I'm not going to pretend to be any sort of health savant, or deny the fact that I have eaten several items off of the floor (guilty), many items past their expiration date (guilty), and even the occasional desperate "I won't let it go to waste, I don't care if someone else threw it in the garbage" as a child (embarrassingly guilty). However, I must be doing some things right, since I hardly ever get sick. I moved to Montreal in August 2011, and I have only had one case of a cold that lasted longer than 48 hours, and keep in mind, I lived in communal student residence during that time. Now that it's the start of a new year, and ambitious resolutions that won't be kept, I thought I would share one of my favourite little products that packs a punch - the scented hand sanitizers from Bath & Body Works. 

I recently picked these four tubes up, but I have gone through several of these in the past. Depending on the season, the prices of these vary but they are always super cheap. Right now, you can buy these for under a dollar each, and that's a pretty fair price to pay for clean hands. I try to keep one near me at all times: in my purses, on my night table, near my makeup mirror, etc. As much as we all remember to wash our hands after we go to the bathroom, many people neglect doing so before they eat, apply makeup, or handle food (hey, myself included). Striving for cleaner hands in one of the most realistic resolutions we can all make. The best part about these hand sanitizers, is that they come in a multitude of delicious scents from the Bath & Body Works line. Personally, I love my hand sanitizers in sweet, gourmande flavors (can you tell?), but they also have plenty of neutral, fruity, floral or masculine scents available to satisfy your scent preferences. Note: the scents on many of these have better staying power than some of my perfumes, so I would pick scents you enjoy quite a bit.

I have faith that 2014 will be one of the best years yet (and if you won't believe me, then you should at least believe one of my favourite authors, John Green). Stay healthy, and get thee some cute holiday-scented hand sanitizers to bring those warm, celebratory feelings into the new year, while resisting illness as best as you can (also, vitamin C!). 

Happy New Year world! Crazy to believe it's already two thousand and fourteen...time can really fly eh? Personally, when someone refers to 2009, I feel like that was super-recent, but it was actually five years ago (holey moley cakes). This time of year is always very crazy for my family of six, since four of us have our birthdays during the month of December (and one in November, oy). Between Hannukah, exams, all of those birthday, the power outage we had from the 21st to the 25th (ah, Canadian ice storms), and finally New Year's...it's been a pretty crazy month. 

Out of all of the December family birthdays, mine is the last on December 30th; and by then, we're all kind of over birthdays, including myself. Given the holiday-timing of my birthday, I've never really done much to celebrate anyways. Unfortunately, this year I actually felt pretty ill on my birthday, and just in a generally foul mood. So what's a girl to do to lift her spirits? First thing in the morning, it was manicure time.

In my opinion, deborah lippmann is to nails, what Christian Loboutin is to shoes, or what Diptyque is to candles. Yes, they're rather expensive compared to similar alternatives, but at least they are masters of their craft that deliver consistently original, high-quality, luxurious products that can command such a price tags. Now, I've never actually bough a deborah lippmann nail polish, nor a Christian Loboutin shoe or Dyptique candle, for that matter. Thankfully, my mother has picked up a couple of her glitter shades over the years. I decided to go with Happy Birthday, because (a) it was my birthday, and (b) confetti glitter is most appropriate for New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, after one coat of Happy Birthday, I realized that the polish was a lot more sheer than I had anticipated, so I grabbed Today was a Fairytale, and ended up using two coats of each to reach a decent level of opacity.

I know that I kind of have a glittery mess all over my fingers in the picture, rest assured that this peeled right off my skin (but remained on my nails) after a couple of hand washings. I was very pleased with the end result, and still smile a little to myself every time I catch the light reflecting off of my fingers. Glitter nail polishes tend to have amazing longevity, and on Day 3 (today), there still isn't a chip in sight. If you don't feel like splurging on a deborah lippmann (and I wouldn't blame you), I've used some amazing glitters from OPI and Urban Outfitter nail polish (I kid you not). The only downside is that glitters are a pain to remove, so I recommend using an acetone nail polish removing tub, such as this one from Target.

