April Favorites!

April, a month that I have been waiting for since January. Why? April is the end of the semester. This month has been all about final assignments, papers, presentations and exams. University is stressful and I'm glad to be off for the Spring/Summer. May will be all about making the most of my time off.

I don't have many favorites for April because I didn't have much time to try new things. I have a few thins worth mentioning and here they are.

Bourjois Java Rice Power 

This powder is an illuminating powder. While it appears translucent and illuminating on the skin, the product itself has has a bit of a pink tone with shimmer. I've been using this to set my under eye concealer and as a highlighter because it just makes your skin appear glowy. It helps to make you look awake when you're running on very little sleep.

Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo

The biggest reason why I love this dry shampoo is because it's clear; therefore, it doesn't cause a white cast in my brown hair. It also has a minty scent which I enjoy. It just takes away the excess oil and makes your hair look clean and soft.

OPI Cajun Shrimp

When I study for exams my favorite thing to do when I take a break is painting my nails (and baking) because it forces me to stay calm. OPI Cajun Shrimp is a great shade if you're looking for a summer red. It's opaque in 2 coats. When I look at my nails when I'm wearing this polish I just feel happy and think of summer.

Essie Master Plan 

This is a gray nail polish that just makes your nails look sleek and polished. It only needs 2 coats to be fully opaque.

TV Shows

Call the Midwife - This show is amazing! I watched the entire series in a week. The characters are lovely, the stories are real and the fashion is gorgeous. The show takes place in East London in the 1950s. I have no interest in midwifery or nursing but I love this show. A lot goes on in these episodes since each season has 8 episodes. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend it.

Music 

I Am Not Alone - Kari Jobe

It Is Well - Bethel Music

Anchor - Bethel Music

Already Home - A Great Big World

Road Between - Lucy Hale

Recipes 

Coconut Cream Pie Smoothie

Quiche in a Mug

Youtube Videos 

101 Reasons to Ship Stiles & Lydia 

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

Disappointing Products #1

*Disclaimer: The majority of the products that I talk about on my blog are usually products that I love. I don't often mention products that I don't like or have let me down. The following products are things that didn't work out for me. Some of them are really hyped up and loved. If any of these products are some of your favorites that's perfectly fine. This is just my opinion. I have combination/dry/sensitive skin.

L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation 

This is a foundation that I really wanted to love. It's extremely easy to apply and blend. It gives amazing coverage and has great lasting power. The problem I have with this product is the fact that it breaks me out whenever I wear it. I've tried wearing it over primer and it still managed to break me out. I'm so sad about it because it made my skin look flawless.

NYX Shine Killer

This primer is supposed to eliminate oil and keep you matte all day. I applied it as a primer where I get oily (my t-zone). It didn't last all day. Within a few hours my forehead was shiny. It also caused me to break out on my forehead.

Hydraluron 

This is a product that is raved about and loved by so many people. I really wanted to like it but it's just not for me. I hated the feeling of it on my skin. It felt sticky to me. I always felt like it was there and always had to urge to rub it off right after I applied it. This also broke me out in my t-zone where my skin isn't dry.

NYX Super Skinny Marker

This liquid eyeliner has a very fine tip making it easy to apply for someone like me who is awful at applying liquid eyeliner. The problem with this is that it smudges super fast. If you touch your eyes you're going to smudge it, if your eyes get teary it will smudge as well. It doesn't set at all. When I bought it, I knew it wasn't waterproof but I didn't expect it to smudge or rub off anytime I barely touch my eyelids.

ELF Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzer Duo in St. Lucia 

The bronzer in this duo is okay. It feels a little powdery and has decent pigmentation but it's not my favorite. The blush doesn't have much pigmentation, feels a little chalky and doesn't have very good lasting power. I'm not too disappointed because it was only $3. If you're thinking of trying this because you think it will be a dupe for NARS Orgasm/Laguna I'd skip this ELF Duo and spend the money on the NARS products because they're just amazing.

Avalon Organics Vitamin C Renewal Cream 
This product is supposed to rehydrate and rebuild the skin's support structure. I applied this cream to my face at night and right after application it felt like my cheeks were burning. The next morning when I woke up my whole face was red. Needless to say this product does not agree with my sensitive skin.

Sincerely, JoJo.♥

NOTD: Essie Master Plan

Since last September I've developed a love for neutral nail polish. I've always loved Essie nail polish. When I heard about Master Plan I knew it would be a good addition to my collection. Essie describes this shade as a mischievous soft gray. It's straight up gray. You might think that it looks boring but it's actually really beautiful. I think it makes my fingers look longer and leaner.

