review: kylie jenner eau de parfum (cosmic)

It is no secret that I love perfume. There are many bottles in my collection and I reach for them based on my mood on that particular day. Sometimes, I like something fresh and clean, and other days, I prefer something that is ultra sweet. Since I adore different scents...I am often gifted perfumes by my loved ones. For the Easter holiday a few months back, my mom treated me to a bunch of Kylie Cosmetics items and Cosmic, the new Kylie Jenner eau de parfum. I was so shocked and excited. As I've mentioned many times before, the Kardashians/Jenners are favourites of mine. Over the years, all sorts of perfumes from Kim and Khloe have been added to my collection. Now? It is time to find out how the Kylie Jenner perfume compares. 

testing dollar store makeup (tivoli and la colors)

Is it possible to find great beauty products for a whole lot less? Absolutely. As wonderful as it is to treat myself to items from Sephora every now and then, the drugstore, discount stores, and dollar stores are frequented far more often. So, it is nice to put dollar store products to the test sometimes! After all, fun beauty finds should be available for everyone who wants them. On that note...here are some mini reviews and a makeup look featuring dollar store beauty items from Tivoli and L.A. Colors. 

buffalo shopping haul

Ahead of Mother's Day weekend, my mom told me she wanted to take a shopping trip to Buffalo, NY. So, my dad drove us across the border for a couple days. We went to an absolutely massive mall as well as Target, Walmart, and a handful of other stores. There were all sorts of exciting items to look at...and take home. Keep reading for a peek at my Buffalo shopping haul.

does it work?? hard candy face off luminous liquid blush

I have never been shy about my love for Hard Candy products. Though it is becoming more difficult for me to find some of my old favourites...it is still a thrill to put anything from the brand to the test. A little while back, the Face Off Luminous Liquid Blush caught my eye. In fact, it was tossed into my basket without a moment of hesitation. I didn't read the packaging or look at the price. It was a must. The reason? The liquid blush was available in purple. As I mentioned in a recent post, purple blush is something that I love. I was more than ready to put a liquid purple blush to good use. So, the question is....does it work??

review: violet voss berry burst fun sized eyeshadow palette

Bigger isn't always better. When it comes to beauty products, it is nice to have smaller items on hand at times. Not only are pint sized products easier to store but they are also ideal for on-the-go use. The Berry Burst Fun Sized Eyeshadow Palette from Violet Voss is an excellent example. It is compact, but still contains ten eyeshadow shades in a variety of colours and finishes. 

beauty bookshelf: clementine ford

It has been many years since the last beauty bookshelf post here on the creation of beauty is art. At that time, this series was described as being focused on beauty-related reads. There were some posts on personal styling and hair style books. And then....I stopped writing beauty bookshelf posts. Truth be told, there was some uncertainty about what to write about as my view of beauty continued to broaden. Should I still focus on makeup, hair, and fashion related reads? Or was it okay to embrace some other aspects of beauty? After taking some time to think it over, a decision has been made, and all beauty related content will be included. Even if it doesn't quite fit into the traditional definition of beauty. To kick off the next generation of beauty bookshelf...this post is a spotlight on an incredible writer, Clementine Ford. She is an outspoken activist and feminist. 

one/size wicked unlimited eye and face palette (review + looks)

Everyone deserves the chance to fly....I remember the first time I saw the musical, Wicked. It was on a vacation to London, England with my parents. The cast was incredible and I was immediately wowed by the music, the story, and the sets. Following that experience, I read the book the musical was based on, I purchased the soundtrack, and in the years that followed, I saw additional performances closer to home. I love Wicked a little too much. Though it isn't my all time favourite musical, it is certainly in my top three. When One/Size announced a Wicked themed makeup collection, there was no question about whether or not something from the line would be added to my makeup collection. Though there were a few different products, ultimately, it was the Unlimited Eye and Face Palette that stood out. This is partly because of my obsession with face products like eyeshadow and blush and partly because of the two separate Elphaba and Glinda sections inside. Talk about cute!

