Have you tried PIXI beauty products before? I’m going, to be honest, and say this year was the first time I ever tried PIXI. I have a huge haul to share with you! There was an extra PIXI launch that I couldn’t share with you at the time I recorded the video, so instead, I shared some pictures of the products and my favourite one. But first the PIXI Beauty haul:
****NEW PIXI BEAUTY****
There are so many amazing products under this PIXI brand. But don’t worry, I’ve narrowed it down to the ones I’ve tested and find true. So true, that you’ll want to buy them right now! And seriously, at their price point why not? You’re spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora and walking out with a few products, then why not spend under $100 and walk out with a handful and maybe more?
5 PIXI Beauty Products You Should Buy Right Now
1. Glow Tonic To-Go
This is my number one because it is the “fairest of them all”! This toner has changed my skin life. I stopped using toners over a decade ago when I realized the ones I was using weren’t doing anything for my skin. Until I tried this one. It has 5% glycolic acid that helps purify and exfoliate your skin. Alcohol-free, which is a big deal for me since I’m not a fan of toners because most have alcohol in them. Ginseng in it improves circulation and energizes your skin. This is great since we cut the circulation on a daily basis with the layers of makeup we can wear. Since I’ve been using this toner I’ve noticed less breakouts, more even skintone (which means I use less makeup for coverage) and overall more radiant looking skin.
Suitable for all skin types. Not tested on animals.
Price: $24.00
2. MatteLast Liquid Lip
There are so many colours to choose from! So far I’ve worn two colours and I love them both. They dry matte, and a tad bit sticky if you press your lips together. But that doesn’t bother me if it’s staying on for almost the entire day! The colours are also really pigmented and turn out to be what you see in the tubes. There’s also rosehip seed oil in it to smoothe and condition your lips. Also, vitamin e. Here’s a swatch of only one swipe of the MatteLast Liquid Lip:
Price: $22.00
3. PIXI + Dulce Candy : Cafe Con Dulce
I am obsessed with this palette! If you were watching my Instagram stories when I first searched it, you’d know how excited I was. It’s actually saved in my ‘Instagram Highlights’ under Beauty. This is a powder to cream everything! Use it as a highlighter, on the lids and even a dab on your lips for a glowy look. Even better, you get 9 shades to choose from!
4. Lower Lash Mascara
Finally, there’s a wand that can coat my lower lashes without me getting mascara under my eyes! This is the tiniest brush for those hard to reach lashes. It also has vitamin e to nourish and protect your lashes.
TIP: Try applying the mascara with the diagonal method: Pulling the brush through at an angle and spending extra time at the corners vs going down the lashes. Diagonal gives a more wide-eyed look.
Price: $14.00
5. Endless Silky Eye Pen
I wore this eyeliner for an entire day and no raccoon eyes! Yay! Waterproof. Semi-easy to remove at the end of the day. You may need an oil-based makeup remover. Paraben-Free. Mineral Oil-Free. Preservative-Free and Hypoallergenic.
We just came back to Toronto from our first flight with two kids. Baby D had flown twice before but at 3 months old. which made this officially his first time, where he will hopefully remember everything. Before the trip, I did a couple of things that really helped traveling with my two babies. Here are my 5 Tips to Travel with a Toddler and a Baby, Including what Netflixshows you should download for offline viewing:
1. LOTS OF SNACKS
So on our plane ride to Vancouver, I packed some juice boxes, goldfish, cookies, and some dry fruit. But what the heck was I thinking! That’s a lot of sugar to give to a toddler on a plane where the options to burn that sugar off is very low. I ran out of options to keep his tantrums from escalating and learned very fast what I shouldn’t have done. That being said, on our plane ride back to Toronto I was prepared! I cut up cucumbers, carrots, and apple slices right before the flight and stored them in a tin snacking bowl that has a cover. To keep them fresh you can even sprinkle very little orange juice or lemon juice. I also got another pack of goldfish, veggie snack chips and bananas (has the natural muscle-relaxants magnesium and potassium, that helps children sleep better).
