The Unwritten Road

   Origins is a skincare line that I have been quite interested in, and i've heard a lot about the Origins Night-A-Mins. I wanted to switch up my night moisturizer as the weather is becoming colder meaning my skin will be drier and I would need a more "intense" moisturizer. While browsing the Sephora site I came across this Origins Best Sellers Kit which included the night-a-mins moisturizer and 5 more products and it seemed the better bang for my buck so I decided to give it a try.


Price: $50 CAD valued at $125 CAD
Products: Gin Zing Moisturizer (1oz)
                  High Potency Night-A-Mins (1oz)
                  Clear Improvements Charcoal Mask (0.5oz)
                  Frothy Face Wash (1oz)
                  Renewal Serum (0.5oz)
                  Brightening Eye Cream (0.5 oz)

   Overall I do like this kit as it allows you to try 6 different products from Origins. This set is very affordable as you are able to test the products with a deluxe sample size to see if you like it before committing to the full size. Now I do have my favourites from this set and I will break down all 6 of the products individually incase you are just interested in a few of the items.

Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturizer

Sample Size: 1oz
Full Size: 1.7 oz and $35 CAD
Claims: instantly hydrates and revs up radiance. The moisturizer has coffee bean and gin-zing to jumpstart hydration levels and skin should look hydrated and refreshed:
Pros: I loved the sent of this product, it has a citrus sent to it. I thought that the sent might irritate my skin but it didn't and I feel that the sent wakes me up in the mornings. I also like that this product is more of a gel in consistency as it is cooling on the skin which also helps my skin wakeup in the morning.
Cons: Not enough moisture. I find that once I put this product on and it soaks into my skin that I still need a bit of moisture. Yes it hydrates but not enough. I do have dry skin, so this product may work better for someone with normal to oily skin. I find that the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream is a better daily moisturizer for someone with dry skin.

Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash

Sample Size: 1oz
Full Size: 5oz $26.50 CAD
Claims: formulated to combat both dry and oily skin. It claims that you skin should never feel tight, parched or pulled.
Pros: It removes any excess makeup that a makeup remover didn't remove and does froth a nice bit meaning product is not being wasteful as you only need a little bit at a time.
Cons: Product claims that skin should not be left tight, pulled or parched. I have used this product quite a few times and every time my skin feels tight after and like all the moisture is sucked from my skin. This cleanser is just not for me and I fell it is suited for oily or normal skin.

Origins Skin Renewal Serum with Willowherb

Sample Size: 0.5oz
Full Size: 1oz $50 CAD
Claims: claims it is a super-serum that helps skin look fresher, brighter, and smoother while blurring imperfections.
Pros: This product is similar to the gin-zing moisturizer but better. This product has the same citrus sent as the gin-zing moisturizer which i like. I also like how quick it sinks into the skin.
Cons: I find that this product works the best when I use it before the ginseng moisturizer, I find that if I use 2 of them together my skin gets a bit more moisture. Its only a con because I find that I need to use 2 products not just 1.


Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Mineral Enriched Renewal Cream

Sample Size: 1oz
Full Size: 1.7oz $55 CAD
Claims: best for compilation or dry skin. Moisturizer helps replenish and restore skin, with relaxing aromas to help you sleep. Over night your skin get vitamins, minerals and hydration leaving your skin refreshed and younger looking skin by morning.
Pros: Love the sent of this product it has a hint of citrus like the other moisturizer and serum. This moisturizer is thicker and I find it has the right about of moisturize. When I wake up in the morning my skin feels refresher and moisturized. This is my favourite product from the set and I notice a difference in my skin if I don't use the product.
Cons: The only con to this product is the price for the full size product is expensive and is only 0.7oz bigger than the sample.

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream

Sample Size: 0.5oz
Full Size: 0.5oz $39 CAD
Claims: help reduce dark circles and leaves the under eye refreshed
Pros: love the formula, its a more light cream meaning it is't very thick which is what I like. A little goes a long way with this product. It states to use it in the morning but I use it both morning and night which is fine. The eye cream leaves the underlies refreshed, brightened and moisturized.
Cons: I like the formula in the sample better which is a tube than the pot. I find the cream in the pot is formulated different and is thicker. If I wanted the tube I would have to buy it in a set and the pot is only sold separately.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask Treatment

Sample Size: 0.5oz
Full Size: 3.4oz $34 CAD
Claims: charcoal mask helps remove toxins, and dirt that clogs pores. Leaves skin clean and refreshed.
Pros: I like charcoal products and I love that you only have to keep the mask on for 10 minutes. It does get dry and your skin feels tight but that just shows that it is working. I love  that this mask isn't hard to remove just use a facecloth and warm water and it comes off very easily. I hate masks that are hard to remove. Skin is left clear and more alive after the mask.
Cons: Would recommend using at nighttime if you have sensitive skin as I used it in the morning and it left my skin red for a while.

