Sunday, November 20, 2016

drybar Review Round Up

So, I am a bit obsessed with drybar. From my first trip to the repeat visits with my bestie, it's a blast to relax a bit and have amazing hair. Of course, I had to throw in a new product or two with each visit. Or trip to Sephora. It's my new go to brand for all things hair. The packaging, the scent, the texture is all perfect. I thought I'd share the products I've tried and link to any full-fledged reviews.

Sake Bomb Shampoo & Conditioner are repeat purchases for me. They are my favourite hydrating shampoo and conditioner combo. I might have to try the other drybar shampoos/conditioners to branch out a bit.

I used the Blonde Ale Brightening Cream during my time with a blonde ombre. Looking at the pictures, I kind of want to go back...

I think of The Chaser as a leave-in/styling cream hybrid. You can use it on dry hair, but I tend to use it on slightly damp hair. It keeps your hair smooth and sealed for any style.

For the full-on leave-in conditioner experience, Mr. Incredible is the product for you. It's a rich conditioner that sprays on quite finely and evenly for its thick texture.

When I don't feel like doing much to my hair, I reach for the Mai Tai Spritzer Sea Salt Spray. I naturally have waves to my hair, so this just makes my messy bed hair look a bit more intentional. I love that it doesn't leave my hair crunchy or dry feeling like other sea salt sprays can.

Sparkling Soda Shine Mist is a spray-on shine serum that never leaves your hair looking greasy. The perfect finishing touch.

I have used both Triple Sec and Detox as dry shampoos. Triple Sec is more of a hybrid style refresher, dry shampoo and Detox is a heavy duty oil & shine destroyer. I would recommend either if you are looking for a new dry shampoo.

I want to try some more of their tools-I love my little Lemon Drop brush. I also want to pick up some more of their heat protecting products.

Let me know if you have any drybar recs in the comments!
0

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Fall Camping

In early October, we did another long weekend camping in the Catskills. I know I am a bit late sharing these pics, but I wanted to still post them to have all these memories in one place. Check out my summer camping trip here.  The changing leaves started much earlier in the hills of the Catskills than in the city. It was also so much colder-which I was not prepared for at all.

We had some lovely autumnal walks and kept the fire going constantly. We played board games, drank pumpkin ale, and cooked up a ton of food. We love taking our breaks from the city and exploring more of upstate NY.

Rainbow!

Luckily, we still have a couple more weeks (hopefully!) of fall in the city before winter comes. Trying to soak it all in as it's my favourite season. 


0

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Zoya Urban Grunge

I have been rocking Zoya's Urban Grunge collection since the start of fall, but now that the holiday season is upon us, I needed to get this post out stat, so you could pick up a few shades as well. I know these sparkly shades are going to be amazing for winter and new year looks. I mentioned in my September favourites that I feel like this collection was perfect for me, so it was tough to not just order the whole collection. Here are the six shades I opted for (see I did good-I only ordered half ;p)

August (Blue toned Gray Creme)
Noah (Nude Creme)
Troy (Metallic Gun Metal)
Alicia (Silver Holo with Champagne shift)
Merida (Deep Evergreen Scattered Holo)
Finley (Deep Royal Purple Scattered Holo)

Did you order any polishes from Urban Grunge? Which are your favourites?
0

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Birchbox | October 2016

I am loving this month's Birchbox. Now that it finally arrived-I have been having such bad shipping luck recently. This month's theme is reviving and restoring. Something I definitely look for in my beauty products.

Box Breakdown
Air Repair Super Hydrating Eye Cream
Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask
Marcelle Xtension Plus Curl Mascara
Tocca Crema da Mano in Cleopatra
R+Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo

This box was perfect for me! I couldn't wait to try everything. I love a good mask, and this one by Tata Harper is perfect for giving your skin a fresh start. Follow that up with the Air Repair Eye Cream which is super hydrating for the colder, windier weather. Another fall/winter weather must have is hand cream. I love the size of this one from Tocca, and the scent is amazing. The Marcelle Curl Mascara gives your lashes a dose of volume, length, and curl. No need to choose. Finally, I received another R+Co product, and of course, I love it. Can't go wrong with a good dry shampoo. 
What did you get in this month's BB? What did you pick for November's box?
0

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Beauty Favourites | September 2016

Happy October! It's been awhile since I've done a favourites. I feel like I have been using the same products all summer. Well, now I have a few new items in the mix and thought I'd share. I even made a video! Filming and editing are so hard-I think I'm slowly getting better at it? I'd love to share more through YouTube, so let's hope the learning curve gets a little easier over time.



Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Lip Balm
Zoya August, Troy, & Alicia from the Urban Grunge collection
Wet n Wild Contour Palette in Dulce de Leche
Muji Sonic Diffuser Love & Energy Blends
Urban Decay Naked Smoky
Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Body Wash

What were your favourites this month?
0

Friday, September 30, 2016

Birchbox | September 2016

This month's Birchbox is all about multi-tasking products to help get you through your to-do list this fall. Now that I am a little late on posting this, I can give a little review on the things I've tried.

This little can of Avene Thermal Spring Water is going straight to the gym bag. I don't think I would have ever purchased spring water mist for myself, but I got to say it's pretty refreshing.

I had no idea what type of product the R+Co Analog Cleansing Foam Conditioner was. At first, I thought it was like a dry shampoo-but conditioner. Then, I thought it was a mousse-like leave-in conditioner. Finally, I realized it is used just as a regular conditioner! Good thing I didn't put it on dry hair...Glad I figured out what it was for as it's a new favourite. It's a mousse consistency that you apply in the shower and rinse out. My hair recently has felt a bit oily and flat at the roots, and this is the perfect product to condition your hair but give it volume. It gives my hair a just tousled look.

I never ended up trying Bioderma Sensible H20 during it's peak hype in what 2012? I probably should have as I used up this little sample. I used it as a toner/remove the last bit of make-up step and loved how gentle it was.

Highlighting products are something I'll never get tired of. I do prefer the more natural ones-but it still has to glow. I have been using the Milk Makeup Highlighter non-stop since opening up this BB. Love the consistency and effect.

Okay, I didn't give this LOC Ultra-Gloss Lip Pencil in Cherry Bomb. I feel like I keep getting different shades of these, but I'm not much of a glossy lip girl.

What did you get in this month's BB?





0

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Andalou Naturals Illuminating Toner and Luminous Eye Serum

I can't walk out of a Whole Foods without beauty products. And plants. I ran out of a couple of my skincare staples, toner and eye cream, and decided to try out the brightening range from Andalou Naturals, the Illuminating Toner and Luminous Eye Serum. I have tried many things from the line and am currently using a coconut water day cream from them as well. I wasn't expecting any results, just maintaining status quo; however, I am really finding my skin to be so much more bright and healthy looking. This summer, I was hard on my skin between beach days and long hours in front of a computer. The clementine scent is so nice after a long day of either extreme outdoors or indoors.

Do you purchase beauty products at Whole Foods?
0

Monday, September 5, 2016

Nars Nordstrom's Best Cheek Palette

Nars blushes are just all the heart-eye emojis. Wrap them up in one sleek palette, and I'm sold. Last year, I picked up the Blame It On The Nars palette from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, and this year, I scored this number. I have to agree with the name, Nordstrom really does have the best Nars blush sets!

This palette features six shades, 4 blushes, a highlight, and a bronzer. The old standbys Orgasm and Laguna, of course, as well as Albatross. I haven't tried Albatross before, so I was super excited to give that glowy, golden highlight a go, and I love it. Deep Throat, Luster, and Desire are other well-known Nars blushes that I was dying to try. If you have a ton of Nars singles or other palettes, you may find this one has too many repeats, but if you are missing a few of these cult classics, or just want them all in one place-this palette is a must. If you missed this one, be sure to check out Nordstrom's beauty department, especially during sales or holidays. I am always so tempted by all their sets and exclusives.

