Liebster Award Nomination No. 2

Hello Lovelies,

It seems I've been nominated for this award again, if you haven't seen my first nomination post, which was from August this year here it is. (First Nomination Post) I was literally estatic when I got my first nomination so it's kinda crazy to get a second one. The lovely Annabella from http://annabellaella.blogspot.com.au who left me simply the best comment and I decided it was the perfect time of the year for me to do a post like this. Now the rules are very much the same as last time with only one addition, adding 11 facts about yourself, which I'm more than pleased to share with you, since I'm welcoming quite a number of new followers into my midst.

RULES 

- Post 11 random facts about yourself.

- Answer 11 questions the awarding blogger has posted for you.

- Nominate 11 bloggers (w/ less than 200 followers) for the award and link them in your post.

- Let the bloggers you've nominated know they are nominated.

- No tag backs.

 11 FACTS ABOUT ME

1. In case you didn't know, I'm a twin, we're not identical but it's pretty interesting.
2. I watch wayyyyyy too much television, no joke! I'm a complete addict.
3. I learnt Mandarin at school between prep and year 10, was a top grade student, won awards, and i only remember how to say a handful of words and phrases. :( It's hidden somewhere in my brain, I just know it.
4. In my first year of university (which was this year) I majored in Drama.
5. My favourite author is Neil Gaiman, I've read The Graveyard Book, American Gods and The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I've also seen the movie adaptions of Stardust and Coraline, he also has written numerous episodes of Doctor Who.
6. I got to meet the lead singer of my favourite band (Marianas Trench) in 2012. It was beyond amazing.
7. In case you weren't aware, I'm extremely musical. I sing, play piano, guitar, violin, clarinet and I've learnt a few others. I've also composed a handful of songs and I rarely go a day without singing or playing piano.
8. I've visited a handful of countries, they've been USA, New Zealand, South Pacific, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.  
9. I'm completely and totally in love with Camembert!
10. My two favourite movies are Easy A and Django Unchained
11. I absolutely love baking and started learning last year, but unfortunately my baking journey got cut short when my oven slightly blew up earlier this year.

QUESTION I WAS ASKED 

1. What is your favorite trend of all time? (it can be fashion, makeup, or anything) Why?- In my opinion it's winged eyeliner, I just think it's completely timeless and really puts together any look. It seriously suits anyone and can fit with any occasion or sense of style. I'm also a big fan of plain fashion items, such a little black dresses. They are so simplistic, yet so classy and will never go out of style. 
2. Why do you think I nominated you for the Liebster Award?- To be quite honest, I don't know but I will assume it's because you read my blog and you enjoy doing so. Or that you love my vibe or enthusiasm. Something like that.
3. How do you stay creative?- This is kinda a tricky one, because creativity has been in my blood, everyone in my family is very creative and we've all be arty or musical. I continue to embrace my creativity through outlets such as these and keep being creative because I'm surrounded my amazing talented people in the blogging and beauty community. I'm continually inspired each and everyday whether it be through channels like blogging or through my experience is life and the people I love and care for. 
4. If you could re-do something, what would it be?- Another tricky one, I'm not one for regrets since at any point in my life or any decisions I've made, I wanted to do what I did, and thus have no regrets. So if I were to re-do something it would either be reliving my last high school orchestra performance or reliving when I won a silver medal at the World Choir Games, because they are timeless memories that can never be redone. 
5. What has been the proudest moment of your life so far? - Last year I was in one of my high school's choirs and this one was an audition only one, so I felt very exclusive, and my proudest moments are associated with the achievements I made through performing. By far performing the solo part to one of our songs in the Classical section for the World Choir Games. It felt amazing representing my country, choir and school by being a soloist.
6. If a genie granted you 3 wishes, what would they be? - Most definitely something money related so that I could in some way lift the financial pressure that my mother has been under her entire life. Other than that I'm not quite sure what else I would ask for, maybe to not have combination skin haha.
7. Name 5 things that make you happy. Why do they make you happy? - 1. My friends - I've never had many friends in my life and this year I finally made some who cared enough to get to know me and I could not be more thankful for them being in my life 2. Alex - Now I'll try and avoid getting all lovey dovey, but he truly makes me one of the happiest people on the planet. 3. Music - If it's listening, playing or composing, I'm just in my element and I just get so immersed. 4. Blogging - I've really found a passion for it this year and I feel so super productive which are things I'm sort of addicted to. 5. Makeup/Skincare - My love for these products have flourished and I love trying and creating new looks, it's one of my passions and I'm completely in love.
8. If you could have any superpower what would it be? - There's that I would love to have, but the ability to speak and understand any language would be pretty awesome in my opinion. I love stories so being able to hear tales from other backgrounds and cultures would be pretty darn amazing.
9. What is your life dream? - This is kinda corny, but to be happy and for my friends and family to be happy. To be secure and safe and healthy. To be surrounded by those who I love and who love me. 
10. Name a time when you felt so completely alive and free. - This is really hard to pin point but this year in general has been really good for me and I've gone through a bit of a tough break up which in a weird way helped me live a little and generally I feel that way whenever I'm around the people I love.
11. What is your cure all for everything? What can make you feel better instantly? - I'm one of those people who love the little things, so it could be a song, a funny cat picture or a nice txt message. I think embracing the small things in life makes a huge difference to your general happiness, well, at least it has for me. 

