Eyebrows are a thing. They never used to be a thing, and they definitely never used to be a thing to me! Now they are a big thing, and since I have started caring for my brows and using products on them, they have never looked better & I have never felt better about my brows and my overall facial shape! I use several different products depending on different factors; am I late? do I want bushy brows? do I want perfectly done brows? do I want both of the above? I am also a bit of a brow-product fiend, I love trying new things on them, because they are easy to fix if something doesn't look right! 

 My go-to for my brows on an every day basis is my trusty pencil! This is my favourite brow product, ever. It is so quick, it is so easy, it defines perfectly and I can use it and be done in a matter of seconds if not minutes. The colour is perfect for me, and as long as the tip is sharp (unlike my photo...) the application is flawless! I find it defines my brows really well, creating a beautiful shape. I have fairly bushy brows, and I have grown them out for years, so the pencil really helps to define and shape them, whilst still keeping them bushy! I set my brows with a clear gel to keep them in place all day (more on that below).

My next favourite product is my Dip-Brow by ABH. This product I bought recently when I was in Sydney, it was a cult favourite, so I just had to have it, because I knew I would love it, and I do love it!

I use this on days that I want sharper, more defined brows than what my pencil can produce. This application takes me a little bit longer than my pencil, so I use it when I have more time (namely, not when I'm running late for work..) it is not difficult to apply with the right tools, and it brushes out really well with my favourite Sigma spooly. I also find that it holds my brows in place really well, gives a natural, beautiful wash of colour and I always set it with a clear gel (more on that below) to make it last all day and all night long! This is a holy grail eye brow product, and I should use it more often, but that is all to do with my time management skills, and less to do with my ability to use the product! (Sleep is important, what can I say..)

 Next up are a few of my favourite brow gels, there are a few brands there, but hands down my gimme-brow is my favourite product. I am not sure this has much to do with the formula of the product (although, the formula is amaaaaaazing) but more to do with the size of the brush! The brush is so itty-bitty, teeny-tiny! The other gels are great products, but the brushes are so large for an eyebrow, that the product clings to each little hair, so any bushy brows become even bushier and less 'done' - this can look good on certain occasions (particularly on a daily basis because application is so quick!) but on others, just isn't what I'm going for. I love the Rimmel clear brow gel for when I use my pencil / dip-brow because it sets my brows without adding any more colour. I love the tinted gel by Rimmel for every day use when I am in a rush and want to get out the door with brows on my face and I use the Maybelline Brow Drama gel when I feel like it, which is rarely as I can't get my head around the brush, maybe I'm not using it properly, but I am so confused as to why there is a big ball on the end of it?? I L O V E brow gels for every day use because they are so easy to use, I would highly recommend these, but I will definitely be repurchasing my gimme-brow because nothing, nothing beats the little brush!

Have you used any of these products? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below! I'd love to know what your favourite brow products are, as I mentioned above, I love brow products, so am happy to try out any others!

xoxo

Revo Lipbalm in Strawberry, Revo Lipbalm in Coconut, Hurraw Moon Balm, PawPaw Lip Balm, Lucas PaPaw Ointment.

I thought I would do a post on 4 of my favourite (and the best) lip balms I've tried over the years! Everyone knows that lip balm is an absolute staple in your handbag or by your bedside, in your bathroom, kitchen, living room.. basically anywhere. So I wanted to share with you some of my favourites and see if they are some of your favourites too!

The first is one that everyone (i'm almost pretty confident saying that too) has, is Lucas' Papaw Ointment. It basically solves every ailment that you could possibly have on your skin. It works for dry, chapped lips, it works for cuts, mosquito (and other insect) bites, chafing, burns, nappy rash.. I could go on! If something is wrong with your skin, just put some of this ointment on and you're set!
I love to use it on my lips, especially as it is so nourishing, it has no offensive scent and I feel like you can feel it working on your lips. I especially like using it on mosquito (mozzie) bites, because it takes the itch away and you tend to forget you have one (or several bites, in my case).

