Cyber Monday at Sigma

Hey everyone! I'm in the middle of exam-time craziness AND moving craziness, so blogging will be infrequent for the next month. BUT I'm definitely going to post the second half of my Christmas wishlist! This time it'll include non-beauty goodness :)

For now I just wanted to share some information about the Sigma Cyber Monday sale happening on December 2nd. They're offering 20% select items using the code CM2013. Here's a list of what your savings might look like (the sale prices are in brackets)!

Brushes

• E11: $12 ($9.60)
• E16: $12 ($9.60)
• E17: $12 ($9.60)
• E21: $12 ($9.60)
• E36: $12 ($9.60)
• E46: $12 ($9.60)
• E47: $12 ($9.60)
• E56: $12 ($9.60)
• P80: $18 ($14.40)
• P82: $18 ($14.40)
• P84: $18 ($14.40)
• P86: $18 ($14.40)
• P88: $18 ($14.40)
• Basic Eyes Kit: $69 ($55.20)
• Make Me Crazy Essential & Travel (with colored ferrule): $155 ($124)/$75 ($60)
• Make Me Cool & Travel (with colored ferrule): $155 ($124)/$75 ($60)
• Make Me Blush & Travel (with colored ferrule): $155 ($124)/$75 ($60)
• Mrs. Bunny Essential & Travel (with colored ferrule): $155 ($124)/$75 ($60)

Brush Care

• Spa Glove – Aqua/Pink/Purple/Black: $35 ($28.00)
• Dry’N Shape: $32 ($25.60)
• Classic Brush Roll: $17.60 ($14.08)

Makeup

• Dare Eye Shadow Palette: $29 ($23.50)
• Flare Eye Shadow Palette: $29 ($23.50)
• Paris Makeup Palette: $49 ($39.20)
• Individual Eye Shadows (all): $11 ($8.80)
•  Eye Shadow Bases Kits: $36 ($28.80)

Accessories

• Brow Tweezer: $11 ($8.80)
• Mirrors (all): $15 or $16.20 ($12.00 or $12.96)

My personal recommendations are the E11 or E17 - a good liner brush will seriously make you love gel liner, E47 - a really precise shadow brush can help add extra dimension to your eye makeup, P82 - the density of this brush would be perfect for cream shadow or bases, and the Mrs. Bunny Essential Kit - if you're new to makeup and building your brush collection, this is a great addition!

All the links in this post are affiliate links! You don't have to use them if you don't want to, but feel free - there is no extra charge/it does not change your order. Happy shopping!

Quick "Across-The-Border" Haul

Hey everyone! On Sunday my mom, brother, and I decided to head across the border into New York (state, not city) for a quick shopping trip. I didn't get too much stuff but I figured it's enough for a quick little haul. Enjoy!

TJ Maxx is the main store where we usually go so I stocked up on some summer clothes. Each of these were $12.99 which I think is fairly reasonable. The one on the left is just a one-size-actually-fits-all (*ahem Brandy Melville*) Roxy t-shirt. I thought it would be good to wear on days where I can't bother and just want to throw something on quickly. I thought the Paris tank would be nice to wear casually or even to dress up for nights out with a blazer or something. The last tank is definitely my favorite one - it's so fun and colorful and I can't wait to wear it!

Bath & Body Works was having a $10 sale on certain candles so you now I couldn't walk out of there without picking one up. Tiki Beach is one that I've been tempted to get for a while so I'm glad it was on sale! It smells so tropical and coconuty - love it!

I kinda restrained myself in Wal Mart during this trip and only picked up a few items. I got two Rimmel lip liners - one nude pink and one red. I honestly never really used lip liner before and the only one in our makeup drawer was a crusty brown one from like 30 years ago (thanks mom), so I thought it was time to rectify that. I would wear the pink one under neutral, pink, or mauve lips. I tried it under MAC Syrup and works really nice, and I tried the red one under one of the Kate Moss Rimmel lipsticks and it works perfectly!

Of course, I had to pick up this Revlon Nail Art Moon Candy in "Orbit" because I've been eyeing it like crazy. It was in my nailpolishcanada wishlist that I posted a little while ago. I'm actually ashamed to say that I've since purchased 6/8 things from that list.... Self control is clearly something I do not have.

Anyway, thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this little haul :)

Beauty Would-You-Rather

Hey everyone! Quite a while ago I saw this tag on Bravenezz blog and I thought it would be fun! I wasn't actually tagged but what do you know, I'm doing it anyway. Rebel I am. If you'd like to do it yourself, please go ahead and link back to me so I can have a read :)

1. Would you rather lose all of your mascaras, eyeliners, lipsticks, and lip glosses or lose all of your palettes and eyeshadows?

I would definitely rather lose my palettes and eyeshadows, considering I hardly ever wear eyeshadow unless it's a special occasion! I'm much more of a mascara and lip person to be honest. PLUS, a lid full of eyeshadow isn't really complete without mascara'd lashes, am I right?

