JUNE Favorites!

June was an extremely busy month for me and I am so happy tomorrow is finally July! I'm hoping to really up my blog game this Summer since I haven't been giving it the attention it needs. Here are my favorites of the month. I don't have a ton but I still anted to share them! Also some of them are most likely repeats from previous months, but that just means I really love 'em!

The Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Butter cream smells just like lemon lime soda! It is so amazing and super moisturizing.
I went back to using MAC's 187 to apply my liquid foundation and it gave me a really flawless, smooth finish.
I found two new great mascaras with the same color tubes! Too Faced's Better Than Sex and Maybelline's Lash Sensation. Both give TONS of volume!
I went back to simple brows by jsut using Maybelline's brow drama for a quick fix.
And lastly, I used essence's felt liner to perfect my winger liner of the month!

That's it, see you in July!

DIY Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato

Here is the final DIY Starbucks recipe of the month! This weekend's drink is their Iced Caramel Macchiato. This is the drink I order when I'm looking for something with coffee but that is also a tad sweet. This drink is very simple to make so I hope you try it out!

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp (or less) vanilla syrup

1-2 tsp caramel syrup

2 shots espresso or 3 shots strong brewed coffee

1 cup milk

1 cup ice

 Add a tablespoon or so of vanilla syrup to the bottom of your cup. This is optional, only add it if you're looking for extra sweetness. I believe Starbucks does not add anything to the bottom of the cup.

 Add your ice.

 And your milk.

 Pour in your espresso/coffee.

 Top it all off with a (generous) drizzle of caramel syrup!

 I love the layers of this drink!

But I prefer to mix it all up to equalize the flavor.

That's it!

May/June Empties

I have a bit of a larger empties post this month since I didn't do one last! I guess I'll just get right into it!
THYMES ESSENTIALS MANDARIN LEAF BODY WASH
I picked this up on clearance at Target (Prior to its closing). It smells identical to mandarin oranges and worked pretty well. I would repurchase but that's not really an option any more! ;)

DOVE DRY SHAMPOO
Yet another bottle of this stuff that I've used up. I love it!

AUSSIE 3 MINUTE MIRACLE
I love this stuff but I can only get it in the State's. Luckily I still have one bottle left! It just makes my hair so soft.

LUSH TEA TREE WATER
This is one of my holy grail face products. it clears up my acne really nicely

NIVEA ESSENTIAL LIP BALM
This lip balm is ultra moisturizing, inexpensive and it smells/tastes great too!

HAND SANITIZER
Not sure the brand of this, all I remember was that I got it on clearance from the grocery store. it worked great for my vanity.

NEUTROGENA DEEP CLEAN CLEANSER
I have finally found my new favorite face wash. This lathers nicely and doesn't irritate my skin!

SECRET VANILLA DEODORANT
This smells good and lasts all day!

CREST 3D WHITE TOOTHPASTE
This doesn't really whiten my teeth at all so it's not really a favorite.

That's all I used up in the past 2 months! :)

Nars Lip Pencils ~ Sephora Birthday Gift

Hello there! Sephora has an exciting free birthday gift this year for Beauty Insiders. During your birthday month you can redeem a free set of 2 mini NARS lip pencils which is a pretty good deal if you ask me! For a free gift, the packaging is so nice and the samples are a fair size.

 The set comes with a red Velvet Matte Lip Pencil and a nude Satin Lip Pencil. Each full size retails for $31 CA. The nude is a nice wearable shade however the red is quite a bold statement.

One big flaw about these are that they do not twist up. I still haven't figured out a way to get any more product out since I am almost out of the nude shade. If anyone has any idea please leave them below!

The red seems to last a lot longer than the nude since it is matte and glossy shades tend to wear of faster. they do last an average time for lip products though.
The shape of the pencil allows for really easy application.

The color payoff on the red is amazing! It is so opaque and creamy. The shade is really the perfect red! The nude is a bit less opaque but still noticeable.
As far as I've seen they don't really bleed but I haven't worn he red for more than 5 minutes.

 This shade is quite wearable and a new favorite of mine!

I love the red matte shade but I don't really have any occasion to wear it!

That is about all for today!

