Thursday 30 April 2020

April update

Hello and welcome to another exciting update of what we've been up to this month. Okay, that was  a lie. We've been at home, like most of the world.

It's been fairly quiet. The boys do their learning, we go out for a drive every few days, the boys and Tiger go for a ride or a swim, that's about it. 

We've been video calling our loved ones so that we still get to see them.

Now that the restrictions have been lifted a little we've managed to catch up with a few people which has been lovely and very needed.

My ankle rehab is going well, I've now moved into the third phase and am getting stronger every day. 

Now that Tiger is unemployed we've been using the time to get the house tidied up. The junk room is now an office/gym, our bedroom is now a lot tidier and the garage has been cleared out. There's still quite a bit of work to do but we're getting there.

Let's hope next months update is a lot more exciting than this month!



Monday 27 April 2020

Zero waste favourites



Dearest Lips
I've loved Dearest Lips balms ever since I discovered them on Etsy. Glaiza now has her own website and her balms are stocked in several stores too. 
All Dearest Lips balms come in cardboard tubes or tubs and are fully compostible. The products are organic so once the balm is empty you can throw it in the compost or even in your garden and it'll break down in a few months. 

Shampoo With a Purpose
I've only recently discovered Shampoo With a Purpose, they are now my holy grail shampoo. Even better, the shampoo doubles as a conditioner and soap so I'm saving myself a lot of money!  
At first I was doubtful that it'd be effective (we all know how dodgy those two in one shampoo and conditioners are!), however to my delight Shampoo With a Purpose lives up to all it's claims. 

Kiss Ready Lips
One of my all time favourite natural deodorants is Louella's. It smells lovely, comes in a very convenient (and hardy) tin and works! Kiss Ready products are all hand made in small batches. The Light Chia Oil is beautiful as are the lip balms and Sun Veil balm. 


Blossy Lou 
I'm fully converted to reuseable make-up wipes. Gone are the days of using cotton rounds to take my make-up off, I now use a mitt or scrubbies from Blossy Lou. Chelsea hand makes all her products, along with the make-up scrubbies she also has body and dish scrubbies.
Orders are sent in a compostible package and the scrubbies are also compostible, so once you've worn them out just throw them in the compost.

Another brand I enjoy that's worth a mention is The Physic Garden. Their products are all zero waste, made in Australia and very effective. The sensitive deodorant is lovely as are their lip balms and body balms. 





Whilst we're talking zero waste, if you're on the hunt for a good reusable up, the best ones I've found are Contigo, Frank Green steel and Avantil Go cup. They don't leak (even when floating around in the bottom of my bag), are easy to clean and keep my coffee warm for hours. 
 

Sunday 26 April 2020

Thoughts of the week

1. Do any of you wonder what else is happening in the world that no-one knows about? The suspicious side of me thinks that this would be the perfect time for governments and organisations to get up to mischief whilst everyone else is looking the other way. 

2. This is what happens when I have too much time to think. We had a garage visit with Dad yesterday, it's the first time I've seen him in a month (I normally see him a few times a week). Dad also does not benefit from having too much time to think. He pointed out how easily the government has controlled us. One pandemic and we're all staying at home and considering downloading a contact tracing app. But let's not go there. 

3. Hurraw have released two new lip balms. One is apple flavoured and the other is hazelnut and tinted. I wish I could find an Australian stockist because I really want both balms.

4. I finally got my hand sanitiser from Kiss Ready Lips! Louella posted it on the 26th of March and it arrived here on the 24th of April. If you need more hand santiser the Kiss Ready one is gorgeous. It smells great and isn't drying at all!
You can buy it here.

5. I hope you all have a lovely week.

Friday 24 April 2020

FFS Friday - The towel has been thrown

Is it possible to die from listening to your child making noise all the time? Because I feel like that might be about to happen.

