i never go out during the day without sunglasses.

I love sunglasses....a lot. I absolutely love how they can compliment an outfit or pull it all together. And when it comes to my favourite kind of sunglasses, the bigger, the better! Yes, I love super huge, dramatic frames. That's why I was so excited to receive this gorgeous pair of sunglasses from Firmoo.

As you can tell from the picture above, they are super stylish! But before I get into what I love about these sunglasses, let me tell you a little bit more about Firmoo. They offer a wide variety of fashionable - and affordable - glasses and sunglasses. Whether you need prescription glasses or just want to add a little fashionable flair to your look, they've got it all! There are tons of different styles to choose from, and they are all super gorgeous.

Are you ready for my thoughts on my gorgeous new sunglasses? Here goes! As I mentioned, I am a huge sunglasses addict. I have quite a few pairs by now....but none like these. I was immediately struck by the quality of the glasses. They weren't flimsy plastic like a lot of the other glasses I have, which was a major plus. Plus, they look amazing! I adore the combination of that burnt yellow shade on the frames and the purple lenses. It is such a fun and fashion forward contrast. Even better? The super cute bow details on the side of the glasses. I just cannot get over how great these look!

What do you think of these sunglasses?

xo Shannon

with the right colour of lipstick and a smile, i can change the world.

A little while back, I set a self-imposed ban on buying anymore lip products. Why? I have an absolute ton of them! I wanted to focus on using up the ones that I already owned, rather than buy more and more new ones. I was doing pretty well with that....until I saw the display for the new Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms. (They had a display for the gloss version of this as well, but it seemed rather sticky and goopy to me. Pass!)

I was instantly struck by the beautiful colours, the sleek packaging, and the fact that they were totally matte shades. So, I splurged on a couple of the colours. I ended up buying Elusive, which is a bold pink, and Striking, a bright red. I love the pink colour for a date night in or a fun shopping trip, while the red colour is perfect for a night out.

As for the formula, it is super creamy and has a nice amount of moisture. Also, the colour is nicely pigmented. It builds really well, so the colour can be as intense or neutral as you like! When it comes to the packaging itself - I absolutely adore it. It's essentially like a lip crayon, and the product twists up from the bottom. Super easy to use and easy to carry around with you as well.

Since adding these to my makeup collection, I've been wearing them a lot. These shades are really versatile and just plain gorgeous. Ready to see them in action?

Top: Elusive
Bottom: Striking

So, there you have it...my thoughts on these gorgeous new matte balms. Overall, I am super happy with these. Even though I broke my lip product ban, I don't regret it for a moment. I am totally obsessed with both of these colours. 

Have you tried the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms yet? Which colour do you like best?

xo Shannon

winter is putting footsteps in the meadow.

I feel like I've been waiting so long to say this, but....it's December. Finally! In my home, Christmas is a huge deal. Not just the day of Christmas itself, but all the build up. We love watching Christmas movies together, decorating the house (even though it takes ages), going Christmas shopping, baking, and enjoying all of the fun traditions that go along with the season. So, it's no wonder that I always countdown to December, rather impatiently.

Unfortunately, not everyone I know is as into Christmas as my family. In fact, most people I know gripe: "But it's not even December, yet!" when I put on Christmas music at work or say that I want to watch Miracle on 34th Street. To those people, I can now say: yes it is! There is just something about this time of year. The snow, twinkly lights, and all of that warmth? Nothing fills my heart with so much joy.

Thus far, I have begun my Christmas shopping (not quite done, but almost!) and have been listening to the best of Bing Crosby non-stop. Even though life is crazy-busy at the moment, I am doing what I can to make time for the holidays. Sometimes, it's nice to take a moment and remember what is truly important: spending time with the people you cherish most.

Now that the holiday season is officially upon us, I thought that I would post some pictures to get you in the spirit. Here are a few of my favourites:

Are you excited for the holidays? What is your favourite part?

xo Shannon

you are never fully dressed without perfume.

There is just something about the Kardashians. Yes, I'm well aware that I post about them a little too much....but I can't help it! I am definitely all about the glitz and glam. That's why I am all about their fragrances. While I was on my LA trip, I picked up the Khloe & Lamar scent, Unbreakable Bond. (Unfortunately for Khloe and Lamar's relationship, I don't know how accurate that title is, anymore. So sad.) What makes this fragrance unique? It is unisex!

In my opinion, this is definitely a memorable scent. And it really could work for either men or women! It's got a beautiful combination of woody tones and just a hint of sweetness. The longer you wear it, the sweeter the perfume smells. It develops just wonderfully over time. Plus, it lasts quite well. It's not too overpowering but it certainly has the staying power that I am after.

Personally, I love to wear Unbreakable Bond during the day or for a casual night in. It's fresh but not too light, either...making it the perfect finishing touch!

Now that I've talked a bit about the perfume, it's time to talk about the packaging! On the box itself, there is a collage of pictures of Khloe and Lamar. I love this aspect of it! It is just so cute. The pictures themselves are beautiful black and white images that are romantic, fun, flirty, and really showcase many different sides to a relationship.

