Friday Night

Hey everyone! If you haven't noticed already, I have changed the layout of my blog. I wanted to give it a fresh new look and I also want to incorporate some more personal posts that are lifestyle related. You can take a  closer look into my life. I love food and wanted to share that more with my readers. If there are any great restaurants or eateries, I want to be able to recommend them to you.

As the title suggests, I will be sharing my Friday night with you! 

Outfit Of The Night (OOTN) Details:
- Hat is from Lids
- Necklace is from Love Culture
- Fur Jacket is from Sirens Outlet
- Plaid Shirt is from Romwe
- Black Crop Top is from Forever 21
- Black Pants are from Vera Moda
- Lace-Up Heels are from Hope's

Makeup Products Used:

Brows: NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Brunette
Eyes: Naked Basics Palette & Carli Bybel Palette
Lips: Stripdown Lip Pencil from Mac, Myth Lipstick by Mac and Mehr Lipstick from MAC
Highlighter: Mary Lou Manizer from The Balm & Carli Bybel's Highlighter from her palette

Next Stop...

We went to Paint Night which is where a group of people come together at a central location (ours was a restaurant in a hotel,) and we were instructed how to paint a beautiful sunset.

After we wrapped that up, we headed to the city to eat some delicious southern food! We went to a place called Southern Accent which is just around the corner from Honest Ed's. We decided to go because it was the first day of Winterlicious and the menu looked appealing. The restaurant is actually inside an old fashioned house which automatically gives it a warm, cozy and welcoming vibe.

As you can tell by the pictures, the decor is very: fun, colourful, eclectic, vibrant, loud, artistic and unique. There are smaller rooms grouped together into one large space and there are stairs because it is a house converted into a restaurant.

For my appetizer, I got the N'awlins Meat Gumbo which was delicious but the dish that they served it in looked like a large ramekin. I was expecting more as in a larger portion but it was very good nonetheless. My friend got the Crab Crostini which was very fresh and light. My friend did order the Kentucky Sweet Tea which you could only taste bourbon and was very strong. Our entire party ordered the Cajun Trio for our main course. It came with a little bit of everything and my only complaint is that there was too much mint on the lamb.

Also, I love collard greens and would have liked some more of those on my plate. The blackened chicken and candied yams were amazing! For dessert, I had the Sweet Potato Pecan Praline Brownie which was decadent and very craveable. I would consider going back JUST for this specific item because it was that good. The other two members I was dining with had the N'awlins Bread Pudding (which was nice but had a lot of alcohol in the bourbon sauce,) and the other friend had the Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream which she enjoyed thoroughly.

There is also a psychic that does readings for 15 minutes that will run you $40. I enjoyed the food here and will be coming back for my dessert in the summertime when the patio is open!

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

P.S. THIS BLOG POST IS BY NO MEANS SPONSORED. SOME LINKS ARE AFFILIATE. 

Uber - Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Shop Hope's Online - Get 15% off your first purchase here
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Ebates Canada - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world) - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Hautelook - A flash sale web site where I get most of my footwear and accessories from!

Are You Red Carpet Ready?

Hey everyone!As you know, Red Carpet season is quickly approaching and The Black Tux & I want to make sure that the men are looking equally as stylish as the ladies for the upcoming posh events.

I have created 3 different looks that I would wear on a Red Carpet to compliment my date in a fabulous tuxedo!

Red Hot

When you want to show off some leg in a shorter dress and there is no such thing as too much red for you, well look no further because this is the perfect dress for you! When standing beside your date wearing the Notched Lapel Tuxedo, there is no doubt in my mind that both of you will be on the Best Dressed List! I was inspired by Emily Ratajkowski's Red Carpet look. I purchased this dress about 2 years ago from Forever 21's online site which is a cheaper alternative to hers.

Elegant & Put Together

This dress really compliments the new Velvet Jacket Tuxedo and really incorporates a different texture to keep all the ladies guessing! I wanted to recreate something similar to what Margot Robbie wore and still kept it more of a polished yet interesting look. I paired it with a beautiful three strand necklace and matching heels.

Stylish & Trendy

This navy dress is the perfect length for when you don't want to wear something too short and a floor length dress is out of the question. The cut of my dress was inspired by the lovely Katharine McPhee. I decided to go with a darker navy colour because I generally gravitate towards darker colours. I know the lace-up shoes will get some attention too which was entirely inspired by Halle Berry's Red Carpet look. This dress would definitely pair up nicely with either the Navy Suit (on the left,) or the Midnight Blue Tuxedo (seen on the right side.) A girl can never have too many options so I wanted to extend the same to my male readers.

