Best of 2014 | What did I love this year?

Another year has come and gone! I've explored some fantastic products this year (& found a few duds along the way as well..). BUT because I would rather focus on the positive, here are my favourite discoveries of 2014 in every category:

Lips
Maybelline Color Whisper in Lust for Blush & Tarte Lip Gloss in Visionary

Eyes
Maybelline Butterfly Mascara in Waterproof [not pictured] & Urban Decay's 24/7 liner in West 

Face
Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Foundation in Creamy Natural & Tarte Cheek Stain in Muse 

Nails 
Sinful Colors in Queen of Beauty & Essie's Fishnet Stockings 

Skincare
L'Oreal Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover & Origins Charcoal Mask

Hair
Pureology Shamp'oil in Reviving Red 

Bathtime
Laura Mercier's Honey Bath in Creme Brulee


I have found some wonderful products this year, whether or not they are actually new releases, they are all new to me. There are some higher end/ more expensive picks, but also plenty of affordable drugstore-type brands as well!

What are your beauty favourites from this past year? Let me know!

Cheers,
Kait

Christmas

Merry Christmas! 

Happy Holidays!

Thanks for the support so far in this beeb of an endeavour! 

Cheers,
Kait

Secret Outlast Clear Gel | Review

Have you ever wandered down the deodorant aisle at the drugstore only to have no idea what to pick up? Do you spend 20 minutes sniffing everything that sounds remotely appealing or do you grab something blindly and make a mad dash for the counter? Does any of this sound like you at all?

If so, I'm here to tell you something awesome. Next time you have to make the undesirable trip, think of Secret Outlast Clear Gel. It is a stress-proof way to handle even the toughest things life throws at you. Mine was sent to me for free through BzzAgent and it came in Ooh-la-la-lavender. Gimicky scent? Maybe, but I enjoy a little lavender in my life, so I gave it a whirl. 

Now let me tell you, this December has been high-stress for this little lady. I've battled Parent-Teacher Interviews, School Christmas Concerts, First impression holiday parties & still yet to arrive are the actual holidays themselves! I gave this deodorant a chance, because frankly, the deodorant I was using when this puppy arrived at my door was NOT cutting it. & I am in LOVE. 

The gel formula dries super-quickly - great for running out the door within seconds of applying because holy cow I forgot to make those 85 photocopies & I'm going to be super late for my class.  There is no white residue left anywhere - great for hauling sweaters on & off depending on how much you happen to be sweating at any given moment.  What's that smell? Definitely not your armpits! Unless you're talking about the fresh lavender scent that all this sweating & running has produced. 

If you mass-produce sweat like you're selling it in a high-demand market, you may still have some dampness. This product didn't quite stamp that out completely. But in my life, nothing ever really does, so I will take some invisibility & lack of smell over nothing at all. I also haven't given it the full 48-hour test, because frankly I'm too busy to tempt fate right now. 

So, did I convince you? Cause I certainly convinced myself!

Cheers,

Kait 

Quick Update | I failed at Blogmas

Hey! So I am officially a not very good beginning blogger. I can't even keep up with my own publicly announced commitments (e.i. Blogmas). In short this is because my real-live person commitments kind of overran their boundaries and infiltrated every aspect of my life mid-month.

 But I haven't abandoned my internet-child just yet! I am officially free for the Christmas season & will be posting some wicked new things in the coming days ... as well as tempting fate with a new "series" or two (let's watch my schedule overrun those as well).

Cheers,
Kait

My Beauty Wishlist | Blogmas Day 8

Here's a wordy post for the masses -

I don't know about y'all, but this time of year I always get sucked into all kinds of Christmas beauty goodies. They are always packaged so wonderfully & the bigger brands tend to come out with gift sets, which are great for an intro into a new brand, or for some good deals on old favourites.  I don't have too many wishes this year as far as beauty, but here are some great ideas if you are looking for some new beauty items for yourself or a loved one!


