some days you just make me blush.

Review time!  In a recent haul post from Born Pretty, I showed off a blush palette that I ordered. Let me just tell you, it was love at first swatch. When I ordered this blush palette, I didn't exactly have high expectations. I mean, the entire set was $9! For such a low price, my only goal was to try out a few new shades. Then the palette arrived....and I fell head over heels for it. Why? Intense pigmentation, a wide range of colours, some totally unique shades, and a seriously silky texture.

I. Was. Shocked. Truly, I didn't expect the quality as high as it is. I mean, it's not NARS but it's pretty darn good! This was more of an I'll give it a whirl kind of purchase. Well, I am certainly glad that I did. Ready to find out more? Here goes.

Let's start with the packaging. It came in a surprisingly sturdy black case. Unfortunately, the case collects fingerprints like nothing else. It's not a huge deal, but it can be a little annoying. I hate when my makeup looks messy. The colours themselves, though, were gorgeous. There was a really nice variety - bright pinks, fuchsia, berry, orange, baby pink, and more. If you couldn't tell already, this is a set for someone who likes to be a little adventurous with their blush.

My favourite shade is either: the fourth one in on the top row or the fourth one on the bottom row. The first is a bright tangerine shade while the other is a dramatic pink. Both are gorgeous - but should probably be used sparingly.

These swatches will help you get a better feel for the colours....and help you pick out your own favourite!

And here is a picture of this blush palette in action:

As you can tell, I kind of love this set. There are so many gorgeous colours to play with! I am definitely a fan.

What do you think of these blush shades? Which one is your favourite?

xo Shannon

bunnies are cuddly, the large and the small, but I like chocolate ones the best of all.

Happy Easter! Ahh, I love this time of year. This is a day that I've been looking forward to for weeks. As you probably know by now, I absolutely love holidays. They are a good excuse to spend time with family, relax, and remember the important things in life.

Easter is also a good excuse to eat plenty of chocolate, dye eggs, and watch Willy Wonka on a loop! This year, I plan on wearing my comfiest PJs, eating a chocolate bunny (or two), and hanging out with the family. I can't wait for this special day.

Whatever you're planning to do this year, I wish you all the very best. I hope the Easter Bunny is good to you!

How are you celebrating Easter? What is your favourite Easter candy? 

xo Shannon

spring is nature's way of saying, "let's party!"

It's crazy how quickly time is flying by. One second March was just beginning and now we are mid-way through April. Insane! I feel like I have completely lost track of time. This probably has to do with my crazy schedule lately. Everything has been piling up all at once. Work, home responsibilities, and a social life....so much to juggle. There is light at the end of the tunnel, though.

Instead of letting the stress affect my life, I am staying positive and focusing on the things that inspire me. So, on that note! Here are some of the pictures that make me smile.

So, there you have it. Some of the pictures are are inspiring me right now.

Happy Good Friday! I hope you all find your inspiration today.

xo Shannon

new in: born pretty haul

 

Here's the thing: I just can't resist affordable makeup and accessories. A little while back, I was getting ready for bed...when I had this sudden urge to shop. This isn't something that happens to me often. But to curb the urge, I decided to do a little online window shopping.

Except my window shopping turned into a mini-haul from Born Pretty. Oops! What can I say - I can't walk away from a great deal! (No, seriously....everything cost me less than $30 and shipping was free.) So, what did I end up buying? 11 pairs of fake eyelashes, a lipstick, a shimmery pink eyeshadow, a cat claw ring, a fan brush, a small stipple brush, and a seriously amazing blush palette.

Let's take a closer look at everything....

 

11 pairs of false eyelashes. I haven't tried them yet but they look gorgeous!

 

A fan brush and a small stipple brush. So far, I am impressed with the quality. 

The bristles are really soft.

 

Shimmery shadow and lipstick. Love the shimmery loose powder but the lipstick is a dud. 

I found it really dry - but the colour is lovely. 

 

Cat claw ring. How cool is this? I can't wait to find the perfect outfit to wear it with!

10 blush shades....heaven! Blush is definitely my weakness, so this was the most

exciting purchase by far. Expect a full review in a later post! 

So, that is my late night shopping spree. Overall, I was really happy with everything I bought. The prices were fantastic and the quality was really great as well. I am definitely a fan! (You'll see just how much in my blush palette review post. Obsessed!)

Have you bought anything from Born Pretty before? What do you think of my mini-haul?

xo Shannon

style is a way of saying who you are without having to speak.

Spring is here. That means spring fashion....thank goodness! Now that the snow has melted and the temperatures are above freezing, I've been trying to get back into my groove. During the winter months, I confess: I fell into a serious fashion rut. It was all sweaters all the time. (Mostly because it was freezing cold out.) Now that the weather is improving, though, I've been reaching for some of the pieces I've been missing all winter long.

That feeling is what inspired this outfit post! I don't do a ton of outfit posts, because well, makeup is more my forte, but I was really happy with how these looks turned out. One was laid-back neutrals and the other was something super cutesy. You'll have to let me know which you like best.

