Category: Review

Fashion, Fitness, Review

Is Fabletics Worth It? A Honest Review

by LeaLeave a Comment on Is Fabletics Worth It? A Honest Review

Hey guys! So if you are like me, you have probably seen some influencers talk about Fabletics online. Fabletics is an athletic clothing line created by Kate Hudson. They are known for their two leggings for $24.99 deal. But with all sponsored content, I wonder if people are giving their honest reviews, or are just being paid to hype up the products. So I decided to try Fabletics myself, and I am going to give you a full break down of my experience.

Photo 2019-09-11, 9 38 41 AM

First I just want to explain my expectations when it comes to athletic wear. My favourite leggings are the Lululemon Align Pants, which are $98 CAD – so not cheap. I like these leggings because they are high rise, super soft and feel like a second skin. They are meant for yoga, but can be worn for any workout really. The only thing is that they are expensive, so if I can find a cheaper dupe I am hear for me. For sports bra I am not super picky. I don’t need a ton of support, but I still need some. So with this criteria in mind, I selected three items from Fabletics.

Now what is interesting about Fabletics is that there is a retail price and a VIP price. The VIP price is $10-20 cheaper than retail price. The two leggings for $24.99 is also only available to VIP members. And finally there are some items that are only available to VIPs. So what strings are attached to this membership? You have to either order clothes or ‘skip’ the program for the month (by the 5th of the month). If you don’t skip or buy anything, they will charge your account $49.95. Now it is possible to cancel this subscription whenever, so it is possible to order once and then cancel the subscription. I will talk more about this when I give my final review.

So the three items I got were the Mila Pocket Capri in burgundy, the Mid-Rise PureLuxe Legging in Rosebloom, and the Devore Seamless Sports Bra II in burgundy. I got the capri leggings and the sports bra to be worn as a matching set to yoga. With the VIP deals I was able to save $75 USD, which is basically the price of one pair of Lululemon leggings.

Now for my actual thoughts of the products. I bought the Mila capris for yoga and the PureLuxe leggings to work out in, and after trying them would use them for the opposite reasons for why I purchased them. The Mila capris are much stiffer and less flexible, so it was harder to flow while doing yoga. But they were great for working out. They didn’t become see through when doing swats, and I really liked having a pocket to be able to hold my phone.

The PureLuxe leggings are a great dupe for the Lululemon Align Pants. I would say that I still like the Lulu ones more for two reasons. The Lulelemon ones are just a tough softer and have a higher waistline. I like the higher waistline for yoga because then it’s not rolling down on me. But these Fabletics ones are still pretty great. I also decided to get them in the rose colour to test how see-through they were. Sometimes light colours can become see-through, or they can overemphasize all your fat/cellulite. These ones were pretty thick that I didn’t notice it too much. But I think the darker colours would be no issue.

My least favourite item is probably the Devore sports bra. I have a few issues with this sports bra. First it’s actually pretty low cut, so I was afraid I was popping out when I wore it to yoga. The straps also cut very far in, so I was getting major side-boob when I was wearing this sports bra. I think it would be fine worn under a shirt, but it’s kind of disappointing because I bought a cute sports bra to be shown, not to be worn under a shirt.

So would I recommend Fabletics? Will I be ordering from them again? To answer the second yes, I did decide to skip buying anything in September because I had just received my first order at the end of August. I decided to not cancel my subscription because overall I thought that the quality was pretty decent, and I wouldn’t mind ordering from them again. I would only recommend ordering from Fabletics if you think you’re going to be ordering lots of athletic wear and/or you are good at remembering to skip months if you don’t want anything.

And that is my review of Fabletics! While the PureLuxe leggings are pretty nice, I am still on the look out for a pair that I would love more than the Lululemon Align pants. Let me know in the comments any brands you would recommend/want me to try!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Review

Colourpop Haul Part 2

by Lea2 Comments on Colourpop Haul Part 2

Hey guys! The long awaited part two to my Colourpop haul! Took me almost a month to get this up, and I am very sorry about that. Today’s focus is all the ‘fun’ products aka tons of glitter. Most of these products are not for everyday wear but for fun makeup, so that’s why it took me longer to review these products. The only products I haven’t really tested are the Creme Gel liners, but everything else I have a definite opinion about. So without further ado, my review:

Photo 2019-08-13, 12 54 27 PM
For other products not mentioned, check out my Colourpop Haul Part 1

First up are the most wearable/everyday products – the Colourpop Super Shock Shadows (or SSS for short). I love Colourpop’s SSS, and I highly recommend them to everyone. I got the shades Ladybird (worn in photo below), Set to Stun, and Drift. I like this formula because they all have a base colour along with a ton of glitter and shimmer. They add such a mutli-dimensional look to the eyes. They are also super easy to apply, I just use my finger and swipe it across my eye lids. Colourpop has such a wide range of shades, I am sure you can find a shade you look. I highly recommend this product.

