Friday, September 25, 2015

Fall Candles

It's the most wonderful time of the yearrr. Well, the best time for cozy, warm candle scents. Usually, I stick to Bath & Body Works; however, this year I loaded up with these soy candles from Target. I love that they are soy and their huge size. I wanted so many of their fall scents, but after many sniffs, settled on these three.

Cabin Retreat
Heritage Pumpkin
Be Thankful

Cabin Retreat is cozy and comforting, while still being clean and crisp. I've been lighting it as it's the perfect transitional scent, when you aren't quite ready yet for something too warm, like Heritage Pumpkin. Heritage Pumpkin is the quintessential pumpkin pie baking scent. Sweet, but not sickly and true pumpkin. I love pumpkin, but am not overly fond of baked good scents, and for me, this strickes the right balance. Be Thankful is a cozy scent, cloves & cinnamon, that still maintains a lightness to it. Love the pretty fall wax colour and the copper lids. Very sophisticated.

What's your favourite fall candle scent?

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Thursday, September 24, 2015

Birchbox | September 2015

A week of subscription posts! It's fun to have a bunch of new surprise packages awaiting. Birchbox is continuing with the fancy boxes it seems.

Box Breakdown
100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream
Helmut Lang Cuiron Perfume
Rene Furterer Asbolue Keratine Sublime Renewal Leave-in Cream 
Tocca Esfoliante da Corpo-Bianca
ModelCo Ultra Long-Lasting Lipstick Smitten

I feel like every month I have been getting a perfume sample despite having checked the reduced perfume options. I'll have to look back on my previous posts to calculate it! The Helmut Lang Cuiron perfume is perfect for the cooler months. It reminds me a lot of a fall day with crisp leather notes. One sample I have received before (another not-supposed-to-happen event) is the 100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream. I really liked it, so it's not too disappointing to get another sample. Plus, it's in a legit container, rather than a foil packet, so it will last awhile. I mentioned always being up for a leave-in hair treatment, and it seems the universe decided to grant me that with this Rene Furterer Renewal Leave-in Cream. I love a good body scrub and this Tocca Esfoliante da Corpo in Bianca is a gorgeous scent and texture. Definitely happy I received this in my box. Finally, another product I am excited about is the ModelCo Lipstick in Smitten. The shade is so gorgeous, a perfect fall burgundy. I've been really happy with the mix of beauty products in my Birchboxes. I think they got their algorithm right-despite the repeat product & too many perfumes. 

What did you get in this month's Birchbox?


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Monday, September 21, 2015

PopSugar Must Have | September 2015

Every once in awhile a PopSugar Must Have box catches my attention. Usually it's a scarf, but of course, a beauty product does the trick as well.

Box Breakdown
Hudson + Bleeker Labyrinth Onyx Travel Trio
Too Faced Brow Envy
Briogeo Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray
Kris Nations "XO" Stud Earrings
NCLA So Rich Vitamin-E Enriched Cuticle Oil
Nourish Snacks Almond to Cherries

Love Too Faced and love a strong brow, so I really wanted to test out Too Faced Brow Envy. Review coming soon! Lots of beauty products in this month's box. Leave-in conditioners are another beauty item that I can't try enough of. This one by Briogeo has a nice texture and scent. My nail care routine needs to get back into full-swing with the cooler weather. The NCLA So Rich Cuticle Oil is in the cutest bottle and is rich as the name suggests and smells super sweet. I love how tiny and simple the Kris Nations studs are. Unfortunately, I don't have any big vacation plans on the horizon, but when I do, the Hudson + Bleeker Travel Trio will come in handy. Clear pouch for the toiletries, and pretty printed bags for shoes & delicates. Finally, a little snack of almond and cherries from Nourish Snacks

Are you subscribed to PopSugar?

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Saturday, September 19, 2015

ABM Happy Mail | September 2015

 I am in love with this month's theme. Coffee & Fall. All the cards have a fall colour scheme or orange, golden yellow, burgundy, and kraft paper. It's making me wish for cooler weather and a foamy latte.

