MONTHLY FAVOURITES // April 2015

Hola! Welcome to another monthly favourites post :) 

By the time you read this, you're probably finally on summer break so woohoo -throws confetti and puppies in the air- CONGRATS on finishing another year! I hope you enjoy whatever summer you got before you're off to work or school again! If you don't have work or school well have an awesome 4 month vacation! :D The weather is brightening up so definitely soak in that sun! As for now, let's dive into this month's favourites!

Going clockwise:

at 12:00PM // Sony HDR AS20 

I recently got this little guy so that I could bring it on my Taiwan trip to VLOG. It's like a GoPro alternative. It's super tiny, easy to use and it comes with a casing so that you can protect it from water.  I am so excited for the day that I can take this swimming. I got it when it was on sale for $150 so if you ever do consider getting this recorder as well, know that it can drop down to that price!  What I have learned about this camera is that the mic can pick up movement around the mic very easily (like you changing your holding position would cause a lot of that rustling sound) and it picks up your voice better when the camera's without its casing! Other than that, it records. shrug LOL But I do have to say, I have yet to determine if this camera is better than my old bulky HD recorder, the FlipCam. 

at 1:00PM // Hourglass - Panoramic Long Wear Lip Liner (Eden)

This was an impulse buy during the Sephora sale craze and I must say #noragrets. It's a nice everyday colour, and I honestly think a lot of people can pull off this brown-pink colour. 

at 2:00PM // Jurlique - Rosewater Balancing Mist

Girl needed a new toner, and that is what this girl got. The real reason to visit Sephora during that Sephora Sale. It's always an exciting time when you use up a product, because that means you will either get more of that good stuff or you look for a new one to test out. I hear that rosewater is actually good for your face, so I decided to test this one out + because of its organic ingredients. So far, so good since my face oddly feels softer hours later, and not immediately after. I would recommend this, it's in a spray bottle (sooo that's hygienic) and the ingredients are organic! I don't know if it usually comes with another free product, but the Sephora associate also just gave me a free Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus Revitalizing Gel- Lotion (15mL) too.  

in the middle // "Wherever You Go, Go With All Your Heart" Journal  

A birthday gift from my friend that now basically contains all the answers and info that I need for my future (in Taiwan). It has a cute cover, cute quote and it's officially dubbed my travel journal.

at 10:00PM // Malin + Goetz - Mojito Lip Balm

I received this in my Ipsy bag back in January, after a few months I can finally say that THIS IS A REALLY GREAT LIP BALM! I actually sometimes prefer this over my Jack Black lip balm. The only downside is that there's no SPF protection in it. 

at 11:00PM // Pandora Bracelet

This is probably as ME as a bracelet could get and my definite go-to accessory. Like to the point of if I was a cartoon character, besides drawing me with a striped shirt and a Casio watch, this must be there too. The icing on the cake is the Buddha charm from my friend as a birthday gift. Why? because I was admiring it a month ago with the sales associate, and since I had absolutely no reason to get it, I  said my goodbyes dramatically. So it was a pleasant surprise when I saw this little guy again, because she didn't know that I wanted this charm nor did any of my friends. It was really just based on her own iffy judgement and kind intentions of wishing me a safe trip to Taiwan. 

Yup, the countdown still continues to T- 5 days now and I am still not ready for it. As crazy as April was with exams and such, I feel like May / June could be just as interesting. Stay tuned for that! But anyways, thanks for reading yet another post! 

Until next time (LOOK OUT FOR DEM VLOGS), 

Becca 

T A I W A N // T - 21 Days

Thinking of summer? Staring off into space? Browsing Facebook? and now you're here? Study break right? well HEyyYYYyyY me too :) On a side note though, I hope your exams are going well so far and that you're killing each and every one of them! If it's as sunny outside for you as it is for me today, go out and enjoy that fresh air too! 

But do you, do YOU have any plans for summer? I get excited to ask that because the amount of people that just light up from that question is so happy to see. It's that 3 second getaway from the thought of studying and into better days away from exams. Whether it be just plain working over the summer, going away to somewhere nice, or saying "nothing" it would still be with a smile.  

As for me, 

I will be going to TAIWAN this summer to teach kids english + culture for 6 weeks

(thanks to the opportunities presented by AIESEC)

(YYZ ➝  YVR ➝  HKG ➝  KHH)

As a first time flyer and the least coordinated person ever.. I will have 2 stops before finally arriving at the destination. I get to hit up Vancouver and Hong Kong before arriving at Kaohsiung, Taiwan (yupp this first time flying noob is doing it big). On the way home, I would also get to stop by Japan  which I am excited about  (just from the thought of getting to eat sushi there). The travel agent told me that it's a good trip considering price and the date that I needed to arrive by, but secretly deep down I have yet to find out how good this will be. I can only imagine getting lost and missing flights but let's hope that is juuust my crazy imagination.

I aim to vlog my whole trip and update weekly so that I can remember this whole experience in the future and just basically share with you my AIESEC experience (in case you were interested in knowing). So stay tuned for that! All and all I am so ready to learn how well or bad I can teach, how to improve if I suck, sweat a lot in their hot climate, and eat a lot at night markets.

(Yes that will be me and all the food that I will eat)

Anyways, thanks for reading

Good Luck! (if you have any more exams left)

It's a sloth for motivation, if he can move YOU CAN TOO (slowly but surely to that A grade) LOL

Happy Summer! (if you already finished),

Until next time,

Becca 

MONTHLY FAVOURITES // March 2015

Hola!

