Wednesday, October 4, 2017

GRWM || Natural, Minimal Makeup ft. Kat Von D

Hey guys. So this was filmed almost 4 months ago, and I know it's been a real long time since I uploaded. I'm not gonna make any promises this time because they don't mean much at this point, but I wanted to say I'm still here, I haven't disappeared, and I still want to do this.

Hope you enjoy this simple, KVD centric GRWM =)

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Thursday, July 20, 2017

FAVOURITES || Spring 2017 -- Fashion & Beauty

Hey guys! I live! I know this video is suuuuper late, but I filmed it and wanted to get it up anyways. Better late than never, and all that shenanigans, right?

Anyways, I really am going to try to keep up now. I know I keep saying that, and have been pretty bad the past few months, but I honestly want to give it a go. I feel better, more productive, etc. when I actually keep to some sort of upload schedule, so here goes. Like I've said on my blog before, the plan for now is to start small with a video a week and sporadic blog posts, but with luck and commitment, maybe I can work back to my old schedule!

But you probably scrolled past that wall of text to see what products I mentioned, so here's that list now. If you did read the above wall of text, comment your favourite movie or a video idea for me! ❤

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Chatty GRWM || Daytime Wedding Makeup (+ Where I've Been)

Hey all! I'm not going to apologize or explain my absence here because a) no one reads descriptions, and b) I explain in the video!

This GRWM is just me getting ready for a daytime wedding, using neutral, pretty, shimmery colours on the eyes, paired with bright pink lips. Inoffensive, but pretty, easy, and would look great on lots of people. Enjoy!

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Sunday, June 18, 2017

REVIEW + Giveaway || What's Up Nails Canada Day Nail Vinyls

Hey guys, long time no talk! I'm trying my hardest to get back on track right now, but it's taking some work...

But that's not what today's post is about! Today I have a quick, short review for you and a giveaway for the first 10 people who read this and want these vinyls! Thanks so much to Nail Polish Canada for sending these for me to review and including me in their giveaway promotion! For more details on how to get your free vinyls, stick around until the end of this post!

First, I wanted to share my quick thoughts on these guys. I also ask you to forgive my atrocious nails; my new job (Starbucks barista) doesn't allow nail polish at all and I spent a lot of time washing my hands, using cloths soaked in sanitizer, and washing dishes, so my nails have seen better days. Not all of us can have stunning Instagram-ready nails, I guess. Anyways, here's a look at the vinyls I keep talking about:

front of package

As you can see, these vinyls from What's Up Nails come with 20 stencils of various sizes, as well as 20 maple leaf stickers. And as the back of the package suggests (and I'll demonstrate later), you don't have to waste those maple leaf pieces: they make cute nail stickers!

back of package

I love that this packaging gives you detailed instructions on how to use these properly, because not everyone has any clue how nail polish and nail art works. And in my impatience to get this post together I even made the mistake of not letting my base polish dry before using the stencil... So please... LET YOUR BASE POLISH DRY COMPLETELY... It will save you tears and nail polish!!

sheet of vinyls

Once your base is dry, select the right size stencil for your nail size, position the sticker how you want it on the nail without any rippling or bubbling so you'll have clean lines, carefully fill the stencil with a thin layer of your chosen polish, and remove the stencil immediately.

vinyl stencil on olish

If your polish wasn't dry before you put down the stencil, it will pull away some of that base when you peel back the stencil, which sucks... You can see an example of this below. Sometimes it is much worse, and sometimes (like this time for me), it's mostly saveable with a nice layer of topcoat. But DO NOT put on your top coat until the design is dry, or it will streak! As I mentioned, you can also use the maple leaf shapes as nail stickers, which you can also see below. You'll just want to make sure to remove any bubbles and that the edges are laying flat against your nail before you put on a topcoat to seal it to the nail. The package suggests 2 good layers of topcoat; I used a layer of my glittery base and a quick-dry topcoat, and can't feel the edges or corners on the leaf, which is my biggest gripe with most nail stickers!

