Love Letters and Lace

Warning: this post will contain spoilers, so if you haven't finished it yet, don't read!!!  Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, a 4 episode miniseries following the characters 10 years after the series finale of the show, came out a little over a week ago now. I had many mixed feelings about the revival after watching it, but I wanted to wait a little while to fully digest what I saw and be able to articulate my thoughts in a way other than AGH, NOOO, WHY???? The episodes themselves are not perfect, but they are good. They have what we loved about Gilmore Girls in the past. The humor, the drama, the complicated love story lines and the coffee. I do think each episode has something that could have been omitted (the Stars Hallow musical? The Life and Death Brigade adventure?), in order to spend more time with the characters we've missed so much. First, lets talk about what these episodes did right: The way they handled Edward Hermann's death on the show was real

Those of you who know me know that I love a good free sample. I love buying sample sizes of products before committing to the real thing. So this is something I was VERY excited about.  Awhile back, Shopper's Drug Mart was having a Fall Beauty Bonus where with a $120 purchase of beauty products, you received a tote bag with a TON of sample sized products, primarily higher end skincare.  Personally, I like to save up my Optimum points for events like these.  I haven't gotten around to trying any of these products yet (because God knows, I have enough products to try that I'm covered for a lifetime), but I thought I'd post about what was included in the bag and see if there are any products in particular you'd like me to review first!  Here's what I got!  Clinique City Block Purifying Charcoal Cleansing Gel (I'm super excited to try this one out!) Benefit Gimme Brow Eyebrow Gel Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery C

It's November! Hi everyone! I apologize for my little break from the blogging world. I needed to put my focus 100% on my midterms, but now that those have been conquered, I'm back and excited to share what I have been loving all throughout the month of October! October is my favourite month, mostly because it's my birthday month, but it has my absolute favourite weather as well. I am SO happy to be able to be wearing my huge cozy sweaters again. Nyx Lip Lingerie in 'Ruffle Trim' The amount of times I've been complimented on this lip colour blows my mind. It's a really pretty warm brown nude, which used to be somewhat out of my comfort zone, but I've been loving it lately. Maybelline Fit me! Matte and Poreless face powder Once my Rimmel Stay Matte powder ran out, I really needed a good, new mattifying powder, so I decided to give this one a shot. I'm not too sure if I like it more than the Rimmel one, but it makes my skin look so smooth an

Those of you who have been around my blog for a while now know that I'm pretty much addicted to Aveeno's Eczema Care hand cream. I've gone through at least 6 tubes of this and it's pretty much my favourite non steroid treatment for the eczema on my hands. When I was going to the drugstore the other day to pick up a new one of my Aveeno ones, and I saw that Polysporin had an eczema cream as well, which I was pretty curious about. I liked that it came in a bigger tube, which is a huge benefit considering how quickly I go through my Aveeno one. I'm always a bit hesitant when I try a new eczema cream because I find that not many of them have the right balance. They're either way too thick and greasy, or just so thin that my skin absorbs it in milliseconds and feels as thought I applied nothing. Here's the thing that I find pretty interesting: When you compare the ingredients in both these products, they are almost 100% identical, in the same order. So I

I picked up some brushes from the brand i on Beauty a while back and I really wanted to write about them because I feel like I've never heard anyone talk about these before, which is such a shame because they're such great brushes! The brushes themselves have super soft, synthetic bristles which feel so nice on the face and don't shed at all. They've held up perfectly after several washes too, so for affordable brushes, I'm really impressed with them. They have sturdy bamboo handles, which I personally really like. They aren't the flashiest brushes in my collection, but they do the job well. My favourite of them all definitely has to be the Blusher brush, which I personally use for face powder. It's big and fluffy which is exactly what I like for setting powder. I picked mine up at Winners, and they were super affordable. You can also pick them up on Amazon from what I can see. I highly recommend them, especially for those of you who don't have m

