four haunting halloween activities.

Boo! The spookiest time of year is finally here. It is much more than your typical candy-coated holiday. (Though there will certainly be plenty of candy given out to eager trick or treaters.) This season is all about scary stories, fake blood, and haunted houses. Get in on the action. Instead of letting another Halloween pass you by…make the most of it. How? Try these haunting Halloween activities. Your celebration will be full of fun, excitement, and maybe even a few scares.

halloween costumes: to trend or not to trend?

It’s a serious question. One that is probably weighing heavy on your mind right this very minute…should you go trendy with your Halloween costume? Maybe in the past you regretted the Tan Mom ensemble you put together or wish that you hadn’t dressed up as VMA Miley Cyrus. Trendy costumes are without a doubt funny and they tend to go over well at Halloween parties. Unfortunately, looking back on those costumes doesn’t always fill your heart with joy. Before you put the finishing touches on your Halloween costume this year, it is time to take a closer look at trendy costumes: the pros and the cons. 

easy last-minute halloween makeup ideas

A little makeup goes a long way… especially during Halloween! The right combination of colours and contours can take your costume from store bought to best dressed. A fantastic Halloween costume isn’t just about putting on the perfect costume. It is about creating a memorable look from head to toe. Need a few makeup ideas to get you ready for the Halloween festivities? These ideas will make getting ready (and looking your best) easier than ever. Whether you are running late or got invited to a last-minute Halloween bash, these quick and easy makeup looks will take you ten minutes or less, lashes included!

pick the perfect halloween costume.

My birthday is officially over, which means one thing: I am in full-blown Halloween mode. It is always an exciting time of year. To celebrate, I will be attending a Halloween party on the weekend (I'll be sure to take pictures of my costume and share them on here at some point), having a movie marathon the day of, and seeing the new Halloween film with a good friend. There are so many things to look forward to. Since I am fully in the holiday spirit, my posts over the next several days will all be Halloween related. To start things off, here are some tips and tricks to choose the perfect costume for any event.

growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional.

Happy birthday to me! Well...almost. Tomorrow is my birthday and I am pretty excited about it. Not only have I taken the next couple of days off of work (because no one should work on their birthday, in my opinion) but there are a lot of fun celebratory events coming up. Tonight is date night with my husband. We are going to see Goosebumps 2 in the theater and are going out for dinner beforehand. Though I used to love elaborate birthday plans, now all I really want, is to spend time with the most important people in my life. So, date night tonight and tomorrow night, celebrating with my family. Since I am a twin, my brother and I obviously share a birthday. This year, it is his turn to choose where we go out to dinner. After that, it will be some time spent at home, eating homemade cake and opening gifts. Not a bad way to celebrate! There are a few other birthday-related events coming up in the near future as well. That includes a night out with friends and a couple of dinners. For now? I wanted to do a fun little birthday tag to celebrate the big day.

top 5 favourite too faced products

For the most part, my makeup purchases happen at the drugstore. My all-time favourite mascara is from Cover Girl, I normally use foundations from Rimmel, and my most-used concealer is from Hard Candy. Despite this, there are an awful lot of high-end products in my makeup collection....and plenty of them are from Too Faced. It is my brand of choice. Since there are so many wonderful Too Faced products on the marked (along with their limited edition holiday releases that always seem to dazzle), it was pretty difficult to come up with a top five list. Many items fell just short of those coveted spots. Without further ado, here are my top five favourite products from Too Faced.

3 looks 1 palette (featuring too faced then + now eyeshadow palette)

There are no limits to creativity. Especially when it comes to eyeshadow palettes! There are countless ways to mix and match colours to create head-turning look after head-turning look. Though some palettes are a little more limiting (due to poor variety or limited shade selection), the Too Faced Then & Now eyeshadow palette has plenty of options. From soft mattes to neutrals and colourful glitters...it was a lot of fun playing around with the different shades inside. Which is what inspired today's blog post as part of Too Faced week here on the creation of beauty is art. Since I have been using this palette an awful lot lately, I wanted to show some of the more recent looks I've created with it. Here are 3 looks featuring 1 high-end eyeshadow palette.