As for the bottle, it's pretty simple. It's not my favourite fragrance bottle, as I find it is a little more geared towards men. (One of the drawbacks of a unisex perfume, I suppose!) I personally prefer to display perfume bottles that are girly and cute. This one isn't anything special to me. Thankfully, the scent itself more than makes up for it.

Overall, I would say that Unbreakable Bond is a fantastic fragrance. In fact, I find myself reaching for it quite often. I'm very glad that I decided to take a gamble on this scent and add it to my perfume collection.

Have you smelled Unbreakable Bond? What did you think of it?

PS - Happy Thanksgiving to all of the Americans! I hope you have a great holiday. 

xo Shannon

love it or leave it?

Are you ready for another installment of love it or leave it? This time it is all about Taylor Swift's AMA 2013 look. The hair, the makeup, the accessories, and of course, that unforgettable metallic gold dress. Was it a hit or a miss? Let's find out!

What I Love: 

Every so often, a red carpet look will make me positively giddy...which is exactly how this outfit made me feel. That's why I was so surprised when people I know said that they weren't a fan of Taylor's AMA outfit! How? Okay, maybe I am a little too smitten with this red carpet look. But I can't help it - it has all of my must-haves in one: smokey eye makeup, sexy hair, metallic everything and a killer pair of heels. Taylor looks downright sizzling!

I literally love everything. I love that her hair is just a little tousled and playful. I love that her makeup is smouldering but not too over the top. I love all of the details on this metallic dress. I love the belt cinching the waist. I love that stunning sheer panel. And yes, I love those strappy heels. Everything here just works for me. Looking at Taylor here, it's hard to believe that winter is coming. This would be a phenomenal outfit to wear for a night out in summer.

What I Loathe:

There is nothing I loathe about this outfit. Not one single thing. From my perspective, Taylor totally hit it out of the park. However, I realize that not everyone feels this way. Just today I heard two separate conversations about how 'shiny' and '80s' Taylor's AMA look was. (As if that's a bad thing!) I was absolutely shocked.

For me, this is a definite love! What do you think: love it or leave it? 

xo Shannon

pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.

Everyone has their favourites. When it comes to makeup, my favourite brand is NARS. By a mile. I am obsessed with everything in their collection. Some of my favourites? Their fantastic range of blushes, bronzers, and lip glosses.

During my trip to Los Angeles, I did a fair bit of shopping. I was even able to check out the NARS store. Yes, there was an entire store stocked full of different NARS products. I swear, my credit card was dying to be used! While I was there, the Limited Edition Guy Bourdin Fling Holiday Set immediately caught my eye.

They only had two of these holiday sets available...and they weren't supposed to sell them until the following week. Luckily, the saleswoman took pity and broke the rules. (So long as I promised not to post about it until after the set was officially released, that is!) Leaving the store with this limited edition set in my hands made me feel like a million bucks. I couldn't wait to try everything out.

So, what does the set include? Let's take a closer look:

It includes (Right to Left): Damage (Lipstick), Roman Holiday (Lipstick), Baroque (Velvet Gloss Pencil) and Dolce Vita (Velvet Matte Lip Pencil). 

There are so many great things about this set. First of all, let's talk about the super cute packaging. Those killer red lips aren't just for show - they actually are a really sturdy case. You can use it to hold makeup or any nicknacks you have laying around. I'm obsessed with how cute it is! Definitely a good addition to the vanity. 

Now for the lipstick shades themselves....love! I especially like that there was a real range of shades in this set. You have a light pastel pink, a wearable berry shade, a deep raspberry, and a sheer rosey shade. You can easily use these shades for either day or night. I just love that there was such a versatile collection of both colours and formulas. You've got two traditional lipstick shades, a matte lip pencil, and a gloss. Perfection!

(Right to Left): Damage, Roman Holiday, Baroque, and Dolce Vita. 

Even though I love each and every one of these shades, I do have a favourite. While all of these lip products are beautiful, I find myself reaching for Roman Holiday all the time. (And I mean, all the time. I seriously can't get enough of it.) The colour is so pretty, feminine, and just a little bit bold. I really like that the colour makes a statement without being too over the top.

Since I am loving this set so much, I thought I would do a makeup look based around Roman Holiday. Here is how it turned out:

So, there you have it: my thoughts on the NARS Limited Edition Guy Bourdin Fling Holiday Set. I am absolutely loving these new lip products in my makeup collection. Thank goodness for NARS!

What do you think about this set? Which lipstick shade is your favourite?

xo Shannon

i have too much money invested in sweaters.

Now that the weather is getting chilly, I'll admit: I have a total obsession with sweaters. Yes, my sweater collection seems to be growing at a rapid pace. It's not my fault though - they are comfy, warm, and still manage to look stylish. As far as I'm concerned, a cute sweater is the perfect way to get through the cold winter months.

Since I have been reaching for my sweaters more and more often, I thought that I would do a post with a little winter sweater inspiration. While cheesy Christmas sweaters are my favourite (I just love the holiday season!), any cute sweater will do. I love bold patterns and colours the most. They are hard to resist!

To get you in the mood for the holidays, here are a few of my favourite winter sweaters:

Do you have a sweater obsession? Which one of these is your favourite?

xo Shannon