NANABEAMS

Love It: Colourpop Eyeshadow Swatches

2015-01-31T16:02:00.003-06:00

I got these beautiful Colourpop eyeshadows over the holidays, Each item costs $5 USD and shipping was about $14 USD to Canada. I've been wearing them a lot and I really want to get more. They are pigmented, creamy and longwearing. Cream eyeshadows usually crease horribly on me, but these wear very well! I picked the glittery shades, but they also have other finishes. I highly recommend this indie make up brand! I am glad I found them through Instagram. I thought I'd like the lipsticks more, so I bought way more lipsticks from them, but I ended up loving the eyeshadows much more!

Top Row (Left to Right): Tassel, Fringe, and BAMF

Bottom Row (Left to Right): Vixen, Piper, Meow

Left to Right: Vixen, Piper, Meow, BAMF, Fringe, and Tassel

Vixen is a pretty golden rose shade. It is my least favourite, because these shades tend to look bruised on me. I was hoping it would be more pink. Piper is a dirty green based grey. Meow is an amazing duochrome purple-pink grey. I love this colour and I think it is a must have. It is very unique and probably my favourite of the bunch. BAMF is a pretty deep purple. Fringe is a pale cool toned champagne or white gold. Tassel is a snowy white that I use very often due to its versatility. I love it all over the lid and as a inner corner highlight. All these shades work well as an all over the lid colour. The way that these sparkle in the light is very beautiful and the glitter is very fine and easier to work with compared to loose glitters. If you hate the mess of loose glitters like I do, these are a much better option. I don't get much fallout and mess all over my face as I would with loose glitters.

I would definitely recommend Colourpop eyeshadows. These are a definite winner, especially since they do not crease, which always happens to me regardless of eyeshadow base. They also have many other shades and finishes. The company recommends using your fingers. I find that fingers and brushes work well. Fingers will give you a more sheer application and can look a bit messy. Brushes will let you pack on the colour and apply them more precisely. I use both my fingers and brushes.

I am definitely looking into getting more of these in the future.

I Love It!

Day 2-3 Road Trip in BC: Osoyoos to Kelowna & Back to Vancouver

2015-01-30T23:22:00.002-06:00

This is day two of my trip. The weather was sunny and beautiful. We stayed at Super 8, which was very cheap at $89 plux tax for a room with two beds.

I had this pool all to myself.

The first stop in Osoyoos was the lake of course. The water was too cold for me, so I stayed on land to enjoy the sunshine and relax under a tree.

Suddenly, wild ducks appeared. They were very interested in my food and hung around. They were very friendly and I miss them.

This guy really wanted food and we became good friends.

We even took a selfie together.

It was nice under this tree with the sun peeking through.

After enjoying our time at the lake, we headed back on the road to Kelowna.

On the way between Osoyoos to Kelowna, there were several wineries on the way.

We were recommended to visit this winery called Mission Hill Family Estate. It was extremely impressive and beautiful. The grape vines around the winery have areas that are dedicated to specific wines at specific times of the year. This section was reserved for Pinot Noir. I personally don't like red wines though. The wineries are very beautiful!

I love how green and lush the grape vines are.

There are these creepy guys everywhere.

The entrance and keystone is very impressive.

The amphitheatre was also amazing. The grass feels nice and they have live entertainment and concerts here. You can also roll down the grassy slope.

The belltower was also beautiful and I really enjoyed hearing it ring.

Here are some more creepy guys.

The loggia was quite nice and there was another creepy guy at the end of it.

We headed down to the bottom of the belltower by stairs, and there was another creepy guy to greet us on the stairway.

They have this big beautiful lychee tree.

There is a very neat wine cellar with a very neat drain.

There was also this really cool antique vessel collection that was covered by bars. I poked my camera through the gate holes. 8)

There was also a wine tasting that we took part it. It was fun and I purchased a few bottles as gifts.

Next, we drove down to Quail's Gate, which was just as lovely. The wines here were actually cheaper than Mission Hill and I really enjoyed them!

There were lots of bees here!

Here is a no make up selfie. 8)

The weather was beautiful for sightseeing! I really enjoyed the drive around the lake.

We were told by people who live in Kelowna to go up the mountain, but it was closed.

I went for a short walk and picked up some rocks that I might use in my fish tank.

We settled for dinner at this restaurant off the water. The weather wasn't looking very happy, so we didn't eat outside.

This salmon dish was delicious, but it was not enough to eat. After dinner, we went to find a hotel to sleep.

The next morning, we headed out on the way home. The weather was very foggy on the road and it was quite dangerous. At some point, we had absolutely no visibility. I'm glad I wasn't driving.

I love BC so much.

Day 1 Road Trip in BC: Vancouver to Manning Park & Osoyoos

2014-06-16T22:52:00.001-05:00

I was invited by a family friend to go on a mini road trip outside of Vancouver. I had a lot of fun and it was a very relaxing experience, especially since I was not feeling well after the 3rd anniversary of my boyfriend's passing. It was nice to get out of the city and enjoy the beautiful outdoors of BC. The weather forecast was not in our favour and kept saying rain and thunderstorms. Luckily, weather was very good. I did not dirty any of my clothes or fall in mud. 8)

We left Vancouver around noon and arrived in Manning Park late in the afternoon. The road was quite windy with a lot of turns. I had to stay awake to help the friend navigate and stay awake.

The first destination was Manning Park, otherwise, we really had no idea where we were going to we had to ask the locals. There was an information center in the park and there were lots of these little prairie dogs popping in and out of the holes. These guys are everywhere, but they are so cute. The animals were very interested in our food and it was hard to not give them any nuts to chew on.

We were told to go up to Cascade Lookout by a woman at the convenience store, so we drove up the mountain. I have been there once with family and I love it up there, so I was excited to go back. The road was very steep and narrow. I would have been too afraid to drive up myself. The view on the way up to Cascade Lookout is amazing.

The view from Cascade Lookout is beautiful. There was also a big cute raven hanging around. He was very polite and did not bother us.

Chipmunks are very common up on Cascade Lookout and they like to beg for food. They are very friendly. The chipmunk and the Clark's Nutcracker kept begging me for food. The chipmunk wouldn't let me eat my lunch in peace.

I made friends with the chipmunk. :)

"Please, can I have some too?"

We coasted on neutral while going downhill. The friend said it saves on gas. Petro Canada says that it is not true and can also be dangerous. Oops.

On the way down Cascade Lookout, we saw what looked like a mating pair of deer. It was a beautiful sight and I had wished very hard to see some deer. I was afraid that the male deer would attack us, so we stayed in the car and drove slowly. They gave us no trouble and moved to the side.

We drove into a random lake area in Manning Park and there was this cute Shiba Inu following us around off leash. The dog was very cautious and cute. He wouldn't let me pet him and would just stare at us. The dog belonged to a man who was kayaking.

The lake was too cold to swim in, but it was nice to walk around and have snacks.

Here is my lame pose copying the friend.

Oh look, more prairie dogs. These guys are everywhere. The friend was quite evil. He tricked this little guy with food and made him go swimming. They also dug holes everywhere, so you have to watch your step. I tripped on a few holes.

After leaving Manning Park, we had attempted to find some wineries, but they were all closed. This winery had some dogs running loose and they kept following the car. We were very afraid of running them over. They were cute and this dog reminded me of my deceased dog, Mimi, who is a Border Collie x Labrador.

On the way to Osoyoos, we passed by Spotted Lake. At first, I thought this was a polluted lake with oil rings, but it actually contains several minerals and is protected for the Okanagan First Nations for traditional medicine use. This lake also has a rich history, in which it was used as a resource for ammunition making for World War I. I read online how the gate is often closed, so I guess we were lucky to be able to walk past the gate and closer to the lake. I did not realize that we were potentially trespassing, since Wikipedia said that the land was purchased for $720,000 by the First Nations people.

We finally reached Osoyoos in the evening and had to find a hotel to stay in. After we got a hotel, we had to find a place to have dinner.

The hotel recommended this Greek restaurant called Diamond Steak and Seafood. It was so good and one entree was enough to share between two people. I loved the pita and tzatziki. The lamb was very tender and delicious as well. I appreciated how the food did not taste salty, besides the olives. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel, showered and went to sleep.

I had a really fun day and I really enjoyed my time in Manning Park. The next day, we spent more time in Osoyoos and Kelowna, which will be in a second post.