As much as my birthday was no fairytale, I would argue that 2013 was quite a year of fairytales for me. I couldn't be more excited for my year to come, making Barcelona my temporary home, and having Europe at my fingertips. Here's to hoping the sparkle on my nails metaphorically symbolizes the sparkles in our year to come, and the many fairytales ahead. 

As previously detailed here, I have a mild addiction and obsession with nail polish. Ever since the tenth grade, I've barely gone longer than 24 hours with bare finger nails. (In fact, I usually remove one colour and immediately re-paint them every 4 or 5 days). After accumulating a disgusting nail polish collection of mostly OPI, some Essie, a couple of Revlon, Sally Hansens and China Glaze, I have refrained from purchasing any additional colours (minus the really occasional cheap buy), since I really have enough to last a decade. However, I can't help it if Debs (mom) decides to purchase the What's Hot Now nail collection by Jenna Hipp at Costco (my family is Costco-obsessed) while I was in Montreal. And I sure don't mind reaping the benefit ;)

If you've ever taken a whiff of a nail polish bottle, it's obvious that there's some mighty chemicals in most of them. After experiencing the harmful effects of frequent exposure to nail polish toxins on set, professional nail stylist Jenna Hipp developed a strong interest in eco-friendly hand and nail care products that are free of hazardous chemicals. Jenna is now known as the "Celebrity Green Nail Stylist", as she combined her love for nail polish, and her passion for healthy living, to develop an exclusive "Five Free" nail polish formula, safe for all of her famous clients. 

Jenna Hipp's Five Free Formula:

1. Contains no dibutyl phthalate
2. Contains no formaldehyde resin
   
3. Contains no formaldehyde
   
4. Contains no toluene
   
5. Contains no camphor
   

You can read more about Jenna's story, explore her product line, see some of her portfolio, or learn some of her professional tips at her website.

Jenna Hipp's nail polishes and hand creams have been receiving rave reviews and lots of hype, yet they're still super affordable! Unfortunately, Ms. Hipp's polishes are not widely available yet, though I suspect that won't last much longer. Jenna has done two collaboration collections with NCLA and RGB, that both are available for purchase online. If you really want to sample a bunch of her colours, then I would recommend the set my mom picked up, available at USA Costco online for $14.99 (Canadians: they should still be in your physical stores). The What's Hot Now nail collection includes 12 mini (0.16 fl oz each) nail lacquers in a variety of colours and finishes, as well as a chevron-patterned nail file.

All About You is a frosty, metallic true gold that doesn't lead too yellow nor rose. I used my regular base and top coat from my nailcare routine: the Revlon Colorstay formulas. All About Eve shows up very true to colour, but definitely requires two coats to avoid streakiness and develop true opacity. I painted my nails two days ago (and took these pictures this morning). Thus far, I only have one minor chip on my index finger, so I would say that the longevity is pretty impressive. I actually did notice that my nails dried exceptionally fast, so the quick dry label is not lying! 

All in all, I'm very impressive with the variety, value, and quality of the Jenna Hipp What's Hot Now nail polishes. I can't wait to try more of her cream-finish colours, and eventually her Oprah-certified hand creams! Even if these weren't marketed as an eco-friendly, healthy alternative to regular nail polish, I would STILL recommend this to all nail-polish addicts and newcomers! The avoidance of chemicals is just the cherry on top or a really pretty rainbow sunday. Thanks mom!

Last month I purchased the A Few of My Favorite Things palette/set from Too Faced cosmetics, and sung its praises in my review here. One thing I highlighted specifically was the versatility of the palette, and the breadth of looks that could be achieved using the twenty included shades. Today, I bring you three such looks, all under the scope of daytime-appropriate looks. While I think it's totally awesome to rock super-dramatic makeup during the day, I know that many people (myself included) most often keep those on reserve for nighttime occasions.

