Nails of the Week | Cakepop

One of the gifts my parents got me for Christmas was a certificate to go and get a manicure and pedicure. Now that sandal season is upon us I thought that now would be a good time to cash it in.

I don't know what I get up to, but whenever I paint my nails within twenty-four hours there is usually a chip or a smudged nail. When my manicurist told me about the nail polish brand CND and how their Vinylux Weekly Polish promises to last at least seven days (without a base coat!), I was definitely intrigued. 

The colour that I chose for my nails is called Cake Pop (cutest nail polish name!). Cake Pop is a totally opaque, almost chalky (in a good way!) pink with cool undertones. It only took two coats of the Vinylux Weekly Polish for her to cover my nails and she finished with the Vinylux Weekly top coat. It dried fairly quickly and so far I'm impressed. 

As the seven days aren't up yet, I cannot say whether or not this polish lives up to it's promises. I got my nails done on Thursday and today is Sunday. My nails still look just as great as they did when I first left the salon. I've done everything I normally do... Type feverishly on my keyboard, wash dishes rummage through my handbag, etc. However, once I reach the seven day mark I'll be sure to post whether or not the polish lasted. 

I am very pleased so far as normally my nails would have small chips by now. I would definitely purchase this nail polish in the future (even if it doesn't last the entire seven days). It is rather inexpensive, too. I saw online that it retails for about $10 per bottle, but I did find it on Amazon for less than that. And for what seems to be such a high quality polish you can't really go wrong! I can't wait to try out some more colours!

To read more about CND Vinylux Weekly Polishes please visit their website. 

EDIT: This nail polish lasted the entire seven day period without any chipping. Only after about eleven days did it really start looking awful.

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Have a great day!

Beauty | My Favourite Perfumes

I have loved perfume since I was a little girl. Aside from their unique scents, I have always loved the packaging of perfumes. Dainty glass bottles that look so pretty on display in your bedroom, what's not to like? When purchasing a perfume I take into account how pretty it is and I know that's kind of silly but I can't help it! Below you can read about some of my favourite perfumes (in no particular order).

The first perfume in my favourites is the Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh. Can we first just talk about the adorable bottle? I have to admit, I ordered this perfume online before ever smelling it. I just really, really wanted the bottle. Just as the name suggests, this perfume is very fresh, light and clean. It has some fruity and floral notes in it and is very feminine. I think out of all my perfumes this one is my absolute favourite. It is so simple but smells so nice and is perfect for everyday wear.

Second, I have the Lolita Lempicka Forbidden Flower Eau de Parfum. I bought this while on holiday in Arizona at a discounted price. I find this scent to be very floral and quite strong. I love the bottle of this one, so cute and dainty. The scent is inspired the smell of Absinth flower.. I have no idea what this smells like but there are notes of cherry, peony and violet which are quite apparent.

The third perfume I've selected for my favourites is my MAC Turquatic. I first heard of this perfume from Zoe over at Zoella. I've wanted it for quite sometime and it's always been out of stock at MAC. I ordered it online and after a few weeks (it was on back order) it finally arrived. I was so pleased with the scent and now it's one of my top picks (right up there with Daisy Eau so Fresh). The scent is very clean and fresh and reminds me of going to the beach. The perfect scent for summer. 

Next in my favourites is the Dior J'adore Eau de Parfum. This was originally my mothers but she passed it over to me and I really love it. I'm not too great at describing scents but this one is fresh, floral and very feminine. The scent is long-lasting and light - perfect for daytime wear. 

