My Top 5 Nude Nail Polishes

Hello Friends, 

            So, here I am, just sitting here in my Roots pants (if you are a PR manager for Roots and want to send me some pants, hit the "contact me' tab, Thanks in advance :P) and listening to Ronda by The Beach Boys. It's actually quite challenging to write with music blaring in the background. I am here to let you know that I am officially back on the tube, as in Youtube. That's right, my face will be gracing your phone screens again. I have decided to start a whole new channel so, if you were subbed to my last channel, that one is no longer relevant. 

           One thing you are going to notice with my new description box is that I address my audience as "friends or foes". I am sorry if you think this is rude, but lets be real here, alot of people who click on my video are going to have a problem with me or my content. They will make a nasty, tasteless comment and I will get emotional. I think that definitely classifies someone as a foe, doesn't it? Anyways, for my first video, I shared my top 5 nude nail polishes, since I have been obsessed these days. And yes,I photographed these on top of some old ratty books, but that's how we do it here at Not Your Average Sardines HQ. 

There you have it! I also linked the video below! 

Thanks for watching and subscribing!!!!!

Until next time...

 

3 Easy Ways to Use Dry Shampoo

#nationallipstickday Special Post- My Favorite Lipsticks

Response: The Power of Makeup

Hello Friends,

          I know my blog posts have been a bit on the wordsy side recently, But there has just been so many great topics to cover lately. Today we are discussing a controversial issue which is makeup and why woman wear it. Is it insecurity? Today I cover my thoughts on the matter. Let's begin, shall we?

          A few month back, a well known Youtuber by the username nikkitutorials posted a video where she did half her face with full-blown makeup and the other half of her face she kept naked. The reasoning behind this video was to show makeup can enhance your beauty vs. cover all the things you don't like about yourself. She did this mostly to address haters who claimed she just didn't care for her own looks and resorted to makeup to cover up her face.

I think opinions come in all shapes and sizes. Some woman who aren't makeup lovers throw their opinion around like it matters what they think. I think of you can walk around without makeup and feel freaking fabulous, then good for you. Not all of us can or will do that. I have heard girls who say thinks like,

"I don't know why that girl wears so much makeup!"

Or

"I don't know why that girl has to get a fake tan"

Like, why do you care Honey? She is her own person, as are you. Why do you care what someone else is doing. If you can pull off the au naturel look, be my guest! But why do you care so much about what the other girl is doing?

         Makeup, in my opinion, is art. This form of art helps to enhance the beauty you already possess.  I am a firm believer in makeup and I have an Alex 9-drawer full of makeup to prove it. For me though, I think I tend to gravitate towards makeup that will enhance what I naturally have. I am all about neutrals, colors that enhance my blue eyes, lip colors that make my lips look more pigmented. That is what I personally move towards. I love when someone has flawless natural makeup on. Makeup that takes their natural features to the next level.

          My skin has suffered my whole life and acne scars are rampant. Therefore, I always use foundation and concealer. Alot of people feel like this is like wearing a mask and I have to somewhat agree. I think it is a mask but a good mask, a mask that filters the things that make me uncomfortable and insecure. I have had several people tell me that the reason I wear so much makeup and take so many selfies is because I am insecure and that I seek attention. *Game show buzzer sound* Wrong!! I wear makeup because I quite enjoy the look it gives me and I usually take a selfie because I look dang great that day and I am not ashamed to post it. I think for someone to even say that is a sign of their own insecurity and sadly, that isn't something I can fix.

Like I said, makeup is an art. If it is something you enjoy, then work on your craft and stun the world with what you can do. As someone who lives a lifestyle that most people find weird and "old-fashioned" I say that you can't lose sleep over the opinion of sheep. Don't be afraid to show the world that you love makeup, false lashes and all. But don't let makeup change who you are as a person. Always stay true to You. 

So, what are your views on makeup? Do you wear makeup? Or do you go au naturel? 

Let me know in the comments!

Until Next Time...

Take a Sneak Peek into my Garden + My Lemonade Recipe

Hello Friends, 

             I am so sorry about the slacking I have been doing lately, I have been extremely busy for the  last couple of weeks and getting a chance to sit down and write for you guys has proved a challenge. I do have some adventures planned for the summer and I hope to blog them for you guys. 

