April Favorites

Almost May! Almost time to see if these snow and rain showers that April brought will finally bring those May flowers. I'm most excited about the cherry blossoms! The blossoming period kept getting pushed back, but it is supposed to happen early May. I'm hoping I can get out and go see them this year. It's definitely more chilly than last year at this time!

Here are my favorites from this month. A few new faves and a few old ones! I would love to hear what you are loving lately. Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

• Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette - This palette is capable of so many different looks!
• NYC Expert Last Lipstick in Traffic Jam - Such a fun red for the warm weather...when it gets here.
• Essie Good to Go Top Coat - My fave top coat. Dries fast, lasts ages, and shines.
• Looky Brow Fibers - Review coming soon, but they are so easy to use!
• Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black perfume - My favorite perfume for nights out. Very sensual.

New York Color Expert Last Lipstick in Traffic Jam

So you know how I was talking about my spring playlist in my last post? Well dang, I sure should have waited until Lemonade came out. I've had that album on repeat. It is pure fire. Have you listened to it yet? I think this is my favorite solo album by Beyoncé! Beyoncé, The Weeknd, and Adele have put out some of the best material these past few months. I already want more from each of them! Sooooo good.

Now to what this post is actually about. I got this New York Color Expert Last lipstick in Traffic Jam from Kerri. And here are my thoughts and swatches!

First off, Traffic Jam is a gorgeous true red and goes on opaque with one swipe over the lips. NYC promises up to six hours of color and they delivered on that promise. The formula does not have a bad taste or smell and is soft, so the bullet is easy to nick. But honestly, I cannot come up with a true con for this lipstick.

At $1.99 US, this is one that you can get multiple shades of and not have buyer's remorse. For the quality that you are getting, that price is a steal!

Spring Playlist - Current Favorites

I thought I would share the songs that are getting me through spring...on endless repeats. I am the type of person who falls hard for a song and plays it a gazillion times until I am tired of it. And in some cases, I just never get tired of it. Speaking of songs I never get tired of, When Doves Cry is on that list.

I was really shocked by Prince's death yesterday. I was never a big fan, but When Doves Cry was number one on the charts when I was born and I have always felt connected to it. Maybe that sounds weird, but songs resonate with you for different reasons and I always had a bond with this one- like he wrote it just for my ears to hear. So I'll be listening to that song a few times today and jamming my little heart out. Thank you, Prince.

I listen to a little bit of anything and everything, so feel free to share some songs you are loving right now. They can be old or new and any genre. If Spotify or YouTube has it, I'll be sure to give it a listen. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Stila Lip Glaze in Wildberry

Stila is not a brand that I own a lot of. I have a few lip glazes and an eyeshadow duo, but I think that is it. I remember in high school wanting their All Over Shimmer in that original packaging that had the stars on the cap. I did not even know what the product really did at the time, I just knew I wanted it after seeing it in Seventeen and Teen magazines. I never did get it and they've since changed the packaging. Bummer.

I got this lip glaze in Wildberry and another in Strawberry Cream (swatch coming soon) from Kerri. I have a few Stila lip glazes in my collection and I definitely think there are pros and cons, which I will be sharing. While Wildberry is not currently offered, here are the ones that Sephora has in stock right now. With that said, you might have luck finding this shade and others at your local Winners, TJ (or TK, if in the UK) Maxx, etc.

I like the click pen applicator to an extent. It always feels like you have to click until your fingers ache for that first bit of product to finally come through only for it to come gushing out. The brush makes for an easy application.

In the swatches above, the middle is Wildberry with nothing on my lips. The right shows it plain and layered over my Rimmel London Kate #17 lipstick. You can layer this just like a normal gloss. Some of the shades available have better color payoff. This one is rather sheer, so if you want color with this one, you may want to go the layering route. It definitely adds shine.

For my personal preference, I don't really like when products feel heavy on the lips and these can feel heavy and sticky. I also feel like with the amount of product you need and with reapplications, these won't last long for the price. With that said, that is when getting them on sale or at a discount pays off. Often times, Stila is a part of those Black Friday and Boxing Day deals that Sephora has every year.

These can add a nice variation to your collection for layering purposes or if you like sheer washes of color. I don't write these off, because I do like them a bit more in the winter. I think they are a little too thick for my liking in the warmer months.

Have you tried any of the Stila Lip Glazes?