My favourite cards were the iced coffee & hot tea card, the latte picture, falling leaves, and the fall coloured 'Congrats'. I love the patterns of the washi stickers, especially the little mugs and burgundy 'life is beautiful'. The emoji flags are super cute and will be perfect for planning. I am thinking up ways to use the cut-out coffee wrappers. I think maybe a monthly goal list for October & November.

What did you think of this month's Happy Mail?
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Sunday, September 13, 2015

The Weekend | Battery Park, NYC

The air is getting a bit chillier with the coming of Autumn. We decided to head into Manhattan and walk around Battery Park/Wall Street/Tribeca. We rarely are in this area. It's more of a tourist destination or work place.

If you are around, stop by the Museum of the American Indian. It's part of the Smithsonian, so it's free!

We took the drone with us to get awesome views of the city. We succeeded. I kept trying to take pictures of the bees with my new lens.

I love being in the city by the water. I love the views, no matter if it's the NYC skyline from Brooklyn Bridge Park or the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Even Jersey City... (I'm joking I love Jersey.)

We followed a walk up the west side to the formerly known World Financial Center, now Brookfield Place. It's basically just a fancy mall. Preston and I love it for the palm trees, a reminder of home. It was also a memory for when I first visited New York. It was our senior year field trip. I remember getting off the tour bus and everyone lining up for Starbucks. It's kind of amazing to think that one 3-day trip was the only time I had been to New York before moving 3 years later. And now I have been here 4 years! Time flies.

My favourite discovery of the day was this floral ceiling. It was in the process of being created when we stumbled upon it. I could look up at it all day-it was like it was raining flowers!

How was your weekend?
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Friday, September 11, 2015

Fall Lipsticks

I am so ready for fall. It's still pretty warm here in NYC, but it's currently raining-I'm hoping that's a sign it will be cooling down. A few of my favourite things about fall are the cozy sweaters, changing leaves, foamy pumpkin spice lattes, and of course, fall lip shades. From the perfect nude to the darkest berry, you can't go wrong. I thought today I would share a few of my anticipated favourite fall lipsticks.

Nude
Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil Sable The perfect light nude for smokey eyes.

Mauve
Colour Pop Lippie Stix Lumiere A super matte brown-toned mauve.
Nars Audacious Lipstick Anna My kind of everyday lippie.
Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil Rhubarb Another everyday shade for me, just a bit different from a nude.
 
Red
Wet n Wild Wine Room A light brick red. When you want red without the fuss.
Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Cruella A true, classic deep red.

Berry
Wet n Wild Urban Nights  A deep dark berry. One of my favs. 
Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil Winterberry A gorgeous plum that's quite wearable.

Bold
Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick Bellini A super fun bright pink. A little different for fall.
Wet n Wild Megaslicks Balm Stain 2 am Call Time When you want to make a statement-true deep purple.

I'm sure I am forgetting quite a few contenders in this round-up, but I hope it got you excited for fall.

Let me know some of your favourite fall lipsticks below!
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Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Birchbox Haul

Ordering from Birchbox is always a pleasure. They have a great selection of products, including exclusive sets, points for money off, free samples, and awesome gifts with purchase. I was running low on my beloved Liz Earle Skin Tonic Spritzer, so when I saw the Liz Earle Refresh & Revitalize set, I decided why not try the EyeBright Soothing Eye Lotion and get a full-sized and travel-sized Skin Tonic. The EyeBright lotion is super soothing, and it helps remove all the make-up residue that can be left behind after cleansing. For my mystery pack, I received the Vasanti Brighten Up Scrub, another previous favourite, and this cute green headband (I got the pink one in a previous Birchbox.) Flipping through a cookbook is my idea of a good afternoon. I had to add on The Kitchy Kichen cookbook from Claire Thomas. I love her blog. Though it's not exclusively vegetarian, there are a ton of great veggie options and inspiration. Check it out!

What's your favourite brand to order from Birchbox?
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Monday, September 7, 2015

the best is yet to come.

