My Top 3 Drugstore Must Haves

If you have followed my blog for any amount of time I’m sure you have quickly learned that I’m a Sephora addict. I’m also a Shoppers Drug Mart  and well.ca (or Walgreens, CVS and Boots, depending on which country I’m in) addict. Below I have shared my top three drugstore must-haves:

 

Neutrogena All-In-One Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes – $13

There’s a reason why makeup artists don’t go anywhere without these wipes, nothing takes off my makeup better than them. You can use them to effectively remove all makeup including waterproof eye makeup and my skin always feels squeaky clean after using them. Inexpensive and efficient, what more do we need?!

Batiste Dry Shampoo – $10.49 (usually around $7 on sale)

This stuff is amazing! I have tried so many other dry shampoos and nothing compares to the OG. I put a couple of sprays in my hair before bed and I wake up in the morning with refreshed hair. I’m able to go 3-4 days without washing thanks to my trusty Batisse! I use the ones for dark hair since I have dark roots, but I really like the Original one too.

 

Jergens Natural Glow – $12.99

I have posted about this many times and I’m sure I will continue to over and over. I have tried so many different self tanners and while there are some that I’m a huge fan of, nothing still compares to my Natural Glow. It really does give you a natural looking tan and the best part is that because it’s gradual, you don’t have to worry about streaking. I will buy this forever!

What are your favorite drug store products?

-SS

Fall 2018 Pinterest Fashion Obsessions

I have talked about this endlessly, but in the fall I tend to really retreat into myself. I lose all motivation, energy, and general interest in, well, just about everything. I’ve been doing some research and apparently Autumn Anxiety is a real thing, which makes me actually feel so much better knowing that I’m not alone in this! To add to that, we have been dealing with negative temps and snow since just after Labor Day *insert not impressed emoji here*. In fact, the pictures below were taken just over a week ago (that’s my back yard):

Go ahead, tell me again how amazing Fall is supposed to be. 

 

Anyway, I decided to drag myself out of this hole and find some positive sides to this time of year. I mean, I can’t really wear any of these outfits here since it’s full blown winter, but I can daydream. And I can most definitely recommend them to people who don’t live in the arctic 8 months out of the year!

 

**DISCLAIMER: None of these images are my own and all are fully credited on the post**
***if you own these images and would like them removed from my site please contact me through the Contact page and I will remove it immediately***

 

The coziness of this look:
Credit: https://www.liketoknow.it/ltk/1zbfq7Bmd7s4WvA9gpX5ce

Just absolutely everything about this look. I love that she came up with a way to wear olive joggers (my fave pants!) in the fall:
Credit: https://cellajane.com/2017/09/olive-green-joggers-fall.html

The tan coat, the Burberry scarf, the hair, I’m just obsessed with this entire look! I admit that since I came across this on her blog last year that my Burberry scarf has had a lot of use.
Credit: https://www.miamiamine.com/2017/03/burberry-trench-coat-sale.html

 

What looks are you guys loving so far this season?

-SS

Fall 2018 Fashion Shopping List

I’m still not ready to embrace Fall (and I don’t think I ever will be), but I am able to face up to the need for a new wardrobe. I mean, who doesn’t want that?!

Since our warm seasons are so short I find that I usually have a lot of items leftover from the previous year that I can wear so I find that for spring and summer my shopping list isn’t too crazy. But, when fall rolls around my list is always huge! I find that since I wore all of my pants/sweaters/blazers so much last year and for so long, I’m ready for some new stuff!

Here is what’s on my list for this season:

Watch this space for ideas on how to style the items below!

 

Black jeans. My current pair is getting really old and I need new ones. I love the versatility of black jeans, you can pair them with a silk cami and pumps for a dressier look or a sweater and sneakers when you are feeling more casual.

Casual joggers. I am becoming so obsessed with joggers lately. I bought two pairs from Aritzia earlier this year and I wear them All. The. Time. I’m starting to feel over wearing leggings at home so I’m really looking for a cute comfy pair for lounging around.

Over the knee boots. These have been kind of on my list for years, but I always hesitate because are they are so not the usual style for this city, and even though I always feel like a million dollars when I try them on, I always think that people are judging me for being over 30 and wearing them. Well this year, I don’t care, I’m getting my boots!

Gucci belt. One splurge per season is fine, right!?

Graphic t shirt/s. I’m really loving the look of jeans with a graphic t shirt (preferably a band shirt), or with a leather pencil skirt (which I have) and I have decided that I need them all.

