Back to business

Hey Everyone!

wow has it been forever! Good to see everyone :) hope you didn't miss me to much ;) (insert confident sarcasm here)  I have been MIA the past 5 months but its for a good reason I promise :) I have been working my little rump off and saving pennies to finally purchase myself a place to call home. Iam very excited to announce that I will be moving into my condo in 2 months 17 days (but who's counting) Not even words can describe how excited Iam for this day to come, Finally I have a place to call home. A place to express myself and live out my craziest colourful dreams :)

Furniture and Decor shopping has been so fun these past months, I have already picked out the colours and theme of each room and have started collecting decor to match. I will post some photos of the great finds I have purchased. Like many of us I have a unique style that will obviously be reflected in my home. I have found great pieces that scream original :) I'd love to share them with you.

Where does your inspiration for making your home personal come from??


Just a few of my favourite finds:......more to come

Like most people in this world I LOVE LOVE LOVE marilyn monroe, she is truly a classic beauty that will live on for generations. So naturally I saw this picture and fell in Love! I envision this beauty on the walls of my future living room. I have many marilyn pictures but this one is so unique I had to have it.

Don't mind the Iphone boarder. I had this chandelier custom painted.

Jennifer at My painted furniture is wonderful!!! I found her about a year ago and fell in love with her work. It's amazing what she can transform. Her work is truly original and you can guarantee no one will have such a beautiful unique piece at a great price. I have designed and purchased 70% of my furniture from her and my home is going to be proud to display her work. She is truly talented and can accommodate any design you may have in mind. 

www.mypaintedfurniture.com 

I was downtown vancouver one night for an event, this bed was displayed a store front and I fell in love with it! I had never seen a bed like this and it was calling my name. After researching almost every furniture store in vancouver I finally found it online only to see that this beauty of a bed cost 1200$ before taxes..ouch..not exactly on the budget. After arguing with myself and anxiously pondering on how much I could sell my blood for (insert joke here) I decided that this bed will be a fun future project I can attempt to make myself. I will be sure to keep in touch on how that goes ;)

I was in home sense and I spotted these lamps and again they screamed my name! I love how original and unique they are. As I brought them up to the counter to officially claim them mine the store clerk even mentioned these were the only ones they had or have ever had..this pleased me and for a great price :) 

I love dollar stores! especially when everything really is 1$$ I have found all sorts of decor goodies at the dollar store, these being one of them. Fake flowers can be a great, easy, cheap way to brighten up a living room or add sparkle to a bathroom.

Again excuse the iPhone boarder. 

Another beautiful creation from jennifer at my painted furniture. I had picked out these nightstands on her website in the unpainted section and asked her if she could paint them silver. Well she sure did and they look amazing!! 

 Let me tell ya I will be so happy to have my "girly" space for I have been living in a mans world far to long, bar decor, brown leather couches, pictures of Harley davidson bikes. Testosterone fills this space and is the definition of a man cave. I have spent my last three years amongst the boys, saving up for my own place, that I'm surprised I don't pee standing up (insert awkward laugh)


Thanks for stopping by and keeping in touch.  As always I love to hear from you. where and when was your first home?? how did you decorate??


What are your favourite decor finds??
What is your style ??
Where do you find inspiration??



www.mypaintedfurniture.com 

Top favourites: Face cleansers/Moisturizers

Hey everyone! first off Happy New year!!!! I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday and I hope the new year is filled with lots of love, health and happiness for all of us...let this be the year our dreams come true!! What are some of your goals for the new year??


 To start the new year off I thought I would do a product review series. I will be posting reviews on all my top favourites that I seem to come back to time and time again. Iv been keeping track of my stats and you all seem to really appeal more towards product reviews. This I totally understand, there are literally hundreds and hundreds of products out on the market today that its hard to tell what works, what doesnt, and whats really worth purchasing.  Being the spontaneous, commitment feared, adventurous girl that Iam. I easily get bored of products and therefore over the years have tried hundreds of different products. These are the products that at one point or other I always come back to...

Please keep an open mind that everyone is different and therefore a product that works for me may not have the same results for you. These are the products I've really enjoyed over the years and feel are worth the purchase. these are my own thoughts, critiques and opinions on the products and I have no been paid or sponsored in any way.



Top Face Cleansers


 Dermalogica Special Cleansing gel:   First off I love love love anything Dermalogica! I worked in a salon that only carried Dermalogica. I have heard first hand, many reviews and stories from so many genuinely satisfied customers.  Working at the salon I had a discount on products and this was always my cleanser of choice. Dermalogica has such a wide range of products and regimens for all skin types and skin problems. Anybody that is really troubled by their skin I definitely encourage you to find a salon/spa that carries Dermalogica products. The only downside about their products is obviously the price. Their products can get pricy. Seeing as I no longer work at the salon and don't get a discount. I rarely purchase this product anymore HOWEVER! if I had the money I would without a doubt purchase this product regularly. Like I said though If your really bothered by the condition of your skin the money is well worth it, their products are amazing!


Body Shop Tea tree foaming cleanser:  Next to Dermalogica this is my second go-to cleanser. It's extremely budget friendly and cost under 20$( in canadian dollars) its the cleanser I purchase the most. If your familiar with my blog you'll know that I'm always going off about Tea Tree oil and how it has amazing natural antibacterial, anti fungal properties, including the ability to kill bacteria that cause pimples, blackheads and acne. This cleaner comes out has a foam and feels so good on the skin. One pump is all you will need to cleanse your face and therefore lasts you a good couple months. After using this cleanser your face feels so fresh and clean.

Vichy: I recently posted about my top drugstore purchases and this cleanser made the cut. I've been using this cleanser since I was 13. Being 21 now, I have been watching my little cousins grow into teenagers, fighting hormones and blemishes just as I did at that age.  I have now passed this product down to them and it has helped them as much as it helped me as a teenager. What I love so much about this product is it gives such great results for such a decent price. Vichy products can be purchased at drugstores and therefore is easily accessible.


St. Ives Apricot Scrub: Aside from your everyday cleanser its good to exfoliate the skin 1-2 times a week. This removes dead skin cells that can build up on the surface of your skin resulting in acne, blackheads and  a dull looking complexion. This is a great budget friendly exfoliate. This product brings back a lot of memories, my grandma had used this product for years and I have been using it since.


Arbonne FC5 New cell scrub: I have received this product as a gift from a friend and I have fell in love with it! I at first wasn't familiar with Arbonne. Arbonne is a cosmetic company based on botanical principles, meaning they use natural ingredients from plants, fruits ect.. Similar to Mary Kay or Avon, their are representatives that sell Arbonne, however I believe you can purchase their products on their website. So far this is the only product I have tried from Arbonne. I have been using it for about three months and Iam very happy with the product and the results so far. This exfoliate is amazing!! and your face looks and feels so radiant and clear afterwards. It has a clay like texture with tiny micro-exfoliants to gently scrub away dead skin cells and promote the growth of new ones. Iam not looking forward to the day I run out of this product..its going to be a sad day :(







Top Moisturizers:
 Iam a moisturizer-aholic and have tried hundreds of different moisturizers, there are very few that make the cut for me mainly because Iam very picky when it comes to my moisturizer. I don't like anything at all greasy, heavy, cakey, sticky, shiny or suffocating on the skin. These are my top moisturizers that I use because they are the few that I have really really really liked and I didn't complain about to much. I have other moisturizers I like these are just my go-to's


Dermalogica skin smoothing cream: Along with Dermalogica special cleansing gel, I love love love this moisturizer from Dermalogica (in general you really can't go wrong with any dermalogica products)
 This product is non of the above. It's hydrating without being greasy. Again I rarely purchase this product because of the price but if I win the lottery any time soon I would definitely be purchasing this product on a regular basis.


Body Shop Seaweed mattifying day cream: This is my all time favourite moisturizer because it dries matte and doesn't leave your skin feeling at all greasy or shiny. I stumbled across this product by accident 7 years ago and haven't looked back. This is my most purchased moisturizer ever and is again very budget friendly. This moisturizer is oil free and has oil-balacing properties that mattify where and when the skin needs it. This moisturizer is recommended for combination/oily skin, I would highly recommend this moisturizer for oily skin types because it dries so matte and doesn't add any shine to your face. I wouldn't recommend this product for anyone with dry skin types because it's a very light hydration.


Kiss my Face:  Those of you who are familiar with my blog will know that I have blogged about this moisturizer a couple of times. It is extremely budget friendly and can be purchased at drugstores or natural food stores. This product is made from all natural ingredients and comes in three formulations for specific skin types. My favourite is the Aloe and Olive oil moisturizer. This is also my all time favourite moisturizer for mixing with my foundation to create my own tinted moisturizer. It has such a creamy texture and goes onto the skin so smoothly without feeling heavy or greasy.











What are some of your favourite face cleansers/ moisturizers???

DIY Recycling your old Vintage T's

We all have those favourite T-shirts we love and cherish, and as the years pass, they become smaller and worn out although their to precious to give away. why not recycle them and give them a new life?
 I have a confession to make Iam a tinee tad bit of a hoarder, I find I'm always hanging on to certain items hoping to find a new life or use for them.
 I've been hanging onto certain T-shirts I love and used to wear all the time. Sadly I eventually grew out of them. They've been sitting at the bottom of my drawers neglected to be worn for months,they needed a new life. After contemplating finally giving in and giving them away, I decided to give them a new life as art for my walls. I love this because not only do I have original pictures to personalize my place and hang on my walls, but the memories and beauty of the T's will live on :D

Here's what you'll need:

• Large Picture frames to fit your T-shirt. (these are 30x40cm, 11 3/4"x15 3/4")
• Old favourite T-shirt
• Scissors

To do this project takes three simple steps!!!


1.) Take your desired picture frame out of the packaging, take the backing out.

2.) Position your T-shirt where you want it over the backing.

3.) Replace the backing into the frame and secure. Take your scissors and cut the access fabric off the T-shirt. Pick the perfect place for it on your walls and enjoy :D

Yayy!! now your favourite T's have a wonderful new home and you can cherish them for many more years. What I love about this project is the options are endless!!! Recycle your old concert T's, favourite vintage T's any T your proud to display on your walls. 

Enjoy and have fun

What are some of your favourite T's??? 

Would love to see what you guys come up with. feel free to send me emails and pics :D

makeup-addiction@hotmail.com

xoxoxox

Relish

Top 5 Drug store favourites!

When I was a young preteen, my vanity was full of smackers lip products, glitter gel, maybe line eyeshadow cream, for the most part I never wore the stuff out half the time, (I was a tomboy back in those days) I just loved playing with all the goodies I'd find at my neighbourhood shoppers drug mart, my older cousin Jen and I would walk the 30 minutes it took to get there at least twice a week and we looked more and more forward to it every time. Even then I loved getting creative, experimenting, and playing with all the fun sparkly, colours and stuff! Nowadays my makeup bag consist mostly of MAC, Benefit, Smashbox, clinique ect.. I still love going to my neighbourhood drugstore and picking up new products to test out and experiment with, some I have made a permanent resident and I continue to purchase. Here are a list of the drugstore must haves!! Budget friendly these products can fake high end results.

Vichy face cleansing gel: Wow! me and this product go way back, I love trying out new products and I have tried a lot of face washes, gels, scrubs ect.. and I have always come back to this stuff at one point or another. 

fact: It's good to alternate between your favourite cleansers. Have you ever noticed a product works great, until after a year or so you notice it doesn't "work" as well?  Like how your body can become immune to medication, your skin is the same way and therefore its good to alternate between face cleaners, keeping your skin "on its toes," so to speak.

 I remember being 13, like many other 13 year olds acne was my worst enemy. After struggling with many products I finally found Vichy, a decently priced cleanser found in drugstores that showed amazing results. I'm so glad I had this stuff with me throughout my adolescent years. I don't know what I would of done without it. The texture of this cleanser is so smooth and your face feels so clean and refreshed afterwards. Thanks to this product I was able to glide through my adolescence not worrying about acne.

Revlon photo-ready foundation: 

Revlon photo-ready concealer: I love this foundation/concealer duo as my drugstore alternative. I have to be honest I have tried literally every foundation a drugstore can carry. I have discovered foundations that I really love, and some that I've never bought again. This is one that I would definitely buy again. I love the coverage and consistency you get with the concealer stick I almost love using it as much as my MAC concealer it goes on so smooth and blends so well.

Kiss my face: I'm not sure if everyone can find this moisturizer in their neighbourhood drug store like I can, but if you happen to see this product definitely give it a try. Moisturizing is a key step in your daily skin care routine. Like most of you I usually can't afford the high end fancy expensive creams, so this is my next best thing. It's all 100% natural! which is a great start because everything we apply to our skin gets absorbed and passed through the liver in our bodies. Not only that I love the consistency of this moisturizer and I love love love that it doesn't leave your face feeling heavy or greasy. This is also my number 1 moisturizer I use to mix with foundation, the consistency is perfect for creating your own tinted moisturizer. It comes in three formulations for different skin types. I personally love the one with olive oil.

Biore make-up remover wipes: This reminds me that I need to grab some of these next time I'm at the drugstore. I have such a bad habit of falling asleep in my makeup. Some days I'm good about washing my makeup off at the end of the day, but needless to say I find myself waking up with yesterdays makeup smudged around my face more often then not. These babies are perfect to keep in your purse, gym bag, overnight bag, or on your nightstand. What I love most about these wipes is they don't make your face feel sticky or greasy afterwards. They also contain green tea which is full of antioxidant which we all know greatly benefits our skin and bodies, protecting them from damaging free radicals.

L'oreal Infallible lip color: On the nights when I wanna rock a red lip that won't go anywhere! this is my go-to product. it literally never goes anywhere. I can kiss my boyfriend with this stuff on and it doesn't come off!! even he was amazed. With most red lips, I'm always checking to make sure that there isn't any red on my teeth, or smudged outside my lip line, I've never had that problem with this product. The only downside I have discovered with this product is when you apply to much to the lips it "flakes." But all else considered thats the price to pay for an amazing long lasting product. I prefer this compared to all my other red lipsticks, because it doesn't go anywhere. I get my l'oreal infallible lip color in 013 crimson.

What are some of your Drugstore must haves??


xoxo 


.....ps. All my reviews are my personal opinions and experience with the products. Although I do encourage you ladies to try these products if your looking for something new, do keep in mind that everyone has their own experiences and opinions with products and therefore you may not agree with my experiences. 

DIY-Last minute Christmas presents.

Christmas is so close !!! doesn't it feel like it crept up on you??...no??..just me...
Here is a cute christmas present that is perfect for your girlfriends, co-workers, secret santa....
Everything here I made and got from the dollar store so it is a very budget friendly gift, yet shows that a lot of love and thought went into making it.

First off purchase your choice of coffee mugs from your favourite dollar store, I chose ones with simple decoration that I amped up using porcelain paints I got from Michaels, they are awesome to have around for project like these. They are about 6$ and come in a variety of colours, after your done painting your mug, you bake the mugs in the oven which makes the paint dish washer resistant. I just chose to personalize each mug by writing my friends names on the rim.

Now you have cute personalized mugs that can be filled with all sorts of FUN! , candies, chocolates, truffles, candy canes,cookies, fudge ect.. the sky is the limit. I love baking and creating delicious treats, so I chose to make peanut brittle, chocolate truffles, butter crunch toffee, and short bread cookies to fill these cute mugs. Its something that everyone can appreciate and enjoy. 

After making all my goodies I packaged them in plastic bags and decorated with some ribbon.

scrunch tissue paper and filled your mug half way, that way your treats will stand above the rim. Fill your mugs with your desired goodies.

Take two pieces of tissue paper, set the mug in the middle and bring all sides up, tie with ribbon and add your finishing touches. with christmas just around the corner your ready for whatever the holidays bring. You can make multiples of these on such a budget and everyone will appreciate the thought and love that went into making these. 

Get creative with your mugs and give them personality. You can do anything from a simple name, or get really creative and personal and write the individuals favourite quote, nickname, insides jokes, ect..

have fun and very happy holidays!!!

xoxox

Relish

Christmas baking continues- DIY Cream Puffs

In honour of Christmas I thought it would be nice to share all my christmas traditions and recipes. I know this has nothing to do with makeup or beauty however I love spending just as much time in the kitchen. Its another place that has no rules or boundaries which I love!

You can get creative just as you can with makeup except its food! Christmas is the time of year where goodies and treats are everywhere!! Not only is baking fun but giving treats is a great gift! this is my cream puff recipe, those of you who aren't familiar with what a cream puff or chouz a la creme, if you will, it is a choux pastry ball filled with whip cream, pastry cream, or ice cream. They can be decorated or left plain either way there fantastically delicious and a great treat to serve at your christmas shindig. 

Here's what you'll need :

• 2 (3.5 oz.) packages of instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 Cups Heavy Cream a.k.a Whipping Cream
• 1 Cup milk
• Pastry bag (optional)

This is to make the pastry cream filling however you can just use Whipping Cream for you centre. I prefer to buy the Cream and whip it up myself just add 1/2 Cup of sugar and 1 tsp. Vanilla to the cream and whip until whipped cream. 

• 1/2 Cup Butter
• 1 Cup water
• 1/4 Tsp salt
• 1 Cup all purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 Cup milk chocolate chips

1.) Mix together vanilla instant pudding mix, cream and milk. Cover and refrigerate to set. If your just using whip cream add 1/2 Cup sugar and 1 Tsp. vanilla to cream and whip until whipped cream. 

2.)Preheat oven to 425 F

3.) In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Turn off heat and stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough mixture to a separate mixing bowl, however feel free to keep it in the pot off the heat if you don't want to dirty another dish, like me. 

4.) Using a hand mixer or wooden spoon, beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.

5.) Drop tablespoon amounts of dough onto an un-greased baking sheet, bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven. Until golden brown. Centers should be dry.

6.) When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pastry cream mixture/whipped cream. Or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding mix into the shells.

7.) In a microwave safe bowl, microwave 1 cup chocolate chips for 2 minutes until the chocolate is completely melted. Dip the puffs into the chocolate for a chocolate cover. 

MMmhmmm Don't those look fantastic!!! I decided to jazz mine up a bit by melting white chocolate and drizzling it in soft lines overtop the chocolate. Like always I encourage you to get creative in the kitchen and experiment. Bring these along to your next christmas get together and have everyone amazed!

Stay tuned for more christmas festivities! its just around the corner.

xoxox

Relish

My top 5 favourite makeup up books

When I was just a lil one starting out in this industry I looked everywhere for inspiration and words from the wise. Makeup school can be very expensive! 18,000$ expensive!! being 18 and not wanting that kind of debt over my head I heavily researched and talked to many Senior makeup artist who have made great success in this business  and got their input on wether or not to dedicate ones time and money on makeup school. Surprisingly enough they all said around the same thing, that makeup school is good if you have the time and money, but at the end of the day its all about talent, passion and proof of work. It doesn't matter what fancy makeup school you came from if your talented you'll shine. I know many people that have spent the time and money going to makeup school, some manage to break through in the industry and some are still unemployed in the makeup industry. Most makeup schools don't guarantee you will leave their establishment with a full time makeup job..which kind of makes me wonder..what are you paying for??

These are the books that I've stumbled across over the years and absolutely love! not only are they very informative and helpful to everyone, makeup artist or not, but the artistry in some of these books is amazing! I still browse through them from time to time for information and inspiration ....



5.) Kevyn Aucoin - Making Faces
This book is an absolute must for anyone starting out in makeup. It covers all the basics from highlighting and contouring to eyeshadow application. Kevyn Aucoin is a very talented makeup artist who has made his mark on this industry as one of the best. He knows it all and he shares his secrets and displays his beautiful transformations. This was one of the first makeup books I bought and I still enjoy browsing through it.



4.) Kevyn Aucoin- Face forward 
Again another amazing book by Kevyn Aucoin, displaying his amazing transformations and reveals them with step by step instructions.

3.) Scott Barnes- About Face
Scott Barnes is an A-list celebrity makeup artist. He has worked on the very talented faces of Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, Hillary Duff and Christina Aguilera. He is the makeup artist of Jennifer Lopez and is the brilliant genius behind her famous JLO glowing skin. In this book he shares all his secrets for creating looks that can be used everyday. This book is packed with amazing information and tips for someone who is just starting out in the industry or for any beauty lover looking for more secret tips.


2.)Alex Box by Rankin
This book is amazing for inspiration and displays the amazing art work of Alex Box, a true artist, she is anything but an imitator. She is truly original in her work and has worked with some of the most experimental and avant garde designers, photographers and hair stylist in the fashion industry.  She is nothing less then a master of colour and creativity. I absolutely love her work for this and she truly is an inspiration.


1.) Makeup is Art
I Stumbled across this book when I was furiously browsing through the makeup section of Chapters. This book is done by various creative makeup artist who truly use makeup as a form of art. This book is filled with inspiration and is great just to have on your coffee table for anyone to browse through. I don't know anyone who wouldn't appreciate all the work that has been put into this book it truly is a work of art and is one of my all time favourites.









I hope you find inspiration in all these amazing books like I did. 
Get inspired and follow your dreams!






xoxoxo




Relish