Martine's Lifestyle Blog

Christmas is HERE!!! I Love this time of year!!! Spending time with Family; Festive Feasts and giving Presents to your dearest ones!! Christmas is a time for family; and sometimes it's the hardest time of the year for others who don't have the chance to with theirs. Some of our special forces around the World won't be with their families and loved ones. There are also families who lose dear ones around this time of year, and it makes celebrating the Holidays much harder. I'm not trying to put a damper on your beautiful Christmas Day! I just think that aside from thinking about the commercial side of Christmas; you should also count your blessings you have in your life.  I have so many things to thankful for; I'm Healthy, I have a good job, a Family that Loves me and Friends who Support me, a roof over my head, food to eat, and I live in a  country where I am free to be who I am. Life is hard sometimes; Believe me!  During the hard times in your li...

During the Winter months, I like to change my Makeup according to its Season. In this post, I will show you some of my Winter Makeup Essentials. A Good Foundation When you start doing your Makeup, you always start with a good Foundation. I found some new products that I have been testing the last month. I feel like my skin has never looked better it does now. The products I have been using are:  Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 010 Porcelain NYX HD Concealer in 01 Light Porcelain NYX Wonder Stick in 01 Light Physician Formula Multi-colored Blush in Blushing Rose Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light Golden Smokey Eyes I prefer these days the Golds and the Browns as they suit my Brown eyes. When I found the Tartelette Tease Palette, I liked the colors in it and thought they were suitable for a smokey eye look. For the Eyeliner; I use the NYX liquid liner to create either a thin line nearly lash line or a winged line...

At around this time of the year; I like to do a bit of baking. One of my favorite things to bake during the Fall & Winter seasons are: Ginger Molasses Cookies. They are sweet, spicy, warm and soft. Your Kitchen will be filled with the scent of Ginger and Spices, that will instantly put you in the Festive mood. So, today I will share the recipe that I have been following. Ingredients 2¼  cups All-Purpose Flour 2 teaspoons Ground Ginger 1 teaspoon Baking Soda ¾ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon ½ teaspoon Ground Cloves ¼ teaspoon Salt ¾ cup Margarine, softened 1 cup Sugar 1 Egg 1 tablespoon Water ¼ cup Molasses 2 tablespoons White Sugar, for finish Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift together the Flour, Ginger, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Cloves and Salt. Set Aside   2. In a Large bowl, cream together the Margarine and Sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the Egg, then stir in the Water and Molasses. Gradually s...

Fall is on its way!! Which means: It's Time to get your Boots out!! I feel like I have a good collection of Boots. I was watching a video on YouTube and watched a video by Niomi Smart, where she did a Boots Collections for Fall and Winter. So, I thought show you my Boots Collection: My Flat Fall Boot I have had this pair for about 2 or 3 years, and I Love them loads! They are definitely my most loved and worn. I usually just wear them with Jeans and a Tee-Shirt, like with casual wear. I bought them at Payless Shoes and I don't remember how much they were. My Ankle Fall Boot I recently bought this pair on JustFab.ca and thought they would look really good with a nice skirt and tights or a rolled up skinny Jean with a white collared shirt. These boots are called Liyanna and they come in a variation of colours like Taupe, Burgundy, Tan, Black, and others. They also sell for 39.95$. My Chunky Heeled Boots I have worn these boots m...

Hi Everyone! I love to read and every Summer I love to organize a little reading list to keep myself busy. It's really cool how all the books I have in my little collection this Summer are all so different to one another. Last year, I did the same and I was so glad I did. Sometimes being busy with work and everyday stuff, I find that I don't have much time to read, relax and have a bit of down time. It's actually easy to find the time to read; you just have to find the right moment. I usually read before bed, on public transport or on a nice afternoon outside on a patio. I got most of my books at Chapters Indigo in-store; but you can also find them online. Here are some of the books I am reading during the Summer: Best Kept Secrets of Paris by Michael Kerrigan This book is so COOL! It always reminds me of my trip to Europe (which was almost 3 years ago!!!). This book has all the best places to go to in Paris; and since I plan to go back soon, I wan...

Hi Everyone! In this post, I would like to talk about my Summer Beauty Faves. SIMPLE Skincare Micellar Cleansing Wipes I don't think it's a secret that I like the Simple Skincare brand. I use some of their products regularly; like the Toner and the Foaming Cleanser. A few weeks ago; I went to the Pharmacy to get a few things. I came across these skincare wipes and got them so I could try them out. I know it's weird to say but, I Love these wipes! They remove makeup better than some makeup wipes I have used in the past. I strongly recommend these wipes if you are going on a trip, because they are very handy and compact. Clarins One Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser About a week ago, I was in Sephora and I was looking for the Origins GinZing Cleanser. Unfortunately, it was out of stock; so I asked one of the sales people to help me find a similar cleanser that had all the same benefits. The lady recommended I try the Clarins Cleanser on the back of my hand; and ...

Hi Everyone! Sorry I haven't been writing a lot lately; but I have been so busy with work and life stuff. Now; I am back and inspired more than ever to continue with my blog. Since the month of May has passed; I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the things I've been loving. Beauty / Skin Care VICHY Pureté Thermale Fresh Cleansing Gel This Cleanser is so GOOD! It is Gel based, but it will not leave your face feeling dehydrated after a wash. Vichy is a good brand that I absolutely trust when it comes to skincare. Their products vary in the mid-price range; and for the quality for the products, it's well priced. I usually use this on days where I am on the run and just have time to wash and moisturise my face. I strongly recommend it especially in the Summer when you want something Quick and Easy . BIODERMA Hydrabio Gel- Crème Earlier in May, I ran out of my favorite moisturiser which is the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. M...

During the month of March; I have been loving loads of things. So, I thought I would them with you. My Favorites from March vary from Books, Beauty Products, Stationery. So, Let's get Started! BEAUTY PRODUCTS CHANEL Chance Eau Fraîche Eau de Parfum I first bought this perfume in a duty-free shop on a ferry from Dover to Calais on my way to Paris on my trip in 2013. It was such a good price and scent is completely intoxicating. It is such a fresh scent and usually I didn't opt for the fresh scents; but this completely changed my opinion. I LOVE this perfume; and I think it has become my signature scent. Tartelette Tease Palette by TARTE One of the most important parts of a makeup look are the Eyes. So, choosing the right colours that suit you well, without looking Over the Top, is especially hard. A few weeks ago, I went to Sephora and was looking at the Tarte products and found this little palette. I opened it and found that colours would suit my e...