Fashion and beauty I fall for...

 Fall is my favorite time of the year. Beautiful crisp days and cool nights that make you want to snuggle in with a cup of tea and a good book. The leaves change to the most beautiful colors and the days get shorter. My favorite thing about fall is the fashion. Layers, boots, jackets, sleeves, scarves, all of these are some of my favorite items to wear. In terms of trends, here are some of my favorites for fall 2012.

 Strong, thick brow. I always love this trend because I believe that a thicker brow makes you look younger. Not to say that one should be rockin' some bushy, untamed caterpillers, (unless of course that's what tickles your fancy..) but a nicely defined, filled in brow can do wonders to the overall look of your face. Nothing worse than an over plucked brow.

 Deep red lips. This trend is stunning, in my opinion, and quite easy to achieve. Out with the old nude lip (that I still really enjoy, I must say.) and in with the wine, berry and blood reds. Just remember that a red with a blue/purple undertone will make your teeth look whiter and a red with a yellow/orange undertone will make your teeth look more yellow. And don't forget to do the whole "stick your pinky in between your lips and then slip it out" trick...Don't want any lipsick transferring to your teeth!

 For hair this fall, I'm loving waves, texture and messiness. The more imperfect the more perfect it is. Embrace your natural texture and see what happens. The less fuss the better.

 By far the "it" color for fall is a deep red or oxblood. I absolutely love it, which doesn't surprise me because red is my favorite color. This hue is EVERYWHERE. On nails, lips, clothes and accessories. There is a deep red shade that goes with any coloring. Anything goes.Your best bet to achieving this trend is pick one focus point and have that be your only article of oxblood per outfit. That way you don't over do it. Beautiful!

 I always have and always will adore leather. I try to stick with the fake variety, but with items these days, you would sometimes never even know the difference. This look instantly ups the edgy vibe in such an effortless way. Any color will do. A leather motorcycle jacket will amp up your wardrobe and go with nearly everything. I wear my cropped black leather jacket with everything from graphic tees and skinny jeans with cage heels to feminine dresses and pumps. The possibilites are endless.

Coziness. That's all I think of when I think of oversized sweaters. What more could you want for a crisp autumn day? XO

16

I have seen a few articles and videos online with a topic that caught my interest. If you could go back and tell your 16 year old self something, what would you tell her(him)? That got me thinking..hmmm what would I tell my 16 year old self? The 5 years between my sixteenth year and now have been the most amazing and difficult. So much has happened and that space of time has been the most pivotal of my life this far. I thought I would share the things that I have learned and would tell my 16 year old self if given the chance.

I would begin by telling my 16 year old self that there is life after high school, and that it is amazing. At 16, I couldn't fathom life beyond school because all that I could remember was being in school. So once I got out, it felt like my whole world expanded. So many oppotunities and experiences to be had. I wanted, and still do, to see the world. We are all so blessed to be able to have so much available to us, and we should take advantage of it.

I would tell myself, continue staying true to yourself. Integrity and respect for yourself is crutial at 16. Don't fall for peer pressure and follow your gut. To this day, I still do this.

I would assure myself that there is more to life than your high school boyfriend. Being the young 16 year old girl I was, I couldn't begin to realize that there is SOOOO much more to life than just a guy. You will have your heart broken at some point in your life, and that is ok. The amount of experience you gain and the knowledge you learn is invaluable. I would tell her that you may be in love with a guy, but you need to love yourself more. Focus on yourself and know that if that 16 year old relationship falls apart, it gives you the opportunity to meet new fascinating and beautiful people and your life may end up going in a direction that you may have never thought possible. That is what life is all about.

Don't be so scared. Don't over analyze every detail of what could happen, or what may happen. You will drive yourself crazy, so save yourself the headache. Don't be afraid of trying new things, or looking silly. That is how you make new memories that make your life. Let go a little bit.