Are you a lover of Nars blushes?
0

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Zoya Naked Manicure

After just placing an order of the new Urban Grunge polishes from Zoya, it feels a bit weird to type about the Naked Manicure set. But for when you need a break from the bold colours and holos, it's the perfect thing. I received this little set awhile back but had yet to give it a go. Now, that my nails are growing strong, I thought I'd give it a test. The minis I have didn't include the white polish for the tips, so I went without and just layered the base, perfector (here in pink), and glossy seal. I like having a layer for protection from breakage and scratches. I would like to test it out with the white tips and the lavender perfector. After I try all those fall shades from the new collection first....
0

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Birchbox | August 2016

I wasn't quite feeling last month's Birchbox, so the urge to open this one wasn't as immediate. Usually when I see the pink box I am racing to open it. This month, I took my time (granted that was only maybe an hour). However, I was pleasantly surprised. I am excited for everything. Just goes to show you the nature of subscription boxes.

Box Breakdown
Manna Kadar Cosmetics The Day Dream Palette
Laura Gellar New York Color Luster Lip Gloss in Cookie Dough
R+Co Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste
Acure Organics Coconut & Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes
Oribe Impermeable Anti-Humidity Spray

For the sample selection, I chose the R+Co Dry Shampoo Paste. The idea of dry shampoo in a paste form was very intriguing. It has that distinctive dry shampoo smell. My plan is to throw this little tub in my gym bag. I was super excited to see the Acure Coconut & Argan Oil cleansing towelettes. I love the brand, and samples of make-up wipes are just so convenient. Another gym bag must have. The theme of this box is hair, so for my second hair sample, I received Oribe Anti-Humidity Spray. Definitely needed with this rainy, heat wave. I also received a couple of make-up samples including the Manna Kadar highlighter/bronzer duo and a Laura Gellar Lip Gloss.

What did you think of this month's BB?
0

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Rainbow Nail Art

This was a very popular nail art style a few years ago when the nail art trend blew up. I had never done it before, and since it's been awhile since I've used so many different bottles of polish in one mani, I thought I'd test it out. It was a really fun look for these hot summer days.

Green: Zoya Josie
Blue: Zoya Sia
Purple: Zoya Serenity
Pink: wet n wild 1 Step Wonder Gel Coral Support
Orange: Zoya Sharon
Yellow: Butter London Pimms

I had a bit of difficulty blending with the Wet n Wild gel type polish. Even the Butter London was giving me a bit of difficulty, so I would probably stick to one brand of polish. I love my Zoyas!

What do you think of rainbow nails?
0

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Camping in the Catskills

I have had a pretty low-key summer this year. We usually go to our hometown in Florida, but with our trip to Taiwan in the spring, we decided to spend the summer more locally. We went camping with a group of friends to the Catskills, just a couple of hours away from the city. It was the weekend before Preston's birthday, so I went with the theme and got him a hammock which I wrapped in woodland animal paper-of course!

[Trail Mix (teehee) & the cutest little inch worm]

[a little creek]

[no issues roasting these vegan marshmallows-yum]

[long, rocky hikes]

[with beautiful views]

[you had me at brunch]

It was a quick weekend trip, but it was a blast. It was great to get together with our city friends in the wilderness: cooking up campfire burgers and breakfast, playing board games, and hiking.

0

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick Swatches

After placing an order on Urban Decay (more on that to come...), I received a sample booklet of Vice lipsticks. I decided I'd try them all on in a massive all day swatch-a-thon. Similar to when I had the Gwen Stefani sampler, but this time, I took pics and video clips. Hopefully this will help if you were considering picking up a few shades but couldn't decide which ones.




Nudes (top right to bottom left)
Gubby
Stark Naked
Backtalk 
Naked
ZZ
Amulet
Rapture
Conspiracy


Reds
Snitch
EZ
Blackmail
Disturbed
714
Gash
Manic
Rock Steady

Pinks
Psycho
Sheer Anarchy
Big Bang
Menace
Firebird
Jilted
Pandemonium
Seismic

What Vice shades are your favourites? Any other shades I should check out?
0