MY NOMINEES

1. Steph from stephsspot.wordpress.com 
2. Sian from thelifeofsianm.blogspot.co.uk 
3. Bette from somersetlaneblog.com 
4. Ali from thecutelittleblog.wordpress.com
5. Jessica from orange-chic.blogspot.co.uk 
6. Naomi from ohhellomango.co.uk 
7. Nash from abeautyquark.blogspot.com 
8. Sarah from thosestarsthatshine.blogspot.com 
9. Laura from cherrysodablog.blogspot.com 
10. Smudgedbeauty.co.za 
11. Citra from faithhopeloving.wordpress.com  

QUESTIONS FOR MY NOMINEES

1. What is your favourite childhood movie?
2. If you could see any three bands/artists live, who would they be?
3. What gives your life purpose?
4. Are there any quotes that you live your life by, or that are particularly special to you? If so, which ones?
5. If you could learn one skill in your life, what would it be?
6. What is your perfect outfit?
7. What do you find most attractive in a significant other?
8. How do you relax?
9. Describe your first kiss?
10. What is your favourite way to get some exercise?
11. What is your reason for blogging? Why do you do it?

 I've absolutely loved doing this post for the second time around, and I can't wait to see everyone's answers. With 2013 ending I will be starting the #2014BloggerChallenge soon and am extremely excited to get into it. 

xoxo - OhhKaye 

Weekly Lustables

Hello Lovelies,

Boy, has this been a busy week, with Christmas and sales shopping and the movies and don't forget the family and friends. On Monday I went and visited my little cousins, my uncle and my grandma and wished them a Merry Christmas. Then on Christmas Eve my family and I went out to dinner at Il Centro on Eagle Street Pier, looking over the River and the Storey Bridge. The whole reason we had to abandon our usual Christmas Eve dinner was due to our oven slightly blowing up earlier this year. Dinner was lovely though and we all had a wonderful night. We continued to do Christmas a day early and opened our presents that night, my big present was my keyboard and my new desk, which was a combination 18th Birthday present as well. I also got some gift cards and soap and my mum got an Elizabeth Arden makeup kit and decided that she didn't need everything and since she knew how much I love makeup I received a few extra presents. I then spent Christmas Day with Alex and his extended family. Boxing Day was filled with sale shopping and a viewing of The Hobbit 2 which was amazing. I also went for a second round of sales shopping bound with a seeing of Frozen, which is a new favourite. I can't decide whether I like it better than Tangled, what do you think?

Now onto my favourites (even though this whole week has been a favourite):

1. Coastal Scents Metal Mania - I bought this ages ago and I hardly used it, until Christmas Eve and I created this really nice smokey eye, which I hope to do a tutorial on soon. 
2. Simple Song - The Shins - This has been one of my favourite songs this week along with The Draw - Bastille
3. Christmas Eve Dinner - I didn't get any photos of the actual dinner because I was to busy eating it, but I got duck with panna cotta, roasted potatoes and for dessert, chocolate mousse and gelato. I also had a Singapore Sling which is one of my favourite cocktails.
4. My Favourite Christmas Present - As I said before, my mum got a handful of Elizabeth Arden products and she was lovely enough the lipsticks among the three of us. I got the one called Tulip and I'm absolutely in love with it. It's my first really high end lipstick, other than MAC. 

What have you been loving this week? I'd love to hear your thoughts:)

xoxo 

Boxing Day Sales Shopping - Feat LUSH, MAC and Priceline

 Hello Lovelies,

After Christmas comes the infamous Boxing Day Sales and this year I jumped on the bandwagon big time. I went on Boxing Day with Alex and then to the city today with my sister. I'm not showing everything since this is the time of the year that I take advantage of the sales and get my essentials, like socks, underwear, singlets etc, and I didn't think you'd be overly excited to see those items. These are the items that I am particuraly happy and pleased with.

 These are the items I got at Priceline, and well I wish I could've gotten more but I didn't want to break my tiny student bank. I finally caved and got the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and it does look a little dirty cause I've already used it and OH MAH GLOB this brush must be sent down from heaven, I love it thus far. The two Sinful Colors I got were Cupids Arrow which is the light purple and Glass Pink. Maybelline had a big sale on, pretty sure it was 40% and these lipsticks were staring at me, I got the shade Pink Possibilities.

After a year of me saying that I was get it each week, I finally went ahead and bought MAC's Pro Longwear Concealer in NC20. I can't wait to try it out since it's been raved about by so many people. Very excited indeed.