The first look utilizes many elements of Few of My Favourite Things (eyes, cheeks, lips) to create a super typical neutral/brown daytime look that I tend to gravitate toward. The second, with my mother so graciously modeling, is a very work-appropriate, sophisticated look that uses mostly matte eyeshadows from the palette. The final look is a slightly more edgy choice, that is still totally legit for everyday wear. I am smitten with the shade in the palette called Bluff, and this final look just pays homage to it, keeping the rest all very neutral.

In other news, today is actually my last day of being a nineteen years old. My last day of being a teenager. My last day to be stupid and make mistakes and get away with it (sort of). So I better go enjoy that while I can. Thanks for reading and enjoy the makeup looks!

Eyes (Few of my Favorite Things):
Crisp Apple Strudel (whole lid)
Snowflakes (inner corner)
Woolen Mittens (crease)
Ooh la Orchid (lower lashline)
Pure Glam (upper lashline)

Eyes (other)
MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot
Maybelline the Rocket Volum' Express Mascara
Maybelline 'Fit Me' Concealer
Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in nude

Face (Few of my Favorite Things)
Chocolate Soleil (contour)
Sun Bunny (to add a bit of warmth)
Melt into Spring (blush)

Face (other)
NYX Studio Perfect Primer in Clear
Maybelline 'Fit Me' Powder

Lips (Few of my Favorite Things)
Too Faced Lip Injection Colour Balm in Bee String

Eyes (Few of my Favorite Things)
Chocolate Milk (whole lid)
Woolen Mittens (transition to blend crease)
Soiree (outer corner + lower lashline)
Coquet (highlight)
Cream Colored Ponies (brow highlight)
Dark Chocolate (upper lashline)

Eyes (other)
MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot
Maybelline the Rocket Volum' Express Mascara
Anastasia Brow Whiz eyebrow pencil
Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in nude

Eyes (Few of my Favorite Things)
Bluff (on lid + lower lashline)
Woolen Mittens (in crease)
Dark Chocolate (outer corner)
Coquet (inner corner highlight)
Cream Colored Ponies (brow highlight)

Eyes (other)
MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot
Maybelline the Rocket Volum' Express Mascara
Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in nude
Urban Decay Blackout eyeshadow (upper lash and outer lower lash)

Face
Skin 79 gold bb cream
Makeup Forever HD Loose Powder
Nars Douceur blush

Lips
Benefit Full Finish Lipstick in 'no competition'

Mascara is without a doubt my most desert-island makeup product (the one product I would choose, if god forbid I could only have one). I stole my first pink and green tube of Maybelline's Great Lash (original) from my mother's bathroom back in the ninth grade, and was amazed by the drastic difference in my appearance when I simply rubbed some black tar on my eyelashes. Even as a young child, I was aware that my eyes were my best feature (since strangers would always stop my mother in the street to comment on all of her childrens' eyes). Personally, I prefer using makeup as a means of highlighting my better features, rather than trying to conceal all of my "imperfections." Therefore, I always go for disgustingly dramatic lashes - whether I'm going for a fancy nighttime look, a casual daytime look, even if it's the only makeup I put on: there can never be too much lashes. After once buying the famous DiorShow mascara and being rather disappointed (save your dollars), I have cycled my way through several drugstore offerings, mostly from Maybelline (my usual favourites), l'Oreal and Covergirl. Since mascara's are supposed to be switched out every three months, I usually only have one in rotation at a time, and it is typically whatever was new or on sale from those brands at any particular time. I usually go for mascara's that are targeted at volume over length (my lashes are pretty long on their own), though many formulas these days claim that they are able to both lengthen and volumize simultaneously, so those are obviously pretty tempting.