               Today I am sharing a look inside my garden! If you follow me on instagram, you know that my hybrid Tea Roses are my pride and joy and that I have been really helping my mom work on getting our garden in ship shape this summer. We moved into this house about two years ago and the yard was unkempt and disastrous. My Mom actually wept when she saw the state of our yard. So, for the last two summers, we have been working at it and we are finally so happy with it. I only wish I had a before and after shot of this place. 

Pretty pleasant to look at, eh? (I'm so Canadian) Today, whist cleaning up the yard and enjoying the weather, I decided to whip up a pitcher of lemonade. Lemonade is pretty straight forward but I thought I would share my easy little base recipe. 

I start with a clean pitcher (duh Sarah!) and add about a cup of lemon juice, a cup of sugar and pour in about 5 cups of water. Stir it up and garnish with lemons and strawberries. You can add sugar or lemon juice to your taste, but I thought this worked perfect for me. Also, you can throw in some fresh mint to add some more flavor. 

I hope you all enjoyed a sneak peek at my garden. Follow me on instagram for all my garden updates. 

Until next time...

Dissecting a space- My Closet/Alex 9-Drawer

Good Day my little snow cones,

   
    First things first, sorry for not posting a blog this Friday. My week had just been to crazy to work on anything but I'm back at it. Today we are going to continue with the home deco theme with a new series called 'dissecting a space'. In this series, we will take a space in my house and dissect the decor, I hope you will get some inspiration from this and I will also tell you where alot of my pieces came from.

   

       Today, we are dissecting my closet/Alex 9-drawer area. This happens to be one of my favorite spots in my room. It really pulls my room together and helps me keep my space organized. So, let's begin...

I picked up the black dot decals your see in the first pictures with the mirror and around my closet from chapters. These guys were on clearance for $6.00 originally $19.95. They also had these in gold with I thought were cute but I think it would have looked strange against my cream walls. My mirror I picked up at Ikea a while back. It reminds me of a Disney mirror for some reason. Maybe something from snow white. 

Alex 9-Drawer: Ikea

Hanging shelf: Not sure, it was given to me

Print: Chapters

Candle: Bath & Body works

Books: Various Places

Paris Hideaway Book: Micheal's

Candle and cake Stand: Bath & Body Works

Frame: Ikea

Brush Holders (Vases): Ikea

Jar: DIY

Clear Cosmetic Holder: Target

Deer Canvas: Spring Ridge Farms (Local)

I hope you enjoyed and I hope I inspired you to create! Until next time...

4 Ways to Spruce up your Space this Spring

Hello my little chocolate covered peanuts,

          With the warmer weather coming around, some of us may go through spring decor syndrome (I made this up, not actual medical condition). I am no home decorator or stylist but I do have a few decor ideas that I love. So, let's get started...

1.Re-purpose old Heirlooms

When I say 'Re-purpose", i mean taking something old and using it for something other than it's intended purpose. Such as, to decorate your space! We have tons of old Nick-nacks sitting around in my closet that we have used as decor. My mother had her first sewing machine collecting dust in our closet for years before we decided to whip it out and use it as a conversation piece. This sewing machine has given us many great conversations with our guests and it always gets noticed. Also, we have turned out old Singer table into a coffee station. We have a small amount of kitchen space so this acts like a second counter top. One thing to remember when using heirlooms in decor is not to fret if they aren't in the best of shape. My moms sewing machine has a few pieces missing and has collected some rust in the crannies. It happens, their old. 

2. Get Crisp with White

Since moving into a much smaller space last year, I have learned that using white or creams really open up a space and give it a clean and crisp feel. You can combo any color with white which makes it super versatile. I love combining gold tones with white. It adds a touch of decadence to a space without costing a fortune. 

3. Use Books to Warm up a Table

I am a bookworm, there is no doubt about it. But I also love books in decor. Stacking old books on a coffee table, add a warm vintage feel. My mom has tons of books that are not in any shape to be read but would make a great conversation piece on a side table. 

4. Bring on the Blooms

Since it is the season of spring blooms, why not go to your local grocery store or flower shop and pick up some beautiful flowers to cheer up your space. This will really liven the space up and inspire your spring to-dos. 

Until Next Time...

