NAILS | Grey Abstract #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

This nail art was a bit of a surprise as I was so tired over the weekend that I had initially just painted my nails grey and intended on leaving them that way until last night when I just couldn't resist the urge to do some experimenting with colours. While I am not thrilled with the final result, it was a bit more interesting that just a plain swatch! 

SHEET MASK | Wonjin Effect Medi Energy Infusion Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

Wonjin Effect is one of my FAVOURITE Korean sheet mask brands and it was also one of the first brands introduced to me when I first got started on my sheet mask journey back in 2018. After trying a couple of masks from them, I have yet to be disappointed and find myself repurchasing them by the pack! Today's #SheetMaskSunday is no exception!

NAILS | The Chocolate French Manicure #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

Ooh, I know I am pushing it here calling this a ManiMonday post on a Wednesday, but if you did see me in person on Monday you would have seen me wearing these nails! It was just a busy week and I didn't feel like pushing myself. It was a long work week with the next two weeks picking up in steam as well and then it will soon be Christmas if you can believe it! I have been "self-medicating" with some cake and chocolate everyday so when I was thinking about what to do for this week's manicure, I had dessert on the mind! 

SHEET MASK | L'Occitane Immortelle Hydration & Glow Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

Not gonna lie, but my sheet mask self-care routine has taken a nosedive mainly due to stress. After I have my showers at night, I have been opting to just curl up on the couch while watching Schitt's Creek which I have watched in its entirety before and it is just as funny and heartwarming with each iteration. I think back to July when I had more than a month's worth of #SheetMaskSunday posts queued up and how proud of myself I was, but for now I think my focus will have to be on my mental health and my day job. While I hate doing work things on my days off, that is exactly what I did this morning just so I wouldn't feel quite so stressed when I back in the office on Tuesday. There just never seems to be enough time in the day! 

SKINCARE | Bondi Sands Pure Self Tanning Sleep Mask

Press sample

I had planned on talking about self tanners and being glowy for summer a loooong time ago having tested this Bondi Sands Self Tanning Sleep Mask back in July when I was on vacation, but fate intervened and all things beauty were put on hold for a bit. I guess we still want to look glowy in the dead of winter so maybe this product can still be of use to some of you!

NAILS | Abstract Fall with the OPI Fall Wonders

Press samples

I started watching She-Hulk: Attorney at Law on Disney+ last week and I am enjoying it! I love the little cameos and Tatiana Maslany is pretty cool as a Hulk! I have been playing the last week by ear in terms of blogging and even though the thought of scheduling posts and being on top of things for the Fall is enticing, when I have my sad moments I just let myself fall into them. If all I want to do is veg on the couch after work and watch Schitt's Creek, that's what I will do. I try not to feel guilty about the fact that I haven't posted much in the way of press samples or blog posts, but I am realizing that grief is its own creature and I also have to let it run its course instead of setting deadlines for myself. 

SHEET MASK | Papa Recipe Bombee Pore Ampoule Honey Mask

The last Papa Recipe sheet mask I reviewed here was less than impressive compared to its siblings (Green Honey Mask) when it comes both to fit and general results which was surprising as after trying four different Papa Recipe masks all had been successes. Having said that, I got back on the Papa Recipe train when I saw the Pore Ampoule Honey mask on sale at T&T and crossed my fingers that I would be wowed!

NAILS | Back to School with "Mean Girls" #CBBxManiMonday

Some polishes are press samples

I was feeling mentally better this weekend. I wasn't sure if I would be participating in today's #CBBxManiMonday as I have been through a wealth of emotions the last week with having my Hugo moments as well as dealing with an uncomfortable situation at work that left me absolutely seething for a few days. Alas, I found a mental trick to deal with it and I think going forward I will be able to handle it! Now, there is something about September that makes me think of a fresh start even though I am no longer a student. I wanted to do some Back to School-themed nails, but because I had done "school supplies" before, I wanted to do something a little different which brings us to...Mean Girls!

