a little bit of Christmas

Hi everyone!

First of all I would like to apologize for the lack of posts recently.  School got incredibly stressful and I took a bit of a break.  My health hasn't been the best over the holidays either and I haven't been able to wear makeup for about a week and no one wants to take pictures when they feel like crap.  I also just woke up and pinched a nerve in my neck, sweet.

I really hope I can get back to my normal self again soon but I thought I would share some pictures I took around Christmas with you guys!

My dog, Toula <3

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, thanks so much for stopping by!

xoxo

winter coat + clutch

This past weekend, winter truly set in here in Vancouver.  It was freezing cold!  Thankfully I had my wool coat from last winter and because I was out somewhere nice, I decided to pair it with my envelope clutch.

Coat: BCBG (Last year) Envelope Clutch: Lodis

And yes, that is a frozen waterfall behind me.  On the plus side, this weekend felt nice and Christmassy!

xo

winter saviours

Everyone who lives somewhere that gets cold in the winter knows that it does horrible things to your skin and hair.  It gets so bad that whenever I have to go somewhere and look nice, I do the math to avoid walking outside as much as possible.  I'll do my hair and makeup and by the time I show up where I need to be, I'm red, frizzy, you name it.  People probably take one look and think to themselves "Oh she's havin' a night..."
Anywho, here are a few products that can help with the dryness from head to toe.

I get dry patches of skin around my nose in the winter and I find that applying the Clinique Moisture Surge really helps smooth them out.  I like to work it in to my night time skin routine and apply a decent amount just around my nose after I've applied my moisturizer and I even run it over my lips before I put my Nuxe lip balm on.  I purchased the Fresh Rose Face Mask about a year ago and it's perfect for the winter.  It's a brown gel mask (careful, it feels super cold on your skin!) and during the colder months I like to apply it once a week.  It's got cucumber, aloe, green tea and rose petals in it and I like the smell, it's quite therapeutic.  For great results, I like to exfoliate beforehand.

For my body I usually go drugstore with the Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Body Lotion.   This stuff is perfect to apply straight out of the shower and with it, I never have dry skin.  However, if I'm going out and want something a little more scented, I opt for the Victoria's Secret Ultra Moisturizing Hand and Body Cream in the scent Sugared Lilac.  It's so thick and luxurious and adds a bit of a boost to your perfume.  

When it comes to winter hair frizz, I swear by two products.  The first is the Living Proof Styling Cream for Medium to Thick Hair.  It's labelled as curl-defining but I find that when I run it through my damp hair, I can let my waves air dry and they come out frizz free.  This is a great one for all you curly girls out there who don't have hours to spare.  I wish someone had told me about the Bumble and Bumble Straight Blow Dry Styling Cream back in highschool, because straightening my hair was a total nightmare.  This stuff is the only thing that keeps my hair remotely straight and I've gone through a few bottles of it.  I apply it to damp hair then I wrap my head in a towel and let it towel dry about 80%. Minimized blow-dry time = minimized frizz!  After that it takes me about 5-10 minutes to dry my hair with a round brush to add volume and straightening only takes about 15 minutes.  Yes this sounds like a process, but everyone with frizzy, wavy, misbehavin' hair out there feels me.

Lastly, for some extra on-the-go help, I turn to my Bumble and Bumble Spray de Mode Hairspray to fix any leftover flyaways, and the miniature size is perfect for purses.  I never leave the house without my L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, it smells amazing and is ultra-moisturizing, definitely a staple.  Last, this may seem like an odd product but I get super dry eyes if I'm somewhere where the heating is cranked all the way like busses and classrooms, etc.  I always keep a little Refresh Fake Tears with me, otherwise I'm walking blinking like an idiot.

I hope this helps you all with your winter woes, now go outside and enjoy the festive season!  Drink some water while you're at it.  I'm a huge hypocrite for saying this because I hate drinking water, but it's probably the number one advice to anyone with dryness problems!

xo

winter white

Since I've been wearing a lot of dark polishes lately, I decided to switch things up and go for a more delicate look.
This one was super easy and even though I'm little behind on this trend, I absolutely love it.  It's so dainty and I love that the sparkle is at the bottom of the nail, it's less prone to chip away in big chunks.
I wish I could do Christmassy nails all year 'round!  So far these are my favorite, I already have an idea of what I'll be doing next ;)

december 5th

Today I'm feeling a little under the weather so I decided to relax and write some Christmas cards.  I've got my favorite Christmas music playing in the background, which for those you wondering is the Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack.  It's on repeat in my apartment over the holidays and I find so calming and therapeutic.
I lit another one of my winter candles (ya I know, I have a problem) but it's called Pinecone, how could I not pick it up??  When a candle has the same name as your cat you don't think, you just do.  Especially if it smells as lovely as this one does, Bath and Body Works Pinecone has such a fresh winter-y smell if you're looking for something that isn't too deep or smokey.
I'm also going to try something new on my nails and I can't wait to show you guys!