I hope you enjoyed the picture!

Later Days ~

Hair Update: Split Blonde and Pink Hair with Manic Panic Hot Hot Pink

2014-05-28T14:30:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone. I am back to my blog after a very long time. I wasn't very happy with the layout, but I finally had time to redo the website and even got a domain. I am still slowly working on it, but I like it a lot more than what it used to be. I also reorganized all the menus and added other topics that I'd like to write about in the future.

I know people really enjoyed my past hair posts, so I have an update on what I did with my hair. I used Manic Panic Hot Hot Pink on the bottom half over my blonde hair, while leaving the top half blonde. I wanted bright pink hair, but I wasn't ready to get rid of the blonde, so I settled for both.

Bright hair dyes are extremely staining, so I always cover surfaces with newspaper. I use this plastic spoon to scoop out the hair dye into the colour bowl and always apply the colour with a brush.

I always use Vaseline to protect my skin from stains. I apply it on my face, ears, neck, hairline, hands, nails and wrists. These are the places where I tend to get dye on myself. I consider this a must have if you handle bright colours. It is also a great way to protect your skin from bleach.

You can see how I separated my hair here. I had already coloured my hair, but you can see how bright the colour is. Manic Panic Hot Hot Pink on my blonde hair is a retina burning neon fuchsia pink. It is really lovely with blonde.

I decided to add more pink to the front of the sides. I wrap the coloured pieces of hair with foil and let it sit in my hair for as long as possible. I try to aim for a few hours at least with these types of semi-permanent dyes that require no peroxide. It is not damaging to hair and these dyes usually leave my hair silky and soft. I've never been disappointed with Manic Panic and it is easily found at Sally's Beauty in Canada.

It was extremely hard to not get pink on the blonde. I tried to wipe off the pink on that upper blonde part, but it had already been stained pink. If you can, get someone else to help you. My mom is away, so I can only rely on myself.

This is after rinsing out my hair and blow drying. My hair is still damp, because it is summer and I let the rest of my hair air dry. After colouring, I do not shampoo and I only rinse off the dye in cold water. I also apply conditioner after colouring. Whenever I wash my hair, I only shampoo my roots and everything gets rinsed under cold to luke warm water. Using cold water helps retain the colour, prevent fading and reduce bleeding.

I have to say that it is a pain in the ass to wash my hair. I have to separate the blonde from the pink, so that I only shampoo the blonde roots. I have to rinse out the blonde with shampoo separately before I rinse the pink hair. Afterwards, I can apply conditioner to all of my hair and then rinse again in cold water at the end of my shower. If I get shampoo on the pink hair, it bleeds like crazy. It also bleeds like crazy in hot water.

I am really glad that I did not dye my whole head pink. I wish I could have blended the pink in a little more, but it is really hard to do it on myself. I had a hard time trying to keep the blonde and pink separated as previously mentioned. The more I wash my hair and the more my hair bleeds, the more the blonde hair starts to turn pastel pink. I like it, but I hope the top blonde part doesn't turn pink. I don't want all of my hair to be pink. I also plan on re-toning the blonde, since it is getting yellow. My hair just doesn't like to stay white, even though I use Clairol Shimmerlights as my main shampoo.

Manic Panic Hot Hot Pink does bleed a lot and my towels all have pink stains. I always sleep on dark coloured pillow cases and bedding sheets for this reason. Also, white collared shirts or white near your neckline is a bad idea. Cold water is key.

I hope you enjoyed my hair post!

Later Days ~

Lindsay Phillips Customizable Snap Shoes Haul

2013-06-05T21:16:00.001-05:00

Hi lovelies! I recently received my Lindsay Phillips order from Beyond the Rack and my initial impression is that I *LOVE* what I received. I remember seeing a product like this on The Dragon's Den or Shark Tank and I thought that it was a really cool product. I love how you can purchase different accessories for your shoes and change up the look. I was very relieved that the Size 6 in Lindsay Phillips is true to size, which means that it fits me very well.

I purchased Kate Peep Toe Flat in White Gold and the Sharyn Slide Kitten Heel in Champagne for $20 each on Beyond the Rack, which is a total steal. I saw these shoes at Town Shoes and they retail for $70-$90 per pair, but they are cheaper if you purchase them directly from the company website. I would suggest that people try the shoes in stores for sizes and then purchase online.

I also purchased these cute snaps for my shoes, otherwise it would defeat the purpose of the brand. The snaps were on sale for $10 each on Beyond the Rack. I like how each style of snaps have their own names. Kya, Sidney and Lillian are very well made. My favourite is Lillian!

This is what it looks like when you remove the snaps off the shoe. The snaps stay on very securely, but you have to make sure you snap the accessories in correctly. You would hear a click if you did it right.

This is the back of the snaps. I was playing with all the accessories and trying everything out. They feel very strong and durable. My only concern for these shoes is that eventually the metal snaps may come off the accessories or shoe. However, I do not see that happening anytime soon. The snaps are very well made.

Sharyn Slide Kitten Heel in Champagne is a very well made shoe and is super comfortable. The heel is only 2 inches tall, so it is very wearable. It comes with this pretty square blue gem snap. I also love the fabric on this shoe. It is very shimmery silvery-champagne and has a multi-coloured effect that I really love. I bought these shoes, because I needed some shoes to wear with dresses. I have a hard time with high heels, so these kitten heels are perfect for me. I call these my "Princess" shoes.

The kitten heels are so adorable and looks amazing with all the snaps. I am so pleased with these shoes and they have become a favourite. They are also very comfy. I like that I can also take the snaps off the flats and put them on the kitten heels.

Kate Peep Toe Flat in White Gold is a very simple metallic white gold colour and the fabric is very soft. I am worried that the back of the shoe is going to dig into my heel, but all flats do that to me unless I wear socks for flats. However, these are a peep toe flat, so I cannot wear the special socks made for flats. I also bought these gel stickers for the back of the heel from Ebay, so I might stick some on the shoe.

Overall, I am very pleased with my shoes. I'm really excited to wear these shoes out. I love the concept of these customizable shoes and how easily you can complement your outfits. They also make a strap version, where you can change the straps on your flip flops. These shoes are so fun and awesome.

I have my eyes on the Liz Black Glitter Flats, Sharyn Slide Black Kitten Heels, Alex Heel Grey Flannel Pumps and Alex Heel Purple Tweed Pumps. I love how the neutral coloured shoes looks good with almost any snap! These shoes are so perfect for summer. I love them! Lindsay Phillips makes some great basic shoe shapes with a ton of different snaps and straps styles. Personally, I would love a kitten heel style pump with a closed toe. I would also love more different coloured bow snaps like the Lillian.

Have you tried customizable shoes before or ever heard about them?

Later Days ~

Eat Vancouver 2013 LOTD and a Foodful Weekend

2013-05-27T17:23:00.000-05:00

Hi lovelies! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I went to the Let's Eat Vancouver event on Friday with a friend and it was really fun. I also went last year and ended up with an upset tummy at the end of the day. This year, I learned to avoid the Oikos Greek Yogurt vendor, who was also at the convention this year.

I have been loving neutral toned eyes with bright coloured lips that match the colours in my clothing. I also wanted to try out the Shu Uemura White Gold Glitter Eyeshadow and MAC Eyeliner Mixing Medium that I had recently purchased. I am quite impressed with both products. I patted the mixing medium on my eyelid and patted the glitter eyeshadow on top. It helped hold the glitter in place and also make the eyeshadow more vibrant. I ended up with a lovely, shimmery platinum white gold look.

