Manicure Monday - Holographic Nails

Last Black Friday I purchased the "I Survived Black Friday" nail polish box that featured a few different brands with all holographic polishes! 

With all of this Black Friday/Cyber Monday business, I decided to revisit my Black Friday nail polishes! 

How beautiful is this polish?! So pretty! 

November 2015 Bath Time Box Review

This box was provided in exchange for an honest review - all opinions are my own 

Bath Time Box is a Canadian bath subscription box (started right here in Alberta - yay!!!) - the first box shipped in February of this year. Bath Time Box focuses on products to help you rediscover bath time - I love baths so this box is right up my alley!

Bath Time Box is described as: 

"Designed and curated with the Bath lover in mind, each Bath Time Box contains 5 full and deluxe sample sized bath products carefully chosen to take your bath time to the next level.  Each box is carefully chosen with a focus on Natural and Handcrafted products. 

Delivered to you monthly, each box will hold an assortment of luxurious milk baths, scintillating bubble baths, invigorating scrubs, nourishing lotions and so much more."

Bath Time Box is $29.00 monthly + free shipping. (If you sign up for 3 months, it is $85, and 12 months is $335 + free shipping).

Also, if you are interested in purchasing items that you see in box, you can go the Bath Time Box store: www.bathtimestore.com 

The box ships on the 21st or 22nd of every month - it ships quickly and arrives in a few days! Here is a look at the November 2015 Bath Time Box:

This month everything looks quite pink - which I love!! Bath Time Box always includes a detailed product sheet:

Sephora - Mini Online Shopping Haul

So I put in 2 Sephora orders earlier this month - what I'm showing you is all my add-ons from my shopping orders!! (Everything I bought is for friends and gift exchanges so I will keep those to myself!)

From my first order, I added on my birthday present, a sample bag, and my 3 free samples!

I love when it is birthday month from Sephora! Instead of the Nars lippie presents, I picked the Peter Roth birthday set:

Peter Roth Anti-aging Cleansing Gel ~ sample size 2 oz. for $11.75 (full size is 8 oz. for $47). A luxurious, antiaging facial cleansing gel that provides an exhilarating, peachy clean freshness to help produce a beautiful, fresh, youthful-looking complexion. 

Skincare Sunday - Lush Cranbery Festive Face Mask

It's Skincare Sunday!! I'm always excited to review a Lush mask and this one is a holiday mask which is even more awesome!! 

Cranberry Festive Face Mask ~ $8.95. A festive face mask inspired by traditional Christmas ingredients to deep cleanse, soften and nourish skin. When you're exposed to dry winter air outdoors and heating indoors, skin can feel parched and look a little dull. Indulge in a healthy dose of antioxidant cranberries and cleansing fennel seed infusion to brighten, while argan oil and rose clay leave skin looking matte and feeling luxuriously soft.

November 2015 Beauty Box Comparison - Ipsy vs. Birchbox Canada vx. Topbox

This month I am back to comparing 3 beauty boxes - Ipsy, Birchbox Canada, and Topbox!! Here is a look at my chart comparison:

Now here is a closer look at each box:

Mini Shopping Haul - Lush Goodies!

I have not stopped by my local Lush all month to stock up on their Christmas goodies (I think next year I will order online so I can get everything I want!) A few goodies I wanted were sold old, but here are a few goodies I was able to pick up! 

Candy Mountain Bubble Bar ~ $7.45. Fair trade vanilla grows in view of the Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon in Western Uganda before being packed into this lustrous pink bubbler. Crumble it up under running water and sink deep into the glistening ridges of sweetly scented bubbles and comforting creamy candy scent. It's a sweet treat you won't soon forget.

Mini Shopping Haul - Bath Time Store Bath Goodies!

I was running super low on my Bath Time Box Rose and Aloe toner - so I had to place an order at Bath Time Store to stock up! I was just in time to their website relaunch! If you haven't checked out the store, go to Bath Time Store! 

Here is a look at my order:

Moisture Whip "Lavender" ~ $9.50. A top seller!  Skin loving Shea Butter whipped to fluffy perfection and combined with Coconut Oil. 

This whipped lotion is amazing!! I haven't tried the Lavender scent yet, but I am looking forward to this! 

November 2015 Birchbox Canada Review and Unboxing - Beauty Subscription Box

Birchbox is the original sample beauty box and has been in the U.S.A. and earlier this year it opened a Canadian service. It is $10 a month + $4.95 shipping to Canada (you can save money by signing up for a year for $100 + shipping costs). Each month you receive 5 sample (or full size) products based on a beauty profile you complete.

