A Walk Through Barcelona

Somehow I haven't updated this blog for 8 months now (Oops), and in those 8 months I had the opportunity to travel to Spain and Greece this summer with family and friends. I thought it might be a bit much to bombard  everyone with everything I did while over in Europe so I'm gonna break it down into 4 posts:

Barcelona

Santorini 

Greek Islands

Athens

I first arrived in Barcelona after a 9 hour plane ride and even though I was dead exhausted, I was amazed by the city and completely caught off guard by the beauty of the Barcelona. 

Just a casual view from my apartment doors.

I only stayed 4 days in Barcelona, which was enough to get all the major tourist attractions covered, and get a bit of shopping done. That said, I was kinda a little bit disappointed in the shopping (specifically Zara and Mango), but that just meant I had more Euros to spend i n Greece. The first day we wandered around without a purpose but discovered some amazing areas of Barcelona. 

But on the second day we went in with a plan of attack to conquer La Rambla. All the trees forming a canopy over the cobble stone walkways were beautiful and gave a little break from the hot sun.  We followed the path all the way down to the port and from there explored the Gothic Quarters. The Gothic Quarters was an area full of beautiful buildings with intricate designs. And a little bonus: I got to have a fish pedicure!

During my stay I also managed to drag myself up the hill of Barcelona to get to Park Guell which is one of the most popular attractions in Barcelona ( I felt like I had run a marathon after climbing up to the Park). When you get to the very top of the Park you can see a stunning view of the entire of Barcelona, so the 40 minutes of walking, read dragging myself, uphill was worth it.

I can now say that Barcelona is my favourite city I've been to, especially since I didn't go in with very high expectations. The food was amazing, the people were kind ( and not to mention gorgeous), and it offers anything you could possibly want, including a beach. If you haven't been to Barcelona yet, you need to add this beautiful city to your travelling bucket list.

Emily xx

Cleansing Water: Bioderma Vs. Reversa

Beloved to makeup artists and makeup users in general, Bioderma is definitely a favourite. Con: If you don't live in France, the price of this stuff can get a bit crazy, and it's hard to get your hands on. When I sadly ran out of my Bioderma I had to restock at my local drugstore but since I'm pretty unlucky and this stuff is harder to find than Waldo, I was met with an empty shelf. I decided to give the Reversa Micellar Water a chance since it was made in Canada and was on sale for $17, which is a pretty good deal for such a big bottle. As much fun as it is to put makeup on, it's important to take it off!

 

       If you have no idea what micellar water is, it doubles as a makeup remover and a face cleanser. When using mine. I just pop a little bit on a cotton pad and use this everywhere I want to take off my makeup, but I still cleanse with a different face wash after using my water. If you're pretty lazy or have had a late night you could just use this, and you don't need to wash it off! Micellar water is also great for sensitive skin, and doesn't leave a greasy residue like the typical makeup remover, needless to say I'm a big fan.

 

Above I have a picture of my hand where I put two strips of a Rimmel by Kate Moss lipstick and used Reversa on the left and Bioderma on the right. As you could probably see, Bioderma got a bit more off than Reversa and after doing the math I discovered Bioderma costs about $0.07 per mL while Reversa costs $0.076 per mL. Based off of that there is only a $3 difference in a 500mL, so  they work out to be around to same price. Also featured on the Reversa bottle is a pump at the top where you push down and the water is dispensed, which in all honesty I'm not a huge fan of... I can never get the proper amount that I want. I definitely prefer how convenient the bottle is on Bioderma

Being a pioneer of micellar waters, Bioderma still stands strong. Based off of ability to take makeup off, price, and convenience I must hand it to Bioderma for the best micellar water on the market. Let me know your recommendations for taking off your makeup!

2013 Favourites

As 2013 ends, so does a year of beauty discovery's and new favourites. This year in particular I really got into makeup and skincare and learned to experiment with new products and learn which of these products worked best for me. So I put together a post about my 2013 favourites!

 

 

Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow in Fiji took the crown for me. Although it is now winter and this summer shade is way too dark for me, it makes my heart break. I have oily skin and despite this the foundation still made my face glow without getting shiny. The coverage is amazing but still manages to avoid looking cakey. So glad I discovered this foundation in 2013.

 

Bronzer: And another Nars product... My favourite bronzer of the year was Nars Laguna. It wasn't too orange and works on almost all skin tones. Whether I wanted to add to my tan in the summer or liven up my face in the colder months I would reach for this bronzer.

 

Blush: Stila convertible color in lillium really gave a natural flush and since it was a cream blush, it added a bit of radiance. This was essential for adding radiance to dull skin. My love of blush certainly runs deep (I even named my blog after it) so for me to chose just one blush is a big deal.

 

Eyebrow: I was blessed with thick, dark eyebrows so I don't have to do much to them but in some sparse areas I liked to just add to what's already there and the Anastasia Brow Wiz added natural flicks that mimic real brow hair. My mom even uses this everyday and probably couldn't live without it.

 

Eyeliner: The Stila Liquidliner is probably the most user-friendly product of all time, doesn't budge all day and sticks with me through my battle against oily eyelids. The pen is so easy to use and even the most amateur makeup user probably would be able to draw a perfect line. Throughout 2013 I tried a ton of eyeliners but they all smudged and left me looking like a raccoon when I thankfully found this. On a pretty much daily basis I use this eyeliner and I honestly couldn't live without it.

 

Eye shadow: Over the course of January and February of last year I built up my MAC palette with a wide variety of colours but out of all the colours my favourite was Satin Taupe. It could be used for a smoky eye or in the crease and looks stunning either way. My Urban Decay Primer Potion always had to be worn underneath but that was a small sacrifice.

 

Mascara: Even though I only got this a month ago, the YSL babydoll lashes has been well loved since then. My lashes always end up looking thick, separated and long, especially my bottom lashes. Mascara often chips and runs under my eyes giving me horrible dark circles but this formula stays put all day.

 

Lipstick: Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy made my lips look natural and perfected since the shade is a 'my lips but better' colour.

 

Lip-gloss: I believe I own over 70 lip-glosses but when I had to chose a favourite, picking the Rimmel 16-hour gloss in Timeless Allure was fairly easy. I'm always going for this particular gloss because it isn't sticky like most but has an amazing buttery texture that makes me love this lip-gloss. The colour is stunning and is a very sheer red that can be blended into such beautiful shades.

 

 Brush: The Real Techniques brushes are extremely affordable and are made out of great quality ingredients. The Expert Face Brush in particular blended my foundation seamless and has such soft bristles.

 

Sunscreen: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer face sunscreen did it's job of protecting me from the sun and didn't break me out while doing so. One of the most important things anyone can do for their skin is wear sunscreen, even in the winter, and this sunscreen in particular was lightweight and offered SPF 65 coverage.

 

Hair: Timotei makes the best conditioners and they are so affordable! I got mine at my local Eastern European store and I have mine in Camomile golden highlights. Without this my hair is so bland and limp but when I use it I get silky non-oily hair that is probably about as soft as a puppy.

 

Skincare: Thayers Witch Hazel has been with me through thick and thin and I credit this product with clearing up skin. In the morning I use it in Peach and at night I use Rose and they all come in different blends addressing certain skin concerns. The brand Thayers has been around since 1847 and they use natural ingredients that have been around for generations. I couldn't live without this product and don't have enough good things to say about it, and it truly does come in at a bargain price. Even Justin Timberlake loves Thayers!!!

 

 

Miscellaneous Loves

 

Show: Reign!!!!! Just thinking of the costumes, actors, plot, and backdrop make me want to rewatch the episodes for the millionth time. It just made it's debute in I believe October and there are eight episodes so far, and I love each one more than the last. I couldn't recommend this show enough and it comes back from it's winter break soon.

 

Actress: Jennifer Lawrence shone in every role this year and all of her movies entertained and fascinated me. Her personality really makes her one of a kind and she has the lightest personality and brings light to all her interviews and ideas.

 

City: Over the summer I went on a roadtrip down the east coast of America where I fell in love with Savannah. The town has so much history and for a Gone With the Wind lover like myself I'm a Georgia enthusiast. The squares and beaches were beautiful (even though I got stung by a jellyfish three times).

 

I know it sounds cliché but I can't believe 2013 is over and 2014 has arrived. I hope you all have an amazing year and finally get those resolutions down!

 

Emily xx