Off white sweater dress. How cute would this look with the Gucci belt *insert winking emoji here*

White button down shirt. Super versatile, goes with everything and the white will brighten up my usually depressingly dark fall/winter style.

Silk duster/kimono in blush or champagne. I have become quite the kimono/duster collector lately and I see no signs of slowing down. I love how they can elevate an otherwise basic outfit into something more striking. I would love to find a silk one in either blush or champagne!

Quality white t shirt/s. This is almost always on my list! If anyone has any that are not too big, not too tight and not see through I would be forever indebted to you!

Dark denim jacket. In the warmer months I wear my denim jacket to death and often I plan my outfits around it. I don’t really want to give that up for the other 8 months out of the year so I thought if I add a darker one it would give me the same look but with a fall/winter spin.

Olive green bomber jacket. I put this on here because I already bought one and I am in love with it. Sure, I feel like Tom Cruise when I wear it with my aviators but I don’t even care, it’s the perfect fall jacket.

Slouchy off the shoulder sweaters in a chunky knit (can’t wait to pair these with white jeans!). I’m thinking taupe, white, or grey would be cute.

Dark green and black plaid shirt. I’m not a fan of plaid at all, but I saw a picture on Pinterest of a dark green and black plaid shirt with a pencil skirt and became obsessed with the look. So, this year I’m hopefully going to add one to my wardrobe.

Skirts. Usually I don’t add skirts to my fall and winter lists because our weather October-May is brutal and wearing a skirt is just, well, kinda dumb. But this year I think I want to live on the edge a little and sacrifice warmth for fashion. I’m loving these 90’s style ones (and yes, I did wear these styles the first time around!)

 

What are you guys looking for this season?

-SS

 

 

Choosing Happiness Isn’t Always Easy

This post is going to be a little different to what I usually write about. I do have a list of posts I want to write but I feel as though I need to veer off track for a moment. Yesterday one of my favorite fashion bloggers, Kyrzayda Rodriguez lost her battle with stomach cancer and although she may no longer be with us on earth, her inspiration and positive attitude has made an impact on many, myself included. In her last IG Live post her words to her 300k followers were simple yet powerful:

“What you want to do in life do it now! Don’t wait until the next hour or tomorrow.. no, go do it now!” – Kyrzayda Rodriguez

That one simple statement is really making me think and reflect. I have am spending so much of my life unhappy lately and I’m so tired of it. I want a change and I need to make it happen. Or, I at least need to be open and honest about how I feel.

Fall always brings a plethora of emotions for me. I suffer from severe seasonal depression (SAD), so when most people are excited about the leaves changing color and the start of the season of all things pumpkin, I’m just focused on how to keep my head above water for the next 8 months. In addition to the SAD, I’m a true summer soul and pumpkin spice lattes and the boots/leggings/scarf obsession just makes me want to run away.

On top of the feelings that I get from the change in seasons I’m feeling especially overwhelmed with some other aspects of my life. On the surface my life seems like it’s perfect. I have an amazing husband and a great marriage, two awesome pets, a beautiful home, a nice car, a closet full of clothes, great vacations… you get the picture. But the truth is that on the inside I feel as though something is missing. I have felt like this for a long time and it also consumes me with guilt because it makes me feel like the things I do have aren’t good enough, which is so far from the truth. My reality is that both my job and the city I live in make me unhappy every single day.
My mental health suffers daily because of those two things and trust me, I’ve tried it all to feel better. I could go on and on about how they make me unhappy but I can’t go down that rabbit hole. I’m dealing with almost two decades of unhappiness caused by both of them because no matter how hard I try to make them work, they never will, because they’re not right for me. The only thing that will work for me is change, and the only person who can make that change happen is me. At this point in time I don’t know what this looks like so stay tuned I guess!

On the positive side, this is where fashion and beauty come in. I have always been interested in fashion and beauty and it has always been a passion of mine, but as I get older I realize that it’s much more than that. It’s an escape for me. A way for me to focus my mental and emotional energy in a positive way rather than the struggle I feel in my day to day life.

If you made it this far, thank you for listening and for accepting my little space in the world where I feel as though I can share this. I’m so thankful that I have somewhere I can go to share the things I care about where I feel free from the judgement I feel in my daily life.

-SS

FabFitFun Fall 2018

You know that a new season is on the horizon when it’s FabFitFun time again! The Fall box completely took me by surprise this year by arriving about 3 weeks earlier than normal. A great thing to come home to after a somewhat challenging day.

