Ipsy Glam Bag Review

Hello blog readers,
It's been a while since my last post (as it always is, sadly I do not keep up with this as much as I promise myself I will). But, I recently received my Glam Bag from Ipsy and decided it was time I finally reviewed the service.

Ipsy is Michelle Phan's company, and for those just exiting a cave, Michelle Phan is the first YouTube millionaire, she makes beauty tutorials and general beauty videos.
Ipsy is a subscription service, you pay about $10 a month ($15 for Canadians because of the exchange) and every month you get a makeup bag filled with awesome mini-sized products to try. A lot of the time, they're not even that small and in the case of lipsticks, lipgloss, rollerball perfumes and nail polishes, they are full-sized.
When you first sign up, you do a little beauty profile (hair colour, eye colour, skin colour, skin type, likes and dislikes) so they can try send you shades and products that work for you. They charge you for your bag each month and you can cancel at any time without paying any fees. Don't like your first bag? Just cancel.
Check out their website for more details and information about subscribing!

There are a lot of beauty subscription services out there, but I'm going to say up front that Ipsy is the only company to really impress me with their service. I have tried Loosebutton (a Canadian company) and at first I liked their boxes but recently they changed it so that you only get 4 boxes a year and pay almost $30 per box. I thought the selection might be much better but I was incredibly disappointed with what I got and canceled. Mostly because they sent me something they had already sent me twice before and I had provided feedback on it saying how much I disliked the product. So frustrating!

Anyway, moving on to the Ipsy review. This is my experience with Ipsy Glam Bag!

First of all, the bag is so pretty! That's the first thing that sets Ipsy apart from other subscription services. With most other services, the products come in a box and eventually, however pretty the boxes are, you start throwing them away because otherwise you're just a hoarder with a bunch of empty boxes. Some people use them for storage but I think they just become clutter. 

These bags on the other hand are amazing! They are good quality and the are beautiful. You can use them as your travel makeup bag, keep one in your purse for makeup, receipts, coupons or whatever you need to store. Also because they are so cute, you can put some makeup or whatever you want inside and they could be part of a great gift!  My favourites are definitely the ones in the left of the photo. The bags are not always the same material. the nautical print one feels like waterproof material, the white and pink bag is canvas and the black bag is shiny plastic. 

Enough about the packaging, what do you actually get?

UD Moondust Shadow in "Zodiac"

The obvious star of the bunch is this full-sized gorgeous, shimmery, duo-chrome eyeshadow from Urban Decay! This exact shadow costs $20 on the Urban Decay website. So if you got this bag, you've already recouped your money in one high-end, full-sized product. Love it!

This swatches true to colour, with the same amount of shimmer you see in the pan, in one swipe. It's amazing. Which brings me to reason number two that Ipsy is great, this is part of a new line of shadows from Urban Decay that haven't actually been released yet! So everyone who got a May Glam Bag got to try them first. They also did that with the Urban Decay BB cream a few months back, it's an awesome perk.

Zoya polish in "Piaf"

This is a nail polish line you can only get in the US but I always hear amazing things about it. Which is yet another perk of Ipsy - since the company is based in the US you get to try products that are only sold there.
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of this colour, but there were about 8 colours they were sending out and I just pulled the short straw I guess. I might try it on my toes in the summer and see if I like it better.

PacificaCoconut Crushed Pearly Body Butter

I got a Pacifica body butter a few bags ago in a blood orange scent and I love it! I use it all the time, it's the best hand cream to keep with you. I was really excited when I got this. This smells like vanilla and coconut, so really it smells like heaven. It has a shimmer in it, which usually I don't like in creams, but this will be beautiful on skin in the summer for a little glow. I love these body butters so much I would buy a full size but this is yet another brand only sold in the US.

BB&W Candle in "Pumpkin Caramel Latte"

Pacifica Tahitian Gardenia Perfume Roll-On

This is a nice light floral scent. It's really convenient to throw in your purse or something. There was apparently a vanilla scent that was sent out as well. I kind of wish I got that one, because I LOVE the scent of vanilla. Hands down, my favourite scent. But this one is still really nice. However, if I super disliked it, there's a swap forum on Ipsy's facebook page where users can swap products they didn't like.

Yaby concealer in Honey

This was a cool addition to the bag. In a previous month, there was a magnetic palette and two eyeshadows sent out. This concealer (they match your shade based on the skin tone you indicated on your profile) fits right into the magnetic palette. I'm someone who suffers from really dark, purple under eye circles and I hate them. So I really loved getting this, because now I can throw this in my bag and touch up concealer if it wears off throughout the day. Also because this palette is magnetic, you can use it to keep bobby pins so they're not just floating around in your purse!

Juice Beauty lipgloss in "Pink"

This is a nice gloss. Not really sticky with pretty decent colour and shine. I'm not huge on most lipgloss so I wasn't overly excited about this but it's still a nice product.

Overall

I really love getting a glam bag every month! It's a great way to branch out into new products and try things you might now have tried otherwise. I also love that the price in on-par with other subscription services like it but in my opinion the range and quality of products you recieve are much better. Plus every month you get a cute new makeup bag! Even the shipping bag it comes in is cute- it's bright magenta pink. Tell me you wouldn't love seeing that in your mailbox. Every month, Michelle Phan and the other YouTube girls involved in this service (I think there are 5 altogether) each do a video using all the products in the current bag, to give you some ideas how to make the best use of your products. In case you're curious, below is a picture of some other products I've received in previous bags! 

L.A. Fresh makeup remover wipes, coastal scents eyeshadow quad, mirabella highlighter, 

Sation nail polish, Big Sexy Hair hairspray and Glam RX magnetic palette (same as one shown above).

I will continue to subscribe to this service because I have been incredibly impressed. I highly recommend you go over the Ipsy website and try out a bag! It'll be the best $10 (or $15 for Canadians) you'll spend that month! 

Hopefully you guys enjoy the review. If you decide to try out the service, comment or tweet me (TashaSinghs) and let me know what you think!

As always, thanks for reading,

-Tasha

Let's Make a Teal - Teal Green Nails

Lovely readers,

I saw a picture of this nail polish a long time ago and ever since I wanted it so badly.

It was "Let's Make a Teal" from The Balm (which if you read my blog often, you know is a company I love) but their shipping is kind of outrageous. And I wasn't going to order just a nail polish...

**This brand goes on sale on Hautelook sometimes which is a flash sale site. I usually get it when it's there to save some money and pay reasonable shipping. Signing up is free and you get access to great designer brands that go on sale, including Steve Madden, Wildfox Couture and BCBG.

Check out Hautelook at the link below!

http://www.hautelook.com/short/3Ee0i

But The Balm recently had a 50% of everything sale and I definitely picked up some stuff because it totally made their kind of excessive shipping costs ($26 to ship to Canada and they're located in the US??!) worth it. I do understand though, they are a small company which means they have to protect themselves when shipping products and for cosmetics 50% off is an amazing sale. I got two of their Hot Ticket nail polishes, which get great reviews as far as I know.

Hot Ticket Nail Polishes ($10)  in "Let's Make a Teal" and "Call me Iridescent" 

I finally got to pick up the nail polish I wanted to try and I picked up a shimmery colour so I could try out a different formula as well. 

As you can see, it's a gorgrous teal blue-green colour. Creamy finish, no shimmer. Very smooth formula and great pigmentation! Honestly, for most of nails this is just one coat! That's impressive, for me at least, because I absolutely need two coats of any OPI polish I use and they are more expensive than these.

The Balm Hot Ticket polishes are usually $10 but I got them for $5 each so they were a great deal. However, knowing how awesome these are, I would absolutely pay $10 for them because the quality is definitely there. And considering brands like OPI ($12 a bottle), Butter London ($17 a bottle!) or even Essie, a supposed drugstore brand, ($11 a bottle) - these are actually very reasonably priced.

The bottle looks small but holds about 14 mL while an OPI bottle which seems much larger holds 15mL. 

So it's compact but doesn't skimp on product which is always nice.

These are definitely a win for me, I love them and suggest you try them out too!

Just a Few Things...

• I can't wait to try out the other nail polish I got! It looks so pretty.
• I got a ton of other stuff too that I should review including an awesome palette and some skincare items pictured below

I am so excited to use this stuff! 

• I have already tried the White Tea Coconut Milk Cleansing Face Cream  (in the pink bottle) and while I've only used it once and can't officially review it, I do LOVE it so far. Smells great and it's so moisturizing.
• The included a cute fact about coconuts on the top of the box: "In the US, you can write an address on a coconut, attach the correct postage and drop it in the mail!"
• The candle burning in the above picture: Peach Bellini from Bath and Body Works. Amazing!
• I have heard amazing things about the Balm Jovi palette, pictured above, for so long. I cannot wait to use it. And it's so slim and travel friendly. 

As always, thanks for reading!

-Tasha<3 

Purple and Gold: "Triaccent" Glitter Nails!

Shit. School starts and I always drop the ball here.
Well here's a quick nail post that I knew I wanted to do when I saw the tutorial for it.
Leighannsays is one of my favourite Youtubers, she is hilarious.
Check out her video that shows you exactly how to do this nail look.
Btw, that's why I'm only going to briefly explain how I did the design here because a) it wasn't my idea and b) the video shows it way better than I could ever describe it.

Left to right: Essie "Bahama Mama" China Glaze "I'm not Lion" and Revlon "Facets of Fuchsia"

Leighann calls these "triaccent" nails and they are so easy to do and make your nails look amazing!

I used two coats of Essie's "Bahama Mama" which I love for this fall season by the way. 

The China Glaze glitter polish obviously for the triangles and I have to say I am really impressed with China Glaze glitter polishes. This is the second one I have and I have really fallen in love with both.

 I used the Revlon polish just over my thumb. Revlon's "Facets of Fuchsia was limited edition but I'm so, so glad I got it. Best glitter polish ever created, it works seamlessly on top of any dark colour. You can see that because the purple glitter is in a dark base that it makes my thumbnail look darker than the rest of my nails. I'm considering doing a whole post for it this polish, that's how much I love it. If you can get your hands on it, buy it!

Candle: "Pumpkin Cupcake" from Bath and Body Works. 

Smells so amazing!

The glitter accent was really easy to do but it looks like it would take time and effort, which is why I love this look. It only requires two pieces of scotch tape placed along your nail to create a triangle. 

Anyway, I know this post is short and to the point but school is killing me right now.

Hope everyone enjoyed the post and try it out for yourself!

Thanks for reading!

-Tash<3 

Barbie Pink Glitter Nails!

Hello lovely readers,
I'm back again with a really cute nail post!
I personally love how this turned out and will most likely do my nails like this again really soon.
It's a cute take on Barbie pink, glitter nails!

I love this! So girly and pink, definitely a look I wear a lot. I used a darker pink on three nails and accented my two middle nails with a milky, lighter pink polish. I also covered my accent nails with a chunky silver glitter to really make them pop and finish off the look. 

From left to right: Wet'n'Wild "Sugar Coat" and "Candylicious"

Essie "Set in Stones" 

I love the way this Essie polish applies, very smooth despite being a chunky glitter polish. I definitely finished this nail look and gave my accent nails a really cute sparkle. Bonus: most chunky glitters are super hard to get off which means I don't wear as often as I'd like to. But when I was ready I just peeled my accent nails off in one go and it was effortless! I think that the thick, clear base of the glitter polish causes your nail polish to peel off as one piece. 

I set everything with a clear top coat which is especially important when using glitter because it can make your nails can feel rough. Overall, a very cute, girly look for summer with a touch of sparkle! I will be wearing this again for sure!

Just a Few Things..

• Speaking of, should I do a post when I get back with some pictures from my vacation? Maybe one before I go of what my travel makeup bag looks like? Let me know if you'd like to see that!
• Working on a really quick, and easy summer eye look post that I've been wearing non-stop lately. 
• I think it's official. I just put How I Met Your Mother on even if I don't really want to watch. It's comforting. Such a great show, definitely my favourite!
• Recently took Wet'n'Wild's "Club Havana" nail polish off my toenails which looked amazing. I am considering painting them with the "Candylicious" colour from above. 
• I've already got a big floppy, beachy sun hat. I'm going to wear it to the airport. Yea, I'm gonna be that girl at the airport - the one who's clearly on her way to a tropical vacation and doesn't care if anyone knows it.
• Now I'm rethinking wearing that- it might be a pain at security checks...
• Can you tell I'm excited? Geez, shut up already about it, Tash.
• I love anyone and everyone who actually reads my blog. lol

Anyway, as always thanks for reading!

-Tash<3 

Nail Post: Summer Sunshine!

Hello all,
I have a nail post for you lovely readers.
I love nothing more than wearing bright nail polish in the summer, I think it's always a great way to compliment an outfit and really make a statement about your style.
So without further ado, my brightest nail colour yet...

Readers, meet Essence Colour and Go nail polish in "Wanna be your Sunshine"-

aptly named I would say. Essence is a bargain drugstore brand that just recently came to Canada (was only in the US before) and can be found in Shopper Drug Mart now! This polish was only $1.49! Crazy right?

I also used Essie's "Shine of the Times" over my fourth nail for an accent. It's a really beautiful holographic glitter polish that sparkles gold, pink, orange, green, yellow and is to date the most unique nail polish that I own. It's just so hard to describe. 

The Essie polish reflects light gorgeously. Not that this yellow polish needs it.  

All in all, I am liking the nail polishes I have tried from Essence so far! It's not often that a company puts out a yellow that's not too mustard or too green, but can also be opaque in just two coats. Essence made one that does both, which is impressive in my opinion. I have a yellow from OPI that doesn't even do that. Score one for Shoppers Drug Mart and welcome to Canada, Essence!

Thanks for reading!

-Tash<3

A Beach Vacation for your Nails!

Hello readers!
In honour of my family vacation coming up in August (Cuba baby!) I thought I'd do a nail post inspired by the beach! I can't wait to just relax on the sand, swim and have some quality time with my cousin (more like sister really) Devika and the rest of my awesome family!
I am so excited for this trip, but it kills me because I know as soon as I get back I'll be depressed because there will only be 3 more weeks until school. Sad life.
Oh well on to the nail polish!
This is one I know my friend Stef has and she loves it.

I love this colour by Essie called "Turquoise & Caicos" (also I love how cute the names of Essie polishes always are). It's a true turquoise blue, creamy finish with no shimmer. 

The polish applies really smoothly. Any imperfections you notice in the pictures are because I'm impatient and also crazy and choose to do my nails at 1 a.m. 

It needs two coats to be opaque, but really what polish doesn't?

It's really bright and fun to wear in the summer. This would be much harder to wear in the winter, in my opinion, so I would suggest picking it up soon and wearing it as much as possible!

Just a Few Things...

• I finally photographed a few of the posts I've been promising and will have to spend my evening sorting out the photos. 
• Next planned post is a review comparison of a MAC and Revlon double ended liner!
• Recently found a wallflower from Bath and Body Works that I bought in the fall/winter. No tag on it so I had no idea what scent it was. Now that it's plugged in, I can definitely tell it's the Creamy Pumpkin scent, which btw is AMAZING! My favourite winter scent from Bath and Body Works that came out last year. It smells like vanilla, cinnamon, with only a little pumpkin and just holiday time goodness.
• Speaking of Bath and Body Works, I got a whole bunch of stuff for a steal during their Semi Annual Sale! Including the Creamy  Pumpkin scent in a room spray, some body lotion, body wash and a body spray called "Forever Sunshine" that I love so much, it's all I wear now! 
• I have been wearing next to no makeup because it has been so crazy hot in Toronto. So I apologize for the lack of actual makeup looks posted recently. 
• Was cleaning out more of my room- I have THREE unopened razors. THREE. One was a Christmas gift and two came with my Luxeboxes. And that's why I love Luxeboxes, saving me money all the time. 
• Am loving Instagram (tashasingh10) and Pose (natasha.singh) and Tiny Tower (seriously the best game ever) on my iPhone! 

Anyways, as always thanks for reading!

-Tash <3 

Ombre Orange/Coral Nails!

Hello blog readers (the few of you there are)!
I have a nail post for you today! I have a makeup haul and review coming up shortly with some products from The Balm, but it turns out that post is a little more labour intensive than I thought it would be.
So for now, a nail post it is!

Ombre Nails! Quick note about them: they are not easy. You could go the route where you pick one polish and dilute it with some drops of white polish so it gets paler for each nail. But it turns out I have so much freakin nail polish I had four orange/coral colours that actually created a really smooth gradient. I used the same colour for both my thumb and index finger. This isn't the best pain job I've ever done, but it sure is difficult to paint your nails four different colours. Give me a little credit. 

 From left to right: Wet'n'Wild Heatwave, OPI Special Request

Wet'n'nWild Club Havana, and Essie Tart Deco.

They're in the same order on my nails.

It's a really cute, bright and fun look for summertime! Not to mention it goes with the whole ombre trend that's kind of happening in fashion (I think...). 

Hope you enjoyed this idea for summer nails.

Thanks for reading

-Tash <3

The nail polish that launched a thousand ships...

Holy shit. It's been forever and a day since I visited the blogosphere.
But here I am. Let's do this.
Summer is totally here (I mean not officially, but in my book as soon as it's slightly warm- summer).
So of course you all know I had to break out the summer nail polishes.
Here's one of my favourites for the summer by OPI.

Readers, meet Melon of Troy. Yes, this polish from OPI is actually called "Melon of Troy" - so cute.

It's obviously a melon-coral colour and its got a decent amount of shimmer mixed in. Not glitter, but a subtle shimmer that's gorgeous and makes the polish really reflective. 

The shimmer in this polish makes it somewhat more difficult to apply and it did take me 2-3 coats to get it completely opaque.

But c'mon. The end result is so totally worth it. C'est la vie, non?

Just a Few Things...

• Despite the fact that my real obsessions lies with makeup, this blog is like 90% nail polish. How did that happen? Oh right, nail polish is 100, 000% easier to photograph. 
• I do however have not one, but TWO makeup hauls photographed and they will be up shortly. Not to mention a skincare post as well. 
• I got some new palettes from the UK (mentioned above) which are SO SO beautiful. I don't even want to use them they're so beautiful. God, I'm such a hoarder.
• Revlon came out with some REALLY cute cream blushes in their summer collection. They look awesome. Can't bring myself to actually use them yet... *sigh
• Every summer it's insane how much nail polish I collect. I just love summer colours.
• Mad Men season finale was this past Sunday. So sad! I love that show so much. I think I may do a Joan inspired look soon
• Stupid boyfriend's taking summer school (by choice) and he never sees me. Thus, you have a blog post!
• Got an iPhone recently. Instagram: tashasingh10

That'll be all from me this time. As always, thanks for reading,

-Tash <3

"Picture Perfect" - Lilac Nails

I need to admit something. Can this be a safe space? Yeah, let's make this a safe space.

I have an embarrassingly large nail polish collection. Enormous. Gigantic. Hulk-sized if you will.

It's so bad. Not to mention, at any given moment I have about 8-10 unopened bottles I haven't even had the time to try yet. Sad, I know. Life of a makeup addict- don't be surprised if you see me on that show Hoarders someday. 

So I decided to shop my own collection and  break out some new ones to see what I thought. 

Essie's "She's Picture Perfect" is a creamy lilac purple shade with a somewhat strange duo-chrome of pink. It's easy to see when you look at the bottle but it's much more subtle when applied. 

I used China Glaze "Prism" for an accent nail. I got this polish in a Luxebox and it's a really great glitter nail polish. It's mostly fine and medium sized, multi-coloured glitter in a lilac base, so it was perfect over the Essie colour. It applies so smoothly, it's one of easiest glitter nail polishes I've ever tried. 

As this is my first time using both, I have to say I'm impressed. The Essie polish is a nice creamy colour with a pink twist but still not overwhelmingly special. I don't especially love how lilac looks next to my darker skin tone so maybe that's making it hard for me to love this polish. It's not terrible though and I'll probably keep it on for at least a couple of days. The "Prism" colour, however is really beautiful and  a new favourite for glitter polishes, I really love it!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading,

-Tash <3 

Nude Nails: Essie "Brooch the Subject"

What?? Another blog post? No way.
YES WAY, homeslice. What up.
The power of having lots to do. Should be doing homework, BLOG. Should be blogging, SLEEP. Should be sleeping, HOMEWORK. This is the vicious cycle of my life.
I love nude/natural nail colours for the simple reason that I, ladies and gentlemen, am a lazy bastard.
And do not change my nail polish often enough. So it just happens to work in my favour if I have a nude colour on that will go with anything.
My new fave nude nail polish? I just picked it up from Essie (I believe it's a permanent colour) and it's called "Brooch the Subject"

Gorgeous nude shade. Cream with no shimmer in it.

I layered Essie's "No Chips Ahead" top coat for some shine and to help it last longer.

This was a quick post but there's not much else to say about is there? Really love this polish, give it a try if you're looking for a good nude. 

Just a Few Things...

• I am working on a blog post about a new Physician's Formula palette. It'll be picture heavy because the packaging it so so so pretty!
• I also have a few new nail polishes that I want to do blog posts on and a whole new line I'm going to review from Wet'n'Wild.
• Got the Nicki Minaj Viva Glam lipstick. Have no clue where I'm going to wear it. SO BRIGHT.
• It should be reading month. :s ugh

Holiday Nails (Post #4): Candy Striper!

Hey all,
Thought I'd do another quick holiday nails post, while there's still time!
I haven't yet shown you guys my #1 favourite holiday polish of all time, which makes me so sad!
I got it last year from OPI's holiday collection and I wish I could wear it every single day of the year but I can't because it just screams Christmas and holidays and festiveness! :) Despite that, it's still my very favourite nail polish that I own. It will be my next "Holiday Nails" post. Pinky Swear.
In the meantime, keep on guessing and enjoy this post.
I really enjoy how this look came out, I think it looked so festive and cute.

A deep red nail with a candy cane striped accent nail! 

I used the "Salon Effects" nail polish strips in "Peppermint Twist" for the accent nail. It's part of their limited edition Christmas designs. I knew I had to try this design when I saw it. I love these "Salon Effects" design sticker thingys. They're a little pricey but you get a lot of strips with it and they come in the best designs. The look really good, my only complaint is that these do not nearly last 10 days. I wish they would strengthen whatever adhesive they use for the back of these.

 The Essie nail polish is "Bordeaux" which is actually a very deep red with no shimmer. But I wanted this to be more of an apple red, to match the red in the striped nail. So I was a light on the polish, applying only one coat and touching up in certain placed that needed it.

Excuse my tiny, short nails. A couple started breaking
recently so I had to cut them all down.

I was on my way out to my aunt's baking party (which you will probably see a post on) when I shot these so try not to mind the lighting or the kinda crappy nail job. It's the thought that counts, right? 

Anyway, do you guys like my shirt? Lol I say this as a joke all the time and I'm sure everyone is probably irritated by it now. I just think it's funny and I love this t-shirt. Unfortunately, my very brown, Caribbean family did not get it. Trying to explain it to them made for some good laughs though.

In case you can't read backwards, it says:
"Come at me bro"

Thanks for reading! Bye guys! 

-Tash <3

Holiday Gift Guide 2011!

Hello everyone,
Unless my 9385589837 other posts about it haven't made it obvious, it is the holiday season!
Which most likely means you're going to spend some time shopping for gifts, which to be honest is such a pain the ass. So, if you're looking for some ideas for what to get the woman in your life, this might be a good place to start :)
I figure I'll sort the items by store or brand that way they're easy to find when you're out shopping.

Lush
Lush has a great selection of pre-wrapped gifts and their Christmas selection has so much variety. If you aren't familiar with Lush already, they make bath products like body wash, soap, shampoo etc. but they also make some really amazing bath stuff like bath bombs (balls of powder product that fizz and make your bath water silky) and bath melts (melt in your bath water super creamy) and bubble bars (make huge bubbles in your tub and makes your water silky).
 They have wrapped Christmas gifts at every single price point which is a nice plus so if none of the ones I link (ones I've tried or like the best) suit you, go to their website and you can find exactly what you want.

Christmas Tweets: $29.95

Courtesy of Lush.ca

This gift comes with a great selection of bath bombs, soaps, creams and bubble bars. It's a great price to try out a lot of Lush bestsellers and some limited xmas stuff too.

Christmas Candy Box: $45.95

Courtesy of Lush.ca

I got this box as a gift last year, but apparently they completely changed what's in it this year! Also, it was $10 cheaper when I asked for it last year. However, this year's box is just as good, filled with a lot of Lush goodies you could fall in love with.

Comforter Bubble Bar: $9.95

Courtesy of Lush.ca

A bestselling bubble bar that I have repurchased many, many times. It's big enough to use two or even three times. It smells like candy and bubblegum and sweetness. It makes your bathwater pink and silky with huge bubbles. Just break some off and crumble under the tap while filling the tub! :)

The Melting Snowman Bath Melt- $5.95

Courtesy of Lush.ca

I love this little guy! He smells fresh and clean, slightly like vanilla. It melts in your bath and makes the water creamy and so soothing. Plus he's so cute! But hurry, this guy is limited edition for just this year.

Cinders Bath Bomb- $4.95

Courtesy of Lush.ca

This smells like fresh citrus, very clean and bright. My boyfriend actually loves this one. It's great for any guy who plays sports and soaks in a tub to relax injured or tight muscles. There's nothing girly about the scent and it makes the bath much more moisturizing for his skin. Think about it ladies.


Sephora
If the girl you're shopping for is a beauty junkie like me, pay real close attention to this section- everything will be a hit with her.
*Note: all prices are in US because I can't be bothered to figure out the exchange rate. Sorry loves!

NARS- Yorokobi Super Orgasm Set: $39

Courtesy of Sephora.com

Filled with NARS best sellers all in their famous shade "Orgasm" -- any beauty lover would be overjoyed to get a blush, nail polish,  and lip gloss in this dazzling peachy pink shade with gold shimmer.

Urban Decay- Maripose Palette- $39

Courtesy of Sephora.com

Urban Decay quality and pigmentation is the absolute best and this palette comes with 10 beautiful shades that can make a gorgeous neutral look, a smokey evening look or a bright, colourful summer time look. It's so versatile and useful, I love mine. Any makeup junkie would really enjoy this.

Urban Decay- Naked Palette: $48

Courtesy of Sephora.com

The absolute blockbuster, bestseller from Urban Decay. This palette went out of stock for almost a full year constantly because of the high demand. And while I know $48 is pricey- if  you're looking for a more luxurious gift, this is ABSOLUTELY worth the money! I love mine and use it regularly.
*I know Naked2, the second naked palette has already come out. But unfortunately it doesn't hit Canadia Sephora's until late January. You could order online though. I still prefer the original one, better colours, better variety.

Sephora- LashStash: $45

Courtesy of Sephora.com

This boxed kit is great because you get to try out so many different mascaras for a great price. It also comes with a makeup remover and 2 full-size products. Sephora also has boxed kits like this for lip products and bestseller items.

Sephora- Collector's Edition Fragrance Sampler for Her: $75

Courtesy of Sephora.com

I know that $75 is kinda "ouch" on the wallet area but this is a great value. This kit comes with 10 fragrance samples (that come in mini versions of the actual bottles!) and it also comes with a coupon to go back to Sephora and get whichever of the 10 perfumes you liked the best! A great idea for someone looking for their perfect scent.

Your girl isn't into makeup?
Try getting her some gourmet tea! Tea makes a great gift that is personal and unexpected. Teavana and Teaopia are both great places you can go to get gourmet teas and great tea making accessories.

Not a fan of tea?
Maybe she's into fashion. Try Etsy, It's an online store and everything they sell is a one-of-a-kind piece. Meaning you can tell your girl, no one else will ever have something exactly like it. And it's really afforadable with great selection of clothes, accessories, housewares and cool vintage pieces.

I hope this gift guide was helpful for someone out there!
I will have another baking post coming up soon on my red velvet cookies with cream cheese filling. They are delicious and really simple to make. AND they are even vegetarian, so if you are or know a vegetarian this will be a great cookie recipe to share. :)

Thanks for reading!
-Tash <3