Birchbox Canada describes itself as:
"Five personalized beauty samples delivered right to your door each month. It’s the best way to find the products you’ll love."

(It should be noted that if you see the U.S. Birchbox - Canadian's receive different products.) I originally signed up at the start of the year, but cancelled in June. I wasn't thrilled with all the products they were sending (a lotion and body wash per month did not seem worth it!)

Recently, Birchbox Canada has made some changes - new products and new monthly features - curated boxes and sample choice. In addition, they started offering all the special boxes that American subscribers received.

My husband offered me a subscription for my birthday present, and since I think things are looking up for Birchbox, I signed up for a year subscription.

I did miss the cut off for the November curated box or sample selection, so this is just the normal November 2015 Birchbox Canada:

Birchbox always comes in a nicely designed box (I have used these to store samples and such because they are just so pretty!)

November 2015 Topbox Unboxing and Review - Canadian Beauty Subscription

TopBox is a Canadian Beauty Box Subscription - for $12 CDN a month with free shipping, you will receive 4 deluxe sample size or full size products. You fill out a beauty profile and generally receive products based on what you have identified in the profile. Also, every month you have the option to wish for a "prive" box, which is a box that focuses on one brand or product for the whole box.

TopBox is a Canadian company and only ships to Canada. The only downside to subscribing to TopBox is that there is a wait-list that can take a month or two to get off of.

This month, Topbox started offering a real referral program - they have only ever offered links via email which are a pain in the butt to get out to people! I love that their is a link now (which is of course included in this post now).

For October, I opted for a regular Topbox. Here is a look:

I'm thinking this month looks pretty good - Topbox also includes a product card detailing the products included. 

Five on Friday - November 27, 2015

Happy Black Friday everyone - while us Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving a long time ago, I love that we get to participate in Black Friday deals! (I am going to try and just buy gifts, but likely I will get something for myself!)

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This hasn't been a super great week for me, I still have lots of posts to get done! But, I had a minor surgery on Tuesday and I thought that would give me lots of time to do my posts but it did not! Anyways, I am feeling better now and I will get them done! 

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Look at these awesome Christmas crackers - I got them last week when The Face Shop had a 25% off sale so they worked out to $11 for 3 which is awesome! Every year my girlfriends and I do a Girls Night Christmas with a Secret Santa gift exchange - I figure skincare crackers are the perfect addition to a girls night!!!

Sears Beauty Event and a Giveaway!!!

I was happy to be invited to the Sears Beauty Event on November 3, 2015! Sears Canada partnered with "Look Good Feel Better" to help raise money for their Beauty Gives Back campaign. 

"Look Good Feel Better" is company dedicated to helping women with cancer. Their motto is: 'We believe that if a woman with cancer can be helped to look good, chances are she’ll feel better, her spirits will be lifted and she’ll be empowered to face her illness with greater confidence. We like to call it a 'makeover for the spirit'. 

Wine + Mask Wednesday (Summerhill Pinot Gris + My Beauty Diary 2 Step Africa Hydrating Pack)

Look at me getting my feature posts done on time here!! Time for another Wine + Mask Wednesday - my theme for this week is "tree fruit"! 

Here is a look at my Wine of the Week:

November 2015 Ipsy Glam Bag - Beauty Subscription Unboxing and Review

Ipsy is one of the original inexpensive beauty bag sample subscriptions. You receive 4-5 deluxe sample size or full size products each month. The cost is $10 US (+ $4.95 shipping to Canada). 

Ipsy is generally make-up products with a mix of skincare, nail polish, and hair products based on a beauty profile you complete. There is usually 12-18 products that are selected from each month! You can view your "glam room" online that tells you all the products you will receive each month. You also receive a make-up bag each month with your products.

Here is a look at this month's Ipsy bag:

This month's theme is "Beauty Blast" - Your November Glam Bag is a universe of brilliant beauties. Twinkle, twinkle, darling. It's time to light up the sky. Ipsy does not include a product card, instead you will have to go to their website for all the info on the products! 

Guerlain Météorites Flocons Enchantés - Makeup Review and Swatches

I don't always consider myself a huge splurger on makeup - I like to try new things, but be reasonable about it! 

But there are some things I cannot resist and Guerlain Météorites are one of them! While the price tag can give some people a little bit of sticker shock - they seriously last forever, so it makes it worth it! I ordered the regular illuminating pearls back in April 2014 and still have some left! 

