january in review (resolutions, goals, and life updates)

The last day of January is here. Truthfully, this makes me a little relieved, because I have been dealing with the January Blues for much of the month. There isn't a particular reason that I have been so down, but for the last few weeks, I have felt unfocused, unsteady, and unsure. Despite that, there were some good moments...and some events to look forward to now that January is coming to a close. This post is a look back at the month that has passed and a look ahead at some resolutions. 

testing out kylie cosmetics and kylie skin samples.

Who doesn't love a good beauty sample? Small samples make it possible to test and try different products without splurging on a full sized version. It is the easiest way to determine whether a product is (or is not) right for you. Thankfully, a handful of Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin samples are in my possession. I already enjoy a lot of products from the brand, but these samples make it possible to find out whether there are others from Kylie Cosmetics or Kylie Skin that might be appropriate to add to the rotation. Ready to find out more about these products? Keep reading for all of the details and mini reviews. 

quick and easy glam feat. fmg glimmer quad in goddess

Sometimes, a simple makeup look is a must. Especially when that to-do list feels overwhelming and the schedule is a little too full for comfort. That seems to sum things up for me lately. The last remaining days of January have decided to be full, busy, and downright hectic at times, between work, family stuff, and various personal responsibilities. Though I struggled a lot to get focused and check tasks off of my to-do list during the first couple weeks of the new year...I am being forced to get my head in the game. Thank goodness for no brainer beauty products. One that I have been reaching for the last several days is the neutral eyeshadow quad from FMG Glimmer, Goddess. There are some easy to wear neutrals included as well as some shimmers that make it possible to quickly and easily elevate a simple but glam makeup look. Keep reading for all of the important details....

#FOTD: january makeup look (bh cosmetics garnet for january)

It's hard to believe how far into January we are already. It seems like only yesterday, we were celebrating the start of a shiny new year....and now 2024 is well underway. Though 2024 has had a bit of a slower start for me (the January blues arrived earlier in the month and I am only just starting to feel like myself again)...there are been good moments scattered throughout. Like nights at the movies, listening to John Denver records, and re-focusing on some personal goals. Something else that has been making me smile? The BH Cosmetics Garnet For January 7 Color Shadow Palette. This was a previous Winners find for $5.99 CDN that I had been intentionally saving for January to roll around. Garnet is the birthstone for January and is thought to represent protection, friendship, trust, commitment, and love. This gorgeous red stone is represented well in the BH Cosmetics release thanks to the themed packaging, eyeshadow names, and colour story. Ready to take a closer look? Keep reading for a full review of the BH Cosmetics Garnet For January 7 Color Shadow Palette and a January birthstone inspired #FOTD. 

review: hard candy look pro! eyeshadow palette (all that rose gold)

Finding Hard Candy products has become a little more hit or miss over the last couple of years. The brand stopped being sold at the drugstore nearest to me - with only limited items available at a drugstore a little further away. The exception? Holiday items from Hard Candy that were found in the seasonal section. So, imagine my shock and delight when the Hard Candy Look Pro! Eyeshadow Palette in All That Rose Gold was at the dollar store for a mere $5 CDN. It was too good a find to overlook, especially given how inconsistently Hard Candy products have been available lately. This is a brand that I have long loved. Honestly, it was partially responsible for kicking my love of makeup into high gear. In the past, Hard Candy had lots of trendier beauty products for a fraction of the price. It was the perfect way for me to experiment with different colours and finishes...without overspending. Needless to say, Hard Candy is one beauty brand that I hold near and dear to my heart. On that note, here is everything you need to know about the All That Rose Gold eyeshadow palette from Hard Candy.

does it work?? minion vita-c hydrogel eye patches

The minions kind of have a special place in my heart. When my husband and I first started dating, we quickly realized that there wasn't a lot of overlap in the kinds of movies that we liked. He was into action movies and superhero movies while I was into comedies, musicals, horror movies, romantic movies, and other such things. However, the minions were something we could both agree on. We have watched all of the Despicable Me and Minion movies released...and have some random minion merchandise scattered around our home. The adorable yellow characters are funny, silly, and beloved. Well, it was exciting to see my love of all things minion collide with my love of all things beauty, with the Vita-C Hydrogel Eye Patches from TonyMoly. I was instantly excited to try out the minion themed eye patches for myself. So....does it work?? It is time to find out. 

testing lise watier products (mini reviews and makeup looks)

For the last few years, my mom has gifted me different Lise Watier products around the holiday season. Specifically, the Lise Watier Eye Glitter Liners. The reason? Those Eye Glitter Liners are ideal for seasonal makeup looks. Adding on a little extra glitter is always a good idea, but it is especially wise once the winter weather arrives. This year, she gifted me a replacement set of the glitter liners as well as some other products from the brand. It has been a lot of fun to put everything to use. Ready to find out more? Keep reading for some mini reviews and a makeup look featuring some Lise Watier products. 

love it or leave it? selena gomez

Award ceremonies can be exciting...especially with all of the head turning fashion on the red carpet. As always, there were some hits and some misses at the Golden Globes. An example of a success? Margot Robbie in her Superstar Barbie dress. As for the misses? There were a few, including the scale-like cut out dress worn by Karen Gillan. I suppose that is the fun thing about fashion: we all see things differently. What is a 'worst' to one is a 'best' to another! On that note, it is time for another round of love it or leave it? Selena Gomez attended the award show since she was nominated for her role in Only Murders In The Building. She wore an asymmetrical red dress from Giorgio Armani. Was it a love? A leave? It is time to find out...

