What's in my bag?

I change my bag about as often as I change my knickers.

Ok, bold statement, and possibly not entirely true, however I do change my bag quite often. So one skill set I've accrued (can I even call it that?) is the ability to switch out my bag's contents all in one quick sweep; usually as I'm in the throws of a self induced rush out the door about 5-10-15 minutes late.

Ok, ok, so it's not exactly brain surgery or physics but it has taken me a pretty long time to wittle down my essential life bits and bobs that permanently live in my bag. 

First off- The stock standards:
Wallet. Check
Phone. Check

Then, the 'Pièce de résistance', a little make-up bag that I transfer from bag to bag. It includes;

Hand sanitiser- Currently a Bath & Body Works in Caribbean Escape, house keys, Clinique Chubby stick in Red Tomato, Laura Mercier lip tint in Crimson, NUXE- reve de miel in stick form, peppermint lip balm from a store in Argentina which applies matte- very important), Chloe LOVE roller-ball parfum, couple of organic tampons (glamorous they are not, essential? Absa-fucking-lutely).

I'm done and good to go.

Specs:
Bag- SABA El Lobo Mini bag in Mulberry.
Wallet- Argentinian store Prune
Phone- Work Phone, HTC Incredible S

Sexy Toner?

Let's break it down.

Caroline Hirons,  where have you been all my adult life?!

If you haven't already favourited/liked/watched on repeat the Pixiwoo (for The Daily Mix YouTube channel) skincare video featuring the brilliant Caroline Hirons, then do yourself a favour and get on it! [here]

I had heard some of my favourite British beauty bloggers/ vloggers bang on about skincare guru Caroline in the past, and always made a mental note to check out her blog [here] but for whatever reason, I just never got around to it.

Fast forward to present day and I do not dare make a skincare purchase without first checking out the masters' thoughts on the product. It's also safe to say I 'check in' to her blog daily. No really, .. daily *serious face*.

Fan girl moment aside (for now) and onto my new sexy skincare addition.

Sexy? Skincare? You bet your arse it is!

No exaggeration of the truth, it has revolutionised and revitalised my daily routine.

I won't go into the details about why you need to shake off the old school toner myths, I'll leave that to Caroline (watch the video! Read her blog!). She does a darn better job then I ever could, and I'll get straight to the point.

Here goes;

Use after cleansing, all over the face with a cotton pad and follow with your usual facial oil/ moisturiser, whatever you use after cleansing. Done.

Now watch your skin come back to life.

I instantly loved this product. Once applied, skin feels silky smooth and 'prepped' for the next step. Helps whatever you're using next truly penetrate into the skin. 

The following day, skin feels hydrated, smooth, radiant and clear. Enough adjectives for you? ;)
My skin has gained back it's 'youthful glow' and as a result, completely changed my attitude. Dramatic? Let's face it, you gain so much confidence when your skin is working with you. Now there's your sexy!

I purchased mine via strawberrynet.com but you can find it in many places online/in-store and have already recommended it to almost every woman I know. Now that's saying something!

Go out and give it a try. Would love to know your thoughts.

xx

I say Oui!

For the month of March Escentual.com had up to 30% off French skincare. Wooo! And yes, I did allow myself a quick break from the penny saving.

In the excitement, I almost went a little crazy... 'almost' being key-word. Yes, I did restrain amongst brands such as; La Roche Posay, Nuxe, Bioderma, Filorga, Caudalie... ahhhh so, so many great brands but I digress.

In the end I settled on the following;

NUXE- Rieve de Miel lip balm
I already had this in stick form but this really does live up to the hype and is much better than it's stick form twin. It is much yellow in colour (than stick form), buttery in texture and lasts for hours! Happy with purchase.
La Roche Posay- BB cream in Medium
A friend had recently purchased this and I was curious seeing I love a good tinted moisturiser/BB cream. Let's just say, won't be re-purchasing. It appears that it only comes in one shade 'medium' or at least it was the only shade available when I purchased it. Generally speaking 'medium' is the colour I look for, but I found it too light. It also 'rolls' up in little balls if you rub it in too much into the skin so your hands look like you've been rubbing the dirt off. So weird. Overall- No likey. 
A-Derma- EXOMEGA Emollient cleansing oil  

Not exactly sure why I purchased if I'm perfectly honest. I blame my manic 'French' frenzy and looked for anything 'cheap'. 
Cheap it was, but not really needed, though I will say that this shower oil is bloody fab! By far the surprise stand out and will be brilliant for the winter months in Melbourne. 
If you suffer from any dry skin (My calves are the culprit. WTH calves?) this stuff will fix it right up (albeit temporarily). Feels great and leaves skin moisturised without 'oily' residue. Plus smells really nice. Bonus.

