April Snaps

1. Braid from the back

2. Gorgeous snow-capped mountains as far at the eye can see

3. Vegan mini vanilla cupcakes decorated simply for Spring

4. Zen curled up in my bed while I sift through party dresses

5. Organized chaos on my bureau top

6. Slowly but surely infusing my closet with colour

Today's scheduled exam was post-poned so I thought I'd take this as an opportunity to quickly share some random photos from the past couple of weeks. The past few days have been absolutely gorgeous here. The snow is almost completely melted, & rising to a pleasant 21°C,  yesterday was the hottest April 17th in recorded Newfoundland history (as the radio informed me all of 5 times). Besides the glorious sunshine, I've slid back into my daily running routine beautifully, had a delightful day at the Spa (where I ran into my Auntie who was lovely enough to treat me!), & gotten in enough studying to call myself semi-productive. I also received a highly covetable item in the mail, which I'll share with you in my next post :)

With my flight leaving at an ungodly hour Friday morning, my current 'To Do Before I Go' list is mountains high. I'll undoubtedly leave the packing to the very last minute. Later today I'll be entertaining one of my loveliest friends, who I haven't seen since last Summer. Although one afternoon isn't nearly enough time, I'm sure to cram in more life chatter than you can imagine. I'll also be making us a vegan gluten-free Avocado Pesto Pasta for sup (which I only mention because it is the worlds most amazing dish & you absolutely have to try it :)

Thanks for reading! <3 

March Glossybox

My very first Glossybox arrived yesterday, just one day short of the month's end. I was pretty excited for a new little treat, especially as I haven't been doing any shopping this month. It was adorably packaged from beginning to end; with even the cardboard shipping box spotted with the feminine logo. 

Admittedly I haven't fallen in love with any of these items, although they're quite usable & for the most part practical. I haven't tested all of the products yet, but here's a little run-through of what I received:

1. Bailey Fresh Lip Gloss (Berry) - This lipgloss came in a purpley dark pink colour, which although I wouldn't generally choose myself, I quite like. It's non-sticky, though like most lipglosses it doesn't have the lasting power I'd like. I'm going to pair it with my Too Faced Lip Insurance primer soon & see if that might enhance it. 

2. Pandora's Box Blush - For someone with pale skin like myself, blush never goes astray. This colour is a slightly deep pink, which will be useful when I want to alternate from my bright pink Dior blush. 

3. Evian Facial Spray - This is a natural mineral water spray which can be used over make-up to give your skin a refreshment boost throughout the day. I've used this one twice so far & will venture to say it's definitely a good refresher which doesn't interfere with your make-up. I don't know how often I'd use this product for day to day use, but I can definitely see it being useful during hot summer weather. 

4. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion - This product I've used before; in fact it's a product my mom swears by. It's undoubtedly a good daily moisturizer. That being said, I wasn't overjoyed to see it in my Glossybox, as I could easily pick it up at any local Shoppers Drug Mart. 

5. Algemarin Foam Bath - Haven't tried this one out yet. But I do enjoy a good bubble bath from time to time so we'll see how "the riches of the sea" fare soon enough. 

6. Sebastian Professional Re-Shaper Hair Spray - A mini-bottle of hairspray is always great to slip in your purse, so I figured this guy was at least pretty useful. Sadly when I went to try it out this afternoon the nozzle stopped working after one tiny spray! I tried to be resourceful & switch the nozzle with another spray, but sadly it's beyond help.

And that's that! It's so hard to believe that tomorrow is April 1st (especially considering we've gotten 20+ cm of snow here this past week... needless to say I'm not impressed). In the spirit of Spring & my current colour obsession I'm hoping to come up with a bright outfit post for tomorrow. Stay tuned :)

Newness & Change

Finally something new! I know it has only been a few days since I last posted, but it has seemed an eternity to me. I've got some recent purchases to show you & some 'life updates' to share! First off, some new additions to my wardrobe/beauty/book collection:

My new neon yellow pencil skirt from ASOS which I'm completely enamoured with - can't wait to show you the outfit I have planned for it! :)

Sephora is a rabbit hole. Seriously. I stopped by this morning on my way to a coffee date & ended up getting a few items. The Dior Rosy Glow blush you may recognize from my 'Beauty Edition' post last week. The visiting Dior rep who did my make-up used this on me & I've been lusting over it ever since. Today I finally gave in & picked it up. It's 001 Petal & although it looks like a scary bright pink, it's formulated to blend with any skin tone. I also got a Bobbi Brown concealer/corrector to aid in the ongoing battle against my dark under-eye circles. 'Porcelain Peach' is the colour I went with.

Then I decided my lips needed some loving too. So I picked up this amazing new lip exfoliant by Bite. It smells & tastes amazing; like wild cherry. I've read good reviews so I'm excited to try this one out. I then chose the Too Faced Lip Insurance lip primer because keeping my lipstick on & decent looking is always a challenge for me. I decided to pick this product up after reading this lovely post by Tess.

