I'm so thankful that the weather has been so nice lately. It's almost December and the temperatures are above zero! This is amazing. But also terrible because global warming is taking its toll..

Blazer: Talula | Dress: H&M | Necklace: H&M | Heels: Shoedazzle



I wanted to keep my outfit nice and simple when I went out for dinner. I found this particular dress at H&M in the kids department! Because I have such a small frame, I love finding items that are cute AND fit well. Both H&M and Zara have great designs!

Today I share with you the last of the polishes that I picked up from the OPI Muppets collection.

Warm & Fozzie was inspired by Fozzie bear, but I always pictured Fozzie to be more of a mustard shade. Warm & Fozzie by OPI is what I would describe as a bronze.



The polish itself is packed with many different coloured glitter particles, but most notably a bronze-gold duochrome glitter which comprises the overall look. Within the polish I can see some pink, gold, and and what seems to be green glitter particles. It's definitely a very unique polish, and will change shades depending on the angle of light.



This polish was very smooth, and achieved full opacity in three thin coats. It dries quite smooth and requires only one layer of top coat.



The one thing I didn't like too much about this polish was the removal. It was a pain! I expected it to come off the nail with ease, but I was incorrect. To quickly & efficiently remove the polish, use the glitter foil removal method :)

I've recently started to love lipsticks and lip colour.. I've bought so many in the past couple weeks and can't wait to share them all with you. I've always felt that my natural lip colour is a little darker to begin with, so I've never had a real urge to seek out anything to add colour to my lips. Until now!

One of the most important characteristics in a lip product for me is the ability to hydrate and retain moisture in the lips. This is why I always choose to go with lip balms - I admit I am obsessed. But the packaging to some lipsticks is just so beautiful. I had heard some good things about YSL lipstick, and was sucked in by the gorgeous packaging.

The lipstick tube is very sturdy, and a beautiful shade of gold. The exterior of the tube is branded, with the background the same colour as the shade of lipstick inside the tube.



The best thing about the Yves Saint Laurent ROUGE VOLUPTÉ Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick SPF 15 is the pigmentation. You will be so impressed! Just a little dab of colour will go a long, long way. The formula is creamy, long-wearing, and very moisturizing as well. The big bonus for me is the SPF for protection from the sun's damaging rays.



I picked out shade 11 (Rose Culte) on impulse. The bold, fuchsia shade caught my eye and I purchased it before actually even trying it out. Don't know if my impulsive purchases are a blessing or a curse - turns out this shade is VERY bright. So bright that I cannot glide it all the way across my lips. I will dab this lightly across my lips, and rub them together to distrubute the colour evenly, then finish with a high shine gloss on top. The blessing is that.. I use a very small amount of product each time, stretching out the lifetime of the product for me. Woohoo :)



This particular shade is unavailable on the Sephora website, but you should be able to find it in your local store if they carry YSL.

Over the last week, I've been blessed with the chance to spend lots of time with friends to celebrate my birthday. I want to personally thank everyone for all the birthday wishes, and for making this birthday the best one yet!

On the weekend I had planned on having a casual dinner with a bunch of friends, but many of the restaurants I wanted to go to wouldn't take reservations. I talked to a manager at the Keg who assured me I could get a table.. and when I arrived I was told I would have to wait 3-4 hours! No thankyou.

Long story short, after running around and making tons of calls, Guru was kind enough to arrange for me and my group of friends to dine there for the evening. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! And as I recently reviewed Guru here, I'll leave you with yummy food pictures.

Butter Chicken Samosa


Chicken Pakora




Goat Bhuna


Aloo Naan


Chicken Biryani & Raita


Tear Drop Mango Mousse

PS, the food was delicious!

It's days like Black Friday that make me fearful for shoppers out there. After waking up this morning, I was appalled while reading all the crazy stories. Concussions? Fist Fights? Pepper spray?! Is that seriously necessary?

Yes, I understand that the deals are awesome, but is it really necessary to harm other people just so that you can spend money? Yikes. Stay safe out there everyone!

Anyway, something I want to talk about today is the latest brainchild of the Beachmint family which debuted today - Shoemint, headed by Rachel Bilson, her stylist Nicole Chavez, and produced with the help of Steve Madden. This latest online retailer site has some great potential in my eyes.

Rachel Bilson is one of my celebrity style icons. She's got a petite frame, and a great sense of style - she always looks so effortlessly chic! With this new collaboration, she will have input on designing shoes for the site, and the shoes will be backed by the quality and craftmanship you expect from Steve Madden. Each shoe will be priced affordably at $79.98, which is comparable to shoes of similar style and quality for upwards of $150.

