May Favorites 2012

As usual I've compiled my assortment of most loved and used products from the past month to share with you all. These are my most favorite products of the month of May!

As always, if you see something that you would like a more in depth review of, please leave a comment and I would be more than happy to go into more detail for you! 

Products Mentioned! 

Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream (light/medium)

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser

Smashbox Camera Ready Concealer (3.0)

Mac Bare Study Paint Pot

Mac Melba Blush 

Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara 

Maybelline Baby Lips (peach)

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse 

Revlon Colorstay Base/Top Coat 

Essie "cute as a button"

Essie "fiji"

Personally I cannot wait for June to begin! Lots of exciting things are expected to come! I hope you all had a fantastic May. Let me know some of your monthly favorites in the comments! 

xo, Hannah

Nail Polish Haul!

Given my recent splurge on new polishes, I figured there was no better time to do a nail polish haul to show you all what I've recently added to my collection! 

Polishes Mentioned! 

Revlon Base and Top Coat 

Revlon "Marmalade"

Revlon "Minted"

Revlon "Blue Lagoon"

Revlon "Sparkling"

Revlon "Radiant"

China Glaze "Flip Flop Fantasy"

Essie "Blanc"

Essie "Licorice"

Essie "Cute as a Button"

Essie "Watermelon"

Go ahead and click on the video to see the full haul as well as close ups and swatches of each polish. If you would like a more in depth review of any of the products mentioned, please let me know in the comments and I would be happy to do that for you! 

Until next time,

xo, Hannah

MAC 'Hey Sailor' Collection Items

The moment I saw this collections preview on temptalia.com I knew I must obtain at least a couple of the items. Of course this situation involves two things that I am a huge sucker for - as soon as I hear the words 'limited edition' I am pulled in, and when it also involves super cute packaging... well say no more, I'm sold! 

The thing I really love about these type of collections MAC does is that not only is the box covering the actual product different in design from the normal black with white lettering, but the actual product is packaged differently as well. 

An example of them only doing outer packaging design would be the shop/cook collections that were in stores around March - the outer boxing was super adorable, but the packaged product itself was the same old. Understandably changing packaging cannot be a small feat, but when they do go that extra mile it truly hurts my wallet that much more. 

As you can gather from the name of the collection 'Hey Sailor' is very nautically based - thus the products of this collection are all in navy blue with stripes, with some products (like the lipglass seen above) adorning white detail as well. The lettering is also done up in gold, providing an excellent extra touch. 

I picked up the blush in 'Fleet Fast' which I knew right from the start I was going to have to get my hands on as the color is right up my alley. It is a pinky golden coral, dare I say the perfect summer shade. 

I also decided to grab one more item after getting a chance to view the collection first hand - I chose the 'Orange Tempera' lipglass, which as you can see has not even the slightest hint of orange to it. It is a lovely pale peach color. 

Top - Fleet Fast, Bottom - Orange Tempera

(Natural lighting) 

I ended up driving the 40 or so minutes to my nearest MAC counter for these items as by the time I had decided to grab anything from the collection they were already sold out of the 'Fleet Fast' blush online (this occurred in under a week). Upon returning home with the lipglass I did not anticipate getting, I checked online to see if they were still in stock, and unfortunately they were also out of this! (I am referring to the Canadian website so everyone is aware). 

My suggestion - If you have even the slightest want to pick up anything from this collection, do it quickly because it truly is a lovely selection of products, and they seem to be flying out of stores. Although I have not had a good opportunity to try these out over a course of days, I am confident these are going to be two go-to products over the coming months! 

xo, Hannah

Monday Questionnaire: May 28th 2012

I really wanted to do a post today, but had absolutely no clue what to write about, and my next swatches/review post is not quite ready to be finalized yet. So in light of these reason, and the fact that I think I've maybe done one questionnaire ever on my blog, I decided this would be perfect. 

(Compliments of Amarixe - check out Allison's blog here)

1.) Mood: I've been in a lovely mood today, despite being woken at an unusually early hour this morning - it was thanks to a passing thunderstorm though, I love storms so it made for a relaxing way to enjoy my tea this morning.

2.) Did you do anything fun this weekend? I had a rather mellow weekend, my boyfriend and I just spent some time at the family cottage relaxing and soaking in the lovely weather we've been having here lately. 

