Tag Archives: MAC

Use Up 2015 – Conclusion

December 28, 2015MakeupBoots No7, Bourjois, Hourglass, MAC, Maybelline, RevlonChelle

Use Up 2015 - CONCLUSION

This past year, I chose ten products I wanted to finish up and get them circulated out of my collection. They weren’t necessarily products I disliked, just that they were old enough that I needed to finish them and move on.

Here’s how I did:

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light (January 2015)

I started out with a relatively brand new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light. I had used it a bit, but not with any kind of regularity. (And no, I didn’t notice myself look ethereal at all!)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light (December 2015)

And here’s the usage after a year of dipping into this product.

Things I’ve learned:

I don’t need or want powder on my face.
It makes my foundation look too cakey when applied overtop.
It also takes me forever to get through a powder!

Although I didn’t use this daily, I did apply it frequently enough throughout the year. I expected to be done with this product since I know people finish up powders relatively quickly, but nope! I’ll keep plugging along with this product, but since I noticed no difference in my skin with this ambient lighting powder, I’m unlikely to buy another one. I also don’t think I’ll be picking up ANY face powders at all since I just don’t need it on my face.

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Beige (January 2015)

The Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Beige was a bit of an unfortunate choice for this project. I’ve grown to really dislike the Color Tattoos because they make my eyelids look kind of crepey. I had expected I could at least get through this tub though since it’s such a neutral colour that it could be used as a base.

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Beige (December 2015)

Alas, no. Although the Color Tattoos have EXCELLENT staying power (seriously, I went swimming in the ocean with them on before and they stayed put) I just don’t enjoy using them. This one got so stiff over the course of the year that I just gave up on it. It’s now gone straight into the garbage. 🙁

MAC eyeshadows in Club, Fade, Cork and Print (January 2015)

I have a few MAC shadows that are quite old, so I figured it was time to move them out of my collection.

MAC eyeshadows in Club, Fade, Cork and Print (December 2015)

I managed to completely finish Club! Woohooo! Fade actually crumbled and fell apart on me, so I just pitched out the remains. Cork and Print however… while I used them a bit, it wasn’t enough to finish then. I’ve recently recommitted to wearing Cork more often through my crease now I’m hoping to kill that one over the next few months! Using Print again reminded me a lot of my early twenties since I wore it a lot back then.

Revlon lipgloss in Papaya (January 2015)

This Revlon Papaya lipgloss is such a beautiful colour – but I’ve had it for a few years now, so it was time to move on. They also don’t make this line of glosses anymore (which is a damn shame!) so it’s not like I can even encourage you to go buy it!

Revlon lipgloss in Papaya (December 2015)

Unfortunately, despite using this guy consistently, he’s still kicking out product! It’s getting a bit sparse through the tube (you can see the cracks of the product separating from itself) so I at least know I got through a bit more of it. But the smell has gone a tiny bit off so I’m just straight out pitching it now.

Boots No7 Instant Radiance foundation in Cool Vanilla, Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundations in 52 Vanilla and 51 Light Vanilla (January 2015)

This was an ambitious move for me. I decided I wanted to get through three foundations this year (I only chose one last year!)

Boots No7 Instant Radiance foundation in Cool Vanilla, Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundations in 52 Vanilla and 51 Light Vanilla (December 2015)

And finish all three I did! The Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla was the first to go since it’s more of a summer shade for me. Once that was done, I started in on Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52 Vanilla and once that was done I cleaned out the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 Light Vanilla.

I was so surprised I got through all of these foundations because I’m not a daily foundation user. I loved these so much and I have actually repurchased them (sooooo what was the point of the Use Up? lol). You can see all three foundations mentioned in my recent Empties video.

So that was it for 2015! All in all, it wasn’t hugely successful. I got through about half of the products I wanted to get through, so that’s not amazing. Although I love watching “Use Up” projects, I don’t think it’s a viable thing for me anymore as a blogger. I try out so many products now (both a blessing and a curse) that it makes it near impossible to stick with even just ten products throughout a year. I hope you enjoyed my Use Up 2015 roundup, and since I do love reading about them, please tell me what products you’re trying to use up!

Travel Makeup Bag: Holiday 2015

December 25, 2015Miscellaneous, VacationBite Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, Clarins, H&M Beauty, House of Lashes, Illamasqua, Kat Von D, MAC, Make Up For Ever, Marc Jacobs, Smashbox, Too FacedChelle

Travel Makeup Bag: Holiday 2015

Yesterday, on Christmas Eve, we traveled from Toronto all the way over to Wisconsin for the holidays. We drove (well, I’m writing this in advance and yet I’m referring to myself in the future… so this is weird) the 11 hours or so it took to get to Wisconsin and brought the cats along with us. By the time you’re reading this on Christmas Day, we’ve hopefully made it safe and sound and I don’t want to strangle Kolme (she’s a howler when we travel). We’ll be staying with my husband’s family near Madison for Christmas and New Year’s, and I *pray* they get snow because Toronto sure doesn’t have any!

