January, 2015 - sparkleshinylove

Roxymandy January 19, 2015

Review of Wet n Wild’s Color Icon Bronzer With SPF 15

Once I opened up a package to find wet n wild’s color icon bronzer and saw that it was called “Ticket to Brazil”, I knew I was going to like this product. I thought to myself, yes, I want to go to Brazil! Who wouldn’t? At this time of year when everyone is likely running on a Vitamin D deficient system with frostbitten cheeks, anything to do with Brazil sounds like a good idea.

This lovely compact is absolutely huge in size which make’s me very happy since it retails at approximately $3.99 CDN.

I had a feeling I was going to love this colour when I saw it in the compact, but once I used it then things were confirmed – this is the perfect bronzer! The color is so complimentary that it would work with many different skin tones, but you can also find shades like Reserve your Cabana, and Bikini Contest. I love the names!

It’s a very blendable bronzer so you can mix it with a blush if you want a bit of a rosier color, or you can wear it on it’s own just to give you that sun-kissed look.

I can’t imagine how long it’s going to take me to finish this compact. Not a lot of bronzer is needed to give you some color, and combined with the size of it I’m thinking it will last me forever. That’s a good thing because I’m in love with it. It’s one of those things where you love it so much you want to go out and buy a whole bunch of them just in case it’s ever sold out, or worst-case scenario, discontinued! If that were to happen you would be stuck searching for more on eBay, only to find some at an outrageous price you have to pay because you can’t live without it. I’ve been there, and it’s not fun.

I think one of the best parts about this bronzer is that is has SPF 15. I have never seen a bronzer with SPF in the formula before. I really try to buy makeup with SPF in it for added protection. In the summer I always wear sunscreen on my face, but in the winter I don’t follow this routine. Any help I can get in the winter with SPF protection is a no-brainer, so it’s another great reason to love this product.

I really think this bronzer is a must have, and at this price point it’s definitely worth giving it a try!

You can find more details on wet n wild’s color icon bronzer here!

Roxymandy January 16, 2015

West Elm + Kate Spade Saturday Collaboration

West Elm has launched a collaboration with Kate Spade Saturday, and I have to admit it’s got me tempted to redecorate my house. I’m often tempted to redecorate my house, but in this case I have found multiple items in the collection seem to be exactly my style!

Kate Spade Saturday is known for being a bit more casual and free spirited than the regular Kate Spade fare, and it basically screams fun.

The collaboration includes furniture, bedding, rugs and accessories to add a pop of colour and fun to your home.

I have bought many items from West Elm, and they were all made with great quality and has lasted me without an issue. I love shopping at West Elm, so adding Kate Spade Saturday to the mix means I’m going to have to hide my credit card bill from my husband. That is until he notices the new rug on our living room floor, and then I’m pretty sure he’s going to figure it all out.

Take a look at some of my favourites below which may or may not already be in my online shopping cart.

To see the rest of the collection, click here.

Roxymandy January 15, 2015

How to Make a DIY Pin Board + Workspace Makeover

A lot of things in our house are under transition decor-wise right now. There are few projects in our house that I can actually do other than choosing throw pillows and pictures, but there was one I could pretty much do on my own and that was redecorating my workspace.

The challenge to this is that it is in our kitchen, so I had to make sure it matched the surrounding room, and also I couldn’t make it too girly since I live with three boys (a husband, son and dog).

This workplace was previously created by Style at Home Magazine last year, but since then we have changed the colour of paint they used in the room from blue to grey, so the pin boards they created no longer matched. It was time to revamp the space!

Before photos:

The pin boards themselves were very easy! I chose some fabric from Fabricland that I liked to re-cover the pin boards. I picked a stitched leather just for fun. It was a more costly choice at $18 a meter (I needed two), but most fabrics were half the cost so you could do this project with only $20 worth of fabric. I also purchased fabric pins for $2.95, and a roll of ribbon for $2.99 that I would also need.

Luckily I already had cork boards which I covered in the fabric, and stapled it onto the back of the board. It was really easy! Next up I used the fabric pins to attach the ribbon to the board. The ribbon would be how I could place photos on the board as well.

The last thing I had to do was hang it on the wall – that was it. A very easy project.

I needed to revamp my space a little so I purchased some notepads for the desk detailed in gold from Chapters that you can also find here and here.

My favourite new piece is my Kate Spade Stapler! It’s also from Chapters. I really wanted the tape dispenser too but it was sold out everywhere.

Instead I found a pretty fabulous dog tape dispenser ($12.99) that seemed like a pretty awesome replacement. I also picked up my letter sorter ($6.99) from Target as well.

I kept my Louis Vuitton and Dior hardcover books because I love them, and I brought in a gold tray (previously purchased from West Elm) and some fresh flowers. I also kept the Poppin pen holder and pens I already had from Chapters.

Voila! Workspace makeover complete. It’s actually encouraging me to work a bit more at my desk instead of the couch.

Roxymandy January 14, 2015

Are We Teaching Our Kids To Be Impatient?

My son and I had a conversation last week that really got me thinking. He was watching a movie on TV, and when a commercial came on he said he wanted to watch the movie again. I explained it was just a commercial, and his show would be back on soon. He had no idea what a commercial was! I realized that when he did watch TV, it was normally something I had recorded with our PVR, or from Apple TV or Netflix. So basically this kid had no idea what a commercial was, but he knew he wanted it over now! I tried to explain that he had to wait for his movie to come back on, but he just didn’t understand and totally freaked out.

I was kind of shocked at how impatient he was being. But what could I really expect since I had set up this behaviour? Anytime my son wanted to watch a show, I just started it up with the click of a button. He didn’t have to wait, and I never had to think about it. The kid had made it to the age of 2.5 without even knowing what a commercial was. How crazy is that?

It made me think to a few other similar instances we have had like this. Sometimes I bake with my son, and one time we made muffins and I had to put them in the oven to bake (which I told my son), and he said “no mommy, we go to Starbucks”. He didn’t think we had to wait, we just had to head over to the Starbucks Drive-Thru where we usually pick him up a muffin on Saturday mornings.

So basically I accidentally taught my son that any show or movie he wants to watch is available at the push of a button, and if he wants a muffin he doesn’t need to wait for it to bake, we can just hit the Starbucks Drive-Thru.

I’ve noticed a lot of things in my son’s life sort of arrive instantly as well. If he wants to play a new game on the iPad, I can download one instantly. If he is hungry, I’ve already got snacks in my bag, a drink on hand, or if I’m without we can stop by Starbucks to grab a milk or an apple juice (or a muffin!).

I guess I hadn’t realized that giving him everything he wanted in an instant would be an issue. I’m really not sure what I was thinking.

Well, actually I have some idea of what I was thinking. Drive-Thru’s, the PVR, Netflix – these were all easy ways for me to get things done. Why bother making a snack or waiting until we got home when I could just head through a Drive-Thru? Meanwhile my son was taking this all in and realizing if he’s hungry that is where we go, and food is waiting for us.

The same went for what he’s been watching on TV. I’m not sure if he will ever understand rushing to get home to watch his favourite show. Or missing a big show because he was out living his life – he can just tape it!

I know he won’t really grow up in the same world that I did, but I think I do need to focus on reinforcing the idea of patience. Patiently waiting for something to bake in the oven because it will taste fresher (and hopefully better) than a store-bought muffin. Or planning on watching a show (commercials and all) that we can’t quickly get through, and instead taking snack or game breaks during commercials.

I’m always trying to take advantage of all of the great things we have the option of using now like groceries delivered to your doorstep, and an endless supply of Apps at the push of a button. These things are all great, but I also need to focus on slowing things down and showing my son that good things come to those who wait. Or at least to those who walk into Starbucks to pick out their own muffin instead of using the Drive-Thru.

Roxymandy January 12, 2015

Review of Wet n Wild’s Wild Shine Nail Color

I’m a total nail polish addict, and I’m always trying new brands and formulas. wet n wild’s Wild Shine Nail Color first came out in 1979, so it sounds like they have been doing something right. I don’t think I had ever tried it before, but now they are launching new packaging, a new formula, a high-shine finish in every color, and no Formaldehyde, Toluene, or Phthalates (the bad stuff) included.

The suggested retail price is only $1.99, which means it would be easier to own lots of colours. This is important!

The new wet n wild Wild Shine Nail Color line launches in stores February 2015, but I was lucky enough to try out the new formula over the last couple weeks.

First of all I LOVE the colours! There are so many bright ones!

I liked the polish right away because it was nice and thick. I probably only needed one coat, but I did a few because the polish dried quickly and seemed to look better the more I added. It brushed on very evenly as well.

It really was super shiny too. Using a top coat for shine wasn’t required at all.

Since I love using a polish with a thick formula, I always notice my nails chipping quickly, or my polish job dries with bubbles in it. I didn’t experience any bubbles, and I went four days before my first chip. That isn’t bad at all for me since I’m constantly chipping my polish. I’ve had Tickled Pink on my toes for two weeks and haven’t had any chips at all.

This polish is going to be one of my new favourites. It’s got a great price, it’s got great shine, and is formula was nice and thick which I love. I favour having bright colors on my nails, and there were lots to choose from. Definitely worth buying. Look for it’s launch in February 2015!