Pretty. Little. Liars.

Who is watching Pretty Little Liars?! I have been wanting to watch this show for sometime now, but haven't gotten into it! The show is based of off the novels by Sara Shepard; so I've been thinking that I may start to read the novels before I start watching the show? Has anyone read the books? ANYWAY, the new season premieres Monday! Can't wait! I heard good things about it!

Source: sevensidedcube.net

What are you watching? Let me know!

AVON HAUL: Swatches

This is for you Bhumika! (Hope this helped!)


Here are the swatches from my AVON HAUL posted on Christmas day. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, see it here.


The swatches might look slightly different from what they are in person, I apologize. It's the camera's fault!

I wanted to wear the colors on my face to show you, however, I am not feeling well today and didn't want to put a sickly picture up of myself! ahaha.

I haven't worn everything yet, but I have worn the glazewear sparkle lipgloss in rave and the healthy makeup lipstick in cocoa gleam this weekend, and they look GORGEOUS together! I did find that the metallic eyeliners were hard to swatch, you may need to go over an area more than once for the color to really show up.  

My Christmas weekend!

Since I don't celebrate Christmas, I cannot tell you what presents I got from Santa, what I wore or how we prepared for the day... However, I can tell you that my Christmas was great since I went to a wedding! Here are some snaps from the weekend , I also provided that eye looks I created for each day (Sorry for the quality on some of the photos). Enjoy!


Friday December 24th - Christmas Eve: Today was the Mehendi!

Saturday December 25th - Christmas Day: Today was the Wedding!

Sunday December 26th - Boxing Day: Today was the Reception!

Wow. It was a wedding weekend! We had an amazing time! Great food, fun and family! What more can you ask for?


I hope all of you who celebrate had a wonderful Christmas weekend; and all of you that don't celebrate I hope that your weekend was fun filled relaxing and enjoyable!

Tell me how your christmas weekend went, I would love to know!

AVON HAUL

Hiya! I made some purchases from AVON.ca and decided to share it with you all.

The women in my family have been ordering from AVON as long as I can remember...My aunt was an AVON lady at one point, and my co-worker is too... This would be my first buying experience from AVON since I would usually jack stuff from my mom or ask her to order things for me...

Anyway, AVON.ca was having a sale, and all the products I ordered range from 99 cents to $9.99, which is not bad. I bought 10 makeup items in total, not much, but I decided to try it out and see how I like the products and the online service. Standard shipping was $1.00 if you spend $30, I believe, and if you spend $50 you recieve a free gift..and trust me it is not hard to spend over $50! I had the option of express shipping, but I figured, since it is the holidays my shipment wouldn't arrive this week anyway, why pay the extra money? I ordered my items on December 19th and recieved them on the 24th. I took them a few days to process my information and prepare the shipment, but I honestly didn't expect it to reach me that fast!

Now onto the goodies! Let me know if you would like to see swatches or reviews on these items and I will gladly do them for you.

Hope you enjoyed this post. More later.

Do you like AVON products? Have you purchased from AVON before? If yes, what was your experience like?

Happy Holidays everyone!

Yeah, that's my name, don't wear it out.

Hiya Dolls!

I have been looking for a name necklace since like FOREVER! I can't even explain to you how long it's been since I started looking. I have found many places that make these necklaces or are willing to make these necklaces but I have seen nothing as elegant as April Kawaoka's...and I mean it. She designs, makes and sells many jewelry items on her Etsy shop (which at this point I am eyeing approximately 10 items, ahah!) mostly in Sterling Silver. Did I mention she handmakes her items? See her Etsy shop here and have a look around. I found April's shop through a fellow blogger, Jess.

To see the Etsy listing of the necklace she made me, check it out here.

For details see the Etsy listing of the name necklace here .

I was more than happy to recieve my necklace in the post today, however, since I recieved it as I was running to work I didn't actually get a chance to open it at that moment. I took the package with me to work, and opened it (while no one was looking..shhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone! LOL). I just couldn't contain myself! The packaging itself was gorgeous; the necklace came in a sturdy box with some foam on which the necklace rested on, and April also included a plastic baggie to store the necklace in when not worn (how thoughtful!).



Necklace packaging, and handwritten note



The deets:

• The base price for the necklace is $50 + $10 for every letter.  - It is a little pricey but the quality honestly makes up for it + it's handmade!
• The length of the chain is 16" (can be longer if requested).