2. Would you rather chop off all your hair or never be able to cut it again?

I would chop it all off! Why not? It would get really gross and thin and brittle if I could never cut it again!

3. Would you rather have a coral cheek or a pink cheek?

I don't really have a preference here, but if I had to choose I would say pink. There are so many variations of pink blush that it could work year-round, but I feel like coral is very summer-specific.

4. If you had £1000 to spend, would you rather buy clothes or makeup?

At this exact moment in my life I would probably spend it on clothes just because I'm kind of lacking at the mo. I really, really need a new pair of shorts, a new bra, etc - as you can see I'm lacking essentials hahah. Maybe I would spend it on makeup at a different date.

5. Would you rather apply lipstick as eyeliner, or eyeliner as lipstick?

Well that's a creative question. I think I would apply lipstick as eyeliner because I could probably rock a bright-colored wing or something - not so much a black-lined lip... *shudder*

6. Would you rather only shop at MAC or Sephora?

Practically, I'm going to say MAC. I hardly shop at Sephora anymore because it's honestly just too expensive. MAC is reasonably priced, and they have the best quality anyway! (PS - not saying I wouldn't really miss Sephora though, it's my favorite "window shopping" location)

7. Would you rather only use one eyeshadow color or one lip color for the rest of your life?

I'll say one eyeshadow color! You can't really go wrong with a neutral eye, and I tend to get sick of lip colours easily so having to wear one for the rest of my life wouldn't go too well.

8. Would you rather wear winter clothes in summer or summer clothes in winter?

This is such a difficult question because where I live, winters are full-on WINTERS and summers are so humid and sticky and gross that you'd go naked if you could. I guess I would rather spend summer in winter clothes, because considering I don't have a job and I stay home anyway, I could crank up the AC and chillax in sweatpants. I'd miss the outdoors but hey, I'm being practical here.

9. Would you rather dark nails or bright nails all year round?

This is tough because I have my phases. I feel like bright nails would be a better pick because there are so many more options, whereas dark nail polishes all kind of have the same effect anyway.

10. Would you rather give up your favorite lip product or your favorite eye product?

Lip product. Mascara is essential.

11. Would you rather only be able to wear your hair in a ponytail or a messy bun?

Messy bun! I never do ponytails.

12. Would you rather never being able to paint your nails again or never use lip-gloss?

NEVER USE LIPGLOSS! I don't wear lipgloss anyway soooo.... Hahaha.

13. Would you rather shave your eyebrows and have none at all? Or sharpie them in everyday?

Meh, not a fan of this question because some people have no eyebrows due to sickness, so I guess I wouldn't wish that upon myself. I could Sharpie them in every day.

14. Would you rather live without makeup or nail polish?

...... This one's haaardddd. I guess I'd have to say... nail polish. Although nail polish is like my #1 beauty love, I feel like makeup is not really something I could do without. It's just an important confidence-booster, and I couldn't imagine not wearing makeup in formal situations!

And here's a picture of some sparkly goodness because this post was feeling really empty. Woohoo!

(This is not my photo - it's going around on Tumblr. Couldn't find the source but if it's yours I would be happy to link back to you!)

I TAG:
- Stacey
- Jessica
- Dawn
- Fiona
...and whoever else would like to do this tag :)

REVIEW: Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray

The Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray has received a lot of hype within the online beauty world, and I figured I'd try it out for myself and get back to you guys!

I was searching for a product that would give my hair a little something extra. It felt a little dull and limp and needed some body, so I picked this baby up at Sephora. I paid $19 for it, which admittedly is a little pricey, but let's see how it fared...

I tried out the product on two different occasions. On the top right: third-day hair. I wanted to see if it would give my lifeless curls some body. It seems like the spray straightened it out somehow, but I like the way it de-frizzed and smoothed out my hair.

On the bottom left: You can see very clearly in this photo that the spray livened up my hair significantly. It added volume, controlled frizz, and defined the curls. This morning (see the next photo), I found my curls perfectly intact. Usually they deflate during the night, but the spray somehow managed to hold the curl. Incredible!

Note: The bottle says to use it on damp or dry hair - but I recommend using it on dry hair. It didn't do much for me when my hair was wet to be honest. I simply heat styled, and then used this in lieu of hairspray. Also, make sure you wash it out properly in the shower to avoid buildup.

VERDICT: I really, really love this product. I think it does wonders. If you feel like your hair is a little dull definitely give this a shot. I can't say it works for everyone but it definitely worked on me!

