What's in my bag?

I am completely obsessed with handbags and I have been for my entire life. I thank my DNA, both my Mum and her Mum share this obsession. Having such an obsession means that I change my bags A LOT so treat this like a disclaimer. This is what my handbag looks like today, tomorrow it will probably be different, however whenever I use this specific bag this is what is in it...Oh and I guess I should mention the actual bag too! This is what I carry around with me when I use my small Longchamp Le Pliage.

• Mimco Mesh Mash Wallet - I adore the matte mesh on this wallet. I had always admired the original Mimco mesh but it was too bling for me to use everyday, even though you can't see the true matteness of the wallet in the pic, it is definitely matte! 

• Rubi Bag Tassle - Tassle keyrings seem to be "the thing" at the moment. I didn't want to splurge on one of the super nice (but super expensive) ones because it is just a keyring at the end of the day. This one was $6.95 :) Top Tip: Buy a colourful keyring that is large or has something dangly you can feel it when you are groping around in your bag, because you know...your keys are never going to be easily found!  

• Nivea Lip Balm, Vitamin Shake 'Cranberry & Raspberry' - There is always a lip balm or three in my bag! This one is my current fave, it smells so nice.

• Mac Lustre Lipstick in 'Syrup' - This is definitely the lipstick I wore the most in 2015! As it is a colour I can pretty much wear wherever and whenever it is pretty much always in my handbag :) 

• Headphones - I keep my headphones untangled by using a bulldog clip! So much easier and less embarrassing than having to detangle them everytime I pull them out of my bag.

• Typo A5 Weekly Buffalo Diary - I'll be the first to admit my memory is not that great! So a diary is a necessity. Last year I tried relying on the calendar on my phone and whilst I LOVE how it syncs between my laptop and iPad I have always been a stationary lover so this year I am using a paper diary properly again. It is also a good excuse to buy pretty pens! 

• Kikki K Metal Rollerbal Pen: Don't Follow Your Dreams, Chase them - This pen is so cute I couldn't leave it behind in the shop. I love how sturdy and special this pen feels.

• Mimco Stand Case - Sometimes I don't want to take a bag out (ironic considering the premise of this post!) so this is fantastic because it protects my phone and also provides me with a place to slip in some money and cards.  

• Crabtree & Evenlyn Sugar & Spice Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy - There is always a hand cream floating around the bottom of my handbag. This Christmas hand cream from Crabtree & Evelyn smells amazing and is a great hand cream. It sinks in quickly and moisturises lovely. 

• And the usual suspects: Stray hair ties, hand sanitiser. Not much to say here...

October Beauty Favourites / First Impressions

Before I get into the nitty gritty details I want to make a disclaimer - yes these are "beauty favourites" but unlike most of my monthly favourite posts, these products are all quite new to me. So are these tried and tested? No. But at the moment I am loving them...stay tuned for more details review posts once I have worn them for more than 3-4 weeks. 

So let's get into it! A couple of weeks ago I left the house with zero make-up on. It was fine, it was a quick trip out of the house. Wait a second, no it wasn't! I had to go to work too. Luckily I ran into a Priceline grabbed a foundation and lipgloss. The lipgloss was over-priced and not that great. Thankfully the foundation, Rimmel London's Lasting Finish 25hr Comfort Serum, was super impressive. At this point in time I'm not 100% sure about the claim that it lasts 25 hours but the coverage is really nice, it is very easy to apply and it looks and feels amazing on the skin. It also has SPF20 which is useful. 

Moxie's lipstick in 'Get Ready' was an impulse purchase but definitely not a waste of money - especially since the tube clicks up and down - so much fun but completely besides the point! 'Get Ready' is a super juicy pink berry. The formula is creamy and quite opaque. Lasting power is pretty good too :) A perfect lipstick for the summer.

Have you smelt Nivea's Vitamin Shake in 'Cranberry & Raspberry'? If you haven't, you NEED to!!! It smells like raspberry/strawberry milkshake. The formula is creamy and sitting on the fence between thick and lightweight, and of course moisturising. I love Nivea lip balms, definitely worth trying if you haven't before.