The next lip balm is the Nature's Care, Paw Paw Lip Balm. I recently started using this and it has more of a vaseline texture and feels quite thick on your lips, so I tend to use it at night-time only or if my lips are very, very dry or I have been in the sun/wind and have sun/wind burn on my lips. This balm is super nourishing, has a soft scent and always leave my lips feeling so soft and supple. It's a must-have, especially if you wear a lot of matte, drying lipsticks/stains.

The next is my Hurraw! Moon Balm. I cannot rave about this enough, I L O V E it beyond words. I saw it in the chemist (drug-store) a while ago and I had heard things about Hurraw before, so I wanted to try it. I wasn't after the Moon Balm, I had wanted to get one of the scented ones ie: strawberry, coconut, etc but they only had this left, so I decided to get it anyway! I am SO GLAD I did! It is one of the most nourishing lip balms I have ever used. It smells nice, it sinks right into your lips, it lasts forever! It's just one of the absolute best balms I have used. It is encouraged for a night-balm on your lips, but I use it daily and on the regular - it is always with me. It is extra thick and creamy and has a vanilla scent. They also say is has blue chamomile that helps to soothe your lips, it also has avocado oil, rosehip seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil and argan oil and I am almost positive these are vegan - making them a suitable choice for everyone! I highly recommend this balm, and not just for night-time either. Let me know if you've tried it before and what you think!

Revo Lip Balm in Coconut

Ok, last but certainly not least, is my Revo Lip Balms in Coconut & Strawberry. These balms are new, but they have quickly become one of my favourite lip products, ever. These are really similar to the EOS lip balms, but this Revo balm has a flat top allowing you to put the balm on your lips super easily. It also curves against your lips really well, so your top and bottom lips don't get in the way, depending on which lip gets the balm first! It basically feels like you've got a marshmallow pushed up against your lips (amaaaazing!) and smells absolutely amazing, it also has a subtle, sweet taste and has no bitterness so in the event you are a lip biter (like me) you won't have an awful taste in your mouth either! I picked up the coconut (white) and the strawberry (pink) balms but they do have other 'flavours' which I really want to get my hands on, my hand-bag and places around my house will love it and so will my lips!

Revo Lip Balm in Strawberry

Have you tried any of these balms? What do you think? Do you have any favourites? Let me know what they are in the comments below! x

I am a pale girl.. I basically have a "moon tan" (it's a sweet description?!) all year round, no matter if it is summer or winter, which is both unfortunate but also not that big-a-deal. I love my pale skin, even if it is slightly red and blotchy when I have been out in the sunshine. Occasionally you may have a special event coming up, or you just want to have some bronzed up skin to make yourself feel fresh and summer-y and that's where sunless tanning comes in! I highly recommend never going out in the sunshine without suncream slathered all over you, it's just not good for you or your skin and the pain when you're burnt is just not worth it, I've done it enough times to learn this!! If you're the lucky type who still tans even when slathered in suncream, well, I am just so jealous and you should let me know in the comments below just to rub it in (pardon the pun)!! 

There are so many sunless tanners out there; I was a bit overwhelmed when looking for one to be honest, the shelf was packed full and they all claim the exact same thing, if you're stuck just ask someone for assistance - it's their job to help after-all! Otherwise, before you even head to the store (or buy online) just google the brands because there are so many reviews/videos out there! I decided to go through with buying "St Tropez" in the white bottle, not the black bottle. I am not used to being super dark and don't want THAT much of a change, so I wanted something lighter and more 'natural' for me! 