Good news! Escentual are running the same promotion again! Shoot over to their site for up to 30% off French pharmacy skincare for the month of June...

 Viva la France and their splendid skincare!

xx

Sunday Sun Sesh No. 2

Eiffel Tower: From the top level- Paris 2012

With the French Open now in full swing, it's only fitting that today's Sunday Sun Sesh features a pic from Paris.

Time sure does fly.. this time last year I was at Roland Garros melting away on centre court peeling away any item of clothing that was not necessary. Today... I'm sitting in Melbourne wearing multiple layers. Winter has made it's grand entrance *weep*.

Sunday Sun Sesh No. 1

Cuba - South Coast

On an average Melbourne Sunday, it's nice to dream about a place a little more exotic.

Above is from my 2011 Cuba trip where I rented a car with a couple of girlfriends and traced along the revolutionary route famously taken by Fidel, Che and Camilo (amongst many others). 

This little slice of paradise (to be fair, ALL of Cuba is stunningly beautiful, ruins and all) was found on the way to Playa Giron. 

Car was quickly parked and we rented some snorkelling gear from a couple of guys on the side of the road *side note- reggaeton blaring... Oh yeah!* and quickly jumped into the pristine Caribbean waters. Amazing coral and tropical fish of all sizes. Breathtaking.

Ahhh.... Cuba... Easily my favourite place on earth.

xx

Can I hear an Amen for Laser Hair Reduction?!

Why oh why did I not do this sooner?

My best friend underwent laser years ago with great results. At the time she was using a laser called ELOS.

With the years, has come even better technology- Enter Candela Gentlelase laser. Simply, it's a bloody revolution! Viva la revolucion!

Fresh off my fourth session this morning, I can honestly say it is THE BEST money I have ever spent on myself. I saw results from my very first session, though thought wise not to post until I had, had a few more sessions under my belt. I'm having my underarms and bikini treated but am now thinking of getting my arms treated as well.

With only two more sessions to go on my current package (NeoSkin Williamstown) I virtually do not have to do any, yes, ANY maintenance on my underarms. I give them a quick shave the morning of my treatment (I undergo laser 6 weeks apart) but that's pretty much it.
My bikini has also dramatically reduced. I would say a conservative figure would be about 85-90% hair reduction so far. If and when hair does reappear, it is the wispiest, lightest hair. I am so beyond thrilled with my results! I can already see a much more pleasant summer without the hassle of hair removal!

I will have to go back for 'top up's' once my sessions are over, but that'll only mean a 5 minute appointment every 3 months or so. After the numerous years of waxing (those days are well and truly NOT missed!), I finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

Quick disclaimer- I have experienced a teeny bit of hyper-pigmentation on both the skin under my arms and on my bikini line, but it is quite faint. This can be a side affect if you have darker skin as the laser is attracted to darker colours and so sometimes effects colour in skin.
I purchased the NeoSkin special; Buy 5 sessions for $350.00, get the 6th session free. 6 sessions for $350.00, that equates to $58.33 a session! 

Definitely visit your local beauty skin clinic to learn more. It is such a revelation!

xx

Pinch, punch, first day of the month..!

And by gosh, it's a cracker of a day!.. well, in Melbourne anyway.

Before we start getting excited about the glory that is Autumn in Melbourne, lets take a second to mourn the end of Summer for another year...

... ...

OK, now that's done, it's time to dig out the tran-seasonal clothes (hello leather!) and start thinking about what boots I can buy this season *insert big smiley face*.

Summer is great. Really great, but it's nice to get a little reprieve from the harsh Australian sun, and let's face it, Autumn in Australia isn't very cold. But just cold enough to drag out the layers, not quite cold enough for opaque's so you can still bare a bit of leg.

