The Friday Five | August 25, 2017

Saturday, August 26, 2017

1. I’m rolling in with a late post today because of work. However, I really wanted to get it done because you need to run over to Old Navy and pick up this adorable t-shirt while it’s still available for $9.50! As in, less than ten dollars. I’ve had Starbucks orders more expensive than this t-shirt. I’ve been loving graphic tees lately and I mean, this basically summarizes me in four lines, plus it’s super soft and perfect for lounging in on the weekends.

2. In other news, Taylor Swift officially released her latest single today! I mean, with all the hype that she garnered this week, this is old news by now but it deserves a mention regardless. I’ve been a fan of Taylor Swift since the beginning (as in, when I used her “Tim McGraw” lyrics in my MSN messenger status!) and although I am sick of her always playing the victim, I kind of like the new single. I mean, as a rule I am generally underwhelmed and let down by her first single off every album and this one has a weak chorus but I love the beat and the dark vibe. I have high hopes for this album!

3. My birthday week is next week! Sadly that means less as I get older (plus I have to work on my birthday which should never be allowed) but on the bright side, there will be cake and presents so it isn’t all bad. It blows my mind that I will be 28 when I feel like it was only yesterday that I turned 8 years old.

4. As much as I love fall, I’m not ready to say goodbye to summer yet. However, one of the best parts of fall is the return of all your favourite TV shows and after watching the trailer for season 2 of This Is Us, I’m slightly more excited for fall to arrive. Also looking forward to the return of Scandal, Riverdale and The Voice!

5. I may try on my first wedding dress tomorrow, eek! I’m still debating because I’m half afraid that it will be “the one” and I won’t even have my mom there for it but the store that carries my dream dress has a sample sale that ends tomorrow and I feel like I just need to try it on. If it isn’t the dress for me then I will wait until later before I really dig deep into the shopping but I’m afraid the store will stop carrying this dress before I get to try it on. At the same time, it still feels way too early in my mind to be shopping for a wedding dress. Ah, decisions!

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The Friday Five | August 25, 2017

Friday, August 25, 2017


1. I'm rolling in with a late post today because of work. However, I really wanted to get it done because you need to run over to Old Navy and pick up this adorable t-shirt while it's still available for $9.50! As in, less than ten dollars. I've had Starbucks orders more expensive than this t-shirt. I've been loving graphic tees lately and I mean, this basically summarizes me in four lines, plus it's super soft and perfect for lounging in on the weekends.

2. In other news, Taylor Swift officially released her latest single today! I mean, with all the hype that she garnered this week, this is old news by now but it deserves a mention regardless. I've been a fan of Taylor Swift since the beginning (as in, when I used her "Tim McGraw" lyrics in my MSN messenger status!) and although I am sick of her always playing the victim, I kind of like the new single. I mean, as a rule I am generally underwhelmed and let down by her first single off every album and this one has a weak chorus but I love the beat and the dark vibe. I have high hopes for this album!


3. My birthday week is next week! Sadly that means less as I get older (plus I have to work on my birthday which should never be allowed) but on the bright side, there will be cake and presents so it isn't all bad. It blows my mind that I will be 28 when I feel like it was only yesterday that I turned 8 years old.

4. As much as I love fall, I'm not ready to say goodbye to summer yet. However, one of the best parts of fall is the return of all your favourite TV shows and after watching the trailer for season 2 of This Is Us, I'm slightly more excited for fall to arrive. Also looking forward to the return of Scandal, Riverdale and The Voice!


5. I may try on my first wedding dress tomorrow, eek! I'm still debating because I'm half afraid that it will be "the one" and I won't even have my mom there for it but the store that carries my dream dress has a sample sale that ends tomorrow and I feel like I just need to try it on. If it isn't the dress for me then I will wait until later before I really dig deep into the shopping but I'm afraid the store will stop carrying this dress before I get to try it on. At the same time, it still feels way too early in my mind to be shopping for a wedding dress. Ah, decisions!

