Monday 30 October 2017

October Empties

Check me out! This month I finished a lip balm, an eye shadow, a foundation and a lip gloss! Go me! I'm so pleased with myself.


L'oreal Nude Magique Cushion Foundation
I'm yet to be convinced with cushion foundations. I think they're a fad that convinces you to pay a lot of money for a small amount of product. Whilst I didn't hate my Nude Magique Cushion Foundation I didn't love it and I won't purchase it again. The sponge it comes with isn't great and I found it difficult to pick up enough product with my make-up sponge.

Sara Happ One Luxe Gloss
In an effort to finish products I'm sticking to one gloss or lip balm at a time until they're empty. One Luxe Gloss is very hydrating so I used it as a lip balm. It has a pleasant scent, is non sticky and works well as a daily lip balm. It's nice and shiny so makes me look like I made an effort. 

Laura Mercier Grey Pearl Caviar Stick Eyeshadow
Oh how I miss this. It's one of my all time favourite eyeshadows. Despite what the name implies, it's a beautiful shimmery taupe colour that's perfect for a low key look. The stick makes it easy to apply and doesn't crease. Perfect. 

Vapour Organic Beauty Lux Lip Balm
I did enjoy using my Lux Lip Balm but won't repurchase due to the price. Burt's Bees and Crazy Rumors balms are just as good for a fraction of the price.
 
Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint
One of the Mecca staff gave me a sample of the Velvet Matte Skin Tint as I'm looking for a summer foundation. She chose well as it's lovely and would make a beautiful summer foundation. I'm not sure if I'll purchase it as they are no longer cruelty free. 

Jonathan Redo Hair Mist
I hate to admit how old this is. I'm not sure exactly, but I know I purchased it when I was working. I haven't worked since a month before Chai was born, so it's at least seven years old. No matter cause I've finished it now. 

Cetaphil Suntivity Sunscreen
I bought this to use on my face but it had such a strong chemical smell that I used it on my body just to get rid of it. I won't repurchase.

L'oreal Pure Clay Mask
If I wasn't making the transition to natural, cruelty free products I'd definitely repurchase Pure Clay mask. It was lovely to use, didn't irritate my skin and is reasonably priced. 

The Physic Garden Sensitive Deodorant
One of my all time favourite deodorants. Read about it here.

Lanolips Herbal Oil
Another product that's super old. It's long discontinued.
 
This Works No Tired Eyes
Why do eye creams always disappoint me? Probably because I expect miracles. Not really, I just want to see a difference in my eye area but it doesn't happen. One day I'll find an eye cream that works.  

Palmers Coconut Body Wash
An old favourite. I pick this up whenever I see it on special. It's a gentle, hydrating shower gel that smells like summer. 
 
Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel and Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum
Meh. You can read my full review here

Grant's Naturals Toothpaste
A family favourite. We buy in bulk and other than charcoal toothpaste, don't use anything else. 
 
BX Earth Hand Care Wash
I absolutely loved the smell of this hand wash. I got the pineapple and coconut fragrance, it's a match made in heaven. Definite repurchase. 

Sunday 29 October 2017

Thoughts of the week

1. So Stu won The Bachelorette. I hope that they live happily ever after. 

2. Once again I'm in cull mode. I've been throwing out my clothes, Eljay's clothes, shoes and anything else I can get my hands on. I've got rid of the cot and the change table attachment and been tossing out make-up.

3. I really want to make a list of every skin care and make-up item I own. It's such a daunting thought though. I think I'll list everything other than lip products, with them I'll just write down the number I have of each brand. When I finish something or get rid of it I can cross it off the list. Next year is going to be all out destashing and using things up. 

4. I've realised that I'm happy with less. I'm happy with one nice pair of sandals, a few nice skirts, etc. I'm happy using the same blush and face powder every day. I like to use the same few eye shadows and eyeliners. The same goes for lipstick. I no longer want or need a huge variety of clothes and make-up. My world has shrunk since I had kids. I don't have the time to do a different eye look every morning, I need something quick and easy. Knowing this makes downsizing and decluttering a lot easier. 

5. I have another meeting with Chai's school this week. Hopefully we'll get something sorted out for the rest of this year. Wish me luck.

