HOLIDAY | Getting Completely "Naked" with Lush Shower Gels and Body Conditioners

Showers have been way more fun this month than normal and it's all because of Lush's new Naked Shower Gels and Body Conditioners! I am really hoping that every collection will have something like this because I had quite a bit of fun with these seasonal scents! Or maybe Lush will introduce a solid body conditioner in the "Honey, I Washed the Kids" scent?! How AMAZING would that be?

HOLIDAY | My Favourites from the Wonderful World of Lush Christmas

Well, Christmas has come and gone and I tried so hard to get this Lush post up and running before the 25th, but I honestly woke up and stayed in a sort of groggy trance the whole day as I was just so exhausted. It was good to take it easy, but I did feel sad not sharing these Lush goodies with you all even though I am sure many of you stocked up leading up to the holiday and then AGAIN during Lush's annual BOGO sale on Boxing Day! I have done the 6am PST shopping trip before and decided this year that I really DO have enough bath products, but maybe some of you picked up these Lush delights that caught my eye when I was in store a few weeks ago!

NAILS | Cozy Mittens Winter Nail Art

You might say that I am "mitten smitten" right now because I adore how cutely this manicure turned out! I was all prepared with winter nail vinyls from Whats Up Nails back in October and NOW look at me. December 27th and I am only using my second set now. For SHAME!  

HOLIDAY | Sephora Collection Bits and Baubles

Who is playing with their Christmas goodies today? I love how Zen Christmas day is which is a feeling I have totally been enjoying today. It was snowing earlier and everything is so nice and quiet that it has been a nice contrast to the last two weeks. When it comes to stocking stuffers and small things that delight, the Sephora Collection has literally hundreds of products at a price point for any budget and I always get caught at the Beauty on the Fly section adding multiple little trinkets to my basket! Sephora has done a great job of creating a "sub-Sephora" making waiting in line so dangerous! 

NAILS | Merry Christmas! #ManiMonday

It was really weird having Christmas Eve fall on a Sunday. Working in the retail industry, it was go go go this week and it honestly felt like Saturday should have been the end as I said my Merry Christmases to staff members who were scheduled off on the 24th. December 24th tends to be a busy one because we see the panicked faces of men who REALLY need to get a gift for their loved ones, but it tends to die right around 3pm when Christmas dinners start. This is what happened yesterday and by the end of the day, I was spent. When I woke up yesterday morning, I realized that I had nothing prepared for ManiMonday AND that I had Christmas dinner planned with my family that night. I had just picked up a Red Carpet Manicure One Step Gel Polish in the shade One Hit Wonder last week and realized that with just one step to worry about, I could do a FULL manicure on my coffee break at work!

HOLIDAY | Give the Gift of Smooth with Schick Shaving Goodies and Avon Skin So Soft

Back in the day before I started waxing, I just could not believe how incredibly expensive razors and the replacement blades could be! You want more than ONE blade in your shaver? Well, get ready to pay 4x the price! I would always stock up on those Teen Packs as a teenager and university student, as I was pretty poor with my 10 hour work weeks, and when these Schick Gift Sets* ($16.99 each) made their way to the shelves for the holidays, I pretty much became a hoarder. Not only do these make super cute self-pamper packages, but they are affordable and appropriate for almost anyone as there is a gift set for both men and women!  

HOLIDAY | Fresh Body and Skincare Sets (That You Can Colour!)

How many of you just ADORE all things Fresh? Remember when those glorious Sugar Lip Treatments were the ONLY lip balm you needed especially in the shade Rose? I honestly cannot believe how much the brand has grown since I first started using it in 2011 and I am so pleased that the products have only gotten better and more innovative. Fresh has a multitude of value gift sets available for the holiday season featuring their Sugar Lip Tints and most popular skincare so let's dive into what I had my eye on!

NAILS | Let's Get Glittery for New Year's Eve with Red Carpet Manicure!

This is a sponsored post for Red Carpet Manicure and London Drugs.

