Bloopers of the year

Despite the lovely photos, enthusiastic text and positive discussions, beauty blogging doesn't always work out as planned. Sometimes photos are just a mess, my post is so poorly written and spam comments are just flowing in, and there is really nothing you can do about it.

Here are a couple of snapshots from this year's 'bloopers' that didn't make the final cut.

So I learnt this year that nail art isn't my thing. No seriously, I mean it really, really isn't an area in which I should dedicate a whole lot of time. That horrible mess to the left was an attempt at 'Tribal inspired' nails. Instead it was more like 'Scribbles of a two year old' because it just looked awful.

I was brave and tried an OOTD post, and the photo below was a bit of a blooper for that shoot. An OOTD without the outfit? I think not.

I attempted another OOTD which also had a couple of bloopers...

In Winter especially, taking pictures of products can be absolute hell because lighting is so hard to come by. I thought I would try and see whether I could brighten and adjust shades on the computer, but this is what happened. I won't be trying that again...

So I might not be able to master nail art, but normal polish is okay...it's just the photography that can be a bit of an issue. I'm left handed so I take photos of my right hand because the polish always looks nicer. You may notice that the button on the camera is on the right, so I have to try and hold the camera and take photos with the wrong hand. I promise it is harder than you would imagine. Super close up shots are often an issue.

So there you have it, bloopers for the year. Beauty blogging can be harder than it looks!

Empties of 2013

I'm currently hanging out on holidays at the beach and I'll have little to no Internet access so I'll have lots of scheduled posts coming up. I hope you are all having a lovely Christmas break!

So I'm not an empties kind of person. I really hate hitting pan on a product and do everything in my power to save a product if I think it is coming to the end of its life. Where other bloggers have multiple products they feature in a monthly empties post, it really takes me a whole year to achieve a similar result. Nevertheless, here are my empties for the year!

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub
I love Lush products, and this lip scrub is no different. It is ridiculously sugary and overpowering but it suits me just fine. It's effective for removing flaky skin on dry lips and I already have a back up!

Nivea Lip Balm Strawberry
I'm not really sure how I managed to use this up because I don't actually love the colour all that much. I find that it is a little fake and childish looking at times, but it doesn't really matter because I used it up and have many much nice alternative red shades as back ups.

Essence Clear Lash and Brow Gel
I've actually gone through about three of these but I didn't save the packaging. I love this brow gel, it is so cheap, works like a charm and is such a no fuss kind of product. I use this everyday and I won't be changing any time soon.

Simple Kind to skin hydrating moisturiser
I find it really hard to stick with one moisturiser because I always have so many options to choose from. I managed to use all of this Simple moisturiser up, so that must mean it was pretty good!

Garnier BB cream
I went through two of these Garnier BB creams before I'd ever tried the oily skin version. I thought they were good at the time, but now I use the oily skin version and I think it is so much better. I wouldn't buy these original ones again, but I use the oily one every day.

Dove Original Deodorant & Dove Pure Deodorant
I've used up more than two deodorants however they are multiple of the same ones, so I only included the two versions. I can't really tell the difference between one deodorant and another. As long as I'm not super sweaty and stinky, I don't really care what deodorant I'm using!

Garnier Skin Naturals Pure Shine control moisturiser
I wasn't a fan of this moisturiser because it smelled strange, was blue in shade and much too think for my liking. I definitely wouldn't buy this again because there are just so many amazing options out there these days.

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder
This is seriously the first real makeup product I've ever hit pan on so that is a little bit strange! I really love this powder and found it to be remarkably effective for keeping my face oil free during the day. I just wish it was a little cheaper.

I'm quite pleased with my empties efforts. Of course I went through countless shampoo and conditioners but they're boring to include! Maybe next year I'll have even more empties to include!

Questions from the Natural Confectionery Company

Remember the days of sleepovers filled with an endless supply of lollies and late nights playing 'truth or dare'? Then things became more complicated and such simple pleasures weren't appreciated in the same way that they once had been. I recently discovered that The Natural Confectionery Company had little questions on their wrapped lollies (how long has this been the case, by the way?) and thought it was the perfect opportunity to re-live the days of giggling over silly questions with friends, except I thought I would do it online with fellow bloggers! Just a side note before we begin - I am no way associated with The Natural Confectionery Company (in fact I'm not really a huge fan of their lollies anyway) but I thought their very clever marketing strategy would be an excellent opportunity for a fun blog post. I'm going to answer some of the questions that can be found on the lolly wrappers!

