November/December Loves List

Since my favorite beauty products don't change very often I've decided that my monthly favorites will now be renamed a loves list. I just got tired of calling everything my favorite. This post is to give a shout out to all the things I've been loving lately. (It's the same as a favorites post but I'm going to only talk about things I really love.)

My go-to work makeup look consists of adding the following products to my daily makeup routine: Essense Make Me Brow, Makeup Geek and MAC eyeshadows, and the L'Oreal Infalliable Contour palette. I know that these products are foolproof and will always allow me to create a quick makeup look.

Essense Make Me Brow 
This product is a dupe for the Benefit Give Me Brow. I love this brow gel because it's tinted and has fibers in it. I can go in with this and my brows look full and stay in place for the whole day.

L'Oreal Infalliable Contour palette in Light 
I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is the foolproof contour palette. You can't go wrong when you use it. It has the right amount of pigment, which means you can never go overboard with the countour. It blends easily and it's very quick to use. It's perfect when you're in a hurry.

MAC and Makeup Geek Eyeshadows
For a quick and easy warm eye loo,k I take MAC All That Glitters all over the lid for a soft wash of colour. Then I mix MUG Crème Brûlée and MUG Bake Sale in the crease for some extra dimension and then I add MAC Blanc Type on my brow bone and inner corner for a subtle highlight.

Barcelona: A Love Untold 
I'm such a fangirl when it comes to filipino love teams. Kathniel was the first love team that I was introduced to. I loved Kathniel before I loved Jadine. Over the years I've kept tabs on their projects, especially their movies. When I heard about the movie Barcelona I eagerly awaited the day that I could watch it. This turned out to be my favorite Kathniel film. She's Dating the Gangster was my favorite for a long time but Barcelona tops it. You'll love this film if you love Kathniel or filipino movies. These types of films always have a similar formula but they're enjoyable to watch because they touch your heart and make you believe in love. It's a beautiful love story.

When a Snail Falls in Love
I'm slowly getting into Mainland China dramas. This is the third one that I've watched so far. This drama mainly a crime drama with great friendships and a little romance. It's quite slow paced but I loved it. The main couple was extremely adorable. It's a slow burn romance but it's completely worth it; however, if you don't like crime dramas you won't like this. If you want to see an adorable Chinese romance watch Love O2O and Boss & Me instead.

Goblin 
This kdrama started this month but I have to include it because I'm loving it so much. It's the first drama that my friend and I are watching at the same time. (She's the person responsible for my obsession with kdramas. She introduced me to Secret Garden, which is also written by Kim Eun Sook, the writer of DOTS and Goblin.) This is a fantasy romantic comedy with some melodrama. The story is about a 939 year old goblin (Gong Yoo) and a girl who can see ghosts (Kim Go Eun). She's the Goblin's Bride and only she can help him rest in peace. There's also a bright woman named Sunny (the flawless Yoo In Na) and a socially awkward Grim Reaper (Lee Dong Wook). There's also a young chaebol who is the descendant of the Goblin's servant (Yook Sung Jae) and the goddess of birth ( Lee El)who seems to have a role in everyone's lives. The bromance between the Goblin and the Grim Reaper is the most entertaining part of the drama.

Part of the reason why I love this drama so much is that it was partially filmed in Quebec City. Quebec is my home province. It's so exciting to see a city that I've been to and landmarks that I've stood in front of in a Korean drama. They showcase the beauty of Quebec City. I love the entire main cast. I already ship the second couple so much. I have a feeling that Goblin is going to be the next DOTS for me.

KES dramas are always hit or miss. You either love her dramas or you hate them. I loved Secret Garden and DOTS but I hated Heirs. I thought On Air and City Hall were okay, and I actually didn't know that she wrote those two dramas until now.

Music
Emmanuel - Hillsong (the meaning of Christmas in a song)
No One Else - Lee Sung Chul (a beautiful love song)
Love Story - Lyn (Legend of the Blue Sea OST)
Beautiful - Crush (Goblin OST)
Last Dance - BIGBANG (try not to cry)
Yes I Am - BTOB (I also love I'll Be Your Man)

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

October Favorites

Another month has ended. A new month has begun. This year is going by way too fast! November is my favorite month of the year. It's my birthday month and it means that I can listen to Christmas music. Let's backtrack a little bit and go over everything I've loved in October.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless
I was never a big fan of Maybelline foundations until I tried this one. I've had this foundation in my collection for a while; but, I didn't try it until two months ago when I needed a to wear a matte foundation with no SPF. I was having an ID photo taken so there needed to be no shine on my face. It provides medium to full coverage and keeps you matte. It lasts all day. My face doesn't get as shiny as it normally would throughout the day when I wear this foundation. The shade 112 is a good match for me. My preferred way of applying it is with a damp beauty blender because it flawlessly blends the product into your skin. The one thing I don't like about this product is that the bottle doesn't have a pump.

Too Faced Love Flush Blush in Baby Love
This blush has been raved about for months. I was convinced to buy it because everyone was saying that you'll love the shade Baby Love if you love Tarte Exposed. They were right. Tarte Exposed has been my favorite blush since I bought it. Too Faced Baby Love might actually take its place as my number one blush pick. It's a nude pink shade with golden shimmer. It lasts all day and gives your cheeks a beautiful natural flush. The packaging is adorable!

Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in Highlight 01
This highlighter has been on my wishlist for the longest time. I finally allowed myself to splurge on it. I'm glad that I did because it's the best highlighter I've ever used. It's subtle enough to wear every day because it gives you a natural glow. The name is misleading because it's not matte at all. It's very shimmery but contains no chunks of glitter. I think it's the best highlighter for pale skin. It's a pale gold, slightly white, which makes it perfect for my fair skin because it looks like my cheekbones are naturally have that glow. It's worth the splurge because the product is essentially going to last forever. I've been using it almost every day and it doesn't even look like I touched it.

MAC Jubilee
This lipstick has been on my wishlist for years. Ever since I saw Tanya Burr talk about I wanted it. I would describe it as a brown based nude. MAC describes it as a "naked beigey pink." It's a straight-up nude. Because of the sheerness of the formula, it can be built up and it will suit a variety of skin tones. It may look underwhelming in the tube but it's magic on your lips. The next time you're at a MAC counter check it out.

Jouviance: A Skincare Revolution

Since the summer I've felt like a lot of Canadian YouTubers that I watch have been talking about Jouviance skincare products. Everyone loves their micellar water. I really want to try it because it's on par with Bioderma. MelSoldera's entire skincare regime consists of Jouviance products. I decided to try the Exfoliant (exfoliator) and Detox (face mask). Both products are marketed for all skin types including sensitive skin. As someone with sensitive skin, it's hard to find an exfoliator and face mask that won't break me out or irritate my skin. I'm happy to say that these have reached HG status.

