What You Actually Need to Bring to College

I survived my first year of university living in residence/dorms. Of course there are no-brainer items you need to bring like sheets, clothes, etc. But there are a few items you'd think are no-brainers but are easy to forget or think they're not important. I've compiled a little list of things that you should bring/buy/stock up on before move in day:


  1. Scissors. You don't realize how much you use them until you don't have them.
  2. Lysol wipes. They're perfect for cleaning your tiny place. You can clean up spills and stains with them. They're also perfect for dusting off surfaces. 
  3. Nail kit. I know it seems like you never use them but you use them more than you think. 
  4. Things you regularly use when you're sick. Remember you no longer have access to your mom's overstocked medicine cabinets and pantry. Remember to pick up things like hot water bottles, neocitran, tea you like, vaporub, cough drops/syrup, pepto bismol, whatever you will make you feel better and more at home when you come down with a cold. Colds and flus are rampant in dorms due to the lack of sleep, sharing facilities like bathrooms, lots of drinking, stress, etc. 
  5. Mug and Caffeine (tea, instant coffee). No matter what you need a good mug and access to cheap caffeine in university at all times. Even if you have access to coffee and tea in a dining hall and/or are close to coffee shops like I was you need cheap, easy to make caffeine for late study nights either in your room, common room or library. Caffeinated green tea is a good choice for all nighters. Instant coffee (I like the flavoured nescafe ones), hot chocolate mix, teas, chai mix are all good choices. Also I would suggest buying a travel mug for early mornings and late night study sessions in the library. 
  6. Cup for alcohol. Let's be real. University students drink. A lot. Even if you're not a big drinker like myself, a plastic cup or mason jar style mug are perfect for lugging your preferred drink to the inevitable dorm party. We actually got drinking mugs during our frosh/101 week but they're not great quality so it's good just to pick one up from the dollar store. 
  7. Water bottle. Having multiple classes in a day or row will leave you parched and carrying a water bottle around all the time is necessary. 
  8. Advil/Tylenol or preferred pain medicine
  9. A large supply of tampons/pads, if you're female of course. 
  10. Large supply of underwear/socks. You will not want to do laundry. You will be busy. You won't have time. Or you straight up will be too lazy to walk your laundry to the laundry room. And you will have literally used all of the underwear and socks you own in every way imaginable. Even if you're not lazy with laundry, laundry adds up if you have to pay for it. I did a major la senza haul before I went to school and had enough socks and underwear to get through a month without doing laundry. 
  11. Shower caddy. Of course this is only necessary if you have a shared bathroom not connected to your room or unit like I did. 
  12. Bathrobe. Definitely not necessary. But this definitely makes sharing showers and avoiding having to do the uncomfortable walk between your room and the bathroom (if your room/unit doesn't connect to the bathroom) in a towel. 
  13. Large supply of snacks, chocolate and candy. Even if you have a meal plan a large supply of things like granola bars is great to have for between back-to-back classes or during long study sessions. It will save you money and are a great pick me up. University is hard you need sugary snacks to get you through. Whether it be gummys, chocolates or candies. Buy some in bulk and eat them during heartbreak, while studying, etc. Also, even if you have a meal plan some premade soups or cup-a-soup, kraft dinner, ramen noodles or whatever other quick-make meals you like. 
  14. Tide to Go. 8:30 classes, coffee travel mug, 'nuff said. 
Good luck!

Where Have I Been?

Hello!

Some of you may be wondering where have I been the last 10 months or so. Well, to say the least I've been busy in the last year.
As I talked about in my last post  last winter/spring I dealt with a lot of anxiety and panic attacks along with school stress. This September I moved across the country to start my bachelor's degree at university. To say the least, the last eight months has been an adventure and a half. I went to New York.

I studied hard. I made friends. I partied. I drank a lot of coffee. I went on dates. I watched foreign films. I went shopping. I ate brunch.

I studied. I went to Montreal. I went to a drag show in Montreal. I studied.

But I love to write. I love to talk. I love to put my voice out into the world. And I missed blogging and having a platform to put my voice out there. As you've probably noticed the blog has changed its appearance. It'll probably change a bit more in the next week as I fix a few little odds and ends.

I might not be as active as I once was two years ago with this blog but you can expect the occasional post. I also want to not just write about beauty. I want to write about food and cooking a lot more. I want to discuss issues more. I want to talk about everything. And I hope that the few of you that follow me will continue to tag along.

