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.
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.
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.
Holiday shopping is a huge task for those who feel like their list is never-ending. I love shopping for gifts but only if I have a game plan and know exactly what to get everyone. This year my gift guide is going to be easy to navigate through and I hope it helps cover everyone on your list! Happy holiday shopping!
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So many beautiful sets and the best part is that you can try all the mini versions of your favourite products. My favourite liquid shimmer eyeshadow in Stila is Kitten Karma and favourite lipstick gloss is Patina. But now with these sets, I was able to find other ones that I really love! Check them out at Shoppers Drug Mart:
CLICKimage or link below to view these gift sets close-up!
I love burts bees products because of all the lovely ingredients that are found in them. There are lots of gift set options for burts bees! You’ll see them all around Shoppers Drug Mart in sets for lip balms and skin care. For your bee lover friends or those who love to be au natural (unisex) check these out:
Price: Starting at $14
3. QUO ARTISAN BRUSH SET
I can see this set flying off the shelves! This brush set is trending with beauty product lovers everywhere! It’s amazing for blending and contouring and the finish you get with applying makeup with these brushes is professional. At shoppers drug mart. I’ll be doing a video of these brushes because they’re so cool! Keep an eye out for it.
These awesome nail polishes are breathable and don’t have any of those harmful ingredients that you can find in more nail polishes. I love the mini nail polish set! Perfect taster for the person you’re not sure what colours they’d like. A personal favourite is the lighter colours. There’s also an advent calendar!
Price: $16.00 – $40.00
5. QUO GIFT SETS
There are so many Quo gift sets to choose from. They have great eyeshadow palettes, lip gloss, and lipstick sets as well. The price is always right with Quo and the quality is perfect. For more details and close-ups of some sets, click the below link.
This gift set comes with an amazing cleanser, face scrub, and lip balm. All for someone with any skin type. Also for the artsy gal, pencil crayons to colour the box with. So cute! You can find all of these sets at Sephora.
FRESH LIP BALM SETS
$30 FOR 3 (VALUE OF $44)
$30 FOR 3 (VALUE OF $44)
7. RODIAL
I love their skincare line. This is not only a great gift set to give as a gift, but if you’ve never tried the brand before, this is a great way to try a routine. Also, cheaper than buying the items separately.
FRAGRANCE
8. FOR HIM OR HER FRAGRANCE GIFT SET
These fragrance sets are perfect if you have no clue what fragrance to get! There are deluxe sample sizes of 7 fragrances in the box for you to try and a certificate to use toward a full-size fragrance, the one you liked out of the 7. That’s a pretty great deal and experience if you ask me. These sets are exclusive to Shoppers Drug Mart.
Price: $99 (To redeem full size)
There’s also a Fragrance Sampler for $85 which includes 10 mini samples and the certificate to redeem full size. See below images:
STOCKING STUFFERS
9. AVENE THERMAL SPRING WATER SPRAY
There are many different sizes of this multi-purpose spray and the smallest size that retails for around $7 is perfect as a stocking stuffer.
Price: Starting at $7
10. QUO HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS
You can buy a beauty blender or lip gloss ready to hang on your Christmas tree!
Price: $5-8
11. QUO COSMETIC CRACKERS
These are great stocking stuffers or perfect to place at your table setting for the ladies. Spoiler alert: each one has a mini gloss inside!
Price: $15
Gift Guide For Everyone
GIFTS FOR HIM
TECH
12. SONY BASS PORTABLE SPEAKER
I gave this to my husband and he loves it! Ever since seeing him use this so much, I knew instantly this should be a must-have in my gift guide. He’s been using it to listen to podcasts off his phone. Especially when he needs the extra volume with the kids playing nearby. I’ve had many portable speakers before and this is definitely the best one. You can find this at Shoppers Drug Mart.
Price: $50
SKINCARE
13. WILL
They have an amazing deodorantand awesome products any guy will love.
14. KIEHLS
I havenèt met anyone who has said they didn’t like Kiehls. Check out these skincare products for men and make him a gift basket!
GIFTS FOR CHILDREN
15. LULUJO BLANKETS
I love their blankets. They’re the light ones and then ones for taking milestone pictures. Check this one out: here
Price: $12 and up
16. FISHER PRICE
My kids love all of their fisher price toys! And now Shoppers Drug Mart has them too! You can find beat bo there. Popular dancing robot.
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These teethers are not only super cute but they really help with your teething baby. I have the little milk bottle.
18. CUDDLE+KIND
One of my favourite gift guide recommendations. A gift not only for the person you’re giving this too but it also feeds hungry children. 1 doll =10 meals.
Note Cosmetics is a global makeup line that can be found in 72 countries and now available at Rexall drug stores. I love the simple packaging with cosmetics. Note cosmetics is sleek and black. A very sophisticated look. The brand is also cruelty-free, paraben free, fragrance-free and vegan. You can find this brand in Toronto.
NOTE Cosmetics at Rexall is here in Canada
Here’s a sneak peek of some of the NOTE cosmetics products they have and why they’re different from other brands you may be using.
