticle care has changed, but this is such a gummy texture for something I want to smooth over my fingers. I feel like it doesn't absorb and feels significantly tackier than other cuticle creams. I much prefer cuticle oils lately anyway.

And that's a wrap! When I put my pile together I couldn't believe how many products I went through in the last little while. I think I'm finally whittling down all the half finished bottles of this and that I've had lying around for ages, with more to come!

The winds of November are some extremely strange winds. The weather in Toronto is oscillating from damp and mild, to dry and cold on a whim. I don't know whether to wear my winter jacket, or my raincoat and I haven't seen the sun in days! And on top of all that noise, my skin hasn't been very happy. I've recently noticed some texture issues as my combination skin voices it's frustration with the weather, so I decided to reach for one of my trusty skincare products, First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Intensive Peel. Find out why this is on my MUST list for the fall.

Before I go any further, I need to clarify something that was not particularly clear to me when I first grabbed this tube. When they say "peel", they don't mean that this is a peeling mask, but that this mask is like an at-home chemical peel of sorts. It's meant to be left on the skin for an extremely short period of time, and tested in short doses. It does its work in a matter of minutes, and they don't recommend leaving it on for more than five minutes, but even after trying it a few times, I rarely make it to four!

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Intensive Peel

The Product: Loaded with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), this product actually resembles a typical clay mask when you first squeeze it out of the tube. However, it's application should be treated a little differently than a traditional clay mask. While FAB recommends applying the product liberally, I actually recommend using it sparingly, since a little goes a LONG way, while also avoiding your under eye area. Basically, you should still be able to see your skin underneath the mask when you're finished.

The Effect: Almost IMMEDIATELY after applying it, you'll feel a tingling sensation. I know some people absoutely hate this, and while I'm not a huge fan, I tend to stick with it for three or four minutes now before cleansing it off. When you first use it, try a 30 second patch test as it is VERY strong. They recommend rinsing with water but I usually use a towel with warm water to wash it off. And after that? My skin feels SO CLEAN and FRESH that it's actually ridiculous. Because I tend to put this on a night, I'll use a mild serum and moisturizer, but if you do this during the day, make sure to apply sunscreen as you would after using any other product with AHAs.

Verdict: One of my favourite things about this mask is the length of time the effect lasts. I can use this mask on a Saturday night and still feel the effects three to four days later. I find I really only have to use this mask maybe once every other week or so to reap the benefits, and it's a nice quick fix to get my skin back on track. Because it's so strong I wouldn't advise using it more than twice a week, but that would depend on your face and what other issues you're dealing with.

As I do with most of my skincare products, I took a look at what Beautypedia recommends regarding the ingredients, and most of it is what I suspect. They are happy with the AHAs and soothing ingredients, but unhappy with the lower then effective amount of salicylic acid, find the clay too drying for dry skin, and dislike the pot style of the permanent version of this product. I also dislike pots for masks, which I why bought this one in a holiday kit where all the masks were in tubes. So, maybe this isn't the product for those with dry skin or sensitive skin, but combination and oily fans rejoice, this is for us! I also checked up on Cruelty Free Kitty and First Aid Beauty has a cruelty-free status as of 2018 and this product is also vegan!

All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with this mask. As I'm always hunting for the best in skincare though, I'm not 100% committed to it and when this tube is done I'll probably explore other exfoliants, but it just might be something I fall back on at some point!

Have you every tried First Aid Beauty? Which of their products should I try next?

When I was a kid, I was OBSESSED with convenience store mystery bags. If you grew up in the 80s and 90s you probably know what I'm talking about. They were around $2 and had candy, a plastic toy and trading cards in it. I loved the idea of being surprised and taking a risk with my hard earned allowance even if it wasn't always what I directly wanted. Needless to say, this generalized excitement about surprises has not gone away, and this leads us directly to the FabFitFun Subscription box!

Long-time readers may remember I used to review quite a few subscription boxes back in the day. I would rotate though Julep, BeautyBox5, TopBox, Ipsy and Birchbox in particular, but I found myself tiring of having a giant pile of "deluxe samples" and from the constant repetition in the offerings. And as many of these boxes don't exist anymore, I think other customers probably agreed with me. But while these monthly boxes have seen a decline, the quarterly GENIUS of FabFitFun emerged!