Hi everyone! I don't normally do empties posts, mostly because I'm really bad at thinking to keep them before I just toss them in the trash, but I somehow managed to gather a few things this month and I figured I'd talk about them and whether I'd repurchase them or not. L'Oreal Color Radiance Protecting Mask I don't really have coloured hair. I've had highlights done a few months ago, but besides that, nothing new enough where colour protection is a must for me, so unfortunately I can't really comment on whether or not it prolongs colour. It does however make my hair smell incredible (I'd honestly buy it for the scent alone) and it really leaves my hair feeling really soft and nourished. Aveeno Eczema Care Hand Cream This is probably the 6th or 7th tube of this I've gone through. It's just that good. I really recommend this to anyone with eczema and is looking for a good cream minus the steroids. It would also be great for anyone with

Unless you've been living under a rock, I'm sure you know that this summer is about the glow. This is by no means a brand new product, but I really wanted to do a full review on it because I think it's time we talk more about drugstore highlighting products. As gorgeous as all the high end highlights are (and oh my, are they ever gorgeous), I was on the hunt to find a way to get that pretty, luminous glow for less. I don't know if you've looked around the drugstore for highlighters lately, but while the selection is definitely improving, it's not huge. I've been really determined to find a winner though, so I picked up L'Oreal's Liquid Glow Illuminator in the shade " Ice ". These liquid illuminators come in 3 shades. "Ice", the one I picked up, is the lightest of the 3, a silvery/pearlescent pink , which is so stunning on lighter skin tones. They also have a darker rose gold shade (which was a bit dark for me, since I am qu

There's a reason why beach bags are so huge: there are a lot of things you need to being with you! It may be mid-August, but to me, summer is still in full swing. It is hot and sunny, and that can only mean one thing... time to head to the beach (or pool!). Over time, I've nailed down the beach bag to an exact science. Here are the products I find are must haves in my beach bag: 1) Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Sunscreen (for body & face)  I've raved about these products over and over. It's the first sunscreen I've ever used that feels hydrating on my skin rather than greasy. It also smells great and gives you the protection you need from the sun! 2) SPF protection for lips Just like the rest of your skin, your lips need to be protected too! I bring just a basic lip balm with some SPF in it. I really like the Nivea one. 3) A big water bottle Staying hydrated when you're in the sun is so important. I always like to bring a really big water bottl

I'll be honest, for some reason when I picked up this foundation, I thought I would hate it. I primarily use liquid foundations, but this one is a thick, cream consistency type foundation, which I assumed would be pretty cakey, however I have to say I was pretty pleasantly surprised by this product! I haven't heard too many people talk about it though, which I think is sad because this product is a hidden gem in the drugstore for us ladies with dry skin. The Claims Cream-whipped consistency Skin looks and feels hydrated for 14 hours Best suited for normal to dry skin types Provides "baby-smooth" finish on skin Non-comedogenic Oil and fragrance free The Results The foundation felt more like a thick cream to me, not so much cream-whipped, so it did feel a little heavy on the skin upon application, however it doesn't look heavy or cakey. I definitely notice that my skin looks hydrated while wearing this foundation. It's definitely a good foundatio

Do you remember a few years ago when everyone was talking about this foundation? This foundation was a favourite of mine back in high school when I was getting started in makeup and watching lots of beauty gurus YouTube. I honestly hadn't used it in years, but since decided to pick it up again and give it some love and see if it's as good as I remember it being! The Claims Gives skin a radiant glow Prevents premature aging Light, smooth texture Poreless coverage Natural, flawless finish The Results This foundation only comes in 5 different shades,which can be a bit frustrating for those with more fair or dark complexions. I use the lightest shade (Ivory), and I can only pull it off in the summer when I'm a bit darker than usual. It has a really nice scent. Normally I'm not one to want scented face products but this scent is really fresh and mild. It doesn't linger at all once you apply it. The so-called "radiant glow" comes from the fact

