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December Favorites!


It's the last day of December and I feel like the year went by too fast. It's no secret that I love the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. I have the shade Vanilla and I've been wearing it whenever I've worn makeup this month. It covers everything that needs extra coverage and brightens under the eyes as well. I've been really liking the L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Powder to set my make up or wear on it's own on days when I don't feel like wearing foundation. It has good coverage and keeps my t-zone matte all day. The only downside of this powder is that by the end of the day it looks really powdery on my skin. For keeping my lips hydrated on the go I've been loving the Blistex Raspberry Lemonade Blast lip balm. It smells like Skittles. It has spf 15 and it feels moisturizing on my lips. For a natural glow on my cheeks I've loved the Stila Convertible Color in Peony. It's really good for those days when you have 5 minutes to do your makeup because you just dab some on to your cheek and blend it out quickly with your fingers. It lasts all day. 

Random Favorites 

movies:
Frozen 
Saving Mr. Banks 

music:
Cannonball - Lea Michele 
Whatever You're Doing - Sanctus Real 
Angels We Have Heard on High - Sanctus Real 
Thrive - Casting Crowns 

Happy New Year! Best wishes for 2014! :)
Sincerely, JoJo. ♥  


Best of 2013: Books, Movies, TV Shows & Music


My favorite books, movies, TV shows and music that I've experienced this year.

Books: 
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 
Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade 
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Prada & Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard  
The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler
The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

Movies:
Warm Bodies 
The Croods 
How to Train Your Dragon 
Howl's Moving Castle
The Lost Valentine 
The Italian Key 
A Taste of Romance
Christmas with Holly
Let it Snow 
Epic 
Les Miserables  
Parental Guidance 
Romeo & Juliet 
Frozen
Despicable Me 2
Wreck-It Ralph
Rise of the Guardians
The Polar Express 
Saving Mr. Banks

TV Shows:
The Fosters 
Suits 
Pretty Little Liars 
Reign 
Chicago Fire
Camp 
The Carrie Diaries
Hart of Dixie
The Middle 
The Mindy Project 
Teen Wolf
Switched at Birth

Music:
Fight Forever - Anthem Lights 
Hide Your Love Away - Anthem Lights
Follow Your Heart - Anthen Lights 
Give Me a Lifetime - Anthem Lights 
We Won't Be Shaken - Building 429 
Every Good Thing - The Afters
Better When You're Gone - Luke Conard 
Closer, Faster - Against The Current 
Guessing - Against The Current
Don't Want and Ending (Acoustic Version) - Sam Tsui 
Once in a Lifetime - Landon Austin
We Could Love - Alex Goot 
We Are the Ones - King the Kid 
Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) - Hillsong United 
Man of Sorrows - Hillsong 
Victor's Crown - Darlene Zschech
Wanted - Dara Maclean 
Yours Forever - Kari Jobe ft. Darlene Zschech

Best of 2013: Bath and Body Edition


My favorite bath & body products of 2013. 

Makeup Remover: 
Bioderma Sensibio H2O 


MAC Cleanse Off Oil


Aveeno ultra-calming gentle makeup removing wipes



Multi-use Product: 
Josie Maran Argan Oil 
I use it on the ends of my hair and sometimes as a face moisturizer.

Hand Cream:
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream 
I've repurchased this 3 times this year. 

Lip Balm:
Nivea Lip Butters 


Fragrance:
Marc Jacobs Daisy 


Bath & Body Works Forever Red 


Shower Gel:
Bath & Body Works Forever Red 



Body Butter:
The Body Shop Mango Body Butter 



Candle:
Blackberry Spice 



Best of 2013: Beauty Edition


Here is a list of my favorite beauty products of 2013. 

Foundation: 
Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation



Drugstore Concealer:
Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer



High End Concealer: 
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer 


Setting Powder:
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 Translucent

I really should get a new one.

Cream Blush: 
Sitla Convertible Color in Peony



Powder Blush: 
NARS Orgasm 


Eye Shadow Primer:
NARS Pro Prime Smudge-Proof Eyeshadow Base



Cream Eye Shadow:
MAC Painterly Paint Pot 


Powder Eye Shadow:
Lorac Pro Palette 


Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette


L'Oreal Quad in Cuppa Joe


L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush 



Lipstick: 
MAC Syrup 



Dior Addict Lip Glow 


Lip Gloss:
NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Beige 



Mascara:
Covergirl Clump Crusher 



Eyeliner:
Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner



Nail Polish:
Nails Inc. Jermyn Street 



Nails Inc. Porchester Square 



OPI You're Such a Budapest 


Tools:
Beauty Blender 


Real Techniques Brushes



Is It Worth The Hype? NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

Everyone in the beauty community has been raving about this concealer since it came out. Sephora describes it as "a creamy concealer with hydrating, multiaction skincare benefits and light diffusing technology to create a softer, smoother complexion." At first I held off trying it because of the price but I eventually decided to try it because NARS never fails me. 


