Monday 29 January 2018

Life changing beauty tips

That's a lie, I'm pretty sure beauty tips won't change your life, however now that I've decided that I'm an expert I've started using click bait titles, hahaha. Just joking, I'll stop after this post. I do have a few pearls of beauty wisdom to share, so here we go.

Try applying your face mask with a flat foundation brush. Oh my goodness. I had no idea how much better it is to apply face mask with a brush! It makes the application a lot easier, less messy and you get even coverage. 

Apply your mascara with the wand held vertically instead of horizontally. Holding the wand vertically makes it easier to get to all the lashes so you get more volume and definition. 

Those of you who like me always have a hair tie around your wrist will like this one. You know how you stretch it to the perfect size then lose it? Here's the solution. Put a few hair ties on your water bottle to stretch them. After about a week they're the perfect size and if you lose one you have a few more ready and waiting. 

If you have dry skin, add a drop or two of oil to your foundation before you apply it. I put a drop on my make-up sponge, put the foundation on top then apply it. My skin stays hydrated and the foundation goes on a lot smoother. This will only work with oil based foundations. 
This trick also works really well when applying concealer under the eyes, it prevents creasing.

After you've finished doing your make-up, lightly patting a silicone based primer over fine lines and enlarged pores helps to blur them.

That's all I've got. What are your tried and true beauty tips?

Sunday 28 January 2018

Thoughts of the week

1. School is back this week. I'm not looking forward to it. Eljay starts kindy, despite him not wanting to go, I think he'll love it. It's Chai I'm worried about. His teacher is wonderful, but I'm just not sure if a regular school is the right environment for him. We'll find out soon.

2. Craig McLachlan's excuse for sexual harassment shows exactly the issue. 
People who think that unwanted sexual advances are "cheeky" are the problem. They aren't cheeky, they are illegal. It's not okay. Nor is saying that everyone else was doing it. 
All workplaces should be free of sexual harassment and if other people are behaving inappropriately, instead of joining in, it's up to those in positions of seniority and power (such as Craig), to call it out and put a stop to that behaviour, not add to it. 
People in power don't seem to understand that those below them don't feel confident enough to speak up about behaviour that they aren't comfortable with. If a boss or senior person is harassing you, calling them out could cost you your job, so of course the person won't speak out.
It's not funny, it's not cheeky, it's not a joke and it's definitely not okay. It's harassment, pure and simple. Get with the program people. 

3. My beautiful Maya has started teaching trauma yoga. Check her out here. If you don't live in Sydney that's okay, get it touch and she'll sort something out. Trust me when I say it'll be worth it.

4. I've told Maya this already but I'll tell you too, she's going to do amazing things. Also, few people rock a bright lip like Maya does.

5. Hope you all had a wonderful Australia Day.

Friday 26 January 2018

FFS Friday - Parenting expert

You know those parenting articles you read, the click bait ones that say "How I stopped my kids fighting with one easy sentence"? The ones written by a perfect parent with perfect kids who always behave and never fight, due to their amazing parents who fix everything with one easy phrase. Well I think they're a load of rubbish, so today I'm going to write my own article. I figure it's about time as I'm clearly a parenting expert having been a parent for over six years now.

Today I'm going to tell you how to stop your darling child telling people that he hates them. It's so very simple. One easy sentence in fact. I kid you not. Here goes.

As a rule I try not to lie to my kids. I've learned from experience that it usually backfires (like the time I told Eljay it might snow and he told everyone!) Sometimes, as much as I try not to lie to the kids, I just have to. 

I've mentioned before that Eljay is a mean little monster. On a daily basis he was telling Chai and I that he hates us and he wishes we'd never been born. Nasty. I tried everything I could think of. I spoke to him about how awful it was to say things like that, explained that it was really hurtful. Tiger spoke to him, Chai spoke to him, my Mum spoke to him, my sister spoke to him. Nothing helped. 

Next I tried penalties. I made him sit on the couch, I put him in his room, I took away his tv privileges. When that didn't work I started throwing out his toys. He didn't give a flying fart.

