My Skin Care Routine

For the longest time I have been eyeing up the Clinique wall. I have always been hesitant about changing my skin care routine because I get too attached to my other skin care products and my skin is really picky for what works and what doesn't. I purchased the acne solutions cleansing, the no. 3 defying lotion (a.k.a. the best toner ever!), and the dramatically different Moisturizing Gel (for the number 3/4 skin types). I've been using it for the past few months, and I honestly cannot believe the difference in my skin. I'm so impressed. If you are like me, and have oily, sensitive skin, then I strongly recommend these products. Even if you don't have my skin type, Clinique has a whole range of skin care products to suit your own type of skin!

I have never tried any other skin cares products better than this. I have constantly battled with blemishes throughout all my teenage years... Thankfully I found these products. They work even for the most stressful times at uni.

What are your favourite products this month?!

Much love,
JessicaLynn

Paris Street Style

As the beginning of my little fashion/styling posts, I'd like to start off by recommending one of my current fave books. It is such an easy read and it has no story line, but it is perfect if you're lacking some style inspiration!

This book has the most stunning pictures and such great suggestions on style if you are feeling a bit lost in the fashion world. It really helps me out through either picking an outfit for the day, or when  shopping for a staple piece. It's a great way to feel good about everything you wear and buy!

It's called Paris Street Style (A Guide to Effortless Chic) by Isabelle Thomas and Frédérique Veysset.

Check it out here!

Rings - Global Experience
Candle - HomeSense

Much Love,

JessicaLynn

Nespresso Love

Well I think I have officially converted from Keurig to Nespresso. As a massive coffee lover, I have been eyeing up the Nespresso line for the past couple of months. The name 'Nespresso' itself has been floating around the net for a while, so I knew I just had to check it out! The VertuoLine was what caught my eye at first because it has the ability to make both top-of-the-line coffee and espresso in one machine.

In literally the push of a button, you can enjoy a beautiful cup of coffee; this is definitely my kind of style when it's 6am and I have to go to school or work that morning. I purchased the VertuoLine with the Aeroccino so I can make some fancy drinks when I want to treat myself. Ever since I visited a specialty coffee shop in Toronto (Dineen Coffee Co.), coffee was never the same until now. Although I can't make a fancy design just yet, I'll be sure to practice like a true barista... Ha!

The machine itself is perfect if you don't have a lot of counter space! It is actually a lot smaller than the Keurig! The machine also has a choice of colours. I was in love with the chrome, but was soon worried about finger prints showing up every time you touched the thing! The next best was the black, which I chose. It still looks sleek, but it won't show the finger prints as badly. Then there was red, which wasn't the most suitable colour for my kitchen!

Here's the beauty Aeroccino machine. It can froth your milk hot or cold! Just perfect if you want to make a fancy iced coffee. And again, just one push of a button...

Along with the machine that I purchased, you automatically receive a box full of the different samples of coffee and espressos. So far I have sampled the Vanilla and Half-Caffeinated. Both were amazing! Each individual capsule has its own barcode that the machine scans itself, which is why it's so easy to operate. With every variety of coffee and espresso, there is a short and sweet description of the coffee/espresso, along with the intensity. Love!

The design of the different capsules are great too, because you are sure to never pick the wrong one! When you order the coffee, it also comes straight to your door within 48 hours of purchase.. Talk about great service!

I would strongly suggest to purchase one of these if you love good coffee and if you want to save a bit of money instead of going to Tim Horton's or Starbucks! In the long run, you save loads of money while getting to enjoy a great drink! The options are endless..

Do you have any Nespresso machines or would like to purchase one? What do you think?

Hope you enjoyed this post! I love coffee so much, and I'm absolutely thrilled to be writing a post about my new coffee machine! I literally can't wait to make my next cup of coffee in the morning!

Much love,

JessicaLynn

Rainy Night In

Tonight, I've decided to just relax and stay in. It has rained all day and I've been puttering around throughout the day so after a while, it gets pretty tiring... As an introvert, it feels so rejuvenating to have some me-time to sit back and relax.

First of all, I've been eyeing up some Doc Martens. I find the 3-eyed shoe in the cherry colour absolutely gorgeous. They are so incredibly comfortable (I tried them on today) and I think I'm ready to go back and buy them! I love the selection on Urban Outfitters though, so that was the store that I spent the past hour browsing through. I feel the shopping urge coming on as it gets closer and closer to going back to school. I was also eyeing up the 8-eyed smooth leather boot in black or navy! I'm having the hardest time deciding... I love them both!

