How to get a Winter Glow

Maintaining smooth and hydrated skin has been my top priority during these cold Winter months. Prior to applying make-up, it's extremely important for me to prep my skin for a smooth and seamless look. This includes exfoliation, a 5 minute hydrating mask, the Laneige lip mask (which I LOVE), moisturizer, and most importantly, hydrating from within (aka drink lots of water!) I also apply a small amount of face oil, if needed, to particularly dry areas. 

Getting Holiday Ready with OGX Beauty

'Tis the season for soft waves and crisp winter scents. I've been loving the holiday line by OGX Beauty x Nicole Guerriero, leaving my hair smooth and silky through these brisk Winter months. 

Halloween look: Skull Glam

Happy Halloween loves! 

Decided to do something totally different this year and went all out with skeleton glam. It took about two hours to beat our faces to the grave, and even longer to remove it thanks to the glitter, glue and smokey eye.

Medulla & Co x Sarah Mian

OLD HOLLYWOOD 

Retro, voluminous curls with tons of texturizing spray to hold the part

🔔 tip: pin up curls to hold shape until hair cools

Everyday Makeup Routine: Minimal is More

Over the years, I've gone through phases of wearing no makeup, to sporting winged liner daily, to going out with a full face of makeup regularly (my version of it is pretty down played), to finding a minimal look I could truly live with for the rest of my life. 

If there was one step in my make-up routine that I had to prioritize, it would be lashes. I could go out bare faced and lashes would still make me feel glamorous. I've come to find that I'm most comfortable with a light layer of foundation, concealer, lashes (lash extensions or mascara), lightly filling in my brows, and occasionally a little blush. This here is my ideal look. There's no worry about lipstick smudging, fading eyeliner, or touching up my make-up throughout the night. It's a natural look for everyday wear. 

What's your ideal look? 

Xo,

Sarah

Mimosas and Manis @ Her Majesty's Pleasure

What better way to spend your mornings than getting pampered and sipping mocktails while doing it. I had the opportunity to experience a gel mani and blow out at Her Majesty's Pleasure and was raving about it for days, trust me, my friends can attest to that... I'm typically a nude-nail-for-all-occasions type of gal, but couldn't pass on the opporunity for a little nail-art action from one of the top nail salons in Toronto. I may or may not have just made up a stat, but they do have an in-house bar serving drinks and lattes during all hours of operation so I'm sure we can all agree that its ranked way up there. 

A Guide to Perfecting the Top-Knot

The half-up top-knot has been my go-to this summer, especially since we're caught in a heatwave with high levels of humidity and zero chance of preventing frizz. Achieving this top-knot bun involves a lot of trial and error, especially depending on the state of your hair (curls, frizz, etc). Here are a few tips that will help you tame the mane and sport the hairstyle everyone's rocking this Summer.

Falling in Love with Falsies

Before a couple of month ago, I had never really considered false lashes. I've always had naturally long and full lashes so a few coats of mascara did the trick. I am, by no means a beauty guru.....I mean clearly, having not discovered false lashes until a couple of month ago. However, I've been noticing that regardless of caking my face with pounds of makeup and layers of mascara, I still looked like I wasn't really wearing any makeup in photoshoots and selfies. I guess that's the point of makeup, but sometimes you just want to be able to bat your lashes and sass the haters ya know?  But anyways, I definitely prefer false lashes sans mascara and will be sticking to that for now! 

What are your fave lash brands? Any recommendations? 

Xo,

Sarah

Current Favourite Lipstick: YSL Satin Lips

- photos via instagram @sarahmian - 

When I started blogging, I would experiment with tons of lip shades and different makeup looks to make each outfit look distinct. It just so happens that it was also around the time that I actually started wearing makeup. Before blogging and discovering the plethora of beauty products, looks, and techniques, I would stick to my mascara and concealer...yeah I know, what a beauty routine eh, haha. However, after posting a few looks,  I felt like I couldn't just look "plain," because everyone was all about the winged liner and dramatic pout. 

Years later, I've found what I'm comfortable with and although I change it up a little, I tend to stick to my basics. One of which is the blush/rose lip. It is definitely my go-to. 

My current favourite is the YSL satin lipstick in Rose Bergamasque 

#NotAnAd #JustObsessed

p.s. the notebook is from Nunuco Design Co. in case you guys were wondering :)

Xo, 

Sarah

Pastel Obsessed

Spring florals and sunshine mean tons of blush and pastel tones. I'm absolutely loving these shades. My mani situation tends to be reflective of my mood and how can you not be -happy-go-lucky- when classes have come to an end and Summer's only moments away! 

