JUICING

I have been trying to get back into a healthy routine since the New Year. January seemed to drag on and I did not get much accomplished. But with February almost over, I am feeling a lot better about my motivation and the healthy decisions I have been making. A friend of mine recently suggested I try out Juice Plus+ and I am loving it! I haven't had the opportunity to try all of their products, but I have tried a few and I am super impressed!

Juice Plus+ is whole food based nutrition, including juice powder concentrates from 30 different fruits, vegetables and grains, enhancing a healthy diet. Juice Plus+ helps bridge the nutrient gap between what you should eat and what you do eat every day. Not a multivitamin, treatment or cure for any disease, Juice Plus+ is made from quality ingredients carefully monitored from farm to capsule to provide natural nutrients your body needs to be at its best.

Vitamins
So far, I have been using the Vineyard blend. I find that once I started using these, I was sleeping better at night and walking up more refreshed. When my alarm goes off, I can actually get out of bed. With these vitamins you are getting wholefood nutrition, which can be hard to come by. Also, the chewables are amazing and taste really good! It's like healthy candy.

Shakes
I love shakes in the morning, they are so easy, all I have to do is throw it in the blender and I am out the door! Honestly, these shakes are a great meal replacement for any time of day. What I like best about these shakes is that I actually stay full between meals- I don't need to snack. I love the variety of chocolate and vanilla, you can mix these with anything you want!

Find Out More: http://corner.canada.juiceplus.com/content/JuicePlus/en_ca.html

PAYDAY WISH LIST

MicroSmooth Baked Luminizer

I have been in search for a new powdered highlighter for some time. I typically go for the Mac Mineralize Skinfinish baked highlighter in Global Glow. But with the winter weather upon us, I am not as tanned as I typically get in the summer. So I thought I would try a product that is more illuminating, rather than giving off a warm-glow. I have been hearing really great things about this product and I am eager to try it out. 

Chuck Taylor All Star

These shoes are probably at the top of my 'Payday Wish List'. Converse have been around forever and in the past I have never really been drawn to them. But lately I've been seeing a lot of fellow beauty/fashion bloggers working these shoes into their daily wardrobe. And now, I really want a pair! 

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick

If you follow my blog you know how much I love lip products. A friend of mine recently recommended this product and I can see why. I have been reading some really great reviews of this liquid lipstick online. I haven't experimented with Kat Von D products in the past, so I am really excited to try this out. 

Sculpting Contour Chubby Stick

I am a huge advocate for any and all Clinique beauty products. I have truly never used a product of theirs that I did not like. I love the confidence that I feel when I use Clinique products, the quality never seems to fail me. I have been trying my hand at contouring and I heard that the Sculpting Contour Chubby Stick pairs nicely with the Sculpting Highlight Chubby Stick. I have been using the Sculpting Highlight Chubby Stick for ages so I am excited to pair the two together. 

Plus Kate Strappy Bodysuit

Plus Kate Woven Tie Up Shift Dress

A lot of the London-based bloggers that I follow are always raving about Boohoo. Their clothing is cutting-edge, good quality and it is totally affordable. I don't usually tend to online shop, but I recently discovered Boohoo's Plus Size Clothing. Believe it or not, finding trendy clothing anything about a size 12 on-line or in-store... is hard! I adore this strappy bodysuit and fun little black dress. 

(Click any of the above items and shop!) 

WORTH THE HYPE

One drugstore brand that I have been absolutely loving lately is Maybelline. I am not blown away by all of their products, but there are quite a few that I think are definitely worth the hype. I mean, there’s a reason why Maybelline is the number one cosmetic company in the world. It has a long history, it’s available in 129 countries, it’s affordable and it's of good quality. I thought today I would share my ‘Top Three’ Maybelline products that are totally worth the hype. 

THE FALSIES PUSH-UP DRAMA

This is a relatively new product from Maybelline and it is amazing! I think this is my favourite Maybelline product to-date. I have been wearing it non-stop since I first discovered it and I cannot tell you the number of times that people have ask if I was wearing false lashes. I like how the product goes on thick, so you do not have to apply it a bunch of times. It is also long-lasting, which is something I look for in a beauty product. My only complaint about this product is the application brush.  