This week has been f*&%ing brutal. Not for any particular reason, just a series of stupid little things that have really pissed me off. Take Wednesday. It was my turn to teach Chai, which always sucks because he's a very reluctant learner. I was trying to make it fun by playing games with him and keeping him active but he chucked a wobbly (as usual) and that was it. I'm done. I'm not teaching him any more. He can go to school and hate every second of it because I am done.

I've explained to him over and over again that there are things he needs to learn and that if he doesn't learn what he needs to he'll have to go to school yet he fights every single second of it. We only do an hour of schooling a day but he makes it a total nightmare. I'm done torturing myself. It's the most hated part of my day and I am no longer doing it.

I know that going to school will be a disaster for Chai but that's the choice he's made and he will now have to deal with the consequences. I don't want him to go to school but there comes a point where I have to put my mental health first and we've now reached that point. 

Chai is perfectly capable of doing the work that he needs to do, he's intelligent and does it easily when he wants to. The trouble is that he doesn't want to do it. 

So there was that. Just prior to me starting his lesson for the day I realised that Shelby had poo stuck to her bum because she's due for a hair cut so her hair is really long. Tiger and I had to shower her, cut the poo encrusted hair off her bum, change all her bedding and walk around picking up bits of poo from all over the house.

As if that wasn't enough, we've been waiting for a supplement for Chai for ages now. It was posted on the 2nd of April and finally arrived on Wednesday. It was a package that we didn't need to sign for. 
Naturally it arrived whilst we were out for a drive and they didn't leave it. FFS.

I get that Australia Post is super busy but their postage times are a total joke at the moment. Chai's supplements took 20 days to get here. 
I've been waiting for a package of hand sanitiser which was posted on the 26th of March and it's still not here. 4 weeks to send something across the country is ridiculous.  

Is anyone else getting super annoyed by those "we're all in this together" adverts? They're so stupid. It's very easy to stay positive when you've got a huge property and no financial stress. You can be all perky and "we'll get through this, we're doing it together" when you've got a shit load of money, you can pay your bills and feed your family. 
I'd like to see people have the same attitude with no money and no idea how they were going to feed their family.
Also, what about those people who are immuno compromised and in total isolation so that they survive? 
Those poor people are really doing it tough. 
Then there's single parents, parents who can't see their children, people who live alone etc. They're all doing it tough too.
It's a very rough time but to say that we're all in it together is just unrealistic.  

The stupid ads can fuck right off.

As great as it is to stay positive it's also okay to acknowledge that this is fucking tough and we're struggling. 

Now that I've been a total beacon of light and hope and cheered you all up immensely, how are you doing? Coping ok or ready to throw in the towel and stay in bed all day?
 

Wednesday 22 April 2020

Dearest Lips Overnight Lip Rescue

You know when you try something and it's love at first application? That's what happened when I used my Dearest Lips Overnight Lip Rescue. It's such a beautiful balm.


I was lucky enough to get to test Overnight Lip Rescue prior to release. Glaiza asked me to use it every night and report back. As a product tester I failed. I just couldn't do it. It's such a gorgeous balm that I didn't only apply every night, I used it all day every day. Heh. I really did try but couldn't resist.

The scent is a gorgeous fresh lemon. Not the rich, tart lemon scent, a soft hint of lemon that's not overpowering.
I normally prefer foody scents but love the freshness, it's really refreshing.
The texture is perfect, smooth, buttery and instantly soothing.


The main ingredient in Overnight Lip Rescue is Cupuacu butter. Cupuacu is a superfruit that comes from the Amazonian rain forest. Rich in fatty acids Cupuacu is often used in place of lanolin in vegan products. 

I find balms with Cupuacu to be super hydrating with a lovely buttery texture. 
The other key ingredients are Melissa (lemon balm) which is great for cold sores and turmeric which is an antioxidant and will help to brighten lips. 


The tub is huge. At 15 grams it's double the size of a regular lip balm pot. I leave mine on my bedside table. Lately I've discovered that along with being a great lip balm it also does wonders for dry patches. I've got dry patches on my hands from the obsessive use of hand sanitiser, since I started using Overnight Lip Rescue on them they're a lot better.
 
