"When you're all alone, by yourself, do you like you?"

Hello world!

Recently, I came across Colbie Caillat's song "Try"

It is so incredibly beautiful and empowering. I don't remember the last time I resonated so closely with a song.

Here it is (along with a powerful and beautiful video):

While I love playing around with my makeup and eyeshadow and bronzing my face and wearing 6 coats of mascara, it is and always will be my little form of art (because everyone knows I can't draw haha!)
Makeup is my hobby. I vow to never let it become a mask. I hope you do the same.

All it comes down to is this question:

"When you're all alone, by yourself, do you like you?" 

My answer? Yes.

Is it always yes 100% of the time? No.

Is it every inch of my body? Not always.

Do I want to keep on working on that? Of course.

Loving yourself is not a like a light switch in your head that you can flick on when you want. It's silly for us to say "Alright, love yourself NOW." Because I told you to. Because Dove told you to. Because your friend told you to.

It should always be because YOU decide, "I like me today."

Today is all it takes. Don't think about how you may not have loved your awkward middle school phase, or how you may not like the way your hair turns out tomorrow. Today is all you need.

Who I am without my makeup is who I am with it.

For anyone rolling their eyes at me and thinking, "I do love myself! I don't need some girl to tell me so!" That is amazing! Keep going! But don't forget to pass on that self-love and self-confidence to a friend. You have no idea what your friend thinks of herself when she's all alone. Be part of her solution.

Now I could sit here and list all the things I dislike about myself, but that list is so irrelevant to the things I truly like about myself:

1. I like my teeth. I have one crooked tooth on my bottom jaw that I love because it gives my teeth character LOL.
2. I like my dimples. Apparently it's actually a birth deformity? Oh well, I love them!
3. I like my height (despite being 5'0 hahahaha) because I've always felt like it was a part of who I've learned to love!

If you'd like, please comment down below three things you love about yourself! I'd love to read all about them :)

Be kind, especially to yourself.

Lots of love,

Rachel xxx

What's In My Makeup Bag? (Summer Edition)

Hey world!

Summer has been extremely busy for me, which is why this blog has been so silent, which I am so sorry for. But through this busy and humid summer, my mind has been filled with lots of blog posts that I've been wanting to write, and I have finally set a day to catch up on the parts of my life that have been neglected.

This post is all about what's been in my makeup bag for the last couple of months! I work outside and I am constantly exposed to sunlight and humidity, so I've had to adjust my makeup and skincare accordingly. Being outdoors all day is so nice because I really don't like spending summer indoors, but it does mean that I have to take a few extra measures to protect my skin, as well as lock my makeup in place! I hope you enjoy a peek into what keeps my handbag very full everyday, haha. 

My makeup bag is from Forever 21, and it is durable and easy to clean.

BODY

In terms of body, I like to carry around miniature items.

Mini Fragrance - Warm Cotton by CLEAN: Carrying around something miniature like this is perfect for on-the-go! It smells so fresh and light, and it is perfect for the summer. Because it is such a subtle scent, it's nice to wear to work because it's not overpowering at all

Body Butter - Mango by The Body Shop: This is my absolute favourite smell from The Body Shop, and it's really nice to carry around this mini size for when your hands or arms feel really dry because it is so moisturizing!

Sunscreen - Beach Defense SPF 60 by Neutrogena: I got sent this ages ago for doing a survey for Neutrogena and I didn't give it any thought until I realized how much time I was gonna spend outside this summer, and I am SO happy I chucked this into my bag! It is ESSENTIAL to wear sunscreen in the summer, because it really protects your skin from harmful sun rays, aging skin, and the risk of skin cancer. I apply sunscreen before I leave from a big bottle that I keep at home, but because I spend around 6-8 hours in the sun for work, it's really important to me to reapply my sunscreen when I'm on break, and carrying around this mini tube is awesome for that. It is SPF 60 which is awesome coverage for the summer, and it doesn't have that typical sunscreen smell which can bother other people. It smells really nice, it's light weight, and it is super important!

Tide To Go Stick: Not really a "body" product, but an essential in my handbag no matter what haha. Never underestimate a stain emergency you may have!

FACE

Facial Sunscreen - Ultra Fluid Lotion SPF 60 by Ombrelle: Facial sunscreen is SO important in the summer, and I think people tend to forget about it! I have rosacea, which is a non-serious but incurable skin condition. It basically means my skin is super sensitive, and when it is exposed to things like too much sun/heat or other irritants, it can flare up and get very red. Thankfully it is pretty mild for me, but it is important for me to keep it that way. Because of this, I am super mindful of wearing SPF on my face. This stuff is SO nice, it really is "ultra fluid' because it has a very liquid consistency, so it is extremely lightweight and sits really nicely on my skin under any makeup. It doesn't leave that tinge of white on your face that other sunscreens can give you, and it doesn't break me out at all because it is specially formulated for your face! I highly recommend this for anyone who is looking for a great facial sunscreen.

Concealer: Invisible by CoverGirl in "Honey": This is one of those awesome concealers that you can use as a foundation when you can't be bothered to put any on. I don't wear much foundation on a daily basis in the summer only because the humidity makes it just melt off my face and it feels uncomfortable. I like to just pop a bit of this onto any spots or redness I have, blend it in, and I'm good to go!

