Current Obsession: Twiggy Inspired Makeup

1960's Twiggy Makeup Tutorial

1960's Twiggy Makeup Tutorial

Holiday Makeup Inspiration

Scroll down to the previous blog post for "My Top 25 Holiday Products."

Holiday Glam

My Top 25 Holiday Products:

Face:
-Sonia Kashuk's Perfecting Mattifying Primer
-Nars Virtual Domination Cheek Palette
-Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl
-MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder

Shadows + Liners:
-Glitter Helper by Lime Crime
-Scorpio Glitter by Lime Crime
-MAC Holiday Heirloom Mix Pigment Silver + Blue
-NYX Hot Singles Eye Shadow in Raven, Over the Taupe (great for brows) and Happy Hour
-Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Stray Dog
-NYX Glam Shadow Stick in Wicked Onyx
-Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl in Brown (003)
-Stila Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Intense Black

- NARS Virtual Domination Palette -

Brushes:
-MAC Shadow Brush 217
-MAC Crease Brush 219
-Sonia Kashuk Smudger Brush No. 105
-Sonia Kashuk Retractable Lip Brush

Lashes + Mascara:
-Ardell Corset Lashes 500
-Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara

Lippies + Liners:
-NYX lip liner in Currant
-NYX Matte Lipstick in Siren
-J. Catt Wonder Lip Paint in Queen of Harts
-NYX Lipstick in Chic Red
-MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in All Fired Up

On Repeat: The Funeral

November Playlist

Where is my Mind - Pixies

Medecine- Daughter

This Year's Love - David Gray

Money Power Glory - Lana del Rey

Gypsy - Fleetwood Mac 
Bad Girls - M.I.A. 
Doesn't Remind Me - Audioslave
Black Widow - Iggy Azalea 
Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones
Drowning - Shayne May 

On Repeat: Shot at the Night

Fall Beauty Inspiration

- Cara Delevingne's eyeliner -

- Emma Watson's burgundy lip -

- Jessica Biel's natural makeup -

- Kate Mara's bob -

Feel Good Playlist

Quite the mix people; enjoy!

Dancing On My Own - Robyn

Left Hand Free - alt-j

Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac

Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf
Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan 

Disparate Youth - Santigold 

Young Blood - The Naked and Famous

Girls Chase Boys - Ingrid Michaelson
What I Wouldn't Do - A Fine Frenzy

Boom Clap - Charli XCX
Sail - AWOLNATION

Fall Inspiration

 

On Repeat: Left Hand Free by Alt-J

Feature Artist: Heart of Bone

- Emma's handcrafted rings -

Emma Abrahams of Heart of Bone resides in Melbourne and each unique jewelry piece is handcrafted in her home studio. I first discovered Emma's amazing talent on Instagram and have watched her start out her small business there. It started simply as a hobby turned into business project; selling her rad rock n' roll rings only through Instagram. She has come a long way since then and has launched her own website this month. She first carves the design in wax and the wax is then cast into sterling silver or gold. My personal favourite is her "Fairy Queen Ring," which features two large butterflies.

Celebrities such as Nicole Richie's husband, Joel Madden, first spotted the brand's badass impersonation of his wife and the couple have since become big fans. Joel wears his blinged out ring of his wife on his index finger.

Visit her website at: http://www.heartofbone.com
Instagram: @heart_of_bone

National Suicide Prevention Week

In honour of Suicide Prevention Week (Sept. 8th-14th) and Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th, I have decided to join TWLOHA's "No One Else Can Play Your Part" Campaign. 

Please help me support To Write Love On Her Arms and their campaign by visiting my donation my page at: https://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=338170 
Your generous donation will help create a community that believes in the reality of recovery, invest in treatment and challenge the misconceptions of mental health. Together we can present hope to those who are suffering. 



For more information on this project visit: http://twloha.com/blog/no-one-else
Thanks to everyone for your kind donations!

