Snaps: Vol. 1

Snaps: Vol 1

As a mentioned in a previous A List, I love, love, loved Victoria’s behind-the-scenes snapshot of her life she posted earlier this month. And I couldn’t help correlating her “quick snap” to how much I’m loving snapchat at the moment, both are providing an authentic glimpse into what really goes on in our lives.

As I looked around my home, I realized there are certain pieces of it that make me, me - pieces that I use on a daily basis or sometimes more sparingly, but make up the person I am once I leave the house and enter the world.

So without further ado (in homage to Victoria’s post) - I present my Snaps, a deeper look into my life.

To kick off the series, I thought I’d start with one of the most fun and parts of my day and one the most creative, my makeup dresser.

Up until a few years ago, my approach to makeup was pretty much the same - how to subtly enhance my features without looking like a weirdo. My red hair and freckles were always a challenge growing up, i didn’t want to overpower them with a crazy lipstick and look like a clown (my lips are on the fuller side) but I also wanted to make sure people could tell that I had eyelashes (mine are SUPER fair).  Youtube videos (Estee, Smashbox and Pixiwoo) and a super helpful Sephora saleswoman that explained everything, really changed this thinking of mine and I haven’t looked back since.

Today my makeup is housed in a mini file drawer - I've come a long way from a clear plastic makeup bag. Each drawer holds a different feature, lips, eyes, and face - and the ones on the bottom hold sheet masks (my fave!), makeup remover, brush cleaner and even my sunglasses collection. The view above is the top of the dresser, which houses the things I grab the most and a few extras. Here’s how each of them plays a role in my morning:

Brushes: just as a painter would use them to paint, my brushes are the conduit to creating a different look and personality to wear each morning. My mineral powder brush got all of this painting started, and once I saw how magnificently it applied my HD Powder, I was hooked on trying more ways to play with color and texture. A few of my favorite brushes? My contour brush which when coupled with my bronzer helps to add dimension to my forehead and cheekbones, my angled eye brush which deposits colour perfectly in my crease to make my eyes pop, and my blush brush which lets me pinpoint where exactly i want a pop of colour on my cheeks (you can tell it’s one of my most well-loved brushes). Organized by eyes and face in simple Ikea plant pots, my brushes bring to life my creativity and I love this start to my day.

Bourjois Gel Serum Foundation: this Foundation has been such a game-changer for my skin. I first picked it up during my annual trip home to Canada (please come to the states Bourjois!!) after seeing reviews from bloggers overseas, and it really does live up to the hype. A light coverage - it hydrates and even outs my skin, and most importantly, lets my skin breathe while looking radiant. It’s my skin but better, and I leave the house feeling confident and ready to strut my stuff.

MAC Paint Pots: just like my Foundation is my skin but better, my MAC paint pots make my eye area look flawless. Whether I wear them on their own (depending on my lip colour and how late I'm running that day), or using them to layer underneath additional colour, these pots are almost applied on a daily basis.

VICHY idealia skin sleep: another drugstore find from Canada (but ULTA sells here in the states), VICHY ideal skin has transformed the texture of my skin. I use it every night on my face and neck, and I can feel the formula plumping up my skin from the wear and tear of my day. Its rich and carries a pretty strong scent, but the scent now triggers my brain to fall asleep, which coincidentally is when it works the best (it’s in its name!) A true skin saver.

Aveda Shampure Dry Shampoo: every six weeks my Saturday morning is a life-changer. Yes, I’m talking about my haircut with Kiley at Nutur. The last time I was in we started talking about dry shampoo and she asked me which one I was using. I mentioned I was using a spray brand from the drugstore and she stopped me and told me I should because my hair was dry. MY MIND WAS BLOWN. First, I had no idea my hair was dry and second, she mentioned my hair would react better to a dry shampoo powder. I’ll never doubt Kiley again. Aveda Shampure gives my hair volume, gets rid of the greasies and saves my scalp from wear and tear - it’s a lazy girl’s miracle. I put in on after the makeup, flip my head upside down, and am good to go. Love it.

Aesop Resurrection hand balm: between dishes and my new job, my hands are currently craving moisture at every moment. And that’s why this hand creme is front and center for both my morning and nightly routines. Aesop’s Resurrection hand creme has the hippest smell (it’s a mix of rosemary, mandarin and cedar) but more importantly it has a heavy dose of moisturizer that absorbs quickly and isn’t greasy. It’s the holy trifecta of hand cremes and the last thing I apply before heading to work and heading to bed.