Cuteness overload! Check out Laura Lee’s blog :) she has amaaaZING photography
Spotlight Brand – Bourjois Cosmetics
Hey kids!
The price points of a brand of cosmetics is not always a reflection of quality. You can find a tonne of high end luxury products that do jack squat, and you can also find inexpensive gems that perform just as well (and sometimes better) than $$$$ products!
Such is the case with Bourjois Cosmetics.
Amazingly pigmented, finely milled, gorgeously baked
Not too many people are aware of this, but Bourjois Cosmetics is owned by the same family that also owns Chanel.
I’m so surprised that Bourjois has such a lack-lustre reputation here in Sydney :( because some of their products are amazing quality. Lisa Eldridge loves their baked shadows, blushes, bronzer and foundations!
I have to say, I have tried a few Bourjois cosmetics and they have been nothing but amazing.
Totally in love with their blushes! They are just. so. damn. pretty.
The smell of their blushes remind me of my childhood. Can’t pinpoint what it is exactly (this is probably irrelevant, eh?)
Anywho. Give Bourjois Paris a Google :)
As always, thanks for reading and I hope this was interesting!
Like this:
Perfume Collection – Mini Perfume Review
Hey kids!
Jolly gosh I feel like I have a great many perfumes. But then again you can never have too many. So long as they smell different and don’t double up I think its okay :) I mean they’ll last for years and years. Every girl needs to smell amazing!
Here is my perfumery :D
(The one that looks like Marc Jacobs Daisy is a dupe hahaha.. umm it smells like Daisy but it fades in a minute. Now I just use the bottle for decor)
Alrighty, here are the fast and to-the-point reviews of each of the fragrances I own. Not going to name the top notes etc :) I’m not a perfumer so I’ll just try and describe the main elements of each scent instead.
Mini perfume review yaaay!
Anna Sui Secret Wish EDT
Scent: Fresh… slightly citrus. Subtle
Staying power: 1/10 Very weak (Anna Sui fragrances seem to fade away SO quickly. Disappointing)
D&G 3 L’Imperatrice EDT
Scent: Fresh… floral with apple and watermelon
Staying power: 7/10 Good
Issey Miyake L’Eau D’Issey Florale EDP
Scent: Feminine… floral rose, lily and wood (not musky)
Staying power: 10/10 Amazing
Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy EDP
Scent: Sweet… slightly floral candy? Youthful
Staying power: 10/10 Amazing
Lanvin Oxygen EDP
Scent: Mature… almost like a fresh, clean musk
Staying power: 7/10 Good
Michael Kors Very Hollywood EDP
Scent: Floral… flirty gardenia. LOVE this one!
Staying power: 7/10 Good
Revlon Reflections EDP
Scent: Mature… slightly sweet. It doesn’t smell like grapes but it reminds me of them?
Staying power: 7/10 Good
FCUK Summer Her EDT
Scent: Fruity… tropical mix of apple and mango fruity sweetness. Hideous packaging
Staying power: 8/10 Great
My top 3 favourtie scents would have to be the Issey Miyake Florale, Michael Kors Very Hollywood and D&G L’Imperatrice, but I quite like the others too. I only use the 2 mature scents in autumn winter because they are just too serious for spring summer.
I hope you found this interesting!
Thanks for reading :)
Like this:
Acai Berry Powder
Hey kids!
If you’re looking for some great Acai powders and aren’t sure which brand and form to try here is a quick run down of my own experience with Acai thus far!
You can choose to take the Acai pills (filled with Acai powder), mix the powder into drinks and smoothies, or consume the ready-made Acai puree. I prefer the powdered version because I LOVE the taste of Acai.
The main brands of Acai available in Sydney seems to be the Amazonia and RioLife brands.
AMAZONIA
RIOLIFE
I tried both and I really have to recommend Amazonia. The BioLife brand tastes quite bizarre. It has a slightly bitter and dusty taste. Not too sure why that is, but it definately explains the cheaper price.
I don’t really believe that the health benefits justify the super high price tag. Acai powder is pretty expensive, but you do get A LOT of antioxidants for your money. There are many benefits associated with Acai. I did feel like I had more energy and better concentration, but besides from that, its definitely not some kind of miracle superfood.
It seems to be that they are the equivalent of a blueberry on steroids – very similar health benefits, just a lot more in each spoonful.
Health benefits associated with Acai berry:
- Assists in weight loss
- Increases energy and concentration
- Very high in antioxidants
- Improves blood flow
- Reduces cholesterol (heart friendly)
- Detoxifies
- Good for the skin (high antioxidant levels help to fight free radicals)
The only side effects I observed was the rapid depletion of my bank balance. This really depends on how fast you consume the product. If you take about 2 tablespoons per day then Acai berry powder will be a significant expense.