Along with a nice cup of camomile tea and two hershey's kisses, I enjoyed my elephant candle! I believe it was from HomeSense, but it smells amazing regardless.

Other than that, I have been watching some classic movies on Netflix in the corner of my eye. All great movies that I've seen before; Hitch, Freaky Friday, Dirty Dancing, etc!

What do you like to do on rainy days?

Much love,
JessicaLynn

The Cottage

One of my absolute favourite places to be during summer is at camp. When I was younger I lived there throughout the entire season. I had always found something do to no matter what kind of day it was. The lake is absolutely beautiful. It is one of the most peaceful places I've ever been too. Cars are rare on the road, the lake brushing up against the sandy beach is insanely calming, and the wildlife is pretty well interesting. Here are a few photos that I snapped while venturing amongst the beach. Unfortunately, I wasn't lucky enough to fish as it was a bit too windy (and at one point, too rainy) to go out on the lake on a small boat. I will make a point to create a bit more adventure on my next visit!

Sunset #1

Every night is beautiful like this, and I've never seen an ugly sunset!

While walking along the beach, my grandmother and I found patches of both blueberries and raspberries! That night, we decided to make fresh raspberry pie... And let's just say I had more than one piece... Ha!

Saskatoon berries are also quite popular while going on adventures.. They sit right along the beach, and can be found in many more places!

Sunset #2 - One of my favourites... I love the vibrant orange!

This is the view walking along the path towards the beach! Love!

The rest of the photos are particularly of my view on the beach. It's always really quiet as there are few people that are out and about on the property! As you can now see why it is one of the most peaceful places I've been! 

Hope you enjoyed these photos. I love that I can share my favourite things with you. I miss visiting here all summer, but that's what happens when we grow up!

Much love,
JessicaLynn

Heat Wave

The other day, we've had our first mini heat wave in which it finally passed thirty degrees celsius in Ontario. We've had such an unfortunate summer, that I was actually glad to be sticky hot without having to do anything! The only thing that I had in mind was to take a few pictures of the garden in the backyard to keep me from complaining.

Appreciating the natural beauty in life is what it's all about. Sometimes we just have to take a step back to realize what has been in front of us for a while! So here it is, a few snaps I shot of my mini paradise. Now, if you actually have seen my garden, this is only a small snippet of it all. I'd like to share a few of my favourites in the near future, but for now, these are my heat wave feels.

One of the original inspirations of painting my room a certain colour - I am so in love with the uniqueness of this flower

I figured I should sneak in my current favourite artist.. Sam Smith is quite the talent

 I know these are not flowers, but they spent a lot of my day with me and we had so much fun playing around! They were so tired out!

P.S. I haven't blogged in ages due to current renovations in my home. I shouldn't have let it get to me, but I got caught up in what was dominating my life! I thought I should be organized at home before getting organized on the blog. I'll be back soon, don't worry!

Beauty Post - Le Volume de Chanel Mascara

Le Volume de Chanel Mascara

I was going to wait a bit to post this, but I'm too thrilled about this product that I couldn't wait any longer!

Le Volume de Chanel mascara is actually one my my first purchases from Chanel! It was definitely love at first sight when I first applied it. I love the whole product itself. The wand is great for application and the mascara itself is flawless. It lasts the whole day and gives amazing volume and length!

I would definitely say that it is comparable to They're Real by Benefit, but I actually prefer this one! It doesn't have the funky tip, the wand is a lot more gentle on the eyelashes, and it provides a lot more volume to the lashes! The best part? It's very close in price range. The Volume de Chanel is slightly more expensive, but it's worth the money!

The wand

Here are a few more details about the mascara!

The details

The fact that this is one of my first Chanel purchases, I felt the need to include their beautiful logo on here. The packaging is absolutely gorgeous and smooth to touch. I highly recommend this mascara. I can't wait to try a few more of their products!!

Hope you enjoyed this review!

Much love,
JessicaLynn

Pimm's No 1

Pimm's No 1

It's officially June and the weather is getting warmer and warmer! Spring has officially sprung as the flowers are blooming and the grass is growing green. This is definitely the time when everyone gathers together with friends and family to spend most of their time outside, enjoying the sun while it lasts! And usually during a time like this, they get together and have a few drinks!