[Tweet “#DidYouKnow 1 in 5 #Canadians have suffered through a flight with no entertainment due to faulty in-flight systems. @Netflix_CA “]
5 Tips for Airplane Travel with a Toddler and a Baby, Including Netflix Downloads
[Tweet “Nearly half (45%) of those watching on the go have caught a backseat binger snooping on their screen Screen snooping can have real consequences! In fact, 20% of public bingers experience “show shame”, the feeling of embarrassment over what they were caught watching”]
Baby Ds first tablet was actually a tablet that was given to me for my birthday. It was the newest Samsung tablet with all the bells and whistles! But soon as Baby D got his little hands on it, the tablet wasn’t mine anymore. Kind of bittersweet because now he was self-sufficient for a couple of hours a day but I lost one of my favourite gadgets. Long story short, he cracked the screen and then we got him a child-friendly tablet with a cover. We got him the Amazon tablet (click here) that has been proven to be child-friendly and the tablet cover (click here) has saved this tablet from damage, even when thrown from the second floor! P.S We bought the tablet brand new off of kijiji because it’s not available in Canada or wasn’t at the time we purchased it.
I downloaded:
Land Before Time (Dinosaur movie) This movie keeps him glued to the tablet because he loves dinosaurs so much. I also played dinosaurs with him while the movie played in the background with the toys I brought him.
Paw Patrol – At least 5 of newest episodes that he hadn’t seen yet. Yay for the new season on Netflix!
Octonauts – He loves sea animals!
Dora the Explorer – What I love the most about this show are the scenes where Dora interacts with the viewers. Asking questions or to do something.
Magic School Bus Rides Again – He’s been loving this show as much as I did when I was a child.
One thing I did learn through our trip to BC was that it’s so loud on the airplane that you can barely hear anything from the tablet. I tried getting him to use the earphones but he hated it and threw them off. We went to the mall while in BC and picked up headphones in hopes he would use it. When we first showed it to him and how it works he said a hard “NO!”, but then I sneakingly plugged it in so he could hear the sounds coming from the headphones. Then after a couple more minutes, I put them on him and he let them stay. But to ask me a question he took them off and then wouldn’t put them on again. We did this at least 10 times. Then I gave up and hung them from the armrest as if they were just extended speakers. New plan: A month before our next trip we’re going to practice putting on headphones, and hopefully he’ll understand the concept and accept it.
[Tweet “64% have laughed out loud to themselves while bingeing in public”]
2. SMALL TOYS
Make sure the toys you choose are soft and not too noisy, to ensure you don’t disturb the people around you. Especially toddlers they’re unpredictable and might feel like throwing them in the air. Yes, it happened to us. Smaller toys will also be easier to travel with. Here are some suggestions for toys and where you can buy them:
Light squishy plastic dinosaurs – Found them at Wal-Mart for $2 each
Kinder Surprise Eggs – Any convenience or grocery store
You have to plan ahead for what kind of activities to keep your toddler busy. Especially if you have other children traveling with you, activities are the only thing that will keep them busy and be playing friendly. I brought colouring books and a massive Peppa Pig sticker book that kept him busy for an hour. We put the stickers together and then coloured them. He loves to build stuff so Ièm going to look into getting some soft toy building materials. Maybe from an arts supplies store and put together a ziplock bag of items we can use to build stuff. Another thing to take note is that the flight attendants can get very pushy about when the seat trays have to be put away. A toddler doesnèt understand that and it could easily turn into a really bad tantrum. This happened to us on the plane. For the next trip, I plan to purchase a travel tray or I saw one that skip hop carries used for cars. That might work as well.
4. REWARDS
Have a couple of surprises to reward for good behavior. However, stay away from candy, chocolate or anything with too much sugar. Organic fruit gummies or a new toy will suffice.
5. STRETCH IT OUT
Make sure your seating situation makes it easy for you to walk around or for washroom breaks. Your toddler and baby will be drinking a lot more on the plane to stay hydrated, which means more washroom breaks. After diaper changes in the tiny plane washroom, I sang a song and do a little wiggle dance with him so he can stretch out. You can do the dance near the exit areas where there’s space if you’re feeling brave.