3.) What is the closest object to you that is pink? A bright neon pink tank of mine from H&M is hanging from the back of my dressing table chair (obviously I have some tidying to do).

4.) Current nail polish: I have quite a combo on my fingers right now, Essie 'cute as a button' plus Essie 'blanc' on my middle finger, I then have polka dots on top of the white polish (I will insert a picture so this makes more sense). And on my toes I'm rocking Essie 'fiji' (can you tell I love Essie?)

5.) If you could snap your fingers and be anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? I'd have to say anywhere my best friends are right now - so many of them live far away with various jobs and families of their own on the go, I would truly love to see them like old times. 

6.) Current outfit: Floral H&M maxi dress, very simple and relaxed day - trying to combat how humid it is here today. 

7.) What is the last movie you saw in theaters? It's been quite a while since I've been to a movie actually, last one I saw would have been The Hunger Games. 

8.) If you could only be one age for the rest of your life, which would you choose, and why? I would have to say the age I am now, 23, is pretty great. I feel like I'm at a really great place, I'm finally comfortable in my own skin and far more confident in myself than I was even a year ago. Obviously hindsight is 20/20 so 10 years from now I will probably feel I have it even more together than I do now though. 

9.) When is the last time you played on a swing set? Funnily enough it was about two weeks ago when I went to the park with one of my friends and her daughter - I firmly believe you are never too old for a good swing once in a while! 

10.) Weekly goals: I have still many small things to get done before my pregnancy is over with, so hopefully I can tackle some of the final things on my list this week. I also want to get up a couple blog posts that I've been meaning to do, and of course film a few videos for my Youtube as well! 

I hope everyone has a lovely final week of May! Can you even believe it's almost June?

xo, Hannah

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Copy and paste the list to answer in a comment below!

1.) Mood:
2.) Did you do anything fun this weekend?
3.) What is the closest object to you that is pink?
4.) Current nail polish:
5.) If you could snap your fingers and be anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
6.) Current outfit:
7.) What is the last movie you saw in theaters?
8.) If you could only be one age for the rest of your life, which would you choose, and why?
9.) When is the last time you played on a swing set?
10.) Weekly goals:

What's In My Purse?!

I decided that after more than a year has gone by since my last video of this kind, it was certainly time to re-do my 'What's In My Purse' video. 

I know I love watching these types of videos myself, and hopefully you all also enjoy watching! 

Purse - H&M 

xo, Hannah

Through the Eyes of my Instagram #3

My homemade delish guacamole - gotta love a healthy snack! 

Favorite mug + early morning + decaf coffee = excellent start to every day 

Beautiful first day of cottage life this summer season - would not want to be anywhere else on any given Saturday 

moi 

Nails - new Revlon purchases of the week 

Birthday flowers :)

New art work for the new home - also these are some true words to live by

Wouldn't be an Instagram post without my weekly belly shot - 31 weeks and I can't believe it! Will be seeing my baby girls so soon! 

My Instagram - hannah_griffin 

follow me to see my daily adventures and loves

xo, Hannah

Nail of the Day - Revlon Blues Combo

Seeing Revlon polish on sale is a really great way to coax me into spending some of my pocket change - that's what happened today when I saw them for $3.99CAD at my local drug store. I of course ended up with quite a few (I plan on doing a nail polish haul asap), but this is just two I snatched up that I couldn't resist doing a nail look on immediately after getting home. 

(Natural lighting)

I am a huge Revlon polish fan, I personally find them to be great quality, affordable and accessible. They also have a great range of shades that a lot of other lower end brands don't. 

(Natural lighting - Blue Lagoon)

I could not resist this light blue color, it was calling my name as soon as I saw the rack. I also only have one other blue that is in this same shade range, but this one is not completely opaque - it does have very (very) fine milled shimmer to it, so fine I could not even manage to get a clear photo of it. It seems to just add a little something to the polish, and catches the light nicely. 

(Natural lighting - Radiant)

This glitter polish is also amazing - made up of a couple varying sizes of glitter with slight hints of silver and green as well. It does have a very light blue base to it so it isn't just clear polish plus shimmer. I applied it over 'Blue Lagoon' which saved me doing more than one coat, but I think this would turn out nicely on bare nails with two good coats for full coverage. I'm hoping this is also not too hard to remove.