For a fragrance - Chloe Perfume.
This smells wonderful and girly, but not too young. Perfect for a woman who still likes to smell feminine.

For a gift set - Too Faced La Belle Carousel & Tarte Bon Voyage
Two multipurpose gift sets for a beauty lover! I own the Tarte set already & I have reviewed it here.
The Too Faced set is perfect for dividing and gifting to multiple people or sharing some of the brands best sellers with one special person!

For Skincare - First Aid Beauty & Burt's Bees 
These are both great brands for a lady with sensitive skin. None of the products have strong scents, they are all really gentle and will generally get on well with any type of user. First Aid is a little more high end than Burt's Bees, which can be found in drugstores. I love both!

For Hair Care - Live Clean
This is a drugstore brand that I adore. I always request some of these products for my stocking! Their hair care is 98% plant derived, SLS, Paraben and Silicone free. & it smells SO GOOD!

An Extra - MorrocanOil
Great brand for hair & skincare. These products smell like a dream, are super hydrating and work as well as they claim. Generally you can find them for purchase in professional salons.

What I really want this year is a new curling wand. Mine died in the summer and I have been sadly living without since. I don't care what brand, as long as it does the job. I am very much hoping to find one under my tree this season.

What are some beauty items that you would love to give or receive this year? Let me know!

Cheers,
Kait

Sunday Funday Christmas Edition | Blogmas Day 7

What is better on a Sunday evening than a grand soak in the tub, a face mask & some general pampering? Using Christmas products or Holiday Gift Set products to do it with!

Burts Bees wipes & a mini Origins mask - both from holiday sets I picked up!

Simple Restoring Night Cream is great for these chilly winter nights!

Father Christmas bath bomb - smells like candy floss!

My Vanilla puff powder paired wonderfully with the scent of the Lush Father Christmas Bath Bomb that smells like candy floss & looks like a bright green Christmas dream!

For my face, I wiped off the sweat of the day (I didn't wear makeup or anything today because it's Sunday & that is what Sundays are for) using the Burt's Bees moist towelettes (review to come), enjoyed the clearing action of the Origins Clear Improvements Charcoal mask whilst soaking my weekly worries away & finished myself off with a glob of Simple Night Cream to sooth the chapped, wintery face.

What kinds of holiday sets do you like to try? Let me know!

Cheers,
Kait

Decorating | Blogmas Day 6

Well it's the first weekend in December and that means it is time to haul out all the Christmas decorations & see what kind of glittery mess we can make on the floor! I absolutely love setting out my Christmas decorations (glitter and all) because it turns my living room into a cozy little haven for a month.

You'll notice that I really like snowmen! The skating snowman stays out all winter long, because I just can't bear to put him away after only a few short weeks. Otherwise, I try to stick to a red & gold theme, because my apartment is too small to have too many colours. My newest addition is the Willow Tree Nativity, which was a wedding gift this summer and I adore it. 

What will you be decorating with?  Let me know!

Cheers,
Kait

Treats and Goodies | Blogmas Day 5

What are some of your must-have holiday goodies? Ours include Terry's Chocolate Oranges, Advent Calendars, Bacon Wrapped Scallops & Rappie Pie (Traditional Acadian Dish).

While the only one of these I've had yet this season is the beginning of my Advent Calendar, I know the rest are coming! We are going to a holiday party next weekend that promises Rappie Pie! & I'm sure that the others are to follow shortly. 

Do you look forward to special food at the holidays? Let me know!

Cheers,
Kait

Holiday Drinks | Blogmas Day 4

How about a warm cozy drink or three whilst decorating, humming a Christmas tune or working?  My favourite things to drink this time of year are tea and hot chocolate.  They are like a hug in your tummy, especially with the temperatures dropping!

My favourite tea of all time is Stormy Night by David's Tea. A close second is the Organic Pure Chai. They are warm and cozy teas, both black and both organic! Just steep me up a big mug of happiness with these two!