does it work?? hard candy holiday sets

Hard Candy and the holidays are a perfect match. For many years now, there have been Hard Candy holiday themed items added to my collection during the month of December...and this year was no different. There is a lot to love about Hard Candy in general. The brand offers some stellar products for pretty affordable prices. Their holiday releases are especially easy on the wallet. The three sets above ranged from $5 CDN to $10 CDN. Ready to take a closer look at these budget friendly products? Find out whether these Hard Candy holiday sets perform well? Here is everything you need to know about these items...

holiday highlights: charmed aroma holiday house candle

Well, my days of writing about Charmed Aroma are nearing an end. As I mentioned in my advent calendar post recently, the Charmed Aroma store near me finally closed down. So...all there is left to review is this Holiday House candle and one Disney themed candle that was gifted to me during the holiday season. It is definitely a bummer, because I love candles and I love jewellery. Having the two combined was a total thrill. Ahh well, it sure was nice while it lasted. Now it is time to talk about one of the last Charmed Aroma candles in my foreseeable future: the Charmed Aroma Holiday House Opal Necklace Collection. 

holiday highlights: too faced popcorn balls bite sized palette

This is always a strange time of year. All of the Christmas decorations are still up in my home (though those will be coming down shortly) and there are all of these hopes, dreams, and resolutions to focus on for the year ahead. I feel a little out of sorts, with one foot back in 2023 and one foot firmly in 2024. So, while I am in this in-between, it only makes sense to focus on a few holiday highlights. These posts are all about seasonal items that were in heavy rotation during the last month or so. One example? The Popcorn Balls Bite-Sized Eyeshadow Palette from Too Faced. This compact, limited edition, holiday themed eyeshadow palette has an adorable theme and eight different eyeshadow shades inside. Ready to find out more? Here goes...

holiday highlights: charmed aroma 12 days of jewelry

There is a lot to love about the holiday season. One example? Advent calendars. I love them a lot, but over the years, it has been harder to find decent ones that aren't overly expensive. (Even though I love watching people open all sorts of advent calendars on YouTube, the idea of spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on an advent calendar is ridiculous to me.) Thankfully, the Charmed Aroma 12 Days of Jewelry advent calendar was a little more reasonable, especially because the store had a sale taking place when the calendar was purchased. Sadly, there is not a lot of Charmed Aroma in my future, because the store near me finally closed. This calendar was purchased in late November and the store was closed on Boxing Day! I suppose the treasures inside of this advent will carry me through. Ready to take a peek inside? Here is a look at this jewellery advent.

review: too faced let it snow globes three-piece eyeshadow palette

How are you all settling into January so far? It's hard to believe that December is behind us and a new year has arrived. 2023 was not my favourite year ever, so I am currently holding on to hope that 2024 will be much improved. One way to kickstart a shiny new year? Talking about makeup, of course. I mentioned the Let It Snow Globes Three-Piece Eyeshadow Palette Gift Set in a revisited review last month...and now it is finally time to share some thoughts and some seasonal makeup looks. The Let It Snow Globes set has been in my makeup collection for the last few months, but I wanted to make sure there was familiarity with all three palettes before I wrote down my thoughts for a post here on the creation of beauty is art. Ready to take a look at these holiday themed eyeshadows? Find out how each Too Faced palette performed? Keep reading for all of the details. 

thrift store haul: lots and lots of records

Life is more beautiful with music. Quite frankly, life feels especially beautiful with a stack of new-to-me records sitting underneath the record player. Shortly before Christmas, my husband and I went to a local thrift store to poke around. It isn't something that I do too often (because I always seem to come home with at least a few special somethings) but every now and then, it is a nice treat. Well, this time, it was fantastic. I hit the absolute jackpot in the record section. Most of the time, there isn't much there that interests me, but according to someone at the store, records that hadn't sold at a church sale had been donated. I guess my musical taste can now be described as: records that do not sell at church sales.  At any rate, I was thrilled to bring seventeen different records home, including the one album that I have been desperate to get my hands on for years. Ready to take a peek at these new-to-me records? See what was added to my collection? Here is my latest thrift store haul.

the book is called opportunity and its first chapter is new years day.

Welcome 2024! Somehow, a new year has arrived, but today, I am taking a moment to look back at the year that has ended. What a year it was. To be honest, I can't say that 2023 was my favourite year ever, though there were certainly some highlights. Generally speaking...it was a mixture of good and not so good. The good? Seeing Clay Aiken in Niagara Falls, a vacation to Montreal, a special getaway with my husband in the fall (there were Halloween events and even a spaceship themed hotel room), and getting a new pet fish. The bad? Getting COVID in the summer (I was down for the count for about a month), the end of a longtime friendship, lots of anxiety, losing even more faith in humanity, and many of my loved ones getting COVID riiiiight before Christmas. Yeah, 2023 was a lot. Needless to say, I am looking forward to 2024. I am hoping for a better year.