review: revolution (brave spirit eyeshadow palette)

Free makeup is my favourite kind of makeup. A while back, an online order was placed, and a free Revolution eyeshadow palette was added to the order as a promotion. It was definitely a nice surprise! The Brave Spirit Eyeshadow Palette has been sitting around my beauty room for several months...and it was finally time to put it to good use. (I like to wait until inspiration hits or I feel drawn to a palette before I use it.) Though the palette looks fairly simple on the outside, there is an awful lot happening on the inside. Ready to see for yourself? It is time to take a closer look at this drugstore release. 

betsey johnson mini reviews (purse, earrings, and perfume)

Some designers pride themselves on creating pieces that are classic and sophisticated. Other designers just want to enjoy fashion. Betsey Johnson certainly falls into the latter category. My favourite Betsey quote is: "Always have fun with fashion. Dress to entertain yourself." There is so much sadness, fear, and hurt in this world...and I love that her designs are a stark contrast to that. They are a celebration! That is one of the many reasons Betsey Johnson is my favourite fashion designer. I love her aesthetic and the playfulness of her pieces. Since all of my loved ones are well aware of how much Betsey means to me, it is no surprise that I was gifted some Betsey pieces over the holiday season. Lately, those items have been put to good use. Ready to take a look? Here are some current favourites and some mini reviews. 

nyx gimmie super stars matte lip vault (review + lipstick try on)

Lipstick used to be an essential part of every makeup look. Whether it was a matte liquid lipstick, a tinted balm, or a fabulous gloss, there was room for all finishes and colours to thrive! Then the pandemic happened. Everyone started wearing masks and lipstick became unnecessary. After almost two years of wearing lipstick only on rare occasions (for YouTube videos or around my house for no reason at all)...it was time to do a declutter. It hurt to throw away so many beautiful lip products! But it also made me want to be more mindful about the lip products I chose in future. That is why the NYX Gimmie Super Stars! Matte Lip Vault was so appealing. There were twelve mini-matte lipsticks in total...meaning it would be possible to finish each one and enjoy lots of variety. It is time to take a closer look at the NYX Gimmie Super Stars! Matte Lip Vault set. 

my chemical romance inspired makeup and accessories

Emo kid? Me? Absolutely. I was in university when I first discovered My Chemical Romance. Something inside of me shifted when I heard them. Their music made me feel like I was heard, seen, and understood in a way that I never had been before. Suddenly, it felt okay to be me. It felt safe to express the happy parts, the sad parts, the confused parts, and the depressed parts....most of which I had tried to hide away or reject over the years. My Chemical Romance allowed me to accept and embrace my authentic self. Ever since then, their music has been an important part of my life and my story. It has been there for me in good times and in difficult times. Lately, their music has been playing in my apartment on a regular basis. This is partly because the music is phenomenal and partly because a My Chemical Romance earring set has been in heavy rotation lately. Since I have been so inspired by this band over the years (and especially lately) it only seemed right to create an MRC inspired makeup look and to share a mini review of the earring set. First up? The earrings....

recent reads: mysteries, biographies, and self help

There is nothing better than curling up with a good book...though it is not always easy to make the time. Or have the energy! These days, my plate has felt a little more full than usual. There are always times like that, it seems. Slower times are immediately followed by busier times. But somehow, everything always gets done, and there is even room for fun every now and again. Even though life has been busy lately, reading has been on the forefront of my mind. I've been trying to unwind at the end of the night with a chapter of a book instead of scrolling through Instagram or mindlessly watching something on TV. Not only does this help me to sleep better, but it also makes me feel more connected, grounded, and peaceful. Which is why this post is all about some of my recent reads. I thought that I would share some of the books that have been making my life better lately. Some are mystery novels, there is a celebrity biography, and there are even a couple of self help books. 

focus on fashion with sculptshe

There are quite a few things this pandemic has made me miss. Some examples? Dresses. Skirts. Cute clothes. Before the whole world changed, one of my favourite things to do was plan an outfit for a special event, like a dinner with friends or a concert downtown. I would spend ages deciding what to wear. From the makeup to the footwear and everything in between...there was something so exciting about the process. Not only was it fun to be creative, but it also made made me joyfully anticipate that special event. Since the pandemic, most of my time has been spent in sweatpants and pajamas. Now that the world is slowly but surely opening up again...it seems that dresses, skirts, and cute clothes are on the horizon. That means it is time to start thinking about slim shapewear and all the essentials. Not sure where to start? Head on over to the Sculptshe website.

#FOTD: essence coral me maybe + taupe it up eyeshadow palettes

Over the years, there have been an awful lot of Essence reviews here on the creation of beauty is art. There are a few reasons for this: the low price point (there is nothing better than an affordable product that works well), the accessibility (drugstore products are easy to pick up on errand days), and the impressive selection (there are often new products and intriguing items.) No wonder the Coral Me Maybe and Taupe It Up eyeshadow palettes called to me. They cost $4.99 CDN each, were compact in size, and contained six shadows each. Recently, I have been putting these eyeshadow palettes to the test and created some #FOTD looks. Keep reading for some mini reviews and a couple of drugstore makeup looks. 

hit or miss? testing out a dollar store highlighter

Every now and then...it is fun to put a dollar store beauty product to the test. Why? You never really know what the experience will be like. And with such a low price point, the risk is worth the reward. The latest item to test and try comes from Kozmic Colours, a brand that seems to be fairly common at dollar stores in my area. The silver highlight cost a mere $1.25. Since I have been able to find some impressive affordable highlights in the past, this seemed like a pretty safe bet. Highlights tend to be a little easier to produce at an affordable price point than eyeshadows or eyeliners! So, it is time to find out whether the Kozmic Colours Highlighter (in the shade 8) is a hit, a miss, or falls somewhere in between.

to love is to receive a glimpse of heaven.

