As soon as we moved into this house last December we knew our first big remodel project was going to be the master bathroom. It was a typical 90s builder grade with no personality. Our last house was an old Victorian and I loved all of the traditional character of the space, so I was itching to bring some of that classic style to life in our new home while keeping the tones and finishes modern. Here is a look at the master ensuite before, and the plans for our classic transitional bathroom makeover!

Before - 90s Builder Ensuite Bathroom

To give you an idea of where we were starting from, here are the photos from the original listing. The shower felt like a submarine closet, the pedestal sink offered zero storage, and the corner tub layout took up valuable space. 

The Plan - Classic Transitional Ensuite Oasis

On our wish list structurally for our master bathroom were three things: a double sink vanity with plenty of storage, a larger glass shower to open and brighten up the space, and a free standing tub. I love the fresh and clean feeling of bright white bathrooms, but knew I wanted to keep it from looking sterile or plain so I made some bolder tile choices to add some interest to the design. Here is what we landed on for our ensuite plan:

The room itself isn't huge so space planning was extremely important to make sure we could fit in all of the features we wanted. I found some free tools online to help me create a space plan and rendering with similar fixtures and finishes (more on that soon!) to help give me a wholistic view of what we wanted to show our contractor. We're now through the major construction phase and I can't wait to show you more once we've completed the final details!  What is your favourite interior design style? 
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Happy new year friends, I hope you all had a blissful holiday season! As we take down all the holiday decorations I think it's interesting to read what experts have dubbed as the home decor trends for the new year. Trends come and go, obviously what's more important is creating a home that feels right for you and your family, but as someone interested in interiors and doing a lot of work in my own first home I love looking at what is going on in the greater design world and what I can lift and adapt to fit my personal taste. Here are some 2019 home decor trends I am excited about this year, and the real homes that have been inspiring me!

Embellishment

A general pattern I see to most of the trends being touted in publications and by companies and industry professionals is a shift from more of the minimal aesthetic of late to a more bold and unique styles. While I love a classic simple design, I've always been a huge fan of the craftsmanship and character of historic homes. Small details like drawer pulls and moulding can add so much interest and personality without having to break the bank!

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A post shared by Jacquelyn Clark (@larkandlinen) on Jan 7, 2019 at 7:39am PST

Playing With Colour

Soft tone on tones are super dreamy, but I've been seeing a lot more contrast in colour palettes for this year. Dark moody walls, colourful kitchen cabinets, bright sofas, mixed metal fixtures, I'm here for it. While I'm not quite ready to paint an entire room navy (though I've been tempted) we've been slowly incorporating more rich tones in our home with some bold coloured accent furniture pieces, and accessories like pillows and artwork. Playing with contrast in metals for hardware and lighting I think is a simple but high impact touch to add to a room. We've gone that route with our bathroom designs (see our master bathroom plans here) and are loving the look!

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A post shared by Jenna Sue (@jennasuedesign) on Dec 14, 2018 at 8:49am PST

Back To Nature

Wood, stone, jute, the trend of incorporating the beauty of natural materials is still going strong this year, and I think it makes for a perfect compliment to some of the more bold trends of 2019. Natural elements help to bring life to a space and keep it looking fresh and organic. The visual contrast and texture gives me all the homey feels.

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A post shared by colleen pastoor/lemon thistle (@colleenpastoor) on Dec 15, 2018 at 1:01pm PST

What do you think of these 2019 home decor trends? Are you making any changes in your home this year?
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We are officially 7 sleeps away from Christmas Eve, and I feel like this season always seems to fly by in the blink of an eye. During this time of the year we often feel a strong call to give back to our communities, but there is so much need it can seem overwhelming. I promise you, giving back doesn't have to take a lot of time or money! Here are 6 easy ways you can give back this holiday season (and beyond!).

Give your home

This is one that I feel particularly called to in this season of life. A home is a gift that can easily be shared with others! Simply invite people over - friends, family, neighbours, people who are away from their home and may not have anyone to share the holidays with this year. It doesn't have to be a huge undertaking or a fancy meal. This year we are hosting a drop in party after Christmas and inviting our neighbours to come by, in hopes that we can learn more about the people we are living with and connect with our community.