Another favourite is my Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum. My aunt and uncle bought me this perfume a few years ago for my birthday. The bottle is so beautiful and classy (obviously, it's Chanel!) and the scent is super luxurious and fruity/floral. It's quite strong but I still wear it often during the day. I think it's a perfect smell for Spring and Summer

 The first time I ever smelled the Demeter Fragrance Library Caramel Cologne Spray was at my friend Monika's condo. She had it in her bathroom and urged me to try it out. It smells amazing! If you're a big fan of incredibly sweet smells you will love this. When she told me she was placing an order for more of these perfumes she asked if I would like one and I jumped at the opportunity. It smells like freshly made waffles and whenever I wear it I get so many compliments. The Demeter Fragrance Library has so many different and unique (like tomato or paperback!) scents on their site that are available for purchase. I'm really tempted to buy the Salt Air, Apple Pie, Lilac... The list goes on!

Finally, I have my Coach Poppy Duo Rollerball. My friends mother bought me this one year for Christmas. The rollerball has two different scents. The original Poppy fragrance is floral and fresh and Poppy Flower is both fruity and floral. This is a great product to keep in your handbag, it is a very slim and takes up very little room.

Please let me know what some of your favourite perfumes are. Or be sure to comment below if we share any favourites! 

Thank you so much for reading! Have a great Friday!

Baking | New York-Style Crumb Cake

Every time I get the urge to bake something I log onto Pinterest and peruse my Sweet board. I pinned this recipe a while back after a friend of mine made it and brought some over for me to try. I remember it being incredibly tasty with the perfect cake to crumb ratio.

Almost a year later and I am finally tasting this cake again and it is just as good as I remember!

The recipe comes from Smells Like Home and isn't all that difficult to make. However, I did have a few problems with the actual baking. The recipe states that the cake bakes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for thirty-five to forty minutes, but after and fifty in the oven my cake was still... cake batter.  

I put the cake back in the oven and kept checking on it every five minutes doing the knife test (insert a clean knife to the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean it's ready) until it was finally done. So, if you do try this recipe out don't be discouraged if after the forty minute mark your cake is not done. Just pop it back in the oven and be sure to keep checking on it.

 

The cake itself is soft, delicious and topped with a generous layer of brown sugar and cinnamon crumbs. The crumbs are easily my favourite part of this dessert and the taste is similar to the filling of Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts!

If you plan on making this delicious cake let me know in the comments section below! Also, if you're an avid pinner on Pinterest (like me!), it would be cool if you followed me by clicking *here*! Or leave your Pinterest names below!

Thank you so much for reading! 

Life | Father's Day Fiesta

This year for Father's Day we decided to have a fiesta. Originally, all I wanted to do was make tacos and margaritas, but then my sister bought a blowup cactus, sombreros and one thing lead to another... So the Father's Day Fiesta was born! 

You can see some of the photos I took below.

How cute are these little paper lanterns my sister picked up? 

The day started out rainy and very gloomy, but luckily for us by twelve o'clock the sun was shining and it was really warming up outside.

For dinner we had tacos with all the fixings. We had whole wheat and white tortillas, pulled pork for my family, chickpeas/beans for me (I don't eat meat), jalapenos, onions, peppers, spinach, coleslaw, guacamole, plain greek yogurt and chips with salsa.

To wash our tacos down, we made some delicious margaritas complete with their own paper umbrellas.

For dessert I made a key-lime pie from scratch using this recipe and a standard graham cracker crust. Key-lime pie is my father's favourite and it was my first time making it. I think it came out pretty good, if I do say so myself (not the best picture though)! I had kept it in the freezer so it was incredibly refreshing and delicious.

Our dog Sam joined in on the festivities, as well. Here he is looking absolutely adorable in his little sombrero.

So! Those are all my photos from our little fiesta. Did you do anything fun this weekend? Let me know!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! And Happy Monday!

Beauty | Everyday Makeup

Aside from baking, I really, really love makeup. I love to buy it, play around with it, wear it and share it! Some of my favourite blogposts to read are the What's in my makeup bag? or My Everyday Makeup, so I thought I would do one of my own.

First things first, this adorable makeup bag is from Forever 21. It was $11.80 CAD and you can purchase it here. It is also available in black. It looks a bit small, but it is quite spacious! I was able to fit in my everyday makeup essentials (aside from my brushes and eyeshadow palette), so it is perfect to bring on the go for touch ups.