8 Ways to Save Your Skin With Arden Eight Hour® Cream Skincare
I’ve been using Elizabeth Arden’s 8 hour cream for over a decade now. It’s my go-to skincare product for when I have any kinds of cuts, needing accelerated healing, skin irritations, and super dry lips. I’ve been so excited that Elizabeth Arden has extended their 8 hour family over the years!
In a Nutshell:
1. FACE
The Eight hour® cream has been used to protect and soothe the skin since the 1930s. It comes in its original form or fragrance-free. What’s in it? Petrolatum, a skin soothing beta-hydroxy and vitamin E. The fact that it has won multiple awards says a lot for itself too. From my own experience, when I’ve burnt myself (super minor), cut, irritated flaming hot lips- one of my go to’s is the original Eight hour® cream. Results are always seen on the same day. Which to this day still blows my mind!
2. HAND MASK:
You can use the original Eight hour® cream for this, or the Eight hour® hand treatment. This fast absorbing gel cream, is perfect for working hands that can’t deal with those greasy hand creams. This one absorbs into the skin in seconds and keeps even the driest hands moisturized up to 8 hours. Which is why I’d do this hand mask overnight for best results. Apply all over hands, cuticles, and nails for deep conditioning. Then wrap your hands in a warm towel for 10 minutes. Remove towel after 10 minutes and just sleep.
3. FOOT MASK:
To use as a foot mask, you can use the Eight hour® cream intensive body treatment, the original, or even both! Layer the original Eight hour® cream first and then apply the body treatment over it. Apply all over your foot. From the heels to the toes. Put on clean cotton socks and leave on overnight.
Picture this, you want that natural glow, no fancy highlighter, shimmer stuff. Dab some Eight hour® cream on the bow of your lips, bridge of your nose, collarbone or wherever the light naturally hits.
5. EVERYDAY LIP BALM
This everyday lip balm is amazing especially during the winter! From the harsh climate changes, frigid temperatures to the dry office/home heat. Our lips take a serious beating. I love the touch of mint in this lip balm.
6. GOODBYE FLYAWAY HAIRS AND DRY ENDS
Take the Eight hour® cream and apply it those fried ends. It sucks after straightening your hair in between haircuts when you have that little rat tail of hair left that never seems to get conditioned. It just needs to get cut, but what to do? Apply some Eight hour® cream to those ends. Dab on. Also perfect for taming baby hairs and flyaway hairs. We all have those! There’s also an All-over Miracle Oil for face, body, and hair. It dries very quickly and I love the smell!
7. PROTECTION FROM WIND BURN
To protect your skin from windburn during the winter time, or when traveling to a cold destination; you need to pack the Eight hour® cream. Yes. There’s such a thing. Googled define windburn:
wind·burn
ˈwindbərn/
noun
reddening and soreness of the skin caused by prolonged exposure to the wind.
8. DEFINE YOUR BROWS
No more unruly eyebrows. Apply as needed to tame your brows or to add a healthy sheen.
I had no Instagram post for Christmas Day this year and actually no IG stories. Nor was I on Twitter, or pinning stuff on Pinterest. I was enjoying the day with our family and celebrating our wedding anniversary. Among other stuff we do on our anniversary, one of them is to just be silly and spontaneous. Okay, that’s something we do on almost every holiday break. But you get it. We put on some warm clothes and headed out to our backyard patio to have a snowball fight with the fresh snowfall we had just gotten in Mississauga.
Snowball fight in Style with the Warmest Sweater Ever!
Of course, my sister fromMAC Decor was prepared with the camera and got some great shots! She does wedding and events decor if anyone is looking. Check her out on Instagram: MAC Decor – Toronto.
Do you remember an epic snowball fight? I actually cannot remember one before this one. I also don’t have the best memory either.
..Because I’m not a serious person at all. I’m just a goofball nerd looking to live this life…
I love this sweater from ROMWE. The quality is on point! Super soft fabric, the high low shape is body flattering and the grey tone is perfect. This sweater is now 65% off on the site: Check it out.
The pants I’m wearing are from Top Shop and they’re high rise stretchy skinny jeans. The most comfortable pants money could buy! These jeans are actually currently trending and almost out of stock: Check it out.
