Thursday 31 May 2012

One Lovely Blog Award

As I've already mentioned Here - I think Blog Awards are a really cute idea and a good way to discover some awesome and lovely blogs and give some appreciation/traffic to some of your favourite blogs!

Marcela from Fashionadictas gave me this "One Lovely Blog Award". If you haven't already, you should check out her blog! She always has amazing runway photos paired with amazing artwork. And when I say paired, I don't mean haphazardly - every piece of artwork is carefully picked to match exactly with an aspect of the fashion, almost seamlessly. It's really quite amazing how she does it!



I'm not sure how many blogs I am supposed to pass this around to in return, but I'm just going to point you all in the direction of 5 of my favourite blogs that I haven't already mentioned Here - (there are 8 more lovely blogs on that link)

Without further ado, I nominate..... (aha, yes I know this isn't the Oscars):






Tuesday 29 May 2012

My First Luxe Box

So I'm kind of in the poor-house, but I wanted to try out one of each of the beauty-box subscriptions to decide which I liked best before re-signing up for just my favourite. So I've signed up for all of them, and then cancelled all of them, and am planning on re-signing up for just one once I make my decision!

I've already tried out Glymm Box (Bag?),  and Glossybox, and Julep Maven. I'm keeping my Julep Maven because it has the option to "skip a month" after seeing what you'll be getting - so I figure that one is safer for my wallet. The decision for a more "binding" subscription is now between Glymm, Glossybox, and Luxebox - so what do you think??

Anyways, onto my first Luxe Box:

Luxe box is a curated beauty subscription program (like the others above). You pay $13.56 per month, (for me just the one month unless I re-sign up), and receive a box full of beauty goodies! If you want to sign up, I would really appreciate if you used my referral! Here is the link to sign up: Luxe Box Sign Up 

What kind of goodies do you get? Well, this is what I got in my first box.... :)
 


So this apparently is not normal, but this month, loose button sent out two boxes! One is the "bath and body box". The reason? May in Mothers Day Month, and they wanted to give the second box so that people could share it's contents with their Mums. I think that's a super sweet idea. There will definitely be some items in this box that I am going to give to my mama!

 
They have a card explaining how to use all the products/how much the full sizes cost, etc. They also send a card with a coupon for 20$ off panty by post! I checked and they have single orders for 30$, so I can definitely justify spending 10$ on a cute/sexy pair!  Will have to go look and decide what I want :)


 This is what was inside the "main" box (the black one). It seems everyone got totally different boxes this month. I think because this was my first month I got a very different box from people who have been ordering for a while (because I got a lot of products that had shown up in boxes in previous months). I am happy with what I received though! 



The bath and body box came with this Venus & Olay razor. It apparently has Olay moisturizing bars attached on either end of the head. I don't know if that means you don't have to use shaving cream/gel or not, but either way, I am excited to try this out. I just got a Schick razor in my Sample Source, and I already own a regular Venus razor, so now I have three razor heads I can alternate between depending on which is on sale! These sell for $16.00 at London drugs for the single Razor + head, so this one item alone already pays for my box which I only paid $13.50 for!

One of these came in the regular box and the other came in the bath and body box. I will be giving these to my Mum :) These are Olay Wrinkle Revolution Complex creams. "Micro fillers and light diffusing particles smooth the look of fine lines right before your eyes. This wrinkle treatments formula also hydrates to reduce the appearance of deep lines in just 14 days." The full size is 15ml, and costs $60.00 - these are 7ml each, so at 14ml, these samples are worth $56.00!!! :O 

This is a Cargo Glitter Top Coat Eyeliner. I am not really a huge fan of glitter on my face, only on my nails :P but I can definitely see myself wearing this on my eyes for nights out. I haven't tried it yet, but the formula does not look to in your face tacky - it's pretty subtle....well...as much as glitter can be subtle. The applicator is really thin which I like for precision's sake. You can wear it alone, or on top of eyeliner or eye shadow. I don't wear eye shadow, but I will try this on it's own or on top of plain black liner. It's water proof and smudge proof. Score! This is the full size product, and retails for $18.00!