I've been blogging now for a while and I noticed you know nothing about me, i've been getting some questions about myself. I thought I would do a little get to know me Q & A.

  Halloween is quickly approaching and I still don't know what to be yet. This costume is great if you are running out of time, or need a quick and easy costume. It took be a maximum of 5 minutes to make this costume from start to finish.

Halloween is quickly approaching, meaning time to start thinking of what you are going to be. I find it so hard to pick a Halloween costume, mainly because I don't want to spend a ton of money on a costume. I decided I would see what I had in my closet and if I could use any of it to make a costume.  I found a black skater skirt and a button up shirt and immediately thought Mary Poppins. This costume is fairly easy to make, as many people people own these basic pieces.

 
    Halloween is just around the corner, and I know costumes can get quite expensive. I thought I would do some costume DIY's up until Halloween. Expect a costume every week until Halloween.
   To start the Halloween DIY trend I will do a unicorn costume. This costume is great because you could have a group of people make this costume and everyones will turn out different. I did mine white but you can do what ever color you want and go crazy with the makeup.

- headband
- 2 sheets of white felt (1 for ears and 1 for horn)
- pink felt
- hot glue gun


Step 1
 Take one piece of white felt and fold it in half. Then cut out a tear drop shape down on the fold and cut it out. Then take your pink felt and cut a smaller tear drop shape.


Step 2
   Take your second sheet of white felt and make a cone shape by rolling it from one corner to the opposite corner. Next stuff it with stiffing or extra felt, this will make it stay up straight. If you want to add something to the horn I added a silver string around the horn to get it some sparkle.




Step 4
  Add the ears to the headband. All you do is fold the ears over the headband and glue them into place then glue the pink in the middle of the ears.

 Fall is quickly approaching and the weather is becoming crispier, and colder. So why not add a little easy fall DIY decor to your room.

What You Need
- mason jar
- mod-podge
- foam paint brush
- leaves

 I will admit I do own a nice bit of makeup and I find that in my collection I forget about products. So what I do is switch up my makeup on my dresser every now and then. The days are getting cooler, crispier, and shorter, so I thought it was a perfect time to switch up my makeup. I decided to haul out fall makeup, so normallyI go for fuller coverage with my makeup, with bronzier eyes and if i'm feeling really good a lip colour.



 I'm all for drugstore foundation and i'm currently using the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation, as it is very hard to find a foundation pale enough for me and I find that you don't need a ton of the foundation either. I use the Nars concealer and blush in orgasm as they are both new products to me so i'm trying them out and so far i love them. Also the blush just screams fall to me. I also recently got the NYX blush in taupe as a contour color, its a nice contour because its nor orange its more of an ashy shade.



For fall I add more color and spend more time on my eye makeup, as I like warm colors and break out the warmer browns and gold colors.



I normally don't wear lip colors but if i'm feeling adventurous that day ill add a bit of color. I normally go for colors that are very similar to my lip color or just a little darker like Revlon lip butter in 050 berry smoothie or Maybelline colorsensational lipstick in 045 pink me up. This year i'm going to attempt a red lip and thats with the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in 01, I really want to try the Zoella favourite 107.

    Nights are coming quicker, air gets crisper and those flannel pjs are hauled out from the back of my closet. Crisp morning or nights wearing jeans, layers and riding boots as you watch the leaves turn amazing colours. This means one thing, FALL. Fall is my favourite time of year, if you were to look in my closet 90% of it is sweaters (I think I might have a sweater problem..lol). I'm definitely a list person, I LOVE to-do lists, so I thought why not do a bucket-list for fall. This will allow me to come up with things I want to do for the season and I can see what I have accomplished when fall is over.

 
     Makeup was a very foreign thing to be until about 7 years ago. I wasn't even really into it, until I started watching beauty youtube videos about 5 years ago. Makeup is a more popular thing in todays society, thinking back to school the first time I put makeup on was grade 12 and then I only put concealer on and maybe mascara. It is way more popular today, people as early as grade 5 are wearing makeup. I learned a fair share in the past 7 years about makeup and I thought I would share my makeup tips for beginners as I learnt the hard way.

