Quick Fix: Revamping Your Garbage

Hi everyone! Today we're talking more trash, but not in the same way as last time.

My sister is moving into my old place so while on vacation in Toronto I had to officially move every last bit of my stuff out of there for her to move in. There was a lot of stuff I came across that I wanted to pop into storage, and some I wanted to hand off to her, but some stuff just didn't have a use or a space but seemed a shame to throw away. This beauty was one of them; a simple pen cup from an office supply store that we seem to have 4 of. My sister can only use so many, and I already have one for my office at work, but I got to thinking about how else I could use this.

In the same move, I knew I wanted to bring back all my art supplies with me as I found myself missing them this entire year. I gathered up my paintbrushes (and there are a lot) and thought I had finally found my use for the pen cup! It didn't suit the style of my new place at all, though, so I decided to give it a quick spritz of gold spray paint and I think it turned out great! Here are some pictures of my super quick fix DIY project.

Before:

After:

Jewellery Organisation

To continue off of one of my earliest posts of jewellery organization, I thought I would post images of my necklace and earring system that has been working well for me.  

These hooks and wall-hangs are all repurposed from our storage room. My mom used them in past houses that we've lived in, but they have been sitting there for four years so I snatched them up for myself. Once upon a time, these were gold, black and cream, but a fresh (and somewhat messy) coat of paint can make anything look brand new. I love the way the necklaces overlap and everything looks busy but organized. I can see everything I have and don't have to fight to find something in the morning.

The only storage solution that I have stored away are my earrings, and this is just because this is the only system that works for me. I have 6 piercings on my ears, therefore a lot of earrings to decorate them with. I've tried earring holders, hooks and a million different DIY suggestions, but this really keeps me most organize. Earrings never go missing and I know exactly where every pair will be. One of the trays goes further back into the drawer and isn't as accessible, so that is where I store my less-worn earrings that I am not quite ready to give to my baby sister. The section on the right holds earrings that don't fit in the little square compartments (I have very few of these as you can see) as well as delicate bracelets that I don't want to throw in the bowls in fear of them getting scratched, tarnished or tangled.

So, there you have it! Bracelets, necklaces and earrings all have their own place and everything is simple enough to find when I am still in my half-asleep phase as the sun is rising. Any delicate and sentimental jewellery I actually didn't bring with me in my move, but it has a special place in my Grandmother's jewellery box back home in Toronto.

How do you store your jewellery pieces?

B

Products I've Used Up 3

Another PIUU post and I am happy to report I am almost to the end of all my samples and excess products… well, relatively speaking. I have about 20% of what I started with, which is a huge improvement. That being said, I still have a lot to get through. Anyway, let's get started!

In my previous PIUU post, I talked about the L'Oréal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara. The only thing about this mascara I didn't like was the fact that it was waterproof, but my lovely friend Jodie gave me her favourite mascara as a gift which was this exact mascara but not waterproof and with a curved brush. I still love this mascara, but I don't know if the curved brush was for me. Once I use up some more mascaras I will be buying the regular brush, non waterproof version and I think this will be the jackpot!

Another mascara I used up was a sample size of Le Volume de Chanel - this mascara was absolutely amazing. I rarely buy high-end mascaras because I find that there is always a drug store version available that can do the same if not a better job. This one, however, is unlike any mascara I've ever used. It separates the lashes, the formula is nice and thick but easy to work with, it is incredibly black, adds incredible volume and even lengthens (though that isn't one of it's strengths.) This is one of those mascaras that I may end up revisiting down the line if I can't find one like it, which makes me upset because I can imagine that this won't be cheap… 

Something more boring will be these hotel amenity deluxe samples I've been using up from BeeKind - I used up two shampoos, two conditioners, two shower gels and one bar of soap. 

All of these products were okay… nothing better than that, though. The conditioner worked, the shower gel cleaned just fine and the shampoo took the sand and salt out of my beach hair, but that was it. Nothing was the least bit moisturizing and none of them had a great smell, all with a bit of a natural citrus scent, which are two of my least favourite scents. Ever.

The cleansing bar I actually used for my makeup brushes. I had never tried a solid cleanser before for my brushes and it was a pleasant surprise, I just hate barred soap so much that I can't stand using it. It made my hands feel dry and waxy, even when just using it for my brushes. It did intrigue me to try the beauty blender solid cleanser, though. I felt that this product in specific really didn't impress me. 