Let me know your favorite Revlon polish - I think these might move to the top of my list! 

xo, Hannah

Get Ready With Me: Taupe Smokes

Products I Used

Eyes
- Urban Decay Primer Potion (eden)
- Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow (tough as taupe)
- MAC e/s (copperplate)
- MAC e/s (quarry)
- MAC e/s (naked lunch)
- MAC e/s (mylar)
- Naked Palette 1 e/s (sidecar)
- Loreal Carbon Black Liner
- Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara

Face
- Nars Laguna Bronzer
- Rimmel Blush (peach sorbet)

Lips
- Revlon l/s Soft Nude

Hope you guys like this look,

xo, Hannah

DIY Stackable Braided Beaded Bracelets [Super Easy!]

If you would like to watch the video tutorial of these bracelets just click here!

What you will need;

• Beads - any size or style you prefer, get as creative as you like!
• One 26 Inch and one 19 Inch piece of hemp cord - again be as creative with colors as you like!
• A button
• Also you might want to have on hand some tape, scissors, and some sort of measuring device

Begin by folding the 26 Inch piece of thread in half, forming a loop. Align one end of the shorter 19 Inch strand with the two ends of the longer strand, creating two parallel loops.

Tie a knot approximately a half inch from the top of the loops (note this loop must be big enough to fit around your button, but small enough so that the bracelet is not falling from your wrist).

Snip off the fourth shorter strand, leaving yourself with three equal strands to work with. 

Secure your cord to a flat surface using some tape (you will find it much easier to work this way once you begin beading).

Begin by doing a simple braid (approximately an inch an a half - but this is completely up to you depending how on many beads you would like to use).

Now you can begin adding your beads into the mix. Thread a bead onto the outer most strand that is needing to be braided next. Push the bead up against the braid and cross the strand over to the middle as you normally would. You can then thread a bead onto the opposite outer strand which is to be braided next, push it to the base of the braid and cross the strand over.

Continue threading beads on then crossing over, making sure to keep the braid tight (I recommend using one finger to hold the last bead in its place - see video linked above for a more detailed view).

The further you get with your beads, the easier it becomes to keep the bracelet tight and in order - this does all take practice but is very easy once you get the hang of it!

Finish the bracelet off with another inch or so of normal braiding (ensuring at this stage you measure it against your wrist for proper length).

Then thread your button onto the strands once you feel you've braided enough - thread the strands through the button holes. Tie several small, and then one final secure knot at the back of the button. Trim the ends. 

And your bracelet is finished!

I suggest making these in all sorts of colors so you can mix and match them easily with all your other jewelry! 

xo, Hannah

New Blush in My Collection - MAC Melba Swatches & Review

I've always been a fan of blush, lately this has become much more obvious though as I have begun to try and expand my collection as I felt I hadn't added anything new in quite a while. First I added a Rimmel blush which I found for a lovely price at my local drug store (I speak about it here). 

Obviously there was an itch still needing to be scratched so I looked to the internet for a cult favorite that I should be ashamed to not own - I found Melba. 

It is a highly popular blush among bloggers and vloggers alike, and certainly something I've always been missing without even knowing it. 

It is exactly the color I love in blush that makes me have the ability to wear it every day, and really, throughout the entire year as well.

It is a lovely natural peachy shade which adds a glow to pretty well any skin tone - very easily I might add, because, if any of you have never owned a MAC blush, it does not take a heavy hand to get some great color pay off. 

(Left is the blush swatched, Right is the same swatch blended into the skin) 

Please feel free to inform me of your must have blushes, I love hearing about great products, and I also love shopping for them (obviously..). 

xo, Hannah

New to my Collection - MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study

Long before I had ever owned, or even new truly what MAC Paint Pot's were about, even long before I began making my own youtube videos, I saw many a tutorial including these. There was also no shortage of raving regarding this product as well. So when I finally made a purchase at MAC that wasn't simply an eyeshadow, I of course went for a Paint Pot (Painterly). 

I've had my beloved Painterly for quite a while now, and can honestly say I use it nearly every day. I decided it was time to branch out and try another Paint Pot, thus came the purchase of 'Bare Study' - another product I've heard spoken about more than a couple of times. 

I am super happy I decided to try this one out - it suits many of my daily makeup looks perfectly - being that it is a neutral, shimmery champagne color. This is the kind of product you can easily apply to your eye in seconds, toss on a bit of mascara and run off to do whatever it is you need to do as well (it's not just an amazing base color). 