first impressions: stila huge extreme lash mascara

Though my all time favourite mascara comes from Cover Girl (The Super Sizer) and my more recent favourite comes from Cover Girl (the Lash Blast Cleantopia in Ultramarine Black)....there are a few mascara samples that I have been wanting to put to good use. One is the HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara from Stila. Curious about the formula? Keep reading to find out how it performs. 

comedy show review: kathy griffin (my life on the ptsd-list)

Kathy Griffin is someone that I really admire. She is an outspoken advocate who regularly stands on the right side of history. She is an ally to marginalized groups of people, loudly stands with survivors, and even tried to have her brother arrested for his various abuses. (Read more about the latter here.) I am so impressed with her perspectives and the way she handles adversity. Recently, she came to a city near me on her My Life On The PTSD-List and shared all sorts of stories about wild celebrity encounters and her own challenges in more recent years. Kathy Griffin is a strong and powerful woman who has held onto her voice, despite those who tried in vain to take it from her. It was such a delight to see her perform live again. She is charisma personified. Since I had such a wonderful time, it only made sense to share some of my thoughts on the sold out show.

#FOTD: purple makeup look featuring a new lorac blush

Sometimes, an eyeshadow palette inspires a makeup look. Other times, a lipstick shade. Most recently, it was the LORAC Color Source Buildable Blush in the shade Ultraviolet that inspired a #FOTD. Many many many years ago, there was this face set from Sephora that had a beautiful purple blush inside. I loved it so much! Over the years, I have tried out a few purple blushes here and there, but most of them are on the sheer side or seem to be a little more pink than purple. Then I found this LORAC blush in Ultraviolet at a Marshalls for $4.99. It looked bold, bright, and downright exciting. Could it be a replacement for that old favourite from Sephora at last? I simply could not resist finding out. Keep reading for a mini product review and a makeup look.

love it or leave it? anne hathaway

Anne Hathaway has a pretty impressive resume. From iconic movies like The Princess Diaries to Les Misérables, she has had a thriving career for decades. Her latest movie, The Idea of You, is available to watch on Amazon Prime. Anne is known for her work in movies and on television, but also for her fashion. She has had many noteworthy red carpet looks over the years. The latest? A custom Versace gown. It is time to take a closer look at the design and find out if it is a love it or leave it...

review and reveal: charmed aroma (cinderella jewelry tray + candle)

Cinderella is one of those movies that reminds me of my youth. Though all Disney cartoons were special, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Pocahontas were some of my most watched VHS tapes. Those characters always felt extra special to me. When it comes to Cinderella, there was (and still is) a lot to love. The beautiful dress, the cute animals, and of course, the idea that miracles happen to good people. I loved it all. Fun fact: my wedding theme was actually Cinderella! Needless to say, the movie, the music, and the characters will always be important to me. I suppose it is fitting that my last Charmed Aroma review and reveal is a Cinderella themed one. The Charmed Aroma stores have all shut down where I live and I do not like the idea of shipping breakable items to my doorstep. So...this is it as far as I can tell. There is just one last candle to review. Ready for this final Charmed Aroma post? It is time to take a look at this Cinderella themed jewelry tray and candle. 

testing out a stila beauty boss lip gloss (blue sky)

From the drugstore to the dollar store to Sephora...it seems I can find fun beauty products just about anywhere. One example? The Beauty Boss Lip Gloss from Stila that is pictured above actually came from a duty free store. Makeup clearly is my weakness, even during times of travel. For a reasonable $10, it was possible to try out Blue Sky, an iridescent blue/purple lip gloss. That unusual shade was simply too tempting to resist. Ready to see what it looks like? Find out if it was worthwhile?

why i stopped being 'nice'

I used to describe myself as nice. I try so hard to be nice. It's important that I be nice. I don't do that anymore, largely because I am not interested in being nice. To be 'nice' in our society means not speaking out, not ruffling feathers, not pushing back on the status quo. It means cramming yourself into a box to make others comfortable. It means losing part of who you are.