Current Giveaway Updates

Hey everyone! I thought I'd make a quick post to update you all on giveaways currently going on in the beauty world. NOTE: I haven't included all of the giveaways I'm currently entering - only the ones that offer additional entries for a blog post. If you want to know about more giveaways check out my Twitter which you can find on the right-hand side of this page (or you can click here to follow)!

http://daisy--meadow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/nearly-500-gfc-followers-giveaway.html

http://aqeelakeela.blogspot.ca/2013/01/300-follower-giveaway.html

http://www.epiphanniea.co.uk/2013/02/mac-stereo-rose-giveaway15.html

http://lolarose1.blogspot.ie/2013/01/thank-you-giveaway-mystery-box-of.html

http://sophiameola.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/1000-follower-chanel-beauty-goodie.html

http://dawndugong.blogspot.ca/2013/02/giveaway-win-urban-decays-glinda-or.html

http://princesagr.blogspot.gr/2013/02/300-followers-giveaway.html

(If you have an international/North American/Canadian giveaway going on and would like to be added to this post - well worth it because my giveaway posts get hits for weeks & weeks after I publish - go ahead and leave a quick comment!)

January Beauty Favorites (Finally!)

Hey everyone! Long time no blog! I'm finally finished my most hectic week of school (apart from final exams), so I thought I'd finally post my January favorites. I didn't have too many favorites this month because I didn't usually have time to focus on my makeup in the mornings, so most of these products would be nice to use if you're in a rush (and I'll tell you exactly how & why I use them).

Bioderma Micellaire Solution: I received this for Christmas and have used it almost every day since. It does an incredible job at removing eye makeup (waterproof as well!), and I also use it as a toner. If, let's say, I already washed my face in the morning, but I'm only getting ready in the afternoon, instead of washing my face again before makeup I'll put some Bioderma on a cotton pad and quickly sweep it onto my face. I'm kind of sad about how fast I'm using up this product considering how expensive it is, but I would definitely say it's worth it!

Marcelle Hydra-C Foundation: This foundation was on sale at Pharmaprix this month so I decided to pick it up instead of my Marcelle matte foundation, and I have been really enjoying it. My favorite part is the packaging. It's not a pump or a screw top, it's a squeeze tube, so you can control exactly how much product you need. It's super practical!

Blistex Lip Medex: I haven't been putting too much color on my lips lately because they've been sore and dry, so I mostly just reached for my Blistex. It does a really good job at moisturizing, and sometimes I'll put it on right before bed and wake up with really soft lips. Definitely a staple product.

Dual-Ended Sephora Face Brush: I picked this up at Sephora on Boxing Day for $12 and have found it very practical. I've been wanting to get the MAC 168 angled blush brush for a while now, but I really feel like this Sephora one has remedied that need. I don't use the round side as I find it too dense for powders, but the angled side is perfect for blush, bronzer, and contouring.

MAC 217 brush: Now I know why Tanya Burr has like 10 of these bad boys. They're so practical for eye makeup - be it for an all-over wash of color, contouring, or blending. I've even seen this used as a concealer brush which is just astounding. It's so multi-purpose and incredible, I highly recommend it.

NARS Laguna bronzer: I've said before and I'll say it again, I adore this bronzer. I've been going back and forth between this and my NYC Sunny bronzer, but I have to say there is really no comparison. This one is just 100% better. It's the perfect shade for my skintone, it's super sheer, and it makes my skin look really healthy. I swear by this stuff.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in "RSVP": I think I wore this almost every day in January. I patted some on to my lids with my finger, contoured a little with some matte brown eyeshadow - using my 217 ;), added some mascara and called it a day. I think it's really comparable to Urban Decay's Sin (but I'll probably do a full post on that). It's really convenient and a nice shimmery nude for every day.

So that's it for my January favorites! Now onto February (my birthday month)!

Beauty Blogging on a Budget

Hey everyone! A while ago I made a post telling you guys about my current financial situation, and it dawned on me that I should write up a blog post explaining how I am able to be a beauty blogger whilst maintaining a sort of budget.

Types of Posts

First, I would like to throw this out there - having a successful beauty blog does not simply mean that you need to do constant reviews and hauls. In fact, some of my favorite posts are neither of those. I hadn't started doing hauls until I was months and months into blogging, and I still don't think I've dedicated a post to review one single product. Here are some other ideas:

Tags: Honestly, tags are some of my favorite posts to read. They're personal, yet informative. I've done quite a bit so far and I have a few in my drafts that are waiting to be finalized and posted. Generally, there are seasonal tags that tend to float around (Christmas Tag, Summer Favorites Tag), so be on the look-out for those, but there are also tags that never really die. You can check out the tags I've already done by clicking HERE.

Also, in my drafts I have the Sample Tag (wherein you just describe which samples you've been using up and what you think of them), I Heart Drugstore Makeup Tag, and the How Much Is My Face Worth Tag.

Collections, Top 5s: These are a really simple way to exercise your writing skills and give mini reviews on products you already own. You could break up posts like these into sections, or dedicate one post per product (for example, going through your nail polish collection by posting a photo each time you wear a new one).

Speaking of, photos are a great way to add some life to a blog post. You can use your phone camera or a basic digital camera - no need for fancy DSLRs. Also, it might get difficult to do "monthly favorites" if you cannot afford to buy bunches of new products every month, so these are a good alternative. Similarly, you can do "products I regret buying" or "disappointing products", both of which are as informative as favorites posts.