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

I'm finally down to the last review from the First Aid Beauty set. Today's post is all bout their Ultra Repair cream which I have loved since I first used it! I love the packaging on all of their products. This jar of cream is fairly large so I can see it lasting a while. It isn't very scented which is s good thing. Especially when you apply lotion all over your body, it can be way to overpowering if it's scented.

I have quite sensitive skin and this works really well with that.

This makes my skin so soft! It's a super thick body butter consistency and it applies so nicely. After a few minutes it soaks in. I usually use this after a shave my legs and it makes the world of difference. I don't really have a ton so say about this other than it's a really luxurious body cream that would be a great item to splurge on. This size retails for $37 CA which is really quite a lot, however once in a while it's a nice treat. 

I think the set I purchased this in was really a great opportunity since I honestly probably wouldn't spend nearly $40 on this. 

RATINGS:

Packaging: 10/10
Price: 6/10
Hydration: 9/10

Scent: 9/10

Would I repurchase?: It's possible 

Would I recommend?: Yes, if you're willing to pay the price!

Overall: 9/10!

Have a great day :)

Current favorite hair products (hair routine)

Hello there!I thought it was time I gave an update on my current favorite hair products. I didn't bother showing shampoo or anything since it's usually fairly similar, so I decided to just share some styling products I love.

First off, if you've seen really any of my hair posts on my blog you'll know I'm obsessed with the Dove dry shampoo. I've tried many dry shampoos and it's the only one that really works for me.

Garnier's Texture Tease is great when I'm looking  for something other than dry shampoo to tease my hair with. it holds the volume really well.

I really love using hair creams on wet hair and Bed Head's Motor Mouth is perfect. it smooths my hair and gives is more texture and volume. It also smells so divine.

Another Garnier product I love is the Root Amp mousse. Great on wet hair when I need a volume boost.

And lastly, Pantene's volume hairspray hold my curls so well!

Hope you're enjoying the first day of Summer!

DIY Starbucks Iced Green Tea Latte

I've been having a ton of fun trying out drink recipes for these DIY Starbucks posts! This week's beverage of choice is the Iced Green Tea Latte. This is a bit of a different drink that you either love or hate. I personally love it. It's the perfect "in between" of a coffee drink or a tea, if you're searching for something a bit different.
The Starbucks grande drink comes to a total 290-350 calories (depending on your milk) while the homemade version is only around 196 (Depending on milk and amount of syrup)! I think it tastes just as good if not better than Starbucks and it will save you a bit of money and calories.
If you would prefer to take the easy route, I have also tried the Tazo green tea latte concentrate of this that you can shake with milk and ice to create an almost identical drink. I've found these drink bases at many grocery stores but they are a bit pricy.
Anyways, on with the recipe!

You are going to need only 4 ingredients:

- 1 cup milk of your choice (I used 1%)
- Starbucks vanilla syrup (however much for your desired sweetness)
- 1 tsp matcha powder
- Ice

I purchased my vanilla syrup right from Starbucks! I love it, it works for so many drinks. My matcha powder is from David's Tea but I've seen it many places. I ended up using about 1-2 tbsp of the syrup since the pump wasn't working quite as it should.

For a super smooth drink with no matcha clumps, try sifting it with a fine tea strainer.

To assemble the drink, add all of the ingredients into a shaker, shake it up, pour and enjoy!

This is quite a frothy drink since you shake up the milk quite a bit.

That's about it, enjoy!
xx

Garnier Fructis Root Amp

 I have been really busy lately with everything, so hopefully I will be able to get back on schedule soon! I've had this hair product for a little while now, and I realized I have not yet reviewed it. I figured I'd review it today since I'm a bit short on time. I found this on sale for around $3 which is a great deal! I find that Garnier Fructis products can be found for very inexpensive and they often work well for me!

It suggest to section damp hair and spray under each section at the roots so that's exactly what I did. It shoots out in a quite defined stream to be sure to focus it on the proper area. After a bit of scrunching, it feels slightly crunchy by not too much. If you apply too much, it's way too crunchy.

It does add a bit more texture to my hair. I haven't noticed a drastic volume change but my hair definitely feels lighter at the roots and holds a tease a lot better.
For my very flat product, I really do enjoy this product!