Finally, one product that I have used consistency for over a month is Essano's Rosehip Regenerating Facial Moisturiser. This is a mini tube that I got in an Essano kit but I will most definitely be purchasing the full size tube. It is a really decent moisturiser, not too heavy but provides a good level of moisture without interfering with make-up. It sinks into the skin quickly too which is great!

February Favourites

Today it is time for me to write one of my favourite type of posts...monthly favourites! So let's skip all the inevitable rambling about where the month disappeared to and get onto all the products that won over my heart this month.

I'm going to begin with Garnier's Moisture Match Start Afresh Moisturiser. Last month my skin was feeling dreadful. I put it down to a lack of a good moisturiser and, hey presto, once I started using this moisturiser my skin felt so much more hydrated. I love this moisturiser and definitely recommend it!

A product that is by no means a new love of mine, rather a love I have rediscovered, is Rimmel London's Stay Matte Pressed Powder in 'Silky Beige'. I think this powder is dearly loved by many bloggers and for good reason. I'm not a "powder" person and this is the only powder that has ever impressed me. In particular, this month I have been loving this powder in combination with the Physician's Formula CC cream. I wrote a post all about that, click here to read it.

All month I have been blown away by the Essence Maximum Definition Mascara. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting to love it this much because it costs a mere $5.75 which is ridiculously cheap. But it is a really good mascara!!! The brush is great and even though it isn't a waterproof formula, it never smudges on me. A great everyday mascara, check it out!

Moving away from face products and onto the lips, I have two lip balms that I have been loving recently. Nivea recently launched their Pure and Natural 'Olive and Lemon' Lip Balm here in Australia (I think this was launched in America a year ago?). I feel like this lip balm actually moisturises and heals my lips. You would think all lip balms would do that, but no...I actually find a lot just dry my lips out unless I slather them in lip balm every 20 minutes. Am I the only one who thinks this? I have also been loving the 'Salted Caramel' Lipsmacker. After hearing that the company had been sold in the news I thought I would relive my childhood. It truly does smell like salted caramel, absolutely delicious! Plus it does moisturise my lips and is a decent lip balm - a yummy scent isn't everything!

This is where all orderliness goes out the window. We have a random nail polish and a body butter. Shall we talk about the nail polish first? 'Timbleberry' by Sinful Colours is a polish that I have had for a couple of years now and I haven't worn it for over a year :( With the crazy hot weather we were having I thought it was time to break it out. And I love it as much as I did when I first brought it. Timbleberry is a gorgeous (and very bright) coral pink. Great for the summer!

I have also been loving a new discovery, Jergen's Deep Conditioning Shea-Butter Rich Body Cream. This is a luxurious body cream that absorbs quickly, lasts a long time and isn't greasy. It also smells really nice. I'm not a huge body moisturiser person but what makes me love this so much is that it doubles for hand cream. Most body creams and body butters are way too thick and greasy for hand cream  but this truly sinks in quickly.

What were your favourite products for February?

Summer Skincare Routine 2015

I think I have perfected my summer skincare routine. My skin was like a temperamental toddler in the beginning of summer, it probably also didn't help that we have had an unusually wacky summer. January was abnormally cold, usually it is abnormally hot...But finally I have a handful of products that I would like to praise. Thanks goes to the following products for keeping my skin well behaved and pimple free for the past couple of months:

Olay Complete Defence Daily UV Moisturising Lotion SPF 30+

If I am going to take a step out the front door I wear this moisturiser underneath my make-up. With SPF 30 it is great for the Australian summer. It sinks in nicely, doesn't leave any residue and doesn't interfere with my make-up. It is very lightweight and feels moisturising however I do feel like I need another moisturiser in my arsenal because this sometimes doesn't hydrate my dry skin enough. I definitely love this product though and will definitely repurchase it.

 Garnier Moisture Match Start Afresh Light Softening Cream 

This is the latest addition to my skincare routine and the product that I feel has really completed it. Before using this moisturiser my skin was misbehaving. Despite usually having oily / combination skin I felt like my skin was dry. It was tired and generally just not feeling or looking great. After using this moisturiser daily for 2-3 weeks my skin feels more hydrated. It sinks in quickly and I don't think it has been leaving any residue on my skin or interfering with my make-up, but it has been quite hot so it is difficult to tell when it feels like your make-up is literally going to melt off from the heat! So far I have been super impressed with this moisturiser and for a mere $10 it is definitely worth giving it a try. There is a number of different moisturisers in this range, depending on what your skin concern is, so there should be something for everybody. I'll post a full review of this product once I have worn it for a little longer.