April is an amazing seller! She was extremely patient with me (Thank you April!) and she communicated with me every step of the way. One thing in particular that really stood out for me was how April made a sketch so that I could visualize what the end result would look like. I loved this about her! I can't tell you how many shops I have gone to looking for reassurance of what the end result of my name necklace would look like, and all I got was a lot of: "You just have to trust us" or "It will look "something" like this.." but that was not enough.... She was great to work with and I couldn't be happier that I chose her to create a necklace for me. Shipping was great as well, I got my item in 5 days in perfect condition!

Necklace without flash

Necklace with flash

I absolutely LOVE my necklace, it is so precious and I want to wear it all the time!

Overall:

• Great shop
• Great product
• Great seller

Necklace on, worn by myself

I will most definately be purchasing more from April in the near future!


Do you have a name necklace?  What do you look for when buy jewelry online?  Let me know what you think!


x

I just wanted to share a heart warming post  from my personal blog . I witnessed a random act of kindness at my workplace the other day and I wanted to share it with you all.
Check out the link above and let me know of any random act of kindness that you have witnessed so far this holiday season.
More later.
xx.

My love/hate relationship with the winter holidays..

When I think of December, I think of holidays. That makes me think of great deals before Christmas and after Christmas. It also makes me think of the New Year, which makes me reflect on this year that is just about to pass... I think of warm hot chocolate and cookies as well as snow lightly falling outside my window. I think of giving. I think of helping someone out or just giving someone something as simple as a heartwarming smile.  Sounds sweet doesn't it?

Wellllll, not so much: I love the holidays but at the same time I hate the holidays. See my list of reasons below.

I love the christmas holidays because:

1. Of the atmosphere of the holiday season. Everything from the decorations in the malls and shopping centres to the holiday cheer.
2. This is the time to relax and enjoy the company of family & friends.
3. You can great shopping deals!
4. Winter is here; out come the cozy parkas, hats, mittens and scarves!
5. I love winter fashion (but hate the snow!).
6. Might tie into the first point but .. I love that it is the time of GIVING!

Eaton Centre, Toronto - Source: travel.webshots.com 

What I hate about the christmas holidays:

1. That I feel like I am compelled to buy items that I don't even need because of the amazing sales (BAHAH!).
2. I want to buy EVERYTHING that is on sale and I can't because I am not a millionaire.
3. The snow.
4. Angry and impatient people.
5. That the year is ending...
6. I become so lazy after all the time I have off that it is hard to get back into the swing of things.
7. Lineups everywhere!
8. The cold weather that comes with it... CANADA is like the North Pole, mind you.
9. Did I mention.. snow?

Source: deptofnance.blogspot.com/

So that is my love/hate relationship with the winter/christmas holidays. I love it, yet I hate it..what can I say? I can be hard to please sometime! (I'm a Fall baby, what do you expect?! LOL).


What do you LOVE or HATE about the holidays? Have you done your Christmas shopping? Or are you a "last minute shopper" ?


Happy Holidays Everyone!

What I'm wearing: Ski Teal We Drop

I decided that it was time for Light My Sapphire (O.P.I) to come off! (Don't worry I'll bring it out another day!) I was finally ready for something with more color, something brighter...


So I picked up Ski Teal We Drop by O.P.I and I'm loving it so far! I absolutely LOVE anything Teal, it has to be my favourite color.


Ski Teal We Drop is a beautiful blue-ish green-ish shade almost like a sea green but NOT completely...but I love it! I think it is still appropriate for winter since its not too bright.


Along side the usual (O.P.I Chip Skip & Base coat) I applied 2-3 coats of this + 1 coat of clear top coat and ... VOILA it looks gorgeous! :)


For some reason though, in my snaps, the shade came out WAY off! Have a look, but trust me this is NOT what it looks like..it is much darker. The flash is too blame! Sorry, I couldn't get good lighting even from the window (it's so gloomy/cloudy outside!). The last photo will give you the best idea of what it's like, but trust me I'm not a light-blue-nail kinda gal.

Here is a sample swatch:

--> To see my post on the most recently purchased O.P.I nail lacquers click here!


& Your favourite O.P.I shade is___________?  (Let me know, below.)


Alright Girlies, time for me to head to work now. Hope you enjoyed this post!


More later! Mwahh.

Hair Care: I am NOT a fan of ...

As I showered this morning before work, I reached in my shower caddy for my body scrubbie and low and behold I spotted the half-filled (or half-empty :P) bottles of unwanted shampoo and conditioner that have not been used in ages...