Look at that beautiful texture.
 
You can purchase from Dearest Lips. A 15 gram pot costs$18.95 or a 4 gram travel pot costs $7.95.
Whilst you're there buy one of the lip balm holders and a turkish delight balm.

Ingredients: cupuaçu seed butter, mango seed butter, coconut oil, olive oil,  candelilla wax, Vitamin E, turmeric powder, lemon balm oil.

Sunday 19 April 2020

Thoughts of the week

1. I have huge, huge news. Chai now sleeps all night in his own bed! It's only taken us nine years to get to this point!

2. When this is all over, do you think you'll live differently? I hope that we will. I hope we'll take less things for granted, spend less money and be more aware of what's truly important.

3. I'd really like to get a job.It's occurred to me that now Tiger is home I might be able to get a job or start studying so that I can get a job sometime in the future. I'd love to have a job.

4. Listening to kids chatting on the phone is hilarious, they're so cute. 

5. Mothers day is coming up soon. If you're planning on purchasing online, get onto it asap as postage is taking ages at the moment.

Friday 17 April 2020

FFS Friday - Mars?

Sometimes I'm convinced Tiger lives on another planet to us. He's here in body but not in spirit. Or maybe it's just a clone of him. He walks, talks etc but nothing goes into his brain.

Here's the perfect example. After he lost his job we had to register for welfare payments. I got online but as he didn't know his CRN he couldn't claim online so we had to ask Centrelink to call us. I told Tiger that until Centrelink called we couldn't claim payments.

Over the next few weeks I repeatedly told him that we had not lodged our claim and we wouldn't be able to until we'd received a call from Centrelink.
One night we were talking and he mentioned something about the welfare payments. I told him for at least the 10th time, probably more, that we wouldn't receive payment until Centrelink had called him and we'd lodged the claim online. He was shocked. In his head we'd lodged the claim two weeks ago. 

I don't even know why he thought we'd lodged a claim. He'd done nothing. Did he think it'd happen by magic? Maybe he thought I'd done the claim for him? What I don't get is why he didn't understand every time I told him "Until Centrelink call you we can't lodge a claim." What's confusing about that?

The only explanation is that I was talking to his clone.

Here's another example. We've lived at our house for almost seven years. Yesterday he asked me what our street name is. WTF? 

See? Further proof that I'm living with Tigers clone and not the real Tiger. 

This weeks "stupid questions I get asked" is a great one from Tiger. There's a little back story to it. 

In the past I used to clean up the mess that my family left everywhere. After many years I got really tired of that and went on a permanent strike. 
Last weekend we did grocery shopping. Tiger put it all away but left the tomato's out. As I'm on strike I didn't put them away, I left them where they were. After sitting on the bench for a week some of them went off.

Yesterday, Tiger asked me his stupid question. 
Are you ready for it?

He asked me: Are we keeping these rotten tomato's?
To which I replied: Do we ever keep rotten tomato's?

Seriously, wtf would we do with rotten tomaoto's?

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Wednesday 15 April 2020

Recent favourites

It's been ages since I did a favourites post. I haven't had a lot of time to think about blogging but now that Tiger is home things have eased up a bit and I have more capacity to think.


Sunescape Hydrating Body Butter
I'm all about fragrances. I can love or hate a product purely because of the fragrance. 
This body butter was love at first sniff, it has a beautiful coco shea fragrance. Despite being very rich and hydrating, the butter feels light and is quickly absorbed. That's one thing that really puts me off body butters, they take so long to sink in so I have to wait to get dressed. That's not a problem with my Sunescape body butter. The tub is huge so will last for ages and at $29.95 it's very reasonably priced.

