Where I'm At Right Now

Hi, Hello how are you? No really, how are you doing right now? I seriously want to know because I feel like we often go through life without stopping to take a few minutes to really know whats going on in each others lives. Even though we only know each other through the internet, I really care about my readers and think about you more than you'd think. So lets talk!

First of all, I just want to say a huge thank you. To you, yes you. I started this blog a few months ago because I love beauty products and makeup, and fashion and the internet. And everyone else seemed to love this online beauty community so I thought hey, what the hell, let's give it a shot. Well a few months down the road and I can't believe we have come so far. I know I only have 170 something followers, which to many is nothing, but to me it is everything. I honestly remember getting excited at 2 and then 3 and then hitting a number like 20 or 30 seemed crazy. And I've had the opportunity to talk to some great people, and (not to jump too far ahead) work with some great companies (spoilers!). I honestly am so critical of myself and my blog. I'm always thinking, I'm not posting enough beauty posts, or fashion posts, or tutorials or reviews etc... and that you guys will all get bored and leave me. And then I get a message, email, tweet, whatever from someone about my blog and it brings me back.  So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Second of all, I feel like I owe it to you guys to be completely honest about my life. That's just the kind of person I am. I don't like to hide or pretend. The past few days/ weeks have been rough. So much is changing in my personal life and that's really hard. Some good changes, some tough changes. My best friend (who just started a blog which you should totally check out and follow here) just moved back into town and is only a few minutes away from my house. This makes me so happy because we haven't seen each other as much as we'd like and she is literally my soul. Another friend of mine is moving an hour or so away, and that's weird. Like really weird. Plus school starts and I'm really scared that I'm going to be a bad teacher (no not like Cameron Diaz, because I would totally love that). I'm scared that I won't have any good ideas this year and I'll look like a complete fool. And I'm scared because I graduate next spring and I don't know what I want to do after that. Do I want to teach, take a year off, go to college for something else? I have no idea. And on top of that, as you may know, my little guinea pig Penny is still sick. She wasn't getting any better so we brought her back to the vet and he said just to keep her on medicine. Normally guineas don't do well with pneumonia but Penny's already survived it once and we pray she will again. She seems to be doing a teeny winy bit better so please, prayers and good thoughts are still appreciated.

Thirdly, school is starting super soon (this Tuesday to be exact) and my schedule is legitimate insanity. We're talking 12 hour days filled with co-op, interning, projects, professional development programmes. Just craziness. So I don't really know where Mirror Mirror falls into all of that. I am by no means giving up on this blog nor am I going to stop posting. But I will have to commit to a schedule in order to ensure there is consistent content that is manageable with my school schedule as obviously that must come first. So stay tuned, once I get into the swing of things regular posts will be coming!

And lastly, let's finish off with some good news shall we? I am officially the owner of a new Volkswagen Jetta! She is so beautiful and fun to drive! This is my first car so being able to go where I want, when I want is great! And even though this is a bit of a tough time for me, I know I am blessed and so fortunate to have so many amazing and loving people in my life. We must persevere even when things are tough because "there are far better things ahead, than any we leave behind" (C.S Lewis).


xoxo
-A

The Liebster Award 2.0

So I know I've already done this tag, but 3 people have tagged me since then so I figured I'd give it another go! First off I'd like to thank Erin Charlotte for nominating me, she's so sweet and has the cutest blog, go follow her!

If you don't know what the Liebster Award is, the point is to discover new/small blogs and the rules are as follows:

- Answer the 11 questions given to you

- Think of 11 new questions

- Nominate 11 bloggers with under 200 followers to answer the questions.

- You cannot nominate the person who nominated you.

- You must let the people know that you've nominated them and link them to your post.

1) What's your favourite thing about blogging?

The community, I honestly love finding new blogs and checking out favourites. I feel like we all have so much to learn from each other and there is so much positivity here, it's amazing. Also I'm a bit vain so I have to say having a platform to just kinda write what I want and have people want to read about it literally gives me the biggest smile! I love you guys!

2) What's the biggest fashion disaster you've ever made?

Well there was that period where my Mom dressed me as a member from a polygamous group, that awkward time in puberty where I didn't want to wear a bra, and I'm sure many other times. But not that long ago I put together an outfit that I thought was terrible at first but the more I played with it the more I started to love it! To me fashion is about the individual, of course we all love to stay in the loop and see what the latest "trends" are but I think it's important to stay true to who you are and what you enjoy wearing. I love that saying that's like if you feel confident people will be drawn to you no matter what you're wearing! So true!