FabFitFun offers quarterly semi-customizable subscription boxes that don't just focus on makeup, but also lifestyle items like jewelery, fitness accessories, bags, skincare and more. I've seen ads, reviews and promotions for FabFitFun EVERYWHERE over the last few years and decided it was finally time to dip my toes into it.

My one concern though as a Canadian, is an age-old question. Is it worth the extra tax, duty and shipping to get this subscription box? I thought I'd wait until I had TWO boxes of FabFitFun before I wrote my conclusions, so read on for my findings!

Summer FabFitFun Box Price Comparison

The KEY selling point for me this month was the Foreo LUNA Fofo, a portable facial scrubber which is something I've wanted for awhile but just couldn't justify buying. So when I saw that the FabFitFun Summer 2018 box included one in every box? I knew I had to try it.

The Items

• FOREO LUNA! fofo $89USD/$119CAD
• Pier 1 Imports Marble Ring Dish $14.99USD/$19.70CAD
• tarte Pro To Go Eyeshadow Palette $23USD/$30CAD
• tarte Sex Kitten eyeliner $20USD/$24CAD
• Jaboneria Marianella Body Caviar $48USD/$63CAD
• ELEMIS Papaya Enzyme Peel $45USD/$56CAD
• COOLA Classic Face SPF 50 White Tea $32USD/$42CAD
• Minor History Postscript Wallet $20USD/$26CAD
• Summer & Rose Beach Towel - ?

For some reason the beach towel was not included in my subscription pricing estimate, but I most definitely received it!

FabFitFun Estimated Value: $291.99USD / $382 CAD (give or take a few dollars)

How much I paid: $55USD / $71.81 CAD

Was It Worth it?

As mentioned above, I subscribed almost entirely to get the Foreo Luna FOFO with this box, so I absolutely got a deal with this box! While I wasn't really a fan of the Minor History Wallet or the Coola sunscreen, I loved the ring dish, both the Tarte cosmetics and the towel A LOT. The question is whether I would ever SPEND the amount of money that these items cost, but that's something I can deal with another day.

FALL FABFITFUN BOX PRICE COMPARISON

For this month, I was immediately drawn to the Vince Camuto tote bag. I have a variety of bags snd purses but nothing quite like this one. I ended up choosing the dark brown "rum" colour instead of the black.

The Items

• Vince Camuto Luck Tote $128USD/$168CAD
• Alfred French Press Coffee Brewer $20USD/$26CAD
• Cylo Cobra Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds $40USD/$52.50CAD
• Grown Alchemist Polishing Facial Exfoliant $67/$82CAD
• Farmacy Dew It All Total Eye Cream $38USD/$49CAD
• beautyblender® $20USD/$28CAD
• Glamglow Bubblesheet Oxygenating Deep Cleanse Mask (2 Pack) $18USD/$24CAD
• Simply Whimsical Set of 2 Tea Towels $15USD/$19.50CAD
• SKIN&CO Roma Blue in Capri Shower Gel $22USD/$29CAD
• Luna Bar $2USD/$2CAD

Some products have specific CAD prices, others I based off of the USD prices. The Vince Camuto tote was an exclusive but I found it for sale on Spring, the Alfred French Press was also exclusive, so I estimated.

FabFitFun Estimated Value: $369.99USD / $480 CAD (give or take a few dollars)

How much I paid: $65.53USD / $88.47 CAD

Was It Worth it?

I think this month was a win! I've used the tote a few times, and though I don't usually like bags without zippers, I really like how sleek it is. I was excited to see Beautyblender, Farmacy and Glamglow because I've purchased things from all three of these brands before, and while some other other things weren't as exciting (tea towels, french press) they are definitely things I can use.

I had one initial issue with this box though, my Cylo headphones came with one of the earbuds sounding significantly weaker than the other. I contacted FabFitFun customer support and they provided me an email to reach out to Cylo directly and I had a replacement within a week!

Am I continuing with FabFitFun?

