Dresses for Summer

Now that summer is here, I've put away my jeans and sweaters for more cooler, breezier wear. After doing a clothing inventory, I needed a few more items for this season. Dresses were priority number one.

Here are my most recent additions:

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Top (worn as a dress with black textured leggings and gold belt) purchased @ Goodwill. Close-up of pattern.

1950's style Cinched Waist Dress purchased @ H&M. Close up of ruffled cinched waist.

Black dress with Beige mini flowers, purchased @ Winners. Closeup of hem.

Multi-patterned maxi dress, purchased @ Winners, worn with crochet bolero. Close up of ruffle around the bust.

Blue (though the camera doesn't pick that up) patterned maxi dress, purchased @ H&M, worn with mustard coloured belt from Forever 21. Close-up of pattern.

Before I buy something new, I make sure I can wear it at least 3 different ways with items already in my wardrobe. By shopping with this rule, the cost per wear is a great as each item was less than $30 each. The yellow top alone was an absolute steal, only costing me $2.49!

The last two dresses are also my first ever maxi dresses. At 5'9", I had a lot of difficulty searching in different stores and online to find ones that were long enough and looked alright. The search has finally paid off as I was almost going to give up completely. :)

Summer '11 is looking like it will be much more fashionable!

China Glaze Devotion Swatch and Review

Now that I finally have A camera I can start updating my blog again. I took a one day shopping trip to Buffalo two weeks ago and ended up getting some China Glaze polishes. Did I mention they were ONLY $5.99? I HAD been paying $9.99 CDN at Trade Secrets in Toronto! I have no clue how they justify the $4 dollar difference in price but I have really learnt to be more vigilant about what I am WILLING to pay the "Canadian" price for. Interestingly though, I also stopped at a Walgreen's in Buffalo and it seemed that prices for drugstore mascaras are higher there than at a local Walmart. 

I haven't tried too many China Glaze polishes (more of an OPI gal) but they mostly seem to need two coats for a smooth, opaque finish. I definitely like the consistency of this one. Now that I see it the colour reminds me a lot of NARSFull Metal Jacket (which I wanted but could not justify since it really wasn't that unique a colour) minus the high price tag. 

Nail and hand care - Perfect formula Gel coat

I recently bought the Perfect formula gel coat from Sephora.com. I had initially thought that it was a TOP COAT but after two failed attempts at trying to use it as a top coat, I read the packaging *duh* and realized that this was just a fancy nail strengthener. Retailing for $24 USD it certainly is fancy. I had made up my mind to return it but after reading a few reviews on sephora.com about it being a fantastic base coat, I tried it out and I have to say I am impressed. I used OPI Don't mess with OPI and it seemed like I did not even need a second coat. I am not sure whether it was because of the consistency of the OPI nail polish itself because I usually need two coats or whether the gel coat had improved my application that much but it sure went on very smoothly. BUT, I don't think I would buy this again since $24 for a nail strengthener is far too much especially since I don't really have any major nail breakage problems.

Summer is coming and I think most of us will be wearing bright springy colours that attract a lot of attention to your hands and nails. Hence don't neglect your hand moisturizer just because winter is (almost) over. I have been moisturizing thoroughly with my Neutrogena Norwegian Hand Cream. It's so important to have nicely moisturized hands; even if your make up might be perfect, your hands always give away age. For some, it makes them seem older than what they actually are. The Neutrogena one is absolutely amazing and also comes in a non-scented version, although I prefer the scented one. When it comes to basics like hand cream, I am glad I don't HAVE to use an expensive one because this gets the job done and smells absolutely wonderful.

Looking For Me.

First post of the new year!! Yay :)

I've been on a search to find my signature scent. For a couple years, I thought it was Gwen Stefani's perfume line in the Harajuku Lovers collection called "G". I loved that scent like no other. It reminds me of marshmallows, and I love scents that remind me of food. When I was in my teens, I wore Yves Rocher's Vanilla Bourbon perfume until it was discontinued. However, I wanted something different and a bit more grown up. A fragrance I would go to forever, that I would be recognized for. So I started my search.

The thing I like most about perfume browsing is getting to sample before buying. I did have tips beforehand though which I read in a magazine (can't remember it's name). I wanted to make sure I knew what I was looking for. The first was not to be swayed by designer labels or beautiful ads, just focus on the scent. I don't want to wear something just because it has a glamorous name attached. Second was to wait at least a day before deciding for sure, so it's not an impulse purchase. With the many samples I had, I wore each fragrance around and let them adapt to my body chemistry so I could get how it would smell on me. Everyone's body chemistry is different, therefore, the same fragrance would smell different on everybody.

Mariah Carey's M, didn't work for me; I found it too floral. Clinique Happy was too "rubbing alcohol-y" smelling for me as well. The majority of the Body Shop's fragrances was a no. I thought I found the one with "Bodycology's Coconut Lime" body mist. Again, a scent that was food based. I just want to smell good enough to eat I guess, ha ha. Anyways, I wore it for a good couple months but got tired of it and now the almost finished little bottle sits on my dresser.

Then, on a whim during a trip to the mall mid-December, I went inside Lush Cosmetics. I've been there a few times before, but was overwhelmed every time by the tons of scent explosions going on, that I couldn't focus on what I was there for in the first place. Another thing about shopping at Lush, other than having "Fresh Handmade Cosmetics" and constant scent bombs, is the staff. It's impossible to walk in and not get noticed by a sales associate, ready to ambush you with a huge smile, introduce themselves and start the questioning on why you were there. On this occasion, I had the answers and a few questions of my own.

The sales associate/interrogator that was with me was very helpful. After telling her I was looking to find a signature fragrance, I was brought over to the Gorilla Perfume station (I wonder what was behind that name being chosen...). The next part was like being at an optometrist. With my eyes closed, scents rotated under nose. Did I like 1 or 2? 2 or 3? 2 or 4? And so on, going through the complete collection. My instincts/nasal preference kept going back to two scents: Karma (also their best seller), and Tuca Tuca. I was surprised because I thought the one I would like, based on visuals, would be the food based fragrance, Vanillary. My nose just didn't like that one at all. I told the associate that I was torn, so she suggested wearing my picks on each arm and go about the rest of my day. So I thanked her and went about my day.

Those two scents battled it out for the #1 spot. A gust of wind would bring Tuca Tuca to my nose bringing a smile to my face one minute and the next, Karma would sneak on in, with it's sigh inducing loveliness. It got to a point where the scents seemed to blend and I thought of just combining the both of them and wearing it. However I wanted one scent and decided to sleep on it, hoping I would know once I woke up.

I woke up, and found my scent.

From Lush.ca:

Retro yet ageless, Karma is a powerful, spicy and unique patchouli and citrus perfume. It's a strange slow-burner for some; you fall for it without realizing what's happening. Others love it from the first sniff as they are transported to the age of freedom.

So Karma it is and I'm very happy with my choice.

It's a simply packaged solid perfume, which is a first for me and, despite the size, a little really goes a long way. I dab a tiny bit on my wrists and on the back of my neck, and I'm good to go. I'm really in love with how it smells and I hope it stays that way. It definitely showed me why it's one of Lush's bestsellers.

Photos: My own.