Next up, makeup wipes and vitamins - thrilling, I know… The Kirkland wipes would have been the best makeup wipes of all time if they didn't burn my eyes so badly! The Bioderma Baby Wipes are nice and sturdy, but don't really remove makeup that well. I only ever use these when I am using a cleansing balm or makeup removing oil, and for that they work well. I have another pack on the go now and my opinion remains the same. The Simple Eye Make-Up Removing Wipes were horrible, but perfect for after doing my eye shadow and using them under my eyes and to create a clean line. I will definitely be repurchasing these, but for that reason only. I hate wasting a whole full sized wipe just for removing fallout from my face, so these worked perfectly. Last but not least is that silver package, and the reason I am not giving those a name is because they look the same but come with different names (as you can see in these two images) - these are the best makeup wipes I've ever used in my life and the least expensive, too. Highly recommended. 

Vitamins are vitamins, but I don't need to take these anymore as I've changed my diet and reintroduced meat, so I simply finished these up and tossed them, but they've been sitting in my cabinet for ages so wanted to include them just so I could feel a sense of accomplishment. #sorrynotsorry

Next up is the Benefit Gimme Brow - I have never used a brow gel before, so perhaps thats why I love this so much, but this is amazing! The tint makes your brows look fuller for days you don't want to have to do the whole brow routine, but still leaves them looking a bit alive and helps frame the face. I am currently using the lighter colour and I definitely think the darker one is better for my brunette hair, but I am loving it and so happy I have some back ups as I don't want to ever be without this product. I will definitely be trying some other brow gels just to compare and make a well rounded decision, but yes - definitely recommend this product.

This Loreal Eyeliner was horrendous. It transferred thick, it was impossible to achieve a fine line, it flaked off after a few hours of wear. Just horrible!

 The Soap & Glory Feel Good Factor SPF25 Facial Moisture Lotion was a disappointment. The packaging claimed that 90% of women said they would never use another moisturizer again, but after using it I have come to the conclusion that these women were clearly not in their right mind. I used most of this bottle as a face primer after moisturizing and before foundation as I did find that it helped the product adhere to my face better, but it didn't soak it at all and it smelled funny. The Pantene Pro-V Milky Damage Repair was an amazing conditioning treatment for my ends. I am currently using the Healthy Sexy Hair spray in conditioning treatment, but after using this and the Macadamia treatment, I think I will be hearing off of spray treatments and sticking with ones similar to this - I will definitely consider purchasing the full size of this once I'm done the other two full-size products I currently have that serve the same purpose.

I have never spray tanned, fake tanned or laid in a tanning booth, but I got this PR sample so thought I would give it a try and it actually worked really well! I will never be a fake tanner, ever, but if this is something you like, I highly recommend the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pads. 

 Lastly, we have a pack of Cool & Cool Cosmetic Cotton Buds. These are amazing as they have one flat ended sided and another tapered pointed end, which are great for cleaning up mistakes or making clean lines on the face. There are a million brands of this, but this is the one I got and it works great.

Well, that's it for now, but there is more to come! Speak soon,

Bianca

DIY Coasters

Hi everyone! I'm back today to share with you a project I took on recently. I've been searching for coasters that match my room decor for quite some time and I either found ones that weren't quite right or were way out of my price range. Of course, I took it upon myself to make my own!

Things you'll need: Cork coasters, white acrylic paint, a paint brush, a spray paint in the colour of your choice, another spray paint in the accent colour of your choice and a sealing spray

Step 1: Paint all the coasters with the base coat of white acrylic paint. This step can be optional, but I find that in order for the colours to be vibrant, this really helps.

Step 2: Set up an area where it is safe to spray paint and go to town! As you can see, I've included here a box lid that I will be using for another project that essentially follows the same steps.

 Step 3: Wait, flip, spray, repeat.

Steps 3 + 4: I don't have pictures of these, but all I did is waited until the coasters were completely dry, in my case I waited until the next weekend as I never have time on weeknights, but as long as they are dry it should be fine. I used masking / painters tape to create an array of designs, making sure to tape over the areas I wanted to remain the minty blue colour. I then sprayed with my gold paint and let dry. The gold I used was really good quality so only one coat was needed, but spray as desired.

Step 5: Right after you spray and the paint is still wet, delicately remove the tape and leave to dry.