3) Which subject was your favourite at school?

This is tough, I love both English and History. I took every English class my high school had they were hands down the most fun I've ever had in a class. I know that sounds crazy but it was the same group that took the classes and our teachers were amazing! And I've just always loved History because the idea of knowing where we came from is so intriguing. 

4) If you had to live off one beauty brand for the rest of your life, which would it be?

This is such a hard question. I don't have a bulk amount of products from one company vs the other. I think I could make it work regardless though. I'd probably pick something like NARS because they have amazing shadows, blushes, brushes, foundation, and not to mention my favourite primer.

5) Best book you've ever read?

Well if you haven't checked out my review of All's Fair in Love & Wardrobe you should, that was definitely a great book to read! But my all time favourite would probably be a tie between The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling.

6) If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be?

Well this is going to have to be a tie again (obviously I have decision making issues) between the worlds most gorgeous, talented WWE wrestler Sheamus (aka Stephen Farrelly) and my favourite writer, comedian, actress, Mindy Kaling!

7) Where do you see yourself in five years time?

Done school, in a place of my own, maybe married, maybe not! But still staying true to myself hopefully!

8) Which clothing store is your favourite?

I love Forever21, and Target because they often have great clothes for cheap prices! 

9) Do you have a favourite perfume?

I love perfume, and changing it up pretty often. Right now I'm loving Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolph but I also love Katy Perry & Taylor Swift's first perfumes!

10) Name one place on Earth that you want to visit the most.

Versailles. Hands down #1 on my list!

11) Which song(s) are you loving right now?

Shake it Off by Taylor Swift obviously, I love her so so much! Also loving Break Free by Ariana Grande and Zedd, it's just really catchy!

So now for the people I want to nominate, I really wanted to nominate some people who have great blogs and deserve some recognition! I know thats not 11 but everyone else I wanted to nominate has already done the tag!

its-a-wildlife

Glam O'Clock

Darling Dee Dee

Lashes, Lace & Lipstick

Gloria Singla

Life is a Milkshake

And here are my 11 questions!

1. What was your favourite television show growing up?

2. Where's your favourite place to go when you're feeling stressed out?

3. With Autumn just around the corner, tell me, what's your favourite, go-to Autumn/Fall look?

4. Are you a morning or night person?

5. If you could eat any food for the rest of your life and not gain a pound, what would it be?

6. What's your favourite app at the moment?

7. Do you have a style influence?

8. What's your favourite movie?

9. Bold or nude lips?

10. If you had to pick one song to be the theme song of your life what would it be?

11. Who would you want to play you in the movie biography of your life?

xoxo

-A

All's Fair in Love & Wardrobe by Stephanie Simons | A Book Review

So I’m sitting here writing this amazing review (well I don’t know if the review is amazing, but the book sure is) on a completely fabulous book in one of the least fabulous places... the Laundromat. I was contacted by the amazing Stephanie Simons and asked if I wouldn’t mind reading and possibly reviewing her new book All’s Fair in Love & Wardrobe. Stephanie's work has been featured in Cosmo, InStyle, US Weekly, & ELLE. She's basically Carrie Bradshaw 2.0, and Manolo Blahnik himself seems to agree with that statement as well! Stephanie was also on The Bachelor, and countless pageants so needless to say I was thrilled over the moon when I got this amazing opportunity! Ever since I could read and write I've been writing stories. When I was young random people who met me would tell me that one day I'd be a writer. My passion for reading and writing has never left me and I just want my readers to know how much I appreciate them for allowing me to have a small platform to share my own thoughts and opinions. 

I know this isn’t typically the kind of material I post, but I believe that it is definitely relevant to my readers. Most of us are girls women in our twenties (or that’s how I picture us, of course there are older and younger bloggers whom I ADORE). And with this glorious age of finding ourselves, our passions, and our significant others, a book like All’s Fair in Love & Wardrobe is just what we need to lighten things up a bit.

I would like to preface any further information with the fact that this book is not only eloquently written, but also beautifully illustrated. The obviously talented Malia Carter makes reading a book seem like you’re entering into an enchanting world of pastels and designer dressing rooms. So if sitting down and reading a 336 page book doesn’t seem like your cup of tea please don’t judge a book by it’s cover (ha-ha look at me being so punny, that is a pun isn’t it? Maybe just irony?! Who even let this girl write a blog in the first place?!).

