Awkward Weather Basics + Some Accessories

April, man. I don't know about where you live, but over here t's flurrying one day, and the next, it's 65 degrees outside. These are the days of awkward weather, my friends! I'm not gonna lie though – I'm kind of enjoying the fact that I still need to wear layers to keep myself a little cozy. I don't see myself trading in my jeans for shorts and my sweaters for t-shirts any time soon. Does anyone else wear long sleeves all year-round? I certainly do. 

The image above is what I typically wear this time of year when the weather is fickle. It's nothing vogue or flashy; I live in a rural town, so I feel like I can't get away with that stuff on a normal day. Dresses and heels all have a time and place in my life, but most days I tend to stick to items I know are tried and true. 

1. SWEATERS
Sweaters are my go-to item of clothing. They're fantastic for transitioning to spring weather because they'll keep you toasty during those chilly April showers, without the help of a bulky winter jacket. I own a lot of dark sweaters, so I incorporated a pastel sweater from Old Navy into my sweater collection. 

2. LIGHT-WASH JEANS
A classic light-wash jean is effortlessly clean, and the faded hue is ideal for spring time. I love that they can be worn for a variety of occasions, too. 

3. A UTILITY JACKET
I'm really drawn to low-maintenance pieces which can be dressed up, depending on what you wear with them. My utility jacket is quite handy for that reason. They provide texture, some structure, and a little added warmth to any outfit. Some other spring jackets I love are my trench coat, my denim jacket, and a vest (I like the frost-free and quilted ones from Old Navy) for when the temperature dips significantly at night. 

4. SLIP-ON SHOES
Throughout the winter, I was an avid wearer of my beloved Timberlands. Now that it's getting warmer out, I just need something I can slip my feet into and go. Slip-ons are comfy, quick, and a staple for any relaxed outfit. When needed, I'll switch them out with a pair of loafers or flats to feel more put together. If it's raining, the Tims go back on. I should probably get rain boots. 

5. A CROSSBODY BAG
I go through one bag at a time, and I'm not really a tote person (although I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have one). My crossbody bag from Fossil goes everywhere with me. For a bag on the smaller side, it can fit a good number of things in there, too. 

6. A WATCH
I've had my Fossil Jacqueline watch since November, and it's become the only watch I ever wear (I have three others!). I keep accessories to a minimum; most of my jewelry is pretty dainty, and even those I tend to save those for special occasions. I love wearing a watch because it's is a great, practical item, and you can still find some really beautiful ones. 

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I bought all these items with my own money. This post is not sponsored by any brands mentioned above. 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS | Fenty Beauty Universal Lip Luminzer + Mattemoiselle Matte Plush Lipstick

The nearest Sephora is about 40 minutes away from where I live, so I don't go there too often. When I was there a couple days ago, I went in with the intention of swatching the Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipsticks, and possibly their Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer.

The only Fenty product I owned before was the Pro Filt'r Foundation. I was so excited about it, and ended up hating it. This stuff separated in areas where my foundation never has that issue, made me break out every time I used it, and created dry patches on my skin that I didn't even know existed. To be honest, I would have tried to make it work if the dry patches and separation were the only problems. But the second I realized it was making my skin unhappy, I knew I couldn't use it any longer. To this date, the Pro Filt'r Foundation has been the only item of makeup I've ever returned. 

Just because one product from a brand was awful, it doesn't mean you should avoid everything altogether. I actually ended up purchasing one of the lipsticks, as well as the lip gloss from. Side note: Rihanna made me buy lip gloss. I don't even wear lip gloss (I guess I do, now).

1. MATTEMOISELLE PLUSH MATTE LIPSTICK IN FRECKLE FIESTA
In the bullet, Freckle Fiesta appears to be a deep terracotta, but against my skin, it looks like a bright red-orange. I can't complain, though; it's a beautifully punchy, pigmented colour that I think would flatter a variety of skin tones. It's also one of the most highly pigmented lipsticks I own. The wear time is good, too. I ate meals and sipped tea with this on. Unless you're eating messily (like a toddler), this stuff has a good chance of not budging. I love that while the formula is matte, it's comfortable and I don't feel like all the moisture is being sucked out of my lips. I may have to pick up a different shade. Maybe. 

