Monday, December 15, 2014

What a drastic change!

I find that in my life ( and i hope I'm not the only one) i go through extreme phases. 6 months ago i hated my sewing machine. Today I made a dress for a friend and wanted to keep creating. During my first few posts makeup and skincare consumed me, now my life revolves around my nails and my art.

Whenever I can make something from seemingly nothing I am blissful. That being said, whenever I can make myself or someone else feel beautiful on a day when its completely necessary to contour and conceal and colour correct, I am in heaven. These phases find me as confused as you can possibly imagine. I will draw for weeks on end followed by a solid two weeks of charcoal not even crossing my mind. I will do my makeup obsessively to perfect my craft for months and all it takes is 3 good skin days of no makeup and I forget to care about concealing anything.

I'm one of those people that carries to do lists everywhere with 500 different tasks surrounding personal goals and future endeavors and manages to get 1/16th or less of it done at the end. I guess you could call me a flake, but how i like to think of it is that I'm a jack of all trades and i like it that way. I may not be able to cook a gourmet meal but i can bake the hell out of a few choice meals. I wont be able to sew and encrust a gown anytime soon but I can manage a sewing machine well enough to make a simple dress. I may not remember to continue a makeup blog but i can guarantee that one baby step at a time I have been bettering my skills slowly during these phases.

I can feel myself entering a phase now where beauty is coming back into the picture and trying to find space between the different ways of creating.

In the past year i have tried and failed, attempted to beat my path on a road that beat back and somehow found myself in a better spot than I originally  intended to be.

Life does amazing things if you let it. Its much more difficult to force your way and feign interest than it is to let life carry you where it will. At the end of the day, I am happy with where I am. Being a jack of all trades, having 3625 urgent post it notes in my head at all times, heading on a much different path than I intended to be on one year ago. What i hate are loose ends. And if i never write another post I know at least I've written this.
Fellow flakes- i know you feel me.
I'll see you again. Maybe.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Scrubs and Washes and Masks! Oh my!

I don't know about anyone else, but I for one am a fiend for skincare. Whenever I'm  anywhere that may carry a skincare line I will always spend at least 5 minutes in that one particular aisle. I think that has a lot to do with my recent breakouts that congest my chin.

I was never one to suffer from acne as a teenager but within the past 6 months or my skin has been acting up like never before.  I used to be able to fall asleep with makeup on once in a while ( its terrible i know!)  and wake up with the same clear skin I had the night before. It was strange considering I have oily-combo ( and now acne prone) skin but I definitely was not complaining. It was a blessing I took advantage of in my earlier years.

Now, If I fall asleep with makeup on, I automatically wake up with an 'under the skin' bump that hurts like a mother and lasts for days.
Equate facial cleansing towelettes for all skin types


Every night will start off with one of these puppies, they are amazing at what they do and most mornings, even if I've washed my face, I'll wipe my eyes down with one of these to get the mascara remains  from the night before. They work wonders and they come in a pack of  two at Walmart. Best of all, they don't sting your eyes. I've used baby wipes before and even they sting more than these do

generic face scrubber purchased at walmart

Garnier Pure 3-in-1, Salicylic Acid+ Mineral Complex  cleanser/scrub/mask for oily prone skin
I'll follow up with these two babies, they work wonders together! If you are a fan of a somewhat abrasive scrub you will love this. Its gentle enough that you won't walk away with lobster face but you still get that satisfactory scrubbed down and smooth feeling. The scrubber is the most amazing thing I've purchased for my skin pretty much ever.  On a trip out of town with the boyfriend I picked this up at a Walmart while purchasing Maybelline Superstay Foundation for the first time. Both purchases were  well worth it. This thing allows whatever cleanser you are using to penetrate your skin properly. It helps flush out your pores while adding to the exfoliating process. Not to mention you get a little face massage while you're at it, bringing the blood flow to your skin and giving it a fresh glow.

OXY sensitive medicated acne pads

Bioré Complexion Clearing Blemish Fighting astringent

This might seem like overkill and skin damaging but I use these 2 together, all the time. I'll swipe one or two oxy pads over my face and then follow up with a Bioré soaked cotton ball. I find this combo has been helping my skin the most. It gets rid of whatever makeup  or dirt or oil may be left behind from the previous steps ( although there rarely is) , flushes out my pores and allows them to breathe. I am in love with this step of my routine, both products give that cooling, mentholated sensation that makes you believe a product is really working. This is especially nice if I've od'ed on moisturizer the night before and its especially muggy overnight.