I have to admit, I don't drink very often but every once in a while, I do enjoy a glass of wine while relaxing outside at the end of the night. Just recently, I discovered this wonderful liqueur called Pimm's No. 1 while I was in Toronto! I've never heard of it until then, and neither have a lot a people that I've talked to about it!

It originated in the UK and is a gin-based liqueur with different herb extracts and fruit juices! It's surprisingly not too sweet, and there are so many ways to mix it. The first time I tried it, it was called Pimm's Cup. It was a mix of ginger ale, Pimm's no 1, raspberries, cucumber and strawberries! There were so many amazing flavours in the drink, and in general it has a small percentage of alcohol. I hear you can also mix it with lemonade, and when I first made it at home, I tried my own version of Pimm's Cup and used tonic water and added mint leaves! It was delicious!

Anyhow, I've decided to share my love for this drink because it is perfect for summer! It's my new favourite. Definitely try it out (if you are of age of course...)!

Much love,
JessicaLynn

MoRoCo - Chocolate

A few years ago, I (again) was in Toronto and had visited a restaurant called MoRoCo. Not only do they serve great food, but they specialize in chocolate desserts. I am definitely one of those people who is a sucker for chocolate. This past trip that I visited the city, I came across this little place in Yorkville again. The second I saw their sign that pointed towards a cute little pathway, I was practically drooling.

MoRoCo serves all kinds of desserts and drinks that surround the name of chocolate. They serve any kind of chocolate that you can think of. The atmosphere of the place is really calm and collected. It's busy, but not the kind of busy that you have to yell over one another. This posh restaurant has so many different options that I'm determined to try them all. On my recent trip there, I shared a delicious dark chocolate fondu that came with homemade marshmallows, macarons, grapes, strawberries, banana and pretzels. It was everything. My parents and I demolished the dish, and funny enough to say, my dad licked the chocolate bowl... We couldn't stop laughing when he did that, but we were lucky enough that it was somewhat dark enough with the dimmed lighting that no one noticed...

The list of things on their menu were endless and sounded heavenly. They even had a dessert in which they bring an open flame to your table to cook your own luxury s'mores! It was the coolest thing I've ever seen for that kind of atmosphere.

Yorkville is definitely a great place to explore in downtown Toronto, but if you come across this restaurant, definitely take the time to pop in! You can even purchase chocolates to go (so you REALLY have no excuse).

Here are a few photos that I took on my last visit!

Delicious.... No need for any more explanation!

I was thrilled to be back!
What I'm wearing:
Blazer - Bedo
Playsuit - Aritzia

This was in the little boutique area where you can purchase things to go!

This would give great gift ideas to those who have friends who are expecting! Nothing that relates to me, but its adorable!

If you'd like, you can check out more of the restaurant here on their website! It even has the menu so that you can decide a little bit faster when you go there!

Hope you are all having a great day!

Much love,
JessicaLynn

What's On My Face - The Urban Gypsy

I thought I should share some of my own beauty creations this time around. I switch up my makeup a lot (especially on my eyes) and I thought it would be a great way to remember a few of my favourite looks and give you all some makeup inspiration!

FACE
Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation {True Ivory}
Benefit Boing concealer {01}
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder {Natural}
Benefit Blush {Rockateur}
Guerlain Bronzer [Terracotta 02}

BROWS
Benefit Brow Zing {light}
LIPS
MAC lipstick {chatterbox}

EYES
Stila Palette - In the Light {bubbly, gilded gold, sunset}
Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner {damsel}
MAC Pigment {vanilla}
Chanel Mascara {le volume de chanel}

It was such a beautiful day today and I felt creative enough to try something fun and glittery! It was a very subtle look, which I love. In the morning I spent as much time as possible outside until I had to work and after that, I had Sunday dinner with my family. It's the perfect look for any occasion!

Stay tuned for a few reviews on some of these products, and take a look at my other posts for some beauty post reviews that I've already done!

Hope everyone had a great day!

Much love,

JessicaLynn

Beauty Post - MAC Vanilla Pigment

MAC Vanilla Pigment

This was shockingly my first ever MAC purchase. In the small city that I live in, there is no such thing as a MAC store, or even Sephora! This is why it was finally time to take the plunge and splurge on a whole bunch of makeup when I went to Toronto.

