Sunday Snaps

Sundays are usually very much home days for me but there is an unfortunate reality that comes with my new entrance into the 'real world' that suddenly everybody is impossible to get hold of. This outing was weeks in planning and thankfully the sun came out for a glorious Spring-like day. A spot of shopping, some delicious cake and a lot of walking later, it was well worth the wait and I thought I'd share the few snaps I took (very rarely do I have such a nice time that I don't want the camera out for long).

Strawberry cheesecake and tiramisu cake.

Lantern loving

OOTD: Tokito blazer, Dotti shorts, Miss Shop tee, Wittner shoes

Maybelline Super Stay Gel Nail Colour Review

I've heard a few rave reviews about the formula of these polishes and I've been dying to get my hands on them since. Australia is forever behind on basically all beauty releases so it was a very long wait but I finally saw them at my local Priceline and had to pick them up.

The shade range isn't quite my style, I lean more towards pastels rather than brights but I managed to find three shades that are right up my street in Surreal, Eternal Lilac and Hot Salsa (this photo doesn't really depict the colour well but it's a pretty coral/red shade). I know that in the UK they have a much larger shade range and I can only hope that Australia gets some of those eventually if these prove to be popular.

The formula is very long wearing, 7 days isn't an understatement and my hands get battered from my work so it's a miracle for anything to last 3 days without a chip. With a thick brush, which if you're got narrow nails could border on being too thick, the polish goes on almost fully opaque with another coat required to just touch up a little. The finish is the closest to gel I've ever found in a normal nail polish but it wasn't until I used a polish from a different brand right after using these that I noticed how big of a difference there is. Other than the fact they're super long wearing, one of my favourite things about these is that you can peel the whole nail polish off it's so thick which is weirdly very satisfying.

For under $10 you can't really ask for more from this polish other than more shades please! A very pale pastel blue and a white would be nice..

Introducing Piper

A Commonwealth Games inspired friend was welcomed into our clan yesterday in the form of a 6 month old Scottish Terrier that we aptly named Piper. Getting a friend for Max had been casually discussed but on Thursday night my dad dropped the news that Max would be getting a sister from Brisbane. The poor soul endured the stress of the flight and arrived to us unscathed and curious about her new surroundings, still bearing the stitches from being fixed a week prior. Whilst we're still getting to know her (our latest discovery is that her hair takes longer than mine to dry ie hours), so far she seems like she's got a bit of stubbornness in her, adores the cat and is very happy socialising with other dogs, remaining unfazed no matter how cold some welcomes were at the dog park.

Makeup/Skincare Haul

As a girl who is trying to save right now there are far more products in this haul than there should be but alas I can't resist a good sale and I usually know what I want and wait for it to be discounted before I give in. It's been months since my last haul and some of these are more recent and others are a bit older but all worth mentioning.

Starting with skincare the Origins Drink Up Intensive overnight mask has become my life saver. I spend a lot of time in air conditioning/heating at my work and I've found it completely dries out my skin. If I'm doing a real pamper I pair this with the Aesop Parsley Seed Mask to really cleanse my face of all the bad stuff and then use this to nourish it so it's not so stripped of moisture. It's not overly expensive in the scheme of things for skincare in Australia and you don't need a lot so I think it's a good price point, available through Kit Cosmetics or Mecca Cosmetica.

I believe this is my third pot of the Dirty Works Buttery Salt Scrub that I have going as I live in fear of it being discontinued, it's insanely affordable and a beautiful body scrub that leaves the skin feeling lovely and smooth. Follow with a really nice moisturiser or body butter and your skin will love you for it. I've only seen it at Coles supermarkets but a quick google found two places online that stock it for Australians, internationally I think this one will be a bit harder to access unfortunately.

Bioderma, Bioderma, Bioderma, this wonder product is so expensive in Australia by comparison to France it's ridiculous but fortunately my dad was in France last month and picked me up a 500ml bottle (we don't even have this size in Australia) for under 10 Euros which was a complete bargain and cheaper than a 250ml bottle here. If you know someone going to France get them to leave room in their suitcase to pick you up a bottle, it'll be well worth it.

Face wipes are such a hush hush topic in the beauty world but the reality is that when it's 11 o'clock at night and I've got a full face of make up, I just want it off so I can go to sleep already and I don't care how it happens as long as it doesn't make me drift to sleep standing up. I figure it's better for your skin to remove it rather than sleep with it still on no matter if it's a wipe or a whole skincare regime that does it and this is what inspired the Yes To Cucumber Soothing Towelettes (brownie points for those who get the Glee reference with towelettes) purchase. They're cheap, supposedly soothing which if you've been to a party is always a good idea and will hopefully just do what they say on the packet which is all I can ask for.

I've been in a bit of a nail polish funk of recent, I've become over my nail polish collection and no colour is the right colour but I don't want bare nails. I saw my lovely friend Phoebe wearing the Maybelline Color Show polish in Audacious Asphalt and it looked so good on her that I had to buy it for myself. I don't think I pull it off as well as her but I like it and I'm quite fond of the lighter shade compared to my usual grey polish go-to Essie's Master Plan.

If you haven't noticed, I really love nail polish and it's not often that I hear a formula raved on about as much as I've heard for the Maybelline Super Stay 7 days polishes. The range in my local Priceline was limited with about 8 shades and it's not even online yet but I picked up Surreal, a purply denim blue which I love and Eternal Lilac which is quite a bright pinky/purple and one I'm sure I'll be bringing out in Spring/Summer. The opacity is great, two coats with the really thick brush and your set, I can't speak for the lasting power yet but keep your eyes peeled for a full review.

I'm lucky in that I'm not self conscious about my skin so often I go without a base at all but sometimes a slight amount of coverage just brightens your complexion and this is where the Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer comes in. The shade range is basic but the yellow tones of ivory counteract my very rosy skin and covers The Vein, a dark blue annoyance under my left eye. I wear this most days under my eyes and sometimes on my cheeks if I'm over having rosy cheeks that day. It doesn't crease on me, it's brightening and it seems to last well but I'm very limited in my concealer testing so don't just listen to what I say.

As mentioned before my dad was in France last month and what kind of daughter would I be if I didn't at least try to get a present from Sephora? I sent him in search of the Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Always Red (Amelia Liana and Lily Pebbles are to blame for this) amongst the Parisian sales and he returned with this beauty and a story about the man who helped him find it. I will be doing a full review in a few weeks (there's a reason why it's postponed which you'll find out about) so look out for it but it's definitely going to be a rave.

I've been needing some eye brushes for far too long now, over a year at least and when the Real Techniques brushes were 25% off I decided it was time. The Your Eyes Enhanced starter set contains 5 brushes which cover your blending, packing on and lining requirements which high quality brushes and I picked up the single shading brush as well which is amazing. Having good eye make up brushes (and multiples of them too) really changes eye make up looks and is essential, more so than a lot of base brushes which are interchangeable with fingers. So glad I finally invested in a set and I'm thinking another shading brush needs to happen soon as well.

