review: norvina eyeshadow palette (anastasia beverly hills)

Sometimes, a purchase is impulsive. Other times, it requires careful thought and consideration. The latter was certainly true when it came to the Norvina eyeshadow palette from Anastasia Beverly Hills. From the moment it was released... I was intrigued. The soft purple packaging, the combination of shimmers and mattes, and the beautiful colour story called to me. But I wasn't exactly hurting for eyeshadow shades. So, I waited. And then I waited some more. Recently, I was in the middle of placing an order for a few essentials on the Sephora website. While I was on the site, I did a bit of browsing for fun and came across the Norvina eyeshadow palette once again. This time? I took the plunge. Want to find out how the palette performs? If it was worth the wait? Here is everything you need to know about this Anastasia Beverly Hills release.

review + reveal: charmed aroma winnie the pooh candle

Winnie the Pooh....Winnie the Pooh....chubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff.....Okay, now that the song is permanently stuck in your head! It isn't a secret that Disney is a massive part of my life. I truly can't remember a time in my life without my favourite animated characters. Winnie the Pooh and his friends were an essential part of my childhood and continue to be a meaningful part of my adulthood. So, it only makes sense that the Winnie the Pooh candle from Charmed Aroma was an absolute must-have. This scented jewellery candle contained a themed necklace inside. Want to find out how the candle smelled? What the necklace looked like? Here is the latest Charmed Aroma review and reveal. 

mini reviews: avon x the face shop

Avon has always been around. In fact, can still remember digging through my mom's vanity when I was a kid. Nothing excited me more than those teeny little lipstick samples from Avon. They were so colourful! So fun! My love of makeup was born in those moments. Perhaps it is because of those memories that Avon will always have a special place in my heart. Of course...it was nice to receive a few Avon products over the holiday season. I have been putting them to use since then. Ready to find out what they are? How they perform? Keep reading for some mini reviews. 

at home glam (st patrick's day inspired makeup look)

St. Patrick's Day is almost here. Last year at this time, everything was slowly starting to shut down due to COVID-19. At that point....no one really knew how long things would be shut down for. Bars, nightclubs, and restaurants that normally hosted celebratory St. Patrick's Day events were closed out of "an abundance of caution." Well, a year later, there are still no events and it looks like it will be another St. Patrick's Day spent at home. Not to worry! There are a lot of ways to celebrate from the comfort of your home. Pour a cocktail or mocktail, put on something green, and have a board game night. Or watch a movie. The whole idea is to have fun. One way that I love to celebrate St. Patrick's Day is to create a festive makeup look. 

#FOTD: dollar store eyeshadow look + dollar store makeup swatches

Low cost doesn't necessarily mean low quality. Though it can be exciting to test and makeup from high end brands...or browse the selection of products at Sephora...dollar store makeup can also be thrilling. Believe it or not, the dollar store offers products that are both affordable and effective. Take these eyeshadow sets from Mariposa. The three mini palettes cost $4 CDN at a nearby dollar store. That is a whopping fifteen eyeshadow shades for $4. Not too shabby. Ready to find out how they perform? This post includes a mini review, makeup look, and a live swatch video. 

does it work?? saje peppermint halo headache remedy

Headaches happen. This is the unfortunate reality for many of us. Some people deal with painful migraines, others have the occasional headache, a tension or stress related headache, or even barometric pressure headaches. My headaches tend to be linked to changes in the weather. Which means, they don't happen all the time...but they do occur every now and then. For instance, when the seasons were shifting between fall and winter, it was a real struggle. Especially this year! The temperatures went up and down, up and down, up and down. There was no real consistency and it seriously impacted my day-to-day life. My best friend struggles with migraines and has always raved about the Saje Peppermint Halo Headache Remedy. It was something that I planned to look into but never did. For Christmas this year, she gifted me one. This was such a thoughtful gift. One that has come in handy a few times already! Ready to find out more? And see if it really works? Here goes...