added vinyl on glitter

I figured everyone would be doing some form of the basic red and white for their reviews for this promotion, so for something a little different I went with this magenta over a sheer white base, and I actually really like how it turned out! So don't be afraid to mess around with colours for something unique if you're doing Canada Day nails... if you have these stencils, you already have the shape down right, it will be recognizable even if you do it in, say, your hockey team's colours instead of red and white!

finished nails

***

If you want to get your free Canada flag vinyls, you can go to http://www.nailpolishcanada.com/products/free-canadian-flag-nail-vinyls-1-sheet-20-stencils-by-whats-up-nails.html and use my code: O3Y5CUGSOGP. The code will work for the first 10 people to use it. In the case that all my codes are used, there is a list of other bloggers with special codes on that page, so make sure to see if any are still available before giving up!

If all the codes are gone, but you still want the vinyls, or if you prefer spending money to getting free things, you freak, then they only cost $5.65 CAD, and can be bought here.

Don't forget to let me know if you use my code! I'd love to hear what you think of these vinyls; personally, I'm pretty impressed with the quality!

Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

GRWM || Minimal Peachy Summer Makeup

Just a quick GRWM, foundation-free, with very muted, but still somewhat colourful eyes. I love using blushes as summery eyeshadows, it looks so soft and pretty! I hope you like this!

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Thursday, May 25, 2017

REVIEW || Acure Brightening Facial Scrub

Hello again! Today I'm reviewing Acure's Brightening Facial Scrub, as you can see from the title. I was sent this product for consideration, but this post is not sponsored, and I am always completely honest with my opinions. This is also not the first time I've tried out Acure products, and I've always liked them quite a lot! I had thought I'd written about more of the Acure products I had tried, but it seems like I only included one of them in a skincare favourites post, so I guess I have another review I should put on my list!

Anyways, onto the product at hand: the Acure brightening facial scrub is meant to be good for all skin types and says that it features argan stem cells and chlorella, as well as sea kelp and lemon peel (to gently exfoliate), French green clay (to remove impurities), and Madonna lily stem cells (to help brighten). Acure products are always full of great ingredients, though, and this one also contains acai, blackberry, pomegranate, and rosehips fruit extracts, chamomile and calendula flower extracts, rooibos, sage, and spearmintleaf extracts, walnut shell flour, and olive oil. It's cruelty-, paraben-, and sulfate-free, and also vegan, so it's safe for just about everyone in that way as well!

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub photo

So, my thoughts? First off, this stuff smells awesome! It's kind of a citrus-y, mint-y green tea scent, in my opinion, which just comes from all the various extracts and ingredients, since this product doesn't contain any extra perfumes or fragrances, which is great, especially if you are scent-sitive like me. (See what I did there?) The scent is herbal, refreshing, and calming.

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub Description

Aside from that, I really like the formula of this scrub, as well. It's got some good grit to it, but it is not too harsh. If you've ever used a face scrub that was a little too intense, you know how much that can hurt, but this doesn't do that; it isn't scratchy and doesn't hurt at all, it just sort of gently massages away impurities and dead skin. It doesn't strip your skin of all it's natural oils, either. Some face washes and exfoliators can leave my skin begging for moisturizer, but this leaves me feeling clean and fresh, not tight and parched. I would agree that this is likely a good product for anyone for that reason: it doesn't dry or add moisture, it just leaves a clean, fresh canvas for whatever other products you want to follow up with, whether that's acne products, toners, or moisturizers.

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub swatch

Oh, and by the way, this isn't meant to be a daily scrub. I'm sure you could use it that way if you wanted, or especially for acne-prone or oily skin, but it recommends using it 3 times a week for best results.

***

That's everything for this review! Let me know in the comments if you've tried anything from Acure and how you liked it! Also let me know your favourite face scrubs and washes. I like this one a lot, but I'm still not sure I've found my perfect face wash, so I'd love some suggestions!

Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Tutorial || Neutral Eyes ft. Pixi Book of Beauty Contour Creator Palette

I loved the results when I did my eye tutorial using the ABH contour kit a while back, and I've been loving this palette as well, so I thought I'd do something a little similar and also a little different with this great Pixi palette! This palette does have a shimmery pink colour which is a gorgeous highlight, super-pale blush, or eyeshadow!

This look would be great for work, school, and especially for travel, since one palette is all you need for most of the eyes and face! Even if you don't have this palette, you can use this video as inspiration for any other contour palette you might own!

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

REVIEW || Conair Infiniti Pro Ionic Straightening Brush

Hey guys! Today I've got a quick review for you of the Conair Infiniti Pro Iconic Straightening Brush! I was really excited this was one of the options when the PR for Conair recently reached out to me and asked if I'd like to review some of the products, because I love how my hair looks when it's straight, but with my thick curls, it can take a long time and be a huge pain, and this brush looked super easy to use. And as I'm sure you know by now, though this brush was sent to me for free to review, I will always tell you if I don't like something about a product! All my reviews are honest, and I was not paid to write this post.

Conair Infiniti Pro Ionic Straightening Brush Box

So this brush features ceramic coated bristles (to protect your hair), nylon bristles (which are basically regular brush bristles), as well as soft silicone bristles (which the box claims add shine and control). There is also an ionic generator which is supposed to create negative ions that neutralize the natural positive ions in the air, making hair less frizzy by flattening and sealing the hair cuticle. This generator, by the way, is what makes the strange crackling sound when this brush is turned on! I was concerned about the noise at first, but after looking at the instructions, which explain this, it doesn't seem like a big deal.

Conair Infiniti Pro Ionic Straightening Brush Box info

In the box, you get the brush (of course), an instruction booklet/product warranty, and a heat pad to rest the brush on. Nothing too fancy, and you really don't need the heat pad, but it's a nice little addition.

in the box

After testing out this brush a couple of times, I'm basically in love! It's so quick and easy, I'm not sure why I'd ever use a regular flat iron. I mean, maybe if you really like your hair pin-straight, but I like mine a little more natural, and that is super easy to accomplish with this brush. I have used both the high and medium settings, and both worked on my hair, though the high setting was much faster and more effective. For reference, I do have thick, curly hair. I do still separate my hair into sections, but I don't have to formally go in layers, starting underneath, with all my hair clipped to the top of my head, like I do with a regular flat iron, which is so great. I think it takes me maybe 15-20 minutes to finish my whole head, and that's only because I like to take my time and go over each section to make sure it's even and pretty straight. If you just wanted to tame thinner or straighter hair, you could easily be done quicker! I really like this product, and would wholeheartedly recommend it if you like a natural, mostly-straight look, and hate messing around with flat irons or blow dryers. It's quick, easy, fuss-free... yeah, it's my new favourite hair tool, to be completely honest.

The Ionic Straightening Brush costs around $89.99 CAD, depending where you shop, and is available online on Amazon, as well as from Walmart (affiliate link), HBC, Ulta (affiliate link)—who now ships to Canada!—and just about anywhere else you can find Conair products. Let me know if you get this, or if you've tried it! I'd love to see other opinions, or if you also agree it's magical! **If you're uncomfortable with affiliate links, feel free to Google the product yourself if you wish to purchase online. Thanks!**

Thanks for reading!

Monday, May 8, 2017

GRWM || Gothy Makeup w/ Brit

Hey guys, here's a GRWM, or I guess GRW..US... that I filmed with Brit a while ago when we were having a gothy themed day, dressing up, doing darker makeup, and visiting some of the cool gothy and witchy stores downtown. While we did not, unfortunately, make it to all the shops I wanted to see, it was good, and I think we looked pretty cool!