1. Learn your Skin Type
   Learn about your skin, most people know if they are oily, normal or dry. A lot of people are a combination of 2. Learn which skin type you have as this will help you choose products which are suitable for your skin type.

2. Moisturize
      Moisturizing is very important, it keeps your skin hydrated. I NEVER moisturized my skin and I believe thats why my skin is the way it is. It is uneven and dry because I never looked after my skin. Having good skin and putting time and effort in is the foundation of having good makeup. If you have good skin, I find there is no need to hide it and a lot of people with good skin wear less makeup.

3. Match your makeup to your neck not your hand
      I was famous for matching my foundation to my hand and of course it never match my face but I thought that was normal its not. You want your foundation to match your skin tone, its best to match it with your neck so it will eliminate any foundation line from your face to your neck.


4. There is no need to go all out
     For a beginner it can be quite easy to get lost in the world of makeup and want everything in site but the truth is half of it won't work for you. Your best bet is to stick to the basics (neutrals) in order to learn what you like so you can experiment once you get comfortable.

5. Brown Eyeliner
     I find that brown eyeliner is less harsh than black, therefore it is easier to practise the technique and different tips and tricks with a more natural liner. Plus easier to hide your mistakes.

College/University is a time that you grow and go through so many different life experiences. Most people say that they are the best years of your life. Well I learned a lot from University if anything I find that I held back a lot. Now I went to a University in the city that I grew up in and thats what a lot of people do here. So I was able to live with my parents throughout University which saved a lot of money. Now this had its pros and cons, and I find that since I lived at home I missed out on some experiences.
  After completing my degree I realized that there was things that I wish I did while I was in University, my main overall thing I learnt was to say YES more and to step outside your comfort zone.

Things I wish I had done in University

1. Make friends in my classes

     This can be quite tough as for most of my classes for my first 2 years I knew people in my classes so I didn't find the need to make friends. Then I found out one of my friends was doing the same program as me. I did make friends in my classes but it wasn't until it was almost to late, I meet most of my friends in my last year/ last semester. Once I started to get to know them I graduated and lost contact except for one. Most of the friends that I made were in my classes as early as my second year but I didn't take the time to make friends as I already knew people in my classes. I wish I took the time to make friends early in my university degree.
   In most universities everyone is in the same boat where know one knows anyone, so it can be easier to make friends if you put the effort in. It's just every University/ College is different, same goes for the individual.

2. Go out and party

     If you asked my friends they might say I'm a bit of a hobbit. This means that on any day i'd rather spend time at home in my pjs curled up watching Netflix. Well if I had my time back I wish I took the plunge and went to parties. I just didn't like the thought of going to some randoms house, getting wasted and forgetting what I did. Partying has never been my thing, I could count on 1 hand how many parties I've been to and how many times I have had a drink. Even when I turned 19, which is the legal drinking age I didn't go get drunk or party. Im not saying I wish i got drunk more, I just wish that when I was offered to go to a party that I would of said yes and not come up with a lame excuse.

3. Work in my field

    By working in my field I mean that I got a job of volunteered in something that was associated with my degree. When I graduated I had no experience in my degree. I did work through University, which to me was good because a lot of people don't, but having experience in your field looks great on a resume when you go looking for a job.

4. Get to know your professors
 
   The thought of going to a professors office hours terrified me. I was terrified to go speak to a teacher if I was having trouble because I thought that they would think I was stupid. Well I was wrong, they are there to help you. I learnt this in my last 1 1/2 at Uni as I started to get the same professors for different classes and they got to know you. When a prof gets to know you, and knows that you work hard and are putting in the effort can go a long way. They will take the time to help you and sometimes it can even help your grades. Knowing a prof can be the difference between a pass or fail or an B and an A.

5. Study Wisely

   The thought of studying now is enough to make me sick, but trust me studying wisely is very important. I'm not gonna lie I was definitely a crammer, the night before a big test I would haul out my text book and notes for the first time all semester. This is not a good thing, it took time but I didn't learn. My last semester I was still all cramming, I have learned from this mistake but it is a little to late. By studying wisely I mean that after class take the time to look at your notes, if they are messy rewrite them, if its a power point printed add in extra bits so its not general. Read your textbook, add in notes from your textbook to your notes and mark important pages. Before a test/ exam take the time to combine all your notes so its all compact in 1 place, so you don't get lost trying to flick through 7 different things. If you have a lot of definitions use cue cards. This is what I have learnt but you might be a different type of learner than me, but the most important thing is to learn what works best for you.