September Lifestyle Favorites!

Since I've had a lot of beauty favorites to talk about this month, I decided to write a separate post about all my non-beauty favorites. (It's also partly because I have a lot of kdramas to talk about.) If you want to see my beauty favorites click here.

KDramas:

Age of Youth - This is a 12 episode kdrama about 5 girls that are roommates. Each girl has a different personality and is going through different life situations. It's a slice of life drama. I love that it's a female-dominated drama and that the girls were always supporting each other. There is romance but it's not at the center of the drama. It's one of my favorite dramas of the summer. I think it's a must-watch. It's a JTBC drama and I tend to love dramas from them.

Bad Guys - This drama was recommended to me. It's not the genre that I normally watch. It's a crime/action/thriller drama. I was hesitant about watching it at first because there is no romance but I ended up loving it. The story is about a gangster, a contract killer, and a psychopath who get released from prison to help solve a serial killer case. Together with a suspended detective, they solve crimes. The action scenes are epic. The acting is amazing. This drama is definitely underrated. No one really talks about it but the people who do praise it.

Love O2O - This is a cdrama based on a novel by Gu Man, who is also the author of the novel that Boss & Me (my first cdrama) is based on. The story is about Xiao Nai a gaming genius who's also the most popular guy in school. He's perfect at everything. He falls in love with Bei Wei Wei, a computer science major, at first sight, but what he notices is the way she controls her game. They first meet in an online gaming community and eventually meet in real life. I love that this drama supports women in STEM and female gamers because it shows girls that you can choose a career in any field that you love. The romance is adorable and the main couple has a healthy relationship based on trust. (There's also a scene related to basketball where the main couple reminded me of season 1 Naley.) Friendship is also the main point of this drama. Everything about this drama was well executed. The cinematography was beautiful. The gaming scenes were really cool. It's a must watch if you love a fluffy rom-com.

Smile, You - This is an older drama that's been on my watch list for a while. The main reason I watched it is because Jung Kyung Ho is the lead. It's about a rich girl whose family goes bankrupt and gets left at her wedding because she has no money. She meets the grandson of her family's driver and sparks fly. The romance is a slow burn but it's so adorable. The male lead isn't the typical jerk. He's a great person from the beginning. Even though it's a 45 episode family you can actually get through it quickly. It will make you laugh and cry but you'll enjoy the entire ride with this family.

September Beauty Favorites!

I've been MIA for the past few months. A lot happened over the summer. My house has been under renovation (it still is). I've been in a blogging rut. I'm writing this post in an attempt to get out of my slump. I've missed writing posts. This is my September/August favorites.

July Favorites!

Summer already half over? It feels like it just began. Some days feel excessively long and yet a month has already passed. I've been really busy. Any free time that I had was spent watching kdramas. I haven't been wearing much makeup but there are a few things that deserve to be mentioned.

CoverGirl Clean Matte BB Cream 
I was excited about this product before I even saw it in person. A BB cream that's matte is a dream, especially in the summer heat. This product does everything that the name says. It keeps you matte throughout the day and has decent coverage. It's the perfect everyday base. You don't even feel like you're wearing makeup. I like that you can basically slap it on, blend it out quickly and you're good to go. I set it with a powder and then I don't even need to think about my makeup for the rest of the day. The only thing that would make it better if it had SPF.

June Favorites!

June has been the month of drugstore beauty for me. The drugstore always has great makeup products but this year drugstore brands are particularly amazing.

Physician's Formula Butter Bronzer
I've been using this bronzer since April. I've only included it in my favorites now because this month I realized that I've been reaching for this one over my other bronzers. I have the shade Bronzer which is the darker of the two shades available. It's light enough for my pale skin. I know everyone has been raving about this bronzer that's because it's just so good. It smells like coconut, piña coladas, the beach, vacations. The texture is extremely soft, like butter as the name suggests. It's easy to apply as it glides onto the skin and blends in effortlessly. It contains some shimmer but it's unnoticeable when applied. I would say it has a satin finish. It gives life to your skin.

Wet n Wild Color Icon Blush in Apri-Cot in the Middle and Rosé Champagne
These blushes are amazing. I've known about them for years but none of the shades appealed to me. When they got reformulated and added the shades Apri-Cot in the Middle and Rosé Champagne I knew I had to have them. They're extremely pigmented and you need the tiniest amount of product especially if you have fair skin. Both shades are shimmery and give your cheeks a natural glow. Rosé Champagne is a bronzy shade with a peachy pink undertone. It's probably my favorite of the two. Apri-Cot in the Middle is what it says on the tin, an apricot shade. I've never worn an orange toned blush because it always seemed intimidating but I really like it. These two blushes are must-haves in my opinion. They're just as good as high end blushes for a fraction of the price.

CoverGirl Katy Kat Matte Lipstick in Sphynx
This lipstick has become one of my favorite lipsticks. It's the perfect everyday nude. It's a peachy nude. The colour is pinker than Chanel's Adrienne and lighter than MAC's Velvet Teddy. It's very comfortable to wear throughout the day and has a satin finish. The lasting power is about 6 hours. If you're a lover of nude lipsticks you need this one in your life. If you only get one shade from this collection it needs to be this one. I think it would look beautiful on any skin tone.

My Summer Bucket List

This summer I'm having a staycation. I've decided to explore my hometown. I'm lucky to live in a major city because there's always something going on. This summer I want to visit places I've never seen before and revisit my favorite spots in the city. I've compiled a list of some things I want to do in Montreal this summer.

Top 5 OPI Nail Polishes

A few weeks ago I posted my Top 5 Essie Polishes. Now I'm back with my Top 5 polishes from OPI. I originally wanted to have one post about my top 5 nail polishes but it was hard to narrow it down. Since I noticed that my favorite polishes were either Essie or OPI I decided to do my top 5 of both brands. As you can see most of these are red whereas my favorite Essie shades are all neutral. Why? I think that OPI makes the best red shades. OPI has a wide variety of any shade you can think of but I personally think that their reds stand out more than the rest.

Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ
This is my all-time favorite OPI shade. I've never seen anything that comes close to this color. It's basically the shade of dark burgundy BBQ sauce. It's the perfect oxblood shade for autumn. It's been discontinued. I've tried and failed to find a dupe of it. (OPI Skyfall from the James Bond collection is similar; Essie's Wicked is darker.)

Quarter of a Cent-Cherry
This is my all-time favorite red nail polish. It's a deep blue-based cherry red. It's the perfect red to wear in the fall. I believe it's been discontinued as well. (OPI's Got the Blues for Red is similar, possibly a dupe.)

Tiramisù for Two
I originally bought this shade purely for the name but I ended up loving it. It's a pink toned beige. I'm a big lover of neutral nails and this one looks flattering with my skin tone. (Essie's Topless & Barefoot is very similar but a tad pinker. I have both but you really need both.)

