Friday 30 November 2012

FFS Friday - Life is Tough


I've been trying to arrange insurance for hubby's ute since he bought it. FFS.

I got a policy but couldn't pay monthly unless he phoned up. FFS.

The call centre isn't open when he is able to call. FFS.

They told me that I needed to go online and set up a new policy in joint names so that I could change the repayments to monthly. FFS

I went online but couldn't open a policy in joint names. FFS.

In the end I had to ring up and set up a third policy, in both our names so that I could pay the bloody thing. FFS.

You'd think that giving my money away would be a lot easier! FFS.

Strangely enough, even though I used exactly the same details, each time the policy was $40 cheaper, so our third policy is $80 less than the first policy was. Not FFS.

Saturday morning I was struggling. I haven't had a break from bub for weeks, I was tired, bub was whingeing and my hayfever was really bad. FFS.

Bub and I were at the park at 7am. FFS.

I stupidly left his walker in the car, he insisted on bringing it with us then abandoned it after five minutes so I had to carry the stupid thing. FFS.

He kept on trying to join in with the huge group of men who were exercising (there were about 30 of them.) FFS.

As I was racing after him to stop him jumping on the guys doing push-ups, juggling my handbag and the walker, my phone rang. FFS.

I made a swipe at bub, grabbed hold of him and tucked him screaming, under my arm. FFS.

I had bub under one arm, the walker in the other, my handbag over my shoulders and I was trying to get the phone out of my bag. FFS.

The caller hung up before I could answer. FFS. 

I looked at my phone and realised that I had 7 missed calls from a number I didn't recognise. Immediately I thought hubby had been involved in an accident at work because who else would call me 7 times at 7.30am on a Saturday morning. FFS.

I called the number and hubby answered. He was furious because I hadn't answered the phone. FFS.

He carried on at me for not answering the phone. I told him I hadn't heard the phone and asked what he wanted, but what he wanted was to rant on about me not answering my mobile or the home phone. FFS.

I hung up on him because he refused to tell me why I had 7 missed calls from him and if everything was okay. FFS.

I spent the rest of the morning fantasizing about being single. FFS.

It was lovely. Not FFS.

Hubby later rang up to apologise and tell me he'd been worried that something was wrong. I didn't forgive him. FFS.

He just doesn't get that when you are looking after a child there are times when you just can't answer the phone, but that doesn't mean that something is wrong. FFS.

Plus, when he calls me he will call over and over again, instead of doing the sensible thing and leaving a few minutes between calls. FFS.

The reason I didn't hear the phone is because my new phone has crap ringtones and it doesn't have a standard ringing one. FFS.

It may be old fashioned, but I don't like musical ringtones, I want one that just rings like phones used to when I was a wee child. FFS.

I spent the afternoon downloading songs to use as ringtones. My ringtone is now Sweet Child of Mine. FFS.

I also have Thunderstruck on standby. FFS.

Yes, I am a bogan. FFS.

We had another home open on Saturday so I spent the morning cleaning, then finished it all off and put bub's toys away whilst he was having a nap. I timed his nap so that he would wake up just before the home open started. He woke up an hour early. FFS.

I spent that hour running around after him trying to stop him trashing the house. FFS. 

I am not a fan of bread but when I do eat it I am partial to pumpkin bread. The Brumby's near my house does a lovely pumpkin bread with sunflower seeds in it. I went in there on the weekend to get some and they told me they only make it on Mondays and Thursdays. FFS.

Monday I went in there and they told me they'd have it on Tuesday. FFS.

Tuesday I went in and they said they only have it on the weekends. FFS.

Thursday I went in there to check and sure enough they didn't have it. FFS.

I gave up and got sourdough instead. FFS.

Two weeks ago I bought a G Shock watch. Saturday I noticed that the paint is chipping off it. FFS.

I took it back to Myer with my receipt but as I didn't have the book with me, they couldn't return it. FFS.

I went back in there with the book on Tuesday. It will take six to eight weeks to get my watch back, probably longer as it's over the christmas period. FFS.

Whilst I was returning the watch a random stranger came up to me to tell me how much she hated the christmas carol that was playing because it said that everything would be allright but everything isn't all right, everything is crap so clearly the song lied. FFS.

She then went on to tell me that she used to love that song until she realised that it was not telling the truth and now it drives her crazy. FFS.

I politely suggested that she go to another shop so she didn't have to listen to the song, however she much preferred standing there telling me how much she hated the song. FFS.

I seem to attract random nutters. FFS.

The next day a lady in the queue at the post office spent 10 minutes telling me how The Daring Book For Girls was sexist and that How To Hold A Garage Sale shouldn't be in there because it's not daring. FFS.

I actually agree with her. FFS.

My favourite store Addicted 2 Lip Balm closes today. I'm so upset. It's the only place where I can buy most of my favourite lip balms. FFS.

On the upside, not being able to buy amazing lip balms will mean that I can make a start on using up the make-up case full of balms that I currently have. FFS.

That's my whingeing finished for another week. If you'd like to read more whinges, head over to Sarah's blog. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend!


 
Dear Baby G

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Dior Addict Lip Glow

(Image thanks to Sephora)
I've recently finished my Dior Addict Lip Glow and realised that I haven't reviewed it. I had this balm for about two years and as often happens, it wasn't until I'd nearly used it up that I realised how much I liked it. Once P100P is over I'll be purchasing another one.