Overall, Acai berry is definitely a luxury product. Apart from the taste (which I seem to have become addicted to) there aren’t many reasons why I would continue to purchase Acai on a regular basis. Too expensive. You can easily reap the same health benefits by increasing your intake of very commonplace fruits and vegies!
I hope you found this helpful :)
Thanks for reading!
Beware! – Full Coverage Foundation for Acne
Hey everyone :)
I was watching random YouTube videos last night and I felt the need to create this post dedicated to foundation for acne prone skin.
I think that a lot of girls feel that full coverage foundation is their only saviour when it comes to covering up acne redness and scarring. I would seriously advice against this. It’ll lead to a very vicious cycle!
Your skin cannot breathe under a thick mask of heavy foundation. If you suffocate your skin, it’ll just get worse overtime, especially if you are already experiencing acne or other skin problems. If it feels like you’re wearing a mask, do not continue to wear that foundation.
I understand that using super thick foundations like the Revlon Colorstay Foundation seems like a simple, easy solution to covering up acne or scarring. Yes, its simple and it works rather well, but overtime it does SO MUCH damage to your skin.
About a year ago, I used to have occasional breakouts and became caught up in the Revlon Colorstay craze. It was a product that was raved about all over YouTube and the blogosphere, so I went ahead and purchased a bottle. I loved it at first, but after weeks of use I noticed that my skin was becoming worse and worse.
After 2 months of using Revlon Colorstay Foundation my skin was insanely bad, especially in my T-zone area. It became so incredibly bad that I had to stop using all of my makeup products, except for my cleanser and moisturizer. Once I stopped using RC my skin started improving almost immediately. But it took so long to heal! From that day onwards I swore NEVER to use full coverage foundation again.
Of course, that’s my own summed-up review of Revlon Colorstay Foundation, so before we go on I have to say that not all full coverage foundations are as suffocating as this one. Also, if you have skin that is quite awesome and doesn’t tend to breakout or react to any make up products then you may be able to wear super heavy foundation. But really, common sense should tell us that piling heaps of chemicals onto our skin is a terrible de-service.
After that fiasco I was lucky enough to come upon this Lisa Eldridge video. Her philosophy completely changed my approach to foundation and concealer! Please watch:
She is AMAZING
The Solution!
The aim should be to enhance the blemish-free areas of your face with illuminating and light weight foundations. They should offer just enough coverage to even out skin tone and reduce redness or blotches, but should never be thick enough to conceal spots and dark scarring.
Once you’ve applied a suitable layer of light-weight foundation, tinted moisturizer or BB cream to your skin, its time to whip out that trusty concealer of yours!! Make sure it matches your skin tone to a tee. A lot of people get concealers in shades that are slightly lighter than their usual skin tone. You have to be careful here, because when you’re just wearing a light coverage foundation, your natural skin tone peaks through quite a bit (which is what we want!) meaning that concealers that are too far off from your skin tone will be more visible and do not blend into your face as seamlessly as we would like.
Also, if you suffer from acne, it may be wise to use a primer that has healing or protective qualities.
Some amazing light weight foundations:
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer ($$$)
Clinique Foundations ($$) – quite a few Clinique foundations are great for blemish prone skin. Light to medium coverage.
Bourjois Healthy Mix / Bio Detox Organic / 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation ($)
Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect, Bio Detox Organic, Healthy Mix
Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-in-One BB Cream ($)
NB: I don’t consider this to be a BB cream. It’s basically a tinted moisturizer and cannot compare to the top BB creams on the market. Nonetheless, it gives your a natural glowy finish that I really like! Very light coverage – a perfect light coverage foundation for normal skin.
Some amazing spot concealers:
Vichy Dermablend stick concealer OR the Corrective Foundation ($$$) – Both of these are super pigmented and can be used to conceal. Recommended for very dark scars or hard-to-cover spots.
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer ($$$)
MAC Studio Finish Concealer ($$)
L’Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Concealer ($) – good for the price but not a perfect product
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector ($) – comes with both concealer and highlighter. UPDATE – This product is still available in Australia but I think it may have been discontinued in other countries :(
Some amazing illuminating concealers: (better for brightening than spot concealing)
YSL Touche Eclat Concealer ($$$)
Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener ($$$)
Benefit Erase Paste ($$) – this one isn’t very illuminating but its meant for the dark circles
Clinique Airbrush Concealer ($$)
I’m so sorry for the super generic pictures! It must have gotten quite boring :( but I hope that you have found this helpful!
Thanks for reading!!
Like this:
Sydney – Bondi Beach – Sculpture by the Sea
Hey everyone!
