Life Lately

Happy Monday lovelies, hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  Mine consisted of work and a little a lot of Netflix, and was over far too quickly since Monday morning for me meant trudging out in the snow for a 10am lecture.  After almost a month of Christmas break, I got a little too used to sleeping in and enjoying my days free of assignments and long bus rides, so I definitely was not looking forward to hearing my alarm clock this morning!  Honestly, I actually kind of enjoy the start of a new semester at school; new profs, a new schedule, and new classes that actually seem interesting - I just like to complain because it's Monday and that's what I do best! haha I thought I'd start off the week with a quick little update on what I've been up to over the past week! A few days ago, I went shopping downtown with a friend and we went to this really cool desert place in the market that I've been wanting to try out forever, called Cacao 70. This place is literally a chocolate lover's dream! They have chocolate-covered waffles, crepes, and like 12 different kinds of hot chocolate - lol can you tell that food excites me? 

We got their famous chocolate fondue and went all out with the fixings. The best part was that it came with a little grill to roast marshmallows at our table! I pretty much walked out of there in a chocolate-coma.

With the start of the new year, I've been loving writing in my Q&A a Day 5-year journal (get it here) that I received from my sister last year as a Christmas gift. Each page asks a different question for each day of the year and below there's space for you to fill out your answer. You answer the same question on the same day over 5 years, so it's really interesting to see how your answers have changed overtime. I just take 2 minutes to fill a page out each night, and I really love to see how much my answers have changed or stayed the same over the past year. For those of you who totally fail at being able to keep up regularly with a journal like me, this is perfect because it's really easy to keep up with, but it'll still make for an amazing keepsake to look back on how much things have changed and how you have grown over 5 years. It's also absolutely gorgeous on a bedside table!

Since I was on holidays for the past few weeks, days off from work were pretty much spent watching countless hours of television in my pjs. I took this as an opportunity to finally start watching a couple series that I had heard such great things about but never had the chance to watch. The first was Scandal, which I breezed through almost the first 3 seasons over the break. This show is just so addicting! Highly recommend if you're into law and crime shows, or really if you're just into shows with a lot of drama and excitement and that are just all around perfection! I basically want to be Olivia Pope when I grow up.

The other show I started over the holidays (lol I don't have a life, I know) was American Horror Story and holy this show is so GOOD! The show follows different characters in a different setting each season, with the first being set in an old, creepy house that's haunted by all its deceased residents. I love scary movies, and even though this show is definitely just more creepy and suspenseful than actually scary, I really enjoyed it. I think I watched 6 episodes in a row one day - I did however, go to the gym afterwards for almost 2 hours so that kind of makes up for it? Hahah I swear I did more than just watch tv over the holidays; I went outside and interacted with other people like once or twice - kidding (kind of)

Well that's it for now, hope you had a lovely start to your week! 
 p.s. I'm writing this post while watching The Bachelor, and oh gosh some of these girls are just...  That poor Ashley S. girl though - I'm honestly praying that her cluelessness is just an act because it's waaay past the point of just being the cute-and-quirky type! I'm definitely rooting for Britt so far this season - she just seems so sweet and genuine and you can really tell that they have something going on between them. If any of you are following this season, definitely let me know you're thoughts!

December 2014 Favourites

Hello Beauties! 

I know it's been forever since I've posted last; I got so caught up in school and work that my blog unfortunately got pushed aside over the semester... BUT, I'm not going to let that happen this year.  I truly love creating posts on here and interacting with other bloggers, so I definitely don't want to let it slip away again.  I'm currently working on re-vamping my blog, and I have a ton of ideas for upcoming posts that I'm really excited about.

Anyways, onto today's post!

 In December, I tried quite a few new products and ended up finding some gems that have quickly become must-haves in my daily makeup routine.

 My first two favourites of last month are without a doubt my Makeup Forever HD Foundation in the shade 115 and my Beautyblender for flawless application.  The lady at Sephora recommended this foundation to me after matching it with my skin tone through their new "Color IQ" technology system - which sounded pretty gimmicky to me at first, but this shade actually blends perfectly with my natural skin tone so I guess there must be some sort of science to it! This is a medium-coverage foundation, but it's easily buildable to full-coverage if needed.  I love how smoothly the formulation blends into my skin, so that it still looks really natural while evening out any redness in my face.  I've also found that it's really long-lasting, and I mean really long-lasting because even after a 12-hour day of work I find it looks almost as if I had just applied it - a definite must for a splurge-worthy foundation in my books!