 

As usual, I tore into the box as soon as it arrived leaving me with little opportunity to take some good pictures, but I just couldn’t wait to see what I got and start using everything.

 

All subscribers receive the following:

• Glam Glow Bubble sheet masks – you actually get 2 of these but I used one right away.
• Beautyblender – I was SO excited to see this in my box. I’ve been a big BB fan for a while now and I needed a new one
• Simply Whimsical tea towels – they’re grey and white, which is just perfect for my decor!
• Skin & Co Roma Blue in Capri shower gel – this smells SO fresh, and I needed a new shower gel
• Luna Rica Cashew Butter Fruit & Nut Bar in salted caramel nut – this is a free sponsored item – I haven’t tried this yet but it looks delicious!

The following 3 items are choice items for all members:

• Choice #1: Vince Camuto tote bag or Crown Pro makeup brush set – Despite being a huge Vince Camuto fan, I went with the makeup brushes. I just didn’t need a tote bag and I always need makeup brushes
  

  
• Choice #2: Alfred French Press or Teapot – I went with the french press because I already have a teapot and I have never used a french press. I haven’t tried it out yet but I’m excited to!
  

  
• Choice #3: Catherine Malandrino umbrella (in white or red), or Cylo Cobra Wireless Earbuds (in white or black) – I desperately needed an umbrella especially with our upcoming trip to England so this was a no brainer for me.
  

  

Finally, the following are choice items for Annual subscribers. Seasonal subscribers will be surprised:

• Choice #4: Farmacy Dew It All Total eye cream, Touch in Sol Metallist Liquid Foil Lipstick Duo in “Penny”, or Cuccio Somatology Yogahhh! Bath Detox. I received the lipstick
  

  

  
• Choice #5: Grown Alchemist Polishing Facial Exfoliant, Grown Alchemist Hydra-Repair Day Cream, or Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser. I received the exfoliant.
  

  

  

If you are having a hard time deciding on which choice you would like, all members have the option of having FabFitFun pick for them.

 

The Fall box is not quite sold out yet so to grab one for yourself (or for a gift) head to FabFitFun to sign up!  They also offer special edition Editor’s Boxes once the seasonal ones are sold out. If you sign up through my link you receive $10 off your first box 🙂

-SS

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

How I Stayed Sane this Month

Remember how I said I had the busiest two weeks coming up on my last post? Well, that ended up being an understatement… those two weeks were INSANE! But, I had the best time enjoying my sister’s wedding, getting ready for the wedding, hosting a couple of events at our house, spending time with out of town guests. I’m almost ready to do it all again… after a break of course 😉 I now have just over a week to get myself rested up for our summer trip to Vegas (I am SO excited for this getaway!)

 

For the past two weeks my days looked something like this: wake up at 5:30am, go to work for 9 hours, some kind of appointment, go for dinner/BBQ, get home around 11pm, get everything ready for the next day, go to bed. And repeat. The wedding weekend was even busier. I was seriously non-stop, but I managed to keep on top of everything and surprisingly, not only did everything go to plan, I also didn’t feel too stressed! Unfortunately, I was too busy to really workout, which is usually my go-to when I need energy so I had to find other ways around it.

 

So, here are my top 5 tips for keeping yourself sane when you’re completely-out-of-your-mind-busy:

 

1. Music. Sometimes I feel like the power of music is underestimated. I created an “August 2018” playlist (I use apple music) with all of my favorite songs and I listened to it whenever I wanted a distraction. I mixed fast songs when I needed some energy, slow songs for if I started to feel a little overwhelmed and songs that are easy to sing along to when I needed a little pick me up. Whenever I create a playlist I always include songs that give me happy memories so I’m instantly transported back to that time. It really helped to keep me sane!

 

 

2. Food. It’s so hard to skip eating when you’re busy but it’s so important to keep your energy levels up and to give your body the fuel it needs to keep going. There was a lot of eating out, which can cause me a little stress sometimes but I didn’t let it bother me. Instead I tried to pick healthier options and not let myself go hungry. I also carried a water bottle around with me everywhere to make sure I was hydrated.

 

3. Caffeine Nap. When I’m really busy, sleep is always the last thing on my mind and my sleep cycles definitely suffer. I know that this will never change because it’s just the way I am, so I tried to fit in small naps whenever I could. My favorite way to nap is a “caffeine nap”. Caffeine takes a few minutes to kick in so what I do is I drink a coffee (usually iced), then have a quick 15 minute nap. By the time the caffeine kicks in it wakes me up and I feel refreshed from the power nap and energized from the caffeine.

