review: 24K gold gel face mask (global beauty care)

It seems that year after year, one beauty resolution remains the same: take better care of my skin. (In fact, I have included this in my beauty resolutions posts year after year.) Improvements have definitely been made. Particularly over the past year or so. I've invested in products that work well and suit my skin type. Despite typically sticking to a select group of favourite skin care products....it is fun to try out something new every now and then. On a shopping trip, I came across a mask set from Global Beauty Care. It was the 24K Gold Gel Face Mask, shown above. The gold aspect was certainly fun and intriguing but I'd also been on the hunt for a new face mask to incorporate into my beauty routine. So, does it work?

jaclyn hill + morphe (bling boss palette: review + look)

Jaclyn Hill is a big name in the beauty community. With 5.7 million YouTube subscribers and over 6 million followers on Instagram....there is no denying her impressive stats. In addition to her regular content, Jaclyn also made a name for herself with successful makeup collaborations. There were several with Becca (in fact, I reviewed the Becca + Jaclyn Hill Face Palette on my YouTube channel a couple of years ago) and eventually, Morphe. The latter was extremely successful. The Jaclyn Hill palette has been reviewed, purchased, and duped a million times over. Eventually, that led to another set of palette releases between Jaclyn and Morphe. Though there were four palettes in total, it was Bling Boss that really stood out to me. Here is everything you need to know about the palette. 

new in: gentlewhispering pillow + my asmr story

ASMR changed my life. I used to have a lot of difficulty falling asleep. One day, several years ago, I decided to search for rain sounds on YouTube. That helped somewhat. Though it made me feel felt relaxed and sleepy, it was still difficult for me to nod of completely. Then....I noticed a recommended video with ASMR in the title. Click. At first, I was a startled by how close the YouTuber was to the camera. It certainly wasn't something I was used to! Before long though, I had fallen in love with ASMR. Not sure what I'm talking about? There is plenty of information online but essentially, ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It “describes the experience of tingling sensations in the crown of the head, in response to a range of audio-visual triggers such as whispering, tapping, and hand movements." Basically, ASMR can be used to create tingles, for relaxation, for sleep, or to ease symptoms related to depression and anxiety.

current obsession: paris hilton brush set

Though there are quite a few makeup brushes floating around in my collection....many of them are old and in need of replacement. However, it is always hard to move on from brushes. Especially ones that have served you faithfully for years and years. One thing that makes moving on from makeup brushes a little bit easier? New brush sets. A couple have entered my life over the last little while but the first one comes from Paris Hilton Cosmetics. I received this set for my birthday and have been using it non-stop since. Ready to take a peek inside the brush collection? Here goes....

making a vision board (tips + my experience)

Like many people at this time of year, I've been thinking a lot about what I want to achieve in 2019. Though normally, I insist on having my resolutions prepped, planned, and ready to go by January 1st....this year, I decided to take my time. Back at the start of 2018, there were quite a few goals, plans, and dreams I had for myself. For instance: a certain number of workouts per week, a set number of page views on my blog, and specific book goals. This year, I decided to have a mix of specific goals as well as larger, overarching goals. To really focus on those goals, a couple of friends and I got together to have a vision board party. The plan? Create our very own vision boards for the year. Each one would include pictures, quotes, and anything else that would allow us to really focus in on what we wanted - and inspire us to turn it into a reality. Here is a peek at the board I created as well as a few tips to create a vision board of your own.

trying out the subculture palette (anastasia beverly hills)

Talk about controversial. When the Subculture eyeshadow palette originally launched, reviews were mixed. Some people had no issues whatsoever and others - who happened to be huge beauty YouTubers - found the palette was downright unusable. Anastasia Beverly Hills explained this as an inconsistency in the batches during production. (You can read more about that and the rest of the controversy here.) Not long ago, I stumbled upon this very palette at Marshalls. Given all of the hoopla around it during the launch, I thought, what the heck. It was time for me to find out what the Subculture palette was really like. Today's post will include swatches, a full review, and a makeup look created with these high end eyeshadows.

new beauty tools: paris hilton tweezers + brush cleaner

It may seem like there have been a lot of posts about Paris Hilton Cosmetics here lately. That's because there have been! Over the last several months, I've been given items from the line (for my birthday, Christmas, and just because) and have purchased items myself.  That means lots and lots of reviews are on the horizon. For the most part, I've reviewed Paris Hilton makeup products, like lip products and highlights. This time? It is all about beauty tools. Recently, I've been using the Paris Hilton tweezers and brush cleaner a lot. Are they good? Bad? In between? Here is everything you need to know about these affordable beauty tools.

my first charmed aroma experience (candle + accessory review)

