NAILS | Stars on Purple #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

I swear one day I will be ahead of the game and catch up! Especially with my Paris trip coming up, I will need to schedule a few things for sure! This last week was another tiring one so I was a bit lazy with my nail art for this week's #CBBxManiMonday though I will say that I DID have brand new nails on the actual Monday, but just didn't get a chance to edit the photos! I still haven't found a good way to get the lighting right for taking nail photos with my new iPhone without showing every wrinkle on my hand! 

SHEET MASK | The Creme Shop Rose Water Face Mask

Purchased by me

Again, I have had to dip into my unblogged vault of sheet masks as my skin is still on the mend from this rash/infection and it is barely noticeable now, but I still need to finish my course of topical steroids. We have now gone back in time to Jayne's hair from 2018 and to when I was beginning my journey into sheet masking. This Rose Water Face Mask from The Creme Shop was among the first I tried and though my initial experience with the brand was not the best, I have really grown to love their printed masks specifically, but generally I have been fairly happy with every mask I have tried! 

NAILS | Burnt Sienna Vibes #CBBxManiMonday

 

One press sample and one self purchase

As I write this, it's still the middle of the week so ManiMonday still applies right? You know, I have so many ideas brewing in my head for things to blog about on my days off and then I end up doing other things and then I need a nap. Then it's 4pm and I have to start thinking about dinner and before I know it, the day is gone! I also have been fairly quiet on IG stories with regards to beauty content and I really don't know why. I have been using all sorts of fun things, but I either forget to post about them or I am too tired and I kind of miss having that energy to share beauty-related things. Granted, it was a very stressful August that I am still recovering from so I have been allowing myself the time to "grieve" the self-care moments I lost in that last month of summer by napping if I want, going online shopping, cleaning or doing some LEGO. I don't have a plan for increasing my blog content at this moment, but maybe in October? It will be the 12th anniversary of Cosmetic Proof so I feel like I should step it up for that month at least!

SHEET MASK | Pacifica Disobey Time, Pollution Fight, Stress Rehab and Mattify Prep Facial Masks

Purchased by me

We are massively going back in time today with these very colourful and attractively packaged Pacifica sheet masks as I have been avoiding sheet masks for the last 3 weeks due to a small rash that popped up on my face (and by small, I mean a 4mm circle on my chin). I am currently treating it with steroid cream as the previous cream I was using was not working, so fingers crossed this one works! In the meantime, this means you are going to see archival photos of Jayne with dark hair because yes, I STILL have sheet masks that I haven't talked about from four years ago!

NAILS | OPI Hi Barbie! Swatch #MidWeekMani

Press samples

I feel like along with Fall and September, the long weekend just sort of crept up on me so I wasn't expecting to take a stat day this week, but it has been really nice to work a short week. I had Wed and today off so for the first time in probably three weeks, I got my act together and did some chores around the house and even decided to blog! The last month has been super stressful and it was nice to feel motivated to do something even if it was as simple as two loads of laundry and updating our house insurance. It's all in the little things!

HAIR | Gisou Honey Infused Haircare Set

Purchased by me

Ah, trendy haircare. Sometimes I hate myself for giving into the hype of certain brands and Gisou ("hair" in Farsi) was one of them. I think Negin Mirsalehi is gorgeous (at least according to her Instagram page) and has deliciously looking healthy hair (again, according to her Instagram page) while also having an attractive story of how her family has been raising bees for 6 generations with Negin herself being a beekeeper! All of the Gisou products contain honey from the Mirsalehi beehives which is quite interesting, but I can't help but approach this luxury haircare line with a grain of salt because Negin's image is so incredibly curated (like many) that it's hard to know what's real anymore, but curiosity got the best of me and when the opportunity came for me to try sample sizes of all of Gisou's bestsellers, I thought "Why the hell not?"

SHEET MASK | Neogen Super Hydra Aqua Capsule Mask

Purchased by me

Neogen sheet masks have always had a more "serious" vibe leaning more towards the derm side of skincare with the packaging looking a bit more technical and instructions that you actually need to read or else you might be using the mask incorrectly! 