And without further ado, roll on my Autumn wish list.. Of course, this is strictly a 'wish list'. I mean, I'm on a spending ban, so it's just a list to look at, especially the bag *drool*. By no means will I go out and purchase these or similar items... promise ;)

       Valentino- Va Va Voom Small Flap Bag    Deborah Lippmann Nail Polish  

xx

Hashtag - VOGUE

Magazine's. One of life's little luxuries.

I rarely reach for the gossip mag's, I'm more of a life and style typa gal so when I saw a year's subscription at a very cheap price (for the life of me I cannot remember but definitely up to or under $45.00) I very quickly whipped out my debit Mastercard.


Never disappointed, forever excited with each monthly issue, I could not be happier with my little slice of chic heaven. 
The style inspiration alone is enough to justify the year's subscription price. And yes, I believe my style has definitely evolved thanks to this magazine. Ok, that might be subjective, but hey, whatever helps me justify the annual renewal fee, right? ;)

Now, if I could only afford a third of what graces those pages!

It's now two years in and I can't even bear to throw out any of the older issues. Be prepared to see me in a future episode of hoarders. I'll be the lady wearing a bright bold lip, laptop at the ready, buried in amongst the mountains of Vogue magazines in my living room.

In conclusion, if you've been umming and ahhrring over getting a subscription for one of your fave magazines, I would highly recommend doing so. 

Happy reading!

xx

2013, The year of the... errr...?

New year, new me?

Well that was the plan. One of many for the year.

So let's go through my top four 2013 objectives and if they've been manageable up until the now second month of the new year;

1. Maintain current gym routine.

Fairly standard for a resolution I would think, and OK so this one's not completely ruined,... yet.

Going to the gym when you're on holidays is a piece of cake, well for me anyway. But once you're back at work, who wants to slug it out at the gym after you've been slugging it out at the office all day? Not me.

And yes, I'd much rather stay in bed that little bit longer rather than pump some iron at a 6am gym sesh. But new year, let's see how far the commitment stays. So far so good.

2. Be on time.

Pretty simple right? Go me! Not once late so far. Check and check!

3. Shop the stash.

Essentially this ties in with getting better at saving money and splurging less. I'm constantly complaining about not having anything to wear... cue photo's of current wardrobe and two, yes two chest of drawers (ahem... I've also got clothes in the spare room.. ahem.. and laundry).

There is only so much I need, what I want however, is a whole different ball game.

So no more rash purchases (weep) and I must use up all of my current beauty items before purchasing new ones. Goodbye, Priceline, Myer and David Jones... I think it may be a while until I grace your beauty department once again.

4. Challenge myself.

My favourite resolution of all and one that I will struggle to recommit to every time because, let's face it, it's so easy to stick to what you know. The problem with that is, that well, you don't get to experience new things because you're doing the same thing over and over again. So righto, step aside fear and let's live a little!.. within budget ;)

All in all I think 2013 will be a bright and bold year... I feel it in my bones!

xx

Abbotsford Convent - Melbourne

Happy Australia Day!!!

Whether you're celebrating at home, on the beach or at the park, wishing you all a very Happy Australia Day!

A day where we can all stop, and celebrate living in one of the luckiest countries on earth.

Although not perfect, I think we can all agree that Australia is a beautiful and amazing country with so much to offer. I know my family and I are very happy we took the plunge and emigrated many moons ago. I now couldn't imagine living anywhere else on earth.

Have fun, stay safe and always remember to slip, slop and slap and keep an eye on that barbie ;)

xx

Throwback Thursday... No. 1

This post is a long time coming. In fact, it's 6 months late.
But as they say, better late than never. Right?

And so without further ado, I present a modern twist on a classic item. My Timex digital watch.

...Ta - Da!

Isn't she a beaut? Gotta love the leopard print. Add an alarm and a one touch light up and you have yourself a keeper.

This was given to me from a good friend, who obviously knew my taste, better than I had given him credit for. Since then it has graced my wrist and I've never looked back. This is where I'd insert a pic of the watch in action, and actually on my wrist, but alas, my arms are in dire need of a wax. What? I'm amongst friends right? ;)

xx

To boot or not to boot?