This is one of those 'adapts to your skintone' products that always suck me in and it's the sole reason I bought it. Usually products like this turn bright pink on me, however Lip Glow just gives me a natural flush that looks natural and like I'm not wearing anything. It brightens up my face and makes me look healthy and fresh. Additionally, it stains my lips so I'm left with the pretty colour for the rest of the day.
Freshly applied.


Worn down to a stain.

Another reason I love this balm is that it smells and tastes sweet. Some people have said that it smells like chocolate, but to me it smells more like a lolly. The smell is subtle, just enough to be pleasant without being overpowering. 

As a balm this performs well. It keeps my lips soft and hydrated as I expect from a balm. The texture is buttery but not soft, it's just perfect. I've really missed my Lip Glow since I ran out and have been very tempted to buy another one despite being on P100P.
 
From memory this cost me $48 (AUD) which is extreme, but I like it enough that I'd pay that again. It's a gorgeous product to use, the packaging is lovely and luxurious and it's a great balm!

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Foundation Buying Tips

 (Image credit)
Foundation is one of those products that I really don't like buying. I often get matched to the wrong colour or wrong product for my skin type and end up with a foundation that I don't like but I don't want to waste so I use it up hating it the whole time. Through the years I've come up with some tips that I thought I'd share to help other people who struggle with buying foundation too.

1. When purchasing a new foundation get a sample pot of the foundation you've purchased. Use the sample first so that if you don't like it you can return the unused foundation. 

It is difficult to return used products in Australia, so if you use the sample pot first you won't have any problems returning an unopened product and swapping it for something else. You'll usually get enough foundation in the sample pot for about a weeks use, which is enough time to see if you like the foundation, if it works for your skin type and if the colour is right.

I know they say to check out the foundation in natural light before you buy it, but really, who has the time to do that? Plus, I find that a little bit of foundation applied on my jawline might look fine, but when I do my whole face it looks different. Having a sample pot enables you to check out the foundation in natural light and any other light that you like, at a time that is convenient to you.

2. When you are going to buy a foundation, go without foundation on and your neck bare. You can wear eye make-up, gloss and blush if you don't want to go out bare faced, but try not to wear any foundation.

Foundation needs to blend in with your neck, the colour should be similar or else you will have an obvious foundation line which is never a good look. If your neck is covered you are likely to end up with the wrong colour match, I learned this the hard way.

3. You can return used foundations in Australia. Despite what the cosmetic companies would like you to believe, if you buy a foundation from a department store (Myer or David Jones), they colour match you and it's the wrong colour for you, you can return it. 

The sales assistant won't like it and you will have to insist, but they will swap it for you because it's their fault that they colour matched you wrong. I've returned used foundations to Estee Lauder and Elizabeth Arden and swapped them for the correct shade. Both times they grumbled about it a lot and the Elizabeth Arden sales assistant even rang the lady who'd sold me the foundation at home to check I was telling the truth!

Incidentally, Estee Lauder have a satisfaction guarantee and will exchange products that don't work for you, that's something they don't tell you though!

4. Beware of who you buy from. Don't buy foundation from someone who is wearing foundation that doesn't look right, if they can't match their own foundation correctly it's likely that they won't match yours correctly. 

If the sales assistant tells you that the shade they are matching you to 'gives you a bit of colour', don't buy it, it's the wrong colour. Blush and bronzer give you a bit of colour, you don't want a foundation to do that. Foundation should even out your skintone and make you look like you aren't wearing foundation, not 'give you a bit of colour'.

5. Buy from MAC, Kit Cosmetics or Mecca Cosmetica. These brands/companies are great about returns and happy to give you generous samples to try at home before you buy a full sized product. 

I don't understand why more companies aren't happy to give out samples. I'm much more likely to buy a product if I've tried a sample of it because I get to test it out and I don't risk wasting my money on a product that doesn't work for me. The way some sales assistants carry on you'd think they personally pay for the samples.

6. Change foundations with the seasons and as you skin changes. No doubt you've heard this before but it is so true. Your skin changes with age and with the seasons, so that foundation you loved last summer probably won't be right for winter or in a few years time. Plus, formulations are always changing so it's good to try something new. 

7. Get to know the staff at your shop/brand of choice. If you can get to know the staff at your favourite store they will know what you like and what works for you so will be able to recommend products that are likely to work for you.

Additionally, asking the staff to make a customer record card for you is also helpful. They can record all the products that you buy and this gives them an indication of what you will like/dislike.  

8. Visit Findation. If you are buying foundation online or just want to have some idea of what colour will be right for you, check out Findation. All you do is put in some of your colour matches and Findation will show you what colours will work for you in lots of different brands. Genius.

That's all my tips, I hope they are helpful. If you have any more tips, please feel free to post them below.

Monday 26 November 2012

Project 100 Pan Update 3

I've finished another three lip products! I'm on a roll. I usually don't finish one lipstick per year so I'm extremely pleased with myself finishing four lipsticks in the last few months. It's motivated me to keep on finishing lipsticks, so I've decided that I'll use the same few lipsticks until they are gone and thus slowly reduce the size of my lip product stash.
I've been thinking about what I'll do once P100P is over. My collection is totally out of control and I don't like it, so I'm considering doing Project Pan Them All or maybe even going on a no buy until I've finished everything. I'd like to get my make-up collection down to one make-up case (it's currently 3 cases and a bathroom cupboard full) and my skin care collection down to just what I use with maybe one back up of each product. I'll keep on thinking about how I'll achieve this and come up with something by the end of P100P.