6. Study Abroad

   If you are given the chance or are able to study abroad I would recommend. I had the chance to but declined the offer. With my University there are 3 campuses, 2 in the province I live in and 1 in England. Normally once every 2 years there are courses that you can take over the summer in England that go towards your degree. You can also take courses that transfer to your degree. Some of my friends studied abroad and loved it, it gave them so many life experiences and they were able to experience different cultures and travel the world. I do wish I took the opportunity to study abroad.

Does anyone have a life plan anymore? or is this even a thing?

Well I was one of those people that had the now cringe worthy life plans. Looking back at it now it was totally unrealistic but hey just 5 years ago this plan totally seemed achievable.
What was my life plan you ask?

       My plan was that right out of University I would find my dream job, I would work Mon-Fri and my weekends free. I would be in a serious relationship by 20 and get married by 25 and have kids within a few years.

Well guess what i'm almost 25 and none of those things are true. I have been out of University for over a year now and i'm still working the job I had while in University. I am in no serious relationship, well in matter of a fact never really been in one. So there is no chance of marriage any time soon and I can't imagine have kids yet at this stage of my life.

Its funny to think that 5 years ago this was my plan and when I look at that plan now I just laugh. How could I have scheduled parts of my life that are just suppose to happen. I can't plan when i'm gonna fall in love its just something that will hopefully happen. What I have learned is that if I want a plan, make it achievable.



I still think making a life plan is a good idea but centre around things like:
How do you want to be remembered?
What is important to you?
What do you want to accomplish?
What makes you happy?

My new life plan is I guess more of a goal to be happy and to live everyday to its fullest. Keep volunteering, as it puts a smile on my face and I enjoy it. Help out when you can and to not sweat the small stuff. A job will come my way it just takes time and everyone grows up at a different rate so don't sweat the small stuff. Most importantly ENJOY your time with your FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

 
    Do you find that birthdays just pop up out of no where. Is anyone else like that? Well i've decided to tackle this problem and get organized.  All my families birthdays are between November and December where as my friends are March and May. I like to take the time and get someone the perfect gift but that stresses me out when I realize the birthday is just a couple days away. Especially when you find something good online and it take a few weeks to get here.
   I decided i'm gonna get organized, I just made this template and it seems to be working well as I am able to write down any ideas of gifts and budget money. It allows me to plan ahead as I have the birthdays written down so they will not just pop out of no where. It also allows me to know what I have bought so I don't end up buying the same thing or buying a lot.

 This is just an example on how I am using a chart. You can keep it on your phone, laptop or if you like a more written option than writing in a notebook is always good. 

Hard to believe that people are back at school already, its crazy. Well if you still don't have your school supplies or want to reuse your old school supplies I got the perfect DIY. These DIY's are very easy, quick and extremely affordable.


      These are great for personalizing your binders. The best thing with this DIY is you can do what you want you can make a college, personalize it with the subject or just have a cute background. To make these covers I used a free computer program called canva. This program is extremely easy to use, I choose my own dimensions of 8.5x11 so its the size of computer paper that will fit in a binder.
     What I did was find a cute tumblr background and saved it to my computer. Then went to the uploads section on the left hang side and dragged it onto the paper. After that I went to the text section and chose a text I liked. This computer program is awesome, you can use it for more than this is has sections for Facebook posts, Facebook headers, social media posts etc. Once I got the design to my liking I printed it off and slide it into the clear sleeve on my binder.

 

College and University is a time where you learn a lot about yourself and who you are becoming. Its a time where you grow, get stressed to the max and make wonderful memories. Here are my op 5 tips for people who are starting college, trust me they do help as I learnt the hard way from all these experiences. I thought i'd share my tips, so you don't have to go through what I did.

1.  RATEMYPROFESSOR.COM

      I learned about this site after my first year at university and let me tell you its a lifesaver. All you do is plug in your university/college and search for your professor, it will show you reviews of the prof. Its basically just reviews from others that have had that professor before it gives you information on how hard a marker they are, how they teach the material, cares about student, participation matters, and if you skip class will you pass. Trust me this has saved me from some pretty awful teachers
    for example: if you have speaking aloud in class then I would choose a prof were participation doesn't matter.