I also received a Kerastase "Masque Chroma Riche" First off, I LOVE KERASTASE PRODUCTS! They are amazing. They are also very very expensive :( This mask is for sensitive hair and is meant to enrich it with Vitamin E, while providing UV protection from the sun. "Intensity and depth are revealed while hair fiber is protected from external aggressors" You leave it in for 5 min then rinse it out. I am really looking forward to trying this. This is 30ml, and the full size is 200ml and retails for $57.00 (I told you it was expensive!), so this sample is worth about $8.50.


This is a sample of Calvin Klein Sheer Beauty. I have never heard of this one. I love these little sample sprays because they are so perfect for taking in your purse for when you're out all day and your perfume is starting to fade by the evening! This is a floral-fruity scent - not really my cup of tea (See my Fragrance Post) but I am happy to try new things! This is a 1.2ml sample, the full size is 50ml for $78.00, so this is a $1.87 sample.


I also got a sample of CK Shock for Her. This one has amber and blackberry in it. I'm looking forward to trying it. Again, this is 1.2ml, the full size is 50ml for $40.00, so this is about $0.95 worth.


 Finally, I also received Oh, Lola! by Marc Jacob. This one is also a fruity and floral scent. It contains raspberry, pink peony, and vanilla. I really like the smell of peonies, and I love vanilla, so I think I might like this one :) This sample is 1.2ml, the full size is 50ml for $79.00 (so this is $1.89 worth of the product).

So that's my first luxe box! I ended up with $103.00 worth of products...and I paid $13.50....I'd say that's worth it!  (and that's NOT including the 20$ off pantybypost!)

I received some products I am really looking forward to trying/will definitely use as well as some to give to my lovely mama. The one I am on the fence about is the glitter top coat...so we will see how that goes. 

So if you are interested in signing up, I would appreciate if you used my referral :) Here is the link to sign up: Luxe Box Sign Up

xx

Saturday 26 May 2012

Sample Source

Awhile ago I had read about sample-source (forgive me but this was before I started blogging and before I had joined blogger or bloglovin, so I really have no idea whose blog it was that I read about it on....I feel terrible for not giving whoever it was recognition though!) and signed up to receive their Free Spring Sample pack.

I totally forgot about it...and then it arrived in the mail this week! This is what I received:



Harvest Crunch Granola Bar in Cinnamon Apple: This was the first to go. It was tasty, though I am not a huge fan of apple flavour, nor am I a fan of granola bars and useless carbs/sugar (says the girl who could easily eat a loaf of bread by itself haha). So I will not be purchasing these in the future....

Sensodyne Toothbrush: Okay, normally I am not one to get excited about toothbrushes...but seriously, I am in love with this one!! The head/brush is extremely tiny/thin and since I have a tiny mouth it can reach the back of my molars perfectly without jamming up against my cheek or scratching the roof of my mouth. So if any of you have small mouths or have trouble reaching the back of your mouth whilst brushing, I highly recommend finding one of these! I am amazed.

John Frieda Full Repair Shampoo & Conditioner: I love John Frieda products. I use their shampoos and conditioners and treatments and serums regularly. For some reason though these ones left my hair super greasy-feeling - and I normally have quite dry hair! I really was not a fan. While I don't want dry hair, I want something that fixes that without going to the other extreme! So while I will continue to purchase John Frieda hair care, I likely will not be trying out these particular ones ("full repair").