I'm an impulse shopper and we will be moving to an area where there aren't many interesting shops, so that will make it a lot easier for me to avoid temptation. I've also been getting pretty ruthless with my culling. I'm using products a few times and if I don't like them out they go. There is no use holding on to products that I don't love.
Another strategy I'm thinking of using is to only buy online. For me this would work really well because it would cut out all impulse shopping and mean that I wouldn't buy anything unnecessary. It'd also make it very easy to stick to a budget. I am considering giving myself a $25 per week budget which would be very easy to track via online shopping only.

I'm a bit disappointed with my progress this week, I was hoping that I'd be halfway through by now but I'm not. I've been very lazy with my skin and body care routine this month, which is why I don't have many empties. I'm also concentrating on using up my samples, which is another contributing factor.  

33 - La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water
34 - Bathox Milk and Chocolate Bath Foam and Shower Gel
35 - Rexona Women Clear Aqua Deodorant
36 - Neutrogena Healthy Defence Daily Moisturiser
37 - Wotnot Naturally Nurturing Facial Wipes
38 - Wotnot Naturally Nurturing Facial Wipes
39 - Wotnot Naturally Nurturing Facial Wipes
(yes, you are reading right, I finished three packets of face wipes. I found two nearly empty packets that I used for travelling, so finished them off. Bonus.)
40 - The Face Shop Pore Minimizer
41 - Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment
42 - Dior Lip Glow
43 - YSL lip product. I don't know what this was because the label has worn off and I can't find it online. Basically it was like a clear, slippy lip balm. Totally not worth the $$ I paid for it.
44 - YSL Touche Brilliance Lip Gloss
45 - Becca Turkish Rose Blush. I haven't actually finished this but the packaging is broken and it keeps on coming apart in my make-up bag so I'm calling it.
46 - Ten Samples

These are some bonus photos of what a teething child can do to a lipstick case. Chai was munching away on this after I'd finished it and I was really surprised that he managed to dent it so much considering he was using his gums and the metal case is really hard. It's hard enough that I couldn't squeeze it back into shape!



Friday 23 November 2012

FFS Friday - The Mental Hospital Edition

Friday! We've survived another week unscathed, wonder of wonders. 

No longer satisfied with spitting water and milk or pooing and weeing all over the floor, Chai has decided to up the ante. FFS.

He's now realised that he can make himself spew, so vomits all over the floor just for fun. FFS.

I have no idea how to deal with this. FFS.

I figure that he's doing it for a reaction so I just ignore it. FFS.

Someone help me! If he's like this at 20 months what's he's going to be like when he's older? FFS.

I might just admit myself to the mental hospital now, it'll save time later. FFS.

If only I could drink. FFS.

Monday morning hubby was in a stink cause he's tired of working a 13 day fortnight. He mentioned that he's sick of not having any time to himself, to which I replied "time to yourself, what's that?"
Stupid man responded with "I don't get three hours to myself every day like you do, I only get 40 minutes." FFS.

Men truly have no idea. FFS.

Sure, Chai sleeps for three hours, however I have to go in there at least two times to resettle him and I spend the rest of the time preparing dinner, doing housework, paying bills and all those other exciting things that housewives do. Not what I'd call time to myself. FFS.

Lucky for hubby I had Chai in my arms so was unable to strangle him. FFS.

Chai's headbutting has continued and I have no idea what to do about it. FFS.

He headbutts all the time and if he can't headbutt me he'll headbutt the nearest hard surface. FFS.

He does it so hard that he hurts himself and then starts crying. FFS.

If any of you have advice on how I can deal with this, please let me know!

Monday Chai woke up from his nap after only two hours. FFS.

I was exhausted and in no state to deal with him so desperately tried to get him back to sleep. I realised it was a lost cause when he started punching himself in the head. FFS.

Tuesday all of the inconsiderate people where at the playground at the same time as Chai and I. FFS.

First there was they lady and her daughter who hogged the baby swing for 45 minutes despite being aware that other children wanted a turn. FFS.

Then there were the parents of bullies who watched their children be mean to the other children and didn't do anything about it until I told off one of them and yelled at another one. FFS.

Interestingly as soon as they saw me yelling at the little monster who was trying to punch Chai in the face, they took their children and left. Not FFS.

I don't understand why you'd stand there watching your child be mean to or try to hurt another child and not do anything about it! FFS.

Surely they can't think it's okay for kids to push and punch other children? FFS.

We got a letter from our insurance company this week. They've cancelled hubby's life and income protection insurance as he failed to disclose medical details from one Dr's visit back in 1997. FFS.

How the hell do they reasonably expect him to remember each Dr's visit? FFS.

I rang our insurance guy to get it sorted out and he's no longer with the company. FFS.

Yesterday Telstra rang up trying to get me to change my home phone and foxtel to them. FFS.

I told the guy that they can't beat the deal that I have because they've tried before. He told me to be quiet and listen to him for 30 seconds. FFS.

I hung up. FFS.

Way to go Telstra. If you want people to switch to your network, try being polite to them, not giving them attitude. FFS.

Then he kept on ringing back, as if I was going to be stupid enough to answer. FFS.

