March Julep Box

Hello my friends! 

First of all I'm so sorry for being so MIA on my blog for the past week. There has been a lot of home reno type projects on the go meaning I unfortunately neglected my blog!  Not to worry I will have lots of updates and "after" photos coming soon! 

Today I thought I would share a quick post on what I got in my March Julep box! If you don't know what Julep is - check out my first Julep post here!  

There are more nail polishes in there than usual because I cashed in some of my Julep Jules rewards to get two extras!  Each month that you buy a box you accumulate Jules which can be saved up for future boxes or for little extras like I did this time!  This month also included a lip gloss! Exciting!! 

The theme of the month was the "Riviera Collection". All of the colors are making me so excited for warmer weather! As I said in my previous post Julep gives you a few days to review your next box and choose a different style if you aren't happy with what was chosen for you. I loved my "Classic With a Twist" colors ("Soraphine" and "Myriam" pictured below) but was more excited about the "Boho Glam" box ("Harriet" and "Elisa" below).  I also liked the lip gloss color from the Boho Glam box (called "Enchanted") so chose that box for the month!  Since my nail polish obsession took over I decided I just had to have the "Classic With a Twist" colors so those are the ones I used my Jules on!

Here are some close up shots of the polishes. 

left to right: elisa,  soraphine, myriam & harriet

Once again I am so happy and impressed with the quality of these polishes. The only one that took more than two coats was "soraphine" (the white one) but that is to be expected with any sheer color like that. You could do less coats for a more simple look but I like how it turned out in the picture above with three coats!  

Here are some close up shots of the lip gloss!  Again the shade is "Enchanted".  The packaging feels very high quality which is great.  

The gloss applies really nice and has good lasting power. I do wish it was a little more sticky to make it last longer but that's just a personal preference. Again I am loving this color for spring and summer! 

Check out the little card they sent too - I love little added touches like this. 

great advice :)

So once again I was extremely pleased with my Julep box! $20 per month and no shipping cost for me is worth it. I love painting my nails and found myself spending more than that each month on new polish so this has been really great so far. Plus, if I ever want to cancel there are no fees and no questions asked. 

I already saw my April reveal and it looks like more spring colors and some blush!  I kept my "Classic With a Twist" box for this one but was able to customize my blush shade to what I wanted.  I will be sure to share pics when I receive it! 

If anyone is interested in Julep you can sign up by clicking this link or just head to julep.com! 

Happy Friday! 

(p.s. I promise some kitchen updates are coming soon! Just a couple finishing touches and we are done!) 

Ipsy: March 2014

Well ladies it's that time of the month again ... no not that time (hahah) ... Ipsy time!  

If you want a breakdown of what Ipsy is all about, check out my post all about it here.

I am just as much in love with my second Ipsy bag as my first so I'm really excited to share with you what I got!  If you signed up for the service but didn't get your bag yet beware of some spoilers - although my friend Lauren (who you heard all about in my first Ipsy post!) got hers today and they are almost totally different so I think you'll be fine to keep reading. :)

March 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag

The bag is super cute and was designed with the streets and colors of San Francisco as the inspiration (*shout-out to my cousin/bestie Paula who just moved there! xo). This bag feels like great quality too - even better than February's bag!  It just feels more durable.  So enough with the boring stuff ... what was inside?! 

1. Be a Bombshell Bora Bora Eyeshadow Quad

I love 3/4 of this eyeshadow quad! The 4th colour (the turquoise) I'm not in so love with since I already have one similar from MAC (and really, how many turquoise shadows does one really need) but it's always a fun shade to add to a collection! I was really impressed with the pigmentation of these shadows.  I swatched them on my hand as you can see below and there was amazing color payoff.  The formula feels great ... very smooth and a good quality shadow.  I haven't tried them on my eyes yet so I'm not sure of the blend-ability or wear time but so far am impressed!  The bronze shades will be really pretty for summer!  This quad retails for  $16.00 US.  Since the Ipsy bag is only $10 this alone makes for a great deal! 

2. bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Get Ready

This is a super creamy and highly pigmented lipstick.  I love everything I've ever tried from bareMinerals and use their mineral foundation daily.  First off I love the colour.  I would say this is my signature favorite, holy grail lip colour.  It's almost like a 'your lips but better' shade - a pinky/nude.  It has a slight satin sheen to it as well so it feels really moisturizing and doesn't dry out your lips as some lipsticks can do.  This came in a sample size so it is smaller than a regular lipstick but it will be great for travel or to throw into a clutch for a night out!  The full size lipstick retails for $23.00 so it is nice to try a sample size before buying the larger size to really test it out.  Check it out below! 

*selfie!! 

3. Chella Ink Eyeliner in Indigo

Here is another product that I'm not sure how much I'll use but like to add to my collection. It's one of those colors I'm not as likely to buy since I won't wear it often but is fun to have. This is a very pigmented ink/indigo blue liquid eyeliner.  With the lightest swipe it created such a gorgeous line of color and is very precise!  I haven't worn it yet but I can say it was really hard to get off my hand!  I have a good feeling this will live up to its' 'waterproof-ing' claims.  This eyeliner pen retails for $24 on the Chella website!  Considering Ipsy is only $10 I thought this was a steal!    

4. Vita Liberata pHenomenal 2-3 Week Tan

So this is high-end brand of self tanning lotion that claims to last 2 to 3 weeks.  I am interested to try it because I have heard good things about other products from Vita Liberata.  My only problem is the tube is pretty small so I'm hoping there will be enough for at least one use!  I read online it is best to use with a self tanning mitt so I'll have to purchase one of those as well.  Overall I'm still happy with this item because I've actually been wanting to start to fake tan at home (I have gone for spray tans in the past and find it gets expensive and doesn't last too long on me).   Don't get me wrong, I love me some sunshine but after a terrible sunburn experience last year in Florida and the damage it caused to my skin (that I can still see the effects of) I finally want to start being more careful.  I am trying to embrace my natural coloring ... but who doesn't love a little bronze glow once in a while?!  I am definitely interested in trying this product and will keep you updated on my results!  

If you're interested in signing up for Ipsy ... just click here to get started!  Remember to share it on Facebook to skip the wait-list!! 

As always thanks so much for reading and all of the continued support!! Stay tuned for more kitchen updates this week!! xoxo

Our Kitchen Makeover: The Before

So my husband and I have been itching to makeover our kitchen since we first moved into our new house almost a year ago.  At first glance when we moved in it seemed fine - the counter top was ugly but livable, and the cabinets were white which is one of my favorite looks for a kitchen.  We always thought we would just put in a new counter top, put a fresh coat of white paint on the cabinets, maybe add a back splash and be done! 

After living in the house a while we knew it needed more than that but also realized that other rooms needed more than we originally planned in terms of paint and renovations.  After completing those other renovations in the house we are pretty much sick of living in a construction zone and don't feel like putting out the money for a big renovation either.  With all this in mind our brains got creative and we thought up some other ways to make a big impact on the room with a small budget and small time frame.  Check out some 'before' shots below.  It's not terrible, but we know we want to be in this house for a long time so we just wanted to make the space feel more like us.

(please note the hideous counter top color!)

The previous wall color was not terrible but the yellow-beige just wasn't working with the rest of the house.

Planning a new home for the microwave to free up some counter space!

The white cabinets just didn't work for us in this space.  I like a bright kitchen but I also like a warm kitchen with a "homey" and almost craftsman or rustic feel.  Something about this particular kitchen with the white cabinets just felt cold.  We also use our side door as our main entrance and when you come up the stairs from the porch, the kitchen is the first room you see.  Because of that, we wanted the room to make more  of a statement when walking in the house.  I came across some inspiration photos on Pinterest with cabinets painted more of a taupe or 'greige' color and, well, it was love at first sight.   I also came across an aqua colored ceramic tray in the stationary section of Target (I think meant for paper or office supplies) and thought it would be a perfect tray to sit next to the sink to hold dish and hand soap.  See - keep your eyes peeled because inspiration can hit you anywhere!  Keep an open mind and you will find things or ideas for your home in unexpected places.  