Covergirl first came on my mascara radar when they launched the original LashBlast volume in the orange tube that eventually rose to the mascara hall of fame. Since then, they have released several variations of LashBlast (fusion, length, 24-hour, waterproof), and some other separate mascaras (Clump Crusher, Flamed Out, Lashexact) as well. Their latest launch was Bombshell volume, which is also "by lashblast." This new mascara follows the recent Big Eyes mascara by Maybelline, or the older Haute and Naughty mascara by MAC Cosmetics, in the trend of dual-wand mascaras. Essentially, the concept is nothing new: that two mascara formulations and wands can create supremely dynamic effects when compared to one sole mascara wand/formula. However, while many dual-wand mascaras boast the ability to lengthen and volumize, Bombshell is more focused on providing maximum volume in order to achieve that seductive, bombshell look. Below you can see detailed photographs of both wands, the "base" (1) and "top" (2) coats.

Covergirl's Bombshell mascara by lashblast touts some pretty serious claims:

In my last skincare post, I presented a beginner's guide to one of 2013's latest skincare crazes, the use of alphahydroxy acids (AHA) and betahydroxy acids (BHA) as a means of removing excess dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, revealing brighter skin, minimizing aging effects, helping with acne and hyperpigmentation. If you want to know the basics on both chemical exfoliants and how they differ from each other and traditional scrubs, then I would read that first here.

After learning about all of the benefits of chemical exfoliation, it was hard not to fall into the hype myself. When it comes to skincare in the internet beauty community, there are definite trends that arise. Caroline Hirons is a UK-based, seasoned, cosmetic consultant and trained facialist, who has a blog where she shares many witty reviews and skincare guidelines. Back in May, the Pixiwoo sisters interviewed Caroline for their Body Talk Daily channel, where she recommended a ton of skincare must-haves, including the frequent use of a chemical exfoliant in one's skincare routine. She specifically recommended the Biologique Recherche P50 toner, which uses a combination of lactic acid (AHA) and salicylic acid (BHA). Unfortunately, this exfoliator is both (1) expensive and (2) not really available in Canada, to my knowledge. Therefore, for my first foray into the world of chemical exfoliation, I looked into finding a gentle AHA that had been generally well-reviewed online. While searching the blogosphere, I repeatedly found rave reviews of the Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Brightening Toner, which was pretty expensive at $31.00 CAD for 125mL, but still reasonable compared to other AHA/BHAs. I kept almost buying it at Shopper's Drugmart (Canadian drugstore) when I would drag my mother there, until Debs finally just picked it up for me one afternoon (thanks mom!).

As with the Biologique Recherche P50, this exfoliating toner contains a combination of behatydroxy and alphahydroxy acids, specifically: tartaric (AHA), glycolic (AHA), and salicylic (BHA) acids. However, the amount of acids present in the Clarins toner is significantly less when compared to the the Biologique Recherche and many other exfoliators on the market. As such, I thought it would serve as a great pilot test for chemical exfoliation, in case I experienced any sort of adverse reaction (I know I'm supposed to still do a spot test on my arm, but I decided my un-sensitive skin could handle the low acid levels).

This is what Clarins has written regarding application directions on the toner's packaging:

Now, when it comes to using active chemical exfoliants, cosmetic companies tend to be rather apprehensive with their product's directions, in order to avoid any potential lawsuits. I felt completely comfortable applying this toner daily, and did so at nighttime to a fully cleansed face, before continuing with some sort of moisturizing oil or lotion. The toner is transparent with a thick liquid consistency, and I simply applied it all over my face using a regular cotton pad. Additionally, I ensured that I was consistently applying SPF in my morning skincare routine, as glycolic acid is known for increasing your skin's photosensitivity (making your skin more susceptible for sun damage).

Before I said goodbye to my beloved Montreal apartment until next fall, I sort of had a lot of dishes to do that I had neglected during finals season. As you can imagine, my nails looked a hot mess afterword, so I had to take off my beloved OPI Elephantastic Pink manicure. Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to re-paint my nails prior to my bus ride back to Toronto. It may be pathetic, but I feel completely underdone without my nails painted. Although this may not be amazing for the health of my nails, I have a rather extensive manicure routine that manages to keep them growing strong. Naturally, I had to paint my nails almost immediately upon my arrival at home. 

