Blogmas 06: Moroccan Oil

A few weeks ago when I got my haircut, my hair dresser convinced me to try out a hair cult classic: Moroccan Oil. Like Lush's Ocean Salt, this product is a godsend during winter months. 

My hair ends get dry really fast and unfortunately, I don't like to shell out on conditioner. But this little beauty is amazing at leaving my hair soft to the touch and protects it from the dryness.

Obviously, the steep price tag of the full bottle was too much of a risk for me but thankfully, there's a smaller bottle too. Though it's small, you don't use that much so it actually lasts for quite a long time.

This particular formulation is 'light', which is better for my hair because one of my main concerns was the oil weighing my hair down. But this formulation doesn't do that. It feels light and leaves my hair feeling soft and silky.

Another thing I've noticed is that it smells great. I use it every time I wash my hair and it leaves my hair smelling fresh and soft. Yeah yeah, how can hair smell soft? I know but trust me. It's possible. It's a delightful smell that leaves you wanting to smell your hair all day long.

Needless to say, Moroccan Oil has now garnered a permanent spot in my hair care routine, especially during the winter.

What's your favorite hair care product?

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Blogmas 05: DIY Mason Jar Tea Light "Candles"

So this year, I decided to do something different for my Don house team for Christmas/Hanukkah presents. Usually I just buy things but I'm not the best at buying things for people. This is where Youtube and Bethany Mota (Macbarbie07) came in. I saw a video she posted about DIY mason jars with tea lights in them and I knew that's exactly what I wanted to give. So with a few supplies from the Dollar store and a local art store, I was ready to go!

What You Need

Mason jars

Glitter

Spray adhesive

Vinyl adhesive or frisket film (I used frisket because it was cheaper!)

Tealights

Glass beads - various colors

Step 1: Cut out the shape you want out of the frisket film, peel off the backing, and stick it on the side of the jar where you want the cut out  to be.

Step 2: Shake up your spray glue jar and spray a generous amount inside the jar. 

Step 3: Very quickly, pour in the glitter color that you want the jar to have, close the lid, shake it around, and empty the access. I originally did just one coat but I decided to do two instead. So I let the first coat for an hour, and repeated steps 2-3. 

Step 4: VERY carefully, peel out the frisket film. Make sure you do this step slowly and carefully.

Step 6: Put in some glass beads and the tea light. Bam! You're done.

I really like how easy this DIY is. I'm famous for messing up even the simplest things but this is definitely an easy DIY that makes a great present for anyone in your life. This was particularly perfect for me because as Dons, we are not allowed to have any candles in our rooms. The fact that these give the same ambience as a candle makes it a great present. 

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Blogmas 04: Lush 'Ocean Salt'

I will be the first to admit that my skin is obnoxious. In the summer, it gets obnoxiously oily by the end of the day and in the winter, it gets obnoxiously dry. So when I walked out of Lush with this little beaut, I finally solved the problem.

Lush's Ocean Salt is amazing, to be frank. Even that is an understatement. It's a sea salt scrub for your face and body that leaves your skin feeling as soft as a baby's bottom. Call me crazy but I've noticed my face looks a little brighter after a scrub with this.

Having never used it and with a heft price tag of $21.95, this little pot certainly doesn't come cheap and was quite a risk for me. But it's an investment and a damn good one, if I do say so myself. I only use it for my face and you only use a tiny bit of it at a time so it has lasted me for quite a while. Even after one use, you can visible see (and feel!) the difference. My skin feels softer and more fresh. 

The scent itself is wonderful. It's strong and greets you as soon as you open the pot. When you initially buy it, the sea salt is at the top so the sales associate gives you a little popsicle stick to mix it before your first use. Once it's all mixed in, just take a small dollop, and rub all over your face. You may or may not feel a slight burning sensation if you leave it too long (thanks to that damn vodka) so be sure not to do that. After giving your face a good scrub, just rinse it off. 

One of the best things about Lush, as I've found, is that they are anti-animal testing and all their products are made with natural products. No nasty chemicals, here! And I mean, come on. Have you walked into a Lush store? It smells freaking amazing! I can't wait to try other products from Lush. 

What's your favorite skincare saviour?

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Blogmas 03: Classic Christmas Movies

Imagine that you've just poured yourself a steaming cup of your favorite tea. It's mid-December and you're home after a particularly harsh exam season at school. You look outside and see the world covered with a thick blanket of snow. It's chilly so you take a sip of your tea and smile to yourself.

