WHAT I PACKED . THE PART¥NEXTDOOR AFTER PART¥

Tonight I'm headed back to Hamilton to celebrate The Juno Awards the only way a rap fiend knows how: partying with the OVO crew at the PARTYNEXTDOOR after party. The only problem... what  the hell to pack!! Since I've spent the majority of the weekend working I haven't been able to plan out my outfit, let alone my makeup for the night, which makes packing a real struggle. My solution: versatile products that will offer me variety when it's time to prep for the night, but won't weigh down my backpack. 

Two products that I knew would be coming home with me regardless of my outfit were the Karora Express Bronzing Mousse and the St. Tropez Luxe Dry Oil. These are must haves when it comes to prepping for a party or night out because I know I'll be showing off a bit of skin, and that skin must be golden – especially for the OVO boys. The Karora Express Bronzing Mousse helps me create a gorgeous base, while the St. Tropez Luxe Dry Oil further deepens my tan and adds a beautiful shimmer to my skin. To prep my face I've brought along my Boscia Luminizing Black Mask, which awakens my skin, helping it boast a luminous glow, even texture and smooth feel – creating the perfect base for my Marc Jacobs Beauty Marvelous Mousse Transformative Oil-Free Foundation. This is my go-to foundation for nights when I want flawless, heavy coverage that won't budge. Another go-to, and truly a packing no-brainer is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit. I did a full review of this palette seen here, and I still can't get enough of it. The shades are versatile for a variety of skin tones, and are heavily pigmented yet blend out with ease, making the chiseled look accessible to everyone, even the contour newb. The remainder of my look is completely up in the air until I settle on one of the three outfits I've brought to my parents house with me. And given that fact, I figured I'd bring an eyeshadow palette that offered me a lot of versatility alongside some high-impact colours, in the event that I felt super daring. The palette I speak of is the Smashbox Double Exposure Palette, of course, which includes 14 shadows that magically transform with the addition of water, giving each shade either a more intense, more metallic or sparkling swatch. I'm pretty positive that I'll be sticking with a dark eye and muted lip for the night, but at this point who knows!!

Do you have any suggestions for my look tonight?!?

AM¥     XO

[*]The items featured in this post have been sent to THE PRETT¥ VAIN for purpose of review. All views expressed reflect my own opinion on the product. For additional information please see the Disclaimer.

BEEN TRILL? NAH, JUST ILL

Five days into the new year and I've already been MIA. I wish that I could pretend it was because I got caught up with the merriment of the occasion and the 'newness', but sadly that's not the case. I've been down, out, and back to momma bears for a little TLC to help battle the horrid flu I had caught. Thankfully with a bit of motherly love, a lot of liquids and an absurdly long Keeping Up With The Kardashians marathon I've made it out alive. But there are a few beauty products that were absolute life-savers when it came to coping with this virus, and they definitely deserve an honorable mention – I mean we've basically been bff's the past week. 

The flu has this nasty habit of draining every last ounce of moisture from your body. I've been combating this issue two ways: drinking lots of water/tea/anything fluid, and restoring my skin with moisture-packed products. For tea I've been turning to cold 911, one of the loose leaf tea's found in my David's Tea David's Top 12 gift set – it's caffeine free and packed with peppermint, juniper, and citrus to soothe. I'm not going to pretend that it was the cure, but it certainly made my throat feel more comfortable and was delicious to sip on while watching those Kardashian girls – plus the lack of caffeine meant I could sip at all hours. I was also, at all hours (and on repeat), applying cream to my poor red nose, layering lip balm on my chapped lips, and replenishing my hands from over-washing. For my nose I turned to the Aveeno Fresh Essentials Hydrating Night Cream, being the thickest cream in my vanity I knew it would work wonders – when applied it stung slightly, but also instantly rid my nose of flakes. My lips were healed with my favourite lip balm, the Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm, which also provided an intense minty scent that worked nearly as well as Vicks VapoRub at clearing my sinuses. And the Royal Apothic Hand Cream in Holland Park remained my go-to after washing my hands, which I did incessantly. There is absolutely nothing worse than feeling dry and chapped, so it has been essential to have these 'flu-saviors' within arms length all week.

I also found myself bored, which lead to frequent showers. But who can blame me? Nothing feels better than lingering in the shower, letting the hot steam open your airways. Which also gave me ample time to treat my hair with my Bumble and Bumble Créme de Coco Masque – a hair mask I can't seem to shut up about. I may have looked worse for wear but my hair was soft and full of shine. I also cured my boredom with a stellar hour of removing my shellac manicure (note the sarcasm), followed by a full at-home manicure featuring Shine For Me, a new shade released by OPI for their 50 Shades Of Grey Collection. This polish is so unexpectedly beautiful – a shimmering silver base with small blue and purple hex glitter. I may not have read the novel, however I'm sure if I had I'd be telling you that this polish makes me wet... Too far?

I wouldn't wish this illness on anyone, not even an enemy, but it seems to be spreading quickly so be prepared! 

What helps you get past the flu?

AM¥     XO

TWO AND A HALF DECADES OF EXPERIENCES

Twenty Five. A Quarter of a Century. The moment you know – darling, we're not in Kansas anymore. There is a certain weighted feeling that comes with turning twenty five – it's the moment when you clearly understand that you are an adult, and from here on out every decision you make is truly your own. I can remember laying in my twin-sized bed in my first year of University with my roommate discussing all the things we aspired to achieve by the age of twenty-five. I look back on that day and laugh at the naivety that floated through my head – none of the things I envisioned happened and you know what, that makes me the happiest.

Now, I can look back on my twenty five years and feel truly proud that I have followed my heart (over my head) in each and every situation. I've loved and been loved, and understood that sometimes, although it can be terrifying, there is a need to gracefully let go of the things not meant for you. I've surrounded myself with people who build me up, who make me feel like I can conquer the world.. and most importantly – people who have shown me that happiness comes when you are at your truest form – free. 

And although I may not have it all together just yet, I'm getting pretty damn close.