we must take adventures in order to know where we truly belong.

Cottage life is not exactly my favourite. I am definitely an air conditioning, binge-watching, indoor kind of person. Despite this, my summer plans included a week at a rented cottage in the Kawartha Lakes area. The reason? My family. We went to a cottage last summer, because it seemed like the safest way to do something different in the midst of the pandemic. This year, they wanted to repeat the experience. Though we did not stay in the exact same cottage or the exact same area...it was not too far from the last place. Since I am not really an outdoor person, and cottage life is all about embracing the great outdoors, the week was a bit of a struggle for me. I was definitely missing my laptop, my Netflix, and my everyday routine. However, I did my best to make the most of the time there. Here are some cottage highlights from my latest adventure...

cloud 2.0 (review and comparison)

There are a lot of Ariana Grande perfumes in my collection these days. Honestly? I love them. Her fragrances tend to be sweet and often smell like candy and marshmallow. As someone who loves sweet scents, Ariana Grande perfumes tend to be right up my alley. Recently, my mom gifted me her latest release, Cloud 2.0. Since one of my absolute favourite Ariana scents is the original Cloud...this was especially thrilling. Ready to find out more about this perfume and how it compares to the original? Here is everything you need to know about the latest celebrity fragrance on the market.

smiley x h&m (mini smiley face haul)

It was only a few months ago that I shared a post about my obsession with happy faces. Growing up, I absolutely loved them. To me, happy faces represented simple joys and optimism. They still do! Now that there is a resurgence in all things 90s and 00s, it seems that the happy face has returned to popularity once again. This is excellent news for me, because I have been able to find some really special and nostalgic items. Case in point? The Smiley x H&M collaboration. My mom needed to return something at the mall not too long ago and we did a bit of quick browsing. My eyes locked on the Smiley x H&M collection and it was all over. Though there were a lot of pieces that I would've loved to take home with me, only three ended up in my wardrobe. Ready to take a closer look? Find out more about these items? Here is a mini happy face haul....

fab or fail? so gloss heat activated nail wraps

I am no stranger to nail wraps, nail stickers, and at-home manicures. Since I do not enjoy getting my nails done professionally (social interaction and small talk? No thank you...) take home products are my favourite kinds. My drawer is overloaded with nail polishes, nail stickers, and nail wraps from various brands. When my mom gifted me the So Gloss Heat Activated Nail Wraps, I was extremely excited. The pink and gold design was beautiful, there were lots of nail size options included, and I was in the mood for something different. So, it is time to take a closer look at this set. Was the So Gloss Heat Activated Nail Wraps set fab or a total fail? Here is everything you need to know about this at-home nail product. 

testing out a friends themed eyeshadow palette.

This is not my first time testing out Friends themed makeup products. In fact, there was a collection from Revolution previously (which contained some seriously stellar items). It seems that Mad Beauty has also decided to release some items inspired by the iconic television show. According to the Mad Beauty website, there are bath products, lip balms, face masks, and even an eyeshadow palette. Since eyeshadow is easily my favourite beauty related, it only made sense to see how the palette performed. Curious about this product? It is time to take a look inside this Friends Eyeshadow Palette from Mad Beauty. 

review: physicians formula (diamond plumper)

Physicians Formula is a brand that often catches my attention but does not often come home with me when I happen to visit the drugstore. There is one simple reason for that: money. This is easily the most expensive brand at the drugstore! For me to splurge on something, it really has to be a product that I am eager to try. On the plus side, there have been a lot of excellent Physicians Formula products in my collection over the years. For instance, the murumuru lip butters and the Casey Holmes collection. The Diamond Plumper Mineral Wear Lip Plumper in the shade Brilliant Berry Diamond certainly caught my eye thanks to the bold packaging and colour. So....was this product worth the $12 CDN cost? Did it meet my expectations? Here is everything you need to know about this drugstore plumping gloss from Physicians Formula.

current skin care favourites: clinique moisture surge

Skin care is always important....but during the summer months, it is far easier for me to slack on my routine. When it is cold outside? I always remember to moisturize and hydrate. When it is warm? It takes a little bit of reminding. Even though my skin needs to be moisturized year-round, it is oh-so-easy to neglect self-care when summer rolls around. Thankfully, there are a couple of no brainer products that continue to impress. Today, it is time to take a closer look at some current skin care favourites from Clinique. These items are from the Moisture Surge line, including the moisturizer and face spray. 

review: jason wu everyday lip mask

Lip masks are an absolute must for me. My lips are always dry...and ever since the Nivea Essential Care Lip Balm formula changed, it has become that much harder to find products that work effectively. There are a few that are high on my list, including the Laneige Lip Sleeping Masks and a homemade concoction of coconut oil and beeswax. But quite frankly, I am always open to other options. I haven't found anything to completely replace the Nivea product. Well, Jason Wu Beauty recently became available in Canada. There were an awful lot of products to choose from, including the Everyday Lip Mask.