I think the last two months are a great example of the quality and usefulness of the FabFitFun subscription box. I've been more than impressed with the product selection and every month it's been absolutely worth the price I've paid for the box. I'm actually considering upgrading to the FabFitFun select box to get a bigger discount on every box and priority shipping too!

If you're interested in trying out FabFitFun, please feel free to use my referral code for $10 off your first box. I hear the Winter boxes are some of the best and those start selection on Friday November 3 for seasonal subscribers. Join in the fun!

I purchased this product & all opinions are my own.

Recently I discovered that one of my biggest posts of all time wasn't what I expected. It wasn't a makeup product or a skincare revew, it wasn't event coverage or a fashion post, it was my review of the Leaders Clinic Mediu Baby Foot Mask. That's right, a FOOT MASK is one of the biggest posts I've ever written on Darling Magpie in almost four years. So that got me thinking, why not kill two birds with one stone and give the people what they want with another foot mask review, while also treating my feet to some pampering? And as it happened, Life Brand's Exfoliating Foot Mask showed up at the perfect time at Shoppers Drug Mart! For $5, let's see how it compares to my hard-to-find Baby Foot fave!

Exfoliating Foot Masks - The Basics

Now, for those who haven't seen or used one of these before, it's basically a wet, gooey gel bootie filled with AHA and salicylic acid, and in this instance, scented like citrus. In some instances the booties are already pre-filled, so all you need to do is snip open the top and wear it like a gooey sock. You keep it on for about twenty minutes and three to seven days your skin will start to exfoliate. Like, your entire foot will start to peel off. Trust me, it's weird but it's so, so satisfying!

What's happening is the AHA and salicylic acid are creating a chemical process to speed up the skins ability to 'shed' dead skin. The skin in your foot is a lot tougher than other areas of your body, but the alcohol in the product acts as another agent that helps the ingredients pass through your skin barrier to work their magic. It doesn't hurt AT ALL, and is kinda awesome if your feet are rough or calloused, or just need some pampering.

How does the Life Brand Foot Mask Compare to Leaders Mediu?

The Design: Honestly, there were way more similarities between these products than I expected. They both use almost the exact same type of bootie, but the only difference is that the Life Brand one requires you to take the extra step and pour your own gel into your booties, while the Leaders Mediu is already pre-filled for you. It also means the Life Brand one has sliiiightly more packaging overall, but it's 95% essentially the same product design.

The Scent: It's been awhile since I've tried the Leaders Clinic Mediu mask, but I do recall it has a very mentholated scent, and while the Life Brand one doesn't, it instead has a very sharp citrus scent that almost reminded me of a cleaning product. Neither are ideal, so it's just up to your personal preferences here.

The Result:I have to say, after opening the package and discovering it was the exact same design, I was pretty sure the mask was going to be fairly similar, and I'm glad to say that assumption was correct! I found that after the first two days, not much happened, then on day three I went to a wedding and spent a lot of time on my feet and that night I saw some big patches of dead skin starting to bubble up! By day four to six I was peeling like CRAZY and my skin felt oh-so-soft. By the eighth day my foot was completely brand new with almost no sign of any additional shedding!

One thing I do want to warn people of, which I didn't highlight in my initial review, is about over-pulling. It may feel really good to remove the peeling skin when it's sloughing off, but it's also easy to over-pull and damage the soft skin or the skin that hasn't fully shed yet. So PULL SPARINGLY, it may take up to seven days for the full effect so if any area seems tender, LEAVE IT ALONE. You also may want to avoid strappy sandals once your feet start to peel as it's QUITE obvious that you're shedding like a snake. Otherwise, you should be fine!

You can find the Life Brand Exfoliating Foot Mask at Shoppers Drug Mart, and it cost $5 or 2 for $8! Moving forward, I'm totally going to stock up on more of them because they are WAY easier to find than the Leaders Mediu ones!

Have you tried a foot mask? Which is your favourite?

Ever since I was a little kid, I've been an absolute bookworm. I was blessed to be born into a home with parents who both encouraged reading and were fairly avid readers in their own right. My father preferred science fiction and fantasy, which lead me from C.S. Lewis to Anne McCaffrey, then on to Anne Rice and Stephen King in due time, while my mom preferred mystery novels, which fully threw me into an obsession with The Cat Who series by Lilian Jackson Braun. Our house was littered with bookshelves and a trip to the library was a regular weekly occurance in our home.

