My Current Favourite Accessories

Hey Beauties! 

Just as a makeup look is not complete without curled hair and a good pair of lashes, no outfit is complete without a few accessories. Those tiny little accents and pops of colour can say so much about your personality and how you look at the world. I'm not actually a huge fan of jewellery, I like simple pieces that go with everything and the occasional statement necklace but I am not the kind of girl who has a million rings and a tangled hoard of necklaces. I like to keep it simple with sleek pieces I can mix and match, I prefer pieces that are smaller but that have little peeks into my favourite things. 

On the day to day, I usually only wear a couple of rings and my watch but sometimes I will add a simple earring or a bangle. I tend to stay away from necklaces because I wear my Nana's cross on a chain and I have not taken in off since she passed. After looking through my collection it seems that I prefer gold but I do wear a mixture of both gold and silver, my promise ring is silver but my favourite accent rings are gold as is my watch. 

I love to have little reminders of the things I love in my accessories so I tend to buy delicate pieces with bows, hearts and pearls. Three of my favourite things that make me smile when I see them. I don't like to spend too much on such simple pieces of jewellery so all of the rings above are from Forever 21 and I think they are fantastic, they have lasted for such a long time and I have had no issues. My Michael Kors watch is my love, it is something that I have wanted for a very long time so I am so grateful to have received it as a gift. The bow bangle from Kate Spade is another item that I have lusted after so I was so so happy to receive it from the beautiful Michelle from Teach In Fashion. 

My promise ring and birthday ring were both gifts from my amazing boyfriend and they capture my style perfectly as do my little earrings. I love anything vintage and I feel like I was born in the wrong decade. I adore absolutely everything about the design and craftsmanship in vintage jewellery (particularly 20's & 30's) and I am always drawn towards anything vintage inspired. Most of the pieces in my collection have a hint of vintage inspiration to them and I actually own a few vintage pieces. Since I re-pierced my ears I have been addicted to wearing these gorgeous little grey drop studs from Forever 21 but I only wear them alone because I don't like to have too many pieces on at once. 

My accessory style is very simple, I like classic, delicate pieces that add to my appearance but don't overwhelm. What is your accessory style? What do you wear everyday?

Review | Gosh Giant Blush Sticks

Hey Beauties! 

With warmer weather on the horizon I am really shaking up my makeup, I have started to love the look of lightly bronzed skin and a glowy flush of colour on the cheeks. A cream blush is the perfect product to get that glow and the GOSH Giant Blush Sticks have been one of my favourite formulas. 

The GOSH Giant Blush Sticks are just as the name says, a cream blush in a stick format, along the same lines as the Clinique Chubby Sticks but at a more affordable price. The GOSH version come in super sleek black tubes with colour coded bases that twist to push the product up and down. They are available in three beautiful shades 02 Shy (a natural beige), 04 Passion (a warm coral pink) and 06 Pink Parfait (a medium pink).

 I have Shy* and Passion* and both are really lovely blushes, they have a smooth cream to powder formula that glides onto the skin easily and blends out beautifully. They leave a softly diffused bit of colour that adds a a healthy glow and dewy look to the skin. I really love this formula because the blush is practically perfect, whether you apply straight from the tube or use a stippling brush it blends effortlessly to look almost airbrushed. Both shades are incredibly pigmented so a little goes a long way but because they blend so well you can easily erase any mistakes. 

The formula is creamy and soft but the powder finish means it is not at all greasy or shiny on the skin so these babies will even work on an oily complexion. It also isn't drying so it doesn't cling to dry patches or even accentuate pores. They feel almost velvety on the skin, not at all tacky or sticky like the common cream blush. They dry and stay in their place without losing their lustrous finish. In terms of lasting power, they last at least 6 hours before fading into a slight stain that prolongs the wear a few more hours.   

{A Blended Swatch of Passion and Shy}

The GOSH Giant Blush Sticks are a pretty amazing little product and they are the perfect blush for a glowy summer flush. They retail for $18 and are available at your local Shoppers Drug Mart. 

Have you tried the Giant Blush Sticks? Are you a cream blush fan?

*press sample*

Style Saturday | Blown Away

Hey Beauties! 

I don't know what springtime is like where you live but here it seems to be a little bit confused. Lately it has been boiling hot summer - level sun one day and then wind and thunderstorms the next. I know that April showers bring May flowers and all but I'm getting whiplash from this crazy weather and I have no idea what to wear anymore.