1. GLOSS BOMB UNIVERSAL LIP LUMINIZER
This is heavily scented. The website description states it's actually vanilla-peach, but I think it smells like strawberries. The Gloss Bomb is in a universal shade, supposedly designed to flatter all skin tones. It's a beautiful rosy color with flecks of gold and lilac (unless my eyes are lying to me) shimmer. It does lend a tint to the lips, but overall I feel like it's on the sheer side. You can use it alone, but this would be a pretty lip topper as well. The formula doesn't feel extremely goopy, although I do think it's quite dense. I like that it feels hydrating, rather than feeling like it's a layer of product just sitting on my lips and drying them out. One thing I don't like about the Gloss Bomb is that it's tricky to apply in small amounts. The applicator collects a lot of product, so if your lips are on the thinner side, just be careful when using it so it doesn't look sloppy. 

My (Kind Of) Everyday Makeup | DRUGSTORE + HIGH-END

I'll admit this: I'm not a BB Cream, one-step makeup routine person (if you are, that's honestly great!). Even if I'm not going anywhere, I tend to wear a full face of makeup every day. I actually enjoy the time in the morning I get to apply my makeup, because I just feel so much more put together after that. 

I titled this my "kind of" makeup routine, because I don't use the same products every single day. Below, I'll be sharing what is typical for me to use (give or take a few products). Some of them are recent finds; others I've been using for a while. I don't like to cut corners with my makeup, so it's a pretty well-rounded list. 

1. BASE: WET N WILD PHOTO FOCUS MATTE FACE PRIMER | $4.99

After moisturizing my face (I use the CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion) and waiting for roughly five minutes, I prime my face with a pea-sized amount of Wet N Wild's Photo Focus Matte Face Primer. I focus mainly on areas where I get oily throughout the day. 

2. FOUNDATION: BECCA ULTIMATE COVERAGE COMPLEXION CREME IN BAMBOO + MAYBELLINE SUPER STAY FULL COVERAGE FOUNDATION IN SUN BEIGE | $44.00, $11.99

Once my primer has set, I use a mixture of the Becca Ultimate Complexion Crème foundation in Bamboo, and the Maybelline Super Stay Full Coverage foundation in Sun Beige. These are both very full coverage foundations, so I apply them in thin layers and find that I don't need to use a lot. 

3. CONCEALER: MAYBELLINE FIT ME! CONCEALER IN MEDIUM | $6.99

So, it turns out I forgot to include this in the picture! As stated above, the foundations I use are both full coverage, so they can sometimes make my face look pretty flat. I like to use concealer to highlight areas which need brightening. 

4. SETTING POWDER: MAYBELLINE FIT ME! LOOSE FINISHING POWDER IN LIGHT MEDIUM | $7.99

To set my foundation and concealer, I use a damp blending sponge to press the powder into areas of my face where I'm most likely to get oily. 

5. BLUSH: NYX BAKED BLUSH IN IGNITE | $6.99

This blush has a subtle gold shimmer, so I like to sweep this over my cheeks and towards my temples. The nice thing about this blush is that even though it has shimmer, it's so understated that you can also use a highlighter with it.

6. HIGHLIGHTER: BECCA SHIMMERING SKIN PERFECTOR POURED IN PROSECCO POP | $38.00

I use this on high points of the face: my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, and sometimes my cupid's bow. It also works well as a brow highlight. 

7. EYESHADOW: NYX NUDE MATTE EYESHADOW SINGLE IN BLAME IT ON MIDNIGHT | $4.99

This eyeshadow single from NYX is one that I love using in my crease to give my eyes some depth. You can use it as a way to contour yours eyes, which is what I do every day. Sometimes I'll highlight my brow bone with a matte eyeshadow in a vanilla type shade. 

8. EYEBROWS: ESSENCE LASH & BROW GEL MASCARA & ELF EYEBROW KIT IN DARK | $2.99, $3.00

I comb the Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara through my eyebrows to hold them in place before defining them a little more with my Elf Eyebrow Kit. I already have dark eyebrows which don't need a ton of filling in, so I don't go to town with this stuff. It's just nice to have a little more definition in my eyebrows because they frame my face better that way. 