On the mascara front I've had two $10 bargains that I couldn't resist, the first is a repurchase of the Maybelline One by One mascara which is a daily mascara favourite for the past few months. One light layer and then another over the top once it's dried gives a really fluttery effect on my lashes, it's volumising and lengthening but not OTT and most definitely not clumpy. Mascara is quite dramatic on my mostly blonde lashes so during the day I don't like anything too intense and this fits the bill. 

The Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes is a very recent launch in Australia and I ummed and ahhed about it until I bit the bullet and decided that worst comes to worst I get a bottom lash mascara out of it. I went for the waterproof formula for a change and it's most definitely waterproof let me tell you, bioderma didn't budge it and I needed an oil based cleanser to get it off and it still took a bit of effort. I've only tried it once but it held the curl really well for the few hours I had it on, it gave me volume, length and was truly black. It's quite a dry mascara and I found the application almost a little scratchy on my lashes but with two layers it wasn't clumpy which was good. A mascara round up post is due on here once I get my act together and I expect this one will be included for a dramatic mascara.

And I made it, that was a long one and was totally my own fault. What have you sneakily purchased recently? Or maybe don't tell me otherwise I'll want to buy more things..

Book Haul

There is one person (other than myself obviously) to blame for this post. She is the ultimate book enabler, Sanne aka booksandquills is the reason behind the majority of these books and I love her for it.

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg must be one of the best selling books of 2014 for a reason, right? As a girl entering the workforce and figuring out where I fit into it, I think this book will be quite inspiring to be a strong independent working woman and I look forward to what should be a very interesting read if the reviews are true.

I've actually already read Attatchments by Rainbow Rowell, it's on my iPad and I loved it so much I wanted the physical copy on my shelf. Rowell is one of my favourite authors, both from her adult and young adult novels and I really adored this book when I read it. This also leads onto the other purchase which is unpictured because it arrived later but I just binge-read Landline, Rowell's latest book, and loved it just as much. I think Fangirl is my all time favourite of her novels but they're all spectacularly well written and have well developed interesting characters whom I adore.

An Object Of Beauty by Steve Martin was the impulse buy of this haul. Spotted in one of Sanne's book hauls I believe, this books art world aspect appealed the most to me. I love art in a lot of forms, I want to learn more about it and I just really liked the look of this book really. Very excited to read it but it's not first on the list right now.

Just One Day followed by Just One Year followed by Just One Night (ebook only) are a lovely trio (or really 2 and a half but that doesn't sound as nice) of books written by Gayle Forman. I read these quickly on my iPad and loved them so much that once I discovered Just One Night existed around 11pm, moments after finishing Just One Year, I made the very immature but at the time satisfying choice to stay up even later and finish that. If I miss sleep to read a book it's worthy of sitting on my shelf.

Trouble by Non Pratt was one I discovered on Goodreads and is really a book that I would have bought on my iPad if it was an iBook because it's not one I really needed to own. I read this whilst I was poorly (part of the reason for the lack of noise on this blog) and I liked it but didn't love it. Personally the goodreads reviews were a bit generous and the only really great thing with this book was the character Aaron who I adored, buying off bookdepository at least means I didn't throw too much money down the drain.

Estee (of Essiebutton) and Sanne are the reasons behind my purchase of We Were Liars by E Lockhart and I am so grateful! It's not the kind of book I'd pick up, I generally stick to the YA/Chick Lit genre because it's light and this novel is anything but. It's not a long read but it's a lovely one, with some more poetic aspects and very interesting medical conflict elements which I adored. It was $2.99 on iBooks on sale so it was a no brainer really.

Last but not least is Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson, a book which I found through #shelfie on tumblr, one of my favourite tags to peruse, when it kept on appearing in people's book collections. It's been highly rated on Goodreads from over 4000 ratings which is a good sign and I think it'll be a nice holiday read when I go away to the country next week.

Do I dare ask what other books I should check out? Tell me what you've been reading in the comments below.

Maybelline Express Remover Review

I first saw this concept with the release of the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover quite a while ago and have been waiting for it to hit Australia's shores since. Maybelline seem to have beaten them to it with the Maybelline Express Remover being released here a few months ago.

I paint my nails a lot, depending on what I have going on it can be up to 3 times a week (excessive, I know), so fast removal is really convenient for me and worth the 10 Australian dollars for a few months of use.

I'm onto my second pot, the first is now filled with confetti polish speckles and stains my finger pink because of all the red polish I've taken off with it. It's not 'one dip' but by pressing gently on the spongey sides and moving your finger around, removal takes seconds and there are no acetone soaked cotton pads to worry about cleaning up!

It's fuss free, quick and even though I'm usually sceptical of acetone free nail polish removers this one does work really well. It's the lazy nail polish wearers dream and available from Priceline and some supermarkets in Australia.

Keep An Ear Out..

I mentioned in my May Madness post that there are some new music releases coming up that I'm particularly excited for, especially in the male British singer-songwriter part of the music world, so I thought I'd share with you some popular and lesser known artists to check out.

Ed Sheeran's much anticipated second album Multiply is on it's way and I'm very excited. The first single 'Sing' was a small declaration in a way that things will be getting switched up a bit on this album but I although I am keen to see which direction he's taking some of his songs I hope that some of the raw acoustic notes of the first stay around.

Lewis Watson is one of my favourite singer-songwriters, his progression from acoustic to more alternative has been amazing and very natural I think as his skills and abilities musically have grown. His first album has been long awaited with a succession of EP's prior all of which I have fallen in love with. I have high hopes in the success of 'The Morning' and I think he is one to watch if you're not already.

Passenger's new album 'Whispers' is truly a thing of beauty, following the success of his single Let Her Go this album had a greater amount of people waiting for it and I think he rose to the challenge. He's stayed within his genre and it's not a dramatic change but it's more cinematic than his previous four studio albums and the strings section just gets me. Surprisingly '27' is my favourite track from the record as it's one of the most upbeat songs but I'm a sucker for a good clapping section (being able to clap in time to this is about as musically talented as I get).

I fell in love with Sam Smith's voice with his song 'Leave Your Lover' from his album 'In The Lonely Hour', the mainly acoustic guitar and piano track had me on iTunes listening to the rest of the album which I fell in love with and have had on repeat since. 'Stay With Me' was so good the BBC Radio 1 host Zane Lowe deemed it his 'hottest record' and I couldn't agree more. One of the best breakthrough pop artists so far this year.

One of the most popular youtube cover artists Kina Grannis recently released another album entitled 'Elements' and I think finally she has reached her music potential. Her covers have always been amazing but for some it ends there, and I had a fear that was the same for Kina but this album has proven me wrong. 'Elements' is a bit more unique than her previous albums and really showcases her talent more than her previous albums have. My favourite track is Winter but all of them are divine and worth a listen.