Anxiety and Body Image

This is a hard post for me to write. I've tried writing it a number of times and each time it's brought back a lot of emotions that I don't want to feel. But I think I'll be able to get through it this time.

My few readers may have noticed that I have been absent for most of this year. First and foremost, I was pretty busy and my blog was sadly not a priority. I also have not been writing because this past semester was a rough one.

Throughout February and March I had terrible anxiety and panic attacks. There was a lot more drama and stress in my life than I was used to and I don't deal well with stress to begin with. The really unfortunate part is that when I have a panic attack I don't hyperventilate, I don't feel unbalanced or any of the normal signs of a panic or anxiety attack. Instead I throw up and lose my appetite. Being already a really petite person, this affected me greatly. I did lose some weight, not a lot numerically, but it really showed on me, due to my body's size. On top of it I looked stressed and worn out most of the time. Living in a small town where I am related to a lot of people, it got a lot of people worried, which made it even worse.

I've always had a healthy attitude toward food. I love healthy food, especially fruits and veggies but I also have a major sweet tooth. I have always eaten whatever I wanted when I wanted because I don't have to worry about it.

I have since recovered from my panic and anxiety attacks and not had one in a few months. I cut out the people in my life that were causing me drama and stress. My appetite is normal again and I've been eating lots as well as exercising again to try and gain some muscle.

Unfortunately I have been unable to gain back the weight due to my naturally high metabolism. People's comments have continued to stress me out. People don't realize how much their "caring" comments hurt. I have to deal with these added body issues from my anxiety myself already without peoples' comments. A lot of my jeans don't fit me anymore. At prom, my corsage didn't fit around my wrist and I had to wear it halfway up my forearm. These things already feel like stabs into my body confidence, without people always commenting on my body. Saying "why are you so thin?" or "you need to put some meat on your bones" doesn't help. Since when did it become okay to comment on anybody's body? Like most things in life, I've always looked at the positives of my body rather than the cons. I see my nice eyes and hair, toned legs and great butt rather than my unclear skin, the scabby zits on my shoulders and lack of curves. But I allow these negative comments from others to stress me out. Am I eating too little? Am I eating enough sweets? Have I gained any weight? It's not okay to be constantly worrying about it. So I try not to.

It's not okay to comment on anybody's weight or physical flaws. Everyone is their own worst critic, so why make that little voice in their head even louder with your comments? We all have struggles- in life and with our bodies. We are all still beautiful. I might not have that many curves and be bony and weak, but I have beautifully strong legs and a great butt and I am beautiful.

How To Chill And Not Worry

When I was younger I worried about very little. But in the last year and half I have definitely become more of a worry-wart and anxiety ridden person. It can be really hard to deal with. Last year I learned to control my anxieties about school. In the past few months, relationships in my life have changed, for the better for the most part, but under circumstances that are not what I'm normally used to. I have had to realize that overthinking, being clingy and not being chill is not only hurting me, but also those around me. This is what I'm currently learning and what I have learned:



1. Don't have unrealistic expectations of yourself or others. Realize what things are for what they truly are, not what you want them to be. Don't let the dreamer in you get too carried away. There's nothing wrong with being optimistic, just make sure it's realistic.

2. Don't sweat the small stuff. Will this matter in ten, twenty, eighty years? Probably not. He didn't text you back right away? He probably still likes you and thinks highly of you and is probably just busy. You get a not so great grade on a test? It's probably not going to affect your grade that much and you'll study harder for the next one.

3. Look at the bright side. Are you still happy? Is it still a decent mark when you put it into perspective?

4. Accept that nothing will be perfect, go exactly as planned, or how you imagined it would.

5. Use outlets for your emotions. If you love to reflect and overthink, but also kind of hate it, use outlets for your emotions. For me, I love to talk and rant and write. My two best friends literally only hear about the bad things and problems in my life. How they're still my friends, I do not know. I also like to write. Which is why I'm writing this post

6. Don't assume the worst. Be realistic, realize the truth, but don't assume the worst.

7. Distract yourself. When I find myself getting anxious about something I absorb myself in a TV Show or book or have fun with friends. Unplugging is the best way to chill.

I hope these little tips and tricks can help you feel a bit more chilled out and I hope that I can practice what I preach a little more. Cheers!

Boxing Week Haul

Second beauty post and third post this week, look at me go! I got some money for Christmas from some of my relatives and just happened to be going into the city after Christmas which meant I couldn't resist a few gifts for myself.