Amore at the Grand Canal
I originally bought this shade because I thought it would be comparable to Quarter of a Cent-Cherry. It's not. It's still a blued based red but it's lighter and brighter. I would describe this shade as classic ladylike red nail polish. You'll always look classic and sophisticated with this polish.

Cajun Shrimp
This is my all-time favorite summer nail polish. It's a bright orange-red. It's a classic summer shade. When you apply this to your nails you look instantly tanned. The last time I went to Florida this was the only shade I wore on my nails and on my toes. I exclusively wear this shade on my toes all summer.

What's your favorite nail polish?

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

May Favorites!

May was a really good month for me. I got to see some friends that I haven't seen in a long time and it felt like we were never apart. This month I have two rediscovered beauty favorites and two new favorites.

MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul
Whenever the weather gets warmer I reach for this blush. It's the perfect bronzy shade to brighten up your complexion. It gives your skin a healthy glow, the I've-just-been-in-the-sun-all-day glow. When I'm in a hurry I know that I can just throw this on and I'll look bronzy and glowy all day. It looks great on its own and can even be used as a bronzer if you're in a rush. If you use it in combination with an actual bronzer you'll look like you just came back from a tropical holiday. MAC Mineralize blushes are one of my favorite blush formulas. A little goes a long way and they last all day.

BareMinerals Complexion Rescue
I love this base product so much. I can just put it on without thinking about it. It doesn't need much blending. It covers all my redness. It does a great job at evening out my skin tone. If I'm in a hurry I know I can apply this, a little powder, some blush, mascara and I'm good to go. Since it contains SPF 30 I know that my face is protected from the sun as well.

Too Faced HangoveRx Replenishing Face Primer
This primer feels so nice to apply. I love that the tube has a pump because the right amount comes out every time. It helps my makeup last all day. I don't find it extremely hydrating but it doesn't make my skin feel dry. It works really well. I like the coconut scent.

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Balm
I've been wanting to try this product for a really long time. I decided to try this instead of repurchasing the Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Balm because it was cheaper. I honestly think that both products feel exactly the same both in consistency and when applied to my face. They perform exactly the same. The only difference is that the Clinique one is unscented and The Body Shop one has a light chamomile scent. I'm glad that it's working for me. I like that it comes in a tin.

Music:
All Right - Black Swan
Touch Love - Yoon Mi Rae
You Are My Everything (English Version) - Gummy
Let's Not Fall In Love - BIGBANG (and this cover of it by Jason Chen and Arden Cho is amazing.)
Trust - Hillsong Young & Free
This is Living (Acoustic) - Hillsong Young & Free

KDrama:
The Master's Sun - I was hesitant about watching this drama for a long time. The plot didn't sound great to me and I'm not a big fan of ghost stories. It was recommended to me by someone who likes the same taste in dramas as I do. I ended up loving it and it's now one of my favorites. I used to think it was overrated but now that I've watched it I admit that all the hype surrounding this drama is completely true. The main couple is one of my OTPs. Gong Hyo Jin is now one of my favorite actresses. It's definitely worth the watch.

KMovies:
Salut D'Amour - If you love the notebook here’s a Korean film that has a similar feel. This movie was absolutely beautiful. It's really cute and sweet but towards the end, it's a tear-jerker. It really shows you the importance of family and to live each day to the fullest.

Like for Likes - If you love Love Actually then you’ll enjoy this. It was really nice rom-com. It’s so heartwarming. There is some sadness but overall it’s a happy and enjoyable movie. It’s the story of three couples and how they fell in love. Social media plays a different role in how all 3 couples get together. It starts off kind of slow but the ending is amazing. The music is beautiful and the whole cast is wonderful.

Books:
Her One and Only by Becky Wade
Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Youtube:
Seonkyoung Longest
MelSoldera

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

NOTD: Wet n Wild 1 Step Wonder Gel in Stay Classy

I love my neutrals. The main reason I bought this nail polish was the colour. Stay Classy is a neutral mauve shade. I thought it would be similar to my all-time favorite polish: Essie Ladylike, but it is not. It's darker and pinker than Ladylike. This nail polish range intrigued me because the premise is that you only need one coat of polish without a base coat or top coat and it's supposed to last 14 days. I didn't think it would work because that is a very bold claim.

I initially applied one coat on my naked nail (no base coat, no top coat). It applied streak free but I felt like one coat wasn't opaque enough. I applied a second coat and it looked nice. The finish was slightly glossy. I noticed that it enhanced all the ridges of my nails that I didn't know I had. My nails a pretty smooth. It showed me the importance of a base coat; a base coat makes your nails smooth and removes any appearance of ridges. I loved that it applied easily and dried quickly.

Top 5 Essie Nail Polishes

Nail polish was my first love. It was my gateway to the beauty world. Essie is my favorite nail polish brand. The other day I was thinking about which shades were my absolute favorite nail polishes. If I could only keep five these are the ones that I would choose. You can see that there's a theme here. I love my neutrals and these are the ones that I wear the most.

Romper Room: The perfect pastel pink. Essie describes it as a pale tea rose pink. It's basically white with a drop of pink in it. It's pink enough that it makes me feel comfortable wearing it. It's the closest to white I'll ever go.

Topless & Barefoot: The ultimate nude. Essie describes it as a soft beige pink. It's not so nude that it gives you mannequin hands. It's also not so pale where it looks unnatural. It's a nude that will look flattering on fair to medium skin tones.

Ladylike: My all-time favorite nail polish. It's a neutral mauvy pink shade. Essie describes it as an elegant soft mauve. It always looks beautiful. I'm obsessed with the color. If you want to look classy and put together this is the shade you need. I think it would be flattering on a lot of skin tones. If I had to recommend an Essie polish to anyone I would pick this one. Everyone needs this nail polish in their collection. 

Angora Cardi: The muted berry. The berry for the ones afraid of bold berry shades. Essie describes it as a deep dusty rose. If you want to dip your toe into the pool of berry nail polish this is the shade for you. It's the gateway to the world of berry nail polish.

Merino Cool: Essie describes it as mulberry. It's not grey. It's not purple. It's dark but not bold. It's the perfect autumn shade. I love it so much. There's something special about this shade. It looks quite dull in the bottle but when you put it on your nails it just comes to life.

What your favorite nail polish?

Sincerely JoJo. ♥

Small Sephora Haul

I have a never ending loves list on Sephora. I keep adding to it. I don't think I'll ever end up owning everything on that list. I recently got to tick some products off of my wishlist. Two of the items are products that I've been thinking about getting for quite some time but I wanted to see if they were still popular after the hype died down. After all this time the hype is still quite high, so I thought it was time to pick them up. The last one is kinda of gimmicky but the idea behind it is really cool.