I like to change up my nail polish a few times every week, but if I go on vacation or travel for work, I do not want to have to take time out to do my nails. Ever since the rise of DIY gel nail polish kits a few years ago, I have had the opportunity to try a few different systems and have consistently only featured one brand - Red Carpet Manicure. I am the first to admit that although I am comfortable with regular polish and the intricacies of the perfect manicure, there was something scary about a type of polish that needed special lights, preps, wipes and cures, BUT I am here to let all of you know that the Gel Polish Pro Kit* is by far one of the easiest and fastest kits to use and consistently delivers the shiniest and most durable manicures!

HOLIDAY | Lise Watier Glam Celebration Makeup Collection

When we caught a preview of the Lise Watier Glam Celebration collection at the London Drugs Beauty Event back in October, we were all very excited about the amount of shimmer that was coming our way!

NAILS | Cozy Winter Nail Art with KISS Accent Stickers

I missed ManiMonday this week. The first time in 2 years! Yes, I had some swatch photos that I could have used, but they weren't Christmas themed and it's all about Christmas and ONLY Christmas now! Vancouver had its first real snowfall yesterday and as always the city was caught completely off guard so bridges were closed and transit was massively delayed. Luckily, this is my weekend so I happily watched the havoc from inside my apartment!

I still have a number of winter polishes and manicure to share over the next week and honestly I have no idea if I will have the time to paint my nails almost every day so it's possible that some things might have to wait until next year especially the WhatsUp nail vinyls I had ordered. I am sad that I have only had a chance to use one so far. 

HOLIDAY | All Things Lips from Hard Candy with Swatches!

Today is my weekend and I am taking a much needed break by staying in and surrounding myself with both my furbabies and my makeup babies. Christmas is THIS WEEKEND if you can believe it and though I am now done with my giveaways for the year I still have a couple more holiday items to share that are super cute, affordable and guaranteed to be loved by all!

I don't discriminate when it comes to makeup as there are some amazing and terrible products from both the drugstore and luxury departments and though Hard Candy has had some hits and misses for me in the past, their lip products have always been consistently good in both pigmentation, range of shades and longevity so if you haven't had a chance to try them out or know someone who loves their lippies, these box sets will have them as giddy as a reindeer! 

HAIR | Noughty "To The Rescue" Hair Care and GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to the last week before Christmas as well as my last giveaway here on the blog for 2017! You guys all know that hair care has become very important to me and I don't mean to sound vain when I say that, but having fun with hair colours has taken its toll and I have dialed it back when it comes to getting my hair done every two months a crazy colour. I think I am going to stick with my silver hair journey and even though I am now becoming an ashy blonde, I am ok with it and will not be subjecting myself to the chair again until Jan/Feb.

In the meantime, I have been testing out a brand new hair care line that as of this past September, is available at London Drugs! Noughty products are made in the UK and in addition to being 97% natural, are vegetarian and vegan friendly and free from parabens, sulphates, petrochemicals and SILICONES! Silicone-free haircare ALWAYS fascinates me because I cannot imagine my hair being tangle-free without them!

HOLIDAY | MAKE UP FOR EVER Lustrous Shadow Palette + GIVEAWAY!

Are you guys tired of me and my giveaways yet? I still have a few little surprises up my sleeve before Christmas, but I have been MOST excited about today because I LOVE all things MAKE UP FOR EVER and this, ladies and gentlemen is a good one. New for the holidays is a giftable makeup tin of 12 must-have matte and metallic Artist Shadow shades featuring a NEW eyeshadow formula! Say hello to the gorgeous Lustrous Shadow Palette* ($58 CDN)!

NAILS | Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Christmas Style)

Star Wars Episode 8 comes out today and just like when Episode 7 came out in 2015, it only seemed fitting to do another tribute to a series that I have seen in theaters since I was little girl and continue to love well into my adult years (I use lightsabre cutlery at work and have an ugly Christmas sweater with Darth Vader on it). As Star Wars is opening during the holiday season again, we need to add a seasonal twist to our beloved characters!

HOLIDAY | Totally Awesome Gift Sets from Pixi Beauty!

I'm so sorry for bombarding your feeds with things to buy. I have been trying so hard to keep my spending in check, but it is honestly getting to the point where I have come to the conclusion that odds are, I'm probably not going to be putting much into savings this month, but I think I am almost done with my Christmas shopping with the exception of hubby. I never know what to get the guy because it certainly won't be these glorious holiday sets from Pixi Beauty! This year Pixi has a number of holiday sets ranging from $20-$50 consisting of makeup and of course Pixi's famous Skin Treats!