Sephora Birthday Gift 2017- Tarte Edition

Thursday, August 24, 2017

If you aren’t already a Sephora Beauty Insider (it’s free!) and you haven’t already had your birthday this year, run to the nearest store and sign up so you can get yourself a free birthday gift from Sephora! You can redeem your birthday gift in-store or online anytime during your birthday month. You do not need to make a purchase to redeem in-store, however, you do need to purchase an item to redeem your birthday gift online.

Each year Sephora provides multiple options for the birthday gifts. This year they actually have three offers – a Tarte makeup set, a Caudalie skincare set, and a Jack Black skincare set. I love that there is a variety of gifts but naturally I chose the makeup kit from Tarte.

 

The Tarte set includes a mini size of their Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in “Paaarty” as well as a mini Tarteist Lip Paint liquid lipstick in “Birthday Suit”. Both shades are exclusive to this set which is a bit of a bummer because I’d like to repurchase both in a full size. I love that both shades are a neutral brownish-pink that is suitable for a variety of skintones.

Despite hearing many raves about the Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush, this is actually my first time trying it and I am definitely a convert. It is super soft and pigmented and wears beautifully throughout the day. Honestly, it lives up to its claim as a 12-hour blush!

I did try the Tarteist liquid lipstick in the past and enjoyed it so it wasn’t a surprise that I was a fan of this one. It has a moussey consistency but dries down to a comfortable (not drying!) matte. I think I got between 6-8 hours of wear from this one and it faded very naturally.

Overall, I am definitely impressed with this birthday gift and I’m planning to repurchase both items in full size (in different colors) in the future.

Have you picked up a birthday gift from Sephora this year?

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Sephora Birthday Gift 2017- Tarte Edition

If you aren't already a Sephora Beauty Insider (it's free!) and you haven't already had your birthday this year, run to the nearest store and sign up so you can get yourself a free birthday gift from Sephora! You can redeem your birthday gift in-store or online anytime during your birthday month. You do not need to make a purchase to redeem in-store, however, you do need to purchase an item to redeem your birthday gift online.

Each year Sephora provides multiple options for the birthday gifts. This year they actually have three offers - a Tarte makeup set, a Caudalie skincare set, and a Jack Black skincare set. I love that there is a variety of gifts but naturally I chose the makeup kit from Tarte.



The Tarte set includes a mini size of their Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in "Paaarty" as well as a mini Tarteist Lip Paint liquid lipstick in "Birthday Suit". Both shades are exclusive to this set which is a bit of a bummer because I'd like to repurchase both in a full size. I love that both shades are a neutral brownish-pink that is suitable for a variety of skintones. 

Despite hearing many raves about the Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush, this is actually my first time trying it and I am definitely a convert. It is super soft and pigmented and wears beautifully throughout the day. Honestly, it lives up to its claim as a 12-hour blush!


I did try the Tarteist liquid lipstick in the past and enjoyed it so it wasn't a surprise that I was a fan of this one. It has a moussey consistency but dries down to a comfortable (not drying!) matte. I think I got between 6-8 hours of wear from this one and it faded very naturally.


Overall, I am definitely impressed with this birthday gift and I'm planning to repurchase both items in full size (in different colors) in the future.

Have you picked up a birthday gift from Sephora this year?

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in "Sugarcane"

Thursday, August 17, 2017

This post contains affiliate links.

When it comes to quality lipstick, Bite Beauty’s Amuse Bouche line is top notch. They are incredibly pigmented, creamy and comfortable to wear, plus they are a Canadian brand and you all know how much I love that! My friend Olivia was wearing a gorgeous pink lip color one day and when I asked her what she was wearing, she told me it was the Amuse Bouche lipstick in “Sugarcane”. Needless to say, I promptly added it to my ever-growing Sephora wishlist.

I decided to finally bite the bullet and purchase it a few weeks ago. I have to admit, I wasn’t 100% sold on the color when I first applied it. It is described as a “pale pink” and I was worried that the color washed me out, what with my pale skin and light hair. I considered returning it but decided to give it another chance and I am so glad I did as I have been wearing it nearly every day since.