Right now I've been enjoying some Rich & Creamy Carnation hot chocolate, which is pretty delicious if I do say so. It doesn't have to be fancy for me to enjoy! Sometimes I even like to mix some into my morning cup of coffee for that cafe mocha chocolate goodness that just makes a dreary day manageable.

Lastly, I've listed an adult drink favourite - Mudshake Spiced Eggnog. If you are of legal age & want a Friday night holiday beverage, this is absolutely perfect! It's creamy, it's eggnog-y & it is delicious. This company also makes a chocolate candy cane version if eggnog is not your holiday flavour of choice.

What do you love to drink around the holidays? Let me know!

Cheers,

Kait

Stocking Stuffers for Men | Blogmas Day 3

Rather than buy each other big gifts, my husband and I usually just fill stockings for each other with some skincare essentials & a few fun treats. That way we know we're spending money on useful things for each other and it's fun to see what we can come up with!

This year I thought I would share some scrumptious body & skincare items for men that are totally affordable & perfect for stuffing a stocking for that special someone!

Old Spice (A.K.A. Axe of the grown up world). This is one of my husband's favorite drugstore brands! This year I picked up :

• body wash in the scent Hawkridge
• deodorant also in the scent Hawkridge
• aftershave in the scent Classic

Jack Black is one of my favorite brands from Sephora for men. Last year I picked up some extra strength hand cream. This year I went with a face wash!

Gillette Fusion Razor Blades (or whatever razor blades your guy likes) so that the scruff is under control. 

Burt's Bees trio gift set.  Three classically flavoured Burt's Bees lip balms in a cute little set. My husband loves these and is constantly swiping mine during the snowy winters when he's working out in the cold.

A Cologne is always a great little gift. This one is just a sample of the Yves Saint Laurent L'homme. 

Bacon Hot chocolate, for a fun - albeit weird - treat.

I've also ordered some ear-bud headphones for the hubby, since the kitty ate his pair (and a pair I let him use) and plan on picking up some of his favorite chocolates (Lindt) and some of his favorite coffee pods for the Kurig. 

What will you be putting in stockings this year? Let me know!

Cheers,
Kait 

Christmas Songs I love | Blogmas Day 2

« The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! » 

- Elf (2003)

What a great reason to share some of my favorite Christmas tunes with the world!  Unfortunately, a lot of my favorite Christmas songs are in the language of looooove (ahem...French), but I chose a couple English ones as well. 

Une fleur m'a dit ... This song is my childhood Christmas concerts
A song about a sad flower saved by a child, how sappy

Mary Did You Know? ... This song reminds me of  Christmas Eve Mass

This Pentatonix version is pretty sweet! 

Petit Papa Noel... This is the song that is perpetually stuck in my head this time of year

A classic Santy-Claus song for all

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas ... who doesn't love this song about the season?!

Petit Garçon...A fun one to sing 

This is little toy trains in French, but I like it so much better this way!

I hope you enjoy these songs!  They make me smile & even though they might not be in a language you understand, they are someone's culturally accurate idea of Christmas. Think of this as your initiation into French. 

What are your favorite Christmas songs or carols? Let me know!

Cheers,
Kait

My favorite Christmas Movies | Blogmas Day 1

As a fun kick-off to « Blogmas » this year, I thought I would share six of my favorite Christmas time movies with all of you, so that you have plenty of time to watch them all in the coming days! 

In no particular order:

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

A Christmas Story (1983)

The Santa Clause (1994)

Home Alone (1990) & Home Alone 2 (1992)

Rudolph (TV special - 1964)

Elf  (2003)

We usually watch Christmas movies in the weeks leading up to Christmas. When we bake, when we decorate, when we put up the tree, when we hang out in our PJs on Sundays....well you get the picture! We definitely watch more than just 6, but these are my favorite ones time and time again. 

Cheers,

Kait