As I've grown older, memories often flood back to me about my reading habits, as well as anecdotes from family about my obsessive need to ABR - always be reading. These stories vary from the charming, like the time I was sick with the chicken pox and had a stack of books the height of my bed beside me while I read and read and read until I wasn't contagious, to the arrogant. I distinctively remember gloating about winning a book award in the 4th grade because I read more books than anyone else. Too bad I wasn't learning how to be humble at the same time!

I've continued this love for reading throughout my adult life, I was even one of those weirdos who read FOR FUN in University. Another thing I started while in University was counting my progress by tracking every book I read, along with my rating for it. Then in 2007 along came Goodreads and I was able to share my love of reading with others! I've basically been doing the 50 book a year challenge for 15+ years, even though Goodreads has only been around for 12. While some years are better than others (let's not talk about 2013 and 2017) I tend to outpace myself more often than not and this year I've already read 43/50 books with more than 10 weeks to go!

My Fave Reads of 2018 So Far

I started the year with the startling memoir Hunger by Roxane Gay. I've read quite a bit of her writing over the years and although I'd read some of the more chilling excerpts prior to getting my hands on this book, there was still so much for me to read. This is not a light-read. I read it in chunks, taking a break whenever I felt like I could, but along with the depictions of sexual assault, trauma, self-loathing, depression and melancholy, comes this fierceness that defines Gay and her writing as well. Highly recommend this read.

On a different note, The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline is a piece of dystopian fiction that is eerily prescient in the same way of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. In a world where global warming and other factors have fundamentally altered how people engage with nature, a large population of North America can no longer dream. But Indigenous peoples can, and their DNA and marrow is sought after and they are hunted. The novel follows teenager French and his found family as they attempt to escape and survive, looking for a rumoured land where they can exist safely. I picked this up after it was chosen as one of Canada Reads 2018 and it ended up being the winner. I couldn't put it down and kept thinking about it for weeks.

Another book I recently loved was The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country, yes another memoir by British writer Helen Russell about the year she and her husband moved from the metropolitan hub of London to an itsy-bitsy town in Denmark for her husband's job. It's an amazing book that is simultaneously about Denmark, while also about reinvention and how we develop our identities and markers for happiness. I was particularly fascinated by so many aspects of Danish culture that I didn't know about, but I also just want a snegle.

On a completely different level, I recently read Gothic Tales of Haunted Love, a graphic novel compilation published by Hope Nicholson and Bedside Press which is full of spooky, woke stories that are as diverse as they are creepy! My only complaint about this compilation is I absolutely want more! It features twenty fantastic one-shots by comics vets and newcomers, and features something for everyone. My favourites include Fazenda do Sangue Azul by H. Pueyo and Dante L, Rose's Heart by Colleen Coover, and One More Cup by Barbara Guttman. PERFECT for Halloween on the way.

On a whole I've noticed that this year more than any other, I've reveled in nonfiction and memoir, while avoiding happy or fluffier works. I think I need to add something humourous soon!

Books I'm Finishing Right Now.

Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube - You may be familiar with Blair Braverman from her Twitter handle where she shares her life raising sled dogs in Alaska. In her memoir she examines her life as a suburban California girl who finds her calling in Norway and eventually, Alaska.

The Burning Girl - Claire Messud's novel about the intensity of two preteen girls and their tenuous friendship. I've tried not to read too much into it yet as spoilers seem to abound in EVERY review lately, but I am fascinated by the concept. I remember having those friendships and the scar-tissue they caused.

Do Not Say We Have Nothing - Madeleine Thien's epic novel is a JOY to read but it's also an epic that requires focus and concentration. I've been trying to read this book for months and almost need a cheat-sheet for all the characters! This is a perfect vacation book however and if I get a few days to just curl up in a ball, I'm sure I can finally tackle it.

What are you reading right now? Do you have any recommendations for something a bit lighter, as it appears that my tastes have swung to the serious side in 2018?