SHEET MASK | The Oozoo Fresh Capsule Mask Royal Jelly

Purchased by me

Ok, here we are with my first sheet mask review since my hiatus. This was actually the last sheet mask I used the night before Hugo got sick. The first night we took him into the emergency vet, I really didn't feel up for self-care in any form and subsequently, as Hugo's prognosis didn't seem to improve, I did bother with sheet masking until last week. As much as I wanted to get back into blogging to the level that I was at before, it just is not going to happen. I have been pretty tired after work and then a couple of days ago something rather unpleasant and annoying happened at work that I am still in the process of dealing with, but I am hoping that it will all be resolved by the end of the week. 

NAILS | Neon Watermelons #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

It only seems fitting that my first post back after a 2 week hiatus be a #CBBxManiMonday. In truth, I actually had these nails done and ready to post at the very beginning of the month as a I did them over the BC Day long weekend, but then Hugo got sick a few days later and the rest is history. While I am not a superstitious person, the last time I painted watermelon nails and posted them was the week Hemingway was diagnosed with liver cancer so I haven't done them since. This year, I decided to it was time to redo them and I even told my husband my thoughts on watermelon nails the night I did them and he said it was silly to think that anything would happen to Hugo should I do watermelon nails. Again, not to say that I believe my watermelon nails caused Hugo's death, but it's strange to think that less than a week after paining them, he was gone. Suffice it to say, I am never going to do watermelon nails again just to avoid tempting fate. 

LIFESTYLE | Pet Grief and Losing Hugo

I have been trying to write a "normal" beauty post for over a week now and I can't so I thought maybe I needed a post in between to settle my mental state and act as a bridge of sorts to connect the last post (which I had scheduled and written a week beforehand) to now. If you follow me on social media, you will know that we lost our beloved kitty Hugo in the early morning hours of August 7th. On my boy's 8th birthday. Just three days prior, he was his normal, annoying self and had even snuggled with me, as he did every night, and gone to sleep nestled in my arms. The next morning, I noticed he seemed to be in pain and was walking slowly. He did not come for breakfast or treats which, like most cats who are very food-motivated, was very unusual. He looked nauseated and had had an episode similar to this in June that resolved itself in about 3 hours with no symptoms afterwards so my husband and I decided to go to work and hope that it would clear up when we got home. Obviously, that didn't happen and Hugo spent his last three days alive at Canada West under observation. 

SHEET MASK | Dr. Althea Recovery Solution 2 Step Mask

Purchased by me

I will admit that packaging again was what gravitated me towards this Dr. Althea mask, but I have also always had great luck with this brand and had no doubts about this sexy-looking two-stepper!

SHEET MASK | Soo'AE Tea Story Black and White Tea Masks

Purchased by me

If you are looking for fun, food-related sheet masks that are affordable and most importantly of good quality, Soo'Ae is the place! I have reviewed a number of Soo'Ae sheet masks here, all of which have been of impeccable quality and a lot of fun!

NAILS | MAC Skin Swatch #MidWeekMani

It's a short week (I still have to work 5 days because I am taking my stat next week to cover vacations this week), it's only Thursday and I am TIRED. Maybe it's the lack of sleep from sleeping outside on the couch during our heatwave, but I am feeling so sleepy the minute my body knows it's time to go home! This will be such a short post as I have period cramps and a headache, but I FINALLY am wearing MAC Skin all on its own after getting this limited edition bottle so long ago! I just wish I could remember WHICH collection this was?! I don't wear this shade alone a lot because I find it really close to my natural skin colour, but as a nude base for nail art I love it!

Hope everyone is surviving this week and enjoying the cooler weather (if you are in Vancouver)!

 

SHEET MASK | The Oozoo Whitening Capsule Shot Mask

Purchased by me

You may have noticed that for the last two months I have been pumping out one extra sheet mask review in addition to #SheetMaskSunday solely for my (and hopefully some of you) interests and as an effort to move through my sheet mask inventory. I have only chosen the coolest ones to review and now for August, I am going to up the ante and do THREE sheet masks reviews each week starting with again another cool mask from The Oozoo!

BODY | NEW Apothekari Spray Natural Deodorants

Press samples

I have been fairly consistent in my deodorant usage having only switched to a different brand once this year to review it because ever since my original review of the Apothekari pH Balanced Natural Deodorants, I haven't used anything else! Now, Apothekari has a brand new Natural Deodorant Spray that I was lucky enough to get a chance to review with brand new scents to enjoy!