 I have been dying to wear a cute dress but of course I need to layer it up with a warmer leather jacket. On one day this week I was determined to wear my favourite white crochet dress even though it was a complete windstorm outside so I added a jacket and toughed it out. I really loved the combination so I decided to take photos anyway and this is what we got - blown away. 

Dress - Forever 21 (old) | Jacket - Esprit (Similar) | Sunglasses - Forever 21 | Shoes - Sirens | Lipstick - Hippie from Sexton In The City 

How are you dressing for Spring? What is the weather like there?

Review | Revlon Powder Blushes

Hey Beauties! 

If you've been reading my blog for awhile you will know that I have two true loves in makeup - lipsticks and blushes. I just can't stay away from the beautiful rainbow of colours  and honestly, who can resist a little bit of shimmer and glam in those certain beauties from NARS and Hourglass? Every time I do my makeup, I look at my blush collection and try to pick something I haven't used before but I recently realized that my collection was seriously lacking a few more affordable options. After doing a little bit of research I knew I wanted to pick up a couple of the Revlon Powder Blushes and I have been really enjoying them since. 

The Revlon Powder Blushes come housed in chic black packaging that I really love. The sleek patent square with gold detail looks super luxe and sophisticated but also feels sturdy and well made. You get a really decent amount of products, a brush for on the go and a handy mirror in the lid but the best bit is the glass window that lets you see the colour on the inside. The collection comes with 9 shades (online it shows that there may be new shades coming) that range from a true nude (think Tarte's Exposed) to bright pops of pink and even a berry. I bought the shades Haute Pink (a medium toned pink), Classy Coral (a pinky peach), and Oh Baby Pink ( a light rosy pink). 

The collection seems to come with a variety of finishes as Haute Pink is a satin but Classy Coral and Oh Baby Pink are both matte. Despite the difference in finish all three are very similar in texture. They all feel quite stiff in the pan when you first touch them but after the first layer is broken you are left with a soft and smooth texture that is not overly powdery. 

All three have decent colour payoff and the matte shades a bit more sheer but to be honest I much prefer a sheerer blush. I find it is so much more user friendly when a blush is less than "pigmented" because you never run the risk of applying too much product. It is so much easier to add more than it is to take away so I really love how intense these blushes are. 

In terms of application, I think Revlon really knocked it out of the park. These blushes are really lovely on the cheeks, they are incredibly easy to build up and they layer really well. I  often find that if you layer a blush it can be almost impossible to blend out properly but these ones blends easily and seem to melt into the skin. They create a gorgeous flush on the cheeks that looks very natural and appears almost glowy. 

{L-R - Haute Pink, Oh Baby Pink, Classy Coral}

The Revlon Powder Blushes are a really great affordable option that make for the perfect everyday blush. They are so easy to work with and come in so many fun shades, I almost want to collect them all. They retail for only $11.99 and are available online or at your local drugstore. 

Have you tried any of Revlon's Blushes? What are your favourite affordable blushes?

Beauty Room Inspiration

Hey Beauties! 

For the past couple of weeks I have been steadily working on redecorating my office/beauty room. I spend a lot of time in that room writing posts, testing products, playing with makeup or even just relaxing watching YouTube videos. It's my little slice of heaven and it is so important to me that it be a place that constantly fills me with inspiration. I have gotten a little bit bored of the way it is decorated and that inspiration is no longer there so I am starting over with a new space in mind. 

I am aiming for an entirely white room with hints of silver and subtle pops of colour but I want it to have an overall old hollywood glamorous vibe. I love the mix of textures that come with faux furs, metals, mirrored surfaces and jewels. I want to layer pieces on top of each other to create a space with depth but that also feels clean and simple. I have found a few images that really capture what I want so I thought I would share them with you. 

Check out my Pinterest for even more inspiration! 

New In | Gerard Cosmetics Lipsticks

Hey Beauties! 

I must admit that I am a bit of a Youtube addict, I spend every single morning watching a million and one videos over coffee and greek yogurt. It is literally my favourite way to start the day and I always wake up anticipating the newest videos in my subscription box. Of course, with watching so many videos comes a wish list a hundred miles long of beauty products that I just need to own. The words "Youtube made me buy it" are pretty regular members of my vocabulary - to my boyfriends disdain - and my purchase of three lipsticks from Gerard Cosmetics are no exception. 