I hope everyone has a beautiful weekend! We have another home open tomorrow, hopefully someone will buy the house and it will be the last one. I live in hope!




Dear Baby G

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Summer Scents


I'm sure I'm not the only person who changes their scent with the seasons.  Now that the weather is warming up I've pulled out all my favourite summer scents. I'm terrible at describing scents so am not even going to try, so you'll just have to believe me when I tell you these all smell lovely.

The perfumes that I'll be wearing this summer are:

Philosophy Falling in Love - This is one of my favourite perfumes. If I could only wear one perfume for the rest of my life it would be Falling In Love. I always get compliments when I wear it, it's such a beautiful scent. I have no idea how to describe this, it's a little floral, a little sweet and a very beautiful.

Versace Versense - I got a sample of this and will be buying the full size as I've just run out. This is a gorgeous, fresh green scent that makes me think of warm summer days laying in the park.

Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar - This is possibly one of the nicest perfumes I've ever smelled. If you are a fan of coconut you need this in your life. It smells beautifully of coconut and a very slight floral hint (probably due to the vertiver).

Urban Rituelle Mango Milk - Sweet milky mango goodness, what's not to love?

Pacifica Malibu Lemon Blossom - This is not a scent that I would have picked for myself but it's surprisingly lovely. It has a very fresh floral scent that makes me think of a tropical resort.

Lancome Miracle - I don't have this in my collection but will be buying it again soon. This is the first fresh floral scent that I fell in love with and it's still a favourite.

Dolce and Gabanna Light Blue - I have no idea how to properly describe this one. The first word I think of to describe Light Blue is dry. To me it's a very dry, fresch scent. When I was first given this I didn't like it at all, but it's grown on me and now I love it.

Tisserand Rose - A true rose scent, which is a year round favourite for me. I find that the smell of roses really lifts my mood.

Audra James Bespoke perfume - If you want a perfume custom made for you Audra is your woman. For the bargain price of $65 Audra will make a perfume just for you. The perfume Audra made for me smells like a little piece of heaven and calms me instantly.

The Pacifica scents were sent to me. All other products I purchased myself, other than the Versace sample which was a freebie.

Monday 19 November 2012

I Love Drugstore Make-up Tag

Jac from Buy Blog Sparkle did this tag on her blog and I'm going through a Tag phase so thought I'd do it too.


1. What is your favorite drugstore makeup brand?
I can't just pick one, I have two favourites, Physician's Formula and Models Prefer. Oh, also Face of Australia and Australis. 
 
2. What are your favorite face, cheek and lip products?

The new Models Prefer High Definition face powder is lovely, I've been using it for a few weeks now and it's quickly becoming one of my favourite powders.


For cheeks I really like Rimmels Wake Me Up Foundation Shimmer Balm. As confusing as the name is, it's a highlighter. I use it as a blush and it gives a lovely rosey glow. I also love Physician's Formula Happy Booster powders.

Australis Mineral Inject lipsticks and glosses are some of the best lip products I've used, they are easily comparable to high end brands

3. Least favorite product?

Savy by DB liquid eyeliner. I really like the Savy eye pencils so thought I'd try the liquid eyeliner but it's crap. Thankfully I only paid around $4 for it cause after two uses it went in the bin.


4. What is the best makeup bargain?

With the prices that we pay here I really don't think that any products are true bargains, however for the quality I'd have to say Australis Mineral Inject lipsticks and glosses are pretty awesome.

For an overall brand, Models Prefer. The products are great quality and the prices are very reasonable. 

5. What is your favorite underdog product?

The Models Prefer Airbrush Brush and Anti Wrinkle Concealer. You can read my review of the brush here and the concealer here


6. A drugstore product that is overpriced?

Nearly all of them are overpriced here in Australia, but specifically Revlon and L'oreal. 


7. Show your best drugstore dupe(s)!!


I totally fail at dupes. 

8. Drugstore product that isn't worth the hype?

Maybelline Great Lash mascara. I don't understand why this is so popular, it's a really crap mascara!


I tag anyone who'd like to do this post. If you do, please post the link below so I can read it.

Friday 16 November 2012

FFS Friday - The Clay Ear Edition

Friday! I've been so confused this week. Hubby had Saturday off then went back to work Sunday, so I've been a day ahead of myself all week. Then he got sick and had Tuesday to Thursday off work, by which time I had no idea what day it was. FFS.

Both Chai and I have been sick this week. Chai's had an upset stomach with a cold and I have a cold. FFS.

Hubby came down with Man Flu too. FFS.

I tried to get him to stay home from work Tuesday but he wouldn't. FFS.

He came home at 11am cause he was so sick. FFS.

Last Friday in my sleep deprived zombiehood I was trying to comment on some blogs. It took me six goes to get the captcha right on PP's blog. FFS.

Undeterred I then went on to comment on Sarah's blog. I edited my comment three times and still didn't say what I wanted to so gave up. FFS.  

Once again Chai has been spewing all over me. FFS.

Twice this week. FFS.

He has been spewing way too often for my liking. FFS.

My Dr says that it's probably because he's had mucous dripping down the back of his throat and he can't cough it up. FFS.

We had to get him to do a wee sample to make sure he didn't have a urinary tract infection. Thankfully he loves weeing on the floor so it was pretty easy. FFS.