EOTDs, FOTDs, NOTDs, OOTDs: These basically stand for Eye of the Day, Face of the Day, Nail of the Day, and Outfit of the Day. These posts are quick and easy and let you showcase your love of beauty and fashion in a personal way. Again, they allow you to make use of the products you already own making them very cost-efficient. I've also noticed that these posts get many pageviews (at least on my blog).

Acquiring New Products

Giveaways: As of yet, I have won six beauty-related giveaways. Incredible, no? I think giveaways are an awesome way to acquire new products, and I mean - they're entirely free! It would be ridiculous not to enter giveaways. I think I might do a separate blog post on how to win a giveaway. It wouldn't be anything revolutionary (no hacks or cheating), but it would outline some simple tips that might up your chances of winning. Please let me know in the comments if you'd enjoy reading that.

I recently won Amarixe's Holiday LUSH Giveaway!

Online Shopping VS. In-Store Shopping: I find it very easy to sometimes get sucked into online shopping, simply because with blogging and getting involved in the online beauty community, links to new beauty websites get thrown around often. What I think is most important is to find a beauty website that is either a) based in your home country (therefore avoiding massive shipping costs), or b) ships for cheap (by my standards - no more than $5 extra). If not, shop in-store! I guess this sounds obvious, but there is no use in paying shipping from the Sephora website if you have a real-life Sephora near you. Save online shopping for exclusively online deals or for products that are inaccessible near you.

Beauty Subscription Services: For a small sum, you can receive deluxe beauty samples (and sometimes full-sized products) sent right to door every single month. This is a great opportunity to try out new products and to guarantee a new blog post per month. You can regard subscription services as an extra expense, or as one of your main beauty sources. If you are low on money, I don't recommend it, but if you see it as an investment, it's a great value.

My favorite service to-date has been Ipsy (formerly known as MyGlam). Unfortunately they only ship to the USA and Canada at the moment, but they send some really nice deluxe products (no crappy sachets of lotion or something). I was also subscribed to GlossyBox for a few months and enjoyed that as well. They didn't send as many well-known brands as Ipsy does, but I received a few products from GlossyBox that I still use on a frequent basis.

So that concludes my budget beauty blogging tips! Let me know if they helped you at all/if you enjoyed reading this! Happy Friday! :)

2013 Beauty Giveaways

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I made a post listing the giveaways currently happening in the blogosphere, so I figured you deserved an update.

Quite frankly, I haven't been on my giveaway game recently because of the holidays and whatnot, but I thought hey, why not start 2013 with a nice giveaway win. And then I checked my Twitter replies and noticed that I'd won Where Can I Find The Perfect?'s Zoya Spring collection giveaway, so I figured luck's now on my side, I'm going to enter some more! So without further ado...

Enter here: http://www.nikmakeupjunkie.com/2013/01/my-year-blogging-tag-giveaway.html

Enter here: http://paigeypumpkin.blogspot.ca/2012/12/100-follower-give-away.html

Enter here: http://kitschsnitch.blogspot.ca/2012/12/200-followerschristmas-giveaway-occ-lip.html

Enter here: http://christineiversen.blogspot.ca/2013/01/giveaway-win-urban-decay-naked-basics.html

Enter here: http://shrinkingwallet.blogspot.ca/2013/01/celebrating-350-gfc-followers-giveaway.html

Enter here: http://thriftygirlloves.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/200-follower-mac-lipstick-models-own.html

Enter here: http://theamazingworldofj.blogspot.ca/2013/01/worldwide-mac-birthday-giveaway.html

Enter here: http://www.pdxbeautiful.com/2012/12/sigma-holiday-giveaway.html?spref=tw

Please let me know in the comments if you are having a giveaway at the moment and would like to be added to this post! :) Happy entering!

Christmas Recap & Haul

Christmas is officially over and I finally decided to write up a post about it. I had a blast hanging out with my friends and family, and I hope you guys did too! I know the popular opinion is that "Christmas is not about the presents", but let's face it, it really is. More than receiving presents, though, I love to give them. I thought about taking photos of the gifts I gave to other people and ultimately decided against it, but I kinda regret it! I think I gave some really good gifts this year, to be honest. Anyway, here's a little mish-mash recap post about my Christmas. Enjoy!

Me and my lovely cousins, my cute dog with all the presents, and the ultimate Christmas nail polish: China Glaze Ruby Pumps

Our traditional Christmas tree and the crazy amount of presents my mom and I bought for our family.  From left to right: Barbie carrying case for my cousin, H&M khaki pants for my brother, giftcards, acrylic paint set & canvases for my cousin, two Skylander Giants for my cousin, wallet & money for my cousin, Armani cologne for my brother, Crate & Barrel cookbook stand for my cousin, cotton night gown for my great aunt, baby Levi's jeans and plaid flannel shirt for my cousin, Williams Sonoma oven mitt & measuring spoons for my godmother, One Direction blanket and poster book for my cousin, kitchen soap set for my cousin's grandmother, Converse hoodie and journal for my cousin

Before I get to showing you guys the things I got for Christmas, I wanted to write a bit about the items I gave to my family. I guess I'll write this out list-style because I feel like that'll be the most organized.