I don't have a product list for this video, because there is so much, but let me know if there is anything in particular either of us uses, and I'll try to figure out what it was for you! I also really love the eye look I did, so if you want to see a dedicated tutorial for this look, let me know, and I'll do my best to recreate it for you. =)

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Friday, May 5, 2017

TUTORIAL || Neutral Matte Eyes with the Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Palette

Hey guys! Today's video is simple, pretty, anytime makeup look that would pair with so many lip colours! I used the Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye palette for the look; don't forget to check out my review of the palette, if you missed it!

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Quick Life Update & Apology for Being Inconsistant!

Hey guys! I say this a lot both here and on Twitter, especially in the last couple of months, but I am really sorry that I've been so inconsistent with both blog posts and videos! I just wanted to pop up what I hope will be a quick blog post to explain a little bit about what's been going on in my life, and why I haven't been as around as usual.

My family (who I live with) found out at the end of February that we had to move out of our house as soon as possible. As you might imagine, packing stuff up—and moving things, as soon as we got a new house—became a priority over my blog and channel, since this is a hobby for me rather than a job, though I'd love for it to be both! So there's been that. I have, clearly, got several posts and videos up since then, but they have been fairly sporadic. I've been better about filming, but for the most part I have found it hard to find time to edit and upload, or to sit down and write...

As of last Sunday—April 30th—we're fully and completely moved into our new house, so I no longer have that as a reason to be a shitty blogger. However, in a bittersweet turn of events, I now have a job! It's great, because I've had a hard time finding one the last little while, and it'll be great to have financial independence back again. Also, because I'm actually working for a brand and company that I really love, and as of my first three shifts, I'm not hating the job. For those wondering, I was hired as a barista at Starbucks; maybe that isn't great or glamorous or anything, and maybe it is following the stereotype of English Majors getting jobs at cafes, but I'm liking it so far, so I'm not too bothered. The downside to a new job, of course, is that it means I have a lot less free time. It has completely thrown my filming/editing/uploading schedule into question, but as I'm part time at least to start, I'm going to do my best to find time to get back into my three-posts-a-week schedule: Two videos on Mondays and Fridays, and one blog post on Wednesdays.

I can't promise it will work out, but I'm gonna give it a couple of weeks, see how my work schedule goes, and then adjust if necessary. But yes! I just wanted to explain why I have been so sporadic with my "schedule" recently, and let you know I really hope to get back on track. I still love blogging and YouTube, but I'm all about having a routine that works and it feels like it's been a while since I had a comfortable routine that fit writing, filming, and editing. I'm working on it, and thanks so much for anyone who has stuck with me here and/or on my channel, twitter, or instagram. I hope to be better with my social media in the near future as well, but it's all about balance and not burning out!

Thanks for reading that blob of pure text, if you did! Don't forget to check back again tomorrow morning (or whenever you do stuff like that) for a brand new video. And let me know in the comments if there are any posts: blog or video, that you'd like to see in the near future!

Saturday, April 22, 2017

REVIEW || Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette

Today's video is all about my thoughts on the Kat Von D Shade & Light Eye palette. No, it isn't new or fancy, but I think it's worth talking about nonetheless! I hope you enjoy this video, and don't forget to let me know if you've tried this one out in the comments!

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Thursday, April 20, 2017

REVIEW || Pixi Beauty Skincare Products || Revisiting Products in my Pixi PR Haul -- Pt. 2

As promised, I'm back today with the second half of my Pixi Reviews: Skincare!

Again, if you haven't read it yet, don't miss my Pixi PR Haul post, and now also my Pixi Makeup Product Review post!

Before we jump in to the reviews, I feel obligated to once again remind you that I was not paid or even asked to do these reviews, and as always, all opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Now let's look at some products!

Glow Tonic

Personalised Glow Tonic

I'm honestly still not sure how much I love this product. It definitely is a lot nicer and gentler than the average facial toners I've tried in the past, but there are a few down sides, in my opinion. First of all, I don't feel like I have a place for this in my routine anymore. I like to wash my face and follow up with micellar water. I guess this goes in place of that, but I don't feel like it does the same job of making sure all my makeup and face washes are off my skin before moisturizers. It also smells... not great? It's a clean floral scent, as far as I can tell, and it really bothers me about half the time. So yeah... it's pretty good as a toner, so give it a go maybe if you have dry, normal, or combo skin and really want a good toner. It's pretty gentle, I just don't dig the scent.