review: too faced 20th anniversary collection

Too Faced is known for its bold packaging and fabulous themes. From the Peach palette to the Life's a Festival collection, there is always something wonderful to look at. More recently? The brand released their 20th anniversary collection. It featured several different products, including the Then & Now eyeshadow palette and a line of Metallic Sparkle Lipsticks. From the anniversary launch, I added both the palette and one of the glitter lipsticks to my makeup collection. Ready to see how they perform? Here is my full review of the Too Faced 20th Anniversary Collection.

too faced week (reviews, makeup looks, and more)

Too Faced is one of those brands you either love or you hate. Their glittery shadows and gimmicky packaging tends to be polarizing. Some people are obsessed with the whimsy and others are turned off by all of that glitz. As for me? I am completely and totally addicted to Too Faced products. The reason is simple: I love all things glitter. (You can check out a glitter theme week post here.) Add in cute packaging and fun makeup launches and Too Faced has it all.

live with no excuses and travel with no regrets.

With so many destinations on my travel bucket list, Ohio was not in the running as my next vacation spot. I never imagined that I would take a road trip to Milford, Ohio of all places....and yet, I did. A few weeks ago, two of my friends were married in that small city. That meant hours and hours of driving to be there for the special occasion. Since it was quite far away, my husband and I decided to turn the road trip into a mini-getaway. We did a few touristy things along the way, attended the wedding, and visited an attraction on the way home. So, without further ado, here are some highlights from the trip.

outdoor running tips for the fall season

Brr! There is definitely a nip in the air. In fact, some mornings, you can even see your breath. Could it be? Fall is truly here to stay. Leaves are scattered on the ground, the temperatures are dropping, and more of us are choosing to stay indoors. Don’t let the weather get you down or prevent you from getting in a great workout. Start running! This form of exercise can be incredibly beneficial, boasting reduced stress levels and improved health. Plus it can be done throughout the fall season. Ready to get started? These outdoor running tips will keep you safe and healthy.

sephora VIB rouge event

Being an avid makeup lover has its perks...but it can also be quite costly. Especially when you add Sephora to the mix. With shelf upon shelf lined with beautiful high-end makeup, it is oh-so-easy to get caught up in the cute packaging and luxurious brand names. In my heart, I will always be a drugstore girl. That being said, there is something thrilling about special events and high-end samples. At a recent VIB Rouge event hosted by my local Sephora, I was able to take a peek at a few of the upcoming holiday releases. In addition to browsing the new products, I left with a bag full of high-end samples. Which is what today's post is all about.

why murphy brown is the television hero we need in 2018

It has been a while. About twenty years, in fact. Despite the decades that have passed, I can clearly remember watching the last episode of Murphy Brown. My mom loved the show and she passed that love onto me. We watched it together often and Murphy became a bit of a heroic figure in my mind. Though my memory is foggy on the specifics of the show (like I said, it has been a while)....I remember admiring Murphy for her integrity, sharp-tongue, and commitment to breaking the glass ceiling. It was an important time in television. Now? Murphy Brown is back. The re-boot is one of many revivals on the airwaves these days and in my opinion, one of the most needed.

multi-use products to keep in your makeup bag

If you are anything like me, your makeup bag has probably seen better days. I’m talking too many products, items that take up a ton of space, and things I rarely use. Sound familiar? A lot of us are guilty of over stuffing our makeup bags with products that do very little. It is time for that to change. Decluttering won’t just lighten your load when you are on the go. It will also help you focus on quality rather than quantity. Forget the rest! These multi-use products will give your makeup bag a much-needed makeover.

review: the emily edit (the WANTS palette)

Are you ready? It is time for part two of my blog posts dedicated to emilynoel83 also known as Beauty Broadcast. Yesterday was all about the first of the two palettes YouTuber Emily Eddington released with Revolution. While The Needs was totally focused on those everyday essentials, The Wants, is all about having fun and getting creative with makeup. This eyeshadow palette is loaded with a whopping twenty four shades that come in a variety of colours and finishes. Is it as good as The Needs palette? Is it worth the money? Here is everything you need to know...

review: the emily edit (the NEEDS palette)

In my life, I have had my fair share of idols. Over the years there have been countless women (and men) that I have admired for reasons ranging from their sense of style to their ability to create positive change in the world. On my list of people that I respect and adore is Emily Eddington, otherwise known as emilynoel83 or Beauty Broadcast. Emily is a successful YouTuber with one million subscribers, twelve years of sharing beauty tutorials and reviews, and most recently, a collaboration with Revolution.