Provincial Beauty

September 2012 Favourites!

2012-10-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic month! I am loving this Fall weather we have been having here in Ontario. Fall is by far my favourite season! This will just be a quick post on a few products I have been loving this month.

bareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser - I switched up my skin care recently and have been trying the bareMinerals line. I am in love with this cleanser. I am really big on cleansers that do not foam right now - since I am usually not a fan of the ingredients that make that product foam. This not only cleanses my skin but have dramatically improved the texture of my skin in a way that no other cleanser has before.

bareMinerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer for Combo Skin - I bought this along with the cleanser. I love this product - it has no scent and is light. However, for a product for oily skin it really didn't help keep my oil at bay during the day. I only use this at night now since it is really moisturizing.

DKNY Be Delicious Purfume - I have been wearing my Taylor Swift perfume foorreeevvverr and felt like it was time for a change. I have always associated this perfume with the fall (perhaps due to the apple relation?) and have seen fantastic reviews on it, so I picked it up at Sephora. I adore the scent and the packaging! A definite winner.

Revlon Colour Stay Whipped Foundation - I saw several rave reviews on this product so I purchased it in August. I adore the consistency and coverage this product gives - plus the lightest shade is actually a fantastic match for my skin tone. Since I am not a foundation girl, I like to mix this with my mattifying moisturizer to create a tinted moisturizer. I still get enough coverage without having to wear a full face of foundation.

MUA Blush in Shade 2 - This purchase is thanks to the wonderful Jayne at Cosmetic Proof for letting me know that MUA had free shipping on awhile back. This was one of the items I picked up and I am loving the consistency and pigmentation. I also have to make a comment that MUA customer service is outstanding! One of my products was out of stock and they kept in touch with me the whole time. While it took a month for me to get my shipment - I didn't even mind because I knew what was going on every step of the way. I am not sure if companies understand that completely. Most times an annoyed customer can be avoided just by being open and communicating with them. So simple yet so over looked.

What are your favourite products from September?

xo Kathryn

September Topbox

2012-09-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

Oh hey there! Long time, no blog. I apologize for that... to be honest, professionally I have overextended myself. I have taken on way to much and unfortunately my blog schedule has suffered because of it. Forgive me? I am working on simplifying my life so I can make time for the things I enjoy.. like blogging! I really miss all my blogger friends.. and I honestly did make an effort to still keep commenting on everyone's post even if I wasn't writing posts myself.

Well, it was a long 4 month wait but my name finally came off the Topbox waiting list and I received my first box this month! I was so excited when I received my shipping information and literally two days later it was in my hands - fantastic ship time! I also enjoy receiving the box at the beginning of the month.

In my September Topbox I found...

Benefit They're Real Mascara - I have been dying to try a high end mascara. I have always used drugstore mascara's failing to see the point in spending more. I was thinking of buying one of Benefit's mascaras to try and now I can try before I buy! Brilliant!

Redken Colour Extend Shampoo and Conditioner - Ah the good old packet sample. I do like Redken products but the packaging and the fact I do not colour my hair makes this sample a little so-so for me.

M.Asam Perfect Teint Primer - I love the sample packaging of this primer! The little pot is super cute. I don't know if I am a huge fan of this yet...I have oily skin and this primer seemed to only enhance that but I will still give it a fair trial!

Vasanti BrightenUp Exfoliater - I love this product! I believe I received it in a Glymm box a long time ago and ended up purchasing it full size. I now have something to take with me when I am away.. perfect!

I could not be happier with my first ever Topbox. Again, well worth the wait. It also made cancelling my Glossybox subscription an easy choice!

Hope you enjoyed this (long overdue) post!

xo Kathryn

July 2012 Favourites

2012-08-06T18:07:00.001-07:00

Is it time for a favourites post already?! Summer is flying by which is alright with me since Fall is my absolute favourite season. Just a few products made it into my favourites this month, but all are completely fantastic.

Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk & Hibiscus Creamy Body Lotion - And so continues my obsession with coconut. The smell of this is fantastic and it absorbs very well. It is certainly not a thick cream, which has been perfect for this incredibly hot summer!

Barry M Nail Polish in Berry I/C- I received this in my swap from Laura-Jayn and just adore this colour. I know pastels are usually associated with Spring, but I love them all year round! The formula of this polish is fantastic, and it is completely opaque in two coats.

Korres Lip Butter Glaze in Jasmine - I adore the lip butters from Korres so when I saw they came in a lip gloss I was all for it. I found this in Winners and snatched them up immediately. It was a pack of three of these for only $6.99.

Organix Revitalizing Pomegranate Green Tea Anti Frizz Serum - I have become a little engrossed with the Organix line. Their conditioners, body moisturizers, and styling products are fantastic! This is a great serum that calms my horribly frizzy hair. Just beware: too much and your hair goes from gorgeous to greasy! One pump or less is more then enough!!

Dove Go Sleeveless Deodorant - I picked this up for the sole reason it was on sale. I have never had a loyalty to deodorants but I think I may now. The smell of this is fantastic. I wore it on one of the days in July where the temperature hit 40 degrees Celsius and all I could smell was the amazing scent. I actually have seen a difference in the condition of my under arms as well.

What products are you loving right now?

xo Kathryn

Swap with The Lovely Laura Jayn

2012-07-31T18:37:00.000-07:00

Again, I am always blown away by the amazing supportive people I meet through this blog. It is nice to be surronded by people that not only share your interests but also your morals. I have been following Laura-Jayn's blog for quite sometime, and I adore it. So when she suggested a swap, I jumped at the opportunity. We set a dollar amount and agreed to send brands that you couldn't get in the receivers country. When her package came I was so excited. She sent me sooo many products I was overwhelmed! They were so well picked too, she actually considered my skin type, colours and preference. If you aren't following Laura-Jayn yet, you definitely should check out her blog here! Here is a look at the things Laura-Jayn sent me! (Pictures are broken down by brand.. there was just so many things!)

She wrapped everything so well! Nothing broke on its trip all the way from England!

4 Face Masks, the little red tin, and pink lip balm

MUA: Heaven and Earth Palette, Lipstick in Shades #4, 12 and 16, Lip Gloss in #5 and Glamour Days Palette

2True: Colour Drench Lipgloss in #4, 3 in 1 Concealer #1, and Smooth Matte Pressed Powder in #1

Sleek: Oh So Special Palette and Blush in Life's a Peach

Collection 2000: Big Fake Mascara in Brown Black, Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair, Cream Puff Lip Cream in Cotton Candy and Blush in Bashfull

Barry M: Dusky Mauve, Blue Moon, Strawberry I/C, Berry I/C, Peach Malba, and Magnetic Burgundy

I love everything she sent me! The stand outs? The powder, concealers and palettes! She did such an amazing job of finding products I would like (you will definitely see some of these in my July favourites!). So excited to dive further into these products!

Hope you enjoyed this post!

xo Kathryn

How Much Does Your Face Cost?

2012-07-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

I saw a fantastic tag on a few blogs the other day that I thought would be fun to do! I am a little slow to pick up this tag, I know it started awhile ago, but oh well! Instead of the $20 makeup challenge that has been going around, which focuses on limiting the cost of your makeup, this tag focuses on costing out how much your face really costs. This is my standard everyday makeup. You will notice there is no shadow.. on a typical day I do not wear eye shadow just liner. I thought this was fun and if you want, I tag you to do it as well!

Eco Tools Bronzer Brush: $11.00

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream: $9.00

Benefit Hoola Lip Gloss: $18.00

Marcelle Xtreme Mascara: $12.00

NYX Eyebrow Push-Up Liner: $7.00

CoverGirl Lash Blast Length: $8.00

Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Treatment: $10.00

MAC Nicki Minaj Lipstick: $19.00

Physicians Formula Liquid Liner: $11.00

Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil in Perversion: $17.00

NYC Smooth Size Bronzer in Sunny: $3.00

Tarte Amazion Clay Blush in Blissful: $25.00

MAC Blot Powder: $25.00

Total Makeup Cost: $175.00

This pretty face? It ain't cheap! Granted a lot of these products last forever, and if I broke it down to price per use I'm sure the price tag would be much more reasonable (I hope at least!).