(Natural lighting) 

I find the color extremely similar to 'Naked Lunch', which we all know is a MAC staple shadow that is known and loved by many. 

This product is marketed essentially as a cream shadow/base - some argue that some sort of eye primer should be used below these, as they are not truly that effective as a base for eyeshadows alone, and will tend to crease. I myself find there to be no problem using these as both base and "primer" in one. My skin is not particularly oily however, if yours is than this is where you may run into problems and require a little something extra. 

I am now completely ready to spend the $21 CAD on another couple of these beauties, and trust me, I have my eyes on a couple of my next potential loves. 

Let me know if you've tried any of these, and if you haven't yet, let me know if you'd be interested in doing so! 

xo, Hannah

Get Ready With Me: My Baby Shower Makeup

Products Used;

[Face]

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation

Garnier Anti Dark Circle Roller

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

Rimmel Brow Pencil

Nars Laguna Bronzer

MAC Blush in Melba

Hard Candy Bronzer (use as a highlight) 

[Eyes]

MAC Painterly Paint Pot

MAC e/s Soft Brown

UD Naked 1 e/s Sin

UD Naked 1 e/s Smog

UD Naked 1 e/s Virgin

UD Naked 1 e/s Sidecar 

Loreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black Liner

Covergirl 24hr Mascara

xo, Hannah

Through the Eyes of my Instagram #2

I've been a busy bee trying to get all things baby organized for my girls' arrival - picked this cute piece up at Chapters on sale this past week. I could not resist! It also goes nicely with the color scheme I have going. (And who doesn't like a peach colored whale?) 

Finally got this little guy.. couldn't be happier! 

Lunch with my mom at our favorite little cafe/cupcakery - what I really should have snapped a photo of  was the blueberry velvet cupcake I had for dessert (yes it was as amazing as it sounds) 

Essie 'Cute as a Button' - new purchase, new love

My 29 week baby bump :)

Baby shower outfit of the day - Maxi dress is from Old Navy 

The lovely table my friends put together for my baby shower - diaper cake and all, so cute!

My Instagram - hannah_griffin if you would like to follow along! 

xo, Hananh

Nail of the Day - Essie 'Cute as a Button'

In the spirit of a new month beginning, and one step closer to it officially being summer, I picked up this little guy the other day. Let's just say I am in love.

When I picked this up it appeared much more of a creamy pink with a hint of coral to it - vibrant none the less. After applying two coats to my nails however I feel it came up much more coral than I first expected. This is not in any way a complaint however, as I love the result! It is the perfect kind of bright for me - it stands out without going too over the top.

As I said before I applied two coats and that seemed to suffice perfectly as it has (as many Essie polishes do) a very opaque quality - this is one of many reasons why I am such an Essie lover. 

xo, Hannah

I'm Finally NAKED

That's right, after well over a year has passed since its release, I've finally managed to get my hands on my very own Naked palette (I know I'm probably the last youtube/blogging guru to do so). I'm certain nearly everyone reading this blog will have heard about this item more than a hundred times, and you may even be tired of all the hype and talk. For me however this is a brand new product that I feel I should give my two cents on - my apologies to anyone who feels it to be repetitive.

I adore the packaging - so sleek and stylish with the brown velvety case and the gold lettering. 

Colors

Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal

I was already the owner of the UD Ammo Palette so that means I now have doubles of Sin and Smog, but this is something I really can't complain about as they have been two of my favorites for a long while now - too much of a good thing? I think not! 

Although it's been said many times, and many ways, the pigmentation and vibrant results you get from these colors is nothing short of amazing. I also find it astounding that after swatching, and then proceeding to use these colors in makeup looks, the palette still looks brand new and untouched. To me this is a sign of a great eyeshadow - I expect to get an extremely long lifespan out of this product.

I must admit that one thing that kept me away from this palette was the price - 60CAD plus tax for an eyeshadow palette (and lets face it, I've had wallets bigger than this). However, now that I have this little baby in my collection I do not feel the least bit guilty for spending that much. Truly when you break it down it ends up being a mere 5 dollars per shadow - you would be hard pressed to find something of equal quality at your local drug store for that price, in fact, if you can, please prove me wrong on this point. 

I am extremely excited to continue experimenting with the numerous looks I will be able to create using this bad boy - I don't see myself running out of ideas any time soon!

xo, Hannah

April Favorites

xo, Hannah