mini mall haul.

Shopping is one of my favourite pastimes. Yet it has become a source of stress and panic for me in the last little while. Why? I have been trying very hard to buy less and use more of what I own. That includes makeup, clothes, DVDs, and everything else in my life. Because of that.....I find myself worrying on the odd instance that I visit the mall or go on a shopping trip. I constantly ask myself: Do I need it? Will I use it? Should I be spending money? Ahh, how I miss the days of spending my paychecks without a care in the world.

review: maybelline the city mini palette (downtown sunrise)

It has been a while since a drugstore eyeshadow palette caught my eye. In all honestly, there hasn't been a whole lot out there lately. Most of the newer makeup products are lip-centric....but really....how many liquid lipsticks does a girl really need? Needless to say, it was refreshing to see a few new mini eyeshadow palettes out from Maybelline. I particularly liked the fact that they had a clear theme and packaging that was eye-catching and exciting. Which is why I decided to take the plunge and give the Downtown Sunrise mini palette a try.

versatile blogger award.

Sometimes? It feels nice to be appreciated. I started the creation of beauty is art. six years ago and have written about an awful lot of topics since then. From makeup to fashion to music to lifestyle, travel, personal events, and so much more. Versatile is certainly a good word to describe my little corner of the Internet! Which is why I was so excited and grateful to be nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by P&P Style. (Thank you so much!) Her blog is amazing and is all about fashion - so be sure to check it out.

first impressions: fenty beauty by rihanna

It has been a while since a new makeup line has created a massive amount of buzz. For the last while, Sephora has been full of the same old brands with their usual offerings of beauty products and skin care items. While there is always tons to choose from....there hasn't been anything super exciting in a while. I'm talking line-ups, crowds, and tons of anticipation. Until Fenty Beauty arrived, that is. The new makeup brand, created by Rihanna, is shaking up the beauty industry.

jennifer lawrence: love it or leave it?

Whenever a film festival takes place, there is one constant: fabulous red carpet looks. It doesn't matter what genre the movie is, who is starring, or where the festival takes place. There is always something new and exciting to see at the premiere. Recently, TIFF (the Toronto International Film Festival) took over the city. There were A-listers popping up all over the place! Including Jennifer Lawrence. Her controversial new movie, mother! is easily one of the most buzzed about films in quite a while. It is causing division among fans and reviewers alike...which only creates more buzz.

beginner series: three common beauty mistakes to avoid

We have all done it. Made beauty mistakes, that is. When it comes to makeup application, no one is perfect their first time out…or second…. or even the third. It takes time to learn what works and what doesn’t. For some, this learning curve can be frustrating. Don’t give up! Everyone falls into issues, problems, and complications at one point or another. The most important thing is to learn from them and improve your skill level.

review: eyeko london (eye do liquid eyeliner)

It has been a while. Several years ago, I tried out a couple of products from Eyeko London and loved them. They were fabulous! Only snag? I couldn't seem to find them to re-purchase. So somehow, time went on, and I sort of forgot about the brand altogether. Then my mom managed to score a couple of their products in a recent subscription box and passed along the pen eyeliner. Lucky me!

Hair Week: Easy Fall Hairstyles

Love fall? It’s hard not to. Though the days are getting chillier....there is still so much to do. There are days to spend with friends, evenings to be on the town, and cute layered looks to wear. It is important to look and feel your best every step of the way. That means gorgeous hairstyles that will take you from day to night. You want something chic, simple, and effortless, right? These easy fall are guaranteed to glam up any and all looks.

five fabulous fall nail polish shades.

Does it even count as fall without a fresh coat of polish? One of the best ways to welcome in the season is to add a little colour to your nails. Not only will it look great - but it will inspire you to embrace fall fashion. That is why I decided to dig through my nail polish collection to show you a few of my favourite summer shades. Pick them up at your local drugstore or choose a similar colour from your own collection for fabulous fall-ready nails.

how often should you clean your makeup brushes?

A girl can never have too many makeup brushes. Or at least, that is what I thought. Until I actually sat down to clean them all. It took forever. I stood at my bathroom sink, surrounded by crease brushes, fan brushes, stippling brushes, and foundation brushes in every shape size and colour imaginable. It was then that I realized: I probably should clean these more often.

enjoying fun end-of-summer activities.

If you live in the GTA, there are traditional ways to celebrate the end of summer. Namely, the CNE, a concert, and a Blue Jays game. I was able to check all three off of my annual to-do list recently. My mom and I spent a day at the Canadian National Exhibition (also lovingly referred to as The Ex), went to a concert with a good friend I hadn't seen in a while, and spent an evening at a baseball game with my husband and a couple of friends. All of these activities were different but equally fun. It was certainly a fond farewell to the warm (but often rainy) summer season. Which is why I wanted to highlight these experiences on the creation of beauty is art. Here goes....

make september your best month ever.

Maybe it's me, but this summer seemed to go by faster than usual. (And it always seems to zoom by.) With September just beginning, we are collectively hanging onto the last remaining days of sunshine and carefree afternoons. By the time this month ends...we will be dipping our toes into cool fall weather and changing leaves.