Yes to Carrots Daily Cream Facial Cleanser

If you have been reading my blog for awhile you will already know this...but I LOVE the 'Yes to' skincare range. I have tried several of their cleansers and the latest one is the 'daily cream facial cleanser'. This is a gentle cream cleanser that has been working great for me lately. I sound like a broken record, but again, I haven't had any breakouts while using this product and it has done a great job at controlling my skin. If you have very dry skin I'm not sure if this will be the best cleanser in the world for you but otherwise it's pretty good! 

Nivea Pure & Natural Olive and Lemon Lip Balm

This lip balm was launched ages ago in America and in the past month itfinally arrived on our shores here in Australia. I was super excited when I saw it and brought it immediately. I have had dry, chapped and generally flaky lips for ages. However since using this balm I have felt like my lips have been a lot smoother, less dry and less flaky. Yay! Is it only me or do you feel like a lot of lip balms either do nothing or dry your lips out? The scent of this lip balm is quite unusual and it doesn't disappear immediately after application which is good. I've been a long time fan of Nivea and I actually think this is my favourite Nivea lip balm. 

So these are the skincare products I have been loving lately. What products have you been loving this summer? 

Thanks for reading, 

cheers :)

March Favourites

Hi guys!!! March is coming to an end so it's time for me to sit down and tell you all about the products that I have been loving. There is one product that is screaming from the rooftops, "talk about me, talk about me, talk about meeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!" and that would be L'oreals Colour Riche Nutrishine in 'Sandalwood Beige'. It's a hybrid lipstick / lip balm (think Revlon, Lip Butters) that gives your lips a gorgeous wash of colour and feels nice and moisturising too. I think this might be the perfect nude for me. I have been wearing it nearly every day for uni because I can re-apply it easily and I know I won't end up looking like a clown. I'll be writing a review on it in the coming weeks so stay tuned for more details!

























A couple of months ago I had a moisturiser debacle and my skin was feeing all dry and tight. Not nice at all. So I went and brought my holy grail moisturiser and my skin is feeling back to normal again - yay!!! The Buttermilk Moisturiser is, by far, the best moisturiser I have ever tried. Throughout the years I have probably brought ten bottles of this stuff! It is very soothing and moisturising without feeling greasy. The only reason I tried another moisturiser was because this one does contain parabens and I tend to avoid parabens when I can.

I have been loving Nivea's Pure & Natural Milk and Honey Lip Balm. One of my all time favourite lip balms because it actually moisturises my lips instead of drying them out like some other lip balms do! Plus, it smells like honey. I think I have raved about this balm numerous times so I'm leaving it at that for today.

I posted a review of Nyx's Mega Shine Lip Gloss in 'Beige' earlier this month (click here to read it) and have really loved wearing it. Despite being a bit sticky it gives my lips a lovely MLBB wash of colour, is incredibly shiny and lasts well.

Revlon's 'Girly' nail polish has been sitting in my nail polish drawer for probably a year now and I have only worn it once. I think the idea of removing all that glitter (as gorgeous as it is) scares me away from this polish. But, I wore this earlier this month over a nail polish that turned out to be a streaky mess and it did a great job of disguising my manicure that went wrong :)

That's it for me today! I now need to hit the books and get some study done because yesterday I accidentally found myself at IKEA and Freedom and we all know those shops take a long time to walk through. I actually brought a new make-up organiser from Freedom so I will be posting about that later this week. Have a great week, cheers :)

January Favourites 2014

I cannot believe I'm sitting here writing my first "favourites" post of 2014. It feels like I haven't written one of these posts for ages since I skipped Decembers' because I was focused on getting up my 2013 yearly favourites. And, in some ways January seems to have lasted forever. But now it is the 30th of January and I really should get a move along and tell you all what I loved in January (and stop rambling).

• Chi Chi Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

I didn't use to wear much eyeshadow, but now that I have the Nudes palette I find myself reaching for it all the time. You can create so many different looks with this one palette from day to night time, plus the quality is great. For the daytime I love the matte browns and the rosey coppers for night.

