My trip and a little makeup haul!

First things first, I think I gotta apologize for the lack of articles during the past week. 

As those who follow me on Twitter might know, I was on vacation and although I really wanted to update my blog, the wi-fi there was pretty unreliable so I couldn't do much!

I had a blast in Maine. I was there with my boyfriend and his family, including his sister who's hilarious! We were laughing all along and it was great. We went to the beach, played mini-putt, watched Crazy Stupid Love (great movie!), shopped in Boston, and took it easy. I really enjoyed my time there and I hope I can go there again soon with them! Here are some pictures which were actually taken last year in the same place (I didn't have a camera this year with me!) :

Now, onto the haul! As I was in the United States, I knew I could find cheaper makeup than in Canada. So there I went, destination: the drugstore! Let me just add that my boyfriend didn't let me get unreasonable and spend as much as I could have. For $28, here's what I got:

Wet n Wild Trio in Knock on Wood

I got this because I really wanted a sort of burgundy shade and that bottom one is amaaaazing. 

These swatches are without primer. Look at that crazy pigmentation! And it was only like 3-4$. FYI, these are shimmery shades, but it's not chunky glitter in them.

Garnier Skin Renew Anti Dark Circle Roller
I got this as it was in one of my wishlist articles. It retails for over 20$ here, and there it was 13! I've tried it 2-3 times and so far, I like it! It's slightly pigmented and also gives a light to medium coverage on your dark circles!

NYC Smooch Proof 16H LipStain in Coral Reef.

I think it was about time I got a lipstain so my boyfriend won't complain about getting lipstick all over... This shade is really cute!

Rimmel London Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in Pure White

I really wanted something for the lower waterline to make me look more awake! This is gonna be my best friend during school, although it's not suuuper long lasting.

Wet n Wild Single Shadow in Brulee - From what I've heard, an excellent dupe for MAC's Brulee!

You can't barely see it and that's the point: it matches my skin tone awesomely! This is gonna be my go-to nude color for my eyelids!

Tell me, what have you done and where have you been this Summer??

Beach bag essentials!

For those who follow me on Twitter, you probably just learned that I will be going to the USA very soon. I'll be in Maine for a week, but unfortunately, the weather forecast isn't very encouraging so we might do lots of shopping! That means, I might get my first MAC products if I have enough money! Hooraaaay! We'll probably go to Boston too, which is awesome 'cause I've never been! It's actually my second time in the USA, so it'll be fun!

Anyways, we'll probably go to the beach a few times so I thought I'd go over what I will be bringing in my beach bag! Also, keep in mind that since it might be chilly and windy, I gotta be prepared!

So, here's a list of what will certainly end up in my beach bag:

• Sunscreen:
  I will be bringing a SPF 30 for body and SPF 30 for face. I'm using a special sunscreen for my face because it is less oily. I might bring a SPF 45 just in case but I'm not sure yet.
• Sunglasses:
  Whether it's actually sunny or not, they're always great to protect my eyes from any sand in case it is very windy.
• Towel & flip-flops:
  Do I really need to explain?
• Crocheted skirt:
  I use this as a lower-body cover-up whenever I'm not in the water. 
• Hoodie:
  Since it might get pretty chilly, a hoodie is a must to stay warm.
• A book:
  I'll probably bring along a book I recently purchased where the action takes place on a cruise, so it's a perfect Summer read.
• iPod:
  Whether it's games or music, he's always been there for me. ;)
• Lip balm:
  My Blistex SPF 15 minted lip balm is perfect for whenever my lips get dry or cracked due to the sun.
• Hand sanitizer:
  Before lunch, who wouldn't want clean hands?
• Water and snacks! 

That's probably it! Did I forget anything? Let me know! 

xox :)

Chilly Summer

I was lucky enough to have a nice hot Summer so far, but if you weren't as lucky, or if the end of your Summer's gonna be more chilly, here's some inspiring pieces! 

Try to keep Summer styles in your outfits. Try bright colors, pastels or the nautical trend, just make sure it still looks summery, even if you're not showing as much skin!

Chilly Summer by siimplyalexx featuring a button down vest

Gypsy cream dress
£40 - missselfridge.com

Miss Selfridge sailor shirt
£39 - missselfridge.com

Nude cropped jacket
$120 - topshop.com

Quiksilver button down vest
$82 - amrag.com

High rise skinny jeans
$80 - topshop.com

Alternative Apparel long skirt
$58 - zappos.com

Converse sneaker
£47 - office.co.uk

Dorothy Perkins flat lace up boots
£32 - dorothyperkins.com

Inverni fedora hat
£50 - brownsfashion.com

White House Black Market cloche hat
$68 - whitehouseblackmarket.com

Scarve
€50 - heine.de

Cotton scarve
$32 - topshop.com

VOTW: Bright Has Never Been More Wearable!