My mom: I got my mom a pizza peel from Williams Sonoma. She ended up really liking it, but I overlooked the fact that she would only be able to use it if she had a pizza stone, lol. Oops. So now we're on the lookout for a pizza stone. And sidenote: damn is Williams Sonoma expensive! Everything is pretty and smells like cinnamon but it's also unnecessarily overpriced...

My dad: This year I got my dad into Bath & Body Works candles (lol), so I picked up "Merry Mistletoe" for him. He's usually really particular about scents but he ended up enjoying it. I also got him a random bottle of wine that I chose because the label was designed nicely (I know nothing about wine), but he opened it on Christmas day and said it was a good choice, so I'm glad.

My brother: I got my brother a movie giftcard. Admittedly not the most creative gift I've given but at least I know he'll use it.

My godmother: I got my godmother a Williams Sonoma oven mitt and measuring spoons. I can't get over how expensive that store is.

My goddaughter: I got my goddaughter a Sephora giftcard and the same Soap & Glory set that I actually ended up receiving for myself lol!

My aunt: So whenever my aunt and I go to Sephora she spends all her time smelling perfumes but then never actually buys one, so I picked up a set of mini perfumes from Sephora for her to try out. I think she really liked it!

Here are the gifts that I received for Christmas, and also a few that I got on Boxing Day (I'll let you know which ones). Overall I'm super excited about everything I received! I mostly got money from my extended family and my dad, but also in addition to these, I got Bioderma eau micellaire (from my mom) which was on my Christmas Wish List. I've already started using it which is why I forgot to include it in the photo!

Christmas:

• Lord & Taylor manicure kit from my brother
• OPI Matte Nail Envy from my mom
• Seche Vite top coat from my mom
• Soap & Glory gift set from a gift exchange
• China Glaze Ruby Pumps from my mom
• OPI Golden Eye from my mom
• Buddha Gotama statue from my aunt
• Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow in Stylish Move from my godmother
• Movie theatre gift card from my mom
• Starbucks gift card from my mom
• Divergent by Veronica Roth from my mom
• MAC Plumful lipstick from my mom
• MAC 217 brush from my mom
• Revlon nail file & buffer from my brother
• Taylor Swift "Red" from my aunt
• Starbucks set from my cousin

Boxing Day:

• Two Lush gift boxes (bogo) with a giftcard I received at Christmas from my brother
• Benefit cream eyeshadow in "RSVP" from Sephora ($12 on sale)
• Sephora double-ended blush brush from Sephora ($9 on sale)
• OPI "Don't Mess With OPI" from a random mall counter ($3.50 on sale)
• OPI "Cuckoo For This Color" from a random mall counter ($3.50 on sale)

Again, I hope you all had a great Christmas! Leave me links to your Christmas hauls in the comments because I would love to read them :)

December Glam Bag

Hey everyone! I know this post is a little late, but I figure it's always worth making beauty subscription posts so that you guys can have a reference for past products if you ever feel like subscribing.

Overall I'm very pleased with my subscription to Glam Bag. Unfortunately, I had to cancel my January subscription because of all the money I spent this holiday season, but once my bank account recovers a little I will definitely renew it.

The first product is this super tiny sample of NYX's Ultra Pearl Mania loose pigment. I have no idea what the name of the color is (it doesn't say on the sample), but it's a very pretty pink pearlescent shimmer. I've worn it once with my L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadow in Amber Rush and Urban Decay "Toasted" in the crease and it looked really nice. To be honest, I kinda wish I'd received the champagne color instead, but this is still a cute little product to have.

Next is the Mai Couture highlighter papier in "St. Barts". I was actually really excited about this product because it's so unique. Basically, you rip out a sheet in the little booklet and sweep it over your cheek bones for an instant highlight. At first I wasn't too crazy about the color; it's kind of on the orange side, but I ended up really enjoying the effect and I can see myself wearing it a ton during the summer time.

I was really excited to receive this primer because my Urban Decay one is beginning to run out. It's clear in color and has a very fluffy consistency (similar to Smashbox Photofinish primer). It does a great job for smoothing out the skin. What's unfortunate is that, given the small size of the tube, I probably wouldn't use it as a face primer under foundation because I would run out really quickly (although I feel like the consistency and effect of the product would be perfect for that).

Next is this red lip gloss from Be A Bombshell in the shade "Hot Mess". I actually wore this on Christmas Eve and I absolutely loved it. Of course, it's worn best over red lipstick (I can totally predict wearing this over MAC's Russian Red), but it can be worn on its own as well. This is definitely an upgrade from last month's lip gloss.

I love it when subscription services provide products that are actually useful. It's fun to get some items that you would otherwise never purchase (like the highlighting papiers, for example), but a solid black eyeliner is great. Urban Decay is an awesome brand and I've been meaning to try this product out. The name is spot-on, too. It really just glides right on, and stays put. I've kinda graduated from lining my water line with black eyeliner, but this would be a great product to do just that. I recommend it.