Hydrating Milky Mist

Hydrating Milky Mist

I love face mists, and this one is no exception. This one has a kind of indistinguishable skincare-y scent, but it doesn't bother me at all. It's soft, refreshing, lightly moisturizing, and also calming. I love using this as the first or last step in my nighttime skincare. Or both...

Vitamin Wake Up Mist

itamin Wakeup Mist

This mist smells even better than the Milky Mist! It's a fresh, bright orange scent, without being fake. It's so refreshing, and I'm such a fan of citrus scents! This one is great as a morning mist because of the awakening scent, after your morning skincare, before makeup, or any time of the day over makeup to refresh and add moisture back into your face.

Nourishing Sleep Mask

Nourishing Sleep Mask

I've been loving this stuff as a nighttime deep moisturizer. It smells herbal and calming, like lavender, bergamot, and all kinds of lovely relaxing scents. It's also very moisturizing without being too heavy or greasy, but it also definitely feels a little thicker and more deep moisturizing than my average moisturizer. It's a good balance.

Peel & Polish

Peel and Polish

This is a very nice, gentle face peel and exfoliator hybrid. You start by letting it sit for a couple minutes to work into your skin, it does sting my sensitive skin very slightly, but nothing painful or unbearable. Then you rub the light grit of the exfoliator into your skin in circles to exfoliate before you rinse it off. I haven't noticed any awesome side effects, but it does leave my face soft, clean, and not feeling sore or tight like other exfoliators can. It also has a nice cucumber-y scent which is refreshing and clean feeling.

***

And that's all for this post! I did skip two of the products I received because I didn't get a good enough chance to test them. I had to toss the 24K Eye Roller at the same time as my mascaras, so I only used it once or twice. And the Rose Oil I haven't used once... partly because I can't use it at home, since my mom is allergic to roses, and second because I can also be sensitive to rose scents, so I never feel inclined to reach for this one. I should probably pass it on, otherwise it will probably just sit around until I throw it out...

Anyways, let me know if you've tried and loved any of these, or any other products from Pixi. I am really liking the brand overall, and I would love to try more from them, so let me know your favourites!

Thanks for reading!

Monday, April 17, 2017

Book Chat || What I've Been Reading || Jan-Apr 2017

Hey guys! Here's a quick look at the books that I've finished since the beginning of the year so far! The last two weren't quite done as of filming this video, but I have finished one of them between filming and uploading this video, so only one remains unfinished, and I do still have two weeks to finish the Mists of Avalon =)

Let me know what you've been reading!

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Monday, April 10, 2017

TAG || 50 Questions to Ask & Answer

Yes, this video is 20 minutes long. It's hard to fit answers to 50 questions into a shorter video. I'm not sorry.

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Friday, April 7, 2017

GRWM || My Birthday Makeup || 2017

Hey guys! Just a quick and easy GRWM for the makeup I wore for my birthday party on the 28th. I was really happy with it, so I hope you like it too. This is the first video I've done with my new KVD Shade & Light Eye palette, but I will do more looks and a review soon!

Oh, and if the music isn't your jam, feel free to play your own music while you watch =)

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

REVIEW || Pixi Beauty Makeup Products || Revisiting Products in my Pixi PR Haul -- Pt. 1

Hi guys! It's been a long time since I wrote a blog post that was not a video update, but here I am!

I thought it was time to update you on my thoughts on some of the Pixi Beauty Products I got from the event I went to back in February, now that I've had a good long time to test them. In case you didn't see it, click here to check out my Pixi Beauty PR Haul. Unfortunately, I did have to toss the mascaras (because of the pinkeye last month 😞), so I don't have much to say about those, but I have been using lots of the other products, and I'm ready to share my thoughts! Let's start with makeup.