OH MY GLOB LUSH! I was already going to be heading to LUSH but on Christmas I got a gift card so I actually got a heap of stuff. A lot of their stock was 50% off and I took full advantage of the situation. If you can't quite see, I got the Snowman Bath Ballistic, Snow Fairy Shower Gel and Santa Baby Lip Tint. I also got one of there gift sets, mine is called Woweee, which was half price too! Inside was a Ponche Shower Gel, a Fun (I think that's what it's called), Whoosh Shower Jelly and a Bar of Honey I Washed the Kids Soap. Can't wait to try these all out :D

 I took a quick stop at Typo and got a new water bottle, some pens and a new book, the picture above features mini Daenerys :)

So that pretty much sums up what I got, I also went and saw Frozen and The Hobbit 2 and both were absolutely amazing.

Did you go sale shopping? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo

NOTD Elizabeth Arden Candy Apple

Merry Christmas Lovelies,

I wasn't planning on doing a post today but last night when my family did Christmas early, I got this amazing nail polish and decided to do them straight away. My manicure is a little shoddy but the colour is absolutely gorgeous. The shade I'm rocking is Elizabeth Arden's Candy Apple. I personally think this is a great shade for Christmas and I'm so happy that I get to wear on the big day.

What are you wearing on your nails? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

OOTD Christmas Eve Dinner Feat Sister & Blogmas Wrapup - #Blogmas

What I'm Wearing:

Maxi Dress from Ally

Shoes from Dotti

MAC Lipstick in Lustre

What Beth is Wearing:

Dress from Leona

Shoes from London Rebel

The #BigBlogmasproject has been absolutely amazing if I do say so myself. Today is the last day and I'd just like to say a huge thank you to anybody who's read my posts this month or who has followed me this month. It's been a whole lot of fun to do and albeit a little stressful since I've been so busy and had to learn very quickly how to use the schedule feature. I do have a few highlights, I have personally loved reading all The Christmas Tag posts but my personal favourite posts to write this month has been my weekly lustables. I only started writing them this month and I'm pretty sure they're here to stay and if you haven't read one of them, they are my own take on weekly loves.

Last but not least, I hope each and every one of you and your friends and family have an amazing Christmas and an excellent new year.

I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

First Impressions: Sally Hansen's Mega Shine Top Coat - #Blogmas

Hello Lovelies,

I'm a very fond lover of the Sally Hansen Top Coats, but I have a feeling that every time I've fallen in love with one and I've run out and go to do the simple task of re-purchasing it, low and behold, it'll be out of stock. So to combat my bad luck, I decided to try a new one. Previously I've tried Insta-Dri and the Dry & Go Drops, I've loved both products and was really hoping to repurchase the Dry & Go Drops due to their convenience and their ability to save the product whilst still providing my nails with a nourishing top coat that dries the polish super duper quickly.

I've tried the Mega Shine Top Coat once and therefore I'm not going to do a review but more of a first impressions. After using it the one time, I'm sorta in love. I absolutely love the finish, it honestly looked as if I had gotten my nails done at the salon. They also dried quite quick which is one of the things I was worried about, I'm way too impatient to get a top coat that doesn't speed up the process. Another concern was the since it wasn't the drops the formula would be quite thick, like the Insta-Dri was, and that kinda bothered me and hence why I changed products, but I was pleasantly surprised since it was very smooth but also not thick and the brush allowed for a very thin coat to be applied. I'm absolutely in love with this product and can't wait to use it more.

What's your favourite top coat? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

Weekly Lustables - #Blogmas

1. My New Makeup Storage - I have to say that this is a massive life saver, it's so incredibly convenient and organised. It also looks really pretty so I can't complain :)
2. Duolingo - If you haven't heard of this, it's a language learning app, that turns learning a language into a game which you can follow people and build up a leader board. Alec and I have become addicted to this app this week and also a little competitive, it's so much fun.
3. Adventure Time Phone Case - This came in the mail this week and it looks amazing, absolutely loving the change from my plain boring pink case that I've had all year.
4. Wattle Valley Dips - Can I say HOLY CRAP! These are so delicious, been a little addicted to these this week, they are so incredibly tasty. I especially like the Baby Spinach and Feta one.
5. Herschel Pop Art Backpack - I've never really owned a backpack but after spending all year with a satchel for uni, I decided it was time to invest. This one is amazing and the fabrics on the inside are perfect for what I intend to use it for. It was a little pricey but I feel that I'm gonna get my money's worth out of it.
6. Love Actually - This week Alex and I decided to start a Christmas tradition and watch Love Actually seeing as it's one of my favourite love and Christmas movies. I honestly think this one's a classic.

What have you been loving this week? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays 

What I'm Doing for Christmas - #Blogmas

Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year and it's because of the fabulous celebrations and occasions that I get involved with. Normally my family does some very nice traditions but there's been a change of pace in our lives and it just won't work, and it does kinda suck since our oven is broken. So instead of our normal traditions we're doing things a little different and I certainly have a lot to look forward, hence I'm sharing my excitement.

• Christmas Party with my friends - and not the DVD box set :P 
• Hanging with my little cousins - They're the only family that lives close enough to visit and I have to admit that my cousins are so cute and they get so excited around this time of year.
• On Christmas Eve we're going out to dinner instead of our normal baked dinner and it's gonna be awesome, the place we're going is super fancy and on the Brisbane River, so it should be a magical night.
• On Christmas Day I'm meeting up with Alex and going to lunch with his grandparents, which should be lovely.
• Boxing Day starts the shopping frenzy, and although I won't have much money I'm gonna waste a bit on the sales with Alex down the coast, we might even go see The Hobbit.
• The following day, my sister has asked to go to the city with me to do some sale shopping as well as go and see Frozen, which I'm super excited about.