Photo 2019-08-15, 2 22 13 PM (1)

The next product is not as easy to use as the SSS, but still pretty user friendly. I got one of their pressed glitters in the shade Get Lost. It has a base of gold glitter, with larger holographic glitter without. Colourpop is also introducing this formula in some of their palettes. I really like this glitter. It is way less messy than using loose glitter. I used a brush to apply the product, but a finger would also do. I am not sure how long lasting it would be, since I didn’t keep my makeup look on for long. But for $5 USD, I think this is a great way to get glitter if you are interested in trying it out.

Now moving onto something a little more finicky is the Colourpop Jelly Much Shadow. I got mine is the shadow Whistlin Pixie, which is a gorgeous red-brown with a gold sheen. I liked this product and I would use it again, but it does take some work. The product dries down very quickly, so it can be hard to blend out. If you have the patience it can look really nice. But I would suggest the Super Shock Shadows over this product.

Probably the hardest to use are the Loose Pigments from Colourpop, but that is to be expected. Loose pigments are difficult to use, that is why most eye shadows are pressed and not loose. The two pigmented I got were Redzone (pale champagne) and Gotta Jet (holographic glitter). I like Redzone better because it is pigment instead of just glitter. That means that Redzone has a base colour along with the glitter, whereas Gotta Jet is just pure glitter with no base colour underneath. So I tried to pack Gotta Jet along my lash line to do a liner effect, and it didn’t work because there is no base colour to it. Gotta Jet would look the best and just a loose dusting over top another shadow. Redzone, on the other hand, and be worn along since it has pigment underneath. It is a lighter shade on me, so I would mainly use it for highlighting purposes. I would get another loose pigment similar to Redzone, but probably not another glitter since I found Gotta Jet difficult to use. Overall these are not the most user-friendly products, definitely for more advanced users looking to step up their looks than for the average users.

The final product is the Glitterly Obsessed Body Glitter in the shade Ur A Firework. This is a thick, chunky glitter that is meant for the face, body and hair – not the eyes. I use this lightly on top of my highlight and it looked for fun. I would love to use this product for a music festival or for fun Halloween looks. Not an everyday product, but for $8 it was worth picking up for me.

And that is my Colourpop haul! Not exactly the most wearable products for the everyday person, but hey these are the products I bought! Let me know which was your favourite look of the four that I did using the products!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

August Boxycharm 2019

by LeaLeave a Comment on August Boxycharm 2019

Hey guys! So the last couple weeks have been crazy for me. At the end of summer I was taking extra shifts to cover for everyone who was going back to school. Then I went back to school this week, and it has been definitely overwhelming to say the least. I also feel like I was in a writing lull for awhile, and then I got all this stuff at once to review and well – my life is all over the place. At first I wasn’t going to post this review, because at the time I hadn’t really tried out any products in the box. But now that school has started I am wearing more makeup regularly, so I have had a chance to try the products. Anyways, that is a very long winded way to say here is my August Boyxcharm:

Photo 2019-08-30, 2 41 16 PM

First up is the Steve Laurant Lip Liner. This lip liner isn’t worth your money – Maybelline makes much better ones. I do like the colour; I got the shade Chic which is a warm, slightly brown nude. It would work for a range of skin tones. What I don’t like is that the lip liner is very stiff. I really have to press hard to get any colour payoff. I don’t use lip liners very often, but when I do I like to use creamy pencils, and this ain’t it. Price: $15 USD

The product that I was most excited to try was the Becca Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder. As someone with oily/combo skin, I am always looking for the best powder. I always wanted to try this powder when it first came out, but never got around to buying it. Now after trying it I’m unsure how I feel. What’s cool about this powder is that it claims to feel like applying water to your face when using this powder. This is true. The first time I applied the powder it felt so cool and almost wet. The only thing is that if you leave your powder out/open, this cooling effect goes away. I often pour some powder into the cap, and if I pour too much I just leave it in the cap for the next time I do my makeup. I did this with this Becca powder, and the powder didn’t have the same cooling effect. The cap does have a disclaimer to keep cap close, so just keep this in mind. Now I am on the fence about how I feel about this powder. The first time I used it I baked with it and my under eyes felt sooo dry. The second time I didn’t bake and it wasn’t as bad, but I still wasn’t super impressed. I feel like I have to play around with this powder a bit more. Price: $39 USD, $51 CAD

Next up is the Tarte Big Ego Mascara. I believe this is a new mascara, but I didn’t hear much press about it. This mascara claims to be a lifting mascara, and I definitely would say that’s true. It doesn’t give crazy volume, but does make my lashes look longer. It also lasts long through the day. I find that some mascaras almost ‘fall’ throughout the day, so by the end my lashes don’t look as long. This Tarte mascara lasted me though a good 10 hours no problem. I have yet to compared it to my other Tarte favourite, their Tarteist Lash Paint. Overall it wasn’t bad but didn’t WOW me. Price: $23 USD, $30 CAD

The next product is the Wander Beauty Glow Ahead Illuminating Oil. K I don’t get this product… like what is it? Is it a skincare product? Is it a primer? Honestly I have no idea. I would apply this to my face before applying makeup and honestly I didn’t really notice much of a different. My face didn’t look any dewier with it, and my Dr. Brandt primer is much better at illuminating. My face didn’t feel any more hydrated. I might try using it to sheer out a matte foundation, but that is really the only thing I could think it might be good at. If you have any idea on how to use this product let me know. Price: $42 USD, $50.40 CAD

Photo 2019-09-06, 12 22 49 PM

The final two products are the Glimmer Shadow Duo from Ace Beaute. I was skeptical at first, I won’t lie. These shadows look like a dupe for the Colourpop Super Shock Shadows. I was unsure if they would be that good. And I am hear to report that I am wrong, these are amazing. I got the duo with Cotton Candy and Iced Latte, and wow these shades are beautiful. The pink shade has a gold/peach shift to it, which is just so beautiful on the eyes. And the gold shade has little glitter in it that just look so great on the eyes. These shadows are easy to apply using a finger, and they are super pigmented. The only thing is that they are more expensive that Colourpop’s SSS, so they are not exactly a cheaper dupe… I would probably recommend the Colourpop ones over these just because they are cheaper but of equal quality. Price: $25 USD

And that is my August Boxycharm box! Let me know what you guys thought of the products. Also just an update – the part two of my Colourpop haul will be coming out next Friday, so stay tuned for that!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Haul, Review

Colourpop Haul Part 1

by Lea2 Comments on Colourpop Haul Part 1

Hey guys! So about a month now I placed a Colourpop order. I don’t order from Colourpop often, so when I do I usually do a big order. My order came in a couple weeks ago (you would have seen this if you follow my Instagram @xoxoxoleelee). I have mentioned this before, but I am currently working at a pool this summer. Which means that I don’t wear makeup most days, so it is taking me longer than usual to test out products. I have decided to split up my haul into two parts. Some of the products I already have an opinion on, but others I still haven’t tried. So today I have five products, and the rest will be up within a week or two.

Photo 2019-08-22, 12 27 04 PM

First up is the Orange You Glad palette. Colourpop has been releasing these nine pan colourful palettes what seems like every other week. This palette was the newest one when I placed my order, plus I fell in love with the colour story. While a full orange palette might not seem like the most wearable palette, what I like is that you can take one or two of these shades along with a more neutral palette to make a beautiful look. Oranges pair well with browns and golds, so you can easily create a simple glam look that isn’t too bold. Or you can do what I did and go all out (see look below). But the best part of this palette is that the quality is amazing. Even the neon matte shade called Sunkiss’d (which reminds me of Cheetos) is so bright but also soo blendable. I had no problems blending out the shadows. And the photos don’t do them justice, they are so bight and pigmented in real life. Oh also did I mention that this palette is $12USD?? I highly recommend this palette if you like the colours.

Next up is the Lippie Stix in the shade Brink. This lippie is one of their best sellers and it’s currently sold out – for a good reason. I love this lip, it is definitely my new go to. This is such a comfortable matte lipstick. I wouldn’t even call it matte, it’s much closer to a creamy satin. It lasts pretty well through the day. It didn’t really make it through lunch, but it wear away badly like some other lips. The shade is also so nice. It’s a deeper nude, but not dark by any means. Overall I love this lippie, and will be continuing to wear it a ton.

The next lippie is their Lip Tint in the shade Rise n Shine. I featured this lippie in my simple school makeup look. This formula is like a hybrid between a creamy lipstick and a lip gloss. It’s sheerer than a regular lipstick but more pigmented than more lip glosses that I have tried. It’s perfect for a nice wash of colour on the lips. I also really like this peachy shade, it’s great for summer but also to transition into fall.

Next I tried one of their new-ish launches – their Blush Stix. Listen, I have been watching Youtubers rave about cream blushes all summer, especially the NudeStix ones. Now I have never tried cream blush before, so I was a little hesitant to spend $40 CAD on a product I’m not even sure I would like. So I decided to try the Colourpop ones and if I like the idea of cream blush then I might invest in a more expensive one. Well the answer is yes, I want more cream blushes! I got the shade Splash, which is a midtone rose (aka pink). I could rub a brush against the stick and then apply it to my face. It gave me such a fresh face look. It looks so much dewy and lighter than using powder blush. It is less long lasting than powder, but I really enjoy the look. And for $8USD it’s a great product. I definitely want to get a peachy one now.

