Moving Out Of Home | What I Learned

Moving out of home was probably one of the biggest changes I've ever made in my life. I moved out with my boyfriend in September of last year, and in that time I've grown more than I could ever have imagined.

So here's what I've learned over the last 8 months...

Life is expensive
Electricity, water, internet, groceries, furniture, washing powder, kettles, shampoo, bed linen, toasters, hand soap, bread, milk, fruit, toothpaste - the list goes on and on and it doesn't ever stop!

Dinner doesn't magically appear on the table 
Oh mum, I definitely miss coming home after a long day and not having to worry about what to make for dinner with the random things in the fridge. Organising breakfast, lunch and dinner every day can be exhausting and boring. I am so sick of pre-made pasta it's ridiculous. It's great when you have the whole evening to chop potatoes whilst singing along to Sam Smith, however when you finish work at 8pm, get home at 8:30pm and then have to organise dinner it's not fun.

You're tired all the time
When you're not working, you're cooking. When you're not cooking, you're planning meals. When you're not planning, you're cleaning. When you're not cleaning, you're paying a bill. I value my sleep and downtime so much more now. I really try tomato the most of my days off by doing things that make me feel really good (like binge watching Real Housewives of Melbourne).

If you want pizza at 3am, you can bloody well have pizza at 3am
After all is said and done, moving out is pretty awesome. Being able to do literally whatever you want whenever you want is a pretty great feeling. I've also really enjoyed decorating our apartment together and being able to express my style. Designing your life and your own space is a true luxury and I am forever grateful to be able to this.


If you like this post, stay tuned for more content related to moving out!

Special thanks to Max Baker for pushing me to write this!

Cleaning Makeup Brushes

Cleaning your makeup brushes is probably one of the biggest beauty chores. It can be so boring and time consuming! A lot of people also don't really know how to clean them properly so I thought i'd write up a quick post on how I like to clean mine. 

1. Put on some music!... I know how boring washing your makeup brushes can be! So when I do it I often like to have music playing in the background or even a Youtube video playing on my iPad propped up near my sink. It makes the time go by much faster and makes washing your brushes less of a chore. 

2. Use shampoo and cleanser mixture... I definitely prefer using a mixture of shampoo and any cleanser when it comes to deep cleaning my brushes. I've tried the whole shampoo and olive oil thing but I found it just left my brushes greasy and took forever to dry. I find the shampoo mixed with the cleanser gives your brushes the deepest clean and if you're only doing this once every 2-3 weeks it shouldn't ruin your brushes. I like to take equal amounts of both into a little bowl and mix it together. 

3. Use circular motions and water... Wet your brush a little under running water facing downwards to avoid getting the water to the glue that holds the bristles. Then dip your brush into the mixture, and using circular motions- swirl the brush in your hand, running it under the water every now and then to remove the excess. Repeat the step again for the difficult brushes (foundation and concealer brushes are the worst!)

4. Do 2/3 eye brushes at a time... I like to do the smaller eye brushes in groups as they are small and quick and don't need the vigorous cleaning that the bigger brushes need. This also saves time!

5. Clean your BeautyBlender!... Any sponge you use on your face should be deep cleaned at least once a week whether its a beauty blender or the sponges that come with some powder foundations. Especially with the beauty blender, because it remains damp for quite a while it can harbour bacteria a lot quicker than most brushes. I like to clean mine with antibacterial soap and a cleanser. I squeeze the sponge under water and then massage the mixture into it, followed by squeezing it under warm running water again. I repeat this process until there are no more brown spots or marks on it (this can take a couple repeats). Ps. Beauty Blender review coming soon! Watch this space. 

6. Allow to dry overnight... Allowing your brushes to dry overnight ensures they are completely dry when you need to use them the next day! There's also nothing better than using a freshly cleaned brush on a Monday morning ;) I like to dry my brushes sitting on a towel with the bristles hanging off the edge of a table/window sill. 

Do you have any tips on how you clean your brushes? 

MUJI in Sydney

MUJI is a Japanese retail store that sells a bunch of different home/clothing/travel items. Its sort of like a Japanese version of Ikea I guess you could say. When I heard it was coming to Sydney I was extremely excited because MUJI products are raved about all over the blogging and youtube community and I couldn't wait to peruse all of the beautiful things!