Give time

Whether it is time with someone you know or someone you don't, the gift of quality time is so precious. In your own circle you could arrange a coffee, lunch or even just a phone call with someone you want to show love to and connect with. In your community, check out local organizations on social media and see if they are hosting events/reach out to see if they could use a hand with serving, wrapping, or even just visiting with people who need it most.

Give money

This may seem like an obvious choice, but as the year closes out many organizations are in the final stages of planning and budgeting what they can accomplish in the upcoming year. If there is an organization or a cause close to your heart, be generous with an end of year gift that allows them to continue and grow in doing great work that you may physically not be able to assist with.

Give physical gifts

Again, this one may be a no brainer but physical gifts can be a huge blessing. This year our church collected pyjamas and meal cards for a local center for psychological care. Donate canned goods to local food banks. Buy or bake some holiday treats and take them to your neighbours or local businesses. Sort through your family's closets and donate items that no longer serve you, but could be a blessing to someone else!

Give thoughts & prayers

This is something that could easily be overlooked, but I have recently learned how much it can impact someone else's day. Take time to pray for someone, write them a personal letter, card or even a text message letting them know you are thinking about them or praying for them. The holidays can be a joyful, busy season but also a sad, stressful season. Ask your friends and family if they have prayer requests (leave a comment or send me a message if you need a prayer warrior yourself!) or take a look through the comments on this video. If you are an active consumer of content online, take the time to send your favourite content creators gratitude and encouragement for the work that they do.


I hope these have sparked some ideas for simple ways you can give back to your local community. How do you like to give during the holidays? Share what you're doing this year in the comments, I'd love to get inspired!

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Is it hard for anyone else to believe it's already mid August? Seriously, where has this summer gone? Stores have started to fill up with long sleeves and deep colours, but I'm not quite ready to give up my floppy hats and summer dresses. Who else is with me?

Dress: Old Navy {similar / similar} | Hat: Sears {similar} | Sunglasses: Forever 21 {similar}
Shoes: Aldo {similar / similar} | Bracelet: J. Crew {exact}

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Linking up with: Lauren |  Laura | Lindsey | Sarah | Saumya

Well hey there blogland, long time no see! We are now just over 6 weeks away from the wedding day so I thought it was about time to show you some of my favourites from our engagement shoot last month and why I think they are necessary for every bride. Our photographer did just a beautiful job, I have to say I'm just thrilled with how they turned out!

They give you and your photographer time to loosen up before the big day

While I do have some experience being in front of the camera as a blogger, I typically take all my own photos which is definitely an entirely different experience than a professional shoot. I'm so grateful we were able to take the time to learn our photographer's style of working and personality, so that we can be totally relaxed when it comes to getting photos done on our wedding day!

They will come in handy for multiple wedding-related projects

Already we have used our photos for our wedding invitations and website, and we are currently in the process of getting some printed in a book that will be using as our guest book on the day. My bridesmaids even used one or two for my bridal shower! People love seeing photos of the happy couple, and there are so many ways you can include them in all the steps leading up to your special day.

You'll have professional photos that you can use for years to come

While formal wedding photos are obviously tied to a very distinct day, more casual photos of you and your future hubby are timeless. Thank you notes and cards, gifts for close family, social media, all ways your engagement photos can live on far past your engagement period. You can even ask your photographer to capture some headshots on the day for use in your professional life. You're already all dolled up, so why not put your best face forward?

Simply, this is one of the most exciting times in your life.

Why wouldn't you want to remember it? 

All photos copyright of Rachelle Rousseau Photography
Come along on our wedding planning journey: Our engagement story Finding a dream dress Wedding mood board keep up with me: bloglovin' | instagram | pinterest | twitter  

Linking up with: Lauren |  Laura | Lindsey | Sarah | Saumya

Coming back from the May long weekend means we've officially kicked off the summer season in my books, and that means looking forward to achieving that summer glow. I've already gone through my self-tan routine in previous years, but since then I've discovered a few new products and a few new tricks I thought I would share with you. 

