Beginner Series : Applying False Lashes in 10 Easy Steps

Hey everyone! Today, I'm back with another advice post for beginners : how to apply fake lashes. Many girls (including me) struggle with applying false lashes at first. With a little practice I've developed a few tips and tricks to make my life easier so I'm sharing them with you today!

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What you need

- Tweezers

- Eyelash Glue
- Fake lashes
- Black gel or liquid liner
- An object that you can put glue on. I use a concealer.

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Choosing your lash glue 

Brand : The first thing to keep in mind when buying a an eyelash adhesive is the brand. Not all brands perform equally therefore choosing a high quality glue will give you better results.

Eye Sensitivity : Some brands can be irritating for your eyes. In my experience, the glue sometimes included with Ardell lashes does this, it stings my eyes so it doesn't work for me.

Color : Lash glues come in either clear or black. If you are a beginner, it's easiest to stick to clear to avoid getting black glue all over your lid while you work on getting them placed correctly.

With all of this said, my favorite glue is the Duo Clear Eyelash Glue.  It's fairly around the 6$.

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Applying False Lashes in ten steps

1. Finish your makeup look as you normally would with liner and mascara.

2. Apply some glue on your chosen object. Let it sit for ~30 seconds until it becomes a bit tacky.

3. Pick up the lashes with tweezers and apply the glue uniformly onto the lash band.

4. Before applying, hold the lashes in front of your eye and adjust the lashes' placement.

5. Once you have adjusted the placement, stick the middle portion of the lash on the center of your lid as close as possible to your lash line. Then, stick both ends as well.

6. Adjust the lashes while the glue is still wet to ensure proper placement.

7. Let it sit for 10-15 seconds.

8. Using your thumb and index finger, press the lashes with your own natural lashes to ensure that they blend well with your lashes and that they are secure.

9. Let the glue dry for a couple minutes. It should become clear mostly clear, but it may affect the look of your eyeliner underneath. No worries, we can fix it with a little eye liner.

10. Make sure that the lash band is hidden by applying liner wherever the band is noticeable.

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Removing the lashes

The best way to remove lashes is with makeup remover and a cotton bud. I advise against pulling them off since it can damage the sensitive skin on your eyes as well as your natural lashes. 

To remove lashes, I saturate a cotton bud with makeup remover. Then, I hold it at the base of my lashes for a few seconds so that the makeup remover has time to loosen the glue. After that, I carefully rotate the cotton bud near my lash line until the lashes come off on their own. Here is a little video showing the technique I use.

The video quality isn't all that great, sorry about that!
Gotta figure out how to work my camera's video mode.

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Caring for your lashes

If you plan on reusing your lashes more than once (which I usually do), you need to care for your fake lashes in order to keep them nice and in good shape. Here are a few tips to help you make sure that you care for your lashes well.

- Don't pull off the lashes. It can be damaging your your sensitive eye area as well as the lashes.

- Try to avoid putting mascara over the lashes. Apply mascara beforehand.

- Remove any glue that is stuck to the lash band using tweezers.

- Keep your lashes in their original packaging when you store them.

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That's all for this advice post! I hope it helps and that you enjoyed this :) Let me know in the comments if you'd like to see more beginner posts and what you'd like to see!

Don't forget to follow me and like my Facebook page for more posts like this ♥

Beginner Series : Drugstore Starter Makeup Kit

Hey everyone! Today I'm introducing a brand new series here on my blog : a beginner series. I will be posting tutorials on makeup basics for anyone starting out ! I'll include also include  a few easy everyday makeup tutorials.

First, this post is a drugstore starter makeup kit. I'll take you through all the basic makeup items you may need in your makeup collection when you start out with makeup. These are the items that will be used in future tutorials to create everyday looks.

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These are all the products I am recommending today. Of course, you can add or substract products from this list according to your needs and preferences.

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Face Makeup

1) Moisturizer : First you will need a good moisturizer that is well suited to your skin type. I use Garnier Ultra-Lift day cream. It's quite hydrating so it might not be the most suited for oily complexions.

2) Oil-Absorbing Sheets : If you get oily during the day, oil absorbing sheets such as these from Clean & Clear are the best to keep your skin from getting shiny without smudging the makeup underneath. 

3) Foundation : Liquid foundation helps even out the skin. You can also mix it with moisturizer for a natural look. My favorites are : Revlon ColorStay : Flawless look, high coverage, matte finish and Maybelline Instant Rewind : Natural, light coverage, dewy finish.

