HAUL | November Beauty Box 5

Yayayayay I love beauty boxes! Even if they're a disappointment, it's always fun to get a box in the mail. You get a surprise 'gift' every month.

So I've received another free Beauty Box Five this month, and as usual, I will be posting a full review later on. In this box I received:

• Aveeno Positively Nourishing Calming Body Wash sample ($6.99/16 fl oz)
• Montagne Jeunesse Glacial Face Mask full-size ($2.49/mask)
• Blum Oil Absorbing Facial Tissues full-size ($2.99/50 sheets)
• Be A Bombshell Cosmetics Eye Crayon full-size ($14.00/One)
• Bellapierre Cosmetics Shimmer Powder in Penny full-size ($14.99/0.08oz)

Have you received this box? What did you think?

Ada xx

NOTW Thursdays - Candy Canes.... Kinda

Hello everybody, long-time no-see! If you haven't noticed yet, I put A LOT of effort into my nails this week! I was trying so hard to focus and apply as carefully as possible so be proud lol.

Also, Happy American Thanksgiving! Canadians have it in October but I think I'm gonna start celebrating the American one too just so I can have double the turkey dinner, it is my favourite holiday after all. Although, it kinda is hard to compete with Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, that's the theme I went for this week! I was gonna just do them all red, but then I thought 'Hey, there's snow on the ground and Christmas everywhere, might as well!' I painted over my entire nails using Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Cherry Red. Believe it or not but this is my first 'true' red nail polish! I was in-store one day and saw it and realized that I don't have one of those! I love the Xtreme Wear collection, not only are they super reasonably priced but they have a great colour range and lastability.

I also wanted to do something candy cane-ish and I knew I was going to use OPI's Kyoto Pearl but I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to do. I thought about straightening a paper clip and dragging it through the wet white to make the stripes, but a) too much effort and b) too risky, especially since the red was dry but still fragile. Then I thought I was going to paint the white stripes with the brush but I wasn't sure how they'd turn out and if I screwed up it'd be a whole mess. I took the easy route and just went over the entire nail in white. But, I did try to put on the thinnest layer possible and then I went over the nail a few times so the bristles would cause these little lines in the polish. It's barely visible but you can see it if you try hard.

So that's it! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and stuff yourselves full for me! ;D

Ada xx

REVIEW | ELF HD Blush

A few months ago I purchased the e.l.f. HD Blush in the colour Diva off of ftbbeauty.ca for $4. I've been planning to do a review for a while but just never came around to it, but here it is... finally!

The blush comes in a 10ml (0.34 fl.oz.) bottle and has an easy to use pump. The amount is huge and 100% worth the price! I really like the packing, I think it looks sleek and professional. I love the matte black accents and I love the fact that it's in a pump, you don't have to worry about bacteria and you can easily control the amount you pump out. I also really love that the entire bottle is translucent so you can see the colour of the blush and you can see exactly how much you have left.

According to the description, the blush has a "Vitamin E enriched formula" and it "conditions and hydrates." I'm not concerned about it having Vitamin E, but after doing a little bit of research, I learned that it's an antioxidant beneficiary to the skin and eyes. Obviously this blush is not meant for the eyes, so that doesn't matter, but it's great that it's good for the skin! I'm sure there isn't a particularly significant amount in the blush, but even the little bit must make some sort of difference.

The formula is very smooth and not too liquid and not too thick, it's just perfect. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with this formula. This will probably sound ridiculous but the formula is literally too pigmented! It is so strong and bright that you really need to take the most care to not apply too much or you'll look like a clown. I kinda like using up my products and moving on to new ones, but I just know that this will last me forever and more. If you're one of those people that wear very little makeup and only own 1 or 2 blushes, this would be a great match for you.

I like to pump out a tiny bit onto my hand, tap a large duo fibre brush into the blush and then carefully apply it to my cheeks. It blends out wonderfully and dries to a matte finish. I've worn it all day long and it did not budge a bit (which is why it's really important you're careful when applying). It easily removes with some soap and water, which I think it very important for such a bright, pigmented product.

I've used this blush as a lipstick as well and it works wonders! I don't have to worry about using too much, I just pump out a bunch and apply it and it dries super nicely and leaves a gorgeous bright lip.

Performance: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Quality: 9/10

Hope you found my review helpful!

Ada xx

TAG | Reader Appreciation Award

Hey everyone! So the lovely Sarah from SoItsSarah has tagged me for The Reader Appreciation Award (about a month ago but shhh...) Thanks, Sarah!

Let's get to it, then.

