I’m all about self-care practices and in fact, I’d like to make this a regular feature on the blog. And while I do hope to offer some helpful advice, today’s post is meant to be taken lightly. If you’re feeling like me (and most of Canada) right now, you’re bound to be sad that the Olympics are over. It’s funny because I don’t even like sports! I’m not athletic at all, I’ve never played sports, and I don’t normally enjoy watching them. But as soon as the Olympics come on, I am glued to the TV 24/7. I become the most patriotic Canadian ever. And now that it’s over, I feel an Olympic hangover coming on. If you’re suffering as well, consider the following ideas to help you get over your post-Olympic sadness.

FIND A NEW HOBBY | I’ve spent my day studying blog-related courses but if you’re not a blogger, consider picking up reading again, redecorating a room, or trying a new sport! Maybe you’ll be the next famous ski jumper.

SLEEP | Because of the 12+ hour time difference, the most recent Olympics really wrecked havoc on my sleep schedule. I feel like I’ve been running low on fuel for the past 16 days! Take the next week to head to bed early and recuperate.

SHOP | If you’re not ready to give up on Team Canada yet, head over to The Bay and pick up some Team Canada gear for yourself. I picked up a pair of the mittens myself, but I also really want the toque and the now-sold-out flannel shirt (bonus: get 5% cash back with Ebates!).

MAKE TRAVEL PLANS | We already know that the 2020 Summer Olympics are going to be held in Tokyo, so why not plan a trip to watch them in person? Two years gives you lots of time to save money and do research on all that there is to see and do in Tokyo. If you’re like me and prefer the winter Olympics, start planning for 2022 in Beijing!

If you’re still not ready to give up on the Olympics, grab the most Canadian tea you can find (like this one!), curl up in a blanket, and grab a book (like this autobiography by Tessa Virtue). I’ll link a couple other Olympic-related books below! I’m definitely adding these to my to-read list.

   Of course, you can always fall into a rabbit hole of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir fan-girling too. I won’t judge. In fact, I’ll likely be rewatching this performance until the next Olympics.

This post contains affiliate links.

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Sephora Collection Mud Mask Purifying & Mattifying Review

If you missed it on my Instastories today, I actually participated in Face Mask Friday using the Sephora Collection Mud Mask Purifying & Mattifying. I’m trying to make an effort to use face masks more frequently as they are great for your skin! I actually picked up this one after falling in love with the Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment mask as I didn’t want to dish out $75 for that one. The reviews on Sephora said that this one was a great dupe for significantly less money! So.. how does it compare?

I bought the 30ml size to test before committing to the larger size. The 30ml mask retails for $13 CAD, while the larger version is $25 CAD. I’ve used the mask approximately four times now and it’s nearly half empty. You should be able to get about 10 uses out of the smaller size, which is fantastic!

The mask appears dark grey and chunky in the jar. It also has a very strong scent, but I have no idea how to accurately describe it. It isn’t pleasant but it isn’t totally unpleasant either. The scent doesn’t fade while the mask is on your face, so be aware! The instructions say to let the mask dry for 5-10 minutes then rinse with water. I usually let it dry for 20 minutes then rinse it off in the shower as it is quite messy. As the mask dries, it changes from dark grey to light grey. It also really highlights your pores (gross!).

I typically have normal-combination skin that tends to be more dry in the winter. However, when I woke up this morning my skin felt quite oily and I had a couple small pimples forming. This mask is made with zinc, copper and white clay, which is excellent for soaking up any excess oil in your skin. After rinsing the mask, my cheeks were quite red which is surprising because skin isn’t typically sensitive. However, my skin feels soft and matte, without feeling dry or tight.

Despite all this, I still prefer the Glam Glow version and will likely bite the bullet and purchase that one next. The Glam Glow mask smelled better and made my skin so incredibly soft. It also seemed to minimize my pores, which I did not notice with the Sephora mask. However, if you aren’t willing to spend the money on Glam Glow, this is a great, budget-friendly alternative.

The Sephora Collection Mud Mask Purifying & Mattifying can be found at Sephora stores or online at Sephora.com.