HOLIDAY | Relive your Childhood Birthdays with the Sephora Collection La Pinata

What a CUTE idea! We all loved smashing pinatas to bits as kids to get candy and treats so why should this have to change now that we are adults? Granted, you can't smash this, but the fox head Sephora Collection La Pinata* ($38 CDN) is filled with 10 Sephora Collection beauty goodies ranging from makeup to skincare! Don't take a bat to this pinata though! Instead, tug on the pink and white ribbons to reveal all of your holiday treats!  

BODY | *NEW* Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula + GIVEAWAY!

I wish Palmer's was more readily available to me at my local drugstores because every time I use one of their moisturizers, I reminded of how awesome their products really are in terms of both price point and efficacy. I think many of us have grown up with the classic Palmer's Cocoa Butter line, but now there are three new additions made with raw coconut and Tahitian monoi oil - oooooh!

HOLIDAY | Gift Ideas from Farleyco Beauty

How is it already the middle of December?! How have I already had ONE Christmas dinner?! My God, this season is absolutely insane, but thankfully I have fun treats for everyone from Farleyco to make it alllll better!

NAILS | Emerald Christmas Trees #ManiMonday

"O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree" - greetings to the first holiday-themed manicure of the season! I had really wanted to start much sooner, but I honestly haven't been all that inspired. Christmas nails are probably my least favourite forms of nail art (weird, I know considering the type of season it is) mainly because I feel like once you have done one form of Santa or reindeer nails, you've pretty much done them all. I've done Christmas minions and Seasonal Stormtroopers to add some variety to the typical Christmas manicures and I think I may have to do the same this year so any suggestions are welcomed!

HOLIDAY | Shu Uemura x Super Mario Bros Collection Swatches with Makeup Look (PICTURE HEAVY)

The Holidays always has some swoonworthy, must-have makeup collections, but this year my heart has been taken by none other than the droolworthy Italian pizza hunk - Super Mario. When my family and I first came to Canada almost 30 years ago, the first major toy purchase we made was the first generation Nintendo Entertainment System. There were only two games in that starter pack (back when they actually GAVE you a game with the system!) and they were Super Mario Bros. and of course Duck Hunt (YEAHHH DUCK HUNT!). Ever since then, there has always been some form of Mario in my life whether he was racing a kart or smashing other villains and now he's in my makeup!   

NAILS | Rouge Louboutin Metalissime #ManiMonday

I don't really need to say much about this polish because it speaks for itself. It's just THAT stunning. Limited edition for this holiday season, the Rouge Louboutin Metalissime collection had my heart pounding with excitement! I had just gotten a couple of gift cards from spending oh-so-much money on my RBC VISA that I figured it was time to go to Holt Renfrew and pick up 1/3 of this collection - The Rouge Louboutin Metalissime Nail Colour ($65.00 CDN)! 

HOLIDAY | American Crew Travel Pack + GIVEAWAY!

The season of giving is in full effect now and we are going to start this week with a quick review and giveaway of one of my husband's favourite brands - American Crew! I asked if he could write a review for the products in the American Crew Travel Pack* ($49.95 CDN), but I got some laconic male answers when it came to each of them so I guess it's up to me to give you guys the deets! 

SKINCARE | The Face Shop Simpsons Marge Character Sheet Mask

I have another fun sheet mask for you all today and I cannot tell you how thoroughly amusing I found The Face Shop Marge Character Sheet Mask! The Face Shop x Simpsons collaboration is a limited edition one and from what I have seen in my local Face Shops, stock is dwindling, but there are a number of KBeauty etailers that still carry most of the collection so fear not! Out of what was released in Canada, I was obviously most interested in the character sheet masks and though they come in Marge, Homer and Lisa, I was too late for the Lisa mask.

HOLIDAY | The Body Shop's 24 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar + GIVEAWAY!

This post is a collaboration with The Body Shop.

Oh God, oh God, it's my first holiday post of the year and I don't know how many of you are like me where you have an incredible love/hate relationship with Christmas. I LOVED it as a kid and though I never grew up with Santa (my parents were very pragmatic and told my sister and I right away who was doing the gift-giving!) my sister and I would sleep in front of the tree in sleeping bags and wake up at the crack of dawn to open gifts with our parents.