review: yves saint laurent raise the volume miniatures

High end makeup is one thing. Luxury makeup is a whole different ballgame. For me, a splurge means placing a Sephora order or purchasing an armful of drugstore items. Luxury makeup (like ultra high end designer releases) rarely enters my mind. The price point is just too much. What if it doesn't perform well? That isn't a small amount of money down the drain. It simply seems too risky. That being said...over the holiday season, my mom gifted me this Yves Saint Laurent Raise the Volume Miniatures Set. Talk about exciting! This was my opportunity to test out three different luxury essentials. The set came with a mascara, eyeliner, and makeup remover, all of which are everyday must haves. How did they perform? Were they truly luxurious? Keep reading to find out and see the eye products in action.

rediscovered product: nars turkish delight lip gloss

NARS used to be my all-time favourite high-end brand. For a long time, my makeup collection was overloaded with the iconic NARS blush shades, eyeshadow palettes, eyeliners, and lip products. Over time, that love faded a bit. Their new releases stopped wowing. They didn't stand out the same way they had before. Ultimately, other high-end brands eclipsed NARS and became my new favourites. That being said...NARS still has plenty of must-haves. One is the lip gloss, Turkish Delight. This is a lip product that first entered my life way back in 2011. (As seen in this old-school Sephora haul.) It was an instant love. The colour and formula made me positively giddy. Recently, I was digging through my lipstick collection looking for a particular colour and finish. After a few minutes, I realized exactly what I was looking for: Turkish Delight. 

workout favourites (february 2020)

March is a new month with endless possibilities. But it is always nice to take a look back at the month that passed and note favourites and standout items. In February 2020, there were lots and lots of workout and fitness related favourites. Why? In the middle of January, my back was having some issues. (This has been a problem on and off over the years but it is no less frustrating when it happens.) That meant my workout routine was put on pause. It was difficult to want to workout and not be able to. But a heating pad, rest, and lots of stretching was exactly what the doctor ordered. Thankfully, I was able to get back in the swing of things come February. Ready to check out these workout favourites? Here goes....

current obsession: ariana grande perfume sets

There was a time when almost every celebrity had their own fragrance. These days, the number of celebrity perfumes on the market has certainly dropped...but there are still plenty of standouts. Take Ariana Grande as an example. Not only is she one of the biggest stars in music, but her fragrance line continues to do well. She has eight scents in total...each with its own unique bottle and theme. There were a couple in my own personal perfume collection already. Over the holidays, a few more Ariana Grande perfumes entered my life thanks to some fabulous seasonal sets. 

candace cameron bure x dayspring t-shirts (review)

Some people inspire, influence, and add light to the world. Candace Cameron Bure is certainly one of those people. This celebrity has been a part of my life for as long as I can recall. I grew up watching Full House and did my best to keep up with her career following the series finale. As most of you know, Candace has established an impressive resume. From television shows to movies and books...she has done it all. She even created a line of products with Dayspring! The line includes Christmas decor, aprons, books, and inspirational t-shirts. I have ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the items on the website for years but never ordered. This year, my husband ordered two Candace Cameron Bure shirts for me for Valentine's Day. It was so exciting! They ended up being very expensive, thanks to the state of the Canadian dollar, sky high shipping costs, and the additional duties that were added. So....chances are this will be my one and only time receiving something from Dayspring. But on the plus side, the shirts are really beautiful and totally lifted my spirits. 

#FOTD: colourful goth makeup look

There is something exciting about blending gothic inspired makeup looks with unexpected pops of colour. The juxtaposition makes me positively giddy. So it only made sense to put the Jeffree Star Cosmetics Cremated Eyeshadow Palette to use. The palette was originally released in the summer (at that time, I created a post about it and used dupe products to create a gothic and grey makeup look). Since then, a lot of not-so-impressive information has been released about Jeffree Star. Needless to say, my feelings about the man behind the brand are complicated. But I was gifted the Cremated Eyeshadow Palette from Jeffree Star Cosmetics for Christmas and it was really exciting. I had always heard rave reviews about the quality of the eyeshadows. And as I mentioned in my original gothic and grey makeup post....grey shadows were scarce in my makeup collection. Not anymore! The palette has a wide array of grey, white, and black shades. Keep reading to take a look at my latest #FOTD. It is a colourful gothic makeup look with a mix of high-end and drugstore products.

review + reveal: charmed aroma mermaid candle

Mermaid themed items are always a good idea. Countless brands have released mermaid inspired items over the years. From mermaid eyeshadow palettes to mermaid tail brushes...everything is fair game. Even candles, it seems! Not too long ago, I was gifted a Mermaid Candle from the Charmed Aroma Under the Sea Ring Collection. This mermaid inspired candle is oh-so-themed and contains an unforgettable accessory inside. Ready for another review and reveal? Here goes....

be a unicorn in a field of horses.