• Rimmel London Match Perfection Blush in 002 Light/Medium 

I'm going to be honest, I never use to wear blush (strange for somebody who blogs beauty I know) because I didn't want to look like a clown but recently I have started dabbling in blush and have loved how it has looked.This match perfection blush is pretty perfect. It's nearly foolproof, lasts a decent amount of time and works well with my skintone. It's also super cheap so if you are thinking about giving blush a go, I definitely recommend this. 

• Maybelline Sea-quins Nail Polish ey

Sea-quins from Maybelline is a stunning teal glitter. Tricky to remove but it's worth it for the sparkles!I'm ashamed how long this sat in my polish drawer before I eventually got around to using it. Lovers of glitter and/or teal...you need this polish :)

• Nyx Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee 

I've raved about this before so I'm going to keep this short. Creme Brulee is the perfect pinky nude gloss. Not sticky, lasts well and feels really moisturising. 

• Nyx Lipstick in Tea Rose

If you after an opaque dusty pink lipstick this could be it! I fell in love with this lipstick after discovering it would last 2+ hours and my munching on snacks. Very impressed with this lipstick and can definitely see myself wearing this a lot in the coming weeks. 

• Nivea Pure & Natural Milk and Honey Lip Balm 

First up, it smells like honey. So I don't think I need another reason why it's in my favourites post but I do have some. This lip balm is very moisturising, lasts on lips for around 2 hours (which in my book is fantastic) and doesn't dry your lips out once it wears off unlike some other lip balms. 

• Physician's Formula Organic Wear Mascara

This mascara has appeared in so many of my favourites posts it is kind of ridiculous. But it never disappoints me so I'm going to say (for the 100th time) that I love this mascara. 

And now time for a short ramble. My final favourite for the month of January is that trolley I used in the photo. This stainless steel, exact replica of a shopping trolley (complete with plastic features, wheels and a fold out baby seat) was a gift from Mum for Christmas. Every time I see these at the shops I think they're great but it's not like you buy yourself a scaled replica of a shopping trolley when you are just out and about...anyway this now lives on my desk and I use it to keep whatever base coat and top coat I'm using plus any polishes I've swatched recently and want to write up a review of. I'm in awe okay? Love it!

Before I forget...sorry about the dodgy photo today. With this crazy heat wave this was all I managed before rushing back inside.

Thanks for reading and I hope you have had a great January. What products have you been loving this month?

Nivea Essential Care Lip Balm Review

Today I'm writing up a review post on one of my all-time favourite lip balms, the essential care balm by Nivea. I'm purchased this a couple of times and think it is great for keeping dry, chapped lips away during the winter months.

I think it is really important to review a product based on it's claims because a product can be really awesome but not live up to any of it's claims, as per it's packaging. So without further ado, Nivea claims that this balm will give you "long lasting and intensive everyday care" and "protects your lips from drying out in all weather conditions" as well as leaving "your lips soft and smooth." So those are some pretty big claims. Does the product live up to them? Lets see.......

Long Lasting and intensive everyday care - This balm is absolutely long lasting, I find that it stays on my lips for at least two hours before I notice the balmy feeling beginning to fade which I think is fantastic. As for intensive everyday care, the balm get another tick because it really does help keep away chapped and dry lips. I often apply this underneath my stains and longlasting or matte lipsticks that can be a bit drying. It does take away some of the lasting power of the lipstick but I prefer that over flaky lips!

Protects your lips from drying out in all weather conditions - It's currently winter here and I definitely feel that when I apply this before going out into the cold that my lips are protected from the cold and wind. Unfortunately, it's not summer here :( so I can't vouch for the "all weather conditions" part but I can't see why this balm wouldn't be just as superb in the summer months.

Leaves your lips soft and smooth - I feel like this is a ridiculously positive review, but again this product gets another tick. In other words, this balm does not leave your lips feeling dried out and it definitely adds moisture to dry lips.

Okay so it's pretty clear that the balm lives up to it's claims and probably also that I am in love with this product :) However, I do feel the need to point out a couple of minor drawbacks to the product.

1. The packaging whilst sturdy (the photographs show the tube after it has been thrashing around in my handbag for a couple of months) attracts random pieces of fluff which can end up on the balm. Kinda gross.