The perfect accessory to go along with that dapper suit is a nice fur jacket!

Before You Go...

The Grammys are happening on Monday, February 15th, 2016 at The Staples Centre in LA & The Oscars will take place on Sunday, February 28th, 2016 at The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

You don't want to miss any of these glamorous events!

Check out The Black Tux for more information and styles, and to get your hands on one of these  fashion forward tuxedos.

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

P.S. I HAVE TEAMED UP WITH THE BLACK TUX TO GIVE MY READERS SOME FASHION INSPIRATION FOR THESE UPCOMING GLAM EVENTS. SOME LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS.

Uber - Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Shop Hope's Online - Get 15% off your first purchase here
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Ebates Canada - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world) - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Hautelook - A flash sale web site where I get most of my footwear and accessories from!

beautyblender pro VS. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

Hey everyone! There is a lot of talk about makeup sponges in the beauty community and I wanted to compare both a more expensive makeup sponge to a less expensive one to see which one is better all around!

 You can see that the beauty blender is slightly smaller than the Real Techniques makeup sponge. That gives you more control and precision when applying your makeup. I would say that the beauty blender is softer and more bouncy when dabbing out your product(s) on your face. I also felt that it gave me an overall more flawless finish after fully blending out all the products. It is also very easy to use and to clean. 

The Real Techniques makeup sponge is dual ended and has one more pointed end as well as a more flat side. Due to its size and the fact that it holds more water, I was using more foundation as well as more product in general than when I would use the beauty blender. It also absorbs more water and is harder to clean than its competitor.

The Verdict

My vote for the winner of this showdown is hands down the beauty blender. It is worth the investment because you will most likely get your money's worth out of it and it is just so convenient to use! It has definitely saved me time when applying my makeup and I enjoy using it! Don't get me wrong though, the Real Techniques sponge is a great alternative for someone who is just started out with makeup or someone is on a budget. It can also be for someone who enjoys using the flat side to get in all those corners!

Makeup Sponge Gone Wrong!

I tried the Studio 35 makeup sponge from Walgreens a while ago and it was AWFUL! It was hard even after wetting it and squeezing all the water out. I tried it several times and could not get used to the rock hard texture of it. I ended up throwing it out and that sponge doesn't hold a candle in the wind to these two!

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

P.S. THIS BLOG POST IS BY NO MEANS SPONSORED AND I BOUGHT THESE SPONGES WITH MY OWN MONEY. SOME LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS.

Uber - Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Shop Hope's Online - Get 15% off your first purchase here
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Ebates Canada - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world) - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Hautelook - A flash sale web site where I get most of my footwear and accessories from!

Carli Bybel Eyeshadow & Highlighter Palette Review

Hey everyone! I have been meaning to write this review for quite some time and I must admit that it has been long overdue! I was lucky in getting my hands on the Carli Bybel Palette from the BH web site during the first day of the launch. The site was crashing, lagging and didn't accept my promo code but despite all that, I was able to get the palette successfully on the very first day! Shipping didn't take that long to Canada either.

Packaging

There is a nice sized mirror that comes with the palette and there is some extra information on the back as well as the ingredient list. Also, I want to mention that this palette is cruelty free!

Colours
I appreciate the range of colours and there are 4 mattes, 6 shimmers and 4 highlighters with a beautiful design in them. I fully agree with the write-up on the back of this palette stating that it is easy to go from day to night with this palette. You can either create an entirely new look or you can build upon what you are already wearing. These shades will look good on just about all different skin tones and will suit any eye colour. I can keep using this product when I am tan and will not have to worry about the shadows not showing up on my skin; which is great to be able to find a palette with enough neutrals and shimmers that I can wear year-round!

Swatches
I took these photos with my iPhone and these colours are so beautiful on their own that I did not even have to adjust the exposure! #nofilter They are highly pigmented and I can't say enough good things about them! They are: smooth, creamy, soft, buttery and easy to blend. I find myself reaching for this palette frequently to create many different looks. On the left are swatches of all the highlighters and on the right, is me showing you how pigmented these eye shadows are just by me dipping my finger in. I didn't use any base colour and no eyeshadow primer was used in showing these swatches - it is simply the product itself.

Pros:

I really do enjoy using this palette, Carli did a great job with it. I love that it is cost effective so that her supporters of any age can be able to afford it. It is very light weight and is easy to pack when you are traveling. It looks pretty and clean on a vanity & the white packaging doesn't get dirty easily (like the NARS packaging.) If something does get on it, it will most likely come off easily with a makeup wipe.

