Tuesday 30 April 2019

April Empties

April was a very slow month for empties. I didn't finish much at all. 


Glow Lab Coconut and Spiced Fig Hand Wash
Whenever I see Glow Lab on sale I pick up a few of their hand washes. They're gentle, non drying and the scent range is lovely. 

Gold Hydrogel Mask
I had this on for about a minute before I had to remove it due to the stinging. 

Tinderbox Deodorant
I've been having a lot of luck with natural deodorants lately, finding several bi-carb free options that work. The Tinderbox deodorant is one of them. I love that it's a roller ball, so much easier that cream deodorants that I have to smear on myself.
This isn't gym proof but it's fine for the cooler days. I don't think it'd be very effective in summer, but ideal for all the other seasons.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50+
I'm on the fence about this sunscreen. It didn't have the awful chemical scent that the light version has but it still had a light chemical scent. 
It worked well and didn't irritate my skin or eyes. If I'd run out of my Invisible Zinc and this was on sale I'd buy it again, but I still prefer Invisible Zinc.

Omorovicza Intensive Hydralifting Cream
Whilst I enjoyed using this sample, it wasn't amazing. I expect miracles from my skin care, which is why I'm usually disappointed, haha.

Molton Brown Orange and Bergamot Bath and Shower Gel
I wouldn't normally choose a scent like this, however I really love it. It's such a refreshing morning scent.

Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Balm
Now this is a love. I used every last bit of my Noni Glow Face Balm, it's such a beautiful product. I use it as a night cream, all over my face, neck and lips. I'll happily repurchase this one, it's a delight to use. 

Nutrimetics Nutri-Rich Bathing Bar
Last year I won a lovely Nutrimetics pack from Kats Colourings  and this was part of the prize. 
I really loved this bathing bar, it's gentle, smells amazing and lasted ages (about three months).
It's been ages since I purchase Nutrimetics, but I'm tempted to place an order just to get another bathing bar.

Kora Organics Cream Cleanser
I've used a few of these now and it's a product I always enjoy. The cleanser is super gentle, dissolves makeup and doesn't leave my face feeling dry or tight. 
The only reason I won't repurchase is the price, I can't justify spending $40 on a cleanser when I can buy ones that are just as good for half the price. 


These are all tosses. I loved the Bourjois CC Cream however the sunscreen in it irritated my eyes.

The Flower Beauty palette arrived broken, so Chemist Warehouse sent me another one. 

The other products I just didn't love. They were all okay, but not nice enough that I'd use them enough to keep.

Sunday 28 April 2019

Thoughts of the week

1. This week I've left my phone on silent and it's been wonderful. I hadn't realised how annoying it's constant beeping is. I have a smart watch so any important notifications come to my watch, everything else I ignore.

2. Half the time I ignore my watch too. In a way it's been an unintended digital detox and I've loved it. 

3. Chemist Warehouse have excellent customer service. I received a broken palette this week, so I phoned them and they were brilliant. They offered me the choice of a refund or replacement. I chose replacement and received a shipping notification a few hours later. How brilliant is that!

4. I so want to buy some of the Sarah Roza DB Cosmetics products, they look so pretty.

5. Priceline currently have a skincare gift bag available when you spend $69 on selected brands. I won't be getting it because I don't need any more skincare, if you do it's worth checking out.

Friday 26 April 2019

FFS Friday - I'm on strike

I have an announcement to make.
I'm bored.

I'm over going to the park, playing with the kids, doing housework, cooking, cleaning, going to the park again, trying to get the kids to learn the things the government thinks they need to, washing, cleaning up dog poo and all the other mundane things I do on a daily basis.

Why do I bother? No-one appreciates it. No-one thanks me. No-one is grateful that I'm doing all this stuff.

So, a month ago I went on strike. I stopped doing most of the things. Anything that wasn't essential I stopped doing. I stopped picking the kids clothes up off the floor, I stopped tidying up the toys, I stopped putting Tigers washing away, I stopped it all. You know what happened? Nothing. Tiger only noticed this week (in all fairness he was away half of the time). I told him I'm done doing everything and I'm not doing it all. It's boring, it's not fun and I don't want to do it. Simple as that. 