Hudson Taylor, an Irish pop-folk duo, have released their 'Battles II' EP with three new tracks and 2 remastered versions of Battles prior to the release of their first album due in September of this year. I love the 2014 version of Battles, it's very powerful and showcases how far they've come, as well as the track Throw Me A Line which is my pick of the new tracks.

Any new artists that I need to listen to before they get big? Let me know in the comments.

Link Loving #2

I spend a fair portion of my life on my computer (sometimes productively, I promise!) and I often come across some really great things which are too good not to share so here is the second instalment of my link loving series.

Nouvelle Daily posted a really great DIY for a jewellery display which is simple but very classy with easily accessible materials. I loved it so much that I'm keen to do my own when I get the opportunity. It's also very customisable to match your style and needs, you can change the hook set up or paint it a different colour with ease to make it your own.

Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup has recently started doing weekly vlogs (I say recently, this has been going on for ten weeks) and I absolutely love them! Her and her boyfriend Mark document the best bits of their weeks and wrap it up into a nice little weekly Tuesday upload. A part of the problem with daily vlogging is that sometimes it feels like people are trying to fill them out to make them more of a substantial video instead of being great content but making them weekly eliminates that and these have quickly become one of my favourites videos to see in my subscriptions feed.

Lewis Watson has been one of my favourite singer-songwriters for over two years now and he recently went back to his youtube cover roots and uploaded a beautiful cover of Oceans by Coldplay. I can't even begin to explain how much I love this cover so all I can say is click here, close your eyes and listen.

I've confessed my crush on Alexa Chung a fair bit on the internet and just when I thought I couldn't love her any more (I mean seriously, she used puns to name her eyeko range) she collaborated with Lisa Eldridge for a tutorial of her own signature look. Not only is her eyeliner applying skill incredible (she does it herself in this video) but she is also really interesting and I love the her laid back attitude in this video.

My handwriting is something I'm weirdly proud of, I personally think mine is neat but effortless at the same time and I have spent a lot of time making it how I want it to be (there was a time back in primary school where I spent weeks getting myself into the habit of doing normal f's instead of the really curly ones I'd been doing before). Cupcakes & Cashmere recently shared her faux calligraphy tips and not only is the writing beautiful but it is a very simple technique which I have loved learning how to do.

And last but not least is a bit of news that interests the Australian beauty lovers who read my blog. Somehow I missed the news that Australia was getting Sephora at the end of this year (right in time for my birthday, it's going to be grand) but they have revealed they intend to "price match the US on a portion of it's range" creating a new level of competition in the Australian market (you can read the article about it here). For those who don't know, makeup and skincare is incredibly overpriced in Australia with up to a 200% mark up so if Sephora do this well and stray true to their word this is just the right shake up that will make my bank account very happy.

What have you been loving on the internet recently? Anything that has managed to slip past my very watchful eyes?

The Want List

Part of the problem with being very active in the beauty/fashion blogger community is that the wants accumulate and for a girl who is trying to save her pennies, the temptation is painful. I try not to have too many impulse buys and go shopping with a plan to make the most of what I buy. The best way I've found to keep track is to have a running list and to check back on it so I only but what I really really want and have done for a while. What's on this list you may ask?

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask - This has been on my list for over six months now and after my first dabble into Origins with the charcoal mask I think this is the next progression. It's a no fuss mask that has rave reviews and just fits in with the budget. I see it as the more I invest in looking after my skin the less I have to in covering it.

Marc Jacobs Baker watch in gold - I almost caved for this at Christmas but just couldn't quite bring myself to spend so much money on a watch but I think it's going to happen as my gap year survival present to myself at the end of the year. My wrists are childlike so I can't even find a bracelet that fits nicely but I think this watch will be the best investment my wrist will ever have.

Urban Decay Naked 2 palette - I have mentioned this previously on my blog before and the want still stands. It's on the back burner right now because I'm quite content with my no fuss concealer, brows and mascara look that's my go to at the moment but I'm keeping an eye out for it to go on sale on Beauty Bay so I can snap it up.

See by Chloe - Spotted on the vlog channel of Estee from EssieButton, this perfume is most likely my next buy in the scent department. I've been wearing Dot by Marc Jacobs almost exclusively since I got it in December which I still adore but it's half gone and I think it's time for a switch up. I smelt this once and loved it (it even got the mum tick of approval), a few more swatches are in order for my final conclusion but it's looking hopeful.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Hot Pepper- I swatched this on my hand and I kid you not it lasted two days of showers and handwashing before it was all gone. It's a perfect red and the formula has gotten the tick of approval from the bold lip goddess Anna from ViviannaDoesMakeup so I'm sold. In Australia it's not exactly cheap so I'm waiting for it to go on sale before I pick it up but expect a review on here soon after I do.

Black brogues - I did have my eye on some from Wittner but they are out of my price range so I am going to hunt through the end of financial year sales to find the perfect pair. I love the masculinity of the brogue, I think they definitely fall into the 'tom-boy chic' category and they are also really versatile, downplaying feminine cuts and can replace heels for the right occasion (my brown pair already do). Shoe shopping for me is quite hard and it's a godsend for me to find a pair I actually like.

What is on your want list? Actually, don't tell me. I don't need any more ideas.

An Ode To: Mens Loungewear

So as much as I like to keep up some sort of glamorous persona on here, the reality is that I spend most of my down time makeup-less and in some very comfy attire. But a recent discovery has made this time all that much more comfortable.

Girls have been stealing guys clothes for a while, from the old fashioned blazer over the shoulders as you walk home hand in hand (a gesture I think is very sweet) to borrowing a hoodie for a lazy Sunday together. But as a girl with no boyfriend (not really fussed to have one right at this point is my life either) I decided I'd do the next best thing.

I'm a big lover of loungewear, the comfier and cosier the better to the point where I was fed up with the thin track pants and jumpers from the women's section and decided to screw the judgement and just buy from the men's section. Not only are my new track pants thicker, cheaper and longer but they also have pockets! The whole 'drop crotch' thing was weird at first but it was a fast adaption and I don't half mind it now.

I am one very comfortably lady and I keep thinking of ways I can get away with wearing my trackies in public just so I don't have to take them off! Can't quite bring myself to yet in fear I'll see someone I know but I'm working on it.

The Best Of Instagram

Hi my name is Holly and I am an Instagram addict. I wish I could insert an 'I'm kidding' line in there but I really can't. Instagram is one of my favourite forms of social media, it's simple, it requires a certain level of creativity and it's primarily the best bits of peoples lives (unlike facebook and twitter).