I had always heard great things of MAC products and had always dreamt of at least owning a few things of theirs! I was so impressed with this pigment and I had planned on purchasing it for a while. I imagined the oh-so-many ways that I can use it.

Personally, I found the pigment to be very light in texture and perfectly pigmented... (Get the pun?) Anyhow, I love to use it in the corners of my eyes, on my brown bone, or even as a highlighter! It is definitely worthwhile splurging on because I know it will last a very long time. Even though I use the pigment on top of an eyeshadow primer, it literally lasts all day, even with a light application!

I can guarantee you that there will be more MAC makeup reviews coming soon! I'm hooked!
I'd love to hear some suggestions, so what are your favourite MAC products?

Much love,
JessicaLyn

Healthy Breakfast Idea

The past little while I've been ill with a cold and have been restricting absolutely everything I eat. So now that I'm feeling almost 100%, I can finally eat normal again and get back to routine. This morning, I was going to make some porridge, but I thought that I should switch it up a little bit and try something new. Having been inspired by a whole bunch of different health food bloggers, I toasted rye bread and topped it with a mashed avocado and a poached egg. I added a little bit of ground black pepper as a little extra spice, but it was simple as that! It was bursting with flavour and it is so simple to make! It doesn't take very long to prepare or cook, and it's very healthy to eat. Avocado is a healthy fat that your body needs, eggs provide great protein and the rye bread is a lot more filling than other breads and there's nothing wrong with eating a few carbohydrates while choosing a healthy lifestyle! It's all in moderation!

Anyhow, I hope this quick, little, spontaneous post will give you an idea of what to try in the future!

Much love,
JessicaLynn

Dineen Coffee Co.

It's been far too long since I've last blogged, and it's time to get back on track. I was first distracted with exams, and then after that, I got stuck in a big rut with nothing to talk about - no new product reviews or anything of that matter.. I had done nothing but school; then I got a little bit lazy with it all to be honest, but I am no longer giving myself any excuses! Roughly two weeks ago, I went on a little trip to my dream city. It's nothing special, but it is my absolute favourite place to be; Toronto!

Dineen Coffee Co.

My love for coffee has grown so much in the past few years. I've tried quite a few different brands, and I think I found my most favourite place to be: Dineen Coffee Co. It's a cute little coffee shop on near Yonge and Queen and has the best atmosphere ever. Everything is homemade, they have the cutest little breakfast foods and treats and the most delicious freshly squeezed juices! My favourite would have to be the kale one. It was so refreshing and tasted delicious. I went there only twice because I discovered the place on the last two days that I was visiting the city. Both days I had the Vanilla Latte with almond milk, then I switched up the little treats I ate. I tried both the blueberry muffin and the Almond Croissant which were literally the best things ever. I've never had a croissant before, but it was so light and tasty and the muffin was amazing as well. Anyhow, here are a few photos that I took while I was there. I highly recommend this coffee shop if you're in the area, or are ever planning to visit the city!

Also, check out their website! It has such a cool vibe, and I guarantee you that it'll convince you to take a stroll down to the Financial District in Toronto!

The Atmosphere

Dineen Coffee Co. had the neatest atmosphere and really cool vibes. The music was great, the service was great, and even the other customers were friendly. I felt like it was my calling. Everything was perfect.

Dineen Coffee Co. from a different angle..

Surprisingly, there was a lot of seating and so many neat antique looking decorations!

The booths were my favourite, though!

The Coffee and Food

Both days that I went for a latte, I got heart designs, but they also do different ones like swans and leaves... 

 

And like I said, the food was out of this world!

Almond Croissant - I highly recommend this one!

The only photo that I got of the blueberry muffin. It was homemade and delicious!

This last one, I had a lovely breakfast with my parents.. Thought it would be cute to add this!

Me

DAY 1 - I honestly couldn't have been more excited to have found this place!
What I'm wearing:
Blazer - Bedo
Dress - H&M

DAY 2 - I admit to looking a little sleepy in this one.. We stayed out late this night before and this was the morning that we had to leave, sadly! (As you may see all of our luggage!)
What I'm wearing:
Coat - H&M
Tee - Forever 21
Trousers - RW&CO

Hope you enjoyed this post and are convinced on visiting this place soon!

Much love,
JessicaLynn