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! ❤
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
Hey guys! Sorry I missed a couple videos there... I woke up on the 20th with one bright red eye that had glued itself shut overnight, and things just got a little worse from there. I still am hesitant to go back to wearing makeup for a few more days even though my symptoms have cleared up and I did a week of antibiotic drops, but I should be able to film tutorials again starting next Monday. Until then, I have a few different types of videos for you, starting with this product-centric Winter favourites.
I hope you don't mind looking at the products instead of my face for this one, but I wanted to get it up on time! Thanks for watching! =)
Hey guys, sorry for the lack of videos, I hope you don't mind too much. I came down with a case of conjunctivitous last Monday, on top of the cold I already had, and so I wasn't able to film. I just assume no one wanted to see my horrible red eyes, and I still can't wear makeup yet for fear of contaminating it.. So hopefully some blog posts and non-makeup related videos will suffice for now!
For today's post, then, I thought it would be fitting to talk about some of my essentials when I'm sick, some are just for comfort, and some have more practical purposes, but all of them will hopefully get you feeling better faster, or make you a little happier on the (sometimes very long) road to recovery!
1. Cough Candies
If you're coughing or have a sore throat, or even if your nose and sinuses are just really plugged up, cough candies can help a lot, and since there's no drugs in them, you can keep popping them as frequently as you want to! My favourites are the original flavoured, extra strength Fisherman's Friend drops. They don't taste like anything aside from the menthol and eucalyptus, but when I'm sick I don't really care. These ones are strong, and work well and for a fairly long time. I find they're great for soothing a sore throat as well as helping to clear my nose thanks to that strong Vicks Vapo-rub-like scent!
If you just can't handle something that basic, I'd suggest flavoured Halls; I prefer the cherry ones, but pick whatever seems most appealing to you. There's also Lemon and Honey, if that's more your jam. Just make sure they have the "mentho-lyptus* thing listed on the package if you want them to clear your sinuses and soothe your throat! Those are the main ingredients I'd recommend looking out for in any cough drops.
2. Tea
Tea is great! It tastes good, comes in a variety of flavours and types: black, green, white, herbal... mint, chai, fruity... Any of them will do good things for you when you're sick. First of all, tea is liquid, and you need hydration even more when you're sick! Tea is at least as good as regular old water when you're sick as well; I find cold water harsh on a sore throat, but hot tea is soothing and relaxing! Also both black and green teas are full of antioxidants which could help speed your recovery. If you want even more health benefits, you can pop into a tea shop and ask for tea for sick people, I know DavidsTea has lots of good blends for colds with great ingredients like lemongrass, eucalyptus, ginsing, and chamomile, to name a couple.
3. Honey
Obviously pairs really well with whatever tea you are drinking, especially if you are sick enough that your sense of taste is dampened... when that happens and my throat is sore, I glob in the honey and the thick, syrupy honey coats and soothes my sore throat like nothing else! Also, honey is known to be antibacterial, so maybe it can help to clear up your cold a little faster as well? It can't hurt!
4. Soup
Just like tea, this is a great way to pack more hydration into your day. Also like tea, it's hot and comforting. An added benefit of soup, though, is the nutrition! You've got to take care and feed your body when you're sick so it will have the tools and the energy to fight off the virus, so I'd recommend homemade or canned soups with real ingredients, especially veggies! Chicken noodle soup is great, and I know that some people swear it will actually make you better, but packaged Lipton chicken noodle? I'm not sure there's actually food in there... Though if that's all you want to eat, by all means, go ahead. My favourite sick person soup, though, is the basic Campbell's Vegetable soup... probably because it tastes like my childhood, but it's also loaded with veggies. Oh, and soup is salty, so it's going to get you some good electrolytes to help hydrate you as well!
5. Spicy Foods and/or Foods with lots of Garlic and Ginger
Spicy food when you're sick can be super helpful! It wakes you up and clears your sinuses like nothing else, and you can taste it! Being sick and not being able to taste anything is awful, and spicy foods, as well as garlic and ginger can help. If you can't eat spicy foods for whatever reason, I'd still urge you to load up on garlicky, gingery foods; Chinese food can be a good way to do this, as Chinese cuisine uses lots of those flavours. I've also just ordered a pizza with roasted garlic, and that can help too. And if you like spicy food, add some hot peppers, hot italian sausage, or capicollo to that pizza, and you'll finally taste something! Another great spicy food is chilli... also kind of a soup! Finally, the Sriracha flavoured chips from Kettle Chips are fantastic as a sick-person snack. Because not all food can be healthy!
6. Cozy Things
Alright, time to take a break from ingesting things and make sure you're bundled up and warm! This is vague, but do whatever is most comfortable for you, the main objective is just to make sure you're comfortable and warm. Not only is being sick just super uncomfortable and draining, but if you have a fever you might be really cold as well, so bundle up as much as necessary. Stay in bed if you can, or cozy up on the couch with fuzzy slippers and blankets and your dog, or if you really must go out, fuzzy boots and a big old sweater. Comfort is key!