I follow 363 accounts, a lot of which are personal accounts of friends but a fair few are bloggers, photographers and creative types of various forms who have beautiful Instagram feeds (is that even the term for it?). It took a lot of effort and some serious deliberation but I managed to summarise my top 5 accounts that most people won't know about.

m_i_s_o_ - Run by a tattoo artist (if you're a tumblr user you've probably come across some of her work at some point)/artist/photographer/damn cool person, this account is a compilation of drawings, tattoos and workspace shots stunningly photographed. It's a private account but with over 50 000 followers I think all requests are accepted.

tamaraloo - A mix of fashion, food and beauty shots, Tamara's simplistic but chic pictures are some of my favourites and I love seeking inspiration from her posts. With a very clean, crisp and occasionally tropical theme going on her feed is one I really enjoy viewing.

meganisobel - The Instagram account of the fabulous blogger behind lipssofacto is one of those feeds where I get an instant life envy, even just from a shot of her messy topknot. I'll forgive the Birkenstocks for her fashion, lifestyle and beauty posts which step away from the blogger photo cliches (which I fall into all too frequently) and are perfectly understated.

madewell1937 - Admittedly this account is a form of advertisement but when the photos are so beautiful (and I can't actually buy anything because of the whole living in Australia thing) I can excuse that fact. With a collection of more earthier but still very crisp photos that are mainly fashion related, this feed is one of the best around for clothing stores and the advertising portion isn't as obnoxious as other accounts.

phoebe__darcy - This amazing feed is created by someone very close to home, Phoebe is a fashion and textiles student and also one of my oldest friends who I knew as a toddler and then was reunited with in high school. Her style is impeccable and her photography is stunning, a definite hidden gem amongst Instagram and one I look at with the pride of 'I know that girl'.

What are your favourite hidden gems on Instagram? Any I should be following? Let me know in the comments.

Pastel Paint Palette Nail Art

A while back I read Lily Pebbles' post on paint palette nail art and loved it, promptly recreated it and uploaded a very low quality to instagram. Months later I am bringing what was a quite simple technique (no odd tools required) back but in pastel.

I love pastel polish year round, my nails are the only place I really wear much colour and I think it's a gentle pop amongst my primarily monochrome outfit choices. I'm not big on 'nail trends' so my colour choices are rarely influenced by season but this would be more of a summer choice for some but I'm wearing it in Autumn right now.

With a simple white base (a shade that if you're into a little bit of nail art, you need to have and I recommend buying a decent one, not just the cheapest one from the supermarket like I did) paint over the nail as many coats as required until fully opaque. I used Sally Hanses Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear polish in White On. I did this step the night before so it was fully dry but either use a quick dry top coat to shorten the process or wait an hour so the polish won't move when you paint over it.

I'd personally go with four or five shades but use what you have. I went for Essie's Go Ginza (pastel pink), Essie's Bikini So Teeny (darkest blue), Maybelline Color Show in Green With Envy (the deeper green), L'Oreal Color Riche in French Riviera (very pale blue) and Covergirl's Outlast Stay Brilliant polish in Lav-Endure (pastel purple).

Wipe the majority of polish off the brush so it's going to be slightly streaky and uneven, and gently do a small stroke over the nail. You can place this randomly or strategically depending if you want the art to be uniform on all nails or different. If the colour didn't show up as much as you'd wanted, you can easily go over it again with the same process. It's better to have less and add because you can't take any away without starting over.

Repeat this on every nail, one colour at a time to make it simpler. Because the strokes are thin they'll dry quite quickly and some of the colours don't overlap at all so you can do those at the same time. Repeat this process for all colours on all nails and finish off with a topcoat after a few hours so the colours don't blend together and you're finished!

It's a simple introduction into the nail art world and I really loved the results. Let me know in the comments if you'll be trying the paint palette look.

Height Advantage

It's hard to tell across the internet but I am in fact a very tall girl. I don't mean that I'm 5'7 and I am just enough above average height to follow @tallgirlproblems on twitter. No by tall I mean I am taller than the majority of the population, both male and female.

I am 6ft.

Which leads to the obvious questions. Do you model? Do you play basketball? How are you going to find a boyfriend tall enough for you? (the last one was asked in spite by a guy who I rejected in high school)

It took me a long time to accept how tall I was. It's odd not wanting to accept something you can't change but at 14 years old when the majority of guys in my grade hadn't even had their growths spurt yet, it really sucked. And I was reminded of this because my height became the first thing people noticed about me, still is.

But after a lot of time hating the most obvious thing about me I am gradually learning to love it. Gradually should be emphasised there. I don't slouch as much in photos anymore, I wear heels if the occasion calls for it and I show of the killer legs which are one of the saving graces for being so tall.

My advice to the tall girl reading this post?

Go to as many concerts as you can. Being a head above the rest in a mosh pit may annoy the people behind you but don't let yourself care. Embrace being able to see the artist without looking up at the big screens and brag to yourself a little as your short friends struggle to even see those (self bragging is ok and if you've got a best friend who won't take it personally, brag aloud if it makes you feel better about yourself).

Show off those pins. Girl (did I just say that??), you've got what others envy so embrace them. Wear playsuits and high waisted shorts, anything that just emphasises the blessing that height can be.

Don't slouch. Confidence is key, even if it's fake. People who thrive on negativity are less likely to make you their target if you look confident and over time faking confidence won't be so difficult anymore.

You're a small fish in a big pond. For those cruel people who critique how you're going to find a boyfriend/girlfriend because you're so tall just remember there are 7 billion people in this world and although you'll never meet all of them, there is most certainly someone for you. Also who says you have to date a guy taller than you? It's 2014, do what you want.

Unfortunately I don't have a solution for finding jeans that fit without it costing a fortune or for maxi dresses coming up to your shins yet but I'm working on it.

Any other advice? If you're a tall girl let me know in the comments and tell me about how you accepted it?

Playing Favourites

I've always been very unmotivated to do a favourites post on this blog, choosing instead to wrap it into my quarterly mood boards. But for once I had a selection of things that I truly loved, rather than a few I loved and a few I liked that would fill out the post.

I had my eye on this little notebook for weeks before I caved and let myself buy it. Made by The New York Times this notebook is a really practical size with plenty of room to write as many lists as the heart desires (and my heart desires a lot). Online I couldn't find the single paperback version I bought from my newsagent but you can buy a set on the New York Times Store here.

Essie Lilacism has to be on of my favourite nail polishes of all time, it's the perfect not too in your face pastel purple which depending on the lighting sometimes looks blue and other times grey. It goes with my mainly monochrome wardrobe a treat and somehow I think is quite a mature pastel, not to mention the amount of compliments I get on the colour at work is unprecedented out of any of the other colours that I wear (and there is a lot).

Up until now I've never worn a nude lip, as a fair skinned girl I think it's harder to find a great nude to suit me and whenever I go to buy one I always change my mind because they always look like such an older woman's colour when I swatch them. The first one I bought out of excitement for the launch of the Rimmel Moisture Renew lipsticks in Australia. Nottinghill Nude is quite a brown colour but lightly blended over the lip, it looks less like it belongs in the early 2000's and much more like a modern nude. The second is Clarins Rouge Prodige lipstick in Nude, a lighter colour which I blend lightly once again and has the most beautiful packaging out of any other product I own. The downside is the scent, not my taste at all.