I got the shade Vanilla and it blends well with my skin tone but also brightens my eye area. I actually love this concealer. I've found that it provides full coverage, doesn't make my skin feel dry, stays in place all day, doesn't settle into fine lines, and doesn't break me out. Once it's applied you don't feel it. I can use it as an under-eye concealer and to cover up blemishes. I've worn it every day that I've worn makeup since I got it. It's the best high end concealer that I've ever tried. 

I would highly recommend it. There is a large color selection so you will find one that matches you. 

Sincerely, JoJo ♥

Winter Wonderland Tag


1. Favorite thing about winter?
Christmas! I love the lights, decorating the Christmas tree, baking Christmas cookies, the music and of course giving and receiving presents. 

2. Scarves or Beanies?
Scarves. I have a slight obsession with scarves. 

3. Favorite holiday movie?
The Holiday, The Polar Express and Eloise at Christmastime 

4. Favorite winter nail polish?
OPI Quarter of a Cent-Cherry. I think it's the perfect winter red because it's a dark cherry red. 


5. Favorite Starbucks Holiday Drink?
I don't have a favorite holiday drink from Starbucks. In winter I love drinking tea, hot chocolate and hot apple cider. 

6. What are your top 3 winter essentials?
Fuzzy socks, a nourishing lip balm and a moisturizing hand cream. 



7. Name one item on your wish list this year.
A new straightening iron. 

8. Favorite holiday song?
O Holy Night
Angels We Have Heard On High
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Sleigh Ride by Delius 
Hope Was Born This Night - Sidewalk Prophets 
How Many Kings - Downhere 

9. Did you go Black Friday shopping this year?
Yes, I went to Sephora. 

10. Must have winter lip product?
Dior Addict Lip Glow because it adds a nice color to my lips and it's very moisturizing. 



11. Will you be rocking an ugly Christmas sweater this year?
Nope, I still haven't found the perfect ugly Christmas sweater. 

12. Have you ever had a white Christmas where you live?
Yes. I'm pretty sure it's a white Christmas every year. 

13. Favorite winter candle scent?
Nature's Wick Christmas Time. The crackling of the wooden wick reminds me of a fire place. It makes the room feel warm and cozy and puts me in a holiday mood. 


I've also been loving Blackberry Spice from Bath & Body Works. It's a fall scent but I also love it for right now.


14. How will you be celebrating this holiday?
I'll be spending Christmas with my close family. 

Sincerely, JoJo xoxo 

November Favorites!


I don't have many favorites this month, mostly because I haven't had time to try many new things. The Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation has been my favorite face base yet again because it's easy to apply, evens out my skin tone, feels light on my skin and lasts all day. It's about medium coverage and it just works well for an every day no-makeup-makeup look. To apply my foundation I've been using the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. It does an amazing job at blending out my foundation and I feel like makes me skin look flawless. For lips I've been reaching for MAC Syrup A LOT. I talk about this lipstick all the time because I love it so much. On most days that is what's on my lips. It's the perfect MLBB shade for me. I would describe it as a mauvy pink. If I could only wear one lipstick for the rest of my life it would be this one. 
My friend got me a mango gift set from The Body Shop for my birthday and my favorite things from the gift set have been the Mango Body Scrub and the Mango Body Butter. I've been using the body scrub once a week to exfoliate my feet. It's just a quick and east way to pamper your feet. The body butter just feels nice, absorbs quickly and makes my skin feel moisturized. It has a pleasant, fresh scent. 

MAC Syrup

Random Favorites 

Movies:
Christmas with Holly 

Music: 
Hope was Born This Night - Sidewalk Prophets 
Follow That Star - Paul Baloche 
Simple Little Christmas EP - Anthem Lights 

NOTD: Butter London La Moss

In the Fall my favorite nail polish colour to wear is a burgundy/wine shade. For some reason that defines Fall to me. Butter London's La Moss has been recommended as one of the best wine vampy shades. This is my first Butter London polish. I thought it would be a good shade for today since it's Remembrance Day here in Canada. 


I love the colour of this polish but the formula was very thin. I needed 4 coats to get an opaque colour and I could have done a fifth coat. It's a gorgeous colour but a lot of work is required to achieve it. The polish lasts about 2 days before it started chipping on my nails. I've heard that some Butter London polishes have a thin formula like this one and others have an amazing one. I wouldn't recommend this shade if you want a quick manicure. I would try other shades of the line before developing an opinion about the brand as a whole.

Butter London nail polishes retail for $17 CAD

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥  

October Favorites!