The Questions

1. What's the number 1 most played song of yours of all time?
Well, according to my iPod it is 'Breath of Life' by Florence and the Machine although that may have something to do with the fact that I accidentally left it playing on repeat for an entire weekend when I went away...my next most played song is 'Heavy in your arms' by Florence and the Machine...followed by 'Sweet Nothing' by Florence and the Machine, so I guess it's not really a surprise.

2. What are you saving for right now?
I'm not exactly saving for anything, but if I was to splurge on something it would be the Urban Decay Naked Palette or MAC lipsticks and eyeshadows.

3. Broccoli: Love, hate or ambivalent?
LOVE! I love Broccoli so much!

4. If you could be any singer or musician who would it be?
Florence Welch, because she is just incredible in every way.

5. What's your special talent?
Oh my gosh I hate this question...I'm a quick reader...is speed reading a talent?

6. What's your favourite playground equipment?
Without a doubt, the swing.

7. What was your favourite toy as a kid?
I had a little plastic motorbike that you moved with your feet that I loved to sit on and drive around the place!

8. What was the last music concert you went to?
Probably the Big Day Out in 2012, although I wouldn't really call that a concert!

9. What is your favourite sport to watch?
AFL footy, especially if I'm actually there at the game!

10. Who would you like to be related to?
Emma Watson - she is so intelligent and beautiful and can you imagine the life stories she would have to tell! My goodness!

12. What is your favourite holiday destination?
Anywhere where it is stinking hot and there are books to read and fruit to eat!

13. What's the first thing you notice about people?
Well let's be honest here, most certainly their clothes, although I usually only take real notice of clothes that are a little more 'out there'...standard clothes I'll just see and then dismiss as unimportant.

14. What song do you secretly love to listen to?
A song called 'Be What you want' by Robin Loxley and Oliver Jackson. Why in secret? I first heard it on an advert and fell in love with it. My Dad and brother despise the song so I literally have to listen to it in secret or else they will be yelling at me to "turn that horrible song off!"

I had a lot of fun answering these questions imprinted upon the wrappers...feel free to purchase your own lollies and make a Q&A post if you like too, I would love to read your answers!

NOTD - Washi Tape!

I know, I know, two NOTD in a row but honestly, this is so cool I had to show you!

I went to Officeworks to purchase my school books for next year and I found some magical stuff called Washi tape. Having never seen it before in my life, I purchased 5 different patterns for $1 each and figured that I could probably come up with something cool to use it for.

Indeed I have, when I decided to make a Washi Tape NOTD!

This was ridiculously easy and looks so cool. It is perfect for people like me who are useless at nail art in general, because it is simple and looks ever so fancy.

Having said that, I did have some issues with the thumbnail (as you can see) but as it is on the side of the nail it is not too noticeable. The difficulty was because the width of the tape wasn't quite enough to cover my entire thumbnail (but it was alright for all my other nails) and so I had to use two strips.

To apply I simply cut a small square of tape from the roll, applied it directly to my painted nail and then used small nail scissors to trip around the edges so it fit the shape of my nail a little better.

I used a white nail polish as a base coat to make the colours stand out a little more (the Washi tape is slightly translucent).

Sadly, this Washi tape manicure doesn't last long because the edges of the tape start to peel off a little bit, but for a day-long occasion where you want to have fancy nails, this is the perfect solution.

My absolute favourite thing about this though, is that when you are tired of it you simply peel it off leaving a fresh coat of polish underneath that you had as your basecoat which lasts for another week. There is no sticky residue remaining from the tape either. It is like two manicures in one, and allows you to avoid the horrible task of rubbing and rubbing at your nails with strong acetone (which surely cannot be good for you!)


What do you think of my Washi tape nails? Would you give it a shot?