So overall, I ended up enjoying every single one of these products which is a rare thing for a subscription service! I genuinely foresee using each item. I'm definitely going to renew my subscription later on next year. If you guys are interested, the January bag includes Josie Maran Argan Oil, which is a highly raved about product.

Let me know if you enjoy these posts :)

High-End Mascara GIVEAWAY! [CLOSED]

Hey everyone! Hope everyone had a lovely holiday. I definitely did! This is just a quick post because I've decided I would like to do another giveaway, since my last ones have been very successful.

READ THIS ~ The concept is simple: head over to my post about high-end mascaras (CLICK), have a look at all the photos, and decide which one you think did the best job. Next, go to the poll in the right sidebar and cast your vote for your favorite mascara. I will be purchasing two of the winning mascaras (one for myself, and one for you guys!).

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

1) Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY
2) Must be 18+ years of age or have your parent's permission to enter
3) Must fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter
4) Must be willing to provide a shipping address if won
5) The winner will announced in a separate blog post and will be emailed
6) You are only eligible to win if you have not won a previous giveaway on Abundance of Erica
7) If the winner does not respond to my email within 48 hours, another winner will be contacted
8) All prizes will be shipped in pristine condition (none have been removed from their original packaging), but I cannot be held responsible for damages that occur in transit
9) GIVEAWAY ENDS ON JANUARY 9th, 2013

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wishlist Pt. 2: Christmas Edition!

Hey everyone! Long time no talk! To be honest, I thought I'd be posting on here way more this month... I guess it's just been a crazy couple of days. I finished off the last of my exams on Saturday and I was out yesterday, so today is looking like the opportune day to get back in the blogging game.

Anyhow, I have my second wishlist I've ever posted on this blog to share with you (click here to see the first one). These are some items I would love to receive for Christmas, and hopefully it gives you a few ideas for last-minute Christmas shopping. These are perfect for a friend or daughter or anyone into beauty (with perhaps the exception of the last three items).

OPI nail polish in "Golden Eye": This nail polish is from the OPI Skyfall collection (inspired by James Bond, of course), and it's a really pretty gold shimmer. I don't have one of these in my collection and I think it's just a nice, luxurious color to have. I would even treat it as a neutral because it could match so many different outfits.

Dior Shimmer Star in "Amber Diamond": I've been kind of obsessed with powder highlighters lately and it seems to me like this is just the ultimate. Everything about it seems incredible. The pigmentation (I've swatched it in-store many times), the pattern on the product, the packaging, everything. This is definitely more high-end given the price, but it would be such a lovely gift.

Bioderma Solution Micellaire: This product is hailed by the online beauty community as the best makeup remover in existence (lol). I guess the price is a point I'd like to address. This is not available in the United States, and can only be purchased in Europe (UK and France for sure, I'm not certain about other Euro countries) and Canada, and from what I know about exchange rates, it's marginally cheaper in Canada. That said, $22 for a makeup remover is a hell of a lot. It does seem like an incredible product, though, and I'm dying to try it.

Benefit POREfessional: The annoying thing about pores is that they're genetic, so any kind of serum that claims to remove pores is a scam. However, there are products available that reduce the look of pores, such as this one. I would be interested in trying it out to see how I'd make do with it, because it can be a hit or miss product. It's gotten generally good reviews, though, so I'm intrigued!

BeautyBlender: This is a product that is meant to seamlessly blend foundation. I don't know why it's $26; I can't really justify buying that for a sponge, but concept really peaks my interest. I still have a problem with streaky/patchy foundation if I don't spend ample time applying it, so this would be a wonder to have on days when I'm in a rush.

MAC 217 Brush: Okay, I love my Sigma blending brush, but this brush is likely one of the most-talked-about brushes in the beauty community. It seems more stiff than the Sigma one, so I bet it's a lot more precise. It can also be used to apply eyeshadow, and I think it would be an all-around great brush to own.

Giftcards: I think giftcards are a great gift, because it shows a person that you're atune to their needs and interests, while still giving them the opportunity to go shopping for themselves. Personally, I'm in serious need of a new bra (hope that's not TMI), and I've been having issues with Victoria's Secret lately, so Aerie is my new go-to. It's actually American Eagle's lingerie line. Really, though, I could make use out of any giftcard, be it Walmart, Pharmaprix, Sephora (of course), Bath & Body Works, Forever 21, etc.

Divergent by Veronica Roth: I'm in need of new books to read, and I've heard great things about this one. A lot of beauty gurus have read it (Tanya Burr and Amarixe, among the ones I can recall), but John Green has also recommended it, so I'm pretty confident that it's a good one.

H&M Braided Headband: So, I couldn't find the price on this because according to their website, it's sold out (!?), but I've seen it in-store many times so I'm sure they haven't completely vanished. American Apparel has similar styles but I'd rather not give them by business (or that of anyone shopping on my behalf). I just think it's very cute and a nice alternative to wearing a hat.

