Deep Cleaning Makeup Brushes

Deep Cleaning your makeup brushes can be a very boring task to do but we all must do it, of course unless you'd like to day after day smear bacteria over your face.  (Eeeeek) On that note, keep reading if you want to brush up (sorry, I had to) on your cleaning technique!

Why Deep Cleaning is Important:

• Helps makeup application to go on flawlessly.
• Prevents product buildup, bacteria and other grime from causing skin irritation - most likely acne.  If skin problems do seem to crop up, deep clean your makeup brushes more than the average person and maybe over time it will reduce.  Worked for me!
• Improves and maintains the quality of the makeup brushes - especially if they are already expensive.

How to do it:

1. Pick out the brushes you want to clean.  I recommend doing it at night because they do take a long time to dry.  Don't deep clean right before you mean to get ready.
2. Dampen the brushes slightly under running lukewarm water and lay them aside.
3. Grab a bowl and fill it with lukewarm water as well.
4. You can pour some shampoo straight into the bowl or on to the bristles or both.  I used a mild BodyShop shampoo because it doesn't seem to damage them.  I know some people recommend using detergent, hand soap and other similar cleaning agents but I wouldn't recommend it for the sole purpose of whatever is in those agents will also be touching your skin.  A good option could also be a mild face cleanser, just to be safe.  My policy is that if you wouldn't use it on your face, don't use it on your brushes.
5. Swirl the brushes in the bowl until you notice the product completely leaving the brush.  You can also swirl against the palm of your hand and gently squeeze.  Rinse and repeat this step until necessary. 
6. Gently squeeze out excess and rise the brushes off under the tap.  
7. Lay them on a cloth to dry.  Underneath the cloth, you can add a few larger brushes or a hairspray can to alleviate one side of the cloth so you can place your brushes on an angle and so the water will leave quicker.  Do not let them dry vertically, the water will seep into the handle and loosen the glue that is holding it all together.  That is very bad for a $50 brush.
8. Shape the brushes into their form as they dry.
9. Once they are dry, marvel in the clean softness of your pristine brushes.  Go ahead, be happy about it.  No judgements here!

The Before - Notice the product build up and deformities of the bristles.

The shampoo I used - BodyShop Rainforest Radiance Shampoo

Swirly swirl swirl

The After! Look how clean and pristine.

Yay! Clean makeup brushes make me feel like ...

My Number One Shopping Rule to Kick Impulse Shopping to the Curb!

In my opinion, one of the best traits to posses is knowing when to spend and when not to.  By knowing when not to spend I don't mean saving, I mean stopping yourself from impulse shopping.  I think we've all done it, it's the thrill that really gets to us.  Apart from the adrenaline, some other key signs of impulse shopping is when you buy yourself an item you already have something similar to, like two lipsticks of a similar shade (I know i've done this), buying something just because something is on sale, or buying something because your friend has it and you want to make a statement about having it too.  (I know people who have done this)

What I do instead of immediately acting on the impulse to have a beauty or fashion item is that I wait three days.  I've told friends of mine this and it always seems to work.  If you want something but you don't need it by all means try it on and enjoy that but if you're unsure, wait three days.  If you still are thinking about how amazing it is and if you are planning outfits in your head (everyone does this right? just me?) then by all means go back and get it.  Give this a shot next time, trust me your wallet will thank you for it!

Pastel Essie Nailpolishes for Spring 2014

My latest obsession has been pastel and ladylike colours for nails.  It was just coincidence that all the pastel colours I owned turned out to be Essie, I don't know, OPI hasn't been rocking my boat lately.  I also had a nail polish fiasco recently.  I put a BodyShop body oil in my drawer where I keep all my nail polishes and the lid was a little bit open (a little bit, like a tiny bit open.)  So obviously the universe has just such a great sense of humour and the whole bottle exploded and now all my nail polishes smell like sweet lemon oil.  The whole point of the story is that most of them aren't opening anymore but I was able to save a few Essie ones.  So in no particular order, here are my most recent pastel favourites!

P.S. For some reason in the main image, they are appearing a little brighter than they are, so I haven't edited any of the other ones to give you a true representation of the colours.

Essie Bikini So Teeny - A periwinkle blue, layers nicely.  So creamy.

Essie Sparkly On Top - I love to just wear it on its own, its so princess-y.  I know it's not a pastel but it's too fitting to not add in.

Essie Blanc - Such a vibrant white.  Is that possible? Its very opaque and so chic for this season.