I hope you enjoyed this post!

xo Kathryn

June 2012 Raves

2012-07-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

I apologize for being slightly MIA recently. My life has been a little crazy! In the last two weeks I have started a new job and moved to a new house! Needless to say I have been a little overwhelmed but I am really happy with everything and am looking forward to writing some great posts! Here is a quick monthly rave on some products that I have been absolutely loving in the month of June. I have actually been lucky this month, I couldn't think of one product I didn't like, so this will just be a few products I love.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost - I recently ran out of Tea Tree Serum from the Body Shop, and since they had a buy 2 get 2 free deal, I treated myself to a few more products. I rediscovered my love for this serum; fantastic consistency and it makes my skin glow in the morning. If you haven't tried this product, I would totally recommend it!

Redken Hair Cleansing Cream - Every Sunday I like to give my hair a deep cleanse and use a deep conditioning mask to prep my hair for the week. I haven't found a shampoo

that really makes my hair feel free of product build-up till I tried this. The smell is amazing and after I leave it on for a few minutes my hair and scalp feel incredibly clean.. but not dried out!

Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine - I own a few of these and love them all, but I find I reach for this one the most. It gives a sheer wash of light pink colour and the consistency is fantastic. 10 out of 10 for sure.

Eco Tools Bronzer Brush - I purchased this brush a few months ago, and am in love with it! It is the softest brush I have ever owned. It is specified for applying bronzer, but it is really my multi-purpose brush! I use it for powder, bronzer, and blush and it works great for all of them. And at only $10? You can't go wrong!

The Body Shop Lip and Cheek Duo in Pinch Me Pink - This was another product in the buy 2 get 2 free shopping trip. This is from their new makeup line that has Lily Cole as the spokesperson. I loved the colour of this and it is a great cream blush. Not thrilled with it on the lips (it barely shows on my lips) but on the cheeks it is beautiful and natural! It is normally $10 but I received it for free :)

I would love to hear what products you are loving right now :)

xo Kathryn

June Julep Box - Classic with a Twist

2012-06-23T13:57:00.003-07:00

Since I skipped my Julep Maven box in May, I thought I would treat myself to a box in June. What a good month to choose because the colours were beautiful! I choose Classic with a Twist and could not be happier with my choices. I had every intention to skip July.. but seriously how could I say no to the colour selection for next month!? I caved and can't wait for my July box to arrive. But before I get too ahead of myself.. let's go through June's box!

Lauren is the fuchsia pink which is a fantastic jelly texture. I have already worn it and with two coats it is a beautiful bright opaque colour. Though I did find it to peel quickly. Claire is a great creamy but bright blue. I haven't worn this fully on my nails but I did do polka dots on top of Lauren and it showed up great! I also received two additional nail polish brushes in my box. There was a note saying this was for the defective brushes some subscribers received last month. I didn't order a box last month so I didn't really need these brushes, but they are certainly great to have!

The additional products that Julep always sends in its boxes this month was the Julep Daylight Defence for Hands and Face and the Daylight Defence Lip Balm in Vanilla Mint. These were great additional products and perfect for summer. With the addition of products like this, I can justify the $20 price tag. The lip chap is fantastic: a fairly standard consistency but I love the flavour of mint and vanilla together. Plus, the addition of SPF is great. So often people forget that our lips need SPF too! The consistency of the Daylight Defence cream is great. It is not greasy or heavy and is great for all over the body. I have used it a few times on my face and it has not broken me out. Chelsea at Chelsea Morgan Beauty raves about this and I would have to agree with her review!

Please note that there were two pixie sticks in this box... though they barely saw daylight before I devoured them. What a nice little touch.. so nostalgic for me since I definitely grew up in the era of the pixie sticks!

I love my box this month and shipping was super fast to Ontario (it was me that took so long getting up this post)! Overall, Julep just makes it harder and harder to skip a month!!

Hope you enjoyed this post!

xo Kathryn

Product Review: Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream

2012-06-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

After my colour match disappointment with Marcelle BB Cream I was on the hunt for a BB cream that would cater to my off-white skin colour. I thought maybe an Asian BB cream would be more my style, but honestly, I live in a smaller city and there is no where for me to get one. And with skin products I really want to try it before ordering it, which made me shy away from on-line ordering. While I was in Wal-Mart the other day I noticed that Maybelline had launched their own version of the BB Cream. I really like the Maybelline brand, and with a five colour selection I thought I might have better luck with this line.

Display at Wal-Mart (this is it even after I cleaned it up a bit for the photo...super messy!)

The Promise: This BB cream promises to be an 8-in-1 product (as can be seen on the front and back of the product). After a few days of wear this is how I feel towards these eight promises:

Has SPF 30 - The level of SPF in this product is great, and ensures that I don't need an additional layer of sunscreen under it on a day when I'm just going to the office. The product has no smell other then a faint sunscreen smell (but it is very faint).
Helps blur the look of imperfections - I like the wording of this one. Definitely a true marketers statement. I would say this product definitely leans more to a tinted moisturizer then a BB cream coverage or foundation coverage. It will even your skin tone but certainly will not hide anything.
Creates a natural glow - This effect is very minimal. I could see it brighten my complexion but only slightly.
Skin looks smoother - This statement I would agree with. It does a good job of evening skin tone as stated above, as well as makes your skin feel incredibly smooth once dry. Don't toss that concealer just yet! If you have things to cover (blemishes, hyper-pigmentation etc.) this product will not cover that.
Compliments skin tone - With a five shade colour range I am fairly confident that most people could find a colour that would blend it. The lightest shade matched me perfectly. I like that they have mini testers out (which you can see in the display picture), but be aware that the testers have shade names while the actual products themselves do not (how strange?).
Hydrates all day - It is extremely hydrating, but somehow walks that line of hydrating my skin without making it oily or dewy. The finish is initially a little scary, but once dried it is beautiful!
Feels fresh - this product is super light weight. Once on, it feels like nothing but moisturized skin. No cakey-clearly-wearing-foundation face here. It is perfect for the summer!
Oil free - This is perfect for us oily to combination skin girls! I set everything with powder (just a habit of a chronic oily skin girl) but had no problems with my face getting more greasy or getting greasy earlier then it usually does. If anything, this product kept my face matte longer then it usually would be on its own.

Any Flaws?: I am not sure I would recommend this product for dry skin girls. I have quite oily skin but had a dry spot from over medicating a blemish, and the BB cream stuck to the dry patch and made it flake. On the rest of my face it applied evenly and smoothly but I definitely had troubles with that one patch. Additionally, if you are going somewhere where you know your photo is going to be taken, I would not recommend this product due to the high amount of SPF. I'm not sure why but I wish they had shade names on the product..it bugs me for some reason. That is strictly a personal opinion though.

Titanium Dioxide Cream?: I will touch on this point lightly, since I am no scientist (help me out here Jayne?), but it is hard to ignore the "Titanium Dioxide Cream" statement printed right on the front of the product. I mean, how unappealing does that sound? I read a few articles on the matter, (which is the sunscreen ingredient in this product) and all seemed to state the same thing: as an ingredient, it is probably not good for you but there is nothing conclusive saying it will hurt you. We all know most products are better when they are as natural as possible, so it is up to you whether this statement turns you off of this product or not.

Would I Repurchase?: Definitely!! The colour match, the consistency, and the finish are all exactly what I was looking for. Would I love to have a product like this that didn't have an extra long ingredient list with words I can't pronounce? Of course! But despite all that I do love this product and would highly recommend it.