Look Breakdown:

Skin:

Urban Decay De Slick Spray

Shu Uemura UV Underbase Mousse SPF 30 PA++ Primer

Missha Cho Bo Yang BB Cream SPF 30 PA++

Pro Longwear Concealer NC20

Eyes:

Milani Eyeshadow Primer (all over lids)

NYX Milk Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil (all over lids)

MAC Crystal Avalanche Eyeshadow (inner eye)

MAC All That Glitters Eyeshadow (all over lids)

MAC Smut Eyeshadow (outer v, crease, bottom lash line)

MAC Tall, Dark & Handsome Extra Dimension Eyeshadow (over v, bottom lash line)

MAC Eyeliner Mixing Medium (patted all over lids)

Shu Uemura White Gold Glitter Eyeshadow (patted on top of mixing medium)

Holika Holika 07 White Jewel-Light Waterproof Eyeliner (inner eye)

MAC Black Swan Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner (bottom lash line)

Milani Eye Tech Extreme Eyeliner (upper winged liner)

Etude House Dr. Mascara Fixer Lash Primer

MAC Prep+Prime Lash Primer

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Curve Mascara

Diamond Lash Volume Sexy Eyes False Eyelashes

Brows:

MAC Taupe Eyebrow Pencil

Cheeks:

Too Faced Candlelight Glow (highlight)

NYX Taupe Blush (contour)

Lips:

MAC Prep+Prime Lip

MAC Crosswires Creamsheen Lipstick

I matched the MAC Crosswires Lipstick to this dress. "Mom" picked this dress out for me as a birthday gift. She has a wonderful eye for fashion! The dress is a bit tight at the bust, so I can only wear thin bras underneath. I did not pack very well, so I had to borrow a bra from my mother and it did not fit me right. I know La Senza is having a strapless bra sale, so I might go and pick one up tomorrow.

I grew up watching the Food Network, so a lot of the names of the Food Network chefs are very familiar to me. I got to sit down and watch a cooking demo by Rob Feenie. He also does the menus for Cactus Club Restaurants. My favourite item from the menu is the Pesto Chicken Quesadillas with Yam Fries.

I have never felt so shy in my life. The only thing I was able to say was "Can I have a picture with you?" and "Thank you". He is a really cool and nice guy though! I am really glad I got to take a picture with him. He is a really cool and nice guy!

I also got to watch the Celebrity Chef Throwdown. Erin Cebula of Entertainment Tonight Canada and Bal Arneson of The Spice Goddess were hosting while Trevor Bird, Rob Feenie and Anna Olson were competing. Rob Feenie won with his Ginger Ninja Beef poached fish. I am a huge fan of Anna Olson and I watched her shows, Sugar and Fresh. She also has a new one called Bake with Anna Olson. I have also enjoyed The Spice Goddess. Bal is so pretty with her bright red lipstick too!

I also got to attend this cheese seminar hosted by the Dairy Farmers of Canada. They gave us seven different types of cheeses to try. My favourite was the fresh cheese with the fuji apple and jam, because I love cream cheese. I also love mozzarella! I even developed a new found respect for cheese, including blue cheese which tasted quite good. I am not fond of strong smelling cheeses, but the President's Choice Blue Cheese is fairly mild.

I love clam chowder, so I used my food ticket for this delicious clam chowder in a bread bowl. I have never had soup served in a bread bowl before. It was so delicious! It was super buttery, but the small portion was good for me.

Eat Vancouver was super fun, but my legs were so tired at the end of the day. We took the skytrain, so we did not have to deal with overpriced parking. I would go again next year!

At the end of the day, we ended up to T&T on the way home to pick up some dinner and browse the end of the day sale items. We got this sushi tray for $10! Yum.

The next day we were suppose to go to Palky's for Indian food, because I was craving butter chicken. Palky's was closed between lunch and dinner service, so we ended up walking up the street to and ended up at Havana. I had this Pulled Pork Sandwich which was delicious, but the Spicy Carrot Chipotle Soup gave me a belly ache.

Then we went to Fujiya Japanese Market. I bought the Z Roll for $5.75. California Roll for $2.95 and seaweed salad for under $5.00. I ate some in the evening and had the rest for the next day.

I love love love the seaweed salad and the california roll was the best I've ever had. I also love the Z Roll. I would definitely go back and buy more from Fujiya! The food is so fresh and the rice does not taste hard or chewy from being refrigerated. The fresh food is super delicious and incredibly affordable.

Fujiya also had some cool items like Dragon Ball Z soft drinks.

I also made chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and ones with regular vanilla cream cheese frosting. I like to sprinkle flax seed on everything. I tried to make vanilla cupcakes with leftover sour cream, but they were extremely fail.

Here are some pictures of Sandy sleeping, because sleeping puppies are adorable. She likes to sleep on pillows.

Do you have any favourite summer time events?

Later Days ~

Bravest Warriors: Catbug NOTD with Rimmel 60 Seconds #620 "Red, Steady, Go...."

2013-05-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

Hi lovelies! You may have noticed that Pretty Optimal has got a new layout. What do you think? I really like how simple, functional and clean it looks. I started getting less motivated to continue blogging, because I was not happy with the appearance of the blog. It took a lot of work, but I love how it looks now. I am also considering a proper website domain.

Lumpy Space Princess is one of my favourite characters from Adventure Time, so I decided to add her to my page design. The same creators of Adventure Time have created a web cartoon called Bravest Warriors. My bf and I really love Catbug.

SUGAR PEAS!

If you don't know who Catbug is, I highly recommend that you watch this episode of Bravest Warriors: Bravest Warriors Episode 11: Catbug by Cartoon Hangover

This is the nail design that my lovely bf created for me. One day he asked me, "When are you going to do the Catbug nail?" I decided to do that today! I had a really hard time doing this design, because I did not have the proper tape to do it. I'll be sure to have the proper tools to do it more cleaner next time. I really love how this design turned out and it is super cute.

Rimmel 60 Seconds #620 "Red, Steady, Go...." Nail Polish is a really good one! It is a bright blue toned true red with a cream finish. I applied two coats and it applies wonderfully smooth. This nail polish is opaque in one coat, but I always apply two. It also dries super quickly. My bf purchased this nail polish for me from Walmart for under $4 CAD, so I would highly this nail polish.

What are your favourite cartoons?

Later Days ~

Diamond Lash Volume Series in Sexy Eye False Lashes Review

2013-04-22T20:17:00.001-05:00

Hi lovelies! I had won a blog giveaway some time ago and one of the prizes was a multi-pack of Japanese eyelashes with different styles. I fell deeply in love with one of the styles and needed to get more. This is the Diamond Lash Volume series in the style called Sexy (Sekushii) Eye. My bf insisted on "sekushii". I purchased the eyelash pack on Ebay from user yoicho29 and you can find the listing here. It cost me $18.90 plus $2.40 USD for shipping to Canada. I ended up paying a total of $21.30 USD for these eyelashes, which means that each pair of eyelashes costs $4.26. This actually isn't too bad for a pair of eyelashes that can be reused several times.

The style is very interesting and does not exist in the American style eyelashes such as Ardell and Red Cherry, as well as other indie brands like House of Lashes. The lash band is clear, flexible, and very comfortable to wear. The hair is synthetic, so you could sanitize them with alcohol.

These lashes are also very delicate, so you have to be careful when you remove them from the package, as well as removing them from your eye. They aren't as durable as other lashes that I have tried, but I still get a lot of use out of them. In order to maximize your use with these lashes, I highly recommend soaking a cotton swab with make up remover before removing them from your eyes. You can find my tutorial for eyelash removal here.

Are these lashes beautiful or what? I find that these lashes are incredibly flattering for my eye shape and it has a cat eye effect, since the lashes are thicker at the outer corners. They are big, fluttery and voluminous. I absolutely love these and I can easily say that these lashes are one of my top picks. They also have a good curl to them, so they do not point downwards or look droopy. They also fit my eye really well, so I do not have to cut them.

I like these lashes a lot more than the Diamond Lash Glamorous. Diamond Lash Volume in Sexy Eye is a lot softer, more comfortable to wear, and has the perfect band size. I love love love these and I would highly recommend them to anyone who likes to use false lashes. I have not tried very many Japanese lashes, because a lot of the styles are very natural. I prefer more dramatic eyelashes without looking too "drag queen", so Diamond Lash Volume in Sexy Eye is perfect for me.

Do you like Japanese false lashes?

Later Days ~

Rimmel 60 Seconds in 210 Mintilicious NOTD

2013-04-20T17:53:00.000-05:00

Hi lovelies! My lovely bf picked up a bunch of these Rimmel 60 Seconds nail polishes from Walmart several months ago. I absolutely love this line! It is dirt cheap and comes in fun colours. Each bottle is smaller than your average nail polish, but costs less than $4 CAD. This line is a great, cheap way to add more shades to your collection and is very budget friendly. I highly recommend these Rimmel nail polishes.

