Current favourites

What things am I loving at the moment? Let me tell you.

 

 

This cute little Bout the Pout coin purse. 

Isn't it gorgeous? It's the perfect size for cash, lip products, tampons etc. and looks really cute clipped onto my bag.

Maybelline Vinyl Liquid Lipstick.

I've been waiting impatiently for these to be available in Australia. They are worth all the hype. Maybelline outdid themselves with this formula, it's amazing. I apply my lipstick at 7am, eat and drink all day and it's still on at 8pm. There is a tiny bit of fading on the inside of my lips, but nothing noticeable. 

I apply lip balm over the top without it taking the lipstick off too. 

I have a mlbb shade, I'd be really interested to see how the brighter shades go. Next time they're on sale I might pick up a red and see how that wears. 

 

My new Samsung Galaxy S23.

It's lilac!

The operating system is really smooth and the camera is amazing. 

 

Cold drip coffee. 

If I'd known how easy it is to make I would have started drinking it years ago. You don't even need to buy coffee grounds. If you have grinds, awesome, if you don't, use your blender on pulse (so the beans don't get hot) and blend it until the beans are the texture of sand. Then you just need equal parts water and coffee beans. Soak it for 12 to 24 hours, strain it then keep it in the fridge. It's good for at least 7 days. It also freezes well if you want to make a really quick, easy iced coffee.

 

Lush Posh Chocolate.

OMG this is amazing. It looks, feels and smells just like yummy chocolate mousse. The texture is super creamy and hydrating and it's a dream to use. That is all. 

The Swig coffee cup hubby bought me.

 I do not need any more coffee cups but this one is so pretty. It has glitter all through so it sparkles in the sun. 

My job. 

I work with the loveliest bunch of people. They are so genuinely wonderful and I am so lucky to be in that environment. 

Thoughts of the week.

1. The NYX Fat Oil Lip Drips are finally available in Australia.

 

2. Whilst we're talking make-up, the new Body Shop range is available now too.

 

3. Is anyone else over having to make dinner every night? I am so over it.

 

4. I've been watching fashion posts on Instagram lately. I love seeing how women pull a whole outfit together. I just can't be bothered with that. I never change my jewellery or handbag, it's way too much effort! I'd love to be one of those people who could be bothered doing that, but I just don't have the energy.

 

5. What's your favourite lip gloss that tastes nice? I so miss Bonne Bell glosses, they were the best.

FFS Friday - Whiney wine

Hello beautiful people. How are you all?

I feel like I'm constantly chasing my tail at the moment. I just get caught up on one thing then another thing comes along. Work has been busy, therapies are back, there are meetings with the high school and just so much to do. 

 

This week I had a meeting with the year co-ordinator for Chai's school. She was lovely and I feel so much happier about him being at high school. Even better, several of the staff dealing with Chai have lived experience having a child with Autism. I find that so reassuring, they just get it. Unless you have lived experience you really can't/don't get it. They do. They were so friendly and genuinely want the best for Chai.

 

Having said that, I really, really don't enjoy the kids being at school. Eljay has been asked to apply for the PEAC program. If he gets in I am responsible for getting him there, picking him up and taking him back to school. It's on every week and naturally it's on a day that I work. HTF am I supposed to manage that? It's just another thing added onto my already overloaded schedule. I love working and the kids love school, I just don't enjoy everything that goes with it. The scheduling, remembering everything, rushed mornings, arriving at work right on my start time, racing out exactly at finish time, the appointments etc.

But that's just the way it is, and it really is a first world problem. 

I had my skin check last week. I had a clear, flaky patch on my face burned off and am getting a freckle removed today. Did you know that clear flaky patches can turn into skin cancer? I didn't. The Dr said we could monitor it and the freckle, I just want them both gone. I don't do monitoring, get the things off me, it's safer that way.

So, for those of you who need it, here's your reminder to get your skin check. Whilst you're at it, clean your make-up brushes and wash your water bottle too. 

My Grandma will be 105 soon. How amazing is that!

Have a wonderful weekend lovelies.

La Mer Foundation Brush

A few weeks ago I was on Instagram and one of my favourite accounts posted about the La Mer Foundation brush. I immediately wanted it but $135 is way above what I'm willing to spend on a brush. Whilst I was googling I spotted one on AliExpress so I bought it. With shipping it cost me just under $10.

 

I've never purchased from AliExpress before so wasn't even sure if my brush would arrive, but I received tracking updates and sure enough it arrived within two weeks. It looks exactly the same as the La Mer brush and seems to be great quality. 

 

 

The bristles are soft and densely packed. When I first received the brush it had a funny odour, however that went away as soon as I washed it. 

 

I've been using this to apply my foundation, it does a great job. I'm 99% sure it isn't La Mer, however it's as close as I'll get to the real thing. 