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Sugarcane

It is the perfect pinkish-nude (my favourite) shade for every day, including work. I am hesitant to wear a lot of lipstick shades to work as I never know when I may get to reapply (ah, life of a nurse) and I am paranoid that it will fade horribly. Thankfully, this color fades naturally! As with any cream lipstick, it has to be reapplied after a few hours and after eating but that is to be expected.

In the photo it does appear to be clinging to some dry patches on the left side, however, that is totally my fault for not exfoliating prior to applying and it doesn’t seem quite so obvious in person.

You can purchase Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks at Sephora online or in store for $30 CAD.

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Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in "Sugarcane"


This post contains affiliate links.

When it comes to quality lipstick, Bite Beauty's Amuse Bouche line is top notch. They are incredibly pigmented, creamy and comfortable to wear, plus they are a Canadian brand and you all know how much I love that! My friend Olivia was wearing a gorgeous pink lip color one day and when I asked her what she was wearing, she told me it was the Amuse Bouche lipstick in "Sugarcane". Needless to say, I promptly added it to my ever-growing Sephora wishlist.

I decided to finally bite the bullet and purchase it a few weeks ago. I have to admit, I wasn't 100% sold on the color when I first applied it. It is described as a "pale pink" and I was worried that the color washed me out, what with my pale skin and light hair. I considered returning it but decided to give it another chance and I am so glad I did as I have been wearing it nearly every day since.

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Sugarcane

It is the perfect pinkish-nude (my favourite) shade for every day, including work. I am hesitant to wear a lot of lipstick shades to work as I never know when I may get to reapply (ah, life of a nurse) and I am paranoid that it will fade horribly. Thankfully, this color fades naturally! As with any cream lipstick, it has to be reapplied after a few hours and after eating but that is to be expected.

In the photo it does appear to be clinging to some dry patches on the left side, however, that is totally my fault for not exfoliating prior to applying and it doesn't seem quite so obvious in person.

You can purchase Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks at Sephora online or in store for $30 CAD.

The Friday Five

Friday, August 11, 2017

I figured this would be a good week to introduce “The Friday Five” which is basically just five random things that I talk about.. on a Friday. Despite having a few posts drafted, I have no photos to accompany them because 12 hour shifts make photography impossible, so I figured this would be a good way to sneak a post in before the week ended!

>> We went to see Mamma Mia with Jordan’s niece last week and I highly recommend you check it out if you can! I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a fan of musicals so I was basically just tagging along for something to do. However, I ended up being totally captivated and now I kind of want to see more shows. It also made me really envious of those who can sing & dance so beautifully.

>> Speaking of dance, I just signed up for burlesque classes and I am super excited about it. I mean, I will probably be terrible but at least it will be good fun! I just need to find a pair of heels that I can actually dance in now.

>> I got my hair dyed a gorgeous smokey grey color earlier this week and while I think my hairstylist did a great job, I have to go back this weekend and get it lightened again. It looked really light in the salon but outside of there, it is just way too dark for me. Luckily they were able to squeeze me in for an appointment on Saturday as I really want it fixed before Brittany’s bachelorette party on Saturday night! My hair will probably need some serious TLC after this if anyone has any recommendations for hair masks or products.

>> The Jaclyn Hill Morphe palette finally has a relaunch date – August 22nd! I have been super on the fence with this palette. It is absolutely stunning and I want it but I have trouble justifying the ridiculous cost of shipping for us Canadians (plus customs at the door!). I decide that I will get it, then I get angry at the cost, then it sells out.. and repeat. Maybe I could splurge as a birthday gift to myself? Or maybe I will just hold out for the new Huda Beauty palette..

>> Does anyone else think that it’s absolutely ridiculous that Halloween items are popping up in stores already? I mean, it’s still the beginning of August and Halloween is the end of October. Who really needs to buy Halloween cookies right now? STOP. I love fall as much as the next person but I just want to enjoy my summer without seeing ghosts and pumpkins everywhere.

I’m headed to the city this weekend for Brittany’s bachelorette plus some end-of-exams celebrations with Jordan so it’ll likely be next week before I get another post up. Have a great weekend guys!

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The Friday Five

I figured this would be a good week to introduce "The Friday Five" which is basically just five random things that I talk about.. on a Friday. Despite having a few posts drafted, I have no photos to accompany them because 12 hour shifts make photography impossible, so I figured this would be a good way to sneak a post in before the week ended!


