Sick leave.

Currently drinking: water
Currently eating: cough drop
Currently feeling: dreadful

Oh the fun. My husband got a cold last week and while trying not to catch it, I caught it. Honestly, I can catch just about everything but a ball thrown to me. Story of my life! This is just to say that I might possibly be absent from posting the rest of this week. I just feel the need to sleep this out, stay medicated, and not go outside for awhile. It's already starting to get chilly here and it didn't help that I got caught in the rain and heavy (and very cold) winds yesterday.

So if any of you are sick right now, I hope you feel better soon! ♥

Wake Me Up When September Ends

Currently drinking: water
Currently thinking: about what to wear tonight
Currently feeling: sick
Time for monthly favorites! Here are the products that I found myself reaching for the most this month. :) I love monthly favorites posts and videos so if you did your own, post the link in the comments section! Or feel free to leave some of your obsessions in the comments!

1. MAC Porcelain Pink MSF- Such a gorgeous pink! It looks really pretty layered on top of NARS Orgasm blush. It just kind of adds a ethereal glow and makes you look awake. I often wear it as a highlighter. Review is here.
2. MAC Capricious Lipstick- MAC describes the color as a rosy plum. I find it a little too dark for me when applied like a normal lipstick. So instead, I dab it on my lips in little dots and then blend it with my lip brush. That mutes the color a little and gives the look of a berry stain. I then either apply a clear gloss or a pale pink gloss. It's a very versatile lipstick and the color is perfect for fall!
3. NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils- I have six of them. They are so great! Wear them as a base. Wear them alone. Wear them as an eyeliner. There are multiple uses! They are so pigmented and creamy. Review is here.
4. Evian Spray- I've talked about this before, but I don't think I've really reviewed it. I think I might do that later on! My cheeks are very dry and I like to spritz this on for a little moisture and to set my makeup.
5. Urban Decay Sin Eyeshadow- If you are a fan of the nude eye look, this is such a great color to choose! It's such a beautiful champagne color. Review is here.
6. Urban Decay Sin Primer Potion- This is the perfect primer and base for the Sin eyeshadow, because the color is based off of it! This makes the color last even longer and just look gorgeous all day. Seriously guys, it's the perfect don't-wanna-look-like-you're-wearing-makeup-but-you-so-are eye combo! :) Review is here.

And just for fun, here are a few other favorites that don't really fit into the beauty ones:
Frank's Red Hot Sauce- I've been having this on everything lately! Love it!
Girl Wars- I play this on my iPod all of the time. If you have it, add my friend code- 272 520 318!
Statement necklaces- Big flowers, keys, whatever. I love necklaces that make a statement.
NFL Football- The boys are back in town and I can't get enough of it all.
Fall TV- My shows are back and I couldn't be happier about it!

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows

Currently watching: CSI: Miami
Currently editing: pictures from last night's Leafs hockey game
Currently feeling: excited about tom. night to see the SYTYCD tour!

I have three Benefit Creaseless Shadows, which is basically their version of a MAC Paint Pot. I really like both Benefit's and MAC's and can't say that I have a favorite. Both are exactly even in ways of long-lasting color, smooth bases, and ease of application. Some say Benefit is easier to blend because it's creamier.

The first one was given to me as a gift last year. It got lost in my makeup collection for awhile, I must admit. However, I recently rediscovered it and have used it many times. It's called Busy Signal. I know I talked about it in a recent post when I was talking about MAC's Style Snob eyeshadow. It's a great base and crease color for a brown smoky eye!

My newest ones are Samba-dy Loves Me (a close dupe for this is MAC's Rubenesque Paint Pot) and Bunny Hop. They are a bit similar in color, but they reflect light differently and look completely different when adding two layers of color. Samba-dy Loves Me is LE and Bunny Hop has been discontinued. I believe you can still find both on Benefit's website, though.

Swatches (in same order as picture above):



Do you have a Benefit Creaseless Shadow that you love? I really want to get a few other colors at some point!

Yikes!

Currently watching: Numb3rs
Currently reading: Vogue
Currently feeling: tired

Honestly, it takes a lot to make one of the most gorgeous women in the world look completely unrecognizable. Citizen K succeeded in doing so with Eva Longoria-Parker. And they aren't the only ones doing this style of cover!