NAILS | Abstract Fall Trees #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

Though it's not officially Fall yet, the start of school, Starbucks PSLs and the changing colour of leaves really makes it feel like summer is over. I feel like my summer was mostly good with some work crap that consumed much of my time last month, but I think the worst is over. I am looking forward to Fall in both a good and scary way as in October, I will be going to Paris (my first time in Europe!) for work and the flight is terrifying me. I have not been on a plane for more than 6 hours almost in 30 years and the thought of possibly feeling sick or getting a headache and feeling nauseated is actually where my phobia lies. My husband will be there too, but I am meeting him in Paris so I will still be flying alone which is totally freaking me out, but I have some time to get a strategy together on how to deal with my nerves. It will probably include Atavin, the Calm App, some breathing exercises and lots of movies!

NAILS | 3D Dots That Didn't Quite Work Out #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

I cannot believe this is the last week of August and I am sure MANY of you are feeling the same! We all know how incredibly quick the last half of the year goes by and in my older years, I have definitely come to appreciate the acceptable slowness of summer. I am hoping this week will be a better week for me and I have some new breathing exercises to try out so fingers crossed this will be the start of gaining some control over the anxiety I have been experiencing for most of the last year.

SHEET MASK | Tony Moly I'm Real Seaweed, Red Wine, Pomegranate and Aloe Sheet Masks

Press samples

I feel like August is perhaps a bit of a "bad luck" month for me because my blogging streak got completely derailed last week due to work and stress. Then, I had to stop using sheet masks because I have a weird rash on one side of my face which is still healing so I will just be dipping into my stash for a hopefully just a week or two more and then I can get back to my 100 days of sheet masking! I was just over the halfway mark when I got my rash so I was hoping to be done by the end of September, but alas we will need to go into October!

SHEET MASK | JM Solution Mama Pureness Firming Up Mask

Press sample

In the spirit of wellness, I am having my first consultation with a therapist today and fingers crossed we are a good fit! I used to see pedicures and facials as a way of de-stressing, but now I think I need to be more open to taking care of my mental state in a different way. I think being Asian, there is a cultural stigma regarding therapy. Asian medicine is very much about herbs, massages and meditation, but it doesn't really focus on talking about your emotions and admitting that sometimes all of the potions and lotions aren't enough! And believe me, I have a lot of those! I have never seen a therapist before so I am oddly looking forward to the experience in the same way I look forward to a new massage or facial place.

NAILS | Pink Waves #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

This one is going to be a short one because this past week has not been a fun one and yesterday was a blur of clients and work shenanigans. Hopefully things are going to get better, but it will be slow. I feel like my method of survival now is avoidance which is typically not how I choose to deal with things, but some things just aren't worth the energy of speech and/or interaction. Am I being cryptic enough? I keep asking my husband if I can retire and we can go live in Sweden or something. I'll become a travel blogger with nothing to lose and he can do consulting remotely from the comfort of our Lego-coloured home. I am just trying to decide if I will miss my paycheck or not...I do enjoy online shopping QUITE a bit!

SHEET MASK | A'Pieu Icing Sweet Bar Sheet Mask in Watermelon and Pineapple

 

Press samples

Oh my my, we have now reached the middle of August and dare I say it, almost the end of the summer...I know let's not think about that now because I think once September rolls around, the rest of 2023 is going to go by in a flash. I still want to squeeze out the last bits of summer including some summery sheet masks like these delectable looking popsicle-themed masks from Korean beauty brand A'Pieu!

MAKEUP | Peace Out Instant Pore Perfector (Silicone-Free!)

Press sample 

I think this is as close to makeup as I am going to get for awhile as I really do not feel like applying makeup in this heat nor did I prepare any makeup posts beforehand because I think I have now become exclusively a hair and skincare blogger. This makeup primer from Peace Out though? Sure, I will make time for because I have been treating it like skincare and really enjoying the experience!

NAILS | Popsicles #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

Now, that I have long and rounded almond nails, the world of nail art has opened up a bit more and one of the designs that has been on my list this summer has been popsicle nail art! Yes, I could have done small mini popsicles all over with any shape of nail, but having my whole nail be an actual popsicle was WAY more fun! 