So that concludes my Christmas wishlist! Hope you enjoyed and please don't be shy to comment below! :)

NYX Haul & November Glam Bag

Hey everyone! I have a little haul for you guys today. After an address mix-up I finally received my November Glam Bag a few days ago, and I can't really tell if I'm impressed or not so I thought I'd do a blog post to sort out my thoughts lol! First, though, I'll start off with a NYX haul. I purchased all of these off of BeautyJoint.com. I've used the site before and I'm a big fan of it. I highly recommend BeautyJoint to Canadians because they sell brands that are difficult to get a hold of here, and the shipping is pretty cheap.

Soft Matte Lip Cream in "Milan": Love the consistency! I need more! Smells like vanilla too :)
Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Slate": Not my favorite but my mom really likes it.
Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Knight": I thought I would like this one more, but I'm not crazy about it. :(
Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Black Bean": Black eyeliner, pretty classic.
Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Purple Velvet": My favorite from the bunch!
Blush in "Desert Rose": Gorgeous color. I have yet to try it on the cheeks.

Swatches of the products mentioned above

I have to admit, because the Jumbo Eye Pencils goes on so pigmented with just one swipe, it's really hard to get a precise line with the darker colors. I'm gonna have to work hard to master this I think.

Alrighty, so here's the Glam Bag. There are two products that I absolutely love, two that suck, and one that I'm indifferent about. Here goes.

Startlet Eye Pencil in "Chocolate": This stuff is terrible. You need to drag it across your skin to make it appear. Don't recommend.
Benefit They're Real mascara: LOVE this stuff! The wand is absolutely amazing. The spiked top makes it easy to grab inner and outer lashes. I might splurge on the full size...
Eclos Anti-Aging Serum: Why do I need an anti-aging serum? Hate it when sample bags resort to this.
MyGlam Glam Gloss: This is the product I'm indifferent about. It smells like watermelon which is nice, but for some reason I got this instead of the Bare Minerals lip gloss... Not cool, MyGlam.
Nailtini Lacquer in "Millionaire": This is such a unique glitter polish and it's so great and festive! Love it!

Nailtini Lacquer in "Millionaire" over Essie "Bahama Mama" 

Overall, I'm going to continue my subscription for the Glam Bag. The December one looks pretty promising (NYX and Urban Decay are going to be included). I'll keep you guys posted on that!

Beauty Blogger TAG!

Hey everyone! So Jen from Vibrant Beauty Blog tagged me to do the Beauty Blogger tag and it looked like fun so I thought I'd give it a go! Enjoy :)

Why did you start blogging and how long have you been blogging for?

I only started blogging this summer (well, I created my blog in February but only started using it recently), and I started because I wanted to focus my energy on something remotely productive. Also, I just started university with a major in Communications, so the whole idea of blogging is right up my alley!

Whose blog did you fall in love with first?

To be honest, I fell in love with vlogs before blogs. I really want to get into vlogging someday, but I thought a less scary place to begin would be in the blogging world. Only after researching my favorite YouTubers did I find some of my current favorites blogs: Amarixe, Essie Button, Sprinkle of Glitter, and more. 

Most important part about doing a blog post?

I think some sort of visual aspect is really important. Not even photos, necessarily, but just organizing your writing in a way that adds some visual excitement (larger titles, bolding, italicizing creatively, etc). I guess it goes without saying that honesty important, but seriously, what fun is blogging if you're going to give 100% positive reviews all the time? 
 

What kind of camera do you use?

I use a Fujifilm camera that I absolutely despise. I got it as a gift about 4-5 years ago (I'm very grateful, don't get me wrong), but as I'm becoming more educated about photography and camera quality, I'm realizing how crappy it is! I'm waiting on hearing back from a scholarship I applied for and if I get it, hopefully I can invest in a proper camera :)

I got these photos at http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=3514&review=fuji+finepix+s1000 (but I edited the graphic myself)

What was the first blogosphere hyped about product you bought and was it worth the hype?

I'm going to cheat a little on this because technically I didn't pay for this one myself (I got it for my 19th birthday), but this definitely has to be the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I wanted this originally because Rachel from 87daysbefore talked about it alllll the time, and then I started noticing other bloggers/vloggers using it as well. Hands down, this is my all-time favorite makeup item and I wholeheartedly think it's worth the hype. Even though there are some dupes for this palette floating around, the texture and amazingness of Urban Decay eyeshadows can never really be replicated.

What are your favourite five things about blogging and being a beauty blogger?

1) I'm forced to exercise my writing skills. I think this is really important, and honestly, I feel bad for people who don't write regularly (even if it's something as simple as being a frequent tweeter) because being able to communicate effectively though the written word is something I really value. (Am I a Comms student or what?)

2) I have a lot of opinions, especially on makeup-y things, so it's nice to be able to catalog it all. Also, it's reassuring that I can express myself in a way that doesn't need to be censored at all, if that makes sense.