Poor little man is now on antibiotics as he has a chest infection. FFS.

Amazingly it hasn't slowed him down at all. FFS.

Tuesday night in my cold induced daze I was in the shower using a clay face mask when I decided I'd use the mask on my hair as well. FFS.

(Incidentally, if you have never tried using a clay mask on your hair, try it, it's great for deep cleansing

After smearing mud all over my hair I decided to go all out and cover my whole head with the mask. As you do. FFS.

I'm still digging clay out of my ears. FFS.

Wednesday it was time for Chai's monthly visit to the chiropractor. She saw we were sick so decided to try invoking Mummy Guilt. FFS.

First she commented that "he has a lot of falls." FFS.

He's 20 months old and he's had four falls! FFS.

Then she told me that it's been proven that it takes two years for a toddler's body to recover from antibiotics. FFS.

She said that because of this he will need extra probiotics and I'll have to take extra care with him. FFS.

Like I don't already! FFS.

Luckily I was immune to her efforts and think she's full of shit. FFS.

Chai has now started deliberately headbutting me when he doesn't get his way. FFS.

I am half horrified and half impressed by this. FFS.

I know I'm going to be one of those parents that the teachers hate because if they tell me my son has been hitting bullies I'll congratulate him for a job well done. FFS.

We've now signed up with a new real estate agent and are having a home open this weekend. FFS.

This means that the cleaning has started again. FFS.

I hastily cleaned the windows on Thursday and then realised I'd done a totally crap job so had to do them all again. FFS.

Over the weekend we realised that despite it being fixed three times now, hubbys car is still leaking. FFS.

We took it back to the mechanic on Wednesday. FFS.

Thursday afternoon they said it was fixed so hubby went to pick it up. He felt the floor and it was wet. FFS.

The mechanic told him that he hasn't taken any of the panels off around where it's leaking! FFS.

So now they still have the car and I have no transport. Great. FFS.

Have a great weekend! And if you are having a bad day be grateful that you aren't the man we saw last night, running down the street yelling and punching himself in the head.

Dear Baby G

Thursday 15 November 2012

Confessions of a Beauty Blogger Tag

I am loving doing tags at the moment, they are lots of fun and a great way to find out a little more about some of my favourite bloggers. Mandy from Make Me Up tagged me this time.

How many hours a week do you spend planning/writing/uploading posts?
Now that I have a child I don't spend as much time as I'd like to and as I used to. Before Chai I would spend at least two hours a day blogging, reading blogs, commenting on blogs etc. Now I would be lucky to spend 1/2 an hour online. Before I used to spend about an hour on each post, now I probably spend about half an hour. I'd love to be able to put more time into blogging but it's just not possible at the moment.

Are you a spender or a saver?   
Contrary to what you might expect, I'm a saver. Every now and again I'll have a splurge, but for the most part I'm a saver. 

When is it easiest for you to write your posts?
When Chai is asleep.

What makes writing posts comfortable for you?
Before I had to baby proof the house I had a desktop computer with a great set up. I had a computer desk with a shelf and enough room to have whatever products I was reviewing in front of me, it made blogging so much easier. Now I have a laptop computer and no desk. I look forward to when we move and I can have an office again. 

What's your worst make up/hair habit?
I can't think of a bad make-up habit, but I am lazy with my hair. I just brush it and tie it back or leave it down. I rarely straighten or blow dry it, usually I wash it and then let it air dry overnight. 

What's one quote you wish the world would live by?
Not a quote, but a poem. It's called If by Rudyard Kipling. You can read it here

 
How long do you spend getting ready everyday?
Less than 10 minutes. Even before I had Chai I got ready quickly, now I'm ever quicker. 


What's your favourite post on your blog?
I love my FFS Friday posts. They are a lot of fun to write and make people laugh. 


Who is a beauty blogger that you think deserves more subscribers that they have? 
All of them! There are so many amazing blogs and I think they all deserve more attention. 

What's one thing you're excited about in the coming year?
Moving! We are selling our house and moving down south. It'll mean that we can have a house with a backyard for Chai to play in and I will be close to my family.


What's been your favourite blogging moment?
There is no one particular moment, but I love all the beautiful people I've met through blogging. My online friends keep me sane and connected to the world when I'm home all the time.


How long does it take to prep for a post?

Not long. I usually take photos of products as soon as I get them so to prep for a post all I need to do is upload the photos and sometimes do a bit of research on the product. 

Are you wearing jeans/skirt right now or are you wearing pajama bottoms?

Jeans. I don't like staying in my pj's all day, plus, I take Chai out to the park every morning, so I'm usually dressed by 7am. 


What are you most proud of in your life?

Being here, alive, healthy and happy. If you read my other blog you will know that I have Crohn's disease. I got extremely sick in 2007 and nearly died. Now, five years later I am well, healthy and a mother. That's something I'm really proud of. It would have been so easy to have given up and stayed sick (or died), but I didn't, I fought and fought until I got healthy again. I refused to give up and because of that I'm a mum.
 

Wednesday 14 November 2012

Sephora Wishlist

Mandy is going on holidays today and she gets to go to Sephora! I'm so jealous. She got me thinking about what I'd buy if I went to Sephora. I'd buy the whole shop, but here are a few of the many products I'd buy.


Philosophy Hope In a Tinted Moisturiser - I've always wanted to try the Hope in a Jar moisturiser, but this would be even better. I'm all about products that save me time.

