Dear Santa...

Ah.. the holiday season... filled with joy, laughter, beautiful decorations and.. empty wallets. I'm great with picking gifts but while I'm shopping for others, I almost always find something that I like myself.

Here's some of the things I've been eyeing. What's on your Christmas wish list?



1. Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
2. DV by Dolce Vita Pura Booties - I have this in taupe and I love it. A black pair would be so much more versatile!

3. Michael Kors Watch in Gold

4. J. Crew Pixie Pant

5. Fur Vest - Found this image via Google but if anyone knows of a great option, please let me know!

6. Wilfred Sabine Dress

7. J. Crew Saturday Pant

8. Sorel Cate the Great boots - I know, I know. These aren't really that great looking but I hate snows. And when it does, I don't care about looks, at all. I just need to not slip and die.

9. Kobo Vox

PS. I'll be donating to a Christmas Bureau this Christmas. What are your favourite charities? I'd love to know!

I posted an outfit post...

but I deleted it.

Experienced fashion bloggers: any tips on taking outfit photos?

November Luxe Box

I know I'm late with this but here's a peek into my Luxe Box this month.
My verdict for this month: meh.

This month's products:

• Lise Watier Eye Glitter Eyeliner
• Moroccanoil Styling Cream - EXPIRED THOUGH! :( but they said they'll send another product next month and "something extra"
• Benefit B.Right! Total Moisture Facial Cream
• Pur Minerals Neutral Foundation Primer
• Teaopia Cactus Fig Tea Kit

Slight Obsession

Some girls love lipsticks, or nail polish or shoes. Me?

I like foundations. Yes, it is kind of weird - or at least I think it's pretty weird.

I've struggled with acne all my life (since grade 5 to be exact...) so I love being able to create a flawless face. I didn't really start wearing foundation until grade 12 and even then I wasn't obsessed with it. I'm not sure why but the past 2 years I started becoming obsessed with finding the perfect foundation. Ironically, it was the last 2 years that my acne cleared up to the point where I am comfortable going out with no makeup (Okay, I lie. Maybe a bit of concealer).

Here's a look at all the liquid foundations I've tried in the past 2 years and my overall experience with them all. I think it's a bit much.. considering I'm not including my powder foundations, tinted moisturizers or BB creams.



{ Starting from Left to Right and Top to Bottom }

1. Covergirl Clean Liquid Makeup - This was the first foundation I've ever used and it wasn't bad. I actually went through a few bottles before trying new ones. Back then they didn't have the different formulas for skin type so I found it made me oily.

2. Maybelline Super Stay Makeup - I got this foundation because I was told it was very comparable to the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation which is my absolute favourite. However, after I started using it, I started breaking out so I stopped after a week. I don't know if it was the foundation or not but I was afraid to try it again. It's very long lasting but isn't as great with oil control as Estee Lauder is.

3. Revlon ColorStay Foundation - I didn't like this foundation. at all. Everyone loves it but I just didn't see anything special about it. Although I did get the wrong colour...

4. Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation - LOVE. This is my favourite drugstore foundation. Very comparable to the Estee Lauder except it has a lighter coverage and is inexpensive! It's very liquid-y, which I like and gives a matte finish (almost a little powder-y once it sinks in). Very long lasting, great oil control and is light coverage but can be built to medium coverage. This is my current every day foundation.

5. Dior Skin Nude - For a dewy finish, this is a great option. I really liked this foundation but it's quite expensive (I think about $55-60 a bottle) and the pump SUCKS. I couldn't get my foundation out because the pump got stuck. So I went to Shoppers and the sales girl told me to put a pin in the pump, which didn't work so I threw it out. Then I find out that Sephora would have replaced it.

6. Makeup Forever HD Foundation - I REALLY wanted to love this foundation. I'm not saying it's bad, it's pretty good but it does nothing special for my face. I find it a bit too thick and I get SUPER oily by the end of the day.

7. Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Foundation - Crap. Maybe it was the one I had but it was super thick and just wouldn't blend right.

8. Estee Lauder Double Wear Light - ALL TIME FAVOURITE. Matte finish, medium to full coverage (not light but it's lighter than their Double Wear one). Long lasting - and by that I mean that I have bawled my eyes out with it on, slept, gone clubbing all night, and it does. not. budge. It looks better as the day goes by and it has amazing oil control. I don't think Estee Lauder gets enough recognition for their products but it's great. My all time favourite blush is by Estee Lauder too. There are some downsides though: colour selection sucks, expensive and smells like old lady.


** After writing this post, I realized I forgot one... one that I really like too: the Mac Face & Body Foundation. A very, very, VERY liquid-y foundation but it's great. Buildable, but since I like sheer foundations, it's perfect. Very dewy finish so a powder is needed to set it. Feels and looks like you have no foundation on!