I recently went in and picked out a couple of things including a black mesh cosmetic bag type thing which I like to use as my "emergency kit" in my handbag. I usually have it in some lip balm, hand cream, Panadol, Telfast (because my allergies are on a whole new level), Tissues, Feminine products (because you can never be too prepared) and a rollerball of perfume. It's the perfect size to hold everything and the fact that it's clear means its easy to find stuff and great for travelling!

I also picked up some of their "Cut Cotton" which is great to use with makeup remover, nail polish remover, touching up makeup etc etc etc. It comes with 80 pieces of cotton and costs about $2 if I remember correctly. Bargain! I also got some of their cotton tips which are conveniently packed in groups of 20 cotton buds, perfect for your handbag or to take travelling!

The last thing I picked up was this little squeezy tube that I will be using with me when I go away next week. They have so many different types and sizes of these- they're great for decanting your big products into.

I love everything i've bought so far! I've already got some things on my list to get when I go back. Have you tried anything from MUJI? 

Essie Obsession

I used to be one of those girls who loved having their nails painted but never actually could do it themselves. So I used to pay twenty dollars at a salon every time i got my nails done. Which was quite a lot! But this year I have found Essie nail polish, and it's been a game changer. I haven't gotten my nails done in months! The formula is just incomparable to the other drugstore brands. Its creamy and super opaque. That black shade literally needed one coat to be completely opaque. The brush is probably what sold me on it though. Its a slightly wider flatter brush so it makes covering the entire nail extremely easy! And lastly, the colour range- ohh the colour range. I love looking at the Essie displays in my local Priceline. Its literally a rainbow and I love it. My favourite shades from the line are; Sand Tropez (the perfect nude), ChinChilly (the perfect taupe), Mint Candy Apple (the perfect minty blue), and liquorice (the perfect black).

Now lets talk about the real game changer here- the Fast Dry Top Coat. It really does what it says. Not only does it not chip for up to 5 days, it dries completely in under 5 minutes. (to the point where I can wash my hands and lather in hand cream. I know. Crazy stuff) The main reason I never used to enjoy painting my own nails was because of how long it took to dry- I am not the most patient of people so i'd always end up smudging it or denting it. This top coat however has completely changed that! I now paint my nails probably once or twice a week! 

My Dry Skin Saviour

With this intense change of weather my skin has been freaking out. More than my usual sensitive skin dramas! I've had dry skin patches, chapped lips and sore eyes. One thing that has actually helped my skin is this overnight mask by Origins. 

The way this works is you apply it at night before bed, almost like a moisturiser and leave it on overnight. Its a very thick creamy consistency that smells so delicious! When it's on you can feel the hydration and moisture sinking in immediately. At $34 it isn't the cheapest option, but I think it's worth it to invest in products that stay on your skin longer (moisturisers, serums, oils, toners etc). 

Have you tried any great hydrating masks? 

Aesop Skincare

Aesop is a brand I have only recently begun trying out. It is definitely one of the most luxurious skincare brands out there so I've never really been able to justify spending a hundred dollars on a face cream. Last Christmas however I was lucky enough to receive a gift of Aesop skincare pieces and I thought it might be a good idea to see whether it really is worth the hype and the money.
Lets talk packaging first, Aesop seriously get it right when it comes to not only packaging but the design of their stores to the bag that the products come in. Everything is well thought out and as a design student I definitely appreciate that. Theres something quite luxurious about holding a glass bottle. Practically- It's not ideal for travelling but its pretty and that's usually enough for me when it comes to packaging. *Insert heart eyed-emojis here*

The Fabulous Face cleanser is extremely gentle on the skin, it begins as a gel consistency but once mixed with water turns into a gentle foamy texture. Because of its gel consistency it's not the best at removing waterproof mascara, however it works beautifully as a second cleanser and doesn't irritate my dry sensitive skin like most foam cleansers do.

The toner is beautiful with vitamin B and Tea Tree, it is once again a gentle formula. Doesn't irritate my skin at all and leaves it feeling fresh and awake. I like using this in the mornings. A great alternative to this is the Lush Tea Tree toner water.

The Camellia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream (worlds longest name for a cream) is something I truthfully didn't love straight away. Since Christmas is in the middle of summer in Australia, I found this cream too heavy to wear during the day as it left my skin feeling quite greasy- which is not something you want before you apply makeup. Recently however, as it has gotten much cooler in Sydney and as my skin begins to require some extra TLC it has been the perfect match. Again, super gentle on the skin yet so incredibly hydrating and sinks into the skin effortlessly.