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation ($43 USD/$52 CAD)
I've heard so much about the Make Up For Ever foundations way before I started blogging. Every beauty youtuber raved about the original HD foundation. When they reformulated it and replaced it with the Ultra HD foundation there were mixed reviews. I was hesitant about picking up until I saw BeautywithEmilyFox talk about it. She's just as pale as I am so when a foundation matches her well I know that it's going to be a good match for me. I also saw Natasha Bure talk about it being her everyday foundation. I got the shade R230, which used to be 115. The shade matches me perfectly. The only other foundation that matches me as perfect as this one is NARS Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc. I call the NARS foundation my skin tone in a bottle. In terms of coverage it's light to medium. It works well as an everyday base because it blends quickly and it provides enough coverage to even out your skin tone. I haven't tried it enough have a solid opinion. For now I will say that the shade match is perfect and that you don't really feel in on your skin.

Too Faced HangoveRx Replenishing Face Primer ($32 USD/$40 CAD)
My Hourlgass primer ran out and I wanted to try something new. This primer caught my attention since its launch because it's a silicone-free primer. Silicone primers break me out so any primer without silicone is already a winner in my book. I was skeptical about trying it because it's described as hydrating, but then I saw people with oily skin raving about it. Since I have combination skin I figured I would like it too. Paula's Choice gave it a good review, which is what ultimately convinced me to buy it. I haven't tried it on my face yet; however, I've tried it on my hand and it felt smooth, but it also had a tackiness that gave me the impression that makeup will adhere to it well. I also smells like coconut, which is very pleasant. I love that it comes with a pump so that I'll have an equal amount of product every time. I'm excited to use this.

Lancôme Juicy Shaker in 301 Meli Melon ($21 USD/$28 CAD)
This was a somewhat of an impulse buy. I knew about this product way before it launched because it launched in the UK months ago. I didn't know that my local Sephora already had them in stock because the week before they weren't there. I saw the shades. I swatched a few of them. This one smelled like melon so I grabbed it. I also knew that Lily Pebbles liked this shade. I've worn this a few times. I'm torn about how I feel about it. I like it but I think that it's gimmicky. It does what it says on the tin. It's really fun to shake it up and pat it onto the lips. You don't need a mirror so it's good for touch ups on the go. The colour is a pretty pink that enhances my natural lip shade and makes my lips look a little fuller. I think it's cool that each shade has a different scent and I love that this one smells like melon. It feels moisturizing on the lips but the shine doesn't last. The staying power isn't really long but it leaves a bit of a stain on your lips, which is to be expected with a lip oil. It wears off evenly though. They're fun but they're not an essential product. I think it would be a nice gift for someone who's just getting into makeup or someone who doesn't like to wear lipstick. I don't think you need to have more than one though.

What are your latest beauty purchases?

Sincerely, JoJo.♥

Link Love #3: Foodie Edition

Link Love is a feature where I share things I've been loving. This edition will be featuring five amazing recipes and food videos that I've recently tried. I've always enjoyed cooking and baking, and I love discovering new recipes.

Avocado Smoothie (Honeysuckle)
I love avocados. Avocado on toast is one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast or lunch. I never thought I would like it in a smoothie because smoothies are rather sweet. This one tastes amazing. I think it's because the smoothie has sweetened condensed milk (which I love) and bananas. I was skeptical in trying it but I'm glad I did. I think anyone who loves avocados should try this.

Flourless Chocolate Cake and Coffee Mousse (pictured above) (Home Cooking Adventure)
I discovered this cake in by seeing a gifset of it on tumblr. This is proof that spending too much time on tumblr is actually a good thing lol. This is one of the best cakes I've ever had. It honestly tastes better than a cake you'd find in a pastry shop. The chocolate cake tastes like a chocolate lava cake without the lava center. The mousse is so light and fluffy. Since it's a coffee mousse it taste similar to a tiramisù. I wish I had a piece in front of me right now.

Roasted Tomato Pasta (Donal Skehan)
I love pasta and tomatoes so this is the perfect dish for me. Roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, pasta, fresh basil and cheese. Yes please! It's so easy to make because the sauce basically cooks itself. It smells amazing. It's one of the best pasta dishes I've had in a long time and I eat pasta on a weekly basis. Donal's recipes always turn out great. His videos are so pleasant to watch as well.

Sansa's Lemon Cakes (Rosanna Pansino)
I love anything with lemon in it, especially lemon cake. I've always wondered what Sansa's favorite lemon cakes would taste like. They look so delicious and they're adorable. I haven't made them yet but based on the ingredients it's a foolproof cake. The addition of sour cream will ensure that the cakes turn out moist. I plan to make these for Mother's Day because my mother loves lemon desserts.

5 Fruit Hacks (The Domestic Geek)
Some fruits are very difficult to cut perfectly. This video shows you easy ways to cut them to make sure you get perfect results every time. I've tried them myself and they really work.

My Favorite Food Youtube Channels:
Gemma Stafford
Katie Pix
Donal Skehan
Gennaro Contaldo
Honeysuckle
SortedFood
Tastemade

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

April Favorites!

April went by faster than I thought. The semester ended and my favorite dramas ended. It feels like time passed before I was even able to process what was going on. Here's what I've been loving this month.

Milani Everyday Eyes Palette in 01 Must Have Naturals
I'm a big fan of the Milani Bella Eyes single eyeshadows and when I found out that they brought out palettes I needed to get my hands on them. Lately I've been loving the Must Have Naturals palette because it has all the shades you want when creating an everyday neutral eye look. The shades are every pigmented and blend easily. With a primer they last all day. I love that drugstore brands are bringing out palettes.

MAC Modesty
Modesty is a shade I've had in my lipstick collection for about a year now. It's a beautiful MLBB nude shade that doesn't get enough love from me. It's a cremesheen which means it doesn't have the best lasting power but it's creamy and doesn't overly dry out your lips. MAC calls it a muted neutral pink. It's brown with a strong pink undertone. I think it's underrated. I love this shade. I think everyone needs this in their collection.

OPI Cajun Shrimp
This is my favorite Spring/Summer red nail polish. I always crack it out during this time of year. It's an orange/coral based red. This shade reminds me of summer and Florida because I always bring it on vacation with me. It makes me look tanned when it graces my nails. I have nothing else to say besides I love it.

KDramas:
Marriage Contract 
I mentioned this drama last month but I need to mention it again now that it's over because it's just so good. I'm going to make a bold statement and call this the best drama of the year. This drama is bittersweet perfection. I don't even like melodramas but I loved this one. Every episode takes you on an emotional roller coaster. The cinematography was flawless. The OST was beautiful. I think this is Uee's best role yet. Just watch it if you haven't already.