Makeup Tutorial: Beyonce's Emerald Eyes

This great tutorial from Teen Vogue and Beyonce's makeup artist, Sir John, will show you how to achieve that smoky emerald eye look that I talked about in my last post. Feel free to try out this look with Sir John's color palette or stick to a more subdued look with the Chanel Quadra Shadow in 232. Instead of lining the eyes with a blue pencil, use Laura Mercier's Kohl Pencil in Black Turquoise for a simpler look. Finish with MAC's Lustre Lipstick in Pretty Please.

Fall Makeup Looks + Essentials

The List:

Look #1 - Emerald Eyes and Nude Lipstick

-Chanel Quadra Shadow in 232
amazing emerald color for fall
-Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil in Black Turquoise
pair with the Chanel palette by lining the eyes with this pencil

-MAC Lustre Lipstick in Pretty Please
a great nude to go with your played up eyes 

Look #2 - Natural Eye and Purple Lip
-Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette
apply Stranger on the entire lid and Factor on the outer eye
and crease for that perfect natural eye
-Revlon Colorstay Stain in Parisian Passion
wear with a very neutral, natural looking eye

-MAC Tinted Lipglass in Reckless Desire
pair this with a smoky or natural eye, can also
be worn over your Revlon Colorstay Stain 

Others:

-La Roche-Posay Nutritic Intense Riche Cream
keep your skin extra hydrated this fall by applying this
light feeling cream on at night
-Ciate Mini Effects Studs
a fun nail effect for the fall

- Ciate Mini Effects Studs - 

           

- Chanel Quadra Shadow in 232 -

- La Roche Posay Nutritic -

Fashion: Fall 2014 Trend Report

Fall is just around the corner and I have been starting to research the top trends for the coming season. I hope you are able to find some inspiration to add some key pieces to your wardrobe! As always; stay tuned for my next post!

The Nomad

- Cara Delevingne in Burberry Prorsum - 

-shearling coats

-blanket capes

-fur pieces + chunky knits

-bohemian style dresses

-earth toned garments

-suede booties

Retro Mod

-shift dresses

-cat eyes 

-chic patterns

-twiggy inspired clothing

-pops of color

-pastel colored coats

Motocross

-leather jackets

-denim, denim, denim

-90's inspired makeup 

-patchwork + plaid

-slouchy jeans 

Breakfast in yyc

- The Loop - 

Breakfast is not only the most important meal of the day but it is also my FAVORITE meal of the day. I have frequented many restaurants in Calgary catering to brunch and breakfast and I have broken it down (for you!) to my top three favorites. 

The Loop (as pictured!) 

http://www.theloopcalgary.ca

I absolutely love the relaxed atmosphere at The Loop. There are always weekly events going on such as weekly bands, half price wine nights etc.. Feel free to grab a table, some coffee and a board game such as Cards Against Humanity. This wonderful restaurant also offers gluten free and vegan friendly eats.

The Belmont Diner

http://www.belmontdiner.ca

The Belmont Diner is by far my favourite of all breakfast places. This wonderful little gem is located just across from The Loop in the Marda Loop area of Calgary and is rated a whopping four and a half stars on urbanspoon.com. Its red leather bar stools and antique accents give it a classic diner feel. However, be sure to arrive early on a Saturday or Sunday morning as it rarely doesn't have patrons lined out the door. 

Vendome Cafe

http://www.vendomecafe.com

Vendome Cafe is located in the up and coming area of Kensington on the way to Sunnyside. I love this area because of the unique shops. So after breakfast or lunch definitely take a stroll in this lively area! Live music plays every Thursday starting at 7 pm, but if you are there for breakfast be sure to try out their Bacon Breakfast Panini or Salted Caramel French Toast! Vendome is rated very highly on urbanspoon.com and is liked by 89% of their customers. 

Makeup: Picks of the Month

Summer Series: August
We all want that flawless, smudge proof summer look, but how exactly do we get our makeup to STAY PUT for the entire day or an evening out on the town? I have a list of products I love to use during the summer months when my skin tends to get more oily than usual. Here is how to achieve it!

