April Luxe Box ♥

Hey everyone! 

Hope you're all well! :)  Today I'm going to share what I recieved in my Loose Button Luxe Box today!  Let's get started!

First thing I noticed was the adorable little daffodil pin!  April is daffodil month & Loose Button partnered up with The Canadian Cancer Society to help join the fight against cancer & support those living with it!  As a member of the Loose Button community you could opt to donate one or more items from your Luxe Box for the Canadian Cancer Society.  I actually didn't realize this until I got the little card in my Luxe Box today, but it was a cute idea!  I will definitely be putting the pin on my coat & wearing it proudly! 

The next thing I pulled out was the Essie nail polish (of course!)  I reserved this as the item for my first in line product.  It's a lovely pale lavender colour with a pretty iridescent shimmer.  I love Essie polishes, I think they're fabulous quality and I am so excited to have a new one to add to my collection.  This one is in the colour "She's Picture Perfect."  Essie always has the cutest names for their polishes! 

Then there was the Bobos Remi Leave-In Conditioner.   I believe this was also a choice for the first in line program this month.  I'm looking forward to trying this product out as well as lately I've become really in to leave in conditioners, in an attempt to help repair and restore my hair.  This spray smells absolutely delicious.  It's supposed to help define waves, prevent breakage, add shine & help with manageability.  I'm really hoping this is all possible with my crazy hair lately!

The next item I pulled out was the Yves Rocher Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover for sensitive eyes.  This couldn't have come at a better time, I legitimately just ran out of my old make-up remover and needed some new stuff.  I'm not overly picky with make-up remover as long as its not a terribly oily formula.  This is a perfect size to toss in my make-up bag on the go!  It's good for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers (that's me!!) 

The final items I pulled out were the Pantene Aqua Light Shampoo & Conditioner.  I am currently using these products out on my own, I purchased the full size products probably 2 weeks before I received my box.  So far, I really enjoy the products, especially the smell.  In all honesty, I'm not entirely sure I notice any drastic difference in the weight of my hair, but it does the job in terms of washing and conditioning my hair. 

So that's it this month!  What did you guys get in your Luxe Boxes?  Let me know in a comment below, or link me to your blogpost!

xx, Amy

Spring Nail Trend ♥ Colour Blocking

Hello lovelies! 

I hope everything is well with you!  I've been strangely busy lately trying to get the last of my things together in preparation for the big move.  :)  I have had time to notice some of the spring fashion trends, one of which being colour blocking.  This can also be portrayed with the nails!  Here are some of my more recent nail combos in terms of colour blocking! 

[ Nicole by OPI: Kendall on the Katwalk & Orly: Here Comes Trouble ]

[ Sinful Colours: Talk To Me & Rimmel 60 Seconds: Shocker ]

 As I'm sure you can see, it's SO simple to do.  First step is to pick two colours that you think go well together.  This is a lot fo fun for me especially because I have such a large nail polish collection and it's a way for me to use more of the colours more frequently.  When you're painting your nails, you can see the pattern I use.  No two nails are the same colour, each finger on both hands should be sporting the opposite colour.  Get it?  It is simple.  I'm really a big fan of this trend & will definitely continue to sport it into the summer. 

What do YOU think of it?  Have you tried it out?  Will you?

xo, Ames

March 2012 Glossy Box ♥

http://youtu.be/T1c3G2Sfv2M

The Ultimate Dry Shampoo Show Down! ♥

It's 8:30 on Monday morning, you've slept through your alarm AGAIN and you definitely don't have time to shower this morning. We've all been there, done that and had some seriously greasy hair disasters I'm very sure of it. I'm extrememly guilty for this one. Monday is my nemisis. I despise it. It's usually Monday when I've just not quite caught up on enough of my sleep & I think I'm dreaming of that alarm going off... It happens many times through the month. I'm not perfect, I won't even pretend to be. But then there's that terrible twinge of panic in your stomach, "no time to shower." I've thrown my hair back into enough messy buns/pony tails with mass quantities of hair spray to try and mask the dirty oily hair I've left myself with. That is until now!

I've absolutely fallen in love with dry shampoo! It has become a bathroom staple because of its life saving capabilities. Don't get me wrong though, it's like picking a foundation or a car, you've got to test it out before you find the right one for you! Today I'm give you MY thoughts on a few of the most popular, well known dry shampoos out there. I purchased each one with my own money & tested them all out! So, in no particular order, let's get started.