Philosophy Falling in Love Body Lotion - This is one of my all time favourite scents.

Soap and Glory Mighty Mouth Lip Balm - I've yet to meet a Soap and Glory product I don't love. 

Korres Lip Butter Glaze - I really like the Korres lip butters and am sure the glazes would be amazing too.

Korres Cheek Butter - I don't know why we don't have these in Australia, hopefully they'll get here sooner or later. 

Dior Rosy Glow Blush - I haven't seen this in store here, but even if we do have it here it'd be ridiculously priced. 
Bite Beauty Bite Sized Discovery Set - I love mini lipsticks.
Super Stars Beauty Essentials - What an awesome kit!

Tarte The Stand Outs Kit - I wish we had access to Tarte here. 
Tarte Carried Away Collectors Set - OMG!

Makeup Forever All Eyes on You Set - I have no words.

I'm currently obsessed with chubby lipstick pencils, lip and cheek creams, cream eye shadows and cream blushes, so I'd like every one of them that I can get from Sephora. I'd also like all the lip balms. I decided not to post pictures of all the other things I'd like because we'd be here all year. I'd also love anything from Josie Maran and Makeup Forever.

All photos thanks to Sephora. 

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Cold Comfort

I've got a cold at the moment (cue violins and call the wahmbulance). As I was sifting through my lip balms yesterday to get my 'cold' lip balms out, it got me thinking about the things I use to comfort myself when I have a cold. 

The first thing I do is put on my trackies and a warm jumper. Then I get out my multi purpose lip balms, tissues, vicks vapodrops, make myself a cup of green tea and eat some chocolate. I also take lots of vitamin C and a magic potion from my naturopath that kills my cold really quickly. 


Here is my list of essential cold products:

Kleenex Aloe Vera tissues - These are much softer and easier on the nose than regular tissues.

Vicks Vapodrops - Effective and pleasant tasting.

Lanolips 101 ointment and Dr Lipp Nipple Balm- Very soothing and I can use it on any areas of dry skin around my nose, lips, elbows etc.

Sukin Nourishing Lip Treatment - This is a gorgeously thick balm that lasts for hours, tastes good and makes my parched lips feel instantly better. 

Natralus Paw Paw Lip Balm - I use this in the same way I use my lanolin balms, as an all over treatment. I love the thick texture, when I'm sick I'm all about thick, luxurious feeling balms and this fits the bill perfectly. 

Pana Chocolate - Not necessarily a cold treatment but I had to include this because it's amazing. Unlike regular chocolate, Pana Chocolate actually fills me up, so when I can't be bothered getting something to eat I have a square of Pana Chocolate and it keeps me going a bit longer. I have a review coming up, but until then, if you haven't tried Pana Chocolate run, don't walk, and get some now.

The Natralus and Dr Lipp balms were sent to me for review. All other products I purchased myself.

Monday 12 November 2012

Jane Iredale Magic Mitt

I have something a bit different to talk about today, Jane Iredale's Magic Mitt. It's a very clever face washer that removes all make-up with just water. I've tried a few cloths like this, but Jane Iredale's version is my favourite as it's very gentle on my skin and doesn't require me to rub my face really hard to get my make-up off.
The Magic Mitt just looks like a regular face washer but once I used it I realised it was much more than that. It easily removed all my make-up and I didn't need to pull or tug at my eyes to get the mascara off. Over the last few months I've really been suffering with sensitive skin due to hayfever so this is what I've been using. I don't have to worry about a cleanser irritating my skin as the only thing I'm putting on it is water. Magic!

At $32 it's not cheap, but when I consider how much I spend on cleanser in a year, it actually is cheap. I'd spend at least $100 a year on cleanser, probably double that, which makes the Magic Mitt a bargain.

How to use: Saturate Magic Mitt with warm water and place over the hand. Use as you would a washcloth. Turn the mitt when one side is heavy with makeup and use the clean side to wipe away any residue. Lasts as long as a washcloth.

How to clean: Wash Magic Mitt in warm water with hand soap until all makeup residue is gone. Rinse thoroughly and hang up to dry. Do not store in anything that does not allow it to dry completely. Because these unique micro fibers slough off all organic residue and dry completely, they ensure that nothing is left on the mitt to culture bacteria or fungi.

How it works: Magic Mitt is made from a new generation of specially knitted micro fibers many times thinner than a human hair. When wet, they create a hydro-mechanical process that breaks the surface tension of the oils that bond makeup to the skin. This emulsion is then easily swept away by the mitt. Gently exfoliates while it works.  
If you suffer from sensitive skin or just want to save some money on cleanser, I highly recommend trying the Magic Mitt.

Jane Iredale products are sold online at Adore Beauty, Active Skin, Skin Matrix and Ry or at salons Australia wide.

Friday 9 November 2012

Dear Chai

Today you are 20 months old. Nearly two! The past 20 months have gone so fast! I look at you and can't believe you are the little baby that I bought home, you are getting so big and look like a little boy now, not a baby. 

You are tall for your age, taller than most of the children at playgroup. People usually think you are 2 1/2 or 3 and are very surprised when I tell them you are 20 months old. 

This has been a quiet month for us, we haven't done much. You are a very happy, active boy, you love running around and don't stop all day. 