I hope this review was helpful!

xo Kathryn

Product Dupe: butterLondon Black Knight

2012-06-03T18:44:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say it has been a great year for butterLondon. They have exploded onto the nail polish scene, and are now reviewed and revered every where you look. I hesitate at the price, $18 is not typically what I want to spend on a nail polish, but their colours are beautiful. When I saw Black Knight on Glymm's website it had just come out in their Christmas holiday collection. It was gorgeous... it was sparkly...it had to be mine! I used my points to knock $10 off the price but with shipping it still hit the $15 mark. When I got it I was excited, and immediately put it on. The formulation, packaging, brush: all stunning. And other then taking it off (which is a major pain), I absolutely love it. But...why spend $18 when you don't need to!

I stumbled upon this dupe by chance. I have owned the Black Sally Hansen nail polish for almost a year, it is a fantastic black nail polish. I just happened to buy Rockstar Pink a few weeks ago. I was trying to think what polish colour it would look good over when I saw it beside the Black Knight. The glitter is very similar so I decided to see how close the combo could be. I used two coats of black polish and one coat of the sparkle. The resemblance was amazing. The Sally Hansen colour actually gave me something I was craving from the Black Knight: a deep black base colour. I find that Black Knight is a very greyish black, that never gets as dark and deep as I would like. If you fell in love with Black Knight like I did, try out the Sally Hansen combo (which only costs me $5 in total!).

I hope this was helpful!

xo Kathryn

Escents Headache Relief Roll-on Stick and Shameless Gushing

2012-05-24T18:07:00.000-07:00

I have to say, one of my favourite parts of blogging is the people I have met and the friendships I have developed through this blog. It is really refreshing to come on here and be "surrounded" by people who share my interests. This post is going to be full of shameless gushing about one of those friends in particular, Jayne from Cosmetic Proof, who was one of my first followers and one of the first people I began following. She always leaves such nice and thoughtful comments on my blog, and I totally trust and respect her opinion. She wrote an April Luvs post which included a mention of Escents Headache Relief Roll-on Stick. I was instantly interested, being a frequent headache sufferer myself, and made a comment about wishing that Escents had boutiques in Ontario. A day later I received an incredibly kind email from Jayne saying she was going to mail me an extra stick she had. I was blown away by her kindness.

What I found in my package from Jayne :)

So when the stick finally came in the mail it could not have come at a better time. I had had a horrible day, and was just on the verge of developing a headache. Along with the Roll-On Stick, she sent me some delicious Purdy's chocolate (which isn't available in Ontario... and is already gone since I ate it the next day!), and a lovely little note handwritten from her.

The infamous headache stick

I have to say, Jayne's gift has had a huge impact on my life. I carry this with me in my purse, and at the slight hint of a headache, roll it on my temples and a touch under my nose. No more then 5 minutes later I'm 100% again. I cram a work week into four days so I am staring at the computer for unhealthy amounts of time, and this has become a life saver. I already have, but I again want to thank Jayne, for being so incredibly kind and generous and always supporting myself and my blog from the beginning. If you haven't checked out her blog yet you definitely should, and if you suffer from headaches try and get your hands on this product! It will change your life!

Hope you enjoyed this post!

xo Kathryn

Loose Button's Summer Trends 2012 Event

2012-05-21T10:53:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday May 16th, I found myself outside of 720 King Street West. A beautiful building right in downtown Toronto. This is where Loose Button held their Summer Trends 2012 Event... and I was going! Thanks to my fantastic best friend Aleeza from Stylish and Literate for inviting me to be her date! I had a fabulous time. Ate cupcakes, listened to a great presentation from Chantel Guertin, and rounded out the night with a stellar gift bag. You out did yourself Loose Button!

Aleeza and I (picture courtesy of Aleeza)

Cupcakes from the event. Super yummy!

Benefit display..so pretty!

Awkward little me :)

And as for that gift bag I mentioned, here's a little look into what each guest received. It was extremely generous and a little overwhelming to receive so many nice things.

Each bag had a copy of The Kit and Chantel's book Stuck in Downward Dog (just in time since I need a new book to dive into). As well we received a special edition Luxe Box and a Demalogica gift set.

The special edition Luxe Box contained a roller ball sample of Valentina by Valentino (which even my mom liked and she is not a big perfume person!), a full size sample of Benefits new Hoola lip gloss, and KPAK Bio-Advanced Restorative Treatment.

As if the Luxe Box wasn't enough (which it was!) the Dermalogica gift set topped off the night. The set came with: Special Cleansing Gel, Daily Microfoliant, Skin Smoothing Cream, and MultiVitamin Power Firm . I am going to use up what I am currently using for my skin care routine so I can jump right into this set and be able to accurately see the results.

I have to admit I was a little nervous going to this event, I had never been to anything like this before and was sure I would stick out like a sore thumb! However, everyone was so nice it made it easy to have a good time. It was definitely worth driving down to Toronto and sitting on the 401 in traffic :) Again, thank you to Aleeza for bringing me, she is the reason I started blogging and is such a good friend to me.

Hope you enjoyed this post!

xo Kathryn

April Raves and Returns

2012-05-14T18:00:00.001-07:00

I apologize this post is a little late. With my subscription boxes coming at the end of the month, this post became a bit delayed. I think I have already passed being "fashionably late" since it is the 14th of May! I have changed the name of my post from Hits and Misses to Raves and Returns... any opinions on which one sounds better? Anyways, since it was my birthday month, and I had more hauls then any one person should, I discovered a lot of new favourites. You will notice a lot of these from recent hauls!

April Raves

Tarte Amazionian Clay Blush in Blissful - This was part of my Sephora birthday haul and my first plunge into Tarte blushes. I have been wearing this blush every single day since I purchased it! Love the pigmentation, and the overall colour looks very natural on my skin tone. Will definitely repurchase Tarte blushes, even though they lean to the expensive side.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Foaming Cleanser - This product was purchased in my recent Body Shop haul, and somehow I knew it would make it into my favourites. It has a nice fresh scent, is deep cleaning, and I love the foaming action! It is also super gentle on my sensitive skin. I will definitely be repurchasing!

Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Split End Mender- I have been on a major coconut obsession recently. This product happened to be on sale, which is great because I was already hooked on the smell! I can't speak much to it fixing my split ends, I don't believe any product really does that. But it does make my hair soft, smooth and smelling fantastic! I haven't always heard positive reviews on this brand, but I am anxious to dive a little deeper and see how it works for me.

Korres Cherry Lipgloss in Natural Purple - Another product from my Sephora haul. Love the consistency of this lip gloss. It has fantastic opaque colour, and the lasting power is admirable. The price tag hurts my heart, but it's definitely a nice little luxury I can seriously appreciate.

Cargo Duo - I received this eye shadow in a Luxebox and was a little apprehensive initially. The pink swatched very sheer and the brown very dark. However, it is beautiful on the eye's, and blends out to a perfect everyday look. I wear this combo pretty much every day and never get sick of it!

Sally Hansen X treme colour in Rockstar Pink- A great overall glitter nail polish. A combination of yellow, pink, purple, and blue glitter. It instantly changes the look of any polish, as well as looks amazing alone. It makes a great dupe for a higher end nail polish...keep a look out for a post revealing which polish it dupes.

Victoria Secret Fresh Vanilla - I am just loving the smell of this perfume. Fresh and light, a floral vanilla scent for sure. I am loving perfume right now since in the summer I don't wear much. Where I live mosquito's are abundant, and smelling sweet just makes you a prime target. This was relatively inexpensive, but lasts all day.

April Returns

e.l.f. Eye Primer - This was the first eye primer I ever owned. It is very sparkly, but for awhile I did love it, made excuses for it when 4 hours in my eye shadow creased. Honestly, if primer is a necessity for you like it is for myself I would invest in a quality one. This can't hold a candle to my Urban Decay primer. If you have dry skin, this would be a great primer, especially for the price.

