5 Faves: Most Worn Jewelry

I have always been a bit of a magpie. If it’s bright or sparkly I automatically want it to be mine. While jewelry can be a bit of a personal choice, I thought I would give a bit of insight into my taste and some of the pieces that have ended up in my regular rotation.

1. Nadri Bezel Necklace
While I love a good statement piece, my most worn pieces are pretty classic because they never go out of style. This necklace is a perfect versatile piece because it can be worn long to lengthen my short torso or doubled up to appear like a two strand necklace. I have a similar necklace on a gold chain and I think either of the two are the perfect simple accessory to add to any outfit.

2.  Faux Pearl/Crystal Bracelet Set
This one was a major steal. I bought it from Joe Fresh on a whim when I was in university and they easily have been my most worn bracelets. I always come back to these because they go with everything (see a trend here) and they're comfortable and non-intrusive. They still sell them at Superstores I have been to, and the set came with 4 "pearl" strands in slightly different hues, and the gold/crystal one.

3. Michael Kors Rose Gold/White Silicone Watch

I had been lusting after one of the famous Michael Kors watches for months, however as a rather thrifty person I always cringe when I look at the high prices. My boyfriend found this watch at a US outlet and gave it to me last Christmas, and I must say, I would pay every cent for this baby! I've worn it to death this whole year. While it looks especially great with that golden glow in the summer, let's be real, I've worn it all year.

I believe this particular style has been discontinued (Style Number: MK5464) but Tyler found mine when we were shopping the outlets in Buffalo and I’m sure they can be found on Ebay. Sorry!

4.Elsa Peretti Diamonds By the Yard Silver Ring

This is one of the most precious pieces I own and I never take it off. As you can probably see by the rest of the list, this ring is the perfect everyday piece for me. It is very simple and dainty, but also pretty unique. The band being a chain makes it incredibly light and easy to wear. It doesn’t catch on things or stick out from my finger very much at all, and the simple design will never go out of style. Even though it is dainty, it's no question my most complimented piece of jewelry.

5. Pearl Earrings 
Every girl with pierced ears should have a pair of pearls in her collection. Whether they are real or fake, they just look so classy and instantly make you look put together. I'm not a huge fan of earrings in general, so studs are always my style of choice, and you really can't go wrong with pearls.

If you haven't already seen the rest of the posts in this series, I've have also posted my 5 Fave Beauty Tools, Tech Accessories, and you can find more of my jewelry picks for this year on my Wish List. 

5 Faves: Beauty Tools

After what has felt like the longest week and a half of my life, it's nice to be back. Today I bring you the second instalment of my 5 Faves series, this time focusing on some of the most used tools in my beauty routine.

1. Clarisonic

This is quite a hefty investment piece, but it may be something to put on your wish list this year. Nothing feels quite like the Clarisonic clean. This toothbrush for your face gives it the most deeply satisfying clean and leaves my skin feeling super soft and smooth. I've been battling a bit of spottiness lately and the Clarisonic has helped me get my skin back in check.

2. Glass/Crystal File

Once you go glass, you'll never go back. To paint you a picture, I accidentally stepped on and broke my first one and was using the broken pieces while I found another to replace it. That is how much I love these. They give you the smoothest, fastest file and can be used over and over again. It also helps that the sound of filing my nails doesn't give me the shivers anymore. 

3. Clipless Curling Wand

To tell you the truth, I don't even know how to curl my hair without one of these beauties. I got my Enzo Milano over 3 years ago and I absolutely adore it, but there are tons of less expensive brands that make them these days. I can curl my whole head in 15 minutes max, it's magical.

4. Tangle Teezer

This was one of those favourites that snuck (is that a word?) up on me. I heard a ton about this little bean brush and decided to take it for a test drive myself. When I first used it I really didn't see what all the hype was, but as I continued to use it and tried to go back to brushes I was using before I was shocked to find how much more painful the whole process seemed. Do not be mistaken: it doesn't magically make your hair tangle free, but as someone with massively tangle-y hair it does help cut down the ouch factor.

5. Eyelash Curler

I used to think that eyelash curlers were a waste of time. Just an extra step that didn't really do much. However, recently I've been noticing that those extra few seconds really can help to make me look more awake. Maybe it's been the up before 5 AM, 10 hour days and I've needed all the help I can get, but I find especially when I'm wearing my glasses or going for the mascara-only thing (aka tired/lazy) it really does make a difference. Not all lash curlers are created equal, but it will basically be trial and error to find one that fits the shape of your particular eyeballs.

The Wish List

As I have mentioned previously, my family is all about getting the Christmas shopping done as soon as possible. Usually as the procrastinator of the family I ignore their requests from early October until the beginning of December has come and gone. Sometimes I think I must have been adopted. This year I decided to meet in the middle and give the people what they want. Here is a peek at what I came up with for this year's wish list:

Jewelry:

Monogram necklace // Pave mini link bracelet // Roseland Disco Wrap // Rose Gold Danity necklace

I am part magpie. I collect shiney sparkles things in my nest and treat them all like my precious. It's okay though since these are smaller pieces right? Not too glitter bomb? That's what I'm telling myself.