I had been eyeing up some sweaters from Joe Fresh was finally able to get two which are so cozy and fit just perfectly.

I finally jumped on the Essie train. I've wanted to for so long but they're so pricy compared to the crappy $2 nail polishes I usually buy but I figured Christmas money was the perfect excuse to jump on that train. I bought the colours ballet slippers and chinchilly. Ballet slippers is the perfect nude light pink colour and chinchilly is a grey-lavender colour that will be perfect for winter. I also was in need of a decent top coat so I decided to inm's Out the Door Top Coat which I had never seen before.

I was also in need of a few basic cosmetics. My Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer is getting low so I figured I'd pick one up. I also picked up a new eyeliner which is the Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner in Espresso. My best friend raves about this and you don't have to sharpen it so I thought I'd test it out. I've been eyeing up the Olay Fresh Effects Shine, Shine Go Away Shine Minimizing Cleanser as I've been trying to find a creamy acne or oil-eliminating cleanser that actually lathers up for the last year. Believe me, it's been more of a challenge than you think. But this one actually does lather up, so it looks very promising.

I hope you're all having a good start to 2015. Cheers!

2014 Recap



I know that your bloglovin feed is probably filling up with these posts like crazy, but I had to join in.

2014 Recap:
2014 has been the absolute craziest, most eventful, but most fun-filled year yet. And it has gone by so fast.
The first few months brought a lot of success academically and me falling in love with the online beauty and blogging community.
The spring and summer brought lots of fun things- Saturdays in the city with my besties, boys, fun with school friends.
The fall brought lots of hope and excitement for things to come in this school year and becoming to closer to a few people. To be honest, I'm still kind of in this season.

What I Learned in 2014: 
1. Your views will change and alter with time, just like you do.
2. Love, relationships and boys are confusing, mysterious such wonderful and painful things all at the same time.
3. Taking risks is okay.
4. You have to live in the moment and go after what you want in life.
5. You don't have to be perfect. We all make stupid mistakes. We're not always responsible all the time, though sometimes we have to be. And people don't judge you for these things as much as you probably think they do.
6. You have to make time for things.

What's Happening in 2015: 
2015 is going to bring so much excitement and new adventures and I could not be more excited and nervous for it all. I will be so busy, things will be changing and it's going to be so incredible.

So that was my 2014 and a vague account of what's going on and what will be happening in my life. Let me know in the comments what you are most excited for in 2015.


2014 Favourites: Beauty, Hair, Skincare and More!


2014 was such a whirlwind, but in the best way possible. Throughout that whirlwind, I tried many new products (or at least new to me). Some of them were fantastic and I talked about them a lot here on this blog. But of course, I have to talk about all the products I've loved this year. 

Revlon ColorStay Foundation I know this has been talked about on every beauty blog and YouTube channel ever, but it was a new discovery for me. It's what I wear to any event, on a really bad skin day or even just on a long day where I want everything to stay in place all day. It's natural and not cakey, but still gives full coverage. It's fantastic.

Maybelline FitMe Concealer This stuff is perfect for when you have lots of blemishes. It covers so well.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer This is definitely not full coverage and more light and natural, but still covers blemishes and dark circles with ease and brightens everything up.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner This is my new favourite eyeliner. It's creamy and just glides on. It's such a lovely drugstore buy.

Maybelline The Nudes Palette This is a fairly new favourite as I bought it just in November and I haven't talked about it on this blog yet. I know it's been a very contradictory palette- some love it, some hate it. I have loved it. Yes, it does not have great pigmentation and does crease after about five hours of wear, but overall is such a great natural palette. I think that Maybelline purposefully went for light pigmentation to make it more natural, which I love. All the colours are easy to wear for everyday, but you can build them up for a more formal event.

NYC IndividualEyes for Brown Eyes in #946 Best of Broadway While the shadows in this are lovely I loved the eye primer to use not only as a base for eyeshadows but to even out my eyelids and cancel out darkness either on my eyelids or under my eyes.

Covergirl Flamed Out Shadow Stick in Ginger Flame This is perfect to brighten up your inner corner or your waterline, but is also lovely worn all over the lid as a light pinky-champagne shimmery colour.

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me First of all, this tastes like cherry popsicles. Plus this is the most moisturizing lip balm and the perfect colour for my skintone.

EOS Lip Balms I finally realized all the hype around these. They really are fabulous and moisturizing and taste good and all that good stuff.