I tried ignoring the nastiness and praising the positive. Didn't help. I tried everything I could think of. Nothing worked. At least five times a day he told Chai that he hates him and at least twice a day he told me. No matter how I tried to ignore it and remind myself that he didn't understand what he was saying, it was still hurtful.

In desperation I told Eljay that if he was nasty again I'd call santa. It worked! Who would have thought it'd be that simple. It's been six weeks now and he no longer says that he hates us! Winning!

So there you go. My one easy step to get your kid to stop being nasty. Threaten to call santa.

You're welcome. 

Wednesday 24 January 2018

Raww Beauty


When there's a new, natural beauty range released in Australia, you can bet that I'll be excited. When they have a lip oil in the range, I'm even more excited! Make it available in my local health food store and you can guarantee that I'll be picking up several products from the range. That's exactly what I did when Raww Beauty was released, then I was lucky enough to receive some products for review, winning. 

Naturally the first products I purchased were a lip oil and lip gloss. Can't say I'm not predictable, haha. I was then lucky enough to receive some lip oils, lipsticks, a mascara and one of their serums. I'll review the serum once I've used it a bit more. 

Raww has done a wonderful job with this range, all of the products that I've tried are beautiful. It all smells lovely too, even the mascara.

I've heard great things about the foundations and nail polishes, so I'm planning on picking both of them up soon. I'm also interested in the skin care. Actually, I'm interested in the whole range. I'll try everything eventually!


I received four of the twelve Coconut Kiss Lipsticks. The shades I received are Chocolate Chunks, Pomegranate Parade, Poetic Pink and Petite Peach. The scent is a gorgeous blend of vanilla, lime and coconut. 

Coconut Kiss Lipsticks are up there with my favourite lipsticks. They feel as hydrating as a lip balm so I can comfortably wear them all day. The shades are all satin, no shimmer and they last around four hours before I need to reapply. Fancy Fig is the next shade on my wish list. 

Coconut Kiss Lipsticks cost $24.99 for a 4g tube. 

Raww Beauty Coconut Kiss Lipsticks from top: Chocolate Chunks, Pomegranate Parade, Poetic Pink and Petite Peach

Raww Beauty Coconut Kiss Lipsticks



Naturally the lip oils were the first product I tried.They are light but hydrating, with surprisingly good coverage. In the past I've found that the light lip oils don't have very good pigmentation, but these oils have great pigmentation. They can also be layered, just wait about a minute for the colour to settle then apply another layer. 

I like to use Raspberry Ice over the top of nude lipsticks to perk them up a bit.


Raww Fruit Fusion Lip Oil: Peach Snap, Strawberry Spritz and Raspberry Ice

There are three shades in the of Fruit Fusion lip oil, they cost $24.99 for a 12ml tube. 

Coconut Splash Lip Gloss in Sea Curls
This beautiful lip gloss is the Coconut Splash lip gloss in the shade Sea Curls, which is a pinky mauve.

Raww say the scent is vanilla, lime and coconut, but to me it smells like orange chocolate, so yummy. As with the other lip products in the range, Coconut Splash is very hydrating, I can happily wear it in place of lip balm. I love products that are hydrating enough to use instead of lip balm.The coverage is opaque with one layer and lasts around three hours before fading.


There are nine shades in the lip gloss range and they cost $19.99 for 3.1mls. 



The first thing I'm going to tell you about the mascara is that it smells great! I know that's a strange thing to mention, but it just goes to show you that Raww products really are made up of superfoods.

Another thing that I'm really pleased about is that Moringa Lash Impact mascara comes in a brown shade as well as the usual black. It's so difficult to find a good brown mascara. 

I've been using Moringa Lash Impact mascara for the last few weeks and I'm very happy with it. It gives great length, holds a curl and doesn't clump or flake. As with the other products, it has a vanilla, lime and coconut scent. Gotta love a masacra that smells good and only costs $24.99.

You can purchase Raww products from their website or from health food stores. 

Have you tried any Raww products? What should I try next?

Monday 22 January 2018

Why I'm breaking up with my favourite cleanser




Trilogy's Cream Cleanser has been my holy grail cleanser for a while now. I love it. It's gentle, smells great and doesn't irritate my skin even during allergy season. Unfortunately there's one thing I don't like about it and it's a deal breaker for me. 