COLOR TATTOO METAL BY EYE STUDIO 

This product is really great value for your money! I have always strayed away from cream shadows because they usually set in creases and cause my eyeliner to transfer. I had been hearing great things about this product, so I thought I would give it a try. I am so impressed by this shadow, truly. My favourite shade is Barely Branded from the metal collection. The texture of this product is light and the application is really smooth. It is not sticky and most importantly it does not cause my eyeliner to transfer, which is the worst! People with small eyes will catch my drift. 

INSTANT AGE REWIND CONCEALER 

I have been on the hunt for a new concealer for ages. I am the type of person that when I find something I like, I commit. But I can honestly say that I had yet to find a concealer that I wanted to commit to, until I came across this product. I have seen & heard so many great things about this product from other Bloggers & Youtubers. What I love most about this product is that it is lightweight; most concealers I find are too cakey and heavy. It is also really affordable, but doesn’t lack in quality. I am not the biggest fan of the application sponge end, but this product is too good to be deterred by that. Check it out! 

Shop Maybelline

GYM PLAYLIST

I have had my battles with the gym in the past, but I am trying my best to get back into a routine! One thing that I cannot do without at the gym - music. Not only does it help with motivation, but it also helps take my mind off working out all together. It's all about the distractions for me when I get to the gym. So, I thought I would share some of my favourite songs on my Gym Playlist this month.

Sia - Reaper 

Duke Dumont ft. Jax Jones - I Got You

Sigala - Easy Love

Waze & Odyssey - Bump & Grind 2014

Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand 

THE FACE SHOP

I discovered The Face Shop when a friend of mine gifted me some of their Real Nature face masks. I instantly fell for the single-use face masks and their invigorating after effects. The Face Shop is a Korean cosmetic retailer owned by LG Household & Healthcare. I have only recently discovered these shops popping up in Canadian malls within the last couple of years. I am very cautious about what products I use on my face and I tend to lean more towards those that are all-natural. So to say the least, The Face Shop is kind of a skincare safe haven for me. The other great thing about the The Face Shop is it is very affordable without sacrificing quality. Check out my current favourites from The Face Shop below!

HERB DAY 365 CLEANSING FOAM
This product works wonders and can be used on all skin types. This particular product is formulated with acerola extract. Which upon further investigation I discovered is a wild plant grown in tropical and subtropical regions. This cleanser is very mild, light and really gentle on your skin. After every use I am amazed by the instant brightening and radiance of my skin.

BEBE LIP MASK
With winter in full-effect my skin and lips are well, suffering. My lips in particular seem to be effected by the weather the most. I ALWAYS have something on my lips whether it be a balm, gloss or lipstick. Which, doesn't really help my cause. My favourite lip products tend to be lip liners, which you might know from reading previous posts. In terms of hydration, lip liners don't do a damn thing. So I am always looking at different ways to keep my lips moisturized, so I can continue to wear my favourite products without fail. I tried the Bebe Lip Mask because it was really affordable. I had never tried a lip mask before and quite honestly I was not expecting a lot. But, once again I was very surprised by this incredible product. This product is amazing at repairing and protecting your lips leaving them soft and supple.

REAL NATURE FACE MASKS
I was very confused using this product for the first time. I was expecting a cream face mask like most that I have used in the past. But I quickly discovered that these particular face masks are sheet masks. Meaning that they are literally folded-up mask in hydrating serums. Each of these masks serve a different purpose in terms of the results. But, I have yet to use one that I have not loved! The greatest things about these masks is how hydrated my skin feels after using them. The sheet masks are so soft and you can really feel the serum coating and nourishing your skin.

BEST OF MARCELLE

I was recently introduced to the Canadian makeup brand Marcelle through a recommendation by a friend. I was looking for a new foundation and they recommended their Flawless Skin-Fusion Foundation. And, I instantly fell for it. The great thing about Marcelle is that their products are of undisputedly high-quality, hypoallergenic and perfume-free. I decided to try some of their other products and have narrowed them down to my top three, check them out below!

FLAWLESS SKIN-FUSION FOUNDATION - This was the first product that I was introduced to through Marcelle. It really sold me on the brand. This foundation truly gives you a flawless finish, which is something I have been searching ages for. The foundation is light and the application is really easy. A little bit of this product, goes a long way! This is an oil-free foundation that lasts all-day long. 

BLACKEST BLACK DIP PEN - I love a liquid eyeliner and this is by-far the best of the best. This eyeliner goes on very black, which I like because you don't have to layer. As well, I have small eyes and sometimes I run into issues with my eyeliner transferring. This eyeliner drys quickly and stays in place all day. The tip of the Dip Pen is an ultrafine-tipped wand. Which again, makes the application of this eyeliner a lot easier. 