Kora Organics Turmeric Brightening and Exfoliating Mask
My beautiful Karen kindly sent this mask to me. She's been raving about it for ages so it was on my wishlist however I hadn't gotten around to buying it. 
Now that I've had the pleasure of using it I can see why she raves so much. 
This is designed to be an exfoliant and a mask. I have sensitive skin so only use it as an exfoliant and it's now one of my favourite exfoliators. The scrubby particles are smooth not scratchy, leaving my skin looking bright and feeling super smooth.  
It also makes a great lip scrub!

Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62 Candle 
I'm obsessed with Sol de Janeiro and want one of everything they make. Their original range smells edible and is one of my all time favourite scents. This little candle is gorgeous. I'm yet to burn mine as the scent is so strong my whole room smells amazing without even having to light it!

Morphe M439 Deluxe Buffer Brush
This is another product that Karen recommended. When she told me it's her favourite foundation brush I bought one straight away. She was right! I've even stopped using a make-up sponge in favour of this brush. It gives a gorgeous coverage, application is quick and easy and I don't have to worry about streaks or patches. I'm considering buying a second one. 

Benefit Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer
Concealer has always been my bff as I have permanent dark circles. Over the years I've tried so many different concealers, most of which I haven't loved.
Airbrush Concealer is lovely. With a creamy, hydrating texture it doesn't crease and easily covers my dark circles. My little pot came in a trial pack, I'll purchase a full size once the pot runs out.  

Dearest Lips Overnight Lip Rescue Balm
Overnight Lip Rescue is one of those products that was love at first use. As soon as I put it on I was in love. I was lucky enough to be one of the product testers and I was supposed to use it each night, but I couldn't resist and used it all day every day. I love the buttery, hydrating and soothing texture plus it comes in a huge pot that will last for ages.  

What have you been loving lately?

Sunday 12 April 2020

Thoughts of the week

1. So. What a year this week has been. How have you all coped?

2. Glow Recipe have released a pack of mini products and they look so cute!

3. What have you all been buying? I want to buy all the things but haven't bought any non essentials because we don't have an income at the moment.

4. Self isolation has made me realise I don't have nearly enough pj's and lounge wear. When we have spare money I shall remedy that.



5. If you need hand sanitiser Kiss Ready, Perfect Potion, Nourished Life, Raww and DB Cosmetics currently have it in stock or available for pre order.

Friday 10 April 2020

FFS Friday - Zoom zoom

For those of you who need to hear it, today is Friday.

So. I've been thinking. A lot of us are scared/worried/unemployed/isolated/struggling at the moment. These are unpredictable and scary times. Instead of focusing on the negative, I'm trying to focus on the positive and challenge you all to do the same. Try thinking of three positives that have come out of this situation for you. 

Here are my positives:

  • Tiger is no longer fifo.
  • We're starting to get a few jobs done around the house.
  • It's been nice lazing around the house with my family.
  • I've reconnected with a family friend who's elderly and living alone. 
  • We're all making more effort to stay in touch with loved ones. Our family has set up a weekly zoom call with my Grandma (she's 102), Aunties, Uncles and cousins. I only get to see them every few years so it's great to see them every week.
  • All of the washing has been put away!!!!! (I should mention that it only lasted a day, but it was nice)
  • Thanks to having no income we've reigned in our spending.
  • I've realised how much money we waste on things we don't need.
  • I've read lots of books.
  • It's given me plenty of time to rest my ankle whilst it's healing.
  • We aren't spending as much money.
  • We'll get a bigger tax return as our income has dropped dramatically.
Now that we're done being positive, how much does this suck! It's just so strange and scary!

My ankle is coming along nicely. I've now moved onto the second phase of rehab and have a lot more movement.
Last week it got really sore and I thought I'd re-injured it but thankfully it was just inflamed. I stopped doing one of my exercises and got a lot better. My new physio is so good, he really puts my mind at ease.

I will be so glad when my ankle is finally back to normal. I really miss riding my bike, going for walks and being able to stand up for more than ten minutes.

 

Wednesday 8 April 2020

Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Collagen Lip Cushion


I've thought about starting a new blog series called skin care that actually works. Trouble is, I don't often meet products that really do work. When I say work, I mean products that have noticeable results. Maybe I expect too much.