7. Tissues
This may seem like a no-brainer, but I mean an actual box of tissues. The good ones. So many sick people seem to make due with toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, and the cheap shitty tissues, and this makes noses that are really red, raw, and painful. Seriously, just invest in some good, soft tissues. You'll feel so much better when your nose is not raw and sore by the end of day 1. I recommend the Kleenex Lotion tissues with aloe and vitamin E. Don't worry, they aren't greasy, they're just so much more soothing. Though caution: some "lotion" tissues can be greasy, so don't say I didn't warn you; stick to the Kleenex.
8. A good book
I'm a reader, and nothing can turn my mind off of myself like a great book. If you're the same and love reading, just indulge in it. You're sick, you deserve the me-time. Pick up one you've been meaning to get to, or if you're feeling super indulgent go back to an old favourite and let those beloved words and characters take you away to some place where you aren't sick, because you don't even exist!
Of course, if you just aren't a reader, this isn't the trick for you. Instead I'd suggest going to Netflix and watching those movies on your list you never seem to get around to. Or binge watch a show. Whether you're reading or watching, though, this is a great way to get in some rest to let your body fight back the cold while staying entertained.
9. Take a hot shower or bath
Though the online beauty community will not agree, baths aren't for everyone. Not everyone can enjoy sitting naked in a tub of hot water, no matter how many candles are lit, or how much money is spent on colourful, scented, glittery bath bombs. If you are this type of person, then take a hot shower instead. Not so hot it's burning you, but hot enough it feels warmer than you do. Take as much or as little time as you want, but do try to breathe in that warm, steamy air created by the hot water.
Of course, if you are a bath person, now is the time! Use whatever bubbles, salts, and bath bombs you want, just make sure none of the fragrances upset your stuffy nose. I'd recommend something minty or eucalyptus or lavender, if you have it, though if you just want to take a basic, hot, steamy, unbesmirched bath in plain water, then you do you!
Either way, don't forget to clean your body. Just feeling clean and sliding into a clean pair of pyjamas or sweats will feel nicer than lounging around in the same clothes, getting dirtier and greasier until you recover.
10. Sleep!
Sleep is always important, but lots of us don't bother getting enough. However, sleep is even more important when we're sick, even if you feel like you did nothing but eat soup and watch Game of Thrones on the couch all day, your body has been hard at work fighting to get you back to healthy. The least you can do is try to get yourself a solid 8 hours of sleep! I know sleeping can be hard if your medicines wear off and you wake up with your head full of cotton, unable to breathe, or if you are startle awake by your own coughing, but do your best. Maybe prop up some pillows so you're a little more upright if you just start dripping or coughing every time you lay down flat. Maybe try a nighttime version of your cough medicine to help knock you out. Don't stress if you wake up during the night, either. At least rest when sleep evades you.
At the same time, try not to oversleep! It can be really hard to get out of bed when you're sick, but remember you will feel so much better if you get up after that 8 hours, and make sure to take more medicine when you need it, rehydrate with tea, hot water, juice, soup, nourish yourself, and take a shower or bath. Yes, I'm saying it again. Remember that hot steamy water will help you feel so much better, and so will feeling clean.
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Sorry there are no pictures for this one, but they would have just been for prettifying anyways for this post. I hope it helps someone out! Maybe I'll come back and add pictures later if there's time. Let me know in the comments some of your sick person essentials, or how you like to take care of yourself when you get sick!
Hey guys! I'll be the first to admit that I don't have a huge problem with dry skin, even in the winter months. Maybe I'm lucky, or maybe it's just that I don't spend a lot of time outside, but whatever it is, my skin stays pretty good on most of my body year round. That said, I do get dry patches on my face, hands, and legs. I could also moisturize A LOT more than I do... I hate the feeling of being sticky or greasy all over, so I very rarely moisturize my whole body at once, instead sticking to spot treatments on dry areas or just moisturizing my hands, legs, or arms. Oh, and since I got my tattoo, that left shoulder has been pretty nicely taken care of too...!
So with all of that in mind, I wanted to share with you some of my favourite, go-to moisturizers this winter. Some are great for spot treating dry patches, some are just great at moisturizing without feeling greasy, sticky, or heavy... but all of them are really good, hydrating products I think anyone could use! Now, without any more ado, let's get into the products:
1. Lubriderm Unscented Lotion for Normal to Dry Skin
Pretty basic stuff, I know, but so good at its job! I bought this for my tattoo's aftercare, but I've also taken to using this for any really dry spots. It's a water based lotion, so it isn't greasy, and it's thick and hydrating without being heavy or too much. Plus, it has no perfumes or fragrance, so you can use it anywhere, as much as you want. Aside from Vitamin B5, it doesn't boast any fancy, trendy ingredients, so I feel like many people might overlook this stuff as old-school or too basic, or whatever, but it honestly really does its job well. Apart from my tattoo, I've been using this mainly on my hands and knees, but I've also used it on my lips to great success, and it doesn't taste like anything! I mean, don't try to eat it, but it won't be end-of-the-world awful if you get some in your mouth!
