Sweet Almond Mint Wen by Chaz Dean: Review

Aloha everyone! 

My mom mentioned this product to me years ago when it first hit the infomercial world and I was a complete skeptic as most tv products are garbage. She, however, was convinced that it would help my dry, crispy, gross looking bleach blonde hair because all the hottest celebrities swore by it. It wasn't until about 6 months ago that I finally gave in and bought the 60 day set, as it was on sale for $30.00 at a ShowCase store in a local mall. Okay, I kid you not... It took ONE use to make me fall head over heels for this stuff. My hair has never felt so nourished, so silky, so soft and so "repaired." Despite the products outrageous price tag, I will NEVER go back to "normal" shampoo.

This is the Cleansing Conditioner, which I use as my every day "shampoo." To use this, I soak my hair at the beginning of my shower, pump 8-10 pumps into my hand and massage it into my hair and scalp, but I really concentrate on the ends as they are the driest part of my hair. I leave it in until I'm ready to get out of the shower, then I comb through my hair with a wet comb (specially designed for wet hair, although Wen provides a comb with the 60 day package supply), theeeeeeeen I rinse my hair out. This is not a "shampoo" per say, so it does not sud or lather as it does not contain any sulphates. Wooooo!

I do not follow up with an additional conditioner after using the Cleansing Conditioner, but I do use the Re- Moist Intensive Hair Treatment at least once a week and it is seriously the best hair mask I have ever used. It is thicker than most hair masks, which is one of the things that caught my attention because it stays on my hair even when water falls on it, where as most masks I have used drip right off. I tend to concentrate the mask more so on the ends of my hair as I am currently growing it out, so my ends are very brittle and need some TLC these days. It says to leave the mask in for like 45 minutes, but I have a 7 month old son.. I don't have time to leave it in for 45 minutes; however, the 5-10 minutes I do leave it in is suffice and my hair feels moisturized, soft and refreshed. I've tried plenty of hair masks before and have never found one as amazing as this.

When it comes to the Styling Creme, it's not my absolute favourite but I do use it before I blow dry my hair sometimes to give me more volume. I had high hopes for it to help me create a natural be achy look, but it didn't really work... Now, I'm not saying it's the styling creme, as my hair just sucks, but I wish it worked better.

As for the Texture Balm, ohhhhh my gooooddddd, I love this product so much. I like using it when I straighten my hair, when I curl my hair, when I wave my hair, and when I do nothing to do hair. This is one of my all time favourite hair balms, because it actually does what it is suppose to do. I'm not a girl who likes having prim and proper hair - I like it looking messy and natural, so using this and a sea salt spray works wonders on my hair styles. It doesn't make my hair crispy, it doesn't weigh it down and it doesn't leave a weird waxy residue. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Mommy Moments!

Aloha everyone! :D

My little boy just turned 6 months old and I can't even begin to explain how much of a mind f*%# that is . . . It feels like just yesterday that he was this completely helpless, unaware little boy who couldn't do anything for himself and now he's so independent! I am so excited for what the future has to offer us, but it's a little sad watching my little boy - my whole world - growing up so quickly.

In the matter of 3 days he learned to sit up by myself, say "dada" and "daddy," and he cut his first tooth. It was just a couple weeks ago that I was complaining to my boyfriend that our son would never be able to do anything by himself and now my head is spinning. Now, I'm not going to lie: I hated the new born stage . . . Probably because my son had super bad G.E.R.D. so he was hospitalized, he didn't eat well, and he got up ever hour at night, but now I would do anything to have one more day with him as a new born. I go through his clothing from the month he was born and I can't believe how much he has grown.

If someone told me two years ago that I would be living this life, I would have laughed in their face. If someone ever told me that I would give up drinking, give up smoking, transfer universities, be in a relationship with Andrew, live back at home, and be a mother at the age of 19 . . . I wouldn't have believe them. At all. However, I would not change my life for the world. It may be difficult to live with my parents, to be a young mother, and to give up my social activities, but this feels right. This life is what I have been longing for for so long without even knowing it. I always wanted a sense of belonging, I always wanted to be a mother and I always wanted to be with Andrew . . . Now I have all three of those things and I finally feel complete.

I wish we were financially stable enough to move out of my parents house and get our own place, but that's nit realistic at this time. Of course I appreciate everything my parents have done for myself, Kaysen and Andrew, but it is hard on everyone to live in such a small house, have conflicting schedules, conflicting ideas on how a house should be run, etc. Perhaps this is the best thing for my family for the time being, because it gives us a chance to establish ourselves financially and give Kaysen a sense of stability, but I am definitely excited for the future - I am excited to have my own house with just my boys.