One thing that I always loved growing up were the chocolate advent calendars. I could never wait to eat just one chocolate each day and often reached Dec. 25th by Dec.10th, but honestly telling a kid to eat just one tiny piece of chocolate a day is ludicrous! The same rules apply when telling grown women to wait to open each day of the now popular beauty-themed advent calendars! This year The Body Shop is all about games so many of their holiday gift sets have little daily challenges in addition to the products themselves. The real bonus is that every gift set purchased goes towards helping the charity International Alert, which helps create a safe place for refugee children to play with the Peace Play Project.

MAKEUP | Shu Uemura Ambush Collection Rouge Unlimited Lipsticks with Lip Swatches

I feel like it has been a long time since I have played with makeup properly and though the Shu Uemura Ambush Collection was a summer release, I still find myself using the Rouge Unlimited lipstick shades because they are all quite easy to wear - even the matte orange!

NAILS | Inspired by Lip Balm #ManiMonday

It dawned on me the other day how cute the design was on the new EOS Visibly Soft Lip Balms and ever since Chickadvisor sent me these two little balls of delight to review, I have been captivated by their stripiness! I have been out of the nail art game for most of this month with the beginnings of the holiday season already kicking my ass and I have a feeling I am only going to be more tired as the weeks go by. I'm going to try and eat healthier for the month of December as it is a tough time to eat well as Christmas chocolate becomes a daily occurrence.

SKINCARE | Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser (But It's So Much More!)

Remember a long time ago when I said I would review my entire Tata Harper collection? Well, it has been almost a year since my last Tata Harper review so apologies for that! At this point, the brand has grown so much since I started using the products, but it is still one of those brands that not everyone has tried mainly due to the hefty price point. While I would never push anyone to purchase luxury green beauty, incorporating healthier skincare has done wonders for my skin so I hope it does for any of you as well!

My second favourite Tata Harper product (after the Resurfacing Mask) is the Regenerating Cleanser (125mL/$104 CDN)** because like the Resurfacing Mask, it is like the everything product. It is SO MUCH MORE than just a cleanser! Not only does it cleanse the skin, but acts as both a chemical and physical exfoliant using natural BHAs (willow bark extract) and pomegranate enzymes and perfectly round apricot seed powder. It can even be used as a mask when your skin is feeling congested as it contains pink clay from France! The first time I used it at Tata's Farm, the instant brightening effect and the citrus scent was intoxicating and I was grateful that it was good for daily use!

BATH & BODY | Avon "Fall for Moisture" A Box

It's getting to that time of the year where alligator legs and peeling cuticles are all the rage and hydration and moisture your best friends. Avon's Fall for Moisture A Box Collection* features body and hand care products that will ensure your skin never sees a dry patch ever again! 

KBEAUTY | OOZOO Bear Water Bang Hydrating Mask

I am always on the lookout for interesting sheet masks and amazingly enough, I have found a good chunk of them at my local Miniso! There is always something different and most recently I came across KBeauty company, The Oozoo. The letters are actually an acronym, but like a lot of Korean things that get translated into English, it doesn't make a lot of sense, BUT it's still fun to say. 

           

BATH & BODY | Avalon Organics Favourites + GIVEAWAY!

Some companies have been doing the green thing for awhile and are REALLY good at it, but when you first get introduced to a brand, it can be hard to know where to start when all of the products seem amazing. Avalon Organics are vegan (with the exception of four beeswax lip balms) and certified organic with their products being plant-based and soothing with essential oils and aromatherapy botanicals for specific skin types. I have found a couple of must-haves that are an absolute must-share and maybe perhaps we can give some of these products away? Hmm?

NAILS | Picture Polish Hercynia Swatch #ManiMonday

Hello, it's me. I feel like I have been really quiet on here, but I did give a bit of a warning on Instagram stories last week that I would be virtually MIA because of some work things that have pretty much left me having to nap when I get home from work. I get home from work around 7:30pm so it really isn't the best idea to nap, but I just feel like such a zombie. I have my weekend now which is proving to be busy (in a good way), but we can't miss out on ManiMonday, right? 