The colour range is quite beautiful. Mintilicious is a pretty minted light aqua blue with a cream finish. It applies opaque in two coats and dries very quickly. I used NYX Under the Moon Glitter Nail Polish on top, which is a holographic glitter in a blue jelly base. The NYX glitter polish darkened Mintilicious a bit.

I love this colour! It reminds me of candy, spring and robin's eggs. The nail polish applied very easily and opaque in two coats. You need this nail polish.

Life Updates:

I've been very busy with life and school work, so I haven't been able to blog much. I recently finished my final exams and I've got some things to do before I head back to Vancouver for the summer. I am looking forward to going back home and catching up with lovely friends and family. I have to get my bills all sorted out, clean my room and organize all my things. I also have to do course planning and get my passport application completed. I have several people I need to get in touch of as well. I hope to find some wonderful volunteering or activities to do while in Vancouver. I plan to focus my summer on catching up with family and friends, helping people, increase my level of physical activity, and do tons of gaming.

I am really proud of myself for overcoming this school year. It has been very hard balancing school with health. I had pneumonia twice this year and generally I have not been well. I have also been struggling with nausea and found that the Gravol ginger works very well and does not cause drowsiness. I also find myself incredibly lethargic, so I hope this summer that I can improve my health with lots of exercise and walking my dog everyday in Vancouver. Life can be very hard at times, so I find it very important to find joy in as many things as you can and keep pushing forward.

Are you excited for summer?

Later Days ~

Skin Food Fresh Apple Pore Cleansing Oil Review

2013-03-31T19:15:00.000-05:00

Hi lovelies! I was running low on Etude House Real Art Cleansing Oil and wanted to try something else. I ended up ordering Skin Food Fresh Apple Pore Cleansing Oil from Ebay. I bought mine from globalcommerce for $15.68 USD including shipping. I am very happy with the Skin Food cleansing oil!

Skinfood Fresh Apple Pore Cleansing Oil 150mL:

"A lightweight cleansing oil that thoroughly removes even the toughest makeup along with pore-clogging impurities. Contains fresh unripe green apple extract. Unripe green apples have a bitter, astringent flavor that helps control sebum production and tighten enlarged pores.

Ingredients List:
Cetyl ethylhexanoate, mineral oil, peg-20 glyceryl trisosterate, bis-ethoxydiglycol cyclohexane 1,4-dicarboxylate,sorbeth-30 tetraoleate, octyldodecanol, pyrus malus (apple) fruit extract, parfum

Directions:
1. Dispense a few pumps onto a dry palm and apply to the face in massaging motions.
2. Wet fingertips and massage skin until the oil turns into a milky texture. Double-cleanse with a foaming cleanser.

Let's see how well this oil cleanser performs ~

Trial #1:
I am wearing Etude House Dr. Lash Mascara Fixer and Maybelline Mega Plush Lash Mascara on the eyes with BB Cream and MAC Prolongwear concealer on the skin.

Trial #1 Results:

I used two pumps and massaged the Skin Food Fresh Apple Pore Cleansing Oil onto my dry skin and eyes. Then I added some water to my hands and massaged some more. Then I rinsed off. The cleansing oil completely removed all my make up and left no oily residue on my skin. I didn't need to follow up with regular cleanser like I usually do with other oil cleansers. I am very pleased!

Trial #2:

I am wearing Etude House Dr. Lash Mascara Fixer Primer and Tony Moly Cat's Wink Volume Mascara on the lashes with BB Cream and MAC Prolongwear concealer on the skin. I also have Holika Holika Jewel-light Glitter Eyeliner on. This combination of primer and mascara is extremely hard to remove. I usually use Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Make Up Remover to remove my eye make up, but it doesn't completely remove Tony Moly Can'ts Wink Mascara.

Trial #2 Results:

I use two pumps of Skin Food Fresh Apple Pore Cleansing Oil to massage onto my dry skin and eyes. I add water to my hands and massage some more. Then I rinse clean with warm water. I am very surprised at how well this product removed my make up. Again, it left no oily residues.

Trial #3:

Here I am wearing Etude House Dr. Lash Mascara Fixer Primer, Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara, MAC Black Swan Pearlglide Eyeliner and some other eye make up that was removed with Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Make Up Remover. I usually use eye make up remover to remove my false lashes. You can find out how I remove my false lashes here: How to Safely Remove False Lashes. I also have BB Cream, concealer and powder on the skin. Wow, look at my pores. Ugh!

Trial #3 Results:

Like the other trials, I simply massaged the oil onto my dry skin and eyes. Then I added water to massage some more, and then I rinsed off with water. Again, Skin Food Fresh Apple Pore Cleansing Oil removed all my make up without leaving any residue.

Overall:

I really love this product and it works very well! I find it that it works best if you massage the product on dry skin and then massage some more with water before rinsing. I've tried the product while in the shower when my skin was already wet and it does not work as well this way. However, I find that this is a very good alternative to MAC's Cleanse Off Oil which costs more than twice as much as the Skin Food oil cleanser and leaves residue on my skin. I like that I have the option of not following up with a cleanser, so this product is great for people who wear make up and have oily skin. I am surprised by how well this product rinses off, especially since mineral oil is the main ingredient in the product. It doesn't feel drying, so it is great for normal to dry skin as well!

Would I Repurchase?

I most likely would repurchase, but I want to try the lemon brightening version.

What do you use to remove your make up?

Later Days ~

L'Oreal New Money NOTD & Other Green Things

2013-03-23T21:24:00.001-05:00

Hi lovelies! My bf bought me a load of nail polishes from Walmart a while ago and L'Oreal New Money is one of the new nail polishes we picked out. I am very impressed with the formula and I love the colour! New Money is a bright yellow-green that is very spring. Although spring has not quite arrived in Winnipeg yet, I am in the mood for these bright, cheery colours.

I applied two coats for opaque coverage. The drying time can be very long if you apply very thick layers though. I am so impressed with the L'Oreal nail polishes. I would definitely get more. I love the thick brush too!

Some Green Things Just Because ~

This is my lucky whistle! I wear it to all my exams for extra luck. So far, I have not failed any exams, thanks to this! LOL ~

I love veggies! Cucumbers are one of my favourite things to eat. I call them "coolcumbers" and I even put them in my smoothies. I also like to chop them up and mix them with kimchi. Avocado with lime is also delicious. I love guacamole as a dip or in my sandwich. I suppose you could also put these things on your face too. XD

I had a groupon for Travel Mug Cafe that was about to expire. I shared with my bf and we got 2 drinks, 2 desserts and 2 take home teas. I chose the pistachio cannoli, which was freaken delicious. I would come back for this. It tastes like a cream puff. I adore cream puffs.

I love tea! The strawberry green tea smells lovely and the black tea will be wonderful with soy or almond milk.

I love Tutti Fruitti! I cannot leave the mall without getting some. I love mine with boba, jelly and mochi. I tried the cotton candy and pistachio. Both are very light and not too sweet, which is why I love frozen yogurt so much.

What are your favourite green things?

Later Days ~

Too Faced Natural Eye Palette Swatches & Review

2013-03-12T15:47:00.001-05:00

Hi lovelies! I've been really enjoying the Too Faced Natural Eye Palette that I purchased last fall. My favourite to go look has constantly been a neutral eye with false lashes and bright lips. I absolutely adore this palette and have been using it all the time. This palette is really well made and has a good mix of basic, every day shades of browns, champagne, and gold with a sheer matte white for highlighting underneath the brows. This palette is definitely made for a natural eye.

The packaging is very cute and well designed. It fits in the palm of my hand. The first row are mattes, the second row are frosty, and the last row are more metallic. These eyeshadows are not fully pigmented and offer some sheerness that is appropriate for a natural eye.

I thought it was very interesting that this palette has a compartment for some cards. There are three cards with three looks titled "Day", "Fashion", and "Classic". I haven't tried these combinations myself, but it is really nice to have some suggested looks.

You also get a sample card of the Too Faced Shadow Insurance. I personally already have a tube of this stuff. I like this primer, but it has a tendency to separate when stored after a long time.

Some Swatches:

Top to Bottom: Nude Beach, Silk Teddy, Heaven

Nude Beach has some glitter chunks that are very prone to fall out. They don't bother me that much, but I know that some people would really hate it. Nude Beach is the chunkier, sheerer version of Silk Teddy and looks like a peachy champagne pink with golden tones.