Today is my birthday! I am now officially 25. It's funny how as a kid, 25 seems like such an old age and so far away. I am still a little in shock, but I have to say I am quite happy where I am and what I have accomplished so far. The best is yet to come.

I have had the best weekend celebrating with friends and my fam. Saturday night was filled with food and drinks and reminiscing on my favourite songs from ten years ago. Today, Preston fulfilled my whim of having a picnic in the park.

I received some amazing, thoughtful gifts too. My bestie, Vanessa, got me a voucher to DryBar. I am excited to go back and have some girl time! Redeeming it will be like a second birthday. Preston got me a new lens for my camera. We had a blast testing it out. I am obsessed with the crazy bokeh it can get. It's the 24mm Canon Pancake lens, if you are curious. He also picked me up some fall David's Teas and a grown-up colouring book. Score. I got myself a new bag. Because hey I am a grown-up, I can treat my self.

It's was pretty hot today, so we found ourselves a nice shady spot and sipped on some iced tea. My love of paper straws continues.

Of course, Preston had to climb up our shady tree.

I am looking forward to this upcoming year. I have a good feeling about it.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend!


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Friday, September 4, 2015

Birthday Weekend Mani

I am so excited! It's my birthday weekend & a three-day weekend. My birthday is September 7th, so it happens to be exactly on Labor Day this year. Whoop Whoop! I don't have any major plans, but I am happy to be spending my weekend leisurely hanging out with friends and reading a good book.

Of course, I had to go with Deborah Lippmann's Happy Birthday polish.  Duh. I love pairing it with Zoya Dove. Neutral + Glitter is a perfect combination. It also looks quite nice over a dark blue.

Enjoy your weekend!

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Thursday, September 3, 2015

Review | Nars Audacious Mascara

I have been having a moment with Nars. I love how timeless their packaging is and how their products just make you look better. I find I can’t really over do it with Nars. Everything is so blendable-even the crazy colours. I made a little pre-b-day, treat yo’ self, purchase (post to come!) and received this little sample of their new Audacious Mascara.

Again, just gorgeous ‘basic’ in-a-good-way packaging. Plus, the name of the shade is Black Moon. Too cool, Nars, too cool. The brush is insane. Crazy rubber bristles, popping out everywhere. It creates super separated, long lashes. I would say it gives volume, each individual lash is thicker, but doesn’t give you the appearance of more lashes (the fluffy, feathery look). Definitely a dramatic look, but I’m just not going to switch up my mascara between day & night. The formula is initially very wet, but by the end of the day can feel dry. It doesn’t move-unless wet. It is definitely not waterproof or even resistant. Something to keep in mind!

I really enjoy the look it gives my lashes. It’s not my typical vibe-I am in the fluffy, feathery lash camp, but it is good stuff-especially if you want the dramatic. Length & separation it definitely delivers.

Have you tried any new mascara releases recently?
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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Lush Refreshers

Every once in awhile, I mosey on into Lush. Usually, it's when a holiday collection is released, but this time it was to pick up a few treats for a night in. This time, I gravitated towards refreshing, clean scents. Perfect for the end of summer, before all the warm, sweet scents of fall begin.

These three are all new ones to me. Big Blue is a huge ocean-themed bath bomb with lavender, lemon, and seaweed. Avobath is another big bath bomb with avocado, lemongrass, and olive oil. With these bigger bath bombs and my tiny tub, I like to half or even quarter them for maximum usage. Finally, I wanted to pick up the Mask of Magnaminty, but they were sold out. It is quite the classic. I was recommended to try this new fresh face mask-Don't Look At Me.  Like Magnaminty, it exfoliates, hydrates, and tones. I love the whipped texture. Ground rice gently exfoliates and lemon juice tones.

What are some of your favourite Lush products?
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Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Beauty Favourites | August 2015

Happy September! Just a quick August favourites today. I have been having a bit of a make-up routine going on. July brought on a lot of favourites that I just keep using again & again.


I have rambled on about all of these products in the past so have a click around. This is a bit of a favourites round-up in that these are all holy grail status.

What are some of your ultimate favourites?
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