Happy Easter | Aspiration Diaries #6

Happy Easter everyone! I hope that you thought of the season as more than just pretty Easter eggs, bunnies and delicious Peeps, but remembered the shredding of the blood of Christ was the ultimate sacrifice for our lives.



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This week was not what I expected, again I will ask time where he is running off to. I got a lot of things due, but just not enough. Feels like my to-do list is never-ending! I hoped to start the second instalment of my research project however, I had a few set backs which hindered me. The good thing about it was that this gave me time to unwind a bit, take a much needed break to just hang out with friends and do some light studying. Though by Thursday with so many things still left to be done, I was starting to get stressed and anxious. Not a combination for me haha.

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I tried to remember to post to my Instagram, which I did 3 times for this week! I’m getting better. Life has just been so much work lately, it’s boring otherwise. I also tried to experiment with make up, one day I wore some blue eyeliner as you say in my FOTD post. The next day I got lazy and didn’t wear any eye product, yet somehow woke up with a mild eye infection :/. So very absurd. But was probably allergies because after some medication it was fine.

I forgot to write up an official study schedule for exams, but I will probably do that later today. Finally started to write up my project since I had Friday off. How refreshing is it to have an actual day off. I slept late, was relaxed when I woke up did a couple chores and some work.

I got a good set of my goals accomplished for the week, not always the way I anticipated, but strangely enough it worked out. Maybe I should worry less as my Dad is always telling me. But gosh there’s always so much to do, I don’t know if I can do it.

Anyway on to this week’s goals:

1. TRY to worry less, but still keep to a schedule of what is to be done. If everything doesn’t go accordingly, let it go.
2. Post more than 3 times for the week on my Instagram account.
3. Spend more quality time (does not include rushed lunch) with my boyfriend, family and friends if possible. (not all at once duh)
4. Study for finals and take breaks when necessary.
5. Paint your nails this week to unwind.

Enjoy your Easter everyone and I hope that you have a great week!

Spring Pastel Style inspiration

Hey all! I’ve been realising that so far for Spring 2013, a number of colours keep popping up, namely in the pastel ranges. Then again that may just be the case for every spring. Whatever the case, here are a couple of pictures which inspire my Spring wardrobe (though I have yet to buy some mint green pieces haha). These images are not my own, but are sourced from Pinterest under the pastel search. I love how cool toned and calm the colours are.

I’m a sucker for balloons, but this is also a very beautiful shot.

 

Sometimes I wish I could actually paint my nails, so I could do cool designs like this one.

I want this sweater…



Cutest little gumball machine





I wish I could do that to my hair, this is gorgeous!



 

Or maybe this… hmm not really, that’s a bit extreme

  

 

This is such a serene shot, and the make up looks like it’s from the 1960’s

 

 

Love how Kelly Osbourne pairs this dress with a bold orangey lip

How do you feel about pastels for Spring? Have you already rocked the trend?  I’d love to hear your tips on wearing pastels casually. I am yet to try this fad.

Blue Winged liner FOTD

Hey everyone,  just popping in to show you my face of the day.  I hadn’t intented to get such a dramatic cat-eye,  but sometimes you just have to roll with it.  I used an Avon glimmersticks pencil liner in Starry night (a navy blue with a hint of shimmer)  and to set it,  I used a blue Coastal Scents eyeshadow.  Other than that I just groomed my eyebrows as usual and applied a light coat of M.A.C. Daddy’s Little Girl lipstick.  I wil be doing swatches and a review of this lipstick very soon. 

How’s your week going so far? Hopefully all is well.

Xoxo

Burts Bees Honey Lip Balm | Review

Hi guys, I have a really brief review of the Burt’s Bees Honey Lip balm with Vitamin E. FYI for this post, I’m not a natural/organic product advocate nor do I believe in only natural products working for me, but I was very impressed by this product. I bought the Burt’s Bees Honey lip balm at Collins Pharmacy for about $6 and I must say that it is very easy to wear and use. It’s not too slippery or glossy, but it does feel like it nourishes my lips fully. I think this product would be best under a lip liner or a matte lipstick as it has a very good staying power, but isn’t so moisturising that everything you apply over it slips off.

There’s hardly any scent to irritate my nose or even stop me from wanting to eat, as I have experienced with other lip balms over the years. I had heard that this was a good lip balm, but it wasn’t until I tried it that I knew this would be something that I would want to repurchase. I still really like my Maybelline Baby lips though. I don’t think this could replace it, but until Collins has more stock so I can get a few spares, I’ll be using this.

The Honey Lip balm is a colourless formula, and there are also other formulas with colour and shimmer in them, but I wasn’t too interested in those as I already have a number of lip sticks and glosses. But they would probably be good for children or persons who want to branch out into colourful lips. I’m yet to see the pigmentation on those however.

The Verdict:
Pros:

• Affordable
• Lots of product
• A little goes a long way
• Moisturising formula
• 100% Natural
• Great for layering under lipstick

Cons:

• Can feel a bit waxy at first and needs warming up on lips

The Raw Sugar:
I really like this product and I keep it close-by for when my lips are feeling chapped. I love that it isn’t the same glossy (or greasy) appearance that I got from the Maybelline Baby Lips. I heard there’s also a medicated or mint flavoured one from Burts Bees, I want to try that one as well.

Where you can find it: Collins Pharmacy (Barbados), Drug stores USA

Disclaimer: This product was bought with my own money and opinions are my own.

Aspiration Diaries #5 & Update

Hey all! Yes, I know I said I’ll stick to a blogging schedule, but by the time I thought of a post for a certain day, the time was well past to write it, so I decided to take the week off. And a busy week it was. Thank God I didn’t have to stress about blogging too. Sometimes it’s hard to come up with good ideas, you know what I mean? Like when a lecturer tells you that you need to write an essay that’s due in a few days and all of a sudden, every great idea you had floating around in your head disappears. You get what I mean. Last week went by in a blur, I still can’t believe that it’s over.

As mentioned in my previous AD post (2 weeks ago), we had to plan a week of activities for our faculty and see it through. And I think it came off pretty well. Of course being a bit of a perfectionist, I still think there’s plenty of room for improvement and that some things could have gone a lot better, but overall the result was quite good. With the Beer lime being a huge hit for students and the Cocktail the talk of lecturers. So congratulations and thank you to the committee members for working so hard to put together such a good week! We all worked very hard and I think we did great!

If it’s one thing that I forgot for that week and even part of this one, was Instagram. I did not remember to post a picture of anything, not even of my outfits for the week. I was way too busy worrying about what was to happen when and arriving on time (which I still didn’t get done the best, sadly).

I definitely had fun for my faculty week though. Especially as it came to it’s end; it was a tad bittersweet, as the bonds that were forged may be severed as we wouldn’t have to completely rely on each other after this week. With Guild elections around the corner and a new committee to be coming in. Though this also meant less stress and meetings to attend haha. However I really did enjoy the whole ordeal.

By the time you are seeing this, I may already be on the road on my way to University carnival, which I’m hoping I can also have fun at and release some more stress before exams begin in May.
As this post is going on forever, let me just get to my goals for next week right now.

1. Make a study schedule in order to maximise my time before the “study period” and stick to it.
2. Remember that I have an Instagram and actually post pictures, not just like them.
3. Do the necessary extra work needed for my research project, before it gets too late (I hate rushing to the finish)
4. Try to experiment with more make up during the week. (no clown face though haha)
5. Take BREAKS and reward yourself.\

How has your week been? Rough, busy, easy-breezy, moderate? I had a big reminder last week that I should remember to take a break sometimes, and especially involve (talk to, visit, spend time with) the persons who love and care about me. Hopefully you take breaks in your life too. I’m a workaholic… I need breaks more like brakes! haha.

MAC Archie Girl’s Collection

Hey all! I know I haven’t been blogging in two weeks, I’ve been busy as I said in my last Aspiration Diaries post. But I do have something fun to show you! I don’t know if it’ll make up for my absence, but I really think it was a great opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.

Last month for North America at least, MAC Cosmetics launched their well awaited Archie Girls’ collection. This March, the 14th to be exact, MAC had a special launch for the event, and I was  lucky enough to be an invitee!  After rushing home from classes, I tried to put myself together quickly, but still look nice, as it was my first event of this type. I went for a pretty relaxed look and wore a white linen pants, a mint green cami and my DIY denim vest. I also kept my make up simple, just an easy winged liner look, some N.Y.C. bronzer, blush and the Revlon “raspberry pie” lip butter. Sadly I forgot to take more pictures of my outfit and make up.


Yes, I got myself in this love triangle.. or is it a square now…

 

Onto the actual event.. The atmosphere was quite nice and reminiscent of what you would expect if the comic were to come to life, old school jukebox music, mini hotdog and “burgers” as well as the cutest drinks I’ve ever seen! Sadly I didn’t get one, or take a picture but they were in short wide glasses with striped straws. I’m sure like in the comics I saw some persons drinking ice cream floats. And of course, Archie had to be there with Veronica and Betty fighting over him, as usual haha. I had mixed feelings about Betty and Veronica in my younger days when I read more comics, but collection and outfit-wise, I was loving Veronica more.

 

First out, let me say that for darker skin tones, the Veronica side of the collection is a lot better suited to us. I had seen some swatches of the collection from Necessarymakeup’s Instagram and even seeing them in person, I really couldn’t choose between 3 products that I really wanted. Her pictures couldn’t do enough justice to the Pearl Glide Intense Eyeliners, especially “Designer Purple” which is this fabulous violet with a purple pearl finish. I almost got that, but considering how often I wear eyeliner, I opted out. I may still consider it later though…

The next thing that intrigued me was Prom Princess satin-finish blush, however, I feel that this is dupable and it was really the packaging that drew me in haha. (probably for the whole collection really, I love the white packaging!)

 

 

 

What I finally chose was a bright satin lipstick which practically embodies my relationship with my dad, “Daddy’s Little Girl”. I just had to.. it was so cute and the packaging to die for! A bit pricey, but you have to splurge on yourself at some point right? A full review will be coming on this lippy soon. (FYI: this is technically not the MAC product I’ve used or encountered, but it is the first that I’ve bought for myself).

All in all, the collection is very nice, the packaging was well thought out and a nice refresh from the typical black, but unless you’re a collector or a fan of Archie you could probably skip it out as many of the lip colours and blushes have been done already. The only thing I would really go back for would be the Pearl Glide eyeliners, those were very pigmented, especially “Designer Purple” which was very different from what I typically see. 

 

Each of the attendees received a collectors tin filled with heart-shaped cinnamints. I have them on my dresser to sneak a few when I’m feeling peckish. Also there were a few giveaways of products from the line.

I really enjoyed the event and I would like to say thank you to Tyrell my bf, for encouraging me speak up and take the initiative and thank you so much to Tennille at the MAC counter, who was really helpful! As well as my sister, Erica who tagged along to the event with me.

*Guest Post*- A Bajan Poet

Hey all! Today is the first in hopefully a series of guest blog posts!

This post is written by Tyrell Toussaint, a Political Science major who enjoys writing poems in his free time as well as tweeting and watching the latest movie releases. Tyrell also has a passion for all music. Today he has 2 pieces for us, the first entitled “Secret Admirer of a Blogger” and the 2nd, “A Bajan Love Letter”.  If you would also like to guest post on this blog, please click here!

~~ The Secret Admirer of a Blogger ~~

To lead a life, being a secret admirer of a Blogger
Is like living a life with dreams and never any accomplishments.
You read her words and they pierce your soul as if she was speaking to you.
And suddenly you spot one small similarity and you think it’s about you.
The heart starts racing like runners on a track fighting for the gold
Then you start wishing you could give her your soul.
It’s amazing; the power her words may have on a simple reader’s ear.
But what else is that Blogger to do other than reject him till he sheds tears.
 
The emotions run deeper and complex as you continue to create fallacies in the Mind
You read her experiences and you listen to her point of view
As if she were right in front of you
You sit on your computer screen and laugh out loud saying so true.
But with no possible way of letting her hear you to.
It’s as hard as trying to talk to the person
Who gets you the most, with a crushed throat
They will never hear a word that you spoke.
All the while you read her experiences and you think you know her oh so well
While she never realizes that your life without her is a living hell.
 
It is indeed an intense infatuation driven by her intellectual prowess.
It is almost as if, the words were spoken to you by a goddess.
Truly divine, justly romantic, honestly entrancing and stupidly bewitching.
That best surmise the effects of her work her own subjective art form.
It is unfair that it must be so one sided
She gets all the say 
And you’re left flabbergasted.
The only hope one has is to drop a comment on a new post
But then there are millions more just like you and to get a simple reply
Makes you feel ever so bubbly inside.
To secretly admire a blogger is to love a shadow
You cause the shape and direction from your own interpretation
But then suddenly you come to a realization
She is just another captivating writer.

 

~~~ A Bajan love letter ~~~

Gal I about to write you a letter
I feel it might mek me feel better.
It’s a letter about you and me
About that time under de tree.
You look at me wid a sparkle in your eye
But I was still focused on my apple pie
You know that one from Chefette !!!
Them does mek the best ones I ever taste yet .
Anyway back to the point at hand
Know u wanted me to be your man.
But I wasn’t smart enough to realize.
I had different things in my eyes
Things that don’t mek no sense
Things like making money and going to fetes.
I was studying jamming a bumpa
Instead of them 10, 000 ways to love ya .
So I expressing way number 1 by sending u a love letter
From a real bajan man, this is my plan.
So  I want  u tuh give me anuduh chance
Girl I gonna cook for you and ting.
And I gine in Tropicana to get you a wedding ring.
We gine live good  and no meat don’t gaw pull
I buying you things just from my heart
And no blackberry woman can’t tear we apart
Girl I just want u know u sweet sweet  like sugar cane 
I would spend all life with u even if it was in de rain.
So take an apology from a real, real bajan man
And give me a chance to be de happiest Caribbean man.

Mad for Lavender-MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2

Since last Spring or maybe the spring before that I had fallen in love with lavender lip products.  Although they may not be the most typical and wearable of lip products,  the novelty of a purple lipstick just teases me.  So when MAC released their second Viva Glam lipstick with Nicki Minaj in February,  I was excited to see that it was pastey lilac.  The first Nicki Viva Glam was a bright coral pink colour,  which to me was something I could achieve by mixing a few colours.  But lilac is unique.
 

Lately I’ve been seeing many purple,  or at least purple-toned lip products and I have read that purple is a hot colour for Spring.  Revlon also makes a lilac shade for their lip butters as well as the balm stains and previously had a Super Lustrous lipgloss in a very cute lavender.
 

According to the swatches that I’ve seen of Nicki 2, as well as the MAC product description,  this is an opaque amplified finish lipstick,  meaning the it is loaded with pigment.  I appreciate this because there have been times where I see lilac lipsticks and there is hardly any pigment to them.  However as it would be obvious,  this colour is not for every skintone.  Definitely not darker ones,  unless you make some changes or you are extremely bold.  I like how blogger Cheryl from Makeup by Cheryl H warms up the cool tone of this pastey lilac lippy by using a deeper lip pencil.  Also for us darker in complexion, Ayesha from Simple Beauty Blog, show some great options to make this a more wearable colour.

 

  

 

Would you try the trend of lavender lips? Have you already bought Viva Glam Nicki 2?

Temptalia Review of Viva Glam Nicki 2

 

Disclaimer: Images are not my own.

Hair Care Routine (Hair update #6) | Beauty

Hey all! It’s been ages since I did a hair update. I’ve been quite lazy about taking pictures of it, though I should really be more mindful and document the progress. People keep telling me it’s getting very long quickly, but to me, it still seems short and slowly growing. I guess the pictures will tell. If you hadn’t seen my previous hair update, then please click here. I promise I’ll post some actual hair pictures in my next hair post.

I’ve developed a general routine when it comes to my hair care, although I’ve been slacking lately as I’ve gotten quite busy. Usually I cowash every week or weekend with a VO5 conditioner (I love the Tea therapy ones) which my boyfriend always calls me cheap for but hey, it works! Last college semester I would do this every Saturday evening, and every Friday during vacation.



Image is not my own

I wash with Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo every 2 weeks, then deep condition with the African Pride Hair Mayonnaise treatment. I am currently out of this deep condish and can’t find it anywhere, but I do have a ton of samples to try out, so I may end up buying a different deep conditioner in the long run,  but I loved the smell as well as the benefits of that one. The Elasta QP shampoo was raved about in my 2012 favourites video, and I am still in love with it, but I want to try a couple new shampoos as well, may be I can find something even better, although I love the way that makes my hair feel.



Image is not my own

As for leave-ins, I was using my Shea butter mixture, until I realised it was too thick for my hair, as I have fine textured hair. I have been trying to find the perfect leave-in moisturiser for my hair. Light-weight but moisturising, a good amount a product and yet affordable, I’m still looking, but I have used coconut oil as well as Cantu shea butter repair cream (with some coconut oil mixed in, as it wasn’t retaining enough moisture), and a few samples I received from GFE.

Image is not my own

As for heat, I tend to use heat 2 weeks post relaxer, however I don’t use my flat iron everyday, just occasionally when my ends are a bit frizzy and my hair needs sculpting. I use the Tresemme Heat protectant and love how it smells and feels in my hair, plus it doesn’t leave any residue on my flat iron like my previous heat protectant. If I want curls, I would sleep with curlers in, but I am going to invest in a really nice curling wand. I already have one on my wishlist hehe. My hair tends not to hold curls as well as I’d like though, even if I use my Garnier Fructis hairspray. If I use too much I get that annoying crunch and sticking, but the curls last a bit longer.

Image is not my own



That’s basically it for my hair routine. When I realise I’m getting a lot of build up, I use less product and wash as soon as possible. Currently I’m on the hunt for new favourite products. If you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comments. I’d really appreciate that. Or if you share your hair care routine.

Aspiration Diaries #4 (busy week!)

Hey all! It’s been quite a busy week. I’ve been up and down, lacking on sleep, flustered , stressed and so much more, but it’s the end of a week and here’s the update I promised.

First off, I only got 1 thing done off of my entire list. one thing was completed, that was the February photo challenge. It was fun to do, but I’m very disappoited that I was only able to finish that this week. I did try to keep blog posts consistent, however I do thing that there was one point when I was thrown a bit off of my schedule. I was not very strict with my spending this week, as I was at school for a lot longer doing tons more, but for next week I have a bit of a fail safe. I hope it works. I need to go to the supermarket to make sure this works though haha, when will I have time to get there…

So what has me so busy? I announed this in one of my previous videos, I am the Vice President of the student committee for my faculty (Science & Technology) and our week of activities are coming up. Actually it starts this Sunday and runs until Saturday. We’ve been having a number of meetings for the past few weeks, tying up a number of loose ends and making contact with those who we can to make sure all of our bases or covered. So many times for this week I have been at school earlier than anticipated. Add to that the fact that I am doing a research project and you have quite a hefty combination of activities.

I do hope that this week runs smoothly, as we’ve put a lot of time and effort into it and it is packed with activities. As for my research project, I’m hoping that that also goes how I’d appreciate (finally) for this week.

My friends and family hardly see me these days, it’s kind of hard, but I’m just praying that the hardwork pays off and that I will see my schedule free up again. Next week will be very busy so I think I will only put very simple goals for it.

1. Post pictures to Instagram of my faculty week. (You can follow me here)
2. Study for upcoming tests before weekend begins (I feel there is a fat chance of this happening, but a girl can dream..)
3. Have FUN.

Do you have any goals for this week? was last week also very tough for you And is it just me, or are the days flying so quickly by, that it becomes a blur? Maybe that’s just me….