Read on as I go into more detail about each product, starting with the ones I use on my face and cheeks.

L-R: Smashbox Photo Set Finishing Powder | NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer | NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer | NARS Blush/Bronzer Duo | NARS Blush | Benefit High Beam

The first face product I use in the morning when getting ready is my NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer ($49 CAD). The shade I use is the lightest in the collection, Finland. I started using this product back in Autumn after a lovely woman at the NARS counter used it on me. It is super lightweight, so it doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything at all. Not only does this product make my skin look radiant, but my skin also feels immediately hydrated. This product comes in eleven shades I believe and I would highly recommend it. The second product that I use is the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in the shade Vanilla ($30). I use this on top of any blemishes and on my under eye circles. Unlike other concealers, I find that this one does not crease when used under my eyes. The formula is very creamy and does not feel dry or look at all cakey. 

NARS Blush/Brozer Duo in Orgasm/Laguna | NARS Blush in Deepthroat

Next, I'll apply my NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna ($42 CAD for just the bronzer and $50 CAD for the Duo). I'm very fair skinned and this bronzer is perfect for me. It has a very natural finish and not too much shimmer. It isn't too orangey either, unlike most bronzers I have tried. I use this to add some contour to my face as well as provide my skin with a healthy glow. As for my cheeks, my go to blush is the NARS Blush in Deep Throat ($32 CAD). Can you tell that I really like my NARS products? Haha. I use this blush on the apples of my cheeks and then I use just a bit of my Orgasm blush (Also $32 CAD for just the blush and $50 for the blush/bronzer Duo) on top.

After that, I'll use my Benefit High Beam highlighter ($32 CAD) on my cheek bones and a little bit on my brow bone. This is so pretty on and provides a really soft, dewy shimmer to your cheeks. And the final product used on my face is my Smashbox Photo Set Finishing Powder ($32 CAD). I'll just use this throughout the day to keep my face from getting too shiny. I'm sure there are much cheaper and equally as good alternatives out there, but for now this gets the job done. It also had SPF 15 which is always nice!

L-R Top: Urban Decay Naked Palette | Yves Saint Laurent Babydoll Mascara | Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara | Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Bottom: Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler | NARS Eyeliner Stylo | Benefit Instant Brow Pencil

When I wear eyeshadow it is almost always a shade from the Urban Decay Naked Palette ($60 CAD). All of the colours inside are stunning and perfect for day or night looks. For everyday looks I'll usually use Virgin all over my eyelid, Sidecar on my outer corner and Toasted in the crease. But before I apply any eyeshadow I first use my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($14 CAD for the squeeze tube, the Primer Potion pictured in the photo above came free with my Naked Palette). This keeps my eyeshadow on all day long and there is absolutely no creasing.

Somedays when I'm feeling particularly lazy I will skip eyeliner all together. However, when I do decide to add a little something extra to my eyes I'll usually just use a wet angled eyeliner brush and line my top lash line with the Dark Horse eyeshadow from the Naked palette. When I want to do winged eyeliner I always reach for my NARS Eyeliner Stylo in Nuku Hiva ($32 CAD) which is a dark brown colour. This eyeliner does not budge. It stays put all day long and looks just as good at the end of the night as it did when first applied. It is really easy to use and has a very stable, super-fine tip to create the perfect line with perfect precision. I also have this eyeliner in Carpates, a deep black, for when I want a more dramatic look.

I naturally have incredibly long eyelashes, I think they're one of my favourite physical features. To give them the most natural and perfect curl I use my Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler ($24 CAD). I remember when I first tried this out I was so impressed with what it did to my eyelashes compared to the eyelash curler that I was previously. Now, nearly three years later, I cannot imagine using anything else. 

