pride month inspired makeup look + mini product reviews

Pride month is almost over, but that doesn't mean the celebration has to stop. It is so important to continue to support the LGBTQIA+ community. Whether that means wearing colourful makeup and sharing a supportive hashtag, educating yourself and others, or donating to worthwhile causes...there are many different ways to contribute. For those looking for some direct ways to give back, click here for a comprehensive list of charities and organizations within Canada. Some are related to advocacy and education, some directly benefit young people, some support the arts, and some are related to community spaces and organizations. Every little bit helps! Today on the creation of beauty is art. it is all about fun, colourful, and exciting makeup. Quo Beauty recently released a Pride inspired collection, where 10% of all sales were donated to Pflag Canada. Several of those items were added to my makeup collection, including an ultra colourful eyeshadow palette. Ready to have a little fun with makeup? Here are some mini reviews and a Pride inspired makeup look.

mini book haul + update on 20/20 reading goal

Too many books? There is no such thing. I believe that having a full bookshelf or two is good for the soul. Which certainly explains why my shelves are double stacked and overflowing with books, books, and more books. Reading has always been a passion of mine and it is something that I love more than anything else. Even if I am not always able to read as much as I would like! For the last couple of years, I have done the 20/20 reading challenge, which is essentially a goal that I set for myself at the start of each year. The challenge is to read at least 20 fiction books and 20 non-fiction books. This ensures that I am reading a lot of different types of books and also encourages me to make time to do what I love most. We are just over halfway through the year and I'm at 13 fiction books and 11 non-fiction books. Still a ways to go! Life has certainly been busy lately, but I do hope that soon enough there will be a little more downtime to focus on my reading list. As for today, I wanted to share some of the recent books that have been added to my shelf. That's right...this is a mini book haul. 

summer week: bh cosmetics weekend vibes mimosa palette

Clearly, summer themed palettes are right up my alley lately. This only makes sense given the time of year...and also the fact that themed beauty products are my greatest weakness. Earlier in the week, I reviewed a beach themed shadow palette and today, it is all about mimosas. This palette instantly makes me think about sitting on a patio with friends during the summer months and enjoying a drink or two over brunch. Now, that is a scenario I have not experienced in some time, but perhaps one day, it will happen again. Until then, I will be making the most of the Weekend Vibes Mimosa Eyeshadow Palette from BH Cosmetics. It seems like the ideal way to wrap up summer week here on the creation of beauty is art...

summer week: mini getaway to niagara (first trip of summer)

Travel is something I used to love. It was something I tried to do often. Sometimes, that meant a week long trip somewhere far away and other times, it meant a day trip somewhere special. The fun was being able to explore new places, make memories, and do something different. Since the pandemic, my travel habits have obviously shifted considerably. Though a lot of people are feeling free and are acting like the pandemic is over...I still feel a lot of anxiety and apprehension. Going out feels unnatural and I really struggle to feel safe. I know it will take time, but travel is not something that necessarily I love at the moment. Being in unfamiliar places? Scary. Being in crowds of (largely maskless) people? Terrifying. Despite the fact that I am still trying to find my footing, travel seems to be something that I will be doing this summer. Whether I like it or not! My loved ones want to be out in the world and they are pretty insistent that I need to join them. So, I am trying, even though it feels like too much. 

summer week: kara beauty beach bum eyeshadow palette (review)

Summer is officially here! It is hard to believe, actually. Somehow, it seems like only a few weeks ago I was welcoming in the start of the spring season. Yet here we are...with sunshine and shorts weather. There is something undeniably exciting about summer. It used to be my favourite time of year as a kid, because it meant no school and lots of fun activities. As an adult, there are other seasons that I prefer, but I think summer will always hold a special place in my heart. That is why this week on the creation of beauty is art. is a theme week. It will be dedicated to a couple of summer themed beauty items and my very first summer getaway. Ready for the first summer week post? It is all about the Beach Bum Eyeshadow Palette.

beauty products i love so much...i keep backups.

It is no secret that I am often inspired by Emily Noel. Earlier this week, I did a revisited review of her palettes (if you missed it, you can check that post out here). Now? I am sharing some of my beauty backups. This was inspired by a video that Emily posted on her YouTube channel about a month ago. She shared some of the products that she loves so much, she keeps multiples on hand, so she never runs out. After watching that video, I realized there are several products that I like to have backups of. I never want to run out of those must-have beauty items. Ready to find out more about my backups? Here goes...

new in: richard simmons merchandise

My life certainly changed during the pandemic. I went from walking to work each day to working from home. Oh, and I also stress-ate everything in sight for far too many months in 2020. Despite working out regularly, it wasn't offsetting all of the snacking. Before I knew it, my weight had skyrocketed. Clearly, I needed to find some balance and be a little (or a lot) more mindful about my habits. For the last year or so, I have slowly but surely been dropping all of those extra pandemic pounds. There are many things that have helped me during this process, including Richard Simmons. His YouTube channel started posting clips of old workout videos and that inspired me to purchase the Sweatin' To the Oldies series on DVD. From there, I started adding various workout videos, books, and other Richard Simmons merchandise into my life. More recently? I decided to treat myself to a few items from his online store. Though this blog is largely about makeup, fashion, and beauty...today is all about Richard Simmons. Check out some of the merchandise that I have been enjoying lately. 

hawaiian tropic aloha glow self-tanning milk (review)