2. Acure Ultra-Hydrating Body Lotion
I've loved both products I've tried from this company so far, and I love their cute, snarky packaging. This was sent to me to test out, but I've honestly fallen in love with it. This one is a fragrance-free lotion with loads of good ingredients like cocoa butter, CoQ10, evening primrose, argan oil, acai extract, chamomile, and aloe, to name a few. This stuff is kinda weird—in a great way!— because it comes out looking like a thick creamy lotion, but as soon as you start to rub it into your skin, it's like it dissolves into this water-like texture and absorbs immediately! And it's super hydrating, my skin feels immediately softer and healthy after using it. It's gentle and soothing, and again I love that it has no scent, so I have no problems using as much as needed anywhere on my body. Since it's healed, I've been using it to keep my tattoo'd skin soft, and to try to get some hydration back into my peeling palms. I think it makes a great hand lotion, also, because of how quickly it absorbs!
3. Jergens Green Tea After-Shower Moisturizer
I know I've mentioned this one before, but I had to include it in this post, since it's the only moisturizer I can make myself use on my whole body! It goes on right after the shower on your wet skin, so a little goes a long way, it seals the moisture right into your skin, and once it's all rubbed in, you gently pat away any excess water on your skin (don't rub or you'll be taking lotion off too!). It does stay a bit sheen-y and almost oily for a little while, but it isn't heavy and your skin will feel so good you won't mind. It does soak in quickly, though, as the rest of the excess water on your skin air dries. It isn't a heavy moisturizer, and I can even bring myself to use it in the summer because the green tea scent feels light and cooling, but any hydration you can add to your skin in the winter is good too, so I wanted to include this for anyone like me who hates moisturizing your whole body. Maybe this can work for you too! I did receive this product from an LDBeauty event, but the fact that I'm still using it, I think speaks for itself.
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To be honest, I was going to make this a Top 5 post and include 2 more products, but I realised as I was writing this that I really only had 3 I wanted to tell you about, and to add 2 more I would have been fishing around for products I don't truly love as much. There are a couple of lighter body lotions I really love, but I don't really feel like they're winter moisturizers; maybe I'll try to do another post like this in the summer! So I'm stopping here.
Let me what your favourite moisturizers are for the dry winter weather, especially if they feel light, absorb quickly, are fragrance free, or smell amazing.
Hey guys, thought I'd update you in today's video about my current go-tos for skincare, since it's been a while since I talked about that outside of my yearly favourites post. Nothing else really to say about the video, so here you go:
Hey guys! Here is the final installment (for now) in my Favourite Lipsticks videos! Today I bring you the best I own in nudes, browns, greige, and grey lipsticks, in my personal opinion. Let me know your favourites in the comments!
Hey guys! Once again, it's that time of the year again where all the bloggers and youtubers are rifling through their products to pick out the best of the best to share their favourite picks of the year to share! I already posted a Non-Beauty Favourites for 2016, which you should check out if you haven't already, but now I'm back with a complete round up of all my favourites in lots of product categories. I have done this for the past several years, and I had to do it again!
I've also filmed a video featuring my Top 15 products, if you're looking for only the best of the best, or a more condensed version, so I'll embed that here, but if you want to see all my favourites in skincare, makeup, nails, and beauty tools, be sure to scroll down and check out the whole list!
Brow Pencil: CoverGirl Brow & Eye Maker Pencils in Midnight Brown
Brow Gel: L'Oreal Brow Stylist Plumper Gel in Med-Deep
Lip Products
Balm: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Lip Therapy
Honorable Mention: Burt's Bees Nourshing Lip Balm with Mango Butter
Lipsticks:
nude -- MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Creme Cup
bright -- Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in L.U.V.
red -- MAC Viva Glam Lipstick in Viva Glam I
dark -- MAC Satin Lipstick in Cyber
neutral -- Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Punked Matte
Body Care / Scents / Perfume
Perfumes:
Dior Pure Poison
Nina Ricci La Tentation
Hand Lotion: Great American Clay Body Creme Souffle in Cucumber Melon
Body Lotion: Jergans Wet Skin Moisturizer in Green Tea (not pictured)
SPF:
body -- Hawaiian Tropics Kids SPF 50+ lotion
face -- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face SPF 60 lotion
Nails:
Base coat: Essie Millionails nail treatment
Colours:
light/bright -- nudes, especially OPI Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh?