NAILS | Kiwi Fruit Nail Art #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

I have been feelin' the fruit these last few weeks and rightly so since summer is in full swing here in Vancouver! After having "Juneuary", we finally have our fans on full blast and I even slept in the living room last week with the balcony door wide open! The cats were a bit confused by this and did not let me sleep in spurts of longer than 3 hours at a time before tossing a toy at my head, running all around the living room and chasing each other or just flat out meowing in my face. So yes, I was cool and comfortable, but exhausted by the time I got up!

SHEET MASK | Lassie'el Deeeep Focus Petit Patch Dark Spot Solution Mask

Purchased by me

Yet another FaceTory brand discovery was the Korean brand Lassie'el. The name comes from a combination of the words "lassie" and "elle" with the idea that a 'woman looks the most beautiful when she has a big smile on her face". Personally, I think the brand name is a bit strange and I never knew how to pronounce (or type for that matter) this brand name without looking up the spelling first every time! 

HAIR | Voir A Walk in the Sun Collection

 

Press samples

I am a little in love with Canadian haircare brand Voir and shortly after finally reviewing a number of products from their core collection, Voir released an extension to their Walk in the Sun line with a focus on damaged, sun-exposed and bleached hair that was gentle enough for everyday use while simultaneously hydrating and repairing the hair shaft. At the time of my first review, the only product in the Walk in the Sun line was the ultra fancy, delightfully scented Luxury Hair Oil so having more products that smell like this one was something I was overjoyed to try!

NAILS | OPI Nature Strong Cactus What You Preach Swatch #MidWeekMani

Press sample

I know that swatch posts aren't really posts, but sometimes Instagram isn't enough especially since I can't find my Instagram posts by Googling. There have been times when I KNOW I have posted a nail polish colour, but cannot find it on the blog. Then I realize that I must have posted it somewhere on Instagram and then I have to scroll and scroll until I find it. At least this way, I can just Google and I can find my swatch AND have a nice chat with you all! Plus, this shade of green is PERFECT for our 30 degree summer weather this week!

SHEET MASK | Murad Hydro-Glow Aqua Peel

Purchased by me

I picked these up from one Sephora's sales awhile back and thought it was so cool that Murad had a sheet mask with the peel swab like a lot Korean 2-step masks! It's a shame that these masks were discontinued because they were actually quite good!

NAILS | Matte Neon Waves #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

Who else is a little scared of this week's heatwave? I have been on the fence over getting an air conditioner and in the end, my husband and I decided we could live without one, but everytime I see those 30 degree temperatures, I freak out a little. I don't think I have ever been more unhappy than during last year's heat dome. I was also super concerned about the cats and did my best to offer them "cool solutions", but they were more than happy to sit in the dark like logs. I have never seen the cats so quiet! 

SHEET MASK | Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

Get ready because THIS is one iconic sheet mask! Korean skincare brand Klairs is quite well-known for their Midnight Blue Calming Cream and Youth Activating Drops. They also have a great vitamin C serum which was actually the first product I tried from them! The Midnight Blue Calming Sheet Mask is one I have been wanting to try for a very long time after seeing MANY reviews on this mask and now trying it, I understand why people think it's so cool!

SKINCARE | Bella Aura Rapid Repair Clarifying Elixir and Multi-Repair Rescue Masque

 

Press samples

What I love about beauty blogging is discovering and having access to new and oftentimes relatively unheard of brands. Sometimes, I even fall in love with them and back in 2015, Bella Aura was one of them! It was the year of "clean and natural beauty", but there were not many luxury brands in this space at the time. Bella Aura was Canadian and the ingredients and formulations were (and still are!) elegant with all of it coming in some gorgeously chic, black bottles. As a skincare lover, even if I love a brand, I often have so much product to go through that it's hard to justify buying more which is why I have not written about Bella Aura for awhile. While I have kept my eye on the brand, I haven't had a chance to try any of their newer products, not for lack of wanting to, but more to keep my consumerism to a "buy only if needed" level! We are showcasing two new-to-me products today that feature a VERY cool antibacterial ingredient - microsilver powder!

