5 Minute Summer Makeup!

Hello beautiful,

Here is a quick tutorial I whipped up for you!
Summer is fast approaching and who wants to wear tonnes of makeup in the heat!?

This is a look you can whip together super easily and quickly so it's less time indoors and more time at the beach!

I used "Naked" and "Virgin" from my favourite Naked palette to create this and I used "Half Baked" to line my lower lash line. The mascara I used for this tutorial is Make Up Forever's Aqua Smokey Lash.

Love & Sunshine

My New Hair!

Heyo!

Just updating you on my hairstyle as of late.
It's called Phoenix hair—if not officially then I have named it that.

I get my hair done at Salonik by my good friend Annika. She's simply amazing.
Check it out and tell me what you think :)

Love Love Love

Valentine's Day Red Lips—The Tutorial!

It's Monday!

Yah, I'm not that happy about it either. However, it means new tutorial day!
So in the spirit of Valentine's Day, here is my Red Lip tutorial! Featuring either a sultry matte finish or a spicy glossy finish! Lining lips are not easy, so don't get discouraged. Everything gets better with practice!

You may also apply a little concealer to the outside edges of your lips, it does help pro-long the wear but I find it shows off any dry lipage I may have.

I will put the products I used below:

Even though I didn't have it for this tutorial, the lip liner I prefer to use is MAC's Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Kiss Me Quick!

The blush is also by MAC and is called Frankly Scarlet.

The gloss was just some cheap clear gloss—your favourite clear or red gloss will do!


Extra:

A great matte lipstick is by MAC called Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo

For my false lashes tutorial click here!

Have a happy week!

Love

How to apply false lashes

Happy Monday Y'all!

After asking what tutorial people would like to see next, I got a few requests for a tutorial explaining how to apply false lashes. They can be a little tricky sometimes but hopefully you find this tutorial helpful. Remember the more you practice—the easier it becomes and the better you become at it!

Products used in this tutorial:
Dior Blackout mascara
Too Faced Soft & Sexy Eyeshadow Collection in Naked Eye
Quo Full Lashes in Natural 803
Urban Decay Naked Skin in shade 1.0

Good luck soldiers, I believe in you!

Love

Naked Palette Tutorial

Happy Monday y'all!

With my new goal being to upload a tutorial every week, here is a look using Urban Decay's Naked Palette. The everyday smokey!

Proceed to scroll down under the image for the instructions that go along with the numbers. Hope you like it!

Step 1: Cover your eyelid from lash line to just past your crease with "Virgin".

Step 2: Using your favourite crease brush sweep "Buck" back and forth in your crease as well as the outer corner. Make sure you blend your work out after each application for a more professional look.

Step 3: Go over your outer corners and your inner most crease with "Darkhorse". Use the area where you put "buck" as a perimeter to stay inside. Definitely blend. Also, feel free to take your time with this step. It's easier to put more on than to take it off.

Step 4: Using your preferred liner (I used liquid in this case), line your eyes and include a small flick at the end—like a small wing. A good tip is to start your flick three lashes in from the end of your lash line. Especially important if your eyelids tend to go down on the outer corners.

Step 5: Line your water line with black eyeliner and then using "Darkhorse" again, sweep it onto your bottom lid to create a smokey effect. The liner and shadow should blend together to become even more smokey.

Step 6: Throw on some mascara and you're donezo! False lashes also work with this look if you want an even more smokey eye.

If you're wondering I used a bright sheer lipstick to polish off my look. Wish I could tell you what shade it is but if you want to wear a lip colour with this look go for a sheer, or soft colour. You don't want your eyes and lips competing! Add some blushy blush too!

Hope you love this look as much as I do! (It's my go-to).

Keep sending me messages that you've tried it , and of course feel free to ask any questions.

Love.

Holiday Makeup

Hey beauty lovers!

This Christmas I got a fancy new camera (Canon Rebel T4I, in case you were wondering), which means I am able to take killer photos of makeup and stuff for the potential of some awesome beauty and design posts.

Here is my newest makeup tutorial. And I say "tutorial" loosely, since there isn't really steps to follow (I'll do that next time), but hopefully you can get a sense of colour and placement from it to help.