>> We went to see Mamma Mia with Jordan's niece last week and I highly recommend you check it out if you can! I'll be honest, I've never been a fan of musicals so I was basically just tagging along for something to do. However, I ended up being totally captivated and now I kind of want to see more shows. It also made me really envious of those who can sing & dance so beautifully.

>> Speaking of dance, I just signed up for burlesque classes and I am super excited about it. I mean, I will probably be terrible but at least it will be good fun! I just need to find a pair of heels that I can actually dance in now.

>> I got my hair dyed a gorgeous smokey grey color earlier this week and while I think my hairstylist did a great job, I have to go back this weekend and get it lightened again. It looked really light in the salon but outside of there, it is just way too dark for me. Luckily they were able to squeeze me in for an appointment on Saturday as I really want it fixed before Brittany's bachelorette party on Saturday night! My hair will probably need some serious TLC after this if anyone has any recommendations for hair masks or products.

>> The Jaclyn Hill Morphe palette finally has a relaunch date - August 22nd! I have been super on the fence with this palette. It is absolutely stunning and I want it but I have trouble justifying the ridiculous cost of shipping for us Canadians (plus customs at the door!). I decide that I will get it, then I get angry at the cost, then it sells out.. and repeat. Maybe I could splurge as a birthday gift to myself? Or maybe I will just hold out for the new Huda Beauty palette..

>> Does anyone else think that it's absolutely ridiculous that Halloween items are popping up in stores already? I mean, it's still the beginning of August and Halloween is the end of October. Who really needs to buy Halloween cookies right now? STOP. I love fall as much as the next person but I just want to enjoy my summer without seeing ghosts and pumpkins everywhere.

I'm headed to the city this weekend for Brittany's bachelorette plus some end-of-exams celebrations with Jordan so it'll likely be next week before I get another post up. Have a great weekend guys!

New Releases at Maison Jacynthe

Monday, August 7, 2017

Through blogging I’ve discovered some fantastic new-to-me brands, one of those being Maison Jacynthe. You may recall me talking about them in the past (yes, their blush is still one of my favourites!) and raving about the fact that they are a natural, cruelty-free Canadian brand. They recently reached out to me about trying some of their new launches including liquid foundation, nail polish, highlighters and perfume. Given how much I loved their blush, I decided to try the pressed powder, highlighter and perfume.

Maison Jacynthe

The pressed powder has the same smooth, fine texture and pleasant scent as the blush. I chose the shade “01 – Beige” and while it would be too dark for those of you who are very fair, it works on my fair-but-slightly-tanned summer skin. I haven’t used this alone but I’ve worn it over my liquid foundation and it creates a blurred, smooth texture while feeling extremely lightweight and comfortable.

Likewise, the pressed highlighter has the same texture and scent that I have come to love with their products. I picked the shade “02 – Lune Rose” which is described as “shimmery with a golden pink finish”. You guys know I die for anything rose gold so this was an obvious choice! It definitely doesn’t have a lot of pink in it but is a solid champagne gold color with a gorgeous shimmery finish. It doesn’t have any big chunks of glitter and is perfect for an every day pop!

Maison Jacynthe Powder Illuminateur

I really wanted to try their perfume “AiMe” which has notes of sweet orange, star anise, and toasted almond but unfortunately they only make the large size of that perfume and it sells out almost immediately. Instead, they sent me their Vingt-Deux Roll On perfume, which is described as an “oriental and floral” scent with bergmaont, cardamon, pink bay and rum as the top notes. The perfume is a very generous sample size but unfortunately I’m not overly fond of the scent. It is a very soft scent that reminds me of baby powder, though Jordan thinks it smells “spicy” (how we get two totally different scents, I’m not sure). It isn’t a bad scent but it’s not to my personal preference as I tend to prefer fruity perfumes.

Overall, I still highly recommend checking out Maison Jacynthe if you haven’t already. They have so many great products and virtues, plus you get to support a Canadian beauty brand – win, win!

