Well Hello..

It has been a hot minute since I have posted anything on here. My last post was in 2014...Can you believe it?!

My blog was always a passion of mine and as soon as my life and other priorities took over (Articling CPA student/Working a real full-time job) I sadly had to part ways with my blog. Although I left, my blog was never forgotten. I mean what can I say? There is nothing like sharing your random musings with the internet.

Now that 2019 is just a few days away, I find myself reflecting on the past year. 2018 was a wonderful year, I got to travel to new places that and meet new people. But when I really think about it, if I could describe 2018 in one word it would be 'exhausting'. Always working and never having time to myself was a constant theme throughout, and its true what they say self-care is without a doubt important.

So you're probably wondering why I'm back with a post today, and the reason is in the last couple of months I had family and a few of my friends ask me about my blog and what had happened to it. It made me sad that I let something so important to me and something that I worked so hard on, go. To be honest, I always wanted to make my triumphant return but I mean who even blogs anymore? With Instagram, Tumblr and Snapchat, the game for blogging has completely changed over the last few years. Who would even find my content interesting? It then dawned on me, that it didn't matter who would as along as I was enjoying blogging and my total of 4 readers were finding value in my content.  

I could go on forever about why I left, why I came back. Also is writing not an amazing outlet for all of the chaos in your head?

With that said, here is to 2019 where I try salvage this space and hope that you will join me on this journey.

Cheers,
Farhaa

Review: Dr. Andrew Weil For Origins Mega-Bright SPF 30

Since I am nearing the end of my current daytime moisturizer which is the Orgins Dr. Andrew Weil for Orgins Mega Bright SPF 30 moisturizer, I thought I would do a review. This moisturizer claims to lighten dark spots and and prevent further discoloration of the skin. According to the Sephora website, It is formulated with rosa roxburghii, white peony and melanin-inhibiting palmaria.

One of my major skin care concerns is hyper-pigmentation left behind from previous breakouts. Because of this, I wanted to get a daytime moisturizer with an SPF to prevent further discoloration and help the healing process. So when I came across this particular moisturizer I figured I would give it a go since it is suppose to help with pigmentation and it contained an SPF.

First lets start of with the smell, it does have a scent but it is nothing overpowering and I for one really enjoy it. The scent doesn't linger at all and after application I rarely ever smell. The consistency is more on the thicker side, which allows for it to be is pretty moisturizing. Once you apply it your face isn't left sticky or overly shiny and it creates a good base for your foundation. Overall, the product itself is good. If you are looking for a simple daily moisturizer and have dry skin then this one is a good way to go. The only complaint I would have is the whole "Mega Bright" aspect, over the course of me using this product, I never found my skin to be any brighter than usual nor did I see it helping my hyper-pigmentation. I would say this is where the product fell short for me because it was basically the reason I purchased this particular moisturizer. However, it did a good job moisturizing my skin and I definitely did enjoy using it as a daily moisturizer and it never broke me out (works well in the heat too!).

Considering skin care is so personal and what may not work for me may work for you. I would definitely suggest hitting up Sephora and trying a sample of the moisturizer out for yourself. Especially if you're in the market for a new one and were considering this one. And as always, if you have any questions leave them down below.

Cheers,
Farhaa

Maybelline Expert Wear Natural Smokes Quad

I purchased this quad a little while ago and thought I would share my thoughts. I have had a pretty good experience with the Maybelline Chai Latte quad and few of the others. Since this particular quad was on sale I thought I would give it a go.

However, much to my dismay, this quad wasn't particularly as pigmented as I had initially expected it to be. In comparison to the chai latte quad it much less pigmented in my opinion. With that said, is this quad a complete write off? No. The liner and crease color in the quad are more pigmented and can be used to create a subtle brown smoky eye. The base color isn't bad either but it really confuses me as to why there is so much more of it? Which leads me to the last shade in the quad the lid color. This shade is very sheer and can hardly be seen over the base shade. The shadows themselves are more on the chalky side and not very smooth, which you can actually see in the swatch down below.

Overall,  I think I would pass on the quad considering how much more not only Maybelline as a line has to offer but other drugstore/high-street brands have to offer. There are so many smoky brown palletes you could go for instead of this one. It is such a shame considering how beautiful the shades look.

Here is a look I created using the pallete:





Here are some swatches: *Not the best at photographing swatches :(  

                              

My Top 5 Winter Essentials

Hello Everyone,

Because I live in Canada, I have had quiet my fair share of experiencing cold weather. I though it would be a great idea to do a quick post on my top 5 winter essentials. Most of these are directed towards dealing with really dry skin. So if you have dry skin and live in warmer climate you may also find some these suggestions helpful.

1. So the first winter essential I have for you is a lip balm. It is the Kiehl's LIP BALM #1 (yes, that is the name). It has an SPF of 4 and is a petrolatum based lip balm that can also be used as a skin protectant. I use this lip balm at night before bed and when I wake up my lips are moisturized, and well hydrated. They sometimes even look a little plump which is always a plus.