 What else should I try from Ali Express?

 

Thoughts of the week

1. School has been back for three weeks now. I still miss the lazy days of the holidays.

 

2. The Maybelline Vinyl lipsticks are finally available in Australia. You can get them half price at Priceline this week.

 

3. MAC have released a new liquid lipstick and it's $54! WTF is with that? Sure it looks luxurious, but $54 for a MAC lipstick is crazy!

 

4. Hubby and I got the new Samsung phones this week. They're so pretty.

 

5. Who's tried the new Burt's Bees cranberry spritz lip balm? I haven't found it yet.

FFS Friday - Ill Wind

Hello beautiful people. How are you all? Has your week been okay?

Mine has not gone to plan. I had three important meetings and several things to organise for work this week. I didn't get to any of them. Poor Eljay got a horrible cold and had four days off school. He rarely gets sick and when he does he's usually only off for a day or two. But, because of that I missed all the meetings. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now.

 

My work is so good. They don't get upset or annoyed if I need time off because the kids are sick. I feel really bad, but they don't mind at all. 

 

That's been it for this week. One day of work, four days with a sick little boy. The good thing was I got a lot of things done around the house so that was nice. 

 

Now that work, school and therapies are back I've stopped sleeping again. I slept so well during the school holidays but now that school is back I'm back to not being able to sleep. Clearly my sleep issues are stress related. I need to figure out a way to get rid of the stress but I don't know how I'm going to manage that. I have so many different things to juggle when school is on. Between meetings, therapies, tutoring, work and school I'm always scrambling to remember everything I have to do. I write it all down, have two calenders, have lists and set reminders in my phone, but there is just so much to remember and it's exhausting. 

 

I'd love a personal assistant, that would make my life so much easier. 

 

Despite all that, I am slowly getting things organised. I got the fridge cleaned out (it's messy again now thanks to my family) and I sorted the linen cupboard so now I can find everything. It's very satisfying to be getting things organised. 

 

I'm organising the things that I see the most first. My bathroom had been annoying me for a while, now every time I walk in there I look at the counter and feel really happy that it looks so neat and tidy. Same with the linen cupboard, looking in there is very satisfying. It may be slow but it's still progress. 

 

That's all I've got for this week. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  

Lush Posh Chocolate Body Wash

Did you know Lush quit social media? They quit a few years ago and I must say since they quit I haven't heard anything about them. No-one seems to talk about them any more. I don't have a Lush store close to me so I haven't shopped there in years. Whilst I agree that their reasons for quitting social media were very sound, I do miss seeing them in my Instagram feed. 

 

Luckily for me my bff goes to the city regularly and sometimes brings back goodies. Last time she got me the Posh Chocolate Body Wash. I'm not sure if it's a new product but it's amazing! It smells and looks exactly like chocolate. 

 

 

I am so tempted to taste it, however I've resisted so far as I don't think it'd taste anywhere near as good as it smells.

 

Doesn't it look exactly like chocolate? The texture is like a creamy chocolate mousse. It's hydrating and lovely to use.

 

If they did a body lotion in this scent I'd definitely buy it!

 

See? Yummy chocolate mousse texture. It is so lush (pun intended) and luxurious. 

I'm savouring it as it's so lovely. I take it out of the shower and hide it after each use as I don't want the boys to get their hands on it.
 

What other Lush products are must haves? Ro's Argan is always on my list, what else should I look at?

Thoughts of the week

1. I survived the week. I may not survive next week but I survived this week. Go me.

 

2. This weekend I'm going to make RecipeTin Eats lunchbox pizza bread.

 

3. The Maybelline Superstay Vinyl Ink lipsticks are finally available in Australia. They're half price at Priceline too.

 

4. After organising my bathroom counter a few weeks ago I'm still happy with it. It's so much neater.

 

5. You know when you see those articles titled "random thing you didn't know you needed"? I never read them because I figure if I don't know that I need it then I probably don't need it.

FFS Friday - Wine

Hello beautiful people. How are you all? Have you had a good week? I survived the week which is an accomplishment. Next week will be the real test because therapies are back on so I'll be racing around all over the place.

 

I often wonder if the therapies are worth it. I wonder if they're helping Chai or if I'm just putting him through unnecessary treatment. He enjoys all the therapies and wants to go to them but I'm really not sure if they help or not. I wonder if I'd know if they helped? I know that the some of them help but what about the others?

 

Having a child with extra needs is a constant stress. People really have no idea.  I was talking to a work colleague last week. I'd told her about a very minor behaviour of Chai's, one that doesn't really cause disruption. She looked at me and said "Wow, I had no idea it was like that at your house."

When she said it I though to myself, no-one really has any idea what it's like at my house. 

