Holiday Gift Guide for Her 2017

December 11, 2017 / thecorkedreader89 / 2 Comments

Tis the season of lots of shopping, fa la la la la, la la la la… Ever get stumped and not sure what to get one of the ladies in your life? Me too! Similar to last year’s Holiday Gift Guide for Her, I thought I’d take another crack at this for 2017! This was extra hard because I’m done my Christmas shopping (or like…. 99% done) so I didn’t want to include anything I’ve actually purchased so that it isn’t spoiled. As well, I did a lot of my shopping at local craft shows. If you have any going on near you, go check them out! It was super inspiring and I got nearly all my gifts for both her and him purchased! But if that isn’y an option, here are a few easier to attain suggestions!

Sephora Brand | Crazy for Clay! Mask Set Who doesn’t love treating themselves to a face mask? This set would be great as it comes with four different masks and each one has enough product for a few uses!
Bath & Body Works 3-Wick Candle I had this on my list last year but I thought I’d mention my new favourite scent for this season. I still love Marshmallow Fireside but…. Campfire Donut is pretty amazing too!
Photobook I love giving gifts that are personal! I personally love giving photobooks that document your relationship with the person you are giving the gift to. This is perfect for anyone that you’re super close to on your shopping list!
Sephora Favourites | Give Me Some Nude Lip Set Got a makeup fiend on your shopping list? Sephora makes so many great favourites sets! This nude lipstick set has some great products in it and includes one full sized product.
Scarf This is the perfect time of year for scarves and really, who could say they have too many? They are a staple in almost every lady I know’s wardrobe and the more variety, the better, I say!
Gift Cards Another repeat from last year but it still stands! If you are stumped, most people I know love a good gift card! I know my husband and I always appreciate restaurant gift cards as it results in a nice date night out!

Continue reading →

Festive Lipsticks for 2017

December 8, 2017 / thecorkedreader89 / 4 Comments

Last year I posted about my Top 5 Holiday Lipsticks so I thought this year I would continue that and add a few more festive lipsticks to the list. These are three lipsticks that I think are perfect for the holiday season and you can bet I will be wearing them a lot over the next month.

Aren’t they beautiful?! Swatches to follow at the end of this post!

Hail Cosmetics | Eternal Matte Lipstick in Wined

Starting off my list is Hail Cosmetics Wined which is in their Eternal Matte Lipstick formula. It isn’t your traditional holiday season red but I think that’s why I love it so much. It is more of a merlot red and pairs well with any holiday inspired look. Not to mention, Hail Cosmetics is hand-crafted right here in Thunder Bay! The formula is great, it reminds me a lot of the NARS Audacious Lipsticks, except for these are cruelty-free, so if that is something you look for, then be sure check out this line of lipsticks! Continue reading →

November Favourites: Makeup, Skincare & More!

December 6, 2017 / thecorkedreader89 / Leave a comment

November… where did it go? I blogged my way right through it and here we are already nearly a week into December. With some upcoming travel on the horizon, I have to say, I’m pretty excited that time has been moving fast. So what was I loving in the month of November? It ended up being another minimal month as I was sick a lot of the month and wearing makeup when you’re constantly blowing your nose is kind of counter-productive. Alas, I did end up discovering a few products that became instant-favourites!

Makeup

Too Faced Primed & Peachy Cooling Matte Perfecting Primer, Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Blotting Powder & Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Spiced Plum

Too Faced | Primed & Peachy Cooling Matte Skin Perfecting Primer

I purchased the Too Faced Primed & Peachy Cooling Matte Skin Perfecting Primer during the Sephora VIB Rouge Sale on a whim and boy am I glad I did! It smells delightful and does an excellent job at keeping my skin matte throughout the day. Though the weather has been cold and dry, my skin gets shiny throughout the day all year round. This has instantly become a staple in my makeup routine and was recently featured in my Oily Skin Essentials post. Continue reading →

Love of Reading: November 2017

December 4, 2017 / thecorkedreader89 / Leave a comment

November ended up being more of a reading month than I anticipated it would be. My book-wormy-ness took over and I had my nose in a book quite often last month. I think this had to do with how sick I was all month and how I wasn’t up for much else. I managed to finish four books in November so I think I should still remain ahead of my goal for the year! Let’s take a look at what I wrote…

Britt Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

For as long as anyone can remember, Britt-Marie has been an acquired taste. It’s not that she’s judgemental, or fussy, or difficult – she just expects things to be done in a certain way. A cutlery drawer should be arranged in the right order, for example (forks, knives, then spoons). We’re not animals, are we?

But behind the passive-aggressive, socially awkward, absurdly pedantic busybody is a woman who has more imagination, bigger dreams and a warmer heart than anyone around her realizes.

So when Britt-Marie finds herself unemployed, separated from her husband of 20 years, left to fend for herself in the miserable provincial backwater that is Borg – of which the kindest thing one can say is that it has a road going through it – and somehow tasked with running the local football team, she is a little unprepared. But she will learn that life may have more to offer her that she’s ever realised, and love might be found in the most unexpected of places. Source

After reading A Man Called Ove a couple of months ago I knew I had to pick up another Fredrik Backman novel. Britt Marie Was Here was very similar in style and I really quite enjoyed it. In fact, I may even call it the female version of A Man Called Ove.

Continue reading →

NaBloPoMo Challenge in Review

November 30, 2017 / thecorkedreader89 / 4 Comments

Well, as today is the last day of National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) that also means that it is the last day of the challenge! For those who didn’t know, I participated in the challenge which meant posting 30 posts this month, one for every day of November. This is far above my usual 3-4 posts per week but I was up for the challenge and I succeeded! What made this challenge extra challenging was the fact that I’ve been sick since the first of the month! Luckily I had prepared some posts in advance of the month started, had a schedule planned and was still able to chip away at working on posts when I was feeling better. So today, I want to talk a bit more about this past month, what I learned and so on.

First off, I learned that to do a challenge like this, I had to have a plan in place before committing to it. I usually have a calendar of my planned posts, but typically I’m only planning each week at a time. This time, I planned the whole thing up front. But with that said, I remained flexible and did deviate my plan as I got other post ideas or had other inspirations. I’m going to continue this as I go back to my regular posting schedule and keep this flexible organization system going. Continue reading →

The Craft Revival Haul

November 29, 2017 / thecorkedreader89 / 2 Comments

This past weekend I checked out the Craft Revival, which is when local vendors and artisans takeover the shops and restaurants in Thunder Bay’s downtown area. I believe there was about 140 artisans this time around spanning across 13 locations all within walking distance of each other. This was actually my first time attending the Craft Revival so I had an idea of what to expect but hadn’t actually experienced it yet. I went with the mission of picking up some Christmas gifts that had a local flare to them and of course, came hope with a few goodies for myself! I just couldn’t help it.

Hail Cosmetics

Eternal Matte Lipstick | Wined

Hail Cosmetics | Eternal Matte Lipstick in Wined

I featured Hail Cosmetics in a Love for Lipstick earlier this year. Hail Cosmetics is an independent cosmetics company based in Thunder Bay. I couldn’t help but finally pick up another one of their Eternal Matte Lipsticks! I really should own more of these, they are great! I ended up choosing the shade Wined after Elsie, Hail’s founder, swatched it on her hand to show us. How could I not love a lipstick shade that resembles one of my favourite beverages? I can’t wait to show this off for you guys! Continue reading →

Palette Spotlight: Urban Decay Naked Palette

November 28, 2017 / thecorkedreader89 / Leave a comment

Today’s Palette Spotlight is certainly not a new palette but, if I’m going to go through my palette collection with you guys, I have to start somewhere. The original Urban Decay Naked Palette seems like a very logical place to start for me. This has been my go-to palette again for the last little while. I’ve been sick all month so when I just want to throw a little makeup on to look less deathly, this is the neutral palette I’ve been going for.

I’m not so fond of the packaging for this palette as I find fuzzy material like this hard to keep clean and it attracts everything. I’m glad they strayed from this and started using plastic for the Naked palettes that came after the original. Continue reading →

Oily Skin Essentials

November 27, 2017 / thecorkedreader89 / 2 Comments

Getting through a reasonable amount of time without looking like a shiny mess is one of the struggles of having oily skin. Therefore, I’m always on the prowl for products that claim to mattify. Today I thought I’d share with you a few of the products I am currently using which I’ve found help keep my oil at bay and keep my face looking matte.

L’Oreal | Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation

A long time favourite of mine, this foundation not only matches my colouration well, but also just seems to wear the best on me. I do have a few high end foundations that I use but this is my tried and true staple. What I love about it is that while it is matte, it isn’t so matte that it doesn’t look like natural skin. It is more of a demi-matte. Continue reading →

What Makeup & This Blog Mean to Me

November 26, 2017 / thecorkedreader89 / 4 Comments

To close off my Sunday’s of lifestyle posts for NaBloPoMo, I wanted to post something that has been in my drafts for eons and I’ve been making edits to for years. It’s something that is always on my mind and it is what makeup and this blog means to me.

I’ve had this blog for a bit over two years now and I can honestly say I am proud of it and I love working on it. I put my heart and soul in it. This is the place where I am openly talk about my passion about beauty products. This is a place that I can share my knowledge with other people who share my passion about beauty products and I’ve virtually met a lot of incredible people through. Continue reading →

Violet Voss Ride or Die Palette: 5 Makeup Looks

November 25, 2017 / thecorkedreader89 / 2 Comments

I picked up the Violet Voss Ride or Die Palette a few weeks ago during the Sephora VIB Rouge Sale and today I wanted to share with you five different looks that I have created with this versatile eye shadow palette. I do plan on posting a full review and swatches of this beautiful palette but I thought sharing makeup looks first would be more fun!

Violet Voss Ride or Die Palette: Makeup Look #1

Transition: Erika
Crease: Abigail
Lid: Jasmine
Outer-V: Amy & Andrea (layered)
Under-Eye: Andrea
Eye Liner: L’Oreal Voluminous Smouldering Eye Liner in Black (water line) & YSL Eyeliner Effet Faux Cils Shocking (upper lash line)
Lashes: L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise & Esqido Lashes in “Oh So Sweet”*
Blush: Becca Mineral Blush in Flowerchild
Highlight: Kat Von D Metal Crush Eyeshadow in Thunderstruck
Lip: Too Faced Melted Latex Liquified High Shine Lipstick in Unicorn Tears Continue reading →