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow and Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons

Two of the palettes I’m bringing are the brand new Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons and my Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow.

The Too Faced Bon Bons is a bit of a risk because I’ve barely played with the palette yet so I don’t really know what kind of looks I can come up with. It’s quite neutral which at least makes it fairly easy to play with while on vacation. The Charlotte Tilbury duo is going to be my only highlighter and bronzer on this trip. I like bringing more expensive products to use around Christmas time because it makes me feel kind of fancy. 🙂

The only other eyeshadows I’m bringing are in my Charlotte Tilbury Vintage Vamp quad. If you saw my makeup tutorial on Wednesday, you’ll know that I love pairing these kind of darker cranberry shades on my lids throughout the holidays!

House of Lashes falsies in Noir Fairy and their lash glue

And of course, what’s the holidays without some dramatic lashes? I’m bringing along my Houses of Lashes lash glue and a pair of their lashes in Noir Fairy. They’re already cut down to size since I’ve worn them before so I needn’t worry about trimming them while on vacation.

Illamasqua Skin Base in 6.5 and the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

I say this every time I bring foundation on vacation, but I’ll say it again regardless… I haven’t a clue if I’ll even wear these. I’m not generally in love with foundation as I find I just want to tear it off my face after about 8 hours or so (it has nothing to do with the foundations thesmelves, just the general feeling of having paint on my face). I like the Smashbox primer because it’s tiny and works well, and the Illamasqua Skin Base is lovely to wear but doesn’t get enough use in my collection so I thought I’d bring it along as well.

The Body Shop - Shimmer Spray in Silver — The Body Shop – Shimmer Spray in Silver

And what’s the holidays without a little bit of shimmer spray?? Smells like vanilla and spews out silver shimmer… I loooove it!

Clarins Rosy Nude, MAC Russian Red, Too Faced Melted Berry and Bite Beauty's Maple Agave Lip Mask — Clarins Rosy Nude, MAC Russian Red, Too Faced Melted Berry and Bite Beauty’s Maple Agave Lip Mask

I never ever feel like I bring enough lip products when I travel because I swear I’ll get there and wish I brought different items! My Clarins Rosy Nude is a perfect neutral shade for every day wear, MAC Russian Red is a holiday staple for me, as is my Too Faced Melted Berry. The Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Maple is along for the ride to keep my lips hydrated and because the scent is so stinking delicious!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper, H&M Beauty lip primer, Make Up For Ever Glitter (25), MAC Brick lip liner, Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel crayon in Blacquer and Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch

Random assortment of items here… My Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper is a surefire liquid liner for all my travel purposes. I’ve got an H&M Beauty lip primer in there, a Make Up For Ever glitter (hello New Year’s!), MAC Brick lipliner, Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Crayon in Blacquer and my favourite Make Up for Ever Smoky Stretch mascara.

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Another bit of a risk here… two medium to deep-toned blushes and no basic pink! Tarte Exposed has gotten a lot of love from me over the years (I’ve even hit pan on it!) and it a foolproof shade to match with the neutral eyeshadows I’ve packed. And of course, there’s my beloved Clinique Cola Pop. I can’t believe I haven’t worn the flower embossing down a bit more, I wear it constantly!

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And all of that is crammed into a medium sized Sephora makeup bag. Merry Christmas everyone!

2015 Gift Guide: Makeup Stocking Stuffers

December 11, 2015MakeupChina Glaze, Elizabeth & James, Formula X, H&M, Julie G, MAC, NYX, Pacifica, QUO, Revlon, Sephora, The Body ShopChelle

2015 Gift Guide: Makeup Stocking Stuffers

I don’t know about you, but I often struggle to think of reasonably priced, small items for stocking stuffers. Here are some items that stick to $25 CAD and under that I think most beauty lovers can appreciate on some level.

Since they’re small and compact, rollerball perfumes are one of the easier things to pick up. Almost every brand out there has a rollerball sized perfume, but it’ll be up to you to figure out the scent the person you’re gifting will most like to receive.