... & now I remembered why.

What am I talking about?

It's the Brilliant Glossing Shampoo & Conditioner by Frederic Fekkai.

Check out the Fekkai website here.



What is Frederic Fekkai?
Never heard of this brand? Trust me, I only discovered it a few months ago... like most products, they are hardly available here in Canada. They have a full range of hair products for shampoos and conditioners to styling products.



I ordered the shampoo & conditioner online through Sephora a month or 2 ago; and I believe they have pulled if offshelves since (atleast the one here in Square One). This brand is more readily available in the UK and in the US. It retails for approximately $9.00-$35.00 depending on the size of the bottle (2 oz,8 oz or 16 oz).

What the company says:
As per the description on the compnay website : "Fekkai's legendary shine collection infuses new Encapsulated Shine-Release Complex in its winning formula containing olive oil to renew shine all day, strand by strand, minute by minute."
















The good:

• Reputable brand
• Good formulation
• Lovely scent
• Sturdy Bottle: good quality, not cheap plastic

The bad:

• OVER priced, well just a little...
• Shampoo didn't lather enough
• Conditioner was hard to wash out, much too thick = greasy hair

The ugly:

• Didn't do my hair ANY good, I ended up with frizzy unmanageable hair
• Product invited Hair fallout? Possibily! (once I stopped using it, it decreased).

... & thus I thought to myself, I need to answer the world. The beauty god's are up there shaking their glossy-voluminous-haired-heads at me in shame (for not using up the product, of course). After all that, I thought I should definately do a post on this! I am now trying to figure out what to do with the rest of this product. I could throw it away, along with $46.00 but that would be a waste...

Would I purchase this item again? This particular product? No...but I am tempted to try others from the Fekkai brand (do I ever learn? LOL).



Overall Rating: 5/10 - This product was a huge let down for me..(I used it as soon as I got it in the mail, I was so excited!)

Source: officialkourtneyk.celebuzz.com

Did you know celebrities such as the Kardashian sisters use this product religiously? Kourtney Kardashian specifically mentions it here on her website/blog.



What did I learn?
A hyped product doesn't ALWAYS mean it's good. Also, a more expensive product doesn't always mean it's good either! ... but there is no harm in trying, right? That's how you learn ... next time I know to be more aware of what I am putting my hard earned money towards.



Just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for YOU! I have read other reviews of how it worked amazingly well! I wish I could say the same! Don't have the cash? You can try the mini bottles for $10 each as a "trial" (which I was thinking I should have done that first before purchasing the bigger size).



I guess I will just stick to my cheaper Garnier Fructis shampoo/conditioner meanwhile, they do my hair WONDERS!

Have you purchased the Brilliant Glossing Shampoo & Conditioner by Frederic Fekkai? Have you purchased any items from this line? What do you look for in a good shampoo & conditioner? Your thoughts? Leave 'em below!

Hope this was informative!



LA LA Love you girls! (& boys! Hi Soh! <3)

Lauren Conrad Style

Lauren Conrad Style
Hardcover, 224 pages
Published Oct.5th,2010/Harper Collins


Source: stylebakeryteen.com

I am a fan of Lauren Conrad,and I have been since I started watching the popular MTV reality shows: Laguna Beach &The Hills. She seems like a genuine person; and I like her down to earth girl-next-door personality. Lauren has accomplished many things at the young age of 24 years old. She has been on the covers of many magazines and publications aside from her own NEW YORK TIMES bestselling novels. She also designs her own clothing line, The Lauren Conrad Collection. Lauren has an elegance to her and she looks great in whatever she wears, and her personality shows through her choice of clothing. Lauren is truly a role model.




Style

I was so excited to get my hands on this book, I just couldn't wait! I finally purchased it (see my bookstore haul here) and couldn't wait to start reading. Since it is a style guide, it is a well illustrated and much easier read, which means I finished it in a day. A matter of hours to be precise.

I actually really enjoyed this book and it looks great as a conversation piece on the coffee table... I go back to this book for style suggestions and inspiration...

I've read mixed reviews about this book as well. Some love it, some hate it and others are not sure what they think.... I personally love it. I guess it all depends on whether Lauren herself appeals to you; and whether her style appeals to you or not...

But definately do not judge a book by its cover.

Have you read/purchased this book? If not, would you purchase it? Your thoughts?

I am on winter break + I am a winner!

Hi everyone!