Beauty:

Clairsonic brush heads // Naked 2 Palette // Sephora Super Stars Kit

The brush heads are all practical. You are supposed to change them out every three months and mine may or may not be way overdue. The other two are pure lust. I do not need any more beauty products, least of all neutral eye shadows, but if someone else chooses to give them to me, I'd be okay with it.

Other: 

Audible gift subscription // Griptight iPhone mount // Off Desk Shelf // Gift Cards

I have trouble sleeping so I've relied on the soothing voices of strangers to lull me to sleep since junior high. I also do a ton of driving between work and visiting Tyler (who lives an hour away from me) every week, so I am so ready for a subscription like Audible. YouTube and the library only have so much selection. Any other gift cards are always good. I find it almost better to shop for myself when it comes to clothing especially. The other two are just random useful items that may make an appearance in future posts! 

What is on your lust list this holiday season?

Trash Talk: October Empties

From the shift to vintage and thrifty trends to the influx of product empties posts, it seems that the blogging community is obsessed with other people's trash. And I am the first to admit, I am all about that bandwagon. Don't they always say that one mans trash is another's treasure? Well in is particular case, this trash also happens to be my treasure. In the world of products it is rare that I finish anything, so if I have it's likely pretty darn special. Or pretty awful. We've gotten over the honeymoon phase and I can see it's true colours. For some reason I have been hording empty containers of my finished products, so I might as well talk about them so I can finally throw the damn things away. Lets dive in to my bin shall we?

Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream

Right off the bat, we're starting with two of my "holy grail" products. Having combo-oily acne prone skin, thank you for that blessing, always meant I was weary of super heavy facial moisturizers. I used to bite the bullet and pay $30 a pop for the Clinique Dramatically Different Gel, but when I found this stuff I was in skin heaven. The original I use during the day and it is the perfect amount of hydration without any of the greasiness of moisturizer. The "dry skin" version I use it at night, especially as the weather starts to get a bit more crisp.

Recommendation? Oily skin girls rejoice and get your butt to the checkout.

Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes

Taking off my makeup at night is one of my least favourite parts of my whole nightly routine. It's just so tedious and can take a bit of elbow grease, and you'll still wake up to those lovely raccoon eyes. Enter: facial cleaning cloths. The lazy girls bff. But as per usual, convenience can come at a high cost. Most wipes worth their salt are fairly expensive for something you plan on using everyday. These wipes from Costco come, like everything from Costco, in what I like to call "industrial size". 150 wipes for $11? Sold. They're probably not the best ones out there but they do the job for me, and they don't cost an arm and a leg to keep the habit going. Bonus: the box comes with a couple of "travel" packs with less wipes that are perfect for my gym bag.

Recommendation? If you have access to a Costco card, I would say they are worth a try.

Bath & Body Works Pink Grapefruit Body Lotion

This has taken me probably 10 years to go through. Now that I think about it, it probably should have hit the road a long time ago. Oops. The smell was nice in small doses, but a little to strong for frequent use. It also wasn't super moisturizing, but left that tacky feeling on the skin for hours.

Recommendation? I'd say skip it. There are way better moisturizers that are easier on the wallet and the nostrils.

Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser

I've used this stuff for a couple of years now, and I have no complaints. It's a super gentle cleanser that works well with the clairsonic. I've heard talk that it doesn't really do much, but it didn't seem to irritate my skin or cause me any breakouts so it's a good 'un in my books. 

Recommendation? I'm trying something new right now, but I would definitely repurchase in the future as my old faithful.

Batiste/Not Your Mother's Dry Shampoo

Ah, dry shampoo. One of my favourite products of all time, and another lazy girl's delight. I can't even remember my life before this stuff, is that sad? My name is Nadia, and I am a dry shampoo addict. I have learned in my years of experience, however, that all dry shampoos are not created equal. 

When it comes to these two, they might appeal to different people for different reasons. The Not Your Mother's is completely transparent, so might be good for those brown haired beauties (sorry fellow Canadians, you'll have to pop over the boarder to get your hands on it). It is less expensive, however, I didn't find it to be quite as effective. Batiste on the other hand, can leave quite and obvious residue behind. As a, ahem bottle, blonde I don't mind so much. In fact, it sometimes helps blend in my roots while I'm in between visits to my favourite stylist. I actually prefer the one specifically for blondes for this reason - plus it smells heavenly. Unfortunately, it has only been spotted on rare occasions at Winners, otherwise residing over the US border with the rest of the cool new products.

Recommendation? I would definitely go for Batiste over NYM. There are apparently many colours and flavours available to my friends to the South, but even with the more limited selection in the Great White North there's bound to be a scent you don't find offensive.


And finally, my summer scent. Ralph Lauren Rocks.

This may be cheating a bit, but this bottle was graciously "donated" to me by my roommate last year sometime. At first I hardly ever touched it, but when summer hit it became my go to. It's a warm fruity scent that's not too overpowering and not too sweet. I'm not a huge fan of super sweet scents, they tend to give me a headache, but this one was just the right balance without going overboard. I loved it so much that I went on a mad hunt for it once I saw it was running low. Unfortunately, it is discontinued, but you can find it online or if you live in Toronto, in one of the tiny perfume filled stores in the Path off the Subway. I might have gotten overcharged, but I was just happy to have a steady supply.

Recommendation? If you can find it, I highly recommend you take a sniff and get it while you still can!


And that's a wrap for this month's stash of trash, out of the house it goees!