Wednesday 28 December 2016

December Empties

The last empties post for the year and I've managed to finish a decent amount of products, yay! 

Innoxa NoTox Eye Patches - I really liked these and will seriously consider buying them next time they're on sale at Priceline. They aren't cheap, but I did notice a difference in my eye wrinkles when I used them. My eyes have gone back to the way they used to be since I stopped using them, but I think with long term use the results would be longer lasting.

Sportsgirl Coconut and Coffee body scrub - Another day, another coffee scrub. This one has a gorgeous coconut coffee scent. No doubt I'll pick up another one next time I'm going past Sportsgirl.

ThankYou Coffee Body Scrub - What was that I was saying about another coffee scrub? I like that this one comes in a tub, I really don't like the packet scrubs, I decant them into pots. Once I got used to the rose/coffee scent I really enjoyed this scrub. It's one I'll happily purchase again.

Trilogy Cream Cleanser - Love, love, love. The first time I used my Trilogy cleanser I knew I'd found my holy grail cream cleanser. It smells beautiful, cleanses well and is a pleasure to use. I've already repurchased two, one I'm using now and one so that I have a backup.

Lancome Visionnaire - One tube isn't enough for me to form an opinion on this.

LaVanila Sports Luxe deodorant - If you are on the hunt for an effective natural deodorant that works for sensitive skin LaVanila is worth a try. I get no irritation from the LaVanila deodorants, even Sports Luxe which contains bicarb soda. Obviously it's not enough to cause irritation. I do need to reapply during the day and find by the end of the day I am a bit whiffy, but I suppose that's what you get with natural deodorants.

Coco Niu Virgin Coconut Oil - I have a full review coming soon so keep an eye out. In short, I'm so glad to finally find coconut oil in a tube!

Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing night cream - Tiger pinched this off me and loved the gorgeous scent, however I managed to pinch it back off him, haha. This is a very rich, beautiful smelling night cream. I've yet to meet an Antipodes product that I don't like. I'd really like to try more of the range, their products all seem beautiful.

Nivea Essential Care lip balm - One of my holy grail winter lip balms. I've gone through countless tubes and always have a tube in my collection. If you have really dry lips, get yourself a tube or two of Essential Care.

The Body Shop Honeymania shower gel - Honeymania is one of my favourite scents from The Body Shop. I mainly used this when I was travelling, it was the perfect size.

Apelles body lotion - This came free with a magazine months ago. I don't remember what the scent was but I really liked it.

EOS lip balm - I finished an EOS balm! If I'm being totally honest I didn't really finish it, a lot of the balm slipped through the grate and is sitting on the bottom of the ball but I'm calling it finished.

Maskd The Green Mask - If I had to list my top five face masks, Maskd would be one of them. Once you get used to the tingle this is a great mask that leaves my skin looking and feeling lovely.

Garnier Gentle Cleansing Milk - I liked but didn't love this. It does the job.



These products are all tosses, mostly because they're really old.

Sunday 25 December 2016

Thoughts of the week

1. It's christmas! Merry Christmas everyone. Or if you don't celebrate christmas, happy holidays.

2. We had our first christmas this year. It was a lot of work but also a lot of fun.

3. We kept it pretty low key. Tiger wasn't home but his parents came down and my Dad, SIL and nephews came over.

4. We didn't buy gifts for each other, just gave money to the kids. Well that was the plan but I sneakily got a gift for SIL and she sneakily got a gift for me too.

5. My gift was the best ever and so very appropriate.

6. For the first time in my life I understand why people love christmas. Seeing how excited the boys were and spending time with the family was wonderful. Hopefully next year Tiger can be home with us. 

7. I hope you all had a wonderful day whatever you were doing.

Friday 23 December 2016

FFS Friday - School

Since he started school I've been worried about Chai. He wasn't ready to start school and he hasn't been ready for either of the years that he's done.

He needs to be held back a year.