4) Finishing Powder : Powder will help the foundation set and stay on all day. This Stay Matte Powder from Rimmel is great and doesn't look powdery.

5) Blush : blush livens up your complexion and make you look healthy and glowing. Wet n Wild have incredibly pigmented and super affordable blushes. One of my favorites is the color Heather Silk.

6) Bronzer : Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be tanned to pull off bronzer. The key is to find a shade that suits your skin tone and that isn't too dark or orange. I like the N.Y.C Sunny Bronzer for my skin. 

7) Concealer : Concealer hides blemishes and discoloration on the skin.  To choose a concealer you must consider where you want to apply it. Blemishes require a thicker consistency while the under eye area needs the opposite. My favorite is Maybelline Mineral Power.

8) Face brushes :  For foundation, you can either use a brush for an airbrushed effect, or your hands for a more natural look. I like the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush because it's soft and it buffs the foundation in really well. For powders, I recommend the multipurpose Eco Tools Blush Brush.

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Eye Makeup

1) Eyelash curlers : Not everyone like eyelash curlers, but if you have straight lashes like me, it really does make a difference and helps make your eyes look bigger. This is a Revlon Eyelash curler.

2) Eye shadow : Neutrals are the easiest pull off so I recommend starting out with those. I recommend Wet n Wild shadows. They are  affordable, easy to apply and the most pigmented drugstore shadows I have ever come across. My favorites : Silent Treatment, Comfort Zone and Walking on Eggshells.

3) Mascara : No eye look is complete without mascara, but everyone's preferences for mascara differ so it's impossible to recommend one that everyone will love. Finding what you like is often a trial an error process and you may need to try a few before your find one your like. My current favorite is the Clump Crusher mascara. It's separating and volumizing.

4) Liner : For beginners, I recommend a pencil liner for the waterline and liquid liner for the upper lashline (in black or brown). My favorite pencil, Milani's Liquif'Eye Liner, has great staying power and is very dark. For liquid liner, here I have a good one by N.Y.C., but  my fave is L'Oréal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liner.

5) Eye Brushes : Brushes are the key to a successful eye makeup look.The three brushes I'm recommending are all Eco Tools. I recommend a fluffy blending brush for blending out eye shadow, an angled liner brush for brows or lining the eyes and a small flat shading brush for patting on eye shadow.

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Lips

1) Lipstick : You need a color that is wearable and that isn't too different from your natural lip color. That way you are sure that it will compliment your skin tone. It's also easier to apply when you're not used to applying lipstick.

For me, the color I chose is B52 by NYX. Their lipsticks glide on the lips and are very moisturizing.

2) Lipbalm : Everyone needs a good lipbalm, right? This babylips lipbalm has SPF 25, is super smooth and leaves the lips silky feeling.

3) Gloss :  This is optional  but if you like a glossy pout, you'll need at least one lip gloss in your collection.  Here, I'm presenting two different ones, a sheer shimmery one (Forever 21) and pinky more opaque one (BonneBell).These two lip glosses would suit most everyday looks.

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That's all I'm recommending for a beginner starter makeup kit! Everything is very affordable and will help you achieve a full face of makeup without breaking the bank! These are some of my favorite products because of the quality and value for the money. I hope this post has helped! Let me know in the comments if this was any help to you!

Don't forget to follow my blog and like my Facebook page for more beginner friendly makeup posts soon!

Travel Series : A Recap!

I realised that I have quite a lot of travel posts on here so I thought I would regroup them all in one post for easy access! They are subdivided according to their topic :)

Travel advice

Packing :      
How to pack for backpacking
Packing list : Electronics

Packing list : Fashion
Packing list : First Aid
Packing list : Travel Essentials
Packing list : Toiletry Items

Packing light : toiletries (2)
Packing light : toiletries (1)

 Planning :
Planning a backpacking trip
Tips for organizing a backpacking trip

 Go to know :
Overland crossing Thailand-Cambodia

International Cuisine

Panama & Costa Rica

My travels

Why I love backpacking
My Backpacking Hit List
Scuba Diving

South East Asia :
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
My Bucket List

Central America :
Itinerary
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4,
Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

 Vegas :
Part 1, Part 2

Reviews

Central America :
Big Daddy's Grill & Patio
Cafe de Encuentro
Pension Marilos
Hostel Balboa Bay
Hostel Casa Verde
Hostel Casa Max
Hostel Pangea

Travel Advice : Warning About Overland Crossing to Cambodia Through Poipet

This post is about the troubles I encountered in Cambodia specifically when crossing the border from Thailand to Poipet Cambodia, then in Siem Reap and Phnom Phen.I'm making a post dedicated to this since it's pretty long to explain. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy Cambodia, but we fell prey to a few choice scams which I hope to warn others about.