I used my Too Faced Sweet Indulgence palette. The colours I used were called:

• "Copper Peony"—as a base colour that I brought up just past my crease.
• "Cherry Cola"— as the darker crease and outer corner colour
• "Marshmallow"—as the light colour I used on my inner corners.
• "Black Sugar"—was used over top of my liner to smoke it out

The mascara I used is by Buxom called Buxom Lash and I really like it—I would totally suggest it! I found my eyelashes started getting dry and itchy which is super annoying, especially when I have contacts. The Buxom mascara doesn't dry out my lashes, probably has something to do with Buxom being a part of Bare Minerals.

I got a sample size of Urban Decay's 24/7 eyeliner and fell in love so much I just bought two more full size pencils today.

And if you're really curious about my foundation it's Urban Decay's Naked Skin foundation in 1.0.


There you have it—the breakdown. If you have any questions feel free to ask!
You can find it on Pinterest here

Hope you beautiful people like this look as much as I do!

xo love,

A Formal Apology

I've already lied to you as this will in no way be formal—it's not how I roll.

Let me catch you up on my happenings in the last few months...

I am currently on bed rest due to major knee surgery I participated in 3 weeks ago. By "participated" I mean I 'volunteered' to go under the knife. However, if I started the story here I would be lying to you once again about catching you up in the last few months. You're welcome.

This past summer I did a few fun things, I went to Florida, hung out with friends—you know, the twenty-something usual summer activities. In other words, all involving alcohol. But perhaps the biggest thing to happen in my life this past summer was something that happened to my sister.

Her boyfriend and her went on a week-long trip to Rome, Italy. His company apparently has GREAT selling incentives. The day they left my sister, Andrea, had one last exam to complete and then she would have to grab her stuff and run to the airport (they had an evening flight). She left for the day and maybe an hour later Matt, her boyfriend, showed up back at the house with flowers. I was called down from my room and from their body language I could feel the intense emotion building. Matt was clearly nervous while he explained that the bouquets were for my mother and I. This guy was good. It was one of those moments where nothing had to be said, we knew what was coming next. He asked for my mom and I's approval to propose to Andrea. Mom started balling, I hugged Matt then asked to see the ring—of course I would. Bold. He was prepared for it though.

It was a beautiful ring! I asked if he picked it by himself and he admitted he had help from his mom but I still commended him (them). I yelled up the stairs to my friend Kayla. She had stayed the night and was closer to my phone or my camera than I. She promptly came running down the stairs, I told her what had just happened in a voice that was louder than necessary but I was really excited and couldn't be bothered to control my volume. Snap! Picture acquired. 

He asked where he could find my dad and my mom instructed him to visit the nearest Canadian Tire. Matt found him at the hotdog stand waiting for his tire to be changed. So, Matt rolled with the punches, paid for my dad's Italian sausage which brought him more joy than a bouquet of flowers ever could and asked for his daughter's hand in marriage.

They left for Italy and we were all on the edges of our seats waiting to get THE phone call. I thought mine came while out with my friends. I looked down and saw I missed a ridiculously long phone number and shouted out "ANDREA JUST CALLED!". Of course my friends knew all about it the moment I saw them. She left a message. Great, I may have missed the call but she left me a sisterly message telling me she was now engaged. It was sisterly alright, but didn't go the way I had hoped. She was angry that she could not reach our folks or myself and she had been trying for a while. No "I'm engaged!". No " He put a ring on it!". Nothing. Just sisterly anger. Sonofa...

She eventually made it back home and we saw the actual footage of the proposal. Adorable.

There's a funny thing that happens to a twenty-something girl, at least this one, when my friends get engaged. I start rethinking my own life journey and choices. I am happy for my friends for one minute before some voice pops into my head, "And why aren't you engaged yet?". Excuse me voice in my head but I don't appreciate questioning if I am doomed to become a spinster just because someone in my life has found her other half. Maybe it's just me but I have a strong intuition I'm not alone on this. Can I get an "Amen"!?

As I spend more days on my rump I plan to blog lots more. More makeup posts, more design posts and more fitness posts. With that being said, I will end this blog for this evening and leave you with some catch-up pictures. Including the ring!

My Matthew and I in Florida

What I had to work with the days I spent at Land's End.

My sister and her Fiance Matt, (yes we are both with Matt's) in their engagement shoot.

The professional shot of the ring.

My professional shot of the ring 5 minutes after her asked my mother and I.