La Vie en Rouge

I don't know about you guys, but a red lip always makes me feel like a million bucks. So today I wanted to show you guys my favourite "red" lip products. A lot of these aren't truly red, they're more off red. Also, a couple of these lip products you guys will have already seen from previous blog posts. I just want to add that the pictures below are taken with natural lighting haha, in case you were wondering (and I'm wearing a tank top!  My hair covered the straps so it doesn't look like I'm wearing a top..:S awkward territory...eek.).

So let's get started.

1. Maybelline Babylips- Cherry
I'll start off with one I wear almost everyday. No surprise here, it's the Maybelline Babylips in Cherry. I wear this one everyday because it's easy to just slap on, it's moisturizing and smells delicious haha. It's perfect for school, on the go and one I would reccomend to start off with if you're new to colours since it's just a tinted lip balm and super sheer.

2. Mac- Lady Bug
This lipstick is actually my first "big girl" as in "high end" lipstick. It's a lustre finish which means it has a more moisturizing formula with a bit of shine to it. I would say this lipstick is a great pick to start off with if you're new to red lipsticks and aren't scared to dive right into them. It's a very natural red and buildable. This means it can apply super sheer and tint-like if you just dab it onto your lips for a bit of colour, or you can build up the intensity with a full layer or two. Either way, it's a beautiful red that will suit almost everybody.

3. Wet n Wild- Hot Red
This is the cheapest lipstick I own. I believe I bought this for under $2 at my local drugstore. I like this lipstick because when I first came across it, I thought it could've been a dupe for Mac Lady Bug, but I was kinda off haha. This lipstick is super bright, super pigmented and super cheap, so you can't really go wrong picking this one up. When applied lightly, it has a bit of a pink undertone but once you build up the colour, it's simply a bright red. The only complaint I have about this lipstick is that it can be drying. So just apply a good lip balm underneath and you should be good to go.

If you find that it's hard to tell the difference between Mac Lady Bug and Wet n wild Hot Red because of the pictures (sorry!!), here is a swatch of them side by side. Hot Red is on the left and Lady Bug is on the right! As you can see, Hot Red is a lot more brighter and pigmented where as Lady Bug is more sheer and not as bright.

4. Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick-107
This is actually my favourite lipstick to wear during the winter time. It's dark, vampy, but so wearable and pretty. It's a berry-wine colour with a matte finish. It's very long lasting and for the summer time, I actually like to lightly dab this product onto my lips for a slight flush of colour. Wearing this at its fullest opacity is too much for me during this time of year, especially during the day. But for the autumn/winter time, this lipstick is perfection. I think it smells really sweet too, kind of like candy.I also just wanted to add that with this lipstick I like to go quite simple on the eyes since it is very bold. So just some eyeliner and mascara would suffice. I think adding any shadows would be too much.

5. Tony Tint-01 
This is a lip tint that was featured in a previous post. It's by a Korean brand called Tony Moly I believe..I really like the colour of this tint, it's a deep red and it gives the effect you'd get after sucking on a red lollipop. When I wear this tint, I actually prefer to wear it on top of the Maybelline Babylips in Cherry to intensify its colour. This product however, works just as well on its own. It's a tint so it will stain your lips and stay that way all day until you remove it. It will become a bit dry after a few hours, but I think that happens with most liquid tints. So just apply lip balm with this product and all will be well :).

And those are my favourite red lip products! I hope I explained why I like each one well, and hopefully I kind of helped those of you who are new to red lips and are planning on getting your first bold lip colour :)

What is your favourite lipstick? Let me know in the comments below!

Love,
Kristie

My June Favourites

Hi guys!

Where has June gone?? This month has come and gone so fast. Anyway, it's time to do my June favourites! I enjoyed some new products this month. I've decided to also include music and people favourites to the whole bunch.

So let's get started.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
why is the picture yellow? I have no idea. I'm not super familiar with make up sponges, but I decided to pick this one up when I found out that the Cover Girl 3 in 1 foundation applied so much better with a damp sponge. This sponge is super inexpensive, and I especially love that it has a pointed tip which is great for concealing and the shape makes it easy to get into more difficult areas such as, the sides of the nose. This is a great sponge to pick up If you're new to sponges like me, it leaves a super natural finish, blends founation and concealer beautifully and its easy to clean as well. I have not personally used the beauty blender but I've heard that a lot of people prefer this real techniques sponge over the beauty blender.

Shiseido Ibuki Purifying Facial Cleanser
My mom is a huge fan of Shiseido facial cleansers, so when she brought this one home, I didn't hesitate to try it out. It has a thick creamy consistancy and when you add water to it, it foams up. It cleans super well, and is definitely a more luxurious cleanser. It also has a really pleasant smell. I like to wash my face with this twice after removing my makeup to really get rid of the make up, dirt and oil that accumulated throughout the day. I also found that by cleansing my face twice has improved my skin a lot.

Target Exfoliating Loofa
Words can not describe how in love I am with this loofa. Plus, it's not just a normal loofa, it's an EXFOLIATING loofa. I feel like this loofa has helped my body wash work so much better. I can not shower without this loofa, it does a really good job removing dead skin cells, leaving my skin soft, smooth and clean. Plus it's super inexpensive!

Bath & Body Works Island White Pineapple Hand Sanitizer
I picked this up because I work in retail so its just nice to always have hand sanitizer handy. I am personally not a fan of a lot of the hand sanitizer scents they have at Bath & Body Works. This one however, I really Like. So much so, that I went back and bought 7.

The Fault in Our Stars (Film)
I read the book last summer so I was incredibly stoked when I heard they were making a movie. This movie is perfection. I think it remained faithful to the book which I really appreciate. Ultimately, I really enjoyed this movie and I can't wait until it comes out onto DVD so I can buy it and then watch it over and over again. TEEHEE. (Picture courtesy of Google).

X - Ed Sheeran (Album)
I have been Ed Sheeran crazy this month. There are so many songs I love from his new album. Some of my favourites are Sing, Don't, Thinking out Loud, Afire Love and I See Fire. (Picture courtesy of Google).

All of The Stars- Ed Sheeran
Surprise, surprise! More Ed Sheeran. This became my favourite song after hearing Ed Sheeran perform it with Christina Grimmie on The Voice. Then I got super excited when I found out it was written for The Fault in Our Stars. I have been playing this song on repeat alongside other Ed Sheeran songs on his new album. So definitely a favourite!

And lastly, my favourite person of the month is...

Makeupbymandy24
You guys probably all know her, she's a 14 year old beauty guru on YouTube. I really enjoy her fashion, outfit videos and when I first discovered her, I couldn't believe she was only 14. She has already accomplished so much at her age so it's very inspiring to watch her grow even more. (Picture courtesy of Google).

And those are my June Favourites! What did you guys enjoy last month? Let me know in the comments below :)

Until next time.

Love,
Kristie

Outfit of the Day #1 | Summer 2014

This is going to be a quick post on what I wore today. It's a bit heavy for summer but I'm from Vancouver so it rained today :(.

Hat: Topshop

Jacket: Zara

Jeans: Aeropostal

Flats: BCBG

Purse: Forever 21

xx

Love,

Kristie

Reflective Sunday

For the past few weeks I have been really reflecting on how much my life has changed and how I have changed within the past year. A situation recently came up and it made me realize that a person should never have to feel the need to compromise their happiness. A lot of you guys now know that I suffer from anxiety and have been working hard to try to manage it. Even though it has gotten more manageable, there are still times where I tend to over think every little detail in certain situations, and then find myself compromising what I'd want to accommodate what others would like. The stress from trying to please others would have been extremely overwhelming for the person I was a year ago. I now realize that it is okay to say "no" if I am feeling terribly uncomfortable in any situation .

Sometimes certain people and situations will make me super anxious, and in those moments I think it's really important to cater to my own needs. Everybody has their own personal bubble or boundaries that are not meant to be crossed. When a boundary is crossed, don't be afraid to stand up for yourself and get yourself out of the situation. I know that sometimes when I find myself in a situation where a boundary of mine has been crossed, I can personally come across as a bit snappy whilst trying to get out. I like to think however, that that is better than being quiet and scared of what people will think, because in the long run I'd just give in to what others wanted and ultimately be unhappy. Plus, everyone deserves a life full of happiness since we only get one life to live..(Haha YOLO). So we might as well make it a good one right?

I have been trying hard to become a more independent person and I think that standing up for myself is a good place to start. In life, there are going to be a lot of people who are going to want you to be a certain way and want you to bend over backwards for them. In those situations, you're going to have to choose who or what you're willing to bend over backwards for, or change for without ultimately violating your morals, values and happiness. It's easy and completely natural to feel guilty or bad for not always accommodating other people's wants and needs. But I guess my point is that it's okay not to accommodate to what they want if it's going to make you uncomfortable and unhappy.

Just some food for thought. I promise my next post will be fashion or beauty related! I know these past two posts have not been relevant to that. Hopefully you guys are enjoying the little "life" posts haha. I guess let me know in the comments below?

À bientôt mes amis.

Love,
Kristie

Reunited & Thai Food

Hi guys!

