February 2019 Beauty & Lifestyle Favourites
This may be my fullest monthly favourites post yet!
Beauty:
Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Mascara
This sample sized mascara is from the Shoppers Drug Mart Eye Studio Sampler Dev got me at Christmas. I’m not normally a fan of high-end mascaras because I think it’s ridiculous to spend the money on something that expires after just a few months. However, I can’t deny how much I’ve enjoyed using this one. It’s a thinner formula and builds with ease. I can do 4, 5, or even 6 coats before it starts to get clumpy. Which means this mascara makes my lashes both long and voluminous.
I have a couple of combos that I’m loving at the moment, including:
St. Ives Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Scrub + Jowaé Youth Concentrate Complexion Correcting
I’m not sure what it is, but these two products together have made a noticeable difference in my skin. I often find it’s hard to tell whether or not an anti-aging serum is working. Or if something is helping keep my skin clear and free of blemishes. But since starting to use these products in my skincare routine, I have noticed my complexion is much brighter and more even. Any dark spots I have seem to be less obvious. In general, I just feel as though I want to wear less makeup and let my natural skin shine.
MAC Satin Lipstick in Faux + Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry
I love using MAC Faux (a beautiful pink-y brown) as a base and dabbing a touch of Revlon Black Cherry (a deep berry) over the top. The two create a unique mauve-y shade and I like that I can control how bold I want it to be by how much Black Cherry I add.
Sidenote: I got my Black Cherry lipstick during a Revlon event where they engraved the tube. How cute is it? It says Birdy and I could cry. I thought about not using it and storing it as a keepsake at first, but I couldn’t resist slathering the bold hue all over my lips.
Lipstick Queen Girls Will Be Boys Lipstick
This is such an interesting lipstick because the bullet is grey. But once it’s on the lips it transforms into the most beautiful cool-toned pink. It is said to have a suede-like texture and I think that is such an interesting description. I can’t disagree. It’s definitely a dryer, balm-like consistency. The idea behind this product is to create the look of fuller, “I just made out with my boyfriend all night”, lips. I personally just really love the colour and the soft matte finish. It’s such an easy, fuss-free lip colour to wear and apply on the go. I don’t have to worry about whether or not it’s going to smear all over my face.
Lifestyle:
Ahavah Granola
I devoured this bag nearly any way possible:
- Over a bowl of yogurt and berries
- On a plain rice cake with peanut butter
- On top of a fruity smoothie bowl
- Sprinkled over chocolate protein oats
- On its own…like trail mix
It took every power in me not to eat the entire bag before I had a chance to snap a photo for this blog post. I assure you the small amount you see here was gone the same day I shot these images.
Luckily, my friend’s husband works with one of the owners behind Ahavah Granola and helped replenish my stash. It is a little expensive at $15 a bag, but there are so many nuts and seeds inside that I like to think it would cost me just as much (maybe more) to make my own granola using ingredients from Bulk Barn. And I’m positive it wouldn’t taste as good…
Have you ever tried roasting nuts in the oven? There’s a serious skill to it. A minute too long and they could turn out bitter (and burnt).
I love the little pieces of dates, which taste like candy. And the addition of hazelnuts is nice – I enjoy the flavour and crunch of them, but I NEVER buy them because they’re so freaking expensive. This granola mixture also has the perfect sticky sweetness to it. I just love, love, LOVE it so much!
Arbonne Chocolate Protein Shake
Last month you may recall I blogged about my love for the Arbonne Energy Fizz Sticks. I’m still enjoying those but the month of February was all about the Arbonne Chocolate Protein for me.
The plant-based protein actually tastes good. Not chalky. It’s quite sweet, which I personally love (although it wasn’t a hit for Dev). However, the sugar count is surprisingly low at just 7g per serving. Each serving also delivers 20g of protein, derived from peas, rice and cranberries. It seems to be much easier for my tummy to digest, so not only do I really, REALLY enjoy injesting it – my body is liking it as well.
T-FAL Easy Fry Prestige XL Air Fryer
My Dad bought us an air fryer a few weeks ago and I’ve had so much fun cooking different foods in it. My favourite so far has been coconut shrimp (which I will be sharing in a blog post on Friday). But jerk chicken drum sticks are also very good. The meat always turns out super juicy and tender. Sausages are super easy and mess free. There’s no need to clean up any grease splatter after. And sweet potato fries are practically fool-proof. It’s also nice to know that this method of cooking is healthier.
The Umbrella Academy on Netflix
OK, so the acting wasn’t always great…but this show was awesome! The story line is very interesting and mysterious. It’s about six (or seven…if you’ve seen the show then you’ll understand what I mean) “sibling” ”superheroes” who are trying to save the world from an apocalypse. It’s based off of an old comic, and has a similar vibe to the many Marvel series we know and love. But it’s a little more quirky and quite comedic as well.
I also didn’t know until I finished watching the season that the show was filmed in Hamilton! How cool is that?! I have my fingers crossed that they’re working on a season 2 and maybe I’ll catch them filming somewhere in the city some day.
The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh
It has been a really, REALLY long time since I read a book as quick as I did with The Water Cure. It took me four days total and I honestly think I may need to read it again. There were so many layers to the story, and I feel as though I may have missed something. But In my opinion, I feel that is a good element of a book. I want to read a story that keeps me guessing. That’s ultimately what encourages me to continue reading. But I found myself questioning the ending. If anyone has read this book, please let me know what you thought. I may or may not write a book review blog post on it, so let me know if that’s something you would like to see.
I’m also really enjoying reading lately and spending less time with my eyes fixed to a screen. Hit me up with some of your book suggestions!!
xxx