That's pretty much my next week planned out, so excited for it, can't wait for the Christmas spirit to smack me in the face, gently.

  What are you doing for Christmas? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

Gift Guide for Guys - #Blogmas

When it comes to the holidays I totally get into the spirit and I absolutely love giving and it's one of the main reasons I love Christmas so much. The only hassle is that now I have a handful of men in my life and well, they are impossible to buy for, well near impossible to say the least. Unlike girls, when you ask them you'll probably be faced with an answer like, "Anything will be fine" or "You can just give me money", well that just ain't fun. So I've compiled a small guide to buying the guys, whether they be your boyfriend, husband, brother, father, uncle or bro, something special for the holiday season.

Now all of these gifts are objective and if you feel like there is something more personal or suited to him, then for goodness sake, do that.

1. First up we have T-Shirts I've posted a picture of a Batman one, because I think it's awesome! But Christmas is a good time to give that special guy a new top, it could be smart or funny or even a personal pop culture reference. From personal experience you can never lose with a cool t-shirt.
2. For something a little more fancier, a pair of Sunglasses never go astray, especially if you live in one of the hotter, sunnier places of the world, a new pair will be well recieved.
3. Not all guys are gamers, but for the majority that are, aiding their addiction is a perfect Christmas present. Because they're probably gonna buy it themselves, it's always good to get some Video Games since it's something they're guaranteed to like and enjoy.
4. Every single person needs Soap and it's also something you run out of fairly quickly. And although guys tend not to appreciate soaps as much as us gals, if you get something special, such as something from LUSH, he's sure to notice the difference.
5. I'm not sure about the guys you know, but nearly every guy I've met has had the same Wallet since they were in their teens and from the transition into adulthood, their poor wallets have seen some serious damage, yet they never replace them. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about and thus a wallet becomes a perfect gift.
6. Cologne is something that not all guys are into, and is probably more suited for the mature males in your life (so older then say 15 or 16) but it is a wonderful gift.

If you come to a dead end, gift cards are always a good gift idea, although I find them impersonal and try to make individual gift ideas for the guys in my life who are very close (e.g. husband, boyfriend).

What do you think is a good gift for him? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

FOTD - #Blogmas

So What's On My Face?

Garnier BB Cream Oil Free in Light

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch in 02 Nude

Rimmel Silk Loose Translucent Powder

Benefit 10 Bronzer

TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer  

TheBalm Hot Mama Blush

L'Oreal Open Eyes Pro Palette in Pink Maniac

Urban Decay Naked Palette 

Essence Eye Liner in White

MAC Tech Kohl Eyeliner in Carbon Black

Chi Chi 3D Magic Lash Mascara

Maybelline Baby Lips in Berry

Essence Lip Liner in Cute Pink

Maybelline Lipstick in 045 Pink me Up

Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lipgloss in Disco

 

Wait....What? 50 Followers on Bloglovin - #Blogmas

Hello Lovelies,

Now I'm not one for bragging, but I can't help being a little proud of some of my achievements and if I'm going to share them with anyone it would be you guys. As most of you know I changed over from Wordpress.com earlier this year and it was a big stress, and the saddest part was that I lost the majority of my community, and I was really hoping to rebuild it and well, that's exactly what I've done.

Last night I hit just over 50 followers on Bloglovin' and although it isn't a huge number it's still a substantial one and I would love to give each and everyone of you a big hug, because I'm so incredibly grateful for you all. Now I'm not going to do a giveaway but I've got one planned for when I hit 100, so stay tuned cause it's gonna be big :D

I would have to say a huge influx of my followers have come from the 2014 Blogger Challenge and I have to say a huge thank you to Gaby from AnotherGirlyBlog for putting it all together so that I could reach out to a bigger audience as well as getting to talk to the hundreds of other bloggers that are participating. It's making me all the more excited about the up and coming new year!

Thank you all so much for you presence, it means the world :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

Luxury Wishlist - #Blogmas

 Hello Lovelies,

I know I'm not the only person who dreams of getting the exy items, things that will ultimately stay in dreams until one day you've become a master saver or won the lottery and then you can justify the purchase. I love luxury items and on the whole I can justify spending the extra moola so that I have a higher quality product that will be better for me, my fashion sense and will last longer than the inexpensive items. As a typical uni student it's not often that I get to splurge, unless it's on textbooks so my ultimate dreaming wishlist expands over the years. Here's a small collection (I say small because, come on, there's definitely more than four) of some of the luxury items I would love to own one day.  