My suggestions:

Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black ($14 CAD for the ornament sized rollerball): Nirvana Black was a new discovery for me this year and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever worn. It has notes of alluring violet, sensual sandalwood, and rich vanilla.
Elizabeth & James Nirvana White ($14 CAD for the ornament sized rollerball): Nirvana White is the softer side of the Nirvana line and while it’s not precisely to my tastes, it’s been a huge hit for a lot of people this year as well. It has notes of delicate peony, chic muguet (lily of the valley), and tender musk.
Pacifica French Lilac (~$11 CAD): I picked up this Pacifica rollerball back in May from a health food store and it was love at first roll. This smells exactly like lilacs and reminds me of the lilac bush my parents have in their backyard when I was growing up. Pacifica has an ENORMOUS selection of roll on perfumes, so there’s plenty to choose from for really reasonable prices.

Another small item that’s perfect for stockings is nail polish! And the cheap stuff is almost always as good as the expensive ones. I’ve included some of my favourites and recent collection additions:

Julie G: Created by beauty YouTuber JulieG, this line is not only enormous, but she also has regular seasonal collections. What I’ve tried from the line not only wears well, but also doesn’t seem to thicken up even after years of owning it! And you’re looking at less than $5 USD each! Colour pictured is Mermaid’s Tale.
H&M Beauty: Priced at $7.95 CAD each, H&M’s nail polish line is no joke. (Seriously, it’s enormous and the colours are varied!) Colour pictured is December Dawn*.
China Glaze: China Glaze first stole my heart with their yearly Halloween collections. And then I fell for their Christmas collections. China Glaze always puts out fantastic glitters (the one pictured is old and was limited edition) and they’re around the <$8 CAD price mark.
Formula X: A more expensive brand (~$15 CAD each), the Formula X by Sephora polishes are fantastic. They have an enormous selection and I consider them one of the better brands out there simply because their variety of polishes is so unique. The shade pictured is Alchemy II*.

Another small item great for stockings are lipstick and lipglosses. The NYX butter glosses are great for any age, but are especially good for pre-teens since they’re not as strongly pigmented as a lipstick and the glossiness of the product keeps it quite fresh looking. If you’re giving a lip product to someone who loves lipsticks, you really can’t go wrong with a lipstick by MAC (more pricey) or one by Revlon (less pricey). Or, give them a sparkly lipgloss like the Sephora* ones and they can be used alone or as a topper to any lipstick.

Lipstick & lipgloss - swatches — Lipstick & lipgloss – swatches

Look at the fine glitters in the Sephora glosses!

Lip balm is a reoccurring option for stockings in my family. My grandmother always gives me some Burt’s Bees lip balm and it usually ends up in one of my winter coats pockets for easy access when it’s blustery outside. Lately I’ve been ploughing through my Nivea lip butter in Vanilla & Macadamia (the smell is divine) and the EOS Sweet Mint has been in my bag for travelling. Sephora also has the Super Kisses* lipbalm trio that can be given as one gift, or broken apart for three separate people. These Sephora balms do pack some colour punch – just something to be aware of when you’re gifting them!

Don’t be fooled by the ridiculously low price tag (less than five bucks each!), essence makes some of the absolute best blushes on the market. They’re pigmented, easy to blend and the colours are gorgeous.

The Sephora Diamond eyeliners* are not just plain old eyeliners… instead, they’re shot through with small glitter particles! The black base brings out the colour and you’re left with a subtle shimmery red (Swagga – my personal favourite) or purple (Phat Rock). These liners will set you back $18 CAD, but they’re awfully unique and I think if this was received as a gift, the person would be awestruck by the colour (I know I sure was when I first swatched these).

Blush & eye liner - swatches — Blush & eye liner – swatches

Last two items!

The Body Shop has released limited edition Sparklers ($22 CAD each – comes in gold or silver) for the holidays and these guys are pure magic in a bottle. They poof out clouds of shimmer and smell like vanilla! While this is far more elegant than those old 90s bottle of roll on jelly glitter I used to love in my teens, this still makes me squeal whenever I spray it. Perfect for the holidays. (I plan to douse myself in it on Christmas and New Year’s!)

Lastly, are these amazing holiday crackers* by Quo. They come in a set of four (perfect for breaking up and putting into stockings!) and contain one lip gloss and one eyeshadow. All the colours are fairly neutral so you won’t struggle with the decision on what colour to give each person in your life. I love how the packaging adds a bit of extra flare too.

That’s it for this gift guide – good luck with your shopping!

Items marked with an asterisk(*) were provided by PR for consideration.