Rules
- Include the award logo somewhere in your blog.
- Answer 10 questions (detailed below) about yourself, if you want to.
- Nominate 5-10 blogs that you love. Or you pick the number.
- Contact the nominated bloggers to let them know.
- Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you with a link in your blog.

I'm not sure whether I'm supposed to pick my own questions or what, so I'll just answer these.

Favourite colour?
Hunter green.

Stretch your left arm out and grab the closest thing to yo.
Oatmeal hand cream, yum.

When did you last go outside?
Around a half hour ago to walk Azor around the block in his cute 'firefighter' rain coat.

Favourite non-alcoholic drink?
Hmmm, coffee. Anything caffeinated.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would you live?
Ohohoh, Europe - preferably Czech Republic, Poland, Scotland, Ireland, England, Sweden, Holland. Anywhere, really.

Favourite day of the week?
Eh, I've lost track of the days of the week.

Are you listening to music right now?
I waaaaaaas, but not right now. Last song I listened to is Grow Up by Paramore.

What was the last thing you bought?
Hmmm, a whole bunch of food stuff at Ikea (meatballs, chocolate, blueberry cake, etc)

Grab the nearest book to you, turn to page eight and find line four.
"Recycling Yarn: Do you have a hand-knitted sweater that is totally out of style or no longer fits, but you love the yarn?" That gem is from Pocket Posh Tips for Knitters by a whole load of knitters. (In case you're curious about the answer to the question: 'Recycle it!')

Is there anything happening this weekend?
I went to Ikea twice and bought way too many candles and chocolates.


So I'm going to nominate these great blogs:
Emmi from EmmiHearts
Jane from PopTartsBeauty
Lily from BeautywithLily
Daphne from PeanutButterandChocolateLife
Libby from Life-of-Libby
Vanessa from CitronandGuavaberry

HAUL | Rexall

A few weeks ago when we had the inspection at home, my mom, Azor and I went out to this all-day breakfast place (which was delicious), and then we stopped by Rexall 'cause we had nothing better to do while we waited. Mom waited in the car with Azor while I went in for a few minutes and browsed the aisles as I've never been to Rexall before.

I was hoping they'd be carrying Wet N' Wild as I've been dying to try their lipsticks for quite some time, but I was out of luck. But, I did spot a small rack hidden away with the Wet N' Wild 2013 Halloween Collection. Out of everything I decided to just grab the Fantasy Makers Glitter Eyeliner in the colour Fantastical. I don't remember the exact price but it was around $2.13. It's funny that I chose this product because a) I already have a black eyeliner, b) I hate liquid liners and c) I hate brush (vs. pen) liquid liners, but I chose it to wear over top my black gel liner. I've worn it a few times already and I just love it, it adds such a nice sparkle to the eye.

I somehow have this radar inside me that knows exactly where the sale section is, so obviously I went to investigate. I was surprised at how organised and good the sale section is compared to Shopper's; it was a lot neater and well-stocked with makeup. This brand is called Prestige (I actually thought it was Too Faced at first 'cause the packaging and font is so similar). The lipstick was on sale for around $2 and it's a beautiful metallic rosy pink called Berry Fantasy, a colour lacking in my collection.

Lastly I picked out this Sally Hansen nail polish in the colour Pumice. I've never seen such a colour before and I think it's so lovely! I think it'd be great for any season. I've actually already worn this colour and it is a bit more green than pale but it looks so lovely and unique! It was also $2.

Also, quick update: I got the job at The Body Shop! Major discounts: here I come!

Ada xx

HAUL | The Body Shop

This post has been a long time coming, I swear. About.... a month ago I visited The Body Shop after a Sunday morning shift (when I still worked, of course). I remember this day clearly because there was a Ukranian festival going on and the entire street was blocked off for like... 6 blocks or more. I wanted to go read in a cafe after work so I had to fight through the crowd. I ended up reading for only 45 minutes because there was a crying baby behind me in the cafe and a loud band right outside so I just chose the worst day possible. As I fought my way back through the crowd, I stopped into TBS and had to use an immense amount of willpower not to buy everything.

I was lucky that day because I managed to get a few items for really great prices. The little container is their BB Cream in the newest pale colour 00. I had tried 01 and it was way too dark for me, so I was definitely excited to try their new colour. I can honestly say I like the Vitamin E BB cream so much more. The one cool thing about this new one is that it changes colour when rubbed into your skin (I'm not that pale). This one is very oily and the colour is still a tiny touch too tan for me, so it'd be good for my someone with dry skin that just came from vacation.