Sure, the house is a mess, but it's always been a mess. I was fighting a losing battle trying to keep it tidy. If they don't care why should I? 

So if you too have had enough of doing everything, here's what I recommend. Stop. Lower your expectations, leave the house and mess and let everyone sort themselves out. It's working for me.

I'm still bored, but at least I'm not frustrated at being overworked and under appreciated. 


Tuesday 23 April 2019

Weleda Skin Food Lip Balm

I love Weleda Skin Food so when I found out the range was expanding I was excited. Naturally the first item I purchased was the lip balm.

In short I'm under-whelmed. Whilst this is an okay balm, it's not amazing. I was expecting amazing. 



Skin Food Lip Balm comes in an 8ml squeeze tube with a rounded head for easy application. The tube is small enough to easily fit in a pocket or purse.

 

I received my balm a in summer. It was very difficult to get any balm out of the tube and when I did finally manage to get some out, this happened. Considering it's an 8ml tube, probably about a quarter of the tube contents spurted over my bench. Not a great start. 
I would understand this happening if I was squeezing the tube hard, but I wasn't. 

I scooped up what I could and put it on my lips, waiting for miracles to happen. I'm still waiting. 




The texture is very light, with a glossy finish. I don't get long lasting hydration, it's gone from my lips within half an hour. I've been using mine as a lip gloss, it's shiny enough to pass for a gloss.

Skin Food Lip Balm has the same light, natural scent that the regular Skin Food has with no detectable flavour.

When my lips are healthy Skin Food offers enough hydration to keep them happy, I don't think it'd be very effective if my lips were dry, unless I was reapplying it every fifteen minutes.



Sunday 21 April 2019

Thoughts of the week

1. I received my first order from Lila Beauty this week. It's great to find businesses that are a pleasure to deal with. I ordered the new Laneige lip gloss.

2. This week it was revealed that a celebrities child is transgender. The fact that this has been all over the media infuriates me, we're talking about a child here! It's no-ones business what sex this child identifies as. It's not a big deal for the celebrity so it shouldn't be a big deal for anyone else.

3. I hope you're all having a beautiful Easter.

4. When we were on holiday last year I discovered Poke bowls. They're so good!

5. This weekend has been very cool so we've had our first fire of the year. I love having the fire going. Just need to make soup and I'll be set.

6. Napoleon is buy one get one free at Priceline this weekend. With an offer like that they mustn't selling very well. Can't say I'm surprised. 

Friday 19 April 2019

FFS Friday - Random

Happy Friday everyone! And what a great Friday it is, public holidays are the best. It's cold here so we've got the fire going. I love winter.

Can you believe it's almost the end of April? 

So. What's been annoying me this week? Chai's behaviour hasn't changed, it's been really difficult. I had Mum staying this week which made things a lot easier, but it was still tough. I've got two months to get through and we'll start to get help for him. Finally.

I want a holiday. On my own. No husband, no kids, just me and a friend or two. I've barely had any time to myself since I had Chai eight years ago. I went to a concert with a friend six years ago, Tiger and I have been out to lunch on our own about five times and I went to my bff's house one night. That's it. The rest of the time I'm with the kids. Going to the gym is good, it gives me time off, but I'm still surrounded by people. I crave alone time. Silent time with no-one in the house. 


However, that's not what I want to complain about today. 
What's with society thinking they have a right to know about someone's sexual identity?


I just don't understand. It's no-ones business but that person and their partner. No-one else has a right to know or have an opinion.


I wish the media would stop sensationalising things like this, they aren't news worthy and shouldn't be reported on at all.


Whilst I'm at it, coming out shouldn't be a thing either, unless the person wants it to be. Sexual identity is a personal, private thing and I wish it was treated as such.


Whilst I'm at my random rants, you know what else annoys me? When large Instagram accounts follow and then unfollow. This week my follower count has gone up by about 30 and none of them are genuine followers, they're mostly large accounts that will unfollow me in a few days. I want genuine followers not fake ones.