What’s On My Face – Volume 43

November 2, 2015Makeup, TutorialsBECCA, Clinique, essence, Hard Candy, Hourglass, INGLOT, It Cosmetics, Lit Cosmetics, MAC, Make Up For Ever, Makeup Geek, Maybelline, Naked Cosmetics, NYX, Revlon, SST Cosmetics, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Viseart, Wet n WildChelle

With Halloween over, I can finally catch up on my backlog of posts to get through. I had hoped to have my Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Challenge Week up this week, but it seems that isn’t happening, so that’ll be up next week! Till then, here’s a collection of looks that I wore at some point throughout October with a couple guest posts chucked in for good measure. Enjoy!

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I wore this to a preview of the H&M Beauty Department and got a lot of compliments on it. It’s one of my favourite colour combos so I was really happy that others seemed to like it as well!

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Eyes

MAC Illusionary Burning Ambition Duo – used the white gold shade all over the lid.
Inglot Matte 317 and Matte 338 mixed together on the outer half of the lid with a little bit of Urban Decay Blackout in the very outer corner.
Wet n Wild Brule on the brow bone.

I created the winged liner with MAC‘s Blacktrack fludline and applied Urban Decay‘s Perversion mascara to my lashes.

Face

Bronzer: Hard Candy Hula Hula
Blush: essence pinky flow
Highlighter: Becca Champagne Pop
Lips: Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Maple

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The Soul Sister glitter I picked up from Lit Cosmetics at IMATS is quite possibly the most beautiful glitter I’ve ever encountered. My shots don’t do it justice, but it’s primarily green with gold and copper flecks. It’s absolutely incredible.

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Eyes

MAC Club all over the lid.
Inglot Pearl 418 on the outer half of the lid.
Lit Cosmetics Soul Sister glitter applied on top of Club.
Wet n Wild Brulee on the brow bone.

Urban Decay Perversion mascara is on my lashes.

Face

Bronzer: SST Cosmetics Radiant Finish Bronzer
Blush: Hourglass Incandescent Electra
Highlighter: MAC Whisper of Gilt
Lips: NYX Spongecake gloss

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I was headed out to Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland and had to wear something festive. Because even though it may not be seen by anyone due to how dark it was, *I* still knew I was wearing something fun! And by the way? Canada’s Wonderland Halloween Haunt? TOTALLY worth it. I had so much fun!

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A post shared by Chelle (@rachelleyoung83)

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Eyes

Too Faced Millenial at the top of the crease.
Viseart matte orange from the Editorial Brights palette.
Too Faced Girl’s Night on the outer half of the lid.
Too Faced Chandelier on the brow bone.
Lit Cosmetics California Soul all over the lid on top of the orange.

I created the wing with Kat Von D‘s Tattoo Liner in Trooper and applied Urban Decay Perversion mascara to my lashes.

Face

Blush: MAC Gingerly
Lips: Revlon Papaya

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I did this look for a guest post over on JustJ last month while she was away getting married!

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Eyes

Makeup Geek Frappe through the top of the crease.
Makeup Geek Burlesque through the crease.
Makeup Geek Bitten on the outer half of the lid and a bit through the crease. I also used this shade to line the lower lash line.
Makeup Geek Corrupt in the outer corner to deepen up the look.
Makeup Geek pigment in Utopia all over the lid. I used Too Faced’s Glitter Glue to make sure it stayed on my lid!
Makeup Geek Bleached Blonde on the inner tearduct.
Makeup Geek Vanilla Bean on the brow bone.

I created the winged liner with essence‘s easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen and tightlined both of my water lines with Maybelline‘s Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Eye Pencil in Sleek Onyx. I applied a few coats of Urban Decay‘s Perversion mascara to my lashes and popped on some Ardell false lashes in the style 102 Black. I filled in my brows with Anastasia‘s Dipbrow in Taupe.

Rest of the Face

Foundation: IT cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream with SPF 50+ in Fair and Light mixed together
Bronzer: Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M
Blush: Clinique Cheek Pop in Cola Pop
Highlighter: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle
Lips: Too Faced Melted Berry

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And another guest post, this time for Zoe! I was going for unicorn inspired and this is what I came up with!

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Eyes

Inglot Matte 334 through the top of the crease.
Naked Cosmetics Ivory stack (white shade) on the inner tearduct.
MAC Crystal Avalanche on the lid.
Inglot Matte 325 on the outer half of the lid.
Urban Decay Blackout on the very outer corner to deepen it up.
Wet n Wild Brulee to highlight the brow.
Inglot Matte 317 on the outer edge of the lower lash line.
Inglot Matte 343 right beside it to the halfway line of the lower lash line.
Inglot Matte 370 beside it as well.
Inglot Matte 383 as the very last colour on the lower lash line.