SHEET MASK | Mediheal Airpacking Mint Wrap Foil Mask

Purchased by me

I have, what I am anticipating to be a busy week coming up as there will be a few vacations and generally that means that we are spread out a bit more thinly. Hopefully there won't be too much drama and the week will go by seamlessly and MAYBE will even be a little fun! Up for today's #SheetMaskSunday post is none other than one of the sheet mask greats - Mediheal! They have a seemingly endless supply of sheet masks that I can never keep up with and all of them have performed well and have been fun at the same time! 

NAILS | Bio Sculpture Gemini Poco Pop Swatch #MidWeekMani

Press sample

Alright so this isn't quite "Midweek", but I have been having a bit of a rough week mentally though I have been mostly smiles on the outside. I have just been feeling like I have a ball of anxiety rolled up in my chest and talking about it just makes me feel worse so it's the kind of anxiety that I can only survive if I smile my way through it and just pretend everything is fine in the hopes that my mind catches up to my body. 

SHEET MASK | The Body Shop Edelweiss Serum Concentrate Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

Will this be the week I get back on track with blog posts? Ever since the unpleasant comment at work that bummed me out on Saturday, it made me angry enough to twist the situation around and kick my Type A personality into high gear. I have often struggled with separating work life from personal life and I am still trying to find that balance, but I make exceptions for clients (unless they are complaints LOL). My own clients are always wonderful so I don't mind emailing or texting them on my days off, but other than that, I try to keep my two lives separate. Even though I have been off for two days, I have been making to-do lists and engrossing myself in sales numbers which has been a little bit fun! I feel like whenever you feel trapped in life, making a list of things to do or my current favourite, a spreadsheet, always makes me feel like I have control. Will this last until the end of the year? Who knows, but I need to remind myself to be open to changing things up as many of these lists and strategies involve employees so if something's not working, I need to know how to swallow my pride and try something else! Suffice it to say, my brain might not be here in this space this week while I adjust my bearings!

HAIR | Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Joia Set and Bum Bum Cream

 

Purchased by me

I feel like I have been writing this Sol de Janeiro post for the entire day, but when I look at the clock it has only been about 2 hours. I think because I woke up at the regular work time on my day off and then proceeded to do some stuff for my day job for like four hours which was way longer than I had expected, but I feel a bit better now going into tomorrow that I have gotten some the things on my very long to do list done! 

NAILS | Barbie Swirls #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

I don't know how this long weekend crept on me, but I kept thinking the Civic holiday was next weekend, but here we are and here I AM with Sunday, Monday and Tuesday off! I had kind of an unfortunate moment at work on Saturday that left me feeling a little unsettled, but I think after talking to GOOD people in my life and looking back at physical evidence of my work performance, I have come to the conclusion that I know my worth and have been validated numerous times this past year alone so "screw it" to what was said to me! In that spirit of empowerment, I had to use as many OPIxBarbie polishes as possible for today's manicure! Along with polishes, OPI released two sets of press-on Barbie-themed nails and one of the sets had this swirly pink and blue design that I wanted to do on my own nails!

SHEET MASK | eyeNLip Beauty Moisture Essence Hyaluronic Acid and Charcoal Masks

Press samples

How can it be August already? Even though my schedule doesn't really change much in the summer compared to let's say a teacher, I definitely still feel the slowdown of summer. There is MUCH less traffic in the mornings and my 35 min commute becomes 20. People in general are in no rush for things and maybe it's the sunny weather that puts people in a good mood, but everyone is generally quite pleasant which is ALWAYS nice in the world of retail. 

NAILS | Dragonfruit Nails #CBBxManiMonday

 

Press samples

In addition to wearing super bright nail polish, the other theme I love about summer nails is that we all wanna put FRUIT on 'em! I think I have done some version of fruit each year, but awhile ago I saw some dragonfruit nails on N.Y.A Nails and thought "How CUTE?!" This was one fruit I have never attempted to paint and despite the fact that I am not a fan of ingesting dragonfruit (I mean it's ok, but I feel like I would rather sink my teeth into an orange), painting its insides was great fun!

SHEET MASK | Peripera Smoothie Time Pomegranate and Mango Sheet Masks

 

Press samples

While I was organizing my sheet masks last month, I realized I hadn't really gone through the sheet masks I had received from Beauteque. For a few years, I was a very lucky gal who was able to receive sheet masks as press samples to showcase the diversity of the Beauteque subscription boxes. Without an explanantion, Beauteque ended up shutting down in 2021, but it was probably for similar reasons that MANY subscription boxes shut down and that is that it simply got too expensive to maintain which is why I am still in awe of Ipsy and Boxycharm. I think there are a few other subscription boxes out there, but after trying at least five beauty boxes over the years, a sheet mask sub is probably the only one that I would enjoy since this is the one product I can use up AND enjoy consistently! 

