work. travel. save. repeat.

Phew! Time flies when you are having fun. In some ways, it seems like my vacation just started....and in other ways, it feels like forever ago since I left. This road trip was by far the longest vacation that I have ever taken. (Usually they are a week, max.) It was two and a half weeks of the open road, theme parks, and family time. Honestly? It is a little weird being home again. Though it is certainly a relief to be back in my own little space.

This post is nothing more than a quick hello from me. I got in yesterday afternoon and since then, have done little but sleep, sleep, and sleep some more. It always amazes me how exhausted a vacation can make you feel! Tomorrow, I start back at work....which will definitely be a struggle. Can't say I am looking forward to that. Ahh well, back to reality!

Expect a full recap of my vacation highlights in the next little while. I'll be sharing photos, stories, and of course, a haul of the items that came home with me. I will also be getting caught up on reading all of your lovely blogs while I'm at it. So, you will likely see me commenting here and there.

What have you been up to lately?

xo Shannon

ohana means family.

By the time you are reading this, my vacation will already have begun. That's right! I am currently on a road trip with my immediate family members to celebrate my mom's birthday and my parent's wedding anniversary. This is very different for us. While we try to travel as often as possible, we never ever drive to our destination. It is always a flight from point a to point b. This time, it was decided that we were all going to take a road trip across the United States - making stops at Dollywood, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, and Disney World. As someone who loves theme parks (and themes in general) this is the ultimate getaway for me.

There are a few drawbacks to this totally-over-the-top trip, though. The main one? My husband is not joining us on the vacation. Getting that much time off at work was just not a possibility. Plus with me being away from my own job for two and a half weeks (oh yeah....this trip is two and a half weeks long), it just was not a possibility. I haven't been away from him for that long, ever. So, I'm a little worried about how it'll be. Not to mention the fact that I will be away from my job for a while. And my writing. I've tried to do as much as I can ahead of time....but it is still a little stressful.

Yes, there are some not so great aspects of this road trip. But I am super excited about the incredible things we will see, do, and experience. I'm thrilled to spend time with my family. To celebrate my mom's birthday. To share this magical summer vacation with people I love. Fingers crossed it will be amazing!

It will be a week and a half before another post goes up on the creation of beauty is art. So, in the meantime, be sure to check out my YouTube channel and Instagram. I will be posting there as often as possible. Thank you for all of the support....and I will talk to you all soon!

What do you have planned this summer? Will you do any travelling?

xo Shannon

new in from hard candy: metal eyes and wet ever

It is impossible to resist Hard Candy. They are one of the few makeup brands that is consistently putting out new products...and always keeps up to date with the hottest makeup trends. Think about it. They were the first drugstore brand to offer bold lipstick shades (like blue, yellow, and black), along with strobing sets, and affordable contour kits. While not every product is amazing, there are more hits than misses. This explains why whenever there are new products available from Hard Candy, I simply have to try them for myself.

The most recent? The Look Pro! Metal Eyes Chrome Eyeshadow Kit and the Wet Ever Bold Hold Lip Lacquer. Both products immediately intrigued me. I am a sucker for any sort of kit from Hard Candy (they have some amazing ones, like their eyeshadow kits and the strobing kit) and I loved the idea of a glossy lip lacquer. What can I say? I am a makeup junkie at its finest. Here is a closer look at the two items that were added to my makeup collection.

Look Pro! Metal Eyes Chrome Eyeshadow Kit. Out of the two products, I was most excited about this one. My hope was that it would produce a bold eye look, with tons of shimmer and colour payoff. It didn't. At all. This comes with four baked shadows (silver, brown, gold, and maroon), a brush, a mixing well, a setting spray liquid, and an eyeshadow pencil. According to the instructions, you are supposed to dip your brush into the eyeshadow, mix the shadow with the liquid, and apply it to the eyelids. Only problem? There is zero colour payoff at all. It was a struggle to get anything to show up using the wet technique. In order to create any sort of makeup look, I used the shadows dry and built up the colour for ages. Honestly, this is so bad, I am tempted to throw it away. Yes. It is that awful. The only good thing about this set is the eyeliner. It is shockingly creamy and pigmented.