They won't hold him back.

Unless a child isn't coping emotionally, socially and academically they won't hold them back.

Chai copes socially so they won't hold him back.

They think he's coping emotionally, I'm not so convinced.

He doesn't like school and would much rather not go.

He's developing anxiety symptoms which I'm sure are due to the pressures put on him at school.

A five year old should not have anxiety.

His school report said that he didn't meet the required standards for pre primary in any area, and yet they'll let him go to year one.

How is that going to work?

They've told me his year one teacher will be made aware of the level that he's at and that there are other children at the same level as him.

That's unfair for Chai and his teacher.

I'm so annoyed.

I talked to a friend who is a teach and she told me to see the Headmaster as soon as the office opens so that's what I'll be doing next year. 

I'm not going to let my baby struggle and hate school, that's not an acceptable option.

This further supports my plan to sell everything and run away. 

Tiger is finally starting to come around to this idea, my constant brainwashing is working! Yay!

Wednesday 21 December 2016

The Foundation Files - Antipodes Performance Plus Mineral Foundation


I was recently given the opportunity to trial the Antipodes Performance Plus Mineral Foundation. It's said to be great for sensitive skin, however I was a little concerned when I first received it as the first ingredient is bismuth. Bismuth is often blamed for causing irritation to sensitive skin.

In the interest of blog research, I bravely put aside my concerns and gave it a go. I applied the foundation, waited a few minutes and...nothing. Hmmm. No itching, no irritation, nothing. I had no irritation at all. Awesome! I've been using my Antipodes foundation daily for around three weeks now and have not had any irritation at all. Yay!

It comes with a twist top so that foundation doesn't go everywhere, brilliant idea! Does anyone else remember the early days of mineral foundation when twist tops didn't exist and you'd end up with powder everywhere?

I wear the Light Yellow shade which is a good match for me. You can see all my colour matches on the My Colour Matches tab.

Overall I'm really happy with this foundation and it's become one of my go-to products. It gives lovely buildable coverage. The coverage can be anything from light to full depending on how I apply it and how many layers I apply. It works beautifully as a powder over tinted moisturiser, evening out my skintone and covering what the tinted moisturiser doesn't. It works equally as well as a full coverage foundation, I apply two layers for full coverage that doesn't sink into fine lines or make my pores look huge. 

I've found that I don't need to use a finishing powder as it gives beautiful coverage, however a light dusting of Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder over the top is magic.

You can purchase Antipodes Performance Plus Mineral Foundation from David Jones for $44 or from the Antipodes website.
Naked face

1 layer applied with a flat top buffing brush

Ingredients:
Note: This product was provided for review.

Monday 19 December 2016

Earth Elements Organics


A little while ago I was sent a package of products from Earth Elements Organics. They make organic based, environmentally friendly, multi-puprose products at affordable prices. Their oils are cold pressed to preserve and maximise the healing benefits of the herbs. All their products are multi-purpose which saves time, money and space.

I've been using my products for about six weeks now and I love them all. 

The standout product for me is Headache Relieve. It arrived just before I got vertigo and was a lifesaver. Headache Relieve helps headaches and nausea which is exactly what I needed. I rubbed a little on to my neck, behind my ears and into my temples and within minutes my headache was gone and my nausea eased. 

I've been using the Lemon Balm Oil on Chai to help calm him down. He's an anxious little poppet who gets worked up easily. Lemon Balm oil helps to calm him down and help him relax at bed time. 

Now for the balms, oh the balms. They are lovely. It's no secret that balms are my obsession. These ones do not disappoint. I thought that Peppermint would be my favourite so was very surprised to fall head over heels with Sweet Orange, it's a beautiful, soft orange flavour that I'm obsessed with.

If you are looking for effective, natural products I highly recommend you give Earth Elements Organics a try. You can purchase their products here.  