1. Amazon Kindle - I love reading but I never get to it because i find it hard to read on buses and the books I tend to gravitate too are quite large, so I think this might be a wise investment and it's definitely one of the items on this list that I'm more likely to purchase in the next year.
2. Christian Louboutin Black 140mm Pumps - Pretty sure every girl and her mum wants a pair of these, they are just so unbelievably classy and timeless, too bad that they rack up a few hundred dollars a pair.
3. Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch - Now I didn't pick this one in particular but I love the style of all the Michael Kors' watches and rose gold is my favourite shade.
4. Sigma Make Me Blush Essential Kit - These brushes look amazing and I would love to have a complete set, it's a total bonus if I could get them all in pink!

 

What luxury items do you wish for? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays 

Christmas Movies - #Blogmas

When it comes to Christmas time I love my movies and the nostalgia is brilliant and somewhat perfect. There are some that I can directly relate to my childhood and the magic that surrounded that time of year for my family and I at that age. Here's a small collection of the movies that I loved as a kid as well as an adult.

Love Actually - This is more of an adult one but I feel that it perfectly encapsulates the Christmas spirit and I love the way that it mixes the magic of both love and the childhood magic of Christmas. I can't wait to cuddle up to this one this Christmas season.

The Santa Clause - Holy cow this one is hilarious! I can't remember a time when I wasn't laughing while watching this as a kid. So it really reels in the childhood magic.

The Muppet's Christmas Carol - Another kid one, I know, but Christmas time is really made magical by the nostalgia of childhood and all the surprises that came with the season. The Muppet's make this classic tale so much better and funnier. I loved this one so much.

I'll be Home for Christmas  - Last but definitely not least, this one is the most special to me personally. When I was a kid this movie was on television every year and I would sit down with my siblings and watch it. I love the scene with the old ladies and Tom Jone's "What's New Pussycat?" it was hilarious. For me this is an absolutely classic and one of my favourite childhood Christmas traditions.

What's your favourite Christmas movies? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

Weekly Lustables - #Blogmas

1. My New Keyboard (Roland F-120) - Now I know most people my age have been wanting a car since they entered their teens but for me it was a digital piano. I've been slyly suggesting one for the past 5 years and although my mum had wanted to get me one, it was too big of a present. So this year I turned 18 and my mum thought it would be good to give my sister and I something that we'd been wanting for a long time, but since I'm a twin and both presents were exey one of us had to wait, and because mine was more expensive I was fine with the waiting. I did have a shitty keyboard from the 80s that I had learnt piano on, and it was going steady until one day it just up and broke. So for the past 3 months I'd gone without the one thing in my house that gave me some peace. As most of you know last weekend I went on a date with Alex, little did I know that me spending the weekend with him wasn't just lovely it was coerced by my mum and sister so that they could set up the piano and also build me a new desk and bookcase so it could fit. I have never been more surprised and I swear if they filmed my reaction it would be viral already. I screamed, cried, dropped on the ground and proceeded to hug every member of my family. I've played it so much this week and I absolutely love it.
2. Garnier BB Cream Oil Free - I only bought this product this week but so far I'm in love with it and I hope it stands up to the hot Australian sun.
3. Black Milk Musk Mermaid Leggings - So in last week's lustables I mentioned the Black Milk Cyber Monday sale, well this week what I ordered arrived and I can't stop wearing them, they're so comfy and look amazing, they are musk colored but reflect green.
4. Topshop Heart Ring - I got this the other day when I posted my haul and I've been wearing everyday since. I think it's absolutely gorgeous and I doubt I'll be taking it off anytime soon.

What have you been loving this week? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays 

Christmas Songs Highlight - Playlist Style - #Blogmas

When it comes to Christmas time I love a good playlist and with 8tracks I'm overwhelmed with choices. After scouring the internet, I found this one on Tumblr and I think it's an amazing find.

 Here's the links to listen to this beautiful collection of Christmas songs.

(listen pt. 1) (listen pt. 2)

 

What's your favourite Christmas playlist or album? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays  

FOTD: Red Lips & Winged Eyeliner - #Blogmas

Hello Lovelies,

Here's my little face of the day, I wasn't actually going anywhere today but I wanted to try my new Garnier BB cream before I go away for the weekend and thought, "when's a better time to sit around the house in red lipstick than Christmas?" I ended up really liking how it turned out so I thought I'd share it with you :)

So what's on my face?

Garnier BB Cream Oil Free in Light

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch in 02 Nude

Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in 010 Fair

Benefit 10 Bronzer

TheBalm Mary Lou-Manizer

MaxFactor Flawless Perfection Blush 220 Classic Rose
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus Mascara
Essence Eyeliner in White

Bourjois Liner Feature

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Urban Decay Naked Palette shades in Virgin and Naked
Maybelline Baby Lips in Anti-oxidant Berry

Essence Lipliner in 10 Femme Fatale

Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in 090 True Red

I'd love to hear your comments and thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

Gift Guide: Palettes - #Blogmas

Now palettes are a perfect gift for the upcoming holiday season and there are so many to pick from, but I've narrowed down the thousands out there to just 4. Personally I would love to get any of these as a gift and I'm fairly certain that others wouldn't mind these in their stockings.