What foundations have you tried and which one's your favourite? I want to know so I can feed my addiction. :)

Worry Wart

I am the biggest worry wart I know. And ever since I finished school I have been worrying about what I'm going to do with my life. I often forget how many possibilities there are and that life shouldn't be just one straight path to the future. Yet, my brain is cluttered with thoughts and my heart aches with worry. I think it's the feeling of not knowing what's going to happen next that worries me, as if I'm stuck in a rut when I'm meant for more.

I have always done what I was expected to do that I can no longer tell whether what I am want is because I am expected to want it, or if I actually want for my own.

I want to do some soul searching but I don't know where to begin. It seems people always leave to find themselves but what if I'm not ready to leave what I already have?

Review: Josie Maran Organic Argan Oil

{via}

My skin type used to be combination/oily but over the years, it changed and recently I have found my skin to be more combination/dry than oily. For the longest time I didn't use a daily face moisturizer but then I noticed that I would get patchy dry spots on my face. While on the hunt for a moisturizer, I remembered that I had heard from a friend that this product was suppose to do wonders for your skin so I headed out to Sephora and picked up a small bottle.

What it does: A lightweight oil that can be used as a moisturizer/treatment for skin, hair and nails. Argan Oil easily absorbs into skin to give you a youthful, dewy glow, and has astonishing healing, conditioning, and antiaging properties to keep your skin and hair nourished and revitalized and to keep you looking beautiful from head to toe. (From Sephora website)

My experience: I have been using this daily for two months now. I began using it as both day and night moisturizer which was fine. I found it worked better as a night moisturizer because in the morning, it would have been absorbed into the skin whereas, if you use it in the morning, it doesn't settle into your skin because you put on your foundation. I was hesitant to put oil onto my face at first but now I find that it works better than cream. I had wanted this to be a miracle worker - all my scars and blemishes to go away and I would get this amazing baby soft skin. Maybe I had too high of expectations. It does the job but definitely not a miracle as many reviews claim. Also, it didn't do anything amazing for my hair.

Pros:

• On the bottle it claims to hydrate and nourish your skin, and it gets the job done. My dry patchy spots have all disappeared and even if I don't use it, the spots haven't been coming back.
• A little goes a long way. You only need about two drops for your entire face.
• You can use it for your skin and hair.

Cons:

• Expensive for a tiny bottle. I can't remember the exact price but in CAD, the smallest bottle which is about the size of my palm cost over $20.
• Apparently it's suppose to be help heal but didn't heal at all. If I had a blemish, it didn't do anything to help it but didn't make it worse either.

Verdict: It does what it claims to do. It is a great moisturizer for hydration. I might try some other moisturizers before buying this again though.

New Toy

I got my hands on the new iPhone 4s this weekend and right now, all I can say is: I'm going through a slight Blackberry withdrawal. I'm still trying to get used to the keyboard but I definitely miss my keypad and BBM. I really tried to love my Blackberry but the camera on the iPhone sold me. Needless to say, Instagram was the first app I downloaded.

Another great thing about iPhones is the amount of accessories available!



Kate Spade | Michael Kors | MARC BY MARCB JACOBS | Prada


I'm thinking of personalizing my own case. I already purchased a clear case off eBay to decorate but not sure what to put on it.

I'd love to know what accessories you have for your phone and if you have an iPhone, what are your favourite apps?

I Need Some Sparkle In My Life

I have a love-hate relationship with sparkles. Annoying when it gets everywhere and hard to get off but pretty in small, contained doses. Right now, it's more love than hate. Especially with this drab weather, sparkles is a nice pick-me-up.


Sephora by OPI Gold For Me | Sephora by OPI Traffic Stopper Copper | Deborah Lippmann Superstar | Butter London Rosie Lee | Butter London West End Wonderland

Adding Colour

My closet is consists of black, black and... the occasional grey. I bought a few new pieces to add colour to my wardrobe.

• Mustard yellow cardigan - J. Crew
• Red ankle jeans - Forever 21
• Wine Coloured dress - Forever 21
• Mustard yellow suede belt - Forever 21

Still on the hunt for some burnt orange and jade coloured items to add! Any suggestions?

What colours do you like to wear?

Too early?

First day of November...too early to be excited about Christmas?



Happy Wednesday! xo

I've Got Mail! October Luxebox

Bestie got me a subscription to Luxe Box by Loose Button for my birthday {she's the greatest}, and I've been pretty satisfied with what I've been getting. I'm not going to lie - a lot of the satisfaction comes from just receiving a package in the mail but here's a look at what I got this month.