2. The next product on my list is the Triple Moisture Body Cream from Bath and Body Works. I find applying any sort of body product a chore in the winter time because it is freezing and I rather put on my pajamas instead of slathering on cold body cream and waiting for it to absorb. One of the reasons I really like this product because it truly is non greasy which allows it to absorb quickly. With this body cream I don't have to wait so long and the scent (Coconut Lime Breeze) makes the whole process a little less daunting. In summary, this is a great body moisturizer and works great in the winter to prevents you from having dry itchy skin.

3. Josie Maran Argan Oil has been my night time face moisturizer ever since I got my hands on it. I was at first hesitant to use this product because it is an oil and my skin is prone to breaking out. But after reading reviews online I thought I would take the risk and give it a go. And I am quite glad I did, it has been an amazing moisturizer for skin and I feel like it has been improving my skin tone. I definitely think I need to use the oil more before I can comment on any other benefits it has provided. But I can assure it makes a great moisturizer for dry flaky skin.

4. The next product I would like to share with you is the Orgins Drink Up 10 minute mask. This is a great mask to use on those lazy Sundays during the winter months. I find this mask instantly adds a boost of hydration to my skin. The Orgins masks are some of the most popular and hyped up masks in the blogging and YouTube world so I don't think there products need much convincing. Basically, its a great mask and it smells divine.

5. The last product I have to recommend is Ole Henrikson Express the Trust night time moisturizer. Now I have only been recently been using this product and was initially going to recomment the Avene Ultra Rich Compensating Cream. But after some thought I figured this would be a more suitable recommendation to make because for one, in my experience it provides similar results without being to heavy on the skin and if you are one of those with oily/combo skin you probably won't like the Avene moisturizer.  On the other hand, the Ole Henrikson Express the Truth is really nourishing but has a much lighter consistency in comparison to the Avene moisturizer. In addition, as much as I love the Avene moisturizer it contains shea butter (which is most likely why the formulation is so thick) which can be harder for the skin to break down and can even cause clogged pores. So if you have extremely dry skin and are looking for a night time moisturizer I would try the Ole Henrikson Express the Truth, it contrain Vitamin C and Hyaluronic acid and smells of oranges, which I personally love!

Well those are my top 5 recommendations. If you have any questions or recommendations of your own please leave a comment down below. Hope everyone has great rest of the week


Until next time,
Farha
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Sephora VIB sale Haul Part I: The Christmas Gift Edition

 

Hey everyone,

I finally received my VIB sale order in the mail this past week. I may have gone a little overboard with the amount of stuff I purchased but hey, the VIB sale only happens once a year. I made the order on Nov 16th and it took about ten days for me to receive my goods.

I wanted to get this post up as soon as possible because it seems like a couple of these items are disappearing off the Sephora website however, I'm hoping some of them can still be found at your local Sephora. All of these would make for a great Christmas gift for the makeup junkie in your life (or you). So I have posted my haul of the gift sets I got in hopes that this overview will help some of you out!

The first thing I got is the Ole Henrikson 3 Little Wonders. They have this set available year round and it includes 3 full size products. You get a full size truth serum collagen booster (1oz/30ml), Invigorating Night Gel(1 oz/30ml) and Sheer transformation brightening moisturizer(1oz/30ml). I was introduced to this kit by one of my good friends and her suggestions never leave me astray. In fact, this is my fourth time purchasing this kit and that in itself can atone to you how great the products are. I will be doing a more in depth post on this kit soon.

The second item I got is the SEPHORA COLLECTION Desert Sunset Eyeshadow and Blush Palette. Basically, I got this cause because of the price. It was only $11.00 and includes 12 eye shadows, a blush and bronzer. Its a great little set and they eye shadows are pretty good quality (they're no Urban Decay, but they are good!), I think all of the shades make great colors for the winter season.

The third set I received was what the purchase I was most excited about. It is the Sephora Favorites Super Stars gift set. It includes 9 full size products along with 3 very decently sized minis. It is an amazing value (C$336/US$280) for the price you pay (C$90/US$75). Moreover, the majority of these products are amazing and include my one of my favorite blushes of all time (Nars Orgasm), I have over the past week tried out the majorit of the products and so far they have all been two thumbs up. The only product I would be concerned with is the Two Faced Better Than False Lashes system. I have heard from a few blogs that this mascara is horrendous to remove and is very sticky. 