Friday 27 October 2017

FFS Friday - Allergies

Episode three million and seventy eight of The Crap That Only Happens When Tiger Is Not Home.

Last Friday was sports day at Chai's school. Although he's not going to school I still want to keep him engaged so the boys and I went along for a while. We spent about two hours there in the morning. When we got home Chai's eye was sore, red and itchy so I gave him some antihistamine thinking it was hayfever. 

We went back in the afternoon, spent about half an hour there then went to the park for a play. When we got into the car Eljay said that he had a sore eye. I told him not to rub it and that I'd give him some medicine when we got home. 

By the time we got home (a two minute drive) both of Eljay's eyes were really puffy and very red. They were so bad that he couldn't see properly. I gave him some antihistamine and watched whilst he lay on the floor throwing a tantrum because I wouldn't give him chocolate. Whist he was screaming at the top of his lungs Tiger video called us and wanted me to talk. Clearly I was too busy to talk so gave the phone to Chai.

After fifteen minutes Eljay wasn't looking any better so I loaded both the boys into the car and headed for the Dr's surgery. Eljay was still screaming. Tiger was still on the phone wanting me to talk to him. I told him that I couldn't talk but the entire trip to the Dr's surgery he kept on ringing. After the third call I stopped answering. Really, isn't it obvious that when I'm in the middle of a crisis I don't have have the time to stop and talk?

As is usual in these situations, Chai started to panic and cry because he was worried about Eljay. I managed to calm him down and rushed us in to the Dr's surgery. Eljay's eyes were even worse and the white parts where obscured by a yellow layer. We walked in, the receptionist took one look at Eljay and arranged for him to see the next available Dr. As we were walking to the nurses section our regular Dr came out, looked at Eljay and said he'd call someone to see him immediately. 

We went to the nurses station and straight away had two nurses looking after Eljay. Within a few minutes a Dr was there and after a few minutes more the Dr who owns the practice was there. They gave Eljay some steroids then contacted the hospital and told them we'd be coming in. 

Because the reaction happened so quickly and I didn't know what had caused it, he needed to go to hospital to be monitored for four hours. They warned me that the hospital was busy so we'd be waiting for a while.
I didn't have to go straight to hospital so I dropped Chai off with my sister, went home to for food, phone charger etc and headed to the hospital. The private hospital here doesn't have a paediatric ward so we had to go to the public hospital.

When you get to the emergency department there you don't get to talk to anyone, you just walk in and sit around waiting to see the triage nurse. Too bad if it's an emergency. The staff behind the desk won't even look at you. Despite them knowing we were coming, we had to sit there waiting for the triage nurse. That took an hour. 

Whilst I was sitting there my sister called to say that Chai's eyes had started to swell. FFS.

By the time we saw the triage nurse Eljay was back to his normal self. He was jumping all over the furniture, eyeing off the other patients and having a great time. His eyes were still puffy but a lot better than they had been. It was obvious to the triage nurse that he was fine but only a Dr could officially sign off so we had to wait.

Thankfully the triage nurse got a Dr so after waiting another half an hour a Dr came and got us, had a look at Eljay and sent us home. What a relief. 

Meanwhile Chai's eyes had settled down after a dose of antihistamine. For the life of me I couldn't think what had cause the allergic reaction. We hadn't eaten anything different, been in contact with anything different or used a different sunscreen.

Turns out that there were over thirty other people who had the same reaction after being at the sports so it must have been something that was sprayed on the lawn there. What a relief. 

Wednesday 25 October 2017

Grahams Natural Skincare


For the last few months I've been using a selection of Graham's Natural Skincare products.

I receive the Natural Daily Facial Wash, Anti-Aging Moisturising Cream and Natural Hydrating Night Cream. 

Grahams Naturals are an Australian brand that started with eczema treatments and developed from their. Their skin care is natural, cruelty free, gentle and suitable for sensitive skin. 

The Natural Daily Facial Wash surprised me. Having dry skin I normally use a cream cleanser, so was expecting the gel cleanser to be too harsh for my skin, but it wasn't. It was super gentle, even on my eyes. It is an effective make-up remover and can even remove waterproof mascara.
It comes in a pump bottle (winning) and costs $12.95 for 125ml.