Silk Teddy is my favourite eyeshadow in the palette. It is this lovely moderately frosty pink champagne that looks beautiful as an all over the lid colour, inner eye tearduct highlighter and has medium pigmentation. It can be sheer or opaque, depending on how you use it. It reminds me of MAC All That Glitters, which I also love.

Heaven is a very sheer matte off-white/bone beige that works well for a subtle under the brow highlighter. I find that Heaven is the most disappointing eyeshadow in the palette due to how sheer it is. I would prefer if it was more pigmented, but I can see that it is meant to be subtle.

Top to Bottom: Honey Pot, Push-Up, Velvet Revolver

Honey Pot is a lovely warm gold with a metallic finish and is pigmented. I love this shade as an all over lid colour. Honey Pot has some glitter shimmers in it that catch light and glows. It reminds me of MAC Woodwinked and Honey Lust.

Push-Up is a dirty mauve with brown tones. This shade has some fine glittery shimmers and is also pigmented. I like to wear Push-Up on my bottom lash line.

Velvet Revolver is a semi-sheer medium matte cool taupe that works really well as a natural brow colour. I tried using this shade in my crease and found that it was really lacking in pigmentation. Velvet Revolver was also a bit disappointing due to the pigmentation, but it works okay as a crease contour. I would have liked this eyeshadow to be more pigmented.

Top to Bottom: Cocoa Puff, Erotica, Sexspresso

Cocoa Puff is a warm satin dark brown with some very fine silver shimmer. I had a hard time swatching this eyeshadow, but it actually applies better than swatched. I like this colour for my lashline and smudging into my eyeliner. It also works well in the crease and outer-v.

Erotica is a cool-toned satin dark brown with some very fine silver shimmer. This shade was also hard to swatch, but it applies better as well. I also like to use this colour on my bottom lash line and to smudge into my eyeliner.

Sexspresso is a cool-toned matte dark brown. I also had a hard time swatching this shade, but it applies beautifully.

Top to Bottom: Honey Pot, Push-Up, Velvet Revolver, Nude Beach, Silk Teddy, Heaven, Cocoa Puff, Erotica, Sexspresso

Overall:

I really like the Too Faced Natural Eye Palette and I have been using it regularly. It has some good staple shades and you can easily rely on this palette for neutral day looks to neutral-smokey eyes. However, I feel like the brown shades are too similar, especially when worn. I also wish that some of the shades were more pigmented. This palette made me realize how much I have been enjoying neutral eyes and makes me want the Urban Decay Naked palettes.

Are you fan of neutral palettes?

Later Days ~

L'Oreal #109 "Orange You Jealous?" Hello Kitty NOTD, & Skating

2013-02-18T15:19:00.003-06:00

L'Oreal "Orange You Jealous?" NOTD

Hi lovelies! I've been really loving the Hello Kitty nail print, so I decided to use it again. This time the colours are inverted. You can see the other version here. My bf bought me a whole bunch of nail polishes from Walmart, so I have a bunch of new nail polishes to play with. =)

L'Oreal "Orange You Jealous?" is a really unique shade of salmon pink-orange that can also be described as a creamsicle. I really love this colour. It reminds me of Limecrime Cosmopop that I am really lusting over. I used three coats and it has a glossy cream finish. Bright nail colours really cheer me up. I love it. <3 p="">

These ponies are so cute! ^______^

It's Been Over 10 Years Since I've Tried Ice Skating!

My bf took me out to The Forks for ice skating yesterday. Ice skating was extremely challenging for me, but it was really fun! I was really scared, because my left leg isn't what it used to be. After having heart failure a few years ago, I lost all my muscle mass and my body has not been the same. I have a long road of recovery ahead of me. I may not look like it, but I actually have a "cripple leg". That's just a nickname I gave for my left leg (lol). I'm fine now though. =) I call it that, because it used to be dead weight and I underwent a lot of physical therapy and practice for it to become functional again. I had to sit down and rest a lot and I was extremely unbalanced. My left leg started giving out while my right leg was fine, so I had to call it a day. I had a really hard time walking back to the rental place on the skates, because my left leg was skating intensely. It still astounds me how I was able to skate so easily as a child. The bf was very encouraging and held my hand the entire time. I had lots of fun and I want to try again. If I can do it, anyone can!

Later Days ~

I Won Some Wonderful Redken Hair Products!

2013-02-09T12:26:00.004-06:00

Hi lovelies! I won some Redken hair products a few months ago from Jennifer of spicedbeauty. I am currently using purple shampoos for my blonde hair, but I always welcome new hair serums and smoothing types of products into my routine. All of these products are designed for dry, brittle, fine hair that is prone to breakage and frizz. I have very fine, brittle hair due to all the bleaching and dying. The mid length to ends of my hair also tends to get very frizzy, especially if I don't blow dry my hair with a smoothing product.

The Redken All Soft shampoo and conditioner are very light on the hair. The conditioner is a bit too light for me and I'd prefer a richer conditioner for my dry, brittle hair. I usually use A&G and Clairol Shimmerlights purple shampoos for my blonde hair and richer, length conditioners such as Herbal Essence Honey I'm Strong.

I really like this Redken Outshine 01 Anti-frizz Polishing Milk! I can apply this to wet hair and then blow dry. This helps detangle my hair and also makes my hair stronger and smoother. This also works well on dry hair to make it smoother, but doesn't make it feel greasy and heavy. I love this product!

The Redken Glass 01 Smoothing Serum is a very rich serum that works best for me when I use it on wet hair and then blow dry. For this product, a little goes a long way. It is very rich and I can really feel the silicons in it that helps smooth out my hair. This product also helps detangle my hair. I really like this product and it doesn't leave my hair feeling too heavy either.

Of all the products I received, the Redken All Soft Argan-6 Multi-care Hair Oil is the product that I use the most. I generally like to apply argan oil to my wet hair and then blow dry. This product is lovely on my hair and doesn't make it greasy or heavy as well.

Overall:

I am really impressed with the Redken hair products that I have received. All of the products are very light on the hair and work really well. I apply the product to my hair when it is wet and then I blow dry. The results I get is stronger, smoother, silkier hair that is easier to comb through without frizz. This is honestly how I have been maintaining the condition of my hair and repairing it after processing. Now that my hair is long, I try to take care of it more. My only concern is that I have no idea where I could purchase these products from Canada.

How do you keep your hair healthy?

Later Days ~

Sugarpill Goldilux, Lumi & Tipsy Chromalust Loose Eyeshadow Swatches

2013-02-06T14:47:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I finally got around to swatching the Sugarpill Chromalust loose eyeshadows that I purchased from Karmaloop and retail for $12.00 USD. You can find my haul here. I received free shipping on these babies with 40% off, but I had to pay custom and duty fees, which still ended up being cheaper than purchasing off Sugarpill.

I absolutely love all of my Sugarpill products. You can find the Sugarpill Heartbreak Palette swatches here. You can also find the Sugarpill Burning Heart and Sweetheart palettes here.

Left to Right: Goldilux, Lumi, Tipsy

Goldilux, Lumi, and Tipsy swatched on dry, bare skin.

Goldilux, Lumi and Tipsy swatched over L'Oreal Eye Tattoo in Too Cool

Goldilux, Lumi and Tipsy swatched over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy.

Left to Right: Goldilux, Lumi and Tipsy over bare skin; Goldilux Lumi and Tipsy over L'Oreal Eye Tattoo in Too Cool; Goldilux, Lumi and Tipsy over Pixie Epoxie.

Review

Goldilux is an amazingly beautiful shade of molten liquid antique gold with strong yellow tones. This is my favourite shade of the bunch and is definitely a must have. Goldilux is very pigmented even when used dry.

Lumi is a sheer white with pale blue shift green duochrome. I couldn't capture it on camera, but it is more blue than white. Lumi is the pigment version of MAC Reflects Teal Glitter. I really love how transforming Lumi is. It looks very different depending on the bases and other eyeshadows you use it with. I personally love it smudged over black eyeliner. It can be very opaque if you use it foiled or over bases such as cream eyeshadows.

Tipsy is a lovely shade of medium grass green. I have always loved green on my skintone. Tipsy is also very pigmented even when used dry.