A Downtown Oakville Adventure

Everything you want to know about Oakville's historical figures

Hello my chocolate chip cookies,

                 I hope your weekend was great, but now we are back to classic Monday. A day of needing that extra cup of coffee, of counting the hours till home time and the general Monday "blahs". Anyways, here in Canada, Our first month of spring has been...not so typical 'spring'. But today we got a really nice preview with our 19 Celsius degree weather. Being that it was so amazing out, we (My sister, my niece and I) took advantage and went for a stroll to downtown. This is defiantly a highlight if you come down to Oakville, Ontario. Lots of great little shops, coffee spots and the gorgeous lake front. Here are a few pictures from our day out. 

Oakville's "Downtown Core"

Entrance to Erchless Estates

Town Square Clock

Anthropologie: One of my favorite stores downtown. Super pricey but super cool

Erchless Manor and Oakville's Official Museum

The Oakville Pier

Always looking for a photo Op

Ofcourse I had to stop for a Java Chip a la Starbucks

View From Erchless Estates

Night falls and the lights start flickering

End of a great day

I hope you enjoyed exploring a bit of my favorite part of down. Until next time...

Products Worth The Splurge

Hello my coco puffs,

         So, I have a secret, I love drugstore makeup as much as the next guy, but I also have some splurge-worthy products that I could not replace with a drugstore dupe. I have tried so many dupes in my makeup junkie years and I have not found anything I like as much as these guys. I think sometimes, things are worth the splurge. And despite what they all say (Especially men), there is nothing wrong with splurging once in a while. Let's begin kids...

The Naked 3 Palette-$70

I do not care what anyone says about there being a million dupes for this palette. There no dupes for the quality for these shadows. Being a girl who often skipped shadow all together, when I splurged on this palette, my life changed. Not only are the colors gorgeous, but they apply like literal butter. They blend like a dream and give off a lovely pigment. 

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara-$30

Personally, I find the name of this product extremely unnecessary but the product itself is phinominal. The Packaging it's self is worth the splurge. This mascara packs your lashes with jet black, volume boosting, mascara and I absolutely love it! 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz-$27

It took me forever to buy this brow pencil, but since buying my first one last year, I have gone through 3. This ultra-thin retractable pencil mimics hair strands and doesn't give off an overpowering color. I tried a few 'dupes' but so far, nothing does the job quite as nicely. Alot of people say the Maybelline Brow pencil is a dupe for this but, personally, I find the tip of that pencil far too rounded verses the ABH Brow Wiz' pointed end which mimics hairs. 

Benefit Erase Paste

This peach-toned under eye concealer is perfect for covering those blue-toned dark circles. This products has a very moist consistency that sheers out really nicely. What I like best about this concealer is how moisturizing it is, unlike other undereye concealers, it doesn't look as dry and flaky as the day goes on. I would suggest setting this lightly with powder. 

Tell me some of your splurge-worthy products below!

Until next time...

March 2015 Favorites

Hello my chicken nuggets,

              The last few months, not much has changed in my beauty regime. But thankfully, in March, I got my hands on some awesome products that I really want to share. I didn't use a tons of new products some you may or may not see a few old friends in this line up. So, let's go...

             Tarte Tartelette Palette

This has been by far my go-to palette last month. It features 12 neutral matte shades that can go with any skin tone. This palette took me from day to night and made my blue-green eyes pop like nobodies biz. 

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation

I got this dewy foundation in 1-2 N for my fair skin, but I will say it turns out a bit dark for me. Other than the fact, I am super happy with this foundation. I love the coverage it gives while keeping my skin fresh and dewy looking. 

Hard Candy Blush Crush Blush in Living Doll

I have talked about this blush one too many times, I know, but it is just such a perfect blush for spring. This blue-toned pink gives a gorgeous pink flush with a touch of shimmer. I skipped the highlighter on any days I used this bad boy.

Maybelline Master Precise Drama Eyeliner

This has been my favorite eyeliner pen in the last few years and I always end up back at it even when I try something new. It is super duper precise which makes it super easy to create the perfect cat eye flick. 

Duo Lash Adhesive

Last month, was false eyelash month and thanks to this glue, they stayed in place all day. I used the clear which did give a bit of residue so I needed to fill with some eyeliner. Other than that, this glue rocks my socks.

That's it for my March favorites! I hope you enjoyed and let me know in the comments what some of your favorites last month were. 

Until next time...