September Faves

Can you believe September has already come and gone? Talk about fastest month ever! And with the start of a new month I thought I'd share my favourite things from September. September to me is always so much more of a fresh start, I think it goes back to when you started school. I always feel like it's the start of a new year much more than New Years, anyone else feel this way? So with the fresh start and the beginning of fall, I gathered up a few of my favourite beauty products, fashion buys and other fun things that I've been loving this month!

Becca 'Flowerchild' Blush: I first discovered Becca because of their ever popular and in demand highlighter (here). Seriously, if you are lucky to find one of their highlighters in store buy it right away! I searched and searched for mine! But it was well worth it. Since I feel in love with their highlighter I decided to give one of their blushes a try and have been loving it so much. It's a great transition colour from summer to fall and it has just the slightest shimmer which I personally love.

Marc Jacob's Perfume: Let me start this off with saying that I am not really a perfume person. I love smelling good (obviously) but never seem to find a perfume I really love. I'm not a fan of strong perfumes, or ones that have a lot of citrus or vanilla notes. So, luckily for me one day I was given a sample of this perfume from Sephora and fell in love. The perfume is very light and has a refreshing fruity smell to it.

Sally Hansen Nail Stickers: If you've been following my past few blog posts you'll know from this video how much I have fallen in love with nail stickers. I've been using the Sally Hansen nail stickers lately and love how quick and easy they are to apply. My favourite pattern so far is definitely 'Sweet Marble Floret'.

Chapters/Indigo Fall Candle: What is fall without some yummy smelling candles? I rushed to Chapters when I realized they had their fall candles out again. I discovered the Cinnamon Mulled Cider candle last year and lets just say I was smart about it this year and may have stocked up on them... no seriously I think I have enough to last until next fall... But it is honestly the most perfect smelling candle for fall. The name says it all, it really does smell like cinnamon and apple cider. Yum.

Zara Scarf: Zara blanket scarves have been making their comeback again this year, and I am definitely guilty of buying one or two of them. However, when I was at Zara last I came across this scarf and fell in love. I'm a sucker for a leopard print and I love that this one is a more subdued leopard print. The scarf is also so soft, which is perfect for fall when all you want to be is cozy and warm!

Kate Spade Rings (similar): Back in August we took a little trip to NYC for a few days. One of my must go to stores is always Kate Spade. When I was there I came across these simple bow rings. They come in a set of four (gold, diamond, rose gold & silver). I love how simple and thin they are and I especially love that they are tiny bows. If there's one thing you should know it's that Nicole + Bows is always a likely combination.

The Best Face Masks

Now that fall has arrived I've already started thinking (and worrying) about my skin. The changes in temperature always affect my skin, especially heading in to the cold winter months. Last year I noticed quite a change in my skin, it was constantly dull, dry and I even had a lot of breakouts, which is very rare for me. Because of that, I took charge and started to get serious about my skin care routine. While doing so, I came across many different face masks. I've used face masks before, but never really put much thought in to them. Most of the ones I used were given to me or was the result of rummaging through my moms drawers. So when I came across them again this time, I decided to try a few out and these are the ones I've been using nonstop over the past few months.

Lush Mask Of Magnaminty: This was the first mask I purchased at the beginning of this year and boy am I glad I did. It has an amazing peppermint smell and a nice thick texture. You apply a thick layer to your face and let it dry (about 15 mins) and then rinse off with warm water. Not only is this a great mask for deep cleaning pores but since it has a gritty texture it exfoliates your skin as well. I am also all about all natural face products and I love that Lush uses all natural ingredients.

Pratima Sandalwood Rose Mask: Well this is my first time mentioning this skincare line, but trust me there will be a ton more to come on them. They are hands down the best skincare line I've ever used. And trust me I have tried my fair share of products at all price ranges. Beyond their amazing daily skin care products, they also have a wide range of masks. The Sandalwood Rose mask is great for evening skin tone and making your skin feel so smooth after. I love using this mask when I don't necessarily need a deep cleansing, but just want to balance and smooth my skin.

Origins Clear Improvements Mask: I came across this mask at one of my many (many...) trips to Sephora. I had heard of clay masks and used a few in the past, but nothing compares to this particular mask. It deep cleans like no other mask I've used and it really does pull all the dirt from your pores. It also tightens your pores and helps eliminate that dreaded winter dullness.  

The Perfect Lip Colours For Fall

Buxom Swinger Lipstick, CoverGirl Jam Twist, CoverGirl Euphoria Lipstick, Make Up For Ever Light Rosewood

 Lip Pencil

I wanted to share some of the lipsticks I've been loving recently. Over the past few months I feel like a strong obsession has started with lipsticks, lip glosses or really any type of lip colour. I've picked up some great colours recently and I've especially been loving these four colours that seem so perfect for fall. I love a darker red colour for fall, but I have also been loving more purple toned colours like the Buxom Swinger Lipstick and the CoverGirl Euphoria Lipstick. Purple or more appropriately "Berry" colours are just the perfect addition to a great fall outfit and what's even better is that you can find some great colours at all different price points! Are you guys leaning towards these colours as well for fall? Let me know and I hope everyone has a great weekend! I'm definitely going to try to enjoy these last few weekends of beautiful weather before...dare I say it... winter starts (cue slight crying).