St. Ives Blemish Control Green Tea Cleanser This is a continuing favourite from last year. It cleans your skin without stripping it and lathers up so beautifully. It's exactly what my skin wants at the end of a long day.

Olay Fresh Effects SPF 15 Moisturizer I have been using Clean and Clear Morning Burst Moisturizer with Spf 15 for years and love it dearly but have not been able to find it recently. So I had to find another moisturizer and this was the only one I could find at the drugstore that was just a simple moisturizer with spf and I have been loving it just as much. And smells better.

Lush was a bit of a discovery this year. I had always known about it and bought some of their soaps but never got the hype about spending $10 on a bath bomb (a bit of an exaggeration). But now I totally get the hype. Their bath stuff is luxurious. Anything I've tried I've loved.

Body Shop Body Butters These have been my go to hand lotions this year. Currently I have the strawberry one, but I have also used the cranberry joy one from last year's Christmas collection.

Garnier Sleek and Shine Line I have loved this line ever since I started using hair products, but honestly they have everything my hair wants: straightening and blow dry creams and mists, hairsprays, leave-in conditioners, argan oil (pictured) and it's fantastic.

What products have you been loving in 2014? Let me know in the comments below! Happy New Year and I wish you all the best in 2015! Cheers!



Christmas Update

 Merry Christmas Eve everyone! I do realize that this is kind of a weird time to do an update but that's okay.



I have been absolute crap at posting the last few months as I have been so ridiculously busy and when I have had time to relax I haven't wanted to write. Not that I've ever had a steady schedule, though I do my best to try and post once a week.

The reason I started this blog almost a year and a half ago was to have an online platform for my writing that people could check out, whether it be my friends, family or prospective editors. (I'm hoping to work at a campus newspaper when I go to university, I'm not trying to sound cocky). I enjoy blogging and I feel like I'm finding my niche. But I never started it to become just another blogging beauty guru or get a lot of followers. I started it because I genuinely love writing and this is a fun, different and creative way I can do it. In other words, I'm not going anywhere, I'm just really busy right now and I don't know what the future of my blog holds. There will definitely be times when I don't post for a month or two.

But lucky for you, because I have a lot of spare time over winter break and I will be writing up lots of posts. So you can expect 2 or 3 posts next week and probably at least 1 post a week for the month of January.

With that, I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas! Cheers!

My Thoughts On Feminism...

I recently read Michelle Phan's post "What It Means to be a Feminist," and it inspired me to write down my thoughts on feminism. While I agreed with Michelle's post completely, there were a few parts I found very interesting. She talks about feminism getting a bad rap a bit: "For whatever reason, feminism often gets a bad rap. The term itself is sometimes greeted with negativity even in a society that supposedly thinks of everyone as equals – have you ever noticed that? Perhaps it’s because the women before us who began the feminist movement and fought for our equality took to the streets to enact change. The reality is that in our world, people have to be bold to create change.Towards the end of the post Michelle talks about people who don't consider themselves feminists: "Hearing people say they aren’t feminist, or seeing them roll their eyes at the term can get frustrating to say the least." As terrible as it sounds, I occasionally am the person who starts rolling their eyes when people bring up feminism. That said, I  consider myself feminist.
 I absolutely support the equality of men and women. Which, as Michelle mentions many times, is the core of feminism. So why am I the person that occasionally does roll their eyes at feminism? It is because of the bad rap but also some of the stuff I see on social media on a daily basis that makes me uncomfortable and not want to call myself a feminist. It makes me really uncomfortable when people push their opinions down other peoples' throats. Yes, I have my opinions but I do my best to always present them in an intelligent, educated and calm way so that I don't piss off other people. (I'm really hoping this blog post comes off that way). This is why feminism gets a bad rap and can make me uncomfortable when brought up in conversation. I don't think there's anything wrong with protesting for your basic rights as a woman like protesting for equal pay. But saying that someone's beliefs (unless they are against the equality of men and women) and religion are not right in the name of feminism is morally wrong. For example, a few months ago a girl I follow on Tumblr posted a text post saying that her biggest goal in life was to be a stay at home mom and how she felt uncomfortable talking about this on Tumblr because she had gotten hate about it before from feminists on Tumblr. She was planning on going to college for a certain career to support herself throughout her young adult life before she got married as well. My heart went out to that girl. In fact I messaged her and told her not be fearful. This was a girl who was fighting for and following her dreams? What in the world is wrong with that? Obviously, the feminist fight in the 1970s was to get more women working and out of the house and not be financially dependent on their husbands, which there is nothing wrong with, but if you do have a career that you can fall back on and both you and your husband have agreed that you will be staying home what's wrong with that? Why were Tumblr users hating on this girl for that? That's what makes me uncomfortable about feminism. Why would I want to associate myself with something that is so confrontational and makes everything relative to their cause? I hate being told what I must and must not do. I'm a huge rule follower but if people aggressively tell me the rules or get in my face I literally cannot take it. Instead of sending anon hate to this girl why couldn't a feminist politely message her and say something along the lines of "I'm very glad that you will be able to financially support yourself and are going to college, that's an awesome thing all women should be able to do. Let's talk about feminism and your thoughts about it...". Not only would that have been a really interesting and productive conversation but also a polite and morally good thing to do that's not going to upset a person you don't even know. Feminism shouldn't scare people or make them fearful. I see feminist propaganda on Tumblr all the time that makes me uncomfortable. Rather than turning every Tumblr post into something to do with feminism let's make feminism a respectable thing in our society. Let's all be feminists as well as decent human beings. Let's respect other peoples' religious beliefs, morals and dreams while promoting this positive idea of equality in a peaceful manner.
So am I feminist? Yes. Do I occasionally get a little angry or uncomfortable at things associated with this topic? Yes. In the end, if we all act respectfully and do our best to achieve and maintain equality then at the end of the day, the world will be a better place.