Schick Hydro-Silk Razor: This is the one product I haven't actually tried yet. I will let you know if it is amazing or terrible, but suspect it will be much like most Razors. I have a Venus Razor with a fresh head, so won't be trying this out for a while. However, this also came with a coupon for 5$ off replacement-heads, so I will definitely be trying this and using that. Also now that I have a Schick and a Venus I can alternate between them based on whichever replacement heads are on sale at the moment :)

If you are interested in sample-source, they give out sample-packs in the Spring and Fall (I think) - so the next one will not be for a while - but the website is Sample Source

xx

Thursday 24 May 2012

Julep Mystery Box Swatches

Now that I've had a chance to test out the colours from my Julep Cinco De Mayo Box, I thought I would share:

 I've already posted a picture of "Maya"


But here are "Demi" "Leah" and "Natalie":



Demi is a gorgeous deep maroon/blood-red. 

Leah (the green) and Natalie (the pink)


 Leah is a fresh summery bright grass green and Natalie is a hot fuscia pink. 


 La Maria left me a comment with the excellent idea of combining Leah and Natalie to make a watermelon nail! So I am far from professional at nail art - and don't even really have any "tools" (pens/sticks/whatever nail art tools are called....) but this is my attempt at a watermelon accent nail! It is so summery! 


If you're curious about what I used for the other green of the rind/the seeds - the green was Revlon Top Speed "Emerald"and the seeds were just plain black Wet n Wild that I think I bought one year for a Halloween costume! 



Watermelon Colours
If you guys have any other neat nail-accent nail-art ideas for me that are really simple and an inexperienced shaky-handed novice can do - please share!!

xx

Friday 18 May 2012

Favourites of the Day: May 18th

  
1. Fly Over States by Jason Aldean:
 I know that Country isn't for everyone (though it should be :P) so my obsession with this song (as a country lover) might not persuade any of you to take a listen...BUT you should! Country lover or non-country lover, check it out! It's lovely :)



Photo from Pinterest
2. Tea-Cup Candles:
How cute are these?!? I am clearly going to go to a thrift store and buy a bunch of teacups to make these for myself/as gifts for friends! Does anyone know where you get the wax to melt into them though? I've never made a candle before :S Help!


Photo from ShopBop
3. Anything Peacock:
So in case you haven't noticed from my Blog Header.... I really like peacocks! I think peacock feathers are so pretty! These stockings are so elegant/sexy - I want a pair! I have a gorgeous peacock feather necklace that I am currently obsessed with. I was hoping to get the peacock appliques in my Cinco De Mayo Box but alas it was not meant to be, I will just have to fawn over the pictures of all the lucky girls who did (please do take photos of them on!) 


4. 8 Tracks:
If you haven't heard of 8 Tracks go check it out! It's a website where users create online playlists (with themes/genres) and anyone can listen! There are thousands (maybe millions?) of playlists to choose from - and it's a great way to discover new music! It's of course, totally free!


5. Alba Coconut Milk Body Cream:
I like to put on body lotion after getting out of the shower. I just finished a tub of this one - it makes my legs SO SO SMOOTH! I am also probably biased because it smells like coconuts....slightly obsessed with the scent right now.... It's kind of goopy/watery compared to say Body-Butters from the body-shop, but once it goes on your skin it dries completely and isn't sticky/watery. Mmmm silky smooth coconut magic.... Alba is made with all Organic Ingredients, Sulphate Free, and 100% vegetarian too = reducing environmental impact! (and yes, of course I recycled the container when I was finished....Read my Earth Day Post!)

It's a long weekend here in Canada so I am taking off, and I am also really really busy with work right now - so I am going to be M.I.A for a little while, but I hope everyone has a lovely long (or short!) weekend!!


xx

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Julep Cinco De Mayo Mystery Box Unboxing

So my Julep Cinco de Mayo Mystery Box finally arrived! 


If you want to know more about what this "mystery" box was - you can read about it Here! and if you want to know more about what Juelp Maven is - you can read about it Here!

So, what was in my Mystery Box?


I was a little bit disappointed at first, because I had seen other girls who had received a lot more in their mystery boxes than I did, but then  thought about it and decided that for $19.99 this was still a steal of a deal! I also really love all the shades - all colours I would wear. The one I was on the fence about was the first one I tried and am currently wearing, and I love it!