NAILS | Cirque Colors La Vie En Rose Swatch (Thermal) #MidWeekMani

 

Purchased by me

This is my 22nd blog post this month and marks the first time since July 2022 that I have blogged over 20x/month! No, my posts aren't all that long or filled with complex reviews, but I think those are only good once in awhile and not at all the time as I would prefer to have this be a relaxed place. When I didn't have my day job back in April 2020, I wrote A LOT and in great detail since I had the time to test and write down every observation I had about whatever product I was testing, but if I am working I can barely keep the days straight in my head! I am proud of myself for coming back to this level of posting though as much of my lack of blogging came from my grief over losing Hugo. I admit that I live in constant fear that something will happen to Harper or Buster out of the blue so I make sure I shower them with love and attention whenever I can so that if something were to happen, I will know that I spent as much time with them as possible. With Hugo, I feel like I didn't spend enough time with him, but maybe that is just the grief talking. Since losing Hugo, I have tried to cherish every moment I have with my furballs.

SHEET MASK | Purlisse Blue Lotus + White Tea Treatment Sheet Mask

Press sample

I remember discovering the brand Purlisse around the time of the Ipsy subscription bags (which I can't believe are still around and apparently more popular than ever!). Purlisse was one of the first brands I discovered that had a blend of Asian and Western skincare philosophies and was created by Chinese-American Jennifer Yen. Being a Chinese immigrant myself, I identified with the brand on a cultural level and fell in love with their Blue Lotus Moisturizer with SPF 30 years ago and ended up going through two bottles. I never picked it up again because I can only find it through the Purlisse website which, when things are in USD, makes it less appealing as the last bottle I got was from Cosmoprof in Vegas.

SKINCARE | Double Cleansing with Stoic Beauty Gemini Cleanser Alpha and Beta

 

Press samples

I am back with more from Toronto-based Stoic Beauty! I fell in love with the brand at the beginning of the year when I got a chance to try their serums and then again with their body oil and butter. This year, I have really been into trying out different cleansers and as an advocate of the double cleanse, Stoic Beauty's Gemini Cleansers immediately jumped out at me!

NAILS | I Finally Did Cartoon Nails! #CBBxManiMonday

 

Press samples

I am so happy cartoon nails are back because I think they were super popular during the rise of cutepolish and nail art about 10 years ago and I just never got around to doing them, but I have been making an effort to knock off my nail art bucket list and even re-doing things I tried oh so long ago because I would like to think that my skills are better AND my photos are a lot better now! I remember I would only paint them if I had a day off the next day because I always painted at night and would take my photos in natural light as I had no ring light at the time. Back then, ring light setups were a bit of an investment, but I can't believe that they are so affordable now! I used to pray that I wouldn't get any sheet marks on my nails or cause any damage to them before they could be immortalized by photo! 

SHEET MASK | BeYou Pineapple and Seaweed Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

I want to say that I probably picked up these BeYou masks before the pandemic because I remember freely just walking around the Anthropologie store in West Vancouver which I do not think I have done in a very long time! Be warned that MOST of what I will be talking about in the next couple of months (barring any personal issues or sick kitties) will be sheet masks I picked up or received years ago or makeup that I really love, but just haven't had the need to discuss since I only started wearing proper makeup again this year. I still don't know if I even have the skills anymore to apply foundation properly, but I have felt a resurgence in my passion for makeup products so I am hoping to feature more of it here! 

NAILS | Cadillacquer Vermillion Swatch #MidWeekMani

Purchased by me

I am not a morning person. For every day that I have worked in most of my jobs, when the alarm goes off, my first thought is to phone in sick followed by "I'll just text in my 2 weeks notice and quit" all so I can sleep in. Once I get going and get to work, the tasks of the day set in and I don't think this way anymore, but that feeling to hit the snooze button repeatedly is greater some days than others. For the last week, with the beautiful weather, the sun shining, I have never wanted to be off the whole summer more! To be at home in my summer rompers, doing house things and being with the cats is like pure bliss to me right now. When I have a day off, I don't even really sleep in (maybe I get up at 8am instead of 7am?) so I think that even though I may not be much of a morning person, it depends on HOW I am spending my morning. As much as I have asked numerous times to be a housewife, I don't think it is ever going to happen! Forever the working woman I will be! I realize that my love of shopping means that I will be working for a VERY long time since I have never really felt comfortable with my husband purchasing things for me.