This blusher has argan oil in it and is free from parabens! Super soft to the touch and helps to boost moisture levels in the skin. This product has also been infused with botanicals.
NOTE Mattemoist Lipstick – Miss Kiss – $14.50
This matte lipstick isn’t as dry as some of the other brands I wear. This formula actually goes on creamy and it sets matte. The macadamia oil and vitamin E in the lipstick, protect and soothe lips.
NOTE Real Look Mascara – $17.95
I love mascaras that have thick and bushy wands! I always get the best look with those. This mascara curls, thickens and gives you voluminous lashes. It also has vitamin E which means it nourishes your lashes from the root to the tips of your lashes. Fragrance, Paraben, and cruelty-free!
During my early years as a blogger, I wondered what it would be like to sit among other like-minded individuals in the blogging world. So here I am, this year, with lots of breakfast, lunch/brunch and dinners with other bloggers and I gotta say, what an awesome experience! Some bloggers are very different in person from what I actually thought they’d be like according to their posts and online voice. And others, like the below crew, are exactly the same offline as they present themselves online. When they’re exactly the same, I have to admit I get such a feel-good feeling. It’s wonderful to see that realness and authenticity come to life. So here’s what happens during brunch with bloggers:
Last month I met up with some amazing bloggers for brunch, in downtown Toronto. You might recognize them(see above). First, there are the quick intros and then the “omg that’s you!” chit-chat. And then lots of talk about blogging. Everything from how to editing, favourites applications, google analytics and SEO – (I’m drooling!) brands and events. I love talking tech! Plugins and what works for us and what doesn’t. If there is one takeaway you should get from this post, it would be “together we are stronger”. As similar as we may seem for content creation and voices; we all still have our own style, community, and our own niche experiences/opinions.
I love how bloggers bounce ideas off each other and the best part is when the food comes out, it comes out altogether so we can take flat lays, single shots and just pictures galore without anyone getting upset. Because we all get it! It’s a no judge zone and at that moment while taking pictures we are all pulling in the same energy and are alike. That is the very moment everyone really comes together. When we’re in our natural blogging element. Brunch with bloggers is not only about food, but getting to know the beautiful individuals I love to follow online and getting to know them at a much more realistic level.
Leather crop top – ZaraBomber Jacket – Dynamite/Garage Clothing Outlet at Dixie Mall
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Here’s what I wore to the brunch. I have been looking for a pleated winter skirt for so long! Now that I’ve found it, I want to wear it as much as possible! I found this skirt online at Aritizia and it was on sale for $80. Linked it and some others:
It’s that time of the year when to give is beautiful. This weekend I had the pleasure of attending a holiday event at Vaughan Mills shopping center as a Fragrance expert. I took people who attended (open to public) through a fragrance experience that peaked all of their senses! All fragrances I spoke about are available at Shoppers Drug Mart’s beauty boutiques. In case you missed this event, don’t worry! The next one is happening at the Eaton Center, Dec 2nd and 3rd from mall opening to close hours.
To Give Is Beautiful – Shoppers Drug Mart – beautyBOUTIQUE
So here’s what went down: You’re greeted by some beautiful ladies, who go through a summary of the experience you’ll have. Then directed to the fragrance station. Here I asked people what fragrances they were most drawn too. Based on their answer that gave me an idea of which ones I should start off with showing. We discussed different scents, notes in the fragrance and before testing the fragrance some tips on how to best apply it. In a nut shell, beautyBOUTIQUE wants Canadians to step into the holidays with this year’s must-haves in fragrance from beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart.
Based on their fragrance choice there was a mocktail to match!
While enjoying their mocktails; they waited their turn to get a make-up application.
Once done with their make-up, everyone received a gift that had a make-up bag, a Christmas tree beauty blender and a 20x points + $10 gift card to be used at beauty boutiques.
There was also this super fun glitter wall that everyone took pictures in front. The lovely beautyBOUTIQUE ladies were taking polaroids of those who got their make-up done.
Those who made a purchase at the beauty boutique that day could bring it to the calligraphy station. To receive a tree ornament customized, 3 deluxe samples, $10 gift card – all beautiful wrapped in a silver box. Check out Mandy on Instagram who was doing beautiful calligraphy. Here.
So lock it in your calendars, the next event is happening at the Eaton Center, Dec 2nd and 3rd from mall opening to close hours. If you post your images or videos online, be sure to use the hashtag #ToGiveIsBeautiful.
This blog post was sponsored by beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart but the opinions are all my own.
I’m a cat lady at heart. Yes, that is my opening statement to this DIY baby kitty costume post.For our mommy club also known as ‘Mommy Kitty Krew’ we had all the baby girls dressed in cat costumes and the baby boys were lions. It was so cute seeing it all come together. If you’re looking for a last minute Halloween costume idea then you can skip some of these steps and do an all white or all black onesie and the cat ears.
Baby Kitty Halloween Costume [DIY]
Photo credit: Beautycubed – Click image to check out her blog.
