Manicure Monday - Lucky Tiger Nails

Happy Mani Monday everyone - I hope you all had a great weekend! (I got covid, so you would think I'd have more time to do my nails, but alas it's been exhausting quarantining with a toddler, and even though I'm feeling pretty good, it's been a tiring weekend!) 

I purchased all the products in this post

Tomorrow, is Lunar New Year and it's the Year of the Tiger (my year - yay!), so how perfect to mix some tigers with our coloured theme of the month, which is purple and blue! 

Monthly Beauty & Book Haul ~ January 2022

I'm switching up my Monthly Haul posts a little bit this year, because I'm actually *trying* to stick to a bit of a budget! I've been going a little crazy on the beauty and books front, so I just want to be a little more thoughtful in my purchases. So. I'm trying to keep my beauty and book purchases to $200 a month - we'll see! 

I do always love my Monthly Haul posts - it's a good way to keep track of everything that I picked up each month. I don't always blog about everything I pick up (I try to), but if you ever spot anything in here that you really want me to talk about, let me know! 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

Indigo Haul ~ $78.75 CAN. Ooooh Indigo is a spot to pick up beauty & books now - it was basically made for me! I have been really wanting to try an LED light therapy mask, so I found this Auria mask for just under $80 (plus I get a small discount). Also, Janet Fitch was one of my favourite authors (with White Oleander), so this book, The Revolution of Marina M. was on sale for $8 plus a discount, I had to pick it up as well! 

Five on Friday - January 28, 2022 ~ January 2022 Scratch Monthly Mani Kit, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, Damian's 17th Birthday, Lifetime Ruby Movie, and Declutter

Happy Friday everyone - hope you all had a great week. Mine has been a little rough and long - I was sick last week, but got my covid results back as negative; but, then late on Sunday night my little guy said he had a sore throat and tested positive for covid. I feel bad because he isn't old enough to get vaccinated and has to quarantine for the full 10 days (he's not super sick, which is great, but still so hard to be stuck at home!) - but it's all over the house right now, so it's a little crazy! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

I just got my January 2022 Scratch Monthly Mani Kit and as always, they are super cute - I always love their floral prints, they are my go-to! This is an easy, affordable subscription that features nail wraps from GoScrachIt that are exclusive to the kit each month and designed by NinaNailedIt!

Trying Out Rare Beauty - Selena’s Faves 4 Piece Set

Rare Beauty has been on my radar for a little while; but, I'm always a little hesitant with celebrity makeup brands, so I typically wait and see how reviews turn out (I remember the disaster of trying Haus Laboratories okay....) and the reviews of Rare Beauty have been so good that I'm ready to try the brand! 

Rare Beauty is of course Selena Gomez's makeup brand - the goal is to break down unrealistic standards of perfection. Rare Beauty is not about being someone else, but being who you are! I like the message and I do like that the brand overall has a minimalistic vibe! 

I purchased this set - this post contains affiliate links 

This Rare Beauty "Selena’s Faves 4 Piece Mini Set" came out for the holidays but it's actually still available on the Sephora site for $38.00 CAN. I love these little mini sets as a way to try out a few different products from a brand - this set comes with a liquid blush & highlighter, a mascara and a lipstick, so it helps to get a good feeling of the brand! 

Manicure Saturday - Paper Airplanes & Blue Skies Nails

Happy Manicure Saturday everyone! (I'm coming in a little early this week, because honestly it's going to a busy weekend - my oldest is turning 17 at the start of the week so I will be busy baking and celebrating my not so baby boy!)

The OPI polish was received as a PR sample

The whole month of January, the #CBBxManiMonday group is doing purple and blue nails for the 2022 Colour of the Year "Very Peri" - last week's nails were purple, so I'm going back in to the blues this week! 

Five on Friday - January 21, 2022 ~ Auria LED Light Therapy Mask, Delicious Lentil Daal, Tobogganing, TV Show Recommendations, and Eating 30 Plants A Week

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you've all had a great week - I'm not feeling well yesterday and today so I'm hoping it is't covid, but I'm awaiting my test result! 

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

Okay, I shared this picture on my instagram this week and I got so many hilarious responses! But, I decided to pick up an L.E.D. face mask a few weeks ago from Indigo - it's the Auria LED Light Therapy Mask - because I found a really affordable one (and honestly, I wasn't will to spend hundreds anywhere else!) 