9. LASHES: ESSENCE GET BIG LASHES! VOLUME CURL MASCARA | $3.99

I use two coats of this on my upper lashes and then a gentle coat on my lower lashes. For an everyday look, I don't do any dramatic eye looks, so I love my lashes to be full and curled. 

10. LIPS: NYX SUEDE MATTE LIP LINER  IN LEON & NYX SOFT MATTE LIP CREAM IN LEON | $3.99, $6.49

I'm a huge fan of NYX's soft matte lip creams paired with their lip liners! I use either this combination or their SMLC in Rome with their lip pencil in Mahogany. The SMLCs aren't long lasting, but they're so comfortable to wear and they smell like cupcakes. :) 

The finished look! Using many products does not equate to an "overdone" face.

Choosing A Wedding Dress

Photo by Jessica Mae Photography 

If you are a bride-to-be, or just curious about shopping for a wedding dress, I've compiled some thoughts for you to read through which may be of help. :)

1. THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE IN
Initially, I had my heart set on a mermaid silhouette. Some lace here and there, a chapel train, and maybe a bit of beadwork. I ended up with a ball gown; a style of dress I never thought I'd wear. 

I want to be clear: I genuinely loved my wedding dress. I loved it so much that I wore it countless times around my apartment, months after being married. But to this day, I don't know how I convinced myself that I would feel comfortable in a sleeveless dress. It sounds silly, but I felt less than confident walking around all day with my arms exposed, because it wasn't a style choice I would make on a normal day. Sleeveless wedding dresses have been a trend for a long time, and it doesn't look like they're going anywhere soon. I had seen other beautiful brides, friends of mine, get married in sleeveless dresses. It's so important to incorporate your own style into your wedding dress decision. What is trendy and what other brides feel amazing in may not be the best choice for you, especially if that style deviates from what you love to wear. 

2. LOOK FOR A DRESS ONLINE
A lot of my habits when it came to choosing a wedding dress were what I assumed to be the norm. I went to bridal boutiques because everyone else went to those. I had a designer dress because I thought they were the only route to take. Now that more of my friends have either been in weddings or gotten married, I can say that there are some really reliable sites where you can purchase a wedding dress. JJ's House, Etsy (my veil, pictured above, was bought off of Etsy), and Azazie are all popular online stores where you can order a dress with your exact measurements. You can also find more affordable dresses on these sites, too. 

3. IF POSSIBLE, TRY TO HAVE YOUR DRESS MADE TO YOUR EXACT MEASUREMENTS
Unless your wedding dress is bought off the rack, it'll most likely be made from scratch with your largest measurement being the dress size ordered. Bridal salons and boutiques which carry designer gowns go off size charts which run tiny in comparison to normal clothing. My dress had to be ordered in a size 10, even though in some areas I was a size 2. This made alterations complicated, and I ended up having to tape parts of my dress to myself because I couldn't fill it! This was not the fault of my seamstress; designer wedding dress size charts are a bit ridiculous. Had I known that before, I would have looked elsewhere for a dress. 

If the thought of this frustrates you, the good news is that many online stores let you include your own measurements with your order. Your best bets would be the websites I mentioned in my previous point (JJ's House, Etsy, and Azazie). That being said, there are many fraudulent websites which sell "wedding dresses". Be cautious and do your research before placing an order anywhere. 

4. CONSIDER BRIDAL SEPARATES
If you feel like you've tried on countless dresses and can't seem to find one you really love, bridal separates could be a good direction to go, since these give you the freedom to mix and match tops and skirts. They are also a great option for if you are bigger on the bottom than you are up top (and vice versa), because you'll be able to go with different sizes. 

A Post About Tea

Tea is a big part of my life. I can't even remember having my first cup because I also drank it as a child. The Tetley British Blend with milk (always with a side of biscuits) was a household staple for my family when I was growing up. 

