NAILS | Inspired by MaskerAide Packaging #CBBxManiMonday

This one is going to be short as I stayed up WAY too late painting these on Sunday and could barely crack open my eyes the next morning. I honestly don't know how I made it through the day as a functional person, but I owe a little bit of my alertness to our building keeping the AC at frigid today. Really kept those senses alert! Anyway, when I was looking for inspiration for my last set of flower nails, I was looking at some of the new beauty products that had arrived and my suddenly my eyes narrowed in on the packaging for the new MaskerAide Rosy Dreams Sleeping Mask! How perfect were these colours?!

 

Flower Nail Art
Some PR samples

SHEET MASK | Vichy Mineral 89 Fortifying Recovery Mask

Vichy's Mineral 89 has been one of my favourite products for the last two years and at first I didn't understand the hype or how it could fit into my skincare routine, but after going through a bottle and seeing how easy it was to fit into a routine solely as a serum or a booster, I knew Mineral 89 and I were meant to be friends forever. I will start today's Sheet Mask Sunday post by saying that I should have gotten this Mineral 89 Fortifying Recovery Mask when I first saw it and just given in to my sheet mask desires because it was a limited edition product. This mask combined two skincare loves and performed just like I hoped it would!


Vichy Mineral 89 Fortifying Recovery Mask Flatlay

Press samples

MAKEUP | Sephora Collection Best Skin Ever Liquid Foundation with Before and After Shots!

In an effort to feature more makeup products here, I give you a foundation review! I think once more people are vaccinated and we can all think about going into a physical workplace unmasked the makeup reviews will follow, but for now skincare will be the main component here. I almost declined testing out Sephora's newest Best Skin Ever Liquid Foundation because of my lack of foundation-wearing, but I love Sephora Collection products and have rarely been disappointed by anything they come out with. I also figured that at some point in the next two years, I WILL be wearing foundation again (I miss it!) and haven't tested out a new one since last year so it was indeed time to try something new! 

 

Sephora Collection Best Skin Ever Liquid Foundation Flatlay
PR samples

SKINCARE | New MaskerAide Rosy Dreams Hydrating Sleeping Mask

If you have been following me for awhile, you will know that I am a very big MaskerAide fan! I first fell in love with this Toronto-based company about 10 years ago after trying out their All Nighter Sheet Mask so I always look forward to whenever they have new products. Last month, MaskerAide released their brand new Rosy Dreams Hydrating Sleeping Mask and all I could say was "Yes, please!"


MaskerAide Rosy Dreams Hydrating Sleeping Mask
PR samples

NAILS | Cartoon Flowers #CBBxManiMonday

I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend (for those of you who have Victoria Day off)! I have to work today, but thankfully it is a short day that shouldn't be crazy. It will give me some time to catch up on a few things at work and play with new jewelry which is always fun! I was actually quite excited to share this week's #CBBxManiMonday as it had been brewing in my head for a little while and it came out EXACTLY as I had imagined! 


Flower Nail Art
Press samples

SHEET MASK | Glamglow Thirstysheet SOS Intensive Hydrating Cream Sheet Mask

I am back with another sexy sheet mask from Glamglow as I have actually quite liked the other sheet masks I have tried from them in the past like the Glowlace and Coolsheet masks. I will admit that years ago, I did not bother with Glamglow because it seemed too "trendy" and though I don't love everything, I have navigated my way through their products and paid attention to ingredients and formulas of their that seemed interesting with some good results. While I don't think I would invest in a full skincare routine, I think they make some great exfoliators and sheet masks! The latest ThirstySheet Mask is an intensely hydrating cream mask that specifically addresses pesky dry patches and plumps and nourishes skin for up to 24 hours. I was suffering from odd dry patches around my chin where my face mask rubs so I picked this up as a self-care treatment and I am glad I did!