Old Navy Summer Shorts Haul

What happens when the temperatures finally get close to 50F in Toronto? Well, apparently I place an order for shorts. Thinking ahead too quickly? Perhaps. But seeing as I got these for nearly 70% off, I'll chalk this advanced thinking as a win. I love colder temperatures and I actually dread the summer heat, but I am hoping that these cute shorts will make it a little more tolerable for me. Besides, heat here is very rarely anything like heat back home in the south.

Last summer, I was pretty much confined to the indoors aside from appointments at the hospital. If you're new here, I suffered a tibial plateau fracture last June and couldn't put weight on my entire left leg for three months. It felt like the longest summer of my life. I am so grateful for how far I have come and can't wait to get out and about this summer!

I can get my size in their regular line or the plus line, but I preferred these from the plus collection because the inseam is longer. The regular line versions of each of these pairs have a 3 1/2" inseam versus the 5" inseam on the plus versions. Being a tall girl, I like that extra coverage.

I picked out three different designs of the same shorts, because I could not say no to these fun prints! I grabbed the light blue, reef, and navy blue prints in the mid-rise printed shorts. There are a few different prints in the regular line and in stores. I also bought the mid-rise linen shorts in the navy blue pattern. These are all still on sale for great prices! Can't wait to wear each of them as the warmer weather arrives!

Have you started buying anything for your summer wardrobe?

Wet n Wild Sugar Plum Fairy MegaLast Lipstick

I don't think I have tried a Wet n Wild lipstick since high school. I have other products from the brand, but I honestly cannot recall a lipstick in the past few years. I am not sure why, because I usually like what I try from them. I always get feelings of nostalgia whenever I pick up a Wet n Wild product. They were the "it" brand while I was growing up and my cousin and I always fought over who got to use what when we were getting ready!

I got this product from Kerri and I am really excited to share swatches and my thoughts on it. Here's the Wet n Wild MegaLast lipstick in Sugar Plum Fairy!

This lipstick is not scented, but it smells a little of chemicals. Nothing too major and I have had lip products that smell far worse. I am not a big fan of the shape, as I find it a little more difficult to apply. It is definitely one that I have to clean up around the edges after application. What I do like about it is how opaque it is in one swipe. And the lasting power is great. They say four hours, but I get about six or eight. My hand stayed stained for a while after swatching it!

For a lipstick that retails for $1.99 US, it is a steal for the quality. Sugar Plum Fairy is a fun berry shade that I think works for any season.

Have you tried any of the Wet n Wild MegaLast lipsticks?

InstaMonth for March 2016

Do April snowfalls bring May flowers? Just wondering, because I'm pretty sure we've had more snow than rain this month. It doesn't last long because the temperatures have been up and down, which is wreaking havoc on my sinuses. And it keeps pushing back the blooming time of our cherry blossoms. I just want to get out and take pictures of pretty flowers!

Now for the obligatory knee update, as I always do in these posts. I'm still with a cane, but my physiotherapist says that my walking stride is becoming a lot more natural now. It's not easy with a limp. I am still working on bending and straightening, but it continues to be a slow process. You can often find me crying while trying to get through a full circle on my mini stationary bicycle or sitting on the couch with a 15lb. bag of rice on my knee trying to push it down straight. Do I know how to have a good time or what?! Ha!

But I do have less pain when walking and I can bend it a little better when sitting on the couch or a chair. It's still not bending properly so doing high steps is impossible right now, as is going downstairs without going one step at a time. I still need to push off of something to get up. I hit nine months last month and I just have to keep trucking.

Here's what I have been up to this month on my Instagram. Let's follow each other!

1. And the sky is a hazy shade of winter.
2. The Danish Girl is a worthy read, but I was hoping for more.
3. I am all over taupe right now.
4. Are we following each other on Pinterest? Here's a few of my recent pins.

5. A few essentials that I packed for my anniversary trip. See what makeup I packed here.
6. Current favorite lip products.
7. Forever a planning type of person.
8. Dempster's released french toast bagels as a limited edition offering. HEAVEN.

  9. My St. Patrick's Day outfit! Jeans, not pictured, but I assure you that I did wear them. ;)
10. Gamechangers.
11. Classics are always easy.
12. A package from Kerri. Looooove everything. <3

13. My anniversary gift was my anniversary band (top ring). Read my gushy love letter here and about our trip here.
14. Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm in Vivacious.
15. This cleanser is amazing!
16. The cutest coworker I could ask for.

