Beauty, Daily

Monthly Lifestyle Loves: 001

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lifestyle-faves-headerI’m going to try and make this a ‘thing’ on my blog. Monthly favourite videos are quite a hit on the ol’ YouTube, and I never seem to film them in the nick of time. I thought it might be easier to snap a few photos and write it out, rather than make a long video with not the best quality of a video camera.

So here we have it folks. My first instalment of my monthly lifestyle loves. It’ll include an array of items, jewelry, clothing, agate coasters… you know. Lifestyle things. Let’s keep it fairly simple this month, just to test those waters. Ya know?

uncommon-coastersAgate Coasters: These have been on my radar for the past few years. From similar ones being sold at Anthropologie, to Chapters in Canada, I’ve always picked them up and wanted to buy them. I just never had! Since I love putting together gift baskets for friends, I think these would be an excellent addition for any occasion (birthday, new home, new baby!). These agate coasters are from a fun website called Uncommon Goods. They’re made in the USA but the agate rock itself is from southern Brazil. If you didn’t know this about me (now you do), I used to have a rock collection — like a real one, since my geologist neighbour back home travelled the world and always brought me back little samples. How funny is it, that I married into a family of rock lovers too? So I’m super stoked to have my cuppa tetley tea sit on the pink and white ones the most, on my all-white-desk.

Zara-JeansZara jeans: Despite the look of the worn in features of these jeans, I only purchased them in February. Since I’m getting to be granny-status, I ended up patching up some of the pre-made holes in the jeans just so they wouldn’t rip further. I love the subtle distressing on them, but don’t want them to become too obvious. Zara jeans always fit amazing.

Dior-apricotDior Diorlisse Abricot (soothing perfecting nail care): Whenever I take off my shellac polish, my nails are horrible looking. I swear by this Dior soothing perfecting nail care and I have no idea whats in it that makes my nails heal after 2-3wks of wearing shellac, but it does. I can simply have this on for 3 days and remove it with polish remover and my nails are a BIT better. Obviously not going to revert to its pre-shellac days right away, but it helps. Note this comes in a few different colours and I have the pink version. When I went to teh Dior beauty store in my local mall I noticed a peachy toned one too.

dior-cuticleDior Huile Abricot Daily Nutritive Serum: I recently purchased this when I noticed the stand alone Dior beauty store in my local mall, and had to buy something. It was between this and the thicker one called creme abricot nail cream which comes in the same type of pot as Diors popular lip balm. I went with this as I like to apply a lighter one in the day, and I’m already thinking of going back and getting the thicker one, to apply at night. My cuticles are always a mess, no matter how often/little I get a professional manicure. The nail serum with the little brush applicator reminds me a lot of the one Sephora used to have, but for some reason discontinued it.

growth-necklace(growth)

positive-necklace(positivity)

Positive Energy Necklace and Growth Necklace are made by Mary Steratore, an archaeologist turned jewellery maker and they are for sale on the Uncommon Goods website in their jewlery section. The Growth Necklace is a 16″ extendible to 18″ length and is my favourite out of the two. I picked out the items shortly after my Fathers passing, and enjoyed the saying and meaning behind this one: Raindrop – symbolizes renewal of life. The aquamarine brings courage and positive energy, and the peridot is healing, rebirth and renewal. Something that resonated with me as soon as I spotted it and brings me happy vibes. Positivity necklace is another great one, and although I’m an optimistic, super positive person, it’s sometimes nice to actually wear something that may subconsciously attract more positive energy. Am I turning a bit hippy on you guys? Sorry! Aren’t they so pretty and delicate? I love them.

dry-bar-productsDry Bar: I’m obsessed with anything Dry Bar does. From their detox dry shampoo, to these two products above. Southern Belle volumizing mousse is something I have been using for the past two years, and now their new Mr. Incredible leave in conditioner which launched this January. I wash my hair around 2-3x/week and I have to use these two products in my hair in order it to last that long (and of course a bunch of dry shampoo which I should have included in here). I have limp, dry hair so using a volumizer when I brush my wet shower-fresh hair then applying the leave-in conditioner on the ends makes my hair so big, yet healthy too. What do you guys use in your hair??

Beauty-Counter-RosewaterBeauty Counter Rose Water spray: Although I reviewed it in my previous post, I can’t help but bring it up again. I gave myself a mini-facial this evening (using a facial cleanser, then a scrub, and then a soothing mask afterwards) then spritzed some of this on my face and I felt like I’ve been to a spa. So nice!!

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Beauty, Daily

Rose Water Sprays: How different can they be?

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3-rose-watersOver the course of two weeks, I received three different rose water sprays from goodie bags, to PR samples. And you know what? They’re all totally different than one another. I mean, there is definitely a difference between the sprays, the scents and how they feel on the skin. So I thought I’d explain a few of the ones I have.

I suppose if you want to get right to the point, it’s no different than putting a bit of water into a spray bottle and mist it on your face to feel hydrated and refreshed on a hot day. But Rose Water sounds fancier, especially with all its ritzy packaging. Lessgitintoit.

evanhealyRose Geranium HydroSoul ($24.95USD 4oz) Available at Whole Foods

Website description: 
Rose Geranium Facial Tonic HydroSoul helps prep your skin to absorb beauty oils and serums. For all skin – especially dry, oily, combination and teen. Features a soft and delicate rosy-leaf fragrance. Gentle and slightly astringent. For maximum effectiveness, pair your oil with a gentle, alcohol-free toner.