Face of Australia Carnivale Nail Enamel in My Island Home

So I may be biased but seriously, Face of Australia have smashed it out of the ball park this past year or two, with some of their limited edition releases. Beginning with the ridiculously affordable lip crayons that started my all time obsession for all things similar,the gorgeous illuminators, then the nail polishes that soon followed with their pastel and glitterati range and more recently their Carnivale collection, they haven't stepped a foot wrong.

When I saw that they had come out with a textured nail polish collection, I knew I had to give it a try even though I wasn't all that keen on the idea. A beauty blogger has to be brave every now and again right?

When I went to invest in my first ever textured polish I wasn't sure which of the stunning shades I wanted to get. The range wasn't short on beautiful polishes so it was a real struggle deciding what I would go for. In the end I picked the shade 'My Island Home' as it was the most gorgeous neutral shade that I knew I had to own.

First up, on a little side note, is it me or is it a little strange that the shade name doesn't match the Carnival theme? I mean, 'My Island Home' hardly conjures up the images of scary clowns, pink fairy floss and Ferris wheels, does it?

The best way to describe the texture of this is simply by imagining that you've poured sand into your favourite polish and then applied it as normal. At first I was not at all a fan, in fact, I was almost repulsed by it. I hated how it looked, how it felt on my nails and I knew it would be horrendous to take off. However, after a week of wear I am shocked to say that it has grown on me and I am almost at the stage of saying that I like it. What?! I went from hating how it felt so rough and awful on my nails to actually liking the texture (although it does soften due to natural wear and tear).

Yep, so perhaps time really does fix everything - it certainly did no harm in this case! I went from really despising the strange polish to looking at the photographs fondly. I will mention that 3 or 4 people have commented on my nails saying "oh dear, what happened when you were putting on your nail polish?" and "how did you manage to mess it up SO much?" which I'm not sure I really like hearing!

The wear time was actually quite poor, with it chipping within a day, however the chips were not as noticeable as usual which I blame on both the texture and shade of the polish. I found that the grainy texture would wear off in small patches and become smooth (like a normal polish) after three or four days.

Overall I have to say that I liked the change from the stock standard nail polish, but think ill stick to traditional polishes in the future (especially around the non-beauty obsessed folk who kept thinking it was my poor application skills that made it all textured!).

What do you think of textured polishes, particularly Face of Australia's Carnivale collection?

Q&A - Beauty

Back when I had my giveaway one of the optional entries was to submit a question that I could answer in a Q&A post...here are the remaining questions I've not yet answered, all of which are beauty related!

1. If MAC were to approach you telling you they wanted you to help make a new lipstick, what colour would it be and what would you name it?
First of all, coolest question ever. Second of all...this is so very hard to answer! I think I would go with a beautiful pinky peach summery lipstick shade suitable for all skintones...kind of a my lips but better shade. As for the name, something clever I would hope! But honestly, why stop at a single lipstick? I would have a whole range related to book characters so like Hermione Granger would be a fiery red shade, Katniss Everdeen a nude shade etc. and all the lipsticks would be named after their corresponding character. Now that would be cool...

2. Please do a tutorial on eyebrows (products and tools used, how to apply etc).
I would love to do this but the only problem is...I don't do anything to my brows. Nothing at all. I just pluck any strays and occasionally I'll use a clear lash and brow gel, other than that I literally do nothing to them.

3. How much makeup do you wear on a daily basis to school?
At my school we aren't allowed to wear makeup, but if you're clever about it and just use it to slightly improve your skin and enhance your features nobody minds. I wear my Garnier BB cream (for oily skin), a bit of Face of Australia concealer in neutral, a coat of Covergirl mascara and my Nivea Fruity Shine Lip balm in Guava.I'll also use a setting powder, often one by Face of Australia, so that I don't get too shiny throughout the day.

4. When did you start using makeup and why?
I first took an interested in lip balms when I was 12. At 13, I wore tinted moisturiser (as more of a tinted sunscreen for my face) and then by 14 I wore a single coat of mascara. By the time I was about 15 I was experimenting with lip products, foundation and eyeshadow, and at 16 I got into anything any everything playing around with eyeliner bronzer, highlighter and blush. Despite this my makeup has always been worn for the purpose of enhancing as opposed to covering up which I think is a lot more flattering than packing it on because of insecurities. I wear makeup for fun and because it makes me feel good, not because I feel insecure without it.