The final product is a basic but needed one. I got a single pressed power eyeshadow in the shade Hear Me Out. This matte shade matches my skin tone perfectly. I like to use it to set my eyeshadow primer. I had finish a NYX shadow in a similar shade, so I decided to get one from Colourpop to do the job. I just find setting my primer with a shadow helps blend them out better. A pressed powder could also be used, but I like putting this in my magnetic palette with my other shadows so I have all the shadows I need in one place. I would definitely recommend Colourpop’s single eyeshadows, I’ve never had an issue with any of them.

And that is the first part of my Colourpop haul! Stay tuned for part two, which should be coming within the next couple of weeks! Also if you are interested in seeing swatching of all the products that I got, check out my IGTV!

xoxo

Lea

#amazonfinds, Fashion, Hair, Review

#amazonfind Animal Print Scrunchies

by Lea1 Comment on #amazonfind Animal Print Scrunchies

Hey guys! So I wanted to start a small little series – just sharing some good products I found on Amazon! I going to share any products that I find on Amazon that I think are great – beauty related or otherwise.

Photo 2019-08-17, 12 07 45 PM

Today’s #amazonfind is a six pack of Leopard print scrunchies. I was shopping with my mom and a cashier at one store was wearing a super cute leopard print scrunchie. I asked where she got it, and she said in their store but they were out of stock. When I got home, I realized I could probably find a dupe on Amazon.

I liked the look of the leopard because it’s a simple way to jazz up an outfit but not too over the top. Animal print is super in right now, but wearing a scrunchie is a simple way to add it to an outfit. I also love scrunchies. I already own five haha! They are much better for your hair than regular elastics, plus they are super cute.

This Numblartd pack comes with six scrunchies for $14.99. That’s a pretty good price considering I once paid $10 for one scrunchie from Topshop.

The print on these are very nice. Sometimes printed stuff came turn out pixelated looking, but these look good. The fabric is also good quality, an almost silky feeling. Finally the elastic in these scrunchies are strong and keep my hair up.

While there was some cheaper deals, these had the fastest delivery date. I got these within two days, while most of the other options have estimated delivery dates around 2-4 weeks out. So if you are looking for a set of leopard print scrunchies, I would definitely recommend these ones.

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Favourites, Review

Revisiting Old Makeup Favourites

by Lea1 Comment on Revisiting Old Makeup Favourites

Hey guys! So the other day I decided to revisit some of my old favourite makeup products. I feel like makeup, like any industry, is always focused on the new. A new palette comes out and every forgets about their old ones. Makeup has definitely improved in quality over the years, but are the old favourites bad or still pretty good? I decided to go through some of my old favourites and let you guys know my thoughts, whether they’re still good or not.

Photo 2019-08-08, 5 11 46 PM

First is the Too Faced Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette. Everyone went crazy when this palette came out a couple of years ago. I actually waited out and bought this palette used in makeup-selling group for $25. Everyone was in love with the peachy shades and smell. So how do I feel now? Honestly, the peach smell is not strong it’s a little much if you ask me. But I still love the matte formula. The mattes are just so incredibly smooth. They have the perfect amount of pigmentation and blend beautiful on the eyes. The shimmers are definitely not like what I remember. Shimmer shades in palettes nowadays are super pigmented/metallic/foiled/glittery looking. The shimmers are still nice, don’t get me wrong. The perfect for a softer look. This palette is still great, and I definitely will still use it, but I don’t think you have to run out and get it for yourself.

I think a really underrated product is the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil. I have the shade Deep End and I think it’s absolutely gorgeous. They glide on so well and are easy to smudge. But they also stay put so well, even on the waterline. They are just as good as the Marc Jacobs ones – they are $4 cheaper which isn’t much but still cheaper! Like this eyeliner has been out for almost ten years, that must mean that it’s good if people still use it.

The OG favourite primer for me was the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. I have been using a dewier primer but I recently used this Smashbox primer again. There is a reason this is a cult classic. It does such an amazing job at smoothing out my pores. My foundation also lasts way longer when I use this primer over a dewy one. I don’t think I’ll be converting back over full time, but when I need my makeup to last I will definitely use this primer.

A foundation throwback is the Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation. I loved this foundation so much that I bought both a summer and winter shade. First I forgot how full coverage and matte this foundation is. I feel like the makeup community has been into much more lighter coverage and dewy skin lately, so it was a fun change to wear something else. I do still like this foundation because it makes my skin look so good. I think next time I am going to use a dewy primer and a beauty sponge to lighten up the coverage a bit.

A concealer favourite was the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer. This was my concealer of choice during the Tarte Shape Tape craze. I couldn’t get Shape Tape in Canada, so this was my go to high coverage concealer. I forgot how high coverage this concealer is. I have been using my Nars concealer lately, which is definitely more of a medium coverage. I think I need to get a different shade in this concealer because it was looking pretty yellow on my skin.

A powder favourite was the Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Powder. This was actually the first powder that I ever bought. I have tried so many since that I forgot how amazing this powder is. It makes my face look and feel sooo smooth. It also doesn’t leave me looking cakey afterwards. As you can see I’ve almost finished this powder, but I am definitely going out and repurchasing this.

Another Maybelline favourite was their Facestudio Master Blush Colour and Highlight Kit. I love this face palette when I first got it. The highlight is a nice pinky shade that isn’t too icy. My favourite of the blushes was the first peachy one. It is still gorgeous now. It has a very buildable formula, so I’m not afraid that I will apply too much. It also has a light sheen to it – don’t glittery but more than a matte. I don’t really use the other two shades that much so I’m not sure I would say it’s the best palette. I still like it and I think I will start using it again.

The final old favourite is the OFRA Cosmetics Rodeo Drive Highlighter. I still have the old packaging for this highlight, that’s how long I’ve had it! This used to be everyone favourite highlight. It’s just so blinding on the skin. I have definitely noticed that blinding highlights are not as popular anymore, but like man this is still a good highlight. It’s just so smooth, it doesn’t look chunky on the skin or make my skin look textured. I definitely use a lighter hand but I still really like this highlight.

Photo 2019-08-07, 6 24 46 PM

I was able to create this really fun look using some of my old favourites. Let me know if you guys would like to see a part two of this, I can definitely dig up some other old faves!

xoxo

Lea

Favourites, Review, Television

Recent Netflix Faves

by LeaLeave a Comment on Recent Netflix Faves

Hey guys! Today I am sharing some of my recent favourite shows that I have watched on Netflix, plus one bonus that is not available on Netflix but that I highly recommend you all to watch immediately. As some of you may or may not not, I studied Communications in university, which is basically media studies. One of my favourite courses was actually a course on television. I like watching tv way more than movies, but I am enjoy reviewing and recommending different tv shows to my friends. Now I’m not going to lie, I have a pretty niche-ish taste in tv shows (my faves on historical dramas and teen dramas) but I have decided to share my recent faves that you can watch on Netflix. Let me know if you guys are interested in seeing an all-time fave tv post!

Photo 2019-08-05, 1 30 33 PM

1. Brooklyn 99

I mean you must be living under a rock if you haven’t heard of Brooklyn 99 yet. I’m not much of a comedy person, but I actually find this show hilarious. Back in first year, some friends on my floor and I watched the first season together. That winter break I binged the rest of the show with my brother who also feel in love. I just recently finished the sixth season. Like I can’t just say ‘cool’ anymore, I say:

Image result for cool cool cool gif

For those of who you don’t know, Brooklyn 99 follows a group of dectectives who work in NYPD’s 99 prescient. A lot of the humour is based on crime television, a genre full of tropes. The main character is played by Andy Samberg, so if you like Lonely Island you would like this show. The characters are all love-able but complex. Comedies can sometimes rely on stereotypes for characterization, but all the characters are quirky and hilarious. Finally, Brooklyn 99 also tackles some serious issues using humour. It discusses sexism, racism and also portrays some LBTGQ characters quite well. If you wanna laugh, check out this show.

2. Medici

If you want a historical drama that is more heavy on drama than history, then check out Medici. The first season, Medici: Masters of Florence, follows Cosimo de Medici and he figures out who murdered his father, Giovanni. The second season, Medici: The Magnificent, follows Cosimo’s grandson Lorenzo de Medici. First, I like the show because both seasons are only eight episodes long. It doesn’t draw on forever, it’s a quick and addictive watch. I binged both of the season within a week each. I also like the show because it is full of drama, romance and mystery. There is a lot of shit that goes down in the show. But finally will it might not be the most historically accurate, I still learnt a lot of the Medici and the Renaissance. For those who don’t know, the Medici where the big ruling family of Florence, Italy, and they sponsored many of the thinkers and artists of the period. It was super cool going to Florence this past spring and seeing some of the building and artwork mentioned in the show.

3. The Last Czars

If you loved Anastasia as a kid, then you definitely need to check out this mini series. Part reconstruction and part documentary commentary, the show explores the life and downfall of the Nicholas Romanvo, the last Czar of Russia. Now the mix might not be for everyone, but I personally enjoyed it. As someone who didn’t know much about the Russian Revolution except for the basics, I found this highly educational. But the presentation style was also highly enjoyable. The costumes and cinematography was beautiful. I did find the acting a little cheesy, but I do enjoy cheesy. I felt like The Last Czars was a good introduction into the topic, and now I want to learn more. At six episodes, it’s a quick and enjoyable watch.

4. You 

If you weren’t one of the millions of people who watched the show when it came to Netflix this past winter, then I recommend you go back and watch it. This show is so gripping and creepy yet dumb and ridiculous at the same time. The show follows Joe Goldberg, a bookstore manager who becomes obsessed with a girl named Guinevere Beck. The show is creepy because Joe’s obessesion with Beck is crazy, and the steps he goes towards stalking her and controlling their relationship is insane. What is most conflicting is how the viewer is repulsed yet also silently cheering on Joe through the show. The viewer watches Joe help his kid neighbour who has an abusive dad, but then he goes and beats up Beck’s boyfriend. And the ending is such a surprise, not one I saw coming. I am curious what the second season will be like.

5. Outlander

I decided to start reading the books after falling in love with this tv show. This historical time traveler series follows Claire Randall, a World War II nurse who falls back in time to 1730s Scotland. Claire meets James Fraser, a Scottish Highlander, and she becomes involved with the Jacobite risings. Sam Heughan, who playes James Fraser, is extremely attractive so this show is very easy on this eyes. The show has a little bit of everything, with romance, action, political intrigue and a dose of history. If you like Game of Thrones, I feel like you would be a fan of Outlander as well. I personally found the third season to be a little slow, but really liked the fourth season. Also fun fact: my last name is also Randall, so it’s funny to watch the show and see characters sharing your family name.

BONUS: The Handmaid’s Tale

So this is a bonus because it’s not on Netflix, but if there is one show you should watch off this list, its The Handmaid’s Tale. Based on Maragret Atwood’s novel of the same novel, the show is a dystopian future where a highly conservative and religious government has taken over the USA, forcing fertile women into slavery. With all the stuff that is happening in the US, this show is a scary look into what our society could be like. The first season can be a little confusing if you haven’t read the novel, but the next two go past the plot of the novel. This series if very dark and serious, so it’s not for leisurely watching. It is beautiful filmed – fun fact it is actually filmed in Southern Ontario. I’ve driven by one of the main houses multiple times, and one scene was filmed at my university.

But anyways, if you are looking for a show for academic reasons, this one if also perfect. It is full of imagery and symbolism, and full of bible references. Many people are also drawing parallels to Trump’s America as well. I wish I had watched this show while in my television class, because this would have been great to write about. This is definitely a more intellectually inclined show, but I would still highly recommend because I think the narratives and themes are highly important. Please watch so I have someone to discuss the show with.

And those are my recent Netflix recommendations! Let me know in the comments some of your current favourite shows!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review, Review

Six Summer Reading Recommendations

by LeaLeave a Comment on Six Summer Reading Recommendations

Hey guys! We are half way through summer, and by now you might have already read through your summer reading list. So I have six recommendations, two of which are series, to add to your list. For me, the perfect summer book is easy to read, has a compelling story line that makes me want to binge-read and a little bit of romance. I want to preface that if you are looking for serious, thought-provoking books, this isn’t really the list for you (except maybe the last one). Most of these are light and fun, but I did try to put some variety in the list. Anyways, my recommendations:

summer reading recs

Classic Beach Read – Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

This is a classic beach read in the sense that it’s a YA chick-flick kind of book. The story is about a girl named Anna who moves from the US to attend a boarding school in France. She (of course) develops a friendship/crush on a British boy, and the rom-com ensues. The story is easy to read and quite absorbing, but the French boarding school element adds some variety. I was able to learn a little bit about Paris and France, so it added something to being just a simple novel. Now this book isn’t for everyone, but it is totally cheesy and can be a little much sometime, but sometimes that’s just what I’m looking for.

Classic Beach Read x 3 – To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series by Jenny Han

If you want to read a full review of this series, check out my blog post about it! This series is perfect for summer because it’s simple and easy to read. It’s cheesy, with tons of those moments that give you second hand embarrassment. But the scenes with Peter K are just so cute and worth it. I read through this novels pretty quick, and now I’m excited to watch the movie!

The Bachelor Meets Hunger Games – The Selection series by Kiera Cass

This series was my summer read for a couple of summers. I read the books as they came out, so it was a new book in the series each summer. I just associate these books with summer for some reason! Anyways, the series is about a future with a caste system (similar to Hunger games). A bunch of girls compete to win the prince’s love and become a princess (Bachelor). This book is just super fun to read. There are so many twists and turns, but also just some petty girl drama as well. The series does have some political commentary, but it’s pretty obvious and surface level. The plot line is just so unlike other YA novels that I had a lot of fun reading it.

YA Contemporary with a Twist – Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

This is different that your average YA novel because the main character, Samantha, has OCD. It has the foundation of your average novel with the high school drama and the romance, but it also tackles many important issues with mental health and illness. I found this book addicting because I wanted to read more about the romance but I also wanted to learn more about Samantha and how she deals with her OCD. This novel also has a wild plot twist near the end, so this novel is truely a roller-coaster ride.