Other candle holders + candles from Ikea.

From Left to Right: Sinful Colors in Silver Glitter, Original Nail Envy and Kiko Nail Lacquer #204.

cozy winter night

It snowed for the first time this year while I was at my parents' place on Monday!  How exciting!  I ran around the house and made Buddy the Elf look like an amateur.  Winter is here in Canada and it's absolutely freezing, which is great if you're spending your night inside having festive drinks.

I love this year's big Starbucks mug! Little mugs are for elves.

You can hardly see the snow but it was there, I promise!

During my down time lately I've been lighting my new winter scented candles like Bath and Body Works' Winter Night which smells like a smokier, nighttime version of their super popular Fresh Balsam candle.  I've also started doing more festive nails and I finally got around to trying Essie's Toggle to the Top.  This one's an interesting polish, it doesn't feel smooth on the nail because of all the sparkle in it but it's opaque and I love it!

Essie's Toggle to the Top

I found a box of Starbucks Peppermint Hot Cocoa in my grocery store and actually jumped for joy.  Chocolate and peppermint are my two favorite things and this stuff tastes amazing, especially with mini marshmallows.  A lot of brands have also come out with their festive teas and I've been loving Stash Tea's Christmas Morning.  It's nothing crazy, just a black tea mixed with a green tea but it's really comforting and nice at any time of day.

december first

So classes are officially over and I'm spending some down time at my parents' house eating real food and enjoying the Christmas season!  Today's outfit was super basic, I wore my Babaton linen and wool sweater which was super cozy and instead of spending time on my hair this morning I put it up in a big messy bun and dressed it with burgundy flower clips.  Whenever I'm super lazy with my hair I'll just put it in a big pile on top of my head and throw in a bow of a flower or even a plaid scrunchie.
I decided to tie it all together with my new MAC lipstick in Craving.  I dabbed it on my lips instead of swiping it and then blended it in with my fingers which makes it last incredibly long.  It's been 7 hours, I've drank and eaten and it's still there.
Hopefully now that I'm all finished with classes I'll be able to post more!

Sweater: Aritzia; Necklace: Tiffany; Hair Accessories: H&M; Lips: MAC Craving

Off to a hot relaxation yoga to finish off my day, then home to a nice cup of tea!

xo

Holiday Transitions featuring MAC

I haven't bought anything from MAC for about 2 years now.  Why?  The last thing I purchased from them was a lipstick that looked great on me in the store but once I got home the color looked horrible on me and it was really drying on my lips and just left a horrible taste in my mouth (literally and figuratively).
Yet after seeing some of my favorite bloggers talk about MAC products on their pages and in tutorials I couldn't resist going in to take a peek.

The first thing I gravitated toward was their lipstick counter.  I was looking for a lipstick to wear around the holidays that wasn't a red (I've got plenty of those).  I tried on the MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Craving and was immediately sold.  It looks like a basic berry-toned neutral but when it's on the lips it's a gorgeous deep and sultry rose color.  It's not the slightest bit drying either and glides on as smoothly as a lip balm.  Perfect for everyday use, I'm hooked.

The other item I purchased was the MAC Eyeshadow in the color Sable
It's labelled as one of their "Frost" shadows so it's got a nice satin-y sheen to it, perfect as a stand alone color on the lid or as a blending color for a holiday smoky eye.  I was also really impressed with how well it blends and you can build up the color to make it a little more intense.

Looks like I've seriously underestimated the power of some of MAC's products.  Hopefully I'll hit them up again in the new year!

Have you tried either of these products? Let me know what you think!

xoxo

thick knit

I'm absolutely in love with my thick knit sweater from Urban Outfitters, it's so warm and cozy I didn't wear anything under it or over it today and lemme tell ya, it was chilly.  I paired it with my super thick burgundy scarf for a super casual and comfortable outfit to wear to my parents' house.
I'm tempted to get the same sweater in black!