I've been lusting after the Beautyblender pretty much throughout the entire year after hearing every beauty blogger and YouTuber rave about it. And ladies, let me tell you, if you were to buy only 1 beauty tool make sure this is it because it makes applying your foundation a DREAM!  I'm honestly kicking myself for having only just bought one this month - it just saves so much time and effort and I love the natural look it gives my makeup. 

 Another face fave in December was the Makeup Forever HD Pressed Powder I picked up from Sephora at the beginning of the month.  This is a very lightweight and translucent powder that's perfect for setting your foundation for the day without looking cake-y.  In the winter, I tend to have an issue with dry, flakey skin that makes most setting powders tend to cling onto the dry patches (trust me, not a cute look) - but this pressed powder is so fine and lightweight that it covers any shine without accentuating my dry skin.  I don't find that it's as long-lasting as the Makeup Forever HD Foundation, as I usually have to re-apply to mask a bit of shine after a long day, but I honestly have yet to find a powder that I don't feel the need to re-apply at least once before going out at night so this isn't a problem for me.

 My next beauty favourite of the month was the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara.  I love how long, full and defined this mascara makes my lashes look.  It doesn't clump at all and the large, tapered wand really makes my lashes pop.  This is an amazing mascara for only having paid around 7 dollars, so I definitely recommend that you give this one a try!

My lip fave of the month was definitely this Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Red Revolution (#630).  I bought this for my birthday dinner back in October, but found myself wearing it quite often over the month of December since it's the perfect colour to compliment any holiday party outfit! I absolutely love the deep cherry hue of this lipstick, and the pigmentation is amazing - it seriously stays perfect all night long, even without a lipliner.  I wore this baby to a party on New Years Eve and failed to take my makeup off before bed (so bad, i know) and while my eyeliner was an absolute disaster the next morning, my lipstick hadn't budged! I can't wait to try out some of the other beautiful shades in this line.

I really got into doing my brows in December, so I quickly fell in love with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Pencil in Taupe.  This baby makes filling in my brows an absolute breeze! I love how fine the pencil-tip is, it makes it so easy to create a defined, but natural-looking fuller brow with small strokes. The dual-ended wand with the attached spooky brush is perfect for softening any harsh lines to finish off the look.

And lastly, I really loved the "Sugar Plum Dream" products from Bath & Body Works winter collection.  These smell like absolutely heavenly mix of vanilla, berries, and sugar cookies - and obviously, the packaging is gorgeous. I really loved using the Triple Moisture Ultra Shea Body Cream to sooth my dry skin in the cold December weather  - it's really thick and hydrating but not at all greasy!

Let me know what your favourites were last month!

Liebster Award Nomination

So this morning I found out that I was nominated by the lovely Maddie for the Liebster Award, which I'm beyond excited about!  I think this is such a great way to connect with fellow newcomer bloggers and find tons of amazing new blogs to follow. So before I begin, I just want to say a huge thank you to Maddie and be sure to check out her blog with the link above because she writes tons of lovely fashion, beauty and lifestyle posts.

11 facts about me:

1. I was born on October 13th, 1994 - meaning I'll be turning 20 in just a few short months. Bye-bye teenaged years, hello exciting yet freighting adulthood!

2. I'm the oldest of 3 children in my family. I have a sister who's almost 18, and a little brother who just turned 13.

3. I'm going into my third year studying psychology in University - which I can't even fathom because I feel as though I literally just graduated high school...

4. I'm a huge coffee and tea junkie. I plan on dedicating an entire cupboard in my kitchen when I move out for solely storing my coffee and loose-leaf tea collection!

5. I'm like to be super organized. I have lists and notebooks galore, and I'm lost without my agenda.

6. My favourite place in the world thus far is Oahu, Hawaii. I was lucky enough to spend a week there with my family back in 2011, and I'm counting down the days until I can go back.  It's just so insanely beautiful and rich in culture, that it's impossible to not love life when you're there.