Basically, we had a lot of trouble staying away from scammers in Cambodia. It's not like we weren't careful. Most SE Asia countries see this phenomenon to a certain degree. For instance, in Bangkok, tuk tuk drivers offer to drive you around and then try to coherce clients into buying fake/cheap gemstones in jewlery shops where they have a commission. There are also many organised scams going on in Vietnam as well. Basically, when a smartly-dressed individual with more than basic english offers you help randomly, you should generally be cautious.

Knowing this, we have always been careful when travelling around here and have never had any issues (apart from paying a little too much for a cab ride from time to time). That all changed the minute we decided to cross the border into Cambodia. Now, it might have been the destination we chose (Siem Reap, the city where the famous Angkor Wat is located), or the border we crossed (Aranyapathet - Poi Pet)  or maybe even the time of day (afternoon), but things quickly went from bad to worse.

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First, we chose to cross the border independently. (Group crossings can be arranged in Khao San Road, but it's generally more expensive). We took an overland bus from Bangkok to  Aranyapathet. The bus  dropped us off in Aranyapathet on the thai side. Then, we had to take a tuk tuk from there to the border. Be wary, these tuk tuk drivers will bring you to an unofficial thai office where they will try and sell you a Cambodian visa. Don't purchase your visa at the thai office they bring you to. Instead, keep walking and go straight for the border crossing. You can arrange your visa directly there. The people at the thai office will try very hard to sell you a cambodian visa. I believe the visa they issue is valid, however they a lot more for it.(1200 baht). If you ask them, they will tell you it's the official way of getting the visa (it isn't). The people working there do not wear uniforms or any kind of identification.  Truth is, you can get the cambodian visa directly during the border crossing for only 20$ (again, fair warning, if you pay in baht they will charge you more. It's 800 baht if I remember correctly).

We avoided the office and went straight for the crossing by foot. Right away, a well dressed man started following both my boyfriend and I and another couple. He kept giving us "useful advice" telling us where to go (which was indicated clearly enough) even though we kept telling him we were fine on our own (by then we were sensing he was trying to pull something fishy on us).

At the visa office, we got our visas with no issues in only a couple minutes. Keep in mind that you need a passeport photo for the visa. If like us the border officials tries to make your purchase the arrival card for 100 baht, refuse. The arrival cards are free at the next office. (at this point the guy from earlier was still following us despite our efforts to get rid of him. He even told us he "tried" to warn us not to pay the extra 100 baht. He obviously said this after we paid though.)

After the border crossing we got into a free shuttle for the tourist bus station from the border. This is apparently normal, or at least the Lonely Planet says it is the norm. (we reasearched the crossing beforehand to avoid any issues so we were expecting this). The man who was still following us encouraged us to do this (we should have been suspicious at this point) and even climbed aboard with us. It didn't seem that there were any other methods of transportation around though.

This shuttle brought us to the tourist bus station. There was no one there but a couple employee working at the ticket booths. When we inquired about bus schedules to Siem Reap, the lady at the bus station simply wouldn't answer us. This part we were already aware of. There is an organised scam going on from Poi Pet to Siem Reap. They force visitors to take a fixed price, two hour taxi to Siem Reap for 48$ US. This exorbitant fee is apparently standard and even endorsed by the police in Poi Pet. Since we had been forewarned, we weren't surprised to see that there was virtually no other options available and that the lady wouldn't cooperate and tell us bus schedules. She would probably have gotten into trouble if she had kept the taxi driver from getting us as his very lucrative clients.

With no other options, we managed to convice the other couple to split a cab with us for 12$ a piece. The trouble is, the cab driver and the men who had followed us all the way from the border kept asking to be paid the full amount up front. Our sources clearly warned about this. Do not pay the fare in advance. Apparently, most travelers that have paid before hand in the past never reached their destination and were dropped off in a random location by the taxi driver not long after he received his payment.

Of course, knowin this we refused to pay in advance to ensure we wouldn't suffer the same fate. However, our "guide" got very upset that we wouldn't. He started whinning and trying to convince us to pay right away. His argument was that if we didn't pay right away he wouldn't get anything in return for his work. (which basically consisted of following us even though we aked him not to). We tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't hear it until the man from the other couple gave him a bill of 10$ US so that he would leave us alone. At this point I was really starting to be pissed.

