Amazing Drugstore Highlighters!

I cannot stop raving enough about these highlighters! Not only are they dirt cheap, but they provide the most beautiful, natural-looking glow to your skin. Although they are both marketed as bronzers, they are best used as highlighters, even for those of you with pale skin (like me!). The first highlighter is the Reserve Your Cabana ColorIcon Bronzer and it is by Wet n Wild. I really love this one, it has a hint of shimmer but nothing too over the top for day-to-day wear. It applies nice and smoothly and it lasts for ages since the pan is so huge. The fact that it has an SPF of 15 is also a plus!

The second highlighter is the Tiki So Baked Bronzer by Hard Candy. This one is pretty popular in the makeup world, and I have to agree it is pretty awesome! Tiki I would say it a little more shimmery then Reserve Your Cabana, but once again it is pretty subtle when applied with a brush. Applied wet however, such as with a beauty blender or a dampened brush, it gives you an even more intense sun-goddess glow, which is perfect for that 'night on the town' look.

Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic: A Review

If you are in the market for an all-natural face mask, Lush definitely has some great options in their Fresh Face Mask line. I tried their Catastrophe Cosmetic mask, and I absolutely loved it! It is made of blueberries, chamomile, almond oil, orange peel oil, and a few other ingredients that your skin will love (see image below for the full list of ingredients). You simply leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes and let it do its magic. Once dry, it becomes clay-like on your skin, but unlike many masks, Catastrophe Cosmetic is super easy to remove with warm water, and feels super refreshing since it is applied cold.  As it is made fresh and without preservatives, it must be kept refrigerated and must be used within 2 weeks of purchase. I highly recommend this product...your skin will thank you! :)

You can see the blueberry chunks! :)

Butter London: British Racing Green

I got this polish as part of the very first giveaway I won by the beautiful Alexandra from 21standserendipity. This is the perfect color for fall with the turning leaves and for winter with Christmas being just around the corner. This deep green called 'British Racing Green' by Butter London has a great consistency, and after only 2 coats my nails were full opaque. I also noticed that the polish lasts longer on my nails even without a clear top coat. This is my first Butter London polish, and I absolutely love it! :)

Brightside Beauty Blog Hop

Hello ladies! I was graciously invited by the lovely Kristin to co-host the Brightside Beauty Blog Hop this weekend! Join in on the opportunity to discover great blogs while also increasing your blogging nest! Be part of the fun and link up! :)

<center> <a href="http://meetmeonthebrightside.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Meet Me on the Brightside" src="http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j287/kaquino21/Blohhopbutton.jpg"/></a></center>

Happy Friday Bloggers!  The weekend is here! Come link up to my Brightside Beauty Blog Hop for a chance to gain new followers and find amazing new reads. Linky list will be open now until this Sunday night 11:59 pm, Ohio time. There are only a few guidelines , so read, follow, and let the fun begin.  Don't forget to come back every Friday to join the blog hop and enter future giveaways :)  The blog this weekend with the most views will win a co-host spot on next weekend's hop so get your network on :)

The Liebster Blog Award

I am so flattered to have been nominated for the Liebster Blog Award by the stunning Nikki from Heaven Has Cupcakes! She is seriously so sweet and literally has made my day and blogging life! :)

For those of you who don't know what the Liebster Blog Award is, it's basically a nomination from someone who loves your blog and wants to show it some love. The blogs that can be nominated for this award are seen as being the up-and-coming blogs and they must have less than 200 subscribers.

October Empties!

Lately I've been trying my best to finish up a lot of the products I've accumulated (some over a few years... pathetic, I know) as I'm seriously starting to feel like a beauty hoarder. So my goal this month was to use up the most products I possibly could in an effort to make more room on my vanity where I keep most of my beauty junk lol. I am really proud of myself... I did better than I anticipated! :)

Come Join me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram! :)

Hey Lovelies!

So I've recently created a Facebook page destined for my blog, and I figured I'd share it with you along with other social media where we can connect and where I can keep you up-to-date with blog posts! :)

Lush: Mint Julips Review

With winter fast approaching, not to mention the cold, dry air associated with the season, my lips have already been signaling their discontent with the rapid change in temperature. The joys of living in beautiful Canada! Luckily, I have come across a great lip scrub by Lush called Mint Julips. During the colder months, I notice how much more often I need to apply lip balm because my lips are CONSTANTLY dry and chapped. It was until I bought this little miracle of a product that I really noticed how much longer my lips stay hydrated. Before purchasing this lip scrub, I attempted to make my own (DIY) lip scrub with granulated sugar, olive oil, and honey, but it just wasn't the same, since it didn't give me the same long-lasting results. Although this lip scrub isn't the cheapest (it retails for a little under $10 here in Canada), it definitely has made a difference for my lips. Mint Julips contains jojoba and peppermint oil, as well as some other hydrating ingredients that are great for the skin. Best part, when you are done scrubbing, you can simply lick the product off! Tastes yummy! :)

Real Techniques Haul!

I had heard so many great things about the Real Techniques brushes designed by makeup artist Samantha Chapman from the UK, but I was always hesitant to purchase them online as they are not available in stores here in Canada and I didn't want to spend a crazy amount on shipping. But after doing some research I came across an affiliated website to the realtechniques.com website called iherb.com which offers a great bargain not only on the brushes but also on international shipping. If you use the coupon code FFM227 prior to checkout on their website, you will get $10 off your purchase if your total is over $40, or $5 off if it totals under $40. Also, iherb.com now offers free international shipping if your cart totals $40 or more, and if not it is a flat shipping fee of only $4, which is crazy cheap! :)

Each set cost me $17.99 (again, I couldn't believe my eyes), but with the coupon code I was able to get an extra $10 off since my order was over $40. So instead of having to pay $54, I only payed $44, which is such a bargain considering the quality of these brushes, and the amount of brushes I got for the price (12 in total).

Here is what I ordered: 

From Left to Right: Core Collection, Travel Essentials, and Starter Set

The Core Collection contains:
contour brush
pointed foundation brush
detailer brush
buffing brush

The Travel Essentials consist of:
essential foundation brush
domed shadow brush
multi-task brush

The Starter Set contains:
base shadow brush
deluxe crease brush
accent brush
pixel-point eyeliner brush
brow brush

Each brush can be used on so many different areas of the face since they are all synthetic and made of taklon bristles. They do not shed, are ultra light-weight, and dry super quickly. Another plus is that the brush names are printed on each brush to simplify use. If you do not own Real Techniques brushes already, you are in for a wonderful treat! :)

Nat xx