Find your formula | Mousse formulas are my favourite for the body because they are easy to apply and dry quickly. I've enjoyed the St. Moritz Medium and Dark in the past, but have noticed the formula starts turning a grey colour (though the tan it leaves behind doesn't take on the same grey hue) and isn't as effective after a year, so I moved on to try the St. Tropez Express. It's a 1-3 hour process depending on the colour you're looking for, and I find it looks natural and lasts well without getting patchy. Since your face generally gets the most regular exfoliation, I find a gradual tan that mixes with my moisturizer is the easiest to maintain and gives the most natural look.

Avoid self-tan hands | I'm sure by now everyone has heard of a tanning mitt (this one is my fav), but what do you do when it comes to your wrists and hands? My favourite method is to use a makeup sponge for a seamless blend. Whether it's a retired Beauty Blender or Real Techniques sponge, or a simple cosmetic wedge, they are all great options for keeping palms clean!

Cut the creasing | When I first got the St. Tropez I actually really disliked it because I felt like it never quite set. If you find your tan leaves your skin feeling sticky, try hitting the spots that are prone to creasing (the underside of elbows and knees, and arms) with a hairdryer on a cool setting. If you still need some extra setting action, dust a light layer of baby powder over the same areas and you'll be good to go. 

Pick the right moisturizers | Keeping moisturized is key to prolonging the life of a fake tan, but some oils and citrus ingredients will actually break down your tan and cause faster fading. I've talked about my love of this quick dry lotion before and find it to be the best for keeping the skin hydrated everyday without the feeling heavy or sticky in warmer weather. Also, don't forget the SPF when you're out in the sun to prevent dryness and peeling (come back next week to see my favourites!).

Do you have any tips for achieving a flawless faux glow?

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Last week I shared that I had officially found my wedding dress and venue, and now that we've settled on a date (which is less than six months away, eek!) it's been a bit of a whirlwind moving from the big picture to focus on some of the smaller details. To help give myself some direction for the choices going forward I wanted to put together a mood board to capture some of my inspiration and vision for the big day!

I don't own any of these photos

Originally we were planning on getting married up in cottage country, but since there are limited venues and they get booked up super far in advance, we decided that we wanted to prioritize date over venue. Instead, we've decided on an old estate home just outside the city that is a beautiful balance between the elegant and vintage type feel that I love.

If you haven't already noticed from the design of my blog, I have always love the soft combination of dusty seafoam/sage green and grey, but seeing as it will be a fall wedding, I wanted to add in a bit of richness and warmth into the mix in some of the smaller details. The estate has an outdoor arbour and beautiful grounds that we're planning on using for the ceremony if the weather cooperates so I love that we'll still get some of the fresh outdoor feel that we originally wanted. 

I can't wait to see how some of my thoughts come to life over the next few months! Catch up on our story: The Proposal Finding the Dress What details would be/were the most important for your wedding?
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If you follow me on social media you'll know I had my first wedding dress shopping experience two weekends ago. I no idea what to expect, so of course I headed to the blog world to read a few ladies' different experiences. I found it really helpful to read real brides' perspectives so I thought I would throw in my two cents while doing a run down of my experience!

The first dress (or second, or fifth..) may not give you the feeling you expect. I was expecting the first time I tried on a dress to have the overwhelming feeling of excitement and "I'm getting married!!", but the first couple of dresses I tried on ended up being super unflattering. I couldn't help but think "oh great, is this going to be worse than going jeans shopping??" but don't give up!
Be firm with your budget before you try a dress on. The worst feeling I could imagine was to try on a dress, fall in love and then realize it's totally out of budget. Most bridal stores are good at keeping within but if they bring you something and don't tell you how much it is make sure you ask! Remember alterations are typically always an extra cost. Ask if they offer any discounts/alteration credits - the one I ended up choosing was originally over budget, but since it was an in-house designer they offered a discount that put it back into my price range.
Bring any accessories you already have. I knew I was going to be wearing my great-grandmother's veil on my wedding day so I had my grandma bring it to my appointment. Because it's 87 years old and has been worn by multiple brides in my family, though it's in very good shape it's obviously not pure white and so I didn't want my dress to be either. It wasn't really until I tried my dress on with the veil that I really had that "bridal moment"!