After we had to endure an horrible two hour drive with a mad men. First off he drove way too fast for our comfort.  Second, he kept passing other drivers in the opposite lane which admitedly is quite common here in SE asia, but he was doing it quite carelessly, waiting until the last second before a collision to resume his own lane. Anyway, we were all relieved to still be alive once we got to Siem Reap.

Once in Siem Reap, the taxi driver was supposed to bring us all to our chosen hotels. Instead, he dropped us off near his tuk tuk friends who told us they would bring us for free. By then, it was dark and we were exhausted  so we accepted even though we weren't convinced. Now you won't be surprised when I tell you that the tuk tuk didn't bring us to the right hotel. It was dark, we were on a small street in the middle of nowhere and we couldn't see the sign of the hotel so we weren't sure at first.  We asked and everyone in the hotel's reception kept saying we were at the right place. Turns out we weren't, but we only discovered that the next morning. We also discovered that the tuk tuk drivers sleep there and regularly bring clients in pretending it's the hotel they wanted.

After we visited Angkor Wat, we left for Phnom Penh, already exhausted by the fact that we had to be constantly on our guard. Once we got there, we wanted to make our Vietnamese visa (the vietnamese visa needs to be arranged in advance) so we took a tuk tuk from the bus station to the Vietnamese embassy. The tuk tuk seemed fine at first, but then he started showing signs of increasing insistance towards us.

First, he decided to wait for us outside the embassy while we were arranging our visas (even though we said it wasn't necessary). He also tried to convice us to bring us to many other hotels that the one we wanted, but at least he didn't force us. After that, he tried to convince us to bring us to the killing fields. We told him we were leaving the next morning so we didn't have time and he started getting upset. He said he didn't have clients lately and that he really wanted to bring us. Then he tried to make us feel guilty for not visiting Phnom Penh, etc. Had this point we had had enough and thankfully we were in front of our guest house and we retreated quickly to our new room.

To make matters worse, the next morning when we went down to the bus downstairs, we saw that he was there trying yet again to tempt us into letting him bring us around. It was all quite creepy the way he wouldn't let go and wanted us to feel bad. We left Cambodia for Saigon and got through the border with no issues. We haven't had any issues with scams ever since even though there is apparently quite a few going on here in Vietnam.

So with all this said if you are still reading this (I probably lost most of you at this point!) here is my advice.

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1) Any well-dressed individual that speaks good english and offers help (without being affiliated with a company you are dealing with such as a bus company) in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand (whether local OR foreigner) is probably not offering out of the kindness of his heart. These individuals should be treated with caution since they often work for organised scams.

2) Always be firm about your destination to tuk tuk and taxi drivers. Never pay in advance. Only pay once you have reached the exact destination you were going for. If the taxi doesn't have a meter, make sure to agree on the fixed rate before you get in.

3) If the tuk tuk fare is incredibly low, it's probably too good to be true.

4) Reasearch your destination before you go to avoid known scams or dodgy border crossings.

Hope this helped! Sorry if this is incredibly long, but I hope It'll be helpful to some of you if you are looking to cross overland from Bangkok to Cambodia.

Backpacking tips : how to pack for South East Asia

So I'm leaving for a 10 weeks backpacking trip to South East Asia in less than twelve hours. This means that my bag is ready to go, so I thought I would share how I fit all the stuff I need in there! :D

Backpack
First, here is my backpack. It's an Outbound 55L backpack I got from Canadian Tire. I think it was around 79$. It has a front load pocket which I can access the bottom of the pack through, ajustable straps, padded back, internal frame and side pockets, to only name a few. It's perfect for a female's size in my opinion and it is very comfortable and affordable. It fits all my stuff perfectly, even though I have a tendency to over pack in terms of clothing.

This is everything I am packing into my back. Only thing that will not go into the pack is what I'm wearing on the plane (number 8 + a pair of leggings and a cami) and number 9, which will go into my boyfriend's pack.

As you can see, I divide my clothing into large freezer bags for easy packing and to help me find what I'm looking for quickly. It's neat and efficient when packing. I also divide the clothes by type, in this case : underwear, tops and bottoms.

What I'm bringing

1) Toiletry bag, if you want to see what's in there, check out the detailed post I made about it here

2) This a clothing bag, it contains all my tops

3) Hiking shoes

4) This bag holds yarn to make friendship bracelets to keep me entertained

5) Rain jacket, there is also my hoodie to the right, but you can't really see it because it's black

6) Toilet paper in a ziplock bag. Trust me, you will need it in South East Asia :P

7) This is another clothing bag containing underwear, socks, pjs and bathing suits

8) Croc shoes; those will be worn on the plane

9) First aid kit

10) Travel towel

11) Last clothing bag containing bottoms

12) Flip Flops

13) Sunscreen

A Closer Look 

First Aid Kit

This is my first aid kit, including medication, other useful accessories and insect repellent. It's quite large, but considering the duration of the trip, I don't think it's too much. We pretty much have everything covered.