5. What is your favourite nail polish brand?
It used to be Ulta, but then Face of Australia smashed out some incredible polishes (Hello Pastels and Glitterati ranges and now the new Carnivale polishes!). I don't own many Revlon polishes, but the ones I do own I adore. Essence also have some lovely polishes...clearly I can't pick a favourite!

6. What is your favourite eyeshadow colour?
Either a shimmery golden toned champagne shade, or a golden brown shimmery shadow.

7. How do you keep your makeup from not melting in the heat and still looking beautiful?
I use a good primer when I really need my makeup to stay put, as well as using waterproof or more matte makeup in addition to finishing it all off with a really good setting powder. Still, sometimes there is nothing you can do about your makeup when it's 40 degrees and you're all gross and sweaty. In those times you've just got to embrace it and go with the flow!

8. What is the best makeup brand to use for sensitive skin?
I'm really lucky not to suffer from sensitive skin but unfortunately that means I don't really know the answer to this question. I imagine any of the brands that pride themselves on being all natural and free of unnecessary chemicals would be good. I've also heard that the more expensive brands like Clinique are excellent for that.

9. If you could own one beauty brand which one would you own?
Probably Face of Australia because I love love love their products, they are of course Australian and they're really good about things like not animal testing. They have an excellent range of products and they're really affordable...all the things I want in a makeup brand!

10. What's the best nail polish to use to strengthen your nails?
I don't know about a polish, but I know that the Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream is really good for strengthening dry and brittle nails.

11. What are the best products for frizzy hair?
Oh my goodness I wish I could answer these questions for you but I am so lazy with my hair and own no frizz targeting products. I am sure that if you went into somewhere like Price Attack of Hairhouse Warehouse they could suggest something to you.

12. Do you like Asian skincare products?
I have no idea, I've never tried any!

Thank you all so much for these questions, I wish I could have answered some of them in more detail!

OOTD - I'm going on a picnic

Gift ideas for girls

Can you believe that it's nearly Christmas?! I don't know how that happened, but it does mean that it is time for...presents!

I've always found buying gifts really quite difficult, and often I just turned to gift cards. I've since discovered a few tips and tricks that have allowed me to come up with presents that I am really happy to give, and most of the time they are really well received.

My main tip is to pick out all the things you know about them - their interests, hobbies, collections, even down to things like their favourite colour or foods. This way you can get them a gift that is perfectly tailored to their taste. This may seem like a pretty obvious thing to do but for a while there I just bought things that I thought I would like to receive as a present or things that could be found in gift stores.

Which brings me to another point - steer clear of gift stores. Most of the time the presents that can be found in gift stores are super generic and often just clutter that few people would actually want. When buying a present, think about if someone would actually spend their own money on it. Would you really pay for a fake-diamond encrusted pen for twenty bucks? Would you pay thirty bucks for that glass photo frame that is not particularly spectacular?

Another tip is to buddy up with another friend or a couple of friends and buy them a gift that they would absolutely love but wouldn't purchase themselves because it is a little pricier than they had hoped. You might pool some money together to get a lovely perfume or piece of expensive jewellery that you know your friend has had their eye on for a long time but could never justify splashing out for.

My last tip is to really consider the way you display a gift, because that can make such a difference. Even just a creative display (like the jewellery gift I made for my friend shown below) or wrapped up with both wrapping paper and a bow can make the world of difference.

This post has taken me a long time to make because I have included all the presents I have gotten for some of my friends over the entire year! If they see this post, they will be able to spot their present!

For the girl who loves...jewellery

Jewellery makes an amazing gift because there are so many styles out there, if you know what your friend likes then you can get them something they will be sure to love. In terms of presentation, I went to Typo and purchased this wooden letter and then draped the jewellery over it and I think it adds a lovely personalised touch.

For the girl who loves...makeup

Being the makeup loving girl that I am, the idea of buying makeup for a friend's gift is terribly exciting, but if you don't know what someone already owns or you yourself aren't really the makeup-type then I imagine it might be quite daunting when faced with an endless aisle of crazy looking products.