My thoughts: I smell more floral, than pure rose scent. It’s USDA organic if people are interested in hearing about that. The packaging could be nicer, it’s a bit basic looking if we’re getting into the nitty-gritty. Although it is in a glass spray bottle, and the mist is the finest of them all. If you’re looking for a gentle floral spray, this is the one to buy. However, I would say this one is the furthest from a pure rose scent so that’s why it’s getting last place, due to it having more flowers added. Lol. The strange decisions I have to make b’ys.

herbivoreHerbivore Rose Hibiscus Coconut Water Hydrating Face Mist ($32 USD 4oz) Available at Urban Outfitters

Website description:
Recommended for use after cleansing and before applying moisturizer. A hydrating toner featuring coconut water, Bulgarian rose, and hibiscus. Rose Hibiscus Hydrating Face Mist is created with pure plant actives and no fillers. A base of coconut water is infused with youth-boosting hibiscus flower petals and moisture-enhancing Bulgarian rose to tone, hydrate, and soften all skin types.

My thoughts: This will soak your face if you don’t hold it far enough away from the face. I’m not sure I’d use this after makeup application due to that face. However, I love the glass bottle, the simplistic logo, and the bottle is the perfect size. This one gets second place by a hair in my books. The spray is gentle (although sprays a little too much for my liking), and the scent perfectly reminds you of a rose garden.

beautycounterBeauty Counter Rosewater Uplifting Spray ($35USD 1.6oz) Available at Beauty Counter

Website description: 
Wake up your complexion with our skin-softening toning spray, made with organic rose essence, purified water, and moisturizing sodium hyaluronate. Spritz it on to set makeup or whenever your skin needs an instant pick-me-up.

My thoughts: Oh my gosh the spray needs to be fixed! This is the prettiest looking bottle of them all, and I love having it out on my bathroom counter but the spray is a little rough and unexpected especially during the first spray which I caught on Snapchat (and then my laughing reaction shortly after). The scent is my favourite, and do I notice a difference in my skins hydration when using it? No. But, this probably is my favourite one out of the three … but the spray! I’d say give it a go though, but be forewarned on the spritzing affect. It’ll splash ya! BeautyCounter is launching in Canada soon, and this is one of the products that will be available for my Canadian pals to purchase. More on Beauty Counter coming up on the blog this week, so stay tuned.

spraysThree photos completely unedited with all three sprays misted onto the back of my hand at equal distance apart. You can see how much product comes out of each one. Thought this might be helpful for the review, too!

Overall thoughts:
Would I re-buy any of these? Probably not. It’s a fancy hydrating mist/toner/whatever they want to classify it as, and although it’s nice to use and I’ll continue to use the three products up, I don’t think it will become a staple in my beauty routine.

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Daily

My 11 favourite snapchat users

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Snapchat-flatI’m so obsessed with Snapchat (follow me! I’m over @spiffykerms) that my blog, youtube and all other forms of my social media are failing. It’s like a kid who never got to watch television, and they’re over at their friends house glued to the TV set.

That’s ME. I’m glued to Snapchat! I can’t stop.

Scott (not my husband Scott, another Scott my friend from the East Coast of Canada also, Scott — that got confusing for no reason.) suggested I blog about my love affair with Snapchat. And, so that’s what I’m doing.

Like I mentioned in my previous blog post — for the longest time thought it was for something else, but it’s not any more! You don’t have to even sign up to view my snapchats ’cause I overflow my Twitter feed with the ones I personally find funny. I mean. Like I said before, I don’t even need friends on there, I literally cackle-laugh multiple times per day at my own filters and dances.

Basically, snapchat is a free-for-all for me to let loose and be exactly the way I am in person offline. Just never really showcasing how crazy-silly I can be. My husband says that snapchat was really made for me. I love seeing him laugh super hard in the evenings when he comes home and I show him my snap-feed from throughout the day.

I’m kinda glad the snaps only last for 24 hours and then they are gone, because otherwise I probably wouldn’t let loose as much, ya know? Anyway… I asked my friends for their snapchat usernames and added them. Then I went on a hog-wild mission to find celebrities (even had to UNfollow one of them, they were a bit annoying. Kinda like my own snapchat hahaha).

What you’ll find on my Snapchat:

  • daily snapdance (where I dance to a different song each day and ask people to join. It’s a hit lol)
  • Alfie (a lot of alfie)
  • fun coffee shops
  • behind the scenes of what’s to come on Instagram and da blog.
  • me lip syncing to the most ridiculous tunes and face filters (it’s what people come for, I promise)

Basically there’s my child-like humor still lingering in my body acting it all out and having a great time lip syncing all day with random clips of Alfie. Right snapchatfam? It’s a whole different ball game than what you’ll see on my Instagram/Twitter/Blog feed! This is my real personality lol.

Just so it’s not all about me here on Snapchat, here are some people I think you should follow:

Bloggers/YouTubers

Celebrities

  • Calvin Harris: @calvinharris
  • Jessica Alba: @jessicamalba
  • Hilary Duff: @ohheyhilary
  • Lady Gaga: @ladygaga 
  • Nicole Richie: @itsnikkifresh

Basically all the celebrities I follow are either pranksters and/or super hilarious.

Other:

  • Jen Gotch of Ban.do: @jengotch

Are you on Snapchat? If you are, write your username below so we can follow each other!

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