I absolutely love burning candles. This is in part due to the many fabulous scents there are to choose from....and in part because I was never allowed to burn them when I lived with my parents. (They were afraid one of us kids would be absentminded enough to burn down the house!) When I moved out, it was candles, candles, and more candles. I am currently trying to work through the ones I have. However, a new addition recently made its way into my life. One of my friends gave me a beautiful candle from Charmed Aroma. Though I have used candles from many different brands over the years, this one had eluded me. Not long ago, I became memorized by a Charmed Aroma ad on Instagram and was this close to placing an order, but stopped myself. I needed to use up the candles I had before splurging on new ones! Lucky for me, my friend was able to read my mind somehow. She ordered the absolute perfect candle for me. So, on that note. Here it is: my very first Charmed Aroma experience.

nail polish review: OPI breakfast at tiffany's (i believe in manicures)

Audrey Hepburn is an icon. Few actresses fall into that category but Audrey always made it seem easy. How? She had impeccable fashion sense, was a talented and emotive performer, exuded classic beauty, and gave back to others through her awe-inspiring humanitarian work. It is no surprise that both film and fashion lovers continue to support and admire her. Myself included! Audrey has long been one of my biggest inspirations. I love her movies, her style, and the fact that she was such a loving and giving human being. Of course, when I came across an OPI nail polish set inspired by the beloved film, Breakfast at Tiffany's...I knew I had to add this to my collection.

three steps to change up your winter style.

It never ends quickly. At least it doesn’t seem to. The winter months always seem to drag on and on. Somehow we start to think that the snow will never stop falling and the temperatures will never rise again. Here is a little advice: stop waiting for winter to be over. Make the most of it! Though the weather outside is cold and frosty… your style can be red hot. Spending time with friends? Heading to work? Running errands? Your wardrobe will always look fantastic. Here are some easy ways to change up your winter style this year.

hard candy holiday makeup haul

Hard Candy and I have a long and beautiful history. I can't recall the first time I used a product from this brand, but I wrote about their products on the creation of beauty is art. way back in 2013! (You can read that very very old post here, if you are interested.) Since then, I have tried an awful lot of products. From blushes to eyeliners, foundations, lip products, and everything in between. Hard Candy is a massive part of my makeup collection. Though I enjoy high-end beauty items...drugstore products never fail to make me smile. Over the last month or so, several new Hard Candy products have entered my life. Some were gifts to myself and others were gifts from friends. Today, I wanted to go through some of the Hard Candy holiday items and share my thoughts.

paris hilton nude eye set (review, swatches, and makeup look)

I love Paris Hilton. And after watching the new Netflix documentary, The American Meme, I am not alone. There are millions of "Little Hiltons" who admire and adore this iconic star. No wonder she has nineteen product lines, including an ultra successful and affordable cosmetics line. Over the last year (in fact, my very first post about Paris Hilton Cosmetics went up almost a year ago) I have been able to try out quite a few of her products. The newest is especially exciting. The Nude Eye palette caught my eye immediately because it included eyeshadows. Out of everything I've found from the brand, this was my first time finding Paris Hilton eyeshadow. Talk about exciting!

holiday wrap up: H&M accessories advent review

It was the most wonderful time of the year. Sadly, it has all come to a close. It amazes me how quickly time passes and how fast all of that seasonal magic seems to fade away once the New Year begins. Not to worry! There is still a little more magic to enjoy, courtesy of today's blog post. On Boxing Day, I picked up an accessories advent calendar at H&M. Though I hadn't shopped there in a while, I actually found quite a few items that caught my eye. That included an ultra long sweatshirt, a Jingle Bells t-shirt, and of course, the advent calendar. The latter was originally $29.99 but had been reduced to $9.99 with an additional 20% off. Though the price tag was initially a bit high....the reduced price made it an affordable way to keep the holiday spirit alive.

holiday highlights (christmas tours, dinners, decorations, and more)

It always goes by so fast, doesn't it? Though it is hard to believe, we are at the start of a new year and all of those fabulous holiday festivities are a thing of the past. Sigh! This is always a difficult time. The month of December is loaded with event after event after event and then...poof. It is back to reality. To combat some of the post-Christmas blues, I wanted to take a bit of time to look back. These are a few of my personal holiday highlights.

easy ways to beat the winter blues

The days are shorter and the temperatures are colder. That makes seasonal affective disorder or SAD – also known as the winter blues – a very real issue. What does it do? It can cause you to feel depressed, lonely, or out of sorts. This affects men and women all over the country and it happens every time the seasons change. Whether you are in the midst of the winter blues or just want to perk up a dreary season, you are in luck. These ideas will help you beat the winter blues once and for all.

cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right

Happy New Year! This is my first post in a fresh new year and it is kind of exciting. Though the end of 2018 is a little bittersweet (so many wonderful things happened)....I am thrilled to start 2019 with optimism and joy in my heart. Today, I took a little bit of time to look back at my resolutions from last year. I did my best to keep up with them throughout the year and am quite happy with all of the progress I made. I was able to cross many things off completely and accomplish a number of personal, spiritual, and professional goals. There is no doubt about it: 2018 was a fabulous year.