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. ♥