The hand sanitiser is probably the one I am not really blown away by. Don't get me wrong it totally works as a hand sanitiser and is compact and cute etc etc. But I just expected a non-alcohol formula for something nearly 3 times the price of regular hand sanitiser. It definitely smells a lot less like alcohol, and much more like the resurrection hand wash/cream that Aesop is renowned for, but sure enough in the ingredients list is alcohol- which just isn't that great for your skin!

Have you tried anything from Aesop? 

5 Things | The Instagram Edit

      @saraeshu

     @ohroanna

   @krystal.brooke

     @efflorescences

     @tullcarson

_______________________________________________

It's been a while since I last wrote up a round up of my favourite instagrams, and recently I have been seriously obsessed with a few. You may notice there's a theme running through these images... I seem to be obsessed with white, clean instagram pages. I just think they look really simple, minimal and beautiful really! These are 5 accounts that I have truly been swooning over and constantly re-checking for new updates. Actually, recently I have clicked the option to be notified whenever they post (a new and fabulous instagram feature) so I never miss a new beautiful post! I also tried to include some accounts that didn't have thousands of followers because I think there are so many accounts out there that are beautiful and deserve way more attention than they get. Hope you enjoy scrolling through these beautiful accounts!

Choosing High End Foundations

When it comes to high end foundations, the price tag can seem quite ridiculous. $90 for a foundation?? Is it made of gold?! Most of the times though, these price tags are pretty justified. The formulas of higher end foundations can tend to be of higher quality and made with better-for-your-skin ingredients. That said however, I think its definitely important to do your research before splashing out!

I have recently been on the hunt for the perfect foundation and to do so I have begun a little collection of samples from different brands of various different foundations- all of which, I have read great reviews on. Obtaining said samples is actually pretty easy, most department store counters will happily colour match you and then give you a reasonable sized sample. These samples have about 2-3 uses depending on how heavy handed you are with your application. I think it's a great way of trying out an expensive foundation for free before you spend your hard earned money on it. Its important to make sure the formula is right for you. For me this means its long-lasting, doesn't look cakey, has a medium coverage and blends nicely.

So far I'm pretty impressed with the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation but I will keep you up to date with my findings in a future post!

Which are your favourite high end foundations? 

Rimmel Provocalips | Review

When it comes to a bold lip- I need it to be long lasting because I struggle to keep anything on my lips in general. I am also not someone who wears bold colours very often, in fact I could probably count on one hand the number of times I've ever ventured into the scary world of bold lips but recently, i've been trying to change that. Be a little bold with my bold lip per say!

So when I read the reviews of this Rimmel Provocalips I was instantly excited! Here's how it works; you apply the coloured side first, wait for it to dry and then apply the top coat which gives it shine and locks the colour into place. Imma get really real here- I didn't get to the second step of this lip recipe. The coloured formula itself is soooooooooooooo long lasting it's ridiculous. I used cleansing water, waterproof makeup remover, oil cleanser and olive oil to try to remove this bad boy and nothing worked. In the end I had to scrub my lips with Lush lip scrub till they were raw, red and painful. And that's without the top coat!

In my opinion, it's not worth the effort that it takes to take it off. Yes its super long lasting, but there are other long lasting formulas out there- without the hassle!

Preparing For A Hair Change

I'm sure most of you would know about the new hair trend floating around social media over the past year or so (and if you haven't, where have you been??). The LOB, otherwise known as the "long bob" has been seen on the likes of many celebrities including Kylie Jenner, Lucy Hale and Lauren Conrad. 

I recently made the spontaneous decision a couple of weeks ago to follow the trend and chop off all (well, nearly all) of my long mane. But I didn't do so without having researched it first. I haven't had short hair since I was about 6 when my mother made me cut it short, so this was a pretty big change for me and I wanted to get it right. No regrets! I took in about 10 photos for my hairdresser to give her an idea of what I wanted - grazing the shoulders was generally what I was aiming for. 

A good place to start your own research would be the instagram of the hair queen herself- Kristin Ess, who styles the likes of Lauren Conrad and Lucy Hale and who's instagram is just all kinds of hair heaven! 

Goodluck in any of your hair endeavours and remember - do your research!

Lush Haul #2 | 1 Year Anniversary

I remember writing my very first blog post like it was yesterday! The post where I spent way too much time perusing the christmas collection at Lush and walking out spending way too much money. One year later I was back to Lush and back to frothing over the Christmas goodies (I didn't spend as much money this time...yet.) So to celebrate one year of blogging for me I thought it would be quite fitting to post another Lush haul!

