NAILS | Happy NYE and Hello to 2021!

Normally, I don't like to post nail art posts back to back, but this week has been a strange one as I have been working normal hours, but not busy and yet haven't had a chance to sit down and blog. I currently have today and the next three days off so mentally I have been waiting for this time to refresh. I hadn't been sleeping well so I made it a point to stop anything stimulating (like blogging) by 11pm and get ready for bed which is also what led to my lack of posting this week, but all the same it was nice to slow things down this week. 

New Year's Nail Art with Glitter
Some PR samples

NAILS | Look to the Stars #CBBxManiMonday

Alrighty, it's that last week of the year where half the week is "normal" where the mail runs, banks are open and there are no holiday hours followed by the second half where everything is closed and you don't know what day it is because New Years Day is on a weekday. Even during a pandemic, I am still a bit confused, but soon enough it will be 2021. I think because we have all "lost" so much of the year to lockdowns and staying at home, it feels like I just said goodbye to 2019. Though we have all been continuing our days, I feel like I never quite hit "unpause" from March. As my sister-in-law put it, I am cautiously optimistic about 2021, but I have no expectations about whether things will get better. I hope they will, but I am not going to expect the allowance of big gatherings, concerts or not mask-wearing in public spaces to change. It will be interesting to see how the vaccine changes things and how humanity deals with the new coronavirus variant and the way we interact with others going forward. Now, that we have all (hopefully!) celebrated Christmas with our bubble, it's time to celebrate New Year's Eve with the same bubble! My husband and I are again looking forward to a quiet night with some champagne and a nice meal at home as I have been given the gift of Dec.31st - Jan.3rd off! Lots of time to recover and recharge!

Star Nail Art
Press samples

SHEET MASK | JMsolution Marine Luminous Pearl Deep Moisture Mask

I love three step masks as I feel like I am getting a targeted mini treatment all in one little pack! After featuring some "Western" brands the last little while, I feel like it's time to go back to some Korean masks because let's face it, this where almost all sheet masks are made whether the brand is Western or Asian and are often the most innovative and well made. In the sheet mask world, JMsolution masks are part of any sheet mask lovers library as they are easily found, innovative, affordable and best of all, have some great results! 

JM Solution Marine Luminous Pearl Deep Moisture Mask
Purchased by me

NAILS | Gloomy Christmas Trees

I hope everyone had a cozy Christmas Day! I had been looking forward to the day off since last week for no reason in particular other than wanting the whole Christmas season to be over. Generally, I have always found it to be a season that is overhyped and commercialized and though it has its moments of warmth, I think most people can agree that it is generally an exhausting holiday and yet we all still use all of our weekends in December to decorate, cook and see everyone humanly possible that we haven't seen in the last couple of months because it's CHRISTMAS. Oh, and then we spend an INSANE amount of money and feel sad in January when your credit card statements come in! I've always said that we should just be generous, see people and be festive whenever you want during the year because it would be way less stressful! It's also how I feel about goals and resolutions. Don't let January 1st dictate when you start making a change. Do it February 23rd if you need to! I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but it's something that I've realized over the years that has helped me feel more in control which in turn has helped me feel more emotionally stable and able to achieve my goals. This year is obviously a different kind of Christmas and though it was quiet, I was so happy to be able to spend it just with my husband and our cats. We made our own little turkey dinner with stuffing and sides as well as mulled apple cider. It was quiet, peaceful and contained all that mattered in my life so here's to truly appreciating the simple things for 2021 as well!

Gloomy Christmas Tree Nail Art
Press samples

HOLIDAY | Mary Kay Gift Sets and Holiday Fun

Something I have been doing a lot of this year is going through my blog posts and Instagram stories at the beginning of the pandemic to see what I was thinking and my state of mind. I have also been going through blog posts from this time last year when Christmas was "as per normal" and man was I A LOT more stressed! Living the full retail holiday life, balancing dinners and outings had me really exhausted and as terrible as this year has been, this has also been the LEAST stressed I have been in probably over 10 years and it has felt FANTASTIC to let my brain veg and to not give a flying f*** about clients who come at you and forget that the pandemic has changed EVERYTHING. Still, it has been a relatively busy month and as much as I have wanted to blog more, I have been taking my nights and days off very slow and easy which is part of the reason why this Mary Kay post is coming a little later than I would like, but the items were too cute not to share with you all!