First off I would like to mention that:


I am one of the 3 winners of miss.erica's "Love Yourself Giveaway"! I never win anything (I had to do a double take of my name because I thought it was someone else with the same name! ahhah!), and I entered the contest with no intention of winning, I just wanted to submit an answer, and what do you know...I became a winner! I recieved my goodies earlier this week...It was really nice of her to this giveaway (thank you Erica!).


To be entered all you had to do is tell Erica one thing you love about yourself along with your details, it was that easy... I loved the idea of this giveaway because its the first of its kind (that I have seen) and I just thought it was nice since it wasn't specifically a beauty giveaway; it was more personal and a way for you to reflect on yourself ...


You can see miss.erica's giveaway results here. She is so sweet (and she's Canadian!), do check out her blog sometime!


This just goes to show: try your luck, you never know! & I mean that, not just in giveaways or contest but in life too.


--> Take chances! ..and who knows, it might be the best decision you've ever made!

P.S. - I am in NO way bragging about my win, I just wanted to encourage you to take chances! :)




Secondly, I am officially on my winterbreak! If you follow my personal blog you might have heard already that I finished my last exam yesterday morning! I am so thrilled! I will be off for approximately 3 weeks of which I will be very busy working and with holiday parties + winter weddings! Hopefully I can get some more reviews in during this time!


If there is anything in particular you would like me to review, drop me a comment below and I will definately respond with an answer!


Let the holidays begin! :)

Hair Care: Proclaim Argan Hair Oil Treatment

Hey Dolls! I have a hair care post for you, enjoy!

Hair oiling has been done in India for a very longggg time; and everytime I go back, I get it done by my aunts or cousins. It is so relaxing and promotes healthy hair and scalp. I have used many different types of hair oils; everything from Coconut oil to Sesame Seed oil and Amla oil. There are TONS and I mean TONS of brands of hair oil in India, how do you know which one to choose? It's interesting to see how those same brands have actually made their way abroad to US and Canada store shelves! Looks like it is no longer only practiced in India anymore...

Why do you think all the girls in India have long thick beautiful hair? ahah!

Source: sallybeauty.com

The Product:

Proclaim Argan Hair Oil Treatment

3 fl oz. (89 mL)

Claims to: Provide Intense Shine and Help Eliminate Frizz

"Proclaim Argan Oil Hair Oil Treatment is uniquely formulated with Argan Oil to help repair dry, damaged hair."

Package directions: Apply a small amount of Proclaim Argan Oil Hair Oil Treatment in your palm and distribute evenly throughout damp or dry hair. Style as desired.

Check this product out on the Sally Hansen website here for details.

I have been using Proclaim Argan Hair Oil Treatment for the last few weeks. I purchased this product at my local Sally Hansen (for those not in Canada, you can purchase this product online from Amazon), for somewhere around $6.99, but I have to say I love it! I have seen this product being called a dupe to Moroccan Oil.

Argan oil is produced from the kernels of the Argan tree in Morocco. The tree is widely used for nutritive, cosmetic and medicinal purposes and it is rich in Vitamin E.

Just so you know...

I have medium-long thick black hair (with faded highlights), I use this product as you would a deep conditioner. I was told by the Sally employee that you can use this product in wet or dry hair...but I'm not sure I like the idea of using an oil in clean wet hair...has anyone ever done that before? The Sally Hansen employee also told me that you only need a very small amount of product, and you do not need to use too much. I was appalled! Only a small amount? Would that really do anything?

My routine includes:

1. Changing into a pair of clothes that I don't mind getting ruined, or just a raggidy old t-shirt (You wouldn't want any oil products near your favourite sweater, would you?).
2. I take a few drops of the product and warm it up by rubbing my hands together.
3. Gently massage my scalp with my hands; focus on areas such as the hairline closest to the forehead and behind my ears.
4. I use as much product as I feel necessary. How much you use is all personal preference and may depend on the thickness of your hair.
5. Sometimes I wrap my hair in a small hand towel, or simply clip my hair up loosely, or leave it untied and keep the oil in overnight for the "deep conditioning" affect. I know it sounds odd (and messy) to sleep with a head full of oil but trust me it does wonders! (Mind you, I cover my pillows with a thicker towel so I don't get my pillows oily!)
6. Wash it off the next morning and I have shiney and silky hair!

I do this oil routine almost every other day (so when ever I will shower the following day). My hair feels great afterwards; so soft and healthy! This has to be one of my favourite products ever! I love the sweet smell (something I have never experienced with hair oils before) and it is not at all heavy, and will not wear your hair down.