The other 3 items were bought in a bundle. They were all in the sale section and they were having some deal that you need to buy 3 items and you'll get one price for them. They were $3 each of something along the lines, an amazing deal for products that range from $8-$18. I bought the little flower brush for my makeup bag. I use this Physician's Formula pressed powder and it comes with one of those half-moon brushes (you know... the ones that come in all the Benefit blushes) and it really packs on the powder when I really want a soft look, so I decided to buy a separate brush instead.

Also, some good news: I have an interview at The Body Shop Sunday morning for a part-time seasonal position! Because we're moving I just need something temporary for the next two months so I can still make some money.

Ada xx

Lifestyle | My Disappearance!!

Hello ladies, long time no-see!! I'm so sorry for my long absence, it's been quite a while since I last updated. My life has been turned upside down the past month, and if you know me, you know I'm not a huge fan of change.

At the end of September I was laid off from the restaurant (I worked as a Hostess for nearly 2 years) because the landlord has decided to redevelop the block and make an indoor shopping center for the new condos coming up. So basically the entire team had to scramble to find new work. I had gotten my brother a job there as a Server Assistant about 2 months before and he was working hard to become a Server so it was a bit of a hard blow for him, but he's found a job as a Server now. It's a funny situation with me because I was planning on quitting, so it made the transition easy for me. During the month of September I had 2 workplaces that were interested in hiring me as a Barista (I missed being one) and so I was doing interviews (I was just getting over my cold at the time), and they both went really well. So my first choice cafe took a while to call me back so I was going to call back as a follow up from the interview but then my second choice emailed me saying they wanted to offer me a position and they asked when I can come in to start, so I gave it some thought and accepted and asked them to start a few days later on a Friday so I could be healthier. A few days go by and nothing. I email them back the Thursday asking if Friday is ok to start and what's the uniform etcetc. Nothing. I call them Thursday night and this girl answers and tells me all the managers have gone home for the night but she'll pass my name and number on to one first thing in the morning. 12:00pm Friday and no response. I call back the place and the same girl answers telling me she gave my information to the manager 2 hours ago. I never got a call back or an email.

So basically I have no job and no income, which you'd think would give me plenty of time to blog, right? But then my parents put the house up on the market (which we were always planning on selling it but after 2 failed attempts and a signed contract from one agent that basically said we couldn't list the house for 6 months after being released from the contract). So those 6 months had already passed and we took the original agent we always had a good feeling about and for one week we had showings all day so basically we'd be up at 9:00am, out of the house by 10 and come back at 6:00pm. We would go to the dog park, have some lunch at a picnic table and then sit in the car for 3 hours waiting. It was horrible and I was exhausted. But, we got an offer and sold the house for 98% asking price! Our last day is December 20th (Boooooo I didn't want to move around Christmas!!) and now we're hunting for a farm about 2 hours outside of Toronto. I need to get my Driver's License because I'll need to drive around in the country, but I'm so scared of driving so it'll take some willpower.

So basically my life has been super different and it'll be hard to adjust from city to country, but I'm sure it'll happen. I need some peace and quiet for a bit and some nature to nurture the soul. Oh, also! I'm writing a book! I've always wanted to write a book but I was always went with novels and I started writing about 4-5 different novels that all failed. About a year ago I found that Joseph Gordon-Levitt and wirrow created The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories on hitRECord.org. I fell in love with the book and joined the site and was astonished to find so much inspiration coming to me and I wrote around 70 tiny stories to be submitted as part of the book. None of them got chosen and to be completely honest, I was pretty disappointed and if I didn't doubt my work then, I definitely did now. But then I realized that my writing is so much better when I get these little bursts of inspiration rather than forcing a huge novel. So I'm writing a book of short stories, ranging from 1-2 sentences to maybe 2 paragraphs. It's coming along well and I'm so excited!

I've also been spending a lot of time looking through websites such as Pier 1, Pottery Barn, Urban Barn etc for home inspirations! My parents are moving to this farm and that's it, they're not going to move again so they asked me to decorate it for them and of course I said yes! I absolutely love design and decor, so this is a treat for me (and a bit of a challenge). Of course, the stores I listed are supersuper expensive and can quickly clear a bank account, so I'm also going to be raiding some thrift shops. My mom and I have found some really great expensive pieces for so cheap. Our style is very rustic, warm and cozy (go on my Tumblr and you'll see what I mean), so I want this house to just be like a giant furnace, I want everyone to feel at home the second they walk through the door. Keep your eyes open for my home posts because they will come! I have a lot of furniture to buy.

I think I've babbled long enough so that's it for now. Keep your eyes open for some beauty posts because they will come.

Ada xx