SHEET MASK | Annie's Way Hyaluronic Acid and Seaweed Hydrating Mask

Press samples

We are already more than halfway through July! Summer always goes by too fast! A lot of people ask me whether I want to travel anywhere when I take time off this season and I always have to say no because Vancouver is SO NICE this time of year! So far, it hasn't been too hot and as long we stay out of heat dome temperatures from the last two years, I am happy! I also use the cats as a gauge for how hot it is so if they are immobile pancakes, it's REALLY hot and if they are still playing then it's not hot enough!

MAKEUP | Avon x fmg GLO KOLOR Collection

Press samples

As I have gotten older, I have definitely moved over into more of the skincare side of beauty vs. the makeup even though I still love makeup, but maybe I'm not as experimental as I used to be. Nowadays, I don't often get excited about makeup, but when I saw the packaging of the new fmg GLO KOLOR collection I couldn't help getting excited about trying out the products! A collection that is all about no fuss beauty and making sure the skin is prepped and at its best, these hydrating and priming products feel like skincare, but can be friends with your makeup and I LOVE THAT.

NAILS | Tour de France Nail Art #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

Netflix made me do it. After watching Tour de France:Unchained last month, I became hooked on staying up to date on the Tour and its participants! I have been following the Tour every day since it started on July 1st and though I wish I could stay up/wake up early to watch each of the 15 stages so far so I have been settling for highlights. This was an unexpected interest for me as I don't bike or have that much devotion to many sports, but after the Netflix special, I had no idea that there was so much strategy and teamwork involved! I know that only one person can win, but I did not realize that they only win because their teammates help them by setting pace, shielding "the star" from wind by riding in front of them so they don't have to work so hard, alternate attacks so that the best contender to win the Tour gets to attack last, again conserving energy. There are people on the team who are "domestiques" whose sole job on the team is to bring water to the other members. Being on a Tour team pays quite well even at the lower levels so I guess it's all good in the end, but I really thought it was a much more individual sport than it is! 

SHEET MASK | Pucca Ceramide Liposome Tech Mask Collection

Press samples

In what feels like another universe, I attended Cosmoprof in Las Vegas back in 2017 for five freakin' days. I am not someone who likes crowds and neither does my husband and yet, I suggested we stay in Vegas for 5 whole days. After that, I realized that Vegas is a 2-3 day stint MAX. We needed real fruit and veggies and I was getting so sick of eating restaurant food day in and day out. However, Cosmoprof was a ton of fun and there was A LOT to see so five days gave me the opportunity to take my time in all the areas including the very awesome KBeauty section! 

NAILS | Chanel Singularité Swatch #MidWeekMani

Gifted by Gerry

I was on a post scheduling kick last week while I was off and was about to schedule this one, but decided not to as part of what I like about these simple swatch posts is that they capture my mood at present. I was only back at work for all of three days and when I woke up yesterday, I was convinced it was Sunday and I could sleep in. I think I would honestly just rather be out enjoying the sun and being at home with my furbabies, but I do have expensive taste so this gal will probably need to work for at least the next 25 years! 

SHEET MASK | PACKage I Love Myself, Sweet Dream and Don't Worry Masks

Purchased by me via The FaceTory subscription

I have been dying to try these sheet masks from Korean brand PACKage for years and now that I have done it, I don't know where to find them anymore! I find a lot of these new Korean sheet mask brands vanish just as quickly as they appear so going forward, I am going to try to stay on top of sheet masks in a fairly reasonable timeframe (like within the year). I received these masks through my FaceTory subscription and had planned on trying them all, but like I said, they seem hard to find now. It was the Instagram-worthy packaging that really caught my attention, but I also saw some really positive reviews from fellow sheet maskers on IG so when I finally got these masks in my possession, I immediately put them on my list to try. Thankfully, I now have my act together three years later and have a review for you!