Nail polishes are always a good choice, you can't really go wrong with a simple pink polish! Glitter polishes are also fun, and the good thing is that if your friend isn't a huge fan of one of the polishes you picked, it is no big loss because you didn't fork out a fortune for it. Little perfumes are really lovely, as are simple lip products like the Revlon Lip Butters. Inglot has an amazing system whereby you can make your own eyeshadow palettes (the empty palette is about $12, each shadow is $10) which I think is an amazing gift for a makeup loving girl!

A lovely way to present the gift is by purchasing a small makeup bag to put the present in!

For the girl who loves...beauty/body products

I honestly can't rave enough about Lush when it comes to presents for the beauty loving girl. Whilst it can be a little pricey at times, it has some gorgeous gift sets at really affordable prices. As you can see, the gift sets are wrapped up beautifully, and if you want you can add another product here and there like I did on top.

For the girl who loves...books

First of all, I may be a little biased but a girl who asks for books has excellent taste! I think books make wonderful presents (especially if you fill in the empty page at the front of the book with a little message) and can be really affordable if you get them from the right places. The Book Despository is absolutely amazing for affordable books and postage is completely free all over the world (I know right?!). Dressed up with a ribbon, books make beautiful presents.

For the girl who loves music
If you are buying a gift for someone who loves music, there are SO many opportunities to purchase them something that they will love. If you know exactly what type of music they like, buy them a CD. If they have a favourite band, merchandise (like posters, wristbands and clothing) are the perfect gift. If they play an instrument you could get them bits and pieces related to it (for example if your friend plays they guitar you could buy them a guitar pick and a necklace with a little guitar charm).

For the girl who loves...everything!

I picked up this tea cup desk organiser (it is meant to hold pens and other stationery) from Typo and then filled it up with little trinkets like earrings, a key chain and a lip balm. Other little things that you could put in there include nail polish, chocolates, bracelets and perfume samples.

For the girl who you don't really know
It's hard to buy presents for someone who you don't really know, but gifts that I turn to are candles/candle holders, chocolates, creams/shower gels and the plain old gift cards. Stores like Oxfam can also come in handy because even if the person receiving the present doesn't totally love your gift, you can at least know your money went to a good cause and wasn't completely wasted.

The hand creams below were $8 each and I think they are such lovely little gifts for the person you want to say thank you to but aren't really 'besties' with.

And if all else fails...
Wrap it up nicely and at least pretend that it is a good present by making it look pretty!

Behind the scenes of my 'Summer lipstick wardrobe' post!

L-R: A grumpy blogger's lip swatch, Attempt number 1,
Attempt number 2, Test photograph

So making my Summer lipstick wardrobe post was undoubtedly one of the most time consuming and challenging posts to make. I thought I would give you a bit of an insight into the Behind the scenes look at a beauty blog!

1. Taking the lip swatches
Having never really done many lip swatches before, I soon realised there was a reason! You wouldn't think it would be so hard, but after the fifth or sixth swatch your lips are starting to get chapped and gross from applying the lipstick and then wiping it off, followed by another and another and another. Your lips start to get stained with for or five different lipsticks which changes the colours of the others and it just gets all too hard! Taking the photos of my lip swatches took me forever.

2. Editing the lip swatches
The next part was to crop the photographs and then assemble them in the grid, numbering them and circling the numbers. This isn't terribly difficult, just once again very time consuming.

3. Determining which photo goes with which lipstick
So the next issue was trying to figure out which lipstick went with which photograph. Sure, some of them are obvious but others not so much. In the end I actually had to take some new photos because I just couldn't figure out which was which!

4. Photographing the lipsticks
This really shouldn't have been so hard. I needed them arranged so that you could see all of them at the same time, so I had to use a brick for a tier. The brick was filthy and covered in dirt and dried concrete so it was a real challenge to get the lipsticks to balance on the top. I then found that the background was too busy and was interfering with how the lipsticks were displayed so I had to get a cardboard box to stand in the background. That was hideous so I invested in some wrapping paper as a background. The weather was quite hot so all my lipsticks started melting when I was trying to photograph them. Of course, because that wasn't enough, then the wind decided to pick up and blow half of my lipsticks across the garden (thank God all but one had the lids on!). And then, you won't believe this - the battery ran out and memory card was full. Everything was against me. Everything.