Wet Ever Bold Hold Lip Lacquer in Genius. Now for the lip product. This came in a little metal tin, much like some of their other liquid lipsticks. My love of those (both the regular formula and the metallic formulas) made me absolutely certain that the Wet Ever line would knock my socks off. Well...it did and it didn't. The colour Genius is absolutely stunning. I love it so much. It has a very 90s feel to it, which is perfect in my opinion. This is very pigmented and has great staying power. The only snag? This feels quite sticky on the lips. If you are like me and hate anything sticky or tacky, skip the Wet Ever line completely. That stickiness does not fade as the day goes on. Alas!

I tried to create a look using both of these products but it didn't turn out all that well. I suppose that is what happens when you are struggling to make eyeshadow shades work! Hopefully the makeup look will give you a better idea of how these products perform....

Not every Hard Candy product is a winner. Sadly, these were a serious disappointment given their names, claims, and packaging. The good news? It won't be long until this brand has another makeup item on the shelves....and I'll be first in line to try it.

What do you think of these products? Are you a fan of Hard Candy?

xo Shannon

review: NYX pro lip cream palette

When it comes to beauty products, I am all about convenience. If it's too complicated or tricky to use....it is a no-go for me. Which is why I typically avoid lip palettes at all costs. The reason is simple: I don't want to carry around a ton of different lip colours. Let alone pack a lip brush to tag along with me! Knowing this....imagine my surprise when I fell head over heels for the NYX Pro Lip Cream Palette in The Pinks.

It was something my husband brought home for me. (He is pretty supportive of my makeup habit and keeps a lookout for any NYX products that go on sale. Lucky me!) Immediately, I was wowed by the beautiful colour selection....but would it be practical? Here is a breakdown of this lip palette.....

Packaging. When it comes to NYX packaging, it is more or less the same from product to product. This came in a sleek and simple case with a black and white colour scheme. Though there is nothing special about the packaging itself, I enjoy the sophisticated finish and sturdiness. It doesn't feel cheap or inexpensive - and looks beautiful in my makeup collection.

Quality. Now to dig into the good stuff: the actual quality of the palette. These lip colours are all beautifully pigmented and swatch exactly as you'd hope they would. The texture is creamy and these feel very comfortable on the lips. In fact, I'd go so far as to say they are moisturizing. This is a must for me, since I have dry lips. The best thing about these shades? They can be worn full on or sheered down by applying a lip balm over top. Each shade has a great texture, lovely colour payoff, and versatility. I am loving it!

Overall Impressions. This is a product that surprised me. Though lip palettes are not usually high up on my list of favourites, this one is. It's fairly small and compact - which means you can actually take this in your purse without it being clunky or heavy. It is portable, pretty, and allows you to create a customized lipstick look. This is definitely coming with me on my upcoming vacation.

NYX rarely lets me down. If any brand could wow me with a lip palette, it was going to be them. The Pinks is a pretty, wearable, and easy to use collection of colours.

Have you tried this lip palette? What did you think of it?

xo Shannon

the happiest girls always have the prettiest nails.

I don't know how it happened. Somehow, my nail polish collection has exploded over the last while. There are a ton of different shades floating around in my beauty room....enough to keep my nails colourful for the rest of my life! Despite my full drawer of nail products, a couple of new ones made their way into my life. What can I say? The colours were spectacular.

The two shades pictured above are Too Haute from the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel line (my favourite line of nail polishes! These last really well and don't chip as quickly as most other brands. Plus, they have a super smooth finish) and Hors d'oeuvres from Essie. Too Haute is a beautiful shimmery purple. It has a metallic kind of finish and is a lot of fun.

Originally, I thought I would add the Essie polish over top for some sheer sparkle. Bad idea! Turns out the silver sparkly nail polish is super thick and has a lot more colour payoff than you'd expect. This is a great thing. Just not for the nail look I had in mind. That being said....this didn't turn out quite like I had hoped. But I figured I would share it with you anyway! Here are both nail polish colours in action....