 I received Julep Nail Vernis in (top down) Natalie, Leah, Demi, and Maya (all retail for 14$ each - 56$ total) as well as a 30ml Glycolic Handscrub (the full size is 32$ - so this is about $10.75) and a Crystal Nail File ($6). 

I had already received the full size of the scrub in my Julep Maven Intro Box and I love it - so I'm happy to get a bit more of it! 

I also really love the crystal nail file - I have only ever used an emery board - so this felt really neat/worked a lot better! I can't believe I have never heard of these...

Natalie is a hot pink polish - perfect for summer! I adore the colour! I just ran out of my hot-pink, so this is perfect! It is described as chic, retro, honeysuckle pink. I haven't had a chance to wear it yet, but I will post a picture once I do!


Leah is a bright green with a hint of shimmer. I've seen this one around and was actually kind of hoping I would get it! I love green polish but only have jade, emerald, and neon, so am really happy to get to try out "vivid, refreshing, grass green"! I am going to wear this one next - so I will take a picture once I do! This was by far the one I was most excited about!

Demi is a dark maroon colour. I actually just ran out of my maroon polish too - which I have been loving as of late - so this is perfect! I saw a picture of maroon polish by YSL where they were matching nails to lips and I fell in love. It's a gorgeous maroon, very deep and dark. "An elegant burgundy crème, like a fine wine.  Transcends time and trends.  So sexy on all ages" I'm excited to try this one out too - not totally summery - but fun for maybe a date or fancy event. Will take photos :)

Maya is a shimmery, pearl-pink, rose-gold. I was iffy about this one because I don't usually like metallics - but wow - I've been won over! I have been staring at my nails for the past 3 days I've been wearing this! It is not too metallic - the pink definitely shines through - like a pretty faint rose-gold :) "Peachy pink seashell, like a shimmering pearl. The perfect sun-kissed accessory."

Maya: Excuse the poor polishing job - did it rushing to go out and also took the photo just now after 3 days of wear! So shiny - I can't stop gawking at my nails during the day :P
Excuse the dents - I've been wearing it for 3 days - but as you can see Maya is a lovely rose-gold, pearl-pink! This is one coat (I didn't need to do a second!) and it applied really smoothly. 
I'll post photos of the other colours once I get a chance to wear them!

So overall - I paid $19.99 and got all of the above (worth about $72.80) :D 

What did you guys receive in your box? Were you happy? What's your favourite Julep Colour that you own? 



  

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Flower of Tahiti Organic Hair Masque Review

So I've never won anything in my life - ever.....until now! I just won a blog-giveaway for a Hair Masque from Lisa at Solo Lisa (definitely check out her blog! It's a mix of fashion/beauty/life) and Flower of Tahiti (a brand new company). I'm thinking about doing a blog giveaway of my own at some point for my GFC followers - not sure when or what yet, but keep your eyes peeled.

So a huge thank you to Lisa and Flower of Tahiti!

Anyways, I received the masque really quickly in the mail (it was shipping to Vancouver from Vancouver) and have already had a chance to try it out and thought I would post a review since it's a new brand I have never heard of before and likely none of my readers have heard of it or tried it either!
 


 It's a huge 8oz tub - which will likely last me a really long time. It's $22 at Beauty Mark, I'm not sure how much it costs elsewhere. You can also get a travel size container for less. You put it in your hair for 30 min and then rinse it out (a leave in conditioner/hair mask treatment). So it is not something you can use it a rush....more like a special treat :) 
It is cruelty free/no animal testing/vegan and contains all organic ingredients. So much like sulphate free shampoo which I have recently become obsessed with - this is really safe for washing down the drain in the shower - which I love!
 

 The first thing I noticed before even trying it is that it smells absolutely heavenly! It is a mixture of Coconut and Gardenia. I don't know what Tahiti smells like...but this definitely makes me think I'm there! It's not an artificial too sweet coconut/tropical smell either - it's a really natural smelling tropical scent.  I'm going to be that creepy girl sniffing her hair throughout the day....