Step 6: Enjoy your beautiful, custom designed new coasters! I used a theme of mixing geometric with organic patterns, making sure each design lacks consistency. I wanted them to reflect my style, so make sure you use patterns that reflect who you are!

Here is the finished product:

Let me know if you make your own coasters, I'd love to see pictures!

B

Products I've Used Up 2

Alright, it is time for round two of my 'products I've used up' blog series. I am happy to have made a serious dent in my stash (and as you saw in my latest shopping haul, I've already let myself buy some new products). 

I am proud to say that I really refrained from using any of my full size products if I had sample sizes of something that did the same thing. I still have an insane amount of samples left and multiple duplicates of products that essentially do the same thing, but I am making progress! I also will admit to placing an order through the Sephora semi-annual sale last week, but that is being shipped to my Canadian home, so I won't actually see the purchase until the end of July! Sad kitten… 

<-- This Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser was a very pleasant surprise for me. It was gentle on the skin and lathered up really nicely - I will definitely consider repurchasing this when I run out of my Philosophy Purity cleanser. 

The Soap & Glory Hand Food is something I expected to love but didn't. There was such an insane hype over this product. Half of the youtube beauty community said it was a breakthrough hand cream, but to be quite honest I was really disappointed. It left my hands feeling greasy and the scent was okay, but nothing to write home about. The Ombrelle Face Sunscreen in SPF 45 was really just a sunscreen - and I know I should wear this everyday but I honestly hate sunscreen so using this up before it expired was a chore. There is still a tiny bit left in there but it is past date so no point using it up now. The L'Oréal Revitalift Miracle Blur was another one of these duds. It was so thick that it felt like I was tugging at my skin to rub it in, it left my face feeling oily, I didn't see nor feel a difference, the packaging made it difficult to get product out in a normal amount, and the product itself was so weird that I couldn't tell if it was a solid or a gel. Big thumbs down. Next up is the Clairins Extra-Firming Night Moisturizing Cream for Dry Skin. This was way too thick and moisturizing for my skin type, and I have dry skin… It left my face feeling greasy almost to the point where I wanted to take it off. I used it for a week's worth of nights on my face and then finished it by using it on my elbows, knees and feet. The Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correcting Cream on the other hand was lovely! I probably wouldn't repurchase it simply because I've liked things better, but it is definitely one worth trying out. The Dior Créme Multi-Perfection was another one that I did like, but it was more of a borderline gel formula that probably would be better suited for normal skin types. Dior's One Essential Super Serum is just another serum to me. As I've said before - serums are one thing I haven't found necessary in my routine. I have yet to find one that I like enough to buy full-size, so until that happens, I won't be purchasing one.

Two mascaras were used up this month. Well, one was used up and the other I probably could have kept using but had been using it for way past when I should have been. The one I used up completely is the Benefit They're Real! This is another product I expected to love, and though it was an amazing mascara, is it worth the hefty price tag? This product was really great at adding volume and lengthening in a way that makes your lashes really stand out. (Left - Benefit's They're Real, Right - L'Oréal Voluminous)                   --> 

I do understand why people love it so much, but to be quite honest I don't think I would ever purchase this again. In my opinion, I have used several drug store and other high end mascaras that have the same effect on my lashes, so once I use up the ones I have in my stash, I won't be purchasing this again. The L'Oréal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara on the other hand was perfection. I will repurchase and repurchase and repurchase this product in the non-waterproof version. I hate how difficult waterproof mascara is to get off, and my lashes hold a curl pretty well regardless of what I put on them. I am already using the non-waterproof one and will give a full review when I finish it!

Johnson's Baby Shampoo is what I use to clean my makeup brushes. This is probably the 4th bottle of this that I've used and I am using another, but the larger size. I love this very much and it cleans my brushes so well, but I may try Dawn Dish Soap next just to see how it compares. I highly recommend this for deep cleaning your brushes. The St. Ives Apricot Scrub was a fine enough facial exfoliator but I probably wouldn't repurchase it. Not for any reason really, it worked fine, but I just think I would rather experiment and try others. I used up another one of my Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea Body Wash - this is the travel friendly size that I got in a gift set. I do love this body wash so much. It lathers great and smells even better, but as I mentioned I think once I finish all my body washes I will continue to repurchase the Bioderma one in my last 'products I've used up' post. I also used up a deluxe size sample of the Avenue No-Rinse Cleanser and Makeup Remover, which I found to be a very strange product. I have used several cleansing balms in the past and this was definitely not a cleansing balm, though by its description that's what I thought it would be! It really was a no-rinse cleanser… You apply it to your dry face and then use a muslin cloth to remove it. Though this did take off most of my makeup, I went in with my Bioderma afterwards and still had to spend quite some time removing makeup. Plus, it left my skin feeling like I needed to wash it, so obviously this cleanser wasn't doing such a great job.