First things first, as basically every review and / or video about how to apply fake tan mentions, skin preparation is the most important step in this process - and confidence if you're a first-timer! I suggest starting a few days before you want to apply the tan, so you can exfoliate and moisturise your skin as much as possible before tanning which means you have a soft, supple canvas for the tan to glide on and sink into seamlessly! I also suggest shaving your legs the day beforehand so the pores can close back up so the tan doesn't go spotty! Okay, having said that, let's say, one day before, exfoliate, shave and moisturise your entire body, I love using this "Clean Slate" coffee scrub (which you can purchase here) I got this for my birthday from one of my best friends, and it's similar to the Frank Body Scrub. It also has the best coffee smell (if you like that sort of thing!) and leaves your skin so, so smooth! I then shave with any regular razor, and I shower as normal. Then, before I get dressed I put on some moisturiser, I love this Vaseline spray, it is so easy to use and has no scent (this is important!) and really sinks into your skin rather than leaving a 'film' ontop of your skin. 

The day of tanning, I get back in the shower first, wash off any perfume, soaps, moisturisers etc with water - this will help the tan stick better on your skin, and not be patchy or blotchy. You can also exfoliate again if you feel like it! Then, hop out the shower, pat your skin dry and let it air dry for a little bit. Grab your moisturiser, put some on your hands, knuckles, wrists, elbows, knees, feet, ankles and anywhere else you don't want the tan to be too 'strong'. Once you've done that, you're ready to go! Take your tanner bottle, shake it up slightly and spray some onto your mitt (this is something that I think is an absolute must to get a seamless finish!). Make sure you use the same number of pumps / amount of product each time you spray it out, otherwise you could look uneven. Then, just buff (or rub / spread) it into your skin in circular motions - this tanner has a colour, so you can see where you have put it, ensuring you don't miss any spots. You can also let it dry and then apply some more if you feel like you want to be darker in any areas, like your legs for example. 

Then, the waiting begins. Depending on the product, you may have to wait 4-8 hours or if it's an express, just 2 hours. This means you shouldn't do anything that will make you sweat, you also shouldn't get in a pool or a shower or go in the rain until the tan has developed, otherwise you could end up with a streaky finish. The best time to do a tan is in the evening, before bed, that way it can develop overnight and you can jump in the shower in the morning and be ready for the day! You don't have to wait for the full 8 hours either and if you go slightly over the timing that's totally fine too! It's basically just a guide-line and you do you, as always! 

I am not a huge fan of the smell of this product, so I wouldn't go out in public without having washed off the guide colour first and getting rid of the smell. I applied my tan in the early afternoon as I was just lazing around the house and had a shower before bed and when I woke up my skin was bronzed, radiant and I felt super summer-y! 

Have you used St Tropez? What do you think? What sunless tanners do you recommend? Let me know in the comments below! 

I want to start this post by saying that I had wanted to get the Anastasia Beverley Hills contour kit so much, but as I live in Perth the only way is online (or fly to Sydney to visit Sephora) and I just never got around to getting it online. I ended up flying to Sydney around the middle of this year on a business trip (that's for another post) and whilst there, I went into Sephora to make the purchase almost exclusively, and sadly they had no stock :( it just wasn't meant to be!! I did load up on heaps of other products though, obviously!

Anyway, I pushed that out of my mind and when I got back to Perth I headed into our local Priceline (drugstore) for some other things and got my hands on this palette - the AC On Tour Contouring & Highlighting Kit by Australis which is a much more affordable option than ABH and to be honest, I am glad I did. 

As always with makeup, new lines of the same product are always being released and as soon as I had bought this palette, they released three different palettes: light, medium and dark. The website says clearly that this palette offers a healthy, natural glow for any skin tone, but I still don’t know if I entirely agree.  If I could go back and wait, I would definitely purchase the light palette, as I am quite fair skinned and feel this option would have suited my skin tone better. I am heading across to Melbourne at the end of the year and I was told there will be a Sephora opening there beforehand (fingers crossed it’s open!), so I will be visiting that store and getting my hands on the cream contour kit in light by ABH as its high up on my wish list and I LOVE cream products, especially for summer (I’ll do a post on my favourite cream products soon!). 