1 -- GOSH Professional Fresh Up! Dry Shampoo

Qty: 150mL or 5.3 fl. oz.
Cost: $9.99 CDN

I found this one while wandering SDM aimlessly one night & decided to test it out. It was packaged very similar to some of the other dry shampoos I had already tested out, so I knew exactly how I was to use it. It has a very unique smell and I'm still kind of unsure of it to be honest. It's almost like baby powder, coconut and some other component I can't place. It's strange to me, not necessarily bad, but not my favourite. When I first applied it I noticed it wasn't as "white & powdery" as the other ones I had used, but you could still see there was something in your hair. I massaged it in and brushed it out and continued on. One of the first things I found when I touched my hair was that it seems to leave a bit of a sticky residue on the hair, which is definitely a turn off. It did seem to absorb all of the excess oils though, which is the point of it. In terms of price comparison, it's fairly average compared to the others out there; many others retail for about 7-12 dollars. Overall, it's not a dry shampoo I would repurchase unless I couldn't get my hands on one of my other favourites.


2 -- LUSH No Drought Dry Shampoo

Qty: 115g or 4.1 oz.
Cost: $12.95 CDN

LUSH is one of my favourite spots to spend my money, and generally when I go in there, I spend way more than I should. When they brought out their dry shampoo I was pretty excited since I love so many of their other products! First thing I noticed was that it is VERY different from any of the other dry shampoos I've tried before. "No Drought" comes in a clear plastic bottle with a black pop top lid, much the same as LUSH's shampoos and shower gels. There is no aerosol can involved here, which doesn't surprise me in the least bit since LUSH is so "environmentally friendly." My first challenge was figuring out exactly HOW to use this one. After some trial and error, I figured out how I would use it. Let's start off by saying, this dry shampoo is the messiest to use. I sprinkled the powder all over the top of my head, close to the roots, let it sit for a few minutes and then massaged it into my scalp like I was actually washing my hair. After this, I would brush it out and get on with my day. This dry shampoo smells very tropical and fresh, which I really like. It easily absorbs into my dark hair without leaving any white residue and is very effective on absorbing excess oil. I find that as long as you have a steady hand you are very much in charge of how much or little product you apply which is nice. However, like I mentioned before, it has the potential to be VERY messy. I paid 12.95 for the bottle which is a great value in comparison. Even though the quantities of the dry shampoo's are very similar I feel as though there is less product wasted with this one. I'm not sure where the dry shampoo goes with their aerosol cans, but it really feels as though you're getting a lot less product than with the LUSH one. I've used it quite a few times and I already feel like I'm going to get many more uses from it than the others. Overall, this dry shampoo is among my favourites. I wouldn't want to use it if I was going on a trip because the potential for huge messy disaster is quite large. Also, it does take a little more caution and time to use it. I really enjoy the scent and the end result with it though! I would also be very likely to repurchase this product.


3 -- DOVE Refresh + Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo

Qty: 142g or 5 oz.
Cost: $4.99 CDN

This is the newest addition to my dry shampoo stash. After my run in with the Treseme Dry Shampoo I was extremely hesistant to try out another drugstore brand dry shampoo, but I figured I'd take a leap of faith and test it out. Firstly, this dry shampoo smells delightful! It has the same delectable smell as many of the Dove shampoos & conditioners which is definitely a selling point. It works very nicely at absorbing excess oil and refreshing my hair. It leaves no powdery or sticky residue and it's CHEAP! Seriously, $4.99 for a bottle of it. This is definitely one of the most reasonably priced dry shampoos & it works very well! Overall, it's a definite hit with me. I don't really have any complaints at this moment! It will definitely be a repurchased item for me!


4 -- Batiste Dry Shampoo "Original"

Qty: 143g or 5.05 oz.
Cost: $6.99 (with a Sally's Card) - $9.99 (other stores) CDN

This is the dry shampoo I've been using the longest and have been using religiously using. Unfortunately for me, it's not the easiest one to get my hands on, which is part of the reason I began searching for an alternative. I really love that Batiste comes in a variety of scents and colours! It is available in red, brown and black for us girls with darker locks, which in some cases it slightly helpful in terms of blending out! It works very well and is very easy to use. When I first began using it, I found it retailed for about $12 but over the years it has come down in price but has become harder to get my hands on. When I get the chance to make it to Sally's I tend to stock up on it since it's the cheapest place to buy it. As I'm sure you can tell, this is my favourite dry shampoo and will ALWAYS be a repurchased item for me.


Let's see how they place.

1st - Batiste Dry Shampoo "Original"
2nd - Dove Refresh + Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo
3rd - LUSH No Drought Dry Shampoo
4th - GOSH Fresh Up! Dry Shampoo

I'd also like to make a little note here, I mentioned earlier in the post about the Treseme Dry Shampoo. I purchased it once, used it once and promptly threw out the bottle. It left my hair sticky, made it look more oily than when I started and smelled very chemically. I would never repurchase it ever and don't recommend it to anyone. Although, I do know some people like it. Personally though, I've found better products that work a lot better for me!


Do you use Dry Shampoo on a regular basis? What are some of your favourites or fails? Let me know in the comments!

xo, Ames

Life Update

Some of you may be reading this because you were directed here after I posted my YouTube video. Some of you will be like, "I have no idea why you're updating me, I barely know you." Let's start from the beginning shall we?