Kim Kardashian is just past the point of recognition during her photoshoot with YRB Magazine. To be honest, I don't like it at all on either of them. It takes a special personality and look to pull off such a bold look. None do it better than Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (who has had this look for years!). She rocks her distinctive look and matches it with her one-of-a-kind style. It's her trademark and it works. Score: Karen O - 1, Fashion Magazines - 0. It's only rock-n-roll, but I like it. :)

Say what?! Oh Rihanna...

Currently listening: Hero by Mariah Carey
Currently excited: TV premieres tonight!
Currently feeling: like dancing around the room

Ok...where to start? Well, I like to start on a nice note. I will say that she is rocking one of the hottest trends right now- a purple berry-toned lip. There is the high note, but the low note is that hair. What is she thinking? I give her props for always being willing to push the limits and experiment. I just think this looks like an experiment gone bad. If she would have it toned down, it would look somewhat ok. This shade is just too unnatural. :/

Porcelain Pink and Painterly

Currently drinking: water
Currently excited: about the Maple Leafs doing well in hockey!
Currently feeling: worried

Here are swatches and my reviews on the Porcelain Pink MSF and Painterly Paint Pot from MAC!

The Porcelain Pink MSF is LE and was part of the Color Craft collection. However, it was a repromoted item so I have a feeling it will be released in another collection down the road. Also, your MAC store may still have a few of these in stock. Don't be afraid to ask! I'm sure you will be able to find some at your local CCO, as well.

It's a gorgeous pink color. The glitter is really more on the top layer. Once you get past that, it's even more lovely. I opted for one with a little less of the glittery gold veining.

When worn on its own, it gives your skin a nice glow. When worn over a blush, it makes the color transform and gives it a little extra pizazz. It makes for a nice highlighter shade. Since I've bought it, I've been reaching for it quite often. That's not my middle finger by the way. Haha!


Painterly Paint Pot is a great base for your eyeshadows. It's a skin tone color and makes the colors pop. I usually still put a bit of primer on first with my paint pots, but most people use them both as a primer and base. I guess I just like double insurance. A little goes a long way!



I just wanted to show you the difference in the Painterly and Rubenesque paint pots. This is just to show you that some paint pots have different finishes. The Painterly is more of a matte shade where as the Rubenesque catches light and shimmers. Painterly does not change your shadow except by making it more vibrant in color. It also masks discoloring on your eyelids. Rubenesque adds a little extra glimmer and can change the shadow slightly while also looking good being worn alone. Both are gorgeous! The staying power of these are quite nice. My makeup has lasted as long as 8+ hours with them on.

Hope these reviews and swatches helped!

Old Navy & Gap Hauls

Currently smelling: Guarana lip butter from Body Shop- yum!
Currently listening: Take A Bow by Glee Cast
Currently feeling: geeky
For fall months, I'm all about basics for the most part. I love getting things that can be easily layered on top of each other or that looks great under cozy cardigans. I find it not to be so much about the prints (since they are often covered by sweaters and jackets to fight the chill), but to be about the accessories. It's that time of year to go chunky, colorful, textured, and to make a statement. I love it! Fall is my absolute favorite season!

Had a 15% off discount coupon, so yay!

Tie-drop waist shirt in Oceanside- I don't have that many things in this color and sometimes I just feel like I need a burst of color. Even better when it's a color I don't wear that often!

Floral gauze shirt- I'm not ready to give up my florals just yet and this is a nice merge. The browns and purples in this shirt are perfect for autumn and make it less summery.

White v-neck shirt- A necessity in anyone's closet! Can layered under or on top! I can't believe I did not have one yet, but I took inventory of my closet and realized that I didn't. I had another white basic shirt and I haven't a clue where it got to. Better yet, I got this on clearance for around $5. Score!