SaveSave

New Releases at Maison Jacynthe

Through blogging I've discovered some fantastic new-to-me brands, one of those being Maison Jacynthe. You may recall me talking about them in the past (yes, their blush is still one of my favourites!) and raving about the fact that they are a natural, cruelty-free Canadian brand. They recently reached out to me about trying some of their new launches including liquid foundation, nail polish, highlighters and perfume. Given how much I loved their blush, I decided to try the pressed powder, highlighter and perfume.

Maison Jacynthe

The pressed powder has the same smooth, fine texture and pleasant scent as the blush. I chose the shade "01 - Beige" and while it would be too dark for those of you who are very fair, it works on my fair-but-slightly-tanned summer skin. I haven't used this alone but I've worn it over my liquid foundation and it creates a blurred, smooth texture while feeling extremely lightweight and comfortable.

Likewise, the pressed highlighter has the same texture and scent that I have come to love with their products. I picked the shade "02 - Lune Rose" which is described as "shimmery with a golden pink finish". You guys know I die for anything rose gold so this was an obvious choice! It definitely doesn't have a lot of pink in it but is a solid champagne gold color with a gorgeous shimmery finish. It doesn't have any big chunks of glitter and is perfect for an every day pop!

Maison Jacynthe Powder Illuminateur

I really wanted to try their perfume "AiMe" which has notes of sweet orange, star anise, and toasted almond but unfortunately they only make the large size of that perfume and it sells out almost immediately. Instead, they sent me their Vingt-Deux Roll On perfume, which is described as an "oriental and floral" scent with bergmaont, cardamon, pink bay and rum as the top notes. The perfume is a very generous sample size but unfortunately I'm not overly fond of the scent. It is a very soft scent that reminds me of baby powder, though Jordan thinks it smells "spicy" (how we get two totally different scents, I'm not sure). It isn't a bad scent but it's not to my personal preference as I tend to prefer fruity perfumes.

Overall, I still highly recommend checking out Maison Jacynthe if you haven't already. They have so many great products and virtues, plus you get to support a Canadian beauty brand - win, win!

Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara

Thursday, August 3, 2017

This post contains affiliate links.

The Mega Multiplier Mascara from Revlon is one of the newest mascaras to hit the drugstore aisle. Some of my favourite mascaras are from the drugstore so I was excited to give this one a try.

This mascara contains fibres that adhere to your lashes and produce “mega volume and extreme length”. I am not always a fan of fibre mascaras as some have the tendency to flake off during the day and leave a mess under the eyes, however this one lasts all day. I was also impressed with the color, which I received in “blackened brown”. I am always a “blackest black” kind of girl but despite being brown, I find this one looks black on my lashes. The brush is a tapered style and is actually really effective for coating the bottom lashes without smudging the product – in fact, this is my go-to lower lash mascara right now!

Now that I’ve discussed the good, I have to discuss the bad as well. While I do get length from this mascara, I don’t find it very volumizing at all. I have to do multiple coats and even then, it still doesn’t give me the dramatic false-lashes look that I like. Luckily it is very easy to layer and doesn’t get clumpy or spidery.

Revlon Mega Multiplier mascara
Left: Natural, no mascara | Right: Revlon Mega Multiplier mascara

If you are looking for a natural, everyday mascara, I would recommend checking this one out. The Revlon Mega Multiplier mascara is available here ($2 off!) or at your local drugstore.

I received this product complimentary from Influenster for review purposes.

SaveSave

Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara

This post contains affiliate links.

The Mega Multiplier Mascara from Revlon is one of the newest mascaras to hit the drugstore aisle. Some of my favourite mascaras are from the drugstore so I was excited to give this one a try.

This mascara contains fibres that adhere to your lashes and produce "mega volume and extreme length". I am not always a fan of fibre mascaras as some have the tendency to flake off during the day and leave a mess under the eyes, however this one lasts all day. I was also impressed with the color, which I received in "blackened brown". I am always a "blackest black" kind of girl but despite being brown, I find this one looks black on my lashes. The brush is a tapered style and is actually really effective for coating the bottom lashes without smudging the product - in fact, this is my go-to lower lash mascara right now!