Sunday 18 December 2016

Thoughts of the week

1. We bought some local, unprocessed honey a few weeks ago and it's amazing. If you can find some, buy it immediately.

2. School holidays are here. I'm thrilled and terrified in equal measures.

3. I found out on Monday that along with vertigo I also get migraines. I've had headaches for years but always thought they were just really bad headaches. Turns out they aren't. Apparently vertigo and migraines often go together and they happen at the same time. Nice.

4. Even though I only have to shop for four people I still have not finished my christmas shopping.

5. I'm starting to think about my new years resolutions. What are yours? 

Friday 16 December 2016

FFS Friday - Don't

I whinged a few weeks ago about the pool. I have more.

It was one of hubby's must haves when we were house hunting.

I'm sure if this house didn't have a pool he wouldn't have wanted to buy it.

I don't like the pool.

Hubby is obsessed with it.

I think it's a money pit and a total waste of effort. 

It requires looking after all year round yet we only get to swim in it a few months of the year.

Total waste of money.

When we bought the house we knew nothing about pools so didn't do any checks. 

We quickly found out that the pool required refurbishing. 

Goodbye $7,000.

Then the pool pump died.

Goodbye $400.

Now the filter/sand trap thingo has died.

Goodbye another $1,000.

Hubby is trying to tell me that now we have a brand new pool so won't need to spend any more money on it. 

I'm unconvinced. 

He's also saying that it doesn't require much maintenance.

Again I'm unconvinced.

He's telling me he's only had to brush down the pool three times in the last three years. 

I had to do it three times in the last three weeks.

Stupid pool.

Turns out the reason the pool turned green a few weeks ago is because the chlorinator is broken.

Thankfully that was replaced under warranty otherwise it'd be another expense to add to the list.

I look at the pool and see danger. Hubby looks at it and sees fun. 

It doesn't worry me quite as much as it used to now that the boys are a little older. They know not to go inside the pool gates without one of us there and they also know not to get in to the pool if we aren't there.

I still worry about it. 

Last year Eljay persisted in trying to drown himself. Three times he got into the pool without us and each time we had to fish him out. 

We were there every time watching him so he was perfectly safe, but he insisted on getting into the pool without one of us holding him and next thing he was under the water. 

He didn't learn his lesson. 

This year he's old enough to understand that getting into the water without Tiger or I is not a good idea. 

It still worries me though.

Now I get to worry about Shelby (the dog) drowning too.

She can get under the pool gate so I'm constantly checking where she is to make sure she hasn't fallen in.

She's fallen in twice now, thankfully both times we were there and both times she got herself out again before we could get to her. 

It also means that when we go out we have to leave her in the laundry so that she doesn't fall in the pool and drown whilst we're out.

Thankfully it shouldn't be too much longer until she is too big to fit under the pool gate. 

So the moral of today's whinge is this. If you are thinking of getting a pool, or a house with a pool, don't.    

Wednesday 14 December 2016

New from Essence

Essence is one of my favourite budget brands. They're constantly releasing new products, everything is really cheap and they're usually great quality. They've recently added a few products to their permanent range so I picked them up (purely for blog research, haha). I thought I'd do a quick first impressions post on each of the products.



I purchased Camouflage foundation, Matt Matt Matt long lasting lipglosses in Girl of Today and La Vie Est Belle, Colour and Care lipstick in Girls Club, Long lasting lipstick in All-Time Favourite and Matt Matt Matt lipstick in Wow Effect.

Camouflage foundation 2 in 1 Make-up and Concealer is available in three shades. I got Nude Beige which is the middle shade. If you don't have a light to medium skin tone I'd say you'll have trouble getting a colour match. Hopefully they'll release more shades in the future.  
This is a nice, full coverage foundation that would be great for oily skinned people. It doesn't work that well for my dry skin unless I take the time to add a lot of moisture or mix an oil with it. You can read my full review here.