First things first.

I can't afford the Acne 'Pistol' boots... but, with so many affordable alternatives, I don't really need to, of course I don't 'need' many things, my problem is that I want a lot of things.

Enter, Topshop.

Honestly, can they do no wrong?.. Well perhaps maybe some of their pricing but whose nit-picking?. 

I was a little late to the party with the ambush boots, so instead I went for a bit of a different route, I got in touch with my western side and opted for their 'Artreu western boots'.

I loved them when I purchased them, but I have since started resenting them and I have nobody to blame but myself.

See, when I tried these little beauties on, I was in a euphoric state of shopping bliss.
You know, that zone you enter when you're having a great shopping day? I was well and truly in it so when I saw the $144.00 price tag, it didn't even ruffle a few of my budget feathers. 

They lured me in with their coolness and the padding in the arches. Oh yes, did I mention they have padding. Padding!
I may or may not have even excitedly claimed that 'these are the comfiest shoes... Ever!'

That is until the next day when I wore them...

Perhaps breaking them in on my commute into work wasn't the brightest idea I've had, so the padding, although welcome, didn't make too much of a difference once worn for about ten hours.

That was just the pain, I can deal pain, but aesthetics? That's a wholllleee different kettle of fish.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a hate/hate relationship with my legs.
They're short, they're chunky and they take the longest to see results in when working out, so buying ankle boots is always going to be a challenge but I figured I'd pair them with skinny black jeans or with opaque stockings/tights and they'd be fine. Ahhh delusion. Did I mention my euphoric shopping state made me delusional?

On anyone with thinner, longer legs these boots would be brilliant, but the low heel means that if you haven't be blessed with the ideal legs, you're going to look,.. well, even further away from looking like Jessica Alba.

However, I-will-not-admit-defeat! They're just so, oh, cool dammit!
Instead, I'm upping the gym regimen.

Righto- time to pump some iron.

xx

August Favourites

 

I swear yesterday was only just New Year's.

Where the hell has the year gone, and more importantly, what the hell have I been doing all year?!

So the end of the month, and the end of Winter (YAY!!) brings with it the 'monthly favourites'. A round-up of the standout's from the month.

  

 1. Sally Hanson 'Mega Shine Top Coat'. Sally Hanson 'Smooth Perfect Color Care' in 06 Air. Jo Malone's Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne Intense. Chloé L`eau De Chloé Eau De Toilette. Sportsgirl's 'Blondie' Torteshelle sunglasses 2. Chloé L`eau De Chloé Eau De Toilette. BioEffect EGF Serum. Jo Malone Cologne (background) 3. Chloé L`eau De Chloé Eau De Toilette 4. Dove Clinical Protection anti-perspirant 5. Me wearing Sally Hanson's 'Smooth Perfect Colour' in 06 Air 6. Same as 1 with Alpha-H Liquid Gold 7. Sally Hanson's Mega Shine topcoat and Smooth & Perfect Color Care in 06 Air 8. As number 6. Yes, I needed the extra's to make the collage an actual 'collage' ;)

Dove Clinical Protection anti-perspirant deodorant-
You know what? We all sweat. Some more than others. Unfortunantely I fall into this category. As much as I protest, I am a sweater and I find that this works for me. I use it as per instructions, before bed (after showering) and then in the morning because I like the way it smells. I always go for the 'original clean' scent. What more can I say? It works for me :)

Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne Intense-
When I first smelt this, it was by accident. Accident being an over-zealous sales girl spraying it on my wrist before I had the chance to say 'no thank-you'.
It was definitely not love at first smell.
However, as the day went on, I kept getting a sniff of a really nice perfume as I walked. Took me an hour or two before I realised it was the perfume on my wrist.

I went back the following day to track down what I was told at the time of 'walk by spitzing' was limited edition. Braced myself for what I knew was going to be an obscene price and walked away. I practiced self restraint... lasted about a week.

Because I couldn't get this scent out of my mind, I bit the bullet and handed over my credit card through gritted teeth and purchased.

The 'Cologne Intense' range is a lot heavier than the usual colognes from Jo Malone.
This one is quite deep and 'mysterious' (you like that? Hehe) that settles down throughout the day to a really gorgeous rich (not sickly) scent. It also has great lasting power. I can still smell it on my skin after a full day of work and public transport commuting.