1. This is a no-brainer by the newest addition by Urban Decay - Naked 3 - this would be a perfect gift for people who only wear their "no makeup" makeup or girls who love their pinks and neutrals.
2.  Lorac Pro Palette -  This is another one for the neutral lovers but it also has the inclusion of some smokey and darker shades which makes it a great all-rounder. This would be ideal for a starters kit and the stocking of a fellow makeup lover.
3.  Too Faced makes some amazing palettes and any of them would make a wonderful gift but the Pretty Rebel one in particular provides a good range of neutrals and wild colours which makes it a great gift.
4. Last but not least, Inglot has an amazing freedom system and a wonderful and slightly more interactive gift for those ladies who like to do their own thing. You could make it a day gift and take her to one of the Inglot stores or you could purchase an empty Freedom system palette and place a gift card inside.

Those are my picks for palettes for the upcoming holiday season.  There is quite an array and any would be a wonderful gift for anyone who likes or wears makeup.

Which of these would you most like to recieve as a gift? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

Date Night: Japanese Food & Gelato - #Blogmas

Hello Lovelies,

If you read my weekly lustables from last week I mentioned Wagaya and that Alex and I went on a date, well now I'm gonna let you know what we did and share a handful of photos of our wonderful night. We started off with a drive into the city and it was just a gorgeous night, wonderful traffic too, so good that we got there a little before our reservation. So we walked around the Valley for awhile and then decided to go into the restaurant a few minutes earlier.

Wagaya is a very unique restaurant as it has a lot of little secluded booths with a touch screen at the end of the table. You use the touch screen to order your food and then the screen tells you the status of the food. The main way to order is to get a handful of dishes, since they are relatively cheap and small. We had looked at the menu earlier in the day since Alex had never eaten Japanese before and I had, there were a few things I wanted to suggested. We ended up getting

• Tonkatsu Kushiage - which was deep fried pork
• Takoyaki - these are AMAZING deep fried octopus
• Yakitori - marinated chicken skewers
• Ox Tongue - a lot of people get weirded out by the sound of this but it really is amazing, and I would definitely recommend.
• Eel Tempura - can I just say YUMMM
• Chicken Nankotu - Now when we ordered this we though it was just chicken pieces but it was actually soft bones that you ate, there was chicken as well, eating this was definitely an experience.

Here's some pictures, I didn't get images of everything since I dug into the food too quickly:

 (At the top is the Yakitori and the bottom is the ox tongue)

(This was the eel tempura)

After this amazing dinner we headed downstairs and when we were walking around earlier that night I spotted a gelato place and we ended up getting some. We each picked a flavour then shared the cup since we were really full from dinner. I picked Ferraro Rocher and Alex picked Cherry Ripe. After we got the gelato we walked around the valley and it was really lovely. 

  

What's your favourite cuisine? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

Topshop, Typo & Priceline Haul - #Blogmas

I'm not quite sure how but managed to gain more than the smidgen of disposable income I normally get but since I haven't been shopping for myself in god knows how long, today was the day. I had made a little list and I still had to go get some Christmas presents (which I didn't show) for friends, but I may've gotten distracted from my list and just done my own thing. No the less I'm very happy with my purchases.

This is what I got from Topshop (which just opened up in Brisbane) I know you probably don't want to see my underwear but they haven't been worn and how flippin' cute is that design? I'm wearing the ring now and it looks amazing, I've been missing wearing a ring and thought this was gorgeous.

Now onto Priceline, my weakness if I ever had one. I did actually intend to buy all these items and thank the lord I didn't stray from my list or some of my friends might've not gotten their Christmas presents hehe. So I got the John Frieda Full Repair Deep Conditioner, this was a little pricey for only 118ml ($14 - sale price) but I heard some good things about it and I won't mind trying it, then giving my 50 cents on the product. Next is the Garnier BB Cream for Oily Combo skin which I got for $9.50 and I don't have the highest expectations after using Skin79's BB Cream, but I was in need for a BB cream since it's gotten so hot. I was intending on replacing my Dry & Go Drops but they had none and so I thought "ooh, opportunity to try something new!" and I picked up Sally Hansen's Mega Shine Top Coat. ($15) Lastly I need a new concealer desperately and saw this was on sale and just picked it up, I have a massive feeling that even though this was the lightest shade, it's gonna be too dark for me.

Holy mother of cows, was Typo packed today! My sole purpose for entering the mayhem was to pick up a blogging notebook since I don't have one. With every purchase you could get a 2014 calendar for $5 and I saw the Classic Disney one and well as you can see, I just couldn't resist.

What have you bought recently? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

First Impressions: Gillette Venus & Olay Pink Razor - #Blogmas

What Gillette Venus & Olay Say about this razor:

The Venus & Olay^™ razor’s 5-blade technology exfoliates^† for surface skin renewal, while Sugarberry-scented Olay Moisture Bars help lock in skin’s moisture for less dryness.*

• 5 razor blades get Venus close
• Olay Moisture Bars help lock in skin’s moisture for less dryness*
• No need for separate shave cream
• Sugarberry scent
• SoftGrip^® handle for confident control
• Hang razor on the in-shower holder to air dry between uses
• Easy-to-change cartridges

My Thoughts:

Honestly I can't say I've been more amazed by a razor in my life. I've been so prone to getting horrible razor bumps, or the razor getting really dull very quickly, or my legs/armpits getting extremely bad razor burn. Last week I was at the point where I was completely fed up and I had seen this one in ads and thought, why the fuck not a change would certainly be better than this discomfort, especially since it's Summer.