You sneak a piece of the gingerbread cookies your mum just made with one hand and grab the thickest, softest fleece blanket you own with another and get settled in for 2 hours of a classic holiday movie.

Can you picture it? Because I can. With only two exams and one presentation standing in my way, I can just feel how amazing it is going to be to finally go home and relax.

So grab your besties, smile to yourself, and make yourself comfortable with any (or all) of these classic Christmas movies.

It's a Wonderful Life

Elf

The Holiday

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Love Actually

Home Alone

A Charlie Brown Christmas

My absolute favorite movies from this list are A Charlie Brown Christmas and Home Alone. I will watch these movies without fail every holiday season. 

What are some of your favorite holiday movies?

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Blogmas 02: Christmas Gift Ideas for HER

With Christmas nearly here, we're all struggling to get our friends and family gifts. If you have yet to buy a gift for your special lady, sister, or daughter (*coughdadcough*), here are some ideas. 

Have a look around and take your pick. She won't be disappointed. 

1. Michael Kors Jet Set Macbook Travel Tote

This is definitely on my wishlist this year. My family doesn't celebrate Christmas (okay, my dad doesn't but my mom indulges me) but that doesn't stop me from having a wishlist every year. This year, I only have one item: this travel tote. I've been looking for a sturdy yet classic bag for school and this tote seems perfect for me. The fact that it also has a compartment for my macbook is just the cherry on top.

2. Kate Spade Glitter Bug Small Stacy Wallet

Very girly and cute. It's small and perfect for when you only need to take a couple of IDs and/or credit cards with you. Plus, who doesn't enjoy pink glitter?

3. Tiered Vestige Cosmetics Holder

This is great for the beauty buff. I'm beginning to build quite a lipstick collection and since I don't have any organized place to put them, they just get scattered around. This lipstick holder would solve that problem and it looks absolutely beautiful.

4. Aeropostale Butterfly Knit Infinity Scarf

The color is gorgeous and it just oozes comfort. Need I say more?

5. Victoria Emerson Mixed Emerald Dorado on Dark

This is just so pretty! I've never heard of the brand before but it randomly popped up on my Facebook feed so I just had to check them out. Out of all the bracelets they carry, this emerald beauty certainly caught my eye. Must be the Slytherin in me ;)

6. Starwalker Lace-Ups

These little booties are shearling-lined and look adorable! Admittedly they are a little pricey but if you want to treat someone, these would be it. And the stars look so pretty!

7. Measuring Gaggle

This set of measuring gaggles looks so classy and elegant. These are perfect for that baker you know. Hell, I don't even bake that much and I still want these in my kitchen.

8. Flowerpatch Measuring Spoons

Again, I just couldn't resist adding these spoons to the list because of their cute flowerpatch design.

9. Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity & Sleep Wristband

I've heard fantastic things about the Fitbit wristbands from friends that have bought one. It's a great present for the fitness afficionado. The wristband looks sleek and apparently is also waterpoof so you can totally wear it in the shower. It tracks your fitness activity, calories burned, sleep patterns, and more. What's better is that it can sync with the Fitbit app on your computer and phone so that you can transfer all that data and track your progress. This may just be on my birthday wishlist.

10. Mark Jacobs Daisy Perfume

The scent for this perfume is perfect for everyday wear. It's subtle and feminine with a hint of floral. It smells very fresh and has good lasting power as well. Perfect addition to the perfume collection. 

What's on your wishlist this year?

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Blogmas 01: MAC Russian Red

One of my recent lipstick purchases was the MAC Russian Red lipstick. This shade had been on my wishlist since I started wearing lipstick and I could not be more happy about the purchase.

I know I said this already in the My Lipstick Collection post but this is honestly the perfect holiday shade. The color is a nice deep red, which is absolutely perfect for Christmas parties with a stunning pair of heels and a LBD. 

The pigmentation of the lipstick is absolutely great and it applies very smoothly as well. Thanks to the blue base of the lipstick, this color shines on every skin tone. From pale to dark skin, this color will stand out and bring the attention right to where you want it: your lips. 

Make sure you have a mirror though. Unless you're a pro at applying lipstick, you're going to need it. 

At $18 (CAD), this is certainly on the higher end of lipsticks but it is well worth it. Fun fact: it also makes a wonderful Christmas gift. Know someone who always has a splash of color on her lips? Get this color for her. She won't be disappointed.

Promise. 

Can you picture it? Because I can. 

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