One of my closest friends often refers to me as her unicorn. At first, I didn't know quite what to make of this. What did it mean? Was it a good thing? A bad thing? Turns out...it was her way of celebrating my unique and colourful personality. Though I am very shy by nature and not exactly a people person, my interests add colour to who I am. (I love obscure holiday movies, 70s pop music, and Murder She Wrote.) I like what I like and I refuse to be apologetic about those things! I am young at heart, love colour and glitter, and believe in true love and happy endings. It has been about eleven months since I last spent time with that friend in person. Today...I am missing her more than usual. So, I decided to do a little inspiration post. The theme is of course, unicorns. Take a peek at some unicorn inspired makeup, nails, hair, accessories and more. 

get inspired by allaboutsuit

Life may look different these days but there is still a lot to look forward to. Special events are guaranteed to take place in the not-so-distant future. Just think of the possibilities! All of those postponed weddings, parties, and celebrations will soon fill up your calendar. That means it is important to have something suitable to wear. When it comes to formal wear, there are some seriously incredible options to consider. Need a suit for yourself or your loved one? Then be sure to visit allaboutsuit for a healthy dose of inspiration. There are so many styles, colours, and patterns to choose from.

urban decay stoned vibes eyeshadow palette (review + video)

Few things make me happier than themed makeup products. There is something so fun and whimsical about them! In the past, there have been more than a handful of themed items in my collection. Too Faced is well-known for their themes (you can check out almost all of my Too Faced blog posts for proof of that) but other brands like to dip their toes in the water as well. Take the latest release from Urban Decay as an example. The Stoned Vibes eyeshadow palette is all about crystals, stones, and good vibes. Ready to take a look inside? See how it performs? Here is a full review, makeup look, and live swatches. 

review: juicy couture perfume set

Scents are incredibly powerful. The right perfume can instantly transport you back to another time and place. Make you feel polished and put together. Express deeply rooted emotions. Each spritz of perfume has the ability to unlock a truly unique and unforgettable moment. Ahh...bliss. Needless to say, I am a massive fan of fragrances. (Don't believe it? Be sure to check out my Perfume Collection YouTube video from a few years back.) It is an essential part of my day to day life. Over the holidays, my husband gifted me a Juicy Couture perfume set with three different mini bottles. I have been putting them to good use recently and wanted to share some of my thoughts. Keep reading to find out more about this set and the fragrances inside.

new in: fashionable footwear (glitter edition)

What is it about glitter? It makes everything seem a little bit better. The way it sparkles and shines in the light immediately makes the world seem happier and full of hope. Over the years, glitter has taken over most parts of my life. From makeup to nail polish to purses....it is absolutely everywhere. And I wouldn't have it any other way! More recently, this glitter obsession has carried over to my footwear as well. Over the holiday season, I was gifted two very sparkly pairs of shoes. One was a stylish pair of sneakers and the other was an over the top pair of boots. Winter, spring, summer, and fall, one thing is certain: I will be glittery from head to toe. Ready to take a peek at these new items? Here goes...

current favourites for mindfulness and self care

Life these days can be stressful. There are so many unknowns. There is so much uncertainty. No wonder the world of self care has become more noteworthy than ever before. On the plus side, resources are absolutely everywhere. From books to apps to streaming services and everything in between. It has never been easier to look within. Need a few suggestions? Or a solid jumping off point? Here are a few of my current favourites for mindfulness. 

love is our true destiny.

Happy Valentine's Day! What an exciting time. As you may know if you have been reading my blog for a significant amount of time...holidays are my favourite. Quite frankly, I am not overly picky about what holiday it is. I love them all. A lot. There is just something so exciting about holidays. The excitement in the air, the anticipation, and the way they bring people together. Though this year will definitely be different (depending on where you live, there may not be date nights or girls nights or time spent with family) it can still be full of wonder and appreciation.