Basic Gift Buying Rules

This 2014BloggerChallenge is a gift guide. Personally, I think gift guides are a little odd. How is some magazine or blog writer supposed to know what you should get for someone they don't personally know? The presents that magazine gift guides always tell me I should get for my mom and dad are always presents my parents wouldn't like. Yes, my parents are hard people to buy for, but I always find them something. Besides, is it so hard to ask friends and family what you should get the people in your life? So therefore, I'm not making a gift guide, but rather just giving you simple guidelines of how to buy good presents for people, because I feel that getting good presents isn't something that people do often.

1. Put your heart into it. Give it some thought. It doesn't have to be deep, analytical, express how that person makes you feel through a gift thought. Just make it nice.

2. It should be something they'll actually use. Thank you family members who consistently give me baking accessories I never use. Yes, I like baking. But I live with my parents and have limited space where keeping multiple cookie cutters and pans is not practical. Buy me a cookbook or a sweater please and thank you. It'll actually be used. As well, often people will say they want a certain thing but they won't use it. If you know they have a habit of this, make sure whatever you buy them, you know it will be used.

3. It doesn't have to be expensive.

4. "It should be something they wouldn't get themselves" is crappy advice. The only time this should be used is when you know a person is in desperate need of something but refuses to buy it themselves. Like underwear, PJs and socks. I love it when people buy me things I'd buy myself because it keeps me from having to spend my own money on stuff.

5. Cater it to their interests. This seems obvious, but I think is often overlooked. What do they spend a lot of time doing? Studying? Chocolate or tea. Playing instruments? Guitar picks, music, accessories for their instrument.

6. Don't make gifts repetitive. That shows that you either have no idea what to get and are just trying to be nice. It's annoying and makes Christmas boring to get the same thing year after year. Unless, there's some sort of family tradition.

7. Be direct. Some people are really difficult to buy for, even people you are really close to. Ask them directly what they want. Of course it's nice for it to be a surprise, but it will make your life easier. Some people are just difficult that way.

8. It doesn't have to be super thoughtful. Yes, put thought into it. But it doesn't have to be cheesy. There is nothing wrong with a sweater or something of the sorts.

I hope this was somewhat helpful. It might have been easier to do a simple "5 Gifts To Get for So and So" post, but this was way more fun to write so I hope you enjoyed it. Happy Christmas Shopping!

Current Top 5: 2014BloggerChallenge

Hello everyone! I know this is late, but better late than never. This Blogger Challenge is a top five. Since I haven't done a favourites for October I thought I'd do a top five things I have been loving over the last few weeks.





Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer I have had a love hate relationship with this ever since I bought it. I complained about it, and loved it. Lately I have been using under my eyes almost all the time and I have fallen back into love with it. I definitely prefer this under my eyes than my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. It brightens and is very light and lovely feeling on the skin.


David's Tea Pumpkin Chai Tea I usually avoid David's Tea as it is a little price-y and I haven't found that many teas that I really like from there. But I made the mistake of going in there the other weekend and was talked into getting some of this stuff and I do not regret it at all. The only regret I have is that I didn't buy enough as it is limited edition and I think they've already stopped selling it. It's the perfect warm, fall drink in the morning with a bit of milk. It's sweet, warm, and delicious smelling and tasting. Mmm.