The first travel sized tube I used was fine, as was my first bottle. When I opened the second tube I noticed that it had a strong marzipan/almond scent. I hate that scent. The tube was in date for another year so that wasn't the problem.

The next bottle I used was fine. The bottle I'm using now is not. When I was about halfway through it changed from smelling lovely to smelling like marzipan. Have I mentioned I hate that smell? The bottle is in date until the end of 2019 and smelled lovely when I purchased it. It's been stored in my bathroom as per usual, not exposed to extreme heat or sunlight and as it's a pump bottle the bottle has remained sealed. Yet it stinks. 

For me this is a deal breaker. Trilogy Cream Cleanser is my holy grail due to it's all round awesomeness, of which the scent is a large part. Without the beautiful scent, it's no better than the Sukin Cream Cleanser and it's a whole lot more expensive than Sukin. 

Sorry Trilogy Cream Cleanser, I don't love you any more, I'm breaking up with you.

Sunday 21 January 2018

Thoughts of the week

1. This is one of the funniest things I've read in a long time.

2. After thinking that Eljay was looking forward to starting kindy, this week he told me he's not. I'm now back to questioning my choices and wanting to take my babies and run away.

3. The Sacred Little Owl Signature Blend is amazing. I've been burning it every day, you all need it. 

4. You know that clip about grounding doing the rounds on facebook at the moment? Tiger sent it to me and then got annoyed when I didn't watch it. Mate, you're preaching to the converted. I've known this crap for years. It's like sending me a clip on how to get dressed, I know this already buddy, don't waste my time.

5. Coffee is life. That is all.

Friday 19 January 2018

FFS Friday - Strong

You know what really sucks? Always being the strong one. Even strong people need someone to lean on sometimes.

Just because someone is strong doesn't mean that they don't need help. Just because they cope with whatever comes their way doesn't mean you can keep dumping on them and not offering support.

I've noticed with a few of my friends that I have to ask how they are twice. The first time I ask they say they're fine. The second time I ask, I get the truth. 

If you've got a friend who's strong, next time you seem them ask how they are and really listen. Don't ask then start talking about yourself, ask and wait. Give them time to talk. You might be surprised what you hear.

Monday 15 January 2018

2018 Project Pan



I've mentioned it a few times already and have finally decided on a plan for this years panning project. Over the last year or so I've realised that I no longer like to have a huge selection of products. I'm happy with a few products that I love. I tend to use the same few products all the time, so it's pointless to have a huge pile of make-up that I never use. Anything that's in my make-up drawer gets used, the rest of the products are neglected. A lot of the products in my drawer are neglected too, I use the ones on top. My go to look is foundation/BB/CC, powder, brows, eyeliner, mascara, blush and lip colour. When I can be bothered I'll use concealer, eye shadow and lip liner. 

Out of all those products, the only ones that I change regularly are lip colour and base. I'm happy to use the same blush, mascara, eye liner, concealer and eye shadows. That gives me a good idea of my ideal stash. About ten bases, twenty eye shadows, one blush, two or three concealers, two mascaras, around ten eye liners, five lip liners, one powder, one brow product, and fifty or less lip products.That's being very generous with the lip products, but I do love my lipsticks and glosses. Whilst I'd like to have less lip products, I don't think it's realistic for me so why force it. 

In order to achieve this I plan to spend this year regularly culling and trying to use up as much as I can. Rather than go on a total no buy that I know I won't stick to, I'm going to alternate between a low buy and no buy. January is my no buy month, February will be a low buy etc. The only exception to this is November when we're going to the Gold Coast and I'll finally get to visit a Sephora and Daisio store.  

I'm trying to stick to natural/organic and cruelty free products and each time I purchase I'll ask myself if the product will add value to my life. Sometimes the answer might be yes but most of the time it will be no. 

I have considered doing an inventory but it's overwhelming and I just don't think I can be bothered. I might attempt it once they boys are at school, if I do I'll update this post.  

Are you doing a no buy, low buy or project pan this year? Got any tips for me?
 