 

4. Delegate. I realize that this one might not always be feasible but if it is, do it! We hosted two big events at our house over the past couple of weeks and I couldn’t have done them without the help of others. I made a list of what needs to be done and purchased/made and had almost everyone do something to help. It took a lot of pressure off me and gave me more time to enjoy the events, rather than just stress about them.

 

5. Kopari Coconut Rose Toner. When nothing else had worked and I was starting to look a little tired, I resorted to a quick spritz of this toner. It’s meant for a facial toner but I used it just about everywhere. The scent is both relaxing and uplifting at the same time, it’s soothing on overtired skin and gives your face a quick pick me up throughout the day. Oh, and did I mention that it’s vegan, non-GMO, cruelty-free, noncomedogenic, and formulated without silicone, gluten, and synthetic fragrances. This will definitely become a summer staple for me!

 

Let me know if any of these tips work for you, or what you do when you’re feeling overwhelmed!

-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

Tape In Hair Extensions #hairgoals

***scroll down for before & after pics***
I like to somewhat experiment with my hair and so it’s no surprise I have had hair extensions off and on for years. I usually decide that I need to cut my hair into the new trendy bob and then end up hating it, so here come the extensions. I started out by getting a weave about 12 years ago, and oh, the memories! Not color matched, no blending, just overall fake looking awful hair. Not to mention it was painful! After the weave I tried microbeads. Tiny little metal beads that attach the extension hair to your natural hair. They looked good, but I hated how they felt so they didn’t last long. Then, I tried fusion bonds, which I liked a lot more since the bonds were much smaller but I didn’t like the maintenance of them and how it would take 6+ hours to get them installed. At that point I decided to give extensions a break and only used clip ins for special occasions.
That is until this past month. I’m in a wedding in a couple of weeks and I envisioned my hair being long and wavy and despite taking the vitamins I wasn’t getting the long thick hair that the celebrities promise on the IG hair vitamin posts. So, I talked to my hair stylist and decided that it’s time to give extensions another shot.

 

I went with Hotheads extensions, which are tape ins, and we used two packs of hair. The process was quick, it took 3 days for the hair to be ordered and then only an hour and a half for the hair to actually be installed and blended. In no time at all I ended up with long, thick Instagram Influencer worthy hair.

BEFORE: 
AFTER:

I think it looks super pretty and natural and I’m so happy with them!

 

Finally, if you are considering hair extensions I have one piece of advice – Go to a professional. I know it’s so tempting to go with the cheap deal you found on Kijiji, but, just don’t do it! You need to make sure that your extensions match the color and texture of your hair, and (this is so, so important) they need to be blended. Extensions that are not blended will scream fake hair and no one wants that. A professional will not only make sure that the color is just perfect, but they will cut the extensions in such a way that you won’t be able to tell that it’s not your real hair. They will also be able to suggest the best products and care for your new hair. Follow their advice, extensions aren’t cheap so you want to make sure that you keep them looking and feeling great.

 

If anyone has any questions or comments don’t hesitate to post below!

 

-SS

Bachelorette Party Favor Bags

In keeping with my last post about what to wear to a wedding, I wanted to share these cute little gift bags I made for a bachelorette party this weekend. The bride wanted a low-key day with no fuss and nothing to “bride-y” so we decided on an afternoon at the spa (with wine!) followed by dinner and some games at a local arcade type place. Even though she didn’t want attention to be drawn that it was anything more than just a girls night out, as maid of honor I wanted to do something special! So I decided to make gift bags for everyone as a thank you for attending.

In the bags I included:

• Sugarfina Pressed Juicery gummy bears – kind of a fun way to get your “greens” in!
• Masque Bar Face Mask – to relax from the night before and start to prep your skin for the wedding. These are individually packaged so they are a great idea for a gift bag
• Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer – I just love hand sanitizer and you can never have too much, especially when we were visiting an arcade
• Advil – in case you indulge in too much wine the night before
• Tums – again, too much wine = heartburn
• Band Aids – you just never know when you will need them
• Mints – to freshen your breath after dinner
• Ring Pop – because it was a bachelorette, after all!

I bought pink paper bags from Michaels and decorated them with “I-Do Crew” tags also purchased from Michaels. It was such a simple and inexpensive thing to put together but the thought was appreciated.

As a bride did you have gift bags for your bachelorette? What did they include?

-SS