7. I love rainy days and thunderstorms - I find them so relaxing.

8. I have a serious problem with collecting (hoarding) scarves. I easily have 30 in my collection and I have no intentions of stopping anytime soon.

9.My first job was serving slushies and burnt french fries at a local hockey arena when I was 13. I didn't even make minimum wage but I loved it because I got to work with my best friend and flirt (lol well try to) with all the cute hockey players all day.

10. I've never had any pets aside from a couple of fish, because my mom is deathly allergic. I do however plan on getting a little Yorkie or a Morkie when I move into my own place!

11. I still have really no clue as to what I want to do with my life; all I know is that aspiring to be a chic, independent business woman like the fabulous Lauren Conrad doesn't seem like such a bad idea. 

The 11 questions I was asked:

1. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you were older? I remember that I wanted to be several different things, with becoming a pop star and princess on the top of the list.  Dream big right? 

2. Are you allergic to anything? Raw carrots. Super weird, I know but whenever I eat them my throat and lips swell up and it's incredibly uncomfortable, soo it's best if I just stay away from them haha.

3. If you had to eat only one thing for the rest of your life, what would you choose? Peanut butter. I pretty much already eat it everyday of my life anyways, so it wouldn't be too hard.  I love it on toast, in my oatmeal, on apple slices, and pretty much everything and anything!

4. Favorite time of day? Just as the sun is rising in the morning, when everything is still peaceful and the sky takes on a gorgeous coral-to-blue ombré. I love when I'm up this early (which honestly rarely happens except when I have to get to a dreaded 8:30am lecture) because I feel like I have the entire day ahead of me and that I can be super productive!

5. Favorite makeup product? This is probably the most difficult question for a beauty addict like myself to answer, there can't be only one. On the top of my list are definitely Benefit's boxed blush in Coralista, the Urban Decay Naked & Naked 3 palettes, and Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express mascara. 

6. If you were able to create one law, what would it be? Weekends would always be 'long' weekends, and never just consisting of only 2 unsatisfyingly short days. 

7. How old were you when you got your first phone? It was back in grade 8, so I think I might have been 13? I remember being one of the last of my friends to get one, who all had been rocking their hot pink Motarola Razrs for months by then.  My first phone was a white and orange Sony Walkman slider phone that was all the rage back then. Oh the days of T9 ;)

8. What time do you wake up in the morning? If I don't have school or work in the morning, then I usually wake up around 9-9:30 but I tend to laze around in bed reading or on my laptop for another hour or so before finally getting up for coffee.

9. Do you remember the first blog you read? The first blog that I started actually following was Undressed Skeleton by the lovely Taralynn, who now writes over on Simply Taralynn. I found her back when I was starting to get into health and fitness probably around 2 years ago. Before then, I was more into watching YouTube videos than reading blogs.  I became immediately addicted to the beauty 'guru' community, which I think is where my love for makeup products and fashion stemmed from.

10. Would you want to see what you look like in 20 years? Probably not. I'd rather embrace the present and keep that potentially freighting sight as a surprise for the future.

11. Do you believe in ghosts/angels? Ghosts yes. Angels not so much.

And the 11 nominees are:

Tea With Company
Dream Meag
Jenna Want

Hey There, Jacquelyn

Rachel Coco

Jenny's Everday Life

Little Beauty Bug

In Katie's Corner

Vandi Fair

This Girl Loves Chic

What She Buys

11 Questions for my nominees to answer:

1. Why did you start your blog?

2. What's your favourite book of all-time?

3. Who is your favourite blogger? Favourite YouTuber?

4. Coffee or tea?

5. How do you like to spend your days off from school/work?
6. What's your favourite makeup brand?
7. Can you count the number of people you feel close to on one hand?
8. Who is your idol/inspiration?
9. What's your favourite season?
10. Name your top 3 favourite clothing stores to shop at.
11. Which destination is on the top of your travel bucket list? 

So excited to read all of your answers and to find new blogs and meet even more lovely people through this journey! 

