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 :)

Pink Vibrations // Lip Review

Back in early February I received a lot of comments on the bright pink lipstick I showed you (this post). Many of you were curious to see what the applied colour looked like in a closer up version; et voila - here it is! To make things a little more interesting I'll also do a short review of the new lip products I used in addition to the lip colour.

The 4 products I used

1. Bite Lip Exfoliant in Whipped Cherry - With beyond dry lips during the winter months I grudgingly figured I should put aside my lipstick collection until summer & stick with neutral glosses or stains. Either way I needed to inject a little lot more moisture, so after reading reviews on various lip exfoliants I decided to go with this one. I wasn't disappointed. It makes my lips softer than any other product I've previously tried. It's also naturally flavoured, with the perfect amount of sweetness; so it both smells & tastes delicious. Despite the small container size, you only need a tiny amount of this so it will go a long way. It was $21 CAD ($18 USD on website) at Sephora. Will definitely be repurchasing this product.

2. NYX Lip Liner (835 Pinky) - Not too much to say about this one; a simple drugstore brand in the closest colour to the lipstick. I've read that you should use a neutral lip liner regardless of the top lip colour you'll be using; but currently lacking such a shade, this is what I went with. Usually with lip liner I find the application tedious & the texture chalk-like, despite putting on lip balm beforehand. This time however, I was pretty much amazed at how easily it slid on after the lip exfoliant. Done in about 5 seconds. 

3. Too Faced Lip Insurance Lip Primer - This stuff is magical. Seriously. Looks like a tube of lip gloss, works like extra-strength glue (though glides on very smoothly). It does exactly what it says it will (prevents feathering, fading, [& to an extent] transferring). In the past I've found wearing lipstick a bit of a nightmare, as it tends to bleed & become unattractively & unevenly faded, within 15 to 30 minutes. I've always felt extremely self-conscious about this happening & generally check my mirror every 5 minutes. Never will I feel that way again. This lip primer keeps it looking fresh & perfect hours later. It doesn't dry out your lips at all, although I did add a layer of lipgloss about 3 hours after application to reintroduce the shine. This little wonder costs $24 CAD at Sephora ($19 USD on website).

4. Elizabeth Arden lipstick (49 Pink Vibrations) - I bought this lipstick last Spring & it's still my favourite lip colour. I sometimes worry that bright colours like this don't suit me, but it's so much fun I wear it regardless. I also really adore Elizabeth Arden lipsticks in general, as they provide more moisture than many other lines I've tried; & are well pigmented for great punches of colour. Colours from this line, "Exceptional Lipstick", price at $25 CAD.

Floral blouse from Zara

And that is that! I'm currently on the lookout for the perfect orange & red lipsticks; which I'm sure you'll see in future posts. As for outfit posts - I was excited to get one done today with a photographer friend of mine, but alas the weather put a quick end to that. It's quite the snow storm here currently, so I'll just be staying cosy inside, catching up on the scary amount of blog posts that have piled up in my Bloglovin' (if I follow you, expect an overwhelming amount of comments on your past 2 weeks of posts; just a warning ;)

Have a lovely week! <3

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?