"Shopaholic" TAG!

Hey everyone! I had this tag sitting in my drafts for a little while and I thought I'd finally publish it. I got it from Missglamorazzi I believe. Enjoy and feel free to do it yourself!

1. Would you consider yourself a shopaholic?

I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a shopaholic because I don't have enough funds to really fuel a shopping addiction hahaha. BUT I do love a good trip to the mall, especially if I've got my eye out in Sephora or MAC (of course).

2. How would you classify your style?

To be honest, I couldn't really classify my style because it changes all the time. Lately I've been dressing really casually and wearing whatever fits. That's my main priority with clothes nowadays - I'm not one to follow trends, I normally just focus on proper fit. Unfortunately with my size I can't be picky about style and whatnot, so if I shop for fit then I know I'll look decent.

3. What store can you not leave without buying at least one thing?

Bath & Body Works. Hands down. Those COUPONS man. There's always at least one promotion going on. You can click HERE to see what exactly is on offer right now in Canada! (So many deeaaalsss)

This is just a screen grab of the last e-mail I got from them

4. Where do you find the best deals?

I mean, Bath & Body Works has good deals but you need to be into candles otherwise you won't really benefit. Personally I'm not a big fan of their lotions and whatnot. Other than that, I think H&M has a good price point. H&M is really awesome for basics - whenever I'm looking for something specific I tend to go there.

5. What designer are you willing to splurge for?

I don't splurge for designers but rather for specific items, and even at that, I don't tend to splurge very often. I think the most expensive item I own that I bought with my own money (i.e. that wasn't a gift) is my Longchamp bag and I'm totally aware that isn't really that expensive. I don't know - it kind of pains me to spend a whole lot of money all at once.

6. Do you have a "go to" shopping outfit?

Anything that can be removed easily, and something relatively basic (jeans and t-shirt type) so that I can properly try on tops or bottoms without having to take off an entire dress, for example. Nothing with too many buttons!

7. What is your guilty pleasure? (Aside from makeup)

Does nail polish count?! I swear, I'm NailPolishCanada's #1 customer. But other than that I'd have to say I'm a sucker for a nice candle.

8. What is one staple clothing piece you cannot live without?

I don't think there's anything better than a pair of jeans that fits well. 

9. What is a trend you hope never goes out of style?

Hmm, I would say skinny jeans. I mean, skinny jeans have been around for a while now but I can definitely remember a time when they weren't in style. I honestly can't imagine myself wearing a jean other than the "skinny" style. I actually get nervous thinking about having all that extra fabric around my ankles - ahhhh! OH, also "oxblood" or whatever. I know it's just maroon - get off me LOL.

10. What trend did you love that passed way to quickly?

I would still wear this trend now but I think color-blocking passed way too quickly! I don't even know if it really passed - I'm awful at keeping up with trends. But I really thought color-blocking was a good one.

11. Who is your fashion icon?

I think everything that MissGlamorazzi wears is really on-point. She knows how to style and layer simple clothes really well, and she always looks so put-together. It's happened many times that I buy something that I later see in one of her hauls!

I have the same denim shirt as the second photo, and check out that color blocking in the third photo!!! (Photos: http://web.stagram.com/n/thegridmonster/)

So that concludes the Shopaholic tag! Again, feel free to do it yourself and please link me to your post in the comments below if you do :D

REVIEW: TRESemme Keratin Smooth Trio

Hey everyone! Review coming your way! These are the TRESemme Keratin Smooth products that were recently launched. I was lucky enough to be sent these from Klout to review. If you don't know what Klout is, basically it's a website that measures your internet presence and gives you a score. If your score is high enough you qualify for certain perks, and since most of my internet presence is beauty-related, I was given these to try out!

The TRESemme Keratin Smooth conditioner, shampoo, and heat protectant are meant to smooth out frizz and give your hair noticeable shine. I'll start off by saying that I saw a noticeable difference after using these products as a trio. Individually, they may not be as potent, but together they worked really well.

Keratin Smooth Shampoo: First off, this shampoo smells incredible. It smells tangy and lovely and the scent lingers in my hair even when it dries after I wash it out. My only problem with this shampoo is that it isn't very cleansing. It's super thick in consistency and I feel like it doesn't really seep down to my scalp unless I spend lots of time working it in. If you're looking for a clarifying shampoo, I wouldn't recommend this.

Keratin Smooth Conditioner: I think this is my favorite product out of the trio. The consistency is perfect and it feels very nourishing as I put it on. When it washes out, I can immediately sense my hair much thicker and smoother.

Keratin Smooth Heat Protectant: What I liked most about this heat protectant spray is that it didn't change the texture of my hair. It didn't leave it feeling tacky or crispy at all. My only gripe is that the packaging is kinda awful. The spray contraption on top isn't very user-friendly or durable, and the product seeps out the base when you use it. It's a shame because what's inside is great, but the packaging sucks.

Overall, these products made my hair feel very smooth. I don't normally go for TRESemme products (mostly because their adverts really annoy me lol), but perhaps aside from the heat protect (that damn packaging!), I would probably repurchase these.

NOTD: Essie "Sand Tropez" + Bonus Easter Mani

Hey everyone! Welcome to April :) I probably won't be doing a March favorites post seeing as not much has changed from last month, however this little manicure has definitely been a favorite. I think it's so cute and perfect for spring! First I'll show you the base color I used, which is Essie Sand Tropez.