Please keep in mind that although I adore tea, I am not a tea connoisseur by any means! I just love drinking a few cups every day and trying out new flavours. I put together a list, in no particular order, of some teas that I really enjoy and why:

CELESTIAL SEASONINGS MORNING THUNDER 
This is currently my go-to tea. Morning Thunder is a black tea and contains maté as one of the ingredients; it's supposed to be energizing. The caffeine level is quite low for something advertised as a "morning" beverage, so if caffeine really gets you wired, I think this would still be okay to have if you're like me and drink tea around the clock. I don't know why, but there's a slightly nutty flavour to it. My absolute favourite way to drink this is with a splash of milk or cream. Sometimes I'll have it with coconut milk for a dairy free option. 

ENGLISH BREAKFAST/BRITISH BLENDS
As written in the intro, a hearty English Breakfast/British Blend is what I grew up drinking. Pouring milk into a steaming cup of black tea and watching it swirl into a rich caramel shade is deeply nostalgic for me. On Saturday mornings, my brother and I would drink tea and eat cookies together with my parents – until we became teenagers and were too "cool" to drink tea and eat cookies with mom and dad, haha. Anyway, English Breakfast is just a classic, conservative option for anyone who isn't into herbal teas. It's also just a good thing to have in your pantry because, who knows? You could host a crazy tea person at some point in your life. 

CELESTIAL SEASONINGS HONEY VANILLA CHAMOMILE
A sweet, delicately flavoured tea – honey vanilla chamomile also smells as wonderful as it sounds. While I do love this flavour, I don't find myself reaching for it often. When I do, however, I feel like I need a warm blanket and a hefty book to go with it. It's a great bedtime tea. If you aren't into bitter teas, you would probably like this because the honey obviously sweetens it quite a bit. 

CHAI TEA
What I love about chai tea is that it's can be enjoyed hot or cold. I'm honestly not a big sweet tea person, so an iced chai is the way to go for me. I have a short story/tangent for you (you're welcome): when I moved to the U.S. almost seven years ago, I quickly learned that "tea" typically translated to sweet or iced tea. To each his own, but to this day, I firmly believe that tea is best when it's hot. :)  Back to chai: I love the warmth and spice of chai. This is another great tea to have with milk or cream; it's like drinking a dessert and the spices give it a little jolt. 

EARL GREY/LONDON FOG
This might sound weird, but I find the flavour of earl grey to be slightly masculine. It's one of those distinguished, bold teas that I have to mentally preparing myself for prior to taking a sip. But that's why it's so good. This blend is made with the oil of orange bergamot, which makes for such a bright taste. If you're not quite into such a punchy palette, you could make a London Fog with this tea. With steamed milk, and notes of vanilla and lavender, consider this EG's feminine counterpart.    

WHITE PEACH 
The majority of teas listed here are black, but I do enjoy the taste of white peach tea. It's fruity and sweet, but also light. It is much more fragrant than all the other teas I've listed here, but the taste is quite mild. I typically don't use sweeteners in my tea, but some honey added to it brings out the peach flavour some more. White teas are low on the caffeine scale, so this is another good option for a tea that'll be okay to drink at any time of the day. 

I hope this list was helpful! What are some of your favourite teas? 

REVIEW | Becca First Light Priming Filter

  

I've been warming up to more hydrating products in the past couple months. As I mentioned in my highlighter collection post, my skin is oily/combination – but it still needs moisture!

I recently bought the Becca First Light Priming Filter during Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty sale. I wanted to try this product for a while, and it was only $19 on the day the price was marked down. Regularly, it retails for $38, which is way more than I can afford on a normal day. This primer was released last year, and I know it's been a popular product among people who love makeup.

I have many more high-end brands to experiment with, but Becca is quickly becoming one of my favourites. 

PACKAGING: The First Light Priming Filter packaging is classy and elegant, but also has a modern air to it. It's a medium frosted glass bottle, which comes with a glossy cap and a pump to dispense the product with. The top of the cap is metal, and has the Becca logo on it. I love how solid the bottle feels. As with all Becca products I own, there is nothing flimsy or cheap about the packaging (which I would expect from a luxury brand). 

