Beauty Vixen

Hi Everyone, I haven't done a recap in a long time. It has gotten out of hand now and, frankly, a little intimidating. I am going to try to recap the last few months with some of the highlights, and I just hope it isn't too long.

August:

August was a lot of schoolwork. My semester was wrapping up, and I had a huge group project to do that involved a lot of work. It was terrible because group projects should not exist for online college. It is terrible. Anyway, that took up a ton of my time, as did swimming and family get-togethers (also involving pools).

We attended Scarborough Rib Fest. It was tasty, and we always loved to go.

I also needed a new computer, mine was from 2011, so I got a Mac Mini. One big bonus of being a student is the Apple student discount. I hate that my version didn't have any front ports or an SD slot (I know, they aren't a thing anymore), so I got this base for it that looks great. It also has a slot for an SSD if I want to add one.

September:

September brought my birthday, a new school semester, and one last pool get-together.

My aunt and I went to Stratford to see four plays. We always have a great time, and I really enjoyed it there.

The hubs and I also did some eating along Yonge St. in North York, there was a food fest.

October:

October brought my mother-in-law from the Yukon for a visit. She stayed with my sister-in-law for a bit and then with us. We drove out to visit a few times while she was with the SIN and even took her to Hamilton to buy Quilting supplies and a dinner at Victoria's Steak and Seafood.

We all got a prefix, and I have to say, as someone who doesn't like steak, it was really good.

Since I was in school on my own schedule, I decided to take her around town while she was with us. One thing she wanted to see was the Quilts Made in Canada exhibit at the ROM. She had a great time and learned a lot about the history of quilts in Canada.

I attended a Drunkin Cinema at the Revue Theatre with my friend Melissa. They were showing Scream 2 and Scream 6, the sequels. We have now gone 6 times and seen all the movies in the franchise. I really loved seeing Scream 2 the first time there. It was a real meta moment with the opening scene, this time, it just wasn't as lively, but we had a great time.

I wish there was some more excitement going on, I mean, we had a gas leak. It was resolved in a few hours. Bradley got a Boo Basket, his nickname is Boo.

OH, I started to drive. I have been trying to actually learn to drive for about 7 years now. It has been slow and awkward. While my mother-in-law was here, I took the car to drive us places. I then just started taking it whenever driving the hubs to and from work on those days. It has been great; my confidence is high, and I really enjoy the freedom I now have.

Here are some random pet pics of Sterling and Bradley to round out the post. I hope you all have had a wonderful last few months.

No comments

Lifestyle things are a part of our daily lives, but I feel I don't always give them the respect they deserve. Today, I wanted to talk about a few things I really have been enjoying lately and have improved my quality of life.

I was inspired by the video of Danny Pudi talking with Larry King, stating a cup of coffee and socks are his luxuries. It made me think sometimes you really appreciate things that are just there in your life, and you are grateful that they are there.

Brita Water Filter

We got a fridge with a water filter a few years back, but we don't have a hookup for it. After decades of seeing my hubs reach for any cold beverage in the fridge instead of just getting water, I decided to finally get a Brita. But I didn't want a pitcher, I knew that wasn't for us. So, I got one with a dispenser. It lasts forever between refills (it holds 27 cups of water), and getting a cool beverage whenever we want is easy. The water tastes better, too.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brita Canada (@brita.canada)

Until we actually get that fridge water dispenser hooked up, this is the one thing in our kitchen I use daily that I really wish I had gotten years ago.

Nespresso

We got a Nespresso Original machine for Christmas 2019, and it saved me during lockdowns. I can make the hubs his straight espresso, and I can make my lattes. They both taste great, and I don't miss Starbucks at all. When it comes to pods, I like Nespresso, but we often get Lavazza or Illy. This past week, we chose to take advantage of a Black Friday deal and get a Vertuo machine using our credit card points. Now, we can also have easily larger cups of coffee on demand that actually taste good.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nespresso (@nespresso)

I feel if you love a fancy coffee but don't have the willpower or energy to use an espresso machine in the mornings or the money for a fancy machine, these are perfect for you. They cost less than $150, and you get fancy coffee with just the press of a button. I gave away a Keurig I got years ago because it made weak and terrible coffee, this is a whole different world.

Heated Blanket

My basement is where we spend most of our time, and it can get chilly. Right now, we're postponing turning on the heat. So a heated blanket is really nice. I often get really cold, so it's a nice little treat to not have cold toes while watching a movie. I also find I get really chilly in the evenings as I settle in for the night, as my body is no longer moving and cooling down. I also really hate having cold feet.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Costco Finds Canada (@costcofindsca)

This honestly wasn't something I ever thought I needed, but I truly love using it every evening. I picked mine up at Costco a few years back and use it almost every day.

Candle Warmer

this one is ridiculous, but I wanted one forever. They are lamps that warm up your candles, so you don't have to worry about lighting them and forgetting about them.

I picked up two at Marshall's, and they've been great. I no longer worry I am going to burn my house down with candles, and my house smells great.

The lesson really is that if you want something for a long time, you probably should just go get it, in my case two.