I'm in love with the Matt Matt Matt long lasting lipglosses, they're gorgeous, so gorgeous that after I tried mine I went back and bought another one. The main reason I'm so in love is because they taste like lollies. The formula is lovely too. Whilst it sounds strange they really are a matte gloss. They feel light and hydrating whilst being matte and non sticky. I get three to four hours wear, just like a gloss.  

Colour and Care lipstick is like a pigmented, tinted lip balm. It has a lovely, hydrating feel, keeps my lips soft and looks like a lipstick. 

The long lasting lipstick isn't long lasting at all, it's a creamy satin finish lipstick that last around four hours. 

Matte Matte Matte lipstick is lovely. It's a non drying matte that wears well and doesn't dry out my lips. I get at least six hours wear before I need to reapply.

Have you tried any of the new products?
Is there anything you'd like a more in depth review of?

Monday 12 December 2016

The Foundation Files Essence Camouflage 2 in 1

Essence recently released a pile of new products. I picked up quite a few of them (post coming soon), one being the Camouflage 2 in 1 Make-up and Concealer. 

Essence say that this is a long lasting , highly pigmented, creamy formula that combines the best of a concealer and foundation, hides all skin imperfections and provides a matt and flawless finish without looking mask like. 

This would be a great foundation for people with oily skin. On my dry skin it requires work. When my skin is very well hydrated it plays nicely, when my skin isn't so well prepped the foundation sucks all the moisture from my skin and sinks into fine lines. 

For me it doesn't work well as a concealer. Whilst it does a great job of hiding my dark circles, it sinks into the fine lines under my eyes and makes me look like I'm 90. 

I can see this being a great, cheap foundation for humid weather and people with oily skin. The coverage is great, I get full coverage with one layer. It's easily buildable on blemishes and areas that need a little extra help. 

There are only three shades available. I purchased the middle shade which is 20 Nude Beige. If you don't have a light to medium skin tone I'd say you'll have trouble getting a colour match. 

At only $7.80 Essence Cammouflage is a great, cheap option.

Bare face

One layer applied with the L and Y Full Coverage Face brush



Sunday 11 December 2016

Thoughts of the week

1. We had a meeting with Chai's teacher this week. She confirmed that he's not ready for grade 1 and that he'll struggle next year but she's hoping that after a few months things will click in to place for him. This does not please me. If he's not ready he should be held back until he is ready.

2. School policy is not to hold children back unless they aren't coping at all. Chai is coping socially and emotionally so he won't be held back. The fact that he's one of the youngest in class doesn't help either. I'm so not looking forward to him going to school next year.

3. We've skipped spring and moved straight in to summer. It's strange but quite nice after the freezing cold winter we had.

4. I ordered some clothes from Karma East and they arrived this week. I'm in love. The skirts are so lovely and soft and the dresses are gorgeous. I need more of their clothes in my life.

5. I've finally started sorting out all the junk in my house. I've started with the biggest job, all the paperwork that I need to sort through. I've got about three large packing boxes full. I'm going through and shredding so much. So far the oldest piece of paperwork I've found is from 2007.

Friday 9 December 2016

FFS Friday - FIFO

There's only one week of school left.

Chai has been an emotional little mischief the last few weeks. It's left me wondering how I'm going to survive the school holidays. I suspect that I may end up in a mental institution.

As luck would have it Tiger will be away for more of the holidays than he'll be home. Typical.

I am so, so sick of him doing FIFO. I want it to end. The only way that it will end is for us to move up north. 

We are considering it. We thought about it this time last year and decided against it. I hate the heat. It's really hot up there. Even winter is hot. I consider anything over 35 unreasonable. Summer up there is usually over 40. Some days it hits 45. In weather like that I wouldn't leave the house. 

They say that it's great for families up there and that after the first twelve months you get used to it. I'm not so sure. 

The other thing is that Tiger would be a casual. They don't put people on full time any more so we'd have no job security. When you're a casual they can sack you on the spot for no reason. You get no notice, they just walk up and tell you that you no longer have a job.