Overall:

Sugarpill products are excellent! I usually loath loose pigments due to crazy fall out and lack of pigmentation when used dry. However, I don't have these issues with Sugarpill. I can easily brush the minimal fallout away or pick it up with tape and it would look fine. I have my eyes on Paperdoll and Royal Sugar. I also hope that Sugarpill will expand their line and include lipsticks. I also love Shrinkles! She is so beautiful! <3 p="">

Have you tried Sugarpill or are the bright colours not your style?

Later Days ~

Hello Kitty NOTD, Gaming, & Cupcakes

2013-02-02T15:57:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! *Oh my glob!* I feel like it has been a really long time since I have posted anything. I have been so sick and struggling with my health, so I haven't been able to do much of anything. I am feeling better now and I have a lot of school work to catch up on, but I hope you will continue to read and follow my blog. =) Although I am still feeling fairly fragile, I have been slowly getting back to being me! Recently, my lovely nail technician had helped me do a Hello Kitty themed manicure.

I used the white Revlon nail polish that came in my December GlossyBox. The formula wasn't thick and goopy as it usually is with white nail polishes. However, it was very thin and sheer, so it took at least three coats to look opaque. For the Hello Kitty design, I used a special "Fauxnad" template that I purchased online. I will post about it later. I hope I don't forget. >_<

This polish was okay, but I didn't like how it looked by itself. It was patchy, sheer, and uneven looking. I had to use more than 3 layers on some nails, so my nails are really thick. However, It is the end of the week and I have not experienced any chipping (unlike China Glaze *cough*). I would use this polish again.

MAC x Archie:

I recently received the MAC Archie's Girls mailer. I am not a fan of the Archie comics and I have tried reading them in the past and just couldn't get into it. I preferred the more boyish genres and really liked X-Men, Batman, Spiderman, etc. Being a girl, I still enjoyed my Barbie, My Little Pony, and Polly Pocket toys, but I also really liked my cousin's dinosaurs, Lego, and Hot Wheels. I really like the Archie make up, but I already spent a lot games.

Gaming is Fabulous

I preordered Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch! It is an awesome JRPG (Japanese Role Playing Game). This is a must have game for RPG lovers and those who enjoy Studio Ghibli films. My favourite Studio Ghibli films are Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Totoro and Ponyo.

I also purchased my very own PS3. My bf took me to pick it up yesterday. I used to borrow my sister's PS3, but sharing consoles with other active gamers is very difficult. This is the limited edition Crystal White Playstation 3. I have a very powerful PC for most games (see here for my rig), but many rpgs aren't available for PC. The Crystal White PS3 is aesthetically pleasing and "limited edition" makes it so much more appealing. I am really excited about playing everything!

This is my "happy place" and new set up. I had purchased the Samsung 32 inch LED tv from the FutureShop boxing day sale. These are the current platforms I play on. The red Mario limited edition WII belonged to my late bf. I haven't tried very many games on the WII. I have been meaning to soft mod it with an external hardrive, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I also have my beloved soft modded PSP and my Hello Kitty Nintendo 3DS (you can find it here). I love being able to play games from bed and not have to sit in front of my computer all day.

Nom Nom Food

Yesterday, my very sweet bf surprised me with some goodies from Sweet Impressions. Sweet Impressions operates in Winnipeg and is peanut free! They make "soy butter" which is an alternative to peanut butter, and is very delicious. I highly recommend their cupcakes. I used to pick them up after my visits at St. Boniface hospital, but they had closed down that location. I was very upset about it until I realized that they had moved locations. The location at Stafford and Pembina is much closer to my home. The cupcakes are quite expensive, but is a tasty, occasional treat.

I actually love the Valentine's Day theme. I don't believe that it is a holiday for couples only. I think it can also be a day to tell your friends and family that you love them. This cookie is so cute! I can't get myself to eat it.

The bf knows that my favourite cupcake is the Chunky Monkey, which is chocolate and banana. He really made me smile, because I have a real sweet tooth! It was a really nice surprise. It makes me very happy when people randomly show up at my door with delicious treats.

Yum! This is a Chunky Monkey cupcake with a Lumpy Space Princess purple star cookie. My sister said that the cookie tastes like multivitamins.

This is the raspberry cupcake. *Oh my glob!* This cupcake is delicious. It is possibly a new favourite. I could really taste the raspberry in the cream, which isn't too sweet. My problem with cupcakes is that most of the time, the icing is too sweet for my taste. I really enjoyed this cupcake with strawberry herbal tea.

Later Days ~

Lime Crime Coquette Opaque Lipstick Review

2013-01-19T16:55:00.001-06:00

Hi lovelies! I purchased a Lime Crime lipstick in Coquette off a sale on Karmaloop. I have been avoiding this brand for many years due to their poor reputation and treatment of bloggers. I was not pleased with how Temptalia was harassed and did not want to be put in the same position (you can read about it here). I simply want to mention that my review is neutral and bias-free as possible. I am only reviewing the product as is and not the company itself.

Nudes are a very difficult colour for me. I have naturally darker lips, so many paler shades of lipsticks are not opaque enough and look very concealer-like and disgusting. I always have to shade my lips in with a lip liner to make it work for me.

Let's see how Lime Crime Coquette works for me!

Packaging:

Oh my! I love the Lime Crime packaging. Who hates holographic unicorns on purple? Not me! One of the reasons why I was so interested in Lime Crime as soon as I learned about it was due to the unique packaging. It is very sturdy, well made and does not feel cheap. I love the packaging!

Oh, this shiny unicorn is what my childhood dreams were made of. *_____*

The Lime Crime lipstick size is slightly fatter than the MAC lipsticks.

Left to Right:

MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick, Creme D'Nude Lipstick, Lime Crime Coquette Lipstick, MAC A Perfect Day Lipstick, MAC Cream Cup Lipstick

Colour:

Lime Crime Coquette is definitely a nude peach with pinky-beige undertones. It isn't a super pale nude, which should make it easier and more flattering to wear on many skin tones. Coquette is extremely pigmented. I am really happy with this shade.

Bare Lips

Wearing Lime Crime Coquette on very dry lips with Too Faced Lip Insurance as a base and lined with Too Faced Perfect Nude Lip Pencil (not shaded in)

Colour and Coverage:

I did not have to use any lip liner to get full coverage. I am so impressed by how pigmented the lipstick is. It is also very creamy and applied easily. I swiped the lipstick directly from the tube and used my finger to blend. I also had very dry, chapped lips at this time, so I was really pleased that it wasn't accentuated. It helped that I used a lip base and also my finger to tap and blend the lipstick. It was very effortless to do and I really love the results. The colour is definitely a nude peach with maximum coverage.

Here is a look I wore together with Coquette. You can find the FOTD here. I did not find the lipstick drying and I did not find that it feathered as long as I use a lip base and lip liner (which I do with all of my lipsticks). I find that the NYX Matte Lipsticks are far more drying and lacks the same creaminess. I can honestly say that Lime Crime Coquette has become one of my favourite nudes in my stash. I heard that Lime Crime lipsticks are very fragile and prone to breakage due to how soft the lipstick is.

Overall:

Ultimately, I would definitely purchase more shades. I am really interested in Airborne Unicorn and Cosmopop, which would probably be in my future purchase. I love the product for the product, but I can't say I love the company and their ethics.

Are you a fan of Lime Crime?

Later Days ~

Holiday Look with MAC Pink Pigeon FOTD

2013-01-13T18:22:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! I have completely forgot to post this look. I wore this look to a potluck with my bf and his friends over the winter break. I was also in the process of bleaching my hair, so I covered it up with a wig. LOL! My bf actually requested this particular hairdo. He's such a cutie. :) I personally love the wig. It is fun and satisfies my need to constantly change my hair colour. I also feel like I look very different with this hairstyle. It is fun!

Look Breakdown:

Skin:
Urban Decay De Slick Make Up Setting Spray (Primer)
BRTC Jasmine Water BB Cream SPF 30
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer NC20

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Maybelline Eye Tattoo Too Cool (inner corners)
Too Faced Natural Eye Palette
Milani Eye Tech Eyeliner (upper winged liner)
Milani Liquif'Eye Black Eyeliner (waterline)
Milani Liquif'Eye Silver Eyeliner (inner corners)
Etude House Dr. Lash Mascara Fixer (bottom lashes)
E.L.F. Mascara Primer (bottom lashes)
Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara (bottom lashes)
Rimmel Scandaleyes Curve Mascara (bottom lashes)
Ardell #118 False Lashes

Brows:
MAC Taupe Brow Pencil
MAC Omega Eyeshadow

Cheeks:
MAC Personal Style Beauty Powder Blush (contour)
Too Faced Candlelight Glow (highlight)

Lips:
Too Faced Lip Insurance
NYX Hot Pink Lip Liner
MAC Pink Pigeon Lipstick

I made these ginger spice reindeer cookies for the potluck. They are so cute right? I was mostly sick and miserable during my winter break, so it was nice to have a day where I felt reasonably okay to bake, do my make up, and spend time with loved ones.