I also purchased a light brown pin-tucked type sweater that I'm waiting to bust out when it gets cooler. Old Navy doesn't have a picture of it online, but I believe they are calling the color "wise owl". They have a few other items in that color and I absolutely recommend it as a fall neutral. It's a nice muted brown that would look wicked with a pair of brown boots. :)

Oddly enough, I don't shop at Gap that often. I find a lot of their stuff to be overpriced. I much prefer Old Navy, but I do often find a few things I like. It helped that I had a 25% off coupon. :)

Ribbed tank- I got two of them because they happened to be on sale for $7. I got a purple and a blue color. I couldn't find the exact colors online. I got these for layering. I'm wearing the blue one right now and it is so comfortable!

Purple plaid scarf- I love purple! I love plaid! Put them together and you have a happy Wendy! This scarf is nice and long so that you can tie it in different ways. I love scarves. I rarely go without one these days!

Sephora Haul + Reviews

Currently watching: Rachael Ray Show
Currently reading: Vogue magazine
Currently feeling: hot
I actually went into Sephora and only got two things, though it is the same day I went to MAC so I didn't want to overdo it! I do show a bit of restraint sometimes. It's hard, but I do try. Haha!

Complexion brush- So many people talk about the Clarisonic brush, but honestly I just don't want to spend that much on something that I would probably end up stop using after awhile. This retails for only US$5. The bristles are so soft and I've used it with both my Neutrogena cleanser as well as my Soap & Glory Flake Away exfoliator. I have sensitive skin and I was worried that this would really agitate it, but no problems so far! The trick is to use it in circular motions and with a light hand. You can definitely tell a difference even after the first time. Let it dry before recapping it and dry it with bristles facing down.

Sin eyeshadow- I am usually a fan of a smoky eye and nude lip, but lately I've been changing it up. Now I am really loving a very basic eye and a pop of color on the lips. Sin shadow looks so great on top of Urban Decay's Primer Potion in Sin! It is not loaded with glitter like many other UD shadows, so you don't get as much fallout. Yay! It makes for a nice nude-looking eye.

Take it elsewhere.

I will say all of this once and only once. I will not tolerate drama on my website, nor will I tolerate rude comments. We can disagree on things and I will respect your opinion, but you will not come on here just to attack me. If for some reason you have a problem with me, please feel free to stop visiting this site or following me.

I don't hide that I like superficial things in this life, but my life is more than just that. Those that take the time to know me already know that. This blog is my beauty blog. It's my place to talk about the fickle things. It's not a place that I talk about my private life. This is not a place where I will get too personal. I keep those details in a private blog, if they are blogged about at all.

I'm sorry if any of you are upset with me because I have one too many pink lipglosses or if I only talk about beauty stuff. I don't deserve to be told that I'm a gold digger (basically), because I actually use a lot of my own money that I have saved. I don't completely rely on my husband, not that any of you really need to know that. If I did only rely on him, I don't really see how any of that is anyone's business. I get these products and items for myself. I choose to share my reviews of them. That's all that should really matter.

I am not going to go to moderating my comments right now, though if insults are continued, I will. I'll still allow anonymous users to comment only because I have friends that are not on blogger that visit my blog. As always, if leaving a comment anonymously, I'd love for you to leave your name with your comment. I like to have names of those that I am talking to. Even if leaving a negative comment, stand behind your words and leave your name.

I follow the golden rule of "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all". I expect my readers to follow that, as well. This is a place for positive energy and fun! Thanks for all of the nice comments, the follows, and for reading my blog. I love you guys! ♥

MAC is an addiction.

Currently wondering: what to wear out tonight
Currently singing: Sweet Dreams by Beyonce
Currently feeling: tired from an allergic reaction (bah!)
My MAC collection is growing. It's nowhere near huge, but I've gotten some great basics. It can be expensive, so I try to stick to the stuff that I know that I will actually use. There is nothing more that I dislike than having makeup in my collection that collects dust. :) Here is what I got this past weekend!

I have an eyeshadow quad, but I had a few other shadows that I wanted to depot. So I got this to house them and keep them all in the same place for now. I have a mixture of Annabelle, Urban Decay, and MAC in it. So they do fit other shadows, if you so choose to depot any of your own.

Since I got my new palette, I couldn't just leave without getting a new color or two for it. Well, I could have...but where is the fun in that?! ;) I don't really find that All That Glitters swatch from the site to be true-to-color. When I do my swatches and reviews, I'll try to show the real color a little better. It's lovely in person!