When I started using my Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Collagen Lip Cushion I wasn't expecting much so I didn't bother taking before photos (which I'm now really annoyed about). I used it in the morning as a lip treatment before lipstick. As I want to treat two vertical lines around my lips I'd smudge it on my lips and around my lips. 

After a few months of once daily use I noticed that the two lines were almost gone! Even better, it's not just cosmetic. I haven't used the lip cushion for six weeks and the lines haven't come back!

I'm not sure why they call it a lip cushion. When I think of cushion I expect a foam applicator, but it has a normal slant tipped applicator. With a texture that feels balmy and hydrating yet is quickly absorbed, this is a great addition to my morning routine. It keeps my lips hydrated and soft, it plumps out the lines and makes my lips look fuller. 

There is no detectable flavour or fragrance


This is what Dr Dennis Gross has to say about the lip cushion: A cocktail of our VoluMax Complex, hyaluronic acid, marine algae, and antioxidants work together to smooth lines, restore natural volume, and repair the lip border for healthier looking lips. The smooth, cushiony formula locks in hydration and provides lasting moisture to dry, damaged lips. As essential proteins in your lips break down, volume and density start to diminish. Our VoluMax Complex stimulates the production of these essential proteins to reinvigorate lip plumpness, definition, and structure. A shot of caffeine aids in circulation, reviving lips’ natural hue. Experience beautifully transformed lips in just days. 

Usually I read what a company has to say about their product and it's just not true. This time they aren't false claims, they're actually correct. Whilst I didn't get results in days, I did get results and I dare say they would have happened faster if I'd used the product more than once a day. 

If you too want to get rid of lines around your lips then give the Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Collagen Lip Cushion. It's been worth every cent for me. 

I purchased mine from Mecca for around $45, it's currently $48. 

Ingredients: water, dimethicone, glycerin, apricot kernel oil, cetearyl alcohol, sodium hyaluronate, ceteareth-20, cocoa seed butter, hydroxyethyl urea, linseed seed oil, borago officinalis seed oil, polysorbate 60, collagen amino acids, disodium acetyl glucosamine phosphate, sodium glucuronate, sea whip extract, centella asiatica meristem cell, rhodiola rosea root extract, saccharide isomerate, evening primrose oil, soybean seed extract, proline, mannitol, caffeine, palmitoyl tripeptide-5, hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate, silica dimethyl silylate, tocopheryl acetate, PCA, sodium PCA, magnesium sulfate, histidine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, threonine, valine, serine, alanine, aspartic acid, arginine, glycolic acid, lactic acid, caprylic/capric triglyceride, ethylhexylglycerin, carbomer, inulin lauryl carbamate, xanthan gum, glycine, tromethamine, sodium lactate, cyclodextrin, orange oil, phenoxyethanol.

 



Monday 6 April 2020

Liloh Skincare

A little while ago I was sent a pack of travel sized Liloh Skincare products. At the time I was hesitant to use them as my skin was having a tantrum, however I gave them a go and they soothed my upset skin straight away. Yay!



The products are really beautiful. Liloh Skincare is clean, natural and Australian. You can buy the full range in travel size which is a great way to trial everything and see if it works for you. I love being able to try before I commit to a full sized product.

The range consists of Fresh Daily Cleanser, Vitamin Smoothie Serum, Glow Day Cream and Glow Night Cream.  

If I had to pick one product as a favourite it'd be the Vitamin Smoothie Serum.  It smells amazing and my skin felt lovely when I was using it.

Fresh Daily Cleanser is a light, gel formula that doesn't irritate my eyes and easily removes all my make-up. My skin feels cleans and happy after use, without that tight, dry feeling. It has a soft, fresh scent. 

The Vitamin Smoothie Serum smells like lollies! It's quickly absorbed, hydrating and made my skin glow. With vitamins A, C and E it's a very effective serum and one I'll be purchasing soon!