What are your favourite holiday baked goodies?

Later Days ~

My GlossyBox, December 2012 (Canada)

2013-01-12T15:55:00.001-06:00

Hi lovelies! I received my December GlossyBox a long while ago and I was really pleased with it! This post is super late, but I have been struggling with being sick and not able to blog about my adventures in Vanityland I try to give myself enough time to use the products in my subscription boxes and get an impression of the things I received before posting about it.

The December GlossyBox is truly magical. It came in a pretty silver box, which is different from the usual pink box and felt very special. The box was also really heavy too! It was completely filled with products and I am really happy with what I received.

I am really enjoying the GlossyBox magazines that come with the box. It has a lot of really nice photography of people's make up and some product suggestions. I like reading about make up trends and this Glossy Mag boasted hot orange coral lips on the runways.

I received some very cute studs. I didn't know that GlossyBox even includes jewelry. It was a very nice surprise. I am really lazy to constantly change my earrings and I usually wear gold, but it is nice to have some fashion jewelry to change it up when I am in the mood.

This Avon Glazewear Extreme Lip Gloss is really sheer, so there was no point in swatching it. It is non-sticky and has a really weird fruity scent that I am not fond of. This is my least favourite product of the bunch.

I love false lashes. I was really happy to receive a pair in the December GlossyBox. They are definitely glamorous with a blunt cut and lots of volume. I haven't had an occasion to try these out yet.

I have never tried a Revlon nail polish before. I was pleased to see a creamy white shade. I have MAC Vestral White that looks the same, but the formula is horrible. I hope this one is better.

I received a full-sized bottle of Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30. This looks really shimmery on the skin and gives me a natural, healthy tan. My bf seemed to like how it looked on me more than I did. Although it is for fair to light, it was a bit too dark, which is why I said that it gives me a natural looking tan. It isn't orange, but it is very yellow-golden. I would probably enjoy this product more if it was paler. I am also not too fond of the formula, because it does feel heavy and greasy, despite being oil-free. People with dry skin might like it though.

I also received a full-sized Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30, which is a really good alternative to the tinted moisturizer. I love the Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer much more. This is nice to have in my stash. I like that I don't have to layer sunscreen over my moisturizer when I am not wearing bb cream.

I got some more shampoo and conditioner samples. These look so familiar. I wonder if I have some more of these somewhere in the house?

I was pleased to receive a travel sized bottle of TRESemme Dry Shampoo. I haven't tried this yet, but it is nice to have. I would probably use this especially on my bangs and roots after the gym. I haven't been doing too well, so I have yet to incorporate regular gym days into my schedule.

Overall:

I am really pleased with my GlossyBox subscriptions. Although they increased the price, you get a lot of products to try. You also get very good sizes that will last a long time. I ended up cancelling my TopBox subscription, because I was constantly disappointed with it. I hope to get an eye cream in my next GlossyBox!

Do you have any monthly subscriptions?

Later Days ~

My TopBox, December 2012

2013-01-09T22:00:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! This is my last TopBox post, because I have cancelled my subscription. I find that TopBox is inferior to GlossyBox and that I am not getting products that I really enjoy. I will be sticking to GlossyBox from now on.

The December TopBox was a huge disappointment for me and I will tell you why.

I was really underwhelmed with TopBox. They could have done so much more, since this is the December edition and they should have embraced the holiday theme. I have lost the product card, so I don't have it here for you. I am just so underwhelmed that I didn't really make the effort to find it.

I got these two sachets of Kellett Clarifying Acne Treatment. It contains 5% benzoyl peroxide, which is useful for me. I would have expected a small squeeze tube though. I could get a few uses out of these, but not enough to know that I like it and would repurchase.

This Jelly Boost hair styling product is useless to me. It is suppose to be for short hair, so I gave it away. I am so disappointed with this product, because I have absolutely no use for it at all.

This Chloe Purfume smells really nice and elegant. It is very floral and rosey with a hint of dog shampoo. (LOL) This is my favourite product of the bunch.

This Ferro multipurpose blush and bronzer is actually quite nice on the cheeks if you like a lot of shimmer. I could apply this to my cheeks for a glowly, high shine cheeks. I just find the jar really messy to use and it exploded all over the place.

Overall:

TopBox is really skimpy at $13 and I ended up cancelling my subscription. I rather pay more for GlossyBox, because I get lots of products to try at very good sizes that last many uses. I am hardly disappointed with GlossyBox.

Later Days ~

Sugarpill Haul + Heart Breaker Palette Swatches

2013-01-04T16:02:00.001-06:00

Hi lovelies! I have been playing with my new Sugarpill items that I had recently purchased from the Karmaloop 40% off plus free shipping sale (although I had to pay $11 of customs and duties). I love how bright and pigmented Sugarpill products are and finally got my hands on the third palette. You can find my swatches of the Sweetheart and Burning Heart palettes here. I have been playing with my Sugarpill goodies and I am really happy with the quality of what I have. I highly recommend Sugarpill products. I wish they would add lipsticks to their line!

You can purchase Sugarpill directly from their online store: http://www.sugarpillshop.com/

I purchased mine from Karmaloop: http://www.karmaloop.com
The drawback of Karmaloop is that they are constantly out of stock of items, so you have to stalk the site for products. They only carry some items. I was lucky enough to snatch the Heart Breaker palette.

I also got 3 Chromalust loose eyeshadows in Lumi, Goldilux, and Tipsy, but these will be featured in another post.

I have always loved the Sugarpill packaging. The quality is also very good and that nothing feels cheap. The design is gorgeous and unique to the brand.

Left to Right: 2AM, Velocity, Mochi, Acidberry (dry, no base)

The Heartbreaker palette is a really fun palette. The colours are all matte and are best applied by patting them on the skin. I am really happy with this palette and it is a great addition to my existing palettes. I hope to see more lighter shades of purple and violet in the future and would definitely continue collecting Sugarpill.

I will also post swatches and a review of the Chromalust in a separate post, so please come back if you are interested.

What are your favourite Sugarpill products?

Later Days ~

Sugarpill Blue and Green FOTD

2013-01-03T18:47:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! Happy New Year! I hope the start of 2013 has been better for you than it has been for me. I wish everyone good health and good karma!

I have a FOTD to share with you. It is very rare for me to be able to wear make up lately, because I am sick most of the time. This was a look I wore for New Year's Eve. It isn't the usual glamorous glitter eyes and red lips that everyone else is doing. I wasn't doing anything fancy and just hung out with my bf and his friends. Sadly, I got sick again.

I ordered a bunch of new Sugarpill make up from the Karmaloop sale and wanted to play. I love blue and green together and it goes well with my scarf. I also picked up a Lime Crime lipstick, since Karmaloop carried a few Lime Crime products. I will post swatches and reviews later.

Look Breakdown:

Skin:
Urban Decay De Slick Make Up Setting Spray (Primer)
Missha Cho Bo Yang BB Cream
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer NC20

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Maybelline Eye Tattoo Too Cool (inner corners)
Milani Green Safari Shadow Eyez Eyeshadow Pencil (all over lid)
MAC Dalliance Mega Metal Eyeshadow (inner corners)
Sugarpill Tipsy Chromalust Loose Eyeshadow (all over lids)
Sugarpill Velocity Eyeshadow (over v, crease, bottom lash line)
MAC Tall, Dark & Handsome Extra Dimensions Eyeshadow (bottom lash line, outer v)
Milani Eye Tech Eyeliner (upper winged liner)
Milani Liquif'Eye Black Eyeliner (waterline)
MAC Industrial Pearlglide Eyeliner (bottom lash line)
Etude House Dr. Lash Mascara Fixer (bottom lashes)
E.L.F. Mascara Primer (bottom lashes)
Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara (bottom lashes)
Rimmel Scandaleyes Curve Mascara (bottom lashes)
Diamond Lash Voluminous Lashes

Brows:
MAC Taupe Brow Pencil
MAC Omega Eyeshadow

Cheeks:
MAC Personal Style Beauty Powder Blush (contour)
Too Faced Candlelight Glow (highlight)

Lips:
Too Faced Lip Insurance
Too Faced Perfect Nude Lip Pencil
Lime Crime Coquette Lipstick

I love my pirate earrings! They are stainless steel and were purchased from eBay.

