What I Got For Christmas 2014

Well hello friends! Long time no chat! Christmas has quickly come and gone for another year and I can't believe what a year it has been! I've seen lots of 'What I Got For Christmas' videos on YouTube so I thought I would do a post about what I got this Christmas. 

To begin with, my boyfriend got me the most amazing two presents. Number one was The Sims 4. I have been a devoted Sims fan ever since it came out in the year 2000. Yes, I'm a bit of a dork but I couldn't care less! =P The second present he got me was.. wait for it.. The Urban Decay Naked 3 Eyeshadow Palette. I was so excited like you wouldn't believe. He's lucky enough to have a sister who lives in San Francisco who was able to send it over. I can't express my love for it enough!! 

My mum was so generous as well. The first thing I received was the Benefit Hoola Bronzer which I have been eyeing off for so long. It's as good as it's talked up to be. The second was two MAC lipsticks in the shades Show Orchid and Rebel. Show Orchid is definitely my new favourite lipstick! She also was lovely enough to buy me a new perfume. She got me Daisy Dream by Marc Jacobs. Honestly, Marc Jacobs can do no wrong with their perfume bottles. They are absolutely gorgeous. 

I was also lucky enough to be given a little makeup storage unit from my family KK. I was literally talking about buying one the day before and then my wish came true, so to speak. It's just got two wider draws on the bottom, two half draws next to each other above that and then storage for lipsticks and bits and pieces on the top.

I could not be more grateful for all I received and I hope everyone had the most amazing Christmas. I spent the day with family with lots of food and laughter and enjoyed every second of it. Here's to 2015!

Long awaited return...

I'm not too sure how many have actually realised I've been a little MIA lately but I will be back! I work in retail management so I've been extremely busy the past few weeks. Rest assured though, I will be back in full force in about a week or so when I finally go back to my regular hours. 
I've really missed blogging so I'll have lots to talk about once I get back into the swing of it. 
Can't wait till then! xx

Priceline 40% Off Haul

A couple of weeks ago, Priceline held one of their highly popular 40% off cosmetics sales. Of course I couldn't help myself but to drop in and pick up a couple of things so I thought I would share with out what I decided to add to my collection.

Australis Fresh & Flawless Pressed Powder in Darkest Brown
This is one of my favourites. I picked up another one as I had just about finished up another one. This is one of my holy grail powders to set my makeup and for touch ups. I highly recommend it and you can't really go wrong when a sale like this marks it down to $7.17!

Maybelline Fit Me Shine Free Foundation in #330 Toffee Caramel
I've seen quite a few people mention this product on YouTube for contouring so I thought I'd pick it up while it was on sale. It's just a stick foundation that I have found to be easy to apply and super blendable. It's also a perfect contour colour. Still want to play around with it a little more but I'm quite liking it so far.

Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Liner
This is another repurchase. I've had a couple of these and it's just perfect. I'm quite a novice when it comes to applying liquid liner so this makes it so much easier for me. It's just a felt tip liner that disperses just the right amount of product. This is one of those highly raved about products that everyone has in their collection.

Models Prefer Infinite Colour Eye Pencil in Nude Appeal
Another product that I've seen mentioned a couple of times in the land of YouTube. I actually only really had white, black and coloured eye liners but none in a nude shade so I figured I should pick one up. This one is super creamy and the perfect shade to be used on your waterline. Definitely recommend it already.

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Vivid Rose
I've previously picked up quite a few of these lipsticks from Maybelline so I couldn't resist another one on sale. This is a bright pink shade which is perfect for the warmer weather we're moving into here in Australia. These lipsticks have such a good formula and staying power and an amazing price point to go with. Definitely my favourite drugstore lipsticks so far.

Face Of Australia Lip Quench Lipstick in Peaches and Cream
Last but not least is this lipstick. I've eyed it off a few times not being sure if it would suit me but I figured why the hell not this time. It's a gorgeous pinky nude colour which is so suitable for everyday wear or just to pair with a more dramatic eye look. I love the moisturising formula of this one and it also smells quite like the MAC lipsticks which I'm not complaining about. 

Did you manage to get to Priceline while they had their sale on? What did you pick up? Let me know in the comments down below. 

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Eyeshadows

This product is something I've had for ages and still can't get sick of. They're the Maybelling Color Tattoo cream eyeshadows and I currently have six different shades.