Post-Sephora I stopped by the drugstore, as I had some credit to spend from points accumulated. I needed a new facial exfoliant so I picked up this one from Soap & Glory, which I've heard good things about. I also picked up this Revlon lip stain upon a friend's recommendation. I just tried it out & am not sure how I feel about the colour, as it's a little too plain. I think it'll be perfect for quick & easy use on busy days though. 

And finally, new books! (so not fashion related but the arrival of new books makes me incredibly happy. I've mentioned before that I have a slight obsession with travel guides... well Rick Steves' books are my favourites... his dry sense of humour suits me to a tee)

Hello new favourite hairstyle! I've always adored the fishtail braid but shamefully never learned how to do one. Fortunately I discovered a great how-to video through L is for Lois' blog last week. I've done my hair like this the past 4 out of 5 days hehe. Although I'm pretty slow at it, & still in the 'practice makes perfect' stage, it's a great idea for other-wise bad hair days or busy days out & about. And I must say I've gotten so many compliments on it!

And now, the big-ish news. I'll actually be leaving Vancouver this coming Tuesday (so soon I know!). I'll be spending the next 2 months with my family on the other side of the country. Not only can you expect a big change of scenery, but a definite change in clothes as my mother informs me they are in the midst of several feet of snow. I'm not a fan of the snow & cold at all & to be honest I'm on a huge summer clothes, summer colours kick at the moment. It'll be interesting to see how I cope with the climate change. 

I've also been trying to cram in as much eating out as possible. Whatever picturesque points Newfoundland may score, shawna-friendly dining is not one of them. I've already said goodbye to my favourite burrito place folks, & intend to visit as many of my favourite restaurants as possible over the next few days. A little shopping on the side may also be in order.... though with the prospect of 3 overweight suitcases this may not be the smartest move on my part. 

In the meantime, I have one day of work left & a tonne of goodbye visits to fit in. Coffee dates, strolls, rushed farewells at work. I'm not very good at articulating emotional goodbyes though... I always like to believe I'll cross paths with the people that matter at some point in the future. I am feeling a little blue about leaving Vancouver, but as I always believe, everything happens for a reason. It'll be nice to be around my family, to have my mom baby me for awhile, & to see my favourite rambunctious 3 year old again. It'll be a good opportunity for me to actually focus on my German coursework. I'll also have more time to blog & take photos as I won't be working. See, there is always a silver lining! :)

Hope you all have the loveliest of weekends :) Mine will certainly be a busy one! 

Beauty Edition // New In

There is a reason I'm a style blogger & not a beauty one. This reason being: I'm practically clueless. Make-up is seriously not my forté, though my interest is definitely peaking thanks to some great beauty bloggers & one of my fabulous stylist coworkers. ''Uh-oh'' thinks my mom while reading this, ''she's discovered the world of beauty products, another huge outlet for her shopping addiction''. Sorry mom, but it's true...

Admittedly my skin has been in shambles lately so I took my morning off to rectify that. My biggest issue right now is hydration. My skin is the driest it's ever been & it's impossible to put on foundation without feeling like a lizard (yes this sounds harsh, but it's the best way to describe how much I abhor it). First stop, Clinique. I've heard good reviews of their Moisture Surge product, so that's what I picked up; in the intense version of course haha. I use Clinique's All About Eyes product & it feels like heaven, so hopefully this new product will work wonders as well. I also set up an appointment to get my make-up done there (at their Sears outlet) during their March event. I haven't really tried any of their make-up products yet, so I'm curious to test those out.

Next up, Chanel at The Bay. Remember my resolution to stop biting my nails? Check! They are doing fabulously so I decided to reward myself with some Chanel nail polish. I've been lusting over their June colour for quite awhile now, which can best be described as "creamsicle". The salesgirls were incredibly friendly, though of course tried to sell me on some lipgloss & other items as well... NOPE JUST THE POLISH PLEASE. In & out, successfully. 

My last stop was Sephora... out of which I did not make it so successfully, at least from a financial standpoint. I generally try to make a list of the exact items I want so I don't waste money on things I don't need & am able to get the ones I do. On my list for Sephora was powder foundation, an under-eye concealer, bronzer/blush, & a foundation brush. Let's just say I made it out with none of these. The salesgirl I ended up with picked out my skin problems in about 2 seconds, which was good. She was all about the Dior & after a 10 minute lecture on the Dior Hydra Life Facial & Eye cremes she was trying to win me over by doing my make-up. She used all Dior products (surprise, surprise); the two I bought are shown above. She began with the Hydra Life facial creme, then the Diorskin Nude (010 Ivory), Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen (001 Rose Glow), & Rosy Glow blush (001 Petal). I quickly took the 2 photos below just to show you what it turned out like. The moisturizer did appear to work well, though having just bought the Clinique product (& at a lower price point) I decided to keep it on my 'maybe next time' list. I really liked the liquid foundation; the colour & coverage was just what I wanted. As for the blush, I absolutely loved it & am thinking I should add it to my beauty wish-list. On the palette it is a ridiculously bright shade of candyfloss pink, but I think it looks great on & suits my skin tone well. She suggested using the highlighter pen instead of a thicker under eye concealer so that's what I went with, though am now having second thoughts. As Kris says, I can be a bit of a pushover. I'm thinking another brand/type might suit me better, & at a lower price. If you girls have any suggestions please let me know! 