I put everything in two makeup bags for easy packing. The larger the items you put in your pack, the trickier it will be since it doesn't leave many options. This way we can pretty much jam these in any available corners of the pack. We can also put only bare necessities in one of them for treks and day trips, which means we don't carry a bulky first aid kit everywhere.

Clothes

As I mentioned, I divided all my clothes by category into freezer bags. I rolled everything up in the bags to make them as compact as possible.

I have three bathing suit tops, 2 bottoms, 1 pair of pj bottoms, two tube tops. Not pictured : I also have 18 pairs of underwear in there (perhaps overkill, but I'm leaving for 72 days and hopefully I won't need to do the laundry too many times), 7 pairs of socks and 5 bras

I'm bringing 3 pairs of shorts (two of which are jeans material), a pair of hiking capris, a pair of black leggings, a jeans skirt and a pair of jeggings.

I might be bringing too many tops here, but again, 10 weeks is a long time and it all fits :P These are all tank tops. I also have a short sleeved shirt, but I was wearing it when I took the pictures. I figured since it will be really hot in SE Asia I don't really want to wear too many times the same shirt before washing it. These are all cotton and quite light weight.

How to pack it all in a backpack

It might seem like a lot to put inside my small backpack, so I thought I'd show you all how you can achieve the same :) 

First, I fit my toiletry bag at the bottom of the bag. It's the heaviest item in my pack and I like to have quick access to it. Since my pack has a front load pocket, I can still reach it easily even though it's at the bottom of the pack.

Then, I fit my hiking shoes on top before I zip up the pocket. They are heavy and kinda dirty so I don't want them in contact with my clothes. I don't mind having them touch my toiletry bag since it's plastified.

Then, I start filling the upper part of my pack through the opening at the top. I start by placing two of the freezer bags containing the clothing standing up side by side. 

Then, I place the third freezer bag flat over the two other bags. I also add my sunscreen (which is protected by a cosmetic bag in case it explodes) on top.

Then I just keep adding lighter things over until the pack is completely filled. Here, I added the yarn and my rain jacket which I rolled up.

Lastly, before I close the pack, I added my backpacking towel on top. (I can't wait to give it a try, I brought and extra large and was really surprised of how big it is even though it packs really tiny).

Now that the main compartment is filled, I place the toilet paper in the pocket inside the hood of my pack. That way I can reach it really easily at all time. Last thing you want is to dig inside your pack every bathroom break!

As of right now, I only have one of the side pockets filled. It contains my flip flops. Again, easily accessible, which is great.

This is how the pack looks when it's finished and full. I weighs 20,4 pounds which I think is very reasonable for a 10 weeks trip. Last time I went on a backpacking trip, I stayed 1 month and my pack weighed 17 pounds (at the time I also thought it was quite light). Anyhow, 20 pounds is quite easy for me to manage and doesn't block my movements, so it's perfect.

Plane Necessities

Here is my carry-on for the 29 hour flight ahead of me! It contains all my long haul flight necessities for comfort and entertainment.

I chose this cross body shoulder bag I got in Honduras a couple years back. I love it because it's lightweight, can contain a lot and it's festive for travelling, but most of all, because it's cross body, making it safer to keep your belongings when you're on the go!

In my carry-on :
-Plaid bag : Ipod, charger, ear phones
-Pink bag :  Camera and kindle chargers
-Zebra and red holders : Passeports (this way they are protected from humidity in SE Asia)
-Fuzzy socks (I hate getting cold and I'm wearing open shoes)
-Camera in Hello Kitty case
-Pen
-Ear plugs in case things get noisy
-My glasses in their case and my sunglasses
-Pink notebook
-Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and Pseudoephedrine (oral decongestant in case I get a runny nose, it's also useful if your ears are sensitive to the quick altitude variation when landing since it's often related to your airways being congested, which I often am)
-Kindle with tons of books
-Inhaler
-Tissues
-Inflatable neck pillow with fuzzy cover (it's really soft and packs up tiny)
-Baby wipes and makeup wipes to freshen up during and after the flight
-Eye cream
-Hand Salve
-Antibacterial gel
-Toothbrush and tooth paste
-Lip balm

That's all my must haves on a long haul flight! Hopefully I haven't forgotten anything and will be able to be comfy during the flight. I also have my immunisation booklet (not a clue how it's called in english), IDs, credit cards, plane tickets and all that good stuff in there as well.