A few days ago, a friend and I ventured down to the beautiful Bondi Beach to soak up some sunshine (We be pale. Well that’s not enirely true. Its just me)
It was a fan-freakn-tastic day. Well thats not entirely true either. Bondi was covered in what seemed to be a dense fog. Nonetheless, the sun was strong and the day was sunny! After climbing around and admiring all the sculptures, we headed down to the beach for some sand in our pants.
I love living in Sydney :)
I hope your enjoyed the pictures :)
As always, thanks for reading!
Spotlight Item – Prada Saffiano Lux Double Zip Tote
I am officially obsessed with this bag. She is such a beauty :D
I feel like this is such a versatile and classic bag that I can use for the rest of my life. It could easy go from casual to corporate, no problems! Well… there is a slight problem. The price tag. Oh the price tag :(
Off the top of my head, I believe the retail price is somewhere between USD $1500-$1900. That be out waaaay out of a student’s budget!
Well, a girl can dream.
Alright, its 5am here in Sydney and I still haven’t slept! This post is really just a “oooooh it’s pretty” type thing ;)
Until next time, thanks for reading!
Like this:
Online Shopping – How to take your measurements!
Hey everyone!
Knowing your own measurements is so important when your shopping online. When you’re unable to try on the items, you should always pay attention to the garment measurements and the material it’s made out of. Lets break out the measuring taaaape!!
Shoulder-to-Shoulder
Measure along the top of your shoulders from left to right shoulder tip.
This measurement is so crucial as it also affects how well the garmet will fit to your form. For example, it can affect the way folds and draping in the fabric will look.
Remember to consider how thick/thin and rigid/soft the fabric of the garmet is. Thicker materials usually means that the jacket will be a tighter fit, so opt for sizes that have a shoulder-to-shoulder measurement thats 1-2cm more than usual.
This measurement is often equated to the armpit-to-armpit measurement. Personally, I find this to be risky and inaccurate. Depending on your weight and body fat distribution, these 2 measurements can be quite different. On a mannequin they look the same but a real person’s proportions can be very different. They could defer by 2 or 3cm, which is pretty much the difference between a Small and a Medium size, so make sure that you take each measurement seperately.
Taking your measurements - Shoulder to shoulder
Bust
Measure around the fullest part of your bust. Make sure you aren’t pulling the measuring tape too tight around your body.
A lot of items I’ve seen on online marketplaces don’t list the traditional all-around bust measurement, so the flat measurement will come in super handy! Grab one of your best fitting (non-stretchy) shirts and measure the bust area flat across the shirt.
If you’re genetically blessed and have a significant bust, always check this measurement. Sizing can vary a great deal between countries, e.g. a size M from Asia usually runs smaller than a US size M, especially in the bust area.
Taking your measurements - Bust
Waist
Measure around the slimmest part of your natural waistline, located between the ribs and belly button. You may also wish to take a flat measurement across the waist by measuring across a snug fitting shirt.
Taking your measurements - Waist
Hip
Measure around your natural hips. Remember to also take the flat measurement with a pair of jeans or pants that fit you like a glove.
Sleeves
Measure from your underarm to the very bottom on your palm. Pretty straight forward :)
Taking your measurements - Sleeve length
Pant Legs
Measure the inside of your leg from the crotch to where you want your pants to finish. Take the outside measurement starting from your hips to where you want your pants to finish.
Use these measurements to help determine whether a pair of jeans or pants will be the right length for you. I know that you can easily get alterations, but c’mon, that still costs money :(
Taking your measurements - Pants and Shorts
Skirts
Measure from the top of the skirt to the bottom (derr). Figure out how long a “knee length skirt” or “mini skirt” is for your proportions.
Taking your measurements - Skirt length
LENGTHS
Cropped Jackets
Take one of your best fitting cropped jackets and measure the garmet (flat) from the top of the collar to the bottom the jacket.
Check the total length of garments you find online to ensure that it will fit you like its supposed to.
Taking your measurements - Cropped shirts and jackets
Jackets and Cardigans
Take one of your best fitting jackets and measure the garmet (flat) from the top of the collar to the bottom the jacket.
Personally, I prefer a jacket or cardigan to finish at the hips OR just below the bum.
Taking your measurements - Jackets and cardigans
This post was longer than I expected. I feel like I stated the obvious more than a few times here but hopefully you found this useful :)
Thanks for reading!
Next up… a combined BB Cream review?
Tips for Shopping Online
I’ve been on an online shopping rampage lately, so perhaps this post is looong overdue! To save you the trouble of making the mistakes I have, I present to you 5 tips for safer and more succesful online shopping. Happy days, kiddos!