Sunday 14 January 2018

Thoughts of the week

1.I'm loving the #TimesUp movement. It's high time that  women stood up for themselves and sexual harassment wasn't an accepted part of a womans life. Perpetrators need to understand that this behaviour will no longer be tolerated and women need to be able to report such behaviour safely without fear of being labelled a liar or losing their job. 

Time's Up people. We are women, we are strong and we will not back down. Your days of threatening, harassing and intimidating us are over.

2. I really hope that Australia will get a Time's Up Now fund set up.

3. Tiger bought an X Box this week. I don't think it'll be a good thing. Another screen for the boys to get addicted to.

4. Since the end of last year I've been in declutter mode. The junk room is no longer a junk room, my wardrobe is significantly smaller and I'm constantly getting rid of things I no longer need/use. I've donated four boxes of clothes so far, given away two boxes of baby stuff to a friend and I'm still going. The beauty stash is next.

5. After finally finding a course that I want to study, I can't afford it.

Friday 12 January 2018

FFS Friday - Sold

Chai has always been a very imaginative child. When he started kindy I was worried that he'd bark at everyone because he was having a great time pretending to be a dog. He'd be in dog mode at least 80% of the day. When I say dog mode, I mean really, he took it as far as he could. He'd crawl everywhere, bark, wee and poo outside, eat and drink from a bowl on the floor, play fetch etc.

At the moment he's a zombie hunting sloth. Yes you read that right. 

We've been learning a lot about sloths. One thing we learned is that sloths grow algae on their fur which gives them nutrients when they groom themselves. It also turns their fur green.

Chai got green camo face paint and plastered it all over his face and in his hair. He refused to let me near his hair for two weeks because he didn't want the green washed out, and the face paint stains the skin. Just as the paint starts to fade he'd paint his face again, so I had a green faced, green haired boy for two weeks. 

Whatever they put in that camo face paint needs to be in cosmetics. No amount of scrubbing will remove the green. I've used my oil cleansers, heavy duty long lasting make-up removers, waterproof make-up removers and nothing will budge it. 

Tiger isn't that great at checking the messages he writes. He often sends me messages that make no sense whatsoever and I have to try to decipher what he meant. 

Last week he wanted recommendations for a car detailer so he posted on about four different facebook pages. With a typo.

A few minutes after he'd posted, my cousin called to ask why he was selling his car. Tiger explained that he wasn't and that my cousin had read the message wrong. Or not.

A few minutes later I got an sms from my sister asking why Tiger was selling his car. I checked the facebook post.

He'd asked if anyone knew any good car dealers. Dealers not detailers. He then started getting messages from people interested in buying his car. 

I pointed out his error so he fixed it on one page, but it was still showing up and he kept on getting messages. He got four messages in half an hour.

The intelligent thing would have been to delete his posts but he couldn't be bothered because he'd posted on so many different sites, so instead he decided to sit there and get annoyed every time someone offered to buy his car. Clever.

He's such a strange creature. 

Wednesday 10 January 2018

The matte lipsticks you need to try


Whilst I love matte, long lasting lipsticks, I don't like the ones which give me lips that look drier than a popcorn fart. 

Thankfully there are several brands who do lovely, non drying matte lipsticks that last six hours or more.

My criteria for a good matte lipstick is that they aren't drying, I can wear a gloss or balm over them without breaking down the colour and they fade evenly. There's nothing worse than a lipstick that fades off patchily, it's not a good look. 

Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor 
This is my favourite matte liquid lipstick formula so far. It's creamy, hydrating, stays comfortable all day and doesn't make my lips look like they're 90. 
I have to admit that if my beautiful Emma hadn't bought me one I never would have tried them due to not being a fan of liquid matte lipsticks, but I'm so very glad she did as they're amazing. 

The lipstick doesn't dry down, it stays feeling creamy and comfortable on my lips. Despite that, it lasts for at least six hours before I need to reapply. 

Rimmel The Only One Matte
Being a huge fan of the original The Only One lipsticks, I was expecting great things from the matte version and was not disappointed. The formula is smooth and creamy on the lips, yet long lasting. The lighter shades last around five hours and the darker shades at least six. The darker shades leave a light stain of colour once they've worn off, the light shades wear off completely.