Shop My Stash Makeup Look - January 2022 ~ Very Peri Eyeshadow Look

Happy Wednesday everyone! I'm so so excited that this past weekend I was able to sit down and play with some makeup (it's been a little while!) I really want to focus on using products in my collection, and so today's look is a "Very Peri" eyeshadow look based on the 2022 Pantone Colour of the Year! 

The Estee Lauder, Catrice and Hard Candy products - this post contains affiliate links 

I don't have anything that it is quite "Very Peri" in my collection, but I have a lot of purples and some blues, so I thought I would be able to pull a look together, and honestly - I'm so happy with how this look came out! It's deep, but shimmery and pretty! It's a little more cool-toned than I normally go and I like it! 

Manicure Monday - Matte Purple Abstract Nails

Happy Manicure Monday everyone - hope you had a great weekend! It was a good weekend here and nice out so we got a little tobogganing in yesterday! 

The OPI polish was received as a PR sample

This whole month the #CBBxManiMonday group is doing purple and blue nails for the 2022 Colour of the Year "Very Peri" - so last week's nails were blue, so I wanted to play with my purples this week! 

Sydney Grace Purple Look - Dear Reader Pressed Pigment Shadow & Flamethrower MultiChrome Cream Eye Shadow

Last year I really wanted to try more Indie brands, and I picked up some Sydney Grace products when they did a collaboration with Temptalia (loved the pressed powder palette - Quintessence Light, you can check out my review here if you are interested in seeing my thoughts on the palette!)

I purchased these products on my own

Sydney Grace is a sister owned business in California - they are best known for their eye shadow formulas, but they are also have loose pigments and glitters, setting powders, highlighters and lip creams! 

Five on Friday - January 14, 2022 ~ Little Passports Subscription, Leopard Print Rebecca Wrap Dress, Night Circus Reading Pillow, Delicious New Meals and KFC Plant Chicken

Happy Manicure Monday everyone - hope you all have a great week! Mine was pretty normal - still a bit hard around here because there is lots being closed or cancelled right now with the pandemic still! (I'm hoping my volleyball will start up again soon!)

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post (the subscription was a gift from a family member)

I haven't really ever reviewed a kids subscription before, but I wanted to quickly talk about Little Passports since Elliott got a subscription for Christmas! So, Little Passports is a kids subscription company that focuses on "play-based science and geography kits delivered monthly." 

My 2022 Makeup Collection & Inventory!

I've been taking inventory of my makeup collection for the past couple of years - I really wanted to actually see how much makeup I own, but also to track if I'm using things up and how that counteracts the new product that I'm bringing in to my collection! 

I absolutely love looking at other people's makeup collection and thought I should combine a look at my collection while inventorying it all! I will say that my collection is spread out in a room (sorry guests, no room for you here - it's full of makeup) and it does help me use everything because I'm very visual, so I like to have it all displayed to remind myself to use everything! 

Some products pictured were received as PR samples

While going through my inventory, I am including back up and samples in the counts as well! This also is only makeup (no skincare or nails - my skincare would be crazy to count!)

Primers = 4 (was 19) ~ This was one of my biggest categories the past couple of years, but I've really managed to work my way through some older primers as well as used up some samples I've had. I haven't purchased a primer in probably 2 years so now it's totally reasonable! 

Monthly Beauty Empties ~ November and December 2021

Here's a look at my beauty empties from the past two months:

Some products were received as PR samples - this post contains affiliate links

Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer ~ sample shown (full size is $68.00 CAN). A velvety priming balm of pressed silk that smooths and makes makeup last longer while keeping it out of skin, helping to prevent clogged pores and breakouts.

This was fine - I don't loved the idea of a potted primer, especially for $70! Personally, I don't love dipping in to things while getting ready. The formula itself was smooth, but not really for me! 

Repurchase: No

Manicure Monday - Blue Ombre Glitter Nails

Happy Manicure Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend - it was still so cold here, so it was pretty quiet for us! 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

My short little nails are slowly growing out - a little bit longer, and I'm hoping in that time I will get some inspiration for nail art! In the meantime, I'm doing a glitter ombre mani for the week. 

My Favourite Books of 2021

I have always been a pretty avid reader and typically listen to audiobooks as I have a bit of a drive to and from work. But, starting in 2020, I really made reading as a form of relaxing a priority (my unwind tool before bed instead of my phone, more reading in the bath, etc.) and it has paid off - in 2020 I read 90 books and in 2021, I read 117! Way more than I've ever read in a year before! 