Powder: FIT me! Pressed Powder by Maybelline in "Coconut": If I'm looking to even out my skin tone a little more, or my face is feeling oily, I like to apply a bit of this pressed powder. It blends like a dream and it doesn't feel uncomfortable or cakey at all. I am usually not a big powder fan but this has converted me. The packaging also has a mirror underneath which is really nice for on the go.
Setting Spray: All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray by Urban Decay: This is a SUPER mini version of this spray, it's even smaller than the travel sized one but it is SO perfect for your handbag! This was seriously a life-changing product (so overdramatic haha) but it really sets my makeup, it keeps my foundation in place, it feels cooling on the skin, and leaves the most natural finish. It takes away from any powdery feeling on my face and it feels so nice to spray on, especially in the heat!

Flat-Top Brush: Expert Powder by Icing: This brush is AMAZING. It is so soft, it has never shed on me, and it is so dense which makes it amazing for blending anything in! I use it to blend both my concealer and my powder and it's perfect for both!

 EYES

Eyebrow Pencil - Design My Eyebrow by The Face Shop in "04 Brown": This isn't always in my bag, but if I'm in a rush in the morning then I'll make sure to take this with me. It's so easy to use, it has a spoolie on the other end of it, and the consistency of this eyebrow pencil is so nice because it's waxy so it looks super natural when it is applied. It's super inexpensive too, it retails for $4.
Mascara - Clump Clusher by CoverGirl in "Very Black (Water resistant)": Waterproof mascara is the only thing I can use in the summer, because my eyelids get incredibly oily and my mascara will smear all over my face! Not only is this awesomely waterproof, the wand is great for really getting to the roots of the lashes and makes my bottom lashes look long, which make my eyes look bigger.
Liquid Eyeliner: Color-proof Eyeliner (Waterproof) by Sephora in "Black": Again, waterproof eyeliner is an absolute must for me and my oily lids. This has been my HG eyeliner for months now, it is absolutely waterproof and it's super easy to apply! It's been on sale at Sephora for months now so I keep stocking up, haha. I take this around with me in case I didn't have time in the morning and I can apply it super quickly in a mirror right before work!
Eye Primer - Primer Potion by Urban Decay: This is the little sample of the UD primer potion that comes with the Naked palette, but I have the full-sized version of this so I just squeeze the product from there into here, so I never have to go without it! Eye primer so essential to making sure my eye makeup doesn't end up on my cheeks before the end of the day.

LIPS

Burt's Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter

Revlon Colour Burst Matte Balm: 225 Sultry

L'Oreal Extraodinaire by Colour Riche: 500 Molto Mauve

Divergent Limited Edition Cosmetics: Artistic Mauve

These are just the lip products that happen to be in my bag at the moment! As you can probably tell, I'm really into neutral/mauvy pinks right now because it's a good colour for work, and it fits well for the summer time. All of these colours are super easy to wear, and don't need constant reapplication throughout the day, which is something I can't be worried about at work haha. I also like to keep a lip balm with me for practical reasons.

I hope this was a fun post to read through! I really do overpack my bag a bit haha, I could definitely cut a lot of these products down but this is what has accumulated in my bag these last couple of months. If you have any questions about any of the products mentioned, please don't hesitate to comment below so I can give you a full review!

What are the staple items in your makeup bag? Let me know!

Lots of love,

Rachel xxxx

New Hair = New Hair Faves

Hello world!

As some of you may know, I recently just cut my hair, which means styling it has become a completely different task! It took me about three years to grow my hair out super long, and cutting my hair was kind of an impulsive move, so I'm still adjusting.

My main reason for cutting my hair was because it was just so dead. All throughout high school, I was obsessed with dyeing, bleaching, and just torturing my hair in general haha. I dyed my hair nine times in one year once! I had my ombré in for almost a year, and the bleached part of my hair was just so dry. It had been bleached over several times from the random times I've put blonde in my hair, and I just decided enough was enough. It was so bad that I could hear my hair break when I brushed through it, so ultimately I feel like I made the right decision. That doesn't mean I don't still miss my hair though! haha :(

As a result of this big change, I've been on the hunt to find ways to style my hair, and I've been using a whole different array of products now, so I thought it would be a fun and helpful post for anyone who has cut their hair recently, or if you just want to pick up any of the products I've talked about!

From the left to the right:

Garnier Fructis: Damage Eraser Strength Reconstructing Butter ($5)

As I said before, my main reason for my haircut was for it's health, so I've been on the hunt for deep conditioners! This is a super affordable deep conditioner that you substitute for you normal conditioner whenever you want to strengthen your hair. I use it about twice a week. While I don't think it is AMAZING, it does leave my hair feeling nice and soft after a shower, which I appreciate. You can get it as cheap as $5, and it has a thick formula that really saturates your hair, so I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a cheap way to hydrate your hair! I wouldn't say it works miracles, but it is a great drugstore product. This is actually my second tub, so I would I enjoy it!

Flower Crowns: Pink - American Eagle, White - Aldo

I know that these are seen EVERYWHERE now, but there's definitely a reason for that! These are just such an easy way to make your hair look put together, and they're just so pretty! I have always been a huge fan of florals, and an even bigger fan of being lazy with my hair so when I want to look a little more dressed up, I just throw this on. I have to admit these are a little intimidating to wear, so I recommend starting off with a headband that has smaller flowers, like the white one that I got from Aldo. It is much easier to wear than my pink one, and I don't feel like I need to keep looking in the mirror to check if I need to readjust it.

Here's me in my flow crown from Aldo!

TRESemmé - Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray &

Curling Wand

I have been trying my best to stay away from heat to take care of my hair, but I feel like my short hair looks best when it's curled, so when I want to look more presentable, I give in and use my hair wand haha. I have no idea what brand mine is because I got it from Winners, but it's a 1-inch barrel and creates nice loose curls that are easy to wear, and lasts for a few days. I think 1-inch hair wands create the nicest waves because they're not small like ringlets, but they're not too big that they look odd. I ALWAYS make sure to give my hair a good spray of heat protectant, and TRESemmé does the job! I also love that the nozzle sprays out product like a mist, so it doesn't feel like you're soaking your hair right before you apply to heat to it.

Dove: Refresh + Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo

I am absolutely IN LOVE with this stuff! My friend Kate recommended it to me, and I am so glad she did! This is a dry shampoo that helps to really build volume, as well as helping to keep your hair looking fresh between washes. I used to use TRESemmé's dry shampoo, but I hated the overwhelming smell and the white powder it left behind, as I have dark hair. But Dove's dry shampoo has a clear formula, and a really pleasant smell! I love to spray this onto the roots of my hair and shaking my hair a bit when it's in day-old curls because it just brings my hair back to life. It's really inexpensive as well, you can get it for around $4, which is an absolute steal!

Marc Anthony: Oil of Morocco Argan Oil

Hair oil from any brand is an absolute must, whether your hair is long, short, curly, or straight. I have such frizzy hair and using a few drops of this stuff on the ends of my hair prevents me like looking like Monica from friends in Barbados! I also love rubbing a few drops of this Moroccan oil onto the ends of my hair before bed, so it can really soak in. 

Salldy's Beauty Supply: Wide Tooth Comb

I've had this comb for years, and it's the only thing I use to tame my hair. It is so much less harmful and harsh than using a paddle brush, and it's only like $2 or $3, so ditch that hair-breaking-brush and pick up a comb! It may take a little longer to brush through, but it helps keep that frizz away.

I really hope this post and my mini review of each product was helpful. I am still trying to find my way through this new hair journey I'm on while I try my best to keep my hair as healthy as possible! I have always been in a love-hate relationship with my hair, but ultimately I want to avoid looking like I have hay on my head!

Any tips for styling short hair or healthy hair care in general? Please leave me a comment down below!

Lots of love,

Rachel xxxx

May Flowers

Hello world!

The weather is warming up again and the sun has been shining so much lately! My best friend Hibah suggested that we visit High Park in the west end of Toronto. It is best known for its beautiful cherry blossom trees, and it was the perfect backdrop for plenty of spring-themed photo sessions for the two of us. 

It was really unfortunate that only one of the trees was in full bloom, because the park would have been absolutely stunning! However, the terribly harsh winter that Toronto experienced the last couple of months and the extremely late entrance into spring made it so that the rest of the trees weren't able to bloom properly. Hopefully later on in the year they will catch up with the single one in the park!

I thought it would nice to share some pictures that we took, just as a fun post and a way to show case the best of Toronto!

Kimono: Forever 21 // White crop top: Forever 21 // Flower necklace: Forever 21

Black high-low skirt: American Eagle // Black Lace Shoes: TOMS

Handbag: H&M

Cherry blossoms are absolutely BEAUTIFUL, aren't they?

The website to High Park can be found here. It is definitely worth the visit, just a walk away from High Park subway station!

There is even a website dedicated to beautiful cherry blossoms in High Park which can be found here.

Hibah and I absolutely LOVE just walking around Toronto, exploring different parts of the city and all it has to offer. We visited the Ripley's Aquarium the second day it was even open! I think it's so worth it to discover all your city has to offer, you never know when you could end up finding such a beautiful spot to take photos!

What about you? What parts of your city do you think deserve more attention? Do you enjoy exploring different areas where you live?

Lots of love,

Rachel xxxx

Disclaimer: All photos are mine and were taken with my own camera. The camera I used is the Sony Cybershot DSC-H200.

P.S. I didn't realize that I named this post "April Flowers" accidentally until later on, which is why the url to this post is confusing, haha! This is all a learning process. (:

Prom!

Hello world!

It's PRAHHHHM season! I thought it would be a fun post to write, as I was a high school senior just last year, so it's fresh memory in my mind.

I was lucky enough to go to two proms during my senior year, and they were both great in different ways. The first one was the prom at the high school I attended at the time, and most of my closest friends were all girls, so it was very much a typical "get a million pictures with each other and drag our dates along, take a 15 minute limo ride to a place we could've driven to, and cry about our hair the whole time" kind of night haha. Looking back on it now, I enjoyed the typical-ness of the night, because it made me feel like I just did a rite of passage as a senior LOL.

The second prom was the with high school I went to for a year in my hometown. It was more fun for me because it was one big catch up with my closest guy friends from home, and I had already gone through the whole typical prom night of stress over things like pictures and flowers the week before haha. I found that I was way more relaxed because I wasn't worrying over all that stuff and how I looked so it was just automatically more fun. My "date" (WEIRDEST term haha) Imaad is one of my best friends so that also took lots of pressure off. I feel like going with a group of friends is more fun because it's so chill. Also, I did my own hair and makeup for the second prom and I liked it much better.

 I wore the same dress to both proms, and to be honest I wasn't in love with it, but it served it's job, and Imaad did such a wonderful job of matching his shiny silver suit to mine (bless him) so that was really nice for pictures hahahaha. Here's what we looked like:

The thing I learned most from going to two proms is that you'll always have more fun when you're just relaxing.
Overall, I enjoyed both nights, the second a little more than the first, and I'm glad I went :)
I know a lot of people stress over it and worry about their dress and hair and if they bought their date a nice corsage, but at the end of the day, it's just a party with fancy clothing,
and parties are for having fun!

//

ENJOY YOURSELF.

Prom isn't meant to be a night where you should be stressed out about shoes or hair or your date. It's a big party, a "rite of passage" in high school, something you mock and love at the same time. Some time from now, it'll just be a story you tell your university friends or your kids, so make sure your story is a good (or at least bareable) one, not one that starts with "ugh".

RELAX.

Your hair looks fine. Your dress is beautiful. It's okay if your date's shade of blue isn't the same. In the end, you're gonna look through all 437 pictures you took that night and you're only gonna choose one for your profile picture ;).

TRUST YOURSELF.
When I say this, I'm 100% talking about makeup/hair LOL.
If you can do your own makeup and the hairstyle you want on your own (provided you practiced a few times before!), save yourself that $30 hair appointment and just do it yourself. No one knows the look you envisioned for yourself the way you do. Alternatively, ask an aunt or cousin who you know can do your hair/makeup for you. Don't waste your money unless you absolutely need to.
I'm definitely speaking from experience, because at the first prom, I paid someone else to do my hair and I wasn't very pleased. When I did everything myself at the second prom, I felt a lot better about it!

BRING THE ESSENTIALS.

You bought a clutch for a reason! Here is a list of the things I think are important to have with you, and of course if you have room, feel free to bring more:

CELLPHONE: Of course! Not only is it always good to have with you for emergencies and to communicate if you're meeting up with people at a certain spot for pictures before prom, most people have smart phones now, which means it doubles as a camera! Obviously this doesn't replace the nice fancy camera to take pictures in a park or to take the high resolution group photos you want, but it's always fun to snap a quick selfie in your limo or inside the venue.
Similarly, if you have a small hand held camera, bring it! There's no harm in taking as many photos as possible, and you may bump into someone you didn't get a photo with before, so it's good to be prepared!

LIP PRODUCT: Whatever you put on your lips that night, whether it's a soft pink lip gloss, or a red lipstick, bring it with you. You're gonna have a long night, and you don't want to end up with faded red lipstick, especially after you've eaten. Chances are, you'll be taking pictures ALL night, even after the nice fancy ones, so be sure you have the ability to touch up every once in awhile.

MONEY/CHANGE: You don't need to bring your whole wallet obviously, and you shouldn't. But make sure you have some change or a few small bills just in case. If for some reason you need to take a cab because you don't have a designated driver or something, you should always be prepared.

HAIR TIES/BOBBY PINS: Be prepared for hair malfunctions! It could be windy outside when you're taking pictures, or your hair could be in your way when dancing, so you should definitely have a back-up plan. You didn't spend all that time for it to fall apart!

OPTIONAL:

EYELASH GLUE: Obviously this only applies if you wear fake lashes. I did, because I like to on fancy occasions. During the second prom, my lashes started to fall off. They had never done it before, so I thought nothing of it. After like, an hour of getting to the venue, they did LOL, and it took all my eye makeup with it. I felt so stupid haha, so if you plan on wearing fake lashes, do NOT make the same mistake as me! They come in such small tubes, so it's a good idea just to bring one along.

CONCEALER: Definitely not something you absolutely need, but if you happen to have that one really obvious dark scar left by a pimple or a red zit, it doesn't hurt just to dot a little concealer on right before pictures! If you have no room, it's definitely not needed, but you'll be taking a lot of pictures!

As you can see, everything fit, and there was still room for any other things you want to bring!

MOST OF ALL, have fun! It's a party, and one of the last times you'll be with your graduating class! Smile a lot, take tons of pictures, dance the night away (even if the DJ is terrible!), and enjoy it :)

Lots of love,
Rachel xxxx

Spring Cleaning - New Makeup Storage

Hey world!

I've been very M.I.A. lately, and for that I apologize! I just finished my first year of university, so exams and moving out of residence has been taking up so much of my time, and I have been feeling super disorganized!
I am a big believer that having a de-cluttered space just makes you feel a little more relaxed and put together, and that's what I've been trying to do. Even though I am a pretty messy person overall, I've been trying my best to get organized so I can try to accomplish all I want on this summer break. I am slowly getting my life (moderately) together, and naturally, the first thing I wanted to organize was my makeup, haha.

I used to keep all of my makeup in a big makeup case, but it was getting hard to deal with. I would have to dig through everything just to find an eyeliner, my palettes were sitting all over my room, and it just took my way longer to do my makeup than I felt it should. I decided enough was enough, and started looking for alternatives.

I was at Target, and I came across a bunch of makeup storage units. They were on sale, so it was a perfect match! I got this one for just over $30, and I think it was a worthy investment. I wish I could tell you what brand this is, but I'm not entirely sure :( They are located on the very bottom shelf of the section where all the makeup bags are in general.
The one I got is grey because I wanted a neutral colour, but there were patterned ones with stripes and animal print if that's more your taste!

As you can see, there are 4 little shelves. When expanded like in the picture below, you can access all of them easily, and there is a bottom section for bigger items.

I organized my makeup in sections.

On the left side, the two shelves hold my eye and lip items, because they all tend to come in a tube form. The top left shelf holds my eyeliners, primers, mascaras, and two of my Maybelline 24 Colour Tattoos (cream eyeshadows), which I am absolutely obsessed with!

The bottom left shelf holds lipsticks, lip balms, lip crayons, etc. Unfortunately I couldn't fit all of my lip products in the shelf because it isn't as tall as I'd hoped, but I keep my most used items, and I can always rotate the products.

On the right shelves, I keep my face/complexion items. On the top right shelf, I have all my mini bottles of primer, liquid highlighters, and two powder cheek products that come in circular form, which is a baked highlighter and a blush. I also have a small bottle of Urban Decay's Setting Spray.

The bottom right shelf carries more face items. My Urban Decay Primer Potion is there because it wouldn't fit on the left side haha :( I have my NARSissist Palette hidden underneath, a L'oreal concealer, and my e.l.f. cheek palettes with bronzers and blushes.

In the very bottom section I keep my big palettes and foundations. I keep them there because the bottom of the makeup storage unit is pretty deep so I can stack items on top of each other. On the right side, I have a big e.l.f. palette hidden underneath everything, my Naked Palette, my Divergent palette which I've written a blog post on before, and a bunch of small eyeshadow palettes from drugstore brands like Rimmel and Covergirl. I also keep my Rimmel Stay Matte translucent powder at the bottom because it doesn't in the shelves haha. On the other side, I keep my foundations and bb creams.

I genuinely think these makeup storage units with shelves are a great way to organize makeup without breaking the bank or having to clear extra space in a drawer somewhere. Organizing everything into sections has made my life so much easier, and now it doesn't take me 10 minutes just to find one item!

How about you? How do you store your makeup? Any tips on organization and DIY makeup storage?

Lots of love,
Rachel xxxx

Lazy Day Makeup

Hello world!

There are definitely days when I don't feel like a full face of makeup is necessary; in fact, most days are like this for me as a university student. Today was no exception, especially since I didn't get much sleep last night due to the How I Met Your Mother finale as I spent majority of my night crying and analyzing the episode haha, so I wasn't feeling too great this morning.

I just wanted to do a short post, showing you what I put on my face on my more laid back days.

FACE

The Body Shop: Aloe Soothing Moisture Lotion

My daily face lotion at the moment, always essential. Made specifically for sensitive skin, as I have rosacea, and it does the trick.

L'oreal True Match: Super-Blendable Concealer and Real Techniques Buffing Brush

I don't think foundation is necessary every day, so most of the time I just use this concealer to cover up any blemishes and redness. I just dot it on and blend it in with my Real Techniques Buffing brush.

I use this concealer in N4-5: Neutral - Light/Medium.

Benefit: Girl Meets Pearl

This is the little purple and white tube photographed on the right. This is just a liquid highlighter, because I always love a more "glowing" look, especially on days where I haven't had much sleep because it really wakes my complexion up.

EYES

I'm not going to lie, eye make-up is something I never skip out on. It's just my personal preference, probably because I look incredibly tired and weird without any eyeliner on hahaha, but it's the one make-up item I've used consistently since I was 14, so I never really miss it! I know for most people, eyes are usually the thing they leave out on more "lazy days" but it's just something I always do.

Revlon Photo Ready: Eye Primer and Brightener

I apologize for the extremely battered up tube, but I've had this particular one for probably well over a year now so it's so dirty haha. For someone who has really dry skin, I have such oily eyelids, so even though I'm not wearing any eyeshadow, I have to put eyelid primer on for my eyeliner.

L'oreal Magic Lumi Concealer

This is supposedly a drugstore dupe for YSL's Touche Éclat concealer. I just pop this under my eyes to brighten them up a little. I don't have particular baggy eyes, but just putting that "illuminating" concealer really brightens up your whole look and makes you look a little more awake.

I use this concealer in Medium.

L'oreal 24-Hour Infallible The Super Slim Liquid Eyeliner

I cannot live without liquid eyeliner. I really like it when it comes in pen form, because it just makes drawing on that cat eye so much easier. The nib on this eyeliner is nice and thin so you can get a precise shape. 

Dual Ended Brush (White and Black Brush)

I used the angle brush to do my eyebrows. I never used to be the kind of person who filled my eyebrows in, but ever since I started to, I've become kind of addicted to it haha. I didn't photograph the powder I used because it's too big to fit in the picture. It comes in this HUGE 144-Piece Eyeshadow e.l.f. palette in Neutral which you can find here, and I just use the matte dark browns to fill them in.

Maybelline One by One Volume Express Mascara

Maybelline absolutely slay in the drugstore world of mascara. I use this particular one for more "natural" lashes because it's not a volumizing mascara, but a super separating and defining one. I love it for days like this :)

LIPS

Burt's Bees Lip Balm with Mango Butter

No colour, just for soft lips :)

So that is it friends! I also completed my picture with my glasses and my large hot chocolate from Second Cup that I bought this morning to try and fill the huge HIMYM-sized hole in my heart. Still sobbing that it's over. :(

What do you use on lazy days? What are your favourite makeup items when you want to wake your complexion up?

Lots of love,

Rachel xxxx

How I Met Your Mother - A Countdown To The End

"This show wears it's heart on its sleeve." - Josh Radnor

Hello world!

This is a bit of a different post, not beauty-related at all, but still extremely close to my heart. How I Met Your Mother, if you didn't already know, is an awesome sitcom that is coming to an end. 9 years on TV, it is honestly one of the best shows I've ever taken the time to watch. It is both hilarious and really beautiful, which is an extremely strange way to describe a 30-minute sitcom, but if you've watched it, you'll know what I mean.

I know it's kind of lame of me to dedicate a whole blog post to a TV show, but I've always been super melodramatic, and that isn't going to change for my blog haha. It's taught me a lot, made me laugh, made me cry, and ultimately just made me happy, all the time. I watch it before bed, when I'm doing my makeup, when I just want a pick-me-up in general.

In honour of the series finale on Monday, March 31st, 2014, I wanted to countdown some of my favourite moments from How I Met Your Mother. Whether they were heartbreaking, funny, clever, or cheesy scenes, each and every one of these moments made me feel something, and that is why I absolutely love this show. It's been a major part of my life (Major-Part-Of-My-Life), and I thought it would be a fun way to say a goodbye to such an amazing show. It was honestly so hard to narrow it down to 10 scenes, but otherwise I would've written a top 50 and it would get far too long, so this is how it'll have to be.

I hope that you enjoy this little dedication post,

and if you're a fan of How I Met Your Mother, I hope at least 83% of you like my countdown. 

Number 10: Quirks

Easily one of the best quotes from the show. This is love, in a nutshell. When someone doesn't just tolerate your gigantic laugh, the way you eat pizza backwards, your love for cats and your irrational fear of spiders, but instead loves that it makes you the person you are. And even though you may have to go on 7 more years of blind dates, holding out for that person is the most rewarding.
"That's the dream." ;)

Number 9: "I really hope you get her some day."

Victoriaaaaaa. Voted as the most loved girl for Ted. It's weird, because she wasn't anywhere close to my favourite. But this scene, this line, absolutely broke me. Her face just reads HEARTBREAK.
Many TV shows have done this plot before, such as on Friends with Ross, Rachel, and Emily. But this was so hard to watch. Ted and Victoria were just short of perfection. So many years in the making, it just goes to show you how close you can come to "The One", but not close enough.

Number 8: Shelter Island // As Fast As She Can

Stella was my favourite girl for Ted. Weird, I know.
Shelter Island made me cry so much. I won't even talk about what happened to avoid the spoilers, but if you've watched this storyline, you'll know what I'm talking about. I just had to shout that episode out. I remember sitting in bed after watching it and being absolutely stunned. Well done, writers.

As Fast As She Can, another beautiful reminder that even though waiting for "the one" may seem hopeless, long, and downright disappointing sometimes, it'll be worth it in the end. That person you can see yourself with for the rest of your life, they're out there. And they're getting there,
as fast as they can.

Number 7: "I'm Not Ready For This"

Fun fact: Jason Segel wasn't told about this shocking moment in the series, so his reaction to the news is actually his REAL reaction, not just him acting as Marshall. Which is probably why I cried like a baby.
In the midst of the boob jokes, the beers, and the college flashbacks with "sandwiches", is an all-too-real human moment in the middle of the series. It's a part of life that everyone has to deal with at one point or another. And a reminder that Marshall, this huge optimistic, full of life guy, also has to deal with the parts of life that aren't happy.

Number 6: Legendaddy

This episode was full of real and raw emotion and pain. Neil Patrick Harris is such a versatile actor who transformed Barney from this materialistic guy who didn't care for anyone except for booze and suits, to someone who shows that everyone has their own damage and has felt abandonment before.
I love the depth they gave to Barney's character in this episode. The hurt in his voice when he speaks to his father, the heartache in his face when he admits that all he's ever wanted was to have his dad in his life. Another amazing example of a heart-wrenching moment in this brilliant sitcom.

Number 5: Three Days of Snow

This is truly one of my favourite episodes in How I Met Your Mother history. I think it's so underrated because it's not one of the heart-wrenching moments, and it isn't a Ted-centred episode but it is SO touching. It is such a good example of the well thought out writing and planning that goes on in the show, demonstrating how well HIMYM executes flash-backs and flash-forwards to make the show so special.
The best part of this episode is the glimpse into Marshall and Lily's relationship. They are truly the TV couple that everyone wants to be. They have the kind of love that everyone admires; the long-held traditions, the cheesy but adorable nicknames, the pure love between the two of them.
It's so easy to get caught up in the craziness of life and neglect your other half, but these two never do. They are such a perfect example of falling in love with each other over and over again.
"I love you. More and more each day, I love you, Lily."
"What I loved about this show, in general, is that Lily and Marshall were allowed to be in love with each other." - Jason Segel

Number 4: "I would have stolen you a whole orchestra."

"You stole a blue french horn for me."
This scene still breaks my heart to watch. Ted and Robin, Robin and Ted. I know that from the very first episode of the whole series, we know that they don't end up together. But it is so hard not to hope they do anyways.
I loved Ted and Robin so much, together, apart, as friends, as a couple. The girl of Ted's dreams, the guy that Robin thought she would maybe marry some day. The ongoing love between the two of them for all 9 seasons was something I loved watching, because it just shows us that relationships aren't black and white. Being broken up with someone doesn't mean you ever stop loving them, and these two struggled with that, as so many people do.
I just love them so much and I always secretly hoped Robin would be The Mother even though we know from the start of the whole dang series that she isn't. Sad face.

Number 3: The Robin

The best play from The Playbook (obviously). Again, another amazing example of the incredible planning that goes into the show. The details and planning that went into this long "play" were so well executed.
Barney's growth as a character was honestly one of my favourite things to watch throughout the show. To see a character grow from being a "one-trick-pony" kind of guy, who never really cared for anyone, to seeing him pull one of the biggest romantic gestures in the whole series, was refreshing and downright awesome to watch.
This beautiful grand gesture is one of the many reasons HIMYM is sooooo freaking awesome. <3

Number 2: The Two-Minute Date

My favourite scene in the WHOLE. SHOW. It impressed me so much. If you have never watched the series, watch this scene. The production, the OVERALL CUTENESS! How could you not fall in love with Ted?
I was reading a Reddit question thingy that the creators (Carter Bays and Craig Thomas) did, and Carter said it was his favourite scene out of the whole series as well! It had to be taken in one shot, which that in itself is a tough thing to do with the many moving parts of scene, and it was JUST SO DARN ROMANTIC. It shows Ted's "Cheesy-Romantic Hero" side, and it was so just so well done. Round of applause to the whole crew, and for putting that scene in.
2 minutes is all you need for a brilliant scene. That, and a lot of hands to do all the camera work. Haha.
AND, Josh Radnor (who plays Ted) also said that this is his favourite scene in all of How I Met Your Mother HISTORY! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC8Lmg28DX8 (this video, forward to 32:57)

Number 1: The Mother Revealed

I remember sitting on my couch, waiting for this. In case someone who reads this hasn't seen this episode yet, or hasn't started the series, I won't say when it happens, but man, this was so so SO exciting. I remember literally SCREAMING and being like, "THEY ACTUALLY SHOWED IT. NO WAY. NOOOO WAY." This show ultimately comes down to this one person that we've been waiting so long to see, and more importantly, that Ted has waited his whole life to find.
(About to get really cheesy here,) The Mother is ultimately a representation of the person we wait around for in our own lives. We waited almost a decade to see who Ted was going to end up with, hoping that one of his ex-girlfriends would be "The One", thinking "This is it! This is the person!", and that's just how love is.

Honourable Mentions:
- La Vie En Rose
- Robin Sparkles (particularly Let's Go To The Mall)
- Marshall crying in the rain
- "Do you love me?" "No."
- Tick, Tick, Tick
- The Symphony of Illumination (this episode absolutely broke my heart into a million pieces and I'm so sad that I didn't include it in my top 10 but there isn't enough rooooom! AHHHH.

Like I said, narrowing this down to Top 10 was nearly impossible, but I'm glad I did. 206 episodes, and one more to go. Monday nights will feel so empty... it's going to be so weird knowing that we can't look forward to anymore new episodes. That after the finale, there will be no more Maclaren's Bar, no more "Wait for it", no more challenges to accept, no more girls for Barney to hit on, no more Robin Sparkles music videos, no more yellow umbrellas, blue french horns, or pineapples, no more booth, no more slaps to give out. It makes me so sad to think about, but I am also really glad that the show got a proper goodbye. Imagine if it got cancelled halfway through, and we never met The Mother? More often than not, shows don't get the proper send-off they deserve, so I'm so happy that this one did.

As an article put it, "How I Met Your Mother was the old-soul of the comedy network for the past decade" and I couldn't agree more. It had such a good balance of dirty jokes, romantic moments, and heart-throbbing scenes that everyone could enjoy, and one big storyline that everyone could relate to and get addicted to. But most importantly, the 5 main characters had so much chemistry. Their friendship was believable and relatable, like they weren't just characters on TV that were written up, but 5 best friends who loved each other like family. And us watchers, loved them too.
Craig Thomas and Carter Bays, thanks for creating such a legendary show.

"Life to me is not funny or sad, it's like funny-sad; and I love that, that's what the show is. It's this beautiful mixture of elements, which sometimes made us hard to classify." - Josh Radnor

"It's not a cynical show. It lets people love each other, and express that love. The whole point of the show is about love, and the search for love, and it's also about family." - Josh Radnor 

Goodbye How I Met Your Mother. I love you so much and I will never forget you (and will continue to binge watch you on Netflix forever and ever.) I'll miss you like crazy.

Rachel xxxx

Some videos to watch to help you say goodbye:
Thank You, Fans
The Last Chapter

Rachel's Reviews - Divergent Palette

Hello world!

I have decided to try out doing product reviews to begin my blog, as I think they can be really helpful. I am in no means an expert in makeup, but I think I can throw my 2 cents out there and give an honest opinion on different products. Now onto the review!

As some of you may know, the movie Divergent has just been released into theatres, and as a movie that was previously a book trilogy, it has an established fan base, much like The Hunger Games. Because of this established fan base, companies tend to catch on and create products with the name attached to them. One of the products that was created under the Divergent franchise is a limited edition makeup line that is exclusive to Sephora.

I had been eyeing the makeup as soon as it was released online, and after watching the movie with my best friend during opening weekend, I immediately went to Sephora and bought the Divergent Multi-Piece Collector's Palette. I actually bought the last one they had in stock, which is a true testament to how popular this palette is considering it's only been out for a couple of weeks.

Moving onto the actual product itself, this all around face palette retails at $39 here in Canada, and $32.50 in the United States.
The packaging is metal, so the exterior is very sturdy, however it closes with magnets, which isn't great as it feels like it could open easily and ruin the inside. It has the signature DIVERGENT logo written on the front, and has a holographic, shiny finish on the front, which is why in this photo it looks like it has a rainbow design on it. In reality, it is a very light-reflective silver.

Divergent Palette: Outside Packaging

The contents include a pink lip gloss, three eyeshadows, a matte blush, and a matte bronzer. It also has a full mirror, which is always great to have. For $39 you get a good range of products.

Inside the Palette -
Full Sized Mirror, Lipgloss, Three Eyeshadows,
Matte Blush, Matte Bronzer

The best thing about this palette, in my opinion, are the eyeshadows.

They are all very wearable colours, as they are great neutrals, and most importantly, they are super pigmented. There is a matte white, a shimmery golden taupe, and a matte dark brown.
The matte white is great for an under the brow highlight colour. The shimmery brown isn't as pigmented as the other two, but it is still a great all over lid colour that is neutral enough to look subtle, and isn't too sparkly, and the matte brown is perfect to blend through the crease, and it is definitely the most pigmented out of the three.
I love that these are neutrals, because it makes the palette worth buying, as you can use it every day instead of just purchasing it for the novelty of owning something with the word "Divergent" written on it. The pigmentation of the eyeshadows are great, especially the matte dark brown, so I was impressed.

Eyeshadows: Up Close
Matte White: Candor Lace // Shimmery Taupe: Luminous Taupe //
Matte Dark Brown: Envious Chocolate

Next up are the blush and bronzer. The blush is a very wearable rose-pink colour. I like the fact that it is matte, as it is great for days when you don't want any shimmer on your cheeks and you want to keep your look low-key, but still put together.

The bronzer, though I would still call it matte, has really fine specks of gold in it, but it is extremely subtle, and won't make you look like you have shimmer on. Because it is pretty much matte, it is perfect for subtle contouring and shaping your face. It actually reminds me of Benefit's famous Hoola bronzer, as they are similar in colour and finish.

These are both pigmented as well, though I wouldn't say as much as the eyeshadows, but they are both extremely wearable colours that complete an every day look.

Blush: Rosy Horizon // Bronzer: Compassionate Copper

Lastly, the lip gloss. I'm not a fan of lip gloss at all, so I didn't care for it too much. It isn't well pigmented, so it doesn't really add colour to the lip, but it's a good neutral pink colour that will probably look good over a neutral pink lipstick. As an added bonus, it smells like peppermint.

Lip Gloss: Up Close
Pink: Artistic Mauve

As someone who has both read the book and watched the movie, the quirky names of each product was a nice little touch to the palette to make it nice and unique. 

Merchandise and movie-gimmicks aside, the actual contents of the palette were really great. The eyeshadows were the real winners for me, as the colour pay off was great, and I honestly didn't expect that out of a product that was made for a movie franchise. The blush is a really nice rose pink, which is perfect for a subtle hint of colour. The bronzer is perfect for subtle contouring as it is matte, and is a beautiful colour. The lip gloss I could've lived without if that meant there was more eyeshadow, haha.

I can honestly say that even if the word DIVERGENT wasn't slapped across the outside of this palette, I would still be drawn to it. Every single product is something you can wear every day, so it isn't something you just buy for the name and it is a great starter palette. You have everything you need for a complete look in the palm of your hands.
I have to admit that I'm sure much of the price tag factored in the name "Divergent", so $39 is a bit steep. You do get 5 powder products that will last you quite some time, so it is fairly reasonable. 

The palette can be purchased here.

How about you? Are you a fan of the Divergent series? Could you see yourself buying this palette?

Lots of love,

Rachel xxxx

Hello!

Hello there world!

I feel a little strange introducing myself like this through a blogpost, but I think my first post should be a simple hello from myself. My name is Rachel Joy, hence the extremely cheesy blog name, but I thought it fit, haha. I'm a university student who is far too obsessed with makeup and everything beauty related, as well as pop culture, social media, and How I Met Your Mother.

I haven't decided completely what my blog is going to be centred around, but I have a feeling it will probably be beauty related, maybe with some posts about university, pop culture, and TV shows, or something along those lines. As they always say, "write what you know." I've been contemplating starting a blog for quite some time now, but I've always felt like I didn't know enough to start, but after getting tired of sitting around wondering if I should do it, I've just decided to dive in.

I have a few posts that I've already planned out, and they're all beauty related, so I hope you enjoy the posts to come! Most are product reviews, so I hope that I serve as help to those with questions :) For now, try to ignore the extreme basic template of this blog hahaha. I'll definitely be learning as I go.

Lots of love,
Rachel xxxx