These rings have been popping up everywhere recently and I really like them. They're a simple statement piece and quite practical, you can buy them in sets with other rings quite cheaply as well which is the bonus if you want to give one a go without committing to something more expensive.

Washi tape has to go on my list of #essiemademebuyit items. It's overpriced and a complete waste of money but it's pretty and I couldn't resist. I got a set of five but the patterned ones were my favourite and I can't wait to be able to use them (for what, I'm not sure but I'll find something).

What have you been loving of recent? Anything amazing I should be tempted to buy?

The Casual Blazer

Blazer: Tokito // Tee: Lewis Watson Merch // Jeans: Jeanswest, customised // Bag: ASOS // Shoes: Betts 

Link Loving

I love being introduced to new things on the internet, being able to share something that others would have never even known existed is one of the best aspects of social media. So what better way to share what I've been loving than in tidy little post.

Music

Passenger launched his video for Hearts On Fire and it's one of the most beautiful music videos I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. Filmed by my absolute talent crush Jarrad Seng, this video is stunning and one I think everyone should see.

Kina Grannis is one of the best cover artists that youtube has to offer and is one of my personal favourites. I find American musicians a lot harder to love than British for a reason I can't pinpoint but she is one I adore and her cover of The Moon Song by Karen O from the "Her" soundtrack is flawless. One of the best covers she has ever done and I've heard the majority of them.

YouTube

Hank Green, one half of the vlogbrothers, recently did a video called "What Boys Look For In Girls", a title that makes me want to be violently ill sometimes on the insane amount of videos which have made what Hank calls a "genre" on youtube. He then goes on to educate you on the cultural differences around the world for women and men do to make them seem more attractive, my favourite being in England men wear tiny pants. It's entertaining and educational, what more could you want?

Paris Snapshots by Will Darbyshire is a stunning compilation of moments of his trip to Paris with girlfriend and fellow youtuber Alexa Losey. It's really amazing with a perfect soundtrack and makes me all gooey at it's beauty. A brief but joyful watch.

Tumblr

I am an animal gif person to the point where I have a bookmarks folder called 'happy' filled with them to make me chuckle. My favourites of recent have been cat vs puppies and Natalie Tran and cat.

Tumblr is also a haven for quotes and I'm usually prone to liking the gushy slightly pretentious lovey dovey ones for instance this one by Charles Bukowski "Nobody can save you but yourself and you're worth saving. It's a war not easily won but if anything is worth saving then this is it."

My other favourite quote from the month is something I wrote and am quite proud of. It's a very romantic view on the life I want to live but at the same time I was so proud of it's simplicity. You can read it on my tumblr here.

Writing

Charly Cox wrote a post titled Classroom Clashes which is so unbelievably relatable to my own schooling experience that I'd describe it as my thoughts but better worded. If you've finished school, are finishing school or are still trapped in the school yard then I recommend you read it. There is something wonderful about finishing reading something and thinking "Yes! Exactly!".

A wonderful post on Rookie Magazine popped up in my exploration of the website entitled How To Be Alone and I adore it! I love being alone, I think I'm rather good at it as well and it extends to more than just being home alone. I love exploring the city alone, reading a book in a coffee shop alone and going out to take photos alone. Because as is perfectly written in the second last paragraph "the thing about being alone is that it's doesn't have to include feeling lonely".

Let me know in the comments what links you've been loving this month from cat gifs to quotes, I want to see them.

May Madness

Back in February I posted a mood board type thing to summarise my month. Well I soon discovered that aiming to post that every month was a bit much because I don't get up to that much in the space of four weeks. So instead this post is going to be quarterly and more in depth.

The Products

The Naked 2 Palette has been on my list for a while and I'm going to be putting away a little bit of money each week when I get paid to buy not just the number 2 but the number 1 as well. My eyeshadow collection is a bit abysmal, mainly dominated by budget bronze shades but I'm excited to have more to work with. However this will be it for eyeshadows for a while for me, I'll be banning myself from buying any more other than the basics palette eventually.

Chapped lips never bothered me that much until I started wearing lipstick and now they are the biggest nuisance. With the change in the weather to windy, cooler days my lips have suffered so I set out to find the best of the bunch to save them. I have a whole post on my results which you can read here.

Rimmel Moisture Renew lipsticks dropped in Australia not long ago and I'm in love. The formula is great and Nottinghill Nude lightly blended over the lip is the nude lip colour for the girl who isn't big on nude lips. I picked up In Love With Ginger as well but I am yet to be brave enough to wear it out.

Lifestyle

Autumn is here and I am a happy chappy! My wardrobe is far more equipped for the cooler months so I feel like a fashion queen right now with my monochrome choices. I love nothing more than being rugged up on a rainy day in bed and I've been able to do that for the first time in over six months. I bought my first ever blazer recently and I'm working with it to make it a casual piece for winter, my favourite choice so far is rolling up the sleeves and throwing it over my Lewis Watson t-shirt which you can pick up here.

I have never been much of a handbag girl, preferring small cross body bags to lugging around a big thing until I found a love for canvas bags. Mine has the slogan 'Girls Just Wanna Have Funds' (which you can see on my instagram post here) and is a practical and casual way to carry things around. It's big enough to hold my laptop which is the best bonus because that was the worst thing about not having a large bag in my collection and a green bag from the supermarket isn't exactly stylish. They're cheap, washable and have the tick of approval from none other than Alexa Chung in her book 'It'.

I love getting so into a book that I'll stay up until 2am to finish it because going to sleep and finishing it the next day is not an option. I've recently finished 'Attachments' by Rainbow Rowell, 'The One Plus One' by Jojo Moyes and 'The Rosie Project' by Graeme Simsion, all of which I loved and would recommend to anyway. 'Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close' by Jonathan Safran Foer and 'Someday, Someday, Maybe' by Lauren Graham are next on my list.

I never thoughts I'd love ripped denim jeans but since customising my own I can't get enough. I had a pair of light wash denim super skinny jeans which I was bored of so I hacked into them and had some fun. I'm going to make a post on how I did this so keep an eye out on my blog soon as well as eventually updating them with a bit of a lace detail to make them a bit different.

The OC is a show I've always intended to watch mainly because of Adam Brody's beautiful face if I'm completely honest. It's a trashy, early 2000's American high school comedy/drama and I love it. The clothes (did anyone wear bras 10 years ago??) and the make up (brown lipliner anyone?) are hilarious so I'd watch it for just those but I'm in love with Seth Cohen which helps too.