dark -- greys, especially Essie Frock 'N Roll
Top coat: INM Out The DOor quick dry topcoat
Tools & Brushes
Nail File: Burton Crystal Travel File
Eye Brushes:
ELF Studio "C" Brush
xoBeauty Round Top Blender
LSigma E40
ELF Essentials Smudger
Face Brushes:
Real Techniques Buffer
Real Techniques Contour
ELF Studio Complexion
xoBeauty Blush
ELF Studio Blush
Hair Brush Travel Tangle Teezer
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And that's all! Again, don't miss my 2016 Non-Beauty Favourites, if you haven't read it yet. And be sure to let me know some of your favourite makeup and beauty products of 2016 in the comments!
Hi guys! Today's post is going to be round up of some of my favourite things from the past year that have nothing to do with makeup and beauty! Last year I included this at the end of my 2015 favourites post, but this year I figured it deserved it's own post! I thought about doing this in video form, but the timing didn't work out fort hat this yea, so hopefully this works just as well for you!
So I have a few categories and I made no real attempt to limit myself to one thing per category, so you're gonna get a couple of mini-lists. =P So here are my favourite things of 2016 in Movies, TV, books, music, food, drinks, games, and apps! Let me know if you have any category suggestions for future years or future posts.
Favourite 2016 Movies:
Moana — Recent, yes, but so so good! Exceeded my expectations both just with the story itself and with the great music! It's been so long since we had a really great, musical Disney Princess movie, and I definitely feel this was one.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them — There was never any doubt that I would love this movie, and I really did. Eddie Redmayne is brilliant as Newt Scamander, and I can't wait to get even more in depth into the history of magic in the movies to come. And I need a niffler.
Suicide Squad — I was so excited for this movie as well, and I loved it! DC movies never quite hit the mark as hard as Marvel, for me, but this one did a much better job than other recent DC films, and I hope to see more of the Suicide Squad, especially Harley and Deadshot.
Deadpool — This movie was hyped up hard on the internet, but it lived up to it! Ryan Reynolds was fucking fantastic, funny, interesting... this movie was so different, and I only hope the Deadpool film(s?) to follow will be as good as this one was.
Favourite Shows/Series I watched in 2016:
Gotham — I mentioned this one in my recent post about all the great shows available on Netflix, but this really was one of the best things I watched this year!
Brooklyn Nine-Nine — Also mentioned in the recent Netflix post, but again worth your time! Who knew I'd love a show featuring Andy Samberg so much? But I really do.
Yuri!!!! On Ice — Wait, is that an anime? Yes, yes it is. While I do watch anime from time to time, none usually gets to me like this one has. The season isn't quite over as I'm writing this post, but I'm looking forward to it, and honestly hoping there will be another season to come! It's a beautifully animated show about figure skating, and it's clear the writers and artists are passionate about getting shit right! It's technical and realistic, the animation of the skating routines is smooth and convincing, and the characters are loveable. If you have any interest in figure skating or anime, I recommend this one.
Game of Thrones — I cannot make a list of my favourite shows of the year without including Game of Thrones. Each season is fantastic, and the recent one was not different! And now that I'm done the books (that are out thus far), I can't wait to see where the show takes us all next!
Gilmore Girls — and finally, Gilmore Girls, as well as the new Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. I watched both this year, and I fell in love with the show. As I mentioned in my Netflix post, I didn't get to follow this one when it was airing, but I always wanted to watch it, and it is such a heartfelt, beautiful show.
Favourite Books I read in 2016:
A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin — I didn't get to read a lot this year, but I did start and finish this huge tome! Honestly, it's 1,125 pages! But it was fantastic! Once you get into the ASoIaF books, you will want to read them all.
The Twilight Tetralogy (I refuse to call it the "Twilight Saga") by Stephanie Meyer:
Twilight
New Moon
Eclipse
Breaking Dawn
— some of you are judging me for reading Twilight, but I loved this series in highschool, and defended them pretty fiercely (for me) when people attacked them in University. No they aren't deep, and you can probably squish problems out if you're a picky bitch, but I love vampires, and I love the characters in these books, though most of them are flawed. If anything, I love them more for their flaws and quirks. For those of you who still love or like these books, good for you! I loved them just as much on my second read through, and was so happy to find them undiminished by time and other people's complaints.
Favourite Music released in 2016:
13 Voices by Sum 41 — My favourite band since middle school, when I was probably too young to be listening to a somewhat political punk band... haha! This is their first album in YEARS and the first with Brownsound back in the band. I'm so glad, because he brings a sound I hadn't realised I'd seriously missed from Sum41's last couple albums! I also got to see them live for the second time this year, which was amazing!