Pixi PR haul

Oh, and to be clear, I was gifted these products at the Pixi launch event, but I was not required to write about them and have not been paid to talk about or promote Pixi products. All opinions expressed here are—as always—100% my own.

Endless Brow Gel Pen in Medium

brow pencil

I still pretty much agree with my last assessment of this pencil: for me it's way too creamy and soft, and thus really easy to use too much product! The colour is pretty good, if a little ashy and cool toned. It worked better with my natural hair colour, though, than with my now-henna'd hair, since my hair has too much red in it for the ashy brows to look right. I do like that this pencil sets so you don't technically need a gel on top of it... it does the work of two products that way, which is nice. But I have to use a very light hand to get the right look with this product. I'd still suggest looking into it, if you don't mind using it carefully and love the idea of two products in one step.

Book of Beauty Contour Creator

Contour Book

contour book swatches

I still think this is definitely my favourite thing I got to test out. I've been using it almost every time I do my makeup since I got it! The powders are all super pigmented, so you can get a soft look with a light hand and/or lots of blending, or pile on the pigmentation, if that's your jam. These are incredibly blendable, and I don't even mind how much powder my brushes kick up every time I dip into one of these shades. All of the bronzer/contour colours look great even on my pale skin; in fact, my favourite contour colour is the deepest one! I like to dip in very softly and then blend like crazy, but the deep shadow effect is perfect! I also really like that there's a nearly white shade for highlighting or baking, though sometimes I mix it with the more yellowy-beige shade to tone it down. Finally, that soft pink makes a gorgeous subtle highlighter or blush shade, somewhat similar in tone to Dandelion from Benefit. On deeper skin tones, though, I suppose it would be more of a highlight, as it's very soft.

Flawless & Poreless Primer

Flawless and Poreless Primer

To be honest, I'm still sceptical about whether primers do a whole lot, at least for me. That said, I have been really enjoying this one, because it seems to be hydrating and smoothing without being oily or feeling like a lotion, which is great. It still lets all my foundations sit like they usually do alone, with the added benefit of smoothing out any dry patches, so I don't look flake-y... which is never a nice look! I would recommend this one to anyone with dry combination skin, like me—this stuff doesn't make your oilier areas look oily, keeps your foundation in place, and smooths and hydrates dry patches! At least in my experience, it's hard to find something that does good things to both the dry and oily areas of my face!

Large Lash Mascara in Brown

Large Lash Mascara

I know I said I didn't get a lot of time to test the mascaras, but there are two I wanted to say a little about. One is this one, which I got to test in Brown. I was unsure about brown mascara before, since I'm an all-black mascara girl... but it looks really great if you just want a subtle look! I have pretty blonde, invisible lashes without product, so I put mascara on even when I'm doing no other makeup, and this brown looks a lot less harsh and more natural on almost-no-makeup days, which I did really like. It isn't waterproof, but I didn't have a lot of smudging or anything the couple times I got to wear it, which seemed a good sign. It does claim to be smudge-proof, to be fair. I also tested this in my brows as a brow gel, since I use a pretty dark brown shade in my brows anyways, and I also liked it for that, though with the large brush, you need some care and precision to keep the product off your skin!

Lash Booster Waterproof Mascara in Black

Lash Booster Mascara

This is the second mascara I wanted to touch on: it's super black, waterproof, and has a great dense little brush! I really like how this one applied, how it built up, and how it lasted through the day without any flaking, and obviously no smudging... because it's waterproof! I wish I had had more time with this great mascara, and I might even repurchase it in the future to give it another go!

Mattelustre Lipstick in Rose Naturalle

Lipstick Opened

Lipstick Swatch

To be fair, this lipstick is not really my colour. I haven't worn it a lot because of this, but I have tested it out pretty well, I think... it doesn't take a long time to figure out how you like a new lipstick! This one is pretty well pigmented, if not entirely opaque. It feels nice and moisturising on the lips, is fairly glossy, not thick or matte. I'm really not sure why they are called a mattelustre? Maybe they mean matte as in no shimmer, and lustre as in... glossy? It's a nice enough lipstick, however. This shade is a good basic nude for most people with a bit of a pink tinge so you look more alive than a more mauve-y nude. It's pretty, but like I said, not a shade I reach for often. I wish they'd given me a brighter or deeper shade to test!