I love my little family more than words can explain.

Marc Jacobs: Eau So Fresh

Aloha everyone,

If you loved the original Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume, I highly recommend going to your nearest The Bay, Shoppers Drug Mart or wherever you can smell this scent and go there quickly. I liked the smell of the original Daisy, but I never purchased it for myself because I felt like it would get used for a week or so, then put in a dusty drawer. I tend to really love a perfume for about a week or so then get super bored of it. With this scent, however, I have been wearing it every single day since I purchased it. It is the most gorgeous, fresh, girly yet sophisticated scent I have smelled in a long time. Usually floral scents really turn me off, but this has a certain quality about it that completely suckered me in.

This isn't my typical scent "type" if you will, but I am so in love with it. I'm more of a Soap&Glory girl, or Twilight Woods from Bath&Body Works, but now I swear by Eau So Fresh. This perfume is limited edition, as it is the summer scent of Daisy, so I paid a pretty penny for it but it was definitely worth it. I'm pretty upset that I won't be able to get my hands on another bottle once mine runs out, so here's to hoping they bring it back next season.

Can we just talk about the packaging for a moment? Marc Jacobs always has the prettiest perfume lids out of any company I know of, and that's one of the main reasons why I get sucked in. Eau So Fresh has to be one of the most brilliant and beautiful bottles I have ever seen:

So pretty. I can't even handle it. The colours of the flowers and the scent just make you think "summer." Everything about this perfume screams hot sunny days, blue skies, tanned skin, short shorts and flip flops. 

Marc Jacobs, you are amazing. 

20 Things About Me

Aloha everyone :)

1. My ambition in life isn't to make a ton of money, or to have the nicest clothing on the market, or have my name be known . . . It's simply to be happy. No matter what I'm doing, where I'm going, I just want to be happy and satisfied with the choices I make for myself and my family.

2. It's almost sick how much I love triscuit crackers.

3. I got pregnant with my son at the age of 18 whilst in university. I was in the top 3% of my whole degree program, I had an amazing opportunity to do my practicum with the John Howard Society at the local prison, I had my own apartment, a job I enjoyed and I was the happiest I had ever been. For the first time in my life I felt like I belonged. I felt at home at the university. Despite all that, I wouldn't change being a mother for the world. I look into my son's beautiful blue eyes and know that everything will work out.

4. I have been in love with my boyfriend since I was 13 years old.

5. I would do anything to live in a place where it was summer all year long.

6. I suffer from an anxiety disorder and I wouldn't wish a panic attack on my worst enemy. When I feel an attack coming on, I tend to find a way to get outdoors and practise breathing. If there's no way for me to get outside, my attacks tend to be worse, because I start feeling like the walls are closing in on me. It really is the worst feeling in the world.

7. I am one of the most reliable people to come to if you have a problem, because I tend to get way too attached to people's issues and go out of my way to make it right. Some say it's one of my down falls that I drop whatever I'm doing to help people in need, but I think that's why I'm going to make a difference in the field that I want to be working in.

8. My weight fluctuates from one extreme to another too often.

9. When I'm nervous, anxious, upset or thinking I chew on the left side of my bottom lip. 

10. My favourites are purple, pink, and yellow.

11. I'm super picky when it comes to the perfumes I wear, because I hate floral scents, which is super odd considering I love receiving flowers. The only "floral" scent that I do really enjoy is the limited edition Eau So Fresh by Marc Jacobs (the summer edition to Daisy).

12. I wish I could pull off Peter Pan collared shirts.

13. I know every single word, of every single episode, in every single season of The OC. That will always be my favourite show in the whole entire world. However, I still hate that Ryan and Taylor dated. Ugh. I don't care what anyone says, him and Marissa were soul mates -_-"

14. Birthdays are my favourite days of the year. My birthday always lands during Stampede week, but my son will still be too young to enjoy Stampede and rodeo, so I plan on taking him to the Zoo for my date of birth. Woooo!

15. I should never purchase Halls Breezers, because I eat them like candy when I'm not even sick. Don't judge me, I know you do it too.

16. Wonderwall by Oasis will be incorporated into my wedding somehow.

17. Everything important that my boyfriend has even given to me hangs on a "memo board" in our bedroom. We've known each other since we were 12 and 13, so there's a few things. Also, everything else that has been important to me throughout my life is in a heart shaped box in my bedroom.