MAKEUP | Oceanly by Attitude Silky Pink Makeup Set Review and Look

Press samples

Years ago, the Montreal-founded brand Attitude made its way into my beauty life via their Superleaves collection and household cleaning products. The products are made Canada, EWG verified, vegan, cruelty-free and strive to reduce waste in their packaging. Last May, Attitude launched their makeup line Oceanly, a line of plastic-free makeup made with 99% ingredients of natural origin including skin-loving ingredients like phytoglycogen and collagen. This collection of products includes everything you will need for a full face of glowy, natural-looking makeup from foundation and concealer to blush and highlighter. All the makeup products are also free of fragrance, carmine, titanium oxide and beeswax. While this isn't something I prioritize too highly in my makeup products, I do value mindful packaging and having no plastic whatsoever is something I find pretty incredible considering how many products there are in this launch!

NAILS | OPI Summer Make the Rules Brights #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

This was another one of those times where a wonderfully bright and new nail polish collection showed up at my door and I wanted to wear ALL the colours! OPI's Summer Makes the Rules collection has entered the Jaynesphere and I want to wear them all! This was like me OPI's Power of Hue collection from last year. I think I have at least 10 manicures with polishes from this collection which is honestly a true indication of how much I loved the shades. This year might end up being the same with this collection because all of the shades are so summery and bright that it will be hard to stay away from them!

SHEET MASK | The Creme Shop Power Up, Skin! Alien Face Mask

Purchased by me

I can never get enough of The Creme Shop and their printed masks so when I saw this alien face mask at Winners, I knew it would be a lot of fun and I was right!

SKINCARE | The Best and the Not So Great Sunscreens Round Up 2023 with "Swatches"

Some press samples (indicated with *)

It's that time again where every day is a new sunscreen to try! I actually try to be really careful now of keeping track of my sunscreens since they expire so as much as I wanted to do a little Korean beauty sunscreen haul to review for you, it will most likely not be until next summer as I have more than enough sunscreen to use for the next year! I am not on the press lists for any Korean beauty brands/stores, but if one or two sunscreen REALLY pique my interest then mayyyybe you will see it here (*ahem* Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun)!

NAILS | Rainbow Honey Evening Viola Swatch #MidWeekMani

Purchased by me

Well, today was my first day back after a REALLY nice staycation and as usual, there are always a few things to follow up and catch up on. I always find it easier to come back in the middle of the week than on a Monday as it doesn't seem quite as stressful. I use to choose Sundays as my comeback day, but now that we are closed on Sundays, I've just been choosing any other day of the week than Monday. I've found that Friday is also a good day because even if you want to follow up, people are already checking out for the weekend so it buys you some time! 

SHEET MASK | Farm Stay Real Mango and Coconut Essence Mask

Press samples

Today is my last day of staycation so I am a little bit sad, but at the same time I also have a few days booked off at the end of the month as well so I don't have to wait long until I get a few days to relax again! I don't normally take a lot of vacation and I have traditionally always been one of those people who end up having to use up remaining vacation days randomly in the middle of winter as our company only allows 5 days of carryover, but THIS year I decided that for the summer, I was going to spend as much of it relaxing on my patio as possible. I just wanted to live the good life as this is the NICEST time of the year in Vancouver where people come to see the city so why should I leave now?

MAKEUP | NYX This is Milky Gloss with Swatches

Purchased by me

I know, I know. I have been working on whittling down my beauty collection in the office for the past month and now I have three new lipglosses... As I have been purging, in a weird way I feel like I have been given a pass to purchase new things and truth be told, a lot of the makeup I have is not new as I have slowed down my makeup purchasing quite a bit since the pandemic started. Skincare has been consistently purchased, but makeup took a bit of a backseat especially lip products. What spurred me into buying the new NYX This is Milky Glosses was the green shade in the middle - Mint Choc Chip Shake. The packaging said it was FLAVOURED and as this is one of my all-time favourite ice creams (I can never justify buying it since my husband hates it), I had to have it. I also had to have some of its friends! 