What is Luxe Box? A monthly subscription service where you receive 4-5 deluxe size beauty samples delivered to your door. About $10-$12 depending how many months you purchase at a time.

This Month's Products:

• Lise Watier - Flash Lift Radiance Vials
• Keratase Elixir Ultime
• Essie Nail Polish in Carry On - Full size! I was most excited about this, even though I already have this colour. It's my current favourite fall nail polish so it's nice to have to a backup, but would have loved to receive another colour. I saw some other people received China Glaze Crackle nail polish and I'm glad I got this instead. Not really feeling the crackle look...my cat could give me that look with her nails if I wanted it.
• Olay Professional Pro-X Eye Restoration Complex
• Chloe Eau De Parfume - Such a cute little bottle
• $25 off $75 purchase on Dealuxe

Opinion: I like the redesign this month - looks much sleeker. I think if it wasn't for the Essie nail polish, I might have been quite disappointed with this month's box. So far, I have found that there is at least one product that I really like, but is the one product worth the $10 a month? I'm not sure yet, but I'll let you know as I get more boxes. I hate that it comes so late in the month though.

{Personalized sticker!}


{Old packaging}

What do you guys think of these subscription services? Worth it or a waste of money? Have you tried any other subscriptions, and if so, which ones?

What's In My Bag

I always love seeing what people have inside their bag. I don't carry anything interesting but here's a look anyway.

1. Purse: From China. $30 CAD for a buttery soft leather purse. Oh how I miss shopping in Asia!

2. Blackberry

3. Wallet: Michael Kors. I love the colour and it's so soft. Favourite find from Seattle Premium Outlet thus far.

4. Keys

5. Sunglasses: Ray Bans. A graduation gift from J.

6. My agenda

7. Book: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I'm attempting to read this for the second time. The first time I couldn't get past the first chapter but I hear it's good after the first 200 pages...

8. Umbrella. Too many times have I been caught in the rain without one. Born and raised in Vancouver, you would think I'd learn earlier.

9. Makeup case: MAC

10. Recyclable bag

Midweek Day Off

I forgot how nice it is to have a day off in the middle of the week while everyone else is at work. J and I spent a sunny fall afternoon at Deer Lake recently, and it was so beautiful. Fall is definitely my favourite season. Too bad sunny Fall days are so rare in Vancouver.

I'm back!

"One thing I learned from my blog, however, was that some people feel overwhelmed by the question 'What's your passion?' It seems so large and unanswerable that they feel paralyzed." - The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

That was me. Recently I went into a job interview, prepped to answer situation questions so when the question "What is your passion" came up, I was speechless. It took me a few weeks to think about what I really am passionate about: blogs, social media, fashion and design. Is that too many or can someone really have too many things to be passionate about?

Here I am. Pursuing my passion. Again. So hello and welcome back!

Perfectly Imperfect

I'm such a terrible blogger.

I remember I used to think, why couldn't he/she update their blog more often?! when they were already posting every other day. Just never understood...until now. Kudos to those bloggers who regularly update!

Anyway,
new year, new me - right? Right.

I'm pretty sure once upon a time I would have been the poster girl for insecurity, but as I got older I learned to keep it under control. I still set unrealistic goals for myself, expect too much and overwork myself - but don't we all?

Here are a few goals I have for myself this year:

1. Fit into my old jeans again

And by old jeans I mean the ones I bought last year. I used to want to lose weight, 5lbs, 10lbs, 15lbs... and each year I would fail. Fail because when I did go to the gym, I would gain more from muscle (I might not be super fat but I can assure you my body is probably ALL fat. Gross, I know.)

And if all fails, buy new jeans. (JUST KIDDING.....)

PS. See what I had to say about health and fitness on super awesome local blogger, Melissa's site!

2. Find a style that I'm comfortable with

I keep buying into trends that don't fit my body or my look. Everything in my closet is a mess because I have bits and pieces of every style and they don't go together. So you pretty much see me wearing the same outfits because I only have a couple of things that go together.

But in the end I find the things that I go towards most are my chunky sweaters and jeans. I keep buying dresses and heels that just go to waste because I NEVER wear it. Sweaters and jeans might not be the most fashionable but hey, at least I'm comfortable in my own skin and I think I'm cool with that.

3. Have more "me" time

2010 has been the most stressful year and day after day I would push myself to the limits. I told myself I wasn't stress and never broke down but that's because I never stopped. So you can only imagine what happened when I did stop for a breath. I'm exhausted ALL THE TIME. It's time to relax and have fun.

So I plan to relax more: yoga, long walks, spa days - whatever it takes to make me feel like I'm 21 and not 80 years old.

"Just because you're breathing doesn't mean you're alive"

(that quote, pretty much my life story)

So here's to a year to finding peace with who we are! Good luck with all your goals :)