Mary Kay Holiday Gift Sets
Press samples

NAILS | Christmas Wreaths #CBBxManiMonday

It's the last #CBBxManiMonday before Christmas! I knew this month would creep up on me and then whaddaya know? It is now the first day of Winter and it actually SNOWED in Vancouver! This is the first real snowfall for us as we generally get a ton of rain (which we did) so it was all very appropriate. I had today off, but I will be working right up until Christmas Day so I don't know how busy it will be. I always mentally prepare myself for busy shoppers and/or ridiculous Christmas miracles and even in this global state, people can still be unreasonable. We received a Christmas card from a client which looked all pretty on the outside, but when we opened it, it turned out to be a complaint that ended with the sentence "so file this in your cupboard of embarrassments". I mean, who takes the time to use an already overloaded mail system (used registered mail) to send something negative like this out into the universe?! Why even bother?!


Christmas Wreath Nail Art
Press samples

SHEET MASK | Biotherm Aqua Flash Masks

This edition of #SheetMaskSunday is coming to you reeeaal late because it has been a busy couple of days at work, but thankfully not as exhausting as previous years as the pandemic has definitely made people slow down with purchasing goods in person which I totally understand as I have been doing the same myself. I did go to the mall to pick up an online order from Lush and while it was generally fairly quiet, some stores like Bath and Body Works had line ups as did Lush, but luckily online pickups mean you go to the front of the line! They also gave me a free FULL SIZE Comforter Bubble Bar with my $35 order so that was kind of cool! 

Biotherm Aqua Flash Mask Review

MAKEUP | Sephora Wild Wishes Holiday Collection

I am almost done the last of my Christmas shopping which has been almost exclusively online save for a few bottles of wine that I would rather not ship. I have asked for digital gift cards this year as I don't want to overload the postal system even more and I LOVE online shopping so having gift cards to play with is a blast for me! My in-laws and I have a shared Google Doc that we have been updating with our wishlist and marking off like a baby/wedding registry as gifts get purchased and as today was my day off, I spent most of the afternoon ticking things off so I'm sure my VISA must be burning from use! Whether you are looking for stocking stuffers or gifts for the beauty lovers in your life, the Sephora Collection always has you covered with a themed collection of brushes, skincare and makeup! When it comes to quality, Sephora has always been one of my favourite "house brands" with products like their #Lipstories Lipsticks and sheet masks and there is no shortage of any of these items in this year's collection!

Sephora Wild Wishes Holiday Collection
Press samples

NAILS | Have Yourself a Little Disney Christmas #CBBxManiMonday

Since it's the holidays, my work has decided to open up to 6 days a week as it used to be 5 due to the COVID situation, skeleton staff etc. We have more people back now there is a little more room to breathe especially during a busy season like this one, but I'm sure it comes as no surprise that this year is a different one. Never before has online shopping become so important which has resulted in the quietest retail season I have ever participated in! By this time of the month, I am usually run off my feet, grumpy at the level of social energy I need to exude on a daily basis and trying to figure out who to see and eat with each weekend until New Year's. A huge part of me is relieved that I don't feel any of this anxiety this year. I am almost ashamed to admit that COVID and its restrictions has fed right into my TRUE introvertness and I now believe that I am a true loner who just knows how to function socially when I need to!  


Disney Christmas Nail Art
Press samples

SHEET MASK | Farmacy Brightening and Hydrating Coconut Gel Sheet Mask

Call it one of the many things I have learned in 2020, but I have become less tolerant of drama in both my daily and beauty life meaning that I find myself making decisions about brands, situations and people far more quickly than before and don't stew about the results afterwards. (Un)surprisingly, this has resulted in a drastic reduction of the beauty Youtube channels I used to watch as I just got tired of either apology or "my truth" videos where people/brands obviously weren't sorry or were flat out dishonest. I'm not too sad though because the last couple of months have given me time to (re)discover some brands that keep it breezy and just do what they do best like Farmacy!