RATINGS:

Packaging: 8/10

Volume: 8/10

Price: 10/10

Would I repurchase?: Yeah!
Would I recommend?: Yes!

Overall: 8.5/10

That's all for today! :)

L'Oreal Infallible Makeup Extender

 A while back I made a bit of an impulse buy on this setting spray. I didn't really need it or anything, but it was on sale for $15 (still pricey for drugstore) and it had kind of caught my attention. There really aren't many, if any other setting sprays at the drugstore. L'Oreal is usually fairly reliable so I picked it up. I used a few times a week, but it hasn't really come one of my daily holy grails.
The packaging is fairly average. It's nicely matte and simple. All it really claims is that is extends the lasting power of your makeup. The little diagram on the back explaining the texture, action and use makes it seem like there are more products with different texture/action/use however I haven't seen any.
When I first used this, I think I held it much too close to my face since my face was dripping wet. After a while, I got the hang of it. I usually apply 3ish sprays not too close to my face. At first it appears dewy, then it dries to a normal finish.
I didn't notice a huge difference in my makeup lasting. I mean my makeup looked good, but it didn't really last a whole lot longer.

RATINGS:

Packaging: 7/10
Price: 6/10
Lasting power: 8/10
Would I repurchase?: Probably not
Would I recommend: Again, probably not
Overall: 7/10

That's about all I've got to say!

DIY Starbucks Iced Tea Lemonades

Continuing on with the DIY Starbucks series, next up is recreating their iced tea lemonades. These are one of the easiest drinks to recreate and they're super delicious too! As you can see, I didn't have enough Starbucks cups to show. I'll be sharing recipes for 3 drinks. The green tea lemonade, passion tea lemonade, and black tea lemonade which I think is my favorite one!

Start the day before by brewing 1-2 cups of your desired tea. I used Tazo passion tea (I've seen it at Starbucks and the grocery store), Tazo china green tips tea, and just plain black tea. Brew it, let it cool, and refrigerate overnight.

When you're ready, shake the tea with equal parts lemonade and enjoy! 

If you have a real sweet tooth, you can add a bit of sugar or simple syrup but I find the lemonade sweetens them enough.

Enjoy :)

Tropical berry layered smoothie

 I have seen layered smoothies all over Pinterest and I have always wanted to try them! I finally did try one, and it tastes just as good at it looks! I thought I'd share my own recipe since I enjoyed it so much! I hope you enjoy.

 Layer 1:
1/2 cup frozen peaches & pineapple (you can also use mango)
2 tbsp plain or plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup orange or any tropical juice
1/3 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp honey

Blend and pour into glass.

Layer 2:
1/2 cup strawberries & blueberries (any berries really)
2 tbsp plain or plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup orange or any juice
1/3 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp honey

Blend and carefully pour over first layer.
ENJOY!

That's about it! This is a great summer recipe!

My week in pictures

This won't quite be a typical "week in photos" since all of the photos are a bit scattered but I wanted to share anyway. Brace yourselves, this is going to be 73% (I did the math!) food pictures! I can't say I've completely eaten healthy in the past week but I'm getting back on track! 

 That's just a small little peek into my past week! I hope everyone also had an amazing week! :)

Chickpea feta cranberry salad recipe

Hello! I have kind of been a bit obsessed with chickpeas recently. So naturally, I was searching Pinterest for the perfect chickpea salad. I couldn't really find just one that caught my eye so I took some ideas from a few different recipes and found the perfect recipe! This is such a good and filling summer lunch. it's so delicious and quite good for you! It's also very customizable for whatever your prefer.

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup low sodium chickpeas (rinsed)

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp lemon juice

Pinch of oregano

1 tbsp dried cranberries

1 tbsp feta cheese

1 tbsp avocado

2 tbsp diced bell peppers

Really all you need for this recipe is the chickpeas and the olive oil! The rest is completely customizable to your taste. Feel free to add any of your favorite veggies or toppings!

Mix everything up and enjoy!

Mani Monday ~ Summer Nude

 For some reason I haven't been super into bright nail colors for this season. Neutral colors go with way more outfits and I think they look like as nice. This week, I opted for a nice mauve nude to paint my nails with.

 It apply super nicely with just 2 coats!

This is one of my favorite nail polishes ever, and I'd recommend it to anyone!