I've heard that this is quite comparable to Make Up For Ever's HD Microfinish Powder (which I almost got), but this has been getting good reviews on Makeup Alley. I swatched both on my skin and the textures feel the same and both seem to be of the same quality. I can't compare much beyond that since I only have the MAC one. MAC offers .28 OZ for US$21. MUFE (at Sephora) offers .35 OZ for US$30.

Fall Nail Polish Colors

Currently watching: Rachael Ray Show
Currently playing: Girl Wars on my iPod
Currently feeling: bummed

I love these colors from Sephora by OPI's collection! I think these are the four that I really have my eyes on for this autumn. Hopefully I can get at least one! I don't really tend to do brighter colors on my nails during the fall months. I like these all for different reasons.

Because I Said So- What a great bordeaux color! It makes me think of cranberries, which in turn makes me think of Thanksgiving.

Caffeine Fix- A nice dark purple! I love purple on nails. It allows you to be dark but with a little bit of added flair.

Metro Chic- A muted gray-purple color. Along with purple, gray is a mainstay color for fall. So this gives you the best of both worlds.

Set The Mood- If doing a pink nail, I think this is the shade to do it. It's in that purplish pink shade family so it calms it down. Pink is hot right now and this shade looks just right.

Is there a nail polish you are loving right now? :)

Drugstore Haul

Currently listening: You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift (TEAM TAYLOR!)
Currently playing: FarmVille on Facebook
Currently feeling: happy
I know I don't talk about it too often, but I don't just buy my products from MAC, Sephora, and other high-end places. I've used drugstore products since I first started wearing makeup in middle school. I didn't live near any MAC or Sephora, so I used what I could get. I still have favorites from back then that I actually still prefer to use from time-to-time. So here's my latest drugstore finds! FYI- Two of these are Canadian brands, but I'm sure you can find something similar at your local CVS, Walgreens, etc. :)

Most of my skincare products consist of Soap & Glory (my HG line!) now, but I'm still always open to try new things. At 25, it's time for me to start using age-defying products. I've heard many good things about Neutrogena's Age Reverse line. Neutrogena products rarely let me down. I just got it yesterday, so I have not tried it yet, but I'll be sure to do a review of it once I have. I'm thinking of trying it as my nightly cleanser.



The only Annabelle thing I had was my bronzer compact that I love, so I wanted to try more of the brand. They were having a sale on a lot of their items this weekend. Yay! So I picked up a lovely neutral creme shadow quad. I don't use cream shadows that often anymore and I don't really know why. I swore by my Revlon one back in high school. I also got two individual shadow pans in a nice gold and one white color.

Those pans are the same size as MAC shadows and will fit into a palette. You just need to put a magnet on the back of them. I actually spent all of Monday night depotting some eyeshadows for my palette. I should have taken pictures so I could blog a tutorial on how to do it. I will next time if anyone is interested, for sure!

Almost all of my brushes are actually Quo brushes. They are great quality and I think they are a really good alternative for when you don't have the $25+ to spend on a MAC brush. I have almost the whole collection of these. I just got these four recently. The definer shadow brush is amazing to apply pigments!

So sorry.

Sorry there wasn't an usual daily post from me today! My MIL has had eye surgery and I was watching over my husband's elderly grandmother while he took his mom to the doctor. After that, we enjoyed his day off!

I went shopping yesterday and today, so I will absolutely do a few haul posts on that. :) We also saw All About Steve, which I hope to review on here. So funny! Anyway, I'll get back to regularly scheduled programming tomorrow. Same blog channel. Same blog time. :P

Now, I'm off to watch Big Brother (go Kevin or Jordan!)! Hope you had a fabulous Tuesday. ♥

Random is my middle name!

Currently watching: AGT
Currently drinking: iced coffee
Currently feeling: worn out from a full day
Ok...some of you have been asking me to get more personal about myself sometimes. Or maybe it's the same person who has been asking. I don't know, but I suppose I'm pleasing at least one person! This is about as personal as I'll get. Here is a random survey going around and I thought I would share my answers. Feel free to play along or tell me what a loser I am! :)

1. What is your favorite item of clothing?
My favorite is an old shirt that I have had since I was around eight years old. I still wear it! My grandmother was a dispatcher for the police department and had to take classes every so often to learn more about the codes. She got me a navy South Carolina Criminal Justice t-shirt and it was so big that it came down to my knees. I'd sleep in it all the time. I grew into it and now it fits me better than any other shirt and I remember her every single time I put it on.