The formula of this polish is amazing for an Essie polish. A lot of their lighter shades need 3-4 coats but this one only needed 2 coats for maximum opacity. This polish lasted about 3 days on my nails with minimal chipping.

Essie Master Plan is similar to nails inc Porchester Square (which is one of my favorites) execpt it's more gray. Porchester Square is described as a dove gray; it's a little lighter and more taupe in tone. I'd recommend this one if you like the nails inc Porchester Square polish but want to save a few dollars. Ir's probably excessive for me to have both shades in my nail polish collection but it's an obsession of mine.

You can find Essie polish for different prices depending on where you go. I got this one when it was on sale at Target for $7.99 and the Essie polishes at Target are usually $8.99. They're usually $9.99 at Shoppers and Jean Coutu.

Sincerely, JoJo.♥

NOTD: OPI Cajun Shrimp

I love red nail polish. When Spring or Summer comes along I want something brighter and more cheerful than a deep red polish. OPI Cajun Shrimp is described as 'a spicy shade of coral'. It's a red with an orange/pink/coral tint making it perfect for the Spring and Summer months. It reminds me a little of Essie Ole Caliente from the brand's Spring 2012 Navigate Her collection. OPI has a more pink tone while Essie Ole Caliente has more of an orange red tone.

The formula of this polish is amazing! The color was creamy and opaque. I only needed 2 coats for maximum opacity.

OPI polishes typically last 3-4 days on my nails with minimal chipping.

I would recommend this polish to anyone who loves a red/coral polish. I will be wearing this all of Spring and Summer. I predict that I'll be wearing in on my toes a lot this Summer.

I paid $9.95 + tax for this polish from ObsessedCanada.com. They offer free shipping in Canada on all orders.

Sincerely, JoJo.♥

The Lipstick Tag!

1. How many lipsticks do you own?

I honestly don't keep track of how many lipstick I own. I'd say about 20 and counting.

2. What was the first lipstick you owned?

I'm pretty sure it was an Elizabeth Arden lipstick called Sugar Plum Shimmer and I only remember it because I didn't wear lipstick very much until my last year in high school, before that it was always lip balm or lip gloss. I used to try on my mom's lipsticks when I was younger but I only wore it on special occasions. Now when I'm not wearing lipstick I'm wearing lip balm.

3. What is your favourite lipstick brand?

I don't have a favourite brand. The lipstick brands from my collection that I reach for the most are MAC and L'Oreal Colour Riche Caresse.

4. What is your most worn lipstick?

I've mentioned this many times. MAC Syrup.

5. What is your favourite finish?

I like lipsticks that look subtle and are moisturizing. My favourite finish of MAC lipsticks is lustre.

6. What was the last lipstick you bought?

The Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Intense Colour Balm in Keep Mauving.

7. How many lip products do you currently have in your bag?

Four. Dior Addict Lip Glow, Covergirl Smoochies in #luv u, Blistex Raspberry Lemonade Blast and Maybelline BabyLips in Cherry Me.

8. What is your favourite red lip colour?

I don't really wear a lot of red. Sometimes Maybelline BabyLips in Cherry Me because it's very subtle. If I'm feeling bold I'll go for Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Raspberry Bite. It's a blue toned berry red so it's more flattering.

9. How do you store your lipsticks?

I keep them in an acrylic lipstick holder that I found at Winners. That lives on my vanity.

10. Which lipsticks are you currently lusting after?

I have a long list of MAC lipsticks that I've been wanting for quite some time. Recently I've had my eye on lipsticks from other brands like the Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipstick in Fig, Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Primrose, Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in 04 Rose Tweed and NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita.

Sincerely, JoJo.♥

NOTD: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Polish in Pinch of Punch

The Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear nail polish in Pinch of Punch is a cool toned bright pink. I've had this polish in my collection since last summer but I never wore it before. I don't have any color like it. The color reminds me of Spring flowers. The color looks darker and more pink in person. The flash takes out a lot of the pinkness and makes it lean towards purple but in person it is very much pink. The formula of this polish is quite thick like the other polishes I've tried from this range. It's opaque in one coat although I applied two coats. It lasts about 3 days with minimal chipping. The price of this polish varies depending where you go. They're often on sale but even if they're not on sale they're very affordable.

Sincerely, JoJo.♥