NAILS | Sexy, Sultry and Red with Maxus Nails

I don't often wear red polish on its own, but when I do, I make it count! A new-to-me-brand called Maxus Nails reached out to me recently and after having a look at what they were all about, I was excited to feature them here and of course wear their polishes! Created by Dasha Minina, Maxus polishes are 11-free with a formula that is built to strengthen nails. What this brand is very well-known for are its nail treatments, two of which I enjoyed using and will be talking about later, but for today let's just gaze at this beautiful juicy red creme of a polish!

BATH & BODY | The Ultimate Pamper Night In with The Body Shop Spa of the World

It's getting to that time of the year, when my brain starts to feel like it's on fire with things to do, people to see and of course the holiday season of work. I work in luxury retail so not only are people buying, but they are hopefully buying a lot since Q3 is singlehandedly the biggest quarter of the fiscal year. I am on the management side of the equation so not only do I need to be in great mental and physical shape but I need to be there for my staff as well so going into work with a good head on my shoulders is important. I am often rushing in the mornings so I try to take extra time at night to make sure I take care of myself whether it'd be with a great meal or treating myself to some bath and body TLC. Like most women, I love body products and I have most recently been enjoying a number of Spa of the World products from The Body Shop that I hope will calm your minds, smooth your skin and just make you feel 100% better!

NAILS | Mani "Meowday"

Having gone to preview the new CND Glacial Illusion Collection and gotten a manicure last week, I actually haven't done my nails MYSELF in almost 2 weeks so I was itching to get my hands on them again. I have recently suffered some major nail breaks which was partly the reason for my lack of nail art, but my babies are growing and hopefully they will be long enough for pretty nail art come December!

Today's manicure is piggybacking on the manicure I received last week using two coats of CND Vinylux Mystic Slate* as a base followed by one coat of the dark blue creme Winter Nights* both of which are from the new Glacial Illusion collection. The fun part was of course the cat design which was created using these cat cyclone nail vinyls from TwinkledT! These were created in collaboration with YouTuber Simplynailogical who we know loves her cats and holos. These vinyls were uber easy to use and as a finishing touch, I added a few silver glequins from Born Pretty to jazz things up. I waited a solid 15 minutes for things to dry as not to smear the kitties and applied the super shiny CND Weekly Top Coat.

The CND Glacial Illusion Collection is available now.

HAIR | ISA Professional Digital Titanium Flat Iron Hair Straightener

Ooh, it has been ages since I have reviewed a hair tool! I got my first flat iron in my first year of university back in 2001 and I remember being so amazed that there was something out there that was able to tame my coarse, frizzy hair. I don't know why my high school self never thought to look for a solution, but maybe it was because I felt embarrassed asking my parents for money to buy one. Once I started working, my relationship with flat irons began and after going through a number of relatively inexpensive ones (under $100), I started looking at salon-worthy ones since I was using a flat iron a couple of times a week. While the final result of most flat irons look relatively similar, there are small details during the actual ironing process that can make the styling experience much more efficient and pleasant with my number one issue being TIME. The ISA Professional Digital Titanium Flat Iron* ($129.00 CDN) has extra long plates which means that more hair can be straightened during a single pass = less styling time!

SKINCARE | *NEW* b.liv Age Eraser Youth Preserving Bio-Cellulose Mask

You guys know I love a good sheet mask and when you make it a bio-cellulose sheet mask, life is pretty much complete. While I had mainly positive things to say about my last b.liv sheet mask (here), the one thing that I didn't like was the tackiness of the essence that lingered for almost an hour. Tackiness is pretty common for MOST sheet masks, but it is still something my skin has not gotten used to. The neweset innovations from b.liv are a series of bio-cellulose masks aimed at: hydration, soothing and anti-aging with today's review being all about the b.liv Age Eraser Youth Preserving Bio-Cellulose Mask* ($35.00 USD)!

KOREAN BEAUTY | Wish Formula C450 Bubble Peeling Pad (The Chemical Peel for the BODY!)