And this is all I'm bringing on my 10 weeks trip to SE Asia! Hope you enjoyed and that it helped :) I will start updating with my trip soon, since I'm leaving in 6 hours!

Big thanks to my mom for helping me make this post happen! She helped me loads with pictures since I was a little short of time :)

My Packing List Series : Part 5 (Electronics)

And here comes the last part of my mini packing series : electronics! These are all the electronics I personally bring while backpacking for entertainment purposes.

Hope you all liked this series and have a better idea of what to pack for a backpacking trip! I will post a picture of all of it once I'm almost done packing up so you can see how it looks and fits into my 65L backpack :)

My Packing List Series : Part 4 (Travel Essentials)

Here comes the fourth part of the packing list : travel essentials. This category includes all other items which are necessary when backpacking!

Backpacking tips for women

Backpacking tips for women are not that easy to find on the net, especially when looking for beauty related tips. I have searched, but I haven't found that many very useful tips to me, so I decided to make a post about and hopefully help other girls like me that want to stay presentable while backpacking.

1) Makeup wipes are great for refreshing your face on the go. They are small and portable and won't make a mess in your pack like other cleansers could.

2) Perfume : If you want to bring a scent for days in the city/nights out (perfumes will attract mosquitoes and insects which is why you should stay away from them on treks and in rural areas and minimize the use of all scented products for that matter) you should carry a roll-on perfume (or even a sample size if you have them). They're tiny, light and won't spill.

3) Tinted moisturizer : Instead of bringing foundation, try to use tinted moisturizer to cover imperfections. Foundation will feel too heavy while traveling especially in tropical climates. Since you will most likely tan somewhat, the skin's imperfections will already be less noticeable, but if you need even more coverage, a light concealer should be enough.

4) Heat : Avoid bringing any beauty product that can melt with you such as lipsticks and cream blushes. You probably won't wear them anyway! If you want something for a bit of color on your lips, a tinted lip balm with SPF is your best bet! You can bring lip gloss too but I would make sure it has SPF as well because it is reflective and might increase the chance of getting sunburn on your lips. Another great compact option is a lip and cheek stain. They’re compact and multipurpose and they last a long time.

5) Blush : if you absolutely need it, choose powder, but you skin will most likely get a nice flush from the sun quite quickly.

6) Mascara : If you decide that you cannot live without mascara, choose a mascara that is natural looking and preferably waterproof. Since you will be hot will backpacking and it might start raining suddenly, waterproof mascara will ensure that you're eye makeup does not smudge and still looks natural.

7) Shaving : if you run out of shaving cream, use some air conditioner instead. The silky texture of the conditioner will protect your skin while you shave and allow the razor to glide smoothly.

8) Baby powder : If you cannot wash your hair for a couple days for any reason (you do not have access to a shower for example), sprinkle either dry shampoo or baby powder on your roots and let it soak in the oil of your hair for an instant fresher look. Massage it into your roots then comb out your hair and tadah! If that’s still not enough, a scarf or hair band will help camouflage greasy roots.

9) Make up remover : If you have nothing else, Vaseline can be used to remove eye makeup. You can also use it to condition lips, dry heels and knees and elbows.

10) Nails : It’s better not to pack nail polish remover in a bottle when traveling. While you may be able to rescue a pack full of shampoo, nail polish remover will stain and damage your belongings if it leaks. It’s safer to pack nail polish remover pads which are sold often packaged individually for convenience. It not only will protect your things, but it will also save space!

11) Lips : To freshen up chapped lips, you can make your own lip scrub instead of bringing one with you. By combining honey and sugar you will make a nice gentle and natural scrub. You can either pick up sugar packs and honey along the way (free breakfast hostels will often have them) or bring them from home.

12) Hair : When spending a lot of time under the sun and in salt water, your hair will become very dry. A quick tip to fix this is to put leave in conditioner in your ends before hitting the ocean water and to deep condition at least once a week to fight dryness.

13) Packing : Do not pack products that have a pump on them as a general rule (foundation with a cover might be alright) because the pump can get undone and make a mess in your backpack.

By the way, this is my 100^th post! Hurray =D All that in 4 months. Not bad, it’s 0.83 posts per day! I have a hard time believing my blog has come this far in such as short time ^^ I’m really proud of what I’ve created so far and I enjoy blogging even more than I ever thought I would!