Gerard Cosmetics is a relatively new brand that is regularly raved about by ladies like Jaclyn Hill, Carli Bybel, Shaanxo and Batalash. Gerard Cosmetics is the higher end extension to the brand Whitening Lightning that is famous for their Colour Your Smile Lip Glosses and Dial A Smile whitening kits. Gerard took the success of those lip glosses and decided to re-market them along with a line of lipsticks and a few other products. 

After seeing Jaclyn Hill - who I might be obsessed with - introduce her own additions to the Gerard range I knew it was only a matter of time until they were in my collection. I narrowed down my wish list to three shades including both of Jaclyn's - Buttercup (a pinky nude), 1995 ( a reddish brown 90's shade) and Tequila Sunrise (a peachy coral). 

All of Gerard's lipsticks - there are 12 shades - come in gorgeous gold metallic bullets that look absolutely stunning displayed on a vanity. The packaging is incredibly glamorous and chic but surprisingly feels a bit cheap because it is very lightweight and almost like a thin plastic. They lack the substantial weight and nice click that typically comes with higher priced lipsticks and these are not cheap at $19 each. Despite the strange feather like weight, the product inside is pretty fantastic. 

All three lipsticks have a super creamy satin matte finish that glides on smoothly without skipping, patchiness, or tugging. I found Tequila Sunrise to be a bit dry - for application - at first but I think I just needed to break through the first layer to get to the smooth centre. They are all incredibly pigmented with one swipe and can be built up to an intense pop of colour. They cover the lips beautifully without settling into any lines or clinging to any dry patches and seem to really stick to the lips for around 4-5 solid hours of wear. They truly are very comfortable and smooth and don't dry out the lips or fade in any weird ways. I really love the formula and have worn Buttercup almost every day since I got them. 

{Buttercup}

{Tequila Sunrise}

{1995}

I really love all three lipsticks and I think they are really great quality but I think they are bit pricey so I recommend using a coupon code or buying a combo. Gerard Cosmetics has plenty of bundle options that give you much better value for money and there are coupon codes available on their Instagram almost daily. I have my eye on a few more shades and I will definitely be picking them up soon!

Have you tried anything from Gerard Cosmetics? What have you bought from watching Youtube?

The Sunday Post

Hey Beauties! 

Long time no talk! How are you lovelies? I have been a busy bee these past couple of weeks and I am trying to catch up. I have been babysitting my favourite little munchkins, having way too much fun with my favourite lady - Stephanie from Tragic Wardrobe and working on redecorating my beauty room.

 I am so incredibly excited about the changes I am making in my beauty room, I have collected a crazy amount of makeup and I needed to reorganize everything because my storage was just not working. So what started as a hunt for new storage has turned into a complete refresh of the room and I can't wait to share the final product with you! 

I also stopped by one of my favourite local shops - Sexton In The City - to check out their amazing makeup line and see what they had in store for Spring. I picked up a few bits and pieces and will be sharing them with you soon! 

How was your week? What did you do this week?

Style Saturday | A Tale of Two Textures

Hey Beauties! 

So I know I may be breaking some sort of fashion rule by featuring the same jacket two weeks in a row but I am absolutely obsessed and I just can't stop wearing it. This gorgeous jacket is a sweater/blazer hybrid made from a soft marled fabric that feels like a blanket but looks super chic. 

Last week (see the post here) I showed you an outfit that is a bit more casual but this week I decided to change it up with a more glam dress. This dress features a fun twist to the classic little black dress with it's textured crocodile print and skater style. I love the clash of the two different textures between the dress and the jacket and I think it adds a lot of depth to an otherwise simple outfit. A chic bow belt adds the perfect finishing touch. 

Jacket - H&M | Dress - Forever 21 | Belt - Forever 21 (old) | Clutch - Forever 21 (old)| Shoes - Aldo | Lipstick - Essence Lip Liner (In The Nude) & Gerard Cosmetics Lipsticks (Buttercup) 

The Springtime Edit | What's In My Makeup Bag

Hey Beauties! 

The way that I do my makeup has always been very inspired by the world around me, the colours, scents and the seasons. I find inspiration in nature, in flowers and sunsets and all sorts of things and as the seasons change so do my inspirations. Now that Spring is finally here, now that the sun is shining and flowers are blooming I have started to wear Spring inspired makeup on a day to day basis and I thought I would share what is in my makeup bag. 