Ms. Temper and Nam Jung Gi 
The first two episodes of this drama didn't impress me. I contemplated dropping it and didn't even keep up with it for about three weeks. People said it gets better in episode 3 and they were right. It gets better and better after each episode. I think that this is an underrated drama. It really exposes Korean business culture and depicts how hard it is for people, especially women in the corporate world. Yoon Sang Hyun will always be Oska to me but it's nice to see him in a currently airing drama.

D-Day
I was aware of this drama while it was airing but overlooked it because it's a medical drama. I was having Descendants of the Sun withdrawls (which is on my favorite dramas list) and this was recommended to me. I can see the similarities between the two dramas. D-Day is more serious. Even though the main focus is the medical aspect it has a little bit of everything: action, comedy, politics and romance. The main couple is too precious. I'm glad I watched it now and not when it aired because it would have been difficult to wait between episodes. Every episode keeps your on the edge of your seat and you just want to know more. I marathoned it in 3 days. Jung So Min did a great job with having a Busan accent and her acting was phenomenal. The entire cast was fantastic. It think it's underrated and needs more recognition. If you love DotS then you need to give this one a try. While the entire drama is based on a tragedy it has a happy ending.

TV:
Running Man

Music:
Spring Love - Eric Nam & Wendy
Without You - NCT U

Movies:
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

Books:
The Charm Bracelet by Viola Shipman

Sincerely, JoJo.♥

NOTD: OPI Gelato on my Mind

I love gelato. I love gelato so much that I bought a nail polish purely because it was mentioned in the name. Gelato on My Mind was part of the OPI fall 2015 Venice Collection, and that's when I bought it. The shade immediately scream Spring to me and so I wait till now to wear it. The brand describes this shade as a "deliciously sweet and icy-cool, pastel blue." I would say it's more of a duck egg blue most of the time. It has a hint of green but it's more blue than green. In sunlight it's very bright and almost neon pastel aqua blue. In other lights it looks more muted like a duck egg blue. It's a beautiful shade. It's probably not the most unique shade but the name sucked me in. I don't know why this polish is gelato's namesake because I've never seen gelato this colour, not even pistachio gelato looks like this. I have Essie's Mint Candy Apple, which I thought would be similar but it's actually slightly darker and more blue. In terms of application, you need three coats. The first coat applied streaky on half of my nails. The second coat evened out the streakiness, and the third coat made everything opaque. This shade lasted 4 days on my nails with minimal chipping. OPI polishes are $10.25 on nailpolishcanada. If you already own Essie Mint Candy Apple you don't need both, if you're a nail polish junkie then maybe you need both. If you love gelato then you might want to own Gelato on My Mind. 

I'm gonna go eat some gelato now.

Sincerely, JoJo.♥

All About That Base Coat + Top Coat

Finding the perfect base coat and top coat is a struggle; especially, for a nail polish junkie like me. I've spent years trying countless base and top coats and I never found any that I used for longer than a few months. I've been using these two products together for the past 6 months but I've been using this base coat for the past year.

The Orly Bonder Base Coat is my currently base coat of choice. I heard about it a very long time ago from Ingrid. They call it a rubberized base coat. It creates a coat over your nails that allows your nail polish to stick to it. As a result, this base coat extends the wear of the nail polish and prevents chipping. I can go three days with no chipping and the colour of the polish looks vibrant. I applies smoothly and it helps your nail colour apply easier. I also think that it prevents my nails from staining. Red, berries and blue nail polish tends to stain your nails even with a base coat. I find that I don't get staining when I use this base coat, or if I do it's not as noticeable as it would be with a regular base coat. It retails for $12.50 CAD (on nailpolishcanada).

The Essie gel setter Top Coat is my favorite top coat at the moment. Essie is my favorite nail polish brand. Until now I wasn't wowed by any of their base and top coats. The gel setter top coat dries fast. It gives your nails a shiny and glossy, almost gel-like finish, which I love. It smooths out any streakiness that your nail polish brush left on your nails. I think that this top coat works best when paired with Essie polishes but I works well with other brands. I just find that it extends the wear of essie polishes more than others. For example, when I use it with an essie polish it doesn't chip for at least 4 days, but when I use it with an OPI polish it lasts for 3 days with no chipping. The manufacturer's suggested retail price on essie.com is $10. I believe I paid around $12 for my bottle at Shoppers/Pharmaprix.

I currently pleased with these two products but nail polish junkie in me is never satisfied with sticking to the same products. I do think that these ones are really good, but there could be better ones that I haven't tried or hear of yet. It's probably because I'm very picking with my nail products. Nevertheless, this base coat and top coat are high quality products and they're definitely worth a try.

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

Beloved Blushes: Tarte Exposed

The Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Exposed is the most loved blush in my collection. I wear it 95% of the time that I'm wearing makeup. I hesitated about buying this for a long time because it looks like nothing special in the pan. When you swatch it at Sephora it doesn't leave an impression on you. My favorite beauty vloggers used to rave about this blush. Last January I finally gave in to the hype and purchased it. I'm so glad that I gave in to the hype because it's the most beautiful shade when applied to your cheeks. It's described as a nude. I would say that it's a rosy brown colour. It's matte but not flat. Even though it's matte it looks natural. It gives your cheeks a healthy flush.

You can't go wrong with this blush. It lasts all day. When I go take off my makeup at night my blush looks the same way that it did when I applied it in the morning. Tarte Exposed is the perfect everyday blush. It looks good with anything whether you're wearing the bare minimum or a full face of makeup. It has the perfect amount of pigmentation. It blends easily, which makes it perfect when you're in a rush because you know it's going to look good every time. It doesn't break me out either. I think everyone needs this in their collection. I would definitely buy more shades from this range. It's $33 CAD and you can find it at Sephora.

What's your favourite everyday blush?

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

March Favorites!

Another month is over, and that means it's favorites time. March seems like it went by too fast. I remember it being reading week and that I got new glasses but I can't remember anything else except that it was Easter. Here's what I've been loving this past month.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation
I've had this foundation in my makeup collection for a long time. I actually forgot that I owned it because I've alternated between the same foundation or tinted moisturizer: Bourjois Healthy Mix and BareMinerals Complexion Rescue for the past year. NARS Sheer Glow got pushed aside but I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because the bottle doesn't have a pump. Anyways, I wear the shade Mont Blanc, which is my skintone in a bottle. I compare every foundation that I buy to this shade to ensure that I'm getting a good match. I personally think that the name sheer glow is misleading because the foundation is not sheer nor is it glowy. It applies as a medium to full coverage satin finish foundation. It applies best when paired with a beauty blender (because beauty blenders make everything better) as it gives it a natural skin-like appearance. When I use this foundation with a brush it looks cakey. A downside to this foundation is that it doesn't have spf in it and as a result I don't wear it on a daily basis; however, the lack of spf means it's good for photography. I also don't wear it often because it tends to break me out on my t-zone. I put up with the breakouts because I like the finish that it gives me and it doesn't make me look oily throughout the day. I do think that it's an average foundation because my bourjois foundation gives my skin a more natural result but it's a nice foundation to have around for photographic occasions.