Reading All’s Fair in Love & Wardrobe was comparable to having a conversation with a fashion editor. Written in the form of rules, this book covers everything from how to date, who to date, and how amazing women are in general. I know exactly how disheartening it can be for us single girls today. You go out on so many bad dates, or you just plain old can’t find someone who gives you goose bumps. But please, don’t give up! Somewhere out there is a guy just as amazing as this year’s fashion week.

Rule 53 is actually something that I feel like a ton of women my age struggle with. Of course deep down you are really happy for your friends and you want nothing but the best for them. The fact that they have finally found that amazing guy who opens doors, cooks, and actually cares about their feelings gives you hope. But at the same time it is also disheartening, questions start to flash through your mind like; is she better than me? Is she a nicer person? What is she doing that I’m not? And trust me these can go on for days. But you have to have faith in your own path. And know that sometime (soon I’m sure) you will find a guy who is perfect for you and in the meantime try to be genuinely happy for your friends and peers because one day they may be in the same shoes you’re in and I’m sure you’ll want them to be a little jealous happy.

One of my favourite things about this book is that I feel like it was personally written for me. And as amazing as I am I know that it wasn’t and that a lot of us are just going through the same crap. Now you may not pen a million dollar album or book out of your breakup (although I have total faith that you could), try to take solace in the fact that hundreds of thousands (maybe even millions) of your sisters are going through the same stuff that you are and this community will always be here to support you and help you get through those rough breakups, lonely nights, and dateless Fridays.

If you enjoy flawless pictures, witty banter and topics that will have you feeling like you’re chatting with your blatantly honest best friend, then I suggest you go get yourself a copy of All’s Fair in Love & Wardrobe available here at Barnes & Noble and here on Amazon! You can follow the amazing Stephanie Simons here on twitter!

xoxo

-A

**Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, all opinions are 110% my own. The ebook was sent to me for consideration for review.

Baking with an Update!

So this is going to be one of those all over posts. A bit of an update, and a bit of baking. So first for the update! I finally got my phone back so I can start to take pictures for my blog again, but I've been really busy. As I'm sure you all know school is starting back up soon and I've just been doing a lot of administrative stuff the past few days as teacher's college requires things such as background checks, orientation etc... Also my little guinea pig Penny is sick :( She had pneumonia during the winter and the vet didn't know if she would even live, but she's a fighter and pulled through! But now her breathing is a bit laboured so she has to go back to the vet to make sure she's ok and possibly get her back on some medication. Prayers and good thoughts are appreciated!

Now onto the baking! If any of you are as obsessed as I am with YouTube then you probably know who Tanya Burr is! Well this week she posted a cookie recipe and I decided to give it a try!! I know this isn't technically original content but I wanted to show you my interpretation of the recipe and give you a written copy of the ingredients and directions as it was somewhat tedious to have to keep pausing and loading the video!

You will need:
200g butter
300g caster sugar* 
1 egg** 
325g self raising flour
dash of milk***
200g white chocolate
200g milk chocolate

*Caster sugar is just a really fine sugar often used in the UK but here in the Americas you can use regular sugar and just grind it up it it's not fine enough.
**Whenever using eggs to bake, make sure they are room temperature as it helps to make the texture of whatever your baking finer (but if you forget it's not a really big deal).
***After pulling your batter together if you find it's a bit dry and crumbly then just a dash of milk and that should bring it all together.

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 200degrees Celsius or 390degrees Fahrenheit

2. Mix sugar and butter together with handheld electric blender.

3. Add egg and blend together.

4. Mix in flour a bit at a time. If you put the entire amount in all at once flour will fly and you won't be able to properly mix it together. 

5. Once your batter is all ready its time to add the chocolate! I used Cadbury dairy milk bars as the large chunks of chocolate are way better than chips. But I've never seen white chocolate in bars available in Canada unless it's Christmas or a speciality store so I had to settle for white chocolate chips. Make sure when you mix in the chocolate you bring the batter from the bottom up that way there is tons of chocolate in every cookie!

6. Ball up a handful of dough and place them on a cookie sheet and pop them in the oven. Make sure you set your timer for 10 minutes, 12 maximum. Even if they don't look 100% cooked they will continue cooking after as you need to wait 20 minutes before eating them. 