I'll be back next week with some exciting makeup swatches and more. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Blog of the Month: April 2016

In March, Maria from Best Day Blogger was my featured blogger. You can read that post and see other past featured blogs under the "blog of the month" label! Being my blog of the month gets you a designated blog post, a sidebar button, and a mention on my Twitter account. The sidebar button stays up all month long. I don't believe in necessarily making bloggers pay for advertising and I'd much rather show you blogs that I really enjoy reading. And I hope you end up enjoying them too!

This month's featured blogger is Robyn from Lipstick on the Lake. Robyn focuses mainly on beauty, but she  posts other topics as well. I'm pretty sure I started following her Instagram before her blog, but I'm happy to be following both. Robyn's makeup and nails posts are always great to read and never leaves me uninspired. I hope you will check out her blog and feel free to let her know that I sent you!

March Favorites

It's April, but it is hard to remember that when Toronto just got hit with a lot of snow last night and with more in the forecast this week. I love snow, but I must admit that I am looking forward to looking out at the forest and seeing some leaves on the trees. Right now it looks pretty with the snow, but when it melts? The back area looks so barren. I'm ready to see green and hear the birds chirp and the squirrels chatter back and forth.

Here are my favorites from March!

• AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact - So simple to use for a flawless finish.
• Josie Maran Argan Black Oil Mascara - I only have this sample, but I like it. It can clump easily, but wiping the wand off a bit does help.
• Demeter Laundromat Fragrance - I wear this for physio. It smells like laundry detergent and works perfectly for working out.
• Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer - I rediscovered this and remembered why I love it so much. So good at covering dark spots and shadows on the face.
• Sephora Solid Brush Cleaner - This has replaced my baby shampoo. Dare I say holy grail? I think I might. It's that good. Review is coming!

What have you been loving recently? I always love hearing about favorites. Link me to your favorites post, if you have one up. Happy Monday!

My Anniversary Trip - Gravenhurst, ON

I'll be honest with you. This post is mostly about the hotel we stayed in and my cute little pup. Why? Because a huge ice storm hit while we were there and it got pretty bad. So we had the excuse to stay in and enjoy the hotel. Netflix, fireplace, pool, hot tub...I'm not sure I would have left that even if outside had not turned into a giant skating rink!

Look at my little photobomber in that first picture! He has a way of sneaking in pictures! We stayed at the Residence Inn by Marriott in Gravenhurst, ON, right on Lake Muskoka. The staff surprised us with some sparkling wine, Hershey kisses, and a little note. Little touches like that always impress me. They also welcomed Indy with open arms, as they are pet-friendly (even cats!).

We had a two bedroom suite, because my MIL came along to watch Indy whenever we went down to the pool area. The hotel allows you to leave your pets for a short time, but Indy still has a bit of separation anxiety and it is far worse in new places. Each bedroom had its own bathroom, which is always a plus. The common areas had a full kitchen, dining table, and living room with a fireplace and patio.

We arrived on Wednesday and the hotel was offering free macaroni and brownies in the breakfast area downstairs. Two of my favorite things being offered for free? Well, I was all over that. The food they offered was great. Above is my breakfast on our last day. They have waffles, eggs, sausage patties, potato cakes, muffins, bagels, yogurt, and probably more that I am forgetting. My husband went down and got me a plate each morning and I think he brought the whole buffet to me over the course of the two mornings! Thank goodness I had the pool to swim it off!

They accommodated us with a room on the first floor to help with walking Indy for potty breaks. The patio had two Muskoka chairs that we didn't get to enjoy,  but they were so pretty in the snow. The lake was still solid ice in most areas and it was really neat to see the steamships at dock. I wanted to explore more of downtown Gravenhurst, but the storm had other ideas. Next time!

I got an anniversary band for my gift and it looks beautiful with my wedding set. It's still hard to believe that it has been ten years! While in the hotel room, Indy claimed one of the couch cushions as his own. He's so picture perfect. And on the way home, we stopped in at Canyon Creek Steakhouse and grabbed takeout to enjoy a date night in on Friday, our actual anniversary. All in all, it was a lovely week followed by Easter dinner with the family. When Tuesday came around, it was hard to get back to the usual routine.

It was a fun trip and it was absolutely fantastic to finally get away. It had been since last March and after breaking my knee, months have been dragging on. I needed this vacation more than I ever have needed one before and I think that is what made it so difficult to bounce back after the holiday. I do feel rejuvenated, though. I still focused on my knee while in the pool and hot tub, but the rest of the time was just relaxing and doing nothing. And it rocked.