I am running a little low, so when I saw Guerlain's Holiday 2015 collection I lost all self control! (Good thing The Bay had a $10 off coupon and free shipping! I counted this as my birthday present to myself!)

Guerlain Météorites Flocons Enchantés ~ $89.00. Applied with a large snowball powder puff, precious Météorites pearls enhance the face and décolleté. 
-Iridescent finish
-Beige particles even skin tone
-Champagne illuminates
-Golden tones create a sun-kissed effect
-Delicate violet fragrance
-Limited edition

Manicure Monday - Movember Kitty Cat Nails

Movember Manicure Monday!!! I thought I would join moustaches with my love of cats for this week's manicure! 

Hehe - how fun are these little moustached cats?! 

Skincare Sunday Product Review - Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping Mask

Happy Sunday everyone - today I am reviewing a sleeping mask! I use these basically every night, but don't often review them! I have quite a few favourites that I rotate through, and I thought I would share one with you:

Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping Mask ~ $26. Anti wrinkle sleeping pack that makes your skin smooth and resilient with shape memory moisture membrane of red wine.

Lush Haul - "Spectacular" Gift Box Unboxing

Yay, my hubby spoiled me this year with an awesome Lush gift!!! He knows how much I love Lush, so he got me the "Spectacular" box! Here is a look at the box:

Spectacular Wrapped Gift ~ $84.95. When the weather outside is frightful, treat yourself to some indulgent, rejuvenating bath and shower inventions. Delight your senses with the rich Yuzu And Cocoa Shower Cream, smooth and soften your skin with the citrusy Celebrate Body Lotion, and slip into cocktail-inspired bubbles with Pink Flamingo Reusable Bubble Bar. Your bathroom routine has never been so inspiring!

Five on Friday - November 20, 2015

Happy Friday everyone!!! I hope everyone had a great week - I can't believe how busy my week was, I haven't really been home at all this week so I am looking forward to relaxing and catching up on some blog posts this weekend! 

Here is a look at my week:

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Girl's Night Dinners are my favorite thing!! We all get together once a month and take turns hosting and preparing a dinner! As everyone's schedules get busier, you realize how hard it is to get together with everyone! This is the best way to make sure we see each other on a regular basis!! 

Manicure Monday (Scratch Nail Wraps)

Seriously, my son's basketball has taken over my Monday nights! Ten year old boys are exhausting - this is why my nails are late again this week (don't worry I have been reminder by a dear friend of mine that I am late with everything for my blog - yikes!!!) That means I really need to step it up!! 

My nails are still super short this week so I couldn't do much nail art, so I pulled out the Scratch nail wraps! I think you guys know by now how much I love these wraps - they go on super quick and easy and you remove them just like nail polish! 

BH Cosmetics - Carli Bybel Palette Review and Swatches

Do you guys watch Carli Bybel on Youtube? I love her videos and her makeup tutorials so I was excited when she was announced that she was creating a palette with bh cosmetics! They are a very affordable makeup brand, and I have loved their brushes in past and have not tried their makeup yet so I was excited to try it out!  

Carli Bybel - 14 Color Eyeshadow & Highlighter Palette ~ $15.99. Beauty expert and YouTube sensation Carli Bybel designed this versatile 14 Color Eyeshadow and Highlighter Palette to dial up the drama and add excitement to your look. Carli's taste for chic refinement and modern elegance inspired her to select a collection of earthy neutrals and plummy brown shadows with four face highlighters that complement every skin tone. The mix of mattes and shimmers makes it easy to go from amped-up evening intensity to toned-down daytime options.

Features & Benefits:
-Highlighting Powders Can Be Used for Face and Eyes
-Vegan
-Paraben Free
-Non-Irritating
-Allergy Tested
-Clinically Tested
-Cruelty Free Product

Skincare Sunday Product Review - Ladykin Vanpir Dark Repair Cream

With the transition in to Fall, so comes the need for a thicker face cream! I have a few I am using, but I would love to show you guys this Ladykin cream! 

Ladykin Vanpir Dark Repair Cream ~ $15 US. LadyKin Vanpir Dark Repair Cream is especially designed to suit all skin types. Its formula stimulates skin' s metabolism. Its formula stimulates skin's metabolism. It easily absorbs into skin to give moisture and suppleness witout being greasy. It helps to reduce wrinkles, freckles and blemishes, and remove fine lines. Clearing facial spots, it whitens skin and contracts expanded pores. It improves the skin condition, supplies the faint skin deep protection and makes the skin recover brilliance and moisture. It will give you velvety softness and youthful appearance.