NAILS | Care Bear Nail Art #MidWeekMani

Some press samples

I feel like what is selling right now are reboots of ANYTHING from the 80s and 90s. Basically I am being sold my childhood when it comes to TV, LEGO and fashion and I am not hating it! It's like as I approach 40, my life is coming full circle. One of the things I have seen a resurgence of is TV shows like "Care Bears". Who remembers the Care Bear stare?! This was one of my favourite shows when I first came to Canada in 1988 and I have fond memories of plunking myself right in front of our TV and watching it all the time! 

SHEET MASK | Oozoo Bear Black Space Pore Caring Mask

Purchased by me 

The Oozoo is known for their "poppable" sheet masks and when I came across their Oozoo Bear series five years ago, I thought it was the cutest idea to have you pop the "ear" full of serum! There are a few different mask options and after having reviewed the Illuminating and Hydrating versions, this Pore Caring mask is the last Oozoo Bear I have in my collection and it's a good one!

MAKEUP | Mary Kay Silky Setting Powders

Press samples

I cannot stand feeling or looking even the least bit shiny when I get ready in the mornings and for the longest time, I thought that I would just have to live with it never thinking that setting powders could have helped me. Now, that I know how useful they are, I am quite particular about the ones I use and the word "silky" is most definitely on my checklist! 

NAILS | Neon Fruit #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

While I have always believed that when it comes to nail polish, you can wear ANY colour throughout the year, I have come to realize that neons are the exception. They just look so much better in the summer basking in sunshine! I will be making as much use of the new Biosculpture neon nail polish collection as possible from here until September because these shades just make me so happy whenever I look at them on my nails! 

SHEET MASK | Candy O' Lady Mystic Potion Candy Mask

Press sample

Starting in 2018, I started receiving press boxes from a recently closed company called Beauteque, which had a sheet mask and Korean beauty product subscription. They also had an online store that carried the brands they included in their subscription boxes where I have purchased a few hard-to-get sheet masks! Sadly, Beauteque ended up closing last year, but I was introduced to a number of sheet mask brands that I had never heard of and between my FaceTory subscription at the time, my avid consumerism and the 10-12 sheet masks I was receiving every month from Beauteque, I have a lot of masks to try and share with you! And to answer a question I get a lot, yes I most definitely still use masks that have expired as long as there is essence inside! I have never had an issue with a sheet mask smelling "off" and I think it is largely because sheet masks are so well-sealed that they have no oxygen getting in AND no light. The only issue I have had is the essence drying up which usually happens with masks that do not have a lot of excess serum to begin with.

MAKEUP | Caliray Freedreaming Skin Wellness Diffusing Tint with Before and After Photos

Purchased by me

Even though there are no longer mandatory mask mandates, all of us at work still wear them because it's just easier. We don't need to wear them if a client is NOT wearing one, but our policy then goes on to say that if the interaction is going to be fairly long, we then need wear a mask. In our business, most of the interactions we have are going to be at least 15 minutes of continuous conversation so at this point, we are all so used to wearing masks that it is just easier to wear one! I have said previously that though I haven't been wearing foundation at work, I have been wearing a lot of tinted sunscreens or moisturizers. I was on the prowl a few months ago for products that gave my skin a bit of a boost without feeling heavy and are quick to apply in the morning. This led me to the very attractive-looking Caliray Freedreaming Skin Wellness Diffusing Tint!

SHEET MASK | Pixi Beauty + Hello Kitty A for Apples Multi-Vitamin Infusion Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

No joke, but this the first Pixi product I have purchased! Pixi has always been incredibly generous with their press packages, but this was something that I do not believe was sent out and I had to have it! The Shoppers closest to me did not carry the sheet masks at all, but I happened to be at the Shoppers on Burrard Street in downtown Vancouver and they had all of the Pixi + Hello Kitty products so I controlled myself and ONLY picked up a box of the A for Apples sheet masks!   

BODY | Evereden Golden Body Serum

 

Product provided by Influenster

Oh my goodness will you look at that?! I have something from Influenster! The last time I received something was back in early 2020 and so I am always surprised when I qualify for any of these Voxboxes as I often don't have time to do the snaps and I am generally much older than their target audience and do not have children which often disqualifies me from a number of campaigns. You can imagine my surprise when I was informed via the Instagram app that I had an Evereden Golden Body Serum coming my way as this is a brand that I had seen on Sephora catering to pregnant women/women with kids/kids. I actually came across the brand when I was searching for "sheet mask" and the Evereden Belly Sheet Mask popped up! 