The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter - This was one of my first leaps into The Body Shop hair care. This is the miniature size, you can also buy one twice the size of this. I had high hopes since I have loved 99% of the products I purchased from The Body Shop. However, this one really fell flat for me. It didn't add any moisture to my hair, and actually for the most part left it feeling brittle and damaged. I'm really not sure what happened, maybe it's my hair type, but this product just really didn't work for me. Not to say all of The Body Shop's hair products are flops... their Banana shampoo is fabulous!

Hope this was helpful!

xo Kathryn

P.S. Super excited about almost reaching 50 subscribers! Already planning my celebratory giveaway!!

April GlossyBox

2012-05-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Why hello there GlossyBox, fancy seeing you in April! I feel like every month this box comes later and later, I was surprised it made it to me in April and not May. However, it does always seem to be worth the wait. I'm just an impatient individual! Let's go through the box shall we?

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer - Well, isn't that great timing. I was just about to purchase this product when my Glossybox arrived. I was in need of a new daily moisturizer, and haven't found "the one" yet. I have always heard good reviews on Aveeno and wanted to try this product out. Since this is a full size product, Glossybox just saved me an additional $22 :) I love that this has SPF and the consistency is great! Super happy with this product.

Elizabeth Grant Skin Care Shower Gel - This was the only product that seemed to vary throughout individuals boxes. I am not crazy about this scent, while it is pretty it is very heavy, and not typical to what I look for in a shower gel. This is another full size product, which should last quite awhile.

Marcelle Xtension Plus Mascara - Wow, three full size products? Now I have officially been spoiled! Marcelle is a great brand here in Canada, definitely on the more expensive end of drugstore makeup. I can't wait to try this out, however it will have to wait since I just started a new mascara recently. I hate having things going to waste, and always only have one mascara going at a time so they don't dry up before I get a decent amount of use out of it.

Wella Brilliance Conditioner and Treatment - I believe we received another Wella product in a previous box, but I never got to try it because my boyfriend swiped mine on me! Instead of just asking me to pick up some more shampoo for him, he sneaks in and steals mine! I was actually happy we received the conditioner and treatment and not another form of shampoo, since I tend to be pickier with my shampoo's...but will try almost any conditioner. Not sure what to make of the diamond dust... it sounds super luxurious, but whether or not it will make a difference is still yet to be seen.

Marcelle BB Cream in Light - I was really excited to see this sample, though not crazy about the packaging of the sample. I had read such a great review on this product over on Cosmetic Proof, and had been trying to convince myself to commit, but my Shopper's hasn't had any in stock for months. I did try this product out on my day off, and love it. The coverage is amazing, it leaves my skin feeling smooth and looking amazing. And the lasting power is really outstanding, I even got caught in a downpour and my makeup didn't move! I found the finish slightly dewy on me, but a quick sweep of setting powder and I was good to go. However, I won't be purchasing the full size of this product. Why you ask? The colour is way to dark for me. Ah, the burdens of being border line albino. The only way to make the colour work is to blend it with a lighter foundation... which wold defeat the purpose don't you think? Oh well!

I loved my GlossyBox... Did you?

xo Kathryn

April LuxeBox

2012-05-04T15:51:00.000-07:00

I received my Luxebox on the same day as my GlossyBox, which happened to be the last day of April... box overload! This month LuxeBox's theme was supporting cancer research. I received a daffodil pin in my box, though it is not shown in pictures since I put it on my coat right away. I also donated one of my products this month. Part of me wonders what a sample can really do, but since my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer this year, I never miss an opportunity to donate.

(For anyone interested, my aunt is responding well to treatment, and looks like she may beat it)

Bobos Remi Leave-In Conditioner - This was my pick from the Front of the Line program LuxeBox runs every month. I wanted to get the panties.. I really did...but I was in need of a leave-in conditioner so practicality swayed me. I have only used this twice but really like how soft and smooth it makes my hair. It really works over-time removing the tangles in my hair.The smell is a little funny, to me it smells like manufactured purple grape juice (if that makes sense?), but the scent certainly doesn't stay in your hair. I haven't heard of this brand, so I wouldn't be sure where to buy it from, but I'm sure if I end up loving it I can just Google it.

Cargo Eye Pencil in Black - I have never been a big fan of the Cargo brand. There isn't really a reason, just isn't my first pick when I go looking for a product. However, I have found a Cargo product I love from a previous box so I am definitely willing to give this brand a fair trial. Not much to say about the actual product...it is your standard black eyeliner. Practical and useful but certainly not ground breaking.

Pantene Pro-V Aqua Light Shampoo and Conditioner - I haven't used Pantene Pro-V in a looonng time. Ever since I found sulfate free shampoo's and conditioners I haven't looked back. I like that these samples are not in packages though. They will be great for travelling, which is what I am saving them for.

Where am I on my journey of committing to one beauty box? So far I am veering toward the Glossybox route. While their boxes are late in the month, I have yet to be disappointed and the extra samples seem worth the extra money. I have finally gotten on the Top Box waiting list (thank you to all those who made me aware of it!). So we will see. I have already paid for May, but i think June may be my first month receiving one box.

What did you receive in your LuxeBox?

xo Kathryn

Sephora Haul

2012-05-01T17:45:00.001-07:00

Yes, you read correctly, another haul. I am sure you are all bored to tears by my hauls and are considering recommending I go for treatment for a shopping addiction, but let me explain. While I do love to shop (guilty as charged) most of the year I am pretty controlled. However, I'm a big birthday girl. I love birthday's, regardless if it's my birthday, a friend's, a family member, my dog etc. So every April I allow myself to just indulge a bit (or a lot)...buy the things I really want...live a little and not worry so much about the bottom line. This will definitely be my last haul for awhile, but I like reading haul posts and hopefully you do too.

1. Sugar Lip Treatement Duo by Fresh - This is actually the birthday gift that Sephora gives its members for their birthday. I have had a Sephora card for years, but have never taken advantage of this free little gift. The two products you get are rather small, but they are great for throwing in a purse since they are so tiny. They are also super moisturizing. One of them is clear and one is a lightly tinted red colour. Even though they feel a bit flimsy (wouldn't want to wind them too far up when applying since they feel like they may snap) I love both of these and may consider repurchasing when they are finished.

2. Sephora Mattifying Powder - While I know this is not always the case, I have found the employee's at Sephora to always be so helpful. I never feel like I am an inconvenience or am bugging them. The girl working there was so lovely with helping me find my perfect shade which was great because I ended up with a shade I wouldn't have picked if she hadn't tried a few on my skin. This powder gives light to medium coverage and while the mattifying is not dramatic, it does help my oily skin.

3. Cover FX Primer - This was a product I received because I had 100 Sephora points. Since I only shop at Sephora 2-3 times a year, I always cash in my points whenever I go. I got this product not realizing how many primers I now have.... I have at least 6. Maybe a comparison/review series is in order?

4. Smashbox Primer Colour Corrector - The last time I was at Sephora I was looking for a good primer (back then I didn't own a primer.. how I went from that to 6 is beyond me!). The rep from Smashbox was helping me and we were torn between this primer and the light clear one I ended up getting last time. My second biggest problem with my skin, other then it being oily, is the redness I get naturally all over my face. I picked up a small size of this primer to see if it would help with the redness. I can't say I see a difference however. I probably will not repurchase this again.

5. Korres Pomegranate Primer and Treatment - This was a product I added since it was the perfect price to get free shipping from Sephora's Canadian site. Does anyone else do this? Honestly, it took me days on the new website to get my order through since they were having major technical difficulties, so by the time it actually worked I just picked the closet item to $19 I could find. I was definitely interested in it though, even though it was an impulse purchase, because it claims to be mattifying and we all know I definitely need that. I think I am liking the treatment more then the primer, but I definitely need more time to see.