Valentine's Day is almost here. That means the next few days are all about love and romance. Whether you plan to celebrate the holiday with a partner, family members, friends, or on your own...this is the perfect time to show how much you care. And a rom-com or two doesn't hurt, either! There are so many ways to celebrate this time of year. For some, celebrating may mean a romantic dinner at a fancy restaurant and for others, celebrating may look like an at-home spa day. It doesn't matter how you choose to spend Valentine's Day, as long as you take a little time to treat yourself (and your loved ones) to an extra dose of TLC. There is so much destruction in the world these days, and holidays are a wonderful reminder to lead with love and to appreciate the most important people in your life. It is a time to pause and be grateful. On that note...ready to kickoff the latest holiday? Here are some Valentine's Day inspired photos, makeup looks, and quotes. 

ranking laniege lip sleeping mask scents (midnight minis set)

Ever since Nivea changed the formula on their Essential Lip Balm...my lips have been in a state of emergency. There is nothing that has worked as well as that original formula. (The new formula caused my lips to peel and burn. There must be something they added to it that my skin does not like.) At this point? I have tried it all. Homemade concoctions, well-known brands, and well, just about everything. Most things do not do the trick. Then there is Laneige. When I initially reviewed the Lip Sleeping Mask, my review was overwhelmingly positive. It was a wonderful overnight mask and performed well. Well, these days, it is something that I have been using throughout the day as well. With a price point of $26 for a full-sized container, this is a pricey alternative to my old Nivea lip balm, but it is undoubtedly effective. Over the holiday season, my mom gifted me the Midnight Minis 5-Piece Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask set, which includes five mini versions of the fabulous mask in five different scents. Clearly, the formula is outstanding, but which scents are the best? It is time to rank these Midnight Minis. 

current obsession: paris hilton cosmetics (pretty woman nail polish)

Freshly painted nails? Check. And that is all thanks to the Pretty Woman set from Paris Hilton Cosmetics. It is no secret that I love a good nail polish. In fact, there are several nail polish brands that stand out in my collection, like Essie, Sally Hansen, and well...maybe even Paris Hilton Cosmetics. This affordable nail polish set was something that was added to my shopping cart several months ago. Though I was eager to review it here on the creation of beauty is art. it was important that tried out each and every nail polish shade in the set first. Curious about how these polishes performed? Here is everything you need to know about the Pretty Woman 8-Piece Nail Polish Set from Paris Hilton Cosmetics. 

kvd beauty: shade + light eyeshadow quad (neupop)

Eyeshadow is my ultimate weakness. Do I need more? No. Do I buy more? Of course. Though all beauty products can be fun and functional, eyeshadow leans more towards the fun side. Ever since the start of the pandemic, beauty lovers have been reaching for more skin care and brow products than ever. While I understand the practicality behind those choices...eyeshadow still calls out to me. Beauty trends come and go, but my love for eyeshadow is enduring. Perhaps that is why it was especially difficult to resist an affordable quad from KVD. The NEUPOP Shade + Light Eyeshadow Quad was on sale for a mere $10. It has been a very long time since I last tried out an eyeshadow from the brand...so there was definitely a little curiosity. Would the shades perform well? Was the quality as good as it used to be? One thing was certain: I was ready to find out. 

review + reveal (charmed aroma peppermint swirl candle)

It's always nice to have a peppermint candle around. Not only does the smell of peppermint instantly remind me of the holiday season, but it is also a must-have for tackling headaches. Yes, peppermint has been found to relax muscles and ease pain associated with headaches and migraines. That is why the Peppermint Swirl candle from Charmed Aroma was such a wonderful gift. I was given this candle before the holidays rolled around, but didn't burn it until fairly recently. Normally, I love to burn a Charmed Aroma candle right away (because I am desperate to see what is inside), but this was a candle that I planned to save and use only when needed. After my booster vaccine, my head ached for several days and this candle really came in handy. It helped to ease some of the pain and make the situation far more manageable. Bonus? There was jewellery waiting for me inside. This particular candle was part of the dainty ring collection. Keep reading for a review and reveal...

hard candy cheek products (highlight + blush review)

Hard Candy has been something of a staple here on the creation of beauty is art. There have been posts about this particular drugstore brand since 2011...and those posts will likely continue into the future. There is something so thrilling about Hard Candy. Not only do they have a wide variety of products, but Hard Candy is one of the few drugstore brands that really embraces trends. It also helps that the products are decently priced. Though I have never seen a Hard Candy product at the dollar store before, there were a couple of cheek products available at the one nearest to me. That was definitely a surprise, but a welcome one. There were two blush sets to choose from and they were $4 each. That is how the Hard Candy Just Glow! Baked Illuminating Duo in Candle Lit and the Hard Candy Just Glow! Baked Blush Duo in Over the Moon entered my life. 

review: miami glow by jlo (fragrance mist)

Jennifer Lopez is not just a bankable movie star, musician, and skin care brand owner...she is also known for her fragrances. According to Allure, the Jennifer Lopez perfumes have ranked in $2 billion dollars over the years. Plus, there are twenty five scents in the line. Talk about impressive! Though there aren't a ton of Jennifer Lopez perfumes in my personal perfume collection, the ones that I do have are very special. In fact, my very first perfume ever was Still by Jennifer Lopez. My dad bought it for me one day when we were out and it made me feel so special and loved. That is the wonderful thing about perfumes and scents: they hold onto memories. Well, I am hoping to make lots of wonderful memories with Miami Glow by JLo. This fragrance mist was at Winners a few months back for a mere $9.99. It was an exciting find and it immediately was added to my cart. Though this is not a new fragrance by any means, it was new to me, and that in itself was thrilling.