I of course had to pick up my favourite bath bomb of all time- the So White bath bomb.. I actually picked up two and I'm tempted to go back for more! It's one of the simplest bath bombs in the collection but it is also one of the most popular and I think that is because it has such a fresh scent to it. It has a slight hint of apple which makes it perfect for a summer bath I think.

The next thing I picked up is a bath melt which I believe is called the Cauldron Bath Melt. It has cocoa butter and walnut oil in its great for moisturising and nourishing the skin. The melt is wrapped in a muslin cloth. You use it by dipping it into the water (muslin cloth and all) and as the product melts, you end up with a muslin bag full of whole oats which can be used as a gentle and soothing scrub.

The last thing I got was this Tea Tree Water Spray. I have been using this every night since I got it two weeks ago. Tea tree oil has great antibacterial properties in it that make it perfect for oily, troubled or acne-prone skin. I use it right before moisturising (after cleansing, exfoliating or masking). It's very refreshing and leaves your skin feeling hydrated and clean!

If a Lush store in November can't get you in the Christmas spirit then I don't know what will! 

Zoeva Brushes | A Review

I have been eyeing these beautiful brushes from Zoeva for literally months now and I finally decided that I would splurge on them for my birthday- a little birthday present to myself! This is the Rose Gold Luxury Set  which retails at 65 Euros or $92 AUD. Now many of you may be thinking, "ninety dollars for makeup brushes??" but let me break it down for you. There are 8 brushes in the entire set so that's roughly $11.50 per brush. Doesn't sound too bad now does it? Plus you also get a gorgeous faux leather clutch/makeup bag which is the perfect size! And the rose gold detailing just sold me on this one!

The brushes themselves are actually amazing quality too, all fluffy, all super soft. I particularly like the 102 Silk Finish brush (first from left) for buffing in foundation as it leaves a very natural finish on the skin. Other notable mentions include the 110 Face Shape brush (4th from left) which is perfect for blending our under eye concealer. The 227 Soft Definer brush (5th from left) which is pretty much a perfect dupe for the MAC 217 but soo much cheaper and almost nicer and fluffier.

I did purchase a couple of other products as I was perusing the Zoeva website including these two Luxe Creme Lipsticks and this Luxe Colour Blush. "Faith and Love" lipstick is a salmon-nude which is VERY opaque. "Melting Kisses" is a bright peachy pink. Both formulas are extremely opaque and pigmented. One swipe across the lip and you completely lose your natural lip shade. I will admit, this slightly freaked me out as I have only recently delved into the world of lip products and have mostly been using sheer formulas that are "your lip but better" colours, so these lipsticks are slightly out of my comfort zone. The packaging is great, with a magnetic shut (and a very satisfying click close), sleek charcoal tube and the fancy Zoeva logo, I was sold at the packaging itself. So if you like opacity, pigmentation, creamy formulas and fabulous then these are definitely some to try.

The blush is where I am left disappointed. Which confuses me because I had heard a couple of good recommendations about this blush which is why I bought it in the first place. The packaging is great with being sleek, black, satisfying close, compact-style mirror and the Zoeva logo engraved into the product, I was expecting great things. The formula is not for me, it is patchy in its application and slightly chalky in texture. The shade also wasn't right for me, it made me look like I'd been lying in the sun too long and burnt my cheeks- not a cute look.

Overall I am pretty impressed with Zoeva- particularly their brushes as they are of fantastic quality so I would highly recommend giving them a go! 

TWO TO TRY

I have recently heard a lot about the Jouer Cosmetics from various different beauty bloggers and decided it was time to give it a go. And boy am I impressed!

Lets talk packaging. I know its materialistic, but I often judge brands on the appearance, feel and quality of their packaging. Jouer have really got their packaging down-pat. Its sleek, sophisticated and just down-right beautiful.

I picked up the Creme Eyeshadow Crayon in Baroque which is a bronzy browny shimmery colour. But not too much shimmer. It is beautiful, creamy, easy to blend and the perfect colour. I have been reaching for this more than any other eyeshadow recently. I apply it directly to the lid and blend it out with a fluffy blending brush. It could pass as a great dupe for the ever-famous ByTerry Ombre Blackstars, but at half the price!

The other thing I picked up was the Anti-Blemish Matte Primer. It is a beautiful smooth consistency, and despite the name it doesn't leave the skin looking too dry. Matte and hydration- is that even possible? It appears so. This isn't the greatest product for minimising the appearance of pores, however it does help your base makeup to stay on your skin longer and just gives a perfect base for foundation.