Essie's Bikini So Teeny was released as part of their Summer 2012 collection, and it was lust at first sight. Since I already owned so many blues, it was hard to justify adding it to my collection, but I just could not seem to forget it. As coincidence would have it, my younger cousin wound up with two of these in her collection, as she got gifted one and already owned the shade. Fortunately, this meant that I was finally able to cross this off my ever-expanding wishlist. This bottle still features Essie's old thinner brush, which I find harder to work with, yet it still showed up beautifully in two coats (one would not have been sufficient). Truthfully, with my Revlon Colorstay Base + Top Coat, no nail polish shade can disappoint.

People often ask me what I consider more my "home" between Toronto, where I was born and raised, and Montreal, where I have lived on my own for 2.5 years. Honestly, I consider myself a dual-citizen of both municipalities, with half of my heart belonging to Toronto, and the other half to Montreal. Realistically it's more like a quarter for each, because significant amounts belong to NYC, Paris, etc., but you get the gist. However, there are some undeniable benefits about coming home to my parents and household comforts after a long independent semester of living a student-lifestyle (don't get me wrong, I still live nicer than most). My favourite part about being home? Hands down, our fridge built for a family of six with sumo-wrestler appetites:

There are many useful advantages of living with your family in a house that was built in this millenium, that I simply took for granted before moving out. These include, but are not limited to:

• A dishwasher
• A gas stove
• Private laundry machines
• Alarm security systems
• Access to a car (and someone to drive me) if necessary
• Other people that can cook!
• Storage space/more space in general

Additionally, there are several little luxuries that I get to enjoy when I go back home. These are just some of the many over-the-top benefits of having a foodie/great cook, homebody mother and a coffee-connoisseur, avid television-viewer father: 

• Heated floors
• Multiple televisions
• Big showers
• So. Much. Food. (leftovers!)
• Our family's DVD collection
• Multitude of spices, flavoured oils, seasonings, etc.
• Fancy red wine (enjoyed a lovely bottle of Mastro Janni 2007 last night)
• Several pod-style coffee makers

My father just happens to be a bona-fide caffeine addict, which has led to several coffee-maker purchases over the course of my childhood. Currently, our kitchen features a Cuisinart standard coffee-machine, a standard Keurig machine, a standard Nespresso machine, and a Nespresso Aeroccino milk frother. When I was only five years old, my dad took me to a Chapters bookstore where he got his standard black Starbucks Venti bold roast. I asked him to try a sip (remember, this was straight-up black, unsweetened, un-milked coffee), took a large gulp, and spat it all out straight onto the Chapters carpet floor. My dad then went to get paper towels to clean up, and was extremely satisfied in his successful attempt at turning me off coffee for years. Until my second year at university, I barely had anything beyond a sip of coffee in any form (no lattes, no cappuccinos, not even any frapuccinos or Coffee Crisp chocolate bars).

Then came second-year McGill University, when I chose to take a full course load and get all the difficult required classes out of the way. Well, when trying to balance accounting, statistics, and managerial economics midterms while still in the midst of my regular class schedule, my teas and energy drinks just weren't cutting it any more, and I slowly brought myself to a place where I even could drink coffee (with the help of much milk and sweetener). As with most bitter flavours, frequent consumption can eventually lead to a transformation of taste buds, and I grew to actually enjoy my coffee. Nowadays, I have coffee on most days, especially during any exam season. My parents gave me an old french press to make my own in Montreal, so I do that on occasion. However, I frequently wander over to a Starbucks (or another cafe) in order to take advantage of the ambience and to study more effectively. 

Now that school is out, I no longer need the added sitting-space and wifi that justifies a five dollar cup of coffee. Besides, who needs a cafe or professional barista now that pod-style coffee makers have gone mainstream? Inspired by my favourite cafe drink, a traditional café au lait, I now present you with my step-by-step guide to making your own damn good coffee in the comfort of your own home, featuring Keurig and Nespresso.