NAILS | The New Délice Pastel Collection from Bio Sculpture #CBBxManiMonday

Press samples

I seriously struggled with coming up with a design for the new Bio Sculpture Délice Pastel Collection because I wanted to wear ALL THE COLOURS for this month's theme of "Brights and Summer". This creation here is me wanting to wear everything and making it work! This collection combined pastels and neons turning normally Spring shades into ones for summer that are so eye-catching that I might try to wear ONE shade at a time for once!

SHEET MASK | Missha x Kelly Park A Mask Sheet Only For Me Blue Day and Passion Day

Purchased by me

I don't even remember when I got these masks from Missha, but I remember that it was at the height of me discovering the world of sheet masking where I pretty much bought everything in sight! These masks had such gorgeous packaging that I grabbed them thinking they would make great flatlays and sure enough, they do! These masks were part of a collaboration with Korean artist Kelly Park which features her artwork as the packaging and explains why it was so eye-catching! I had no idea what I was buying at the time and after learning there were six masks in total, I tried looking for them, but to no avail so it will just have to be these two masks for today!

MAKEUP | I Turn the Big 4-0 Today!

The day has finally come and I cannot believe that 10 years ago I posted this giveaway celebrating my 30th birthday...I am in a much better headspace for 40 than I was for 30 I will tell you that! I feel like there was a lot of pressure for 30. When I turned 30, I wasn't married yet (engaged with TBA wedding date) and my career was still up in the air as I was finishing a second degree at UBC and still wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life. 10 years later, I am so much more content with my life than I was with no plans of going back to school or switching careers (unless it's in the world of LEGO or cats!).

NAILS | F$#@ You! #MidWeekMani

Today is the last day of being in my 30s so I figured this set of nails would be a fitting way to bid adieu to one decade of my life to welcome another. This is actually from a guest post that I did from from nine years ago for someone else's blog, but they shut down their blog years ago and so these photos were lost with it and never to be seen on the Internet again...until now! At the time, I was too embarrassed to post these photos and I remember taking my nails off right away, but almost a decade later, it seems a shame not to post these perfectly pink F You nails today!

SHEET MASK | Flower Beauty Revitalizing and Radiance Boosting Sheet Mask

Purchased by me

In 2019, a couple of other beauty bloggers and I decided to take on April and the theme of Earth Month by using sheet masks that leaned towards the more natural side. I obviously took this opportunity to have myself a shopping spree at Well.ca as at the time, they had a number of sheet masks coming from "earth-friendly" brands. One of those brands was Drew Barrymore's Flower Beauty and though these masks are now discontinued, at the time, they were an exciting addition to the Flower Beauty line up.

MAKEUP | Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm SPF 30 with Swatches

 

Press samples

Summer is officially here as is sunscreen season, though it is technically ALWAYS sunscreen season, there is something about experiencing actual heat that really puts you in the mood! One area that I often neglect to apply sunscreen to is my lips and though I have never been been burned on my lips, whenever I go out on walks, I try to cover them up with something as much as possible because a lip sunburn just sounds painful! Thankfully, Burt's Bees has a new tinted lip balm (yay!) that also has an SPF 30 (double yay!) and are a mineral sunscreen formulated with 19.5% zinc oxide. I have never used a tinted lip SPF product before and I thought it was cool that I would be able to look a little more dressed up yet still being protected from UV!

NAILS | Monarch Butterfly Nail Art #CBBxManiMonday

Purchased by me

As of right now, 11:45pm on Monday night, I am on vacation to celebrate my birthday! I had a CRAZY Monday for work, but I knew I would so I had prepared myself as best as possible to be completely run off my feet - which I was! I always at least FEEL more put together when I have my ManiMonday done so I decided to take an early Sunday night and start painting around 9pm so that I would have some time to edit the photos for Instagram.  

SHEET MASK | L'Ocean Renardeau Core Essence Face Mask Baobab and Centella Asiatica

Press samples

I started working with mask subscription beauty box service Beauteque way back in 2018 when I feel sheet masks were REALLY at their peak. I feel very fortunate to have been on their press list because I have been introduced to so many fun masks and brands that I had never heard of and would have had a ridiculously hard time finding. Sadly, Beauteque is no more and I think their last box was September 2021 and then their website disappeared. I have a lot of masks from their subscription boxes coming up over the next couple of months and maybe this will be my way of paying my respects to what was a very fun thing that I looked forward to opening everytime!