Beauty Lust List #1

Hello lovelies, hope you all are well and enjoying your week so far!  Sorry about my almost 2 week-long hiatus from the blog, I've been working like crazy and just all around busy.  But I'm back and I have a ton of posts in mind for the next few weeks! 
I haven't really splurged on any beauty products lately, so I've definitely accumulated quite a large list of products that I've been dying to try out after hearing so much hype about them all over the internet in the last couple of months.  I also have a trip to Syracuse planned at the end of August, where I'm planning on picking up a few of the more high-end items on my list since they tend to be insanely cheaper in the States.  
So, here's what's currently on my beauty wish-list:

1. Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! Push-Up Liner - This has definitely been on of the most talked about product amongst all the Beauty Gurus of YouTube lately.  I've seen a ton of mixed reviews, but most people have been raving about the formulation and the unique applicator of this liner that's supposed to make it a breeze for creating the perfect cat eye!
2. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush - Blush is my kryptonite; it's without a doubt my favourite type of makeup product to buy.  This one is a hybrid blush and highlighter in one that gives a pretty glow and dimension to your cheeks.  With the gorgeous gold packaging and the fact that each blush is hand-mixed, I would most likely not be too heart-broken to cough up the $41 CAD for this luxury blush.  I'm loving the shades Radiant Magenta (fuchsia with a golden highlight) and Luminous Flush (champagne rose). 
3. Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow - It seems like everyone and their mother have been swearing by this brow-volumizing fiber gel! I like the look of filled-in brows, but I have yet to find a way to do this to myself without looking like I literally drew on my eyebrows with a sharpie.  I've heard such amazing things about this product and how natural it looks, so I'm eager to try it out for myself!
4. Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain - I love the formulation of Revlon's Colorburst Matte Balm lip stains, so I was really excited when I saw they came out with this line of glossy stains! I've heard that they're super pigmented and pretty long-lasting as well.  I'm for sure going to pick this up in the shades Barcelona Nights and Rio Rush!
5. Tarte Rainforest After Dark Colored Clay Eye & Cheek Palette - This limited edition palette has a blush, bronzer, highlighter, and 6 neutral and plum-toned eyeshadows so it's literally perfect for traveling! I have several of Tarte's clay shadows and blushes and I always love their pigmentation and long-lasting wear, so I know that I'll love adding this palette in my collection.
6. Bobbi Brown Surf & Sand Eye Palette - How gorgeous is this palette?! It has 8 shadows with a good mix of shimmery and matte finishes that's perfect for creating a warm, beachy eye-look for summer! I especially love the 4 champagne-coloured shadows; they'd be perfect for creating a subtle everyday eye-look that would make blue eyes (or any colour for that matter) pop!
7. Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment -  I've heard nothing but amazing things about this product, as well as with the rest of the Glamglow line.  It's a tingling mask that is supposed to tighten pores and absorb any impurities without stripping your skin of its natural oils, leaving you a with brighter and smoother complexion (um, yes please!).  This magic-in-a-jar unfortunately comes with a heavy price tag, but Sephora actually sells it in a travel-size for only $21 - ideal for those with sensitive skin like myself who want to try it out without worrying about wasting a ton of money on a product that may or may not irritate their skin!
8. Marc Jacobs Fragrance Daisy Dream - I have yet to go to the store and smell this for myself, but after reading countless beauty bloggers' reviews of this new scent, I just know I'll love it. Plus how adorable is the bottle?!

What products having you been lusting after? Let me know in the comments! 

L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation Review

After several failed attempts, I think I have finally found the perfect summer foundation.  I picked this little beauty up out on a whim a couple of weeks ago when I took a trip to my local drugstore in need of foundation, but they were all out of my shade in my go-to Covergirl Outlast foundation.  I've been meaning to try this product out since hearing mostly positive reviews when it first came out sometime last year, so I decided that this was the perfect time to switch things up a bit and finally try it out for myself.  I went with the shade 310 in 'Light Ivory'.