Essie Fiji - A well loved baby pink.  It's almost empty!  You definitely need a few thin coats but it's such a cult favourite and once you try it, you'll definitely understand why.

 Essie Lilacism - I love this lavender pastel because it's so creamy and makes ones nails look so polished.

It's also the colour i'm wearing right now!  Hope you liked a few of my choices!

Foodie Travels | El Catrin

I recently went out with my girlfriends to an amazing restaurant in the Distillery District here in Toronto.  It has such a cool vibe and so much character.  I highly recommend going there to take in the sights of the downtown core.  The restaurant we went to was called 'El Catrin' and it's mexican cuisine. I do have to say right off the bat that if you're planning to go, go early and call for reservations way ahead of time.  They get busy and according to our server, people end up waiting hours to get in.  Luckily, we went early enough that we didn't have to wait for very long at all.

The ambience at this restaurant is awe-inspiring.  We sat in the patio and the atmosphere was very social, hip and just lots of fun to be around.  As the sun set, they turned heaters on to warm up the area (thank god!)  The service was good, our server was nice and knowledgable about what the restaurant was known for.  I wouldn't say it was extremely friendly and doting, but i'd definitely go back.  To eat, we just had small bites and shareables, kind of like a tapas style of eating.  It was very inviting and helped to keep conversation up.

I took pictures of the walk up to the restaurant and the food we had there, enjoy!

Our view as we were waiting in line.

Inside, where we were seated.

Guacamole En La Mesa -  Avocado, Tomato, Onion, Cilantro, Serrano Chilli

Started off with just guacamole and tortilla chips.  A server came by our table and mashed it in front of us, which was a cool idea to communicate to customers that the guac is fresh.  It was amazing, we pretty much scraped the bowl at the end of the night!

Cheers with White Wine Sangria! Yummmm!

Ensalada Destileria - Grilled shrimp, green papaya, mango, toasted pecans, frisée, tajin sour vinaigrette

This dish was such a refreshing and complex.  It had so many different aspects to it that blended with each other really well.  Extremely flavourful!

Queso Frito - Queso Freso, Grape Tomato, Avocado and Mint

This was a hit amongst everyone on the table.  An absolute delite, although the green sauce on top of the cheese was spicy for some.  It was amazing.

Pastelito De Cangrejo - Crab fritter, Papaya, Mirin, Crema Fresca, Mole Negro Vinaigrette

This dish was pretty much crab cakes doused in a heavenly goodness of flavours.  (That was a flowery way of saying it was good wasn't it?)  There was a Mole Vinaigrette on the bottom of these cakes and I really do wish they were on top because the taste was amazing and I just wish we got more of it!

We actually got a few more things on the menu, a two piece Mini Burrito and Churros with Cajeta (a type of Caramel), Chocolate and Strawberry Sauce.  It was divine!  I would definitely like to go back and try more from their drinks menu because they seem to have very interesting mexican-inspired cocktails and more tacos.  Always more tacos.  It was a very fun evening with the girls and i'm looking forward to going back soon!

Father's Day Gift Guide 2014

First off, before I talk about the gifts i'd recommend for father's day, I want to acknowledge and bring to attention how amazing and relevant the mustache bracelet in the above image is.  How cute for fathers day! (Am I right?)  I hope you enjoy looking through my suggestions as I had making it.

1. RayBan Aviator Sunglasses - A really cool look and suitable on nearly all men.
2. Terogorma Whisky Lover Set - This particular set comes with 2 Avva Tumblers and 6 Whisky Stone Cubes.  If you can't find this specific set, it's okay!  Whisky Stones/Cubs in general are a very interesting present to give.  You should be able to find similar ones.
3. Cologne: Yves Saint Laurent L'Homme/Bleu De Chanel - Cologne is definitely a present that one should try before buying but I can assure you these two scents are HEAVENLY and I can bet any man in your life with appreciate receiving them.
4. The Alchemist - Books are a great present because they can be personal.  This one is a great read, highly recommended!
5. Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation - A great little gadget to carry around.  If you're in the middle of no where and your battery is at 10% (we've all been there) this is a portable charging station.  Great for the always busy tech-savy dad.
6. Fossil Estate Leather Framed Duffle Bag - I love leather duffle bags and think it's just so classy.  A good choice for a father who travels a lot or is just in need of a new one.  
7. J. Crew Clothing - J. Crew has an amazing collection for men.  Treat your dad to a few nice pieces. Men hardly shop for themselves and when they do they just go in, and get out really quick.  It's so refreshing (and fun and stress free) to me to shop for men.  
8. Sports Jersey - If you're dad is really into following and playing sports, a jersey is a great idea to show that you support his favourite team!  
9. Jack Black Face Buff Energising Scrub - A pre-shave face cleanser that removes dead skin, black heads and unclogs pores to get a very even and close shave.  Jack Black has an amazing men's range, I'd recommend their whole core collection but this in particular.  