This year seems to be the year for new music amongst the artists I listen to. Passenger, Lewis Watson, Stu Larsen, Ed Sheeran, Hudson Taylor and probably a bunch more people who I've forgotten about are all releasing new material and I know I'm going to be in heaven/broke by the time it's all released. I've been in such a music funk however that it'll be so worth it. I'm considering doing a whole post about what I've been listening to so let me know in the comments if you'd be interested in that.

There is a reason why the products list is so short in this post and that's because I am trying my hardest to save as much as possible. I'm a materialistic person so this is hard for me and with my mum's birthday, easter, mothers day, my dad's birthday and my brother's birthday all falling in the past few weeks and next few months, I have to try and be tight and spend wisely so all my hard work doesn't go to waste. The biggest down side is the constant feeling of being broke because I can't touch any of the money in my savings account.

I've been awful with sleep of recent and my schedule has gone out the window. At the moment I've been going to sleep at midnight and waking up at 10am far too frequently which is really not practical if I want to get anything done in the day. I'm now going to make a conscious effort to get a normal pattern back, even if it involves early alarms so by the end of the day I'm actually tired.

Writing is something I love but I've recently started to put it off and I'm not sure why. I've started procrastinating doing the thing that was usually what I did when I was procrastinating. In attempt to keep myself writing and becoming better, I am going to write something every day. Even if it's just three sentences, it's better than nothing. I'm going to make sure I have a pad and pen everywhere I go as well in case inspiration strikes.


Let me know in the comments what you've been listening to as of recent and the most exciting thing happening in the next few months for you.

The Eyes Of The Beholder.

Sometimes in life we have reflective moments to really think about ourselves and the world around us. Often these moments are associated with life changing events but others, well they just sneak up on you without you realising.


It was a standard shift at work, nothing interesting, until this little girl came by with her parents and saw me, immediately shouting "Barbie!".

This isn't the first time this has happened, I have had a life time of being compared to Barbie from when I was young and refused to brush my light blonde hair so it eventually had the texture and appearance of a well loved Barbie doll's to just last year and I got labelled the same way by a group of Taiwanese backpackers who were rightfully unfamiliar to a girl being 6 foot tall.

At first I saw it as a compliment and I understood the association, I have blonde hair and a long slender frame but then I really thought about it.

As a woman I feel pressure about my appearance all too frequently, primarily about my weight (i.e always intending to lose a little bit of it) and my height (which is often called freakish because adding an 'ish' to a word apparently makes it a socially acceptable adjective).

But then I realised this is just the beginning for this little girl. She has a lifetime ahead of unrealistic ideas of beauty being forced onto her wherever possible and exposure to photoshopped women in media that none of us are ever going to look like. I am sickened at the thought of this life only just starting on a girl who couldn't have been more than five years-old. At some point, she is going to realise she doesn't look like barbie (because none of us do) and she'll be aware that this doll who she sees as the epitome of beauty isn't going to be what she grows up to be.

But there is a reality that isn't found in the plastic walls of the beloved Barbie doll, there is beauty outside of that very small definition that we're exposed to from youth. Because Barbie doesn't tell the story of having curves, or having a different skin colour, or even having a different hair colour.

Barbie doesn't tell the story of variation that makes women beautiful and unique, and she doesn't define beauty, but how is a five year old supposed to know that?

Give me open windows and exposed brick walls. Give me big cities that sleep less than I do. Give me chipped nail polish and oversized t-shirts. I don’t need the world, just my own very small part of it.

SOS Lip Secret

Chapped lips are one of the biggest nuisances on my face, I haven't had acne since I was a child (weird, I know but infantile acne is a thing) and dark circles are a foreign concept in my world but my lips are particularly difficult to keep moisturised. The Australian climate has a bit to do with this with often harsh winds and disgustingly hot temperatures damaging my lips, not to mention the sun.

I've made a point to put more effort into looking after my lips as personally I feel like they are one of my best features and there is not much worse that flaky dry lips. The four products I tested vary from cult status to standard products with the Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm, Burt's Bees refreshing lip balm with pink grapefruit (the best smelling of the lot), good ol' Vaseline and the internationally lesser known Lucas's Papaw Ointment.

Starting off the with the Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm; it was an impulse purchase and one I only don't regret purely because I know I won't buy it again. People lust after this product but I don't understand the hype, it's good but not great and not worth the money you have to fork over for a small pot. Also the smell is a bit off putting, especially for an expensive product which is applied right under your nose.

Next up is from Burt's Bees, a budget lip balm that smells heavenly. The application is the easiest of the four.. no fingers needed which is definitely a bonus from the hygiene freak within me. For maintaining moisture this is just fine and if you don't get really bad chapped lips I'd say it would cut it but I don't find it is moisturising enough to bring my lips back to life.

Vaseline is an oldy but a goody and something most would have lying around the house. This wasn't so much for it's moisturising qualities as to why it's included but for it's exfoliating potential. A beauty hack was recommended to me by using vaseline and a soft toothbrush and brushing it over your lips to get rid of the dead skin. Maybe my toothbrush was too soft but it really didn't do much for me and I couldn't get over the yuck factor of it, I'll be sticking with the brown sugar and coconut oil lip scrub Essie Button posted about here. Still something to keep around though and I'll definitely have this out in flu season as the 'vaseline nose' becomes all the rage when I'm going through a box of tissues per day.

The aforementioned SOS Lip Secret for which this post is titled after is the Lucas' Papaw Ointment, an Australian product which advertises itself as a "local topical application for boils, burns, chafing, cuts, cracked skin, gravel rash, splinters, open wounds, insect bites and nappy rash". I've grown up with my mum using this liberally on her terrible eczema and so the smell has this unfortunate association for whenever her skin was playing up but moving past the smell, the product is unbelievably nourishing. It saddens me to say that it took it's feature on Man Repeller's website for me to give it a go and I now use it constantly, already purchasing a new tube so I am never without. It's available from supermarkets around Australia quite cheaply and it can be found online on ebay for others who are curious.

What is your holy grail lip saviour? Have you tried any of the ones I've mentioned above and how have they worked for you?

Speckled Nail Art

I love a bit of nail art but often it's a bit of a faff to do for something that only lasts a couple of days. That's why when I saw the L'Oreal Color Riche top coat effect in confettis I was very intrigued and alongside the low price point I bought it and gave it a try.

Being a top coat effect you of course need a base colour, I used a simple cheap white nail polish for a statement but I think a grey (Essie's Master Plan is my favourite) or even perhaps a red would work nicely. The white polish did hide the white speckles but I love monochrome contrast so that didn't matter to me. I found it was an easier adjustment into the white-out nail polish trend with the addition of speckles to break it up a little and make it look more polished.

Removal was the worst part but it was only mildly traumatic and only makes me slightly hesitant to do it again. One hand at a time wrap half a cotton pad that has been soaked in an acetone based nail polish remover around the nail. Over the top of that cover the finger in foil and leave for a few minutes before taking off the foil and wiping away the polish. This will get the majority of the speckles off but you'll need to go back to get the cling-ons. Lily Pebbles explains this process much better in her post but you get the gist.