6. Tarte Amazonian Blush in Blissful - I always gaze longingly at the Tarte blushes in Sephora, but never pick one up. This is a beautiful peachy pink colour, with a hint of shimmer, which really just comes across as a glow on the face. I love the pigmentation and the lasting power of this blush. I have worn this every day since I got it..instant favourite! I would definitely recommend the Tarte blushes, they are amazing and worth the splurge.

7. Korres Lipgloss in Natural Purple - I had seen great reviews on this line of lip glosses and decided to splurge on it. This totally goes against an earlier post where I said I didn't see the point in splurging on lip gloss, and I guess $20 is splurging, but I love the feel of this gloss. I actually thought I had picked up a different colour then this, but I am happy with this colour. It is actually very close to my natural lip colour, perfect for the MLBB look.

8. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion - I have never owned higher-end eye liner. Usually, I buy from NYC or NYX for my pencil eye liner. This product is magic though, it glides on so nicely and stays all day. I am determined to find a dupe however, over $20 for an eye pencil just breaks my heart, and can only be justified in the month of April!

I promise promise promise this is my last haul for awhile :)

Hope you enjoyed this post!

xo Kathryn

Ulta Haul

2012-04-24T06:41:00.001-07:00

Is a haul still a haul if I didn't purchase anything myself? My mama recently went down to the U.S. with a few friends for some good old cross-border shopping. She asked me if I needed anything and I did request a few NYX products. While you can buy NYX in Canada I find everywhere around me carries a limited inventory, and it is never of the products I want. However, being the fantastic mother that she is she picked up a little something extra she knew I would love :) Don't you just love when Mom's do that!

Naked 2 Palette by Urban Decay - This was the "little something extra" my Mom surprised me with. I had mentioned this palette before to her. Several times I called her because I was in line to purchase it and I needed someone to talk me out of it. I don't care who you are, $60 on a palette is a lot of money! So when she went into Ulta and they had a special on Urban Decay products, she picked up the palette for me :). I was really excited when she gave it to me... I can't even count the blog posts and Youtube videos I have watched on it.. and now I had one. It actually took me three days to finally work up the courage to use it... it just looked so pretty brand new! I won't go into too much detail on it. I'm still developing an opinion and I have an interesting review/comparison post I am going to do on it, so watch out for that!
Urban Decay All Night Setting Spray - This was an additional gift my Mom got when purchasing the Naked 2 palette. It is a great travel size version of the product, and I actually have this exact same size already, but I'm almost out. I wear powder foundation on a daily basis, and a couple sprays of this really gives my face a natural no-makeup appearance.
Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion in Sin - I own the full-size version of this in the original colour. This was another additional gift that Ulta was giving away when my Mom was down there. This version is a sparkly bronzed pinkish colour, that is actually quite nice just on its own. A couple times I have worn this as the only thing on my eyes and it looks quite nice. However, if I'm going to pay the $24 for the full-size I would get the original. This version has some serious sparkle and if you are using matte eye shadows, I feel the sparkle in the primer would show through.
NYX Shine Killer - This is a skin primer for people with oily skin. I saw this on the Ulta website, and being that I am always looking for something to tame my oily t-zone, thought I would ask my mom to pick this up for me. It is a clear gel consistency, and at first use I wasn't crazy about the way it applied to my face. Still developing an opinion though, I am sure you will hear about it at one point!
NYX Eyebrow Push-up Bra - My Mom couldn't stop laughing when she was retelling me the story of trying to find this at Ulta. My mom simply printed a list of the three products I wanted, went into Ulta, and handed it to one of the girls to find them for her since she knew she would spend hours looking. Apparently, it took three employees to figure out what this was, because it is a new product, and they were stuck on the word "Push-up Bra". In the end though, I am glad she found it because I really love this product. The brown colour is pretty universal and blends nicely with my eyebrows, and the pink is perfect for highlighting or even covering a small blemish. It is a nice multi-tasking tool!
NYX Soft Matte Lipwear in Tokyo - I saw this in a few Youtube video's and have been dying to try it! The colour looks so pretty and I like the fact that it is a full colour gloss/lipstick mix. They were pretty inexpensive too. I'm not sure I'm in love with this. The concept is interesting, and it dries matte and true to colour, but it really highlights any of your lips imperfections, and has a tendency to since into your lips natural lines. I think I need more time to play around with it.

It really is too bad Ulta doesn't have stores/doesn't ship to Canada. While I have never actually been in an Ulta store (gasp!) I see their deals from time to time on-line and they seem to be substantial. I apologize for the quality of my photo, I can't seem to get the right angle/lighting/location etc. Sometimes I feel uninspired to blog, and I think it is because I am less then impressed with my photos. I take a lot of pride in my blog and want to take pride in my photo's as well. I'm working on improving them so if you bare with me, hopefully things will get better!

I hope you enjoyed this little haul!

xo Kathryn

April Julep Maven Box

2012-04-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

I received my second Julep Box in the mail today. I recently blogged about giving in to the $0.01 marketing scheme and signing up, and I choose to continue the subscription. I can't see myself doing it every month, but for now building my nail polish collection has been kind of fun. This month I switched it up and ordered the Bombshell box. As well, Julep had a promo where a bunch of their nail polish was discounted, so I chose another one to add to my order. One thing I can say: I'm not a big fan that they shipped them separately. The website told me this was so my original box arrived on time but all I see is a waste of packaging. Totally not eco-friendly...I'm being picky here but it was just something I considered. Anyways, here is my box!

*Makeup Bag - A simple black makeup bag. It has the Julep symbol stitched all over it. I am not crazy about the feel of it... feels very cheap and I would have preferred even a plastic makeup bag. Still, it is versatile and good for travel. Bags like these always get used by me at one point or another.

* Toe Separators - I love that they are pink, very cute! I don't usually use these, because I get my pedicures done by a professional, but I know my mom uses these so I will probably give them to her.

* The Best Pedi Creme Ever - I have extremely dry feet which has come from my years of playing soccer. This is why I go get my pedicure professionally done, even though I moisturize my feet every night they still get pretty bad. This cream smells exactly like cucumbers which I love. I find it very thin though and I don't find it to be highly moisturizing but that's just my opinion.

*Parker -This is a bright beautiful orange. I actually picked this box specifically for this colour... I was dying for an orange polish in my life. However, I forgot I had this ordered and before I received it I purchased the Joe Fresh nail polish. They are almost exact dupes of each other except Joe Fresh is only $4. If you aren't subscribed to Julep but want a good orange nail polish I suggest checking out the Joe Fresh one. Though since I am loving orange nail polish I am sure both bottles will be put to good use!

*Annette - This is the second polish that came in my box. It is a beautiful neutral grey that had such amazing staying power 5 days later when I changed up my manicure, this colour was in almost perfect condition. It actually applies opaque in one coat, though I always apply two. It is not a unique colour but any stretch, I have at least two other nail polishes that produce almost similar colour, but the staying power makes it stand out.

*Renee - Julep had a deal where certain nail polishes were hugely discounted in March ( I believe it was around $4 -$5) so I decided to order Renee as well. This is a really interesting colour. Again, even though it is a lighter colour it applies really opaque and wears beautifully. The colour is a mix between a grey and a purple. In darker light, it definitely comes across grey, but in daylight it takes on a pastel purple hue. Maybe it's just me, but honestly in different lighting this colour can look totally different, which I find totally intriguing. The best part? In the lights of the office building I work at it looks grey (perfect neutral for work), but as soon as I step outside into the sun light I have pastel purple nails. What a multi-tasker :)

I really liked my box this month, though I believe I am going to skip next month. I am not sure I can justify $20 a month for nail polish every single month. I am also thinking of finally making a commitment to one beauty subscription box... will it be Glossybox or Luxebox? So undecided!