Ember Mug

This one is odd. Last November, I decided I wanted an Ember mug for when I started at home college. I did not want to worry about my tea or coffee getting cold. I almost bought one in the USA at a Best Buy but chose not to. The next day at Costco back home, I saw it on sale for $110. I put it in my cart so fast. It was such a good deal.

This mug has a charging base and uses Bluetooth through a phone app to keep your hot beverage at the right temp for long periods. Now mine is a 414 ml, this year's Costco model has no handle but a lid.

While I love the mug, it isn't big, and I find if I am going to drink my drink fast it isn't necessary. But for my second cup of tea of the day that I sip, it is great.

It does have a limited battery time, and the time it takes to cool the cup to the right temp does come out of that battery life, so maybe don't turn it on right away. For coffee, that is already the right drinking temp, it is probably the ideal mug.

Basically, I love it, but it still has flaws. I also love my Yetti cup for keeping things cold or hot forever! It is usually on my desk with ice and water or iced tea.

Fresh Ground Coffee

I went to Bluesky (hey, follow me there if you are using it) and asked for suggestions. My friend Melissa said fresh ground coffee. I fully agree. I love my Nespresso because they simplify the task with little thought, but nothing beats fresh ground coffee.

Last summer, we went to the Yukon and Alaska, and our gift to ourselves in each place we visited was locally roasted coffee. Now my father once got me a little $15 coffee grinder, and it has done us well over the last 20 years, but getting a burr grinder that ensures a consistent grind is so much better. I am eyeing getting one after the holiday season so that we can start refilling out Nespresso pods and using some fun coffees we have been getting.

On that note, I have been getting coffee at Bean Wise, which has a few locations. Their German Chocolate Cake Coffee makes the whole house smell amazing.

So those are the little luxuries I like right now. I honestly want to start thinking this way more often and appreciate what I have and why I have it. Does it serve a function? Does it make me happy? Is it something I have wanted forever? Is it going to give me a mini upgrade? Is it going to make my life better? These are all things to think about.

What are your everyday luxuries?

* This post features affiliate links, I may get a small commission if an item is purchased. I appreciate your support of the blog.

No comments

Confession time, I have never used a self-tanner before. This might be a little shocking, but I just never wanted to until now. This past summer, I started to think maybe a tan would look good on me. That being said, I was in no way going to get an actual tan outside, I have 4 family members who have fought skin cancer. This is where Tanologist comes in.

I decided to use their Medium Tinted Self Tan Mousse. They make a colourless version, but I chose the tinted guide version to help me apply it, especially since I am a novice.

The instructions are easy to follow:

Moisturise dry areas like hands, elbows, knees & feet
Apply to the skin in sweeping motions from head to toe using a tanning mitt & wash hands thoroughly after application
Shower off guide colour in 1-4 hours, depending on the desired end result

I used a tanning mitt I got on sale at Shoppers to apply it. The application was easy, and the product went on really smoothly. I was surprised how even it all went on with the mitt.

The scent is that of green tea. I had heard for decades how bad self-tanner smelt and was so surprised this smelled wonderful. It 100% smells like The Healing Garden's Green Tea scent from the Y2K Era. I know this because I loved it so much that when it got discontinued, the hubs bought out a discount store of roll-ons of it for me. I still have a body spray and an eau de toilet hanging around. The fact is smells just like that to me is very endearing.

I waited the full 4 hours before having a shower to wash off the guide colour. I found the guide colour helpful, but it was kind of orangey. While I waited those 4 hours, I wore some dark pyjama pants around the house. The formula was mildly tacky, even when dry, but nothing that bothered me and my pants never stuck to my legs or anything that drastic. It never transferred anywhere, either.

The tanner on my right leg vs my bare left leg.

The results...

Since I had no clue how this all worked, I can say that I may have gone a bit heavy around those dry areas, even though I moisturized. I also have some hyperpigmentation just below my knee area, so I probably should have gone and moisturized, too. Oh well.

Well, I like it. It is strange to see me with a tan or any type, but it is a nice change, and the one I was looking for. I don't look orange, which was a fear, I just look tanned. I will definitely use it again. I am actually thinking of using their Daily Glow Lotion for the rest of my body. I like the idea of adding a hint of colour and moisturizing daily.

left is bare legs, middle is with the tanner and guide on, right is the final result.

Pros:

Easy to use
tinted guide to help with even application
great colour
not orange
smells like green tea to me
didn't stain clothing
inexpensive - Sells for $24.99 CAD or $21.49 USD
comes in Light, Medium, Dark and Extra Dark

Cons:

Is a little tacky when applying

Overall:

I am really happy with how my tan turned out. It is fading nicely and evenly, which is also great. It smelt good. It is a fraction of the cost of the other brands out there. There isn't much downside if you want to try tanning out.

You can find Tanologist products at Shoppers Drug Mart or Target.

*Products were sent for review purposes, all views and opinions are my own.

No comments

I haven't done an empties post forever, but I was tidying up and tossing a few things, so I may as well do a post.

Hubby stuff...

The hubs tend to use up his face washes the quickest.

Mary Kay Foaming Beard Wash

This foaming was in the shower for a while, but he liked both the scent and the fact it was foaming. He requested more, but it was a limited edition, so instead he is going to be using a few Jack Black beard wash samples I received.