On the plus side, if we moved he'd be earning more than double what he earns now and my job potential would be greatly increased. There isn't much work for me down here, up there I'd get a job easily. 

We'd be totally isolated up there, no family or friends. If I needed help I would have no-one to turn to. Tiger would be working six days a week, 12 hour days. I'm not sure what's worse. Him being away for half of the year or getting to see him every day but him only having one day off.

Then I think about the finances. With his income doubled we'd pay off a lot of debt really quickly. Within a year we'd only have our mortgages and one car loan, everything else would be paid off. Maybe the sacrifice is worth it. 

I don't know. I'm waiting for a sign. 

Thursday 8 December 2016

Things to Try Thursday

Today I'm all about pink lipsticks. Who doesn't love a nice pink lipstick? I'm sure there are some people who don't but I'm not one of them. 

The four pretty pink lipsticks that I've been reaching for lately are:

Shanghai Suzy Miss Laura - I'm so glad that they got rid of the grape flavour, it's the one thing that I didn't like (and the reason I tossed) my old Shanghai Suzy lipsticks. The strawberry flavour is so much nicer! Miss Laura Pink Lady is said to be like the cocktail. I have no idea what the pink lady cocktail is but the Pink Lady lipstick is gorgeous. It's a cool toned medium pink that provides opaque coverage with one swipe. The formula is whipped matte which means it feels light on the lips and is long lasting, I get four to six hours wear before I need to reapply.

NYX Butter lipstick in Taffy - On the days when I don't want a bright lip but I want more than lip balm NYX Butter lipstick is my go to. I love the range of colours and the formula is gorgeous, glossy and hydrating. Wearing Taffy feels more like wearing a lip balm than a lipstick. The wear time isn't amazing, only a few hours, but that's what you get with a glossy lipstick.

Jeffree Star Lip Ammunition in Baby Spice - This is my first Jeffree Star product and I love it. There are very mixed reviews about the Lip Ammunition lipsticks with people saying that they're gritty, but mine isn't. When I want a bright lipstick that lasts all day, this is my choice. The colour is very bright on me and it lasts all day. I put it on in the morning and it's still there at 6pm. 

Revlon Ultra HD lipstick in Peony - The formula of the Ultra HD lipsticks is gorgeous, I just wish they had a few more natural, mlbb every day colours. Peony is the only colour I found that wasn't really bold and bright. Peony is my go to, everyday lipstick lately. I haven't been wearing eye shadow, just mascara and Peony to brighten things up.



What are your favourite pink lipsticks?

Wednesday 7 December 2016

November outgoing and incoming

November was a slow month for me empties wise, mainly because I spent a good portion of the month sick. Despite that I did manage to finish a few products. 

That's it. I only finished six products. One of them was a sample and the body scrub cubes I didn't finish, the boys destroyed most of them when they were having a shower. I'm hoping December will be a more productive month empties wise.

Johnson's Nutrient Burst Body Wash - I'll definitely be repurchasing this one, it smells like roses!

It's The Bomb Coconut and Lime Sugar Scrub Cubes - I loved these. I got to use about five before the boys got into them. I have no idea how they managed to use a whole jar of scrub cubes without leaving any trace but they did. There's nothing about my sugar scrub cubes that I didn't like. The scent is beautiful, they're not scratch and they leave my skin feeling soft and hydrated. Thankfully I have a backup jar waiting for me.

In Essence Hydrating Mist - I love this because of the memories, Tiger used it to cool me down when I was in labour with Chai. I'll repurchase it once I've got through a few others.

L'Occitane Arlesienne Perfume - Floral lovers you all need Arlesienne, it smells beautiful. If I wasn't on a mission to finish all my perfumes I'd own this already. 

Natural Instinct Plump and Renew Serum - I was quite surprised at how much I liked this serum. The bottle lasted me around seven weeks with twice daily use. Whilst I didn't notice any amazing results it was nice to use and smells good.