I will read anything, and I know a lot of people say that, but I read every genre (maybe a little less sci-fi), but fantasy, non-fiction, young adult, literary fiction, graphic novels, I will try it all!

I purchased all these books myself - this post contains affiliate links

So of the 117 books I read this year, I rounded up my top 11 Favourites of the year - I either gave these book a 5 or 4.5 star rating out of 5! (There were a few more that I gave a 4.5 rating to, but these are just the best of the best and they have to shared!)

Five on Friday - January 7, 2022 ~ December 2021 Scratch Monthly Mani Kit, 2021 Goal Recap & 2022 Goals, A Few Blog Changes and A Few Brands I Want To Try in 2022

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all have had a great week - it was a bit hard to go back to work this week after almost 2 weeks off, and it was brutally cold so that made it even harder! I'm glad it's the weekend! I hope you all had a fantastic New Years - I had just a quiet night at home with the kids, my husband worked, so we just hung out (and I started watching the new season of Queer Eye!)

ONE 

I purchased everything in this post

I just got my December 2021 Scratch Monthly Mani Kit and as always, they are super cute - these aren't usually the style I go for, but these are still fun! This is an easy, affordable subscription that features nail wraps from GoScrachIt that are exclusive to the kit each month and designed by NinaNailedIt!

Top 8 Favourites - Best Skincare Discoveries in 2021

I always love rounding up my Favourite products I've discovered every year - sometimes I've included hair and nails, but this year I'm just going to focus on the best skincare (and I just shared the best makeup the other day)! Personally, I include products that I've discovered within the year (not necessarily products that were released in the year, or I don't include every category as I just want to pick the best products I've tried!)

The FabYou, Paula's Choice and Skoah products were received as PR samples - this post contains affiliate links

With that being said, everything I talked about on my Monthly Favourites, I still love; but, when I think of the best products of the year, I think of the ones that have been total standouts or game-changers in my routine! So, that's why I didn't pick an even 10 as there was only 8 stand out skincare products of the year! Also, skincare is so personal, so what works for me, might not work great for another skin type - please keep that in mind too! 

The 7 Worst Products I Tried in 2021 - Makeup & Nails

You should know by now that I really try and shy away from poor or negative reviews - I like to keep things positive around here, so I typically only share things I love! Now, that doesn't mean I will lie, if something isn't great I would never say it is, but I tend to keep my content to things I enjoy. 

But, I make an exception for the Worst Products of the year, because these aren't just a little bad or I didn't like them, these are all pretty terrible products that I could never recommend them! Also, if you are looking for something more upbeat instead, make sure you check out my Favourite Makeup products that I shared yesterday! 

The Bio Sculpture top coat was received as a PR sample - this post contains affiliate links

It's 2022, but do we still need disclaimers like, "just because I didn't like this single product, doesn't mean I don't love the brand" or, "please, don't be offended if one of these is your favourite products"? Because, yes all of that is true, and I think it should go without saying - a lot of these products are from brands that I like and have tried other things from and one product is not a reflection of the whole brand!

Top 10 Favourites - Best Makeup Discoveries of 2021

I always love rounding up my Favourite products I've discovered every year - sometimes I've included hair and nails, but this year I'm just going to focus on the best makeup and the best skincare products I've tried this year! Personally, I include products that I've discovered within the year (not necessarily products that were released in the year, or I don't include every category as I just want to pick the best products I've tried!)

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

With that being said, everything I talked about on my Monthly Favourites, I still love; but, when I think of the best products of the year, I think of the ones that have been total standouts or game-changers in my routine! So, that is what I'm going to focus on for this year's Top 10 Favourites! 

Manicure Monday - Periwinkle Snowflake Nails

Happy Manicure Monday everyone! It's the first mani of 2022 - whoa! 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

Pantone announced their Colour of the Year for 2022 is "Very Peri" and they created the new colour for the year - it is a mixture of a periwinkle blue and a lavender with violet red undertones. It is a happy, uplifting shade and it's really lovely! 

Monthly Beauty Favourites ~ December 2021

Here are the top 5 products I've been loving in December: 

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links 

Is it just me or has December just flown by?! I picked up so many new products last month with the intention of trying them all, but this month just went so fast I only tried a few things! So, most the products I'm loving this month are products that are staples in my routine and I've realized while just doing a basic look, how much I love them!