Farmacy Brightening and Hydrating Coconut Gel Sheet Mask
Purchased by me

BATH | Lush Christmas Collection

It's that time of year where we all stock up on Lush bath goodies and try to imagine all that self-pampering that we plan on doing for the coming year. I used to stock up like CRAZY on bath goodies only to use them a year later because "I never had the time for a bath". I stopped this practice late last year and just started forcing myself to take baths for a few reasons: one to read more as I get bored easily in a bath and reading was the perfect way to pass the time AND two, to start using my bath bomb stock. This turned into a bit of an obsession and then the pandemic came where we all got stuck at home and self-care activities like baths became one of things I really looked forward to in the day. Now, I am a diehard bath bomb addict and cannot wait to hop into the tub with my fizzy friends! 


Lush Christmas Collection 2020
Press samples

NAILS | Hi, Rudolph! #CBBxManiMonday

We are one week into December and does it feel like the holidays yet for you? I am usually very anxious this time of the year stressing about whose house we are at for dinner, gifts to get and being alone for half of December as my husband usually visits his family in Montreal (I can never go because I work retail so this is obviously the busiest time of the year). This year is very different though and for the third time ever in our 15 year relationship, we will be spending Christmas together which is something I am looking forward to. 


Rudolph Nail Art
Press samples

SHEET MASK | Jayjun Cosmetic x Drew Barrymore "The More" Collection

I was quite surprised when I saw this collaboration as Drew Barrymore was the last celebrity I would have imagined partnering up with a Korean beauty brand! Released in 2018, this collection is modeled after Drew's favourite Jayjun mask, the Baby Pure Shining Mask which I have reviewed before and LOVED and comes in three steps. These are one of my favourite ways of masking as I find it so cute and efficient to have my entire skincare routine all in one little compact package. Whenever I travelled, these were the masks I would take as it made packing skincare a tad more efficient. I picked up all three masks from "The More" Collection each with its own unique skincare focus. 


Jayjun Cosmetic x Drew Barrymore "The More" Collection
Purchased by me

MAKEUP | Avon Glimmershadow Liquid Eyeshadows with Swatches and Makeup Looks

Well, it looks like the only makeup products you will see reviewed on the blog here are eyeshadows because my work face right now is ONLY about the eyes! It's interesting how all of us suddenly have very different routines now depending on how COVID has affected our jobs and daily lives. If your job has moved you to being at home, makeup is either non-existent or there to keep you presentable or just feeling good. If you work outside like me and have to wear a mask everyday, you can still wear all of the makeup you want, but I think eventually the focus ends up being on the upper half of your face! I never used to wear undereye concealer, but now that a face mask stops right underneath my eyes and allows one's eye to zero in on that area, I make the effort in the mornings to make sure I look perky there! I have actually been using the Avon Cashmere Concealer because it is so lightweight and blendable. Once I'm done with the colour correcting, I can move on to the eyeshadow which for the last 2 weeks has been the Avon Glimmershadow Liquid Eyeshadows!

Avon Glimmershadow Liquid Eyeshadows
Press samples

NAILS | Mattify Me with Flakie #CBBxManiMonday

I slept like a zombie last night so forgive me if this post is a bit short! I had waking dreams non-stop and I kept thinking it was time to get up even though I had the day off so by the time my alarm went off at 8am, I was in no mood to get anything done. I have been mildly productive today in terms of getting some groceries and small house clean up done. I also took some time to call he customer service line for a really old Mutual Fund account that my parents had set up for me while I was in high school as I had obviously forgotten the password. Now, I'm looking forward to an afternoon nap which I see as SUCH a luxury so I will take full advantage of it when I can!

Matte Flakie Taping Nail Art
Press samples 

SHEET MASK | Sephora Collection Vitamin Masks

Whenever I see a new sheet mask from the Sephora Collection, I HAVE to try it no matter what. In the past, there have been some serious duds, but also some notable positives and while I wouldn't put the Sephora masks at the top of my list, they perform solidly in my top 20 favourite sheet masks as they smell pleasant, have decent results and some of the most attractive packaging! During the VIB Rouge sale, I went wild with my skincare and haircare and spotted a new trio of masks with a focus on some skin-loving vitamins and knew I would need to add these to my #100DaysofSheetMasks challenge! 

Sephora Collection Vitamin Masks Review
Purchased by me

MAKEUP | Urban Decay Stoned Vibes Eyeshadow Palette with Makeup Look and Swatches

This palette stole my heart right from the photos on Instagram, but I wanted to see how these gorgeous bejeweled shades swatched and performed on the eye and I was not disappointed! I don't buy a lot of Urban Decay palettes anymore because I have quite a few through press samples and blogging, but I couldn't wait for this one! I ended up getting another one this month through PR, but the fact that I actually purchased my original Stoned Vibes palette with Shoppers points made me feel less sad about unnecessarily having to spend $68! Don't worry, I will be making sure my extra palette makes it into the hands of one fortunate reader soon so stay tuned!