Death of a Bachelor by Panic! At The Disco — at this point, somehow, Panic! is mostly just Brendan Urie, but that's totally okay because he is clearly all that is needed! This album is on point and beautiful, and I really wish I could have made this concert when they were here in the summer! Maybe next time!
Yellowcard by Yellowcard — bitter sweet, because this is a fantastic album from one of my favourite bands of all time... but it also supposed to be their last ever! There's a lot of pain in the songs on this one, but the music is beautiful and unique and classically Yellowcard, and there are lots of great lyrics. I'm even more sad that Yellowcard didn't even bring their farewell tour to Vancouver, because I've never seen them live, and now I guess I never will =(
Taking One For the Team by Simple Plan — I love this band, and I love that this album tries to be angsty sometimes, but mostly you can feel how happy they are with their lives. I also love some of the weird sounds they tried this time... happy dance-y reggae...? Really Simple Plan? But it's fucking great, and their concert at the PNE this year was so good and so much nostalgia it was insane! These guys are another middle-school band for me <3
Favourite Foods:
Butter chicken & rice — I feel like I fall in love with this stuff more every time I eat it. It's one of the most comforting foods I can think of, and I swear I could eat it every week.
Avocado toast — The internet seemed obsessed with this, and eventually this year I broke down and tried it to see if all the fuss was worth anything. And oh my god, its so simple, but so good. It's creamy, tasty, spicy (if you shake on some chilli flakes and lots of pepper), and healthy. I mean, it's still kinda fatty, but with good fats and lots of nutrients!
Favourite Drinks:
Iced Americano (with or without cream) — found this out kinda by accident this summer when I didn't want something milky. I love black iced americanos...
Caffe Misto — basically a latte but cheaper and maybe more coffee, less milk?
Starbucks Doubleshot on Ice — like an americano, but its espresso, syrup, milk, shaken with ice.
All the tea — I just really love tea.
Phone Apps (Android)
Carrot Rewards — I think this only works in a couple of Canadian provinces, but you can get scene points for movies for doing health surveys and quizzes, and step challenges. They might also do other loyalty programs, but I use the scene points.
Flickr — I use this mostly as an automatic uploader for my phone pictures. It has like 5 tb of space for free, so I have almost all my pictures auto-backed up on Flickr.
Instagram — I just love instagram, but I feel like I've gotten better at it this year, with my 365-day challenge.
Snapseed — I don't use it a ton, but this photo editor from Google is great, and has options that allow you to make really pretty, pro-looking edits I use for IG posts about my recent blog posts
Words With Friends — a silly scrabble-like game you can play online with friends whenever you have a minute. It's fun, basic, and not time consuming, unless you are both sitting there answering your turns right away.
And I think that's all! Make sure to let me know in the comments some of your favourite things in these categories from this year in the comments!
Hello again! I'm back with another round of non-beauty favourites, and today I'm talking about my favourite TV shows that you can watch on Netflix. There are some great ones I have to leave out of this post because they are not on Netflix, but maybe I'll get to those in another post. I do hope you're enjoying these random posts, because I'm enjoying putting them together!
Anyways, I was originally only going to pick 5, but I like a lot of stuff, so for my Top 5, I've picked shows I think are really excellent, really deserve your attention. The rest I've called honourable mentions, some of which I feel were very popular when they were airing on TV, and maybe don't need my praise... but I love them, and they are available on Netflix Canada (as a Canadian, that is the Netflix I have access to!), and if you haven't seen them, I really think you should try them out! Anyways, without furhter ado, let's get into some of my favourite shows on Netflix!
This one was super popular on the internet, so I'm sure LOTS of people have already seen it, but if, like me, you hesitate to jump on a bandwagon, because if everyone is going on about something, it can't be that great... I need to tell you to get off your high horse and try Jessica Jones! It's truly fantastic. It's a little bit film noir, a little bit thriller-y and creepy, mysterious, alluring, and fascinating. I had the hardest time stopping. And it's only 13 episodes, so what do you have to lose? Seriously, give it a go. If you're hesitant because of Kristen Ritter, because you've only seen her play cute, ditsy, hipstery airheads, don't worry, Jessica Jones is nothing like that, and Ritter does an amazing job as a strong—if damaged—female lead. Also, it has David Tennant, so that's a reason to watch, right there. I almost want to go rewatch it, now that I'm thinking about it again!
