Demeter Mr. Bubble

In my childhood there are two things that come to mind.  One being a love for The Little Mermaid and the other being bubble baths. My early attitude towards bathing as a child was simple.  The more time spent in the tub the more likely I would turn into a mermaid. So in return I was the kid that never got out of the tub, who splashed, sang and desperately thought I would turn into Ariel at any given moment.  Besides my Flounder toy there is one thing that really comes to mind and that is Mr. Bubble. So when I was offered a bottle of this nostalgic scent I just had to say yes.

Mr. Bubble has been making memories for over the past 50 years, its unique fruity meets clean is unique and easily identified. Literally, one whiff of the scent and I was transported back to my days as a little girl playing in the tub. I would say what hits you first the scent of bananas, which is then followed by an undertone of powdery clean notes. As a child I never took the time to really give Mr. Bubble a good smell, but the contrast between clean and fruity really works.

There are sexy perfumes and power perfumes but Mr. Bubble falls in the fun perfume category. I can honestly say I have had a blast wearing this over the past month. If you had tons of memories with Mr. Bubble or if you were looking for a sweet fun fragrance I highly suggest giving this a try. 

Chanel Rouge Noir

When fall hits some girls go crazy over pumpkin spice lattes, while others can’t wait to start wearing their favourite bulky sweaters. Don’t get me wrong I’m not one to turn down a pumpkin spice latte but for me fall means one thing… Chanel Rouge Noir nail varnish.

Rouge Noir is the kind of shade that gracefully dances between black and red. The overall effect is not only flattering, but darn it’s really sexy too. As for the formula itself this polish is pigmented, creamy and just generally a pleasure to apply. It’s pretty much everything you would expect a luxury nail polish to be.

Apparently I’m not the only one who finds the shade irresistible, because Chanel Rouge Noir has quite the history too. Orginally released as the colour Vamp in 1994 this nail polish flew off the shelves. Like it really flew off the shelves, in the first year alone this stunning shade hit the $1 million mark in sales.  

Worn by both Madonna (in Take a Bow) and Uma Thermon (in Pulp Fiction) this is one classic, sexy colour.  With its outstanding quality I have to say Rouge Noir is among of the best polishes in my collection. If you were looking for a beautiful polish this fall I highly recommend this vampy, yet timeless shade.

Sorting the Stash

There was a time where my makeup collection boasted a healthy amount old lip glosses, clumpy glitter nail polishes and multi coloured eye shadow sets. Often when looking for beauty inspiration I was left with the feeling of clutter and waste. So over the few months of I have taken the journey of whittling my collection to almost half. Yes, half! Not only is my collection more organized, but I can now thoroughly say my collection boasts only my favourite products.  So if you were planning on skimming your collection here are my top tips to doing so.

Get Rid of Old Products

Besides lacking in quality old products can cause irritations, infections and a handful of other problems. So throw those questionable products out people! A couple of things to spot when identifying an old product are a change of scent, a decrease in quality or an alteration in colour. Spare yourself an eye infection and the discomfort and toss these products.

Pass it along!

Sometimes we end up with unflattering lipsticks, unused eye shadow pallets and a slew of nail polishes we just don’t fancy anymore. So over the past few months I have made an effort to give more beauty products to friends and family. I find this the best way to cut back on clutter and make someone’s day too.  

The method to my madness is just this:

If I love it – it goes in my vanity or makeup bag for everyday use

If I hate it or if the product is defective- it goes to the trash

If the product is decent- I usually keep it in my over flow drawers. If I don’t reach for it in a couple of months I pass it along to a friend, family or my mom.

Say Bye to Broken Product

Now this won’t apply to all but personally if I have a broken product I won’t use it. For example this beautiful Le Metier eye shadow pallet sat in my collection, yes it was beautiful and yes it was pigmented. However, because it was broken I just didn’t reach for it. Save your clothes, carpet and furniture the agony and toss these broken products aside.

Return If You Can

I know return policies vary from store to store and from country to country, so I know this isn’t the easiest thing to follow. However I feel if you’re genuinely unsatisfied with a product try to return it. The trick to returns is being honest I find sales staff can be extremely helpful if your truthfully and honest. Likewise if you’re trying to return a 2 year old foundation that’s gone off these women have no mercy or time for your games. The worst case scenario is sales associate might say no, but best case scenario is you get or money back or a return it for a product that you will thoroughly enjoy using.  

Gone are the days of neon pink eye shadows, sparkly blue bases and orange foundations. I can now finally say my makeup stash boasts only the things I really, really love. Have you decluttered your collection? What are some of your favourite tips?

A Quick Pregnancy Update

Maybe it’s the hectic summer weekends maybe it’s the super busy days at work, but it has been a while since we got caught up. So I thought why not does a pregnancy tag today? So readers grab a tea and put on your favourite face mask let’s start this tag shall we?

How far along?

25 weeks.

Gender? 

We found out we were having a baby girl!

Maternity Clothes?

For the longest time I didn’t have the biggest bump, which allowed me to wear my regular pants till 20 weeks. Sometime around the 20 week mark my regular pants just didn’t cut it anymore. I literally had to leave work early to go get a pair of maternity pants; the uncomfortable feeling was just that bad. So I bought a few pairs of maternity leggings and honestly I haven’t looked back since.

I also have a pair of maternity yoga pants and jeans which are super comfortable too!

Stretch marks?

None yet! I do find my tummy has been itchy lately thou.  My quick solution to this is a hydrating body butter.  Currently I am using L’Occitane’s Shea Body butter and it seems to be doing the trick.

Sleep?

I’ve often thought pregnancy is turning me into a baby, because I’ve been sleeping like a baby.

Miss anything?

Pregnancy is well worth the sacrifice.  However I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t miss sushi accompanied by a glass of white wine. White tuna rolls … how I miss you!

Movement?

Before I got pregnant the idea of something moving around in your tummy freaked me out. However, I have to say movement has been my favourite part of the experience to date. Her moves and kicks are a constant reminder that she is there and that all is well.

Cravings? Aversions?

No aversions but I have had a craving for Root beer! This craving hit me at 11pm to the point where I drove to the grocery store to get a fix.

Told you guys this would be a quick update! I hope all of you are doing well and thank you for taking the time and reading. 

The Perfect Bath

 I’ve always considered myself more of a shower girl, but soaking in the tub has recently been growing on me. Sometimes I watch TV shows in the tub, while other times I do absolutely nothing. I have to say me recent preference has been doing absolutely nothing. I think the switch went off when I started adding pampering touches around the tub. These inexpensive, insignificant details might not seem like anything but trust me they work together to give a spa like experience. So today we are taking this to the tub, here are my much-loved ways to creating the perfect bath.

Let in Nature

I once saw a picture of a magical looking bathtub surrounded by vines, orchids and moss... I fell in love with the picture, but in reality having this beautiful enchanted forest scene in my bathroom isn’t practical for me. So to capture a touch of nature I bought myself a plant and a low maintenance succulent at that. In addition to the a little greenery I also added a slice of wood that I use as a tray for my bath products. This ‘slice of wood’ is actually a mini cutting board I got at my local Winners for under $15.00. I think I will eventually add more plants to the tub area, but I have to say I am happy with the two little nature touches I have right now.

The Perfect Soap Dish

Trying to catch a bar of soap in a bath is nearly impossible and soap scum on the sides of your tub suck. The answer is a cute soap dish people… They are inexpensive, they save your product from waste and they look nice too. I opted for a white soap boho inspired tray, but you could also use a teacup saucer for really charming results too.

Indulgent Bath Products

As someone who has stained there tub with gold glitter, ‘therapeutic’ mud and pink bath bombs, bath products can make or break a bath experience for me.These days I stick to bath products that don’t come with a high upkeep cleanup, which overall creates a more relaxing experience for me. You can totally spend a fortune on products; however you can also save should you choose. A personal time bath favourite is the NUXE Oil Prodigieuse. This oil works on face, hair and body, but a couple of squirts into a hot bath is truly a beautiful experience. Now I’m not saying this oil is drugstore cheap but because it’s so multi-purpose it’s easy to justify the price.

Candle Power

I strongly believe every bath should be complimented by some sort of candle. Sure you can opt with a fancy Dyptique candle, but trust me any candle providing you like the scent works. I have always liked Valuspa candles, with that being said I currently have two random candles by my tub. So ladies turn off those harsh bathroom lights and prepare to unwind.

What are some of your favourite ways to create the perfect bath? Leave me a comment! 

Empties #8

I have a love, hate relationship with empties. On one hand I hate hoarding garbage, but on the other hand I love reading straight to the point reviews. I also happen to love throwing out all the empties at once, there is just something so gratifying about it!  So long lipstick, fair well moisturizer… you get the idea. Today, I have a lot of empties to share with you so let’s get down to business, shall we!

Patyka Biokaliftin Ultra Radiant Face Cream

In a nutshell this moisturizer is probably one of the best I’ve ever tried. Its hydrating, radiance enhancing, contains amazing ingredients and just generally feels like a dream on the skin. At almost $200.00 (Canadian) it is also the most expensive moisturizer I’ve ever tried. Unless I win the lottery I don’t plan on buying this. Personally with its formula of peptides, hyaluronic acid, oat fats and other hydrating oils I think there are similar out there for less.

The Face Shop Design My Eyebrow

This faintly pigmented, waxy pencil theoretically shouldn’t be any good. However if you are cursed with a heavy hand this is just the kind of eyebrow product you want. With it’s impossible to over apply formula, a beautifully slanted tip this product is definitely one of the best Face Shop I’ve tried to date. I have repurchased time and time again will continue to do so.

Bioderma Sensibio

 I don’t think there’s ever been an Empties post on Tarte Tanya that didn’t include a bottle of Bioderma. If you were looking for gentle, effective makeup remover you must give this ago. I have already repurchased and will continue to repurchase.

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil

This is some seriously good shower gel and I use to love the scent of this. However since becoming pregnant the scent throws me off. I find the scent of the so off putting even thinking about it makes my stomach turn. So although this product comes highly recommended I can’t say I will be repurchasing this anytime soon.

La Vanilla Pure Vanilla Deodorant

The only natural deodorant that actually works! If you have sensitivities to conventional deodorant I can't recommend this enough. Likewise if you wanted to stay clear of aluminium, parabens and other nasties give this a go too! I have repurchased this time and time again and will continue to do so. 

Indeed Labs Snoxin 

I personally love Indeed labs, they do excellent, innovative skincare at very affordable prices. Snoxin stays true to there philosophy! This peptide heavy serum with help plump up the skin like nobodies business. I have a whole review here should you care to have a little skincare read! 

Rodial Glamtox Serum 

I would actually consider this serum a a facial oil and a really good one at that. While I enjoyed using this serum, its since been discontinued so I will not be repurchasing this. 

Avene Skin Recovery Cream Rich 

If you get severely dry, sensitive skin then stop what your doing and get this product. In addition to feeling amazingly soothing on the skin, this product really helps repair dry areas too. Personally Avene is one of my favourite skincare lines and this product is one of my favourites among the range. Once the cold weather hits you can bet I will be repurchasing this again! 

Benefit Roller Lash 

Roller Lash is a really, really good mascara. The curved brush hugs the eye area, while the black formula gives the look of long fluttery lashes. Gorgeous stuff and adorable packaging! While I have currently been testing out some drugstore mascaras I will definitely go back to this mascara in the future. Review here! 

Clarins Daily Energizer Gel

If your a reader of Tarte Tanya you have probably come to know that I am nuts about this product. Actually, if you look back at my previous empties I'm sure you can spot many empty tubes of this outstanding cleanser too! But I love this cleanser, its gentle and leaves my skin soft and clean. In addition to working well alone, this gel cleanser works wonders as a second step cleanse too! If you needed a no bullshit kind of cleansing product, give this one a try! Full review here and backups of this product already repurchased. 

Now that business is done its time for me to take a nap, because that was a lot of empty products. On a completely unrelated note I am still confused on how pregnancy can make someone can go from loving the scent of almonds to absolutely hating it... Will I ever love almond again? 

I suppose only time well tell! Now I'm just rambling, so that means its time for me to go, because soon I will start talking about food and then we can be here for days. So thank you ladies for reading, I hope your all enjoying the long weekend! 

August Favourites

My birthday, Thanksgiving, Halloween… fall is right around the corner and I am absolutely over the moon about it. Don’t get me wrong I have nothing against ice cream, BBQ’s or anything summer related for that matter.  Well I do have a problem with humidity and sun burns but let’s not go there.  So with this new crisp fall air comes newly found beauty inspiration and a slew of new favourites to share with you today.

Super Facialist Cleansing Oil

Super Facialist made me a cleansing oil convert. This gentle oil melts makeup off like nobody’s business. Plus it’s affordable and leaves your skin baby soft. Plus it doesn’t leave a greasy residue to the skin, which makes it perfect all skin types.  Plus it smells nice! It’s all plus’s with this one!

See full review here.

Alien Thierry Mugler

I was happy to call Alien my signature scent during college. Even more specifically it was always the background scent to “club nights”, which was always accompanied by a hint of cheap red wine.  Almost 10 years later things are different, as I am no longer ‘clubbing’, ‘pubbing’ or any of that business. However Alien magically still remains relevant with its warm notes of Amber and floral notes of jasmine. This perfume has easily become the backdrop to my 9-5, yet it still contains some party girl nostalgia of the past.

Dove Purely Pampering Pistachio Cream with…

With its hydrating formula, rich lather and delicious pistachio scent this has to be one of my favourite body washes of all time. The only thing I would change is long winded name… why didn’t they call this Pistachio Cream Body Wash to keep thing simple? Name aside if you were craving a body wash with a good dose of moisture this is a must try.

NARS Kalahari Eye Shadow Duo

The bronzy/purple/red tone shade in this duo is truly unique. When I started thinking about similar colours the first thing that came into mind was By Terry’s famous Mystic Rock eye shadow pencil. Side by side Mystic Rock is slightly shimmerier, but I have to say both are very similar in tone. As for the bronzy gold shade (not pictured) in the duo it’s just as stunning worn alone or partnered with another shadow.

CoverGirl Stay Luminous Foundation

Luminous, hydrating and long lasting this foundation is a dream on dry skin. Day to day I like to apply a sheer wash of colour with my fingers. However you can equally use a brush and build this to a medium coverage as well. You can see my full review on this drugstore gem here!

I am truly excited about this month’s favourites. On a complete side note I am also excited for pumpkin pie, butternut squash soup, apple cider and all the glory that is fall food. Mini Halloween chocolate bars, candy corn … I can seriously talk about food forever so I will spare you the earful.
What have you loved month, leave me a comment below.
Thank you all for reading; I hope your all having an amazing week!