 
 Finally, how does it work? Great! It leaves my hair super soft and silky! My hair seems to really react positively to natural/sulphate free products. It might not work for everyone because some people's hair reacts differently - but I can only say that it works great for me! My only complaint is that you need to leave it in for 30min, so it won't be something I can use all the time in the Shower as I'm usually rushing to work or school. When I do have time though, this is definitely going to be a treat (for my hair AND my nose!)

If you are interested in checking it out - it is sold in multiple stores in Vancouver, in Hawaii, in California, and you can also order it Online. Here is the list of stores that carry it: Where To Purchase. 

Sunday 13 May 2012

Get to Know Me (A Little Bit...More) Tag:

I've already done a "Get to Know Me" Tag - but Samantha at Nail Art Couture tagged me in her post so I thought I'd answer her 11 questions here :)
           

           
1. Why did you start blogging?
 I actually just started blogging in April. I had been reading blogs for a while and thought it looked like so much fun and wanted to try it out myself! I finally took the plunge.
              
2. Do you speak another language? If so, what? If not, what language would you like to learn? 
I am terrible in that I can only speak English, and the limited French we learned in school. I would love to be able to speak French fluently. 
              
3. What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
I am a very very picky eater - so I haven't really eaten that many strange foods. My "strange" foods are probably typical for most people! I guess I would have to say maybe Bamboo? Even though I know that's not that strange - don't judge!
              
4. If you had one day to live and money isn't an issue, what would you do?
I would fly everyone I love to be in the city with me and just spend time with them. I've learned that it's not what you are doing that really matters, but who you are doing it with.
                 
5. What was the first job you ever held?
I was a snowboard instructor :)
                    
6. How many days can you go without make-up and shaving/tweezing? 
I coullllld technically not shave at all and not wear make up ever. But in reality, I usually shave my legs every second day and wear makeup about 5-6 days a week...
                
7. What was your favorite 90's/discontinued snack or drink? 
SODALICIOUS!!! They are amazing. I wish they still sold them!!
               
8. What's one of the things you want to do on your bucket list? 
Travel to every Continent in the World.
              
9. Could you share with me your favorite recipe?
I don't really have a "favourite" - I love cooking so much that I am always trying new recipes. This is a recipe I read about on a blog last year that I really really love to make. I've made it about 5 times now (which doesn't seem like a lot - but seeing as I try out a new recipe every time I cook, 5 repeats is actually a lot!)
                   
Cucumber au Gratin
  • 2 cucumbers
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
  • salt & black pepper
  • 3-4 Tbs butter
Peel the cucumbers & cut them into 1 inch pieces. Slice each piece in half lengthwise & remove the seeds. Cook the cucumber in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, then drain & dry. Arrange a layer of cucumber in the base of a buttered ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with a third of the cheese, & season with salt & pepper. Repeat these layers, finishing with cheese. Dot the top with butter. Bake the cucumber gratin in the center of a preheated oven at 400 for 30 minutes.
                             
                            
10. Which TV character best represents you? 
That's tough. I'm not sure. I don't think any of them - we're all original! Though maybe Zoe Hart from Hart of Dixie...We're both kind of awkward and silly, and overly caring.
                       
11. What's one task that you hate doing?
Folding clothes - the worst!
                
I'm not going to tag anyone specifically but if any of my readers want to answer some or all of these I would love love love to hear your answers and learn a little bit more about you!! xx
             
 
Also, for my readers in Western Canada...London Drugs is Having a Promo for 10$ off when you spend 25$ in their Cosmetic Department (so 15$ for 25$). Pretty great deal - especially since 25$ is not hard to spend on cosmetics.... It is good all month (Expires May 31st)       
          
Here is the Coupon: London Drugs Coupon 
                     
             

Thursday 10 May 2012

Favourites of the Day: May 10th

    

1. For What It's Worth - Stevie Nicks
One of the Greats. The above widget is a song from her most recent album (2011). Listen. listen. listen. listen. 