Vaseline problem skin therapy cream

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula skin therapy oil

I grouped these two together because they kind of serve the same purpose. I've been using the Palmer's skin therapy oil to hydrate my skin, lighten my acne scars and even my skin tone and the Vaseline problem skin to smooth over some alligator patches on my face.  While both hydrate very well, they do so in extremely different ways. The Vaseline kind of forms a protective barrier over the skin- I've used this as a base for foundation before and despite the somewhat greasy texture it clings to makeup like nobody's business. The Palmer's, on the other hand penetrates the skin and is very fast absorbing and not at all greasy for an oil, which i found to be pleasantly surprising. So far, I have actually seen an improvement in my acne scars, they don't seem nearly as dark and noticeable as they used to and my skin tone is much easier to even out with a bit of sheer to medium cover foundation and a bit of concealer.
Hard Candy Eye'm Tired

Boscia Recharging Night Moisture

Derma e Very Clear Spot Treatment

The above three products are the 'sometimes' products in my skincare routine. They've made their way into my ' at arms reach' category but they haven't yet made it into my 'every single day' routine. The Hard Candy Eye'm Tired claims to brighten , firm and de-puff the under eye area, but as far as I'm concerned, I haven't seen very much brightening or de-puffing, but it does firm.. I'll give it that one. The Boscia  night cream made its way to me through a Glossybox before they stopped their Canadian production. It really is a wonderful night cream- a little goes a really long way and its hydrating in a non greasy way  that is a huge bonus to someone with my skin type. I think the only reason this hasn't made its way into my everyday routine is the price and the size of it. This is my Glossybox sample still, and at $50 for 15 ml ( 0.5 fl oz)  its a steep price to pay for something that i will wash off in the morning. ( However I will fork out some change for the Korres Greek Yoghurt Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Facial any day  because my Sephora sample just was not big enough)  The Derma e spot treatment just hasn't made its way into my regular routine because this routine has been preventing any nasty breakouts for a little while now. This was at one point in my routine and it worked well enough to clear my skin when I needed it the most. I found it in the organic section of my grocery store and while it smelled absolutely terrible, it dried out my breakouts while being extremely gentle on the other areas of my skin. I will be using this if another nasty breakout decides to pop up on  my face again.

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Facial Enzyme Mask in Pineapple

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Facial Anti Stress Dead Sea Mask

I've included these two at the end because while I love them dearly and while the Dead Sea mask has helped my skin bounce back from a freak out quickly, I just don't use them as often as I probably should. I find myself reaching for these on a 'nothing-to-do' night when I've got the time and energy to pamper myself a little. I favor the Dead Sea mud mask a little more than the brightening Pineapple mask- probably because of the color (it's almost neon blue) and the masks effectiveness on sopping up my oil- but they are both masks worth trying. They're only a couple of dollars at Walmart and they work so well and with continued use, make your skin look and feel amazing.



Thankfully, this routine has helped my skin calm down a little compared to 6 or so months ago. My breakouts came out of left field and it was a scramble and a struggle to calm it and find the right products to reduce the longevity and frequency of them. I think  I've found a routine that works incredibly well for me for the warmer weather and I hope I have just as much luck finding a routine that works just as well in the colder seasons. 

Breakouts and skin imperfections are not something that is pleasant to deal with- physically and emotionally. Women, especially, tend to forget that there are solutions and that its a temporary situation ( including myself!) and regard themselves as disgusting  in these times. Just remember: You are beautiful, no matter what, your skin does not define you as a person and sometimes a good routine can do wonders for your self esteem.

♥- B






Friday, July 19, 2013

The one thing I will never run out of, ever.

There is one thing we, as women, shamelessly hoard without regret : Lip Product. No Matter how many glosses and balms and stains and paints and sticks and tubes we have, we always need more.

Maybe its the quintessential 1950's woman that comes to mind as we attain more and more tubes of our lip goo. The Perfectly painted lip has been something that represents womanhood since the dawn of time . It is our right as women to hoard all the lip goo without looking back! 

.. this is how i convince myself that just one more balm and just one more lipstick isn't hurting anyone. I've reached a point of no return. No matter how much i decide to reapply throughout the days, I will never run out of  lip products. As bad as it sounds from a `Hoarding is bad` standpoint, I can`t help but get excited when I buy a new gloss or balm or stick.

My Collection has grown exponentially in such a short amount of time that I`m really hoping this whole lipstick phase I`m going through  doesn`t  fizzle out any time soon.