Groundhog Day meets Mean Girls but darker – Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

The movie doesn’t do this book justice. Like it was good, but there is so much more depth in the novel. The novel follows the story of Sam, bitchy mean girl who dies on February 12 and relives the day multiple times. Sam is such a well developed character – you like her and you hate her at the same time. I was extremely absorbed into the plot line, I kept on wanting to know what Sam would do when she woke up again. This story is so interesting and so unlike anything else I’ve read. I read this novel back in high school, and I still sometimes think about passages in the novel. It’s thought-provoking, and that ending. Man I cried. Just read the book and don’t watch the movie.

An Addictive ‘What If’ – Every Day by David Levithan

This book makes you think without going too deep. The story follows ‘A’ who wakes up every day in a new body – male and female but always the same age. ‘A’ falls in love with a girl named Rhiannon, and they try to make their relationship work amist ‘A’ interesting circumstances. This is a novel where I actually find the romance to be some of the least interesting part. I was always curious to see what body ‘A’ will wake up in. But what I like most about this novel is the philosophical debates that Levithan brings forward to the reader. The book discusses gender, disability, and mental health. It also discusses being a bystander and when to step in. I often found myself sitting and thinking about aspects of this novel. Yes there are some technical plot holes (you never really understand how A is the way it is) but I was so addictive to this novel. The writing is simple and something you will just speed through.

And those are my six summer reads recommendations! Let me know if you guys liked this type of post, I can do other ones like historical-fiction or series or even my all time fave books!

xoxo

Lea

 

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

July Boxycharm 2019

by LeaLeave a Comment on July Boxycharm 2019

Hey guys! I don’t know about you, but July went by so quickly. I can’t believe that there is only one more month of summer! Anyways, today post is my July Boxycharm box. Now I haven’t been wearing makeup a ton (to be fair, working at a pool and wearing a full face of makeup don’t go together), but I have tried this products at least a few times! So, my July Boxycharm:

Photo 2019-07-18, 12 26 29 PM

First up is a three brush set from Luxie – the Gaea brush set. This brush set is supposed to be eco-friendly. The brushes came in paper packaging that is recyclable, and the wood handle has a more natural looking finish. As you guys know, I love Luxie brushes. The 246 Precision Crease is one of my favourites. I use it to cut my crease, apply shimmer shades and apply my inner corner highlight – so I’m happy to have another one. The 250 Large Eye Blending is actually pretty big. For me, I use this to just apply a light crease shade all over. The only one I’m not a fan of is the 510 Foundation brush. I prefer to use a flat top to apply my foundation, so I don’t know how often I’ll use this one. If you are ever looking to get some brushes, I always recommend the Luxie ones. Price: $30 USD

Next up is the Butter London Natural Goddess Eyeshadow Palette. This is not a bad palette, but what I have an issue with is the branding of the palette versus what it actually is. When I like natural goddess, I like of very light, easy breezy natural makeup. Playing in with the theme of the box, ‘au naturale’, I think of no-makeup-makeup. But this palette doesn’t really fit my idea of natural makeup I guess. While I think the blue shade is a fun pop of colour, I’m not sure it fits my idea of natural makeup. I would have preferred a lighter crease shade instead of the blue. The only matte shades are the blue and the dark drown shade. To do any eye look I have to dip into another palette, which I don’t like. I want to be able to do a whole look with one palette. Continuing on the fact that this is a ‘natural’ goddess, the shimmers are pigmented and metallic. They have a great formula for a bold look, but I find it hard to apply a light wash. During the day I don’t necessarily want a shiny metallic look, but when I tried to apply a lighter wash it was patchy. I think this palette is the perfect example of how shadows can be good quality but that still doesn’t mean that the overall palette is good. I think the shades are pigmented and blendable, but I’m just not a big fan of the colour story.  Price: $32 USD (I will say at least the price is reasonable)

Next is the Appeal Cosmetics Gel Liner in the shade Forest Green. Okay so when I saw I got this pencil I was a little worried. I have never gotten a good eyeliner from Boxycharm. I find them to be scratchy and stiff. This is the first decent one that I’ve tried. I would say it’s the best eyeliner every and that everyone should go out and get it. But it’s good enough that I will use it again. Its creamy and easy to apply. It does a decent job of staying put, even in my waterline. My only complaint is that when I tried to smudge it out it fades away. I tried to do a smudgy wing with it and found that it didn’t work out. So overall not as good at my Marc Jacobs and Urban Decay eyeliners, but still pretty good. Price: $21 USD