Shanghai Suzy
Shanghai Suzy's whipped matte lipsticks are perfection. They're vegan, cruelty free and made in Melbourne. I'm told that Jo is working on a permanent range of fifty shades, however I'm not sure how correct this information is. If it is true, I'm excited! I love my Suzy's, however a permanent range would be great, because finding a colour that you love then not being able to repurchase sucks. 

I can find no fault with Shanghai Suzy matte lipsticks. They are strawberry flavoured, long lasting, hydrating and reasonably priced. I can happily wear them for weeks on end without my lips drying out. The limited edition shades are on trend and gorgeous, the permanent line is equally beautiful. 

The Body Shop Matte Lip Liquid
If you are after a lipstick that lasts all day (over eight hours) then this is the one for you. By the end of the day I have a little bit of fading on the inside of my lips, but the rest looks perfect. I need to go back and get more shades, I purchased mine when they were first released and there are a whole lot of new shades now. 

Essence Matt Matt Matt longlasting lip gloss
A matte lip gloss sounds so strange, but it's pretty cool. Imagine the feel of a gloss with a matte finish, that's exactly what this is. It has the light feel of a gloss, with the lasting power of a lipstick.
It doesn't last all day, but it will last until lunchtime. It'd be great if there were a few more shades available, especially considering how cheap Essence is. 

Maybelline ColorSensational Matte
Maybelline can always be relied upon for decent quality, no frills products. Whilst their products don't excite me, they do what they're supposed to do and they are affordable. The ColorSensational Matte lipsticks come in a great range of colours, can often be found on sale and are pleasant to wear.

Urban Decay Comfort Matte
There was such hype around Urban Decay's reformulated lipstick range when they launched that I was sure they'd be crap. I was wrong.  At only $28 they are an awesome bargain. The Comfort Matte formula is just as it says, matte and comfortable. These don't feel like matte lipsticks of old, they feel creamy and hydrating.
 
Sash Cosmetics 
I love discovering Aussie brands. I found Sash Cosmetics online and purchased several lipsticks. From the packaging to the formula, Sash lipsticks are beautiful. They're super cheap at only $16.95 and tick all my boxes for matte lipsticks. Hydrating, long lasting with a gorgeous shade range, Sash lipsticks are a pleasure to use.


What are your favourte matte lipsticks?

Monday 8 January 2018

Edible Beauty Luminous Angel Drops

I've seen Edible Beauty around for a while now but have never purchased any of their range. Just before Christmas they had an offer that I couldn't resist. With the purchase of their new highlighter you got a Velvet Coffee Body Butter. The highlighter cost $44 and the body butter is worth $55. They also offer free shipping. Who can resist an offer like that? I certainly couldn't. 


Edible Beauty products are made in Australia using pure, wildcrafted and botanical ingredients to illuminate your natural beauty.  Their products are free from parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, artificial fragrances, EDTAs, preservatives, silicones, benzyl alcohol, aluminium, synthetic dyes and triclosan.
They are also vegan and cruelty free.


How beautiful is it? Look at that glow! 

When I saw the bottle I was worried that it would be too dark on my pale skin and look like a bronzer, but once rubbed in it's undetectable, it just leaves a gorgeous, natural luminosity. I've used my Angel Drops every day since I got them and it's true love. 

I'm all about products that are nice to use, Angel Drops fit that requirement. The texture is  watery, the smell is beautiful and they're super easy to dispense and apply. I put a few drops on my fingers rub them together and then pat onto my face. Easy.


As you can see from the photo above, when it's fully rubbed in there's no tint, my skin just looks naturally radiant. I like to use a few drops under my foundation for a nice healthy glow. On days when I'm not wearing any make-up I tap a few drops over my moisturiser and I'm done. 

That glow!



Have you tried any Edible Beauty products? What should I try next? I'm thinking the Exotic Goddess Ageless Serum, Goldrush Eye Balm and Fountain of Youth tea.