Overall, I am pretty impressed with Jouer. I'll definitely be picking up a few more things from them!

The Closest Bioderma Dupe?

Bioderma is infamous for being the best makeup remover, quite possibly- ever. It's supposed to gentle on the skin, fast at dissolving makeup (including the stubborn waterproof kind) and is generally known for being an all round staple product. 

Garnier have recently come out with their own version of a Micellar Cleansing Water, which feels like water, but acts like a cleanser/makeup remover. It is extremely gentle on the skin and removes makeup super easily. The only downside? It doesn't remove waterproof makeup so for those of you who love your waterproof mascara it would be wise to give this a miss. However, if you are like me and rarely ever use waterproof mascara (except at weddings, where i am guaranteed to tear up) then this product is right up your street! $39.95 for a 500mL bottle of Bioderma versus $11.99 for a 400mL of Garnier, I think the choice is very obvious. 

Back To Basics | Skincare (Part 1)

I have recently changed up my skincare routine, and decided it's time to be a little less spendy and a little more save-y (go with the rhyme okay). I have always believed that it is important to take care of your skin, but I have recently discovered that this doesn't mean you have to spend hundred of dollars on cosmetics from Myer. 'Cause i'm a uni student, and aint' nobody got money for that $55 cleanser. So I have decided to write up this series on how I have cut down my skincare budget and somehow ended up with better results. 

So first off is the cheapest exfoliator you'll ever use. Raw, brown sugar. Most likely sitting in your pantry, this is the kind of sugar you would typically use in say cookie dough or on top of weet-bix. The granules are so fine that they actually end up dissolving after a couple of minutes if you use it with water. You use it just like you would any other exfoliator- applying to freshly cleansed skin that is damp or dry depending on how rough you like it (hehe). It leaves you with the smoothest feeling face without irritating the skin! My face feels like a baby's bottom after using this and my pores even look smaller! 

I definitely recommend going to your kitchen cupboard and trying this magical sugar out on your face.  It can be used for cookies and baby soft skin- what more could I want? I think raw brown sugar just became my favourite pantry item!

The Nail Edit | Essie

Hello everyone! Today I thought I’d share with you a couple of nail polish picks I have been loving recently! They’re all by Essie because I find Essie to be some of the best quality polishes one can find in the drugstore.

Mint Candy Apple is probably one of the most famous Essie colours out there at the moment, and for good reason. It’s the most perfect blueish, greenish, minty pastel and really looks beautiful on everyone I have ever seen wearing it. Perfect for Spring which is just around the corner!

Mochachino is a beautiful shimmery chocolate browny colour, which I find to be so flattering. It’s the perfect glammed up nude for a night out or even a prom/formal

Fiesta is my favourite out of the three. Which is unusual as I normally stay away from bright pinks or any pink on my nails for that matter. Fiesta is the exception. I love this on my toes for a pop of colour especially in the warmer months.

Of course there are many other beautiful colours in the Essie range, these just happen to be the three that I am currently loving!

What colours/shades/brands of nail polish are you currently loving? 

♥ 

The Dresser Edit | Jewellery Storage

Jewellery can be a tricky thing to organise. I for one have gone through countless jewellery boxes, hangers, etc. All of which tend to either get very messy very quickly, or, I find that it takes too damn long to open your drawer, take out the jewellery box, rummage for that one tiny ring or necklace and then put it all away again. Ain't nobody got time for that! 

Recently I have been loving using these little bowls/shells for keeping my jewellery in. Not only do they look pretty on my dresser, but they also make it so easy to quickly grab something before I head out the door. It's also very easy to chuck my jewellery away into its shell before going to bed that night! 

The bluey-green shells are some very old Paua shells that my family brought home from a trip to New Zealand so they are real shells but I am sure you could find similar shells in many beach-y stores. You can find similar shells here. I find them a great size for little trinkets, small stud-style earrings and also a couple of my most used larger earrings. 

The other two bowls/jars I bought from my local Vinnies. Yep good old Vinnies! I find Vinnies to be great for trinkety things like these, jewellery and ceramics. I'm pretty sure these were both about $5 each (maybe even less) so i'd definitely reccomend checking out your local Vinnies. Never know what treasures you'll come across! 

