Friday Favorites: August 17th

If you saw my last post, you will have read that I have been crazy, insanely busy this month, but what you probably don’t know is my skin has definitely taken a hit from it. Lack of sleep, running around, lots of wine and eating out, tons of time in the sun…. yup, my appearance is paying! I’m so thankful for the products below for keeping me looking and feeling great over the past couple of weeks and I’m excited to share them with you guys.

Kopari Coconut Rose Toner

I already posted about this toner in my last post, but I have to post about it again here because it’s seriously that good! We have had some unseasonably hot days this year and a spritz of this toner after being stored in the refrigerator is just heavenly! If you’re looking for a great smelling, completely clean toner, this is what you need. With a trifecta of witch hazel, coconut extract, and rose extract, it freshens skin, tightens pores, and can also be used as a face primer or setting spray.

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

I received this lip scrub as a birthday gift earlier this month and I’m obsessed! I love pretty much everything from Lush and of course this is no exception. I mean, it smells and tastes like bubble gum, how can we go wrong?! The sun, hot weather, lipstick, and the aforementioned excess of wine left my lips feeling a little dry and flaky and in desperate need of some TLC. Using a mix of castor sugar and hydrating organic jojoba oil my lips were back to normal in no time!

MILK Makeup Cooling Water

This was a last minute waiting in line purchase at Sephora (any Sephora fans know exactly what I’m talking about), and I definitely don’t regret it. I have been using it under my eyes both under my makeup in the morning and whenever my face needs a quick wake me up look. This gel stick is formulated with caffeine and seawater for a cooling, de-puffing and soothing look and feel.

Anyone else love this weeks’ Friday Favorites?

-SS

Friday Favorites: August 3rd

Now that August is here so is the busiest two weeks I have had in a long time and I haven’t had a ton of time to spend pampering myself. So, I have had to look for some time saving options, and thankfully, I haven’t been left disappointed!

FRESH Lotus Youth Preserve Rescuse Mask 

I’m seriously shocked that it took me this long to find this! It is amazing! After using it my skin feels instantly smoother, softer and plumper, and I received so many compliments on my skin when I had to go out without makeup. As with all Fresh products, the Lotus mask is sulfate, paraben and phthalates free, and smell amazing! Highly, highly recommend! The best part? You only need 5 minutes 2-3 times per week!

Patchology Eye Gel Patches 

These. Are. Amazing. I picked a sample pack of these at the airport in New York last year on a whim and I didn’t know much about them so I ended up giving them away. Then a few weeks ago I saw them at Saks and decided to try them out, I’m actually annoyed with myself for giving the first ones away because I don’t know how I managed to live without them! The patches contain caffeine and hydrolyzed collagen, and they really do work miracles on my tired looking eyes and dark circles. I have tried many different gel patches and none of them compare to these, plus you only need to use them for 15 minutes.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask 

Another product that I don’t know how I survived without. I bought it while waiting in line at Sephora (you know exactly the type of purchase I’m talking about!) and I’m so glad that I did. First up, it smells amazing, kind of like a berry smoothie. And then it kind of feels like how you would imagine a berry smoothie to feel, kind of soothing and sweet. You put this on before bed and wake up in the morning to soft, smooth lips reducing the need to use a scrub. It really does work!

Anyone else have any time saving beauty products that you can’t live without?

-SS

Friday Favorites: July 13th

It’s Friday the 13th! Is anyone superstitious? Does this day freak you out? I personally have always viewed the number 13 as lucky so I get a little excited when the 13th falls on a Friday.

I’m dedicating this weeks’ Friday Favorites post to some of my favorite items from one of my favorite stores, Saje. If you haven’t heard of Saje yet, I highly recommend that you check them out. They are a Canadian company but they also have stores throughout the US and they ship internationally. All of their products are 100% natural, plant-derived alternatives to traditional medicine. At first glance you think there’s just essential oils, but there is so, so much more to Saje than that!