2. Sally Hansen Airbrushed Legs:
Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would, not only own this product, but love it. So, in case you haven't picked up from my previous blog posts yet I am a rare breed of pale. I've been rooting for "Pale is the New Tan" to become a reality, but alas, it never really got off the ground. In the summer, when everyone else gets a tan, I get a burn. So in the Summertime I tend to use self-tanner about once a week so I can at least look somewhat tanned (yet what I get excited about as a "tan" other people still call "pale"). Sometimes you don't have time to put on tanner (i.e. an overnight to sleep on it!) That's where this product comes in. If I'm going to be wearing shorts or a skirt to go out, this is essentially like a magical spray-on tan for your legs. You need to rub it in with your hands a bit to make it even (make sure to wash it off your hands with soap after!) Once you let it dry, it won't rub off on things (though maybe save sitting on bright white couches in case...) and it washes off right away in the shower. I think these are about $20 a bottle, and they they 4 different shades. When applying it, make sure you do it in a bathtub or shower or something so you don't get it all over anything else! And make sure not to spray it on your clothes! Now that Summer is here...going to be digging this out of my drawer for sure! It also makes your legs look really smooth - removes the appearance of scars or cuts or bruises you may have! Have you ever tried this product? Yay experiences or nay experiences?  
         


Photo from The Blonde Salad Blog
3. Black and Tan:
First off, I am so jealous of the Blonde Salad's wardrobe she shows off in her daily blog posts. I. Want. It. All. Here she is wearing one of my all time favourite colour pairings: Black and Tan! I don't care what the pieces are, shirts, pants, dresses, blouses, shoes, belts, purses, coats, whatever - as long as some pieces are black, and some are tan, and no other colours are in the mix, I'll think it's a perfect outfit. (Okay, not anything works, but it's pretty close). This colour combo definitely never goes out of style....so if you're having a hard time picking out an outfit - try to looks for some black and tan pieces in your wardrobe! :)
          
Photo from Florassentials
4. Peonies:
Peonies are one of my favourite types of flowers. I love how huge they are, and of course since I'm a bit of a girly girl in some aspects, I love the in your face pink! 
 Live Plants add life and freshness and beauty to a room that other decorations simply cannot compete with. Fresh cut Peonies in a jar or vase are a gorgeous addition to a Kitchen/Dining room/ or even Bedroom. So if you happen to have some growing in your yard, or for sale at a florist or grocery store near you, consider picking some up for your house!  Or the next time you are deciding on flowers to bring to your dinner-host, consider Peonies! What are your favourite flowers to have around the house?
      
Finally, Just a Quick Update/Review on Some Products I blogged about previously and have since tried out:

Free your Mane Shampoo and Conditioner: 
I received these in my April Glymm Box and was able to get 3 washes out of each (The packets are tiny, but you really only need a nickel/quarter sized amount of shampoo and conditioner when you wash your hair - even if it's long or thick!) At first I was really weirded out because a) there was no lather b) they smelled sort of like a man's product BUT, no product has ever left my hair as silky/smooth/tangle-free/clean feeling in my life - and I have tried A LOT of hair care products! I am going to try to test out another sulphate free shampoo that has a more feminine scent to see if the lack of sulphate was the reason for my amazing results, but if not, I am going to buy these in full size. I can handle the scent if it means excellent results! Especially since I usually use a styling product once I am out of the shower that will overpower with a new scent anyways. Have you guys ever tried sulphate free shampoo? Do you have any other sulphate-free brands to recommend? If you got the Free your Mane Glymm Box, what did you think of this product?


Marcelle Xtension Plus Mascara:
I received this in my April Glossy Box and it is much cooler than I expected! I thought it was going to be a regular drugstore mascara (but was still excited to be receiving a full size!) but lo and behold, this one is different! I normally use an eyelash brush after I apply my mascara to make sure my eyelashes do not stick/clump together - but in this Masacara the wand IS an eyelash brush! It is a hard plastic brush applicator not a fuzzy wand like most drugstore mascaras. Mind Blown. This is amazing. This will save me an extra step in the morning - thrilled! Those of you with Glossyboxes, have you tried this yet?