How To Apply Nail Stickers

Yay another video tutorial for you guys today! Over the past little while I've been going back and forth between shellac or gel manicures and just regularly painting my own nails. While I do enjoy treating myself to a shellac manicure every now and then, I can't stand having to go back and get them taken off at the salon. Anyone else with me here? Once I'm over a colour or my nails have grown out I just want the shellac colour off. On the other side, I do love having my nails painted and will gladly do it myself, however I seem to struggle big time when painting my right hand. Talk about not being able to colour inside the lines. I think I end up using more nail polish remover around my nails than anything! So what's a girl to do? Well the perfect solution came to me a few weeks ago when some friends were talking about nail stickers (cue the lightbulb moment). I immediately went to Target, well let's be serious I was probably already there since I live there part-time..., and picked up some fun patterns and colour stickers to try.

I followed the steps for the Sally Hansen ones and was in love right away. They last a good week and a half to two weeks if you don't mind pushing it a bit. They were super easy to put on and came off with just some nail polish remover! Easy peasy right? So I thought why not share the love and show you all just how quick and easy it is to apply nail stickers. I hope you all enjoy and rush over to your local drugstore to pick some up!

May Favourites

Can you guys believe that it's already mid June!?! Seriously where did May go? Either way I'm excited that it's June, which means summer is almost here! This is my favourite time of year as we move from spring to summer, things just always seem more relaxed and enjoyable. There are so many fun things I want to do this summer (more on that later), but before we get there, I thought I would start sharing some of my monthly favourites with you all. At the beginning of every month I'm going to look back and share some of my favourites that I either bought, was given or that I experienced. I thought this was a fun way to show you guys some of my go to products and even more so, to keep an eye on what I'm buying (eek). So let's jump right in! Here are my May favourites!

This month I picked out 8 products that I have been loving. Truly each one of these products has become my go to staple!

Ole Henriksen Face Wipes: I had been searching for face wipes for a little while now. I used some drugstore brands a long time ago and went back to try them again. However, this time around my skin wasn't too happy with me that I did. Most of them irritated my face and I got a slight reaction to a few different brands. So off to Sephora I went and came across these! I'm so glad I did. I'm really in to more natural and clean face products lately and I was so happy when I found these ones because they fit the bill. They smell amazing and take makeup off really well. They are also supposed to brighten your face, which I do notice but just slightly. They don't irritate my face at all and don't sting around my eyes, which I find some wipes can do.

Eos Shave Cream: Yes, I know, this is quite random. But I came across this the other day at Target and decided to give it a go. I've heard so many great things about their lotions and lip balms, so I was excited to try it. Honestly guys this was life changing. Like words can't even describe how in love with this I am (and yes shaving cream can be life changing). It leaves your skin so smooth afterwards and just makes shaving so much easier. This is my number 1 favourite from this past month so run to your nearest target and buy every single one on the shelf!

Rifle Paper Co. Cards: How cute are these? I think I have an obsession (we all knew that) with Rifle Paper Co products. I picked these two cards up in hopes of framing them for my gallery wall (more to come on that soon!), but decided to hold off and use them as cards instead. I'm excited to send these out to a few friends soon.

Kate Spade Pencil Set: Well to add to my stationery obsession, this Kate Spade pencil set, which was given to me as a birthday present (my friends know me so well) makes everything that much better. What's better than writing your to do list with a fun and bright pencil? Well nothing in my books. 

Maybelline Lipcolor: To add to my major slight stationery obsessions I think I also have a lipstick/gloss obsession. I can't seem to leave Target without grabbing a new one. I picked this Maybelline one up at the beginning of May and I knew it would be the perfect spring colour. This one is called Vivd Rose and it is the perfect bright pink/red colour.

Origins Moisturizer: Since it is almost summer I started thinking about my SPF situation and realized my face moisturizer did not have any SPF in it. So I did some research and again keeping with a more natural product, I came across this Origins face moisturizer with SPF 30 in it. I really like it so far and it again has the same brightening effect as the Ole Henriksen face wipes, which I love.

Lush Face Mask: Ok so I might have bought this mask at the end of April, and yes I'm a rebel for including it in my May favourites, but I just had to. I've used this a few times now and every time I'm always amazed at how smooth it leaves my skin. It has a great peppermint smell to it and leaves my skin so soft and refreshed.