Before there was Amy's Beauty Basics, there was amylynnxo on YouTube. I was a regular and avid poster and follower of all things beauty on YouTube. I posted tutorials of looks I used to wear on the regular. Then something changed. I began having some issues with my vision, I just couldn`t quite place what was wrong. I went to 3 different specialist before I was informed I had "presumed ocular histoplasmosis" and it was unclear if I would ever see out of my left eye again. That news sent my world crashing down; I was 21 at the time and your telling me I'm legally blind in one eye. After I stopped letting myself get depressed and feel sorry for myself, I decided I would see what we could do to potentially fix it.

The next few months I underwent a series of intra-ocular injections of Avastin, a medicine generally used in Cancer patients to shrink the size of their tumours. I had a mass of blood vessels in the middle of my retina, the doctor thought this might be the cause of the blindness. A couple hundred dollars, half a dozen injections and a whole lot of discomfort later, the mass had shrunk a bit but my vision had yet to improve. The doctor presented me with the next step in treatment, eye surgery. May I just inform you now that when you under go eye surgery, you're wide awake? I'm sure most of you feel just as awesome as I did about that.

I had the surgery in August of 2011. The doctor informed me that there was a 3 month recovery time during which we would like see no improvement to my vision. Three months came and passed with no good news. We made another appointment for another three months later in hopes that something would happen.

Well, as you may have guessed I just had my 6 month post-op appointment. The news wasn't anything I hadn't realized already. My vision hadn't improved, but hadn't gotten worse. We've done all we can do. It seems pretty blunt and hopeless, but I do hope that one day in the future medical advances will allow me to see with my left eye again. Until then, I will live as I have been these past few months.

It is getting better. Living with my vision impairment, that is. When I was fist diagnosed I used it as an excuse to stop doing things I loved to do, to stop living. Which is why I stoped making YouTube videos. I am getting better at functioning, so hopefully one day soon I'll be able to produce a brand new make up tutorial!? This seems like a very attainable goal. I can't do things as "perfectly" as I used to, or would like to, but I think I'm doing damn good for what I have.

So there's my little explaination and update. :) Hope everyone else is well, and thanks for taking the time to read this!

Love you!
xx, Ames

Spring Eyes: March 2012

After watching a few videos on youtube mention tangerine/orange as being an in colour this spring, I decided I wanted to use it in my eye make-up today. Here was the outcome of my play session. I'm so picky, and it still wasn't how I wanted it, but I ran out of time this morning. Please also ignore my terrible eyebrows. Tomorrow is my day off, & that will be the first place I go (the salon) new eyebrows here I come. :)

How do you feel about orange? Will you be sporting it on your eyes/face? Or more in your accessories/clothing? Perhaps not at all?

xo, Ames

March 2012 GLYMM Box ♥

So earlier this week I FINALLY recieved my March Glymm box. It seems as though all of the monthly sample subscription services are delayed this month. Let's see if it's been worth the wait!

Looks like it's jam packed this month! First thing I pulled out were the feather extensions. I was super excited about them. I've had feather extensions before, so I knew exactly what to expect! They're really simple in put in too! They come with little silicone beads, you work it into a small section of your hair, put the feather in the bead and clamp it closed with a pair of pliers. EASY! I can't wait to put them in!

Next I found a new nail polish! I got ridiculously excited about it, since I seem to have a slight obsession. It was Ocean nail polish in the colour Russian Red. I've never even heard of this brand of polish, but I'm interested in seeing how it wears!

Then I noticed the two little Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Body Lotion samples. I've used these before, and they are quite moisturizing. I love the smell and they'll be great to take with me if I'm travelling!

Then I picked up the Anastasia Hydrafull Lip Gloss. It came in a pretty massive box considering how petite the sample was, but its super cute. I recieved it in the colour "Sorbet" a very bright coral-pink colour. It is quite a small sample, but included in the box is a coupon code for a free full sized gloss & free shipping with the purchase of 2 other Anastasia products, so maybe I'll make use of that if I like the lip gloss.

The final product I found was the M.ASAM Magic Fini cream. It's supposed to mattify, conceal uneven skin tone, and shrink large pores, all while giving a sun kissed glow. Basically, it sounds like a magical perfecting cream. I'm excited to try this one out, my face has been freaking out lately and perhaps this will have some sort of transformation!

So that was my GLYMM Box this month. I definitely loved all of the products again this month. All of the products are ones I would definitely use & perhaps I'll be doing some re-purchasing on some of them! After searching some other youtube videos, I noticed some of the other girls recieved pink feather extensions. I think I would have loved those ones more than the black & white ones I recieved, but I'll still wear them no matter the colour. Nail polish is ALWAYS a sell for me. I have a serious obsession and can never have enough nail polish. The lip gloss is also something I'm looking forward to trying, its a perfect little size to throw in my make up bag in my purse! Overall, another great month for GLYMM. Can't wait for next month!

xo, Ames