I'm not usually a comedy fan, or a fan of Andy Samberg (though some Lonely Island songs are funny, but this is a really great, light-hearted, and funny show. If you like Parks & Recreation, this show has a very similar feel to it, but instead of a small government department in Indiana, you're in a police precinct in Brooklyn. It's so funny, and easy to watch a one or a couple, because while there is a story arc or two in each season, the episodes are also really easy to enjoy as one-offs. All the characters are very endearing, and one thing I actually like better than in Parks & Rec, you don't have to feel as sorry for the office punching bags as I always did about poor Jerry/Gary/Larry... maybe that shouldn't have made me so angry, but I hated how they picked on him =(
But anyways, off-topic, wrong show... Watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine, you'll love it, there are 3 seasons on Netflix and a 4th one airing, so there's more to come! Honestly it's so much better than this trailer makes it look, but here it is if you want it:
This is probably one of the best DC comics related things I've personally seen, aside from the Dark Knight trilogy. It's a Batman prequel that acts like a crime drama, mostly focusing on a young Detective James Gordon (future Commissioner Gordon), but also features young Bruce Wayne, and some other future Batman characters as children or younger adults. It starts with the killing of Bruce's parents, and the investigation into that crime, but it's such a good show. It's dark sometimes, but that's Batman for you. Gotham is a scary place full of scary people, and it's so cool to see a take on the events that shaped the various beloved heroes and villians of the Batman franchise. Also, Benjamin Mackenzie... who proves he is a much better actor even than his portrayal of Ryan Atwood may have made you think!
Another show with David Tennant... I won't try to hide the fact that I think he is a brilliant actor and have made every effort to search out as many things that he has done that I can. If you haven't seen Doctor Who, specifically from the reign of the Tenth Doctor, you may not understand my near obsession with this actor, but I promise you he is fantastic. Maybe he is not exactly attractive, but I don't give a shit because he is so talented. I've seen him portray a wide variety of characters and he nails each one. So I have to admit that was a large motivating factor in me watching this show.
That said, this show is excellent, whether or now you care about Tennant, or just want a great, dramatic, heart-wrenching, captivating show about a small town murder and the aftermath for those left behind, from the emotional trauma and fractured relationships of those involved, to the police work and twists in the trial. It's such a good show, and has so many twists and turns that it really keeps you guessing about how things really went down. All of the characters are interesting and complex with their own stories, and there is so much going on in this fantastic show. You just have to keep watching.
I was so excited when Netflix announced that this show was coming out, because I'm love England, English history, and the royal family, especially Elizabeth. I also really enjoyed the movie The Queen, with Helen Mirren, which was about more recent history of Queen Elizabeth, so yes, I was excited for a show about Elizabeth as a new monarch, and about the beginning of her reign. And this show has not let me down in the least. It's quiet, in a British way, and may take some liberties with history, or what can even be known about the historical facts of private conversations, such as between the Queen and her sister, but all in all, it's a great show. It's dramatic and beautiful, and Claire Foy and Matt Smith were the perfect choices to play the young Queen and Prince Philip respectively. Besides, it's lovely to see Matt Smith in something new because he hasn't done a lot, and I just love him as a person!
So yes, if you love history, Britain, the royal family, Matt Smith, historical fiction, dramas, British tv, or all of the above, you should definitely give this show a shot! Apparently this show didn't get as many views as hoped, but they are making a Season 2, so hopefully more people will watch and we'll get more of this beautiful series!
Honourable Mentions / Obvious Suggestions
Here are a few shows also on Canadian Netflix which I loved, but which were either hugely popular when they were airing on TV, so I probably don't need to tell you how great they are. These you probably have seen, or know why you don't care to watch them, but in case you missed them, I thought I'd make a quick list. And then a few are just other great shows available on Netflix which weren't quite good enough to bump one of my top 5, but which I still seriously loved.
Besides, it wouldn't be a top 5 list from me if I didn't cheat and add some extras, because I can never bloody choose.
Musical, sometimes goofy, sometimes serious, big, lovely cast, fun recent (at the time) song covers... I just loved this show and really want to do a rewatch!
I don't know what there is to say about this. You probably already know all about it, you've probably seen clips, if not the whole damn series. But it is so great, I can rewatch it again and again. It's classic and on Netflix, so yeah, just throwing it out there.
I watched the first season or 2 of this show, but my parents didn't like it, so at the time, their preferences over-rode mine. Instead, I finally watched the whole show this year on Netflix in anticipation of the new special episodes. And damn, it's a good show. I can definitely see wanting to rewatch in the future, because most of the characters are so lovely, and it's fun watching Rory grow up. And I love Luke.
This is a great British tv show and modern adaptation of Sherlock Holmes stories. It's so well written, filmed, and acted, and you have to watch it. It's very short, there are only 3 seasons of 3 episodes each, and I think one special. So less than a full season of Game of Thrones. You won't regret taking the time!
Another British drama-y type show. This one is about some delinquents who get super powers through a freak storm, and their lives after. The first 2 or 3 seasons are the best, but if you start, you may as well finish up. I really enjoyed it.
I started this one on a whim because I wanted to watch something fluffy but didnt want to finish Fresh Prince yet. But honestly, its really funny. It sweet and quirky and not stupid comedy in that loud obnoxious way. Its weird, its like its still kinda dumb, but sometimes it feels intelligent too? Yeah, give it a go. There are 3 seasons on Netflix and I think another is coming.