Perfect scent for the colder months which is why it became such a favourite this past month, though I know I'll probably let this one last in my rotations long into Spring and Summer.

Chloé L`eau De Chloé Eau De Toilette-
The absolute opposite to the Jo Malone Cologne Intense, the Chloé scent is Summer in a  bottle. Absolutely DIVINE. The Chloé Eau de Parfum is amazing. Some (me) might say femininity personified, and this, L'eau De Chloé is it's gorgeous younger sister. 

Originally purchased on a whim and later regretted and therefore relegated to the 'back of the cupboard' * tsk tsk, slap on wrist*
Now, one spritz of this secret weapon and I would forget about how cold it was outside and instantly lift my mood. I may, or may not have even layered it over the Jo Malone... I know. Blasphemous.

Sportsgirl's 'Blondie' Sunglasses-
For whatever reason's I go through phases with this style, this past month I have worn nothing but these bad gals.

What is there not to love about a torteshelle cat eye? I think they're so chic and did I mention super affordable? You can get these gorgeous gals here.

I wear sunnies all the time. I think of it as one of my best anti-aging weapons. Less squinting, less wrinkles. Plus how else will I hide those darn under eye circles and look half polished?

Alpha-H Liquid Gold-
I see this being a repeat offender as this product is well and truly liquid gold in a bottle! 
As mentioned in my previous post (here), this product for me is my Holy Grail.

Acting as a chemical peel, thanks to the active ingredient, glycolic acid, this serum sloughs away whilst you sleep. What a hard worker!

End result is plumper, smoother and radiant skin. I could wax lyrical about this heaven in a bottle all day, night, weeks... you get the picture. 

BioEffect EGF Serum-
I don't know too much about this serum, except the fact that it's new and innovative anti-ageing (yes please!) from Iceland.

Adorebeauty.com were running a promo where you could sample for free (though pay $5.95 shipping). Curiosity got the better of me and I took advantage.
The sample is the teeniest little bottle but it never seems to run out (me likey). The full sized bottle is a whopping $180.00 (here). I have come to terms with myself that yes, once I run out of the never ending teeny tiny bottle, I will purchase full size and I will not feel guilty... much.

Originally I started using 2-3 drops on clean dry face before bed (too expensive to use in the morning as well), have now started rationing it to 1-2 drops.
Luckily, a little goes a long way with this little gem. Skin is moisturised (without feeling greasy) and smooth as a baby's bottom.

Hell, if it's good enough for Martha Stewart, it's good enough for me!

Sally Hanson's Mega Shine Top Coat & Smooth Perfect Color Care in 06 Air-
First things first, typing 'color' rather than 'colour' has killed me a little every time. I'm a stickler for spelling and the fact that I'm writing in US English, rather than UK English is literally gnawing at me ;)

I combined these two well, because you can't have a polish without a top coat right? We always apply top coat? Ahem, I mean I always do. Don't look at me that way, ... I do... sometimes.

I have one or two*cough* nail stand worth *cough* nail polishes and so I have my usual Sunday night routine of giving myself a manicure, ready for the next working week.
It's fair to say I try and mix things up a bit with changing colours every week.

These two however, have graced my fingertips for the majority of August.
The perfect baby blue doesn't exactly scream winter, but hey, whatever gets a girl through the gruelling winter months right?

I adore the brush (thick and flat) on the Smooth and Perfect colour polish. Makes a cinch of applying, and although I find this one is more of a three coat babe (I prefer an opaque finish), it certainly doesn't need the mega shine, but whoa, once you've seen the mega shine in action, you could easily mistake it for a shellac manicure. Its that glossy.

They're my August favourites. Perhaps a little too much ramble, but these things excite me.

xx

Worth the hype?

We've all been there. Bought one or two *cough* several beauty products due to the mahusive hype on blogs and youtube. Sometimes it pays off, other times, it just puts a dent into your bank balance.

Here I breakdown five beauty products that I hastily purchased on the recommendations of many, and I say MANY a youtubers/bloggers out there and let you know my take on them.