Olay Fresh Effects Moisturizer I was really disappointed when I couldn't find the moisturizer I've been using for years anymore. I don't know if Clean & Clear has discontinued it or whether some places just no longer carry it, but none the less I needed to find a new, drugstore moisturizer that was oil-free and had SPF in it ASAP otherwise my skin would die. And I came across this. It's $10, I believe it is oil-free from what I understood from the ingredients and it has SPF 15. It moisturizes, it's a lovely consistency, it doesn't make me oily and the packaging is very nice.


The Piano Guys I'm not a big instrumental music fan, but I like to listen to really chill, mostly acoustic music when I'm studying. One thing I've discovered is piano covers of pop songs is the perfect combination. You can sing along, but it's calm and not too distracting. The Piano Guys are such musical geniuses. Their arrangements are beautiful and interesting and I'm always impressed, no matter how much I listen to them.

FunForLouis I've watched Louis for quite some time, but I don't watch him that often. Lately I've been going through one of my Louis watching phases and have been blown away, particularly by his India vlogs earlier this month. They were so grasping and beautiful. They are definitely some of the most inspiring, well put together and beautiful pieces of work I have ever done.


What have you been loving recently? Let me know in the comments below!

Autumn Essentials: Blogger 2014 Challenge

Hello all! Yes, I did miss the last 2014BloggerChallenge at the beginning of October. Life has been so hectic that blogging has been put on the back burner lately. But I am back with the latest 2014BloggerChallenge, which is supposed to be anything to do with autumn. So here are my autumn essentials.

Dark and Sparkly Nail Polish

L to R: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Matte Effect in Blue Blood, Pure Ice in French Kiss, Sally Hansen Hard as Nails in Blue It, Covergirl Outlast in Wine to Five, Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro in Stiletto Red, Hard Candy Just Nails Collection, New York Color in Broadway and and OPI sample.

Throughout the fall I love the berries, reds, dark blues and plums, but as the season progresses into Christmas I like to sport sparkly nails. 

Red/Berry Lips
 Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate in #107
Revlon Super Lustrous in #740 Certainly Red

I tend to like a more natural look, but I do love rosy lips. The Rimmel one is the perfect light berry colour that is more of a stain and the Revlon one is the classic bright red that every girl should own.

Warm Drinks
Of course this is an essential throughout the colder months. Hot cocoa, tea, coffee, pumpkin spice lattes.... need I go on? 

Shimmer-y, Neutral Eyes
With red lips I think shimmery golds and champagnes look best.

L to R: Hard Candy Baked Eyeshadow in Pink Interlude, Rimmel Glam Eyes in Brick Lane, New York Color IndividualEyes for Brown Eyes in Best of Broadway and Maybelline Eye Studio in Sunset Seduction. 
 I particularly like the gold and champagne colours in these palettes.

Candles
The warmth and ambiance that candles give off is perfect for chilly, relaxing nights this time of year.



Sweaters 
You can never have enough sweaters. Despite the fact I have lots of sweaters I always feel I need more.



 I hope you all are having a marvelous fall that is filled with warm drinks, nice clothes, friendly faces and lots of happiness. Have a lovely day!



Pinterest Round Up: Autumn Crafts, Drinks and Decor



As you may or may not know, I am addicted to Pinterest. (You can follow me here.) Last year, I did a Christmas Pinterest Round Up  in December. It was one of my most popular posts last year. So I decided to jump the gun a bit this year and do a Fall Pinterest Round Up. I have scoured the Pinterest and blogging world for some of the best fall DIY crafts, decorations, ideas, recipes and warm drinks. So click the pictures away to escape into a world full of fall inspiration.