"As long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be?"
- Cassandra Clare, City of Bones

Confession: I'm an eyeshadow palette whore (compared to the average 19 year old). Ever since getting my beautiful Naked palette (the original) after months on the waiting list, I have slowly been accumulating quite the collection of (mostly neutral) eyeshadow palettes. I switch around the palettes I use, because (1) I think it would be stupid to not actually use makeup that I have bought, so I make an effort to do so, (2) it keeps my creative juices flowing, but mostly because (3) none of my eyeshadow palettes can stand on its own for a variety of looks. Essentially, none of the beautiful eyeshadow palettes in my collection would satisfy all of my eyeshadow desires. An ideal palette of mine that could be its own one-man-show would abide by the following conditions:

1. Neutral matte shades: highlight, light warm brown, light cool brown, medium brown, dark brown, black
2. Neutral shimmers: golds, champagnes, coppers, taupes, and browns in a variety of shades (some can have glitter but preferably more without)
3. Colours to be included: khaki, purple, cranberry, and maybe a blue. Although I usually remain in my neutral comfort zone, its nice to have a bit of colour for days I feel inspired to experiment
4. Minimal fallout
5. All shadows should be equal size unless the company can magically predict which shadows I'll use more
6. Simple, sophisticated and sleek packaging that would travel easily and has no wasted space (think NARS, Marc Jacobs, Chanel, NYX). Preferably, I also wouldn't have to ruin any nails while opening said packaging (Bobbi Brown...)
7. Decent pigmentation; it need not be perfect (and I would forego insane pigmentation if it is coupled with lots of fallout cough Stila cough Smashbox), but the colours should still all easily appear on the eye with a primer
8. An actual great value for the money (in terms of quantity of product grams for price compared to a single eyeshadow)

Obviously, it would be difficult for one single cosmetics company to produce an eyeshadow palette to meet all of these criterion, especially since many customers would have differing wishlishts than my own. I know that several brands (MAC, Urban Decay, Inglot and Revlon) offer freedom systems to customize your own palette from single shadows, (and I do have a completed custom MAC palette) but these tend to become very expensive endeavours.

As I am currently on the bus home to Toronto from Montreal, it's hard to believe that in just over three weeks, I will be flying to Barcelona (via London) to spend an entire semester studying there. However, when I moved to Montreal, both in university residence and my apartment, my parents were there to help me, fully equipped with our minivan or a rented U-Haul. For Barcelona, I will have to pack rather lightly since I am subject to luggage requirements, and I do not want to take too many valuables/unnecessary items as I am hoping to do my fair share of traveling whilst there. Therefore, when it came to packing my makeup, I had two rules:

1. Stick with what you need
2. Don't take anything that you would be very upset losing/damaging

The only part of my makeup collection that I had difficulty narrowing down was the eyeshadow department, which is also probably my favourite category of makeup to buy/apply/experiment with. If I want to pack light, I should probably stick to one eyeshadow palette, but I couldn't imagine being restricted for 6+ months to just one from my collection. 

And thus the hunt for an all-inclusive palette began. Coincidentally, Sephora decided to run another VIB special ($20 off when you spend $50) at the same time. Therefore, it was only natural that I had to visit Sephora several times during study breaks in order to properly analyze each brand's permanent and seasonal palette offerings. From Urban Decay to Stila, Dior to Bare Minerals, I really did swatch them all, yet was sort of unimpressed. 
However, I wasn't really giving Too Faced the time of day. Don't get me wrong, I have always thought that they had great eyeshadows, awesome colour payoff, and an assortment of creative palettes. In fact, I used to think the Too Faced Natural Eye palette was like the king of the eyeshadow playground. That being said, it wasn't any sort of presumed lacking quality that kept me from getting a Too Faced palette, but more their horribly tacky packaging and the fact that none of the available palettes had the variety that justified adding it to my collection (but really more the packaging).