That completed my vision and inspiration for the space.  We decided to go with a darker taupe or greige on the cabinets, a light greige for the walls and white for the counter tops. Did you catch that?  Yes we are painting our counter tops!  A few people I've told think we are a bit crazy but we are so excited!  We know that one day down the road we will do a complete renovation of the kitchen with new cabinets and such, so it is fun to experiment for now and try new things!  I am not afraid of painting and am excited to see the result.  The counters are not pretty right now so really, anything will be better! There is a section of butcher block beside our stove as well that we are keeping which I think will look great with the white and really contribute to that craftsman look I was talking about. 

The photo below is our paint swatches on top of that tray I mentioned which will be an accent color.  It is basically a visual for me of the final look to keep me on track.  

 

 That's all you get for now!  Stay tuned for some after photos coming later this week of the transformation.  I'll also do a tutorial on the counter top painting process for anyone interested in that.  It's amazing how for less than $200 we have totally changed the look and feel of the space - I can't wait to show you the results! 

Hope you all enjoy your week ... Happy Monday! 

A quick kitchen organization tip ...

So my husband asked if I would bake some banana bread tonight (probably just to use up some of the 50 bananas we have in our freezer!) and in doing so, I thought I would quickly share one of my favorite kitchen organization tips! 

I love baking and cooking and find this really helps me stay organized and quickly reach for what I need.  It's super simple ... I hang my measuring cups and spoons on the inside of a cupboard door! That's it! 

It sounds so simple and I have often been poked fun at for being too organized (ummm, I have to object ... you can never be too organized!) but this makes such a huge difference for me and I can't live without it!  When I moved into my new house I didn't have it up right away and anytime I tried to bake it drove me nuts so it wasn't long before I did it again. 

Here is a photo of what it looks like:

 

You can use different options for the little hangers but all I used were the 'Command Damage Free' hooks.  You can also drill small holes and screw in tiny hooks but I like the fact that I can easily remove these hooks if needed.  You do not need to use an actual label maker like I did but I do recommend labeling them somehow just to make it that much easier to distinguish.  You can use little stickers with handwritten numbers or even print them out on small printable labels.  However, if you have ever even considered  purchasing a label maker .... do it! I don't mean to condone bad spending behavior (haha!) but if you are the type of person who likes to organize or wants to simplify your life a bit, a label maker is a great addition to your family. :)  I use mine all the time!

Here are some more close up photos of the finished result:

Again it's a super simple tip and I'm sure you have seen this all over Pinterest! You can definitely be more creative to make it prettier (which I may do since I have a kitchen remodel project happening soon) but I also find it simple yet effective like this! 

Hope you all have a wonderful evening and enjoy the upcoming weekend!  With my kitchen project starting this weekend I think I will savor this downtime and pour myself a cup of tea and test out that banana bread I mentioned. :)  

 

 

February 2014 Favorites

Where did February go!!?? Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining - with February over it means we are one month closer to Spring!  The month of February brought me some new favorites in the beauty world and one old classic that I rediscovered!  

1. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter - Pink Truffle

I recently discovered the Revlon Lip Butters and love them.  I have a few colors so I might do a review and swatch blog post just to give you an idea of some of the shades - but this one in particular has been a favorite this month!  Pink truffle is a pretty neutral pink/nude that has sort of a 'your lips but better' look to it which makes it really easy for every day wear.  I love these this time of year because they contain hydrating mango, shea and coconut butter for super soft lips (a must in cold winter months!) plus a pretty dose of color.  I like that the colors aren't too intense but are definitely build-able - so as I said, great for every day wear!  These retail for about $8.99 and like I said have a large variety of very pretty shades! Check out my swatch of 'Pink Truffle' below:

2. Soap & Glory Hand Food Hand Cream

Photo Credit: www.soapandglory.com

I heard a lot of raves about this hand cream so when it was on sale at my local Shoppers Drug Mart I decided to give it a try (the 50mL size is usually $5.00 and it was on sale for about $3.50).  I really am loving this!  This hand cream is so moisturizing but soaks right in, eliminating that greasy feeling a lot of hand creams can leave.  It makes my hands feel so good and has totally helped out my parched winter skin!  I gave one of these to my Mom and she is loving it too.  The cream also has a pretty fresh scent that I can't quite put my finger on for a description - I just like it!  The cream contains shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow.  Wait ... marshmallow!!??  Yeah ... not quite sure what that does, but whatever it is ... it's magic!  If you live in Canada you can buy Soap & Glory products at Shoppers Drug Mart or Sephora.  

3. Maybelline Master Hi-Light - Nude

This was something interesting I spotted that is unique to the drugstore makeup world.   Not many drugstore brands carry a good highlighter in my opinion.  If they have one at all, I usually find it is way too shimmery.  This one is gorgeous.  It is a "hi-lighting blush" but I find the 'Nude' shade works as a beautiful highlight for the face.  It reminds me a lot of MAC's famous cult classic highlighter in 'Soft & Gentle'.  If I am wearing a matte blush I like to dust this on my cheekbones and center of my face to bring a subtle glow without being too shimmery.  There are about six shades in total and some would work well as a shimmery blush while others would be great for a bronze glow.  Below is a close up of the blush and a swatch.   For lighter skin tones this might be better as just a blush but I find for my Medium tone it is a perfect highlighter for day to day wear.

4. Anastasia Brow Wiz 

Photo Credit: www.nordstrom.com

I didn't know I could love a brow pencil this much.  A brow powder, maybe, but a pencil!? This pencil is perfection.  It retails for around $27 at Sephora which seems crazy for a little brow pencil but I promise you it will change your life.  Ok ... as usual that is a tad dramatic but it really is amazing.  This has the tiniest ultrafine tip which makes it so easy to create a gorgeous and natural brow look by mimicking your brow hairs.  The formula is great because it is hard enough so you can build up a natural look without accidentally going overboard which is so easy with brows!  This is also smear proof and literally stays on all day long.  I have been using a MAC powder for my brows for a long time and have tried many pencils but nothing compares to this.  If you are intimidated by a brow pencil you have to try this - again the superfine tip makes it so easy.  I have the shade 'medium ash' but there is a large variety which can be seen on the Sephora website here.  Remember when choosing an eyebrow shade, pick something a little lighter than your actual brow color to keep them looking more natural! 

5. OPI Nail Envy

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

This was the old favorite that I re-discovered.  I always have my nails painted and it is very rare I give them much of a break.  With the dry winter weather that comes along with the month of February I decided it was time to give my nails and hands a little TLC!  I started using this stuff again and it is amazing.  This is a maximum strength formula with protein and calcium to help nails grow harder and stronger as well as help them resist peeling, cracking and splitting.  The formula also gives a pretty shine to the nails.  The best way to use this is to apply two coats initially and follow that up with another coat every two days.  I also tried this as a base coat and it worked great! 

6. L'oreal Gentle Micellar Solution

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Ok so I definitely saved the best for last here!  If anyone remembers my favorite skincare items post  I have a great love for Bioderma.  Well ladies, I have found a possible dupe!! I found this at Target for around $10 for 200mL vs. about $22 for 250mL of Bioderma.  I find it works just the same so far leaving my skin feeling nice and clean with no fragrance and causes no sensitivity.  Also important for me (and a reason I love Bioderma) is that it doesn't dry out my skin.  I like using this to remove my makeup before I go in with a cleanser to really deep clean my skin.  I have tried to go back to makeup wipes (when I didn't feel like spending the money on Bioderma) and just find them so irritating to my skin and don't work well for me.  I was so happy when I found this! I'm sure I will re-purchase Bioderma again since it was my first love but for now I am really loving this stuff!! 

Hope you you enjoyed my reviews on some new products I have been loving this past month!  Happy March!