Five on Friday - November 13, 2015

Happy Friday everyone!! Here is what I have been up to this week!

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Advent calendars are all here!!!! Woo hoo!! We are excited for December 1 - my husband has a beer one, my son a lego one, and this year I got The Body shop one! 

Manicure Monday - Movember Nails

Sorry, this post is slightly late (I went to bed last night at 8:30 instead of doing my nails!) - so now I'm doing my nails tonight! 

Yes! Moustache Nails!! 

Skincare Sunday Product Review - Lush Mask of Magnaminty Mask

My readers should know by now that I love Lush products and I use their masks regularly! I recently purchased the Mask of Magnaminty and I have been excited to try it!

Mask of Magnaminty ~ 125g for $14.95 (there is a bigger size 315g for $25.95). Mask of Magnaminty isn’t technically a daily ‘facial wash’; it’s actually a deep cleansing face and back mask. China clay and fresh peppermint reach deep down to pull the debris from your pores, giving you that delightful tingly-clean sensation. We add loads of aduki beans to exfoliate flaky or dry skin, vanilla absolute to calm redness and honey to soothe. Our inventors created Mask of Magnaminty to be the ‘ultimate face mask’, intense but not harsh or abrasive on the skin. We recommend using Mask of Magnaminty weekly to keep the skin in good condition.

Five on Friday - November 6, 2015

Finally it's Friday! What an exhausting week! This post will probably be a little Halloween heavy because I haven't checked in with you guys since then! Here is what I have been up to this week:

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Did you guys catch my Halloween makeup on Saturday?!

I was so excited to do this Comic Book Pop Art Girl makeup!!! How fun is this! I was really happy with how this turned out (I didn't have time to do a tutorial, but hopefully next Halloween I can get some tutorials in!) 

October 2015 Favorites

Here are my 5 favorite products for the month of October!

Farmacy Clear Day Mask Medley ~ $30.00. A set of supercharged solutions for stressed, tired skin, dark spots and freckles, and dry, tight, uncomfortable skin. 

• Soothing kale extract offers a complex blend of minerals, antioxidants, vitamins and amino acids that helps rebalance vulnerable, stressed skin. 
• Brightening purple broccoli extract delivers powerful skin-clarifying action due to the varietal’s high level of antizymes, which possess antioxidant properties, and the benefits of chlorophyll, vitamins, and minerals. 
• Deeply moisturizing cucumber extract delivers high levels of vitamin C, which assists in reinforcing the skin’s natural barrier function and helps to maintain moisture levels. 

I have tried 2 of these masks so far (Kale and Broccoli) and I absolutely love them!! The masks are made out of this amazing thin gel material and they fit perfect on to the face. They made my skin feel good, and I would not encourage anyone to spend $10 per mask if they weren't amazing!!! 

October 2015 - Month of Masks + Mask Empties

This post is a review of all the masks I use each month - I also consider the Month of Masks my Mask Empties post, because I do not feature my sheet masks in my monthly empties post! You can check out my past Month of Masks here! 

This month will start on September 26, 2015 - because that is when I left for my honeymoon so it is where I ended my last post! 

Here we go:

October 2015 Empties!

This post will be much shorter than my honeymoon empties (and with prettier pictures too!!). Although, I did still manage to use up quite a few product when I got home from the trip!! 

Here is a look at my October empties:

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser ~ $13.00. A refreshing instant foaming cleanser for blemished skin. Gently but effectively cleanses skin. Removes make-up and impurities. Regular cleansing will help keep skin blemish-free.

I have loved this cleanser - I usually use it at night time after an oil cleanser. I worked great and I had super clear skin while using this! Definitely a repurchase!

September/October 2015 Honeymoon Empties

I have to say that I originally thought I would have all my empties from the Honeymoon and October all together in 1 post; but, I had sooo many empties from my Honeymoon it would be waaay too long!! 

I started blogging my empties a few months ago, because I was hooked on Youtube empties videos and love going through and seeing what everyone else has used up and what they thought of the products! I jumped on board, and have really loved it ever since - I know it's basically looking at garbage but it is awesome to go through and see what you would buy again! 