I hope you enjoyed these backpacking tips for women and that they helped you!

Makeup tips for fair skin!

My friend Frederika recently asked me if I had makeup tips for fair skin, since I'm pretty pale myself. I started writing her a reply, but I soon realised that it would end up being way too long (Wall of text alert!) to post on my facebook wall or even by pm for that matter so I decided I could make a post about it!

Who knows, it might even help someone =p

I'm no expert, but since I'm fair, this is usually what works for me! Hope you enjoy Fred ♥ (and I hope there is at least one thing you didn't know already/I doubt it but it was fun to write anyway!)

My super fair self! (Awesome blurry picture ftw)

1) find out your undertone, the ideal makeup will differ a lot if you are pink, yellow or olive skinned. For example, I am a pink/cool undertone, therefore warm colors such as golds, warm browns and the likes are less flattering on me than blues and purples for example.

2) For a wearable day look, black liner and shadow is generally too overpowering for girls with a pale complexion. Dark browns will looks more natural and softer, less harsh.

3) If you cannot find a color that is pale enough for you in terms of foundations, you can purchase a white foundation (MAC and Makeup Forever make them) and mix some of it with the chosen shade to lighten it up to your complexion.

4) If you prefer lighter coverage, tinted moisturizers are also easy to work with, but rarely come at a lower price point (hard to find at the drugstore, I tried the new Hard Candy tinted moisturizer which is sold at Walmart but it breaks me out, so I have yet to find an effective and cheap one).

5) A subtle flush can really brighten up pale skin, applying a nice pink or coral blush lightly can make any fair girl look healthier and more awake.

6) Bronzer also does wonders for pale complexions and helps camouflage some of the skin uneveness. Be careful not to choose a bronzer that is too dark or it will create a muddy, dirty looking effect on your fair skin. Also remember that any shimmer inside the bronzer will have a tendency to accentuate any uneveness in the skin so it's better to stick to a matte bronzer if you are trying to hide imperfections.

How I organize a move

Warning super long winded post about organisation! If you're not interested by that kind of thing, skip this one =p It's definitely a topic I really enjoy, as you can tell from the huge wall of text below ;)

If you're into that sort of thing like me, enjoy!

I've been talking about how proud of the organisation system I have instated to make my move as quick and easy as possible so I decided to talk a little more about it here!

My method does require much more time than randomly throwing stuff in multiple boxes, but with a little planning and some patience I'm sure it will be more than worth the trouble.

The system : My system is quite simple actually. It relies on writing down the inventory for each box and numbering the boxes to know exactly what is in each of them. Of course, each box contains items that are related to each other like electronics or kitchen. I have created several such categories which are color coded. For example, blue is electronics, while hot pink is kitchen and forest green is school supplies. The number of each box is written clearly on its side with a marker of the color that represents the category of the items that are within the box.

You can tell right away that these boxed contain kitchen stuff. To know what's inside, simply open up the notebook and look for box #15, for example and tadah! I left one box open on purpose to show the wrapping materials peaking out =D

Am I explaining this right? I feel like this might sound more complicated than it really is =p

Anyway, I bought a small notebook at the dollar store and I write on top of the page the box number, then the category, make a mark with the marker of the color that represents the type of items and a list of its content.

My notebook, markers to identify boxes, and all kinds of stickers to identify bags

A good proof, in my opinion, that this system is effective is, I've started packing about three weeks ago. I have packed away stuff I did not think I would need, but some of it I actually realised I could use at some point. Well it never took me more than a minute or two to retrace what I was looking for within a pile of over twelve boxes. I think that's pretty efficient =D

I stored all my cleaning products in the laundry basket rather than storing it empty! It think it's a pretty neat idea! Plus, if anything spills, it's easy to clean. Another bonus, all of your products are easy to access until the very last moment and directly when you get to your new place.

I have a couple other tips for a smooth packing experience. I've picked them up from the multiple moves I went through since I've moved on my own (only three actually, but still, you pick up tips along the way =D )

1) Keep all of the magazines, catalogues, flyers, journals and bubble wrap you come across during the couple of weeks before your move and stach them somewhere. These will come in handy for protecting breakable things such as dishes or decorations. You can also use rags, towels, sheets and oven mits in between layers of objects that are fragile for extra padding.