That concludes my random whines. 
What's been annoying you this week?

Tuesday 16 April 2019

The Lip Oil Series: Lancome Juicy Shakers vs Designer Brands Lavish Lip Oil

Hello and welcome to the third post in my lip oil series.

Next up are two lip oils that are almost identical in appearance but quite different in formula.


Lancome Juicy Shakers came out not long after Juicy Tubes were discontinued. I was hoping they'd be similar but they aren't. 

Juicy Shakers are an interesting concept. The bottle looks like a cocktail shaker with a large sponge tipped applicator. The formula is bi phase so it separates when it's left to sit. Once it's separated it takes a lot of shaking to get the product blended again and ready to use.

Lancome call this a lip oil tint, which is an accurate description. The tint is sheer, one layer gives a light wash of colour, two layers gives stronger colour that's still see through.

Unfortunately this falls short for me. It's not very hydrating and is totally gone from my lips within 15 minutes. 
It smells and tastes great but just doesn't last long enough. I wanted to love it but I don't. For the price point ($39 AUD) it's really not worth buying.


The Designer Brands Lavish Lip Oil was released about six months after Juicy Shakers. They look almost identical. 

Formula wise, they are slightly different. Designer Brands isn't biphase and has no fragrance or flavour.

Lavish Lip Oil feels more like a lip balm than a lip oil, it's quite hydrating. The colour is sheer but buildable. I get about an hours wear before I need to reapply, however my lips feel hydrated for a few hours afterwards. 

At $11.99, these are much cheaper than Juicy Shakers and the formula is better.
 
Left: Lavish Lip Oil. Right: Juicy Shakers.


As you can see from the swatches above Juicy Shakers are a lot sheerer and runnier than Lavish Lip Oil. 

Frankly, I don't think either of these are a must have, but if you want to get one, my favourite is Lavish Lip Oil.

Sunday 14 April 2019

Thoughts of the week

1. Perhaps I'm ignorant, but I was shocked to learn that social media influencers are being paid to promote alcohol. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Naturally, they haven't disclosed that it was an ad, which doesn't surprise me at all.

2. I recently discovered Mongolian Metal music, it's amazing. If you're interested, check out Mongolian Metal and Mongolian Folk Metal playlists on Spotify.

3. This week the boys drew on their bedroom door. It's the first time they've drawn somewhere they aren't supposed to. I'm surprised it took 8 years for this to happen. 
Contrary to most peoples expectations, I'm not mad about it. 
The way I see it, it's the door to their room so they can draw on it if they want to. 
They used whiteboard marker so it should come off easily, if it doesn't, when we need to we'll paint the door. No big deal.

4. Related to point number one, I've come to the conclusion that most of what we see is an ad. Magazines are just one big ad, newspapers are filled with ads, tv and movies are ads, they're everywhere. The world is one big ad.

5. I've been up since 4am, hence my strange ramblings. Have a beautiful day.

Friday 12 April 2019

FFS Friday - Shouting from the rooftops

It's Friday! We made it through another week. Well done.
What a week it's been. 
So many awful things are happening in the lives of my friends. Really awful, traumatic things. I feel so sad/upset/angry about what's occurred.

This swing has been a tough one, Chai has been out of sorts every single day. When Chai is out of sorts the whole family suffers, it's not fun at all. 

That's not what I want to complain about this week though.

It's a new twitch/habit that Chai has acquired. 
When he starts talking he'll yell out "Mum!" then yell "uh, uh, um, um, um" until he can start his sentence.

This isn't something he does deliberately and it's not something he can control, but it's driving me crazy! No matter how close he is to me, every time he wants to talk to me all sentences start with him yelling at me.

Chai is a very chatty child, so at a guess I'd say he yells at me at least once every five minutes. It's really, really irritating.

I really don't cope well with being yelled at. I don't like loud noises, they put me on edge and make me angry.

Getting help is so very difficult. I spoke to his OT and she didn't have any suggestions. We don't see the Psychologist again until May. I really don't know what to do. 
Speech Pathology is my next step. 