The formulation is very thin and must be shaken well before applied to incorporate all the ingredients, or else you'll be left with a watery mess all over your hands (I may or may have not skipped reading the instructions on the back of the bottle before applying...).  Because of the water-like consistency of this foundation, it works best when applied with your fingers and actually tends to look streaky and messy when applied with a brush or sponge.  I prefer to blend in my foundation with my fingers anyway, because I find that's how I can achieve the most natural-looking finish.  The blendability of this foundation is truly amazing; it effortlessly smoothes into my skin without looking cakey or settling into any fine lines or pores.  I can see how they went with the name "Magic Nude", because it truly doesn't look or feel like I'm wearing much makeup at all when I use this foundation, yet it somehow stills manages to conceal any redness in my complexion.  I actually found that I'm not needing as much concealer on any problem areas after applying this foundation because it does that great of a job concealing them.  It's definitely a lightweight coverage,  but I like that I can easily build it up to a medium-coverage foundation if I apply a thin second layer.  

The finish is a beautiful matte, almost velvet-like texture that looks really natural on the skin.  Since it's not at all greasy or dewy, you could probably skip applying a powder overtop, but I do anyways just to ensure that I stay shine-free all day.  I've worn this foundation almost everyday since purchasing it, and I've found that it wears really nicely throughout the day.  It doesn't oxidize or settle, and I hardly find that I need much touch-up besides a bit of powder after a full day of wear.

The only negative thing I have to say about this product is that application can get a little bit messy sometimes since it tends to pour out quite fast out of the large opening in the bottle.  A pump applicator would probably work much better to minimize any potential mess.  The price is also quite high for a drugstore foundation, at almost $18CAD.  However, I think it's a fair price for such a high-quality foundation. 

Pros:

• Super blendable
• Buildable coverage
• Natural, matte finish
• Long lasting
• Doesn't oxidize or settle into the skin

Cons:

• Poor packaging design
• Pricey for a drugstore foundation ($18 CAD)

For those of you wondering if this foundation will work well with your skin type, I have a normal-to-dry complexion.  And while I don't suffer from anything more than the occasional zit, I do tend to have quite a bit of redness along my t-zone, and I found that the formulation of the L'Oreal Magic Nude worked really well with my skin type.

Overall, I'd say that I'm really pleased with this product and I'll definitely be re-purchasing once I'm out.  It's the ideal summer face product for me because it provides great coverage in a super light-weight formula, while also being able to withstand hours in the heat and humidity. 

Have you tried the L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Friday Favourites

Happy Friday lovelies!  This past week has been pretty exciting and eventful for me, so I thought I'd start off the weekend with a little update post to share some of my favourite moments of my week with you all!
1.  Last Saturday night, I saw Lady Gaga perform at Bluesfest and it was both one of the coolest and weirdest experiences of my life.  I love how wild and unique she is, and she definitely knows how to put on a show! She made it more of a huge outdoor rave than just a typical concert.  My friends and I wanted to wear something a little wild, without going so far as to re-create her clear plastic dress as some of the die-hard fans were wearing.

 

2. On Wednesday, a friend took me to the most amazing little tea shop downtown called The Tea Store.  This place is literally a tea lover's dream; they have an entire wall filled with hundreds of different flavours of loose-leaf tea. I ordered the 'Coconut Cream Chai' because I've never had a coconut flavoured tea, and it was delicious! We sat out on their little patio overlooking the market and  the server brought out our teas in the prettiest glass mugs.  I'm definitely going to go back  sometime soon and try some of their other flavours!

3. I haven't had the time to go to the gym since Sunday, so I've been doing quick 30-40 minute HIIT workouts at home before getting ready to go out for the day.  These types of  workouts are super intense and sweaty, but I love them because I can get in my cardio and some strength training during a really short amount of time!  I like trying out different ones every few days to keep my workouts exciting.  A couple of my favourites are here and here.

    4. Last night I saw The Band Perry at Bluesfest, and they truly rocked it up on that stage! They've been one of my favourite bands ever since I first heard 'If I Die Young' on the radio, so I'm so happy that I got the chance to finally see them live.  I'm also now kind of obsessed with Kimberly Perry's blonde beachy waves! 