 

My first favorite Saje product is their Antibacterial Yoga Mat spray (Saje stores or online – $12.95). Although this spray is designed to keep your yoga mat bacteria free and smelling fresh, I actually use it for so much more! I routinely spray my carpets, rugs, curtains, furniture… you get the idea! My favorite thing to do with it is spray the rug in our living room where the dog sleeps all day. The scent is hard to describe, it’s a mixture of orange, patchouli, and niaroli, and it’s beyond refreshing and relaxing!

 

This Multi Clean Invigorating All Purpose Cleaner (Saje stores and online – $12.95) is another favorite and must have for me, and something else that I use for just about everything. Bathrooms, kitchen, you name it! It not only cleans but it deodorizes with rosemary, lavender and peppermint oil and who doesn’t want that?!

The Energy Revitalizing Nasal Inhaler (Saje stores or online – $9.95) is one of those things that you might not have known existed but once you do, you realize that you can’t live without it! I love all of their nasal inhalers but Energy is definitely my favorite because it actually works! One sniff of this and I feel like I just had a shot of espresso without the awkward side effects. This inhaler is packed full of peppermint, lemon and rosemary to give you that kick you need to get on with your day, and as with all Saje products, it’s 100% plant based for a natural pick me up.

 

This Happiness Diffuser Blend Collection (Saje stores and online $44.95) is my absolute, most used Saje product. I diffuse these oils all day long *of course in my Saje diffusers*. This set comes with four essential oil blends, which are all made up of spirit-lifting scents to bring happiness into your environment, no matter how your day is going. I love all four of them, but my favorite is Liquid Sunshine for the bedroom and Refresh in the living room.

 

Who else a Saje fan? Comment with your favorites below!

 

Have a happy Friday!

-SS

Friday Favorites – June 29th

Not only is today Friday, but it’s the best kind of Friday – it’s a long weekend Friday! I hope everyone has some fun plans for the long weekend. As for me, I have almost no plans. Zero. Zilch. And I couldn’t be happier! And, also, how is June almost over?! I swear it’s been, like, a week long.

It’s also time for a new Friday Favorites post!

I know I featured a lip product (and a tinted lip balm at that!) in my last Friday Favorites post, but this one is also so good that I couldn’t not include this week. I was at Shoppers Drug Mart just browsing, and I came across Benefit Cosmetics Hydrating Tinted Cha Cha Balm and I had to have it! Infused with mango balm and a super pretty subtle coral color, it is the perfect shade for summer. The color is build-able depending on the look you want, and the formula is incredibly moisturizing. I have worn this non-stop since I bought it and I think it’s going to be a summer staple for me!

 

The second product on my Friday Favorites list this week is another one that I randomly discovered during the same Shoppers Drug Mart trip as before. Admittedly, the St Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist is a little weird at first glance. It’s a clear scented spray that you apply on clean skin as a self-tanner. I was skeptical, but I love trying new products so I thought it was worth a shot, and I was not disappointed! The color it gives you is very, very subtle so if you are looking for that “I just got back from a week at the beach” look, this is not for you. But, it does give you a slight tan. Most importantly, the color is even, not orange, and does not leave streaks. What’s not to love?!

And last, but certainty not least, is something that I feel will be a Friday Favorite for a long, long time because I am absolutely, utterly obsessed with the Starbucks Pink Drink. I know that I’m way late to this party, but I live in Canada and sometimes it takes a while for us to catch up. If you haven’t tried this yet, you need to go to Starbucks right now and get one. It’s their strawberry acai refresher with coconut milk. It’s dairy free, only 140 calories in the grande size, and tastes like strawberry Starbursts! What’s not to love?!
What is everyone else loving this week?
-SS

Friday Favorites: June 15h

Guys, I am SO happy that it’s finally Friday! I know I feel like this every Friday but this week seems to have been especially tough. I can’t wait to be finished with work today so that I can hopefully have a chance to recharge and relax. I’m starting my weekend with my first ever laser genesis facial today and I am super excited! I plan on writing a blog post about my experience, so stay tuned!

I decided to change up Friday Favorites this week and instead of picking a theme of my favorite things, I want to focus on my favorite items of the week.