These cookies are so delicious and so easy to make, definitely one of my favourite recipes! Click here to watch Tanya Burr's video of the cookies!

xoxo
-A

Back to School Wish List | Pt. 2

I know in part 1 of my Back to School Wish List series I said part 2 would be more "school oriented" but then... I got caught up in clothing. I know I'm not the first, and I know I won't be the last. We ladies love our fashion! So if you haven't read lately, I am off to teachers college come September (well I'm not really going anywhere but that just sounds better). I'm going to need some cute and professional clothing so I'm gearing up for a huge shopping spree (honestly is there anything better than having a legitimate reason to spend tons of money on new clothes!?). Obviously I will need way more pieces, and I won't be wearing jeans to teach, but I've been wanting to get a cute boyfriend pair of boyfriend jeans for awhile now. Also, how adorable are those shoes?! I am in love with both of them and think they are perfect for fall (as long as it's not a super cold fall). And obviously the GPS doesn't really fit but... I'm directionally challenged and I will be driving to conferences in other cities and will need something to help me find my way around!!!

1. Woman's Plus Size Moto Jacket
2. Printed Skirt
3. Textured Skirt
4. Twill Midi Skirt
5. Garmin Nüvi 2597LMT GPS
6. Yoke Blouse
7. Destructed Boyfriend Skinny Jean
8. Lina Buckle Ankle Boot
9. Lumiere Two Piece Flats

I know the majority of things are from Target but I chose to primarily select from their website because I know the prices are reasonable and most clothes are available to both Canadians and Americans! This post was not sponsored by Target or any other brand.

xoxo

-A

*Some links may be affiliate links

Back to School Wish List | Pt. 1

So I was on my blog with my cousin the other day and she pointed out that I haven't done a wish list post in quite awhile, and the majority of things on my wish lists were super expensive never-gonna-happen things. So with school just around the corner ew I thought I could do  Back to School Wishlist! Now of course these items aren't necessarily necessary (see what I did there) for school, but if I'm to put up with long classes and essays I want some items that will bring some joy into my life!!! So without further delay I give you part 1 of my BTS wish list!

From Left to Right:

Glam Glow Thirsty Mud

I have extremely dry skin and the second anyone whispers the word Winter or Fall my skin automatically dries up. Plus I am not perfect (whoops, sorry to spoil that allusion) and during school sometimes I tend to neglect my skin so I feel like this mask would really work wonders for me!

Lorac Pro 2

I have been eyeing this baby for quite some time now, but the only store that sells it is around an hour away from me. And every time I go there I get stuck in blizzards and/ or torrential downpours, so honestly it has to be really worth risking my life. Which obviously this palette is worthy of. I know one of my favourite beauty YouTubers Casey Holmes has been raving about this beauty so I'd love to have it and try some different looks for back to school!

Volkswagen Key Protector

So... This is super duper random, but if you follow me on instagram (which you totally should my button is right over there see, to the right to the right) then you probably know by now that I am finally getting a beautiful Jetta for back to school, well, not FOR back to school but I need it to travel to my co-op this year. Anyways, I think this cover for the key is so adorable! It's only like $3 but I've been too lazy to buy it yet.

Anastasia Contour Palette

Okay, honestly I don't even know why I want this. Because I never ever contour my face. Infact the entire bottom row of bronzers/ contours are probably a bajillion times too dark for my skin colour. But, it looks so pretty and everyone whose anyone has one and I just want that damn Banana colour ok!? Jeeze!

Givenchy Antigona Replica

Obviously not a 100% authentic replica, but it's pretty close! And I really need a new back to school bag, but I don't want to spend $100 or more on a real leather replica bag. I think this is a very classy bag that will be great for carrying my Mac to class, as well as for when I am actually in the classroom teaching!!

Zoeva Rose Golden Brushes

This is definitely one of those items on my wish list that I know I will give into. I actually really need a good set of brushes. My Sonia Kashuk ones have been really good and for $30 I am so impressed, but the handles are starting to chip and the quality isn't great/ up to par with the makeup products that I own. I am so surprised by how inexpensive these Zoeva brushes are and shipping to Canada is really cheap! I was going to order some Sigma brushes for my birthday in October but then they jacked up the prices and I thought no way Jose!!! I will not spend that much money on makeup brushes when there are obviously other options!!