Cons:

The palette has a cardboard exterior and you have to be careful NOT to get it wet. Also, do not put any sharp items on top of the palette because you will get puncture marks due to the cardboard material. My mirror has some strange marks that look like scratches and others that look like dots. I'm not sure what caused them and I can't seem to make them go away. It's not a big issue because I rarely use the mirror in any palette or compact anyway. This is a minor suggestion but as far as the highlighters go, the shade that is second from the left, is not adhered properly to the bottom of the palette and therefore it wiggles every time I dip into that particular colour. Perhaps the manufacturer can use a stronger glue? I'm not sure if anyone has had that problem and again, it is minor and I just need to be gentle with that shade.

You can find this gorgeous palette on the BH Cosmetics web site! 

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

P.S. THIS BLOG POST IS BY NO MEANS SPONSORED AND I BOUGHT THIS PALETTE WITH MY OWN MONEY. SOME LINKS ARE AFFILIATE.

Uber - Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Shop Hope's Online - Get 15% off your first purchase here
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Ebates Canada - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world) - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Hautelook - A flash sale web site where I get most of my footwear and accessories from!

January Empties | 2016

Hey everyone! I decided to get my January Empties up a little early so that my lovely readers would have something to read over the weekend - especially if you live on the East Coast and are snowed in!

Face

Oxy Emergency Acne Vanishing Treatment Wipes (30 count) - I found these to be alright. There is 2.5% benzoyl peroxide lotion which helps target the acne quickly. The one thing I didn't like about these wipes is the packaging. Once it is open, you can't reseal it and you need to store them so that the label is facing down on the counter or else, they will dry out quickly. Even by doing this, I found that some wipes that I used were pretty dry and not as moist as I would have liked them to be. I would suggest putting the wipes in a different packaging to get the most use out of them!

Herb Day 365 Cleansing Foam - Acerola (The Face Shop) - This product lasted me a long time surprisingly considering the fact that there is only 100 ml of product inside the tube. I did like it because: it did not burn my eyes, it was very effective in removing my makeup and did not cause me to break out. 

Olay Fresh Effects Shine, Shine Go Away! - This is my second sample tube of this particular product from their line and I did like the fact that it easily broke down my makeup. I could conveniently reach for this at the end of the night knowing it was a product I could trust in removing my tough makeup. The only down side is that since it is a shine minimizing cleanser, you need to follow-up with a cream or lotion because it can dry out your face! If I use it again in the future, I would probably only use it in the summer months when I know that my face will be VERY oily!

Teeth

Colgate Total Toothpaste in Clean Mint - A very basic toothpaste that gives your teeth a nice clean feeling.

Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste - I didn't notice a huge difference in terms of my pearly whites, it just helps to maintain that white smile.

Hands

Bath & Body Works Deep Cleansing Hand Soap in Bourbon Street Buttercream - I love this scent and have featured it in a previous empties blog post! On the side of the packaging, the description tells us that it smells like the "flavours of New Orleans." How can you say no to that?

Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap in Boardwalk Vanilla Cone - You all know that this is a staple in my household and we are still working through our stash!

Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Gentle Foaming Hand Soap in Vermont Sugar Maple - This is probably one of my favourite scents from BBW especially in the fall and winter! 

Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel in Vermont Sugar Maple  - I am sad this is done because for a little bottle, it really carried the scent well without being too powerful! 

Nivea Refreshingly Soft Cream - What I really liked about this product is that it was small enough to put in my pocket and easy enough to quickly use when I was at work. It is great for sharing and it states that you can use it on your face, body and hands but I stuck to using it on my hands mainly. 

Body

Organic Spa Exfoliating Body Wash - On the packaging, it states that it is "infused with sea algae extract and certified organic aloe vera." I quite enjoyed using this product and will check to see where I can pick-up a full sized bottle of this!

Johnson's Baby Wash in Vanilla Oatmeal - I love this scent and have been using it for years. It really conditions my skin and makes it very soft!

Vaseline Intensive Care Repairing Serum  - This is made with pure cocoa butter and has 10x the repairing power. I didn't notice that my skin had a radiating glow after use and I want to mention that I found this formula to be more on the "watery" side compared to the formula you buy in the larger size with the pump. I also went through this bottle VERY quickly when moisturizing my whole body once a day.

Versace Bright Crystal Eau De Toilette Natural Spray - I received this sample from Sephora and I enjoyed it. There are notes of: yuzu, iced accord, pomegranate, peony, magnolia, acajou, lotus flower, musk and vegetal amber. To quickly summarize: it is flowery, fruity and musky. 

Miscellaneous

Johnson's Baby Shampoo - I have been using this for years and is my go-to product to clean my makeup brushes as well as my Alex & Ani bracelets.