My bf and I had lunch at Montana's on New Year's Eve and these oven baked antojitos are freaken delicious (probably due to the cream cheese). I have a weakness for anything cream cheese! I have only been to Montana's twice, but their food is very nummy! I would go back for more.

I went to the doctor's today to get some help with the dizziness, as well as a sick note. I need a deferral for my deferral. (>_<) While waiting for my medications at Shopper's Drug Mart, I picked up this cute doggy toy pack for $4 (half off).

On the way out, I stopped by Tutti Fruitti and got half coconut and half taro. Oh my goodness, taro and coconut frozen yogurt is delicious! I wish they were constantly available. I am so in love with this store. My favourite toppings are boba, jelly, and mochi. The cups are so huge and makes you feel like putting more in your cup. I always stick for $5 a serving which is about half of the cup filled. I didn't get any fruit, because I wouldn't be able to eat it all and I like fruit as a separate snack. I love food!

What have you been doing since 2013 started?

Later Days ~

Palty Milktea Brown Japanese Foam Hair Dye Review

2012-12-29T17:13:00.001-06:00

Hi lovelies! After being sick for so long, I was finally well enough to fix my pudding hair. People say that you are suppose to retouch roots every month, but I usually do it every 3-4 months. My sister bought me a few boxes of Palty from the T&T Supermarket at Metrotown Mall, Burnaby, B.C. One box costs about $15 CAD. I only buy Palty directly from stores, because I've had very bad experiences with using the dyes from online orders. They seem to be a different, inferior formula, and I get unsatisfactory results. I really like the results I get from the boxes that were purchased directly in stores though.

I decided to use Milktea Brown. I also have Creamy Caramel, which is suppose to be darker. Milktea Brown is one of their lightest shades of hair dye and works well for toning hair to a cooler colour.

I usually don't expect my hair to turn out exactly like the box, but I try to predict how my hair will turn out.

The things I look for in the box swatches are:

1. How much does the hair dye lift or darken the hair colour.
Some hair dyes may make your blonde hair lighter and some will darken. Palty Milktea Brown will darken my hair.

2. What tones will the hair dye produce?
It looks like Palty Milktea Brown has ashy tones, so my hair should have cooler tones.

Palty foam dyes come with the cream colour tube, peroxide, plastic cup container, a mixing tool, globes, and a sachet of conditioner.

Here, I dumped the peroxide and cream colour into the cup.

When you mix it, it becomes foamy.

This is a picture of my roots that have been freshly bleached using L'Oreal Quick Blue with peroxide 40. Only use peroxide 40 if you have very black hair and an experienced, quick handed person is helping you apply it. I have fine hair that is naturally a soft black to dark brown, so it usually takes me two bleaching processes to get it this blonde. I usually bleach past the orange-yellow phase, so that my hair doesn't look brassy. Brassy yellow/orange tones are not flattering on Asian skin tones.

This dye turns dark very quickly after mixing. I leave it in my hair for the recommended 30 minutes, because I don't want my hair to darken too much and produce hot roots (orange tone roots due to heat near the scalp).

My results were very good. I obtained a unique shade of ashy beige blonde that is not yellow at all. I really love this hair colour! I've gotten complements from random people too! It is very chameleon and changes in different lighting. It isn't too dark either and flatters my skin tone. I've also received compliments from random sales associates at the mall. *Giggles*

Overall:

Palty foam dyes are very easy to use! They don't have a crazy strong scent and does not irritate my scalp, even though I've bleached my hair recently. I get very even coverage and one box was enough for my long, fine hair. You might need two boxes if you have really thick hair though. I like the Palty foam dyes better than the Palty cream dyes for this reason. I would definitely need two boxes of Palty cream dyes and I am not willing to spend $30 on two boxes per application.

I have another box of Palty Milktea Brown handy for when I need to do my hair again. I really love the results I got. It didn't darken my hair too much. I've seen a lot of reviews for Palty on dark hair, but hardly any for light hair, so I hope some of you found this helpful. If you want dramatic, "like the box" results, you must bleach your hair if you are starting out with dark hair.

A cashier at Urban Planet asked how me I do my hair, because her sister tried to go blonde and ended up dying her hair back to black. It seems like a lot of people don't realize that you are suppose to use hair dye to tone your hair to the desired shade after the bleaching process. Bleaching only lifts (lightens) your hair from a dark shade to a lighter shade. Bleach is *not* the same as hair dye and yellow, orange tones are normal. Catering your make up to your hair colour also helps. Don't pencil in your brow with really dark shades. Use medium to lighter shades of browns and taupes to match your hair. It also helps to use foundation, tinted moisturizer or bb cream to neutralize strong yellow and red tones in the skin.

I also love bright red hair, but red hair requires the most maintenance due to how quickly it fades. I don't like my natural soft black hair, because it gets greasy very quickly and tends to look flat and lacks volume. I do enjoy blue toned, jet black hair though. :)

What are your favourite hair colours on yourself?

Later Days ~

Icy Blue Eyes with Urban Decay and MAC FOTD

2012-12-24T15:22:00.002-06:00

Hi lovelies! This is a look I wore to watch The Hobbit. I went for an icy blue winter look to match my nails. I finally got around to using the Urban Decay Vice Palette, which I really love. Chaos is such a beautiful bright blue colour, but it was a bit hard to blend out, especially over Urban Decay Primer Potion. I really liked how my eyes turned out! Ardell #118 are also my current favourite lashes.

The Hobbit was a really good movie and I enjoyed it. I am definitely looking forward to the next one. I didn't watch it in 3D, because I would not be able to sit through 3 hours of 3D without getting a headache and extra blurry vision.

Look Breakdown:

Skin:
Urban Decay De Slick Make Up Setting Spray (Primer)
BRTC Jasmine Water BB Cream SPF 30
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer NC20

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Maybelline Eye Tattoo Too Cool (all over lids)
Urban Decay Provocateur Eyeshadow (all over lids)
Urban Decay Chaos Eyeshadow (outer v, crease, bottom lash line)
MAC Blue Orbit Extra Dimensions Eyeshadow (crease)
MAC Tall, Dark & Handsome Extra Dimensions Eyeshadow (bottom lash line)
MAC Dalliance Mega Metal Eyeshadow (inner corners)
Milani Eye Tech Eyeliner (upper winged liner)
Milani Liquif'Eye Black Eyeliner (waterline)
MAC Black Swan Pearlglide Eyeliner (bottom lash line)
Etude House Dr. Lash Mascara Fixer (bottom lashes)
E.L.F. Mascara Primer (bottom lashes)
Rimmel Scandaleyes Curve Mascara (bottom lashes)
Ardell #118 False Lashes

Brows:
MAC Taupe Brow Pencil
MAC Omega Eyeshadow

Cheeks:
MAC Personal Style Beauty Powder Blush (contour)
Too Faced Candlelight Glow (highlight)

Lips:
Too Faced Lip Insurance
NYX Rose Lip Pencil
MAC 3N Lipstick

What are your favourite lashes?

Happy Holidays ~

Holiday Gift Wrap Nails with China Glaze Lorelei's Tiara NOTD

2012-12-20T14:03:00.000-06:00

Hi lovelies! Now that I am feeling better, I was able to do my nails and get back into being "me". My nail technician, Frankenweenie, helped me do my nails in a holiday gift wrap style. We went for a holiday look using China Glaze in Lorelei's Tiara, which is a beautiful high shine silver glitter with blue confetti glitters. I love how this nail polish looks, but it tends to chip very easily.

I really like how the design is simple, so you can still appreciate the main nail polish colour. It is so sparkly! I also ordered some new nail stamping supplies, so I can't wait to play with it when it comes. It isn't under the Konad brand. The stamper and full nail prints are suppose to be extra large, and there are some Hello Kitty designs on the plates too!

What is your favourite holiday nail polish?

Happy Holidays ~