3) I think this is a really rewarding process, in the sense that I love producing and creating a blog post and having readers comment on it. I think it's one of the most gratifying things in the world sometimes.

4) Although I haven't made close friends in the beauty blogging community quite yet, I like seeing the connections made amongst bloggers and the comradery that goes on in this little online world.

5) Just having a hobby to look forward to whenever I'm bored :)

What have you learned from being a beauty blogger?

I already knew I was a perfectionist but the whole blogging thing definitely confirms it... I seriously re-read all my blog posts like 25 times before posting. Also, I've gained an appreciation for people who are good at photography. I've realized how much work goes into taking a nice photograph, so kudos to anyone who's really good at it!

Have you changed anything since being a beauty blogger?

Hmm, the only thing I can think of is that I take way better care of my nails. Deep, I know ;)

What advice would you give to a beauty blogger just starting out?

If you're writing something informative, take your time to make your posts the best they can be! I sometimes write up a couple drafts of my posts before publishing them, and I think it shows in the final result. Obviously, tags are a different story, but when I'm writing a review I try to be as detailed and precise as possible. And of course, if you want people to comment on your posts, do make an effort to explore other blogs and comment on theirs as well :)

Your Favorite Eyeshadow Palette?

My Urban Decay Naked palette, duh :D

The Best Beauty Deal?

I have been using my Rimmel Stay Matte powder literally every day since I got it. It's seriously amazing, and only like $3. Incredible.

Makeup Regrets?

Hmm, I don't really have any makeup regrets because I never get too crazy/experimental. I do have products that I regret buying, though (check out this post). I've actually been meaning to do a follow-up to that post. Would you guys be interested in reading that? Let me know in the comments!

Name your top five Beauty brands!

I guess unlike other beauty bloggers I don't really have a staple makeup brand. I like to dabble in different brands (high and low-end) so I only own select products from each of the ones I will name, but I'll try my best!

Korres I guess this is a slightly random brand to begin with, but after purchasing their lip butter, I became obsessed with this brand. I don't actually own any other products by them (lol), but I've researched their company and their whole philosophy/esthetic is really unique and refreshing. My only gripe is that their products are so costly (which is incidentally why I own so few of them) :(

L'Oreal This is my favorite drugstore makeup brand, for sure. I'm hardly ever disappointed by L'Oreal products I purchase, most notably their nail polish and Infallible eyeshadows. Also, they own Maybelline and YSL (and now Urban Decay!!) and other cool brands so they're quite top-notch in my opinion

Benefit I own quite a handful of Benefit products, so I feel like I'm qualified to name this brand as one of my favorites. Their Lemon Aid was one of the first products I ever bought from Sephora (and I got it at the Sephora in Madrid--oohhh fancy), and I find myself reaching for it every so often, despite my much newer eyeshadow primers that could potentially replace it.

My Benefit collection

NARS God, whenever I'm at Sephora, the NARS counter just calls my name. Sadly the only product of theirs that I own is the Laguna bronzer (LOVE IT), but their stuff just speaks to me. I'm obsessed with the packaging and I really want to just try out their whole collection. 

MAC I wanted to avoid saying MAC because, again, I don't own too much MAC, but I feel incredibly savvy about their cosmetics because I browse their website like 24/7 and I do my fair share of blog reading. I own a couple brushes, eyeshadows and blushes, and I must say they are very high quality products. I have yet to be disappointed by MAC.

Recommend your top five favourite beauty products! 

• Urban Decay Naked Palette: For the reasons explained above. You don't need anything else. Seriously.
• Rimmel Stay Matte Powder: See above question. Really worth the money, even though it's like $3.
• Lancome Artliner: This is kind of a staple in my collection. I haven't yet mastered the art of gel liner, so liquid liner is my go-to (especially on nights out or when I'm going for a more dramatic look). You get a lot of precision with this liner and the application is very smooth.
• NARS Laguna Bronzer: Yep. I said it. And many have before me, I know. It's just your quintessential bronzer, in my opinion. Not sure if it would work for darker skintones (for which I would recommend maybe NARS Casino), but yeah, lovely product.
• Blistex Lip Medex: You can't really go wrong with some good old lip balm, can you? I love putting this on underneath lipstick, or even keeping it in my winter coat pocket because it's very hydrating when it's cold out. It does have a medicinal scent and slight stinging sensation, so if that might bother you I'd avoid this, but I personally don't mind it (in fact I quite like it). I've gone through multiple tubs of this.

And that concludes my beauty blogger tag! Again, a big thanks to Jen for tagging me! Please feel free to do this tag and link back to me (I would love to read your responses). Also, some specific people that I tag:

- Ellie from Ellalogy (who is having an awesome giveaway right now!!)

- Marie from MCMiki93

- Janine from The Amazing World of J

- Paige from PaigeyPumpkin

- Rosie from Gorgeously Glowing

- Daniella from All the good names were taken?

- Tasha from A-Nice Cuppa Tea

- Sher from Fashernably Late

- Millie from Lola In The Lounge

- YOU!