For this VOTW post, I decided to feature a tutorial. I'll try to change up the types of videos I share with you just so we don't get bored here!

It was reaaaally hard to pick my favorite tutorial this week, because my two "finalists" are both amazing makeup artists and their looks are both very creative! 

First, there was Michelle Phan, with her wearable rainbow look. I've seen this one only yesterday but I was really impressed. The second one is by Marlena from Makeup Geek. It was a cocktail inspired look, who turned out to be super simple yet the combination looks amazing. Now, I only have to pick one, so I had to make some choices. 

Since one of the tutorials is 1 week old, I decided to go with the most recent one, which is Marlena's video. This look is inspired by a cocktail called the Appletini. Now, I have no idea what that tastes like since I'm underage and haven't really experimented with cocktails yet, but it sure looks delish! According to Wikipedia, 

"An apple martini (appletini for short) is a cocktail containing vodka and one or more of apple juice, apple cider, apple liqueur, or apple brandy. Optionally, vermouthmay be included, as in a regular martini. Typically, the apple vodka is shaken or stirred with a sweet and sour mix and then strained into a cocktail glass."

Marlena is such a genius that she managed to incorporate green and pink into her look without making it look too dramatic and over the top! Honestly, I don't wear very dramatic makeup but I'd totally wear this!

Hope you guys enjoy it... Show it some love!

Sunburn 101: How to prevent it and treat it!

I thought I'd make this blog post for any of you who are making the best out of their Summer. I'm pretty sure all of are trying to get tanner, but if you are like me, tanning can sometimes be a problem because I always end up having sunburns instead of tans! So, I thought I'd separate this into two sections: preventing sunburns and treating sunburns. If you are interesting in a "How to Get the Perfect Tan" post, where I'd search tips for you to help you get nice and even tans, just comment below! Now, let's tackle the sunburns!

Prevent Sunburns:

1. Let's start with the obvious here... use sunscreen on all exposed areas! It is recommended to use 30 or higher, and to reapply during the day. Not applying sunscreen to tan faster is the perfect recipe for disaster! You'll be red as a lobster before you know it, not to mention how harmful the sun can be on the skin if you don't protect yourself from it. If you want to know more about the effects of the sun on the skin, I urge you to read this article I found. If you want to know more about choosing the best sunscreen, read this article.
2. Don't forget hard to reach places! Believe me, sunburns on your toes can be really painful. So don't forget areas like your ears, the back of your neck, the back of your knees, under the straps of your string bikini, etc.
3. Avoid sunbathing during the beginning of the season! Your skin isn't used to excessive sun exposure at the beginning of the Summer, after we've spent months completely covered up. Sunbathing will just make you burn the first couple of times. You'll burn on the first day of your vacation and you won't be able to have fun the rest of the time because you'll be in pain.
   
4. Avoid sunbathing during peak hours. This may vary depending on where you live, but that it usually between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. That is usually when the sun "hits" harder, and you'll just burn faster.
5. Go gradually! It is way more efficient to expose yourself gradually. Use beach cover-ups during the first days, taking them off only for a couple of hours during the day. Build up the amount of sun exposure gradually. This will make you tan, not burn.
6. Cover your head! Scalp sunburns can be the most annoying ones ever! Use a nice hat or simply apply a bit of sunscreen on your hair part. Hey, who cares if your hair will look a bit greasy.

Treating Sunburns:

1. Avoid further sun exposure! Same thing goes with tanning salons. That would be the biggest mistake. Let the sunburn heal before exposing yourself again. 
2. Examine your sunburns. If you have blisters, that means your skin has been severely damaged and you could get an infection if you try to break them, so just leave them alone.  
3. If the pain is really intense, and you have swelling, take pain relievers. This might help you for a couple of hours.
   
4. Drink water! Since your body will have lost a part of its fluids, this is definitely useful!
5. Apply a cool and soothing cream or gel on the affected areas! Something containing aloe will help the burns stay moist and will help the healing process. Butter, oil or strong ointments should be avoided, since they can irritate the burns even more!
    
6. Take cool showers! Hot showers will accentuate the discomfort, so using cool water will help you find a bit of relief. Also use mild soaps and avoid using scrubs as they will irritate the affected areas even more.
7. Wear loose-fitted clothes. Your skin will be very sensitive in those areas and wearing something like jeans will rub on the skin and be painful.
8. Don't pull on peeling skin! I know this is VERY tempting but trust me, you're not helping! The sensitive layer of skin under will be damaged if you force it to be exposed ahead of time.

Hope this was helpful to all of you! Stay tuned for my next blog post and don't forget to follow!