What are you fave Spring shades?

Xo,

Sarah

My July Favourites

Sharing some of my daily favourites for the month, beauty and non beauty related! July has just sped by and here are some of my must-haves for beach days, running errands, class and other daily activities.

1.  I can't get enough of the Tazo passion tea. The tea bags are perfect for boiling soothing hot tea for early morning or brewing up cold passion tea lemonade for hot evenings. Caffeine free is just an added bonus!

2. Not a day goes by where I don't light a Yankee candle. The small candles are perfect for summer when I like to switch up my scent a lot.

3. Marc Jacobs' Honey has my go-to scent this Summer.

4. Just because Summer is here doesn't mean working for that Summer bod is over. Having late night classes means getting in a workout before school and these Simple make up wipes alway come in handy.

5. I don't sweat, I glow... obviously. But too much of that summer glow is not okay! *queue the Clean & Clear blotting sheets*

6. The Colossal mascara is light weight and perfect for hot days. The raccoon look is not cute nor will it ever be.

7. The Maybelline Super Stay lip stain is my all time favourite (drug store) lip stain. It couldn't be more convenient than during a heat wave a.k.a the weather we've been having because melted lipstick is never fun. Plus, patio dates and drinks are so much cuter when your lips actually make through the night.

8. The Olay Fresh Effects lotion has a satin finish and it's what I've been wearing on make-up free days to mimic that summer glow.

9. Another day, another nail colour. Constantly applying and removing nail polish requires extensive nail care, and my Burt's Bees cuticle cream is a large part in maintaining healthy nails.

10. "You smell good what is that?" "Why it's my hand lotion from Bath & Body Works of course" My mild case of xerophobia (okay it's not really that seriously...) prevents me from ever leaving the house without hand lotion and one of my current favourites is 'Beautiful Day' from their signature collection.

11. Gotta have my SPF. La Roche-Posay has been my saviour from the sun and all things UV.

12. Nivea lip butter is the reason I haven't been a victim to chapped lips lately, especially on hot days when you're likely to suffer from dehydrated lips.

13. Traveling to the city via public transportation means sanitizer, sanitizer and more hand sanitizer, Bath & Body Works just makes it more fun with their summer scents.

Summer's not over yet! Share some of your summer favourites or items you would like me to review in the comments below and I'll be sure to check them out :)

Xo, Sarah

Rewind and Relax with Freeman Face Masks

With a busy schedule of school and work, it's easy to forget to take time out of your day to treat yourself. An occasional all inclusive spa day is necessary to rewind and relax but when that's out of the picture, Freeman face masks are essential for an at-home spa day. My favourite products are the clay masks; I find them to be hydrating, effective in reducing redness and leaves my skin glowing. To cope with the unavoidable stress of finals, the Anti-stress mask is my first choice but the perfect environment for studying wouldn't be complete without one of my favourite scents from Bath & Body Works, Black Pepper Bergamot! (p.s. Bath & Body Works temporarily brought back my favourite autumn scents,  safe to say I stocked up!)

Spring Nails

Pastel Stripes

Spring calls for colourful, bright and fun nails. I find myself attracted to pastels, nudes and light nails this time of year but occasionally get creative and go all out. Here are some of my Spring nail ideas that I hope will inspire your own. Try them out and be sure to share pics! :) Leave a comment below if you are interested in specific tutorials.

Marc Anthony Macadamia Oil Product Review

As the cool brisk air  flows through my hair I can't help but image all the damage my poor locks undergo throughout the ruthless months of Winter. The right products are important for maintaining healthy hair and skin during these months and you may find yourself having to switch products to accommodate the weather change. A line of hair products that I find works great to keep hair healthy is the Marc Anthony Macadamia Oil line. You can find these products at Target, Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart and pretty much anywhere hair products are sold. There are four products that I absolutely cannot live without:  

The Perfect Winter Pout

Let's talk lips. Anyone who knows me knows that I have an obsession with lip colours. My fave brands right now are Chanel, Tom Ford & Estée Lauder. Although designer brands are preferable because the quality does reflect the price, selected drug store lipsticks can have the same effect. I usually prefer drug store lip sticks when I'm experimenting with colours and looks to avoid spend loads on a product I might regret. 

As Winter approaches, so do Holiday parties... which means loads of opportunity to dress up and look your best. Lips are a big part of this. I made a short list of lip colours suitable for Winter. I stuck with drugstore brands because they are a little on the cheaper side and gives those who are not too familiar with lipstick a chance to try them out at affordable prices. 

1. Rimmel London | Kate♡ | #01