Summer is just around the corner. In fact, in just a few days, the summer season will officially be underway. That means one thing: it is time for me to start reaching for those tanning products. I am quite pale and whenever I wear shorts in the summertime, there are often comments made about my neon or see-through legs. So, I do like to use gradual tanners when the weather starts to get hot. I've tried many over the years, but my go-to is normally the Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer. It is easy to use, looks great, and fades naturally. This summer? I have decided to branch out a bit and try the Hawaiian Tropic Aloha Glow Self-Tanning Milk. This every day gradual tanner was intriguing because I absolutely love Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens. They always smell so good. My hope was that the gradual tanner would have that classic Hawaiian Tropic scent...and deliver a gorgeous glowing tan. Wondering how this performs? How it compares to the Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer? Here is everything you need to know about the Hawaiian Tropic Aloha Glow Self-Tanning Milk.

revisited review: the emily edit (the wants + the needs)

Do I spend too much time on YouTube? Absolutely. I shudder to think how many hours, days, and weeks of my life have been spent watching makeup videos, reviews, fashion hauls, and well, a little bit of everything else. YouTube videos are an important part of my days. I like to have something on in the background while I do my makeup or treat myself to a video or two during my lunch break. It is always nice to catch up with my favourite YouTubers. Out of all of them, my favourite is beauty guru is Emily Noel. I have been watching her videos for at least ten years now. I admire her so much, because she doesn't do sponsored content, stays out of drama, and has an incredible knowledge of makeup. Whether she is sharing dollar store, drugstore, or high end beauty recommendations, Emily is always honest and fair. A few years ago, she released The Emily Edit collection with Revolution. It included The Wants Palette and The Needs Palette...and these have been an important part of my makeup life ever since. Today, it is time for a revisited review featuring these drugstore palettes. 

new in: rainbow rhinestone sketchers

Every now and then, it just feels good to add a new pair of shoes to the closet. A lot of my shoes have become worn out and needed to be replaced. Especially a lot of my slip-on style shoes. So, when I happened to see the Sketchers Rainbow Rhinestone Slip-Ons with Air-Cooled Memory Foam, it seemed like a no brainer. Not only did they have a fun and colourful design, but they also were ultra comfortable. Even better? These rainbow shoes were found at Winners for a fraction of the original retail price. I always love a bargain...especially one that doesn't sacrifice style and comfort.

2 looks 1 palette: essence dancing green eyeshadow palette

The best eyeshadow palettes are the ones that can be used to create many different looks. Variety is key! Thankfully, there is a good amount of that happening in the Essence Dancing Green Eyeshadow Palette. This is part of the same collection as the recently reviewed Bronzed This Way Eyeshadow Palette. These drugstore palettes are compact, include six shadows, and are ultra affordable. Ready to see the palette in action? It is time for a 2 looks 1 palette post here on the creation of beauty is art. 

testing out a new hair product (jvn complete air dry cream)

Hair has been on my mind a lot lately. Probably because my hair was quite long and overgrown. It was uncomfortable and heavy...shapeless and difficult to tame. Clearly, a haircut was in order. I finally went and got it cut recently. I also got it coloured for the first time. (My hair is still brown, just with some lighter highlights scattered through.) Since my hair has been cut and coloured, my focus is on taking care of it in the days and weeks to come. The good news? I have been using the JVN Complete Air Dry Cream lately. The JVN line of hair care products was created by Jonathan Van Ness (who you may recognize from Queer Eye on Netflix) and it launched at the end of 2021. Since I am a fan of JVN already, it only made sense that I would want to test out some of the products. Here is everything you need to know about the Complete Air Dry Cream. 

pros and cons: revlon colorstay day to night eyeshadow quad

Revlon is one of the most iconic drugstore makeup brands out there. No wonder it has been featured on the creation of beauty is art. so many times over the years! Revlon is an absolute staple, and as a lover of drugstore products, it is always exciting to test out different products from the brand. Most recently, I decided to try out the ColorStay Day to Night Eyeshadow Quad in Stylish. It included four different eyeshadow shades, with a combination of finishes to choose from. This boasts 24-hour wear and a powder-cream hybrid formula, with eyeshadow that "goes on like a powder and stays on like a cream." Like the name suggests, this quad is also designed to take your look from day to night. Definitely a fun concept and the claims are impressive. Ready to find out how this performs? It is time to break it down into a good old-fashion pros and cons list. 

kate somerville goat milk moisturizing cleanser (review)

It is nice to test out different skin care items every now and then. Thankfully, I have been able to do just that thanks to the Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cleanser. This is a brand that I have heard an awful lot about over the last little while, so it is exciting to try out a product for myself. Since I have dry skin, it is especially thrilling that this item is designed to moisturize, remove dirt and oil, and leave the skin feeling soft and smooth. Those are all excellent claims, but are they actually accurate? Well, it is time to find out with this high-end skin care review dedicated to Kate Somerville. 

colourful #FOTD featuring fenty beauty poutsicle juicy satin lipstick

Sometimes, an eyeshadow palette inspires a makeup look. Other times, it is a lipstick. As you can probably tell from the title of this blog post...the latter was true in this instance. This Fenty Beauty Poutsicle Juicy Satin Lipstick was another item that was given to me over the holiday season. Since the colour was so bold, it was something that I wanted to wait to use. This blue lipstick was deserving of a colourful spring or summer makeup look. Ready to see this over the top product in action? Keep reading for a bright and colourful #FOTD and a mini review of this Fenty Beauty lipstick.