Hope this was helpful!

xo Kathryn

The Body Shop Mini Haul

2012-04-15T12:14:00.001-07:00

I just recently had my 23rd birthday on April 3rd! I decided to take advantage of one of the perks of The Body Shop "Love your Body" card. While this card gives you 10% off any purchase, in the month of your birthday you get $10 off any product. I combined this with a buy one get one 50% off sale they were already having, and spent just under $20 for all four products, taxes in. Happy Birthday to me :)!

*Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser - I have always loved foaming cleansers. I use to use one by Clean and Clear years ago. This one is from The Body Shop's Tea Tree skin care line, which is one of my favourites. Their tea tree serum has kept my skin in check for months! The tea tree smell is not overwhelming or lingering so if it is not your favourite scent you could still use this product. I won't give an opinion on its effectiveness yet since it takes awhile to see how my skin will react to something new, but you will see it in my April Hits and Misses if it's a winner.

* Nutriganics Refreshing Toner - This is a new product line The Body Shop launched not to long ago. This toner is actually more like a gel consistency, which is interesting since I am use to toners with a water like consistency. However, it has been working for me just as well as my harsh alcohol filled toners, so if I can pick a more organic option, I'm going for it! I read reviews saying this wasn't ideal for sensitive skin, but I have sensitive skin and it has been working great for me. They usually have testers of it in the store so maybe try some on your skin if your worried about the results.

* Born Lippy Tinted Lip Balms in Pomegranate(red) and Strawberry (pink) - This was an impulse buy. The Body Shop had a display of these sitting up by the cash register, and the lady in front of me was taking her sweet old time to decide if she wanted another product or not. This gave me lots of time to test and swatch these coloured lip balms. First off, these products are super moisturizing. Sometimes with coloured or flavoured lip balms I feel as though moisture is an afterthought, but these have replaced my Softlips as my go-to lip balm. They also smell amazing (like pomegranates and strawberries..surprise surprise!). As for the colour pay-off, when I say they are a balm the colour follows suit. I would say they have slightly less colour pay-off then the Maybelline Baby Lips. It is a colour where you don't notice it till you have put it on and you can see your lips have a slight red or pink tinge to them. They are great worn alone, or as a base for lipstick or lipgloss. These two had the most colour of the collection, along with a purple one that I did not pick up.

If you haven't checked out anything but body butters from The Body Shop I suggest giving their skin care line another look. Try it when they have a promotion on (such as the one I mentioned or sometimes they have 3 for $30), that way you get a good deal and can try several products. They also have cute trial size cases that have several products from a line, great for testing before buying the full size.

Hope this was helpful!

xo Kathryn

Versatile Blogger Award

2012-04-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

My very first blogger nomination :) Not only a great award but I was nominated by one of my favourite bloggers, Courtney from Strawberree Swing. She has phenomenal taste and a great writing style. If you haven't checked out her blog yet you definitely should by clicking here. I don't think you can go back and nominate the person who nominated you...but if I could I would definitely nominate her! Anyways, onto the award!

I went to the Versatile Blogger Award site and got the low down on what it was all about. The rules are simple: Thank the person who nominated you (Check!), Nominate 15 amazing blogs, let those bloggers know, and reveal 7 things about yourself.

I am going to take a page from Courtney's blog. Since I am such a new blogger, 15 bloggers is a lot for a newbie like me. So I will follow her lead and list 7 random facts about myself, and in turn nominate 7 bloggers for this award:)

7 Random Facts

1. My whole life I was convinced I wanted to be a doctor. No one could talk me out of it. I even went to University for Bio-Med for a little bit. When all is said and done though, I am now an Accountant.

2. My brother and sister are old enough to be my parents. There is an 18 year age gap between them and myself.

3. The one thing that never fails to make me happy is my puppy Ollie.

4. The only food I ate till I was about 10 years old was Kraft Dinner. Now it makes me sick.
5. I once went to a Ricky Martin concert (Don't ask!)

6. It takes me about 2-3 hours to fall asleep every night.

7. If I could only watch one TV channel for the rest of my life, it would be The Food Network.

Now for the 7 bloggers I nominate for the award:

1. Aleeza from Stylish and Literate

2. Michelle from Eat Paint Sniff Glue

3. Jayne from Cosmetic Proof

4. City Girl

5. Canadian Beauty Reviews

6. Jem from Precious Jems

7. Polish and Charms

Thank you again to anyone that reads my blog. It still amazes me that people care what I have to say. Every comment makes my day and I really have discovered some great people through blogging. Good decision all around if you ask me :)

xo Kathryn

First Julep Maven Box

2012-04-11T15:50:00.001-07:00

I wasn't sure what to make of the Julep boxes at first. The price of $19.99 sounded a little high to me for three products a month, and when it first came out I wasn't totally into nail polish. I decided to take advantage of the first box for $0.01, knowing full well it is just a marketing plan to get you in. For the price though, I was willing to take the bait. I was given Classic with a Twist as my first box, and this is what I received.

Nail Polish in Kelly - This is the light peachy pink on top. It is a very neutral and creamy colour. When applying it, it almost looks like an off-white, but when the final product is dry it takes on a more peachy-tone appearance. It is a little difficult to apply, and definitely needs 2-3 coats to be anywhere close to opaque. However, it wore beautifully and the staying power was impressive.

Nail Polish in Emma - This is the bottom purplish colour. It looks like it has a colour in the bottle but really when applied to the nails it is a lot of micro glitter. It makes a great top coat over any colour you want to add some glitz to, since the glitter is silver and very neutral. It is super easy to apply and will hide any imperfections that you may have in the base colour. I have not tried wearing this colour on its own, but I am sure with a couples coats you would get a nice affect. What I really liked about this was that the glitter was not rough like such glitter nail polishes are. It went on smoothly and again the staying power was great.

Julep Maven Facial for Hands - In most cases, you get two nail polishes and an additional manicure/pedicure related product in each box. This Hand Facial is what came in my box. I actually just mentioned it in my March favourites because I have been loving it so much. I use it every night before bed and my hands feel super soft after. It is effective, but gentle enough so that it wont scratch or ruin your manicure. It also has a wonderful citrus smell. The only downside? This product gets very runny, and I found even shaking it before I use it does not help. As a result, when you squeeze the tube, the runny product is really wasted until the more gel like product emerges. I still love it though, and will probably repurchase it when I am done.

xo Kathryn

March 2012 Hits and Misses

2012-04-09T12:35:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had an amazing March! I certainly did especially with that week of amazing weather we were blessed with. I had tons of options to put in my "hits" section this month which is great since I feel as though I am starting to understand what works and doesn't work for me. In the long run, this will ultimately save me money since I will be able to avoid purchasing products I know will not be used.

The Hits

March 2012 Hits

Marc Anthony Shampoo and Conditioner: I will not go into great detail about these since I recently professed my love for them in a product review blog post, but really I couldn't not include them. They are luxurious, creamy and effective and when I get around to doing a holy grail post you can bet these will be in it!

Skintimate Lotionize Shaving Cream: After my disastrous experience with the EOS shaving cream I was desperate to find something better. This was actually on sale at Wal-Mart when I saw it, and since it was the cheapest alternative I snatched it up. Sooo glad I did! I have never found a shaving cream to be any different then all the rest. But this one definitely is. It is super mositurizing and creamy and actually gives me a closer shave. When I run out, I will definitely be repurchasing.

Julep Maven Hand Facial Scrub: I received my first Julep box after taking advantage of their first box for $0.01. This came with my two nail polishes and I have been really enjoying it. Granted it is a little watery, but it leaves my hands feeling clean and super soft. I use it every night before bed and then apply a thick hand cream. My hands have never been in better condition!