2. What are your biggest current obsessions?
My mainstay obsession is Kelly Clarkson. I'm also in love with my Nikon that I got for my birthday. I often have an obsessions/favorites post each month, so I guess there will be more on that list!

3. Who inspires you?
For me, it's more like what inspires me. I get the most inspiration just by looking around me or the sounds that I hear. Inspiration comes in so many forms!

4. Who is your favorite designer and why?
Marc Jacobs. He is not afraid to push boundaries and has a bit of a punk edge to him. He also takes prices into consideration for many items and created Marc by Marc Jacobs so that everyone can afford a designer piece.

5. What is your favorite song ever?
Oh goodness, I have so many favorite songs. For me, the ones that stand out the most are Breakaway and Because of You by Kelly Clarkson. Every lyric in Breakaway relates to me and the sentiment behind Because of You is one that I also can relate to. If I can relate to a song in any sense, I do often consider it a favorite.

6. What is your favorite song right now?
I'm really feeling Battlefield by Jordin Sparks. It really showcases her voice and has a catchy chorus while still hitting you with a powerful message.

7. If you were a cookie, what would you be?
Well, that's a strange question. Perhaps a Nutter Butter! I love peanut butter and I'm rather nutty! :)

8. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet- what words would describe your rainbow?
Moleskine planner (red), soda (orange), roses (yellow), iPod shuffle (green), nail polish (navy blue), flip-flops (indigo), and eyeshadow (violet). I suppose those are the things I use the most with those colors. :)

9. What's your favorite film?
Dirty Dancing, Grease, The Devil Wears Prada, Finding Nemo, and My Fair Lady. Am I cheating by picking more than one? Yes, but I love them all for entirely different reasons. :) And I can't simply just pick one! If going based on cinematography alone, What Dreams May Come wins hands-down. That is one of the most fabulously made movies ever.

10. Who's your favorite actor?
Actor: Mel Gibson, George Clooney
Actress: Audrey Hepburn, Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman

11. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
London. Great shopping, great fashion, great music, great sights...the list goes on. Normally I would say Paris, but I've been falling in love with London for the past year. Plus, it's easy enough to get to Paris from there...so I could always get to the other in the same trip! There I go finding a loophole again! :D

12. What are your three favorite smells?
Rain, vanilla frosting, and apples are among my favorites.

13. What are your three favorite tastes?
Cheesecake, apples, and vanilla are ranked high.

14. What is your most treasured possession?
I know I should probably say my wedding and engagement ring, but my answers might surprise you. I say answers because while it's under the same classification, it's from two different people. My aunt and grandmother both left me their jewelry collections. I don't have that much to really remember them by (besides stuff they gave me) and I feel them with me every time I wear an item. Those two women raised me and I like to remember everything they did for me. If I could choose another thing, it would be my stuffed polar bear that Larry gave me back in 2004. I love polar bears and this little guy has slept with me almost every night since I got him. Yep, I'm 25 and I still sleep with a stuffed animal. I'm not ashamed! My polar bear's name is Nanook which is the Inuit word for "polar bear", so I basically have a polar bear named Polar Bear. Yep, I'm original...HAHA.

15. What did you always want to be when you grew up?
A teacher. I think I would still want to be if I were back home. I don't really want that here. It's not a knock against the school system here. It's just that many of my credits would not transfer and I just don't feel like starting over with all of that. Instead, I'm hoping to do something in the fashion industry or with photography (even better if it's a mix of the two!).

16. If you were an ice cream flavor, which would you be?
And I thought the cookie question was strange! I'd be that chocolate-vanilla mix. I'm a no-fooling kind of girl, kind of like the flavor vanilla. I don't hide behind anything. And I'd throw in a little chocolate just because I like to mix things up a bit and give the unexpected!