So as you can see, writing that post was hard work but worth it in the end because I think it turned out beautifully! I hope you enjoyed both the Summer Lipstick Wardrobe post and this behind the scenes look!

My New Skin Multipurpose Balm - Olive and Lemon Myrtle & Olive and Lavender

I recently had the opportunity to try out the Multipurpose Balm from the brand My New Skin. Targeting particularly dry skin (like the feet and elbows) I knew it would be of great value to me because I get terribly dry patches of skin all year round and nothing seems to help it all that much.

The packaging is quite medicinal looking in my opinion. You can tell it's natural and organic just by looking at it! According to the packaging, it's 100% natural, which is reflected in the ingredient list of olive oil, extracts of burdock, chickweed, olive leaf, oregano and sheep sorrel, ocean salt, bees wax, fresh extracts of burnett and latana, macadamia wax and either lemon myrtle oil or lavender oil. Sounds pretty good to me!

When I first attempted to apply it I found that it was just oily. This is because I failed to actually scoop out any of the product itself and just took the oily residue sitting on the top! When I actually realised my mistake I found that I liked the product much better!

When I first touched it I immediately thought it felt like scooping my hands through a tub of the softest gelati. Honestly, it is the strangest texture ever, but I really like it! This can be massaged into the skin so easily, however use it sparingly because the slightest bit too much can turn your skin from being nicely moisturised to overly oily.

This, as is to be expected, has a super strong organic smell of plants and herbs. I prefer the smell of the Lemon myrtle as opposed to the lavender, but that is purely just personal taste. Both the lavender and lemon myrtle work in the same way as one another.

This product gives immediate relief to super dry skin. I find that it lasts about twelve hours before my skin starts to feel dry again, so it worked best for me to apply it morning and night. I've only been using it for two weeks but I feel as though it has some longer lasting results in terms of overall moisture and that my skin is less dry than what it was before I started using this.

I love that this is an Australian product that is natural and chemical free. Though I haven't tried it for all these purposes, it claims to be effective for a multitude of purposes like strengthening nails and cuticles and soothing sensitive skin including eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.

This retails for $24.95 which I consider to be a very reasonable price considering you only need a tiny bit for each application and therefore it will last a very long time. You can purchase it from their website here as well as read a bit more about it.

My Summer Lipstick Wardrobe

Summer is finally here and that means bright and fun lipsticks! Because lip products are my favourite and I've acquired quite a collection, it was too much of a challenge to narrow it down to just a couple of lipsticks, so I ended up with a top 12 for summer!

1. Face of Australia Lip Quench Moisturising Lipstick in Lychee Crush
I swear basically every beauty blogger tried this lipstick out when it exploded into the beauty world at the beginning of this year. Though it's not flattering on everyone, if you can pull it off it does look gorgeous as a neutral lip.

2. Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Lolita
Everyone needs a tinted lipbalm for summer, and this one by Maybelline ticks every box. Apart from the fact that mine is all mangled because it went through the wash, it is moisturising, gives a beautiful tint and feels wonderful on the lips.

3. Essence Lipstick in All About Cupcake
This is my go to your-lips-but-better shade because it is just the most perfect everyday pink shade I've ever come across. It's moisturising, not too sheer and not too pigmented and costs barely anything. This is actually one of my favourite lipsticks of all time.

4. Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart
The Revlon lip butters need no introduction because almost everyone and their dog owns one. They're all round amazing, especially this gorgeous bright pink shade, Sweet Tart.

5. Rimmel London Kate Moss Spring Collection Lipstick in 16
I do love my pinks, and this warm toned soft pink suits just about everyone. It's everything you want a summery pink to be.

6. Revlon Colourstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Cruise Collection
Everyone needs a coral/orange toned shade for summer and that's where this lippie comes in. It's not too frightening for someone who perhaps isn't used to the more orange kind of shades and is flattering for all skintones.

7. Essence Stay With Me Long lasting lipgloss in Candy Bar
This is a gorgeous shade, a mix between coral and red that works wonderfully. As the name suggests, it is a long lasting gloss that makes me think of juicy fruits and lounging around the pool.