Thomas the Tank engine is your favourite show, you'd watch it all day if I let you. At the moment you are going through a stage where you like to pull your books apart, so you have lots of books covered in sticky tape. I think you do it because you want to see what's between the pages, then you get annoyed when there is nothing there and you can't put it back together. 

You love vacuuming, raking and sweeping and spend a lot of time out in the yard with Daddy helping him rake up sweep up the leaves. I can see that you'll be a great helper when you get older because you love helping me when I'm hanging out the washing or putting it away.

My son, I am so blessed to have you in my life.  

FFS Friday - The Epic Whinge Edition

You may have noticed that today's post is late. It's been one of those weeks and today has really topped it off. Thank goodness the week is nearly done. Prepare yourself for an epic whinge, I have a lot to complain about this week. FFS.

As I've mentioned, we are selling our house. FFS.

We originally signed up with our estate agent in July and he made all these promises to us. When it came time to sell the house, he reneged on those promises. FFS.

In the end we got rid of him as we didn't trust him anymore. FFS.

Unfortunately we still have to pay for advertising and other expenses, so there goes $1,000. FFS.

Last Friday morning Chai and I were heading out for a while. First stop was the post office. It'd been raining so there were puddles that Chai loves to play in. I always let him, he gets a little bit wet but nothing too bad and the post office is usually our last stop so if he gets really wet it doesn't matter. For the first time ever, he decided to lay face down in the middle of a puddle. FFS.

Naturally he got soaking wet and we had to go home so that I could change him. FFS.

Tuesday hubby decided to get his parents down "to help out". FFS.

No matter how many times I tell him that they don't help, he doesn't get it. FFS.

When they come down it just means that I have them to look after as well as Chai. FFS.

Mornings are when I could do with some help as I'm not a morning person and Chai wakes up around 5.30am, however MIL doesn't get out of bed before 10am and FIL just sits in the lounge room doing nothing. FFS.

This time they managed to be quite helpful, which was great. Not FFS.

Wednesday morning we all headed to the shopping centre so I could do some shopping and we could take Chai to rhyme time. I did the shopping whilst the PILs looked after Chai. As I was taking the shopping to the car I heard Chai crying. FFS.

Chai had done a huge spew all over himself and the pram. FFS.

The spew was that big that even his bum was wet, he was absolutely soaked, so we went home. FFS.

He then developed a fever and spent the rest of the day and night sleeping, on me. FFS.

A few weeks ago we got hubbys car fixed as it was leaking. It rained on the weekend and we realised that it's still leaking. FFS.

This meant that I had to take the car back to the mechanic and catch the bus home, in the rain, with Chai. FFS.

Then I had to repeat the process to pick up the car. FFS.

When hubby got home he realised that there was a bit sticking out of the door and the car was still leaking. FFS.

I took the car back on Thursday (with my still sick baby). FFS.

They fixed the door and couldn't find a leak. FFS.

When I went back to pick up the car Chai and I caught the bus. I had Chai on my back in his carrier. I went to get off the bus and realised that one of the straps was stuck down the side of the seat and I couldn't get it unstuck. FFS.

Thanks to the help of three lovely Brazillians I managed to get the strap unstuck and we got off the bus. FFS.

When hubby got home and checked out the car he discovered that the door knob was broken. FFS.

I've refused to take the car back again. FFS.


Chai has continued his campaign of parental abuse this week. FFS.

He's ramped up the headbutting and managed to headbutt me right in the mouth so I had a fat lip for three days. Nice. FFS.

I think this may be his way of retaliating for all the times I've nearly killed him. That'll learn me. FFS. 

Remember all the issues we've had with Hubby's phone? It's continuing! FFS.

He has now decided that he hates his phone and so last night bought a new one. FFS.

We went out when he got home from work. I told him he'd have to be quick because Chai would need to go to bed. When we got to the shopping centre he dawdled around then decided he wanted to sit down for tea. FFS.

Unsurprisingly Chai was exhausted so started screaming hysterically. Hubby couldn't understand why. FFS.

We got take away and took Chai to the playground to have a run around whilst we ate our tea, then we headed to the phone shop. It took bloody ages. FFS.

The new phone takes a smaller sim card so they cut his sim card down without transferring all the phone numbers onto it. FFS.

Now we have to manually transfer all the phone numbers to the new phone. FFS. 

By we I mean me, because hubby doesn't know how to set his phone up. I spent an hour setting it up last night and I still haven't finished. FFS.

This morning has been one of those days where I wish I could have stayed in bed. FFS.

Chai hasn't slept well for a few weeks now because he's teething and pain killers aren't helping. FFS.

He's awake three times every night and for one of those times he's awake for at least an hour and up to three hours. FFS.

I'm not tired anymore, I am a zombie. FFS.

Last night he was up three times and the third time was for an hour and a half. FFS.

As per usual Chai woke up at 5.15am. FFS.

By 6am he was whingey and I wasn't in the mood so decided we'd get dressed, stop at the coffee shop then go to the playground. The car park at the beach was full when we got there at 7am. FFS.

I got a parking spot and we went to the coffee shop. Not FFS.

I got a babycino for Chai and he proceeded to cover us both with it. FFS.

We'd been out of the house for less than ten minutes and were both covered in chocolate. FFS.

We headed to the playground and Chai wanted to walk, so I let him. Big mistake. FFS.

We got to some stairs so I tried to pick Chai up but he managed to escape me. I told him to stop but he didn't and fell head first down four concrete stairs. FFS.

Thankfully Mum is here now, so hopefully both Chai and I will survive the rest of today. FFS.


Dear Baby G
And now for a plug. Hubby is doing Movember this year and would love some donations! I think everyone should donate as a way of congratulating me for putting up with the horrible Mo for a whole month. You can see the Mo and donate here.

Wednesday 7 November 2012

My last ever Addicted 2 Lip Balm haul

The day this package arrived was a sad day for me. This is going to be my last ever order from Addicted 2 Lip Balm.

I'm so, so sad that my favourite store Addicted 2 Lip Balm is closing down. Leah is the first person I've met who is as obsessed with lip balm as I am and it has been a delight having her to discuss lip balm with. Thankfully we are going to stay in touch, but I am really going to miss being able to access so many amazing balms. 

I know that I'm on P100P but I gave myself a leave pass for this one. There is no way I could miss out on one final opportunity to purchase some of my favourite balms. I wasn't quite quick enough as some of my favourites are already out of stock. 

Here's what I got:
Cocoa Nostra Confectionery balm in chocolate hazelnut
Cocoa Nostra Confectionery balm in frozen banana
Sprout Vegan balm in cocoa
Sprout balm in coca
Buddha Balm in crushed mint pineapple
Jack Black Intense Therapy lip balms in vanilla + lavender and black tea + blackberry
Fushi Organic Anti-Wrinkle balm
Greenland balm in cocoa vanilla
Love + Toast Tinted Lip Glaze in Misbehavin'
Urban Rituelle balm in Mocha
I know I said that this is my last haul, however I'm considering one more as there are still a few balms that I want and as it gets closer to closing date the products are being discounted more and more. The current discount is 20% which means there are some great bargains.

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Soap and Glory Peace Hand Love Kit


Last week I bought a gorgeous duo from Kit that contains a Soap and Glory Wash Your Hands of It liquid hand soap and Hand Food hand cream for the bargain price of $26.95. Both of the products are 250 ml and they come with a cute little silver holder so they look all posh on my bathroom cabinet. Considering that a 125ml Hand Food costs $11.95 this really is a great deal.

What I really love about this set is that it is making me moisturise my hands more. Now, every time I wash my hands I moisturise them as well and then wander around cheerfully sniffing my hands because they smell so good. It's such a shame that we can't buy the Soap and Glory perfume here, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
If you haven't already guessed, I'm in love with both of these products. I've used Hand Food before and it's a great moisturiser, sinks in quickly and smells amazing. Wash Your Hands of It is a lovely soap, not at all drying and it smells just as gorgeous as Hand Food.


Don't they look pretty in my bathroom?


For those of you who don't like heavily fragranced products, this is not the set for you. 

This would make a gorgeous christmas present however if you are planning on getting one for someone else, get two because you'll want to keep one!

I was too lazy to type out the ingredients lists, so here they are:


Monday 5 November 2012

October Favourites

I thought I was going to struggle to come up with favourites this months thanks to P100P, but surprisingly I managed to find quite a lot!
 Dior Lip Glow - This is the next lip product on my P100P hit list. I'll be sad to see it go as it's beautiful. It lightly tints my lips with a natural looking pink colour that really brightens my face. 

Covergirl Intense ShadowBlast eyeshadows in 800 and 815 - I've been using these very day lately, they are super easy to apply with my fingers, last all day and don't crease. Perfect.
 
Nars tinted moisturiser - I got a sample of this from Mecca after seeing it on Instagram, which really wasn't a wise move considering I'm doing P100P. I really, really like this and will be buying it when P100P is over. 
 
Physicians Formula Eye Booster - I used this every day for a month and it made my eyelashes longer. An added bonus is that it makes my lashes curl too. I stopped using it for a while but recently rediscovered it. 

Pupa Glossy Lips - I'm currently obsessed with chubby pencil lipsticks so was delighted when I found my Pupa chubby pencil in the car. It's very soft, very hydrating and a beautiful, natural looking colour. 


The Aromatherapy Co Rose and Patchouli Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser - I got this with one of those purchase with purchase bags that DJ's do every September. It's the nicest smelling hand sanitiser I've ever used. Unfortunately they don't seem to sell it anymore as I can't find it anywhere. 

Rose-Hip Vital Rosehip Oil - I've tried several brands of Rosehip Oil and this is one of my favourites. It has a very interesting smell that I can't describe, I assume this is due to it being cold pressed. When I use this at night I wake up with very soft, smooth skin.

The Face Shop Pore Minimizer - I dug this out of hubbys cupboard to use up for P100P. It's basically like a thick, siliconey primer. I like that it makes my skin feel and look smooth.

Pacifica Malibu Lemon Blossom Perfume - I suck at describing scents so I will just say that this smells fresh and reminds me of the scent of a beautiful garden in the early hours of a summer morning.

Models Prefer Corrector Pen - This is a stroke of genius. I used to use cotton buds to remove any eye make-up mistakes but this is so much better. It has a very fine tip so I can just remove the spot that I need to instead of having to remove and redo a large area. Also, it's great for when I'm using liquid eyeliner. I slap it on and then use the Corrector pen to neaten things up so I'm left with the perfect line. Genius.

The Physicians Formula eye liner and Rose-Hip Vital Rosehip Oil were provided for consideration.