The Body Shop Moringa Body Sorbet - Love, love, love. 

Incoming:
I don't have much to show for my incoming either. Whilst I was very tempted to shop I managed to restrain myself.

That's it. I finally got the Pixi Glow Tonic that I've been wanting for years after seeing it on Caroline Hirons blog. Every time I try to buy it from ASOS it's out of stock. I finally managed to get it in stock and on sale, bonus. I bought the pack that came with Glow Tonic and Glow Mist. I've been using them for a few days, expect a full blog post after I've used them for a while. 

Priceline have 40% off L'oreal so I pick up two of the much hyped clay masks. I chose the charcol and red algae masks as they seemed the best ones for my skin type. I haven't used them yet, I'll report back once I have. 

I can never resist Essence, they have such great products and they're so cheap. I picked up a few of their new releases, the standout being the Mat Mat Mat lipgloss, it tastes lovely. Whilst it isn't very long lasting (I get a few hours out of it), the great taste makes up for it.

Another thing I can't resist is lip plumpers. Innoxa cleverly bought out a plumping lip crayon (lip crayons are another product I can't resist). I've used it a few times and like it so far. 

Lastly Rimmel sent me one of their eye shadow palettes to review. The one I have is Grunge Glamour. The colours are beautiful and the shades I've used have worn really well with great pigmentation. Again, look out for a review coming soon.
   

Monday 5 December 2016

Love at first application


Every now and again I'll try a product and it'll be love at first use. It doesn't happen very often but when it does it's magic.


Trilogy Cream Cleanser - The first time I used this I knew I'd found my holy grail cleanser. It feels lovely on my skin, smells amazing and is a pleasure to use. 


Maybelline FitMe! Concealer - This is everything that I wanted the Nars concealer to be. The first time I used it I wondered why it isn't all over the internet. I've heard very little about FitMe! which is strange because it's easily one of the best under eye concealers I've ever used. It's only equal is Bobbi Brown's Corrector.

Audra James facial oil - It's no secret how much I love Audra James products, they're all perfection. Audra made me a bespoke facial oil which I've been using and loving the last few weeks. It makes my skin feel very soft and smooth, it absorbs quickly and isn't too oily. It's the first facial oil that I've been able to use during the day, I usually save my oil usage for night time due to the greasiness factor.

Subtle Energies face oil - I use this for the amazing scent. I wish it came in a perfume, I'd use it every day. I put this on my hands and inhale the scent for a few seconds before applying it to my face. The smell is one that I find instantly calming.

The Body Shop Spa of the World Japanese Camellia cream - This feels like I'm moisturising with a beautiful soft cloud, it's got a really luxurious feel with a unique texture. It absorbs quickly and yet is still super hydrating. It'd make a great christmas present. 

It Cosmetics CC+ - This gets rave reviews for good reason, it's awesome. It has the coverage of a foundation with the added bonus of SPF50+. It cuts out three steps in my routine, moisturiser, sunscreen and foundation which makes it great for days when I'm in a hurry. I buy my It Cosmetics from Beautylish, their prices are great and shipping is fast. 


Essence Matt Matt Matt longlasting lipgloss - These are a new release from Essence and the flavour is so good! If it wasn't for the flavour I wouldn't be in love, but the flavour is what sells me. They're a long lasting, matte gloss, sounds strange but it works. Essentially they're a matte lipstick that last for about four hours. I have to reapply sooner because I lick it off, haha. 


Earth Elements Organics Headache Relieve - When I had vertigo Headache Relieve was my saviour. I had a constant pounding headache that wasn't relieved by painkillers. Headache Relieve got rid of it within minutes. I rub a little bit on the back of my neck, behind my ears and into my temples. Not only is it a headache reliever it also helps to relieve nausea. 
I have several other Earth Elements Organics products that I'm testing, so look out for a full review coming soon.

What products were love at first application for you?