First I’d just like to point out that this is the fourth month now that I have received a lip gloss, so I feel like a lip gloss reviewing expert at this point. This month’s lip gloss is the Alamar Cosmetics Des-Nudes-As Lip Gloss in the shade Coqueta. Man I wanted to love this lip gloss because I love Alamar Cosmetics. But I’m not in love. This is a thick lipgloss. The thickness and stickiness means that it lasts for a really long time on the lips. But I find the texture to be annoying. I am hyper aware of how sticky and tacky my lips are. Second, this gloss is an odd medium coverage. It’s not completely sheer and not completely opaque. Because of the coverage, my natural lip shade peeks through if I am not wearing a lipstick underneath. That would be fine expect that the brown/peachy colour of this gloss doesn’t match my naturally rosy lips underneath. So I could just use this gloss on top of lipstick, but it’s so thick and it feels like I have way to much product on my lips. The one thing I like about this lip gloss is the applicator. It’s like a double sided doe foot applicator, so it’s super easy to apply the gloss and I don’t need to redip the wander to cover my lips. Overall just not my favourite gloss. Price: $15 USD

The final product is the Elemis Superfood Vital Veggie Mask. I actually really like this mask! Sometimes I want to do a mask but I don’t want a pore/deep cleansing mask. I want something that will hydrate my skin. This mask is very hydrating on the skin. It does tingle a little bit on the face, but otherwise is a soothing process. It is also super easy to take off, I don’t find any bits leftover and I don’t have to scrub my face. I will definitely be using this mask again! Price: $35 USD

And that is my July Boxycharm! Total price is $133 USD. Honestly this wasn’t a bad box. I know I was pretty hard on the palette and the lipgloss, but I think both of those products are just personal preference reasons as to why I don’t like them. I don’t think there was any product that was a dud really. I’m pretty happy, let me know in the comments what you guys think!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Hair, Review, Tips and Tricks

Hair Care Routine + Products

by LeaLeave a Comment on Hair Care Routine + Products

Hey guys! Today’s post is inspired by the fact that when I told my friends I use blue shampoo, none of them knew what that was! So I will be sharing all the products I use on my hair on a regular basis. I just want to preface by giving you guys a little hair story. I have pretty thick hair and it’s naturally curly. My curls have slowly died over the years, probably through a combination of excessive chlorine and dyeing it. I started dyeing my hair only three years ago. I am currently dyeing it slightly darker than my natural hair colour. And finally it is really susceptible to getting dry/damaged looking.

hair care 2019

My favourite shampoo and conditioner brand is Tresemme. I find it to be a step up than other drugstore brands, but still cheaper than high end brands. When I have my hair freshly coloured I used their Keratin Smooth Colour line, but I have used many of their other lines before. I really like that they have bigger bottles because I go through a lot of shampoo and conditioner since I have a lot of hair.

Now when I recently went darker, I asked my hairdresser how to keep my hair from going brassy. It’s not just blondes that suffer from brassiness. When my colour starts to fade, I find that there is an orange quality that peeps through my hair. My hairdresser recommended to try blue shampoo and conditioner. Blondes use purple to cancel yellowness, but brunettes can use blue to cancel our orange. I use the Joico Colour Balance Blue Shampoo and Conditioner. I use this about one a week and I notice such a huge difference in my hair colour. It really does help cancel out the brassiness and makes my hair colour look fresh again.

One more shampoo recommendation is the Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three. If you swim in chlorine water, you need this shampoo. If you guys didn’t know, I work as a lifeguard. When I was in high school I was in the pool around five times a week. The chlorine absolutely killed my hair, so I looked for a solution and found this shampoo. It does such an amazing job and getting all of the chlorine out of my hair. I will use this shampoo and a deep conditioning mask to save my hair. I don’t go in the pool as often anymore, but I keep this product around for when I do.

I like to deep condition my hair around once a week as well. I will put the mask in my hair and let it sit for 5 minutes at least, I usually shave my legs while I wait. The mask I am currently using is the L’Oreal Dream Lengths Saviour Mask. It’s a pretty good mask, definitely leaves my hair feeling softer and shinier after. Another good drugstore brand for hair masks is Garnier.

After I wash my hair and towel it off I like to apply a hair serum, focusing on the ends of my hair. I find that the ends are definitely where my hair gets the most dry, so adding an oil helps keep them strong and healthy. I am currently using the L’Oreal Total Repair 5 Cica Creme, which is meant for breakage and split ends. It’s less of an oil and more like a creamy liquid, but it still does a good job.

Finally I apply a hair mousse to helps give my curls shape and then leave my hair to air dry. People are always shocked when I tell them I don’t blow dry my hair. But blow drying my hair gets rid of my curls, plus my hair is damaged enough I don’t need to add heat damage on top of it haha! I am still on the hunt for the best hair mousse. A good drugstore one is the Tresemme Flawless Curls Mousse. I am currently using the Amika The Perfect Body Whipped Mousse, which I think they changed or reformulated or got rid of I’m not sure. On the website they have the Plus Size Perfect Body Mousse. This one is pretty good, but I think a mousse specifically designed for curls would be better. If you guys have any mousse recommendations for curly hair please let me know!

And that is my everyday hair care routine. I do sometimes curl or straighten my hair, but this is what I do on a more average basis! Hope you guys found this useful 🙂

xoxo

Lea