Urban Decay Stoned Vibes Eyeshadow Palette
Purchased by me

NAILS | Moody Dots #CBBxManiMonday

This is the last day I will have set weekends off as the retail sector heads into holiday hours. I haven't worked a set schedule in just over 10 years and with the smaller team that we have had, we all have been working the exact same days as we are only open 5 days/week which has been nice! Now, we move into being open 6 days for those who plan on shopping in person, but I really don't know how busy it will be this year. I have never been a fan of shopping in person anywhere, but this year with multiple provinces in lockdown because of rising COVID cases, the wisest thing really is to STAY INSIDE. Most cases are coming from friends and family gatherings so STOP! Hopefully, 2021 will be better with the vaccine, but honestly, I will probably keep wearing a mask until Kingdom come because this is the longest I have gone without even having a hint of a cold! No runny nose, sniffles NOTHING and we are closing in on 2 years now! 


Fall Dot Nail Art
Press samples

SHEET MASK | NENA Skincare Rejuvenating and Moisturizing Masks

Last week I had NENA nails and today I am relaxing with two of NENA's sheet masks! Made with Glacial Marine Extract, an extract from NENA's key ingredient of pure Canadian Glacial Clay and sourced right along the coast of BC! For now, these masks are only available as a gift with purchase, but hopefully they will be available for purchase in the future. So, how did a sheet mask with clay in its essence feel on my skin? Not like what I was expecting I'll tell ya that!


NENA Skincare Rejuvenating and Moisturizing Masks
Press samples

BODY | 5 Hand Creams (This Really Could be 20 With What's Happening Now!)

Hand creams have had a whole new meaning for all of us this year as the constant hand washing has reached skin-cracking levels. Combined with the first fall/winter season living in a pandemic, I'm sure we are all guzzling hand creams at record levels. When I was off work and just staying home, I didn't need to wash my hands as often, but now that I am out and back at work interacting with co-workers and clients, I am hand-washing my hands between clients, whenever I touch merchandise or when I use the phone or shared cash wrap area. We are provided with gloves, but I feel like gloves provide people with a false sense of security which leads to a higher incidence of cross-contamination. I have literally seen someone rub their eyes WITH GLOVES ON. What is the point then?! Regardless, my hands have been suffering as I am sure many of yours have been and though I only have five hand creams here, I can now think of so many more nice ones I can add to this list!  

Hand Cream Review
Press samples provided

NAILS | Inspired by a NENA Sheet Mask #CBBxManiMonday

Here we are at Monday again and halfway through November! I have been keeping track of my spending and my paychecks on a spreadsheet as a way to stay accountable this year especially now that I am aggressively trying to save more should we ever go through another lockdown and though I am spending a lot more on bath bombs...it is on Canadian-made ones and I feel a lot better supporting a small business than a large corporate company. In the spirit of supporting local and small businesses, I recently placed an order for some hand sanitizer sprays with Vancouver-based company NENA because they smell so damn good and leave my hands feeling soft. I bought enough ($30+ CDN) to qualify for their gift with purchase which were set of their Rejuvenating and Moisturizing Sheet Masks and in addition to their skin-loving potential, I also saw the potential for some nail art! 

NENA Sheet Mask Nail Art
Some polishes are press samples

SHEET MASK | Food Story Collection: Pomegranate, Blueberry, Banana, Kiwi, Pineapple Masks

Focusing on trying as many sheet masks as possible from Korean beauty brand Soo'Ae this past September was a truly fun experience with one of the more fun collections being the Food Story Collection! 