The List:

Skin
-Hawaiian Tropic Sunscreen Spray Lotion SPF 15
there is nothing I like better than great smelling sun protection; goes on smoothly just like your daily body lotion with a faint smell of coconut 
-Neutrogena Rapid Clear Cleansing Pads
a wonderful replacement for toner in a bottle, use before bed to cleanse and improve the look of acne prone skin 

Hair
-Schwarzkopf's Dust It Mattifying Powder
this amazing powder works as a dry shampoo as well as a volumizing hairspray; great for adding texture to your hair during the day or for staying put during a night out

Makeup
-Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
a must have for the summer months; skin gets more oily and this product acts as an adhesive for a smudge proof shadow look 
-Benefit's Boiing Industrial Strength Concealer in 01 
a great stay-put concealer with maximum coverage 
-Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit
this shadow is the best creaseless shadow I have come by, it is such a wonderful neutral color and acts as a great base or eyeshadow primer 

Tips:
-remember to always finish your makeup application with a light powder or finishing spray to make sure that everything stays in place for that non-budge smudge-proof look

Summer Reading List

I find I rarely have time to read during the year until summer vacation and it's a shame because I don't always realize how much I miss it. Reading is so soothing and therapeutic for so many people, especially for people with anxiety. Simply being at the bookstore for me is calming and grounding. I personally find is such a great way to spend time. I generally like "Heather's Picks" at Chapters and find that most of her reads are quite similar to my own taste. I am totally open to suggestions and would love to hear what YOU are reading this summer!

Here are my summer reads so far:
-Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
-Miracles Now by Gabby Bernstein
-#Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso
-The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
-Tears of the Desert by Halima Bashir

Feature Artist: Junghwa by Amy Stewart

- Jungwha "Be Free" 14k gold hand stamped necklace -

Not too long ago, I purchased a beautiful necklace on Etsy from Amy Stewart's etsy boutique, Junghwa. I wanted to share my great find with all of you internet surfers because I just love how wearable and dainty her jewelry is. Her brand's motto is "simple everyday pretty ™" and describes her gorgeous handmade pieces perfectly. Her hand stamped 14k gold jewelry embraces the beauty in simplicity and transcends the idea that we can find those simple moments that we so rarely embrace in our hectic daily lives. Her quirky and sometimes sassy jewelry reminds us to take the time out of our busy schedules for a little fun and adventure! This wonderful artist has been featured in Lucky Magazine and also creates custom pieces! 

I was so thrilled with my purchase and her orders come beautifully packaged in a brand stamped linen bag with an anti-tarnishing wipe and gift box. You can visit her on etsy at: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/junghwa or her personal website at:  http://junghwabyamystewart.com

In the Kitchen: Lemon Squares

As you may have guessed by this post, FOOD speaks to me.. durrhh. Who doesn't like a delicious piece of pizza, milkshake, greasy hamburger and for those of you who are more on the sophisticated side of the foodie spectrum; a nice latte, blueberry chutney or LEMON SQUARES 

Yup, I found a recipe for those awesome lemon squares you've been craving. 

Two words people: freakin' delicious

You're welcome. 

 This recipe is fool proof so let go, relax and make your momma proud with your newfound baking skills. 

Lemon Squares

Bake time: 50 min 
Makes 24 squares 

Base
-1 cup (250 mL) all purpose flour 
-1 cup (250 mL) sweetened shredded coconut
-1/2 cup (125 mL) sifted icing sugar 
-1/2 cup (125 L) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Filling
-6 eggs
-1 cup (125 mL) fresh squeezed lemon juice from about 5 lemons
-1/2 cup (125 mL) all purpose flour 
-2 3/4 (675 mL) granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend the base flour, shredded coconut and icing sugar in a medium mixing bowl. With your hands, break the butter into the mixing bowl and blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Spread evenly on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake in centre of oven until crust starts to golden. Check after 15 min but depending on your oven, it may take 20-22 min. Set on heatproof surface. Reduce oven to 325 degrees F. 

2. Whisk eggs with lemon juice in medium mixing bowl. Mix all purpose flour and granulated sugar in separate mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the egg-lemon mixture. Pour over hot baked crust. Bake until the filling no longer jingles in the top of the pan. This should take 30-32 min. Cool on rack and refrigerate. 

SERVE COLD