17. If someone made a movie of your life, who would play you?
I think I'd want Rachael Ray, Ellen DeGeneres, or Natalie Portman. Rachael is bubbly and talkative. Ellen is the funny girl. And Natalie is the smart and down-to-earth girl. Goodness, I don't know. No one looks like me, so I'm having to go on personality traits! And I think I just successfully made myself sound conceited in this answer. D'oh!

18. What would your perfect afternoon consist of?
An unlimited shopping spree with my best friend, playing with my baby brother and cousins, lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, and dinner at The Olive Garden with my hubster. :) And maybe throw a chick flick in there!

19. If you were a flower, what would you be?
A rose. While being delicate, if taken care of properly, they can grow and blossom each year.

20. Tell me a random thing...be it your favorite line from a song, scene from a movie, quote from a book...tell me about something you love.
Right now, my obsession is Glee. The pilot was full of so many of my new favorite quotes, but one of my faves is from Mercedes! Her character is hilarious!

"Look, I'm not down with all this background singing nonsense. I'm Beyoncé, I ain'ts no Kelly Rowland!"

Never Forget.

This is not going to be a post about superficial things. It's not going to be me talking about my new lipgloss that is the perfect shade. It's not going to be me talking about that new purple purse that I just have to purchase. No, this is something else. It's about my love for my country. It's about my love of people. And well, it's about my love of love and happiness.

It's hard to believe that it has been so long since this day in 2001. Was it really eight years ago that I was sitting in silence with my high school class while watching the news reports? Was it really that long ago that the country swore to come together and unite as one? Some stuck to that promise and some seemed to move quickly on. Eight years? My oh my, how time quickly floats by.

While I remember those lives lost and those that dedicate their lives to helping others, I'm going to smile. I'm going to smile at the compassion of others and how when life gets tough, you can find humanity in everyone. We are all human and we all have the ability to love. So today, what will you do to spread love? Hold the door open for a stranger. Smile at that person sitting alone on the city transit. Pay for the person's movie that is in line behind you. Whatever. Just smile and be grateful. You have life. You have love. Pay it forward and smile! Love is the movement. :)

That's all. Never forget. That day. The heroes. The lives. The love. ♥

NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils

Currently planning: my weekend
Currently wanting: cooler weather
Currently feeling: creative
I finally found a place here that sells NYX! So if you're in the Toronto area, hit up Vaughan Mills and go to DCW. Before that, I ordered them online from Nonpareil. Anyway, I love these!

I purchased Black Bean, Yogourt, Pots and Pans, and Lavender. I already owned Milk and Gold. I don't know a soul who has bought Milk and not liked it. I think it's a great one to start with. Many use these as a primer for their shadows, but I still add a primer first. That is because if you add too much color, they will crease in time. With the primer, they absolutely stay put. The swatches below are also only one swipe of the color! They are very pigmented and can last you a long time before having to buy another!

Here are swatches of the ones I own:



^bathroom lighting

^natural lighting

Special Update!

This makes me so happy! One of my readers, Lyss, has informed me of something that I have been waiting for!

Faith21 has launched in Canada! :) It's online and in stores. Now, they only have a few select store locations but they will ship anywhere in the country. It's great to see that it has come here, because we can't order from the US site!

I am so excited about this. I sent them a long email telling them that they needed this line here and I know many others did, as well. Now if we all can just get them to expand the sizes even more! They should have no problem with doing that, since it would double their shoppers. :)

Clothing Haul

Currently listening: Your Song by Elton John
Currently craving: going shopping!
Currently feeling: frustrated

I ordered these two floral tanks from American Eagle. They had a discount code good for free shipping and 15% off. I'd been wanting these for a long time, so I jumped at the chance. I actually liked the other floral ones from this summer, but they didn't seem to have those anymore. These are similar enough, so I'm happy.

I fell in love with this shirt! I think it's my new favorite shirt for the fall. Plaid is really in right now, but that's not even why I like it so much. The fit is awesome and it looks really flattering on. I'm thinking of going back this weekend and getting another one in purple.

I did get two other shirts from Old Navy, but for some reason the site did not have them listed. At the moment, I'm too lazy to take pictures of them. They have an all-over geo-floral print. One in blue and one in a burgundy color. I think they will be good for layering as the weather gets cooler!