To the left are two types of pore strips. The first of which, the Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips are a classic and I will always purchase these. They just work. That being said, I am always willing to try out new brands because I feel like there is more out there. That is why I purchased these Japanese Charcoal Pore Strips, and boy did these work wonders! Not necessarily better than the Biore ones, to be honest the black ones came with a trickier application due to them slipping around a bit upon placing them on your wet nose, but I would still recommend them. I purchased these specific ones at Daiso.

I finally finished up the Tresemme Remoisturising Conditioner for all hair types. This conditioner was great, but I think by about the half-way mark my hair was begging for a change. I find that with shampoos and conditioners I have to fluctuate otherwise I find them ineffective. The bottle to the left of it was another product I was pleased to finish. This No-name brand hand soap had an artificial lemon scent, which I am just not a fan of, though now that I've switched to another hand soap I have to say that I miss having clear and light hand soap for by my sink. After the strawberry one in my bathroom is empty, I think I will stick to clear soaps with a clean scent.

Below are three samples of the Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra Comfortable Body Cream. I have to say it was ultra comfortable indeed! It felt great on my skin and really hydrated it without making it feel greasy, but I could not stand the smell. I hate to say that I wouldn't repurchase it for that reason alone! I also have used up two more of the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil and regret to inform you that my stance is firm, I HATE USING OILS! Hopefully I just need to find the right way of using them. Luckily I have a million more of these samples to experiment with… 

These Radical Anti-Aging Restorative Moisture samples were another pleasant surprise from Radical. Moisturising, not greasy and a pleasant smell. The Radical Peptide Infused Anti-Oxidant Serum on the other hand, is less than pleasant. I used up three more of these samples and I am glad they are gone. They smell horrible, they leave the skin looking orange (and still smelling horrible), and their effects are unnoticeable. 

That's it for this 'products I've used up' post, but another will be coming shortly! Let me know your thoughts on any of these products and what you've used up recently!

<3 B

Oops, I went shopping…

I have accumulated a lot of new purchases and gifts from my loving mother, so I thought, where better to celebrate these new and exciting purchases than on the blog?

I purchased two NYX Butter Glosses - I have one already, in a shade I can't remember off the top of my head, but it is more of a peachy pink. These two, in shades Créme Brulé and Tiramisu, are beautiful neutrals. The first has more pink tones while the second is slightly more brown. I am so excited to experiment with these overtop different lipsticks and liners!

I had a credit note to Bloomingdales so spent it wisely on Coco Mademoiselle. This perfume has such an amazing scent and since my collection currently consists of about 1 months worth of a $9 Sweet Pea Body Spray from Bath & Body Works, I figured it was ok to let myself splurge (plus it didn't technically cost me anything!)

I also finally managed to find a MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20 - I have literally been searching for about 6 months and haven't been able to find it. I've already started using this to find out what all the hype was about and I swear this is the best under eye concealer I've ever used. I have never witnessed a concealer that doesn't crease under my eyes!

 Lastly are two pairs of shoes that my mom so thoughtfully bought for me! I have been in desperate need of new shoes as currently I pretty much only have two pairs of work shoes. The teal pair is beautiful with a nice platform and chunky heel, which is perfect for evening events that we seem to have so many of this time of year.

The second pair is something a little bit outside of my comfort zone, but also falls directly within my Barbie-style wardrobe. These give me height and a slight angle to the leg without being a sky-high heel. I have a feeling these are going to be a favourite! *Update: I ended up returning these shoes. I brought them on a business trip as my only pair of heels and as soon as I put them on and looked in the mirror I just thought they looked horrible! They made my feet look 3 sizes bigger so back to the store they went. 

I haven't shopped much for myself in the longest time as I haven't really needed anything. I went through a horrible shopping phase where I bought anything I wanted badly enough without thinking 'but Bianca, you already have 7 cardigans that look just like this…' Okay, I thought it, but I didn't take myself seriously. I have been trying to be more sensible with where I spend my money, and even though everyone knows I don't need any more lip products, I don't feel too bad. Have you bought yourself anything recently?