Warm Drinks:
Who doesn't love a hug in a mug? Here are four I'm definitely going to try:


http://myheartbeets.com/indian-masala-chai/
Real Masala Chai


http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/10-warm-drinks-wont-pack-pounds
This link has 10 deliciously warm drinks that are a little healthier than most. I can't wait to try the hot cinnamon coffee or skinny peppermint mocha. Oh, how sweet it is.

http://www.thehappierhomemaker.com/2014/08/starbucks-inspired-skinny-pumpkin-spice.html

http://justasmidgen.com/2012/09/26/warm-apple-pie-latte/



Decor & Other DIYs:

How cute is this greeting card? I love making cards, and buttons always look cute on them. (no link attached)
 
http://www.planprovision.com/2014/01/diy-leaf-mason-jars.html?m=1
And yet another use mason jars....

http://www.yellowblissroad.com/canning-jar-lid-pumpkin/
....And another.
http://thatsmyletter.blogspot.ca/2013/08/a-is-for-acorn-wreath.html


 http://www.thescrapshoppeblog.com/2011/10/framed-book-page-pumpkins.html


http://justdestinymag.com/brown-paper-flowers-tutorial/


Baking Ideas & Recipes:
No Link

No Link

http://www.mycakeschool.com/blog/ghoulish-goodies/


http://www.whilehewasnapping.com/2013/09/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

If you want to see some other collaborative and best of fall projects posts you can check
here, here and here. Happy DIYing!




September Favourites

It's officially fall- and the end of September which means it is time for another favourites. I don't get a lot of new products so some months I just don't have enough new favourites to share with you all, but this month, I do.



Neutrogena Naturals Acne Cream Cleanser I love the smell of this stuff. It smells very fresh and citrus-y. I wouldn't suggest this is if you have sensitive skin cause it can feel a little intense, but I really have liked this product.

Eos Lip Balm in Strawberry Sorbet I never understand why literally every girl I know owns multiple of these and are always carrying them around. Now I  understand. They are frickin' amazing! They smell incredible and feel so good on your lips.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer In the last year, I've tried to cut down on how much foundation and concealer I wear on a day to day basis so I wanted to find a bit of a heavier concealer I could wear without a BB Cream or Foundation. And this has perfectly fit that job description. It's heavy, but doesn't feel or look heavy. It blends easily.

Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Brown This is the nicest eyeliner. It's creamy, stays on forever, goes on smoothly, is the perfect colour, doesn't smudge. It's just the best eyeliner.

Pumpkin Spice I've enjoyed putting this stuff in my coffee very much this month for a quick, cheater pumpkin spice latte. I also had my first psl this month and now see what all the fuss is about.

I've had the busiest and most wonderful September. I hope you all have had the best start to autumn. Cheers!

Autumnal Beauty Haul

 I know, I know that I promised to change my blog name the other day, but I have been so busy and I also want to change the blog name (URL will be the same). I want to change the design of the blog at the same time I change the name. I hope you guys will appreciate the hard work I will be putting in and will love the new design. Anyway, on with the post.

While the weather has been pretty warm here, I'm still getting very excited about autumn. The idea of warm drinks, leaves, pumpkins, dark red colours, the rainy and foggy days and cuddling up is taunting me right now. And though I keep telling myself that I should enjoy this last chance at summer because in a few months the idea of cool weather and sweaters is just going to be everyday, not the magical season I seem to have envisioned. Due to my hastiness to get fall started, I did a little shopping trip and picked up some autumnal beauty gems that I am rather excited about.

I love going into the city to do a bit of shopping with friends, and this day was no exception. I wish had some cool fall pictures of the day to share with you guys but I really don't. Sad face. But I can tell you that not only did I get my first pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks that day, but I also spilled it all over myself, getting out of my car in the Walmart parking lot. Typical.

None the less, here are the lovely autumnal (I love that word) products that I bought.

Aaaahhh, fall.

NYC Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in In the Navy
 Blue eyeliner surprisingly brings out blue eyes more than you think. I decided to try out the idea of blue eyeliner on the cheap. 

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Brown
 I've heard really good things about these eyeliners and so far, I have been really impressed. Smooth, easy to tightline with, beautiful colour. What more could I want?

Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in #107
This colour is amazing and very matte which makes the colour a bit more of a stain texture, which means it makes the red a bit more wearable for daytime.

Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream Skin Perfecting Tinted Moisturizing Cream in Light to Medium
I wanted to try a tinted moisturizer for school. So far, I'm not totally impressed so I might do a review in the future when I've used it more.

New York Color Long Wearing Nail Enamel in #271 Extra Shiny Top Coat


Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Matte Effect Nail Color #980 Blue Blood
I did not realize this was a matte effect until I got home, but I am curious to see how it looks and I do love the colour.

Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in #190 Wine to Five
This colour is brilliant. See what I did there? Once again, it is just one of those perfect fall colours that I can't get enough of.

This is all I bought, and I am very excited about it all. What are you beauty and fashion trends are you excited about trying or wearing this fall?
Have a wonderful day!