Soo'Ae Food Story Sheet Mask Review
Purchased by me

SKINCARE | Kora Organics: The Brightening Routine

We have all been bombarded with the "natural" products craze the last five years and it shows no signs of slowing down. Honestly, I love the beauty of plant-based products interwoven with synthetic ingredients so I will always be a fan of combining the two, but I have grown wary of jumping on board too quickly when a new "organic" or plant-centric brand emerges let alone one created by a celebrity or influencer. I've just become a bit jaded with all of these fast-growing Instagram brands with people blindly buying into the "natural" marketing jargon. Initially, this is how I felt about KORA Organics

Kora Organics: The Brightening Routine
Press samples

NAILS | Cirque Colors Sol (Temperature Sensitive) #CBBxManiMonday

One of my favourite indie brands that I don't have enough of is Cirque Colors. It's not the most widely available brand to find in Canada and though Ontario-based Harlow & Co has a good selection, when I went on the hunt for some thermal polishes, almost all the ones I wanted were sold out so I ended up going straight to the Cirque site and purchasing four polishes there which you will see over the coming weeks! 

Cirque Colors Sol Swatch
Purchased by me

SHEET MASK | Dr. Jart All That Contours Hydrogel Expansion Stretch Mask

I think we are all breathing a bit of a sigh of relief now that Biden has been declared the 46th President of the United States. I am curious to see what Trump and his cronies do over the next couple of months until he needs to "hand over the keys" as the theories on how they could erode democracy are pretty scary. I will admit that even as a Canadian, I have been sleeping fitfully the last few days and this morning I woke up the same time as I would usually get up for work and just couldn't get back to bed as my mind started racing with things to do for the day. I ended up taking a bunch of photos for the blog and Instagram and then full down a YouTube rabbit hole of Barack Obama, Justin Trudeau, Joe Biden and John McCain speeches until lunch.

Dr. Jart  All That Contours Hydrogel Expansion Stretch Mask
Purchased by me

SKINCARE | Garnier BIO Collection - ECO CERT Skincare From the Drugstore?

It is the day after the US Elections and Trump is still a contender if you can believe it. I wrote a sad post like this in 2016 when he shocked everyone by winning and now it's 2020 and it's so much more disappointing because the vote is SO CLOSE. Even if Biden wins, it means that 50% of the USA think Trump is a good leader which is even more scary so though I rarely speak out about politics, this is such a no brainer that if there are readers, friends and followers who no longer wish to support me because I do not support Trump, I welcome the unfollowing! I haven't been able to stop watching the news since 8am today and I think my brain would like the short break so let's shift over to my home away from home - skincare. Namely the Garnier BIO line which is ecocertified, vegan, affordable and available at the drugstore!


Garnier BIO Collection
Press samples

MAKEUP | Natasha Denona Chromium Liquid Eyeshadows in Scarab, Ultraviolet and Infra Nude

Today is a scary day in the US and though we are all going to be on the edge of our seats for probably the next couple of months, let's take it in stride, get through Christmas without COVID and take the remainder of 2020 day by day. I have to go through some clothing as Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver has just resumed clothing donations and I came across a few things during Lockdown in April that needed new homes so will get to that later today (I have vacation days today and tomorrow). While on vacation, I do this scary thing where I have time to check out what's new in beauty and then BUY IT! This is what happened with the Natasha Denona Chromium Eyeshadows back in August and I still can't stop raving about them!

Natasha Denona Chromium Liquid Eyeshadows in Scarab, Ultraviolet and Infra Nude

NAILS | Gold Flakie Meets Bright Blue And It Is Magical! #CBBxManiMonday

This month's theme for #CBBxManiMonday is "Whatever November" meaning that we can paint on our hands whatever our hearts desire whether it'd be something truly gloomy, holographic or cheery AF! This was a combination I had been wanting to do in JULY so better late than never, right? 


Ella + Mila was purchased by me and Holo Taco was a gift 

SHEET MASK | Soo'Ae Unicorn Glow Hologram Mask

How did we get to November 1st?! I don't even know how we got here, but we've been living and breathing COVID for 8 months now and just when I thought masking would never be a regular part of my life, it is. So much of our routines have changed now because of the pandemic and I will admit that although I feel relatively "pre-COVID" in my day-to-day, every couple of minutes throughout the day (which is a lot when you think about it) I am reminded of our situation whether it's when I "mask up" for work, see my husband working from home every day, or witness my glossy and cream lipsticks going to waste from disuse. The latter has cut down my makeup purchases an INSANE amount since only long-lasting matte liquid lipsticks work for my day-to-day so I guess that's a good thing!