Another show I'm sure you've seen clips of, if not full episodes. But it's so damn good, and its so interesting how some of the racial commentary is still so relevant. Which makes it sound serious, and it can be, like any good comedy can, but it's also really fun and funny and Will Smith has always been fantastic. Also, some of the meta/self-awareness moments in this show are just gold.
And finally, I have to recommend Supergirl! The first season is now available on Netflix, and the second season is still currently airing. I really love the way they've approached it, and I'm glad that the tone and look haven't changed too much with the station switch to the CW. It doesn't have the same feel as the other CW DC Comics shows (Arrow, the Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow)... I'm not sure why, but I just love it so much more. Maybe because it seems to be more heavily focussed on a female protagonist. I'm not sure. There's a level of cheesiness to this show as well, it's very bubbly and happy as often as possible, and I just really recommend it.
And here are a couple I want to watch, but haven't yet, so I can't suggest them formally:
9. Medici: Masters of Florence
A few things are at play here: 1) this is a Netflix show, and they seem to be pretty damn good at stuff, 2) Richard Madden, 3) I love history, and this is about the Medicis... the Renaissance... one of my favourite periods to learn about! I love me some good historical fiction, as well, so really this just looks great. Plus Jodi (blogger @ uptherollercoaster.com) was tweeting about how good it was recently, which helps.
10. The Vampire Diaries
Honestly, I just love vampires, but I never got around to this show. It seems to have been popular though, let me know your thoughts if you ever watched it. It intrigues me.
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Let me know any great shows available on Netflix that you think I should have included or need to watch in the comments!
Hey guys! Back again with more favourite lipsticks! This time I'm talking about my favourite pink shades that I own! Let me know yours in the comments, and check out my Favourite Red Lipsticks and Favourite Purple Lipsticks videos, if you haven't seen them yet!
Hello again! About 2 weeks ago, I posted about my 7 Favourite Basic Teas, but I love too many teas to stop there, so as promised, I'm back now with 7 of my favourite flavoured or specialty teas. I'm basically including anything you probably wouldn't drink every day, either because of the price, because of the seasonal flavours, or because the tea has a specific benefits. Considering the season, feel free to consider these lists recommendations for gifts for the tea lovers in your life, as well. I know I'd be happy to receive any of these teas as a gift myself!
So if you want to see which teas I've picked, keep reading!
Just like last time, I'm going to start with the one tea I don't currently have in my collection, but which I love and recommend anyways!
If you're a Starbucks fan, you probably recognize this tea, or at least the name of it, since the Passion Iced Tea (with or without lemonade) is a pretty popular Starbucks drink. This is the original tea that was used to make that drink, and it's so so good iced! The tea that Starbucks now uses is the Teavana Passion Tango tea, I believe, which is very similar, but not quite as nice, in my opinion... there's a weird spiciness to it, and I often find myself wishing for this one when I order one!
That said, this tea is still available for purchase from Starbucks, as well as in grocery stores that sell Tazo teas, so you can easily make it yourself hot or iced. The fastest way to make yourself an iced tea is to pop a teabag or two (depending on the strength you want) into hot water and steep for 5-10 minutes (again depending on the intensity you like), adding sugar if desired, and pouring the tea over a big cup full of ice. Stir (and add lemonade if you like), if you have yourself an iced passion tea! Personally, I usually don't like fruity teas hot, so I only drink this one iced.
2. DavidsTea Blueberry Jam black tea
I hope you're prepared to see several teas from DavidsTea in this post, because I love them! They have so many great products, so I'm about to fangirl pretty hard here.
This tea was actually sent to me alongside a ChickAdvisor sample a while ago, but I absolutely love this tea! (probably more than the sample it came with...). My aversion to hot fruity teas totally doesn't extend to this one, it's delicious hot or iced, and so sweet and blueberry-tastic, like a cup of blueberry pie or something, and great sweetened or plain. I usually don't sweeten it, but it can be nice if you really want a sweet treat.
3. DavidsTea Cold 911 Herbal Infusion
You can buy this separately, but I got this one through the Cold Survival Kit (which I reviewed when I bought it, if you want to see all the teas included). This one may not sound the tastiest with the eucalyptus and peppermint... it probably sounds like Vick's Vapo-Rub to many people. Honestly, it kinda smells like that, but I love the smell of Vicks, personally, and maybe I'm crazy, but I love the taste of this tea! It's so soothing and feels great on the throat and also just the hot, minty, eucalyptus-y steam that comes off it is so nice to breath while you drink if you're sick. If you aren't sick, this tea is INTENSE, so it's really a medicinal tea... but you do you =P. I definitely recommend picking this up for the next time you have a cold. Oh, and it's all herbal, no actual tea, so it contains no caffeine, and you can drink it as close to bed as you want, if that's important for you.