Both of these nail polish shades impressed me. They were very colourful, pigmented, and had great staying power. (This particular nail look lasted for ten days.) Though I did not like the way the look turned out in general....both of these products are top notch. I will definitely be using them again in the future. Just maybe not together!

What is your favourite nail polish brand?

xo Shannon

beauty tips for travel.

When it comes to travel, there are so many benefits. Like discovering a new place, enriching and expanding your mind, and of course, getting away from the ordinary. Unfortunately, there are a few snags to consider when it comes to your beauty routine. A few examples? You can't possibly take everything with you. And what if something happens to your favourite foundation en route? Not to worry. These beauty tips for travel will keep you look and feeling good...wherever you go!

• Bring along extra clear bags with you. Why? In case something breaks on a bumpy flight, so you can pack your makeup in your carry on, and to stay organized during your trip.
• Choose versatile products. Think of things like multi colour eyeshadow palettes, a brown eyeshadow that can double as a brow powder, foundation or lotion that has an SPF, and so on.
• Use setting spray to waterproof (or sweatproof) your makeup. This will make sure your look lasts all day and night - in any climate.
• Put things into smaller plastic containers. These have been a total lifesaver for me! Not only do I take these with me when I travel (to cut down on the bulk in my suitcase) but they are great for throwing into your purse as well. 
• Pare down your beauty routine. Remember, you're on vacation! You don't need full on sculpted cheekbones everyday. Opt for a simple powder contour instead of a multi-step process. The key is to keep your makeup simple so you can spend more time enjoying your vacation.

Are you a travel lover? It is a huge part of my life, so these are tips and tricks that I have had to learn the hard way over the years. But I've found that a little thought and preparation can make a huge difference.

Do you have any beauty tips for travel? Share them in the comment section!

xo Shannon

the benefits of grapeseed oil for skin.

Skin care has become a major focus for me over the last couple of months. Why? I started to notice changes in the way my skin looked. It was dull and lifeless. Breakouts were becoming more and more common. And I started to worry about signs of aging. Taking better care of my skin has been on my to-do list for the last four or five years....yet something always stopped me from doing it. Laziness is honestly the biggest reason. Once it gets close to my bedtime, I am exhausted. Working multiple jobs and trying to juggle all of my other responsibilities can be draining. Because of that, my skin care routine suffered dramatically.

Finally, I made the decision to get off my butt and make my skin a priority, As of right now, my routine is fairly simple. Neutrogena face wash, Clinique or St Ives moisturizer, No7 Early Defense Eye Cream, and grapeseed oil. Basically, I've been taking my makeup off before bed (a big step for me), wash, moisturize my face, and apply an under eye cream. Then there is the grapeseed oil. This is something that has been sitting on my shelf of products for ages. For whatever reason, I never thought to reach for it. Then it caught my eye, so I began to do a little research.

The Benefits of Grapeseed Oil for Skin: 

• This type of oil is great for the skin because it is non-comedogenic, which means it does not clog your pores or cause breakouts.
• Adds moisture to the skin and locks it in (which is great for someone with dry skin, like me). 
• Has been found to tighten the skin and treat acne and acne-related scars.
• Fights dark under eye circles and fights noticeable signs of aging. 

Needless to say, I was pretty excited to find out this little bottle that had been sitting on my shelf, could actually make a difference in the look and feel of my skin. For the last month and a half, I have been using it along with this YouTube video, "Anti Aging Facial Massage," to give my skin a healthier, more radiant, and glowing appearance. So far....I am impressed. The lines on my forehead (which have always made me really self-conscious) are less noticeable, my breakouts have lessened, and my skin feels a million times better. I hope to continue this skin care routine....and will be sure to write an update post in a few months!

Speaking of updates...a new YouTube video is up on my channel. This is my O-Town concert vlog so I hope you all like it. Be sure to check it out, like, comment, and subscribe!


Have you used grapeseed oil on your skin?

xo Shannon