January In Review

January went by so fast!  Once I got back from Cuba I was right back into the swing of things with class, work, and trying to do a better job at my blog.  School is really flying by now that it has really dawned on me that after April I am done!  Over all, no complaints about January.  I just wanted to share some highlights both in my personal life and of course, in terms of products I have loved!

Essie Topless & Barefoot | Plus Nail Art

Let me just say, I have not fallen in love with a nail polish like I have with this one in a very long time.  I have liked other polishes, but I love this one!  Keep reading to see why I love it so much, and a sexy nail art design I tried with it!

Marsala | Colour of the Year & Dupes

Last year I fell head over heels in love with Pantone's Colour of the Year Radiant Orchid.  It was bright, bold, pink, and fun.  This year, my appreciation for Marsala, the 2015 Colour of the Year has been gradual.  At first glance it seemed like a delicious dinner recipe, a beautiful way to decorate a kitchen, the perfect colour for a rustic dirt path.  It made me think of bricks in Tuscany, not lipstick.  I had wanted to take some time to write this post so I could gather my thoughts beyond "But I want bright pink".

Sale Section Finds | Shoppers Drug Mart

Yesterday I walked into my local Shoppers Drug Mart to grab a bottle of Bioderma.  While I didn't leave with Bioderma, I did stumble into the sale section, and found some great after-Christmas deals in mid January.  They also had a bin full of various CoverGirl and Maybelline mascaras for $3, but I really don't need any more mascara so I took a pass.

The Politics of Fashion Exhibit at the Design Exchange

About a week ago I was lucky enough to tour The Politics of Fashion exhibit at The Design Exchange (the old Toronto Stock Exchange building) with none other than Jeanne Becker!  It was a very informative tour that allowed me to enjoy two of my favourite things: politics and fashion.  I swear that exhibit was designed for me!  I wish I had taken notes, because there was so much information shared, but I didn't.  Enjoy the photos! 

December | My First Glossybox

Christmas time was a very exciting news in the Canadian beauty box subscription world.  Not only did Birchbox enter the Canadian market, but so did Glossybox! I always wanted to try Glossybox because it always seemed well curated, and full of full sized products.  This box retails for $21 for Americans and $28 for Canadians.  This box is a bit pricy, but so far the value is there for me!

Body Shop Haul PLUS New Release Sneak Peaks

Last week while my boyfriend had an appointment I had some time to kill in Toronto's Path system.  The Path is this amazing network of underground tunnels that connects any of the larger office buildings to each other-- perfect to avoid the wind tunnels that are oh so common in downtown Toronto winters!  The Path is, of course, lines with shops.  I've always thought of it as a mall for corporate executives.  It has all sorts of stores that my mom would shop at!  Talbots, Laura, Papryus, and not an Ardene's to be seen.

Challenge | Finish It Off February!

Last week I went to put a new hair product on my beauty counter, and there just wasn't any room left!  I took stock of my collection and realized I had a bunch of bottles with only a little bit of product left in them!  These bottles are taking up a lot of space both on my counter and in my bathroom.  So, I decided to create a little challenge for myself and for my readers.

Haul | Lush Goodies

Lush has so many beautifully made products that every time that I go in, even if there isn't a limited edition collection at that moment, I am able to get some new, creative bath goodies.  This week I decided to treat myself with Figs and Leaves and Sultana of Soap soaps, as well as the Lush solid scrub and matching tin.  I asked for some samples for good measure.  Keep reading to find out more about these beautiful treats!

Sunday Showcase | My MAC Lipstick Collection

I've decided to add a new feature to my blog called "Sunday Showcase" where every Sunday I will feature a collection of products from my stash!  I thought it would be a fun way to showcase some of the fantastic products I have that don't get the blog attention they deserve, because I am often too busy featuring new products in pretty packaging!  Keep reading to find out about my favourite MAC Lipsticks!

My Box | Julep Afterglow Collection

This month it was pretty hard to make my decision for my Julep Maven box!  I went back and forth probably 30 times with everything from the Ultimate Upgrade, to combinations of add-ons which included both of the highlighting pens.  At the end of the day though, there were a few products I really, really wanted, and a bunch that I was on the fence about.  Knowing how badly I want some of the Essie Cashmere Matte collection, I decided to scale my order back:

GUEST POST | MizzJ's Beauty Resolutions

Hi everyone! I am MizzJ, the blogger behind Just J and I'm really happy today to be guest-blogging on Classy On the Run as Alanna's CBB guest blogger for January!

Today I'll be talking about my resolutions this year when it comes to beauty and makeup. Since I'm pretty religious about following a strict beauty regime, most of my resolutions will be about the purchasing and using of products. As a blogger, your product stash can really get out of hand and looking at my Visa bills, that eventually adds up. One lipstick here, or a palette there may not seem like much, but when you have a wedding to plan for, it's time to set some priorities!

So without further ado, in 2015 I would like to...

Favourites | Really Really Belated December 2014

I often just use my holy grail products on a day-to-day process.  However, every now and again I come across something new, something beautiful, something useful, or something special.  While Christmas shopping for friends and family I couldn't help but come across a few new products!

Keep reading to find out about my most recent finds!

Julep | January 2015 "The Chrysalis Collection"

I was so excited for this Julep box to arrive for two reasons!  One, the Orbital eyeshadow.  And two, the Metamorphic topcoat.  I was really excited about this box, and it did not disappoint!