Sorry, I digressed there, back to the Australis palette…

Firstly, the kit is very, very, very pigmented. I cannot even stress that enough. Before you lather your brush in product STOP! Lightly press the brush in the product and TAP ANY EXCESS OFF YOUR BRUSH BEFORE APPLYING! Please! I am only thinking of your face! Either way you only make that mistake once so go for gold!

There are three ‘highlight’ shades and three contour shades. On the top row from left to right, there is a light (almost translucent) powder, a yellow ‘banana’ powder and a shimmery, peachy highlight powder. I love each of these shades the same (it’s a lot of love) the first powder is a setting powder for your face and I find it does a great job at setting my t-zone. The yellow powder is great for setting concealer under the eyes whilst highlighting that area – I have heard it has flash-back but I haven’t experienced that so can’t comment on that (sorry!). The highlight shade is so natural and adds just the right kind of peachy highlight to my cheekbones; it is shimmery (I can’t think of another word) but not overwhelmingly so and catches the sunlight perfectly leaving your skin with such a natural glow. 

On the bottom row from left to right, there are three contour shades. The first is a combination warm/cool toned colour, the middle is an ashy colour and the third is a warm colour, slightly bronzer than the first two. This is where you can have a problem with MUD. The first time I used the contour colours I lathered my brush up with the product, tapped a little bit off and applied it to just under my cheekbones – DISASTER! I had muddy looking cheeks and I had a little freak out because I was already late to work– I was NOT expecting that much pigment!! 
Anyway, the product is really easy to blend out and I managed to blend it out enough to wear during the day, instead of washing my face and starting again (can you imagine! I’d have been so much later for work! I really shouldn’t try new products when I’m late but what can you do!). I like to use the first and third colour on my cheeks, forehead,  nose, jaw-line and just under my chin as a general “bronzer” and then I use the middle colour to lightly contour under my cheekbones to add some more definition and a bit more of a 'contour' rather than bronze.

Anyway, on mornings when I have decided to go all the way and have highlighted and contoured (or evenings) I step away from the mirror and feel nicely shaped and I feel great about my face, especially with my nose, which I have a love-hate relationship with. I'm a little camera shy, so won't upload a close up of my face, but hopefully I get more confident and will be happy to do that! Also, now that summer is almost here, it will look a lot more appropriate (I don’t often wear fake tan so I’m pale as the moon and my face is usually super bronze and glowy and it just doesn’t really go with the rest of me!). I love this product, I reckon I will continue to love this product and hope you all give it a go if you haven’t already, I’ve only heard good things!

Let me know what contour and highlight palette (or even just individual products) are your favourites in the comments below, I love trying new things and would love to know what you use! Also, let me know if you’d like a post about my favourite bronzers/highlighters too and I’ll give it a go!

V x

  

I often go on 'coffee dates' with my mum, regardless if we get coffee or be naughty and get strawberry milkshakes or iced coffees (whatever we really feel like at the time!)

This particular day we had spent shopping in our local shopping center, I spent way too much as always and we had been on our feet for ages so ended up at our favourite coffee shop for a strawberry milkshake & cake treat!

I am super close to my mum (and dad) and I am very lucky for that! I love spending time with her and having our coffee dates / shopping dates so prepare for many-a-post about these special dates :)

This one in particular was nothing of real note, except how good does that milkshake and cake look! It tasted as good as it looks, also, I haven't had a strawberry milkshake, or any milkshake for that matter, in SUCH a long time, so this was so good!!

Do you like milkshakes as much as me? I mean come on, who doesn't?? What is your favourite flavour! Let me know in the comments below xx

I thought I would change up my routine and swap from my usual Stila One Step Correct Primer and try out the Bare Minerals "Prime Time" Primer as I had heard good things and seen loads of people using it. 