first impressions: cover girl exhibitionist stretch and strengthen

An awful lot of mascaras have come into my life over the years. Some have been wonderful and others have been...not nearly as wonderful. Out of all of them, The Super Sizer mascara from Cover Girl has been an absolute standout. It has become my holy grail mascara and is the one that I purchase over and over again. It just works! So, when it comes to Cover Girl mascaras, I am always open to trying something new from the brand, just to see how it compares to my all-time favourite. The Cover Girl Exhibitionist Stretch and Strengthen Mascara is designed to lengthen and strengthen the lashes. How does it perform? And how does it compare to The Super Sizer? Here are my first impressions of this drugstore mascara. 

does it work?? oh k! hyaluronic acid hydrogel mask

Some days are meant for face masks. Lots on your to do list? Exhausted by the end of the night? There is no better way to treat yourself than with a little skin care. Face masks tend to be a quick and easy way to pamper yourself and give your skin a little bit of a boost. Recently, I tried the Oh K! Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel Mask with Vitamin B3 and Sea Kelp. This mask is designed to hydrate and plump the skin. Sounds appealing, right? I've tried a few other products from Oh K! in the past. To be honest, some have been good and some have been a little lackluster. Ready to find out how this particular skin care item performed? If it lives up to the claims? Here is everything you need to know about this hydrogel mask from Oh K! 

colour is descriptive. black and white is interpretive.

Black and white photographs always seems to say more. They express longing, despair, and the complexity of human emotions in a way that colour photos cannot. Lately, I have been really inspired by black and white everything. Photography, movies, television shows...all of it. Perhaps this is because there is something achingly beautiful about black and white images of all kinds. They somehow peel back the layers and get to the heart of the matter. They say the things that we are too afraid to say. They tell our secrets. Since my world has been a little black and white recently, it only made sense to share a bit of that inspiration here on the creation of beauty is art. Here are some inspiration photos to add a little extra something to your day. Some of the images are moody and others are powerful, but all are meaningful, special, and important. 

charmed aroma review and reveal: masquerade bath bomb

Bath bombs are not exactly my favourite. The reason is pretty simple: I don't find sitting in a tub with lots of bubbles and fizz to be relaxing. That being said, I know many people who love taking luxurious baths with all the dressings. For those people, the Charmed Aroma Masquerade Bath Bomb would be ideal. For me? It was all about digging out the hidden treasure inside. This was a free little add on and so it only made sense to see what the ring inside would look like. It is always hard for me to resist cute accessories...especially when there is the added surprise. You never know what you are going to get. That is a little unnerving but also somewhat exciting. Some Charmed Aroma products have had incredible rings inside and others have been a little so-so. But I suppose that is the fun of it! Ready to find out more about the Masquerade Bath Bomb from Charmed Aroma? Here is everything you need to know about the bath bomb and the accessory inside.

without music, life would be a mistake.

Music has always been an important part of my life. It doesn't matter what is happening...there is a song to accompany the good, the bad, and the in between. Certain songs will forever be associated with specific times in my life. For instance, there was a playlist of dance songs (think Usher, the Black Eyes Peas, and Girlicious) that I used to listen to back in my going-out-and-clubbing days. There were songs that I listened to over and over again while falling in love with my husband. Music is meaningful and enjoyable, but it also acts as a reminder of the times that have passed. And sometimes, old songs take on new meanings! It really is so important to take time to listen to music. There are several songs that I have been listening to over and over again lately. Some are new and some are not-so-new, but one day, I am sure I will think back on this time and remember how meaningful those songs were. Today, I wanted to share some of my current favourite songs.

review: abh norvina mini pro pigment palette vol. 3

An eyeshadow palette with red, blue, green, pink, and glitter? Well, there certainly isn't an expected colour story in the Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Collection Mini Pro Pigment Palette Vol. 3. This release shares some similarities to the Mini Pro Pigment Palette Vol. 1, which was reviewed on the creation of beauty is art. not too long ago. (In case you missed that review, you can check it out here.) There are nine eyeshadows in total, a variety of finishes, and the palette itself is quite compact. There are also some pigments and some eyeshadows. Five of the shadows are traditional eyeshadows and the other four shades are pressed pigments. With lots of variety and some unexpected colour combinations, this is certainly a unique beauty product. Ready to take a look inside? Here is everything you need to know about the Mini Pro Pigment Palette Vol. 3. 

new in: juicy couture shoes (sneakers and slides)

Stuck in the 00s? Most definitely. I have to admit, it is kind of strange seeing the brands and trends that I love come back into style again. Even though Juicy Couture tracksuits and accessories were considered 'uncool' a few short years ago...they have suddenly become popular once more. This is excellent news for me, because I never stopped wearing any of it. I still have my Juicy Couture tracksuits, shirts, purses, and bracelets from the 00s! While I appreciate trends and think they are a lot of fun, at the end of the day, I wear what I like. If something I like is no longer trendy, that doesn't mean that I throw it all away. After all, fashion is not just about wearing the latest and greatest. It's about what makes you feel like your absolute best self. Thankfully, this Juicy Couture resurgence makes it a whole lot easier to find new items from the brand and fill in some gaps. Ready to take a peek at some Juicy Couture shoes? One is a new pair of sneakers and the other is a pair of slides for summer.