Before you head over to your local Shoppers Drug Mart, let me tell you about what’s new! Whether you’re looking for new makeup, a skincare routine or some new pantyhose socks – Shoppers Drug Mart has got you covered. Okay, that totally sounds like an AD. This isn’t sponsored, just a die-hard fan of the drug store. I mean, I have to be right? If I worked for them for over a decade. *shoulder shrug* I’ve taken some time to actually try these products so that I can also let you know whether they work or not.
Let’s start with what’s new at SDM within the Pixi line:
PIXI GLOW TONIC – 100 ml $20
This is Pixi’s most popular product that every beauty blogger has tried and raves about! This toner gently accelerates cell renewal, so you have glowing skin. You’ll notice your skin tone is clear, smoother and if you had any uneven skin tone, then no more. It also balances your pH levels. I used this for a week before I noticed a substantial difference in my skin. Be patient and give it a try!
PIXI LIPLIFT MAX IN SHEER ROSE – $20
I love this colour! The perfect sheer pink. I’m also a huge fan of lip plumpers. I’ve tried so many and I have gotta say this is definitely the best in terms of colour and plumping action. Unlike most lip plumpers this one leaves a cool sensation on the lips. The jojoba oil nourishes and deeply hydrates your lips and the plumping effect with regular use creates a longer-term effect of plumper lips.
PIXI MESMERIZING MINERAL PALETTE IN PLUM QUARTZ – $16
Six beautiful colours in this palette that are made with a mineral formula. Matte, satin, and glow shades to choose from.
PIXI ENDLESS SILKY EYE PEN IN BLACK COCOA – $16
Love this waterproof long-wear eye pencil, smudge proof and actually stays on. Super pigmented and glides on easily, almost as if it’s a liquid liner.
JOE FRESH HYDRA LASH NOURISHING MASCARA – $12
This mascara is great if you love the silicone wand. I’m not a huge fan of the “defining” lashes look but on some, it looks amazing. It’s more of a natural look. What I do love about this mascara is that it has argan oil in it.
What’s NEW at Shoppers Drug Mart That You’ll Want To Try!
LIFE BRAND MICELLAR WATER – $9.99
This water is so awesome it even removed the Pixi waterproof eyeliner! It’s not for waterproof makeup but hey, it worked! This gentle formula lifts away dirt, oil, and makeup without drying your skin. All skin types can use it. Dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested. And look how big it is! 400ml for $9.99. Pretty awesome.
SECRET COLLECTION SILKY KNEE HIGHS – $7.99
YES TO TOMATOES DETOXIFYNG CHARCOAL FACIAL WIPES – $3.29
Perfect for traveling, these little black wipes (literally black), deep clean the skin and are perfect for the gym too.
MASQUE BAR BY LOOK BEAUTY BRIGHTENING SHEET MASK – $9.99
This is a sheet masque that helps minimize the appearance of dark spots and any pigmentation irregularities. I have slight pigmentation on my forehead and around my mouth area, and let me tell you how this mask actually did brighten up those areas. It contains orange extract, licorice root and vitamin c.
SOAP & GLORY SEXY MOTHER PUCKER PILLOW PLUMP IN NUDE IN TOWN – $24
The last time I used a sexy mother pucker lip plumper was at least 7 years ago and when I tried this one I must say I was just as pleased as I was 7 years ago. It’s super strong and you definitely feel the tingly feeling of it working.
CAKE BEAUTY THE WAVE MAKER BEACH SPRAY – $19
I love cake beauty products! If you’re contemplating on using these products, try them! I’ve tried the dry shampoo and they’re one of the best and this wavemaker smells great, not sticky and does the trick to get those naturally tousled waves!
Have you been to Colette Grand Café? Recently? It’s a beautiful French Bistro in Toronto. I love finding cute coffee shops in Toronto and whenever I do, the same thought comes to my mind every time: “I wish there were more of these hot spots when I was growing up downtown.” Colette is my go-to cafe when I’m visiting my mom because of its walking distance from her place. Brunch is amazing, dinner is good and the service is always the very best.