Glow Day Cream is quickly absorbed, hydrating and soothing. When my skin was irritated I found this very calming. Despite the light texture my skin felt hydrated all day, which isn't usually the case with light moisturisers. 

Last up is the Glow Night Cream. I really enjoyed using this one. It has a soft, calming scent, it's rich and plumping. I'd wake up with soft, plump and glowing skin the next morning On days when my skin was particularly dry I'd use this as a day cream.

You can purchase Liloh Skincare from their website. The trial pack is $49.95. The products lasted me around three weeks with daily use.    

Note: These products were provided for review.



Sunday 5 April 2020

Thoughts of the week

1. So, how's everyone doing? Are you okay?

2. I'm really not sure what to say today. It's such a strange/stressful time. I know a lot of us are really feeling it so I don't want to talk about it, I want to be a diversion, however I'm struggling to think of anything else to talk about.

3. So. I've noticed several brands have released lip oils recently. Kosas, Marc Jacobs and Joeur to name a few. Plus Nars and Bobbi Brown have released oil infused glosses. I want them all.

4. Who else just wants to online shop at the moment? I am resisting the urge as Tiger is unemployed and we don't know when our welfare payments will be processed.

5. Now for a random and totally irrelevant piece of information. When I'm sitting on the couch all day, I use up a lip balm in two weeks. How's that for constant reapplication? If this self isolation lasts for a while I could potentially make a decent sized dent in my collection.

Friday 3 April 2020

FFS Friday - This too shall pass

Who else gets asked stupid questions all the time? I do and I'm over it. I used to answer them properly, now I give a stupid reply. 

Here's a few examples:

Tiger: Have you been giving Chai his medication?
Me: No.
Tiger: You're joking aren't you?
Me: No.
Tiger: Of course you have, that was a silly question.
Me: Yes.

When there's a huge mess that's clearly been made by one of the kids.
Tiger: Why is this mess here?
Me: I just thought it'd be fun to dump sand all through the kitchen.

As I'm standing in the bathroom half dressed, getting ready to go out.
Eljay: Can we go now?
Me: Sure, I'll just go like this, let me get my keys.
Eljay: Stop being stupid Mum.

At 5.30am when we've just got out of bed.
Chai: Can we have Macca's?
Me: Sure, shall we head there now?
Chai: Stop it Mum.

Tiger: Hey babe, my wallet is still in your bag.
Me: Looking at him.
Tiger: Do you know where your bag is?
Me: Of course I do.
Tiger: Can you get it for me?
Me: (inside my head "No, I've got an ankle injury, I can barely fucking walk!") You know where it is.
Tiger: Goes and gets his wallet.

As I'm getting dinner out of the oven.
Chai: I want food.
Me: Really? You want to eat? I didn't know you expected to eat every day.
Chai: Yeah Mum, I'm hungry.


Funny how they know it's a stupid question but ask it anyhow. What's with that? I don't understand why they constantly ask stupid questions. It's not just on the odd occasion, it's all the time. Every. Single. Day. FFS.

If you read my thoughts of the week you'll know that Tiger lost his job last Friday. It's bittersweet. Half of me is glad that he's no longer fifo and that he'll be home during these scary times. The other part of me is wondering htf we're going to survive without his income. 

At first I was really worried then when I thought about it I realised that we will survive. It might be tough but we'll get through and get back on our feet eventually. 

There are a lot of people in the same situation as us. These times are so strange and scary. I find the worst part is not knowing. Not knowing how long this will go on for, not knowing when I'll be able to see my loved ones again, not knowing when Tiger will get a job, not knowing if all my friends and family will be safe.

What I do know is; this will pass. We'll get through it and come out the other side.
Once it's all over I think we'll appreciate life more. We'll appreciate freedom. We'll love being able to go to the park, out for coffee, see our friends, go out for tea, go to the beach, go to the cinema etc.
Things that we used to take for granted will be seen through different, more appreciative eyes. 
That's not such a bad thing is it?