MONOCHROMATIQUE BLUSH (CORAIL) - The texture of this blush is velvety, which makes the application very smooth. It is not overly pigmented, which I prefer in a blush because it is less intense and gives a more natural look. The Monochromatique blush in Corail gives you the perfect flush colour for day and night. 

(Dip Pen Eyeliner (Blackest Black), Monochromatique Blush (Corail), Flawless Skin-Fusion Foundation (Ivory).

Shop Marcelle 

ANNABELLE, ANNABELLE

My newly discovered and current obsession is Annabelle lip liners. I have never been one to spend a lot of money on lip products. So I am constantly on the lookout for affordable, but good quality pieces. I find glosses too sticky, lipsticks too creamy and I've never found a stain that I like. I like the matte look of a lip liner, the stay and the subtle stain.

I have tried both the self-sharpening and the regular lip liners. I much prefer the regular lip liner and I find that the product last a lot longer. These lip liners are waterproof, so they last a couple of hours without reapplying. The Annabelle lip liners are creamy which makes it much easier to apply. The only downside that I see to lip liners is that they are not at all nourishing, so it is important to keep those smackers moisturized before use. I sometimes use lip balm as a base before use, but this can effect the stay of the liner. Finally, the pigmentation of these liners is amazing. You definitely don't have to worry about touch ups with Annabelle lip liners.

My favourite shades: Buff, Natural Rose & Spice

Shop Annabelle

BOOKS, BOOKS & BOOKS

This post is dedicated to those books that I could not put down in the last while. I love to read, but I am also the type of person who goes through reading "phases". I could go two months without reading, but as soon as I pick up one good book... I become obsessed, all I want to do is read and I fly through five books in two weeks before I go another two months without reading at all. As you can probably tell, I am currently going through the "I can't stop" phase of my reading habit. So, I thought I would share with all of you some of my favourite books at the moment. Enjoy! xx

BROOKLYN
This is probably my all-time favourite book. In the beginning, I was not sure if it fit my usual tastes, but I was quickly proven wrong. Started out slow with this book, but then I couldn't put it down. I adore a good love story. I'm such a sucker.

ME BEFORE YOU
I recently saw the trailer for the movie adaption of this book and immediately went out to buy this book. Heartbreaking, truthful and so incredibly engaging, I read this book in a day.

WHAT ALICE FORGOT
This book was an absolute roller coaster and I honestly did not know how it was going to end. The idea of having to discover oneself is terrifying and this book does a great job of conveying that.

COME AWAY WITH ME
Again, heartbreaking. I just can't. Read this book.

WHY NOT ME?
I adore Mindy Kaling, she is my spirit animal. I honestly think I like this book better than the first. But you be the judge, read both of her books! I promise you will not be disappointed. An easy and fun read!

DRUGSTORE HAUL

I recently had the overwhelming urge to go on a complete shopping binge. As a recent graduate, I do not have a ton of extra money to spare. So I knew better then to go to the mall and be tempted by Sephora. But I did need to pick-up some new beauty products. I noticed that Shoppers Drug Mart had a ton of really good deals on last week, so I headed there to see what I could find.  I found quite a bit and so I thought, what a perfect opportunity to a bit of a haul post. A lot of these products I have not tried before, but I wanted to save a few dollars and most of them were on sale. Check them out below and if you have used any, comment!  

LIP THERAPY

With the winter season in full effect, I find my lips in need of some major therapy. For a long time I have been fully committed to my eos lip balm, specifically the vanilla mint. But, over time I have come to realize that although these products prevent chapped lips, they don’t help nourish and moisturize as much as I would like. I still find my lips relatively scaly and dry during the cold winter months.

Enter C.O. Bigelow; I started using their Rose Salve after hearing a lot of great things about it on other beauty blogs. Not the biggest fan of the scent, I switched over a lip trio that I was gifted. I am absolutely hooked on these three C.O. Bigelow products, my lips have never been more nourished and smooth. Check them out below! 

C.O. Bigelow Mentha Ultra Lip Shine

C.O. Bigelow - Cinnamint Supreme 2X Lip Shine

C.O. Bigelow - My Favorite Night Balm

www.bigelowchemists.com