Philosophy Chocolate Fudge Body Wash: This was a splurge! I mean honestly who pays $20 for good smelling body wash? Me apparently. I was in Sephora a little while back and just happen to take a whiff of this... and it was all over. I was hooked. It smells exactly like chocolate brownies, and I am huge chocolate addict. It is such an indulgent treat on days when I might be feeling a little off or down. It says it can be used as shampoo and bubble bath as well. While I am not adventurous enough to try it as shampoo, I did try it as bubble bath and found it a little disappointing. As a body wash though, it gets two thumbs up from me!

Joe Fresh Orange Nail Polish: This has been my go to nail colour this month. I had been looking for a bright creamy orange for awhile, when I spotted this at the grocery store one day. For only $4 I thought I would give it a try since my favourite Sally Hansen line didn't have the exact orange colour I was looking for. This was actually opaque in one coat, and had great staying power. The brush was great, and while it took a bit to dry, I was really happy with the overall product.

The Misses

March 2012 Misses

Lip Butter in Peach Parfait: I feel bad putting this in my misses category. I see these raved about everywhere I look. So let me be specific in saying I have never tried any of the other colours of lip butters, and my complaint comes with this colour in particular. I picked up the peach parfait hoping for a great creamy peachy pink payoff. It looks like it would be beautiful from the picture I took. Unfortunately, what I got was a gritty, incredibly sheer lip balm with large blue glitter flakes that are a pain to get off your lips. I kept trying to use it, hoping I would get the hype, but clearly I chose the wrong colour to try.

L'oreal Paris Re-Nurtrition Intense Mask: I had this deep conditioner in my bathroom from awhile back and had stopped using it. I couldn't remember why. Feeling bad for having a product sit unused, I pulled it out and used it for my weekly deep conditioner. Now I remember why I don't use it anymore. It is anything but moisturizing. I actually feel like I need to condition my hair after I use this. What's more is it leaves my hair tangled, frizzy and completely unmanageable. I am not sure why this product doesn't work me, but it was so horrible I could not even convince myself to use the remainder of it. Perhaps I've become spoiled from my Macadamia Oil Deep Conditioner, but I found even my daily Marc Anthony conditioner to be more effective.

xo Kathryn

Product Review: New Marc Anthony Hair Products

2012-04-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

Have you ever become a little obsessed with a brand? Where all you wanted to do was buy everything that brand has ever produced? Well, I have to admit I have felt a little like that ever since my Shopper's Drug Mart put out the new Marc Anthony Hair Products. I'm not sure what drew me to them, but I wanted all of them! They recently came out with three new lines: Oil of Morocco, Dream Waves and Frizz Free (not pictured below). All of the new products are sulfate free and are between $8 - $10 depending on where you pick them up. A little background information on my hair: I have long thick hair that is not colour treated. My ends and scalp are very dry, and my hair is naturally wavy. Please keep in mind that if your hair is different from mine, you may have a different experience then I did.

Marc Anthony Dream Waves Shampoo and Conditioner

The Dream Waves products were the first ones I tried. Truthfully, I was infatuated with the smell. They have the most amazing coconut smell, which reminds me of the pina colada's I had when I was in the Dominican back in December. Now usually I don't get suckered into purchasing things based on the smell. I know that many companies make products smell good hoping you will over look the sub-par performance of the product. In this case however, I didn't care. I bought them instantly. If you aren't fond of the smell of coconut, then the Dream Waves collection is definitely not for you. The subtle smell stays in your hair all day long and isn't masked by creams or sprays you may put in your hair after your shower.

Promises: The Dream Waves line promises to give you cute beach waves any time of the year. It also promises your hair will have more volume, appear fuller, and will be protected from UV rays. It states it is safe to use on colour treated hair.

Experience: I can not gush about this shampoo and conditioner enough. I have naturally wavy hair so I can't speak to whether or not it would give you waves if you had straight hair but I definitely saw increased volume. I wasn't even looking for it till I did my hair after using both the shampoo and conditioner and was like "umm... who teased my hair without me knowing about it?" It really was that much of a noticeable difference. My waves seemed a bit more defined, but again since my hair is naturally wavy it is hard to speak to this aspect of the product. The stand out for me was the shampoo. What a amazing experience. It left my hair instantly soft, much like a conditioner would. Overall, my hair was silky, had tons of volume, and smelled absolutely amazing all day long. I also like the idea of my hair being protected from the sun, since we often fail to be proactive about reducing sun damage to our hair.

Any Flaws?: I do have to say that when it comes to the conditioner, I feel I need to use a good amount of it to make my hair feel moisturized. This is definitely not a product where a little goes a long way. Keep in mind however I have very thick hair, and this probably wont be a problem for you if you have normal to thin hair. This shampoo does a great job with just a small amount of product but I find myself going back to the conditioner bottle to get more product.

Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

After my great experience with the Dream Waves line, I couldn't wait to try the Oil of Morocco line. The smell of the shampoo and conditioner reminds me of a traditional salon shampoo, which I love, but it is certainly not as overwhelming as the Dream Waves line. This line also comes with Oil of Morocco styling oil, which I didn't purchase since I still have some of my Moroccan Oil left. However, when I run out I may purchase the Marc Anthony Moroccan oil since the bottle is only $10.

Promises: This line promises to combat damage, breakage, dryness, dullness and frizz. It contains not only argan oil but keratin and grape seed oil as well. The conditioner also states that it will improve the manageability of your hair.

Experience: Again another winner. I actually had to sit here and decide which product line was my favourite, and I couldn't pick just one. The shampoo has a great lather, that feels very soft and fluffy compared to other shampoo lathers. The conditioner is amazing at making my hair silky smooth. I actually went to run my fingers through my hair after I had been using it for three days and was shocked at how great my hair felt. It was actually a completely different texture then it use to be.

Any Flaws?: I found myself in a similar situation with the Oil of Morocco conditioner. I definitely needed to use a good amount of product to properly coat my hair and have it come out feeling moisturized. This conditioner can also be a little bit deceiving. Since it is not as thick as some conditioners, when applying it seems like it will not do the job. Don't be fooled! When I rinsed the conditioner out my hair was silky and smooth, very similar to the feeling I got from my Macademia Oil Deep Conditioner.

Would I Buy Again?

Yes Yes Yes! I truly believe I have found my holy grail product line. I say product line because both the Dream Waves and the Oil of Morocco worked wonders for my hair and I would be happy purchasing both of them over and over again. My star combination? The shampoo from the Dream Waves line and the conditioner from the Oil of Morocco line. I was saving up to buy the shampoo and conditioner from the Macademia Oil product line since I love their deep conditioner. But I no longer feel the need to shell out $30 for a shampoo when these products have blown me away. I haven't even touched my deep conditioner since I started using these products because my hair hasn't needed the extra moisture. I am already thinking about buying their Frizz Free line to see if it measures up!

I hope this has been helpful :)

xo Kathryn

March 2012 Luxe Box

2012-03-30T16:09:00.001-07:00

Wow it has been awhile since my last blog post hasn't it? I apologize for my MIA status. I am the perfect example that "when it rains it pours"! I am a little late doing my Luxe Box review since basically everyone else has already posted a review. But what the hell, I'll throw my hat into the ring and share mine as well :). March actually marks Luxe Box's one year anniversary. It is no surprise then that many people had big expectations for this box, myself included. However, I had high expectations for the December box and was coincidentally let down. I was pleasantly surprised by my box. I feel I received a nice selection of products, though only four this month. Come and unbox it with me :)

Luxe Box Packaging - Back to the Black Box

This is the special seed card that came in this months box. It is to signify Luxe Box "growing" and expanding. I think it is a cute little addition, hopefully it grows for me and I don't kill it as per usual. I am interested to see what grows out of the card.