5. Earlier today I went to the salon with my friend Beth to get our nails done.  I went for oval-shaped gel nails in this bright pinky-purple shade that's perfect for summer.  I haven't even had them for a day but I'm already obsessed.  We stopped for Starbucks afterwards so obviously I just had to take a typical tumblr-stlye nails and latte photo for instagram ;)

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! Be sure to let me know about your favourite moments of the week in the comments! 

                      

OOTD - Country Music Festival

Hello lovelies!
So this past Sunday night I went to see Lady Antebellum at Bluesfest with some friends, and they were absolutely amazing!  I've been having so much fun dressing up for all the different concerts this past week, so I thought I'd share the country-inspired outfit that I wore that night with you all.   

Shop: dress // boots (old) similar

Since it was a night filled with country music, I wanted to bring some cowgirl inspiration into my outfit.  It was way too hot for plaid and jeans, so I chose to wear this little blue floral-patterned sundress from Garage and paired it with some cowboy ankle booties.

I decided to go for some T-Swift circa 2006 hair, because nothing says country more than big, messy curls.  To create the look, I used my 1-inch Conair Infinity curling wand, taking one inch-wide sections, wrapping them away from my face, and holding each piece for about 10 seconds.  Once my whole head was curled, I gently shook out the curls by finger-combing them a bit to make them more voluminous and less Shirley Temple.  

Shop: vest

I also threw on my denim vest to complete this country-insprired look.

There are tens of thousands of people each night at Bluesfest, so it's pretty difficult to get a good view of the stage.  Luckily for us, we got there pretty early and managed to get a really good spot.  I was so excited because for once I could actually see the performers' faces without having to watch from the big screens at the back of the crowd!  Country concerts are usually pretty mellow, but Lady Antebellum brought such amazing energy and really put on a show that night.  I've always been a fan of their music, and after seeing them perform live I just love them so much more.  They even gave us a sneak peak of a song from their new album coming out this fall, which I'll definitely be buying!

Have you been to any fun concerts or music festivals this summer?

June Favourites

I can't believe it's already July.  I know every beauty blogger on the planet says that when it comes time for their monthly favourites, but June seriously just flew by for me!  I feel like summer just started but it's already almost half over; and while I do love the fall, I'd really like for summer to drag on as long as possible.  Keep the late nights and lazy afternoons filled with sunshine and sangria coming please!

Anywho, I'm super excited to be doing my first monthly favourites post.  I didn't try out too many new products this month but I did find a couple that I love, along with a few oldies that I found myself reaching for often throughout June.

My first favourite beauty product would be my Naked 3 palette.  I got this baby back in December, but didn't find myself reaching for it much until the past month or so. The shades are all golden and rose-hued so I find they perfectly compliment a summery-bronzed makeup look! And like all the Urban Decay eye shadows, they are super pigmented and long-wearing, which is perfect to last through those hot summer nights!

I have been using The Body Shop's Strawberry Body Butter to death this month.  I like to use it on my legs after shaving right after I get out of the shower to keep them super smooth and hydrated.  My skin tends to be super dry all year long so I prefer using body butters as oppose to regular lotion.  Plus this scent is so sweet and fruity, it's perfect for summer! 

I recently fell back in love with Maybelline The Falsies waterproof mascara.  This was my go-to mascara when it first came out, and I have no idea why I ever stopped using it because I LOVE IT!  I often have trouble with the curl of my lashes falling throughout the day, but this one keeps them looking perfect into the night! It gives my eyes a look of full, defined lashes that aren't clumped together so it's definitely once again become my holy grail mascara. 

 Another favourite eye product of mine this month has been the Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner.  I typically just stick to mascara during the day, but if I'm going out to dinner or downtown with friends at night then I love to rock a subtle winged eye-look.  This liner has been my favourite lately because its almost marker-like applicator makes it super easy to create a variety of different looks.  The formula is really long-lasting too, it hasn't smudged or faded on me even after a night out.

 My nail polish pick of the month is hands down Essie's 'Bikini So Teeny'. I've honestly just been reapplying this all month because I don't want to take it off! The bright purple-blue colour of this polish makes the perfect summer nail in my opinion.