I used the Kat Von D Ink Liner in Neruda to create the wing and applied Urban Decay’s Perversion mascara to my lashes. I filled in my brows with NYX’s MicroBrow in Taupe.

Rest of the Face

Foundation: Revlon ColorStay in 220 Natural Beige
Bronzer: Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M
Blush: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat
Highlighter: MAC Iridescent Powder in Silver Dusk
Lips: Inglot AMC Lipgloss in 544

Travel Makeup Bag – New York City 2015

September 16, 2015Makeup, Vacationessence, Labello, MAC, Marcelle, Maybelline, Milani, Tarte, Too Faced, Wet n WildChelle

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I’m heading to New York City tomorrow to visit some friends and while I’m not bringing too much makeup (in my book anyway), I love planning out what to pack and doing so in advance even lets me post about it! (Bonus that I then figure out what the heck I’m missing from makeup bag while writing up the post too…)

Tarte Rainforest After Dark, Wet n Wild California Roll, Wet n Wild Brulee

Alright, we’ve got some new travellers on the block here! The Tarte Rainforest After Dark palette does NOT get enough love in my collection so I’m packing it so I’ll be forced to use it. It also saves me on bringing a bronzer and a highlighter, plus it comes with a blush. Perfect every day essentials in that compact disk right there.

But… of course I need some colour in my life. Wet n Wild’s California Roll has colours that I would reach for most (red) so I’m chucking that one in my bag.

And since neither of two palettes actually comes with a matte cream brow bone shade (the one in the Tarte palette veers far too pink for my tastes), I’ve got my ever so perfect Wet n Wild single shadow in Brulee thrown in for good measure. I can’t tell you how handy it is having a single shadow that’s perfect for highlighting your brows. I don’t care what brand it is, so handy!

Milani Eyeshadow Primer, essence blush in Autumn Peach, Labello Lip Butter in Coconut

Various necessities here. My Milani eyeshadow primer is the only thing keeping my eyeshadows from overly creasing lately. (It does conk out around the 12 hour mark OR slightly before that if it’s hot as hell outside.)

A Labello lip butter in Coconut because I love me some lip balm.

And, of course, I couldn’t just travel with ONE blush, so I grabbed for essence‘s Autumn Peach because it’s more orange toned than the pink shade in the Tarte palette. Stunning, STUNNING shade too.

Too Faced Melted Strawberry, MAC Barbecue and MAC Relentlessly Red

Both of those MAC lipsticks are becoming frequent travellers. Relentlessly Red is what I consider “my shade” (that’s the pinkier one) and Barbecue is that perfect orangey-red (but more orange than red) that seems to suit a lot of occasions. I brought both of these lipsticks with me to Florida back in April too.

Too Faced Melted Strawberry is in there because not only do I love the formula, but it’s also a fun red to wear. I may need, I may not – but I sure do love having options.

Marcelle Nano in Fair Ash Blonde and Maybelline Define + Fill Duo (BROWsatin) in Blonde

My NYX Micro Brow Pencil is far too close to being finished so I didn’t trust it to last the length of my five day trip. Instead, I opted for the Marcelle Nano and the Maybelline Define + Fill Duo pencils. Not super exciting I suppose, but I didn’t want to be fussing around with my potted eyebrow products while on vacation so pencils were a definite must have for me.

Clarins Aquatic Green eyeliner, Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper, MAC Prep + Prime for lips, NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk, Urban Decay Perversion mascara and Pacifica Lilac Blossom perfume

More necessities here.

The Clarins Aquatic Green waterproof eyeliner is if I want to play around with some colour amongst that neutral Tarte palette. This liner is no joke either – it stays put like nobody’s business.
The Kat Von D Tattoo Liner is there because I’m pretty sure I can’t go five days straight without doing winged liner (plus this is the absolute BEST pen for doing quick lines without fussing around).
I also can’t wear lipstick without MAC‘s Prep + Prime for lips (I get bleed out no matter what I do, but this stuff saves me!).
NYX‘s Milk because those Wet n Wild shadows need a solid base to make them pop.
Urban Decay‘s Perversion mascara because not only is it amazing, but I also have an itty bitty sample size perfect for travel!
And lastly, my rollerball perfume – Pacifica‘s Lilac Blossom. We’re at the tail end of summer so I doubt I’ll be wearing this perfume much longer, but it’s my only rollerball and fit perfectly in my makeup bag.

And that’s it! I leave Thursday and I come back midday Monday. I don’t tend to do the touristy things in New York anymore because I’ve been visiting one friend there for… well probably a decade now, but I’m excited to just hang out, eat, drink and be merry. Plus you know… visit the Bite Beauty Lip Lab! 😉