Recently

It’s been a while! This whole adult thing really leaves you with zero free time. Having real bills to pay, including some pricey mechanic bills have really take away any sense of disposable income, so having material for this blog has fallen by the way-side. I’ve been busy plugging away and learning as much as I can in my first job that’s in my chosen career path, and of course spoiling my cat rotten. I figured I would share some bits I’ve picked up along the way, and hopefully get back into the swing of blogging.

So onto the stuff!! I picked up a few new Real Techniques brushes from the Bold Metals collection. I have the Tapered Blush Brush (300) and the Oval Shadow Brush (200). I am IN LOVE with the Oval Shadow Brush, it is absolute perfection and I’m wondering how I ever survived without it. The Tapered Blush Brush is really nice and soft, and I typically only use it when I’m applying a softer blush, as it tends to apply blush very specifically and precisely. I am in no way at all a make up professional, so I tend to go over board with deeper and darker blushes.

I also snatched up the Nails Inc Illuminator, after hearing some of my favourite YouTubers talk about this polish. It’s exactly what it sounds like, a light wash of opalescent polish that can be worn alone to make your nails look healthier, or over top of an existing polish to brighten the shade slightly. I like to wear it alone, and by using 3 coats your nails look like moonstones. It’s a fab polish that I think anyone and everyone could use.

I have been on the hunt for a mascara that’s cruelty free (obviously), effective, and most importantly, not 30 dollars. I picked up the Milani Runway Lashes Mascara at the grocery store, and I have to say I really like it. It somewhat reminds be of the Tarte Lights Camera Lashes, which I LOVE, while only costing 6 bucks. I am, however, slightly concerned as this product seems to have been removed from the Milani website. Let’s all cross our fingers it hasn’t been discontinued.

Right in the thick of having some car trouble, I was feeling sorry for myself so I went out and bought the NARS Single Eyeshadow in the shade Ashes to Ashes. Because the only logical reaction to having to spend all your paycheque at the mechanic is to spend MORE money on something you probably don’t need… right? This shade is described as ‘shimmery violet based brown’ and I think that’s quite spot on. It’s the perfect all over lid shade that’s appropriate for the office for day time.

I don’t quite recall the occasion, but my boyfriend turned roomie picked up the Charlotte Tilbury Swish and Pop Blush in the shade Love is the Drug for me on a whim. What can I say about this blush that hasn’t already been said? It’s beautiful, looks like a boob, the packaging is delicious. Did I mention that it looks like a boob? Good.

Last but not least, I have been loving the Milani Colour Statement Lipstick in the shade Pretty Natural. It’s a gorgeous, feels great on the lips, and leaves a nice pretty stain behind. Perfect for the office, or for an effortless look.

To make up for the time away, I’d like to introduce you to my cat!

This is my sweet little angel: Pud. We adopted her about 3 weeks after my boyfriend and I moved in together and I am obsessed with her. We adopted through the organization VOKRA (Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association). VOKRA is awesome! They don’t have any shelters at all, the cats are in foster homes while they wait to be adopted. When I met Pud I knew she was the one. She was a stray in a neighbouring community, and when they found her they said she was terribly skinny. To their surprise she popped out a litter of kittens two days after she was rescued. Her foster mom said she was a wonderful mom, and all of her kittens were adopted straight away. She was in her foster home for a year and a half (!!!) before I met her and scooped her up. She is an absolute love bug and I can’t even express how much I love her. She’s napping right next to me as I type this. She’s 4 years young and I am SO thrilled to have her forever.

Talk Soon,

Xx Brianna

June 2015 Favorites

June is in the books, and I know I fell slightly silent on here for about two weeks. It was a combination of a bunch of things, mostly that the sun came out and I wanted to be at the beach instead of glued to my computer. It happens to all of us. But I’ve got the itch for blogging again, and I obviously continued to use beauty products throughout my mini hiatus, so let’s get into what I was loving this month.

I have to say, this month’s favorites is full of gems.

The Lush Cream Eyeshadow in the shade ‘Sophisticated’ has been absolutely fantastic for me this month. This is a gorgeous bronze-shimmer shadow that looks so effortless on the lid. I love this eyeshadow because it stays in place beautifully, it’s really subtle so I don’t feel like a clown in the office, and you just need this one shadow and your eye look is complete.

The Body Shop nail polish in the shade Rosy Cheeks is perfection for summer. I actually don’t find this polish to be rose hued at all, to me it’s a pink-coral that’s very bright on the nail. The polish is beautifully opaque in two coats, and lasts a solid week.

I snagged the Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral Palette well before Target peaced out of Canada, and I’m forever grateful I did. This is probably one of the best neutral matte palettes out there if you’re basic like me and shy away from all forms of colour. It has the most beautiful assortment of matte shades, I specifically love the shade on the bottom left all over the lid as a one and done shade. Big surprise here: I am lazy.