In part 2 I will actually include some products that have a bit more to do with the actual school part of going back to school, as well as some cute fall clothes! What are some things you've been eyeing for back to school/ fall?! Let me know in the comments so I can swoon over them and possibly add them to my list ;)

xoxo
-A

**Some links may be affiliate links, this is not a sponsored post.

Get to Know Me: The Beauty Blogger Tag!

So I was recently tagged to do the Leibster award again by these two lovely bloggers The Beauty Feature and Mazzle . But since I've already done the tag I thought I would do another different one! So this is the Get to Know Me: The Beauty Blogger Tag which I believe was initially started by Love, Lacy. You can expect some new content soon, I just can't find my camera charger and my iPhone is currently being fixed (so I am phoneless and feel very out of the loop). Enjoy this little tag and I tag all of my beautiful readers to do it as well! If you do it then please leave your link in the comments below so I can learn more about ya'll!!!!

1. Is your hair naturally curly or straight?

Curly, very curly... See right below

2. Do you dye it yourself or go to a salon?

Ages ago I used to dye my hair a dark brown but then I realized it looked terrible with my pale skin and went back to my natural blonde. Now I definitely always go to the salon to get it coloured. Don't want to mess with bleach or anything at home.

3. Do you wear the same style everyday, or do you change it?

Hair wise? It depends. If it's the summer it's pretty much always up in a bun (see my Harper Beckham top knot post here). But I try to wear it down the first day after I wash it as it normally looks decent. I never ever straighten it anymore because I don't have 2 hours to waste on my hair, especially when it's just going to poof out anyways.

4. Do you do your own mani/pedi or go to a salon?

A mix of both. I like to keep my natural nails looking good by filing and using cuticle oil every week. But I also really enjoy going out and getting them done. 

5. How often do you change your nail polish?

I am constantly changing my nail polish, I'd say at least twice a week when I have time. I have a saying, if I don't have enough time to just sit down and do my nails once a week, I'm too busy and I need to start taking more time for myself.

6. Do you polish your toes in the winter or just the summer?

Honestly, mostly just in the summer, but if I'm wearing peep toes or going on vacation I will do them in the winter!

7. How long does it take for you to put on makeup?

A very very long time. But really, I'm trying to condense it but it usually takes around 30-40 minutes depending on how much I'm wearing. If it's a full face, definitely more towards the longer end, but if it's just a little mascara, eyeliner and foundation probably around 20 minutes. 

8. What do you do first? Face or eyes?

Eyes. Eyes. Eyes. Too much fallout and crap to do face first. I do however wait to do my mascara and eyeliner till my face is done, don't know why. 

9. Do you collect makeup or just buy what you need when you need it?

I think everyone here knows the answer to this question. I have way too much makeup than I actually need. But I try to use everything I already have regularly and I was on a pretty long spending limit before my last few shopping trips. 

10. How often do you wear false eyelashes?

Never really, I'm still learning on which ones work best and how to put them on properly. I know for some people it's as easy as breathing, but finding the right fit and position is harder than trigonometry for me.

11. Do you do a full face of makeup everyday?

No I definitely have my no-makeup days and days where I only put on foundation and mascara. However, usually when I put on makeup I go all the way and do a full face. I'm a go big or go home kinda gal. 

12. Do you wear makeup when you're home alone or with family?

Yeah sometimes! I just feel more productive when I'm wearing makeup which sounds crazy but I'm sure some of you understand. I don't do it all the time, but I will put on makeup even if I don't think I'm going out. I like trying out new looks and products and sometimes they don't turn out the way I like so if it's just family who cares!

13. Will you leave the house without makeup?

Yes! A lot of people think I won't, or don't like to because of how much I love wearing makeup. But sometimes I just don't have time to put on makeup. It's all about loving yourself with or without makeup!

14. How many high-end products do you have?

I think it's probably a pretty even 50/50 split. 

15. Do you plan your OOTD every night or decide when you're getting dressed?

During the school months I definitely mentally plan out what I'm wearing the night before, but when it's summer or just plain vacation I just kinda go with the flow and chose something/ anything thats clean. 

16. How often do you change your handbag?

Probably like once a month. I used to use the same bag until I bought a new one, but I've been trying to reduce, reuse and recycle so I've been going through my old bags fairly often these days... That is when my best friend isn't borrowing like 6 of them at a time. 