Sunday 7 January 2018

Thoughts of the week

1. The first week of 2018 is coming to a close. We celebrated my Dad's 70th and my nephew's 11the birthdays this week.

2. Dad had a lunch and most of the family came. It's been years since I saw them, some it's been over 10 years. We all had a great time and it made me realise how important it is to stay in touch with family. From now on I'm going to make more of an effort to keep in touch with my family. Not just for myself but also for the boys. They both loved meeting and spending time with the family. 2018 is the year of making an effort for me.

3. My brother didn't come but that's another story entirely. He doesn't answer my phone calls or return my text messages so there's not much I can do there. His choice.

4. I got the Edible Beauty Luminous Angel Drops this week. They are amazing. The scent is beautiful and they give my skin a gorgeous, natural looking glow.

5. I'm still contemplating some sort of project pan/low buy for this year but I have no idea what or how. What I do know is that I want to drastically reduce the size of my collection, finish more products and stick to mainly natural, eco friendly products.


Friday 5 January 2018

FFS Friday - Heh

For someone who's intelligent I can be incredibly stupid at times. 

It happens more than I care to admit.

Here's a brilliant example:

I have sensitive skin. I'm particularly sensitive to sunscreen. I can't use sunscreen on my lips and there are only a few that I can use on my face. 

A few months ago I started using a new facial sunscreen. It didn't irritate me so I thought it was okay. 

Little did I know. 

I started getting really, really tired. So tired that my eyes stung and I could barely keep them open. I tried every natural method I could think of, copious amounts of coffee etc but nothing worked.

After about five weeks I went to the Dr who did a pile of blood tests and everything came up normal.

Despite my begging he refused to give me speed or other stimulants, so I took a look at my diet. I noticed that the fatigue set in around 9am, so I experimented with different breakfasts, but nothing changed.

I went to a naturopath but she couldn't help either. I was lost. 

One day I was having a home day so didn't use any skin care and I felt great all day. You know what's coming don't you?

It was then that I realised what the problem was. My sunscreen. Yep. I kid you not. 

The sunscreen was getting into my eyes and irritating them, which is why I could barely keep my eyes open!

As soon as I stopped using the sunscreen I was back to normal. Pity it took me two months of daily struggle to figure it out.

Heh. I'm so clever. 

I wasn't brave enough to go back to the Dr and tell him what had been causing my fatigue. Thankfully he hasn't asked. How embarassment.

Monday 1 January 2018

What's in my shower - Face scrubs on rotation

Hi beautiful people! Happy new year! I hope you've all had a lovely start to the year. We had a very quiet new years eve and were all asleep way before midnight.

Today I'm showing you the face scrubs that are currently in my shower. I like to keep a few different scrubs, I use them according to how my skin feels and what it needs. 


Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant
I have a love hate relationship with powder exfoliants. Whilst I love the way they make my skin feel, I struggle to get the right powder to water ratio so either have it way too runny or too thick. You'd think there'd be an easier way, if there is I haven't figured it out yet. Despite my ineptness, I still love this scrub, which says a lot about how good it is. Even when I've made it a watery mess it still makes my skin feel soft and smooth.Gentle Daily Exfoliant is gentle enough to use every day and leaves my skin feeling amazing. If you have sensitive skin, this would be ideal.

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub
Out of the four scrubs in my shower, this is the most intense. It's ideal for those days when my skin is feeling rough and looking dull. I rub it lightly over my face my a few minutes, rinse it off and I'm done. The particles are small and smooth, however as there are so many of them it'd be easy to irritate skin, so if you have sensitive skin, be gentle.

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Facial Scrub
The only reason I'm using the Alba Botanica scrub is because I won it. It's not the sort of scrub I'd usually go for, it's in a gel base and there aren't many scrubby bits. It works well for days when I just want a light exfoliation. It won't get rid of rough patches or brighten skin tone, but it's fine for light exfoliation.

Sanctuary Spa Warming Microbrasion Polish
I use this for the novelty factor because it warms up when I rub it into my face. I'm not sure that the warming has any special effect, but it's fun to use. They're being a bit optimistic calling it microbrasion, it's nowhere near as intense as you'd expect from microbrasion. I'd say it gives a medium scrub. It's between the light exfoliation of Alba Botanica and the intense exfoliation of Acure.

Out of the four scrubs, I'll be repurchasing Acure and Alpha-H.