does it work?? heaven's dew all over glimmer (stila)

What is it about glitter, sparkle, and shine? It seems impossible for me to resist a beauty product with a little pizazz. Though not all makeup is sparkly and colourful...it is nice to have those items on hand. Certain days just call for fun. (And I believe that makeup should be fun more often than not.) The Heaven's Dew All Over Glimmer from Stila certainly falls into the fun category. It is versatile, exciting, and a wonderful way to add a little extra pop to any look. Keep reading for all the details.

nail polish review: sally hansen good. kind. pure. lasting color

There were several weeks where my nails were bare. This is not the norm, because I love to have my nails painted. However, life became more complicated and full, so my nails became less important. Now that things are starting to straighten out a bit, it seemed like a good time to paint my nails a nice springtime blue. The shade Blue Moonstone from the Good. Kind. Pure. line from Sally Hansen seemed like the appropriate choice. The bright colour instantly caught my eye. Find out how it performs...

current obsession: kylie cosmetics lip kit in exposed

There are all sorts of lipsticks and lip products in my collection. Some of those products are bold (like black lipstick, bright purple, and even blue) while others are more suited to everyday looks. Out of all the lip products that are available to me, the products that I reach for most come from Winky Lux and Kylie Cosmetics. With the Winky Lux items, it is the fact that the pH lip balms provide colour and hydration without maintenance. With Kylie Cosmetics, it is the fact that the colours are warm and beautiful...and the products stay put. Low maintenance makeup is always my favourite. Worrying about products moving, flaking, or shifting is not my idea of a good time. I want makeup that stays where I applied it. That is the reason another Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit has been added to my collection. These lip kits are an example of low maintenance products that work.

keys soulcare (truly becoming multi-benefit peptide serum)

It is always nice when loved ones pass beauty items my way. Several people I know have beauty box subscriptions. When there are products inside that they aren't interested in or think that I might like...they tend to gift them to me to use and review. It was a few months back that the Keys Soulcare Firm Belief Smoothing Peptide Cream was reviewed here on the creation of beauty is art. I loved the product but not the price. So, it was a real thrill to have the opportunity to put another item from the brand to the test. Keep reading for a review of the Truly Becoming Multi-Benefit Peptide Serum from Keys Soulcare.

spring #FOTD: nicole miller (rosy pinks and golden nudes)

Spring is in the air. Well…sort of. The weather has been a bit all over the place. Snow one day, rain the next, and a bit of sunshine scattered throughout. Despite the inconsistent weather conditions, the calendar claims the spring season is underway, so some of my more recent makeup looks have been seasonally inspired. I often associate springtime with soft pastel colours. That is the reason the Rosy Pinks and Golden Nudes Eyeshadow Palette from Nicole Miller has come in handy lately. It was gifted to me by a loved one around Valentine’s Day, but the butterfly design on the front and the assortment of pastel colours inside let me know that this product should be put to the test once the spring season arrived. Now that time has finally come. Keep reading for a look inside and a full review of the Rosy Pinks and Golden Nudes Eyeshadow Palette.

review: golden ticket eyeshadow palette (revolution)

Confession: I have been waiting to post about this eyeshadow palette for quite some time. For whatever reason, the 1971 movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, has always been an Easter staple for me. Maybe it has to do with all of the candy and chocolate...but it is something that I watch on and around Easter every single year. There are other Easter movies that I like to watch (like Easter Egg Mornin' and Peter Cottontail) but it just would not be Easter without a little Willy Wonka. The Golden Ticket Eyeshadow Palette from Revolution was found many months back at Marshalls for about $10 CDN. Given the theme, the affordable price, and the positive experiences I have had with Revolution products in the past, it was a must. 

took everything i loved and crushed it in between your fingers.