Anti-Aging Moisturising Cream and Natural Hydrating Night Cream are my current go-to products. 
The day cream comes in a pump bottle, absorbs quickly, soothes my dry skin and feels lovely. At only $9.95 for 125mls it's one of the cheapest anti-aging moisturisers I've used. 

The Natural Hydrating Night Cream has been my saviour over the winter months. As you would expect of a night cream it's rich and super hydrating. I apply a light layer at night and wake up with soft, glowing skin. Again, it's a bargain at only $19.95 for 50mls.

I've finished the cleanser and am running low on the day cream so plotting my next order. I want to try the lip balms, deodorant and body wash. 

Have you tried Grahams skin care? What else should I try?


*Note - These products were sent to me for review. 

Monday 23 October 2017

Craptacular AKA Products I regret buying

Every now and again I buy a product that isn't just bad it's so spectacularly bad that it's craptacular. Today I've got two craptacular products to tell you about. 


Thankyou Charcoal Body Polish
Oh my goodness. This was so very bad. I thought perhaps I was using it wrong so gave it to a friend who confirmed my diagnosis, it's craptacular. 

I normally love Thankyou products so I'm not sure what went wrong with this one. What I really don't understand is why it was released for sale. Surely they tried it out and realised it was awful?  

When you rub the body polish on it leaves behind a greasy grey film which is extremely difficult to remove. Body wash alone won't remove it, you need to use a sponge or loofah to get the product off. To add injury to insult, it doesn't even work as a body polish so your skin is no smoother or softer than it was before!

I used this three times with disastrous results each time. I also had to throw out the sponges I used to get the body polish off as they are coated in a grey film that won't come off.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
A while ago I was on holidays and discovered that my mascara had dried out, so picked up a travel size Perversion Mascara from Mecca. Big mistake. It's horrible. It's a lumpy, clumpy mess that I couldn't use at all. It left huge clumps of mascara on my eye lashes so I'd spend ages trying to comb the lumps out. In the end I gave up, tossed the mascara and bought a Covergirl one from Priceline. 

What crap products have you bought lately?


Sunday 22 October 2017

Thoughts of the week

1. I've been in struggle town the last few weeks. I need a village.

2. It's long been my dream to pack up and travel around Australia. I have recently realised that it just wouldn't work for me. Here's why. I'd never be alone. I'm an introvert, I need to be alone. I need to be a lone much more than I am and it drives me crazy. Being stuck in a caravan where I couldn't go to my room and shut the door would be hell. There goes that dream.

3. Never fear, I have modified my dream. I'd like to travel around the country for a limited amount of time, no longer than six months. I reckon that's about as long as I could handle it for.

4. I've been talking to one of my friends recently and we're making each other's heads explode. We both think very differently/alternatively so when we get together it's like a downward spiral. Fun but dangerous.

5. My beautiful friend Maya is about to start an amazing journey. She specialises in trauma yoga and will soon have her website up and running. Stay tuned, I'll bring you more details soon.

Friday 20 October 2017

FFS Friday - You are not alone

To all the parents who feel like they are on the verge of a breakdown, you are not alone. I understand. I too sit here wondering where I went wrong and why parenthood is so tough. No-one told me it'd be like this. No-one told me I'd have days where I wondered wtf I'd gotten myself into and wondered why I'd so desperately wanted children.

No-one told me that I'd be pushed way beyond my limits and constantly feel like I was on the verge of a breakdown. No-one told me I'd have days and weeks were I didn't know how I'd get through the day with my sanity intact.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. I didn't sign up for this. I wanted to enjoy parenthood but instead I am barely hanging on. I have no idea where I went wrong. Every morning I plaster a smile on my face and pretend everything is okay but inside I'm screaming. I went to the Dr and told him I feel like I'm losing my mind. He said that's what being a parent is all about and it's why he works, so that he can escape from it. Helpful.

I read those articles about "how to get your children to stop fighting" and all that other stuff. It's crap. It doesn't work. Those positive, everything is rosy articles drive me crazy. They're such a load of rubbish.