I decided against the neutralising formula and I semi-regret that decision as my skin does have a reddish tinge (ok, my cheeks are always flushed red, no matter what time of day it is unfortunately!) and the neutralising formula would have assisted with this issue I have but.. ANYWAY, I love this primer, the original (which I got) has a transparent colour and no real scent which I prefer in face products actually, especially as my skin is sensitive and can't handle overly perfumed products. 

The primer creates a smooth base for foundation application and it blurs out my fine lines around my eyes and forehead, excess oil and enlarged pores and really feels so soft and silky on your skin, especially to the touch. I sometimes get away with wearing this primer alone with some of my Mac Mineralise Skin Finish in light over the top, with a little bit of mascara and my eyebrows done for "no-makeup makeup days" or when I am in a rush for work / having a good skin day (will do a separate post for this).  I find when I wear this primer as a base, my foundation around my nose, cheeks and chin (t-zone) lasts so much longer than without, and as I work in an office environment from 8:30-5:30 a long-wearing foundation is an absolute must for me! 

Next time, I think I will purchase the neutralising formula as I think this will just add that extra coverage for my red cheeks for days where I don't want a full face of foundation (especially in summer). I won't and can't compare it to Stila as they are same-same but different too and I do have an absolute love of Stila products.
 

I would re-purchase though, absolutely. Bare Minerals has surprised me!

Have you used this primer or the neutralising one? What do you think?
Do you like Bare Minerals?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below xx 

The latest purchase I have made are these beautiful brushes by XO Beauty & Shaaanxo. I was after some new brushes for a while, particularly eye brushes, and just did not have the time or desire to spend big bucks on my usual Sigma / Zoeva brushes so I decided to bite the bullet and I placed an order for these! The price was the selling point for me, and of course that they were Shaaanxo's brushes of choice / her own brushes.

My order arrived very quickly, and were well packaged so were not damaged during transit (which is obviously very important!). On first glance, they looked soft, and silky, and good quality and I am so, so glad that impression wasn't wrong!

The brushes are soft, they are silky, they are good quality, they are definitely up there with my usual go-to Sigma & Zoeva brushes, which actually doesn't surprise me as much as I thought it would.

I bought 3 face brushes and 2 eye brushes:

• Round Top Synthetic Face Brush
• Tapered Top Synthetic Face Brush
• Face Definer Brush 

• Round Top Synthetic Blender Brush 
• Tapered Top Synthetic Eyeshadow Brush 

I feel like these are just the start of my XO Beauty collection as well, which I know is cheesy and is obvious to say, but I have had such an amazing experience with them so far and having browsed their website, the brushes all look so good and so necessary!  

I use the Round Top for my foundation application and it applies it so flawlessly, I am a sucker for my Sigma Flat Top Kabuki, and I feel like this does just as good a job. I then use the Tapered Top for blending my concealer in under my eyes which works incredibly well and I use the Face Definer for my contour - which really defines (of course!) the cheekbones. The Round Top Blender & Tapered Top Eyeshadow brushes I use for my eyeshadows, obviously, and are just amazing, they work so well, they apply the eyeshadow seamlessly and blend it out flawlessly and I just can't speak highly enough of them.

I would definitely recommend these brushes, I highly recommend these brushes in fact and I think they'd be the best thing you could invest in.

Have you used XO Beauty brushes? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

N. Nars. Narsissist. The packaging is so identifiable, the products are incredibly.. perfect. Nars. 

Orgasm has to be one of my most favourite colours that Nars produces, the first item I ever bought from Nars was Blush in Orgasm. It provides a natural, healthy colour to the face and you can build it up to be as sheer or as deep as you desire. It has the most perfect silky texture and the slightest shimmer and your skin is left with a radiant luminosity. The colour can appear scary in the pan as it is so deep and so pinky and beautiful, but once on your skin, it looks flawless. 