Hope you enjoyed this different kind of post. Let me know in the comments if you have any different ways of storing your jewellery! I love coming up with different storage ideas and i'd love to hear yours :)

♥

New-Found Loves ♥

Hello everybody! I haven't been posting very often as I have been completely bogged down by projects and assignments so I apologise for that. This post is something that I just couldn't wait to write because I am so overwhelmed by how much I am loving these products that I feel like the whole world needs to know about them!

Last night I posted this photo to my instagram , and gave myself a bit of a pamper session using these products and I absolutely loved the way they all worked so well and complemented each other on my skin so I thought I would share them with you.

First up, Frank. Now for those of you who are avid instagram users like myself, there is a high possibility that you will know a lot about Frank and even have ordered some of him for yourself. For those of you who have no idea what i'm talking about, let me break it down for you. Frank is a completely natural body scrub that is made from fresh coffee grinds. This one that I've got contains grapeseed oil, coconut oil, coconut flakes, brown sugar, jojoba seeds and sea salt (omg does that not sounds delicious).

Here's a summary of my overall opinion:

First impression: After ordering, it came within about 3 working days (and free shipping in Australia woo). The packaging is simple and minimal. The information on the back is to the point (and also pretty flirty... Frank knows how to please the ladies, ladies).

Use: The directions say to use 2 handfuls but I found I only needed one handful to successfully scrub my whole body from head to toe.

Be warned: it is extremely messy. I recommend using this only in the shower/bath tub because it literally gets EVERYWHERE.

Results? I am in love. Absolutely and utterly in love with Frank. Firstly, the smell- it smells amaaaazing. I am one of those people who love the smell of coffee but hate the taste of it (weird, i know). Secondly, it works- it really, really works. I have never used a body scrub that is so softening, so smoothing, gently exfoliating and smells fabulous. My whole body felt so soft afterwards I literally wanted everyone to touch my skin because I didn't think anyone would believe how well this works. I have NEVER felt my skin like that. Just trust me. Its $14.95 but I would honestly have paid more for this. Buy it here!

Next up, The Olive Branch by Lush. This is such a gorgeous body wash from Lush. I've actually not been into Lush all year (shock horror, i know) and that is because I still have leftover products from christmas/my birthday! But I definitely will be going back as soon as this baby runs out because I am addicted to it. It's the perfect night time shower gel. It's got a very mediterranean scent to it- made from bergamot oil, olive oil, mandarin oil, vine leaves and lemon oil. The olive oil is fair trade which is great too. Its got such a warm scent to it, yet somehow its also quite fresh. I loooooove this! 

And last but not least, Neutrogena's Light Sesame Body Oil. The bottle says this can be used as a light moisturiser but I personally love using it as a bath oil. It is so smoothing and softening and moisturising and yet somehow light enough to not leave you feeling greasy! I actually got out of the bath and didn't need to moisturise at all (which is huge for me, usually my skin freaks out if I haven't moisturised straight after a bath/shower). 

So I wasn't expecting this post to be long but I really am obsessing over these products. Hopefully you found something you'd like to try (hint: try Frank!!). Are there any products you've been obsessing over? If so, let me know in the comments! 

Current Loves ♥

Hello everyone! I know it's been a while since i've posted but I have been so damn busy with my new degree that I have barely had time to even think about what to write. However I have been dying to update this blog as soon as possible so here is a quick post about some of the things i've really started loving recently :)

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash

Oh my gosh. This is something I have wanted for many months now and never actually bought but boy am I glad I finally did. This is probably the best smelling body wash I have ever used. It smells like freshly squeezed lime and brown sugar. asdfghjkl its so sweet (but not over powering) and fresh and delicious ugh I could literally eat it. I may or may not have thought about having a lick... :P 

Simple Eye Makeup Remover

Are you looking for something to remove waterproof mascara? This won't do the job. But it will however, remove any eye makeup that isn't waterproof, and it does it so gently and easily. I soak a cotton pad, hold on my eye for about 5 seconds and then swipe and the majority of my non-waterproof eye-makeup will come off. Of course there will be a little bit leftover that will be removed once you cleanse but for an everyday remover it works pretty well. I even use it to wipe off the makeup on my face too sometimes. I just wish it had a nozzle rather than just a hole for the product to come out of as i find myself pouring out more than I need- this bottle is almost empty and I only bought it a month ago :/ 

Natio Gentle Facial Scrub

I find it really difficult to find an exfoliator that I like. They're either too rough, too soft, too grainy, not grainy enough, too drying, or they have those nasty blue beads (STAY AWAY FROM THESE!!!). I have really been enjoying this exfoliator from Natio. It says it 'Purifies, Exfoliates, Refines and Polishes'. Now I don't know about the last two, I haven't really found my skin to look super duper amazing because of this, but it does get the job done. The job being; scrubbing away the dead skin cells without harshly grinding your skin away (this is what the blue beads do). Those tiny blue beads can also be really bad if you've got a breakout as they can rupture your breakout and actually cause it to spread to other parts of your face! Just trust me on this one, stay away. 