Glamglow Thirstysheet SOS Intensive Hydrating Cream Sheet Mask Flatlay
Purchased by me

HAIR | L'Oreal 8-second Wonder Water Lamellar Rinse-out Treatment

I am generally not overly surprised by beauty things even if they claim to be "the latest innovation" in x, y or z and especially when a product is called "8 Second Wonder Water". When L'Oreal came out with a hair treatment that claimed a practically instant transformation that targeted damaged areas of hair, I assumed it was going to be just another hair mask or serum. Boy, was I ever wrong! The next question was WHY this treatment was so life-changing which led me down a crazy rabbit hole of lamellar water technology!

L'Oreal Wonder Water FlatlayPress sample 

SKINCARE | A Night in with Teaology - Tea Infused Skincare!

I think we have all become self care skincare experts this past year whether you have been working from home or "out in the world" and one brand that I have shared a little bit about on Instagram, but have been dying to write about on the blog is Teaology. Founded by Cecilia and Paolo Garofano in Italy, it was actually because of a trip to Canada where Cecilia experienced tea houses and tea ceremonies that Teaology was born. What makes this brand truly unique? Through a patented cosmetic process, all of the water content in Teaology's products has been replaced with a 100% tea infusion of Camellia sinensis! How cool is that?!


Teaology Skincare Flatlay
PR samples

NAILS | Glequin Flowers #CBBxManiMonday

Alas, I have come to my final day of vacation and I am a little sad because I have enjoyed having the time to be creative in this blogging space as well as finally having the opportunity to finish my Lego Nintendo System (coolest thing EVER!) in the sunlight of the afternoon. The weather has been wonderful this past week and though I did have a few work things to check in on, it was nothing too crazy so while I am always a bit anxious that first day back at work, I don't see it being too stressful.

 

Holo Taco Purple Slushie with Glequins
Purchased by me

SHEET MASK | 7th Heaven Superfood Sheet Masks in Avocado, Turmeric and Rice Protein

My love of sheet masks does not come with some guilt and that is because there is a ton of individual packaging that comes with a single use product so while I am not the ultimate recycler, I try really hard to compost, recycle and use reusable materials wherever I can. The beauty world is a tough one to be sustainable in and in many ways I have just accepted that my hobby and interest in this area is kind of a wasteful one. There is always going to be a lot of "stuff" in my life so it does feel good to use a product that is more kind to the environment like a biodegradable sheet mask! The 7th Heaven Superfood 24 Hour Hydration Sheet Masks are made of biodegradable bamboo with a vegan and cruelty-free formula and come in five delicious sounding flavours! I have three to share with you today so let's see how they did!

7th Heaven Superfood Sheet Mask Flatlay
PR samples 

HAIR | Shiny Hair with these Radiance Enhancing Products from Raincry

In addition to the eyes, the other part of me that I care more about now that half of my face is covered up is my hair. It's actually how I identify clients now so if someone changes their hair, I actually have to double check that it's actually who I think it is! While I used to have days where I would put my hair in a ponytail for work, I have found that I get almost bored with how I look now if I "take away" my hair if that makes sense? If anything, I now enjoy wearing my hair "bigger" and with more volume and have even been contemplating changing the colour completely just to have some fun! I almost feel a sense of disconnect with my appearance when half of my face is covered up so I am trying to have fun with what I have left! I have been enjoying trying out new hair products on a monthly basis and recently have been enamoured once again with some very nice products from Raincry that have made me not want to use anything else!

 

Raincry Hair Products
PR samples

MAKEUP | VDL Expert Color Primer for Eyes with Swatches and Wear Test

As evidenced by my lack of makeup posts this past year, it is obvious I am not wearing much makeup these days. I actually think I made more of an effort to wear a full face of makeup when I was stuck inside during Quarantine because it made me feel more productive, but now that I am back to the grind of things I have become a mostly lazy girl with my routine on work days wearing various shades of neutral brown shadows. One thing that I always need to use though is an eye primer since the eyes are now the ONLY window into the soul and I need to make sure my eye makeup doesn't look like the "morning after" when it has only been four hours! Queue the primer specialists - Korean beauty brand VDL!