18. I miss Dawson's Creek more than I can express to you.

19. Hot chocolate gives me a terrible tummy ache every single time I drink it, but I still insist on drinking it pretty regularly.

20. I want my son to be happy, healthy and honest with me. I want to have a relationship with him like Rory and Lorelai from Gilmore Girls or like Lucas and Karen from One Tree Hill.

Impulse Buys and Justifications

Aloha everyone! 

Let's be serious, we all do it . . .
I can say with 100% certainty that I am not the only person who walks into a MAC store or a Sephora with good intentions and then completely drops the ball, making excuses for why your hands are grabbing makeup products you probably don't really need.

Yesterday my girlfriend Abby came down to Calgary to see the Anberlin concert with me (which was absolutely amazing in every way, but that's a story for a different day) and she mentioned that she needed to make a pit stop at Chinook Mall . . . That could only mean two things: she needed to hit up MAC and Sephora. UGH. Damn you, Abigail, damn you. Right when she said that, my mind was already stirring up excuses to buy makeup and I'm currently broke as fudge! I knew if I came home with makeup, my boyfriend would tell me I was an idiot, because I already have too much and because he knows I'm broke, BUT little did he know, these items are complete necessities in my every day life. Right, ladies?

Alright, I don't think anyone could argue with me that I didn't need these shadows. First of all, Satin Taupe should be a staple colour in every girl's makeup collection and as for Era, well . . . It looks nice with Satin Taupe. If you're not familiar with these shades, stop what you're doing right now and get your bum over to a MAC store. They are so pretty I can't even handle it. Satin Taupe is a frosty taupe colour (a mix between a grey and brown, with a hint of purple through it) that works with basically any makeup look you are trying to accomplish. It is MAC's best selling eye shadow if I am not mistaken, and I cannot believe I have lived with it for this long. Shameful, really. As for Era, it is a mix between a beige, a champagne and a nude brown. When you apply it on your eye lid, it comes out as a very subtle, but gorgeous colour.

Hello you beautiful, beautiful YSL lipstick. I have never loved a lip product so much in my entire life. Although YSL products are super expensive, I believe every girl deserves a lipstick from them because they are SO gorgeous. They apply beautifully, they smell delicious and they taste yummy! Not to mention, the packaging is absolutely stunning. This is my very first YSL lip product and I don't regret how much I spent on it at all. It is the most gorgeous barbie pink colour with shimmer in it, and it applies quite sheer but you can still see the colour very well. Usually I hate reapplying lipsticks throughout the day, because I feel like it doesn't look as good the second time around, but I'm sure I will be reapplying this product all the time, even when I don't need to. I didn't really need an excuse to buy it, but I used one anyways: this is going to be my purse lip product, because it moisturizes as well as colours my lips. Therefore, I'm being super efficient by only having one lip product in my purse. BOOM.

Lastly, I bought Clinique's bottom lash mascara. I am way too excited to try this out today, because I have actually been having such a hard time finding a mascara that doesn't smudge on my face lately. I don't know why I'm having such an issue now as apposed to earlier, but I have heard wonders about this stuff. The packaging is so cute and the brush is even cuter haha. My boyfriend couldn't even argue with me about this product, because he knows first hand that mascara and I aren't friends when it comes to my bottom lashes. 

Customized "Wire Name" Bracelet

Aloha everyone

If any of you follow Zoella on youtube and on her person blog, you will know that she suffers from a severe anxiety disorder which had led her to say no to a lot of things in her life time. In order to combat her disorder, she has decided to say "yes," to more and more things in her everyday life. She mentioned in one of her blogs that she ordered a rose gold wire bracelet with the word "yes" on it to remind her of her goals every day. When I read her posting about this bracelet, I immediately wanted one as well. I, too, suffer from severe anxiety and knew automatically what word I wanted on mine.

My anxiety stems from not being able to voice my emotions. I have a huge problem telling people if something is bothering me, if I want something done differently, or if I need help. I don't like asking for help even when I know I need it. I tend to listen to my heart instead of my head and that always screws me around in the end. I can also admit to being a huge hypocrite in the sense that I can give out good advice, but can never take my own advice. All my life I never wanted to listen to what other people had to tell me, because I always wanted to be right even when I knew for a fact that I was wrong.