L'oreal Telescopic Mascara

I LOVE mascara. It is probably my favourite part of doing my makeup. I just think mascara makes you look finished, awake, and just beautiful. I do however, hate smudging and excessive clumping. This mascara is probably not the best if you're looking for something to really volumize, but what I love about it is that it separates the lashes beautifully and really defines each lash. This mascara can get a little clumpy if you put on too many coats though and you can begin to look a bit spider-y so try and avoid layering on the coats too much. 

Illamasqua & Essie Nail Polishes 

Lets start with the Illamasqua. The pink one is called 'Scarce' and the purple is called 'Speckle'. These were an absolute bargain! I caught them hiding out in a well hidden sale shelf in Myer- $5 down from $20! I had remembered hearing about them from the lovely Lily Pebbles 's video. They are both really muted colours but with little grey speckles in them. I love this look as  I find glitter speckles can be a little intense for my liking, and the grey just made it a little more casual- pretty but casual. I will say however that they do chip pretty quickly so I would definitely use a top coat for these! 

The Essie nail polish is in the colour 'Mint Candy Apple'. Oh boy am I in love with this colour. Its the perfect blueish, greenish, pastel colour and perfect for those of you going into Spring! The colour payoff is great too-  I only needed one coat :)

Sleek iDivine Palette

This is a great drugstore brand that we unfortunately do not have in Australia :( You can however order from their website. I literally paid about $4 for shipping which is crazy awesome considering it's coming from America! Okay now onto the product! This is a great neutrals palette, it comes with 12 shades- some matte, some shimmery- and all of them are absolutely beautiful! Great pigmentation, hardly any fall out, you get a big mirror which is perfect for travelling/on the go. I don't really have anything to fault with this! For $12 it's pretty freaking good value for money too. These palettes come in a whole bunch of other colours too so check out their website for more :) 

Sleek Face Form Kit

Okay I use this nearly every time I do my makeup. It's basically a multi-tasking kit. The brown shade is a matte brown which is perfect for contouring as well as bronzing, the centre is a shimmery highlighter which is perfect for highlighting the cheekbone, under the eyebrow, in the inner corner of they eye and above the cupids bow-pretty much anywhere you want to highlight! The blush on the left, i'm not that thrilled about- mostly because its a coral colour (which majority of people like in which case you might, however I tend to stray away from anything slightly orange). I also am not a big fan of this blush because its extremely shimmery which is not something I look for in a blush- i prefer it to be matte or have a very subtle shimmer. This kit is in the shade Light. I know what you're thinking, "but you're so tanned you can't possibly be the shade light". But believe it or not I am, the sleek bronzers can be very dark, if you are lighter than me I would highly suggest you get the shade Fair. Unless of course you love a serious contour in which case go for the light but I prefer mine to be a lot more subtle. I also find that the darker you go with bronzers the more orange they tend to become- and like I said, i hate orange. 

Glasshouse- Galapagos

Last but definitely not least- the Glasshouse, triple scented candle in 'Galapagos'. Kaffir lime and Cocoa Butter. Are we sensing a theme here? My obsession with the mix of citrus and sweet? Yep. Obsessed. These big babies can burn for up to 80 hours, which kinda makes the $40 price tag almost worth it right? Yeah maybe not for everyone but for me, a candle like this is one of my guilty pleasures. I love burning them during a bath, or before I sleep to calm me down or just whenever to be honest. I do think this scent is a bit summery though so I might go out and get the caramel vanilla one mmmm perfect for winter :) 

What have you guys been loving recently? 

Let me know in the comments!

♥ 

Makeup Brushes + Haul

Hello everybody!

I feel like I'm boring you all because this blog is supposed to be about more than beauty products but I've been soo busy with work around this Christmas period that I've had absolutely no time to even think about redecorating my room. I'm hoping I can get it done during January when life settles down a bit so stay tuned!

Today I'll be doing a post that I'm actually really excited about because it mostly involves products that I have absolutely been obsessed with over the past month and I'm kicking myself for not purchasing them earlier!