The first two items are from a brand that is brand new to me called Design.Me. I saw their products at Chatters the other day when I was looking for shampoo and I was immediately drawn to their stylish packaging (gets me every time!). After some further investigation I saw that all of their products are cruelty free, sulfate free, paraben free, gluten free, and vegan. It’s just like the best diet, only for your hair! Everything they sell looked and sounded so cool that I wanted to buy it all, but I have to have some self control so I settled on two things – the Powerdry.Me spray and the Hold.Me spray.

The Powerdry.ME spray promises to dry your hair faster due to providing a thin layer around the hair fibers to prevent the hair from holding excess water. I can attest that IT WORKS! My drying time was vastly improved. As a bonus it smells great, offers heat and UV protection, has frizz control, and smooths & conditions your hair.

The Hold.ME spray is like a completely new world, it has an adjustable nozzle! You can pick the level of hold (light/medium/high) that your style requires that day by a simple twist of the nozzle. Their formula again smells great, it’s long lasting, and adds shine, volume and UV protection. I think this will be a holy grail item for me!

Design.ME products are available online or at select salons

My third favorite of the week is a new product from NARS . Again, the packaging drew me in, but it’s the product itself that has kept me interested.

If you have been reading my blog at all, you will know that I have a serious obsession with lip products and so it’s no surprise that this week I’m adding something for my lips into the mix. This NARS Orgasm After Glow Lip Balm is AMAZING! It’s brand new to their Orgasm lineup (the blush is another fave of mine) and as usual, it does not disappoint. It leaves a neutral peachy pink glow with a very subtle gold shimmer and is extremely moisturizing! I can put it on in the morning and don’t need anything else for the rest of the day. Considering I work in an air conditioned jail cell office all day, I would say that this is a huge success! The rose gold packaging is also a plus 🙂

 

I’m starting to feel like these products are too beautiful to kept in a cupboard.. maybe I need to look at getting some shelves in the bathroom?!

What is everyone else loving this week?

-SS

Friday Favorites – Pumps!

Switching it up a little for this weeks Friday Favorites – shoes!

I love a good pair of pumps and think it’s amazing what they can for an outfit. I’m a huge fan of street style and I love the jeans and leather jacket type look (although I just bought an amazing Babaton trench coat, which is getting more wear than my leather jackets right now) and one of the best things about that look is the ability to dress it up or down with shoes. Pumps are the perfect way to add class and style, and sometimes edge, to any outfit.

I have two favorites that I want to share with you, and both of them have passed quite a few tests:

• Comfortable enough to wear all day at the office
• Soft leather that doesn’t give me blisters
• Comfortable enough to wear walking for a long period of time outside; and
• Easy to walk in so you don’t do the “baby Bambi” walk

Both of the styles below have passed those tests and I now own both of them in multiple colors. Of course they are both from brands that continue to impress me and have never let me down.

Sam Edelman Hazel

Vince Camuto Kain

Who else has “holy grail” shoes?

-SS

FabFitFun Spring 2018

This week in lieu of a Friday Favorites post, I wanted to post about one of my favorites of each season – my FabFitFun box!

Although we got a fresh dumping of snow this week and I’ve had to break out my winter boots agin, it feels like spring is officially on its way because I received my spring FabFiFun box! And I know I say this every season, but I think this is one of my favourites! Or maybe they are just all my favorites because they are actually that awesome!

I’ve been a FFF customer now for about two years and the excitement never goes away for me. As each new season sneaks in, so does my “Your box has been shipped” email and all is right in the world!

In all seriousness, this week has been… eventful, to say the least. This is a post for another day, but as of this week I am no longer at my job. A very good, but also a little scary, thing, and I’ve been fighting some weird sore throat/cold/exhaustion thing all week. So needless to say, my Spring 2018 FabFitFun box has been a welcome distraction!

If you are not familiar with FabFitFun, it’s a seasonal (quarterly) subscription service where every 3 months you are mailed a box full of full size beauty, wellness, fashion and fitness items. The box guarantees at least $120 worth of items and the cost is only $49.99/season. Shipping to Canada is $8. There is also an annual option for $179.99 if you sign up for the entire year.