NAILS | Bright Blue Dotticure #CBBxManiMonday

 Press samples

Despite my being on vacation and having a fairly relaxed existence this last week, my brain was really hurting for inspiration for our summer nail art theme. Whenever that happens, I go back to techniques that I know always look cute and focus more on the colours I want to use which is what happened with today's manicure! I know dots and gradients will always be pretty and for anyone to do their own nail art, learning these two techniques will 100% of the time make it look like you had your nails done at the salon.

SHEET MASK | Knesko Skin Diamond Radiance Face Mask

Purchased by me

I think it will be a long time before I buy crazy expensive sheet masks again, but I picked this Knesko Skin Diamond Radiance Face Mask shortly before the pandemic at Holt Renfrew on one of my lunch breaks. While I don't think I would buy a $60 one use mask now, at the time, I figured it would be fun for the blog and give me a chance to show you whether this mask is all it's cracked up to be!

LIFESTYLE | Five on Friday - July 1st Festivities and Just More LEGO

I felt this week deserved a Five on Friday post as last week was my birthday so there were a lot of favourite things that I really enjoyed! Yes, they are mostly LEGO-related!

ONE

 

I worked right up until my birthday on July 1st and then decided to take a week of vacation so because I have been building LEGO Optimus Prime during my work lunch breaks, I wanted to finish him before I left so that my co-workers could play with him. I had some issues with transforming him and could not get him to become a truck on my last lunch break so I am hoping my boss had more success! 

SHEET MASK | Abib Mild Acidic pH Honey Fit Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

Abib is back on the blog today as this was the second mask I picked up from Daiso (this was the first Abib mask) and it is also another iconic mask for this brand! Not only did the clear packaging catch my eye, but also the idea of a mask that focused on pH levels was intriguing!

MAKEUP | Introduction to Canadian Brand Evalina Beauty!

Press samples provided

One of the very last in-person beauty events I attended was for the launch of Canadian brand Evalina Beauty back in November 2019. Founded by Samantha Legge, Evalina Beauty promises cruelty-free luxury beauty products that are designed to feel lightweight and bring out each person's natural beauty. I had planned a review for this brand a looooong time ago, but where has the last two years gone? I have no idea how it all went by so quickly, but here we are with the gorgeous rose gold and pink packaging of Evalina Beauty!

NAILS | Bright Blobs #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

I hope everyone had a good long weekend! I started July 1st off with birthday celebrations and the first day of vacation which was AMAZING! It was nice to finally do something outside on my actual birthday after having skipped it the last two years AND the weather was just perfect at 27 degrees with a cool breeze. Such a change from having to deal with last year's heat dome! 

SHEET MASK | The Art Cell Aurora Pearl Mask Pack

Purchased by me

A lot of the sheet masks you will see reviewed this summer will have very pretty packaging because many of them came from my FaceTory subscription and I was resistant to using them purely due to the fact that they were so pleasing to the eye. Now, many of the masks are hitting close to expiring so I felt it was time to open them up and get them on my face!

NAILS | Hawaiian Flower Nail Art #MidWeekMani

Press samples

I don't normally do nail art twice in one week as I am usually too tired to do another set during the work week, but as I am on vacation next week, I wanted to squeeze in this set of Hawaiian flower nails that I saw over on the OPI Instagram page by @brushedbyb_ yesterday because they just screamed summer!

SHEET MASK | Patchology Serve Chilled Rose Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

It may seem like I have been purchasing lots of sheet masks, but I swear that since April 2020, I have re-evaluated my beauty needs and really have slowed down! Most of the masks you will be seeing probably for the next year are from my crazy 2018-2020 years where I apparently had no self-control. I would like to think I have turned a new leaf with trying to save for the future, but a handful of times over the last two years there have been a few sheet masks that made me reach for my wallet! One of them being the Patchology Serve Chilled Rose Sheet Masks because who can say no to a glass of rose!