Soooo I have recently been a little bit addicted to buying beauty products online (where there is free shipping of course) because they tend to be a lot cheaper than buying them say in Myer or Priceline. These first two products I bought online from here.

This is the EX1 Delete anti-blemish/dark circle concealer in D200. Roughly $12 from Beauty Expert. 

This has become one of my makeup staples, I have been using it nearly everyday under my eyes to conceal my dark circles. I absolutely love this stuff. It's quite a thin product but it still has the perfect coverage for me- enough to cover the darkness but not so much that its cakey. It barely creases (not at all if used over primer) and i find it lasts pretty much all day. To apply, i use my ring finger to warm up the product and swipe under my eye, which I then blend using one of the products I'm about to mention. Overall, really really loving this. 

This is the Real Techniques setting brush, and it came in a set along with the next four brushes in this post for about $55, again from Beauty Expert. Not Priceline! Priceline is such a rip off when it comes to this brand. The thing I love about these brushes, is that even though they have names and certain uses, they're actually quite diverse. Each brush can be used perfectly for a whole range of things. So this Setting Brush is designed for loose powder however i have been using it to blend in the under eye concealer that I mentioned above. A lot of people would think that this brush is too big for under the eye but I think its perfect for me and it gives good coverage and doesn't crease. 

This is the Real Techniques buffing brush. I can't believe I ever used to use those flat foundation brushes. I don't think  I will ever use them again! This brush is the most perfect foundation brush I have ever come across. It buffs the product into the skin to give perfect coverage and a flawless finish. It gives medium coverage but it is also build able to full if you want. These brushes are also so incredibly soft as well so applying the foundation actually feels good! Very impressed with this product and I'd recommend it to absolutely anyone and everyone. 

This is the Real Techniques Multi- Task brush. I use it for powder bronzer and if i'm on the go it also doubles as a blush brush. Again, super soft bristles, perfect size for bronzer and I just really like it!

These are (left to right) the Real Techniques Essential Crease Brush and Fine Liner brush. Now to be honest I don't actually use the crease brush as often as the other brushes mostly because I don't wear eyeshadow every single day but also because i'm used to using another set of brushes for eyeshadow application. So still getting used to this one! The Fine Liner brush I also don't use all that often if at all because I don't use gel liner or liquid liner that comes in a pot- I much prefer the felt tip liquid liners because I find them easier to use and a lot less messy. 

These are the brushes I use in place of the Real Techniques eye brushes. They are the Manicare angled brush and shadow brush. Super cheap, you can buy them from practically anywhere probably even the supermarket. I bought these from the chemist for about $7 each. I use the angled brush to apply darker shades of shadow along the lower lash line and the shadow brush for applying all my eyeshadows except cream eyeshadows which I often use as bases. 

This is the Airbrush Concealer brush from Ecotools. As the name suggests, I use this for concealer applied on blemishes or redness. The brush is pretty fantastic, leaving a flawless finish without undoing or smudging the foundation you've already applied. I also love that these tools are from a brand that is 100% cruelty free and use recycled materials as well as natural materials like the bamboo handles. Roughly $8 from Priceline (however I have found it online for even cheaper!) its a pretty good brush considering its price. 

Moving away from brushes, I have been on the hunt for a perfect everyday BB/CC cream style tinted moisturiser/foundation that is lightweight and allows the skin to breathe during the day without clogging pores. Mostly I have been using the Garnier BB Cream which i'm not overly impressed with, but it has done the job during my search. So I had a little look through Priceline and liked the sound of what this CC cream from Models Prefer claims to do; even skin tone, reduce redness and give flawless coverage. I have to say I have never used a product that has disappointed me as much as this one. I saw no change in my skin tone/redness, it didn't give a flawless finish, it actually rubbed off during the day and I thought my skin actually looked worse than normal. The consistency is quite greasy and doesn't feel that nice once applied either. Overall, not impressed, wouldn't recommend. 0/10

So as to not end on a bad note, I thought i'd include this into my post. It's not exactly a 'new' product that i've purchased, i've actually been using this for many years now but this particular bottle I recently bought so I thought i'd add it in. It is one of the best face creams i've ever used and even though I try new products all the time I always end up going back to this one. Its lightweight, very hydrating, smells fabulous and is perfect for sensitive skin. Its great for use underneath foundation as well! It's about $16 from Priceline. 

Hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know in the comments if you know of any BB/CC creams/lightweight foundations that are good for everyday use!! 

Love you loads ♡♡♡