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler | Yves Saint Laurent Babydoll Mascara | Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

After curling my lashes I apply my Yves Saint Laurent Babydoll Mascara ($36 CAD). Before this, I used the Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara ($24 CAD) which I really liked, but I felt that I needed to switch it up a bit. I've only just recently started using the YSL Babydoll mascara but I love it, despite it's hefty price tag (sigh!). It gives me great volume and separates my lashes. What I really love about this is that I can build it up for a more dramatic effect without any clumping and throughout the day there is absolutely no smudging!

The Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara ($12 CAD) is probably something you could do without. However, the tiny brush is like magic. It coats all your teensy bottom lashes as well as the tiny lashes at the inner corners of your eyes without making a mess. Once this product is applied it seriously does not move until you take it off. After hearing Tanya Burr and Zoe from Zoella talk about this product on Youtube and then reading about it on The Dauphine from Chelsea, I knew I had to have it. 

Yves Saint Laurent Volupté Sheer Candy

For lips, my go to product for the Spring and Summer has got to be the Yves Saint Laurent Volupté Sheer Candy ($39 CAD) in the colour Succulent Pomegranate. This product applies so easily as just a sheer wash of colour. You can build it up to create a more bold lip. What I absolutely love about this is that it is so moisturizing! My lips can get very dry and some lipsticks will crack and just look awful on my lips unless I slather on lip balm beforehand. Not this. It feels like you're just wearing a super moisturizing lip balm. It smells great and is also the prettiest colour. It really adds a pop to my otherwise natural looking daily makeup. Even though it is quite costly, after this runs out I will definitely be repurchasing!

Thank you so much for readingt! Let me know in the comments below what your everyday makeup essentials are! I'd love to know! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Baking | Strawberry Cupcakes + Strawberry Buttercream

Last week my mother came to me and asked if I would bake some cupcakes for her to bring into work. I absolutely love to bake - cupcakes especially - so I happily agreed. Over the next few days I debated what type of cupcakes to make. I was originally set on making a chocolate base with salted caramel buttercream frosting, then I thought maybe a dulce de leche cupcake would be quite nice. I asked my mom for some input and she suggested something fresh and fruity and then I knew exactly what to make.

Sometime ago I found a recipe for strawberry cupcakes on Pinterest, I pinned it to one of my boards and forgot about it until now. The recipe comes from Chop, Stir, Eat and was easy enough to make. The cake is light and fluffy with a touch of strawberry flavour. I got three dozen cupcakes out of this recipe, which was great as my mother needed 25 to bring to work (and that left me with eleven leftover to keep at home).

Nalena, from Chop, Stir, Eat has a recipe for a whipped frosting that she paired with the cupcakes that you can use. However, I wanted to create a strawberry buttercream to amp up the strawberry flavour.

On my first attempt at the frosting, I made a standard buttercream frosting that included a few tablespoons of whipping cream. Once I added in my pureed strawberries, the buttercream began to separate and had a very unappealing appearance and texture. I should've known not to mix cream with pureed berries. So, that went into the trash.

For my second batch of buttercream I followed a recipe from Cake 'n' Knife. The buttercream came out smooth and was a pretty, pink colour (and not to mention incredibly tasty)! I piped the frosting onto my cupcakes using a Wilton Open Star 1M tip (you can find this tip here).

The adorable cupcake liners I used were from an arts and craft store near my house. They may have been from Wilton but I'm not 100% sure. Also, they were Easter liners so they may not even be available for purchase anymore. The pearls I used on top of the cupcakes were Wilton Sugar Pearls. They come in a variety of beautiful colours. The next time I see them I think I'll pick up a tube of the green and yellow.

My mom came home from work and told me that the cupcakes were an absolute hit! One woman even went as far as to say it was the best cupcake she had ever eaten! If you try out this recipe please comment below. I'd love to know how they turned out for you! I hope you have enjoyed the first post on Honey-Loaf! Please check back soon for more posts!