Over the last few months I've posted consistently about my no-buy challenge with mini-challenges to siphon down parts of my collection. These monthly updates include my progress on things like perfume samples, skincare products, lipstick purges and more. But I also put together a little summertime 'Project Pan' for myself (which you can read here), piling together seven makeup and beauty products I wanted to hit pan on. In my project pan post, I challenged myself to do as much damage as I could by the end of September. Now it's time to reveal my progress!

Just a reminder, I had a few rules in mind.

The Rules

• I didn't want to use products that were almost finished already, I wanted things that I would need to CONSISTENTLY use to be able to finish by the end of summer.
• Full size products ONLY. I do a good job clearing through deluxe products as is, but I wanted to zone in on larger products that would be more of a challenge.
• If I truly don't like something and don't use it much during this challenge, I will toss it by the end of the project

Products I Finished

Smashbox High Definition Concealer Fair/Light

When I started this project I thought this would be a rather easy product to use it, it already looked like there was about 20-25% left to go. But little did I know that a small amount of this product can go a LONG way. I only JUST finished this up late-September! Because it's such a dense concealer, only a small amount is needed to cover blemishes or soften my under-eyes. I don't cake myself in concealer, I literally just use it to conceal, so that could also be why it takes me forever to finish one! But overall I'm MIGHTY impressed and may just repurchase it again sometime soon.

Benefit Instant Brow Pencil Medium

When I started my project pan, I remembered why I rarely reached for this pencil: it was just too cool for my brow. But I was committed to finishing it for this project, so I added a coloured brow gel on top to adjust the tone to make it look better on my skin. It's not a bad pencil, just the shade didn't exactly work. Luckily, with the gel on top, it looked totally fine afterward. I have basically an itsy-bitsy tiny nub left of the pencil but it's super hard to hold as it's so small now, so I'm considering it finished!

Products I Didn't Finish

The Ordinary Serum Foundation 1.1P

So if you read my update about my summer, you know I was unfortunately let go in late July. On the PLUS SIDE, it meant I had more time to be outside during the day and I took full advantage by taking long walks and hikes and biking. What does this have to do with foundation you may ask? I tanned a LOT more on my face than I usually do. Most people won't notice because I'm still pale, but I am ...less pale than usual. So when I tried to wear this by late August, I looked like a kid trying out 'goth' makeup, even when I added a few drops of a deeper foundation to warm it up. Lol. So as Fall comes around, I can probably make more use of it. However, I only have about 10-15% left so I did make a dent from the 20-25% that was there in July!

Benefit Sugar Bomb Blush

It's hard to see but I definitely made a dent here too. The height of the blush that's left remaining is absolutely smaller than when I started in July. My one concern is that I think this blush is finally getting a hardpan, which means it's a lot more difficult for me to get pigment on my brushes when trying to apply it. I'll keep using it for now but I may have to chuck this blush soon.

Essence Beauty on Tour Cream Blush 02

I didn't think there was ANY WAY I would finish this blush during the pan, but I absolutely made a dent in it! I'm still a fairly big fan of this blush and see no reason to get rid of it as I enjoyed using it almost every day. While it's a very bright pink blush, because it's a cream blush it's easy to adjust how intense you want your look. I found it really easy to wear this in the day and then amp it up at night.

Products I'm Tossing

Essence Mountain Calling Translucent Powder

While I didn't finish this powder initially, I did make a HUGE dent in it, leaving just a white ring around the edge of the compact. THEN I DROPPED IT. I smashed the poor thing into smithereens and instead of painstakingly trying to put it back together, I decided it had done it's job and I put it squarely in my empties pile and thanked it for its service over the years.

Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Cushion Corrector + Primer Duo Yellow/Green

HONESTLY I probably tried using this for maybe a week or two before I decided to chuck it. I don't colour correct any more, and if I did, I would reach for my Stila colour corrector cream palette, not this awkward sponge brush that I usually had to use my fingers for anyway. Bye bye!

So overall I'm pretty impressed with my project pan results. I finished two products, chucked two more, leaving me with only three of my initial seven! Not a bad result considering a few of these would have been near-impossible to finish in two months any way. Maybe I'll put together another one for November and December to see if I can't get rid of some more!

Have you ever completed a project pan? Do they work for you? Let me know!