What do you think of the speckled nail effect? Will you be tempted to try this soon?

A Date With My Book

Reading is something that I've always loved but never really prioritised. It always tends to be a pre sleep activity to settle my mind before I turn out the lights. It's never the first thing I think of when I have some time to myself but today I made an effort for it to be hence; A Date With My Book.

I went to my favourite cafe which boasts a beautiful frangipani tree shaded courtyard creating unintentional patterns from the sun peaking through the leaves and is filled with an eclectic mix of verge collected furniture and decorations. With my book in hand, Sleeping At Last in my ears, the breeze in my hair and an iced coffee on the table I sat there for over an hour and read 100 pages.

My book of choice was Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan and I had to conceal my laughter through some parts which was the only drawback because I am sure I looked like a loon smiling to myself. I'm not quite at the end yet but so far, so good!

Dining alone is not something I've ever really experienced or been too keen to try but after this morning I have realised that a book and some soft music in my ears is the only company I need. It was a perfect morning and one I'll definitely be making a weekly occurrence because I left very calm and relaxed, ready to enjoy the rest of my day.

Let me know in the comments if you can dine alone and what is the latest book you've read and loved.

First Pay Cheque Haul

I feel like it's a tradition for most to spend their first pay cheque impractically. I've never had a proper job before and so when that amount was deposited in my bank account I got very excited.. and promptly spent it all. I've had a few of these products for a little while so I thought a mini review is in order.

Shu Uemura S Curler is probably my favourite new product. Traditional curlers have always been a struggle for me, never quite reaching my outer or inner lashes and always pinching me to the point where I am holding back tears. In comes this contraption and it's a breeze, curling in sections works for me because it's easier to follow the shape of the eye and it's simplicity means no pinching. It's also under the $20 mark and I have found to be a great investment.

Essie Master Plan is almost a Nails Inc. Porchester Square dupe which I was coveting at the start of the month but for just over half the price on sale. It's a beautiful, sleek neutral with enough taupey tones to eliminate the drab factor. The formula of course is wonderful as per all Essie polishes.

Maybelline Color Show Brocades in Foil Flash 219 - the glitter polish trend has been around for quite some time so I am quite late to this game and I am leaving it pretty quickly. The polish is great, one coat and it's glitter central but for me it was too much. I will get this one out again at Christmas but for everyday use I'm just not a fan. It's also a bit of a pain to get off which doesn't satisfy my lazy desires.

Eyebrow Spooli - I have used one off the back of a failed eyebrow pencil purchase for a while now but it got dusty and yucky so I decided to replace it. Not much to say other than this should be in everyones collection, they're cheap, long lasting and get the job done.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Eyeliner is one of the best liquid eyeliner pens I have tried with it's precise tip and true jet black colour. I haven't braved the cat flick yet but lining the outer half of my top lash line gives the illusion of thick lashes and works a treat. The waterproof part so far remains untested but I'll keep you posted on how that goes!

Bioderma is probably the most popular cult make up remover that exists in the beauty blogger world and I can see why. It's just so easy to get everything off and it tackles waterproof eye makeup without irritation or excessive effort. The scent is not my favourite but it's not so overpowering that you can't ignore it so I tolerate it. The price for us Aussies is the biggest downfall but I picked this up 20% off which made it much more reasonable.

NYX has expanded to Australian Target stores and the excitement was real, I was very happy when it turned up on the shelves of my local store and treated myself to two products. The first I had spotted online was the Love In Paris, 05 Parisian Chic palette. With four neutral mattes and 5 bronzey shimmers with only one dud shade as far as I was concerned it looked amazing and it's affordable. The quality is lovely and most of the shades are very wearable especially for blue eyed gals like me.

The second product was the Eyebrow Power duo in Blonde. If you're blonde like myself you'll know the struggle to find the right eyebrow shade and I was so happy when this turned out to be the best affordable eyebrow product I've tried. Sadly it's probably too dark for the lighter blondes out there but the grey tones are a perfect match for my brows. I haven't tried the wax yet but I'm pretty content with my clear gel so I'll be sticking with that.

Needless to say that I have very little left from that pay cheque was I was one happy camper and I am much happier with my everyday routine thanks to a few of these products.

What have you splurged on recently? Leave your recommendations in the comments below.

February.

I was having a little fiddle around on my beloved polyvore the other day when this idea came to me - monthly mood boards sharing little tidbits that I have planned for the month/things I am loving. With February just around the corner I was excited to get this post up to share with you all.

The Products

A few beauty related products are mixed into this and they are most products I've wanted for a while and have intended on getting. Nails Inc. Porchester Square has been on my wish list for a while and I'm reminded frequently when it pops up on Anna's blog/youtube. I've finally found somewhere to source it from though which is a real nuisance with Australia because shipping restrictions stop the shipping of nail polish from overseas essentially but it is available through David Jones online (and potentially in store). Not that I really need a new polish but the heart wants what the heart wants.

Origins Clear Improvement Tube Active Charcoal Mask (wow that's a name) is quite a loved product online and has a lot of positive reviews. It's not overly pricey as far as skincare goes and I have found it in two stores so you can actually for once smell before you buy if you're like me and scent can be a deal breaker. Mecca Cosmetica and Kit Cosmetics (it's slightly cheaper through them) which has a counter in Myer both stock it as well as a load of other Origins products which I am very intrigued about.

Bioderma Crealine H2O Cleanser & Make Up Remover is another cult product which is missing from my collection, mainly because my interest in skin care has only developed very recently. Available from Priceline in Australia, this product was put off for a while for me because of the price tag. Although not extortionate, its appearance as a cleansing water made me hesitant but I am ready to bite the bullet for the sake of my blog.. and my skin.

It saddens me greatly but the Revlon Colourburst Matte Balms won't be released in Australia for the foreseeable future, I can't pinpoint why Australia gets left behind with product releases but it's all too frequent. I however will be pining over them until I can get my hands on some.

I ordered my Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Eyeliner from BeautyBay upon Estee's recommendation through twitter after it made an appearance in her Sephora Haul. She was absolutely lovely and sold it for me. This months project is to perfect my application method so I can start wearing it more and more.


Lifestyle

The job hunt has begun! Nothing too serious and I have accepted that I'll just have to tolerate something pretty dull until I gain experience or decide what career path I am taking but it's exciting all the more. I am super nervous about potential job interviews but I have to learn somehow.

The job hunt all ties in with my travel plans. Europe 2015 is a very real possibility if I can save sufficiently, I'm not exactly thrilled by the thought of youth hostels so I need to save as much as possible in the next year and a half so I can travel in a certain level of style (i.e. not with a backpack on my back). I am looking at Contiki trips and hopefully by the time I am raring to go I'll have a travel companion to keep me company.