The Wet Brush 
I have naturally curly hair, which means a lot of tangles happen. I was always told that if you have curly hair you need to brush it with a wide tooth comb while it has conditioner in it. I was always told not to brush my hair when it's wet because it causes breakage. As a child, I always hated when my mom brushed my hair because it always hurt, the brush would get stuck in my hair à la Princess Diaries and it was alway a pain to deal with. This brush changed everything. It never pulls or tugs at my hair and it manages to painlessly get rid of all the tangles. I can brush my hair while it's wet or dry and it always feels therapeutic. No matter what your hair type buy this brush!

Contouring
I got new glasses this month and I think they look a little better on my when my cheekbones are defined. I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to contouring so I  decided that drugstore products would be the way to go to experiment with this concept. Last month, I started using the L'Oréal Infalliable Pro Countour palette in Light. I like the contour shade because it's not very pigmented aka it's fool proof because you can never go too far so a noob like me can achieve a nice result. Whether you go in with a light hand or a heavy hand it's easy to blend out and ends up looking nice. It's a not too cool like it looks grey but not too warm that it looks orange. It's the perfect shade for my pale skin. I'm not a huge fan of the highlight shade because it's basically the color of my skin with some shimmer in it. I'll use it if I'm in a hurry or to set my under eye area. I've used it as eyeshadow and liked how it turned out. In the middle of the month I started using the NYX HD Blush in Taupe as a contour shade. It's more pigmented, a little cooler toned and slightly darker than the L'Oréal contour shade. I find the NYX one gives you a more defined looking face. The NYX one is matte whereas the L'Oréal one seems to be a little more on the satin side. Both are good shades for pale skin. They both serve the same purpose but if I had to pick just one I would go with the NYX but the L'Oréal one is good if you're just starting out.

MAC Velvet Teddy
I've liked this lipstick ever since I got it but lately I've been obsessed with it. It used to appear more orange on my lips. Now that I have new glasses, which are burgundy/red it looks more like a browny nude. I've developed a love for darker nude lipsticks because they actually have a color as opposed to pale nudes that can look like concealer. Velvet Teddy looks different on everybody but I would say that you need this one or a shade like it in your collection. It's a warm toned nude that looks flattering on everyone.

K-Dramas:
Mrs. Cop 2 
I loved the original Mrs. Cop and I'm glad there's a season 2. Season 2 is a different story with a complete different squad so you don't need to have watched season 1 to understand season 2. Kim Min Jong is the only cast member who's in both. While I miss the original squad, I like the new one as well. I think the original one was better than the sequel but it's nice to be able to watch the same kind of show.

Marriage Contract 
I was skeptical about watching this one because it's a melodrama and the summary says that the main female character has a brain tumor. I ended up being obsessed with this show. It's the only one I really care about at the moment. Every episode makes me cry. I'm rooting for the two main characters. I desperately want them to have a happy ending. Waiting for new episodes is pure agony. If you can only watch one kdrama watch this one.

Music:
Rez Power - Israel & New Breed
Grace to Grace - Hillsong Worship
Hymns Mashup Pt. II - Anthem Lights
Talk Love -K.Will
City Dove - Tori Kelly

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

NOTD: Essie Romper Room

I've been searching for an extremely pale pink nail polish for the past few months. I noticed that pink was lacking in my collection. I wanted something wasn't a neutral. I didn't want to repurchase Essie Fiji for two reasons: just the thought of applying it to my nails stresses me out because it's so streaky and they reformulated it and the new colour is more of a bright pink. I knew about Romper Room since its 2014 release but I overlooked it at the time because I wasn't into pale pink shades. Now I'm glad I bought it because this is the shade I was looking for. Essie describes it as a pale tea rose pink. It's a white-based pink. The formula isn't the best. Application requires a lot of patience and I don't think it's a shade I'll reach for all the time because of that. I find that it needs four coats for complete opacity. The first and second coat were a little streaky. The third coat too away the streakiness but it still left some gaps. The fourth coat evened everything out and made it completely opaque. Fiji always needed four coats as well but it always looked streaky whereas Romper Room looks even. I think it's a beautiful pale pink that makes me think of Spring when I look at my nails. It's a nice chance from my usual neutral shades. This is also a nice shade to wear for Easter. Essie nail polishes typically last 4 days with minimal chipping on my nails.

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

The Easter Playlist

This is a playlist of my favorite songs related to Easter. I listen to them all year round but they're all centered around the theme of resurrection and salvation. The meaning of Easter is that Jesus is alive. He died and rose again to save us. Life has meaning because of Him. On Easter Sunday we remember that He is risen!


He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ Luke 24:6-7

Happy Easter!

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

P.S. If you only listen to one song on this playlist I suggest Man of Sorrows because it embodies the entire meaning of Easter.

An Ode to Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder

I love a good face powder. It's hard to find one that's going to keep you matte without making you look cakey. I used the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder for years and I always keep one in my collection because I know it works. The Maybelline Dream Matte Powder used to be my HG face power. I'm still disappointed that it's been discontinued. The Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder has been my go-to powder for the past 2 years. It claims to have an ultra fine and melting texture, 10 hrs matte finish and boosting radiance, and asian fruit therapy. The product contains sharon fruit, which provides hydration and yuzu fruit for anti-shine.

Pros: It does what it says on the tin. It's extremely finely milled. It never looks cakey on the skin. It keeps you matte without looking flat. Essentially, it mattifies the skin but your face still looks glowy. It has a light fruity scent but once it's on your face you don't even smell it, and it doesn't break me out. It's yellow toned so it does a great job at adding brightness and gets rid of any redness. A little goes a long way. It gives your skin a beautiful satin finish.

Cons: Limited shade range. As with most Bourjois products the shade range caters towards light to medium skintones with nothing for the very fair or the very deep skintones. I have the shade 51 Vanille Clair and it's a tad dark for me. The price is high for a drugstore item, but all Bourjois products are on the pricey side in Canadian drugstores. It's a quite delicate powder. If you drop it the powder will crumble to the point where there is no saving it. This is the case with all powders but because this one is so soft it's going to break if it barely hits a hard surface. I wouldn't recommend travelling with it unless you can find a way to protect it.

Overall, it's a great powder. If you can find a shade that works for you I highly recommend giving it a shot. It performs just as well as high end powders. This is my third compact and I use it almost every single day. I haven't found a powder that tops it (although I'm interested in trying the MAC MSF Natural to see how it compares.)

What's your HG face powder?

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

February Favorites!

February went by rather quickly. I can't believe it's already March. Spring is nowhere in sight around here. It's snowing outside my window as I type this. Now, onto the favorites.