Lululemon Sports Bra: Well I did it; I finally found a gym I like. After a few trial and errors I recently joined a new gym and I love it! I quickly realized though that I did not have enough workout clothes and quickly made my way to Lululemon. I love their sports bras, and for me they are so comfortable and I love the thinner straps on them. A little tip for you guys too, I usually go in every so often and just check to see if any of them are on sale, which they usually are, and that's when I scoop them up! I mean you wear a shirt over them so for me I don't really care if mine are neon orange or some crazy pattern! If I can save $20 or so then it's well worth it!

Ole Henriksen Face Wipes, EOS Shaving Cream, Rifle Paper Co Cards, Kate Spade Pencils, Maybelline Vivds Lipcolor, Origins Moisturizer, Lush Face Mask, Lululemon Sports Bra

I hope you guys enjoyed this months favourites! What were some of your May favourites? Stay tuned for a new series post coming tomorrow! I'm excited about this one guys, it's a little different then my usual posts but something that just speaks to my heart! Have a great Wednesday!

Mix n' Match Lip Color

Happy Tuesday everyone! I thought what better way to start the week than a whole bunch of pictures of my wonderful face (eeek). Anyways, I hope you all had a good weekend and your week is off to a great start! My weekend was a ton of fun, spent with close family and spending all of Sunday outside (yay for warm weather...finally). 

So I thought I'd share with you a fun idea that I have been playing around with and loving for the past little while. I have never been a huge lip colour person, but recently I don't seem to leave the house without a bit of colour on. I think it was because I could never find that perfect shade or colour. So one day I decided to mix n' match a few colours and I was so happy with the results. Whether its adding a coloured gloss over top of lipstick or layering two lipsticks together, it truly is a great way to make the perfect colour, and an unique one at that! I put together 4 of my favourite combinations to show you how it works and the end results! So, go be crazy and make some new lip colours for yourself, and hopefully you'll be just as happy with the results as I was!

Maybelline Coral Crush, Revlon Kiss Me Coral, NYX Lip Cream Milan, Revlon Lipgloss Pink Pop, Nyx Lip Pencil Hot Red, Revlon Ravish Me Red, Revlon Raspberry Pie, bareMinerals Moxie Rebel

Weekly Favourites

Fabric samples from Tonic Living for our new bedroom

Pretty signs that spring has arrived while on a lunch time walk

My new favourite spring trick for glowing skin: adding foundation to your moisturizer

Happy Friday!! This past week was honestly so great. I so badly needed to get back in to a routine and really focus on making things happen, and I'm proud to say I actually did just that (I know, I was surprised too). The weather has been great these past few days, and between having to wear less layers, taking lunch time walks and playing tennis, it's safe to say I am fully embracing it! Hopefully I can continue this productive streak this weekend and make some decor decisions about our bedroom and living room. I hope you all have a productive or relaxing or refreshing weekend! Which ever one is needed!

Weekly Favourites

Philosophy Purity Cleanser, NYX Lip Cream, Korres Moisturizer, Olay Cleansing 

Brush, Redken Volume Foam

Happy Valentines Day Everyone! I hope you all have some red and pink on today, or have lots of goodies ready to eat! Tonight we are leaving for a little weekend vacation and I couldn't be happier! Sometimes it's just so great to get away from the usual weekend activities and try something new. Until then I figured I'd share a round up of my favourite things from the past little while. This is definitely a 'beauty' edition of my weekly favourites, but I figured it was perfect timing to get that great Valentines Day look!

1. This Philosophy cleanser is definitely my favourite cleanser that I've ever used. Not only does it cleanse your face, but it removes makeup so well. I loved it too because it's a good mid priced cleanser, it won't break the bank!

2. If you guys haven't heard of, or ever used NYX products, then you need to go (run) to a drugstore near you. I've heard some great reviews about their products over the past little while and decided to grab these lip creams to try it out. These things are amazing. The colours are so great and so bright. They last a long time and go on so smooth.

3. I was in the market for a new moisturizer a little while ago and decided to try this one from Korres. The thing I love most about Korres is that they use natural products. This moisturizer surpassed all my expectations. It hydrates your skin so well, especially if you have dry skin in the winter like me! It also gives a great overall glow to your skin, and I mean who doesn't love that?

4. Another skin care product I have been trying these past months is the Olay Cleansing Brush. I am a big fan of exfoliating, especially before you put makeup on. It just makes your skin so smooth and it really helps makeup go on better. I've always wanted to try one of these cleansing brushes, but didn't want to spend a lot on one until I knew the results. Then I discovered this Olay one and the price was right. It is a definite must for anyones skincare routine, trust me you will not regret buying this!

5. Finally, I've noticed lately that after a day my hair seemed to loose any volume it once had. I decided to try this volume foam and have loved the results. It gives your hair just the right amount of volume and it smells great too!