BB Cream in the Winter?

My winter skin's saviour, Garnier BB Cream

There seems to be an an unwritten rule when it comes to BB Cream and Foundation: Use your BB Cream in the summer and regular foundation in the Fall/Winter. While I do understand the rationale behind this (BB cream has lighter coverage and usually built in SPF, making it ideal for summer) I had a bit of an epiphany today. Why am I using foundation on my already dry winter skin, when I could be using a BB cream which is far more hydrating thus making it a better choice!

So I decided to put my theory to the test today when doing my makeup. I was definitely right when it came to hydration. The problem I've been having lately with my foundations making my already dry skin look worse was gone. In fact, hours later my face is still looking hydrated which would have been far from the case if I had used foundation. I should also add that I'm not talking about a particular brand of foundation here. I've tried many, but nothing seems to give me enough hydration this time of the year.

I only have one complaint, and that is the shade of the BB Cream. They tend to not have as many shade choices as foundation, so the light/medium was a bit dark for me. I can see this being a problem for some people because although I am pale at the moment, I'm still far from being alabaster white. But other than that, I am officially hooked on using my BB Cream again!

New Year's Resolutions 2014

It's hard to believe another year is already coming to a close. I'll be honest, 2013 was not one of my better years. In fact, it was one of my worst. Which is why I'm welcoming a fresh start for 2014. I've made new year's resolutions in the past, but very rarely did I actually keep them. I think the the problem lies in the resolutions themselves. I resolved to do things not because I had a deep desire to accomplish them, but rather because I liked the idea of accomplishing them. So without further ado, here are my resolutions for 2014!

1. Meditate every day. Meditation is so good for you, I know that. So for 2014, I'm going to try to get into it. I'll put in an effort everyday and if it works, great. If not, it's never a bad thing to take a few minutes to clear your mind and do nothing.

2. Write Everyday. There's only one way to become a better writer and that's to write! So I am going to starting writing everyday. Whether it's a blog entry, or a page of my (first attempt at a) novel, I'm going to make an effort to do a little bit every day.

3. Read all the books I've been meaning to. I am the worst when it comes to buying books and then never getting around to actually reading them. I have a huge pile of books I've accumulated over the last couple of years, which I will tackle this year!

4. Do a cardio workout at least 3 times a week. Between a knee injury and some other health issues, I've had to forgo my usual exercise routine over the last year. I've suffered in more ways than one because of it. I know I'm healthier and happier when I'm being active, so I am determined to get back into it in 2014. If one form of cardio is too much for my knee, I will find something else to do.

5. Drink more water. This is something I've been trying to do lately, and will continue with full force into the new year. not only is it good for me in general, but the doctor has told me to do so (yay for having super low blood pressure).

6. Challenge myself. In some senses I did a lot in 2013, in others not at all. So I want to make up for it in 2014 by really pushing myself to grow as a person. I'm not sure yet what all this will entail, but I'm sure I will recognize it when the opportunity arises.

And those are my resolutions for 2014. I hope you all have a great new year's celebration tonight. Let's make 2014 the best year yet!

xx Nicole

Merry Christmas

Hello lovelies!

I just wanted to take a quick moment to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas :)

I've really enjoyed my journey into the world of blogging and YouTube this year, and am so thankful for all of the wonderful people I've had the opportunity to meet through both of these!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday filled with lots of family/friends, food and love!

xxNicole

White and Gold

Another week, another variation of Christmas-y nails! I love white in the winter, and adore the combination of white and gold. So it made perfect sense to combine the two. I was inspired by the lovely Anna Saccone-Joly, who did a similar nail look last week.

I used Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in White-On, and Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Wedding Glitters for the accent nail.

xx Nicole

Shortbread Cookies

I've been a bit late doing my holiday baking this year. Christmas seems to be creeping up on me; how are we only a week away from the big day?! It was about time I got these cookies made, as they've been on my to do list for a while! Shortbread has always been a staple in my family, and they remain one of my favorite treats to this day. You can find the recipe I used here.

Christmas Nails

My nails have been the standard 'some shade of dark polish' since September, so I decided it was time to give them a Christmas-y touch!

I started by applying OPI's Ridge Filler Base coat to my nails. They tend to be rather dry/flakey this time of year, so this creates a smoooth base for the polish. Next I applied two coats of Nicole by OPI's Keeping Up With Santa polish. As an accent, I added Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme wear Nail Color in Strobe light to my ring finger.To Finish, I added OPI's Top Coat to the other nails. I love how festive this is; it's a nice change from the traditional red Christmas manicure!

xx Nicole

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

We've officially gone into full-on Christmas mode around here. So I thought I would share a few photos of the decorations around my house! Hope you're all starting to get into the Christmas-y spirit :)

xx Nicole