I love a good chemical peel for the face and have always toyed with the idea of using peels for my body. I used to use the Philosophy Microdelivery Triple Acid Peel Pads for my face as well as my hands, elbows and knees. Basically the rougher areas of my body, but because these peel pads were so expensive (I believe they are close to $100), I didn't keep up beyond the one pack. Every week or so, I go down the rabbit hole of Korean beauty and about a year ago, I came across a company called Wish Formula that had some veeerrry "skin"-teresting products! I was especially interested in their peels and decided to place an order with Rose Rose Shop for the Body Bubble Peeling Pad as this was kind of a weird product which meant I had to buy it!  

NAILS | Mary Kay Fall Nail Lacquers #ManiMonday

I try hard not to do too many vampy looking manicures during the Fall season and I was grateful for October to kind of break up the monotony and give a bit of colour to the manicures I had planned, but that's not to say that I don't appreciate a good set of Fall purples like these limited edition lacquers from the Mary Kay Fall makeup collection!

MAKEUP | Rouge Dior Double Rouge Lipsticks with Lip Swatches

I love being curious about makeup products because the majority of the time, it's either the same products in different shades or textures or in new packaging. When I first started seeing photos of the Rouge Dior Double Rouge contour lipsticks I just didn't understand or know what to expect. The product blurb states that these limited edition beauties come in 8 shades and combine a matte finish outer ring with a metallic lipstick core that will give lips a subtle ombre look. This ombre look makes the lips appear more voluminous and sculpted. I have played around with Korean style ombre lips before and have dabbed a frosty eyeshadow in the middle of my lips maybe once, but to have a lipstick do it for me would be pretty cool! 

SKINCARE | Kalleis Cosmetics - Made in Italy and New to Canada!

It is pretty clear that I am a serious skincare lover and I was recently introduced to Italian brand, Kalleis, at the end of August and have been using a couple of their products for the last two months. Founded in 2008 in the city of Vicenza by Maria "Carla" Cattaneo and her husband Gianfranco Baldo, the word Kalleis comes from a blend  of the words "kalos" and "eleis" meaning "beautiful" and "olive". Extra virgin olive oil is at the heart of the formulations for each Kalleis product which historically was used to soothe and in combating the signs of aging.

While most of the ingredients used by Kalleis are plant-based, the brand does not shy away from technology and using what scientific innovations have emerged in the world of skincare to ensure that their products are effective as well. I have been using a couple of products over the last two months now and I think I have a pretty good idea of what has been working for me and hopefully some of you!

SKINCARE | *New* Dermalogica Precleanse Balm + Halloween Makeup Removal +GIVEAWAY!

Double posting! This is something I haven't done in years, but I have had four days at home to catch up and do what I love most - writing about beauty products. It almost feels like a vacation because usually I'm so tired that all I do is yawn at the screen and one sentence seems to take minutes to write because I cannot seem to put a subject and a predicate together. Let's all enjoy it while this lasts because today I am going to tell you guys how I took off all of that fun green grease paint from my Bride of Frankenstein Halloween makeup with the help from my friends at Dermalogica!

HALLOWEEN | Here Comes the Bride of Frankenstein!

Happy Halloween everyone! I honestly was not planning on doing any Halloween makeup as I have been rushing to share all of my Fall beauty posts with you before December descends, but I was determined to do something with the MAKE UP FOR EVER Flash Palette that I was given last year by MUFE as a prize for participating in their Halloween campaign. This palette is a rainbow of grease paints that can literally turn you into anything you wish to be and this year, I wished to be the "Bride of Frankenstein"!

SKINCARE | Omorovicza Midnight Radiance Mask First Impressions + GIVEAWAY!

Oooh, have I got a treat for you guys today! Earlier this year, I was given the opportunity to learn all about and meet  Margaret de Heinrich de Omorovicza, one half of the founding duo of, Omorovicza. Based in Budapest, all products are made with the healing thermal waters from the family owned Omorovicza spas in Hungary. When Margaret was in Vancouver, she did a wonderful job of explaining the science of why Omorovicza's products work, but in such a luxurious way that I wasn't bored at all. Historically, the Hungarian thermal waters were found to have healing properties due to the mineral content of the waters themselves as the Earth's crust is slightly thinner in this area of the world, allowing more minerals into the water. Everyone at the table was just riveted with hearing the story of the brand and the love story that started it all that I cannot do it justice in just this one post! Luckily I have many more products to share with you, but today I will start off with a brand new product - the Midnight Radiance Mask* ($155 CDN/50mL)!