To sign up and receive a $10 coupon, click here.

Now, let’s get to the box!

 

As usual, the box is loaded up with full sized items in various colours/designs all handpicked to get you ready for the new season ahead. This box included:

• Rachel Pally clutch. This clutch is SO cute and I can already tell that I’m going to get so much use out of it. I’m not someone who is immediately drawn to patterns in a store so I end up with lots of solid colours (especially black!) so I was pretty excited to receive something different and something so spring-y! This clutch was one of the big ticket items in the box and I can see why, it’s extremely well made! It will easily fit all of my essentials and can be dressed up and dressed down. I can’t wait to start using it! 
  

  
• Another big ticket item is the Free People vegan leather eye mask. This is probably the one item that I was most excited about receiving (I read the spoilers, sue me). I have trouble sleeping and I’m finding that I need complete darkness so I have been thinking about trying an eye mask, so I was overjoyed to find out that I was receiving one in this season’s FFF box! The pattern on the mask is so cute, the outside is vegan leather and the inside is extremely soft. A major bonus for this is that it comes with a removable ice pack that you pop in the fridge/freezer before using. I can already tell that this will be indispensable during the upcoming allergy season!
• One of the three beauty items in this box is the Murad Skin Perfecting lotion. It reads as an ultra-light, oil-free moisturizer to help keep skin smooth and healthy while also providing hydration. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that sentence! Living in Canada we get limited Murad products so I haven’t actually tried anything from them before so I was excited to receive this!
• I’m a HUGE candle lover, almost every surface in my house had a candle and it’s rare to come into my house and not find a candle burning, so needless to say, I was thrilled to receive the Anderson Lilley Sunset Collection candle. It comes in three scents (Manhattan Beach, Fresh Linen and Super Bloom). I got it in Fresh Linen and it smells SO good! Literally smells like laundry fresh out of the dryer. It’s made out of coconut wax and a cotton lead-free wick for a clean, even-burning experience. This item totally has a double use too since it comes in a copper vessel, which can be used for decor/planting/storage when the candle is done.
• The one item from the box that I have already used is the Physique 37 Massage Roller. It seems like such a simple item upon first glance but yet, in the two days I have owned it, it has already been a miracle worker! It actually makes me want to work out really hard so that I have a reason to use it. Definitely was not expecting to love this as much as I do!
• There is usually a makeup product in each box and this season it was the ISH Statement Palette. This is a palette of 11 lipstick shades and 1 lip balm enriched with rose extract, shea butter, jojoba oil, olive oil and aloe vera. Admittedly, I wasn’t sure if I would get much use out of this but now that I’m looking at, I can’t wait to start experimenting with different looks! Also, bonus is that it will fit perfectly in the Rachel Pally clutch for touch-ups on the go!
• The final guaranteed item in this box is the Dermalect Cosmeceuticals Makeover Concealing Ridge Filler. This is a nail product designed to keep your nails smooth, healthy and glossy by hiding nail imperfections and treating your nails with moisture, vitamins and protein. Since I get my gel nails professionally done I’m not sure how much use I will get out of this item but I’m still happy to receive it. I actually rarely get pedicures in favor of doing my own (while watching SATC, of course) so I’ll be using it for that.

As well as all of the items listed above, each season FFF offers two “choice products”. You have two choice products that you pick prior to your box being sent out. For an additional $10 you can add the items that you did not pick. This season I added one of them, meaning I got 3 out of the 4 choice products:

The first choice was either Korres Guava Body Butter or a 5 pack of KNC Beauty All Natural Collagen Infused Lip Masks. Naturally, I paid the $10 and chose both!

 

 

The second choice was between Ettika Day Dreamer Tassel Earrings in black or blush, and a Maya Brenner Designs LOVE bracelet in silver or rose gold. I have a ton of bracelets and have been wanting to branch out into earrings so I decided to go with the earrings and they are SO cute! Now I just need an occasion to wear them!