Last week I came here for some delicious cake and a latte, while I caught up with my sister. I was told there weren’t serving any desserts at the moment because they closed down their bakery/cafe section and changed it into a private party room. I for one loved that corner of Colette. Here’s an old picture of what it looked like:
ca·fe
kaˈfā,kəˈfā/
noun 1. a small restaurant selling light meals and drinks.
synonyms:
coffee shop, tea room
No More Café at the Colette Grand Café? [TORONTO]
I love this sweater by Tobi!
So no desserts, but they still make one of my favourite lattes. Some places make them too strong (I can’t take too much caffeine) but at Colette, it’s perfect! The interior here is so spot on with the whole French bistro vibe. Perfect for photography. More details of what I wore this day:
These Zara boots are from last year so you may not find them in stores right now. They’re the perfect fit as the heel height is comfortable enough to walk in for hours. I love pointy/round toe boots because they make my feet look smaller. (I’m a size 7-8).
Hat: Big It Up
This hat is really warm! I purchased this right before my husband purposed to me. So around 2009. The quality of this hat is so great that it still feels and looks brand new. Highly recommend getting a Big It Up hat.
I love the flared sleeves on this Tobi sweater dress. You can easily wear the sweater almost off the shoulder depending on what size you get. I’m wearing the small size. This sweater is currently on sale for $34.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by hydraSense®. To make sure hydraSense® products are right for you, always read and follow the label.
How I Use hydraSense Baby Nasal Care
When baby D was born, I was so paranoid about what I’d do when he got sick for the first time. So many what if’s and questions! Two years later and now I have a 7-month-old daughter, Baby Z. As a mother of two, my advice is to follow your instincts, and the paranoia and panic when your child gets sick for the first time, it’s the inevitable. Stuffy and congested noses are common symptoms Baby D & Z get quite frequently.
I use hydraSense products to help me tackle the congestion and stuffiness. There are a few products from their baby line that I keep in my medicine cabinet. The nasal aspirator, Ultra-Gentle Mist, and the Easydose vials. To ensure I used them properly the first time, I found YouTube videos and followed along step-by-step.
There were a few nights when Baby Z was a newborn, she was congested and had trouble breathing – which meant no peaceful sleep for me. She would wake up uncomfortable and crying. Those were tough nights. The Nasal Aspirator Starter Kit was our go-to to clear Baby Z’s stuffy nose.
I’m going to get a little TMI (too much information) now. I found when my babies have sticky mucus/snot, using a combination of the hydraSense aspirator and mist really works. So, when Baby D recently got a cold – I knew what to reach for. He’s a 2-year-old that knows what he wants and what he doesn’t like. These days, he absolutely doesn’t put up with having his nose touched with anything. But that doesn’t mean there is no way.
When my toddler won’t cooperate, I find distractions and rewards have been my most successful strategy. I love telling him stories, especially if the topic is exciting for him. For example, he LOVES animals. When I first used the hydraSense Gentle Mist on him, I let him hold the products and talked about each one. Soon after, he wanted to open them because of the dolphin on the box. I started telling him a story about the dolphins. “The dolphins put magical water in this bottle to help your nose.” “Why mommy?” “So you can breathe better” “brea- betn?”
We went back and forth and then I told him if he helps mommy I’ll give him some chocolate after. He was game. The whole process was over so fast that it was already over before he could resist. Then I gave him his reward and all was good.
As for Baby Z, she would not let go of the aspirator. Even after I used it on her!
We’re traveling with our little ones in March and will definitely be taking the Easydose vials with us. It’s great that they don’t take up much space in a diaper bag!
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by hydraSense®. To make sure hydraSense® products are right for you, always read and follow the label.
I usually post more put together, fancy schmancy outfits and the orchestrated flat lays of food and product but this time I’m going to get real. Realest of the real. What I wear on my casual days. So I get asked this a lot from those who aren’t parents yet.
What I Wear on my Casual Days – Comfort is Everything! [STYLE]
“What’s it like? What’s it like to be a mom?”
That’s a heavy question, because, I mean… where do I start? So according to how my day is going, I give an answer based on the first word that comes to my mind. It could be anywhere from the spectrum of “Help me!” to “it’s a huge blessing.” Nonetheless, it is a crazy schedule that never ends. When I’m not going to events, parties and I’m just staying home or doing the usual running errands in the neighborhood. I have my go-to cozy outfits. Which this may sound slob-ish. But on days where the only thing I’m doing is pick-up and drop-off my son at daycare, then I leave it nearby the door where I can quickly change in and out. Because if you know me, I’ll be in Pajamas or “house clothes” all day.