A few days ago, my friend Mikayla came back from an exchange program in Sweden. We decided to meet up and catch up on life since she's been gone for the past six months. She actually daily blogged her entire trip, so if some of you guys are thinking about going on an exchange or are going on an exchange and are curious about what to expect, you can read all about her adventures HERE :). and tell her I sent you!

We decided to go for some Thai cuisine since she was craving Asian food and I had never been to a Thai restaurant before. We both ordered the Pad Thai & Salad and it was super delicious! The restaurant that we went to was called Thai Basil.

After that, we just wandered around the streets of downtown Vancouver and popped into a few shops. Later on, we stopped for some bubble tea and chatted. It was a super chill day and it was super nice to finally see one of my best friends again after 6 whole months! I hope you guys are having a fantastic day, until next time!

Love,
Kristie

My May Favourites

Hi guys!

I'm going to do something a little different today. I have never done a favourites, but it seems simple enough, so I'd thought I'd give it a go and talk about what I have been loving during the month of May :)

1. COVER GIRL Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 foundation. I was super late to jump onto the bangwagon with this one. But better late than never right? This foundation is perfect for oily skin! It feels nice (not tacky, dries quickly), has a medium-full coverage, long lasting and still has a slight glow-y look while keeping almost all the oil at bay. When I wear this foundation, I don't even have to touch up throughout the day, it stays completely put. Love, love, love this!

2. L'OCCITANE Crème divine. I've mentioned this product in my "6 Products I Couldn't Live Without" tag and rightfully so. This moisturizer does everything it claims to do, my skin has not looked as good as it currently does since like....pre puberty. (TMI?). It's a thick cream so a little does go a long way, and it smells absolutely lovely. I know this moisturizer is a more luxurious and expensive choice but I highly reccomend it to those who are suffering from old acne scars, sun spots and uneven skin tone.

3. ELIZABETH & JAMES Nirvana White perfume. I have yet to buy the full size of this perfume (that's why there's no picture!), I'm still using the sample size I got from Sephora. But Holy moly! This stuff smells SO GOOD. It's a light floral scent that's sophisticated and girly at the same time. Some perfumes smell super chemically and gives me headaches, but this one does not! So I'd reccomend this one to those who are more sensitive to fragrances like I am because its not super pungent.

4. JOHNSONS' Extra Conditioning Shampoo. I know this is a baby shampoo but I think this shampoo works best on my hair. I have colour treated hair so it's super gentle and makes my hair feel super soft and healthy. I don't even have to use a conditioner afterwards because the shampoo itself is already super moisturizing.

5. REEBOK Skyscape shoes. These shoes are the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever owned. They're cute, stylish and perfect for everyday run-around activities. What I love using these shoes for though, is work. I can stand in these shoes forever and not have my feet hurt. Definitely a love for this month.

And those are my favourites for the month of May! I can't believe it's already June, time has definitely flown right by. Go enjoy the sun everyone, until next time :)

Love,
Kristie

Mini Summer Haul

Hi guys!

Summer is approaching really fast so I did a little bit of shopping to prepare myself for the upcoming hot weather. Here is a little mini haul of what I have bought :) I only bought a few things and thought it'd be fun to share. I also have a post coming up where I'm going to talk about my May favourites, so stay tuned!

One of my first stops was J.Crew and they were having an additional 50% off all sales items sale, so I bought another one of their plain t-shirts, but this time in a grey colour with specs. I think their clothes are super good quality and I always say that this store reminds me of a Banana Republic for younger people hahaha. I would've gotten more of these t-shirts but they didn't have too many left in my size :(

I was also meaning to find a new pair of sunglasses so at Forever 21, I bought a pair of these cat eyed sunglasses with gold rims. I am obsessed with cat eyed sunglasses at the moment and fell in love with a pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses that look identical to these ones. So when I spotted these in the store, you can imagine my excitement. And for a fraction of the cost!

At Victoria's Secret I got this hot pink training bra which was part of their semi annual clearance sale. It was the last one and in my size, so I took it as a sign that I was meant to buy this training bra hahaha. I have been doing a lot of Pilates and ballet beautiful so another training bra never hurts. 

And lastly, my most exciting purchase is this small black back pack from PINK. I have actually been looking for a small backpack for a while now. Sometimes I get really tired of using cross body bags, so I thought this would be a cute alternative. It's a fake leather material and is big enough only for my essentials. which is perfect! Because then it'll prevent me from over packing :). 

And that's the end of my mini summer haul! I hope you guys enjoyed that, and I'll be back shortly in a few days with my May favourites! Until next time,

Love,

Kristie