Total box value – $357
Total paid by me – $59.99

I would definitely say that it was worth the money!

Is anyone else a FFF addict?? What about any other subscription boxes??

-SS

Friday Favorites – Lip Products

This morning when I was putting on my makeup I was thinking about how much I love a certain lip butter and how I should add it into a Friday Favorites post. Then I realized that it has been SO long since I last did a Friday Favorites post so here you go!

I live in a dry winter climate so moisturizing lip products are an absolute must. I don’t think I know of anyone in this city who can say that they have perfectly moisturized, smooth lips. I have lip balms everywhere… my bathroom, car, office, purse, kitchen drawer, living room, you name it, you can find one! I have all different brands, colours and scents, but there are 5 that I usually end up gravitating towards.

SOL DE JANEIRO Brazilian Kiss Cupuacu Lip Butter – Sephora – $23

This stuff is AMAZING! It’s the lip cousin to the cult favorite Brazilian Bum Bum cream.  The scent alone is enough for me to keep buying it, but it also is one of the few lip balms that actually keeps my lips moisturized all day long. It doesn’t have any color to it, but when you put it on it does some magical thing where your lips just look better. It also comes in cute packaging and the bright yellow and larger than normal packaging means it’s harder to get lost in your bag! Right now I have a tube in my purse and another one in my bathroom. Always a plus in my books!

FRESH Sugar Lip Caramel Hydrating Balm – Sephora – $22

This is another one that’s worth it just for the scent, the caramel-y-ness (it could be a word!) is just to die for! It’s not the most moisturizing on its own but I find it’s great for putting on top of lip color for a little bit of shine and staying power. I also believe that you can’t go wrong with anything from Fresh!

FRESH Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment – Sephora – $32

Speaking of Fresh, here’s another one that is seriously amazing in every way! It’s pricey so I definitely don’t use it more than once in a while and I see it as more of a treat. Again, the scent is amazing (it’s a sweet sugary scent and tastes great too), but it’s intense hydrating that I like the most. It comes in translucent and Dream, which is a sheer pink color.

Lush Honey Trap Lip Balm – Lush stores or online – $10.95

Lush describes this lip balm as “honeyed white chocolate kisses” and the are bang on with the description! It smells amazing, it’s all natural, and it moisturizes like crazy! This lip balm lasts a long time after applied so I usually put it on before bed and most days I can still feel it on my lips in the morning. My favorite thing to do is use a lip scrub and follow up with this lip balm, my lips have never felt better!

eos Lip Balms – online/drug stores/grocery stores – usually around $5

I couldn’t write a lip balm post without writing about eos. I seriously love all of their products, especially the iconic spheres. The packaging is cute, they’re inexpensive, easy to use and they are available in many different scents and colors. They are all natural and always leave me with soft and smooth lips. (also my dog loves them so I have to hide them from him)

Anyone else a lip balm addict like me?? I would love to hear your faves!

-SS

 

Friday Favorites – Lush

Today’s Friday Favorites post came at a great time because I just came down with an wicked cold and I definitely need some pampering time! I used to be a huge Lush fan about 10 years ago, but I became so obsessed with it that I bought too much, received a bunch as gifts, and then never actually used it all and just kind of forgot about it. However, thankfully I managed to get myself back into Lush and I’m so glad I did, and I can’t wait to share my favorite Lush products with you!

A few weeks ago I was feeling like I needed some serious retail therapy, and after hitting up the usual spots (Aritzia, Nordstrom, Sephora) I found myself wandering aimlessly into Lush for the first time in years. Once I was in there, I couldn’t understand what kept me away for so long,  their stuff is amazing! About half an hour of browsing and $70 later, I walked out of the store a very happy woman and couldn’t wait to go home and try out my new goodies.

For those of you not familiar with Lush, they are an ethical cosmetics company who only sells 100% vegetarian, handmade cosmetics and they are against animal testing. They are well known for their bath bombs and bubble bars, but they also sell everything from makeup to perfume to skincare. If you haven’t checked them out yet, I highly recommend tracking down your closest store and paying them a visit. I promise that you won’t leave empty handed!