Other Suggestions 
Camping Gear - Rain Jacket or Comfortable Shoes
3 Piece Tool Set for Grilling
Leather Banded Watch or a Travel Bag

I think it's especially harder to shop for men as compared to women not just because women have more variety but men usually never expect anything.  I know for certain that most men who I am close to prefer to have a good day full of fun activities rather than a present.  If your dad is like that then take him for a beer tasting and a brewery tour, if he is into sports go to a sports game, if he is outdoorsy go for a hike or camping and if he's especially close to his car then surprise him by getting a car wash and top up the tank.  I promise you, even if they don't express it in words or cuddles (like us women do), they'll very much appreciate the time they get to spend with you.  (AWW enough soppy-ness)  Happy Father's Day!

Lipstick Shades Every Woman Should Own

In my makeup routine, lipstick is a must have.  It's the type of product that will either make or break your look.  It's also the aspect of makeup I love the most because you don't have to commit to one colour and you can have the most fun with it.  Not including trendy colours, here is my list of lipstick shades that I think are essential in any woman's collection.

Summer Coral

I don't think the camera is actually picking up how vibrant this coral is but it's such a lovely colour for summer time.  It suits lots of different skin tones and comes in various undertones.  I'm wearing Vegas Volt by Mac.  I bought this particular one because but I found out a character (Betty Draper) from Mad Men wears it and I love classic beauty so go ahead, call me a nerd, it's fine.

Barbie Pink

This could potentially be a shade that might go wrong more than right on first try and it is pretty daring if you're going out for a girls night, I highly advise giving a hot pink a try.   Technically, Barbie Pink can be lighter too but it just doesn't flatter me so I went with an electric version.  Above, i'm wearing a YSL Rouge Volupte in Peach Passion topped with a Rimmel Apocolips Lacquer in 303 Apocoliptic.

Suitable Nude

If you know me, you'd know that I never wear nude lipstick colours.  Most of them just make me look dead.  The one i'm wearing above is Fanfare by Mac and it was a birthday present.  It's a pink hued nude and that pop of colour gives a lot of (much needed) brightness to my face.  It's a must have for every woman's collection because it's timeless and cleans up any look.  The most chic of all lipstick colours.

Classic Red

By far, my favourite lipstick shade.  I love red lipstick so much I could write a whole series on it; I own so many red lipsticks it's embarrassing.  A classic blue toned red lip though is ESSENTIAL for every woman to own.  It's universally flattering and there are so many different undertones to pursue if you have a much fairer or much darker complexion.  The one i'm wearing, and one of my favourites, is Ruby Woo by Mac.  Another good (and darker) red is Russian Red by Mac.  Both are matte, both are gorgeous.

Bold Berry

The thing I love most about berry colours are that you can wear a stained version or a full on dark matte version and both look chic.  It's definitely a shade to try on before buying but it can very easily glam up even the most casual outfits.  The one i'm wearing is a Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in the colour 107.  It's a dark, brooding, wine coloured shade.  It wears through out the day and through food nicely, it does come off but it just fades into a stain.

Honourable Mentions

Taupe - If you have the skin tone to suit it, definitely try a taupe.  Doesn't look good on me unfortunately.

Rose - It looks wonderful on a lot of skin tones because it gives a lovely healthy glow to the skin.  I don't own one but it's on my list next!

Orange - Very on trend for this Spring/Summer season.  

Hope you liked this list! Cheers :)

Cherry Blossom Trees in High Park

Last month, I went to see the Cherry Blossom/Sakura Trees in High Park.  They are very rare and very beautiful.  Known for being distinctly from Japan and for their elegance and aroma, the trees in High Park normally gather a large amount of attention.   With all this being said, the absolute beauty in these trees is that once they bloom, they remain that way for about a week and they are gone.  I missed the blooms last year and was determined to catch them this year although I was told it might be too late by the time I went.  Since we had a late spring this year, I was still able to catch a few glimpses and take a few photographs.  Enjoy!

(The OCD in me breaks my heart putting the above picture up because it's not centred nor does it follow the rule of thirds but its okay right? theres beauty in imperfection right? lololol)