The Josie Maran Coconut Water Cheek Gelee, this one specifically is in the shade Pink Escape. I have 3 of these blushes and I am forever obsessed with them. They are so natural and easy to apply, they look beautiful and like you’ve just been out in the cold weather. One day, I swear I will own them all. I also really like these on the lips, they give a gorgeous natural flush to the lips, and they don’t dry anything out.

I have also been getting a lot of use out of my Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick in Sunset Romance. Also known as the number 18 as the Body Shop has not gotten with the program and only puts the name on the wrapping that gets thrown out immediately. This lipstick is nice and sheer, and just gives a gorgeous hint of coral. I like this lipstick because I can easily apply it without a mirror, and it’s not a total full on colour, so I’m not completely intimidated by it.

I began my love affair with the Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum this month. My boyfriend gifted me this travel size serum because I’ve been having some serious issues with my hair lately. A whole blog post is coming about the past two month nightmare that is my hair. This serum smells really lovely, and helps to tame away frizz, which my hair is very prone to when I don’t heat style it. This serum has never made my hair feel sticky or greasy, and a very, very small amount goes a very long way. I like to scrunch this into my hair on towel dried hair, and it leaves a gorgeous scent, and soft locks.

The Real Techniques Duo Fiber Brush has been all over my face this month. I have two of these, and I like to use one for powder, and one for bronzer. When the summer months hit, I find I want a really natural look, and these duo fiber brushes from Real Techniques do the trick. Plus they wash up beautifully, and are super soft.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been hitting the beach a lot lately, and because of that none of my base products match my skin anymore. I ran out and picked up the Flower Beauty BB Cream in the shade BB2. This is a really nice BB Cream, however I have to say it’s more like a tinted moisturizer. This has a matte finish and light to medium coverage. The only thing I’m not crazy about is the blendability, this product sets pretty quickly, so I’d recommend working in one section of your face at a time.

I’ve been all about the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara again. This mascara is just my holy grail and I don’t think I’ll ever find one that’s as good as this one. The only thing I’m not crazy about is the price, but this just gives me all the length, separation, and volume I could ever ask for. This is the one, please never get discontinued.

That’s it for the month of June! July is my birthday month so I always look forward to it. It’s also my last month at one of my jobs as I’ll be moving into full time at the other. This adult-no-more-student thing is still very strange.

Talk soon,

Xx Brianna

May 2015 Favorites

Another month in the books! I’m always amazed at my perpetual surprise when another month comes to a close. As I’ve gotten older I feel like time goes by faster and faster. And as per usual, there were beauty products I was gravitating towards.

The black, gold, white and pink theme was completely unintentional. A happy accident!

My nails were constantly painted with the Nails Inc x Victoria Beckham Bamboo White nail polish. It is just the perfect neutral shade that goes with everything. I foresee this also being a favorite for June, July, August… and on.

The Tarte Park Ave Princess Palette isn’t a favorite per say, but I really have been using the heck out of the bronzer in this palette. Vancouver’s weather has been exceptional the past couple of weeks, and I’ve been feeling the bronze vibes as of late.

For office days, I have been reaching for Bite Beauty’s lipstick in Fig, as it’s a no-fuss, very neutral and safe lip colour. This also feels exceptionally comfortable on the lips.

As I mentioned previously, the weather in Vancouver has been absolutely stunning, and when the weather is nice I tend to reach for the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint, I have the shade porcelain. I like this for hot days because it tends to keep my skin on the matte side. This has also been a nice base for me as the weather has gotten less dry, therefore I have fewer dry patches for this to cling to.

The Lush Lid Paint in the shade Sophisticated is a gorgeous cream shadow that I have been using as an all over eyeshadow look. This is a great stand alone shade that can be sheered out for just a little hint of something on the lids, or can be built up for a gorgeous taupe-y bronze eye look.

As previously mentioned, I’ve been loving bronzer this month, and to apply it I have been exclusively using the Real Techniques Duo Fiber Face Brush for a sheer wash all over the face. Just to keep things from getting cakey.

I’ve still been loving the Lush Pearl Massage Bar, both as a moisturizer, or as a solid perfume, as this massage bar is especially potent with Lush’s Rose Jam scent.

I picked up a new deodorant this month, the Lavanila Healthy Deodorant in the Grapefruit Vanilla scent. I really like this for causal days, however in the recent heat I’ve noticed it’s shortfalls. This is not an anti-antiperspirant and that becomes painfully obvious once the sun beams are out. I still really like this deodorant. A full review will be up shortly.

Lastly, my skin savior: the Body Shop Vitamin E Sink in Moisture Mask. I use this every night as a night time moisturizer, and my skin has never felt better. This keeps the dry skin away completely, and I’m currently wondering what I ever did without it. This is quickly becoming a product I’d never want to be without.

June: here we come!

Xx Brianna