Sweater: Urban Outfitters; Scarf: Etsy; Tights: Lululemon; Bag: Coccinelle; Boots: Ksubi;

Hope you're all having a nice weekend

xo

An Autumn Nail

Fall and winter is the time to lean toward a deeper palette, one filled with navy, plum, oxblood and black.  If you know me, you'll know that the majority of my wardrobe consists of black and I'm notorious for saying "oh but it looks better in black...".

seattle haul

This weekend T and I headed down to Seattle just to get away from it all and boy was it nice.  I didn't take any school work with me and we simply left all our cares behind.  We didn't have too much of a plan other than to do whatever we wanted to do but one thing we both agreed on is that we wanted to shop.
While we were there I managed to find the few things I was looking for plus a few little nice surprises.

For beauty products I picked up a few things that I've been coveting lately, namely the YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in #13 Peach Passion.  I never wear any pink lipsticks, nevermind ones that are slightly peachy, I just never found that they suited my colouring.  I don't own any of the YSL lipsticks but I've only heard amazing reviews so I picked this one up and I was not disappointed.  It's super creamy and one swipe gives you perfect coverage.  I needed a new blush because mine was bright pink, slightly out of season and not to mention, it's currently in a million little pieces.  Because Sephora was having the 20% off for VIB cardholders, I picked up the Nars Blush in Seduction. It's a dark plum color which at first glance is rather intimidating, but you only use a small amount and when blended in properly, it gives you a nice flush of color, perfect for the colder months. 

While I was down there, I promised myself to find a new makeup storage unit considering that my current "storage unit" consists of a large, clear, plastic tupperware-esque container that I rummage through in the mornings.  I hit up The Container Store and picked up this awesome storage unit with a removable lipstick holder.  Now I'll be able to actually see all my makeup, which is nice.

I was also in desperate need of some new brushes and looked in quite a few places for the Real Techniques ones.  I finally found the limited edition dual fiber ones at Ulta Beauty and also picked up their blush brush and a Japonesque eyeshadow brush while I was at it.

I was pretty disappointed with the cosmetics sections at the Targets that we went to namely because they didn't have anything that I had been looking for.  While walking up and down the aisles however, I dis manage to find two gorgeous nail polishes from Essie. The red glittery one is called Toggle To The Top and will probably be on my nails for the entire month of December and the second one is a deep, forest green called Stylenomics.  Everyone is busy raving about Essie's new dark navy color but I'm more of a green girl myself and can't wait to try this one out.

  

For clothing, I picked up a super thick-knit cozy pullover sweater from Urban Outfitters from the brand Cooperative.  It looked so comfy that I couldn't resist wearing it on our last day there and I paired it with my Zara Tartan Scarf.

 If you know me, you'll know that I'm obsessed with Christmas.  I've been watching Christmas movies for over a week, my twinkle lights are up in my room and I made several Christmas-themes purchases this weekend no shame.  I looove the Dark-Chocolate Covered Minty Marshmallows from Trader Joes, my mom usually gets my a box for my stocking but I couldn't wait.  Also from Urban Outfitters I got a new pair of slipper boots, they're fuzzy with reindeer and Christmas trees on them so I don't need to explain those.  Target had lots of awesome Christmas stuff in the guys section and I got a pair of PJ pants with my favorite Christmas special on them, Charlie Brown!  And of course I grabbed some classic Christmas DVDs for my apartment cause you can't go wrong with those.

 Sorry about the blur in the bottom corner, Pinecone couldn't resist playing with her new stocking that I picked up for her from Target!  It's so cute and fuzzy and has jingle bells!  I couldn't leave it behind...even though T rolled his eyes and called her a little turd.
See! She loves it already!

We had such an amazing time, I didn't take any pictures because we were in the shops a lot and just busy doing things.  We had some amazing food and some good laughs and hopefully we'll go back within the year :)

October Favorites

Hi everyone!

So I'm a few days behind with this post but I've been busy visiting with my parents and getting other stuff done.  This is the part where I say "like OMG where has the month of October gone?! I dont even know!"
No.
I know exactly where the month of October went.  It was crazy busy and stressful but I also had a lot of really good times last month I remember it all quite well.  I don't have too many new beauty favorites because I've been sticking to what I know as of late.  Also, during my down time, I've acquired a new non-beauty favorite ;)