Look #1: Laid Back Neutrals

 Top: Calvin Klein, Jeans: Joe Fresh, Earrings: Top Shop, Bracelet: Pandora.

Look #2: Cutesy Spring

Top: Jessica Simpson, Skirt: H&M, Sunglasses: Forever 21, Purse: Town Shoes.

What do you think of these outfits? Which one is your favourite?

xo Shannon

spring is the time of plans and projects.

Spring is finally underway, which means there is no better time for me to talk about the Bare Minerals Beauty In Bloom set I have been using lately. In the past, I have always walked on by the Bare Minerals section in my local Sephora. It just wasn't a brand I gave much thought to. It wasn't until I was browsing the Sephora website that I started to pay attention. The Beauty In Bloom set immediately attracted me. Gorgeous spring colours and products to try out? Uh, yes please!

This set came with a variety of products (lips, cheeks, and eyes) for just $44 CDN. With seven items packed in this cute little box set, there was definitely plenty to try out. So, what actually was inside? It came with: two eyeshadow shades (Muse, a pink frosty shade, and Passion, a stunning plum colour), a super shimmery mineral eyeshadow (Nude Beach), a powder blush (a soft Nude Pink), a mineral blush (Rose Radiance), a lipstick (Marvelous Moxie, a pink shade), and a lipgloss (in Spark Plug).

Yes, there were a ton of amazing things to try out. I was so impressed with the quality and pigmentation of each and every product. To start with, let's look at the lips. The set included a pink lipstick and a gloss. Both were dusty rose shades, that are feminine, pretty, and totally perfect for spring!

Let me just say that I love the lipstick colour. It looks great and is really moisturizing on the lips. Such a nice spring shade. The size of the lipstick is great for travel, too. As for the lip gloss, I wasn't expecting to like it. This is just because I am super picky about glosses. I hate when they are sticky or tacky at all. This one was actually quite nice, though! It looks great layered over the lipstick or worn on its own. It has a great colour and a nice texture.

Next up are the blush shades. I absolutely love blushes of all different colours but have never tried a mineral one. So, that was pretty exciting! Here is a closer look at the two blush shades included in this set.

Both of these shades are really beautiful. They give a really natural looking flush to the cheeks. I love the quality, the texture, and the pigmentation. I was so so impressed with these! I find myself using the powder blush more often because I just love the colour. But the mineral blush is great as well (it has more of a peachy pink tone) because it adds a really pretty glow to the skin. As far as I'm concerned, both of these products are total winners!

And lastly in this set are the eyeshadow shades. There are three here...two powder and one mineral one. Here they are!

Out of everything in this set, the eyeshadows had to be my favourite products. The two powder shadows are just gorgeous. They have a really silky texture and the colours are just fantastic. In fact, the plum shade is one of my favourite eyeshadow shades of the moment. I find myself reaching for it constantly. It just looks so pretty on! But the stand out? The Nude Beach mineral eyeshadow. It is intensely pigmented and shimmery. It looks absolutely stunning on the inner corner or just swept all over the lid. Whenever I wear this, I feel like a million bucks. I only fear the day I run out of it! Love, love, love.

There you have it: my thoughts on the Bare Minerals Beauty In Bloom set. I have to say, this was money well spent. I am so thrilled with every aspect of this spring-themed makeup kit. I will definitely have to keep an eye out for more Bare Minerals products in the future.

What do you think of this set? Have you tried anything from Bare Minerals?

xo Shannon

in the fashion industry, everything goes retro except the prices.

The great thing about stores like Forever 21? Super affordable accessories. You can find some cute ways to spruce up an outfit for $5-10. That makes it pretty easy to try out trendier pieces that don't necessarily have to last well, forever. The last time I placed an order with F21, I threw in a couple of cheap accessories on a whim. (If they weren't as cute as they looked, it wasn't a huge loss.) They were some midi-rings and a retro inspired headband.

I decided on the midi-rings simply because they were super cute. There came in a bundle and one of them even looks like a crown. Love! As for the headband, I have always been inspired by retro fashion. There is something about vintage accessories, like a bandana, that makes you feel strong and powerful. When these accessories arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by how great they were - the headband in particular.

Since I loved the headband so much, I decided to wear it for my latest face of the day look! I wanted something simple but pretty. I hope I managed to achieve that! So, here it is...my face of the day featuring my new favourite accessory.

The products used to create this look were: Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation, Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer, Blinc Cosmetics Liquid Liner, Benefit They're Real! Mascara, Hard Candy Baked Bronzer, L'Oreal Colour Whispers Gloss Balm.

When creating this makeup look, I wanted something that was a little retro inspired...but wasn't too dramatic or over the top. That is why I stuck with neutral shades on the lid and opted against a bright red lip. Overall, I'm happy with how it turned out!

What do you think of the accessories? Do you like this makeup look of the day?

xo Shannon