I don't have many favorites this month. I've mostly been using the same products everyday. On an everyday basis I don't wear much makeup but I always wear some type of face makeup. This month I've been loving the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation. It's easy to apply. I either use a brush or my beauty blender. If I'm in a hurry I'll even use my fingers. It blends easily and feels light on the skin. I'd say it gives medium coverage so it's perfect for everyday wear. It's also long lasting. I love it. Lately I've been getting an oily t-zone so it has become essential for me to set my foundation with powder. I've been using the Rimmel Stay Matte powder in the translucent shade. I've been using it for over a year and it gets the job done. It's not my favorite but I do like it. I finally hit pan on it this month. For nails I've worn nails inc. Jermyn Street a lot. I'm just obsessed with this color. It's a really nice greige. Two coats are required, sometimes you might be able to get away with one coat but I think two is better. I finally found NYX lipgloss! The closest Target from my house finally opened this month and I was so glad to see that they have some NYX products. I got the NYX Mega Shine lip gloss in Beige. It was the last one on the shelf and I understand why. All the hype about this product is true. The color is a gorgeous pink, it's extremely pigmented, glides on the lips and smells like bubble gum. The packaging is adorable because there's a bow on top of the wand. This is currently my favorite lip gloss of all time. 

Random Favorites 

TV: 
Chicago Fire 
Reign 

Movies:
Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade 
Signed Sealed Delivered
Romeo & Juliet (2013 version)

music:
Better When You're Gone - Luke Conard
Give Me a Lifetime - Anthem Lights (It's on iTunes)

books:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 

youtubers:
blimeycow 


50 Things I Am Thankful For


chelsimadonna started this tag on youtube. This got me thinking that sometimes we need to stop thinking about something that we want or don't have and just count our blessings. I am very blessed and it's nice to be reminded of it. Here are 50 things that I am thankful for. I encourage you to think about this as well because it will make you happy. 

1. My Family
2. My Friends
3. Pumpkin pie
4. Baking
5. Literature 
6. Being able to get an education
7. Freedom of Religion
8. Listening to Christian music 
9. Anthem Lights 
10. Tumblr 
11. Youtube
12. Wifi
13. Nail polish 
14. Public transporation
15. Language
16. Music 
17. The fact that I got the opportunity to learn how to play the flute.
18. My Italian heritage.
19. Every teacher I've ever had because they helped shape me into the person that I am today.
20. A warm bed
21. My laptop
22. Prayer 
23. Forgiveness
24. God's love
25. Laughter
26. Hugs
27. Puppies
28. Being Canadian
29. Comfy sweaters
30. Days off
31. My glasses
32. Christmas
33. Experiencing 4 seasons
34. Movies
35. Tea
36. Coffee
37. Running water 
38. Pasta
39. Target
40. Leggings
41. Boots
42. Scarves
43. Second chances
44. A loving home
45. Supportive parents
46. Light 
47. Food 
48. Central heating in Winter and air conditioning in Summer
49. Remembering Bible verses that help me have a better day. 
50. The beauty of nature

Sincerely, JoJo ♥

September Favorites!

September means back to school. Back to school means early mornings and lack of sleep. This month my favorites are all about looking alive and awake. 


 You obviously want your eyes to look bright and awake even though you're tired. Right? I've been loving the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in the shade Radiant to brighten my under eye area. It covers dark circles. Mine aren't bad but this gets the job done. It also doubles as a highlighter so it saves time in the morning. Then, to make my eyes look even more awake I apply the Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal eyeliner in nude on my water line. I love it because once it's there it's not moving. It lasts all day and doesn't smudge. 

NARS orgasm blush / my attempt at a swatch
For blush I've been using my all time favorite blush NARS orgasm. It's a peachy pink with gold shimmer. It adds a healthy glow to my cheeks and also helps with the whole looking awake thing. I use it to much and I'm surprised that I haven't hit pan on it. 

top: Dior Addicr lip glow (what it appears to look like on my skin)
bottom:  a very built up swatch of the covergirl lip smoochies in #luv u
For lips I've been loving lip balms that double as MLBB shades. The covergirl lip smoochies in #luv u is a perfect MLBB shade for me. It's not the most moisturizing but it has good color pay off. I can just throw it in my bag and not worry about it. I can reapply it all day without looking in a mirror. I've also been obsessed with the Dior Addict Lip Glow. It's quite pricey and I could kick myself for loving it so much. (**cough cough MeghanRosette made me buy it cough cough**) It's meant to enhance your natural lip color while being moisturizing on your lips. It turns into a really pretty MLBB pink shade on my lips and I love it so much! It smells and tastes like mint. It's actually quite moisturizing. Again I can put it on without a mirror and carry it with me all day. When I get home from school I like to take my makeup off as fast as possible. I've been loving the MAC cleanse off oil to take off all my make up. It's really easy to use and gets rid of everything including my waterproof mascara and eyeliner.