2) Use reusable grocery bags for clothes, fabric, cushions, stuffed animals or anything light, it's unnecessary to use boxes. They usually take up quite a bit a space and since they are not heavy, filling a large amount of boxes with them is really just a waste . To identify these and do their inventory, I like using colored stickers to differentiate them from one another. For example, one will be the green heart bag and the other the pink happy face bag. I know it sounds silly, but it works! You can also buy reusable bags from the dollar store that have different patterns on them. They are easy to identify and inventory. I have a couple, such as ones with butterflies, kiwis, grapes and so on. The butterfly bag also has a zipper on it which is very convenient to keep its content from spilling over. I've put all my winter accessories in there such as hats, scarves and gloves.

3) Also, I've heard of many people actually buying their cardboard boxes from moving compagnies. If you have absolutely no way of getting boxes, it's an option, but an expensive one. I prefer to ask convenience stores and drugstores' employees for boxes they would like to get rid of. I got all of my boxes this way!

4) If possible, whenever you buy a large piece of equipment like a television, a printer or even a microwave, it's a good idea to keep the box so that you can use it for your next move!

5) Finally a little tip for those who are moving out and are getting a new apartment for the first time. Start slow, purchase inexpensive small kitchen appliances, small furniture, dinnerware and cooking utensils at inexpensive stores like Dollorama (I'm not kidding, all my utensils, shower curtains, dish towels, washcloths etc, are from there) and Walmart. They might not be the best quality, but they've lasted me over four years now! It's a great way to save money when you are begining (or even if you, like me, love to save a couple dollars =D).

Favorite low calorie snacks and advice

Ever since I have decided to eat healthier about a year ago, I have had to make big changes in my diet. Fist, I have decreased drastically my portion sizes. I used to make gargantuan plates covered in either, pasta, cheese, white rice or meat doused in heavy sauces. I also worked on reducing my meat and starch intake while increasing (actually, including period) vegetable portions. I would normally aim to fill half of the plate with veggies, a quarter with meat and the rest with starch. I would also use smaller plates, to make sure that I could control the portions better. It is easy to pile up tons of high calorie foods into a big plate!

With those changes, I found myself hungry between meals. At first, I thought snacking would ruin my efforts at eating less and eating healthier, because the food advertized as snacks often seems very rich and unhealthy. I soon realised it would be impossible for me not to snack at least a little. In fact, I realised that it would be much healthier for me to do so. It keeps me feeling full throughout the day and avoids starving myself between meals.

In the long run, learning to snack appropriately and choosing the right foods has helped me a lot in my goal to eat healthier! I try to choose snacks that are nutritious and healthy, which helps me avoid over indulging in sweets and rich foods later on.

Here are my favourite healthy snacks : ♥

- 100 calories granola bars

- Cheese strings

- Caramel rice cakes

While the plain rice cakes are a diet cliché, I love to munch on the caramel kind! These are not very filling, but when I want something sweet, these will help me stay away from the cookies!

- Baby carrots

- V8 vegetable cocktail

- Thinsations Bits & Bites

(when I feel like indulging in salty potato chips, I substitute for this portion controlled snack! It’s good enough to take care of the craving without going overboard). These are a little bit expensive for my taste, since foods advertized as diet are often marked up compared to other products. Another option is to buy a bag of Bits & Bites and divide into about 100 calories portions in zip lock bags and then stick to one portion.

- Fresh fruit such as strawberries, Pineapple, apples, watermelon, grapes, plums, etc.

- Dried fruit (banana and apricot are my favorites)

Be careful with these as they are very high in calories! Good and nutritious but in moderation.

- Baby pita with hummus

When I want something a little more filling.

- Low fat yogourt (the 0% fat kind is extremely low calorie)

- Vegetable thins (44% less fat)

I rediscovered these recently! They are only 80 calories for 15 pieces and taste just like the original recipe! Very good for salty cravings just like the Bits & Bites.

- Small freezies

These are only 15 calories each! On a hot summer day, it’s the perfect treat without over indulging. ( Some brands of ice cream sandwiches can reach up to 400 calories, a sure diet buster).

- Pudding cups

Some brands like Jello only contain 100 calories per cup. While this is probably the least healthy option of this list, it’s still much better to indulge in chocolate this way than to get yourself a candy bar!

My best advice to avoid snacking on candy, chips and cookies is to avoid keeping them in your house! I have heard many people complain that they gain weight and cannot seem to control their eating habits, but keep cookies in the pantry. I prefer keeping the things I know I cannot resist (chocolate milk, ice cream, popsicles, Pillsbury cookies, croissants, donuts, etc.) out of reach. (of course, this does not really apply to anyone who has kids around, most times it’s almost impossible to keep the pantry temptation-free). That way, if I really want them, I have to go out and buy them. The added work to get the sweets most times discourages me from getting it and I end up choosing something healthier.