To explain just how much I love all of this stuff, that original purchase was about 4 weeks ago and since then I have had to repurchase because I already used everything up.

I have 5 favorites from Lush and I can’t wait to share them with you!

Creamy Candy Bubble Bar – $7.95 – Lush stores or online

Bubble bars are something that I don’t think I have seen anywhere other than Lush, and I consider them to be a must have product. Once you try one, you will understand why! It’s hard to have a bath without one once you see how many bubbles they make! The soft, silky skin you experience after the bath is even more amazing. The scent of this bar is a vanilla cotton candy and it is addictive! One thing I love about Lush bars is they make my bathroom smell amazing even when they’re not in use!

The Comforter Bubble Bar – $12.95 (you can get multiple uses out of it) – Lush stores or online

One of my favorite things about this bubble bar is the pink colour it gives your bath water! Second is the smell, it smells SO good and whenever I use it you can smell it throughout my entire house. Described by Lush as blackcurrant candy, the description is perfect! The bubbles it creates are just the icing on the bubble bath cake!

Floating Island Luxury Bath Oil – $4.95 – Lush stores or online

Who doesn’t love adding luxurious oils to their bath tub?! This one definitely feels like a luxury and with sandalwood oil, lemon oil and vanilla bean, how would it not?! Such a good way to wind down and relax after a long day!

Scrubee Body Butter – $7.95 – Lush stores or online

Can we just stop for a moment and appreciate how insanely cute this body scrub bar is?! It actually looks like a bee! I have this on a tray in my bathroom when it’s not in use and it makes my bathroom smell heavenly! This shower bar is made out of cocoa butter (hence the delicious scent!) and uses ground almonds and coconut shells to give your body an all over alternating exfoliating and moisturizing experience.

Soft Coeur Massage Bar – $9.95 – Lush stores or online

This was one of my favorites years ago so it doesn’t surprise me that it’s made it onto that list again. Made out of cocoa butter, cocoa powder and almond oil, it seriously smells good enough to eat. You can use this with another person (personally I never have, I don’t like to share 😉 ) but it’s also perfectly acceptable to use alone. You just rub it into dry skin and immediately you have deliciously scented, soft skin.

Anyone else a Lush addict? What are your favorite products?

-SS

Friday Favorites: Bare Minerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolor

Due to the Writing Challenge last month, I didn’t do any Friday Favorites posts and it feels like forever since my last one so I am super excited to share this one with you!

One look that I really love is bold lips, but I have never really had the confidence to pull it off. I keep trying different lips products but I always feel like a kid who got into an adult’s makeup bag and I end up washing it off before I even leave the house. Due to this I usually end up wearing gloss (thank you Fresh Sugar!), or if I’m feeling like living on the edge, a tinted lip gloss. Wild, I know.

However, over the last few weeks I have managed to slightly break out of my “terrified of lip color” shell and find a product that I’m absolutely obsessed with – Bare Minerals GEN NUDE Matte Liquid Lipcolor

These liquid lipsticks have a full color creamy matte finish and are infused with hydrating ingredients so that they don’t dry out your lips. Their colors suit all skin tones and shades and all of their products are formulated without sulfates and parabens.

Did I mention that they all smell like cocoa?!

There are 20 shades to choose from in total and I have the following three favorites:

Slay – described as a “dusty light mauve” this is definitely a barely there nude that can be worn all day and is especially perfect for errand days where you want to wear something but don’t want to look “done”

Swag – slightly darker in colour than it’s sister Sway, Swag is a “blushing mauve”. This shade is great for when you don’t want your lips to be the focus of your makeup look, but you still want something there. It’s a great all-around-every-occasion-outfit-shade

Boss – this is the one that really brings me out of my shell! Bare Minerals calls this one a “dirty pink beige” and this description is perfect! It definitely makes your lips the focus of your look and screams Fall!

Bare Minerals GEN NUDE Matte Liquid Lipsticks are available from Sephora for $23. For extra long lasting results I use it with Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Primer (Sephora – $21)

-SS