FORMULA: The primer itself is lilac and has a delicate pearlescent sheen to it (I wish I could find a nail polish in this shade, haha). This colour sounds odd to put on your face, but once the product it blended out, it becomes transparent. There is a light citrus scent that lingers until you start applying makeup over it. I would say the consistency is like a thinned out moisturizer. It feels lightweight on the skin, but it's thick enough that it doesn't run everywhere once dispensed. I like that it feels slightly tacky as it is being blended out, because that means it'll hold foundation in place. 

APPLICATION + FINISH: After moisturizing my skin (and waiting at least 5 minutes), I apply one pump all over my face, blending it in with my fingers. It takes a couple minutes to soak in. Although it blends and dries transparent, there is an obvious difference in the appearance of my skin after application. It delivers a fresh and hydrated radiance to the skin. I know that some people like to wear this on its own for that reason; this would work really well for those who have naturally great skin. I personally prefer to wear this with foundation because I have dark circles and acne scarring. In my experience, this primer doesn't help areas of discoloration, acne scarring, etc. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: I like this product. It's a pretty decent primer; it preps my skin well for makeup application, and holds onto my foundation for most of the day with minimal separation, even in my problem areas. It smells lovely and is light, but nourishing. I feel like I'm doing something good for my skin when I use this. I do find myself having to blot a little more than with a mattifying primer, but that's to be expected using a hydrating product with a luminous finish. I think dry skin types, and combination skin types would enjoy using this product. 

My Highlighter Collection (Drugstore + One High-End)

Two years ago, I purchased my first highlighter. My skin is pretty oily, so I initially wasn't keen on adding anything "glowy" to my face. I'm so glad I did, though. If you're anything like me and prefer foundation with a matte finish, you'll know that it can easily appear to be too "makeup-y" and two-dimensional. I love highlighter because it has the ability to add dimension to your face, and make your skin look fresh and naturally radiant. 

While I don't care too much for the blinding highlight that's popular with a ton of beauty bloggers, highlighters have snuck their way into my everyday makeup routine – even the makeup bag I have in my purse. 

The picture above is of my entire highlighter collection. It isn't much, but they are all different brands and different textures. I'll discuss them, clockwise:

MAYBELLINE FACESTUDIO MASTER CHROME METALLIC HIGHLIGHER IN MOLTEN GOLD | $9.99

This is a gorgeous, highly pigmented peachy gold powder highlighter; definitely a well-loved product in my small collection. I have reached for this many-a-day in my makeup routine. I find the feel and texture to be comparable to high-end brands because it's super smooth and buttery to the touch. I like to apply it with either a brush or my fingers onto my cheekbones and on the bridge of my nose. 


BECCA SHIMMERING SKIN PERFECTOR POURED IN PROSECCO POP | $38 

My first high-end highlighter! I purchased this off of a sale on HauteLook about a month ago, and I've been using it pretty much every day since it came in the mail. The poured version of Prosecco Pop is a rich champagne shade. This has the most natural looking finish of all the highlighters I own because it has no glitter in it. This highlighter works really well for a subtle lit-from-within glow. I use my fingers to apply this to my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, and my brow bone. 


NYX AWAY WE GLOW LIQUID HIGHLIGHTER IN DAYTIME HALO | $6.99

Also a subtle highlighter, Daytime Halo by NYX is a pale gold shade that I bought at Ulta a couple months ago. While it's called a liquid highlighter, the formula kind of reminds me of a lip gloss in the way that it's a tad bit goopy (also could be the packaging and doe foot applicator). The finish is a pretty glimmer on the skin, and is best applied using fingers. 

*MAKEUP REVOLUTION LIQUID HIGHLIGHTER IN LUMINOUS GOLD | $9.00

Makeup Revolution's liquid highlighter in Luminous Gold is more of a rose gold shade. This can be applied on top of foundation, but I find it to perform at its best when I mix it with either my primer or foundation. This is great for when it's the dead of winter and your skin needs some life in it. Even if worn under medium to full coverage foundation, the effects of this highlighter are still visible. My only gripe with this product is that it has an oily feel to it, and there are sparkles in it. 

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*The packaging of the Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter looks different in the picture above because I accidentally ripped the plastic wrapping off of it. :(