The pictures will seem like a more obvious choice when I post the video from the shoot but I have been enlisted to help my best friend shoot a little music video for a cover she is doing. I am excited to have a go and we have been brainstorming ideas to make sure it is the best it can possibly be.

Recently I got a new camera in the form of the Canon Eos M and this month I want to learn more how to use it the best of its ability. Up until now I have been using it like a point and shoot with more automatic settings to ease me into my camera upgrade but with a bit of practice I think my photography skills will improve significantly if I learn what half the functions do.


Miscellaneous

Whilst on holiday recently I popped into a little vintage store and it was the kitchen wear and storage that got me. I am a vintage lover and I think old tins are amazing for storage but also are like an art form, being perfect expressions of the past. A lot of the glassware caught my eye as well which would look very sweet on my mantle or on my desk.

Winter seems like a distant dream away right now as the hot temperatures of the Australian summer have taken their toll but the spotting of Chelsea boots whilst shopping recently has gotten me excited for those winter months where you can wear more than one layer of clothing without self combusting. There are some really lovely designs coming out, both flat and heeled and I think they're the perfect winter shoe and completely versatile with whatever you're wearing.

The last part of my month is a childhood character costume party which I am very excited about since I have come up with the perfect costume which is comfortable/isn't slutty/doesn't look ridiculous/the demographic will understand. Australian 90's kids should know who Nannette Manoir from Angela Anaconda is but for others it's worth a google image search. My beret is on its way and I have to perfect my ringlets for the evening by playing around with rag curls until they're just right. I will definitely post my outfit on some form of social media/on this blog so keep an eye out towards the end of next month.


What are your most exciting moments for the month coming? Let me know in the comments below.

Nailed It!

I don't think it would be an exaggeration to call me a bit nail polish obsessed.. With almost 40 lined up on my mantle in the past few years I have gained quite the collection but I have a few go to colours that I wear year round, no matter the trends.

Ever since they became easier to access in Australia, I have been collecting Essie nail polishes. Every now and again they come out on sale for about $10 and I pick up a shade.. or two. The quality of the polish is great, I can wear them for over 5 days easily with only slight tip wear without a top or base coat and if my nails are buffed and filed it looks very much like I've had a professional gel manicure. I do however wear about five shades in rotation almost constantly.

Bikini So Teeny - the light blue shade that it seems most have in their collection. It adds a perfect pop of colour for a monochrome outfit and is the perfect pastel blue.

Mint Candy Apple - another shade that pops up in a lot of people's nail polish collection and I don't blame them. For a person who hates green, I really love this colour and just for that I put up with it requiring three coats for it to have a perfect finish.

Go Ginza - a lavender/pastel purple that is the most recent colour in circulation of what I put on my nails. It's bright, it's happy and perhaps a little juvenile but the most colour I wear is on my nails so I think it's acceptable. A dupe however which is over half the price is the Covergirl Outlast nail gloss in Lav-endure which is almost identical, just a little bit more lavender than pastel and has reasonably good staying power.

Lapiz of Luxury - not my favourite of the five polishes but still a great colour if pastel polish is not your thing. Again on me this requires three coats but that could just indicate I am rubbish at painting my nails.

Forever Yummy - the perfect red, it's dark without being dull and exclusively wintery and cheery enough to be worn at Christmas time. I wear this on my toe nails almost permanently and if I'm going on holiday this is my shade of choice because it is so versatile (although I wouldn't recommend it if you're going swimming on this holiday, it will chip like nobody's business if in water for too long like most polishes). Pair it with a little black dress or shorts and a t-shirt and it works.

What are your favourite Essie nail polish shades? I think I might have to start keeping a wish list and put away some pennies in preparation for them going on sale.

At the start of 2013 I made it my mission to actually stick with something. I have major project commitment issues so my sort of but not really New Years Resolution was to follow through with a plan.

If you have a tumblr account no doubt you have seen various posts about this idea: "Start 2013 off with an empty jar and fill it with notes about good things that happen. Empty it on New Years Eve to see what good things happened that year."And I succeeded, well sort of. Every month or so I would remember it was there and write a bunch of things down and gradually it filled up. 

2013 was a year of sadness and stress and I probably will always remember it that way but looking through my little notes I realised I had a bunch of great moments amongst them all. 

Tweets were a big part of this year and I was lucky enough to interact with a few awesome people on there from bloggers/vloggers (Lily Pebbles, Estee - essiebutton, Anna - viviannadoesmakeup, Jim Chapman and Sorted Food) to some of my favourite musicians (Lewis Watson, Gabrielle Aplin, Hudson Taylor and Orla Gartland).

I had a few big life moments as well. My Year 12 ball, finishing high school, starting this blog and gaining a new little cousin amongst others.

I got to see some amazing artists live as well starting off with Ed Sheeran, Gabrielle Aplin, Passenger then Birdy, Lewis Watson, Lakyn to the unexpected of the lot One Direction (I had the best fun at this one, serious fangirl) and to finish off an outdoor concert seeing Josh Pyke and Lisa Mitchell. My ears were graced with some incredible musicians and it was the biggest expense of the year but the most worth it.

This years New Years resolution? See the world with eyes wide open. It's vague and can be interpreted how you choose but for me it's about observing more of what's around me. My city in particular, I often loathe how small, isolated and lacking in culture where I live is but I aim this year to see more of what it has to offer and go out of my comfort zone to do just that. I plan on doing a few blog posts on the gems I find along the way.

Here is to 2014 - hopefully it is a whole lot better than last year.

What were your New Years resolutions this year and have they already been broken?

The New Foundation

When my skin started playing up these past few months I tried desperately just to cover it up. I'm pretty unfamiliar with spotty skin despite my infantile acne and made it through high school with barely a pimple (I do consider myself so lucky for this to be the case) but for some reason spots have started appearing around the left side of my nose recently where it gets oily. The spots were only small but they were red and the skin became dry around them making it appear if I had been in bed sick with an endless stream of tissues at my nose.

In my attempts to cover it up I applied layer upon layer of foundation (no spots normally defeats the necessity of concealer in my collection) to cover up the redness but to no avail. It just looked worse and the product clung to the spots before I realised the only solution was to address the root cause.

The skin misbehaviour coincided with my birthday and Christmas so I was spoilt to a selection of Aesop skin care including the Fabulous Face Cleanser, Mandarin Facial Hydrating Cream (the scent on this is addictive) and the coveted Parsley Seed Masque. Even after just one use of all these products together my skin was glowing and I noticed that the redness had settled down and the spots were less visible. I do this at night purely for convenience (not a morning person) and because I feel like it gives the moisturiser a good amount of time to really settle in.

The trio seems to be working well for me and I feel like it's a solid introduction into the skincare world, the Origins counter better watch out because I am venturing there when my budget as an aforementioned unemployed student expands.

Tell me in the comments if you think the Parsely Seed Masque is worth the hype and what other skin care products work really well for you.