Autumn + I Need Your Help + Blog Name Change


I like autumn. I don't love it, though. I just like it. I prefer sunshine and warmth and not always being cold. That said, when it comes to fashion, I am definitely a lover of fall fashion and beauty. First of all I love the dark, warm colours that autumn offers. Red, maroon, blue, plum, navy, emerald green, grey, rusty orange. Oh, how I love those colours! Plus, they all look good on me. Tip: If you are a fair skinned human being- don't be scared of the dark colours, you might be very surprised at how good they look on you. I also love the fact that you can layer and that you can get away with wearing many different styles of shoes- strappy sandals, boots, runners, flats, heels, booties, etc. And while I love the carefree approach that is typically portrayed in spring/summer fashion, I definitely prefer the more chic approach of the colder months. As well, the excitement of freshly bought clothes and makeup for the school year make it a bit easier to be creative with your wardrobe. 

Earlier this month I did a back to school haul, but now that fall is fast approaching I'm realizing that my collection is extremely summer-y. Since the blogging community is supposed to be a helpful and friendly community, I've decided to ask you, my lovely internet people to help a girl out with some beauty questions. While the community of beauty enthusiasts, gurus, bloggers and YouTubers alike are constantly reviewing, discussing, comparing and contrasting the new beauty product trend and every person has different tastes, needs, wants and likes when it comes to beauty products, it can be very easy to get overwhelmed and lost when you need to find reviews on a certain products or suggestions. As well, this community tends to lean towards high end products which I can not afford and don't have easy access to. Which is why I am asking you, what is your favourite...
...tinted moisturizer?
...berry/red lip stain or light lip colour?
...autumnal nail polishes?
...hairspray?
...blow dry creme?
Of course, I'd prefer drugstore products, but seriously just comment and let me know some of your favourites. I will forever love you if you do.

Now, on to the next order of business. This week (and probably the next few weeks), my blog is going under some renovations and it's appearance will change.  Also, I will be changing the name of my blog to Little Luminere. As of tomorrow this blog will be Little Luminere. I'm just starting not to feel like the name Amateur Aglow is not what the blog is anymore. I wanted something a little more girly and cute, so I'm changing it to Little Luminere. That said, I think I'm going to keep the same URL and just change my Bloglovin' username and the title of my blog. That said, we will see. These changes have yet to be made, but that is what I am intended on doing. I hope I won't lose any followers as it's still the same blog, same person sitting behind her laptop in her room, same everything, just a bit different looking with a different title.

I want to thank all of you who read this blog and occasionally comment. Every view and comment is important to me as I'm not exactly a famous blogger or anything. Thank you for reading, thank you for your support, thank you for putting up with these changes. It means a lot. I hope you all have a wonderful day and please don't forget to comment your favourite autumnal products! Cheers!

Simple Eye Makeup For School- 2014BloggerChallenge

Once again it's time for another #2014BloggerChallenge. This challenge was supposed to be a tutorial, which I was a little weary about as I tend to have quite strong opinions about what types of beauty posts are better as YouTube videos or as blog posts. And tutorials/get ready with me's are something that looks better as a YouTube video, in my opinion. But as I'm writing this, I'm realizing that this didn't have to be beauty orientated and I could have done like a cooking tutorial or whatever I wanted. Silly me. None the less this post is a simple eye makeup look for school tutorial, as the title says. Also, my pictures didn't turn out as I had hoped they would. So now, I will stop my rambling and get on with this post.

For this look I will start off by using the New York Color IndividualEyes for Brown Eyes in #946 Best of Broadway. While I don't have brown eyes, this is a great, little set for just everyday. It's not super pigmented or an absolutely amazing formula, but they are just great, neutral colours that add a nice, subtle shimmer to your eyes.


I start off by using the flesh toned primer all over my eye area (even under my eyes) just to brighten and even everything out.

I then use the lightest colour in the palette which is a lovely champagne just in the inner corners and a bit on the inside section of my eyelids.

I then use the next colour, the light golden colour, on the rest of the lid and a bit in the crease. If you want to go a little darker, you can use the next shade up in the crease and outer corner, though I personally didn't.

Next, I used my NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in #931 Black Brown to line my eyes. As usual, I did put a little flick in my outer corners.



And I finished the look off with my Covergirl Flamed Out Mascara.






The finished product looks like this:

This is a very typical look for me that I would wear just throughout a typical day of work and school.

What's your go-to school/everyday look? Let me know down in the comments, I'd love to hear! Have a fabulous day!


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