when you wish upon a star...

Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. Dreams are forever. By the time this post is live, my husband and I should be enjoying sunshine and Mickey Mouse shaped ice cream bars in Walt Disney World. This summer, we will be celebrating our ten year wedding anniversary. We have long planned to return to Walt Disney World for this milestone as a way to remember our honeymoon there...but also because I am a Disney fanatic. However, the world has changed a lot in the last several months. There was some uncertainty about whether it was safe or appropriate to take our scheduled anniversary trip. Given the fact that the vacation has been booked and planned for such a long time, we decided to follow through and head to Florida. I don't know when we will be able to return to Disney, but my hope is that we are able to make some positive memories during this vacation. It will be quiet here on the creation of beauty is art. this week, but I look forward to catching up with you all soon. 

Have a wonderful week - and feel free to share some of your future vacation plans in the comment section below!

drugstore lip product try on (marcelle, revlon, and elf)

Drugstore beauty products will always have a special place in my heart. I still remember scanning the aisles back in the day and wondering what items might work for me. As my makeup collection grew, I developed a better understanding of what brands I liked and what brands tended to be so-so. Though I do not spend nearly as much time browsing the drugstore aisles as I used to...it is nice to test out different items now and then. Here are mini reviews of lip products from Marcelle, Revlon, and elf. 

does it work?? 24-hr brow setter from benefit

Back in the fall, there were all sorts of products from the Back to School Beauty Bundle highlighted. The set included fourteen different items, including makeup, perfume, and skin care. Some products have already been reviewed on the creation of beauty is art. and some reviews are still outstanding. It is time to focus on another sample from the set....the 24-Hr Brow Setter from Benefit. There is something very nostalgic to me about Benefit. During my earliest years as a makeup enthusiast, it was the Benefit section of Sephora that thrilled me most. I loved the cheek tints, the themed sets, and the blushes. Over the years, the brand seems to be a little less innovative and colourful, but there are still some fantastic staple products. These days, Benefit is mostly known for their mascaras and eyebrow products (my personal favourite brow product from the brand is the Goof Proof Brow Pencil). Ready to find out how this clear brow gel performs? Keep reading for all of the details.

review: kylie cosmetics lip kit in angel

When it comes to the iconic lip kits from Kylie Cosmetics, I have certainly been spoiled lately. In my Easter basket this year, there was the shade Angel (along with holiday chocolate and some other goodies). This is the kind of warm neutral colour that the brand is known for. Ready to take a closer look? Here is a review of the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit in the shade Angel. 

shop my stash: tarte glamour eyeshadow palette

The world is an interesting place these days. Quite frankly, it is hard to envision what the future will look like. That is one of the reasons I am choosing to slow down on beauty related purchases. There are still products that I have not reviewed on the creation of beauty is art. including items that loved ones have gifted me over the last little while. (Stay tuned for those posts in the weeks and months to come.) That said, it has been quite some time since I actually purchased makeup for myself. I am doing my best to focus on what I already own. The "shop my stash" idea has been around for many years and essentially means using what you already have instead of constantly purchasing more. Since there are all sorts of wonderful items in my makeup collection already, it seems appropriate not only to use those items in my day to day life, but also to post about them here. Every now and then, there will be a shop my stash post that features different products from my makeup collection. The first shop my stash post features everyday favourites and the Glamour palette from the Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Wardrobe. 

affirmations and quotes for difficult days.

To quote Olivia Rodrigo, it's always one step forward and three steps back. As mentioned in previous posts, a loved one has been in and out of the hospital over the last few months, with the longest stay being about three weeks. It seemed like everything was slowly getting back on track. There was non-linear healing, but positive progress all around. And then it all came crashing down. There is so much uncertainty, not to mention the trauma of watching a loved one struggle both physically and mentally. I am not okay. Life has not been okay lately. It seems that as soon as I start to piece myself back together, as soon as I start to feel some sense of normality creep back in, it all crumbles. So, this post is dedicated to hope. I certainly need it and maybe someone else out there needs it, too. Here are quotes and affirmations to add a little bit of hope to difficult days. 

hair product haul: haircare haven beauty bundle

The relationship with my hair has been complicated lately. Now that I am needing to dye it on a semi-regular basis (thanks to the grey hairs that have decided to take over)...there have been all sorts of frustrations. Like the medium brown hair dye that I used several months back. Despite the name "medium brown," it turned my hair almost black. I was looking for something similar to my natural colour, but this was not at all similar, and the colour refused to fade. More recently, attempts have been made to address the dark colour, but the results have been mixed. All of the products used (like Color Oops) have left my hair feeling dry and looking a little frizzy. Thankfully, my mom gifted me the Haircare Haven Beauty Bundle for Easter. It includes all sorts of haircare products. As I continue to work on addressing the hair colour issue, it is important to focus on the overall condition of my hair as well. This post is a little show and tell to highlight the products included in this set. In the future, there will be a review of all the different haircare products. Ready to take a look inside? Here is everything that was included...