If you're reading this now.. congrats you survived March :) It has been a super busy month for everyone I would say, so be proud of everything that you were able to accomplish thus far! AND yes I know . . I know exam season is right around the corner but HEY! soon enough summer is also right around THAT corner soooo keep on working hard and finish strong bud.

Looking back on March, my favourites for this month is a little different from the past, it actually consist of intangible things this time. Things I would never be able to buy, nor afford in a monetary value.

Such as, 

1. The experience of ICE WEEK 

What is ICE Week you may ask? A week long case competition for all the third year students in the business program. All the students are placed into a group of 5 or 6 and they have a week to write a case and present it at the end of the week. If you can imagine hunger games, basically that but contestants in suits LOL just kidding! I consider myself to be very lucky to have been placed into a group of people that I really much enjoyed working with. The best part is going to semi-finals with them. Despite not making it to finals though, it is satisfying enough to know that we at least tried our hardest. That ICE Week withdrawal hits hard as it sorta feels weird that I won't be seeing them everyday now . . and that part where we have to start attending class again LOL

2. this: 
(I warn you though, it is a pretty boring vlog)

A 3 min video is definitely a super small representation of the amount of time that I enjoy bugging spending time with Selena. This girl has been by my side since day 1 of attending school here, without her it just really wouldn't have been the same. Whether it be her dragging me to go out, napping at the same time, pulling all nighters together or making music covers. Going through all those happy times, sad times, and crazy times with her in the past 2 years.. she's honestly my soulmate. So next year will definitely be a little weird as we will no longer be roomies . . since we are both going to be D o n s. Yupp it's going to be very exciting and very different.

3. in bed with Netflix 

A free trial offer has been offered to me again, and I just couldn't resist. Yup call me brave or crazy to subscribe right before exam seasons. But since mother nature is still struggling with determining what Spring is.. on those days that she nails the weather down I like to enjoy the windy breeze and the sunshine with my headphones on and soundtrack of my life.. buuut on those days that it's super chilly I really like to enjoy that warmth under my blankets in bed with Netflix. Netflix? yes technically you can buy, but the moment where you don't care about school and freely watch Netflix.. you can't. Current Recommendation is Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and for something that is not on Netflix: FRESH OFF THE BOAT!

I hope you have an amazing upcoming month, 

Thank you for reading yet another post, 

Here's to warmer days, (I know this is the longest outro ever)
Becca 

MAKEUP // Eyes Eyes Baby

Hola! :)

Happy Sunday and welcome back to my blog! Today I will be sharing with you my favourite eye makeup products. (& by eye makeup products I totes just mean bare minimum eye makeup which is eyeliner and mascara.) I know I didn't post a February Favourites sooo I hope this kind of makes up for it. 

I am a really simple gal when it comes to eye makeup or makeup in general. Whenever I wear contacts, I usually just choose between 2 options to make my eyes standout. It would either be a 1) winged eyeliner look or 2) attempt to make lashes standout without eyeliner. 

So if we went with Option 1. 

are you ready for this post-ception because I am going to share with you a DUPE for the Kat Von D's Tattoo Liner. 

(1. The Face Shop - Face it Extreme Brush Pen Eyeliner EX // 2. Kat Von D -  Tattoo Liner)

My go to eyeliner aka HOLY GRAIL EYELINER is The Face Shop's Face it Extreme Brush Pen Eyeliner EX! I do not remember the exact price for it but i think it was between $9 - $12 CAN. I discovered this before I bought the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner to try due to all the hype. After buying it, I discovered that The Face Shop's eyeliner is definitely a cheaper and greater alternative! It has a brush tip liner that when you use it, feels just like the Kat Von D's Tattoo Liner. The two basically look the same + they both have a ball inside the pen so you can shake it to what I believe keeps the formula moving so it doesn't dry up? In addition, I like the Face Shop eyeliner more because it just glides right on! and I find that the Kat Von D formula actually dries up / flakes faster on my eyes than the other. 

Now if we went with Option 2.

(1. Etude House - Dr. Mascara Fixer / 2. Cover Girl - Clump Crusher / 3. L'Oreal - Voluminous Waterproof Mascara / 4. Shu Uemura - Eyelash Curler)

The problem with my lashes is that they're short and straight. Some mascaras can help me lengthen them or thicken the look of them, however they don't usually stay like that for long. Now I don't have to deal with that problem anymore because I have discovered 4 awesome products. .
The first tool being the Shu Uemura eyelash curler. It actually does curl my lashes the best, maybe it really is made for asian eyes. shrug idk ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I have tried other eyelash curlers and they just do not give me the same curls as the aforementioned does. The next product is the Etude House Dr Mascara Fixer, it acts as a primer to help the lashes stay curled for a long period of time. AND BOY DOES IT DO THAT.  I like to curl my lashes before I prime my lashes so that the primer can hold onto the curl shape after. Finally I would then put on a coat of the Cover Girl Clump Crusher to lengthen, followed by the L'Oreal Mascara to thicken the base of my lashes. I also tend to go through my lashes one more time with the Clump Crusher to remove any clumps.

Then voila

(L: Without Primer // R: With Primer)

So there you have it, those are my basic eye makeup products. I really hope that you give the eyeliner and/or mascara routine a try! annd then also tell me how it goes. 

Thank you for reading,

Until next time! 

Becca