When I used this for the first time today, I was blown away. The Olay bars were so moisturizing and I was just really happy. At first I thought that because of all the extra moisture I wouldn't get a close shave that I was happy with, but boy was I wrong, the precision is wonderful and I couldn't be more pleased.

There is only one DRAWBACK to this razor and that is that this bad boy is a little on the pricey side. The razor only comes with one cartridge and the replacement ones are $20 for 3. But I think for a product that can overwhelm me this much, the price shouldn't bother me that much.

What's your favourite razor? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

Weekly Lustables - #Blogmas

1. Black Milk Cyber Monday Sale - I was so excited for this sale but the ended up having so many technical difficulties and didn't open till Tuesday. I ended up getting a pair of Mermaid leggings which should arrive soon. SAH EXCITED!!!!

2. Wagaya - So it was date night with Alex on Friday and Wagaya is one of my favourite restaurants and he'd never been so we went. The food was amazing we had octopus, ox tongue and eel :D We also had the best gelato ever afterwards, it was Cherry Ripe and Forrero Rocher flavoured!

3. Hands Like Houses - Since Vans Warped Tour I've been in love with this band and I would have to say that my favourite song so far has been, "No Parallels".

4. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon -  Started reading this book this week and it's amazing, so in love with the characters and the uniqueness of the story.

What have you been loving this week? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays

Vans Warped Tour '13 - #Blogmas

© Kane Hibberd

There's been an OOTD and a haul, now it's time to tell you what actually went down on Friday 29th November 2013. My sister and I woke up at around 7amish to get ready for our big day and we were out the door and on a bus by 8:30. We got to the RNA Showgrounds at around 10:00 and there was already a lot of people there but we had had some forethought and bought 3 cans of food so we could skip the queue. Once getting in we ran swiftly to the merchandise stall to pick out the good ones and then sat down and guzzled some energy drinks. 

The first band we saw was Take Us To Vegas, who were a local band and they were surprisingly good. Following them was The Dangerous Summer and Elizabeth and I were quite shocked since the lead singer/bass player was a doppleganger for my boyfriend, Alex. It was eerily creepy. Also the drummer has really captivating and funny mannerisms and we couldn't stop laughing.

© Kane Hibberd

Tonight Alive was the one band I was most anticipating and well not many words could describe how happy I was to see them live. Jenna had such amazing stage presence and her hair was soooo cool. After all the dancing and singing we took a small break and had some food. We were very glad that we bought our own food since everything was extremely overpriced, for example, a bottle of water was $5! The next band we saw was Hands like Houses and I hadn't listened to them before we came, but my sister insisted that they were really good and Alex had told me that I should see them. Well to my surprise they were AMAZING! I fell in love with them instantly and am currently obsessed with them. 

 © Kane Hibberd

After all that excitement we were exhausted and we didn't really know many other bands so we decided to take the afternoon really slow. We had a rest in the shade while The Used and New Found Glory Played and they were pretty good, but I was so hot and tired to really pay attention. Both of us were so tired so we tried to waste a bit of time before Simple Plan came on. It was really nice to lie on the grass and have a little chill. 

Simple Plan came on stage and the whole crowd was buzzing it was amazing and they had an amazing set and Elizabeth and I got really into it. After Simple Plan was The Offspring and although I really wanted to see them, there was this small UK band, Mallory Knox, that was playing on the small stage while The Offspring and Parkway Drive were on. We were both already really obsessed with this band before going to their show and boy were we glad we went to theirs instead of the other two artists. We knew all their songs and because there was less than 30 people there we were right up the front and they saw us. After their set they came down from the stage and gave us some high fives and I got to meet the lead singer and the bassist and they were amazing people and so profoundly complimented by us actually knowing their songs and coming to their set. There was a small break between Mallory Knox and Anarbor and we got to hear two songs by The Offspring, "Spare me the Details" and "Why don't you get a job?".  Anarbor were amazing and since the crowd was still pretty tiny we got to get up pretty close. A highlight from them was that they did an amazing cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and I was so happy :)

  

The night rapped up at 10pm and Elizabeth and I were dying to get home and just drop dead into our beds. Altogether it was an amazing day and I doubt I will ever forget it.

What's your favourite concert/music festival memory? I would love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays 

Updated Skin Care Routine - #Blogmas

It's been a couple of months since I featured my daily skincare routine, so I thought I would show an updated version. As the months have gotten warmer I've also cut down on the amount of products and have been focusing on just keeping my face clean.

My routine is very simple and since I tend to be a tad lazy when it comes to my skin I thought this routine was perfect.