Meanwhile I just have be cope with being yelled at all day. 
For those who are wondering, I'm not coping.  


Tuesday 9 April 2019

March Empties


Neutrogena Sheer Zinc SPF 50
I didn't like this at all. It's way too thick and leaves a white cast. 

Organic Shop Pearl Rose Body Polish
This is another product I didn't like. It didn't smell like roses and was not scrubby at all.

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration SPF 50+
I love this sunscreen. I use the body version too, they're both great.

Hydrogel Mask Trio
I bought these on sale for $10, they're normally $30. There's no way I'd pay $30 for them. The only reason I bought them is because there's a sloth one and Chai though that it'd look like a sloth. It doesn't. It looks like a regular gel mask. I found all of these very irritating and could only use them for a few minutes before I had to remove them due to the burning sensation.

Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes 
This was a very generous sample which lasted me around three weeks. As with most eye creams I've used, this did not make a noticeable difference to my eye area, however it did hydrate well, which is really all I expect from an eye cream.

John Plunkett Collagen Eye Lift
As with the eye cream above, this did nothing other than hydrate. 

Glow Lab Cream Cleanser
I really enjoyed using this cleanser. It's gentle, doesn't irritate my eyes and easily removes my makeup. I'll happily repurchase it.

Palmer's Coconut Oil Cleansing Balm
Whilst I enjoyed using this, I won't purchase it again for one reason. It leaves a greasy film on my eyes that I just can't get off. I want a cleanser that I can use all over my face, not one that I can't use on my eyes. 
Other than that, it's a great, budget priced cleansing balm. 

Nivea Mix Me Body Cream
I'm slowly working my way through these moisturisers. All of the scents are lovely and they provide great hydration to my dry legs. 

Kora Organics Rose Face Mist
Oh how I love my rose face mist. It's a gorgeous product, the spray bottle dispenses the perfect amount, it smells beautiful and makes my skin feel super soft. Once I've gotten through my ridiculously large face mist stash I'll repurchase. 

Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream
After going through several travel sized tubes of this, I really just need to buy it. It's super hydrating so perfect for the cool winter months that we have coming up soon. My dry skin loves it. The only downfall is that I need to give it about five minutes to absorb before putting my makeup on.

Palmers Coconut Water Hydrating Face Mask
I only bought this to get free shipping from Chemist Warehouse but I'm really glad I did. It's one of the better sheet masks that I've used. It hydrates, doesn't irritate and leaves my skin feeling soft and happy. 

The Body Shop Peppermint Candy Cane Shower Gel
Why didn't I stock up on these when they were on sale? I will next time. 
Being a morning shower person, I love how refreshing this shower gel smells, it helps to wake me up in the morning. 

Soap and Glory Rushour Dry Shampoo
If you love the scent of Soap and Glory products you'll love Rushour. It makes my hair smell so good and the scent lasts all day. This is a definite repurchase.

Concordia Exfoliating Face Scrub
I have a few exfoliants that are in constant rotation, this is one of them. It's gently exfoliating without being harsh or irritating my skin. 

Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask
Oh how I love overnight masks. They're great for lazy people like me who can't be bothered/don't have the time to lay down with a sheet mask on. 
This one is particularly nice, as the name suggests it's super hydrating. I'm very tempted to buy it, especially considering there's a Clinique GWP on right now. 

The Ordinary Buffet
I need to lower my expectations of products. I always expect them to be amazing then am disappointed when they aren't. Realistically, most products won't be amazing.
I found Buffet to be hydrating and that's it. I'd buy it again, it's cheap and does the job, but it doesn't perform miracles.  

Sunday 7 April 2019

Thoughts of the week

1. Three of my friends are going through a really, really awful time at the moment. It's heartbreaking to see them all suffering so much.

2. Laneige have released a Glowy Lip Balm! I have one on it's way to me, so stay tuned for a review once it arrives.

3. Who placed an order during the Sephora sale? I was restrained and only bought a deodorant and eye cream, both of which I need.

4. Speaking of sales, Priceline are having a huge hair care sale from Tuesday. I'm planning to pick up some Kristin Ess products.