Soo'Ae Unicorn Glow Hologram Mask
Purchased by me

SHEET MASK | DC Comics Wonder Woman, Superman and The Joker

Talk about some of the best printed sheet masks I have come across! I don't even know where I would even begin to try to find these other than ebay because I'm not even sure what brand these sheet masks are...regardless, these were so much fun to wear and a great lead up to Halloween! I had planned on doing more printed masks this month, but when I developed an inexplicable case of hives 2 weeks ago, I took a one week break from skin and bodycare just to make sure I didn't make things worse because I honestly could not look at myself without getting goosebumps! 


Sheet Mask DC Comics Wonder Woman, Superman and The Joker
Purchased in Japan by my husband's coworker 

NAILS | Watercolour Mask and Matching Nail Art

I have been wanting to match my nails to my ever-growing collection of face masks for awhile now and what better opportunity than the contest London Drugs is currently having for doing exactly that! I had a hard time deciding which mask to use as inspiration because I like wearing patterned and fun ones, but eventually decided on this watercolour design which is one of the face masks my mother-in-law made for me during Lockdown in April. Isn't it pretty?

Watercolour Mask and Matching Nail Art
Press samples

SKINCARE | Purito Centella Unscented Toner and Serum

Last year, I fell head over heels for the Purito Green Level Sun Safe Sunscreen as it was every bit as fantastic as the reviews I had seen said it was. It had such a nice texture and if you had told me it was moisturizer, I would have believed you because the feel of this product on the skin is like no other. You can see that my first time with Purito had set the bar quite high! 


Purito Centella Unscented Toner and Serum
Press samples

NAILS | Halloween Skittles #CBBxManiMonday

It's my 7 year wedding anniversary today! I know that has nothing to do with my Halloween nails today, but for the first time since my wedding day, I have the day off and now that my husband works from home, we can celebrate together! While we normally go out and celebrate, we both aren't quite ready to dine in restaurants yet so we splurged on a really nice steak and other food goodies and will be cooking dinner for ourselves tonight! I am contemplating dressing up too just for the hell of it! I am going to get a much needed pedicure today since I had to cancel last week when hives appeared on my legs the day of my original appointment. Definitely could not subject the esthetician to that!


Halloween Nail Art
Press samples

SHEET MASK | Wrinkles Schminkles InfuseFAST Facial and Decolletage Sheet Mask

Don't let the cutesy name fool you because Australian company Wrinkles Schminkles means business when it comes to skincare and results! Most well-known for their 100% medical grade silicone patches (still reviewing these) for every part of the face and decolletage, they also have two sheet masks for the face and chest to complement the results of the silicone patches and further aid in making sure wrinkles are kept at bay and skin hydrated and plump! 

Wrinkles Schminkles InfuseFAST Facial and Decolletage Sheet Mask
Press samples

MAKEUP | MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Resist Smoky Shadow Sticks with Swatches and Makeup Look

When it comes to my most reached for eyeshadow sticks, it's almost always a cross between my old Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Shadow Pencil in Juju, the Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks and my MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Shadow and Aqua Matic sticks. Juju is now down to the size of the tip of my pinky and since UD discontinued their chubby eyeshadow pencils, I haven't been reaching for this last bit as the product is starting to get difficult to work with which leaves me with LM and MUFE. I like both, but the MUFE pencils have edged out LM because the formula suits my eyelids better. MUFE has gone through a number of product upgrades and changes over the last five years with most of the changes resulting in some beautiful formulas so was that the case with the new Aqua Resist Smoky Shadow Sticks?

MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Resist Smoky Shadow Sticks
Press samples 

NAILS | Pumpkin Pumpkin #CBBxManiMonday

I don't think I've ever posted a #CBBxManiMonday late, but I have been in a bit of a state the last two days as my weekend was going just fine until I developed hives. What started on my legs and back spread to my arms, neck and hands so I spent all day yesterday itchy despite taking antihistamines. I went to my family doctor who was puzzled as I have no food, seasonal or known allergies and the last time I have had any form of hives was when I was a kid and even that was just in a localized area not on my entire body! I had fully planned on going into work today, but when I work up and had welts down my legs and arms again PLUS my face, I just had to take the day off. I am not one to stay home from work as it stresses me out knowing that things are happening without me and I will just come back to more emails, but working with hives for the whole day just didn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. 

Press sample

BEAUTY | Lip Care with Henne Organics

I tried hard not to be absent from this space the whole week, but doing Inventory at work this week with half the staff we normally have thanks to COVID restrictions has wiped me out completely. I honestly can't believe it's already Saturday as the last couple of days have been a haze of running around and then coming home and feeling like a zombie until falling asleep. Now that my weekend is here, I look forward to sleeping in and my pedicure on Monday! 