MAC Patina
When I first tried this eyeshadow I was disappointed because it was more pigmented when I swatched it on my hand than on my eyelids. Now, I actually love it to add a wash of color all over the lid with my 217 brush for a simple everyday makeup look. It's a frost finish but it looks natural on the eyes. MAC describes it as a taupe brown with golden pearl. I guess you could say it's a burnt gold. It's cool toned. It's a great shade to have in your collection for days when you want a golden eye look but don't want a bright gold or just don't have time to blend out a bunch of shadows. It makes me want to try more shades like it (Burberry Pale Barley I'm looking at you.)

Covergirl Plumpify Mascara
I have this in the waterproof version. This mascara give my lashes the same effect as Le Volume de Chanel. It's everything that I want in a mascara. My lashes are lengthened, voluminous and not clumpy. Once it sets it's not going anywhere. It's even difficult to take off. The brush is something I've never seen before and I was skeptical about it but somehow it just works. Covergirl is my favorite brand for mascara so I knew I would like it. I didn't think it would reach the same HG level as the Clump Crusher but it did.

Fleur de Force lip gloss in Written in the Stars
Fleur was one of the first people I started watching on Youtube. When she came out with her own makeup range I knew it would be good. Fleur knows her lip gloss. Written in the Stars is a beautiful MLBB shade. It works on no makeup days and full on makeup days. It's not sticky, has a nice sweet scent, and it feels light on the lips. I'm not a fan of lip gloss. The only glosses that I like besides Fleur's are the NYX Butter glosses. I definitely think any of the glosses from her range are worth it.

TV Shows:

Fuller House 
I know that this came out not even a week ago, but I binge watched it in a matter of hours. I've heard mixed reviews about it, but I loved every minute of it. I think that any Full House fan would love this, It has the same family feel to it. All your beloved favorite characters are back (except Michelle). Watching it is like seeing an old friend after being apart for many years. The first episode was so nostalgic and it made me cry. You also make new friends along the way. I love Max! The ending was a bit of a letdown. However, I think it's worth the watch. I would love for it to get a season 2. Update: season 2 has been confirmed.

K-Dramas:

Descendants of the Sun
I know that this only started last week. As I write this post I haven't watched episode 3 yet. I think it deserves a mention because the first episode got me hooked. I'm already too invested in the romance between the main couple. This drama is probably the most hyped up drama that's currently airing. I heard about it since the end of 2015. At the time I didn't think I would be interested in a military and medical drama. It's the romance (and Song Joong Ki) that made me keep watching. The OST is amazing. I can already tell that it's going to end up on my list of favorite dramas.


Music:
Those Magic Changes - Jordan Fisher (I think it was the best part of Grease Live!)
Amore Senza Fine - Giovanni Caccamo ft. Deborah Lurato
Always - Yoon Mi Rae
Dear No One - Tori Kelly (This song is literally my life.)

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

NOTD: OPI I Cannoli Wear OPI

I Cannoli Wear OPI is described as a pale, creamy grey. It was part of the Venice Collection. It's basically the palest grey that you can find. I'm not a big fan of white nail polish. When I saw this polish I knew I had to have it because it's as close to white that I would go without going completely white. It's fully opaque in 2 coats. It's a little streaky after the first coat but the second coat evens it out. It wears for about 3 days with minimal chipping. I think it's a unique shade to have in your collection. Additionally, the name is the reason why I bought it. The names of this collection are the best I've heard in a long time.

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

P.S. I love cannoli.

NOTD: OPI Tiramisù for Two

Hi! My name is JoJo and I own too many neutral nail polishes. Tiramisù for Two is neutral beige shade. It can be described as a coffee crème. I has a hint of pink to it. It's essentially a nude color. I bought this shade purely for the name. I love tiramisù. I felt the need to buy this polish just because it's named after one of my favorite desserts. Tiramisù was the first dessert I ever made by myself. This was part of the Venice collection. You need 2-3 coats for full opacity. It lasts 3 days with minimal chipping. If you love neutral shades or nail polish named after your favorite dessert you need this in your life.

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

NOTD: OPI Amore at the Grand Canal

I love a good red nail polish. When I'm looking for a red polish I look to OPI because they have the largest selection of reds. I think all their collections have a red. Amore at the Grand Canal was part of their Venice collection. The main reason I bought this shade was the name. I though it was really cute. The shade is a classic blue-based red, the type of red I think everyone should have in their collection. It's a shade that can do no wrong. Every other red shade that I own is either lighter and brighter (OPI Cajun Shrimp) or deeper (OPI Quarter of a Cent-Cherry) than this one. It's opaque in two coats, although you can get away with one if you're in a rush. It lasts for about 4 days with minimal chipping. OPI is one of my favorite brands. This is a great addition to my nail polish collection.

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

NOTD: Essie Angora Cardi

I've seen this nail polish shade every time I passed an Essie display. For years I thought this shade was interesting. I always picked it up and looked at it, but I never bought it. Until... this past fall when I saw that it was on Amelia's nails a lot. Every time I liked the colour on her nails I would check the description box and she would be wearing this shade. That convinced me to buy it. It's become a favorite of mine. Essie describes Angora Cardi as, "a creamy, dusty rose." I would call it a muted berry. It's unique in the fact that it's neutral but it has that berry tone that makes it noticeable. It's not as bold as the plum and berry shades that everyone loves to wear. If you're afraid of the bolder berry shades this would be a good gateway shade into the world of berry polishes; or if you're tired of wearing the typical berry shades this one is a nice change. The formula is great and it's opaque in two coats. It lasts 4 days with minimal chipping. Give it a go. You won't be disappointed. 

Sincerely, JoJo.♥

January Favorites!

January has been the month of trying out new makeup products. New year new makeup?

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlights in Opal 
I got this in a giftset along with a travel sized Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal, which fell out of my hands and shattered into a million unsalvageable pieces. I'm still upset about it because it was so beautiful. Anyways, the liquid version is amazing. I like to apply it after my foundation and it just gives you a lit from within type of glow. It's stunning. Becca highlighters are definitely worth the hype. (Still mourning the loss of the pressed version).

Covergirl Trunaked Eyeshadow Palette in Nudes
This palette is basically a dupe of the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. I think UD eyeshadows are slightly superior; however; these shadows are actually good. They have great pigmentations for drugstore shadows. This palette is great for an everyday look and I enjoy using it. You definitely need to use a primer if you want them to show up as beautifully as they look in the pan. I love that more drugstore brands are coming out with great palettes.

Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Waterproof Mascara
My perfect mascara needs to give me length, volume, no clumps, and most importantly it needs to be waterproof because no one wants racoon eyes. This mascara ticks all the boxes for me. It makes my lashes look amazing. Once it's on it's not going anywhere. Bioderma doesn't even get rid of it all; you need an oil-based product to take it off. The only thing that makes me sad about this mascara is the price. If anyone knows of a drugstore equivalent of this mascara let me know.