But what excited me the most was the fact that it's Rachel Bilson. She has small feet! Her normal shoe size is a 5, so what fits her must also fit my small feet. After browsing the debut collection, which runs from size 5-11, the shoes are all listed to run small, with the suggestion of ordering up one size. Jackpot!



But the shoes I want.. are either unrealistic or sold out! The Edith style is a whopping 6" heel. 6" stiletto heel with a 2" hidden platform to be specific. So my second choice would be the Jolly wedge bootie, which is currently sold out. But I'm thinking this is a good sign.. I'm going to wait for the reviews and opinions of shoes to come out before I make any decisions.



Unfortunately for us Canadians, just like Jewelmint, Stylemint and Beautymint, Shoemint does not currently ship to Canada. I don't expect them to ship out of the US anytime soon, as their sister sites have not taken the initiative to stat shipping to Canada, even after being so successful. Stay hopeful, guys!

Last Saturday, Kerstin's Chocolate extended an invitation out to the public to join them for a tasting of chocolate flights! Seeing as I love my hot chocolate, well, I love anything chocolate really. Now you know how to bribe me.

I hadn't personally ventured to this little chocolate shop before, so this was a perfect excuse to peruse their offerings.

The shop itself isn't very big, but they definitely have enough room to showcase all their offerings. Various types of chocolate bars and drinking chocolate tins grace the walls, while other chocolates look beautiful by themselves, siting in cases to be admired. There are also various chocolate samples to indulge in. Get to know the chocolate.. I totally mixed up everything I tried out.



On this particular day, they were offering a flight of three different drinking chocolates:

Amedei’s “For You” Classic – Straight from Tuscany, 63% percent chocolate with finely ground hazelnuts, almonds and a little vanilla bean.

Vosge’s Bianca Couture Cocoa – The lightest of the three. White chocolate, lemon myrtle and lavender.

Chocophilia Spiced Drinking Chocolate – House version of theMayan classic, with a hint of cayenne to warm up cold fingers and toes.



Trying out the chocolates was definitely a unique experience. The most "wild" hot chocolate I've ever had was probably candy cane.. I'm pretty boring. But when given the opportunity, why not try out something new? Although I didn't end up taking anything home with me, I think the spiced chocolate was my favourite. It was warm when sipped, but I definitely felt the spiciness and heat of the cayenne as I drank it down. It's just so different! I think I'll stick with my white hot chocolate for now :)

Congratulations to Annie for winning the prize of my first giveaway!

Please send me your mailing address to littlemissandreablog@gmail.com, along with the EOS lipbalm flavour you'd like! You have 48 hours to contact me, before I pick another winner.

Thank you to everyone for participating. I loved the feedback and will try to integrate your suggestions into my future posts! I will be holding another giveaway shortly, so stay tuned :)

I'm no Filipino cuisine connoisseur, but I think I can put my opinion down on the chicken adobo made by Filistix!

I stopped by during my lunch break Monday to try out their popular poultry dish, and was so impressed by the flavours. Filistix uses a chicken thigh braised in a tangy soy garlic marinade to bring the flavours together. In my snack size, I got one perfectly cooked, tender chicken thigh over jasmine rice and a side of the signature slaw. The sauce used for the chicken is perfect. Not overly salty, and a well portioned amount is added overtop the rice for a flavour boost to plain rice. And unlike my last trip, the dressing for the slaw was thicker this time, complimenting the flavour and freshness of the slaw. Yum!

I've been asked whether I think the prices at Filistix are worth it for the food. And in all honesty, if you haven't tried the food before, you may think that the food is overpriced. But think about it. Food on campus is quite expensive to begin with - your $4 - $5 coffee at Starbucks, $5 waffles at Eva Sweet, pastas, soups, and salads for upwards of $5.. Their prices are competitive. You're getting quality, delicious food that will fill you. Need more for me to convince you? Filistix also has a punch card program, where you are entitled to a free order after you purchase 5. That's saving $1.40 per order when you get the snack size, and $2.20 saved if you order the full size. So try them out, let me know what you think!

-30 degrees Celsius outside when this photo was taken. I like to think I live dangerously.

Until I run into the car afterwards, put on my mitts, and blast the heat.