4. The Earl's Garden
After my last tea post, you probably get the picture that I LOVE Earl Grey tea. But in case that hasn't hit home yet, this will probably prove my love. This is a delicious, fancy, fruity, summery take on original Earl Grey, containing the usual black tea and bergamot, as well as freeze-dried strawberry pieces! It is so delicious, and even just smells so good, it's definitely one of my favourite teas of all time. I've repurchased it, which isn't too common with my flavoured loose-leaf teas, because I like to try new ones, but this one is so good I didn't want to be without. I didn't even ask for an amount, I just had them fill the tin!
This tea is pretty great however you want to drink it: hot, iced, black, with milk, with sugar, with honey... it's all good. If you like Earl Grey, and you like strawberries, you should really give this one a go!
5. Stash Holiday Chai black tea
This one is a weird one, but in a great way! It smells and tastes so christmas-y it's insane, and it's only available each year around the holidays! It has all the regular chai spices, but Stash also added gingerbread flavour and Jamaican rum flavour, to give it an unmistakable Christmas taste! It honestly smells like fresh baked ginger bread and eggnog. It's like a Christmas-scented hug! Again, this is great in a variety of ways, though I've never tried it iced. It is good black, sweetened, or with milk and sugar (or as a latte!). If you want to make a latte, though, I'd recommend using an extra teabag, as the box is not lying when it says "one tea bag makes 8 ounces of hot tea." If you like your flavours stronger, brew stronger!
6. DavidsTea Hot Chocolate Pu'erh Tea
If you aren't familiar with the term, Pu'erh tea is black tea that has been fermented. Traditionally sold as bricks and brews a very dark black tea. It's rich and earthy, and quite tasty, though I can't say I have a lot of experience with different types. This Pu'erh blend is mixed with black tea, as well as cocoa nibs, chocolate pieces, and cocoa butter (among other things) to make a very tasty dessert tea! I'm glad that they are selling this one again this year, becasue I purchased it last Christmas and fell in love with the rich chocolatey tea. Usually chocolate pieces in tea can get a bit oily, but I feel they found a pretty good balance with this blend, because it doesn't bug me like some others I've tried.
This tea is great whether you want to drink it black for a low-calorie chocolate treat (one cup has ~5 cal.), or with milk and sugar for when you really cant choose if you want a hot chocolate or a nice cup of tea... this tea lets you have both in one delicious cup.
7. DavidsTea Mulled Wine Oolong Tea
I'm so sad that DavidsTea didn't bring this one out again this year (also, I'll be tacking on an extra tea just because you can't buy this one any more), but I had to mention it because it is delicious! I've talked about how much I like the rich, smooth earthiness of oolong tea before, so of course I love that this tea is based around oolong tea. In this tea, the oolong is blended with all the usual ingredients in a wine mulling spice mix: orange peel, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, plus apple for more fruity flavour. I suppose you could put together your own similar thing by using wine mulling spices and brewing it with some plain oolong tea, but that's a lot more work!
The scent of this blend in the tin is intense, it really hits you in the face when you take a whiff, but it makes a really beautiful, spiced, and slightly tart tea. I love it black, or with a little sugar, which really brings up the flavour of the orange. It's warming and comforting, and a perfect wintertime tea. Though I guess I'll be using it sparingly this year in hopes they put it out again before I run out!!
8. HONOURABLE MENTION: DavidsTea Super Ginger Rooibos Tea
This is another tea from the Cold Survival Kit. Honestly, I was sure I would hate it, because I don't like rooibos, and I hate ginger teas... but damn does this stuff work well!
Unless you like ginger tea... a lot... you aren't likely to drink this one for fun. It's strictly medicinal for me, and I ONLY drink it if I have a bad cold, sore throat, stuffy... you know the drill. This tea contains dried ginger, green rooibos, black, white, and pink peppercorns, and a bit of stevia. It's a bit spicy, as you can probably guess! But if you are super stuffed up, and can't taste a thing or even think, this is great! Its something you can actually taste! The ginger helps you smell again, soothes your throat, and helps you get better, and the peppercorns help to clear your sinus out as well! One thing I will note is that you should not leave the leaves in the water any longer than recommended... the longer they're in there, the spicier this gets... it gets really intense, but it also works even better... so do what you feel is right. I like to mix this one with honey, for even more throat soothing goodness.
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So that's everything! I mean, it's certainly not all the teas in my collection, but definitely some of my favourites. Again, if you didn't see my first tea post, about my favourite basics and essential teas, check it out now! And don't forget to leave me your favourite teas in the comments, as well as suggestions for other non-beauty favourites categories you'd like me to share with you!