2.  Use a planner

      Yes your mom was right, you should use a planner. Now this was no problem for me as I use a planner to keep me organized with school and work. A planner helps you keep things organized and know when assignments are due. Once you get your syllabus I would go to my planner and put in all the important dates like midterms, quizzes, tests, papers or readings were due. Its just good at keeping you on top of things.

3. Its OKAY to ask for help
 
       This one took me a while to learn trust me I learned the hard way, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Most time profs are there to help you and take advantage of the office hours, if you have a question or want to go over something they gave you back, they are more than willing to. I was so nervous to go talk to my profs and would avoid it, I would do anything to not go and see them. Its better to just bite the bullet and go speak to them and hey if you go see them and they get to know you it can make a difference between a pass or a failing grade.
      Another thing is don't be embarrassed to get a tutor. They know the material and in most cases know what to expect in an exam. Most tutors have taken the course and for some it was barely recent, and might have even had the same prof which is a massive bonus as they know what your teacher concentrates on for tests. At my university there was a business that would put off tutorials for first year math, physics and chemistry classes before any midterm or final. If they had enough interest they would even do them all year round. Now it was $20 a class but for me for one semester it was totally worth it, I would get more out of that tutorial than I would a class.

4. GPA is important, but it won't make or break you.

      Getting good grades in university is kinda important as it allows you better opportunities and allows you to gave better registration time, but its not life or death. Trust me school has never been a strong suit for me I struggled especially in my first few years at university. I'm not gonna lie I might have failed a course or two, i'm not proud of that but it is what it is and I learned from that. Its normal for most people to have lower grades in there first year of university than what they had in high school. Its okay if your grades are not what they use to be going from high school to university is a big change and it takes a while to get use to it. Sometimes you learn university isn't for you, or that you need to change your studying techniques or finding courses that you like. Once you get into the routine of university your marks will go up. From speaking of personal experience my last year was my year of somewhat good grades, I didn't get the best grades for the first 4 years and it wasn't until my last year that I got my gpa up a little.


5. Its OKAY to change your program.

      A lot of people change their mind on the program they are studying or their major or minor and this is no big deal. I changed my mind and it was no big deal. People learn at different times when they realize a program isn't for them, and sometimes you have to try other courses to figure out what you want. You might go to college and have no idea what you want to do and thats fine to it just takes a little time.
     I figured out after 3 years that a program wasn't for me. At my university you basically do courses that can help you into a certain program or do a year of general studies. I did courses to get me into education, I applied 3 times and never got into the facility. After my 3rd time applying and not getting in I was crushed, I had no back up plan, I wasted 3 years at university I thought . I took it as a sign that meant that the program wasn't for me. So I started talking some other courses to figure out what I liked, I ended up taking a geography class with one of my friends and loved it. I ended up getting all my courses done for that major in just 2 years. I also changed my mind again as I had math as my minor, but  that quickly changed. After my 5th math course I realized university math is totally different than high school math. Its now about proofs, and proving why an angle is 90 degrees. I could do math problems but not proofs. So i changed my mind to psychology and just added on a course here and there and my minor was done in no time.

 

  Hard to believe that the back to school season is starting, I know this post might be a bit early for some but I know some people go back to school in August. I thought I'd share and give everyone the equal opportunity to try these.
   I did 3 different notebooks and all 3 are very easy to make and are great if you want unique school supplies. The 3 notebooks I made were flash tattoo notebook, embroidered notebook and 2 toned notebook.

 
   

   Every summer I tie dye, but i'm always up for finding different ways to tie dye. I've tried the sharpie tie dye and last year did tie dye in a mason jar and LOVED IT. This year I found another way to tie dye and its with ice, who would of thought you could tie dye with ice cause I never. I LOVE this tie dye trick, I only made mine with 1 colour as it was my first time doing it but it would look awesome with multiple colours.

What You Need

Step 1
      Soak your t-shirt or fabric in water for a few minutes then wring out the shirt as best as you can.

Step 2
     Make sure your bucket is empty and place the rack on top of the bucket. Then twist your shirt in what ever way you want and place it on the rack. Next take your ice and place it on the shirt. You will need a nice bit of ice, I used about 3 ice trays of ice. No worries the ice will stick to the shirt, just make sure that your shirt is covered in ice

Step 4
    Leave your shirt until the ice completely meals, I left mine over night.

Step 5
    Rinse your shirt to get rid of the extra dye and leave it to dry.

Hope you guys enjoy this DIY as much as I did.