 Because it's hot and I'm too lazy to spend the time to blow-dry and curl my hair everyday, I've been sticking to a more natural, wavy look in June.  After washing my hair in the morning, I let it air dry about 50%, apply a texturizing product, and sweep it to the side in a loose braid.  I've been loving my Marc Anthony Dream Waves Amplifying Lotion to help define the natural wave in my hair, and give it more of a beachy look.  I love this because it doesn't make my hair crunchy like a mouse would, plus it smells like coconuts.  Once my hair is dry after a couple of hours, I shake out the braid and I'm left with pretty beachy hair that's super simple and effortless!

The Revlon Photoready Concealer was a new favourite product of mine in June.  It covers redness perfectly and stays put throughout the day.  I find that it's a perfect dupe for my usual Benefit 'Boing' concealer, but at less than half the price!

One of my favourite accessories of the month has been my rose-gold wristlet from Michael Kors.  It's essentially a wallet but also has a slot for my phone and enough space for my keys, so I've been using this on the daily as oppose to carrying around a big purse.  The rose-gold matches beautifully with almost everything as well!

 Finally, I've been absolutely loving my Mossimo Avery sandals from Target.  I first bought these in white and I just loved them so much I went back recently to buy a second pair in black!  They're so comfortable, and I find that the gold detailing is so pretty and makes them look much more expensive than $19.99!

Let me know in the comments what you've been loving this past month.  I always love trying new products!

Festival Wish List

Today is the first day of  Bluesfest, which is the big annual summer music festival in my city.  Despite the fact that I've lived here in Ottawa my whole life, it's actually my first time going so I'm super excited! This year has an amazing line-up with artists from Lady Gaga to Snoop Dogg, and tons of country performers like Blake Shelton and The Band Perry, which I'm especially excited about!

Ever since seeing all the fabulous outfits from my favourite beauty bloggers at Coachella and Bonnaroo, I've seriously been lusting over festival fashion.  This week I'm looking forward to get to experiment with some of these unique styles myself and bring out my inner bohemian-babe!  So here's some of the pieces that I'll be looking out for when shopping for festival-inspired wear:

1.  The first thing that comes to mind when I think of summer festival style is crop tops! This crochet one from H&M is so cute and perfect for creating a bohemian-inspired look.  I also love this flirty, tropical crop from Topshop because it's a little bit unexpected and adds a pop of colour against earthy-toned accessories.

2. High-waisted denim shorts are a must for pairing with cute crop tops.  The light wash and slightly destroyed texture of this pair from H&M is super versatile and will go with pretty much everything.

3. Flowy, care-free dresses are also a staple for my festival wardrobe. This daisy-printed swing dress is so cute and effortless and will keep you cool in the summer heat.

4. Of course, fringe anything is a must to achieve that care-free bohemian/hippie vibe.  I love this white fringe bucket bag with gold detailing from Daily Look.

5.  If you're going to be at the festival location all day long, a backpack is ideal for storing all the necessities you might need while there (water bottles, snacks, sunscreen, camera, etc.) This brown leather one from Free People with it's sublet aztec print and worn-in look will go with pretty much any outfit!





6.  Pairing ankle booties with dresses or denim shorts is a great way to make an outfit look more laid-back and effortlessly chic. These ones from Sole Society perfect for pairing with summer dresses.  The cut-outs along the sides make them really unique, but will also help keep your feet from sweltering in a closed-toe shoe!

7. Caged gladiator-style sandals are a classic piece for summer festival style. These ones from Forever 21 are super inexpensive and the cognac colour faux-leather is really versatile as well.

8. This simple straw fedora from Sole Society is the perfect accessory to complete any festival-look and essential for protecting your pretty face from the sun.

9. Obviously, a flower crown is a necessity for any summer music festival!  Yes, they may be silly and a bit overdone but I think they're fun and they look so pretty in photos. I like this one from H&M because it's subtle and almost dainty with the small cream flowers.

10. Finally, a Polaroid camera is the ultimate summer music festival accessory for snapping pics - plus it just looks so cool! I love the pale blue colour of this one from Fujifilm.

Let me know what pieces are on your summer festival wish list! Also, be on the lookout for some more festival-inspired posts coming soon!