Though some may find it a little bland, I've been looking for a nude-taupe nail colour for a while. I think this will quickly become a favorite! The application is really lovely and smooth (as is with many Essie nail polishes).

PS. my nail beds have been awful lately! Do any of you have this problem?

This was the manicure I wore on Easter! Cute, isn't it? And it reminds me of Mini Eggs haha.

It's really simple to do as well. First, you paint your nail the color of the half moon (in my case, either blue, pink, purple, or yellow), wait for it to dry completely (I used a quick bit of Seche Vite topcoat because I'm super impatient lol), apply a page hole reinforcer to the bottom half - those little circular stickers, and then paint the top part of the nail with your color of choice. In case you're curious, the colors I used are Zoya "Jacqueline", American Apparel "L'Esprit", Essie "Fiji", Zoya "Blu" and of course, Essie "Sand Tropez".

Let me know what you think in the comments! Hope you're having a great spring so far!

My Life in 8 Photos

Hey everyone! Long time no see! I've been in a sort of blogging rut, evidently, so I needed a little pick-me-up post. The title is pretty self-explanatory and there won't be very many words, but I thought this would be a nice little memory to look back on in the future. I picked this up as I was lurking through the archives of Zoella's blog, and she presented it as a sort of tag, so do feel free to steal this idea for a post :)

:) Normal blogging will now resume.

NOTD (Essie Fiji) + OPI Giveaway Winner

Hey everyone! I've got a quick NOTD for you all (finally! It's been so long since I've done one), and I thought I'd announce the winner of my OPI giveaway at the same time. But first thing's first...

Long story short, I absolutely love this color. As you know I was in Florida for a couple days and got a (very unnoticeable) tan, and I thought this polish would enhance it a little. Definitely a good choice. I foresee myself wearing this a ton during the summer. It actually reminds me of a shade I used to wear when I was younger, except that one was milkier and cheaper. This was definitely a three-coater, but the result was worth it, I think. Essie polishes are always great quality in my opinion. Worth the hype!

Next order of business: the winner of my OPI giveaway...

Congratulations to Danni Golding! I will be emailing you shortly so please do respond ASAP :)

I also wanted to thank everyone who took the time to enter. I love having giveaways and giving gifts. I think it's so much fun to send people small tokens of my gratitude, especially on an international basis. And of course, thanks again for sticking with me and reading my blog. It means a lot!

Target, MAC & BBW Haul!

Hey everyone! As you may know, I was in Florida this past week (which explains the lack of blogging haha)! Although I didn't pick up any of these items actually in Florida, we passed through New York where I had time to get some shopping done. Shockingly, I'd never actually shopped in Target before, so that was definitely a must. I also picked up one item at the MAC counter in Macy's, a few Bath & Body Works candles, and one nail polish at a beauty specialty store.

Yes to Tomatoes Clear Skin Mask (Target - $15): I have this on as I'm typing this blog post, and I must say I'm enjoying it! Very refreshing and clean-feeling. I bought this because I was itching for a good face mask and we don't have much of the Yes To range here in Canada (we only have the face wipes I think), so I thought this would be a good choice. Liking it so far!

St. Ives Apricot Scrub + Bonus travel size lotion (Target - like $3): I really like this scrub a lot, and although I don't use an exfoliator every day, this is definitely a nice one to have. Honestly I think this huge size cost maybe a dollar more than the travel sized one I got here... So cheap.

Elf eyelash curler (Target - $1): So these are kinda heavy-duty and not very gentle at all, but I needed a new eyelash curler and it was a dollar, you guys. A dollar.

Maybelline Gel Liner Blackest Black (Target - $8): Apparently some gurus like this gel liner more than the MAC one, and I've honestly never used gel liner before, so I thought I'd give it a shot. The brush it comes with looked pretty shitty so I also got an Elf liner brush for good measure which was also a dollar. Not much else to say about that!

MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle (Macy's - $30): I've been lusting after this product for sooo long now. Actually, I've been lusting after any powder highlighter because I don't own one, but especially this one. With tax, this baby came out to $32 as opposed to $40 I'd pay here. Not too bad!

Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara (Target - $7): Unfortunately I got this in brown (*facepalm*), but I really just wanted to see if it would clump or not. Verdict - no clumps! I might just go out and buy this in black, but don't hold me to it...

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder (Target - $4 maybe?): Repurchase. Hit pan on my current one. Love this stuff.

Essie Sand Tropez (Target - $8): I've been searching for a beautiful nude color far and wide and I thought I'd give this a shot. It's a little on the brown side but I'm eager to see how it fairs.

OPI Vant To Bite My Neck (Beauty Store - $7.50): This is an absolutely gorgeous eggplant creme that I've looked up countless swatches of, so when I saw that OPI is under $10 in the States I jumped at the chance to get it! I would have also picked up Bubble Bath if they had it but, alas, they didn't. :( Swatch to come!

Carmex (Walmart - $1): My lips were feeling a little dry so I went ahead and got this while we were doing grocery shopping at Walmart. It does the trick.

Bath & Body Works Pear & Market Peach Candles (2 for $22): These smell so so so yummy! I love them!

So that concludes the beauty & candle portion of the stuff I bought while in America! Just as a side note - I got a pale blue denim polka-dotted shirt and maroon leggings from Target, dark blue jeans and a pink shirt ($15 vs. $40 here...!!!) from Old Navy, and some new Nikes from The Shoe Dept. :) I also got some other bits & bobs before leaving but those will be featured in a later collective haul. Hope you enjoyed!