out of this world
This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
Hello! I’ve been inactive this past week or so due to a multitude of factors but mostly I’ve been getting over a cold for about two weeks now. The last week seemed to drag on foreverrrrr. I’m feeling much more like myself now thanks to lots of rest and a visit with my family for Canadian thanksgiving. Nothing like some good food and family bonding to help you get back to feeling human again. I will be posting more again this week so keep you eyes peeled! Hope everyone else’s week was awesome.
If you’re looking into purchasing some new items to add to your makeup drawer allow me to suggest a few things. I’ve been a makeup addict since I could get my hands on the stuff, and through the years I have found some gems that work great for almost anyone whether you’re a beginner or a makeup fiend.
Anastasia Beverly Hills DIPBROW pomade
I’ve been using this stuff for years. Even though I regularly try new brow products that come out, I keep going back to this one. It’s easy to adjust how much you use depending on your desired look (hint: a little goes a ridiculously long way). I’m also a fan that a pot of this lasts a very long time. I can typically go a little over six months before needing to consider buying another. I use this along with an angled brush and I can achieve any brow look I want from soft and fluffy to angular and intense. There’s also a large range of colour options to cater to anyone’s desired eyebrow shade.
Fenty Beauty Flyliner in ‘Cuz I’m Black
I’m always on the search for the next best eyeliner. I’m someone who wears some form of a cat eye on most days so as you can imagine I’ve gone trough A LOT of eyeliner products. The Fenty Flyliner has been my favourite for the last year because it has an easy to maneuver felt tip and a jet black inky look. This product doesn’t come out watery or streaky and it doesn’t dry out after only a week or two of use. If you’re not a fan of the inky look a little bit of black eye shadow patted on top will make it matte and not ruin your liner.
Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick
These matte liquid lipsticks are some of the longest lasting I’ve come across. They’re not drying although I do suggest putting on a lip balm before applying because while they won’t dry out the lips, they won’t moisturize them either. It has a very thin consistency for those of us who don’t like the thick gooey consistency of most liquid lipsticks. If you’re on the hunt for a nude lip Huda Beauty has a crazy amount of shades. While this lipstick will eventually come off after eating and drinking I like that it doesn’t come off patchy and it slowly fades in an unnoticeable manner. I can usually get about eight hours out of this lipstick before it starts coming off and I really don’t need it to stay on longer than that without any reapplications.
Nars The Multiple in Orgasm
The idea behind this product is that because it’s a cream you can use it as a blush, lip colour or even an eyeshadow. The consistency is really creamy and smooth and it is a (almost) universally flattering shade on all skin tones. This product is great for travel since it’s multi use and in really convenient packaging. The colour is buildable which allows you to go for a more subtle and natural look or you can amp it up and go bold. If you’re new to the world of blush I highly recommend this blush since it’s so easy to blend out and it’s very forgiving if you end up being too heavy handed for your liking.
Marc Jacobs Beauty O!Mega Glaze in Worth the Wait
I was hesitant to buy things from the Marc Jacobs brand for a long time because the price is a little higher than other brands like Urban Decay and Fenty. If you’re willing to splurge, this highlight is the way to go. Although it’s a few dollars more than the average highlighter the pan is huge and you’re definitely getting your money’s worth here. I love this highlighter for when I’m not wanting a glittery look. Don’t get me wrong there is some shimmer in here but it creates more of a glass skin look than a chunky glittery one. I’ve always struggled with highlights because I’m a very pale human being. I love gold hues in highlights but it always looked like costume makeup on me which at the time was not my desired look. I love this highlight because it does have a slight hint of gold but it’s a cool-toned gold which is much more flattering for those of us that don’t have warm toned skin. I also love how natural this highlight looks, it goes with almost any makeup look and it’s not overpowering like many highlighters can be. This shade in particular is probably catered towards people with lighter skin but I’d love to see what it looks like on someone with a darker complexion. Because it’s more of a natural glow and not a highly white pigmented highlight I think it could be flattering on several skin tones.
And there you have my favourite makeup products. Leave your top makeup products in the comments below so we can share the makeup knowledge wealth! Happy Wednesday everyone!
I’ve always enjoyed Mondays, this is probably due to the fact that I don’t have a traditional Monday to Friday work week. Even if you do have some serious Monday blues, I have a few things that you can use to make your Monday a little more magical.
Audiobook Recommendation
Take Control of Your Life by Mel Robbins
If it wasn’t completely obvious already, I’m a huge Mel Robbins fan. I love her tell-it-like-it-is method of talking to people. Her audiobook features her sitting down with eight individuals who are at a crossroads in their lives for various reasons and helps them discover where they would rather be, and why they haven’t gotten there yet. It’s a very therapeutic listen but it does at times cover heavy topics such as trauma and abuse. Never the less this is an incredibly inspiring listen and the guests featured are very relateable even if their struggles are not. This is a perfect option for a commute to work or if you’ve got a few minutes to spare. Give it a listen!
Instagram account
Hello October
Hello October is one of my favourite instagram accounts to follow. Suzie has curated a very beautiful Instagram feed. My favourite part is on Mondays she posts to her stories a curated feed of inspirational quotes which is so aptly named “Motivational Mondays”. Her account is exactly what you’ve been missing if you’d like to see more boss ladies doing incredible things. You can find Hello October’s Instagram account here.
Youtube Channel
Erin May Henry
I’ve recently stumbled upon Erin’s YouTube channel recently and I’m so glad I did! Erin is an entrepreneur and expert on all things pertaining to starting your own business and being productive. She’s mastered staying on top of multiple businesses and never running out of content to post. She’s major girl boss goals. You can find Erin’s channel here.
What’s your favourite day of the week? Are you a Monday person like me, or do you love the weekend? I’d love to hear from you, and happy Monday!
I’m a morning person by nature. I grew up in a household of morning people so I really didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. Mornings offer you something no other time of day can; a fresh start. Once you open your eyes it’s the beginning of a new day full of new possibilities and the chance to do things differently than yesterday. Although I myself am a morning person, most of the people in my friend circle and my co-workers are not. They look at me like I’ve grown a second head when I tell them I wake up at 6 AM by choice. The night owls in my life tell me they could never imagine getting up early and actually enjoying it. I’ll let you in on a secret though, anyone can become a morning person with the right habits. This isn’t to say being a morning person is better than being a night owl, far from actually. I believe we all have a preferred time of day and for me, that’s morning. Unfortunately sometimes our lives don’t line up with how our ideal day would play out which is why I’m sharing with you how I manage my mornings to show you how you can also become a morning person.
Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is probably the number one thing people struggle with on a daily basis. For many years I struggled with insomnia and getting any sleep at all was a victory most nights. The average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep per night. This can be a tricky feat if you’re waiting until late at night to get work done or studying out of the way. I have found the most success when I go to bed early, preferably around 10 PM so that I can wake up at 6 AM the next morning. I know what you’re thinking, that’s way too early to go to bed! It might seem like it at first but once you start getting up early you’ll find you have just as much time in the day as you did when you stayed up late. For anyone who isn’t used to getting to bed early i recommend going to bed a half hour earlier each night until you get yourself to bed at a time that works best for you.
Don’t Snooze!
This is a trick I learned from Mel Robbins in her book The 5 Second Rule. From the time your alarm starts going off you have about 5 seconds to act before you’re just not going to get out of bed. Of all the times I’ve hit the snooze button, there’s very few that left me actually feeling well rested compared to when the alarm first went off. If you’re a serial snoozer like I am, the best advice I can give is to get that alarm as far away from your bed as possible. If you have to physically get out of bed to turn your alarm off you’re much more likely to just stay up. For those of you who need your phone near you in cases of emergency or to listen to something to help you sleep, I highly suggest investing in an alarm clock and no longer setting alarms on your phone. You’d be amazed how much time you can waste in day just hitting the snooze button over and over, never actually feeling any more rested. If you’re interested in learning more about Mel’s 5 Second Rule which works with way more than just your alarm, you can find it here.
Get Dressed
There’s something about getting dressed that signals to your brain that now it’s time to wake up and get things done. Typically I will lay my clothes out the night before so I don’t have to try and come up with an outfit idea when my brain is still half asleep. This also helps me come up with cute outfits without having to do all the trial and error because I’ve already done that the night before. Even if you don’t plan on going out anywhere, putting on comfy clothes that aren’t pajamas will still do the trick.
Breakfast
You know what they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After 8 hours of sleep your body is going to be severely dehydrated and hungry. After you get dressed it’s time to give your brain some fuel. You’re not going to get your best work done if you’re running on empty. I like to start with some water while I’m making my breakfast which usually consists of bacon and eggs or oatmeal. Your breakfast doesn’t need to be complicated or Instagram worthy as long as it’s giving your body some nutrients. This way you’ll avoid getting “hangry” before lunch and you’ll be able to focus on the task at hand.
Set up your work space
Now that you’re all fueled up, it’s time to start thinking about doing some work. For me, this is when I grab my computer from the bedroom and set it up in my dining room. This is a place where I know I can sit down and do work without any distractions like TV. There’s lots of light coming through the windows which helps me feel more alert while I work. After I’ve got my computer set up I’ll throw on a playlist that helps me focus and stay motivated. I try for more mellow playlists and ones that play songs I don’t know the words to so I can focus on the task at hand. After my desk and music are set up, this is when I’ll take the time to make a cup of tea or coffee to keep with me while I work. You want to make the experience as enjoyable as possible, after all doing work really isn’t a punishment and you’ll feel amazing once you’ve got a few tasks knocked off your list!
Review your tasks
If you read my other post on productivity you’ll know I’m a firm believer in writing out your to-do list the night before. Ideally in this step you will have the to-do list you made the night before sitting in front of you. This is the time I take to re-assess what I’d like to get done today and the order in which I think it makes most sense to complete the tasks. I suggest getting the most difficult task out of the way first if you can. Once you get the tough job out of the way everything else feels like a walk in the park. This way even if you only manage to get one thing checked off your list you’ll feel a huge sense of relief.
Now it’s time to get to work! I hope this gave you some ideas on how you can use the morning to increase your productivity and have some fun while you’re at it. Remember to take some breaks and celebrate the little victories as you go. How do you stay productive? and are you a morning person or a night owl? let me know in the comments.
There’s nothing better than moving to a new place and getting to make it your own. The trouble is, most dorms and rental units have strict rules on what you can and can’t use in the decorating process such as nails or screws. That being said there are plenty of options out there to make your space yours, keep reading below for some ideas!
Command Hooks
Command hooks are the next best thing to nails and screws, and they can be moved and removed without damaging the walls! There are many different types of hooks you can buy such as small clear hooks that are virtually invisible on the wall, or you can opt for some serious heavy duty hooks that can hold up to five pounds on a single hook. Make sure you choose the correct type of hook for what you’re hanging up or it may just come crashing down in the middle of the night! These are by far the best option if you have any artwork to hang on your walls.
Lights
Nothing is sure to make your room feel cozy and aesthetically pleasing like some fairy lights on the wall or the ceiling. They are relatively inexpensive depending on where you get them from, I strongly recommend checking amazon since they usually have the best prices. Lighting can change the feel of your space, sometimes the main lights built into our room are harsh. Adding other lighting options gives you the chance to make the room more cozy in the night time without feeling like you’re sitting in an interrogation room. Better yet, if you have a large space you’d like to cover, amazon has curtains of lights you can purchase. I got mine for about $22 CAD and it’s 9 feet long! Definitely a good option for a selfie wall.
Feature wall
My favourite thing to do for any new place I move into is to create a wall full of things that I love. You can make a collage that features everything you like, or you can fill a wall with one thing you really like. In my case I have an entire wall in my living room filled with records to add some colour to the room with their bright labels. Another great idea I’ve seen is to make a collage of all your favourite people on the wall. This could be friends and family or even people you look up to. The easiest method for this is to use sticky tac. There’s many different names for this but the best brand to use I’ve found is UHU stick tac. It’s a few cents more but the difference in quality is well worth the price. There’s nothing worse than coming home to find all your pictures fell down off the wall. Having a wall full of your favourite things is not only a nice personalized touch, it also helps boost your mood to have things around the room that make you happy.
Plants
Plants can feel intimidating to those who have never had a plant to take care of of their own, but plants bring an incredible cozy feeling to any space. For those who are new to taking care of plants I recommend getting a cactus or a succulent. These plants are incredibly forgiving and they only need to be watered every few weeks. Depending on the size of plant you get they can fill an otherwise bare space and make it look more visually appealing. You can put them in pots that match your room or pick out some crazy coloured pots to add some colour. If that wasn’t enough of a reason to get some plants, they clean and filter the air in your room! Who doesn’t want that?
Those are some of my tips to make you rental or dorm room feel more you! How do you decorate your space? Share in the comments below, I love seeing other people’s spaces!
Some days there’s just so much to do that it seems impossible to know where to start. If you’re in university or trying to catch up on a large list of to-do’s it can feel like there’s simply not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Over the years I’ve managed to find a method that helps me stay productive. Not all these tips may work for everyone but I have found them genuinely helpful and they help keep everything in a manageable state so you can still have some time for fun in your day.
If you’re looking at this article trying to be productive right now, then this tip comes too late, but this is my number one tip because planning ahead can make all the difference. Before you go to bed, make a list of the things you would like to get done the next day and write them down. Having a visual list with things you can physically cross off is incredibly satisfying and it’s been proven too give a mini dopamine boost to keep you going! Personally I prefer writing things down on paper and getting to check them off as I go. This is not the most environmentally friendly option however. If you’d like to go digital with your list, Evernote is a great productivity app with note features which you can check off as you complete your tasks. Better still, it’s free.
2. Make your bed
This tip is all over the internet for a reason. It seems like such a silly step but it really does work. Making your bed is a simple quick way to complete a task as soon as you get up. This gives you a quick little sense of accomplishment before you even leave your room. Having already accomplished one task makes it much easier to start working on your other to-do’s. Plus, having a clean and tidy space it much easier for focus and motivation.
3. Listen to some music
Cleaning or doing work in complete silence is incredibly dull. You can make the whole experience so much more enjoyable by turning on a playlist. The key to not getting distracted by the music however, is to play more mellow playlists like indie and folk. I find it helps me focus if i’m listening to songs that I don’t already know the words to. Spotify has some amazing curated playlists for getting “in the zone”. If you enjoy indie playlists, I highly recommend the youtube channel alexrainbirdmusic. They come out with new playlists for the coming seasons and it’s an incredible way to find new music you may have otherwise missed. Their playlists are perfectly cohesive to keep the vibe going from each song to the next.
4. Start with the hardest task first
Starting with the hardest task first doesn’t always seem like the most desirable way to start your day, but it really does work. When you get your least favourite task out of the way first, you don’t spend your whole day dreading it. Once the hard work is out of the way all the other jobs you have to do seem easy-peasy. By completing the most difficult task first it also ensures that if for some reason you can’t do everything today, you only have a simple task to complete tomorrow.
5. Take mini breaks
You can’t expect yourself to work all day without taking any breaks. You’ll feel completely drained by the end of the day. Allow yourself to take some breaks between tasks to reward yourself for completing them. I like to treat myself to a cup of tea between tasks. The key here is to give yourself enough time to unwind, but not too long that you have a hard time getting back into productivity mode. Try for breaks between 10 and 15 minutes. Make sure to get up and walk around the room and have a nice stretch if you’ve been sitting at a desk. Maybe go for a quick walk around the block to get some fresh air and clear your head. Most importantly, don’t forget to have a snack. You’re brain works best when you’re not hungry or thirsty.
6. Reward yourself
Like the tip above, you want to reward yourself for completing tasks. Once you’ve completed your task for the day it’s time to relax! Enjoy some Netflix without guilt or go visit a friend for a nice walk and some coffee. It’s important to maintain a level of self care even when you’re busy because being productive for one day won’t help you if you burn out later that week. I’m a big fan of having a bath with a relaxing bath bomb from Lush after a long day of getting everything done. It helps me wind down and get ready for bed so I can have a good night’s sleep and do it all again tomorrow.
Did any of these tips work for you? What are your favourite tips to stay productive? Share them below and I’ll give them a try. Thanks so much for reading, now you’re armed with all the tools you need to get stuff done. Go forth and be productive!
Now that it’s October we can really begin to get into the fall spirit. Fall is one of my favourite seasons and what better way to spend your fall than to cozy up with a nice cup of tea or coffee and throw on a mellow playlist. This is a playlist I have compiled for when I need some nice calm background music to chill out or when I need to be productive and don’t want to get too distracted by the music I’m listening to. You can find my playlist on Spotify here.
Romance – Ex:Re
Stranger Still (acoustic) – Blossoms
The Ghost in Your Smile – Jarle Skavhellen
I’m on fire – Soccer Mommy
Dinosaur – Fog Lake
Oakwood – Angus and Julia Stone
Grizzly Bear – Angus and Julia Stone
Lilo – The Japanese House
Someone To Stay – Vancouver Sleep Clinic
Coffee – Sylvan Esso
Other Lives – Hazel English
The Last Great Washington State – Damien Jurado
Paper Aeroplane – Angus and Julia Stone
Graveyard – Halsey
See Me – Talos
Bloom – The Paper Kites
Nostalgic – A R I Z O N A
Rose Petals – S. Carey
Lovesick. (Yoke Lore Remix) – FINLAY
St. Clarity – The Paper Kites
Girlfriend – Sheare
Youth – Daughter
Bobby – beabadoobee
Ghosts – Scavenger Hunt
All The Pretty Girls – KALEO
King and Lionheart – Of Monsters and Men
Paradis Perdu – Christine and the Queens
Share some of your fall music faves with me in the comments! I’m always on the search for new music to try. How have you been spending your fall?