The four samples I received this month were:

OPI Top Coat Sample

*OPI Top Coat: I was extremely happy to receive this sample. Honestly, I haven't purchased a top coat in a very long time. I have always just used my OPI Nail Strengthener on top of any polish I use, which I doubt does the job I need it too. I tried this out the other day when I repainted my nails and really loved the formula. The only critique I have is strictly sample related: the tiny top makes it hard to hold and move the brush around. If you purchase the full size though, this would not be a problem. The full size product retails for $15.

CHI Silk Infusion Sample

*CHI Silk Infusion: One of best friends, Aleeza had this sample in her last Luxe Box (check out her blog here, she has amazing taste!) and I was instantly jealous. It is one of those products I have heard great reviews about, desperately wanted to try, but could never justify the price without trying it first. I have fallen in love! The smell is amazing, and the texture it gives my hair is great! Instantly combats my frizzy hair and makes it feel soft and manageable. If you have received a sample of this as well and love it (I saw many people received this sample in March...regardless if they had received it before or not), then head on over to HomeSense, Winners or Marshalls since I recently spotted the full size product for only $19.99! Traditionally, the full size product retails for $33.

Cargo Eye Shadow

*Cargo Eye Shadow: This was one of the First In Line products that Luxe Box offered this month.Truthfully I have never had a choice with this program, I usually had to pick whatever was left or didn't get a pick of anything. As most of you know, the Luxe Box website crashed when they did the First In Line program this month, but I persevered and was successful. I have to admit, I didn't love any of the products they had in the program this month but the Cargo eye shadow was my first pick of the three. You didn't get to see what colour you would get (at least I didn't this may be due to their website acting funny) and I was definitely surprised to see the combo I ended up getting. The brown is a great natural colour that has deep pigmentation. It is hard to see on my horrible skin but there is some gold micro-glitter in the shadow. The pink shadow is very sheer and doesn't give way to much pigmentation. I struggle to see how I would use these two colours together, other then using the brown all over the lid and the pink as a highlight. Most combo's I see like this come with a lid colour and a crease colour, but I find the brown too pigmented to be a crease colour for such a sheer pink. I am interested to play around with it though, just because they came together doesn't mean I necessarily have to use them together right! This eye shadow retails for $16.

Swatches: Light Pink and Brown

* Vera Wang LoveStuck Perfume: I have to admit I am not a huge fan of perfume samples. Perfume is one of those products I feel you can test effectively at the store, either you like the smell or you don't. Some products you need time to try and figure out if you love it, or to see a result, but I don't feel perfume falls into that category. This sample came with a simple cap enclosure, it did not have a roller ball or a spray pump. The card describes it as: "A sparkling addictive floral that you are sure to fall in love with."I don't mind the smell, but it definitely didn't win me over. I won't be going out to purchase the full size product, even though the bottle for the full size is very cute. The full size retails for $54.

Favourite Products in Order

CHI Silk Infusion
OPI Top Coat
Cargo Eye Shadow
Vera Wang Lovestruck Perfume

Overall, I am happy with my box. Not over the moon compared to the expectation that were created this month, but I will be keeping my subscription. I am glad I didn't receive the male gift that some people received in their box. None of the men in my life appreciate quality cologne (they are just as happy if it costs $5 or $50) and the sample would have been wasted. Plus, it is my box (not to sound selfish) but I want the products in it to be for me! I feel as though this may be the gateway into Luxe Box releasing a box directed at men, similar to Glymm Man.

What did you get in your Luxe Box?

xo Kathryn

OOTD 03/18/2012

2012-03-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

What beautiful spring weather we have been having here in Ontario! The snow is gone, the sun is shinning, and I actually opened my sunroof for the first time today. My Sunday consists of errands and shopping, and this outfit is super comfy but classically cute. The majority of this outfit is from Old Navy, and is super affordable.

*Disclaimer*: You will notice my shoes are from The Children's Place. That is not a typo. I have size 3 feet which makes it disastrous for me to find shoes in adult stores. My best bet ends up being children's stores, which means ballet flats and I are best friends.

*Coral Skirt with Belt - Old Navy*

*White Scoop Neck T-shirt - Old Navy*

*White Jean Jacket - Old Navy*

*White Ballet Flats - The Children's Place*

*Nail polish - OPI Pink of Hearts*

*Lip Colour - Revlon Lip Butter - Peach Parfait*

I hope you enjoyed my outfit of the day!

Save Vs. Spend: Makeup Edition

2012-03-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

I thought I would do a post today on some products I am willing to splurge on, and some products I never see the value in spending more then drugstore prices. This is just my opinion remember, and this selection will be different for everyone, but it is good to determine for yourself what your important products are so you don't waste money on products that wont deliver noticeable results.

Splurge Items

*Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion*

*Smashbox Photo Finish Light Primer*

*Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer*

You may notice a faint trend here. It goes without saying that the products I don't mind splurging on are all fundamental makeup items. With many things in life, having good fundamentals is important, and I feel if my basics are in order, whatever I put on top of it will look good. For instance, I don't buy expensive eyeshadow, so a good primer is essential in making sure what I do use stays in place and doesn't crease. That paired with the fact that I do have oily eyelids, makes a good primer essential in my collection. I was using a primer by e.l.f previously, and I have to admit I was happy with it and made excuses for it when my eye shadow creased 4 hours in. I could never go back after using my Primer Potion. My usual weekday is 10-11 hours long... and I come home with eyeshadow that is still in place. To me, that is worth the $24 I spent on this.

I've mentioned before that I have oily skin and that is very much true. That coupled with the fact that the office building I work in is always so hot (even when its -25 outside) usually just destroys any chance I have of making it through the day looking presentable. While I did previously love my Sephora brand primer, it is very sticky and not really a product for all over the face. I felt as though that primer was doing the job my MAC blot powder was already doing. This Smashbox primer is amazing and keeps my shine under control and the rest of my makeup in place all day long. They have a few different kinds, all dealing with different skin problems, but the Smashbox specialists recommended this one for me because my biggest problem is oily skin. You only need a tiny bit, so it lasts for a long time, actually making it a good value for the money. I paid $42 for this, and it is worth every cent in my mind.

My final product is concealer. Now technically I only paid $13 for this product, and I found it at Shoppers Drug Mart. However, but it is in this category because I would be willing to pay high-end price for a good concealer. I have dark circles and discolouration around my nose, and it's amazing the affects a good concealer have on my overall look. I look like I got a good night sleep (which is almost always a lie!) and my face looks polished and put together because my overall colour is even.

Save Products

*NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil-Black*

*Covergirl Lash Blast - Black*

*Love & Beauty Lip Gloss - Pink*

Now, in no way am I saying that if you spend say $40 on an eye liner it wont be better quality then my $3 liner. What I am stating here is that I simply do not see the value in the additional cost. When it comes to my eye liner, I find that my NYX eyeliner glides on smoothly, and stays on my waterline well throughout the day. When it comes to mascara, I just find that drugstore brands have come out with such good quality options that there's not reason for me to spend more money. Additionally, since mascara has a shorter shelf life then many other beauty products, the need for a hefty investment just doesn't resonate with me. I have been using CoverGirl Lash Blast for a loooonngg time and have always been happy with it. I do have quite long lashes though so if you have shorter thinner lashes the investment in a good mascara might be worth the money. The final product is lipgloss. This particular one I picked up at Forever 21 for $1.30! I don't notice a difference between it and any other gloss that I own. I actually own the O-Gloss by Smashbox and actually like the consistency of this one better. Since gloss rarely has a truely opaque colour, I think a cheaper alternative will get the job done, and save you money for investing in something that will make a difference to your overall look.

What it really comes down to is this: invest in the products that help your trouble areas. Have oily skin like me? Invest in a good primer and matte powder. Have short eyelashes? Find and invest in a good mascara that masks that problem! Have uneven skin tone? Invest in a good quality foundation. When your problem areas are taken care of, everything else will come together easier and look better!

What are some products you splurge and save on?