I really debated about reviewing this foundation for Foundation Review Friday because it's been discontinued. However I still see it in some stores, and it's still readily available on Amazon, so I figured it wouldn't hurt. I have a love-hate relationship with this foundation. It has some really great qualities and some pretty annoying ones. But more about that later. I can't find too much online about this foundation's claims, since it is being discontinued. I do know that it is supposed to be lightweight and flawless looking on the skin. The Results The foundation itself is very very thin and liquid-y. It gives about light to medium coverage that is buildable.  It is very lightweight on the skin and is really comfortable to wear. It really does feel like you have nothing on.  It gives a natural looking satin finish on the skin.  It settles onto dry skin making it very noticeable. You definitely need to exfoliate and moisturize well before using this

I thought I'd take a little break today and talk about something I've been kind of obsessed with that isn't beauty related. Most people that know me know that I'm a coffee girl thought and through. I've never been too much of a tea person. The kinds of teas I do enjoy however, tend to be on the fruity side. And the Celestial Seasonings Fruit Sampler was honestly like hitting the tea jackpot for me. These teas are delicious, plain and simple. I'm particularly loving County Peach Passion which makes the most fantastic iced tea ever. I could drink it all day long. True Blueberry is my second favourite of the box, because it is so incredibly refreshing to drink. This is probably the best set of tea to buy for the summer because they pretty much all taste fantastic iced. I really highly recommend them for that. If you're someone like me who is fairly picky with that teas they drink, definitely give this box a shot. It is such a great one, plus, you rea

This product is such a throwback for me. Covergirl's 'Clean' Foundation for Sensitive skin is the first foundation I ever purchased back when I was in high school and just getting into wearing makeup. Of course, this is a new bottle but using it brings back the memories. From what I've seen at the drugstore, they're repackaged this foundation, so it doesn't look like this anymore. The print on the front of the bottle is now a lighter green but it's still in the same glass bottle. The Claims Lightweight Unscented Oil-free Soothes redness Moisturizes dryness Does not irritate skin or clog pores The Results This foundation was very lightweight on the skin but it also gave light coverage As claimed, it is unscented I didn't notice any irritation or break outs caused from this foundation I did not find it to be moisturizing nor drying; it kind of just sat on top of my skin  I found that it would cling to any dry patches on my skin Ev

Another Friday, another foundation review! Today I wanted to talk about a foundation pretty new to my collection, which is Maybelline's SuperStay Better Skin foundation. I mainly bought this product because there was quite a bit of hype about it on YouTube and I had high hopes for it. The Claims This product has SO many claims to it!  Longwearing Brightens, smoothens and evens skin tone Good for sensitive skin Good for all skin types Medium to full coverage Reduces appearance of imperfections The Results I didn't find this foundation to last longer than any other drugstore foundations I've tried It is not transfer-proof It didn't irritate my skin or cause breakouts (I have dry, sensitive skin) I did find that this foundation would cling weirdly to dry areas on my face  It applied well with both a brush and a Beauty Blender It definitely needs to be set with a mattifying powder because I didn't find that it set well on its own (it stayed tac

I will be the first to say it. I have pretty bad undereye darkness and circles. Those of you who share this same issue know how incredibly frustrating it is to deal with. Most concealers just don't have enough coverage without being dry and cakey (which just draws attention back to that area... ugh). About a month ago, I stopped by Sephora to see what I can try out to get rid of this issue. I've tried many drugstore concealers which just didn't cut it. I also tried Benefit's Erase Paste, which was just way too cakey for that area. Anyway, this was the concealer recommended to me and it has completely changed the game for me. This is everything you want in an undereye concealer and more. The coverage is fantastic (very comparable to the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer), but since it is made for the undereye area specifically, I've noticed that it is really hydrating and never looks cakey. It is also waterproof and long wearing which is great. It has been incredib