Purchased by me

NAILS | Stitches and Jack o' Lanterns #CBBxManiMonday

It has been a very busy week preparing for inventory at my day job which has led to some broken nails as even in the world of luxury sales, there is still a fair amount of heavy lifting! I broke the corner of my pointer finger and then managed to poke myself on the same finger so now there is a blood spot there which you can see in these photos since my nails are shorter now. I had different nail art plans involving longer nails as my canvas, but luckily there is no shortage of nail art designs for short nails!  


Halloween Nail Art
Press samples

SHEET MASK | Soo'Ae Hydration Alert Sensor Mask

Today's edition of #SheetMaskSunday is coming to you erm, a little late because well Thanksgiving dinner happened. Even though my husband and I were the only people in attendance, we decided to a full dinner with sides of bacon and brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes and of course stuffing. We ended up doing a little ham instead of turkey since we actually have quite a bit of food in our fridge already that we need to eat and it was all just really pleasant! As we speak, I am waiting for our apple pie to heat up in the oven so that I can slather it with ice cream!

Soo'Ae Hydration Alert Sensor Mask Review
Purchased by me

MAKEUP | Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation

I had mentioned on my Instagram post today that it has been brutally hard trying to sit down after coming from work to type. Most of the time, I treat blog posts like a journal entry, but this week all I have been wanting to do is veg. I have been watching the YouTube series 'Hot Ones" which has been pretty addictive and if you haven't watched celebrities being interviewed while their mouths are on fire, it's worth it! 

Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation
Purchased by me

NAILS | Bring on the Candy Corn! #CBBxManiMonday

I got into the candy corn game pretty late in life. It's not exactly an Asian candy you grow up with and I honestly only saw it on TV or in the bulk candy section, but didn't understand why people liked it. Then I got a little pack of it and LOVED it when I trick-or-treated for the first time in my FIRST YEAR OF UNIVERSITY. Yes, I know, it's crazy that even with growing up and going to school in Canada, I never got to go trick-or-treating with my friends! The reason? I grew up in a Christian household where I couldn't dress up or have anything to do with Halloween. Fast forward to when my younger sister was old enough and SHE got to dress up and go out trick-or-treating so I was pretty choked about that! She always had the best costumes too because my mom was a seamstress and could sew whichever Disney character struck her fancy. Anyway, I finally got to go collect candy when I was 18 with a friend and when we ended up unknowingly hitting up her Econ prof's house I was like "Listen, we need to stop. We're too old!" 

Candy Corn Nail Art
 PR samples

SHEET MASK | Dr. Jart Dermask Water Jet Soothing Hydra Solution

Today's post is coming a little late in the day mainly because I have been sleeping for most of the day. Exciting, I know. I was catching up on some much needed sleep as the last week at work was reeeeally busy and was sleeping soundly until my cat jumped on my bladder and woke me up. I love how they always know EXACTLY where to start massaging their little paws! Regardless, I had trouble going back to bed and continued the rest of the day like a zombie until I finally had to crash for a nap at 4pm which brings me to now. Life as an adult is sometimes delightfully boring and that's totally ok by me! 

Dr. Jart Dermask Water Jet Soothing Hydra Solution
 Purchased by me

NAILS | In the Purples with OPI Muse of Milan

I was really loving my leaf-inspired taping manicure from last week and wanted to try taping again and the perfect opportunity arose when I came across two shades from the new OPI Muse of Milan collection that I wanted to feature together. I love all purples especially glittery purples and when I first started seeing swatches of the duochrome glitter "Leonardo's Model Color", I knew out of all the shades, THIS was the one I would purchase!

Purple Taping Manicure
 PR gifted

SHEET MASK | Soo'Ae Juicy Glow Masks in Strawberry and Mango

I cannot believe #SooAeSeptember is over because it means that September is OVER! Not that I'm not excited for October and one of my most favourite times of year (Halloween!), but this last half of 2020 feels like a bullet train. It's amazing what Lockdown and Quarantine have done to our sense of time, but I think we have all learned a lot about ourselves and refocused our attention on things like self-care. Bath bombs, sheet masks and candles seem to be all I think about even though I have gone back to work and I see that for those who now work at home, these items have replaced lipsticks and foundation. My husband has always liked baths, but now that's he at home, he always asks for bath bombs and gets upset if my bath looks "prettier" than his!