So what is my definition of a cozy outfit? Well because it’s colder nowadays, it must have full sleeves. And the bottom must be either leggings or sweatpants.
I always carry around a casual light tote bag. The keyword here is light. If I’m carrying the car seat or moving a stroller I don’t want to worry about a heavy purse or bag.
I got this one on our trip to Rome. It’s actually a Roma designer, which means you’ll have to purchase it via online or when you go to Europe next. Sorry about that. Sophie Charlotte.
This top is the epitome of cozy. Long sleeves, simple grey tone, and the quality, perfect. I love the size because it fits a little bigger than my other shirts but I’ve been totally into the whole oversized look these days. Side note, my husband said it reminded him of star trek and he loves it!
I have three pairs of these casual jogger pants because I love them so much. Especially in the summertime. But I still wear them in the winter if I’m not spending long hours outside. They’re made from a super light cotton fabric and to be honest the grey one is the best. I’ve washed it a million times and it still looks good. But the black one, after the first wash, got those round lint bumps all over it. But no big deal. They’re super cheap! From Wal-mart for $10-13 each.
It has a drawstring waist and the bottoms are cinched at the Ankles. Perfect for wearing with high boots in the winter or even sneakers.
As a new mom I tried making baby food myself. You know the old fashion way. Boiling, cooking separately blending and then a pile of pots and cups later and one crying baby (seeking my attention), I had baby food made! With the baby brezza, it’s so easy, it feels like magic. So this time around, with baby number 2 I set out to find a method that would make us both happy. Something fast and easy.
When I was a new mom I was so busy learning about every stage, reading books, doing online research and not to mention the challenges I was having with Baby D’s eczema that I didn’t ever think about buying a food maker. Sometimes the easier way is right under our noses but we are so busy with life that it never crosses our mind. Any mom who doesn’t have a food maker will absolutely LOVE this one.
It’s super easy to clean. Especially if you run it under hot water right after using it. I’ve also defrosted chopped up fruit with the steam option. Not only is it safer but a healthier option vs using the microwave or over boiled water.
The blades are really sharp which is why the food is made so quickly. Be careful while washing the blades separately. I wasn’t paying attention one time and cut myself.
I am loving all the beautiful renovations and new stores at Scarborough Town Centre. They have a new food court called the TASTE MRKT, with lots of great food choices, new stores like Lululemon, Zara, Bonlook and Le Dolci to name a few. Click here for the full list. But this month what I’m really excited about is the HOLIDAY MRKT.
That pineapple necklace though
HOLIDAY MRKT AT SCARBOROUGH TOWN CENTRE
The Holiday market is going on from Dec 1 – Dec 24th and is the perfect indoor festive place to find unique gifts for everyone! There’s a coat check + parcel check, amex gift wrapping station, lots of great vendors and a style angel who will guide you with your purchases at the mall.
There are 30+ local vendors: Blossom moments, Cherrypick, Chocollata, Bonnefetti, Flower Pie and Sonic Bloom are just some of the great vendors you’ll find here.
HOLIDAY MRKT: $500 GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY
While you’re at the mall why not take this opportunity for some photo opportunities. The lighting is especially great near the market. Take my word for it 😉
Win $500 in STC gift cards
Here’s how to enter:
1. Take a photo at the Holiday Market or Planet Santa
2. Post on (Instagram and Twitter) and follow @shopSTC
3. Caption with #MeetTheMagicSTC
Winners will be chosen on January 7th, 2018. Find full contest rules and regulations here.
Stay warm and check out the HOLIDAY MRKT at Scarborough Town Centre.
Here are some highlights of when I went to the media event at STC in the Holiday Market. We made flower crowns, had yummy desserts and got to check out all the cool vendors:
1. FACE
6. GOODBYE FLYAWAY HAIRS AND DRY ENDS
No More Café at the Colette Grand Café? [TORONTO]