Try on at least one dress that your mother loves. If you've come with photos of what you have in mind for your dress, your consultant will be pulling from that when bringing you dresses to try on. What I thought I wanted wasn't looking the best on me (hence tip #1), but my Mum asked if I would try on a style that she thought would look good on my shape. It wasn't anything like the styles I had in mind but I said OK and it ended up being the one I chose! Even if that's not the case, you can always just move on to the next!
Don't feel bad if you don't find the one at your first appointment! There was a girl in the change room next to me that seemed to look perfect in every dress she tried on, but she just happened to have a figure that looked great in everything! Not everyone is going to have that experience. Don't get down though, there is something out there for every body and style!
Once you find the one stop looking. I loved a dress at my first appointment but left empty handed as I wanted to know what else was out there. I went to another shop and found another dress I really liked, and knew after that I wasn't going to look at any more. For an indecisive person like me too much choice can be overwhelming, so I took a few days to think and then went back to the first shop to try on the first dress again. They asked if I wanted to try on any more while I was there but I said no. Once I had the dress on again I knew that was it! 
Now two week from my first appointment I've ordered my dress, and chosen my venue, date and photographer. It's amazing how quickly things can start moving once you've made the biggest decisions! Next week I'll share some of my vision/inspiration for the day so keep an eye out for that, and thank you to everyone who has been so encouraging and sharing their tips during the first part of this process!
If you're married, what was your dress shopping experience like? 
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With all the running around I've been doing for the wedding and house hunting, I've been gravitating towards the comfort level of athletic wear. It started out with a hunt for comfortable flat shoes for spring that were versatile enough to wear with multiple outfits, and now I'm in love with the ease of on the go style. Excuse me while I go on the hunt for a baseball cap that fits my small head...

Top {on sale} | Vest {on sale} | Leggings | Sneakers

Top {on sale} | Vest {on sale} | Leggings | Sneakers

What are your favourite athletic pieces for weekend wear?
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Linking up with: Lauren |  Laura | Lindsey | Sarah | Saumya

Mascara is probably my number one favourite makeup product. I think lashes can make the biggest difference in how awake, and pulled together someone looks. There are so many mascaras out on the market with so many different claims, I thought I would take inventory of my top favourites and let you see for yourself the type of impact they make!
IT Cosmetics Tightline Mascara Primer | This is my favourite mascara for the lower lash line because it is extremely smudge resistant and the brush is teeny tiny. However for no-makeup days it's also ideal just to darken up the lashes without adding a ton of impact. It's officially called a primer so it can be used under your other favourite mascara, but I prefer just to use it on its own.

Maybelline Lash Sensational | This is my current everyday mascara because it gives a good balance of separation, length and a touch of volume and stands up well all day long. I prefer the formula once it's been open for a few weeks and has had the chance to thicken up a bit as I find then it's able to build on itself more and create that volume. The brush is the perfect shape to both apply product and comb through the lashes to make sure there isn't any significant clumping. 

Jordana Best Lash Extreme | This mascara is my favourite for achieving thick black lashes. The formula is the blackest I own, and it coats the lashes instantly to give some serious volume. It has some small fibers in the formula that help build up the lashes in both volume and length. Because of that it can get a bit clumpy if you add on too many layers, but it's a great one coater that gives a ton of impact. It's definitely not at all waterproof so anyone with super watery eyes should stay far away, but for days when I'm focusing on a big lash look this is my go to.

Benefit They're Real | I've never bought a full size of this mascara, but I've had multiple minis and so it's my go to when it comes to travel. This stuff is serious when it comes to longevity so it makes a great choice for heat and humidity since it won't budge until you're ready to remove it. It reminds me of a combination of the Maybelline & Jordana mascaras I love because the formula is super dark but still creates soft feathery looking lashes. Because it's so long wearing I find it tough to remove with my standard cleansing water - but a little bit of coconut oil does the job.

Which lash look do you like best? What is your favourite mascara?

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I know I've been pretty much silent on everything to do with blogging recently and I've been feeling extremely guilty/sad about neglecting this space so I wanted to take a minute to get real with you and explain where I'm currently at so let's just jump into it.

With the new pup in the family and a whole bunch of life planning going on, I've been travelling back and forth from Tyler's pretty much every other day. If I haven't mentioned it already, I really really hate packing. I always end up leaving something behind. Anyone else have that problem? When trying to plan out photos for posts, forgetting something or not having access to something that I didn't realize I would want/need seriously kills my blogging buzz. Weekends are really my only time to blog since I work late, commute, try (emphasis on try) to go to the gym 2-3 times per week and go to Bible study every Wednesday. So I have  a collection of half baked posts that may have photos but I haven't had the time/energy to write or that are written out but I haven't had myself together enough to get the photos done. I really do love creating content but life seems to be taking priority right now, and I've got to be honest I'm not sure how to balance it all. Any advice?

 As one could probably predict, wedding planning has become quite stressful. Since we really want to get married this fall, we've had quite the difficult time finding a venue that has any Saturday openings - and the longer we put of deciding the closer it all seems to get. I think I'm going to have to resign myself to the fact that I'm likely going to be having a Friday or Sunday wedding. As a guest, which would you prefer? Because everything seems so up in the air until we get a date, I'm taking hold of the only thing I feel like I can currently control and am going wedding dress shopping this weekend. I have no idea what to expect, but I'm excited! Any pointers from you Mrs. out there for what to bring/keep in mind for my appointment?

Long story not so short - I really appreciate any of you who have stuck with me even through my bad-blogger behaviour of spotty content and consistency, but know that I'm not giving up. I love blogging and more than that I love the community and really miss you guys! I know I may talk it to death, but I've found that Snapchat is the easiest platform to keep updated and interact on so if you have an account leave your link/username below so I can make sure I follow you!

Now it's your turn - what's been going on with you lately? 

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Spring has arrived, whether your weather is cooperating or not, and that means it's time to get out of the winter makeup rut and bring on the brightness - in more ways than one. I've been keeping things simple for everyday, focusing on double duty products to give me a fresh, awake, and glowly complexion and eye. I love this look because it's so easy to amp up with your favourite bright lip!

FACE | I primed my skin with the Smashbox Primer Water used the CoverGirl Stay Fabulous foundation. Since I have somewhat oily skin I like to keep the base matte and then add the glow where I want to so I don't end the day looking like a grease ball. I apply my Maybelline Age Rewind Brightener under the eyes and on my eyelids with my beauty blender to cancel out any darkness and brighten up the whole eye area. On my cheeks I used Coralista by Benefit for a soft glowy flush, and topped with Laura Mercier's Matte Radiance, which I'm completely obsessed with! To add some dimension 

EYES | To keep things soft and bright I run my Laguna Bronzer very lightly in the crease, and take my Laura Mercier Matte Radiance just over the center part of my lid. I catches the light so beautifully and makes your eyes look so fresh and awake! For some soft definition I'll use any matte dark brown shadow for liner and keep it really close to the lash line. Curl your eyelashes and add some Benefit They're Real and you're done!

LIPS | I've been waiting for spring to come around to bust back out this gorgeous cream lip stain from Sephora in the colour Strawberry Kissed. It's a beautiful pinky-red that stays on forever!

Do you switch up your look from season to season?

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If you follow me on social media you'll already know that this was a pretty significant weekend for us. Not only was it Easter, which is an important and exciting day for us as Christians, we also went to pick up Tyler's family's new pup!

Meet the newest member of the Smith clan! 😍🐶 We're thinking maybe Riley or Toby - what do you guys think?? #puppygram #newpup #namethatdog #dogsofinstagram #thatsdarling #pursuepretty #photosinbetween #darlingmovement #abmlifeisbeautiful #abmlifeissweet #abmhappylife #flashesofdelight #lbloggers #dbloggers #bbloggersca

A photo posted by Nadia (@tvibblog) on Mar 26, 2016 at 10:15am PDT

Isn't he the sweetest?! We ended up going with Dawson because they wanted something a little more unique, but he's already fitting in with the family and settling in super well. As a dog lover that plus the beautiful sunny day left me in the best mood on Sunday.