Products Included:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel 2.5 ml/0.085 fl oz (mini)

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray 50ml/1.7 fl oz (full size)

Deborah Lippmann Nail Color in Cleopatra in New York 15ml/0.50 fl oz (full size)

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil 15ml/0.50 fl oz (mini)

Nars Blush & Bronzing Duo in Orgasm & Laguna 5g/ 0.17 oz (full size)

Nars Lipstick in Dolce Vita 3.4g/0.12 oz (full size)

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream 15 ml/ 0.50 fl oz (full size)

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in Light 30ml/1.0 fl oz (full size)

Stila Stay All Day® Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner 0.5ml/0.016 fl oz (full size)

Too Faced Activating Mascara Base & Top Coat 0.9ml/0.30fl (full size)

Too Faced Flexistrech Nylon Lash Fibers 0.8g/0.02oz (full size)

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin & Mushroom 1.5g/ 0.05 oz (full size)

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Rollerball 10ml/0.33 fl oz (mini however full size for a rollerball)

The next gift set I purchased is the Tarte Pure Delights 8-Piece LipSurgence Lip Set. I have heard quite a bit of hype over these lip pencils and I believe they're one of the first of their kind (ie Revelon Kissable Balm Stain, Clinique chubby sticks). Anyways, the set includes 8 different shades in the original formula as well as a matter formula. This would be a great gift for someone starting out with makeup looking for to experiment with different lip colors.

Last but not least, I picked up the Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Anti-Aging Starter Kit, this was a great deal because for some reason it was discounted to C$50 and then along with 20% off (from the VIB sale) it was quite the steal.  Even though this particular set is targeted towards anti aging it would work for a variety of people. This particular set is suppose to help with hydration, texture and the tone of your skin. Unfortunately, this set is no longer available on the Sephora website however they have the Art of Age Control Kit which is somewhat similar. I would try checking you local Sephora to see if they have any laying around. On a side not, make sure if you do decide to gift this or something similar, that the receipent doesn't take it the wrong way.

Well folks that is it for Part I. Be on the lookout for Part II which focuses on my singular purchases (no gift sets).

Hopefully, you enjoyed this post and were able to pick up some ideas. A lot of these sets can also be split up and gifted to more than one individual.

Happy Shopping,
Farhaa
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Last Minute Halloween Ideas

Hey Everyone!

I come to you today with a couple of quick last minute Halloween ideas. They are all pretty simple and require minimal effort.

The first two options are related and can be seen in all its glory above. It is the Ring Girl from the movie The Ring and the Static TV she crawls out of. If you have seen the movie you will know exactly what scene I am refering to. So if you have long black hair like I do and friend without a costume, than this costume will be relatively easy for you

Ring Girl costume:

Items needed:

-long black hair or a wig of some sort

-a white dress or a long white shirt

-black and white face paint ( if you have nothing laying around at home try using a light foundation and some black eyeshadow)

Directions:

All you have to do is put on your outfit and go to town on your face with the black and white face paint. Use the black to create shadows and a sunken look to your face. Part your hair in the middle and bring it forward so your face is partially hidden underneath your hair.

Static TV costume:

Items needed:

-black poster board

-aluminum foil

-sharpie

-pipe cleaners

-old head band

-string

Directions:

Take you aluminum foil and glue it on to your black poster board, then take your black sharpie and draw dots all across the TV to make it seems like there is static. Add a string to the back of the poster board so you can put the TV around your neck. Feel free to add any other details to make your TV look more realistic.

For the antenna, take an old head band and wrap some pipe cleaners around the head band, take your foil and scrunch it up to make 2 little aluminum balls which you can stick on top of the pipe cleaners. Use tape if needed! Dress up in all black and white and you will be good to go!

If you have any questions feel free to leave them down below! Have a Happy Halloween and thanks fo reading!

Farha
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The Perfect Pink Lip: Dior & Chanel

Who says you can't rock a pink lip during fall?
 

I come to you with my perfect combination for a hot pink lip. These two colors will create the perfect pink color that is wearable enough during the day or at night. I have worn this combination with a ton of different eye looks and I find it suits them all pretty well.

The lip stick is from the Dior Addict Extreme line and is in the shade 553 Princess Extreme (seems like this shade was limited edition, I have seen it around at a few counters so check your local  Dior counter, Dior Addict Highshine in 454 Rose Show is a really good dupe!) This shade in particular is a yellow toned hot pink that you can apply a lightly or go full on depending on how deep you want the color to be. I find the formula for this range of lipsticks to be one of my favorites because they are  build-able, creamy, moisturizing and last but not least, just plain beautiful. I am patiently waiting for the Sephora friends and family sale so I can pick up another shade or two.

The other half to the duo is Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in 57 Insolence. This lip gloss is somewhat of a gel texture and is non stick with a very high shine which is most likely due to the gel formulation. I don't find it particularly sticky but it does have a bit tackiness. The gloss is definitely more of blue toned pink which is why it works so well with the lipstick. The two neutralize each other out which helps to create the perfect pink color.

Here is the duo in all its glory:

Face:
Foundation: NARS Sheer Glow in Santa Fe
Blush: NARS blushers in Madly and Orgasm
Bronzer: Benefit's Hoola
Highlighter: Dior Amber Diamond

Eyes:
Mascara: Covergirl Lash Blast
Eyeliner: YSL Eyeliner Effect Faux Cils Shocking
Eyeshadow: random assortment from UD's Naked & Naked 2

Lips:
Lipstick: Dior Addict Extreme in 553 Princess Extreme
Lipgloss: Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in 57 Insolence

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment down below! Don't forget to follow and I hope you all have a great week.


Thanks for reading,
Farhaa
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