What you’ll need
1 pack of pipe cleaners
Pom pom garland or cotton balls as an alternative
Foam sheets – >>click here<<
Felt – Pink
A tutu – any size or make your own like this >> click here <<
Black elastic – Got mine from Wal-Mart >>click here<<
A white full sleeve or half sleeve onesie
Glue gun
Baby Kitty Ears
Fold the white foam in half and cut out the shape of the cat ears. Cut them out so both sides are attached at the ends. Now cut out the pink inside of the ears from pink felt. Measure your babies head with the black elastic to see how much you’ll need. Tie together and put the foam cat ears in place. Now glue both sides of the foam cat ears together. Lastly, place the pink felt (inside of the ear) on top of the white foam ears. Glue gun in place. See images below for more details.
Finally, they should look like this…
Baby Kitty Tail
For the tail my girlfriend got this garland with poofy balls on it. We pulled out the black ones and kept the white ones. Then used the white pipe cleaners to wrap around the string part. It’s not that full kitty tail look but I call it the chic fu fu kitty tail. You know, those cats that get buzz cuts. 😉
Baby Kitty TuTu
This one is easy. We took an adult size tutu and cut it into three. The tutu was to cover most of the front of the costume and the back was attached to about a couple of inches of black elastic. The opening was perfect to put the tail through. And because we used pipe cleaners for the tail it was super easy to intertwine the tail around the black elastic in the back.
A big thank you to my girls who helped to put together these outfits! Check out their blogs here: Frequent Flyer Foodie and Beautycubed. All images above were taken by Beautycubed.
It’s October! I get it. Halloween hasn’t even gone by yet and here I am talking about “owning the holidays”. BUT… it’s never too early to start planning where you’re going to shop, what you’ll get and then you won’t have to be stuck the day before finding the lamest gift ever. I was invited to get a preview of what Shoppers Drug Mart will offer this holiday season at a beautifully holiday decorated home and I’m impressed with the line up! So here’s how you’ll own the holidays:
How To Own The Holidays with Shoppers Drug Mart
STEP 1
Make a list and check it twice. As I walked around the beautiful home at the event I could see that there was something for everyone. You don’t want to forget anyone so make a list and make sure you have everyone covered. The amount of stocking stuffer ideas is just insane! And I mean nice stocking stuffers. No cheese ball ideas. Miniature Benefit Cosmetics in gift sets that you can break up to use as stuffers, chocolates (the gourmet kind) and if you really want to get fancy you can even place them inside Christmas crackers.
STEP 2
Write down their interests. What they like, what they need etc. I find making short notes like that helps a lot to figure out whether they’ll like the gift you’ve picked out for them. Also, you won’t end up getting something they don’t like. Let’s just say it’s a good reminder. I usually use a few words to describe their favourites. So it looks something like this: Jenny – Chocolate and make-up – Shoppers Drug Mart What does the store have to do with being in the list? Brings me to the next step.
STEP 3
In your list, beside each person, put down where you’ll get their gift from. This ensures you get all the gifts you needed while you’re at the store. I always make this mistake when doing mass gift shopping and then I have to go back to the same store twice in one day.
What you can find at Shoppers Drug Mart for your holiday shopping needs:
BEAUTY
There are so many beauty brands to choose from at Shoppers Drug Mart and even more if you’re at a Shoppers that has a Beauty Boutique.
Photo Credit: Evan Bergstra
TOYS
Photo Credit: Evan Bergstra
TECH/GADGETS
Photo Credit: Evan Bergstra
AND SO MUCH MORE…
Photo Credit: Evan Bergstra
Photo Credit: Evan Bergstra
In case you missed my Instagram stories or tweets from this day, here are some of them:
This summer I had lots of fun catering to my sweet tooth in Toronto. So many new ice-cream shops popped up in the last few years. With so many to choose from, I’ve narrowed them down to this summers favourites. Here are my 5 Toronto Ice-Cream shops you won’t regret trying. Call me crazy, but I’ll be going back to these places this Fall/Winter:
1. BANG BANG Ice-Cream
Location: 93A Ossington Ave
I remember the first time I came here with our dear friends, it was a cold Saturday afternoon some time in the Winter/Fall. There was a line up out the store, down the street. That should say a lot on its own of how good this place is.
It’s not big inside, very minimal space to sit or stand. It didn’t matter, we ate ours just outside the shop.
cookies to choose from
We went with the ice-cream sandwiches. You choose the cookie and ice-cream combo and
I was on a mission to try their cookie monster ice-cream! One of the things I remembered about the cookie monster ice-cream was that it wasn’t overly sweet and the cone was my absolute favourite part!
Inside the shop you’ll find about 5 – 10 seats and a huge chalkboard menu/graffiti. Feel free to write your name on the wall or whatever.
The wackiest ice-cream shop I ever saw. With Aladdin on his magic carpet, vintage decor and overall known to be a children’s fantasy land. You pick your ice-cream flavour, pick a cone and then pick your toppings.
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There was a long line-up for this place and very little space inside the shop, but there’s a bench right outside if you have someone to wait for. I love that this place has so many creative flavours that actually taste good! Plus, when’s the last time you saw a lit candle on an ice-cream cone?
1. FACE
6. GOODBYE FLYAWAY HAIRS AND DRY ENDS
No More Café at the Colette Grand Café? [TORONTO]
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