There's something I've come to realise. We are resilient. Even though we feel like we can't continue, we do. Day after day we get up, show up and get things done.

Parenting is tough but we get through it, minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day.  

So from one slightly insane, barely keeping it together parent to another, we've got this.

Wednesday 18 October 2017

Drunk Elephant Skincare sets



A while ago I bought two sets of travel sized Drunk Elephant products from Mecca Cosmetica. Drunk Elephant gets so much hype but they are fairly expensive so the travel sizes are a good option.

I purchase the Rise and Glow and Nightbright sets. Rise and Glow contains B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel and C-Firma Day Serum and costs $33.
Nightbright contains T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum and Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil, costing $40. Each product is 8ml which doesn't sound like much but I got four weeks of once daily use from each product.

Out of everything, T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum is my favourite and the only item I'd consider purchasing. Using this every night made my skin feel noticeably softer and smoother the next day. Having said that, I get the same result from using exfoliating pads every night, so I'm not sure I'm willing to spend $132 to buy a full sized bottle.

I don't rate the Vitamin C serum. I know it gets a lot of hype but in my opinion the Skinstitut Vitamin C powder is more effective and a hell of a lot cheaper. Save your money peeps! Skinstitut Vitamin C powder gives me noticeable results in two weeks, I got no noticeable results from C-Firma Day Serum. At $116 a bottle I expect results. The Skinstitut Vitamin C powder costs $49 for a tub.

Virgin Maruala Luxury Face Oil and B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel are both nice but not life changing. The B-Hydra wasn't hydrating enough for me, it'd be good for people with oily or normal skin as it absorbs quickly and isn't greasy.  

Overall I'm glad that I got to try out travel sizes as would have been very annoyed if I'd purchased the full sized products.

High quality, effective skin care does not have to be expensive and just because something is expensive doesn't mean it's good!

Monday 16 October 2017

The Natural Deodorant Edit



I've been searching for an effective, natural deodorant for over six years now. Whilst there are plenty of natural deodorants, there aren't many that are bicarb free and effective for sensitive skinned people like me. After trying a whole heap (I'd guess at least fifty) of natural deodorants, I've narrowed it down to the best three.

My conditions for the perfect natural deodorant are:
it doesn't irritate my pits, 
it has to be effective in summer, 
I don't need to reapply it through the day.

Bonus points for products that are reasonably priced, made in Australia and easy to get hold of.

Without further ado, I present you the best natural deodorants available in Australia. 

Alcome Co
Finding a new Australian brand is always exciting. Initially I started using the Alcome Co charcoal toothpaste then tried out their Bearly There deodorant. They're both lovely. Alcome Co products are made in Adelaide using fresh, plant based formulas. Their packaging is fully recyclable/reusable and they also offer a refill option.

Bearly There is natural, organic, vegan and bicarb free. Being a deodorant cream it's soft, easy to use and feels lovely on my skin. The scent is a beautiful mix of rose, sandalwood and vanilla that would make a gorgeous perfume. Once applied the scent fades and is undetectable, meaning this would also be suitable for men.

If you are after a soothing deodorant for irritated skin, this is the one for you. A 15ml tin costs $7 and a 60 gram pot costs $16.

Alaffia
I'd almost given up on finding a natural deodorant that worked when I purchased the Alaffia deodorant from iHerb. It costs between $6 and $7 depending on the exchange rate, so I was willing to give it a go.

There are six fragrances available (Bergamot, Coconut, Lavender, Vetiver, Lmeongrass Tea Tree and Mandarin Ginger) however iHerb only carry four of them. They are all pleasant and I don't have a favourite fragrance. Vetiver would be more suitable for men, it smells very smokey but not in an unpleasant way.  All of the frangrances are subtle and I can't smell them once applied, so they'd really all be suitable for everyone, it just depends on your preferences. 

The first few sticks I used were quite soft so I used them up quickly, however the ones that I have now are a lot firmer so will last longer. Whilst the price is cheaper than my other favourite deodorants, a 75 gram stick is used up a lot quicker, so they probably work out the same in terms of value for money.

If you are after a deodorant that's easy to apply or toss in your bag, this is the one you're after. I purchase four at a time from iHerb.

The Physic Garden
I was lucky enough to test out the Physic Garden Sensitive Deodorant before it was available to the public and I fell instantly in love with it. The Physic Garden products are 100% natural, vegan and naturopathically formulated in Melbourne by Charelle who is an all round awesome person.

Their deodorant comes in a glass jar with a tin lid making it zero waste. The one I have is an older one which is why it has a plastic lid. 

If you are after a fragrance free deodorant that leaves you feeling dry all day, this is the one for you. Due to being fragrance free it's unisex. As with most balms like this, you only need to use a pea sized amount for each armpit, so it's great value for money. 

The Physic Garden Sensitive Deodorant is available in three sizes. 16 grams (perfect for travel) costs $7.95, 28 grams costs $10.95 and 60 grams costs $14.95.  

Sunday 15 October 2017

Thoughts of the week

This Harvey Weinstein scandal is fascinating. It's not just him and the film industry though, it happens everywhere, in every industry.

It happens to women so often that we think it's normal and shrug it off as nothing, but it's not nothing and it's not okay. We need to stand up and not let behaviour like this be accepted. We need to do this for our children and our children's children. Men need to stand up too. 

Society as a whole needs to stand up and say that the mistreatment of women is unacceptable and should stop. A women should be able to go about her daily business without the threat of sexual harassment.

Through my career it's happened to me and on none of those occasions did I speak out. The first time it happened was at my first full time job. I was 16, vulnerable and naive. I worked at a shoe shop. My boss, Adrian, was a chauvinist pig of a man. Every time I was up the ladder getting shoes, he'd come to talk to me so that he could look up my skirt. It only stopped when I "accidentally" kicked him in the face. Hah. 

After that he started coming up behind me and putting his arms around me. That stopped when I elbowed him in the belly. I didn't say anything to anyone about those incidents, in fact I didn't think much of them at all, it was just one of those things that happen to women. 

Years later I worked with a federal police officer. I had to go to him to ask for information I needed for my investigations. He wouldn't give me the information for at least half an hour because he wanted to talk to me. It wasn't work talk, it was just personal chat. Not appropriate. I told my supervisors but nothing was done. Unsurprising.

The worst case I had was a boss who harassed myself and our entire team on an ongoing basis for about two years. His behaviour with me was totally inappropriate. Despite being married, he decided he was in love with me and acted like a stroppy, lovesick teenager. I never encouraged him, in fact I actively discouraged him, to no avail. 

The deputy manager suspected something inappropriate was going on so he spoke to my boss, but never spoke to me or the rest of the team. 

When he finally left I gave a file full of evidence to the deputy manager. Why didn't any of us say anything? Because we knew if we did he'd get away with it and we would ruin our careers. So we stayed silent. 

It's time we all woke up, stood up and stopped things like this happening. We should not be silent. It's time to make a change.

Friday 13 October 2017

FFS Friday - Pants on fire

As a general rule I don't lie to my kids. 

Every now and again out of desperation, I do. It never ends well.

A few weeks ago I was getting the boys ready for a play date. It was really cold but Eljay would not wear appropriate clothing. He wanted to wear shorts and a singlet. It was windy and 13 degrees outside.

No matter what I tried I couldn't convince him to wear warm clothes, so in desperation I told him he needed to wear warm clothes because it might snow.

He excitedly got dressed in his warmest clothes then raced out of his bedroom to tell Chai that it might snow. FFS.

Chai got all excited and was jumping around trying to see if it was snowing. FFS.

I pre warned the other mums that the boys were expecting snow, whilst frantically  back pedalling and telling the boys it probably wouldn't snow.

When we got to our playdate the other mums all gleefully chatted to the boys about snow and pondered when it might snow.

Hah. No chance of that one blowing over.

The next day they were still wondering if it was going to snow. Funnily enough, it didn't.

If you've been following along with my stories the last few weeks you might remember my struggles to get a referral to a psychiatrist for Chai.

Last week I was at the farmers market when I got a phone call from the Dr. She told me that she'd found a great psychologist for Chai. FFS.

Once again I told her that he has a great psychologist but the education department requires a letter from a psychiatrist. She then went on to tell me that the referrals are normally handled by a paediatrician and that she knows I cancelled my follow up appointment with them. What that has to do with anything I don't know.

I told her that I need a referral to a psychiatrist so she said she'd call Chai's psychologist and talk to her about it. FFS.

She did nothing so I went to see the psychologist myself. We had a long chat and she is arranging a referral to a local psychiatrist (the one the Dr said I wouldn't be able to get in to. Apparently I can get in to see them and it'll take around six weeks!)

Then she told me that a Dr is usually the one who does referrals to psychiatrists! FFS.

I'm never seeing that Dr again!

Wednesday 11 October 2017

September Empties

September was a pretty poor month for empties, I have lots of products that are nearly finished but not much that I managed to use up. I did manage to finish a perfume though!


Kora Organics Hydrating Day and Night Cream
I was surprised at how much I liked using the Kora mosturiser. I love that it's a day and night cream, so saves me buying two different products. It kept my dry skin feeling soft and comfortable through the cold winter weather. It worked really well mixed in with foundation to make a tinted moisturiser on those days I only wanted a light base. I'll definitely purchase it again. 

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation 
I'm in love with Born This Way, it's a beautiful foundation. It gives medium coverage, evens out my dark patches and is undetectable on my skin. Once I've finished a few foundations I'll be purchasing this (or I may just buy it anyway!)

Alaffia Deodorant
One of my two holy grail natural deodorants. If only it was available in Australia. I order mine from iHerb.

Lush Rose Jam Perfume
I was so sad to finish this as it's no longer available. It's one of my all time favourite scents. They've just released a body spray in the Rose Jam scent so I'll be buying it asap.


After these four I only have a few samples left, which I hope to finish this month.


I'm in love with the Kevyn Aucoin Illuminator, it's magic. If it was cheaper I would have purchased it already. Candlelight is the perfect shade for pale skinned girls. I mixed it in with my foundation for a beautiful glow.

The Body Shop Oils of Life Facial Oil was lovely too, it's one I'll consider purchasing in the near future.
 

Sunday 8 October 2017

Thoughts of the week

1. Last week Kimberley told me about two websites where you can check the date your cosmetics were made. Oh my goodness! I checked three of my MAC lipsticks, one was eight years old!

2. If you'd like to check when your products were made, the websites are here and here

3. This is giving me a great starting point for my new year declutter (which I'm planning already!)

4. I'm starting to think about my plans for next year. I've got my skincare very close to where I want it to be, make-up is next. I'm thinking that 2018 will be the year of the no buy or very low buy.

5. I haven't figured out how I'll go about it yet, any suggestions? I think a total no buy is not realistic, however a very low buy is. I'm also considering going cruelty free and maybe even natural products only.

Friday 6 October 2017

FFS Friday - Country Chic

Trying to get things sorted for Chai at school is proving difficult. Very difficult. 

I'm starting to wonder why I'm bothering when I can just home school and save all the trouble (and money).

To get funding for a teachers assistant he needs to see a psychiatrist. 

I'm expecting that will be really expensive.

I took him to the Dr and asked for a referral to a psychiatrist, explained why I need it and why it has to be a psychiatrist not a psychologist or paediatrician.

As she's new to the area she said that she'd find out who to refer Chai to and send the referral to me.

A few days later I received a letter from a paediatricians office saying they'd received a referral for Chai. FFS.

He's already seen a paediatrician who can't help and it was a huge waste of $360.

I called the Dr's surgery, explained the situation and they said they'd call me back that day.

Nothing.

The next day the Dr called me and explained that she'd referred Chai to a paediatrician because they are experts in anxiety, sensory issues etc and they can arrange a referral to a psychiatrist. 

So she wanted me to spend $360 to get a referral? 

I explained to her once again that it had to be a psychiatrist and that he's already seen both a paediatrician and a psychologist.

I also explained to her that seeing the paediatrician cost $360 so I wasn't prepared to spend that sort of money just for a referral that she could provide!

She apologised for the confusion. WTF? There was no confusion, she just didn't listen to me when I explained to her the first time why it had to be a psychiatrist and no-one else. FFS.


As is usual with the country, there's only one paediatric psychiatrist down here so getting an appointment will take at least six months and mean that Chai won't have the report in time for the start of school next year. FFS.

All signs are pointing to no.

I am seriously wondering why I'm playing this game and why I am allowing my boy to be part of a schooling system that doesn't work for him. 

I'm kidding myself thinking that next year will be better, it'll be exactly the same. They'll still have unrealistic expectations that he won't be able to achieve. 

It's not healthy or normal for young children to be sitting still all day. They need freedom and movement.

The difference in Chai since he stopped school is amazing. Not only is he a lot happier, physically he's come a long way. He's so much stronger. His core strength is better, he's less floppy, has more stamina and is making progress so quickly. All this is due to him not sitting down all day at school. 

I wish I'd never sent him to school, that I'd trusted my instincts and kept him home where he needed to be. 

Off the grid or a nomadic lifestyle is looking more and more enticing. If only we could free ourselves of our financial constraints and escape.

I can dream. Not only for me, but for my babies.

Monday 2 October 2017

What's in my spring make-up bag

Spring is here, the weather is warming up and it's time to crack out the bright, spring coloured make-up. I have a few products that I've nearly used up so I won't be swapping them out, but I am adding in some bright lipsticks and a few pretty eye shadows. I've swapped my foundation for a lighter base and my SPF 15 sunscreen for an SPF 50 version. 


I've been loving purple lately so pulled out my Nars Night Fairy eyeshadow. It's a gorgeous light, shimmery purple. I'm hoping to hit pan on it as I've had it for more years than I care to admit. 

The Natio palette was a birthday present from Tiger, the colours are perfect for spring/summer and it even has a bronzer!
 
Swatches from top: Eye of Horus Lazuli Blue, Nars Night Fairy, NYX Girl Talk, Colour Pop Bill and Laura Mercier Grey Pearl



The other eyeshadows I'll be using are Colour Pop Bill, NYX Girl Talk and Laura Mercier Grey Pearl (which isn't grey at all, it's taupe). 

I've also pulled out one of my all time favourite eye liners, Eye of Horus Lazuli Blue. It's a beautiful, bright blue that looks great with barely there eye shadow.

Base wise I'll be using two favourites, It Cosmetics CC+ and BYS Pure Silk serum foundation. I love the CC because it has an SPF of 50 which is ideal for spring and summer. 

The BYS Pure Silk foundation is a new favourite. Despite being very light it gives great, buildable coverage. I usually only need one layer with a second layer just on the problem spots. 
 
Swatches from top: Inika Blossom Lip Glaze, Shanghai Suzy Pink Lady, Ilia Lady Blossom, Shanghai Suzy Peony, Charlotte Tillbury Very Victoria


Now for my favourite, lip products. I've pulled out a few old favourites and added in some new beauties.

Shanghai Suzy Peony for a dark wash of pink and Pink Lady for a beautiful bright pink. Ilia Blossom Lady for a sheer wash of pinky mauve, Inika Blossom for days when I want a light shimmery pink and Charlotte Tillbury Very Victoria when I want the mlbb look. 





Do you change your make-up each season? What are your favourite spring products?

*Note: The BYS foundation and Inika Lip Glaze were provided for review. 

Sunday 1 October 2017

Thoughts of the week

1. I'm loving watching Sophie Monk on the Bachelorette. My favourites are Apollo, Luke Jarrod and James.

2. A new eco shop has opened in town, I'm so excited that we can finally buy eco friendly products instead of having to order them online. I bought some Onya produce bags and have been using them instead of collecting plastic at the supermarket. 

3. Since discovering that I can recycle soft plastics at Coles, I've been astounded at how much plastic we use. Most of it is shopping bags, so I've starting taking my own bags. I put them in the front seat of my car so that I don't forget them and that's working well for me. I used to keep them in the boot and always forget them, with them in the front seat I can see them so always remember. 

4. Spring is in the air. I'm a winter girl but have to admit that I'm looking forward to the warmer weather. 

5. Pinks new album is out this month!