For this week's Foundation Friday, I'm going to be talking about Maybelline's Dream Wonder foundation which I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with. I was initially very drawn to it, despite the very mixed reviews I had read/watched, because of the claims the product made. I really did have to try it for myself. If you are new to my blog and these reviews, I have dry and somewhat sensitive skin, which tends to complicate the process of finding good drugstore foundations. The Claims Hydrating, matte formula Gel-whipped consistency Ideal for normal to combination skin Medium coverage Soft matte finish The Results -I'm not quite sure if this product was really hydrating. In fact, I think the better word would be oily . I have dry skin, and after a few hours of wearing this product (and setting it with a mattifying powder!), I found myself becoming oily. -On application, it did give a really nice soft matte finish. -It had a really cool whipped gel consi

Hey everyone! I picked up the Becca "Glow on the Go" set the other day when I ordered some things from Sephora and I thought I'd show it to you all! So what this little set contains is 2 travel size versions of their Shimmering Skin Perfector in the shade 'Opal' in both liquid and pressed form. These products have been so raved about for SO long, but I never actually gave them a try. So I figured, what better way to give it a try than with a smaller size. Personally, I love picking up travel size products because they really are so much more convenient when I'm on the go.  Now when they say these are travel size, they mean it. They are SMALL. I was a little bit surprised at how small they were, especially the pressed powder because it seemed to be similar in size to a deluxe-sized sample. The product itself though, as many of you know, is very pretty. It will be sooo pretty when I'm a bit more tanned during these summer months. If you're

Hi everyone! So I was browsing the Sephora website not too long ago, and of course, I couldn't help myself! One of the things I ordered were the Sephora Collection "My Beauty Notebooks". They are limited edition (and on sale right now!) and I couldn't resist picking them up. So these are 3 seperate palettes for the eyes, lips and face that look like little notebooks! They are super cute and the shadows in them are so incredibly functional. You can use them for natural, every day looks or for a more glamorous night time look. So the first palette is called Daily Chic and includes:  - 6 neutral eyeshadows - 2  Lip glosses  -  A Blush  -  A Bronzer  Next we have the Working It Palette which includes:  - 8 really wearable eyeshadows - 2 Highlighters And then the Ready For Tonight Palette which has:  - 6 bold eyeshadows - 2 Lip glosses  - A Blush  - A Bronzer If you're someone who loves their natural looking eyeshadows and don't need super colour

Hi everyone! So not too long ago I picked up the BH Cosmetics 28 color Smokey Eye palette and I knew I had to post about it on here because I am so excited about it and I can't wait to play around with it more because, I mean, look at it... The variety of shades in the palette allows you to create so many different kinds of looks. This palette was super affordable (I picked it up for $15) which I think is a fantastic value for the amount of shadows you're getting. Obviously the quality is not on par with more professional, high-end brands, but I was actually quite impressed with the quality of these shadows. The pigmentation is really good and I found them to be easy to blend and work with. I do recommend using them with a good eyeshadow primer or base (I use the Essence 'I Love Stage' eyeshadow base) which will hugely intensify the pigmentation and lasting power of the shadows. I am super in love with the purple shadows in the palette. They are so so pretty

Now that it's summer, I'm on the hunt for that glow . As much as I love my many matte or semi-matte foundations, I'd definitely like a foundation that offers a nice dewy, glowy finish. I have dry skin, so I'm not too afraid of venturing into more hydrating or luminous foundations. So that is when I purchased the Physician's Formula 'Touch of Glow' Foundation from their Nude Wear line. Let's be honest here, the main thing that would attract you to this foundation is probably the adorable packaging. It's pink and rose gold and has a little bow on it. Yeah, I was sold. Was it worth it, though? The Claims  Weightless Illuminating and radiant "Just the right amount of coverage"  Virtually undetectable on skin One pump of product is the perfect amount It is also h ypoallergenic, paraben free, gluten free, dermatologist approved, non-comedogenic and fragrance free.  The Facts I did find it to be pretty weightless on my sk