I am loving a naturally lit from within complexion so I have been pairing my all time favourite Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer from L'oreal with my Gosh Mineral Powder. The primer gives a beautiful luminosity to my skin while the mineral powder provides coverage without hiding the glow. To bring a fresh pinch of colour to the cheeks I have been sticking with pink toned blushes like Benefit's Hervana Boxed Blush, Clinique's Cheek Pop in Ginger Pop and L'oreal Visible Lift Blur Blush in Soft Peach. 

For the eyes I have been using my NARS' And God Created The Woman palette to create a soft bronze smoky eye with a classic wing and lots of lashes using my favourite mascara - Maybelline's Lash Sensational. I have also been loving the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Caramel to get the perfect arch in my bold brows.

For the lips - my favourite part - I have been pretty much addicted to a darker nude or mauvey lip so I have been loving the Essence lip liner in In The Nude and the Rimmel London Exaggerate Lip Liner in Eastend Snob either on their own or paired with the Gerard Cosmetics lipstick in Buttercup and the NARS Audacious lipstick in Anna. If I am feeling more whimsical, Maybelline's Rebel Bloom lipstick in Peach Poppy has been my absolute favourite. 

I have been wearing a combination of these products on a daily basis but I do like to play with new products now and then. What is currently in your makeup bag?

The Perfect Polka Dot Flats For Spring

Hey Beauties! 

The weather has finally started to warm up and the sun has been shining these last few days so I've put away my collection of winter booties and brought out my favourite spring shoes. During the warmer seasons I all about cute ballet flats and fun strappy sandals and every season I search for the newest addition to my little collection. This year I came across this pair of navy and white polka dot ballet flats and fell in love. 

These gorgeous shoes are from H&M and they are made from a really nice canvas material that feels very nautical. The pointed toe and darker colour adds a touch of sophistication while the polka dot print feels fun and whimsical which is perfect for spring. 

A printed shoe is the perfect way to add a little something special into your wardrobe when you might not want to be as adventurous in your clothing. Every outfit needs one statement piece and it is so unexpected and unique to make that piece your shoes. The polka dot print is such a great option for venturing into printed footwear because it is a classic design that isn't too wild but it will also never go out of style. 

I can see myself rocking these dots with so many different outfits so keep an eye out for upcoming outfit posts. These flats retail for $14.95 and you can find them at your local H&M. 

Review | Revlon HD Lipsticks

Hey Beauties! 

Now that spring is here I have become completely obsessed with wearing vibrant pops of colour on my lips and my collection is steadily growing. I came across a display of the Revlon Ultra HD lipsticks and thought they could be perfect for spring so I picked up two shades, Petunia a bright berry and Magnolia a peachy nude. The Revlon Ultra HD lipsticks are marketed as a revolutionary wax free gel formula that offers true colour clarity without the heavy feel of a traditional lipstick. 

There are 20 shades in a wide range of nudes, pinks and reds that are all named after various flowers - which I love. The come in a silver mirrored tube with a clear plastic casing that lets you see the colour inside. Unfortunately there is a major design flaw, the actual tube of lipstick does not twist down all the way so the outer casing constantly catches on the lipstick and you end up with an annoying mess. 

The HD lipsticks have a really unique formula that I can't quite figure out, there are certain aspects that I really enjoy and some that I just don't. The gel formula is incredibly lightweight and glides on without any tugging, it's relatively moisturizing and creamy to the point of almost feeling slick as it crosses the lips. The pigmentation is really quite good and even but does require layering to achieve full opacity and it leaves a glossy finish. The slick texture never really sets so it tends to travel and settle into fine lines and transfer is inevitable. Wear time is short with 3 hrs at most because it is so prone to smudging but the darker shade does leave a nice subtle stain. 

Application can be a bit of a pain due to the cut slanted tip that is really cumbersome without the classic point to help guide the product around the lips and to be honest these lipsticks smell awful. I have never had a lipstick that had such an intense scent, it is a sickly cherry cough syrup type of smell that completely overwhelms you. I truly feel that if they did not have such a strong scent I would have enjoyed them 10x more. 

When you consider all of the pros and cons, I think it comes down to personal preference. I love the bright colour and glossy finish, the moisturizing formula, the smooth application and with a lip liner wear time is much better but I just can't get past the scent. 

{Petunia}

{Magnolia}

If you can get your head around the scent, I actually think these lipsticks can be quite nice but they are not my favourite. They retail for $10.99 and you can find them online and at your local drugstore. 