 

If I told people some of the things that are normal at my house they wouldn't believe me. People would be horrified at what is normal in my house. It's not something that I can tell people and not something I can talk about, which makes it very isolating. I often feel like a fake. I put on a normal face for the outside world and people have no idea what's going on in my life. I'll have the worst morning ever, get to work and act like everything is okay. It's all I can do. I can't let what's going on at home affect my work so I just have to put on a brave face and pretend I haven't had the most stressful morning. 

Even if I did have time to talk about my reality, people just wouldn't understand. 

How do you tell people that your house feels like a war zone? 

How do you tell them that you're exhausted because you haven't slept through the night for 12 years?

How do you tell them that sometimes you feel like you're in an abusive relationship with your child? 

How do you tell them you're scared that your child is being traumatised by their sibling? How do you tell them that you're worried about the affect the extreme stress will have on your health? 

How do you tell them that you are in a constant state of stress and no amount of self care will fix it? 

How do you tell people these things? There would be disbelief, judgement, helpful suggestions and pity. I'm not here for any of that. 

So I don't say anything. At most I'll say "It's been a rough morning" but that's it. 

Yesterday morning was awful so I got to work, took a few deep breaths, had a chocolate, sipped my coffee and got on with my day. That's just the way it is when you've got a child with additional needs. 

That concludes my whinge for the week.

 

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend.

 

 

Thoughts of the week

1. So they found that radioactive capsule. I think there's so much more to that story. Their explanation of how it was lost makes no sense. I think they're lying. Glad it's been found.

 

2. You only have until the end of next month to redeem your Back to MAC empties before the program ends.

 

3. Mecca's Beauty Loop Boxes are out. Good time to purchase if you need anything. If you don't need anything imo the blb's are not a reason to purchase.

 

4. Pre-orders are open for the Galaxy S23 phones. You get a free Galaxy Watch 5 if you order with Telstra. They've reintroduced the 36 month plan so if you're on a plan with the S22 you might be able to save money by switching to the S23.

 

5. I'm sad the school holidays are over, they were so much fun. I love being at home with my babies.

FFS Friday - Thoughtful

Hello beautiful people. How are you all?

I am tired. School went back this week, I went back to work and Chai started high school. 

Both boys were nervous on their first day. They both had a great day and were exhausted when they got home. They were even more exhausted at the end of the second day. Thank goodness they only have a three day week. Tempers were short and they were both volatile and fragile. Not a very good combination.

I'm back at work and it's been crazy busy. When I say crazy busy I mean absolutely flat out all day. I have so much work to do and I have no idea how I'm going to get it all done. I can usually manage to squeeze everything in but I really don't think I'm going to manage it this week. 

Having said that, I do enjoy it when work is busy, it's go go go all day and I like the chaos of being really busy. I'd just like it to be slightly less busy so that I can actually get my work done. 

I'm sad that the holidays are over but it is nice to be back at work. It'd be nice if I could have both, work and school holidays at the same time.

Next week is going to give me a taste of what life will be like for the next three years. I'll be working and having to get both boys to and from school at the same time. I'll have to drop Chai off, get Eljay and myself to school and work then at the end of the day get Eljay and pick Chai up. 

The week after that is when reality will really hit as Chai's therapies will start again so I'll be doing all the school transport plus therapies after school. I am not looking forward to it at all. 

Between work, home stuff, school runs, the P&C and school board I am going to be very busy. 

I do not like being busy. 

Ah well, I signed up for it. At least I won't have a lot of time to think, that's a good thing. 

My last B2M lipstick

In sad news that I'm sure most of you beauty buffs will already know, MAC is closing it's Back to MAC scheme next month. Instead of a free lipstick, from the 1st of April they will be switching to a monetary pledge to an environment focused NGO dedicated to helping conserve the planet. 

I'll be interested to see how this works. I can't see many people continuing to return their empties to MAC. I know I won't be, I don't have a counter close to me, it's easier to drop them in to Priceline for Terracycle. 

I had eight MAC empties waiting to return so when my bff was going to the city I asked her to swap them for me and got my last free lipstick before the scheme ends. I gave her a list of three different lipsticks I wanted and she came home with Creme in Your Coffee. 

 

This isn't a colour that I'd normally choose, I go for pinks and mauves, but Creme in Your Coffee is a pleasant surprise. It's not as brown as it looks on my screen, it has a pink tinge and it's quite sheer on my pigmented lips. 

 

It's the Cremesheen formula so it's hydrating, buildable and glossy. 

 

I love the Cremesheen formula as it's like wearing a tinted balm. Comfortable, a nice wash of colour and hydrating. Everything I look for in a lipstick.

It's a real shame that the B2M program is closing. It's been going for over thirty years now and was a great way to try new MAC lipsticks. Plus, it motivated me to finish my MAC products. 

Oh well, it's not like I need any more lipsticks.