And last but not least, I would assure her that everything will be ok. Everything always has a way of working itself out, no matter how bad the situation may be. Trust people more. Let them in. Laugh a lot. Buy the shoes. Eat your whole bowl of pasta and have dessert. Dance everyday. Listen to loud music. Take pictures of everything. Document every moment. Keep a journal and a gratitude journal. Relax. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems. Everything happens for a reason. Hold on to those you love. Don't let them slip away. Every single person who is in your life has a purpose for your life. Love with every fibre in your being. Appreciate the beautiful sunset. Be thankful for our freedom. Tell the people in your life how much you care about them before it's too late. Don't feel like you're not beautiful or not good enough. Everyone is beautiful inside and out. Focus on other people more. Be interested and invested. Be the kind of friend to others that you hope to have yourself. Karma is real. Put out what you want to come back. And last but not least, 16 year old Kendal, the days go by so fast. Don't wish them away. Know that anything can happen in a day. Take comfort in that. XO

Fall eyes

One of my favorite eye looks for fall is actually one of the simplest. Its smokey but not too harsh and has some gold thrown in to warm it up and reminds me of beautiful fall leaves. All you do is apply a black to your eye lid (I used a black eyeshadow with shimmer from Lancome) and then apply a pigmented gold over top of it (I used Half-Baked from Urban Decay). Put a highlight on, line your eyes (don't forget your water and tight line), and as many layers of mascara as possible and you're good to go! Perfect for a fall evening. Xo.

Leisa B

I love jewelry. I always have, always will. I remember sitting on my aunts bed amazed at all of the beautiful colors, textures and sizes jewelry came in. I was hooked. For the past few years, I have had a favorite local jewelry designer. Leisa B makes unique, eye catching and extremely lightweight pieces. And they're affordable. Win-win! Leisa makes these pieces using aluminum so they are as light as a feather. Leisa B Accessories is the name of this talented designers company and she sells stock online (Etsy) and in local stores/boutiques. I had to give a shoutout to her because some of my day-to-day favorite pieces were created by her. Also, my most worn pair of earrings, which is a simple pair of hoops, were hand crafted by her. Here is a facebook link to only some of her awesome collection! https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Leisa-B-Accessories/192822927414561

 Here is a few Leisa pieces that I own and love.

 Favorite/most worn earrings. LOVE them!!

Summer favs

This summer I have found some fantastic, new to me, beauty favs. These are products/items that I have been reaching for constantly in the past few months and I know I will continue reaching for them well into the fall and winter.

 If you are a girl who loves a matte/satin finish to your pressed powder, then this is the one for you! It's incredible. The powder itself isn't cakey and when you wear it you don't feel like you're wearing any makeup at all. I use it as a finishing power and for touch ups during the day. It leaves my face looking smooth, even and like I have no makeup on at all. Amazing!!

 I have been dying for a pair of mirrored aviators for months and at the beginning of summer I finally bought a pair. They are my favorite sunglasses that I have even owned. They are light weight but durable(they are made from titanium). They add a little edge to girly dresses and florals and fit in nicely with black, leather, dark denim, and boots. LOVE these!

 An oldie but a goodie. Dolce, Dolce, Dolce....how I love you. The perfect scent for summer. Light, crisp, and complementry.

 A co-worker of mine got me absolutely hooked on this lip treatment/balm this summer. I love the look of a balm or gloss that gives you the same effect if you were to eat a red popsicle or sucker, and this achieves that. It's moisturizing, sheer with a beautiful hint of reddish-pink(light) and has an SPF 15. I will be forever purchasing this from Sephora. http://www.sephora.com/sugar-lip-treatment-spf-15-P57002

 A friend of mine told me how amazing this Baby Lips product was. Not that I needed another lip balm, but I decided to give it a try. It turned out to be my favorite clear lip balm that I reach for constantly. It has a minty scent/flavour and gives the lips a shiny, "your lips but better", appearance. And it's very affordable. Win-win!

 First of, I have never met a Burts Bee's product I didn't like. This particular lotion just happened to be my fav this summer. It is quick absorbing, moisturizing and leaves the skin with a very light almost shimmer effect. It amplifies your skin making it looked airbrushed. Worth a try!

I am a few years behind with the whole Wayfarer sunglasses trend, but once I purchased a pair, I fell in love. It adds a laid back easiness to any outfit, which I love. They are classicly cool and timeless. Love them!! Xo