Giorgio Armani Eye Tint in #11 Rose Ashes
I've heard a lot of hype about this product. I was hesitant about trying this product because liquid eyeshadows kinda scared me. Applying this product is a breeze as long as you do one eye at a time. The color reminds me a little of MAC Rubenesque (which is a longtime favorite) but more gold, shimmery and pigmented. I would say the Eye Tints are worth the hype.

YSL Volupté Tint in Oil in #4 I Rose You
I got this for Christmas. It's a pretty pink shade. I love using this on no makeup days because it moisturizes my lips while giving them a hint of color. The shade  on my lips reminds me of the Dior Addict Lip Glow but more glossy. I like that when the glossiness wears off it leaves a stain and just makes my lips look healthy.

Aqua Di Gioia
This fragrance was never on my wishlist. I was just browsing the travel sized perfumes at Sephora and this one smelled amazing. I'm very picky with scents because I don't like anything that's too strong or floral. This one is a light, fresh scent that is perfect for everyday. It's not overpowering. It's probably a summer fragrance but I'm just going to wear it all the time.

Feelin' Fresh in Just 3 Steps | AD

I received these products from the L'Oréal Paris Hydra-Total 5 range to test out for free. These 3 products are geared towards normal to combination skin. They're designed to be used together in a 3 step skincare regime. Each product has 5 skincare benefits and is designed to have you feeling fresh after use. I've been trying out these products for the past week and I think this is a good range. I have combination, dehydrated, sensitive skin. I also gave all these products to my mother who has oily skin and she loves them. #beyondhydration #5works

The Ultra-Fresh Gel Cleanser is designed to cleanse, remove impurities, refresh, tighten pores and brighten the skin. It does a good job at cleansing your skin. Because it's a gel-based cleanser it doesn't dry out the skin. It has a citrus scent and can sometimes cause any redness on your skin burn for a few minutes. I don't think it's best for sensitive skin because of that. My mother uses this every night and finds that it's refreshing.

The Ultra-Fresh Toner tones, removes impurities, tightens pores and smoothes. I'm not the biggest fan of toner. I've used Bioderma for years in place of a toner. This one feels refreshing to apply and your skin feels cool and clean afterwards. I like to apply it on my t-zone because that's where I tend to get oily. My mother applies it all over her face and likes the refreshing feeling that it provides.

The Ultra-Fresh Cream-Gel Moisturizer provides all-day moisture, revitalizes the skin, refreshes, softens and tones. This is my favorite product from the range. The packaging is a glass jar and I think it looks luxurious. It's the first gel-base moisturizer that doesn't break me out. It feels so refreshing to apply this to your skin. It absorbs quickly but still makes your skin feel hydrated. It gives it a smooth feeling and isn't sticky. I think this would be prefect to use in the summer when your skin still needs moisture but also needs to feel cool and refreshed after being outside in the heat. My mother loves this stuff because it moisturizes her oily skin without feeling too heavy.

Overall, I think this is a good line of products. I plan to continue using them.

Sincerely, JoJo.♥

2015 Lifestyle Favorites

Top 5 Books I've Read:

1. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hill
2. A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet by Sophie Hudson
3. Home is Where My People Are by Sophia Hudson
4. Yes Please by Amy Poehler
5. A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade

Top 11 K-Dramas I've Watched + 1 Taiwanese & 1 Thai:

1. Sassy Go Go/Cheer Up!
2. Mrs. Cop
3. Sensory Couple/The Girl Who Sees Smells
4. Reply 1988
5. Splash Splash Love
6. Falling for Innocence 
7. Oh My Venus 
8. Oh My Ghost
9. She Was Pretty
10. Late Night Restaurant
11. Healer 
12. Love Cuisine (Taiwanese)
13. Kiss Me (Thai)

Top 5 TV Shows I've Watched:

1. Parks and Recreation
2. The Office
3. Brooklyn Nine Nine
4. Girl Meets World
5. Call the Midwife

Top 3 Reality Shows:

1. Running Man
2. We Got Married
3. My Kitchen Rules (Australia and New Zealand)

Top 5 Movies I've Watched:

1. Big Hero 6
2. The DUFF
3. Cinderella
4. Pitch Perfect 2
5. Inside Out

Top 5 Songs I've Listened to:

1. Tornerà L'Amore - Il Volo
2. Per te ci sarò - Il Volo
3. One Thing - Hillsong Worship
4. You Carry Me - Moriah Peters
5. Rise As One - TVXQ!

Top 5 Apps: 

1. Dropbox
2. Instagram
3. Snapchat
4. Pinterest
5. Spotify

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

Best of Beauty 2015

This is a list of the beauty products I used the most throughout 2015. These are the products that work best for me and that I would recommend to people.

Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix
Tinted Moisturizer: BareMinerals Complexion Rescue
Powder: Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder
Concealer: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
Blush: Tarte Exposed and MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul
Bronzer: Tarte Park Avenue Princess Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer (not pictured)
Highlighter: Colourpop Super Shock Cheek Highlighter in Smoke N Whistles
Mascara: Covergirl Clump Crusher
Single Eyeshadow: Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Truth
Eyeshadow Palette: Lorac Pro Palette
Luxury Lipstick: Chanel Adrienne
MAC Lipsticks: Faux and Brave
Budget Friendly Lipstick: Colourpop Lippie Stix in Kiddo (sheer) and Brink (matte)
Lip Balm: NUXE Rêve de Miel (not pictured)
Eyeshadow Primer: NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (not pictured)
Face Primer: Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
Makeup Setting Spray: L'Oreal Infallible Makeup Extender Setting Spray

Sincerely, JoJo. ♥

UPDATED 2015 Beauty Goals

At the beginning of 2015 I wanted to get out of my comfort zone when it comes to lipstick. I used to wear MAC Syrup all the time. 2016 was my year of appreciating nude lipstick shades. Now my go-to shade is either MAC Faux or Chanel Adrienne. Both are more nude than I used to wear but are not adventurous or bold shades. I did develop a liking for MAC Velvet Teddy, which does stand out on me. I've also worn MAC Soar with NARS Anna on top of it. That's probably the boldest I went. I tried the NARS Velvet Matte lip pencil in Cruella only one. I'll call this one a success; while, I haven't worn bold lipsticks, I've expanded my lipstick shades as I don't wear MAC Syrup every single day anymore.

My second goal was to find the perfect eye cream. I'm still on a quest to find one...

My third was a about finding a face mask that wouldn't irritate my skin. It was a success because I found the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey face mask. My skin loves this stuff.

My final beauty goal of 2015 was to find a good base coat and top coat. I've been loving the Orly Bonder base coat. I like using Essie gel setter as my top coat, but I think it works best when used in conjunction with an Essie nail polish. I've achieved this one as well.

Sincerely, JoJo.♥