Tip 1: Is the seller trustworthy?
This will depend upon whether you’re buying from a long established and reputable retailer (e.g. Net-A-Porter, ASOS) or an online marketplace (e.g. eBay, etsy). In my opinion, the safest place for online purchases would most definately be a reputable online retailer. They usually have great returns policies and you never have to worry about being scammed.
However… you usually find the best deals and bargains from online marketplaces. You also get more variety! When shopping in an online marketplace for branded goods, such as designer items, I avoid purchasing from sellers who are located in China, HK, Taiwan etc. There’s a lot of piracy and fake merchandise floating around on these markets so when it comes to more expensive items I’d rather not risk it!
When shopping on eBay, always always always check seller feedback:
Which takes you to the seller’s Feedback Profile:
With this example, even though the seller is a Top-rater Seller, I still wouldn’t purchase their items. Judging from the negative comments it appears that the seller has sold fake merchandise before. Why risk it? Make sure that you’re spending your hard-earned money on genuine products. Remember, always check seller feedback!
Tip 2: Ask the seller questions
I have fallen prey to the perils of impulse buying quite a few times. They’ve never worked out. Ever.
When it comes to online shopping, rushed decision making has always led to buyer’s remorse. Because we are unable to physically inspect the product, we really have to take time in making sure that the product is really worth our happy dollars.
If you need to clarify on say, measurements for a piece of clothing or product specifications, go ahead! An honest seller will always be more than happy to answer any questions that you have. If the photograph of the item is really low quality and does not show the item in detail, request for a HQ photo. There is no acceptable reason why an online seller, in this day and age, is unable to offer you a clear and detailed image of the item that they are trying to sell. If its blurry or too dark… do not risk it. I’ve seen so many dodgey eBay listings with pictures that are obviously low quality for a reason (the reason being, it’s a piece o’crap). More than likely, they are trying to hide product flaws, damage, scratches etc. Don’t go near items that have no pictures.
Online shopping - how photos can be misleading
In this case, the seller did mention that the bag had scratches on its exterior. Always read the seller’s product description!
Tip 3: Understand the online medium
Make sure you know how things work. Heres a stupid story: The first time I bid on an eBay item, I didn’t even know that if you win an auction you’re obligated to buy it. Stupid right? I’m not really sure what was going through my head, but long story short I ended up having to buy an item I wasn’t really loving. Luckily, it only cost me $20 …but please kids, take a lesson from the old moronic me, do not place bids or checkout until you know all the rules!
Tip 4: Do research
The best thing to do is to find the product in person and touch it, feel it, smell it, taste it (?) …really get to know the real deal! That way, when you’re looking for that great online bargain, you’ll know what the item should be like. Even if you can’t find the product in person, do online research. There are plenty of forums all over the internet on a plethora of different products. There’s no excuse for blind online shopping.
This tip is especially important for buying designer products! Many of these items have ‘check points’ that give you an indication of authenticity. You may want to check with sites like Nordstrom or Net-a-Porter. They have fantastic HQ pictures of authentic items that you can check before you start the online hunt!
Net-a-Porter has great quality photos
Tip 5: Trust your gut!
We’re all smart ladies ;)
Trust what your gut is telling you. Don’t feel pressured to ‘grab that deal before it’s gone’ because there will be other opportunities to find another perfect gem. Make sure you’re comfortable with your purchase decision! If it feels wrong then it probably is!
Thanks for reading and HAPPY SHOPPING!
Yves Saint Laurent Arty Oval Ring
I couldn’t resist opening with this ring. It really deserves a post of its own.
This little beauty cost a pretty penny but, in my opinion, it was completely worth it! I purchased Mr. Arty from Net-A-Porter about a month ago and it has been sitting pretty on my left hand ever since. Photos just don’t do this ring justice. I have no words to describe how stunning it is in person. A real investment piece.
I guess I was lucky because I kind of stumbled upon this beauty whilst I was browsing online. As soon as I saw this piece on Net-A-Porter I became obsessed. That being said, I still gave myself a few days to think it over. I spent a lot of time researching the price points of YSL Arty rings, as well as the sizing. When it comes to online shopping, rushed decision making is definitely a dangerous line to walk!
In the end I bit the bullet and purchased Mr Arty in size 6 for about $220 (including shipping). It arrived on my doorstep in 3 days! Net-A-Porter’s customer service and shipping are AMAZING.
For costume jewellery this rings a little bit on the pricey side. Nevertheless, I just loved this ring SO much that I couldn’t say no. Mr Arty just makes me giddy with happiness!
I hope you enjoyed these photographs. I tried my best to capture its beauty.
Thanks for reading!