       




















Tuesday 8 May 2012

Favourites of the Day: May 8th

1. Regina Spektor - Fidelity:
Regina Spektor ...Just listen to the song above. 

Photo from Pinterest
2. "Forever is a Long, Long Time, and Time has a Way of Changing Things" - The Fox and the Hound:
I love this movie, and I love this quote. It always reminds me to live in the present and not to worry too far ahead into the future. Some things really are well beyond our control, and even some changes that are within our control cannot be foreseen: "Forever is a long, long time, and time has a way of changing thing." So, while it's good to make plans for your future - always keep them a little flexible, or you're bound to be upset.


Photo from Pinterest
3. Skull Candles:
I'm far from what someone might call "gothic" but there is definitely something about the macabre that fascinates me. While I don't wear Skull clothing (well..I would if someone would buy me an Alexander McQueen Scarf...), I love Skull jewellery and Skull Decoration Pieces, and especially Skull Candles! Am I creepy?

4. Neutrogena Hand Cream:
I know I've talked about several different Hand Creams before all over my blog (can you tell I am obsessed with silky smooth hands?), but this is another one of my favourites. This one is a little different than other creams in that rather than being a "cream" or a "lotion" it's a strange gel-like consistency. You just need to put a tiny bit on and rub it in, and it suddenly smoothes into your skin and makes it unbelievably silky. I was skeptical at first when I saw the consistency (gel) but I've been won over. They come in a bunch of different sizes, and you can even get a mini 15ml one for your purse (which is size I just used up) for about $2!


Photo from Atlantic Pacific Blog
5. Chain Print
First of all, I know this is supposed to be my favourite things post, and not about things I dislike - but for the record, White Jeans? No. I had a pair a while ago and they got dirty extremely easily. I wouldn't sit down in the dirt with them, but somehow even sitting in restaurants or on the bus, I'd end up with huge dirt marks on my behind....less than ideal. Don't fall for this trend - as pretty as they look, the upkeep and hassle is totally not worth it! Ok, onto Chain print, which I actually do love! This Zara chain print blouse is awesome. I also love chain print scarves. Some people associate it with the 80's or the elderly, but I absolutely adore this print. This novelty print definitely gives flare to any outfit. Would you ever wear chain print? 
   

Sunday 6 May 2012

[Body Shop] Favourites of the Day (#2): May 6th

So I know I've already done a post on some of my Body Shop Favourites (Here!) but I'm a sucker for their sales (which, unfortunately for my wallet, seem to be constant/never ending....) and so here's another haul of some of my favourites :)

So somehow they were having an amazing sale, and combined with my BodyShop Membership card, I ended up getting $156 worth of products for $56! How I managed to save $100 I'm not entirely sure..... sale-savy I suppose?

The whole lot - Pressed Powder, Vitamin C Skin Boost x2, Watermelon Shower Gel, Banana Shampoo, Body Shop Membership Card, Sandalwood and Ginger Home Fragrance Oil, Wise Woman Eye Cream



1. Pressed Face Powder:
This is just a basic translucent face-powder. I use it for setting my makeup/to get rid of shine. I think it's slightly better than most drugstore brands in it's consistency/how it applies - but otherwise pretty basic. It retails for $18.50 - I wouldn't pay full price - but since they are always having some sort of sale, if you can get it on sale I would snatch this up! Consider that Covergirl powder at the drugstore is usually $10-$15 anyways - and this has a slightly better consistency. 