17. What time do you wake up and go to sleep?

I usually go to bed around 2-3am during the summer nights because I am a night owl. But during the school months/ when I'm working, some nights I go to bed at 8pm! As for waking up... this is extremely accurate for everyday of the year. 

18. How often or when do you workout?

Hah. Does twice a year count? I really want to join a gym but there really isn't any good ones around that aren't filled with juice heads or a billion dollars a month.

19. Left handed or right handed?

Left.

20. How tall are you?

5'1 1/2 but I say 5'2

21. Do you speak any foreign languages?

Unfortunately I don't. I speak a tiny bit of Italian, and I can understand it pretty well but I haven't been able to actually learn it all yet.

22. How many pets do you have?

I have an adorable Chocolate Lab named Angel, and two beautiful guinea pigs named Penny & Fiona. 

23. How often are you on Blogger?

That depends, I usually try to get a couple of posts up per week. But my phone is currently being fixed and I can't find the charger to my camera so I'm in a bit of a predicament! 

24. Do you read comments posted on blogs?

For sure! On both my own and other peoples! I think that's one of the best ways to find new and awesome blogs! 

25. Do you keep a list of products to try as you see other posts?

Not really a physical list, but if someone blogs about a product that I think I would really like then I'll jot it down in my phone. 

26. How did you come up with your blog name?

I actually don't really remember! I mean obviously it is a nod to Snow White and the whole "Mirror Mirror on the wall whose the fairest of them all?" but I don't know what made me think of that when I was starting up my blog. 

27. What kind of camera do you use for your photographs?

I have a Nikon (don't remember the specs, it's nothing fancy though) or my iPhone.

28. How often do you clean your house?

Honestly, not as often as I should. I've been putting off cleaning my room for days (maybe even weeks). But today I cleaned my entire house from top to bottom and it makes me so happy!

29. What's your favorite color?

Pink, pink pink! 

30. Do you swear?

Yes, but when I'm out in public or family I try to tone it down/ turn it off. 

31. What are you doing with the rest of your day?

Well considering it's already 10pm not much! I tend to do more productive things at night, which is so weird. 

xoxo

-A

Sephora Haul & Review // Part 2

I am so excited to do this review for you guys! Here we have the Naked Basics palette, now I know this palette has been out for awhile but I only recently decided it was necessary to belong in my collection! Well boy let me tell you I am glad I decided to purchase it! I'm sure the texture and colours are really similar to the other Naked palettes but I love how small and compact this one is. The colours are all very wearable and practical. Naked 2 is just amazing I can use it for contouring my nose or my brows (since I have such pale skin and blonde hair). The texture of the shadows is hands down perfection. Exactly how I prefer them, opaque, creamy, and blend like butter on a fresh piece of bread. I know the $33 price tag may be a bit much, but honestly once you've committed yourself to a few high-end makeup brands, you're in. Now a day's I actually actively justify spending that kind of money. If I went out to the movies and or dinner I would easily spend that and have nothing to show for it. So I'd rather have a beautiful palette like this in my collection. And on that note let me tell you, if you're thinking of purchasing a higher end palette but don't want anything crazy just yet, buy. this. palette. Just do it.

And to prove just how much I've been loving this, here are some pictures of myself modelling the colours (I've been wearing my makeup like this everyday this month basically)!

  

Venus on the lid, Naked 2 in the crease, and Faint in the outer V!

xoxo

-A

Sephora Haul & Review | Part 1

I apologize for for the lack of posts the last week or so, but I've been out of my normal routine so to speak. However, there is a silver lining to this small hiatus! I have been trying a ton of new products and I am here and ready to go with a full set of reviews! I had initially planned to do a large Sephora haul/ review post, but after doing some further thinking I feel as though it would be best to break it down to 3 smaller posts!

So here is part 1 of my Sephora haul and review! I want to start off with a product I was extremely excited for. The Limited Edition Tarte Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Palette! The colours look amazing and the packaging is seriously beautiful. The consistency of the shadow's is pretty good, not as "creamy" as I usually like, but still pretty easily blend-able. The only negatives I have to say are the colours are meh, nothing that makes me really excited to try out or that I don't already have in any of my other palettes. I am also disappointed in the opaqueness of the shadows, while they are by no means sheen, the sparkly colours lose their shade and end up looking purely like glitter. But alas, I am really enjoying a few shades and it I'm sure I will find some great uses for this palette. If you would like to see swatches just leave a comment below and I can add them in part 2!