I came across a blog post recently that bothered me. Several days later, it is still on my mind. For politeness reasons, I will not link to the post, but it was about a young actress who has been the target of an online hate campaign for some time now. This actress has been relentlessly criticized for using her voice. The blog post in question stated that this actress should shut up and smile. Be grateful. Be more feminine. Be sweet. It also compared her directly to another actress. One was positioned as "bad" and the other as "good." Quite frankly, the whole thing made my skin crawl. It is painful when women choose to participate in gendered smear campaigns and attempt to force rigid standards of femininity onto others. Given that this disappointing blog post stirred something up in me, it seemed only appropriate to dedicate my own post to some thoughts that I have about expectations and comparisons. Maybe this post will help me process the frustration that I feel after witnessing such casual cruelty. On the other hand, maybe it won't. But at least I can feel better knowing that I did not shut up and smile. 

testing out quo beauty products (eyeshadow, blush, and lip oil)

A lot has changed in the last several months. There have been tariffs and outright threats to the country that I live in thanks to certain politicians across the border. It has changed some things for me. Though there are fair few beauty products that I have purchased already (and will be reviewing over the next little while here on the creation of beauty is art.) my future purchases are likely to look a little bit different. Or slow down altogether. With the Buy Canadian movement underway as a response to the threats made, it seemed like an appropriate time to highlight some products from a Canadian brand: Quo Beauty.

my new portable cd player + current music favourites

My first portable CD player was silver. I loved it dearly and used it all the time. It was only replaced when anti-skip technology came out. Suddenly, it was possible to listen to CDs on-the-go without them skipping. What a thrill! I still have my second portable CD player, though it doesn't work anymore. I feel very nostalgic about it, so that is one piece of old technology that it is difficult to part with. More recently, I asked my husband about a CD player for the shower (I used to have one of those, too. Am I completing dating myself with this post?) since I don't like to stream music. He couldn't find one, but found something even better: a new and improved portable CD player with built in speakers. It was an instant love and it has been keeping me company ever since. Keep reading to take a closer look at the CD player and some of the CDs that I am loving lately. 

pros and cons: microdelivery exfoliating facial wash (philosophy)

My skin has definitely been struggling lately. With the weather being so inconsistent, it seems that my skin is confused. Though it is normally on the dry side...it seems especially parched these days. Since I had a sample version of the Microdelivery Exfoliating Daily Facial Wash from Philosophy, it made sense to put it to the test. Keep reading for some pros and cons. 

#FOTD and revisited review: twilight themed makeup items

The weather has been all over the place lately. Cold, warm, and then cold again. There was snow followed by rain and then all sorts of scattered showers. So much for spring flowers and sunshine! Maybe it is the grey skies and rainy days that have been pulling me towards the colours in the Twilight Eyeshadow Palette from ColourPop. This palette - and all of the items from the Twilight collection - were generously gifted to me by a close friend back in the fall. (Take a peek at the full Twilight inspired collection here.) Since then, it all has been put to good use, but I am especially drawn to certain products from the collection these days. Ready for a #FOTD? A revisited review featuring some of the items used? Keep reading for all the details...

i write only because there is a voice within me that will not be stilled.

Writing is one of my oldest friends. It has been there during all sorts of ups and downs. It is a place where I can work through my feelings, find comfort, and feel less alone. I remember when I was younger, there were all sorts of binders and notebooks filled with my endless scribbles. Some days, my hands could not seem to write fast enough. I miss that feeling. Though writing is still a beloved companion, the words don't always flow as easily as they used to. Somewhere along the line, I became hypercritical of my work, of my words, and of myself. What I wrote never seemed good enough. I started to write self-consciously. Timid. Afraid. Small. the creation of beauty is art. has become a place where I can push past that fear and write with more ease. As for my other creative pursuits, like books and short stories and poetry, that is a little more hit and miss. 

does it work?? laneige bouncy and firm sleeping mask

It is nice to test out different skin care items every now and again. Especially from a brand that I have enjoyed in the past. Laneige is a brand that I am fairly familiar with, thanks to the amazing Lip Sleeping Mask. Recently, I was able to put a sample sized version of the Bouncy and Firm Sleeping Mask to the test. Does it work?? Keep reading to find out...