***

Originally, I was going to go over all the products in one big post, but the PR Haul post was already super long, so I have decided to split my review into two posts. These were all the makeup products I plan to review, I think I only skipped one mascara which I didn't get to test enough to have opinions. I hope that this post was helpful, and don't forget to check back next Wednesday for part 2: Pixi Skincare Products!

In the meantime, leave me a comment if you've ever tried any of these products, or tell me about anything else from Pixi you loved!

Thanks for reading!

Monday, April 3, 2017

27 Things I've Learned in 27 Years

Hey guys, long time no talk! Sorry about my absence here and on my blog the last couple of weeks. I've been working on moving, and my whole family just has so much stuff, so there's been a lot to go through and either toss, donate, or pack and move to the new house. We still aren't quite done, but this video was really supposed to go up on my birthday on the 27th and I didn't want it to be any later, so here it is!

I did borrow this idea from Hannah Hart and Charlie McDonnell, though my research shows me that this seems to be a video that loooots of people post, so I don't feel too bad borrowing. If you enjoy this, do let me know, and I can make a note to do another one next year with another 28 facts (for my 28th birthday!)

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Friday, March 17, 2017

What's On My Phone? || 2017 Update

Hey guys! I have waaaaaay too many apps to link to them all, but if you search for any in the play store, you should find them easily enough. Let me know if you can't find one you're interested in and I'll get you a link!

Both of my backgrounds are from the Backdrops app.

My case is a clear Ringke Fusion case, and the paper is just some random wrapping paper from a package I received, but something similar could easily be found in a dollar store or stationary section. The Ringke Fusion cases are available for lots of different popular smartphones, as well, if you like the look and want something similar for your newer phone. Just check Amazon!

Click here to watch in HD, or watch below:

Thanks for watching!

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Non-Beauty Faves || My 6 Favourite Non-PC Games

Hey guys, got another fun, off-topic post for you today! A couple months ago, I did a post about my 5 Favourite PC Games, and while that really just about covers all my favourite games, there are a few games I love that are off PC, whether they be on Nintendo DS, Mobile, or card and board games, so I thought I would talk about some of those games in their own post today!

Nintendo 3DS

Fire Emblem: Awakening


Image from bestbuy.ca/

I'm not sure I can accurately or effectively describe what I love so much about this game to a non-gamer, but it is by far one of my favourite games of all time! It's a strategy game with anime/manga-esque character designs, a pretty good story, lots of character building, and you get to make a lot of your own choices as to which characters you use and develop. You can—and should, since it helps characters fight better—build relationships between the characters, many of which lead to you meeting different character's future children in later maps, and the characters you pair together affect what abilities those kid will have.

There's a good balance between complexity and simplicity in this game, with the complex relationship structure and choices you can make, but the base game is very simple, and is based around a triangle very similar to rock-paper-scissors... but instead it's lances-swords-axes, which, once you get used to it, helps you plan out which players will be better against different fighting styles of their own level. It's like anime chess, with a rock-paper-scissors component, and a small dosage of match-making. I love it, and I think you should try it. Or at least try out Fire Emblem Heroes, which I'll touch on in a second.

Mobile / Android

Fire Emblem Heroes


Image from play.google.com

So I just rambled on for ages about Fire Emblem above, but if you love FE, or if you've never played it, this free mobile game is a great way to try it for the first time, or just always have FE in your pocket! I also talked about this game in my Winter '16-'17 video, if you're interested, but basically, it's a small, more basic, chibi (read: adorable) version of Fire Emblem featuring tons of heroes from all (or most?) of the Fire Emblem games put out in the past, including Awakening (my love). It's free, and though there is the option for real-money purchases, they are so unnecessary I've been playing since the game launched and never once had to consider paying anything, so don't worry about it, and give this one a go!