Also, I have been nominated for the Leibster award from two lovely readers/ bloggers however since I have already been nominated once before I think I will do something different and possibly start my own tag or do another tag! So stay tuned for that!!

xoxo
-A

My Daily Skincare Routine

I finally feel confident enough in my daily regime to bring you this post. Do I have perfect skin? Hell no. Are there probably other products that would work better or the same on my skin? I think, yes. But I have finally found a ménage à tois that is treating my skin pretty well. Just as a bit of a disclaimer before dive right in, I have ca-razy skin. It's definitely dry (which is kinda new I think, this was the first winter that I had some really bad flaking issues) but it can definitely get oily in my T-zone. And of course, I also have some acne, not like really bad but on my forehead I have a bunch of teeny tiny little dots and I will occasionally have the odd pimple on my chin. So basically, I have a buffet of all you can eat on my face. Great.

The first part of my regime is also the newest. Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil is apparently for Dry Skin and as far as I know (and the NEW sign on the bottle is also a leading trigger) this is a fairly new product. I heard itsblondie mention this product in one of new videos and said it may be a dupe for Boscia's Make-up Break-up cleansing oil and honestly, I've been dying to try that product for months but can't seem to bring myself to spending that kind of money. So I wandered off to Walmart and very surprising they had it! I've only been testing out the product for about a week now but I love it! If you've never used a cleansing oil you're supposed to pump a few squirts into your hand, and just rub it into your skin (which should be dry not wet). Automatically you will see your makeup literally just start to melt away, it's actually pretty amazing. Then add a bit of water to your hands and it starts to emulsify the oil (which really means it mixes the oil + water together to create a sort of creamy mix). And then voila, you rinse it off and you're set!

I'm pretty sure you can use the cleansing oil as a one step thing, but I like to follow up with this cleansing gel just to be sure I got every last bit of makeup and dirt off my face (ya know incase I was rolling around in a mud pit or something that day). I am really shocked that I haven't mentioned this on my blog yet because it is a really reliable product. The Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel is kind of like the boy you expect to Taylor Swift to date. Is it a drop dead, throw everything else away, write to every magazine kind of product? No. But it does what it says it will, it's kind of cool (it's a dry-to-wet product like the oil but obviously my face is wet when I use it), its reliable, works hard, and doesn't stress you out. I just want to say that I got this for Christmas and used it for about a month, it was good but it was one of my first high end products so I wasn't sure if it was really worth it. Then I started to experience super dry skin. I was sure it was because of the cold weather, but also a bit worried it was because of the gel. I'd been hearing glory story after glory story about all of the First Aid Beauty products, so I went to Sephora talked to a wonderful guy about all the products and he sent me away with a First Aid cleanser and Serum all probably worth $50. Well, I've never been so brokenhearted as I was after using those products. My face broke out, I felt like I had a weird filmy sheen to my skin, and the dryness was still in full force. So I went back to this, and can happily say it is still my cleanser of choice. It makes your skin feel super clean, definitely not oily, but not super dry either!

My last product is my moisturizer. I feel like such a let down here. I talk all the time about how dry my skin is, so you'd expect me to have found some holy grail, spill your milk, moisturizer. But the truth is, I haven't and I'm always searching. I've tried numerous products and serums in hopes of quenching my skins thirst, but I've to totally satisfy it. The Aveeno Positively Radiant moisturizer is good. It has SPF 15 (which is essential at all times of the year especially for a pale gal like myself) and you know what, I feel safe enough to say that yes, I do feel like my face is more "toned" and bright when I use this. So if dryness is not your issue I would 110% recommend this product as it really does make your skin radiant. However, I often find my skin begging for more, so please, if you have dry skin, or know of a moisturizer that is worth its weight in gold please tweet me, comment below, instagram me, email me, call me, text me, show up to my front door. Honestly, do whatever you need to do, just pass the info on!!!

xoxo

-A

-ps: I'm still looking for opinions for my giveaway as I am very indecisive and only one person voted, so PLEASE take one millisecond (I mean you've already wasted how long on this post, whats a second more) and vote ladies (and maybe gentlemen????)!!! 

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*Disclaimer: you can click on the links to purchase/ see the prices on all items mentioned, links may be affiliate links but this post was not sponsored all items were purchased by myself or given as gifts from friends/family