Top: F21 | Jacket: purchased in Hong Kong | Necklace, rings: F21 | Shorts & Tights: F21
Boots: Asia | Bag & Scarf: Coach

Bundle up, kids. Edmonton winter is here to stay.

I know what you're thinking. Well, maybe. Maybe not. But a lot of fashionistas out there are extremely turned off by the sight or sound of UGGs.

I used to be that way. I thought the boots were ugly (pun intended!) and so unflattering. That was until I put my feet into my first pair two years ago. And I have never turned back. It's possible to be wearing your warm boots and still be stylish and comfortable!

See, the thing is, I live in a place where being warm in the winter is a necessity. Without covering yourself in layers, you stand no chance against the weather. The winters here can dip down to -40 degrees Celsius.. and I take public transit to get to campus everyday. When the busses are late, the sky is blizzarding, or the snow is being blown around by the wind.. I need the warmth. No doubt.

Anyway, UGGs can be quite expensive, and an investment for your closet. Depending on the style, the prices can run anywhere from $150 - $500. And that can be a huge setback, so you want to be able to take care of your boots so they will last you a long time! Well, that's what I think anyway.

After a season of wear, your boots can be quite filthy, even if they don't appear to look dirty. I work hard to keep my possessions in good condition, and my boots are no exception. But when I went about looking for a way to take care of my boots, there was nothing very descriptive, and I had to piece things together to clean and maintain my boots. I am in no way an expert on the subject, but I thought I would share what I do to keep my boots in tip top shape. I have two pairs of UGGs, and they still look perfect after 2 seasons of wear, each season lasting about 5 months.

Just a warning, this tutorial is picture heavy and very detailed.

please ignore the background, did this in my laundry room :)

What you'll need:

- UGGs (a given! or you can use this tutorial for any other sheepskin boots)
- Clean sponge
- UGG sheepskin cleaner & conditioner (suede shampoo, woolite)
- Scrap paper
- Suede Brush
- Suede Protectant Spray

You can definitely use the substituted products in parenthesis above, just make sure that the sponge you use is CLEAN. The pack of 3 sponges I picked up was only $1.


Step 1: Soak your sponge, and use it to dampen the exterior of the boot. Do not dampen it so much that it soaks through the boot. You really only need to dampen the bottom half of the boot, not so much the part that goes around your leg unless it is definitely dirty


Step 2:Apply a small amount of the shampoo/conditioner to a very wet sponge. Work up a slight lather on the sponge if possible.


Step 3: Use the sponge to clean the boot, moving in gentle circular motions. If there are extremely dirty spots, focus on those after gently cleaning the whole boot first. Be gentle, because you don't want to ruin the skeepskin. You will see suds forming on the boot.


If you take a look at your sponge, you will likely see the dirt coming out!


Step 4:After cleaning the entire boot, allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Use the time to complete steps 1-4 for the other boot.


Step 5:Rinse the shampoo out of the sponge, making sure it is clean. Take the boot and quickly run it under a stream of water. Take the clean sponge and use it to rub out the residual shampoo, and soak the water out of the sheepskin.


When finished, your boots should look like this. It's alright if they look out of shape because you will be stuffing them.


Step 6:Take some scrap paper (you'll need at least 10 sheets), and crumple them into balls of paper


Step 7:Take the paper balls and stuff them into your boots


Adjust the stuffing so that you have a nice rounded shape to the boot, similar to when you first bought them. Let the boots dry a minimum 24 hours (I usually allow them to dry for 2 days).


Once completely dry, the boots will feel hard and starchy. Don't panic!! You didn't ruin your boots, and this is normal.


Step 8:Take out your suede brush. Use it to raise the nap of the sheepskin by brushing in one direction only I stress this, because back and forth movement may cause you to strip the skeepskin. If you start seeing fuzzies in your brush, don't worry! As long as you are moving in one direction you are doing it correctly. You do have the option of using the oppostite side of the brush which is rubbery and meant for nubuck. However, I find it is less efficient and cannot get to all the hairs on the skin.


All soft and fuzzy again!


Step 9:Take your protectant spray, and cover the boot liberally. You went through so much hard work to clean the boot, you want to keep them in the best condition possible. With the spraying complete, the colour will be darker than normal. But when dried, it will lighten and return to normal colour :) And voila, you're done!

I will usually clean my UGGs once a year, maximum twice if we have an extremely terrible winter. However, I make sure to keep my boots as clean as possible, and do regular maintenance on them. Here's a couple things I do that can help you out:

- Avoid stepping in puddles or wet snow

- When you do get snow on your boots, swipe the snow off of the boot as soon as you can. The snow shouldn't stick on the boot anyway because you've sprayed them with a protectant, so when swiped off, there will be no mark.