L’Oréal Paris Men Expert Pure Power, Anti-Imperfection Scrub, Exfoliating Face Cleanser With Salicylic Acid

This wash has exfoliating beads and salicylic acid in it, which is great for his acne-prone skin. He liked it a lot, but we are moving back to PanOxyl for a while, it really is the best for his acne.

My Stuff...

Sol De Jannero 62 Body Fragrance Mist

I got a mini of Sol de Janeiro 62 and then a set with 4 that also included it. It was then I put a focus on using it up. I'm actually shocked I did, I like the scent and will keep on using the next bottle.

Bathorium Crush Bath Soak Northern Sage Recovery

I'm a big fan or Bathorium and this tiny pack didn't take too long to use up. I have a few more of their larger packs to use up, and I'm going to work on that the next few weeks.

Pantene Miracle Intense Rescue Shots Dry Hair Treatment

I buy 4 packs of these minis when they go on sale. They're pretty good shots of concentrated hair masks. I used two this round,

Pure Standard Products Epsom Salts

As much as I love other bath products, I always have a 5kg tub of this stuff from Costco around. I usually use one up every 3 weeks or so. I do mix it into other products, it lets me stretch other products out.

Teas..

Teas aren't something I use up quickly but do have a lot of. Last week I was shocked to learn when I decided to make an Excel sheet of all my teas and realized I used some up.

Tazo Passion (Herbal Tea)

Passion is the original tea used in Starbucks passion tea. I have a backup box, so I won't be buying another

Tazo Wild Sweet Orange (Herbal Tea)

Sweet orange I picked up in the US last fall and really fell in love with. It is naturally sweet and smells just like oranges. If you are a fan of mulled apple-type teas and like oranges, I think this one is worth trying. Lucky for me, it is now in Canada and I can get a box just about anywhere. I am going to wait until the new year to get another box in an attempt to use up some of my other ones.

Teavana Darjeeling.

I got this when Teavana was still around. I used to use my star rewards from Starbucks on ounces of tea. I have so many black Teas I forgot about it. When I was making a tea spreadsheet I found it and decided to use it up.

That's it for empties. Hopefully, I do another post at the end of the year.

No comments

Yes, summer is over, but it was 24 degrees out the other day. It is so warm and sunny it feels like late Summer. With that, I thought it would be a great time to talk about the 5 things I have liked the most this past summer.

The products are going to be hanging out with my Feather Friends from the summer collection. I do not know how I became a person who fell in love with decorative birds, but here I am ordering ones for the holiday season.

Biore UV Aqua Rich 50 SPF

I got a four-pack of these at Costco in the spring. I really enjoyed it. It is one of the few sunscreens that does not burn my eyes, which is a big deal in the hot summer months.

I did a full review here if you want to read it. They did a very good job of adapting the Japanese formula for the Canadian market, considering we do not allow all the ingredients here (which I really hope they update soon).

Dr. Scholl’s® Ultra Exfoliating Foot Mask *

I used this in the early summer to prepare my feet for sandal season, and it worked great. I had thick and flaky skin on my feet and didn't want to get a pedicure. I used it again after my pool closed. I tend to kick off the rough walls of the pool and get cuts, so I had to wait until after they healed to use it again.

I did a full review here. I love the multi-pack, which means I don't have to worry about picking up more and how well it just works. I also like that there is a lotion version, so I can keep the smooth feeling going as long as possible. Their Ultra-Hydrating Food Mask is also fantastic.

Pixi On-The-Glow Blush/Bronzer

I picked these up when I did a Shoppers Drug Mart order and have loved using them. Everyone talked so much about how great they were, and I now see why. I really liked using them in the hotter months for a glowy blush look. Really nice formula.

Joico Air Dry Styling Cream

Since I swam from Canada Day to Labour Day pretty much daily, I did not want to damage my hair more by styling it with heat. I ended up using this no-heat styling cream instead and let my hair air dry. I do really enjoy how my wavy hair decides how straight or curly it wants to be every time I wash it, this product helps it do that without weighing it down while preventing frizz.

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush / Trader Joe's Brazil Nut Butter Products

Ok, I know it is not a single product...but hear me out. I went to Trader Joe's in June after a concert at Fallsview. I picked up the three Brazilian Nut Butter items they sell, Body Butter, Body Scrub and Body Wash (they all cost $5.99 USD). They are apparently a dupe of the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush scent. Since I have two minis of the Sol de Janeiro body spray, I figured I would focus on trying to use one up.

Since they all go so well together (I do not think the TJ is a dupe of the scent; the TJ smells a bit different), I just started using all 4 products daily. As a result, I used up a mini body spray by the end of September. Mission accomplished for intentionally using up a product.

So there you go, those are some of the things I really enjoyed this past season. I am actually looking forward to some fall weather in the next few weeks. The trees are now a great shade and I always enjoy walks with Bradley when we aren't going to pass out from the heat.

What have you been loving lately?

* denotes products sent for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

No comments

Search This Blog

About me

Follow Me

Popular Posts

Pinterest

Rakuten