I loved the blush so much, my next purchase had to be The Multiple in Orgasm, of course! This goes on with a creamy feeling, but dries to a powder finish and looks just as amazing as the blush. The Multiple is exactly as it says, it can be used in multiple ways to achieve endless looks. As I mentioned, it is a cream-to-powder formula which is unique and lightweight and allows it to be easily blended into wherever! It has Vitamin E and Acai Oil and can be worn alone or under powder blushes to add to the intensity. The way I use this, is I apply it with my fingertips along my cheekbones and I blend it by tapping my fingers against my skin softly. I then dust the powder blush over which helps prolong the wear. I also use this on my lips, which leads me to my next favourite! 

The Nars Lipgloss. I got this in the latest Mecca Beauty Box and I have fallen in L O V E. Once I have applied The Multiple on my lips, I apply the lipgloss which is enriched with Vitamin E which is so nourishing and hydrating leaving my lips feeling soft and supple. It also has Sea Lavender (what?!) and has an amazing doe-foot applicator which slides over the lips effortlessly, allowing for a super easy, precise application. It is incredibly long-wearing and leaves an amazing, pinky-peachy glittery (there is no other way to explain it) hue on the lips. 

Nars. I couldn't speak highly enough of this brand or their products. I will be back for more; much to the distress of my wallet! 

Sometimes things just happen that really bring you down and it's a struggle to get back up again, but you do get back up, even if it takes a little bit longer than normal. I do struggle with anxiety and depression, as it seems most people these days do, and some days are harder than others, and I couldn't ever explain this in an eloquent way, so I never have and I don't think I will. We just have to remember, we are not alone in our feelings, even when it feels like we are.

I recently lost my grandmother, it was expected, but also unexpected, and it shook my world; it's a heartbreak that you never get used to, no matter how many grandparents you have lost before. I don't want to say much on the matter, just that as Mitch Albom so eloquently put it, life has to end, love doesn't.

Stay strong, no matter how much life is getting you down.

Jeans, Sandals, Singlet, Cashmere Cardigan - Perfect Autumn Outfit

So, the long weekend for Easter has come to an end and it has been such a lovely Easter. As I get older, holidays seem strange compared to when I was younger, and Easter is no different, but it's such a good time to reflect on the year so far, your family, and all the little things, including sunsets, great outfits, yummy food and chocolate!

As above, I am loving the jeans, casual top and cashmere cardigan combination for winter, it's not quite cold enough all day, so the cardigan can come off but the outfit still looks done! A great outfit that makes you feel good is the best, and this makes me feel good so it's a win-win situation for the onset of Autumn.

The change of seasons also has the sky doing amazing things at sunset, including making the sky go the prettiest shade of pastel pink - it gets better and better every night and as pink is my favourite colour, it resonates with me. Who doesn't love a pretty sunset though! It's my aim to start seeing the sun rise as well, as I imagine it will be just as pretty, and super refreshing with the chill in the early morning air.

Pink Skies

The beautiful pink sunset!

Easter is, when you have celebrated Jesus and gone to church (for me), all about chocolate and chocolate brownies. This Easter was the first Easter in our new home, and was very different for me! I spent Saturday baking brownies (the first batch I have ever made in our new oven!). I love baking, and brownies are something I can do without putting too much thought into it, so it becomes a relaxing thing for me. They also go down a real treat with everyone and that's always the icing on the cake for me, hearing people enjoy my baking :)

Easter Brownie Baking - Success!

Even though I am now 22 years old my family still spoil me and my boyfriend rotten with chocolate I shouldn't eat, but still do, and which lasts me way, way too long (probably better than eating it all in one sitting and being sick!) if I could eat one thing for the rest of my life, chocolate would definitely be way up there as one of the finalists in the contest for sure. The worst part of Easter is that my boyfriend doesn't eat chocolate (or when he does, he is able to control himself and has one tiny piece) which means I end up eating the majority of it all myself - no regrets! 

Do you enjoy Easter? What is your favourite part of this holiday? Let me know in the comments below xo

Chocolate haul - how good is Kinder though

Kinder was my whole childhood and is still the best.

This will take me a while to finish, - chocolate heaven