SKINCARE | Battle of the 5 Cleansing Balms

Press samples marked with "*"

I am actually quite surprised that I haven't done a cleansing balm roundup before because I use them CONSTANTLY! As a staunch double cleanser, I generally use either a cleansing oil or balm as my first cleanse, but for about the last year and half, it has been cleansing balms! I started reviewing these five cleansing balms today last year and since then, I have so many more to add so it looks like this"battle" will be continued soon!

NAILS | Side Rainbow Nail Art #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a virtual event with OPI for their new summer "Power of Hue" collection where we learned a couple of rainbow-themed manicures to do for Pride! I thought I would try this sideways rainbow as it looked super fast and easy to do and it was! 

SHEET MASK | Rose Heart Deep Moisturizing Pink Mask

Purchased by me

This was one of the first masks I received in my FaceTory subscription and it got me hooked on them! I loved the packaging for this Rose Heart sheet mask so much that I even used it in MULTIPLE flatlays. I mean, the blue, the hearts it was all pretty perfect! The other reason I was enamoured by this mask was the fact that it was a 2-stepper! 

SKINCARE | AXIS-Y Climate-Inspired Skincare

This is a sponsored post.

Korean skincare products have always been a major part of my skincare routine (hello, sheet masking every day!) as they tend to be very targeted and more progressive in their "skin tech" when it comes to ingredients. Korean skincare brand, AXIS-Y, is a "climate-inspired" vegan skincare line free of parabens, artificial fragrance, BHT, alcohol, SLS and mineral oil. The focus of their products is to combat environmental aggressors and skin stressors like pollution and UV damage. While they have a fairly extensive array of products, I have been using a couple of their bestsellers and I can DEFINITELY see why! 

SHEET MASK | Urban Dollkiss Urban City Azulene Aquaring Mask

Purchased by me 

Packaging win right here! I received this mask in either my FaceTory or Beauteque sheet mask boxes and was immediately pulled in by the Jackie O-inspired packaging! Urban Dollkiss has a number of interesting skincare products that are all packaged in very entertaining ways. For example, I have a bubble mask that is in a container that looks like a beer can! 

MAKEUP | Cheekbone Beauty SUSTAIN Eyeshadow Pencils

 

Purchased by me

June is Indigenous History Month with today, June 21st being National Indigenous Peoples Day so what better way to mark this day than with a review about the new(ish) Cheekbone Beauty SUSTAIN Eyeshadow Pencils! 

NAILS | Shannen's Dream #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

For this week's Allyship-themed #CBBxManiMonday, I am paying tribute to Shannen Koostachin who was an Indigenous youth activist from Attawapiskat First Nation in Ontario who at the age of 14, led a movement for "safe and comfy" schools and quality cuturally-based education for all First Nations children. I first heard of this incredible young woman because of Cheekbone Beauty as they donate to the organization Shannen's Dream. I also own the lipstick shade "Shannen" which is a stunning bright red! 

After Shannen herself had to endure learning in portables that had intermittent power and then finally shut down to a fuel leak that was already decades old, she realized the Canadian government needed to provide funding for Indigenous children everywhere which eventually led her to the steps of Parliament Hill in 2008. 

SHEET MASK | Abib Gummy Sheet Mask Heartleaf Sticker

Purchased by me

I first saw the brand Korean skincare brand Abib at Daiso, if you can believe it, and I didn't think anything of it. I thought the packaging was interesting and the ingredients looked decent, but then when I started researching the brand, I discovered that it was quite popular and known for its minimalist aesthetic (I think they only use the colours: black, various shades of green, white and grey) and more plant-based ingredient focus. 

NAILS | Cadillacquer Mascot Swatch #MidWeekMani

Purchased by me

I have been so tired this past week. Maybe it's the humidity and how uncomfortable it has been to sleep, but I can never get to sleep early even though I am tired and feel like I haven't slept a wink by the time the sun rises. I sleep with an eye mask, but it doesn't seem to be enough to block out every bit of light. At any rate, it has also been very busy at work with what feels like my body and mind being pulled in multiple directions, but such is life. I even stopped taking my CBD for a few days because it didn't seem to help much. I will be taking vacation in about 2 weeks for my birthday so I guess I have that to look forward to, but for now I will try to focus on getting some better sleep!