2. Sandalwood and Ginger Home Fragrance Oil:
I am obsessed with Oil Burners. I always have one on in my room and it just makes the entire place smell amazing! This one is a kind of spicy/woody scent. It has cinnamon, almond, sandalwood, and ginger.  It makes an entire apartment feel warm/cozy. This is a 10ml bottle - and using it everyday, these usually last me at least a couple of months! You can get these for $7.50 - but considering there is always a sale, likely less! Well worth it! They have about 15 different scents you can choose from, so there really is something for everyone. You do need an oil burner to use these though (those contraptions with the candle at the bottom and a place to drop the oil on the top). They actually sell them at the Body Shop too, but I'm sure you can find them at almost any home-store. You will become addicted to burning them though... be forewarned!

3. Lip Liner:
I love lip-liner - I'm not a huge lipstick/lipgloss kind of girl - so a lip liner and a stain is perfect for me. This is just a basic liner - no better and no worse than a typical drugstore brand (revlon, covergirl, marcelle, etc). Though it's about the same price as a drugstore brand ($11) so if you want to pick it up on sale, or get it in one of those "buy 2 get 1 free promotions" where you are looking for an item to throw in free, I suggest picking this up!

4. Vitamin C Skin Boost:
Soooooooo this is probably one of my FAVOURITE PRODUCTS EVER. It is actually amazing. It goes on extremely matte and is probably the softest/smoothest product I have ever used. It can be worn on it's own to give your face a subtly glow, or it can be worn under makeup as a primer. I do both. I bought two of these because I'm that obsessed. They are a little pricey, at $26 each for 30ml,  but if you can somehow score a sale where you get $100 off...then definitely pick one of these up!!! At the very least, try one out on your skin at the store! You will fall in love.....



5. Watermelon Eucalyptus Shower Gel for Earth Lovers:
This literally smells like a freshly cut watermelon. It's a little too sweet for me, but they threw it in for free as part of a promotion for the sale so I wasn't going to say no! They have about 10 different scents - so I should have picked a different one! I really like that it's environmentally friendly (sulphate, paraben, colourant free, and 100% biodegradable) - always a good thing when it's a product that will be going down the drain and making its way into our environment! It also has Aloe in it, which makes your skin super soft. You can get them for $10 - but likely less since there's always a sale!

6. Banana Shampoo:
This is one of the body shop originals that they've brought back by popular demand - and rightly so! This is super banana-y smelling - it sorrrrt of smells like banana medicine/banana runts candies but in a good way (if that makes sense). It's $5.99 even when it's not on sale - so totally affordable. It doesn't leave my hair as soft as the Free Your Mane Sulphate Free Shampoo I've fallen in love with (from my April Glymm Box - See Post Here) but it works as well as other shampoos I've been using (Redken, John Frieda, etc), so it's worth a try-out at least!


 7. Wise Woman Eye Cream:
Okay, I'm in my early 20s, hardly a "wise woman" with "mature skin" BUT - this is probably one of my favourite eye creams of all time! It actually works wonderfully - which I don't find with most products. It gets rid of any of my puffiness/under eye darkness if I've been studying too hard or staying out too late. It supposedly has cotton fibers which fill in lines, but since I don't really have lines yet, I haven't noticed much in that regard - but hopefully it's preventative as well? :) It contains soy and rice peptides, which are supposed to work to combat under eye circles - which I definitely notice a difference with! It also has Witch Hazel to combat puffiness - which I also notice a difference with! It also has marula oil, olive oil, and aloe vera - all for super smooth/softness! I. am. in. love. with. this. It's a little pricey at $24 for 15ml - but go get this during one of the Body Shops big sales!!! 



8. Love Your Body Membership:
Finally, my membership was up so I got it renewed. Membership cards/renewals are $10 each but worth every penny! I got both my card and my renewal free essentially because every purchase with a card gives you 10% off, so if your products are over $100, that's $10 off right there. You also get a point for every purchase over $20, and 2 points for every purchase over $50. When you get 4 points you get $15 to spend for free and when you get 8 points you get $25 to spend for free, and a free renewal. You also get a free 10$ to spend during the month of your birthday.  So all in all - definitely worth the $10 to get this, especially if your a body shop addict like myself!!