Personally, I love seeing other people`s makeup collections, it tends to feed the tiny little voyeuristic side of me that wants to know how other people live. Its the same reason I watch `get ready with me`videos on YouTube and `follow me around`Vlogs. Its incredibly entertaining to watch someone go through a routine or pick through their belongings. I never knew how posting your own collection would be equally as entertaining until now. Its nice to go through what you have and really appreciate what you`ve hoarded- if you`re as makeup obsessed as me that is.

Assorted Lip Balms
(L-R) EOS Lip Balm in Sweet Mint, C.O Bigelow`s My Favorite LipBalm (White tube) in No 303,C.O Bigelow`s My Favorite Night Balm in No 306 (Blue tube),C.O Bigelow`s Rose Salve No 12, Femme Couture Lip Boosting Plumping Serum




Essence Stay with me longlasting lipgloss in 02 My Favorite Milkshake
The Color Workshop Glosses 


Joe Fresh Fresh Glass lipglosses in Popsicle(Pink) and Naked (clear)


Jelly Pong Pong lip blush


Revlon`s Just Bitten Lipstains in Gothic (red) and Passion (pink)
Covergirl Outlast All Day Lipcolor in 572 Red Affair
Covergirl Lip Perfection lipstick in 285 Temptation


Lòreal Color Riche lipstick in 748 Milla`s Plum

LÒreal`s Color Riche lipstick in 201 Blushing Bouquet

Milani`s Lipstick in 14 Rose Hip
Revlon`s Super Lustrous Lipstick in 613 Just Enough Buff
Revlon`s Super Lustrous Lipstick in 013 Smoked Peach


Revlon`s Colorburst Lip Butter in 095 Creme Brulee
Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 110

Lip Pencils ( Top to Bottom)
Essence Lipliner in 04 Honey Bun
Annabelle Lipliner in 250 Flame
Annabelle Lipliner in 405 Demure

Maybelline Superstay 14 hour lipstick in 060 Continuous Cranberry 

Sleek Pout Paint in 157 Pin Up






 To be quite honest, I still want more- I can`t get enough glosses and balms. I crave more shades of lipstick and my wishlist on many websites exceeds my paychecks. But that`s all a wonderful part of immersing myself into the world of makeup, its always  growing, and I don`t think my collection will stop doing the same any time soon :)

But that`s alright, `cause you can never have too much makeup ;)

-B







Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Impulsive Hair Cut- We`ve all been there

 If you have ever suffered  through the painful   growing out  phase of a "breakup"  hair cut, then you know where I'm coming from when I tell you how difficult it is to part with even an inch of the security blanket  that`has been growing back

Security blanket in all its glory 
The impulsive need to change my hair stems from a dark, versatility-free place that once convinced me I needed to go Beiber short to be happy.This dark place tends to sneak up on me from time to time, its the same place that convinced most mothers that a bowl would be the perfect way to ensure a flawless and easy trim on their daughters precious heads.

Beiber haircut grown out 
Let me start off by explaining how I got my most recent impulse driven haircut:
While working one evening, my best friend ( who I will from now on refer to as " Boo Boo" ) messaged me asking if  I would be up for free hair products and a free cut. Never one to turn down free anything, I excitedly agreed, reasoning that I needed a change after going months with the same frazzled ends.
Slightly hesitant, my only request was that I didn't go bald or back to my Beiber days. My stylist  kindly reassured me that he wouldn't go too short and I let him have control of my coarser, waved hair. After quite a long time in the chair and quite a lot of blow-drying I was pleased with the result and even more pleased that I walked out of the salon with some length left. 

Shorter, cuter but less versatile

While the cut is very fresh and easy for the summer, it lacks the versatility that i  had gotten used to with my security blanket mop, I wear it one way that I feel comfortable with: straight and down. I used to be the kind of girl that could cut a good 6 or so inches off of her head and still know exactly how to style it but I found myself at a loss this time. I had grown too attached to the versatility of hair that hung below the shoulders, I'd become too accustomed to the easy curls and lazy ponytails.  I loved my hair cut, but missed my hair ( as misguided as that sounds). 

!!! :)
My dilemma was that that I wasn't sure how to feel about what was happening with my hair.  Did I like it if  I was missing the length? How would I get used to the different routine that I would need to adopt to  maintain a healthy growth pattern? Like all things though, it wasn't just a matter of guess and check, of trying new things and trying to remember how I maintained a shorter style before.

At this point, I'm in love with the hair and I would be in love with it if I walked out with a Mohawk or  a buzz cut. Its a transition period that I had never gone through with any other hair cut before and there lies the danger in putting too much faith into a security blanket. Its a matter of rolling with the punches and living in  the present.

After all, its just hair :)

- B