Now that I've discussed the good, I have to discuss the bad as well. While I do get length from this mascara, I don't find it very volumizing at all. I have to do multiple coats and even then, it still doesn't give me the dramatic false-lashes look that I like. Luckily it is very easy to layer and doesn't get clumpy or spidery.

Revlon Mega Multiplier mascara
Left: Natural, no mascara | Right: Revlon Mega Multiplier mascara

If you are looking for a natural, everyday mascara, I would recommend checking this one out. The Revlon Mega Multiplier mascara is available here ($2 off!) or at your local drugstore.

I received this product complimentary from Influenster for review purposes.

I'm Back!

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Wow, so I really fell off the blogging bandwagon once I got engaged. Oops! In any event, I’m back and (hopefully) better than ever.. or at least that’s the plan. I am hoping to dive back into the beauty world with lots of wedding posts thrown into the mix. In any event, here’s what has happened since I disappeared from the blogosphere..

>> We chose a wedding date! It honestly took us like 2 months to even think about choosing a date but we finally decided on August 3rd, 2019. We would have liked to get married in 2018 but given that we are going on a cruise vacation this fall, we knew we wouldn’t be able to save enough money to get married next year.

>> We also booked our wedding photographer, decorator and venue and we’ve chosen a videographer, though we haven’t booked the latter yet. We are trying to get all of the big ticket items booked now so we can have first pick and get the vendors that we really want.

>> Our cruise is officially booked and paid for, plus we have our tickets, hotel and rental car booked for Orlando. Less than 90 days to go! We are planning to spend Monday-Friday in Orlando, then drive down to Miami for the cruise. If anyone has any recommendations of things to do or places to eat in either location, send them my way! We are most definitely going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal this time but aside from that, we have no plans.

>> I joined a fitness and lifestyle program created by a local #girlboss – Stay Inspired. Nicole is awesome and I have finally gotten into a habit of working out 3-4 times a week. While the scale hasn’t really budged, I blame that on the fact that I haven’t committed to changing my eating habits. However, I have lost a few inches and I am seeing changes in my body which is great. The program is accessible worldwide and super affordable so I highly recommend you check it out!

In all honesty, I think that’s all! I’ve been working non-stop, daydreaming about my upcoming holidays, and trying to find a balance between working, exercising, and having fun. Stay tuned for lots of upcoming posts and if there is anything in particular that you’d like to read, let me know!

I'm Back!

Wow, so I really fell off the blogging bandwagon once I got engaged. Oops! In any event, I'm back and (hopefully) better than ever.. or at least that's the plan. I am hoping to dive back into the beauty world with lots of wedding posts thrown into the mix. In any event, here's what has happened since I disappeared from the blogosphere..

>> We chose a wedding date! It honestly took us like 2 months to even think about choosing a date but we finally decided on August 3rd, 2019. We would have liked to get married in 2018 but given that we are going on a cruise vacation this fall, we knew we wouldn't be able to save enough money to get married next year.

>> We also booked our wedding photographer, decorator and venue and we've chosen a videographer, though we haven't booked the latter yet. We are trying to get all of the big ticket items booked now so we can have first pick and get the vendors that we really want.

>> Our cruise is officially booked and paid for, plus we have our tickets, hotel and rental car booked for Orlando. Less than 90 days to go! We are planning to spend Monday-Friday in Orlando, then drive down to Miami for the cruise. If anyone has any recommendations of things to do or places to eat in either location, send them my way! We are most definitely going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal this time but aside from that, we have no plans.

>> I joined a fitness and lifestyle program created by a local #girlboss - Stay Inspired. Nicole is awesome and I have finally gotten into a habit of working out 3-4 times a week. While the scale hasn't really budged, I blame that on the fact that I haven't committed to changing my eating habits. However, I have lost a few inches and I am seeing changes in my body which is great. The program is accessible worldwide and super affordable so I highly recommend you check it out!

In all honesty, I think that's all! I've been working non-stop, daydreaming about my upcoming holidays, and trying to find a balance between working, exercising, and having fun. Stay tuned for lots of upcoming posts and if there is anything in particular that you'd like to read, let me know!
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