1. If I'm wearing makeup I use makeup wipes to remove all the makeup. Currently I'm using the Nivea Pure and Natural ones.
2. I then wet my face and use Formula 10.0.6's Best Face Forward Cleanser all over my face. It's not harsh and feels great on my skin, I also love the smell which is passionfruit and green tea. Once I've finished cleansing my face I rinse with water.
3. Every second day (normally coincides with the day I wash my hair) I use Formula 10.0.6's One Smooth Operator Scrub. I have been loving this scrub it makes my skin feel so polished and smells great too. I dry my face after rinsing with water.
4. With a cotton pad I put a little of Clinique's Anti-Blemish Toner all around my face, focusing on the areas which need more attention, such as my t-zone. This would have to be the first toner that I used that didn't make my skin feel as if it's on fire.
5. To moisturize I use the YestoCucumbers Daily Calming Moisturizer and I can't express in words how much I love this product, I will probably cry when it runs out. I love everything about it, the texture, smell and it also sinks into my skins quite quickly and isn't sticky at all.

So all though it's short and sweet, this is my new skincare routine and I can say that it definitely does the job!

What's your skincare routine like? I would love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays 

The Christmas Tag - #Blogmas

Being apart of the #Bigblogmasproject is so much fun, and I absolutely love this time of year, and as well as attributing more posts to my blog, I get to see a whole range of new blogs and bloggers. From discovering and reading new blogs, I found the Christmas Tag and thought it was a brilliant idea for Blogmas. I found this tag over on Sarah's Blog and I think this tag is a wonderful idea for the Christmas season.

Now to get onto the questions.....

1. Do you prefer a real Christmas tree or synthetic? 
Since I've never had a real Christmas tree, I would have to say synthetic. Ever since I was a kid we've had the same year and we would spend the first week of summer holidays decoriating the tree and the house. The only drawback to the synthetic trees were the fall out of all the little fake leaves, which my mum detested cleaning up.

2. You're in a coffee shop, it's December, what do you pick?
Unfortunately my answer isn't very Christmassy, since I live in Australia and our summer is on during the holiday season. I would probably pick a iced mocha or a frappe, I do like to opt for some peppermint flavouring. 

3. What's your favourite colour scheme for decorating the tree?
I've never really had very much say in how we decorated our tree, I would get given specific ornaments to put on and that was about it. It ended up following a red and gold theme, with little bits of silver around it.

4. Giving or receiving?
I enjoy getting presents as much as the next person but by far, I love buying and giving presents. One of the main reasons why I love this season so much is that I can show the important people how much I care and I love putting in extra thought and personalizing my gifts.

5. To mince pie or not to?
My mum is a big lover of the fruit mince pie, and when the season comes around I will definitely nibble on a few. I wouldn't say they're my favourite Christmas treat though. 

6. What's your traditional Sunday Lunch?
Every year we've had our big Christmas dinner/lunch on Christmas Eve and it's been the same forever. Roast Pork, Honey Carrots, cauliflower and broccoli with white sauce,  roast potatoes, gravy and you can't forget the trifle or pavlova.

7. Christmas day fashion
This depends if I'm leaving the house for a family gathering or not. If I am, I get pretty dressed up and treat it like a semi-formal occasion, because why not ?!? If I'm staying home, it's normally a tank top and pj bottoms haha.

8. What's your favourite Christmas song?
I get really into Christmas music so it's near impossible for me to pick just one. I do like "All I want for Christmas is you" by Michael Buble and "Merry Christmas, Here's to many more" by Relient K, Their Christmas album is awesome :D

9. What's your favourite Christmas film?
When I was a kid a tradition started that my siblings and I would watch, I'll be home for Christmas, and although we don't keep to the tradition anymore, I loved that movie so much. Now that I'm a little older I would also add Love Actually into the mix of favourite Chrissy movies.

10. Open presents before or after lunch?
I don't even know why this is a question, it's been a tradition since I was a youngen to wake our parents up as early as godly possible and open our presents as soon as mum had made her coffee. So I would definitely have to say before lunch, before breakfast even :P

I tag EVERYONE who read this post, I would love to hear your answers :D

xoxo - Happy Holidays

Vans Warped Tour Merch Haul - #Blogmas

Hello Lovelies,

As you all know I went to Vans Warped Tour last Friday and, I had been looking forward to this event all year and hence I started saving early. From previous experience at concerts and music festivals I was under the impression that everything was going to beyond expensive, and for someone like me, a broke uni student, i would probably be lucky to get two items of merchandise. To my surprise everything was cheaper than I expected, not by much, but enough for me to stock up on merch.

So here what I got:

• Mallory Know Top "Find the lighthouse in the Dark"
• Tonight Alive Top
• Vans Off The Wall Singlet
• Vans '13 Mens Jersey (looked too comfy to pass up just cause it was for guys)
• Hands Like Houses Singlet - I got this in medium and woah it's massive on me, kinda a mini dress
• Anarbor Top 
• Vans Mustache/Top Hat Singlet

On the whole, I got everything a size bigger, because for some reason, band shirts feel so so so much better if they're just a little bit baggier. Do you do that, or is it just me? As much as I love dressing up in pretty skirts and dresses, nothing beats the comfort of a band shirt and jeans/shorts. I also think it would be a great idea to style these with my Black Milk leggings.

What's your favourite piece of band/music festival merch? I would love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays