Walmart "essentials" haul

(Album I am listening to while writing this blog post: The Very Best of Lightnin' Hopkins)

I might have mentioned that I try to buy very few products as of late; to use up those I already have in my collection, mostly. Well, that still holds true: in fact, the only reason I stopped by Walmart earlier today  (despite the heat!) was because I ran out of a few things that my routine would dearly miss.

I was out of conditioner and I need conditioner at all times, otherwise my hair will not be happy. All Herbal Essences shampoos and conditioners were on sale for $2.00, so I didn't look any further and picked one out of their endless range. Each product of theirs triggers something specific -- roots, volume, split ends and what-not -- and I'm not sure they're all that different in the end, but every one of them smells really nice. I'm not one to boycott all drugstore hair products: I've used them forever and my hair remains healthy. Plus I wouldn't want to spend a fortune on conditioners alone, considering the rate at which I use them up! This one is called "Hello Hydration" and the scent is a blend of coconut and orchid, not bad at all!

I wonder, what is your favourite make-up remover? Mine is, without a doubt, the Oil-Free Eye Make-up Remover by Neutrogena. And I've tried many. I'm planning a complete review on this one, but let's just say this is my third bottle and I absolutely don't want to look elsewhere. It removes make-up flawlessly, as any product that bears that name should, and leaves no trace of a greasy film around your eyes. Two basic requirements, yes, but unfortunately most fail to meet them!

I was just walking along the alleys, browsing for anything I might not need, when I stumbled upon the Udder Cream by Udderly Smooth. I believe that Gaby has talked highly of their products (marketed for dry/chapped skin) and she is a wonderful reviewer, so this caught my eye. For some reason I thought that there was no way to get it but online, so I didn't really seek out this product before, but when I saw it in store I decided to give it a go. Besides, how can I resist at that price ($2.83 for 4 ounces)?

So far so good: I applied it on some dry patches I had on my arms, and the cream was instantly absorbed by my skin. Also, love that the packaging is old-school and perhaps amateurish; it does not give me the impression of paying more just for an elaborately designed tube.

I needed a base coat and a new top coat, so I thought of saving some money by going for a two-in-one:  this is the Multi Care Base + Top Coat by Revlon. I'll let you know if it's any good -- I just noticed it had rather poor reviews on MakeUpAlley, which worries me, but of course I still want to see for myself. 

The first time I purchased the Dream Lumi Touch concealer by Maybelline, I talked about it in my March haul: at the time I was looking for a new undereye concealer, and I chose this one based on reviews, hoping I would like it. Well, I did. It's pretty amazing, actually. It hides dark circles while adding a bit of brightness under the eye (very subtle, nothing over-the-top to be sure). My shade is 320 - Ivory.

That was it for this time. If you posted about any recent hauls, leave your links in the comments! I always love to check out what others by, especially in the beauty department ;).

Super quick and easy Iced Mocha recipe :)

A while ago I found a super simple, quick, easy (you name it) recipe for a drink that I absolutely loved to order at Starbucks and the like: the iced mocha. Don't mind the logo on my reusable cold cup: this drink is home-made and considerably cheaper than the coffee shop's alternative. It tastes just as good, the look of it can fool you, and it might be a healthier option as well. The recipe that I had went something like this; but really, you can customize it to your liking (my dosage, for example, is slightly different -- and I skip the extra sugar). Basically, you only need some hot water, ice cubes, milk, chocolate syrup, and instant coffee. Alright, let's get into it!

Step 1: Fill your glass with ice.

Step 2: Take a small dish, and pour in a few spoonfuls of hot water.

Step 3: Add in a few teaspoons of your favourite kind of instant coffee. I use 2 of them: I'm not an avid coffee drinker so I react pretty strongly to it, but as I said, add as much as you like or need.

Step 4: Stir the mixture to let the coffee dissolve in the water.

Step 4: Same process with the chocolate syrup. Add the amount you feel is needed -- it depends of how much of a sweet tooth you have! Once again, I use about 2 teaspoons.

Step 5: Stir. I told you, this is very basic.

Step 6: Pour the chocolate and coffee mixture over the ice.

Step 7: Time to fill your cup with milk! Use non-fat if you want to make it a bit healthier, or use whatever kind you fancy. Side note: Yes, this is a milk in a bag. I live in Canada and I know that some Americans, for one, find that weird beyond belief. Does it really seem that strange?

That's it! Put in a straw, mix it up a bit, and your glass will be filled with delicious swirls of chocolate. Yum!

I hope you try and enjoy! xoxo.

Haul from here and there

Alright, so I went to Sephora as planned yesterday after my final (it was opening June 1st in downtown Montreal) and it was truly insane! I only walked in and through the store quickly, to have a look -- the crowd was so scary that it was impossible to browse the displays calmly. I meant to pick up something but the line looked like quite an adventure as well, so I did not bother. Anyway, it's a very pretty store from what I could see, and I'll surely go again once all the excitement quiets down.

Anyway, today was my first day of summer vacation, but it was rainy and I couldn't enjoy it in the sun, so I opted for a trip to a shopping mall outside the city ;). I decided to share what I bought right away since I never carry out my intentions of blogging my purchases. So there it goes!

I picked up a random body scrub from Bath & Body Works (this is one is the True Blue Spa: Fresh Foaming Body Buff with shea butter) after realizing that Lush's Ocean Salt was waaaay too expensive, even if it's claimed to be amazing. Plus they were giving out coupons for a free product with a minimum purchase of $10, so I went for the Japanese Cherry Blossom Creamy Body Wash. The smell is to die for!

At Zara I found a pair of navy blue flats, perfect for any outfit, and a long white tee. My friends make fun of me because white and black tees are all I seem to wear, but I love the basics!

These two golden studded bracelets have got to be my favourite purchase of the day. I got them at Aldo Accessories and fell in love; they're perfect, exactly my style. 

I'm glad I stopped by Winners as they were reselling the Hunger Games nail polishes! I really liked Smoke and Ashes on blogs, but had to forget about it since I usually cannot find China Glaze polishes here. Post-purchase I can say that the colour is a bit harsh against my pale skin, but it still is a beautiful opaque black with cool-toned shimmer.

Oh, and since there was a Sephora in the shopping mall I was at (and it was much less hectic!) I bought the primer that I wanted from Urban Decay there (their famous Primer Potion in Original).

Et voilà. I hoped you enjoyed your day, rainy or not! xoxo.

The day before summer vacation, otherwise known as "the day before the final" + Sephora has come to Montreal!

Two wonderful events are happening tomorrow. For starters, I'm writing a final for my summer course -- and while this isn't particularly pleasant in itself, I will be free to enjoy my summer vacation afterwards. Also, Sephora is (finally!) opening a store in downtown Montreal, and I've promised myself I'd stop by to have a look, once I'll be done with the exam. How can I resist, when it's located a few blocks from campus? I won't buy anything extraordinary -- just an eye shadow primer, really -- but this is much too exciting to miss. 

Meanwhile, I have to get through this final, and for that I must do as much studying as I can in the time that I have left. I'd better get off this blog post, in fact... Yes, in a minute. You can see I'm keeping myself hydrated with this enormous 24 oz reusable cup from Starbucks by my side... and that my brain stays high on sugar ;). 

Strawberry shortcake sundae, yum!

Alright, I'm going back to it. To all people writing a final paper tomorrow or this week, I wish you the best of luck!

Where to buy in Canada: Acrylic lipstick organizer

Lately, I have been looking to organize my make up in a neat, elegant, yet visible way. I want my collection to be beautifully displayed, and my products to be within my sight and reach, so they could be used more often rather than forgotten.

I have been wanting an acrylic lipstick organizer for the longest time; sadly, I only managed to find them online. I say sadly, because I live in Canada, and boy, can it be expensive to get an item to travel all the way here! No, MUJI, I won't pay $25 shipping on top of your already overpriced acrylic cases. No, eBay seller, there's no way I'll give you $30 for one of these either.

I was starting to consider making my own (I wonder how that would have turned out) when I came across a Canadian youtuber showing the lipstick holder I wanted in a video. She mentioned that she found hers at Winners -- we have several of them downtown, so I decided to check them out. Still, I wasn't overly hopeful because every one of those stores is different: since they mostly sell other brands' overstock, the content of the shelves varies from week to week. I had no luck in the first location I visited, but when I scanned the home decor section of another one, there they were! The selection was rather small, but they had a few very nice displays, not only for lipsticks but also for miscellaneous cosmetics. All of them were from the brand "Danielle by Upper Canada", and ranged from $10 (the one that I got!) to $30 (for larger displays). $10 is still not entirely cheap, but the case feels sturdy and I love the way the 3 rows are levelled, so I thought I'd share. This organizer holds 24 lipsticks (I didn't have quite enough, so I made room for a few glosses!).

So if you're Canadian and looking for an acrylic make up case, I recommend having a look at your local Winners store!