And that was my morning! Not overly exhilarating, but relaxing & girly & fun. I only wish I had somewhere to go to show off my make-up hehe. Instead I'll be cleaning the apartment & finishing up my latest German assignment. Not quite as glamourous. Ah well, at least I can look at my lovely new products ;)

Chanel & Clinique & Dior - oh my! 

Spring|Summer '12 Wish List

While I will grudgingly admit a closet full of statement pieces does not a wardrobe make, I can't help but fall in love time & time again. The vibrant colours, unique designs, & beautiful fabrications are just a delight to behold. An approaching season & prospective new wardrobe is always exciting. As per usual my wish list for this coming season is rather extensive, so I've decided to share with you just a small portion of it - neatly categorized for your viewing purposes into Bags/Shoes & Beauty/Accessories! ;)

SS'12 - Bags & Shoes by shawnahynes featuring party shoes

Notice any trends? ;) My love for satchels has been ongoing for quite awhile now. Add to that a little colour-blocking here, a little plastic there & you've pretty much covered off my SS'12 bag wish list. My shoe lusts are much the same. I'm loving brightly coloured footwear; particularly neon + neutral combinations like the Jil Sander brogues. My other latest shoe obsession is the ankle strap - this cute detail will definitely be a determining factor in regard to which shoes enter my closet first this season. 

Beauty & Accessories Wishlist SS12 by shawnahynes featuring chain jewelry

Next up is Beauty! Admittedly I've never been huge on beauty product shopping, but my interest is certainly becoming more keen this season. Of the products above the only one I've used is the Lush 'Big' shampoo (which I swear by, by the way). All the others I've read good reviews on, & am looking forward to trying out soon. I'd love to hear recommendations from any of you beauty bloggers reading this! If any of you can suggest a good brand of foundation I'd be particularly delighted as finding a decent one for my pale & dreadfully dry skin has become a bit of a nightmare. 


Last but not least is my whittled down accessories wish list. Aside from wanting brightly coloured belts, earrings, & bracelets galore the major item I want to infuse my closet with is the statement necklace. My number one choice? The hand-painted crystal necklace by Spike The Punch - in any colour I can possibly get my hands on! Coveted by style bloggers, these beauties are seriously difficult to come by (the last set available sold out in 4 minutes). I swear I've been stalking their Etsy shop. Hopefully with a little persistence & positive thinking one of these will come my way soon! 


And there you have it: a little insight into the items & trends I am most looking forward to for Spring/Summer 2012. Thoughts, comments? What items are on your wish list this season?

What's In My Bag?

   

The bag: my dear 14" Cambridge Satchel in fluorescent pink, with my initials embossed in gold! Every time I wear this thing people stop me in the street just to comment. Pretty amusing, pretty bright.

My beloved Blackberry 

Comb, bobby pins, & my work name tag, on top of the most important thing of all - my Planner! I prefer to write things out rather than put it in my blackberry. I actually would not be able to function without this thing, so it obviously comes with me everywhere. 

My favourite lipgloss in the cutest little floral ball; a USB drive for those 'just in case' times; & a lucky penny... it's a little weird I guess, but I keep one in all my bags (& suitcases when travelling) for good luck haha :) 

The best moisturizer ever (Cosmetic Lad, Lush) & a lipstick, which I always have on hand in some colour or another. This particular one is Elizabeth Arden, Fiesta. 

My handy dandy Ray Ban glasses, without which I would not be able to survive. I shamefully don't wear them as often as I'm supposed to (that being all the time...oops). They are super fun though, & I love them dearly!

My favourite wallet: It's a Matt & Nat item with pyramid stud detailing. Matt & Nat is an amazing Canadian line of vegan & eco-friendly handbags & wallets - if you haven't heard of them definitely check them out! 

My neon yellow makeup pouch from H&M + my basic retouching makeup: L'Oreal Paris True Match foundation in N2 Classic Ivory; Bonnebell eyeliner in Black Ink; & Garnier Nutritioniste Anti-Dark Circle Roller.

Organic trail mix... I go literally nowhere without a bag of this on hand.

My cute bejewelled compact mirror & a pair of earrings I always keep in my bag just in case I forget to put in a pair before leaving home. 

And this is the gorgeous weather I woke up to this morning :)

So there you have it - that is what's in my bag! This was actually a pretty fun post to create, so hopefully you guys enjoyed it as well :) After a very hectic few days at work, I have the next 4 days off & am pretty excited as you can imagine! I'm really looking forward to getting in several outfit photoshoots, & spicing up the blog a little.

I really want to thank all you lovely readers for taking the time to read my blog. Please feel free to comment & leave your own personal blog address, as I visit each & every one. And if you enjoy my blog please consider following on Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin' :) 

<3 Shawna