My Honeymoon was 2 weeks long - September 26 to October 10 and I tried to just bring travel sized products with me to use some of my stash up!! It is also perfect to travel with because it takes up less space, and I pack like I'm never coming home! Before we dig in, let me apologize for the picture quality, ugh phones and hotel bathrooms are not a great combination for product shots! Here we go:

Bvlgari White Tea Soap ~ price unknown, hotel soap. A generous and elegant expression of refinement and personal indulgence, BVLGARI's Eau Parfume au the blanc's Bath Soap envelop body and mind with intimate notes of white tea and musk.

I don't think I would normally count this as an empty, but I left it at the first hotel where it was from. It actually smelled super good! If I was at another hotel and they had this, I would be happy to use it. 

Manicure Monday (texture nails) + Monthly Pedicure (Aurora Gel Polish) and some November Cozy Comforts!

I love some added goodies on my nail night! I was inspired to share them with you this week because the November Beauty Bloggers theme is "Cozy Comforts" - here are some goodies I use to take my Manicure Mondays to the next level! 

• Candle - this one is Farm Fresh Apple Preserves
• Foot Scrub - this is Flip Flop Foot Fix Dry Foot Scrub
• Foot Lotion - this one is Mentha Foot Tingling Foot Cream
• Hand Lotion - this one is Healthy Hand and Nail Conditioning 

October 2015 Mask Genie 5 Mask Pouch - Facial Mask Subscription Review

*as of October 1, 2015 Mask Genie had a bit of a price increase due to Hong Kong shipping rates/policies (this will affect the November pouch and onward..)

Mask Genie is an all mask subscription. Mask Genie offers 2 different pouches:

• 5 masks for $13.50
• 10 masks for $23.50

The price for each pouch includes worldwide shipping! 

Mask Genie is a monthly purchase, not a continual subscription so you sign up when you want to receive a pouch! 

Mask Genie describes their service as:

"MaskGenie is a monthly masks membership service, which delivers a beautifully packaged drawstring pouch straight to your door containing a variety of fun and exciting masks from Asia.

Unlike other masks subscription services, MaskGenie gives you the freedom to choose what you buy and when you buy, so you never feel tied to anything. Throughout the year, there will also be Limited Edition Luxury Mask Pouches that you can purchase as an extra treat for yourself or for a friend.

MaskGenie is not only your usual masks subscription service where you receive a bunch of random masks each month, but with MaskGenie, all products are carefully chosen and curated by us, all in order to give you the best selection of the craziest, coolest, and hottest trends!

No matter what skincare concerns you may have, MaskGenie provides only the best masks that care for your skin from head to toe. You now have an opportunity to try out all the different types and brands of masks from Asia."

For October, I ordered the 5 mask pouch, here is a look:

Mask Genie always ships in an organza bag and includes a little card with what month you ordered. There is no product card included, but Mask Genie does unpouching videos on her Youtube channel. 

Skincare Sunday Product Review - Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive

Time for my Skincare Sunday! I realized that I have not done a skin peel in quite some time (yikes, should be once every two weeks - I normally like to alternate weekly treatments with a deep cleansing scrub!)

Here is a look at the peel I am using this week:

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive ~ full size $39. Juice Beauty’s bestselling, patented GREEN APPLE™ Peel exfoliates and refines to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and lighten hyperpigmentation. Delivers spa grade exfoliation revealing a brighter complexion while firming the skin. A Daily Essential for all skin types.

October Bath Time Box Review and Unboxing

This box was provided in exchange for my honest review - all opinions are my own!

Bath Time Box is a newer Canadian subscription box (started right here in Alberta - yay!!!) - the first box shipped in February. Bath Time Box focuses on products to help you rediscover bath time - I love baths so this box is right up my alley!

Bath Time Box is described as: 

"Designed and curated with the Bath lover in mind, each Bath Time Box contains 5 full and deluxe sample sized bath products carefully chosen to take your bath time to the next level.  Each box is carefully chosen with a focus on Natural and Handcrafted products. 

Delivered to you monthly, each box will hold an assortment of luxurious milk baths, scintillating bubble baths, invigorating scrubs, nourishing lotions and so much more."

Bath Time Box is $29.00 monthly + free shipping. (If you sign up for 3 months, it is $85, and 12 months is $335 + free shipping).

Also, if you are interested in purchasing items that you see in box, you can go the Bath Time Box store: www.bathtimestore.com (I have made purchases for extra soap because they are all sooo good!)

The box ships on the 21st or 22nd of every month - it ships quickly and arrives in a few days! Here is a look at the October 2015 Bath Time Box:

Yay - everything looks so Fall-ish!!! This box also includes a full page, detailed product description: