Beauty Favourites

Hello lovelies,

The saying "beauty is skin deep", definitely speaks true to me! Despite having just had twins and the fact that I am a house rat, I still want to take care of my hair and skin. Being able to pamper myself as being a busy mom of three, is a priority that I sure as heck take advantage of! With that being said this post is all about my current beauty and hair favourites!

Skincare:

Talking about skin deep, I love my charcoal mask (not pictured) and rose water toner.
The charcoal mask is gentle on the skin and is not like those peel off masks that everyone was using last year. It leaves my skin feeling soft and clean and it doesn’t hurt when you have to take it off!

I use the rose water toning spray after my mask and I must say that I LOVE the smell. Because, it is infused with rose water it helps get rid of redness and it also leaves my skin feeling refreshed without leaving a sticky residue.

Makeup:

My fav eye shadow palette of all time that I use almost everyday is my Urban Decay Naked2 palette. It has the perfect neutrals for any eye colour and I shouldn’t say this, but I have had it for YEARS and the pots have yet to diminish!

My favourite blush of the moment is the Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Risque. The shade matches my skintone both with and without a tan, allowing me to use it all year long. It also blends out really nicely and you can use to create a soft subtle amount of colour for minimal makeup days or build on it when you want a “full face”.


My secret weapon for glowing skin is... are you ready for it....??? Organic virgin coconut oil. I use coconut oil for so many beauty purposes! I use it to remove my mascara vs a wipe to prevent my lashes from being pulled out of my eyelids. I also use it to remove my makeup when I run out of makeup remover. Coconut oil is also a great natural moisturizer for the skin. Another way that I use it is under my eyes to help prevent wrinkles and diminish my dark circles.
When picking a coconut oil to use on your face and/or body, ensure that it is organic and virgin. You don’t want it to have any preservatives or added ingredients.

Hair Products:

I have been using the got2be smooth smooth operator on my hair for years! I love this product for getting rid of frizz and it is also a heat protectant. I use it on towel dried hair and either let it sit or blow dry my hair. If I am blow drying my hair, I will also add it to my ends once my hair is dried and before styling.

Garnier dry oil is another product that I have been using for a couple of years. After the shower, and when my hair is towel dried I apply a very small amount to my ends to help prevent breakage. You do not need a lot of this product, as too much will weigh your hair down and also make it feel greasy.

Nails:

I recently started using the Quo sponge nail polish remover and I will never go back to using a regular bottle! The sponge makes it so convenient and easy to use and I never have to worry about pouring out too much or spilling it, which is amazing. It works fast and I have had it for four months now and it has still yet to dry out. Highly recommend!!!

For top coat I have been using the Essie Gel top coat and it keeps my polish on for up two weeks, which has never happened with any other top coats that I have used.


What are some of your favourite beauty products? Is there anything you think I must try? Comment below I would love to hear from you!

As always, thank you for reading and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram if you aren’t already. Also, click on the subscribe button on the top right of this post to be notified every time a new blog is published!

xoxo
annpaige

Summer Vacay Essentials

Hello lovelies,

We are currently in the midst of one of my favourite seasons, Spring, but trolling soon around the corner is Summer and Summer means vacation and weekend getaways!!!

With a newborn on the cusp of arriving for me, this summer will be more about weekend getaways then actual off shore vacations. But, who says weekend beach getaways can't be just as fun.

So, whether you are headed to a hot sunny destination, going on a road trip or taking a long weekend to bask in the sun near home, here are my Summer Vacation Essentials.

A cute swimsuit - from dynamite.
I love this swimsuit because it is flattering (for the top and bottom) and hello it's purple cheetah print!!!

A beach cover up
I got this when I was a teenager and still have it to this day, 'cause it has dolphins on it and it's huge. With cover ups the bigger the better for me, because they offer so much versatility.

Sunnies
- My favourite not too oversized sunnies from Dolce & Gabanna

For sun protection and tanning I love Hawaiian Tropic products and these are my go to's:
Tanning:
- SPF 4(the lower the better, because I am so pasty) oil spray with UVA and UVB protection. This stuff literally smells like a piña colada, yummie!!!
Sun Protection:
- 12h moisturization Silk Hydration sunscreen with Spf 30.
After Sun:
- Silk Hydration after sun moisturizer with aloe gel and 24h hydration. I absolutely love this stuff. It feels soft and cooling on your skin and is perfect if you got a little too much sun.

Hair
- Garnier fructis sleek and shine leave-in conditioner. As a blonde I need to protect my hair from the water whether it be salt water like the ocean or even just chlorine from a regular pool. To do so I wet my hair, slather this stuff all over and stick my hair in a bun. I do this to prevent my hair from absorbing the salt and/or chemicals. Instead my hair can absorb the conditioner and be that much softer.

If I'm not going in the water I use:
- Garnier fructis sleek and shine thermo-sleek spray to prevent my hair from getting heat damage. No this product is not uva or uvb protective, but I find it works just the same. (You can however get similar products that are meant strictly for sun protection.)

Other essentials include my fav razor for on the go; Shick Hydro Silk, a travel manicure set and my fav deordorant from Dove.

Every girl needs protection from mother nature as well, so I always make sure I bring a few tampons with me, no matter what time of the month it is. And, in my bag I have Playtex 360° protection Sport Fresh Balance. This brand has the best on the go protection (with a light fresh scent)and I need that as I will be running and chasing after a baby all Summer.

Face and Makeup:
No matter where you are going and no matter what anyone says, as a girl you always need a little makeup, it just makes us feel and look our best.
My makeup essentials for a weekend getaway include:
- Garnier BB cream in light/medium
- Maybelline age rewind dark circle eraser concealer in fair.
- My Naked2 palette from Urban decay
- Essence silky touch blush in 30 secret it-girl. This colour is perfect for when you have (or want) a tan, because it adds the most beautiful glow to any complexion.
- Stila stay all day waterproof volumizing mascara. Nobody wants raccoon eyes from jumping out of the water or after laying in the sun too long and having your mascara melt off.

Face:
- Blistex tropical lip balm with Spf 15
- My favourite moisturizer that I have been using for years!!!
Neutrogena Healthy Skin face lotion with Spf 15.
- Jergens Natural Glow daily face mositurizer with Spf 20 in fair to medium.
You always need a gradual tanner for your face, as the complexion of our face will never match the rest of our body. This one is my fav, because it is light and doesn't clog your pores. You can also mix it with your regular mositurizer or BB cream, so it is even lighter on your skin.
- Biore Make-up removing towelettes. The best for removing even the toughest waterproof mascara at the end of the day. Also great to refresh your skin after a long day in the sun.

What are your Summer getaway plans for this year and what will you be brining with you!?!

Comment below with your essentials and if you think I missed anything in my bag!!!

Current Favourites; Fashion and Beauty

Hello lovelies,

It has been awhile since I last did a favourites post so, i thought it was about time, since I have been trying a few new things lately. I hope you enjoy!!!

Fashion Favs

I recently got this top from Rickis (find here) and I love it so much!!!

It is a light chiffon material that goes with everything. The colour is what first sold me on this product. I had to have it as soon as I saw it.

I got these bow earrings about a month ago from forever21 (find here) and I just love them. If you read my posts often or follow me on twitter then you would have already seen these earrings a few times. They are so cute and girly and I just love them like crazy!!

Beauty Favs  

When I was at Fr21 a month ago I saw this brush set (find here) and at the moment I needed to get some new eye shadow brushes, so I thought why not give them a try. The set only cost $6.80, so if they were crap, then I didn't really waste much on them at all. Thankfully, they were not bad at all. The face and cheek brush are not that dense, so they are great for applying powder products to the face. The eye shadow brushes I LOVE. They remind me so much of my duo brush that came with my naked2 palette, and they pick up product so nicely. I would highly recommend this set, mainly just for the shadow brushes and that only makes the set worth the cost.

I recently got some products from Jergens Natural glow line and Vevergirl to test out and I have so far tried these products from the line. I will do a full review on the whole line in the near future after I have gotten to test them all, but so far I really love both of these products. I used the +firming daily moisturizer and face moisturizer before bed and after I showered. I noticed a difference in my skin tone when I got home the next day. I also noticed a significant difference after the second application. Both products left my skin feeling so smooth and the colour was really natural. 

I got this perfume as a birthday gift from my boyfriend last year and I love the scent, it just reminds of spring/summer every time I smell it. I always tend to lean towards one scent more than  another in specific seasons, 'cause they make the season come more to life for me(I that sounded really lame, but its true). With the weather getting warmer outside now, I just find I have been grabbing this scent a lot more lately. I love it, it is light and kind of floral, but not at all strong. (find here the colour of the bottle has changed)

I discovered this primer last year and I also mention it in my best of 2012 post because I love it so much. I truly think that this is an under rated product and that it needs more love than it gets. I find that now that I have started to use a new foundation I am grabbing my primer a lot more, to smooth out my skin and to put on my oily spots, before applying my foundation. This primer is so comparable to the smashbox primer which is like $40 and the hard candy primer is only $7.98 @ wal-mart. I love this product and I recommend that everyone who uses primer to try this product!!!! (find here)

For awhile I was using the Garnier Fructis UV color shield leave-in conditioner, until I came across this new one.  It has a milk like conditioner on top and the oil is the bottom. When you shake the bottle the two mix to create this amazing triple nutrition detangling spray. I spray it on my hair after I shower with my heat protectant and after I blow dry to keep my hair soft and frizz free. I also use this product daily if my hair is looking or feeling dry. (find here)

What products have you all been loving this month?

Comment below and let me know!!!

I hope you all have an amazing weekend!!

xoxo

annpaige

Bye bye FRIZZ!!!

Hello lovelies,

I have thin hair, but not very frizzy hair, mind you that can all change after blow drying. I always dry to let my hair dry, especially since I bleach it, I don't want to put my hair through any more damage. Having said that there are always times that don't allow me to air dry and I have to blow dry my hair. Here are some of my favourite hair products that I use after every shower and before every blow dry.

As soon as I get out of the shower I let my hair stay up in a towel for as long as possible, while I do my makeup or pick out my outfit. The first step after taking my hair out of the towel when my hair is still damp is to apply a generous amount of göt2b's crazysleek flat iron & blow dry lotion. I love this product because it has keratin in it and it also doesn't leave my hair feeling heavy. It also has a heat protectant so it is perfect for smoothing and protecting my hair.

The next product I use is the Garnier Fructis color shield double care leave-in conditioner. This leave-in conditioner is my fav ever!!! It is supposed to be a detangler and my gosh is it ever. It has acai and grape seed oil which helps to smooth out my hair for brushing. It also has UV filters in it which is great for platinum blonde hair (helps keep those yellow tones away, that the sun can give) and really any dyed hair because it won't get damaged by the UV rays!!! I also love this product for everyday use when my hair is looking a little dry.

The next product I love to use is the göt2b oil-licious triple oil with argan, white grape and marula oil. This is an amazing product for my ends, to help keep them healthy. When using this product you only need about a dime sized amount and that covers all my hair. Just pour a little in your hands and heat it up with the warmth of your hands and apply where needed. I do avoid the roots and I apply from the top of my ears down. This is another product I also use on a daily basis with dry hair if my ends are looking a little dry.

Here is a before and after of my frizz ball hair to my nice and smooth hair.

I hope this little hair "tutorial" helped some of you and that you found some new products that you as we'll can try. Please leave any and all comments below!!!

*göt2b products were sent to me from vervegirl and göt2b. All thoughts and opinions are my own, I was not paid to do this review, I really do love all of these products!!*

check out more from vervegirl at www.vervegirl.com


xoxo
annpaige