When I first started hearing about Too Faced's Sephora exclusive holiday set, "A Few of my Favourite Things," I sort of  brushed it off as another holiday palette I really didn't need. Even after seeing some of my most valued critics, Marlena and Emily, sing their praises for it, I wasn't convinced that I needed this in my life (which, I mean, of course I still don't need this in my life, but I obviously bought it so something changed). After several visits to Sephora, and several fits of indecision, I was finally able to get over the god-awful packaging. I noticed that this set was a beautiful diamond in the ruff, and that I could happily live for 6+ months using only the shadows from this palette. WIth the added $20 off what was an already amazing deal, I spontaneously grabbed one of the remaining sets, and checked out before I could talk myself out of it. The pictures above show the front and back of the box that the set came in, and the one to my left includes everything that came out: the "A few of my Favourite Things" palette with 20 powder eyeshadows, two blushes and two bronzers, a zipped makeup bag designed in the same chevron pink/gold as the palette, a Better than Sex sample-sized mascara, and a full-sized  Lip Injection Colour Balm in Bee Sting. 

Skincare-wise, 2013 definitely seemed like the year of exfoliation, more specifically the use of chemical exfoliants. For those of you furrowing your brows in confusion, let me explain: Exfoliation is the process by which you can remove built-up skin cells sitting on the surface of your skin; this can help with unclogging pores, preventing breakouts, improving skin texture and reducing aging effects. In short, exfoliation is an inexpensive skincare addition for any age and skin type! There are two types of exfoliants in skin care:

1. Physical exfoliants: otherwise known as "srcubs" and what is commonly associated with thoughts of exfoliation. Physical exfoliants are a fair option for exfoliating your skin (so long as the scrub is not too abrasive, as these can actually damage you skin's barrier). However, scrubs are also a less effective exfoliant option, given that they are only able to remove the very top layer of your skin, thus not properly removing all of the built-up skin cells clogging your pores. Some examples: cult-classic St. Ives Apricot Scrub + my preferred Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub
2. Chemical exfoliants: these sure took the beauty blogging world by storm this year, though they are really nothing new in terms of ingredients. Basically, chemical exfoliants are a more effective way to reap the benefits of exfoliation as they are capable of removing built-up skin cells that are causing dryness, blackheads, blemishes, wrinkles, etc., when compared to physical exfoliators. I am just about to finish up my first long-term chemical exfoliant, which was the Neutrogena Acne Stress Control 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment (gosh, what a mouthful) so more on that later...

Honourable mention: Exfoliating washcloths can also serve as physical exfoliants. Although these may help prevent abrasive scrubs from tearing into your skin, you should still always be gentle with a washcloth (especially around you eyes).

As I mentioned, chemical exfoliants are all the rage in skincare these days, so I'll break it down for you. For credibility purposes, I'll leave the fancy scientific terminology to my skincare guru Paula Begouin (also knows at "the cosmetics cop"), who frequently reviews chemical exfoliants (and all other cosmetics) on the BeautyPedia reviews section of her website paulaschoice.com, and also sells some great options from her own line! 

Essentially, there are also two main varieties of chemical exfoliants:

1. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs): According to Paula, "AHAs are preferred for sun-damaged and dry skin because they exfoliate on the surface of skin and have the added benefit of also improving moisture content."* Some common forms of AHAs that are featured in many anti-aging cosmetics are glycolic acid, lactic acid, and citric acids. Note: glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size of any AHA, and therefore penetrates the skin most easily. AHAs are often used in professional chemical peels, though at higher levels than what you'd find in widely-available cosmetics. Although AHAs are usually found in products that target the anti-aging market, I (a nineteen year old) still went through an entire bottle of the popular Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner, and will be reviewing soon.
2. Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs): BHAs are most commonly used in products targeted at the acneic/teenage market, especially in spot treatment gels, oil-absorbing toners, or prescription acne medication. The most common form of beta hydroxy acid is salicylic acid, which is fortunately widely available in well-priced drugstore products (good AHA products tend to run more expensive). Paula cites many great reasons to use a BHA exfoliant:

• "BHA is preferred for oily, acne-prone skin and for treating blackheads and white bumps because BHA can get through the oil that's clogging your pores, normalizing the lining of the misshapen pore that contributes to acne."*
• "BHA has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial action. Those are two more reasons to use a BHA exfoliant if you have acne or sensitive, reddened skin."*
• "BHA is preferred for those struggling with rosacea. Not everyone with rosacea can tolerate an exfoliant, but it is wise to experiment with a BHA product to see how your rosacea responds. It is quite likely you'll see less redness and a smoother, more even skin with fewer breakouts."*

Oh, blue eyeshadow, how thee confuses me. Everywhere I look, people tend to have strong opposing views on the matter. One of my favourite cosmetic-industry experts Paula Begoun, whose opinion I actually value very highly, strongly cautions against the use of blue eyeshadow in her debut novel entitled Blue Eyeshadow Should be Illegal. Over twenty-five years later, "the cosmetics cop" continues to stand by this argument: blue eyeshadow is unflattering, especially on natural blue eyes, unless it is such a dark navy that it is almost black, in which case she's on board. However, makeup brands continue to come out with eye colour-specific makeup collections, that are marketed as being the perfect complementary shades to wear for your eye colour. And what colours continuously appear on makeup palettes designated for us blue-eyed gals? Baby blues, medium blues, dark blues, just blues and more blues (and some peach). So can you blame me for being a little confused and apprehensive?

Back when I first started getting into makeup, my "collection" consisted solely of (a) products I stole from Debs (my mother), and (b) the small "starter kit" essentials that Debs was generous enough to get me on my first makeup shopping endeavour. Once I started getting more into it and wanted to experiment more my eyeshadow colours/textures, Debs agreed to come with me for one day of the International Make-up Artist Trade Show (IMATS) 2011 in Toronto. This was when I had already become pretty obsessed with watching tutorials on YouTube in any spare time I had, and trying to replicate them as best as I could with the products I had.

Unfortunately, I kept hearing loads of great reviews about some "NYX" makeup brand that I could not find anywhere in Canada. So when I finally found a NYX booth at IMATS, I waited in that long-ass line and grabbed as many products as I could fit in my basket (not a strategy I really recommend but it was all super discounted so...). I had heard only raves of NYX eyeshadows, and several comparisons to MAC in terms of quality and pigment (but for a fraction of the price). At the time, my only other eyeshadow palette was the original Urban Decay Naked, and so I chose to pick up the NYX For Your Eyes Only Sexy Blue Eyes, because I have blue eyes. The picture on my right demonstrates how the palettes differ in size, colour and shape.

While I have given my Naked palette its fair share of love and attention over the years, I sadly cannot say the same for my Sexy Blue Eyes. Occasionally, I have experimented with the copper and taupe shades in the second row, because you always hear that by "using an eyeshadow that is the opposite colour on the colour wheel to your eye colour," your eye colour should pop. According to this logic, I should be using orange-toned shades to emphasize my blue eyes, so at least Sexy Blue Eyes provided some of those shades as well. However, I had never once even dipped my brush into any of the many blue shades included. That is, until the other day...

I don't know what came over me, but I had the urge to test the blue eyeshadow waters. This was most likely due to the fact that during final exam season, no one is expected to look good anyway, and the only people that really see me are the boyfriend and the Starbucks staff. Perfect time to experiment! Its not that I only care about what other people think; I mean, I frequently go out without any trace of makeup on. That being said, neutrals are my comfort zone, and I usually bust out a bronze smokey eye or bold lip when I want to go for drama. I firmly believe that confidence is the key to rocking absolutely any makeup/fashion. In order to ensure that I felt confident, I decided to start out with just a wee bit of blue paired with some matte neutrals (Naked and Buck from my Naked palette).