2. The product isn't advertised as being natural or organic...etc and I am trying to stay away from products with any nasty chemicals in such as parabens...etc so I don't know what this product does actually contain but I wish it was stated explicitly. Looking at the ingredients list it doesn't seem to contain any parabens which is good :)

Overall a great lip balm for the winter months and definitely a product you should buy next time you see it. It retails for $4.49 and can be found in many shops, including but not limited to Priceline, Target, Big W.

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great weekend :)

May Favourites

Yep, I know I say this every month but WOW, I can't believe it is the end of May! It's scary how fast time is moving at the moment. I have exams in 20 days :( Anyway, I have been using quite a lot of different products this month. So, without further ado here are my favorites for May!

Some of these products have featured in my favorites post before but lets face, if they're here again they must deserve it...That being said, there is a new product in here too!

1. Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Foundation

I wear this foundation practically every day and I love it because it applies effortlessly, gives good coverage and it has good lasting power. 

2. Nivea Pure & Natural Hand Cream

This hand cream has to be one of the best I have ever tried and for $4.39 it has to be one of the best value hand creams out there. It sinks in quickly, moisturizes your hands for a long time (even after washing your hands) and doesn't leave any yucky residue behind. It is also free from parabens, colorants, silicones and mineral oils. I highly recommend this hand cream <3 

3. Rimmel London Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

I recently decided to venture into the "powder" world and I'm absolutely enjoying using this product. It looks natural and applies easily which is great considering I've never used a powder product before so need all the help I can get with application! I feel like it makes my foundation stay on longer and keeps the shine away. 

4. Yes to Carrots, Melon Lip Butter

This is another organic product. It feels lovely and lightweight on the lips and lasts for quite awhile which is a must for me in the winter. 

Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a fantastic June.
Enjoy the weekend :)

Nivea Pure & Natural Hand Cream Review

Today I will be reviewing Nivea's Pure & Natural Hand Cream. I have been using it on-and-off for a couple of weeks now. I keep it next to my computer and often throw it on while working on the computer. It sinks in quickly so you are not out of action for long.

First up, let's consider what the product claims to do (taken from the packaging):

• Intensively protects and nourishes dry hands. 
• Contains Bio Argan Oil. 
• Makes the skin smooth all day. 
• 95% organic. 
• No parabens, colorants, sillicones or mineral oils. 

My impressions: 

The product I have is a 75ml plastic tube with a good flip-top lid. The packaging is pretty basic but I like it. I especially like the flip-top lid as I hate lids that deattach from the product. I can't fault the packaging in any way.

The cost is also something that I really like about this product, retailing for approximately $4.39 but often found on sale and in a number of easily-accessible locations including Priceline, Target and Woolworths. This is a product that is great value.

It is a lightweight hand cream that spreads easily and absorbs into your skin quickly so that you can use you hands practically straight after application. It leaves your hands feeling silky smooth and has a relatively subtle scent. It has a lasting effects on my hands and even after washing my hands I feel that my hands are still moisturised.

To be honest, the only thing I don't love about this product is the scent - whilst being pretty subtle and not smelling of anything in particular, its not a scent I love. But having said that I would still repurchase this product without a doubt.

So now lets quick recap those claims and see if it lives up to them:

• Intensively protects and nourishes dry hands - yes confirmed. 
• Makes the skin smooth all day - It definitely lasts awhile and doesn't wash away. I will say this claim is confirmed however please note I actually haven't applied the handcream in the morning and then in the evening considered if my hands are still smooth. 

Summary 

This is a cheap product that lives up to it's claims and works wonderfully. Sinks in quickly and leaves your hands feeling very smooth without any weird residue and the moisture remains even after washing your hands. A hand cream definitely worth checking out - ideal for keeping on your desk or in your handbag. Would I repurchase this hand cream? Yes I would. Despite not loving the scent it does not contain parabens, colorants, sillicones or mineral oils and that makes up for it in my book! 

Thanks for reading and take care :)

Product vs. Product #1 - Lip balm sticks

Every thursday I am going to do a product vs. product post. A battle between two favourites and after reviewing them both extensively there will be winner.