Now I'm no beauty expert by any means, my make-up application will quickly tell you that, but I know what works for my skin, my lifestyle, etc, etc... only took me 29 darn years! Sheesh.

So without further ado.... drum roll please...

1. Bioderma Crealine H2O Solution Micellaire

Hands down probably one of the most talked about products, if not, the most talked about product on the interwebs.
Sucked in line and sinker I went all the way to Paris to get this bad boy.. OK, perhaps not the only reason, but man, it was way up there!

When I first saw the neon green pharmacy cross in the streets of Paris, nothing else mattered, angels sang, the sun shone on me and I happily made my euphoric way into skincare heaven. I did as all self respecting girls would do and purchased not one, but two (that's a whole 1 litre) of these gorgeous bottles and handed over my euros with utter glee.

The solution is gentle enough for those with sensitive skin and removes quite a large sum of makeup in the first couple of sweeps. But... let's just take those rose coloured glasses off,... it does not take off all of my eye make-up, namely mascara quite as easily.

This means I've now relegated it to being what I now use to take off most of my make-up before my actual deep cleanse and as my toner post cleanse. I would advise not to spend the money.
It's bloody hard to get your hands on it anyway outside of France (well in an inexpensive way). Which perfectly segways into my next 'much hyped' about product....

2. Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

Hallelujah! OK, so let's just say I like this product... a lot.

It's creamy, gorgeous texture sucked me in, then it's heavenly scent made me love it. Hello hint's of Eucalyptus, can I hear a whoop, whoop?!

I had never used a hot cloth cleanser before and I felt a little awkward at first rubbing this thick texture over dry, yes, dry skin. But like anything, practice makes perfect and I now use this in the shower. I use on my face before wetting. I also find the steam really helps when using the muslin cloth to really get in there and get the job done, well in my mind anyway, and really that's all that matters right? ;)

All in all, definitely worth the hype, and then some.

3. Alpha-H Liquid Gold

HOLY GRAIL ALERT! HOLY GRAIL ALERT! HOLY-FRIGGEN-GRAIL ALERT!

Did that get your attention?

If you haven't already, quickly go out and purchase this product. I cannot stress enough how much I adore/love/praise this product.

Everything everyone has said when raving about this product is absolutely true. A chemical exfoliate (Glycolic Acid) that works through the night (product is applied before bed) to give you radiant, literally radiant, plumper skin that just looks amazing in the morning.

OK, so I may have thought I'd wake up and look like Miranda Kerr the morning after using this, and although I didn't (damn!) I was more than happy, nay, ecstatic with the results.

Get it, get it now!

4. Caudalie Eau De Beaute

I've got to be honest, I purchased this solely based on Lisa Eldridge's long flight skincare routine video. I got the small travel sized bottle to try it out before committing to the 100ml full sized bottle and was quite confronted with the fragrance.

It was a lot stronger than I had ever imagined. Although not offensive, it is quite strong but luckily the scent quickly dissipates.

I don't know what's in this little bottle but man is my skin not only refreshed but it is smoother than a baby's bottom once it dries. Hot Damn Amazeballs! I know what you're all thinking, and yes, I'm all class ;)

I've been umming and ahrring on whether or not to purchase the full size, and as of writing this, I'm swaying to yes, but not 100% convinced. Having said that, I do think it lives up to the hype. But do I need it??... hrmmm...

5. Collection's (formerly 'Collection 2000') Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer

First of all- What a mouth full!

Second... Ermergerd! Ermegerd!

I have very dark under eye circle's, emphasis on the very. I thank my dad's side of the family for that.. *through gritted teeth* ... Gracias familia.

So to say I've struggled to find a concealer that actually works for me is an understatement. In the quest of finding my HG product, I have spent hard earned cash on a couple that have in fact highlighted my under eye circles by darkening them (thanks girl at MAC counter) and one that just made my under eye area look ashy.

This little cheapie, purely on price not on performance is an absolute gem.

I have come to the conclusion that I also need a corrector (Bobbi Brown, I'm coming after you,... as soon as I get paid) but I can live with that, and to be honest, this concealer does a pretty darn good job on it's own. Hands down worth the hype.

So that rounds off my ramble. If you stuck with me through it all, well Thank-You!

Hope you enjoyed and found it somewhat useful.

xx