8. MAC Lipglass in Kumquat
I'm really not a fan of the formulation of this gloss, but who could walk past the tangerine goodness that this gloss has to offer. It's pigmented enough to be noticeable on the lips but still super wearable and flattering. Ahhh, if only you weren't so sticky!

9. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic
This is my staple red lip product and I wear it about once a week (impressive considering I can't wear anything like this to school!). From the moment I purchased it I knew it would be a favourite of mine, and with a formula as magical as this, this is the summery red shade everyone needs something like in their collection!

10. BYS Lipstick in Coral Kiss
Although the packaging is perhaps the worst I have ever come across for a lipstick, when it comes down to it this isn't all that bad. Sure, the formula's not amazing and it's a little hit and miss, for the dirt cheap price I paid for it it's not all that surprising. Nevertheless, for a pinky orange shade this looks lovely and when you're wearing it you would never know it was so darn cheap.

11. Revlon Colourstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Muse
This is a daring blue toned hot pink. I would normally associate this kind of shade with a more wintery type look, but let's be honest here, there really isn't a better time to pull this out than in the middle of summer!

12. Face of Australia Sheer Gloss Lip Crayon in Sundae
This was the first lip crayon I ever tried and I have been completely obsessed ever since. This is a neutral brown shade that is quite flattering and easy to work with. It's nothing special, which is exactly why it is so good.

Top: Shades 7-12
Bottom: Shades 1-6

As you can see, I'll be going crazy with these lipsticks these summer holidays! I would love to know what's in your summer lipstick wardrobe!

NOTD - French Nails

White polishes aren't known for their quality. When I think of a white polish I think of streaky, semi-translucent mess that is not worth bothering with, however I have wanted one forever because I love the look of simple french tips.

Priceline was having a sale on their Sally Hansen polishes (I don't recall what the exact sale was). I have never tried anything from Sally Hansen because there are so many cheaper and good quality alternatives, but when I saw that there was a white polish for $4 I decided to give it a shot in the hopes that it was quality, opaque and easy to work with.

So far I've only used it to create this NOTD but I love it. It's a perfect consistency and I only used one coat for each of the white nail tips. Topped off with Ulta's French Pink, I am so pleased with this simple but classy (and super easy to make) NOTD.

I would love to know what you think of it because so far I've had only positive responses to it (which is an absolute miracle because I can always find someone who hates my nail polish!

EOTD - Olive Garden

 So I've been given the opportunity to play with a ridiculously fancy camera for this upcoming holidays, and it is incredible. My camera, whilst it's pretty good for how much it cost, absolutely sucks when it comes to taking nice swatches and pictures of eyeshadow. Now that I've got a couple of months with this incredible camera I am going to make the most of it and do some eyeshadow tutorials, starting with a super simple look!

Because I have hazel eyes, I like to compliment them with olive green shadow however it can be a bit frightening to have green shadow all over the lid so I only use a tiny bit to really bring out my eyes. Combined with the shimmery brown shades and champagne in the inner corner, I think this is a beautiful flattering look that would suit just about anyone!




































Step 1: Use a shimmery mid toned brown cream eyeshadow as a base
Step 2: Intensify the crease with a darker matte brown shade. Lighten the inner corner with a shimmery champagne shade.
Step 3: Use a liquid liner to create a thin line on the upper lashes. Create a slight wing on the outer corner of the eye.
Step 4: Smudge an olive green shade into the lower lash line extending from the very inner corner of the eye to the outer corner, joining with the liquid liner.
Step 5: Line the waterline with a black pencil liner and apply one or two coats of mascara


What I used:

- Essence Eye Souffle in Pas Des Copper
- Essence Quattro Eyeshadow in To Die For
- Bloom Collecta Colour Eyeshadow Duo in Waikiki
- Face of Australia Liquid Liner in Black
- Maybelline One By One Mascara in Black Brown
- Models Prefer Pencil Liner in Black

It is a bit scary to post eyeshadow tutorials because I'm just a kid who has no idea what they're doing, but I think it looks pretty and isn't too over the top and could be worn by anyone!

I hope you liked this EOTD - if you did please let me know because I'll come up with some more creative ones too!