The Good:

• Great scent, smells sweet
• Not as greasy, as other hair oils I've used
• No build up
• Adds shine

The Bad:

• Bottle size, much too small.

Overall Rating: 9/10

Would I buy this again? Definately! I am already looking for a bigger bottle!

I am now looking to get my hands on other Proclaim products! :)

** Remember: what works for me, may not work for you. My reviews are based on personal experiences and opinion. **

Have you tried Proclaim Argan Hair Oil? Your thoughts?

Sigma Duo Fibre - F55

Hey dolls!


I purchased my first Sigma Brush (I know, what took me so long!?!?) on Black Friday since they were having an awesome FREE SHIPPING deal.


I have been contemplating purchasing from Sigma for a LONG time, I did a post on this back in September, see it here .


I purchased the Sigma Duo Fibre - F55 [ click for product details ]  for only $14.00 on November 26th and it arrived today by mail!


It is so lovely, the bristles are so soft and the brush looks great. I am quite impressed to say the least, I can't wait to purchase more!


I actually was looking to get the Naughty in Black Travel Kit for $49.00, but I just recently bought a mixed array of brushes from The Body Shop and Superdrug and didn't feel the need to buy more brushes... but I think I'm going to go ahead and purchase a set!


I was presently surprised that shipping didn't take as long, I anticipated another 3 to 4 weeks for delivery!


I may do a review once I have gotten a chance to use the brush to its fullest...look out for that!


--> Visit Sigma here.

Have you purchased from Sigma before? If so, what were your experiences like? Have a favourite Sigma brush? Let me know! I appreciate your feedback, so comment and criticize!

Fresh Face: Freida Pinto

Source: Google Images

You may remember this elegant beauty as the star of the 8 Academy Award winner Slumdog Millionaire; Freida Pinto.

She is a professional model and actress of Indian descent who made headlines after the 2008 hit movie released.

I love her effortless style! Her petite frame makes her look good in almost anything! She has this natural elegance to her, which I absolutely adore! Definately someone I look upto!



Source: cnngo.com


























She has also appeared on various magazine covers such as: Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Harpers Bazaar, People, and ELLE among others.


We hope to see more of her soon!

Recently Purchased O.P.I Nail Lacquers

Hiya!
Approximately a week or so ago I found a great place to buy O.P.I nail lacquers online with minimal shipping costs (go me!).
The closest place for me to purchase O.P.I nail polishes would have to Trade Secrets at the Square One Shopping Centre (for all of you in Toronto/Canada) which is not as close as I would like. Moreover, why would I buy O.P.I's for $9.99 at Trade Secrets when they cost $5.35 CDN on Ebay?

I know what you are thinking.. "Ebay? Your joking, right?". Yes, the truth I shall tell. I bought them off of Ebay! Shipping was also cheap for Canada which was great. Not only did they have O.P.I nail lacquers, they also carried other brands such as China Glaze and some Essie. O.P.I is by far my favourite and so I only buy nail lacquers by them.


I decided to try my luck and bought 4 amazing shades.

• O.P.I - Otherwise Engaged



Source: mp.hairboutique.com

• O.P.I - Conquistadorable Color




Source: berelax.com


• O.P.I - Light My Sapphire (Can you tell why I bought this one? The hint is in the name!)



Source: digitalhouse.net

• O.P.I - Ink

Source: millies.ie

& I'm going back for more! I just love shopping in the comfort of my own home!


I bought them on the 21st of November, they were shipped on the 23rd and I recieved them on the 30th. Not bad eh? The nail polishes were individually wrapped in bubble wrap and came in a sealed mailing envelope. I had no issues with any damages or wrapping, the products were fine.


My next O.P.I purchases?

1. Royal Rajah Ruby
2. Black Cherry Chutney
3. Plugged in Plum
4. Romeo & Joliet
5. Bastille My Heart
6. Get Me To The Taj On Time
7. Diva of Geneva
8. My Private Jet
9. Curry Up Don't Be Late
10. Baby Blue

& I could probably add a few more.


Interested in purchasing from the mentioned Ebay seller? To see the seller's store click here. For the seller's profile click here. This sellers feedback score is great (I always go through the seller's feedback before I make a purchase).

• To see my post on Light My Sapphire click here!

If you do decide to purchase from this Ebay seller, let me know. I would love to hear your experience. What are your favourite O.P.I shades? Let me know.