Tips for Attending Your First Bridal Show

I attended my first ever bridal show this past weekend. Despite having many of my vendors booked, I really wanted to attend a show just to check it off my wedding bucket list. It can be a very overwhelming experience so I figured I would pass along some tips that I discovered. If you are just starting to plan your wedding, I highly recommend checking out a show as it’s a great way to meet a variety of vendors in one setting.

BEFORE YOU GO…

1. Pre-register for the show online if it is an option! It saves time when you arrive. The show I attended was cash-only but if there’s an option to pre-pay online, I would also recommend doing so.
2. Check out the list of vendors & make a list of those that you want to meet with. I already had a lot of my main vendors booked so I had a short list to visit! If you’re in the early stages of planning, keep an open mind and shop around.
3. Print mini labels with your name, address, and phone number. Most vendors have prize giveaways and this will save you from having to write out your info each time!
4. Take a buddy! At this show, the bride and groom could enter the prize draws, but friends and family could not. Therefore you could double your chances by taking your significant other! I took a group of friends with me but if they are already married or not planning a wedding, it may not be very exciting for them.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE…

1. The show that I attended was giving away bridal bags to the first 200 brides. I opted not to arrive when the doors opened at 11am because quite frankly, I didn’t care if I got a bag or not. I arrived at 1pm and actually snagged the last bag! It contained a gym bag, some chocolates, pens, and a bridal magazine.
2. Try not to get overwhelmed! When I first walked into the room, I was immediately overwhelmed with vendors vying for my attention. If there was a booth that I definitely wasn’t interested in (for example, I already had my photographer booked so I skipped those booths), I tended to avoid eye contact and kept walking!
3. That being said, most vendors had prize giveaways which often required making small conversation. If I wasn’t interested in the prize, I kept going! But I would talk to anyone if it meant getting the opportunity to win a great prize.
4. Be prepared to answer the following: who’s the bride? When is your wedding? Where are you getting married? Do you have your [vendor] booked?
5. Try samples! Cake vendors often provide sample mini cupcakes and one of the catering companies was sharing samples of mashed potatoes & gravy! I was too stuffed from breakfast to try anything so learn from my mistake and leave a little room for snacking.
6. Introduce yourself and take the time to chat with any vendors you are interested in. I was able to speak to the bridal salon that I loved, a florist, and a DJ, as those were three vendors that I hadn’t booked yet. I bypassed the decorators (but oogled their set ups for ideas!), the venues, and the photographers as I already had those booked.
7. Be prepared to book your vendors on the spot or within a few days! The vendors tend to have promotions on for the bridal shows. I was able to book my florist and save the tax! Many other vendors offered $50-$200 off their packages or products if you booked at the show (also another reason to bring your significant other).
8. Head to the fashion show early! We waited until about 5 minutes before the show started and unfortunately, we didn’t have prime viewing. I do recommend the fashion show if you haven’t purchased your wedding dress or bridesmaid dresses. It was so nice to see the dresses in motion as it definitely gives a different perspective than seeing them on a mannequin!
9. The bridal show that I attended offered a $1000 cash prize draw to one lucky bride! The only catch: you still had to be in attendance when it was drawn. This is why I opted to arrive late rather than early. They actually had to call three names before they found a bride that was still there.

AFTER YOU LEAVE…

1. I’m not an impulsive shopper so I didn’t book any vendors at the show. I went home, discussed what I liked with my fiancé, then contacted the vendors that I was interested in booking. They still honored the discount when I told them we were speaking at the bridal show.

Have you ever attended a bridal show? Do you have any other tips for future brides?

My Favourite Wedding Dresses

I’m officially going to start trying on wedding dresses soon, eek! I say “officially” since I did try on a couple already, but I didn’t have an actual appointment or one-on-one experience. I was worried that the store would stop carrying a particular dress so I literally ran in there one day while Jordan was waiting in the truck! This time I am going with some girl friends to really try on some potential dresses. In preparation, I rounded up a few of my current favourites below!

Hayley Paige Peyton

Sadly, none of the local bridal salons carry Hayley Paige dresses. Though on second thought, that’s probably a good thing since they are way out of my budget. I reposted this one on my Facebook page this week (follow along for more!) because it really caught my eye. I love how simple and classy it is but still fun with the major leg-baring split.