Purchased by me

NAILS | Abstract Fall with OPI Muse of Milan #CBBxManiMonday

I cannot get enough of the new OPI Muse of Milan collection! I think a part of my love for the shades is that I have been ready for Fall since June. It wasn't a normal summer for anyone and though we still could have patio season, I am still not comfortable dining out. If anything, social distancing and keeping my social circle super small (really my husband and 5 co-workers) has fed right into my anti-social personality. I have also never liked shaking hands, hugging or kissing cheeks and now I can use COVID as an excuse! While I wouldn't have called myself a germaphobe, I have never been all that comfortable with physical forms of affection let alone with people I don't know. Call me crazy, but I am honestly so much happier now that this is the norm!

Abstract Fall Nail Art
 [Press samples]

SHEET MASK | Kiehls Instant Renewal Concentrate Mask

It has been REALLY hard to write this past week. I had done my best to mentally prepare myself for a busy week I knew was coming and though I feel I survived with flying colours, I was putting in a few longer days to make sure I wasn't overwhelmed the next day which has left me feeling exhausted at the idea of being productive this weekend (I have Sunday/Mondays off). Combined with the torrential rain Vancouver has had the last week, I have just been feeling sleepy by the time I make it home from work so I have been a bit lazy with the blogging, BUT hopefully you have all been enjoying my Instagram content as I try to have exclusive content there (like this photo of the most epic bath bomb from Jojo's Bath Bombs)! 

Kiehls Instant Renewal Concentrate Mask
Purchased by me

LIFESTYLE | Grant E One's - A Face Mask with Japanese Technology Like No Other!

I guess we are getting to that point in the pandemic where face masks are now something to feature on a beauty blog! Not only are face masks necessary, but they are now a fashion statement and an item of clothing that affects our makeup and skincare routines. I hope wearing a mask is getting easier for everyone as I know I am glad that I don't feel as mentally and physically uncomfortable with wearing one anymore. Colourful prints help and I am sure I am not the only one who is slowly amassing a collection of reusable face masks in all sort of prints and styles! One of my latest additions is from a new-to-Canada Japanese brand called Grant E One's which uses a proprietary blend of fibres to create a mask that is not only comfortable and cool, but also produces negative ions! 

Grant E One's Skincare Face Mask Review
 PR gifted

NAILS | Inspired by a Leaf #CBBxManiMonday

I know, I know. This is practically the opposite of vampy Fall shades, but I saw this manicure from LoveVarnish.com inspired by the shades of Fall and had to try it for myself! I hadn't done taping in awhile and I loved the texture the taping added to the glitter gradient. I didn't have the exact colours, so I think this came out "happier" than intended, but I am still very happy with it!

Red and Yellow Taping Gradient Nail Art
 Purchased by me

SHEET MASK | FaceTory Oh My Goodness Rejuvenating Snail Mask

Some of you know that I recently stopped my FaceTory subscription for a number of reasons - mainly because this was a financially unjustifiable expense with everything that has happened this year and also because I can probably not buy sheet masks for a few years and still be able to do a few rounds of #100DaysofSheetMasks in addition to my regular sheet mask usage! Though I have never actually done an inventory count of what I have, I'm pretty sure my sheet mask count is more than 500 which doesn't even sound like much to me even though I know that logically it's a huge number! Suffice it to say, I realized that I didn't NEED to spend more a sheet mask subscription even though FaceTory has an amazing selection of masks I always love and have never tried. One of the masks I used during this sheet mask challenge that I had received in one of my FaceTory boxes was the Oh My Goodness Rejuvenating Snail Mask! We all love a good snail mask and this one was no exception!

 Purchased by me

MAKEUP | Keeping Things Set with IT Cosmetics

My setting sprays and powders have been going into overtime these last few months and though I have generally used both in my regular makeup routine, never before have I actively layered these products and made SURE that I used them every time I wear makeup to work. A part of me was tempted to just flat out use hairspray to make my makeup stay, but I figured I would spare my lungs and the environment! IT Cosmetics makes my most favourite loose powder, but over the summer I have had the chance to try some other setting products from the brand that have since become daily staples!

 PR gifted