Now that I have a son of my own and a boyfriend that I plan on starting a life with, I have decided to change that side of myself. First of all, I need to start listening to the people around me. I need to step being so stubborn and take constructive criticism as something positive, instead of viewing it in a negative way. I tend to be very self conscious, which leads to me being paranoid, which then leads to me having horrible panic attacks. If I would just listen to what other people had to say and let them actually explain themselves instead of just getting mad at them, my anxiety levels would take a huge nose dive. Next, I need to start listening to myself. I know that I am not a stupid person - I have good morals, I know right from wrong and I know what I like and what I do not like - but I seem to make poor choices based on my heart and not my intelligence. I'm going to start listening to myself, listening to the red flags that I see, and listening to the little voice inside my head.

I'm usually not a jewellery type of girl - I only wear my family ring and a necklace - but this bracelet means the world to me. I'm excited to be able to wake up every single day and see it hanging on my wrist. I truly believe this is the first step in my battle against anxiety and panic attacks. I'm determined to be able to combat it by myself instead of taking medications that just make me feel numb.

The website that I ordered this bracelet from is:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/wiremajigs?ref=shop_sugg
I paid a total of $21.85 which I thought was very reasonable considering it had to be shipped to Alberta, Canada from America. The only thing I am worried about is my son bending it out of shape when he's playing with me, because although it's pretty it isn't all that durable. However, if that were to happen I would just repurchase. :)

MAC Mineralize Rich "Lady At Play" Lipstick Review

Aloha everyone!

So I found myself in a MAC store the other day and of course I got sucked into looking at all their lipsticks. As many of you will know, I usually steer towards nudes and pale pinks, but I have wanted to expand my horizons and go for something a little brighter, a little more noticeable and a little prettier. When the sales associate approached me I mentioned that to her, and she automatically brought me to Lady At Play. Now, I have never ever ever owned a tangerine coloured lipstick . . . Mostly because they terrify me. I'm VERY fair skinned, so this colour really make my lips pop. However, I was determined to get over my fear and make it work. I don't want to be wearing nudes during the summer months - I want to be able to feel comfortable wearing pretty, girly pinks, tangerines, reds, etc. 

I won't say that these are the most moisturizing lipsticks, nor will I say that they  stay on for as long as other MAC lipsticks that I own, BUT I love them nonetheless. I find that if I pair them with the MAC Prep+Prime they work just wonderfully. If you are not familiar with the Prep+Prime, it is essentially a lip primer that also acts as a lip liner.

As you can see from the swatch on my hand, Lady At Play leaves a very matte finish to your lips, so I will also apply a clear gloss or a balm on top to make my lips a little more . . . Attractive? I don't know. Perhaps it is just in my comfort zone to do that. Perhaps I'm just not risky enough to wear a bright matte colour on my lips. Nevertheless, the colour is pretty with and without a gloss. Even my boyfriend said that the colour is pretty, and he is brutally honest about the way makeup looks. He knows I'm afraid of bright colours, and he told me the matte colour looks nice on pale skin. Maybe he's just trying to win browny points . . . Hahah.

I realize that this colour doesn't look outrageously bright in this picture, but I assure you it is noticeable in person. Also, you can tell that my lips are a little dry and that is probably the only complaint I have about this line of lipsticks. I find that if I don't apply the Prep+Prime before I wear this lipstick, my lips tend to bleed the colour sooner, get super dry sooner, and the colour does not show up as well.

When you apply this lipstick, it definitely is not sticky, nor is it an uncomfortable "tight" feeling that some lipsticks can leave on your lips. It also doesn't leave a weird residue, and it is super easy to take off. I find that with other lipsticks, such as ones from Wet'n'Wild, my lips are left with this awkward feeling. I can't really explain it, but it just isn't something I enjoy feeling on my lips lol. On a side note, I've been really loving my Elf Cucumber Melon Lotion wipes and I have even been using them to take off lipsticks if I'm not at home - yes, weird, but they really do take lip colours off well. 

Now, a lot of beauty bloggers have complained about the packaging of the Mineralize Rich lipsticks but I was actually so excited about it. I LOVE the magnetic cap, I love the shape of the tube, and I even think the matte top with shiny bottom is pretty. Actually, to be completely honest, I never noticed the colour difference until reading other people complaining about it. I would absolutely throw this lipstick into my bag and go, because I trust the magnetic lid; however, I always put lipsticks in a little baggy before putting them in my purse, because I have had awful experiences with lids coming off and staining the material inside.

I don't know if I would go back to MAC to purchase a different shade from this line of lipsticks, but I would consider it because they came out with some super gorgeous colours. They do not compare to the Lustre lipsticks in any way, in my opinion. The Lustre sticks are my all time favourite lipsticks, so I don't believe anything will stray me away from those.

Have any of you used these lipsticks? If you have, please tell me what your thoughts are on them!