Hayley Paige Arlo

Yet another Hayley Paige gown because hello, how can I not? I am definitely open to the idea of a “different” wedding dress, both in style and in color. I am actually in love with this particular color! It’s not necessarily the style I ever imagined myself wearing but I’m going in with an open mind. I’d love to have a dress that isn’t white or ivory!

Morilee Meralda

The fitted lace dress has been my go-to wedding dress style for years, honestly as long as I can remember. I’m not fond of this particular color but I love the beading at the top of the dress!

Jasmine T202001

I’m not really familiar with the Jasmine bridal line but this one really caught my eye! Luckily one of the local stores carries this line so hopefully I will be able to try it on. I love delicate lace with the pearl straps and the back of the dress is to die for!

BHLDN Lucca

It’s a shame that there are no BHLDN stores in Canada because I adore their dresses and their price points! Jordan has already told me that he doesn’t like this dress so it isn’t really an option but it gives me all the bohemian vibes that I am going for. I love the simple lace paired with the dramatic bell sleeves! It would pair perfectly with a flower crown and a braid.

Theia Lenni

Okay, so this could pass as a really nice evening wear gown but let’s be honest – when am I ever going to have the opportunity to wear this other than my wedding? I love how simple the silhouette of the dress is while the all-over sequins add a massive dose of glam.

What is your preferred style of wedding dresses?

NYX Face and Body Glitter in "Rose"

NYX is undoubtedly one of the best drugstore brands in my opinion. Sadly, my local Shoppers Drug Mart has the world’s smallest NYX display so it is not the most accessible brand for me but generally speaking, it is easily attainable. I actually picked up this glitter at Ulta during my last trip to Florida but you can find it at Shoppers Drug Mart and Lawtons stores in Canada.

The NYX Face and Body glitter is a loose glitter which requires a glitter primer for application. As it had great reviews, I also picked up the NYX version of the glitter primer.

NYX Face and Body Glitter in Rose

For this look, I used the Morphe Jaclyn Hill palette all over my lid. I then applied a small amount of glitter primer with my finger to the centre of my lid, followed by the glitter. I used the shade “Rose” which is a beautiful pinkish, rose gold color. I prefer to apply the glitter with my finger and press it directly into the glue. Also, I recommend doing your eye makeup first when using glitter! I forgot to do that and as a result I ended up with glitter all over my face.

While I wouldn’t wear this every day, I love glitter for a special occasion or night out. I wore this look for approximately 10 hours and aside from the initial fallout of glitter during application, it held up quite well. However, it is very messy and difficult to remove the glitter at the end of the day. While the glitter was easily removable from my eyelids, it did transfer all around my face in the process of removing it. Be cautious not to get any in your eyes as I did! 

NYX is available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Lawton’s Drug Store and Ulta. Both the NYX Face and Body Glitter and the NYX Glitter Primer retail for approx $8-10 CAD.

New Bloglovin' URL

Hey guys! I switched my site over to Wordpress and despite having the same domain name and URL,  it seems that in order for you guys to get my latest updates, you'll have to follow my new Bloglovin' account here. So sorry about the inconvenience - I really hope you'll continue to follow along!

Disney "All That Glitters" Specialty Paint

We’ve been living in this house for nearly four years and I’ve hated the color in our master bathroom for 95% of that time. Yes, I chose it when we built the house but I quickly regretted it. We built a “turn-key” home and we were allowed five paint colors in our price. I chose this green as an accent wall in the living room and I felt like I needed to use it on another room as well, hence why it ended up in our bathroom. Long story short, I couldn’t stand it any longer and finally repainted it this past weekend.

Before

Along with that, someone I know recently posted a picture of glitter paint on their Instagram stories. Of course, I had to find out about this magical paint! Turns out that it was the Disney All That Glitters specialty finish by CIL. I was immediately sold and ran to my local Walmart to pick up a can. The can of paint retails for $30 for a quart (946mls) but we had only planned to use it on one wall in the bathroom so that was plenty. We chose a color called “lilac grey” as the base and for the other walls of the bathroom. As it turns out, it was actually more lilac and less grey, but that’s fine by me!

After

After applying two coats of primer and paint, I had to allow it to dry overnight before attempting the glitter wall. The glitter paint appears to be a cloudy white color in the can. It also changes the color of your wall initially but does dry clear, so don’t fret! The instructions say to paint 18″x18″ sections of wall at a time, then refill the roller. I loosely followed the instructions; painting in small areas while using the roller in all directions. However, the bulk of the glitter applied in the spot that I first touched the brush to the wall. It was very difficult to “roll out” the glitter and as a result, it looks chunkier in some areas and more sparse in others.