Have you tried these lipsticks? How do you feel about heavily scented products?

Style Saturday | The Sweater Jacket

Hey Beauties! 

It may be Spring but it still really quite cold and I'm not ready to put away the cardigans and cozy sweaters. While I want to be warm and comfy I also want to look put together and some of my go to cardigans aren't quite cutting it so when I came across this beautiful sweater/blazer hybrid in H&M I knew it was the perfect solution. It is a gorgeous knit blazer in various shades of black and grey with a zippered front and pockets that reminds me of Chanel's classic knit jackets. It is warm and cozy but looks so much more sophisticated than a plain old cardigan and it has become my absolute favourite thing to wear. I love that you can really pair it with anything so be prepared to see a couple more looks with my "Chanel" blazer. 

Blazer - H&M | Blouse - Jean Machine (old) | Pants - Old Navy | Boots - Forever 21 | Clutch - Forever 21 (old) | Sunglasses - Target | Earrings - Forever 21 | Lipstick - Maybelline Colour Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick in Lust for Blush

Review | L'oreal Visible Lift Blur Concealer & Blush

Hey Beauties! 

I've become a bit of a concealer junkie over the last few months as I've been on the hunt for the perfect concealer combination. I take my concealer far too seriously but in my mind I need one specifically for highlighting under my eyes, one for correcting, one for blemishes and two for cream contouring. The everyday girl really only needs one single concealer that can cover all the bases but I have a concealer addiction and it won't be stopping anytime soon. However, I have discovered a concealer that ticks all the boxes and a matching blush that I just can't wait to tell you about! 

L'oreal's Visible Lift range is intended to help the skin look plump, fresh and youthful meaning no lines, wrinkles or enlarged pores. It is targeted towards older complexions but I've found it's quite nice on my dry/combination skin. L'oreal has recently expanded their original Visible Lift line to include a new range of Visible Lift Blur products including a foundation, concealer and blush. 

The Visible Lift Blur products feature Opti-Blur Technology that helps to blur the look of pores and imperfections by diffusing light off of pigments in the product. They come in simple squeeze tubes with gold accents that look super chic and sophisticated while also being incredibly user friendly. I really love this sort of packaging because it is much more hygienic than the typical tube and wand and it prevents the transfer of bacteria. 

The Visible Lift Blur Concealer*($15.99) is a gorgeous little product that I use every single day, it has a really lovely consistency that is somewhere between a cream and a gel. It is a bit on the thinner side but provides good medium coverage that can be easily built up to full. The tiniest bit goes a really long way because it blends out like an absolute dream so you can cover a lot of surface area with hardly any product. It is super creamy and moisturizing so it is perfect for applying on drier areas of your face like spots and blemishes but it also somehow manages to not be too creamy so that it creases. The Opti-Blur technology magically makes it glide over the skin and melt into place without creasing or settling into lines. When it sets it leaves a naturally airbrushed finished that makes your skin look perfected, smoothed and brightened. It feels velvety to the touch and stays put for 8 hours when set with powder. It comes in 3 shades, all of which are quite light and have a yellow undertone. The shade light is a perfect match for covering up my redness and blemishes and works really well as a daily undereye concealer. However, on days when I prefer a more intense highlighted look, it is a bit too dark. If there was a lighter shade it would be my dream undereye concealer. 

The Visible Lift Blur Blush*($15.99) is another lovely product that I have become a bit obsessed with. It is an intensely pigmented mousse-like blush with a silicone based formula and a super creamy texture. As with the concealer, a little bit goes a long way so I prefer to apply it to the back of my hand, spread it out and then apply with a stippling brush. This helps to diffuse the intensity so when it hits the cheeks it becomes a gorgeous, glowy flush of colour that looks airbrushed and smooth. It has a bit of slip to it so I like to set it with a translucent powder and once I do it doesn't move or migrate. It comes in three shades, 501 Soft Peach (the one I have), 502 Soft Pink and 503 Soft Berry, all three shades have a tiny bit of shimmer but it is very subtle and just adds a healthy glow. I really love the effect this blush gives and I want to try the other two shades but I have heard they are slightly different in texture so we will have to see! 

Both the concealer and the blush from the Visible Lift Blur line have becomes staples in my collection. They really do help with the appearance of pores and spots and the coverage is fantastic. If you are like me and love that airbrushed, smoothed and flawless face then give these two products a try! 

*pr sample*