Julep Oxygen Nail Treatment (Ivory), Hand Scrub, Nail decals, Luxe Lip (Sheer Plum), Orbital Eyeshadow (Borealis),  Shelly, Phyllis, Luna, Chatoya (Last month), Margit, Bjork

MAC | Cremesheen Lipstick in "Creme Cup"

I picked up this lipstick at the Duty Free shop in the Toronto Airport, because who doesn't want to buy a lipstick at 4:00 am?

Birchbox Canada | January 2015

This is Birchbox Canada's second box, and I am still making up my mind on the box. I am sure they are still feeling out the Canadian market and developing an understanding of our preferences.  I hope they have learned from Target's approach to Canada, and their eventual closure that Canadians want comparable products to the States, but that our market preferences are still distinct.  So far I have found Birchbox to be a bit of a disappointment, but I will get into that a bit more after I review the products I received.

Vacation | Packing & Duty Free Shopping

As you may have gathered from some previous posts, I went to Cuba over Christmas break!  Last year I did a post that was well received on what beauty to pack, so today I wanted to share what bath and shower goodies I took with me, and how I did so in a compact manner.  

Keep reading for my packing tips and tricks!

Travel Photo Diaries | Photos from Cuba

I had a beautiful trip to Cuba.  I went with my family, and we stayed at Iberrostar Varadero for a week.  I loved the hotel. Our room was spacious and clean.  Every evening when I would get back to the room my towel was twisted into something beautiful-- a swan.  A heart.  Another swan.  The food was yummy and plentiful, and there was a free drink at every corner.  The people were friendly and warm, the beach was soft and clean.  It was a perfect week away!  I can't wait to go back next year.

Boat ride at sunset

Empties | Winter 2015 (Bath and Body)

I haven't had time to do a proper empties post in a while, but when I went to shove one more shampoo bottle into my empties bag I couldn't!  So, I guess its time for an Empties post!  I have an impressive 19 products and mini reviews packed into this post!

January 2015 | IPSY Fresh Start

My relationship with IPSY is a bit of a roller coaster.  Some months I love it, some months I hate it and want to cancel, and some months...meh.  Coming in at about $18 a month, IPSY is moderately priced. I've decided at least for now to switch with my subscription because I have a job, and hey, why not.  

I wasn't excited to get this bag in the slightest, but then it arrived in the hot pink wrapper and slowly but surely I fell in love.  This month wasn't full of snazzy one off items, but rather some under loved, simply not as sexy staples that I have been slowly falling for.  This month's theme is "Fresh Start" to coincide with the start of the new year!

LA Fresh Eco Beauty Moisturizer

Probelle Into the Blue Nail Lacquer 

bellápierre Shimmer Powder
Elizabeth Mott All Over Shadow Brush
Pacifica Natural Mineral Coconut Eyeshadow

MAC | Paint Pot in "Painterly"

The Sephora points program is really a catch-22 for me.  I love Sephora and their brands, and I love getting points.  Right now, I am saving up for a big point gift, so every point counts.  For that reason, and that reason alone, I tend not to really go into MAC that often.  

However, when I do, I always find their consistency calming, their artists knowledgeable, and of course, their products wonderful.

Christmas 2014 | A Few of My Favourite Things

I just wanted to share a few of my favourite Christmas gifts with my lovely readers!  This post includes a beautiful tea mug, some Sephora Christmas sets, and some lovely gloves from my boyfriend!  I was lucky this Christmas to spend time with my boyfriend and his family in the countryside, and to spend New Years with my family in Cuba!  

These Cupcakes Have No Calories! | Adventures in Soap Making

Over Christmas break I learned how to make soap!  I won't bore you with the details of how I did it, but I thought you may enjoy these pretty pictures.  And yes, they smell as good as they look!

Sephora Haul | Black Friday 2014

All of the blogging catch up!  I snagged these on Black Friday for $12 per set ($10 in the US).  I love Sephora's Black Friday deals because they are a great way to try some new product minis, and stock up on your favourites for travel.  This year I did both!

Julep Mystery Box | Naughty or Nice December 2014

I will start of by saying that I am sorry about the state of these photos.  I took them in a rush on Christmas because I wanted to give about half of the box away to my 15 year old cousin.  She actually asked me if I had heard of Julep because she loved their polish.  So, I let her have three of the polishes from this box, and quite a haul from my dupe box!  All for a good cause.

Julep Mystery Box | The Diamond Mystery Box

I'll be honest, I am only really sharing this post because I am really proud of the GIF I made.  I have a lot of posts to catch up on, so rather than review my entire box I am just going to focus on the two limited edition polishes.  

DEAL ALERT | Sephora 2x the Points on Skin Care

Attention fellow Beauty Insiders!  Until Monday the 19th Sephora Beauty Insiders get 2x the points on all skin care!  For exact rules and details head over to www.sephora.com.  Points are awarded automatically, which means you can still use a coupon code!

DEAL ALERT | Zoya Now Ships to CANADA

Hey you beautiful Canadian ladies... have I got nail polish news for you!

Ipsy | December 2014 Has Finally Arrived

I'm back!  I had an amazing amazing week in beautiful, sunny, warm Cuba!  And after spending some time unpacking and doing laundry I am back to the blog.  While I was away I received more boxes than I care to admit to.  My Ipsy bag was very late this month and actually only arrived in the week after Christmas.

As a Canadian I was pretty frustrated that despite advertising Bumble and Bumble products, no Canadians could receive them.  When I inquired as to why, I was told that this was because Bumble and Bumble's website does not ship to Canada and thus they didn't want to disappoint Canadians when we would be unable to order them.  Ummm....thanks?  Not like Sephora sells it here or anything... anywaysssssss I ended up with a Sexy Hair product that my cousin swears by, so all is not entirely lost.