Top: Old Navy {similar} | Coat: Burberry {exact} | Leggings: Old Navy {similar}
Hat: Areopostal {similar} | Boots: Daav {similar} | Necklace: Old Navy {similar}

How was your weekend? 

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 Linking up with: Lauren |  Laura | Lindsey | Sarah | Saumya

1. Tyler was in the hospital this week for a minor surgery, but his healing has been going really well and he's already walking without major pain. Hallelujah! I'm hoping that means this coming week/weekend we can do some venue touring!

2. This first week of spring I think we've had more snow and ice then we had most of the whole winter. Yesterday my car was completely covered in ice, as in I couldn't even get in! It's reminding me of the ice storm we had a few years ago around Christmas. I'm really hoping that this week is the last show of winter!

3. Yesterday I went to respond to your comments and realized that ALL my Disqus comments had disappeared! After some discussion with the CBB community, I realized that it's a support issue for Blogger. I managed to get most of them back by following these instructions - but if you use Disqus and you're on Blogger I would keep an eye out!

4. If you're not following Karly (msinthemidwest) on Snapchat - go do it now! She's been sharing some updates on plans for their house, and I love a good home reno. She has amazing decor style and I can't wait to see her plans come to life!

5. I hope you all have an amazing Easter weekend and are able to spend time with your friends and family!

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A few weeks ago we did a major clean out of my parent's basement and it inspired me to finally use up the ends of a ton products that have been on the edge of empty for a while now. There are some of my favourite products in here so let's get started!

It's A 10 Miracle Leave In | It's probably taken me at least years to go through this bottle because I hated it at first, but once I started using it more over the past year it became my hero hair product for conditioning, detangling and helping combat frizz. Even if you have fine hair like me, I highly recommend checking it out. Just remember, a little goes a long way! I have already repurchased and use every time I shower.

Anastasia Clear Brow Gel | This was another product I did a complete 180 on. When I first got it I hated how stiff and crunchy it made my brows feel. Once I got a handle on using just a small amount or product, I was in love! It really is like superglue for your brows - they will stay in place all day long. I picked up a drugstore clear gel to see if it could be duped, but after I use that up I'll likely be repurchasing this. I'm hoping I can find it again in the mini size because it lasted me forever and was great for travel!

Jordana Best Lash Extreme & IT Cosmetics Tightline Mascara | I've talked about these both plenty of times, and will have a post up in the next few weeks about my favourite lash looks so I'll keep it short: I love both these and have already repurchased!

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner | I've talked about this stuff enough that I'm sure you know this is my favourite black liquid liner on the market. Expensive, yes, but it lasts me for nearly a year before drying up so it's worth the investment to me!

Skindinavia Makeup Setting Spray | I bought a double pack of the regular setting spray and the oil control version and finished up both recently. I loved using the regular in place of powder when my skin is super dry, and the oil control on top of powder on humid summer days. They're running a 24 hour sale right now that will get you 2 free travel sizes and free shipping (plus use FREE15 for 15% off!) so you bet I'll be placing an order ASAP!

Palladio Eyeshadow Primer | This is a drugstore priced eyeshadow primer that I found to work just as well as the UD Primer Potion. It reminds me a bit of the NARS primer, although it is slightly thicker in texture. I'm picked up the Milani one to test that out, but I would consider purchasing this again in the future. 

Josie Maran Argan Oil | The dropper of this got really gross and sticky near the end so I'm not a fan of the packaging, but the oil itself was very nice. I find a facial oil essential before attempting to cover up acne, but I'm probably going to try another type of oil to see if this is really worth the relatively high price tag. What's your favourite facial oil?

Simple Soothing Eye Balm | I really liked the squeeze tube packaging of this, and the product did exactly as promised. I used it as a night eye cream to hydrate and did like the light texture, but I won't be repurchasing this time around because I'd like to try out something different. Any suggestions?

Kudos to any of you who made it to the end!

What has hit your beauty trash recently? Was it worth a repurchase?

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