- While you're walking, stomp occasionally to get clumped snow off your boot

- Spray boots down every 3-4 weeks, depending on weather conditions. Before spraying my boots with protectant again, I give them a quick brush with the nubuck side of the brush to remove surface dirt first.

Enough of my rambling, that's about it. Have fun taking care of your boots and stay warm out in the cold weather!

It's time to face the truth. I think I have a terrible case of short, stubby, Asian lashes. They'll curl.. but the curl will disappear within the hour. They'll take mascara.. but the weight will pull them down and just make thick, and stick straight. In the past, I've come across a couple mascaras that work well for me, but there's just so many out there that I want to try!

While doing groceries a couple weeks back, I noticed that there was a ton of new mascara out, and with a coupon for $1.50 I picked up these two particular products by Rimmel. One a mascara, and the other a lash serum. We'll save the serum review for another day :)

I've never personally tried out any Rimmel beauty products, so this was a nice introduction to the brand.

note: I would take pictures of my eyes with the product on.. but oh my goodness I could not stand looking at pictures of my eye and deleted them all right away. So gross looking, bleh.

Anyway, the tube itself is quite large, giving you quite a bit of product. It can be a little awkward to hold if you're used to more slender tubes of mascara. The bristles spiral down around the wand, and give resemblance to a pear when you look closely. I personally found the application to be pretty simple, no issues with the brush here. Just be mindful of how much product is on the brush when it comes out, because sometimes it's coated in product.



I actually am very impressed with the results of this mascara. My lashes are instantly thickened and extremely lengthened but not volumized. My lashes maintain curl all day long as well. No joke. It's seriously fantastic. For once, a product that does what the packaging claims, for the most part (if you exclude the volumizing factor).. Rejoice! But not so fast...



But I'm sitting on the fence due to the formulation of the product itself. The product is thick and sticky.. almost tacky, so that it takes a bit of time to dry. And due to the thickness, it can cause some lashes to clump together, so I have to utilize an alternative mascara wand to separate my lashes and make them look as natural as I can. I personally don't mind waiting a little longer for the mascara to dry (this one takes about 1.5 min), but you have to be careful cause it can smudge if you blink a little too much while waiting. After drying though, the product is quite lightweight on the lashes.



As for the lashes looking more numerous after 30 days.. I can't vouch for that because I don't wear mascara on a daily basis. My day to day makeup routine is very simple, so I tend to forget to put on mascara altogether for days at a time. Looking at them now, I don't see any big differences, but I'll definitely keep an eye out when I start using the lash serum!

If it weren't for the thick formula.. I would recommend this mascara for lengthening in a heartbeat! It gives my lashes a dramatic lengthening effect, making it almost seem like I'm wearing fake eyelashes when I'm not.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. This thing called life keeps slapping me in the face with challenges! I wrote my last and final midterm of the semester today. 12 midterms! How crazy is that?

Here is yet another shade from the OPI Muppets collection for Holiday 2011. This one is called Meep-Meep-Meep.

I am in love with this shade! Depending on the lighting, the colour will lean either a true raspberry red, or a pink berry tone. Under incandescent lighting, the colour develops a deep, almost ruby base tone, and under white and fluorescent seeings, you will see the berry.

Unfortunately my camera was reluctant to capture the deeper red..

The polish itself is packed with flake glitter particles, giving the polish some depth and dimension, setting it apart from a regular shimmer. I absolutely love flake polishes. Give me one and I will take it!

The formula was smooth and very easy to work with. The base is quite pigmented, and the polish itself was opaque in two thin coats. Dare I say you could get away with one thick coat...? After applying the top coat, there is a slight bumpiness, but nothing major that I can deal with. I've been staring at my nails all week long. The polish also has an amazing staying power! I've been wearing it for 5 days as of today, and I have no chips or even signs of wear. Signs of a good polish!

When I first applied it, I was reminded of the shade The One That Got Away from the Katy Perry Collection. Pulling it out of my stash, the comparison above shows that TOTGA hass more purple in it, and contains shimmer instead of flakes. I will do an actual swatch comparison by request :)

Edit 12/16/2012: Here is the swatch comparison between Meep-Meep-Meep and The One That Got Away

I am giving away some OPI nail polish in my birthday giveaway. enter now if you haven't already! :)