NAILS | Happy Halloween from Hemingway! #ManiMonday

I had yet to do a traditional orange and black Halloween manicure and when I stumbled across this one by Rina Alcantara with black kitties! I instantly thought of my little Hemingway when I saw this manicure and in honor of black kitties everywhere, I thought I would dedicate this one to him and to advocate adopting your furbabies from a shelter because there are just SO MANY cats who need forever homes and I am fortunate to have Hugo and Hemi in my life.

MAKEUP | MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua XL Ink Liners with Swatches

I love that what is in right now is COLOUR. Lots of it whether it'd be unicorn hair, lipstick or eyeliner. Yes, neutrals will always be necessary, but never before have I picked up products and gone "Is this for the eyes or for the lips?" I am fairly conservative with my makeup only because I don't know what to do when given the powers of colour and doing something truly creative. I usually end up doing something I know how to do already, but with a bolder colour. I just don't have the same confidence with my face as I do with my nails, so I like products that make it easy to create something a bit more daring.

HALLOWEEN | New Lush Goodies!

I actually tried really hard to get more of the Lush Halloween Collection, but certain things were sold out everytime I went in which just goes to show how popular certain items were! The new Jelly Bombs were sold out and I managed to get the Snow Fairy one for the holidays, but sadly not the Halloween ones. This year, the classics are back (reviews here), but I've also got some new items to share!

NAILS | "Holy Ravioli Batman" by Trelly's Polish Swatch

I absolutely cannot believe that we are at the end of the month. October is that safe space before I feel the urgency and anxiety of the holidays kicking in. I don't know about you, but once it's November 1st, I already feel like I cannot talk about anything Fall and that it's all about Christmas from that point onward! Would you still read about Fall releases in November? I usually still talk about non-holiday things just to delay the December onslaught of crazy just for my own sanity.

Speaking of sanity, people must think I am insane for having purchased this polish three years ago and only swatching it now. You would think I would have found the time, but honestly my list of untrieds grows ever longer as time goes on. Every so often I will go on these kicks to get through my stash, but I usually get caught up in other seasonal nail posts and then it all sort of goes to shit. Anyway, today is the day for "Holy Ravioli Batman" by Trelly's Polish. I do not think Cassie is doing the indie polish thing anymore, but that does not change the face that this is a very cool polish with its matte mix of all different sizes of glitter.

MAKEUP LOOK | Dior Metallics Fall 2017 Collection

If you haven't guessed already, metallics are in on all fronts whether it's lips, eyes or nails. While I have classically had a bit of a love/hate relationship with metallic finishes, I have to admit that the makeup world has been creating some very tempting products that have me wanting to wear metallic blue lips with a "neutral eye"!

This season's Metallics collection from Dior is all about contrasting colours mixed with an element of sensuality that exudes confidence. What I loved about this collection was that yes, it was metallic, but it wasn't vampy like a typical Fall collection. It was warm and cozy with a few key pieces mixed in that gave the collection an edgier feel.

NAILS | Spook-tacular #MummyMonday

I am just squeaking this in for ManiMonday, but in all fairness I did at least have the photo up on Instagram this morning! I tried to get this post up last night, but I ended up calling it a night at 10pm and then being rudely awoken at 2am by Hugo and Hemingway fighting. On me. Multiple cats I tell ya!

I'm not intentionally trying to be an unofficial spokesperson for nail polish brand Prim+Proper, but I just really love these polishes and I have been really surprised by how much I keep wanting to use them! Halloween is one of my favourite times of the year and I actually love doing Halloween more than Christmas nail art. I've done a mummy or two before, but never on allll my nails so here it is!

MAKEUP | IT Cosmetics CC Cream (With Before & After Photos)

How long have all of us in Canada been waiting for IT Cosmetics to finally make an appearance?! We all knew the IT Cosmetics CC Cream* was amazing after hearing people from all over the US rave about it and from repeatedly watching The Shopping Channel blockbuster spotlight (*arrow points to me*). Now, this beloved CC Cream and the rest of its family are available exclusively to Sephora as well as online at IT Cosmetics!