VDL Expert Color Primer Eyes Flatlay
PR samples

NAILS | Disco Flowers #CBBxManiMonday

I have been on vacation from almost 2 days and I am desperately trying to stop thinking about work, but unfortunately even though I had my vacation time planned for weeks, there were still some loose ends that I couldn't tie up before I left so I have been sneaking in a quick peek at emails here and there since clients are involved. I am one of those people who generally does not check voicemails or emails when I am off work as it makes me a happier person and I think it's good for clients and colleagues to give you personal time off. I rarely give my cell phone number out to clients and the few who have it are always told if I am off and they are super respectful about waiting until I am back in the store to communicate. I know this is not commonly the case in commission-based environments as failure to respond means losing a sale and push come to shove, if that's what it will be for me then I will make the time. I have met with clients on my days off maybe a handful of times in 5 years and that was ONLY for clients who live out of town. Are you good at putting up your work/home boundaries? I'm guessing for those of you who work from home, it's incredibly difficult!

 

Disco Flower Nail Art
Some PR samples 

SHEET MASK | Lapcos Skin First Oil Wrap Mask in Chamomile

I am so naive in thinking that products will be around forever! Despite slowing down my sheet mask purchasing at the beginning of 2020 and sheet masking daily, I still have quite a number to try out and sometimes, I am late in discovering a REALLY good mask. The Lapcos Skin First Oil Wrap Mask was all the rage in 2018 and I kept saying I would try it and now it's 2021 and has been either discontinued or removed from existence as I am having a hard time repurchasing it!

Lapcos Skin First Oil Wrap Mask in Chamomile Flatlay
Purchased by me via Facetory subscription

NAILS | Earthy Florals (A Slightly Belated #CBBxManiMonday)

I am trying to figure out if I don't want to blog because I am tired from work or just feeling uninspired. I have often said that this was my safe space to be creative and feel balanced, but lately my ManiMondays have been late and the thought of taking photos and wearing makeup for posts has made me want to take a nap. Granted, I also haven't taken any real vacation days since January so maybe I'm just due for a recharge because in the shower, I have all of these ideas for posts and then when it comes to execute, I feel like a slug. My biggest thing is that I miss having more makeup posts here and though I didn't do a lot of makeup reviews pre-pandemic, I rarely do them now because I just don't wear as much makeup anymore. I wore more makeup when I had my time off because at least I could see it, but at work with a face mask, I don't even get to enjoy it in the mirror! Then again, I can't deny that I am saving so much money. Who knew that lipsticks and foundation were such a big part of my monthly spend?!


floral water decal nail art
Press samples 

SKINCARE | Okoko Cosmetiques - My Latest Brand Love and It's Made Right Here in Vancouver!

This post is sponsored in partnership with Okoko Cosmetiques.

This post has been a long time in the making as I have been eyeing Okoko Cosmetiques since 2019 and telling myself that before buying something from this luxury skincare brand, I need to use up more of what I have already because I will not be able to just let these products sit on my shelf! I would not be able to wait to use them! I finally took the plunge and placed my first order in June 2020 and I cannot be more pleased with the products and my experience with them. My collection has grown since last year and I vow that eventually I will own everything Okoko makes! 

okoko cosmetiques flatlay
Two products are PR samples and are labeled with *

SHEET MASK | Happy Vegan Madecassoside Relaxing Vegan Mask

In recent years, the Korean beauty market has started to encompass many of the qualities deemed as desirable in the Western beauty world like having products "EWG-certified", "clean" and in the case of today's sheet mask "vegan". Have the quotes already indicated to you that these are terms I do not find value in? Vegan is probably the only one that I can somewhat understand, but I hate the term "clean" and let's face it the EWG is political and fosters fear-mongering so while I still enjoy and use products that use this type of terminology in their marketing, I never name them as benefits when reviewing. 

happy vegan madecassoside flatlay
Purchased by me