5. We had the strangest incident at the park yesterday. A man riding a bike with no seat rode up, dropped his bike and went straight over to Chai and told him that he knows him (he doesn't). 
Chai didn't feel comfortable so calmly walked over to me (I was walking over to him because I didn't like the look of the guy). 
The strange guy spent another five minutes at the park staring at the kids and then rode off. It was so bizarre.

Friday 5 April 2019

FFS Friday - Mombie

Our never ending bed saga continues.

For those of you who are new around here, I'll start from the beginning. 
Chai has never been a good sleeper, we've always had issues with his sleeping. 

After a lot of hard work, when he was around two we finally had him going to sleep in his own bed and sleeping until around 5am. 

When Tiger started FIFO it all went to crap and he stopped sleeping in his own bed and started sleeping in my bed. Six years later he's still in my bed.

When he was first ready to move out of the cot Tiger bought him a double bed. I wanted to get him a queen sized bed, but Tiger got a double.  

A few weeks later he bought a king single bed that Chai never slept in. 

After about a month Tiger sold the double bed and bought a queen sized bed.

When Eljay was ready to move out of his cot he started sleeping in the queen sized bed with Chai. 

Chai starts off in his bed then comes into my bed during the night. Tiger can't sleep with Chai in the bed, so when Chai comes in, Tiger goes into the kids bed with Eljay.

This has been a huge issue for Tiger for a long time now so a few months ago when we went to buy drawers for Chai, we came home with a bunk bed for the boys (and no drawers). I knew it wouldn't work, but let Tiger do it so that he could see for himself.

Chai doesn't deal with change well. He needs time to get used to an idea, so if we're going to make a change I prepare him for a month before making the change.

Once we got the bunk bed Chai regressed to how he was at 18 months. It was taking him over two hours to get to sleep and he was in my bed within an hour. 

Clever us gave the queen sized bed away, so we couldn't go back to our old set up. 

After two months Tiger admitted defeat. Instead of putting the boys in the same bed again, we put them both in king single beds. Eljay sleeps a lot better in his own bed, Chai is still struggling. 

This is why I'm an exhausted mess most days.

One day I'll come back and report that both boys are sleeping all night in their own beds. Today is not that day.

Tuesday 2 April 2019

Five favourite natural lip products

A few weeks ago Hayley from A Better Kind posted about her favourite vegan lipsticks. I want them all.

She inspired me to post about my five favourite natural lip products. Other than the Bite Beauty BB for lips they're all vegan. 


Neek Skin Organics Shine On
If you're looking for a lip gloss in stick form, Shine On is your girl. Once applied this feels and looks like a non sticky lip gloss. It's high shine, lasts around three hours and leaves my lips feeling soft and hydrated. I love to use this over matte lipsticks and lip liner.
 
Love and Toast Misbehavin Lip Glaze
I've had this sitting unopened in my collection for ages which is silly because it's a beautiful balm. The colour and flavour are lovely, similar to Juicy Tubes but without the stickiness. Unfortunately, like Juicy Tubes these glosses have also been discontinued. Why does that always happen?

The Body Shop Acai Blueberry Dragon Fruit Lip Juicer
I love to use this as a lip and cheek colour. It applies matte, so works very well as a blush and is quite long lasting for a lip balm. The colour is sheer but buildable and the flavour is gorgeous. 

Rouge Bunny Rouge Sip of Pink Shimmering Luxe Balm
I have the clear version of this, it also comes in several different tints. I love the luxe, hydrating feel of this balm, it's such a joy to use. If only RBR products were easier to find in Australia. I buy mine from their website. They're expensive but worth the cost.

Bite Beauty Watermelon Lush Lip Tint
As usual, Bite Beauty can do no wrong. This is another of their amazing products. Super hydrating, gorgeous opaque colour and a great range of shades to choose from. I'll always be a Bite Beauty fan.

For an added bonus, I also love Shanghai Suzy lipsticks. They're beautiful, vegan and made in Australia. 

What are your favourite lip products at the moment?