For this post it is:

• Nivea Pure&Natural Lip care - Milk and Honey

                                       vs

• Yes to carrots - Melon Lip Butter

So essentially, for me, it is my old favourite (the nivea) versus a newie (the yes to carrot lip butter stick I just brought because I am trying to limit my exposure to chemicals and toxins). 

I have worn the Nivea lip care sticks for years and years and have re-purchased them frequently. So I guess you can say that I am true loyal customer :) I love them because they moisterise, they are clear, they have nice subtle scents that are not overpowering and they are cheap. I have reviewed them before so I'm not going to blabber on about them too much. 

My experience of wearing the Nivea:

• Applied quite a lot of product on my lips. Instantly felt protected and creamy. Product sits on top of the lips a little but also noticeable absorbs into the skin.
• There is no overpowering scent and it applies clear onto my lips. The lack of scent may be because the stick of product has been used for nearly a year and I use the product heaps so maybe I don't smell it anymore???
• After 55 minutes of wearing them (during which time I was working my computer and not eating/drinking) I could still feel the product on my lips and my lips felt smooth and moist. However most of the product had absorbed in. 
• After an hour I ate my lunch (buttered bread roll) and my lips no longer felt smooth and moist.

My experience of wearing Yes to Carots:

• Applied a moderate amount of product on my lips. 
• Has a very subtle shimmer to it.
• After a 2 hour long lecture my lip could still faintly feel the product on my lips.
• Unlike the Nivea this lip product does have a noticeable scent to it however after a while of wearing the product it does disappear so it shouldn't be an issue for most people. However as this is the first day I am wearing this product the scent may just be more noticeable to  me since it's a new stick of product and I haven't smelt it before.
• Packaging is very good. A sturdy plastic tube with a lid that clicks on tightly. 

Summary

• At the one hour mark the products are equal in their lasting power. However from my experiment yesterday where I wore both, I found that the Yes To lasts longer overall.
• The Nivea is more creamy and the Yes To is more of a jelly? I'm not sure if these are the right words but when I put the Yes To on it kind of reminds me vasoline? 
• Yes to was $5.99 at Priceline and The Nivea is $4.49 at Priceline so price-wise they are pretty much the same. However at Target they often have a 3 packet of nivea balms that is equal to buying 3 and getting one free. 
• Because Yes To is a new product for me I am unable to say if I would buy it again because even though I love it now maybe in a month I will have found a flaw. But, nonetheless, I am extremely happy with it and apart from the smell, I think it is equal, or perhaps, even better than the nivea! I may just have found myself a new favourite!

Product of the day: Nivea Pure and Natural Lip Care - Milk & Honey

Hi everybody. I hope you are all well and glad that 'hump day' is nearly over. Before we know it, it will be Friday and we will be kicking back and relaxing. Can't wait! Anyway, today I am going to do a new type of post in the hope of making my blog more versatile and interesting to read. Let me know what you think, whether you hate it your love it your opinion will be valued. 


Product of the day? 
Nivea pure and natural lip care - Milk & Honey


Because it is winter my lips are continually dry, chapped and ugly. And the fact that I sometimes bite them does not help them either. I recently brought my very first lip stain but I am finding that it just emphasises how bad my lips look and no doubt if I put some lipstick on, the same thing would happen. Therefore I have been going through my lip glosses trying to give my lips some TLC. I chose this product because it has always been one of my favourite lip balms. Actually I love all of Nivea's lip care products. THEY ARE FANTASTIC! They are cheap so you can buy lots and keep them everywhere (handbags, bedside table, desk drawer...), they are 100% free of preservatives, the mechanism that makes the stick come up and down is reliable and easy to use, the balm itself glides on smoothly and blends in for a natural look, smell is pleasant whilst being very neutral and subtle (would be hard not to like the smell), packaging is simple and easy to identify (you don't have to hunt through your collection looking for the particular balm you want), they work well underneath other glosses and lipsticks and most importantly, they actually do what they claim, moisturise your lips and do not leave them feeling dry. 


This particular product, the Milk & Honey, according to the Nivea website has healing properties due to the honey it contains and antioxidants. 


Please comment below if you use this product or have any other similar products you would like to recommend your warn people against. I would love it if these products became a way for people to find good products :) Personally, I have heard great things about carmex balm. Additionally I prefer balms that come in sticks rather than tubes or tins, what about you?