Lifeline

I think I've talked about this one in the past as well. I've tried a couple Lifeline games, and they're good, but the original is of course the best and more engaging. Basically, it's a text-based game that acts like someone out in space has somehow got a message through to your phone, and they're alone crash-landed on a planet and need your help. They describe situations and ask for your input, and you try to help them out. One of the coolest features, though, is the anticipation that builds up because it plays out in real time. For example if the character needs time to do something or think or sleep, you don't hear from them for a reasonable amount of time. It isn't a game that needs your constant attention, instead it's like answering texts when you get them, and I had a lot of fun, especially with the first one.It does cost a couple dollars, but I think it was worth it. Or you can wishlist it and get it when it goes on sale, which it seems to from time to time.

Pokemon Go


Image from play.google.com

I don't think much explanation is needed for Pokemon Go. At this point you've probably either tried it out, or dismissed it as that stupid game people got super obsessed with and then mainly stopped playing. If you haven't tried it out, though, especially if you have any interest in Pokemon, you're missing out. And now that the tracker is back to working better, it's even more fun to go and hunt out pokemon you don't have yet and grow your collection. Oh, and Gen 2 is out now, which is from the era of Gold/Silver/HeartGold/SoulSilver, which is the only game I've ever played, so I'm pretty excited about the release.

On a nice day when you have time to burn, it's a lot of fun to bring this game (and a portable charger! It drains batteries like a bitch!) and go pokemon hunting, hatching your eggs by watching around, and hitting pokestops to collect items. It's really addictive, and really easy to spend longer than you intended, telling yourself things like "ok, just one more pokestop," or "but my egg only needs another 0.5 km" or "but I don't have a squirtle yet, and one just spawned! I have to go get it, and then I'll go home!" I can't wait to hopefully play more when good spring weather rolls around!

Card / Board Games

Bang!


Image from amazon.ca

This is a Wild West themed card game for 4-7 players where everyone plays roles like Sheriff, Deputy, Renegade, and Outlaw, and tries to basically be the last man standing. The objective is a little different for each role: The Sheriff needs to kill everyone but the Deputy. The Deputy can win even if he dies, if the Sheriff wins. The Renegade has to kill EVERYONE else, and the Outlaws win by killing the Sheriff. You use cards to build up defences, tear down other people, and fight the other characters. Each person also gets a character, as well as a role, and each one has a special ability that plays a little differently than the others. Some pick up more cards, are harder to shoot at, or are more deadly. With my friends, we like to play with two characters each. It makes it even more interesting, since everyone has two abilities you have to keep in mind when dealing with them. Oh, and the only known character is the Sheriff. Everyone else stays hidden until you die, so you don't know who are your allies and enemies. The base game is $25, but if you love games and have the funds, I'd recommend rel="nofollow">the bullet, which has more optional cards and play styles, and is even more fun than the original.

Cards Against Humanity


Image from CardsAgainstHumanity.com

I feel like this game about being a horrible person is pretty big on the internet, so you've probably heard of it. But if you haven't it's a very simple card game (a bit like Apples to Apples, if you know that one) with black cards that have questions or sentences to complete, and white cards with random nouns that are sometimes completely innocent on their own, and some which are very "WTF?" and each round all but the person whose turn it is puts down white cards to be the best, funniest, or most horrible response to the black card. It's great to play with people you know, because it is way easier to know what their humour is, and which cards will win them over. The person whose turn it is picks the winner each round, and when someone gets to a certain amount of cards, they win. Or you can play indefinitely, which is really fun too. This is a game for people with dark, twisted, dirty, and/or fucked up humour, and it's a lot of fun. You can buy the regular game, some international versions, and tons of expansion packs online, as well as printing blank cards to fill yourself, or you can download the base game for free if you want to print it out.

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Be sure to let me know what you favourite games are in the comments, whether they are on or off PC!

Thanks for reading!

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