First I'm going to start off with something you may have seen lying around in a previous post and that is my Clinique Black Honey Super Shimmer Eyeshadow Single.  I talked about it a little in my other post but just to sum it up, this stuff is amazing, it's great to wear all by itself just swept over the entire lid or you can build up the color and make it much darker.  You can use it to smoke out a brown shadow or even a red one which I plan on doing perhaps this weekend ;)
Next is a new foundation that I've been using for about a month and it's my Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation and I wear the lightest shade #100 Ivory because I'm pale as a banshee.  I needed a new foundation because the little color I picked up over the summer was fading fast so at the end of September I picked up this one.  I'd heard really great things about it and one of my favorite Youtubers swears by it.  It has even replaced my Revlon Photoready BB Cream.  The reason behind the name is that it has the slightest bit of shimmer in it so when you buff it onto your skin it makes your skin glow which is perfect for dull winter skin like mine.  It's gives your skin that "I drink 10 glasses of water a day" radiance and it's dirt cheap so it gets two thumbs up from me.
I've been pairing that with Maybelline's Fit Me Concealer in the shade #15 Fair.  Not too much to say about this one other than it's super creamy and easy to blend under your eyes with your ring finger, unlike a lot of other concealers I've tried.  Also, it's great to use as both under-eye concealer and to cover up blemishes because it hasn't got any shimmer to it.
Next is another item you've seen before on my blog and it's the Nuxe Reve De Miel Balm.  I've read that lip balm is an addictive product and not just in the "OMG I can't get enough of this stuff" kind of way; apparently, the more you use lip balm, the more your lips end up needing it...which is where I stand.  The reason I love this stuff is because it creates a barrier on your lips and it stays there all day if you put it on in the morning and all night if you put it on before bed.  Also, it smells heavenly, like honey with a hint of orange zest.
You're probably all thinking why the hey does a 21 year old girl have an anti-aging eye cream in her daily routine?  Well you're right, but I got it for free a while back at Sephora so why wouldn't I use it?  I use my Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Eye Cream both morning and evening and let me tell you, a little goes a long way.  I don't use it for its anti-aging properties, more as just an under-eye cream because the skin under your eyes is so thin.  I find that when I put this on in the evening, my concealer and makeup goes on a lot easier the next day and I'm not pulling at my under-eye area so much.
Last on the makeup menu is my OPI Manicurist of Seville polish.  I find that this is the perfect fall shade and although it looks like a bright raspberry color in the picture, it's actually a much more dark berry toned polish.

Last but not least, my non-beauty favorite of the month has been the American Horror Story Series.  Where has this been all my life.  Despite the fact that I get chastised and teased by my dad for liking such morbid things, I love creepy, eerie, messed up macabre stuff, in fact, the more unnatural and the higher the death toll the better. This show just so happens to have all of that and a killer cast.  I know you don't have to start from the first season but I did and I'm quite glad that I did.  It's one of those shows where all seasons are their own separate entities and you can watch one without the other even though the actors carry over from season to season.  This has been mine and my boyfriend's guilty pleasure for the past few weeks and I'm ashamed to say how fast we got through the seasons that are out.  Go watch it.

Clinique Super Shimmer Eyeshadow Single in 02 Black Honey

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 100 Ivory

Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Eye-Cream

That's all for my favorites this month!  This weekend, T and I will be going a to Seattle for a little getaway!  I'm so excited!  Stay tuned for some outfit posts and pictures from the weekend, depending on how good the internet in the hotel is, I'll try to get them up as we go but I can't promise anything!

See you soon!

xoxo

autumn weekend

Sorry this post is a little late!  I've been so busy with deadlines and assignments >_<  I finally have a minute to post some pictures from last weekend.
T and I went to Jericho beach on Saturday, which was probably the most beautiful I've ever seen it.  The trees were all different colours and it was picture perfect!  Then at night we made homemade chicken soup, had some tea and watched our new favorite show, American Horror Story (which is deliciously creepy and morbid and right up my alley).
Sunday we went to a really nice brunch in Kits and then walked to Kitsilano Beach in an attempt to walk off all the food we ate :P

Sweater: H&M from last year; Toque: H&M; Jeans: American Eagle; Boots: Hunters; Scarf: Etsy.

I can't get over how beautiful the trees are at this time of year!  Why can't they always look like this..

My favorite photographer <3

They can't all be great pictures...

The most delicious, homemade, hearty chicken soup ever!

My mom picked up these mugs for T and I when she went to Portland, she knows how much we love zombies!  How cool are they?!

Super sunny Sunday :)

Love this top, it's a very thin but super soft sweater :)  Top: Nordstrom; Nails: OPIs Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees

The biggest leaf I could find

I hope everyone had a great weekend, stay tuned for my October Favorites coming soon!  Then next weekend I'm going on a little trip!  Lots more pictures to come :)

xoxo