OrganiQ Spa Restorative Conditioner - I received this line of deluxe samples from a friend and I quite enjoyed them! The conditioner is "infused with sweet lupin complex and certified organic jojoba oil." Their products are made in Canada and worth checking out because they are: certified organic, they do NOT test on animals, they are paraben free and SLS free. 

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

P.S. THIS BLOG POST IS BY NO MEANS SPONSORED. SOME LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS.

P.P.S. I am working on a fun collaboration with a company that will be live on my blog in just a few days! You don't want to miss that!

P.P.P.S. I will be posting another Project 10 Pan blog post shortly! Stay tuned for that!

Uber - Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Shop Hope's Online - Get 15% off your first purchase here
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Ebates Canada - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world) - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Hautelook - A flash sale web site where I get most of my footwear and accessories from!

Bluenotes, Sirens and Suzy Shier Outlet Haul

Hey everyone! I did some damage yesterday at the outlets and I wanted to share all my great finds with you! I spent under $100 on everything and I wanted to incorporate a new way of showing you how much I spent on each item instead of having a lot of text. Let me know what you think in the comments down below!

I usually do not shop at Bluenotes, but was pleasantly surprised to find some great items! The scarf is reversible and it was supposed to be 50% off $18 but as you can tell, I got it for MUCH cheaper! It was the very last one and I have been wanting one of these for quite some time! The grey beanie is super soft and fashionable. The socks are warm and will look great with boots. I bought the sports bra to wear with muscle tees or an open back shirt in the summer. Of course, I live in leggings and can never have enough! I bought these to "test them out," and if I do like them, I will go back and buy more because they are super affordable.

The long sleeveless plaid button up shirt is really my style and I will definitely pair it with this inexpensive beanie that I found at Suzy Shier along with my leggings as well as my black combat boots. The middle long sweater is fuzzy and was in the sample section. They sell samples that they want to get rid of for usually $5 or $10 depending on the store. I also texted a number while in line at Bluenotes to get $5 off my entire purchase (when you spend $10 or more,) so that is why I was able to get even further discounts off my items! I digress, but I almost bought an identical sweater online at Forever 21 but for $25 months ago. I'm glad I changed my mind! 

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shirt is the EXACT style that I have been looking for all along! I love that it is the retro print and it appears to be resembling the front page of a comic book. I personally am not a fan of the modern day Ninja Turtle designs and also almost bought something similar 1 or 2 years ago on the Forever 21 web site during Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but it sold out before I could check out with it! It is a Men's XL and was the only one in the store, but I had to get it! I have a few ideas on how to style it despite it being way too big for me. I could also cut it but if all those ideas fail, I will just use it as pyjamas!

The black fuzzy coat on the left hand side was an unexpected find. I wanted something that I could wear with my long dresses, yet something that would still keep me warm in the colder months. It was a sample and the last one and the only one for that matter, in the store that I could find. I am trying to get into turtle necks again as I went on a long hiatus from them since I was in middle school or high school. I am obsessed with the camel coloured one because I have many items in my wardrobe that I can pair up with it already and the long grey turtleneck dress looks great with the black coat! On the right, the long navy blue dress and the brown over coat is most likely what I will be wearing to my friend's bridal shower. 

Some of the items do look dirty yes, that is because they are in a warehouse and are heavily discounted for various reasons. I will be washing most of my items before I wear them. I just wanted to give you the uncut raw version!

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

P.S. THIS BLOG POST IS BY NO MEANS SPONSORED. SOME LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS.

Uber - Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Shop Hope's Online - Get 15% off your first purchase here
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Ebates Canada - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world) - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Hautelook - A flash sale web site where I get most of my footwear and accessories from!

Victoria Secret Sale - Free Sport Pant

Hey everyone! I wanted to come on here and tell you about an awesome sale that VS is having! If you purchase any of their sports bras, then you are able to receive a free sport pant of your choice! The bra has to be of regular price and you won't be able to receive a free sport pant on discounted sports bras.

I went in-store to take advantage of this deal yesterday and it was quite busy. I did have to wait in-line for a fitting room. The deal ends on January 20th so visit your local VS today! I went early because I wanted to be able to choose from a good selection of items rather than leftovers. You can shop online if you would rather save yourself the trip in-store.

You can see that I spent $45 (roughly,) and received a $80 pair of VS pants for free! This is an amazing deal and if you are on a fitness kick right now, GET IN THERE!

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

P.S. THIS BLOG POST IS BY NO MEANS SPONSORED. SOME LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS.

Uber - Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Shop Hope's Online - Get 15% off your first purchase here
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Ebates Canada - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world) - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Hautelook - A flash sale web site where I get most of my footwear and accessories from!