Disney “All That Glitters” Paint (flash)

I applied four coats of the glitter before I called it quits. It looks okay, but it’s definitely not like the thick glittered walls that you see on Facebook or Pinterest. The glitter is iridescent and shifts from a green-pink-purple-blue depending on the light. It also looks more prominent under artificial light than in daylight.

Disney “All That Glitters” paint (artificial light)

Disney “All That Glitters” Paint (natural light)

Overall, I do really like it but if you are looking for bold glitter, look elsewhere. For the cost of the product and the effort that it takes to apply, it is fine for a small area but overall not a fantastic buy. That being said, I am 100% more pleased with my bathroom now that it is repainted. The light color has made it feel so bright & airy! I think we are going to tackle the main bathroom next, albeit without glitter.

Have you ever tried glitter paint before?

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January 2018 Barkbox Review

I debated ordering Barkbox for Macy for months and months before I finally committed in December 2017. Subscription boxes are one of my favourite things to receive in the mail and I’m equally as excited as Macy is when it arrives. Barkbox is a US-based subscription box for dogs. Each month, they send a themed box (so cute!) with toys and treats. The price depends on the number of months you sign up for initially. We chose a 6-month subscription and the cost is $25 US/month with free shipping to Canada. I appreciate the free shipping but it cannot be tracked once it passes the border and it takes about two weeks to arrive here, which is a bummer.

January’s Barkbox was titled “The Knights of the Round Table” and it was medieval themed. Macy has a large dog (50+ lbs) subscription box, for reference. This one contained two toys and three treats, which seems on par with last month. There is also an option when you sign up to pay extra for another toy each month.

Macy’s box contained the following:

• King Arfur + Giggle Stick ($14 US)
• Tavern Turkey Leg ($12 US)
• Dynamic Chewo Tuna and Chicken treats ($10 US)
• Friar Hogg’s Hearty Stew treats ($8 US)
• Thinkers Salmon Stick ($3 US)
• Total value: $47 US (approx. $58 CAD)

January 2017 Barkbox

January 2017 Barkbox

We pay a little over $30 CAD for the box so it is a good value! I know that most people will think it’s a lot of money to spend each month, but we spend approx. $100 every time we visit the pet store so it averages out to be about the same. Plus, the toys that we’ve received through Barkbox are of fantastic quality. Likewise, the treats are all wheat-free, corn-free and soy-free and made in the USA.

Another thing I love about Barkbox is their Barkshop; an online store that sells all the products contained in their boxes (and more). This is awesome because if your dog loves a particular kind of treat or a certain toy, you can repurchase it!

If you’d like to sign up for Barkbox, Macy would love it if you used her referral link (click here!). If you sign up for a 6 or 12-month subscription using our link, you’ll get your first Barkbox free (and we will get one too!). Have you tried any pet subscription boxes?

 

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Janine Allison 2.0

You guys, I’m back! While I was relishing all my free time, I was also going crazy without a creative outlet, so here we are! I have big plans for this little blog in 2018 which means that I have to push aside all those feelings of self-doubt and embarrassment and just do what make me happy. I finally made the switch from Blogger to WordPress, thanks to all the help from my amazing hosts. I also updated the look of my blog with a stunning layout from She Shoppes, so now the fun begins!

What do you want to see on Janine Allison? 

I’m still marketing myself as a lifestyle blog with a focus on beauty and weddings, as well as my favourite local restaurants, shops, and events. One of my goals for this year is to really focus on supporting local businesses and I’d like to incorporate that into the blog. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, leave me a comment below or send me a message on social media!

 BLOG GOALS for 2018

1. Gain 500 Bloglovin’ followers
2. Gain 1500 Instagram followers
3. Obtain two PR contacts
4. Blog at least twice per week all year
5. Get over my fear of speaking to the camera on Instastories

I think those goals are totally reasonable, though #5 is probably the one I will struggle with the most! Anyway, I’m going to keep this short & sweet but be sure to pop back over the next few days as I write more content! I am so, so excited to start this adventure with you guys.

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