The ones I have so far are:

#05 Too Cool
#25 Bad To The Bronze
#35 Tough As Taupe
#45 Bold Gold
#55 Inked In Pink
#70 Barely Branded

These eyeshadows can be used both on their own or as a base for your powder shadows. They work beautifully either way. They're quite creamy, super pigmented and easy to use and blend. I find that if they do dry up, I just need to wipe away the top layer and mix it a little with my finger to warm them up so that they're usable again. 

(From L to R: Tough as Taupe, Bad to the Bronze, Inked in Pink, Bold Gold, Barely Branded, Too Cool)

Maybelline have definitely done well with these and they seem to be quite popular. You can pick them up from Priceline for $11.95 and there's always some sort of sale there too! 

Have you tried this product? Let me know your thoughts and favourite colours in the comments below!

Pole Dancing

Today I thought I would share with you all something I've been doing for three years now. It's pole dancing. I know some people are still a bit funny about this type of exercise but I absolutely love it and encourage people to start up all the time! 

It started about three years ago when myself and a few friends took up one of those online deals for cheap lessons. We just thought, it could be a bit of fun so why not? So four of us started together. As months went on, they all gave it up for different reason. Other commitments, injuries, etc. so I ended up on my own and decided to continue. 

Now let me admit, I was absolutely hopeless to begin with. It took me a good couple of months to even be able to simply climb the pole. I had no upper body strength at all and found it all to be really quite challenging. The key to it is persistence. Yes, it hurts and yes, it's hard but we never said it was going to be easy. 

Three years on, I have learnt so many new tricks, found muscles I never knew existed and it even contributed to my 10kg weight loss! I told you it was great, right?!

So if you ever thought about starting pole dancing, I would absolutely recommend it! It will do wonders for your strength, fitness and confidence. Don't be scared. Everyone else in your class will be on the exact same boat as you!

Monthly Favourites - October

October was full of fun things but now that we've hit November, I've realised how close Christmas and New years are. Where has this year gone?
I've compiled a collection of a few of my favourite things (cue My Favourite Things from The Sound of Music) to share with you all.

#1 MAC Cremesheen Lipstick on Creme Cup

This has quickly become my go-to lipstick when I don't feel like wearing a bright colour. It's such a pretty pink colour, super moisturising and just has a great formula. I can't wait to pick up more lipsticks from MAC.

#2 Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipsticks in Vibrant Mandarin and Hot Plum

For those days when I feel like a bright pop of colour, I've been opting for these two. I bought them a while ago when Priceline had 50% off Maybelline and I've been loving them ever since. The colours are beautiful, the finish is gorgeous and the formula is amazing. Easily one of the best lipsticks in the drugstore.

#3 L'Oreal Infallible Foundation in 140 Golden Beige

This one is the perfect colour for when I'm tanned (which has been a lot lately). It stays on really quite well and has a nice consistency. It blends beautifully and has amazing coverage. Definitely a medium buildable coverage. I love how it doesn't sit on your skin or dry it out. L'Oreal definitely know how to make a good foundation.

#4 Bondi Sands Self Tanning Lotion in Dark

This has been my life saver lately when I've been wanting to wear brighter colours. I just can't do a neon yellow dress with pale skin so this has been amazing. It doesn't leave streaks, gives a nice natural tan and doesn't go too patchy as it wears off. This is definitely my favourite fake tan.

#5 Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser in Aloe Soothe

I recently purchased this after seeing so my people rave about it on YouTube. It's so quick and easy and perfect for use to prolong my tan. You just spray it all over your body and then rub it in. It soaks in very quickly and leaves your skin feeling super soft and silky. Great work Vaseline!

What have you been loving this month? Let me know in the comments down below.

Maybelline Falsies Big Eyes Mascara

The other day I noticed that Coles was having a 50% off sale on all Maybelline mascaras. Even though I usually try and stop myself with mascaras, I couldn't pass up giving this one a go! For $10, I couldn't really go wrong.

This one is a double ended mascara with a normal sized wand on one side meant for you top lashes and a smaller wand on the opposite end which is meant for you bottom lashes. I really enjoyed the original Falsies mascara so I figured I'd love this one.

Not exactly. The top lashes end has a twisted design which I didn't particularly enjoy and is different to the original Falsies. I found that it gave volume but not much length at all which is something I really look for in a mascara. 
However, the lower lash brush was brilliant! It distributes just the right amount of product onto your lashes and doesn't make them look clumpy or smudged at all. 

If this were to come out with just the lower lash brush, I would definitely be purchasing but the top lash brush just doesn't do it for me.

Have you tried this one out yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!

Nails Of The Week

This week I've gone for a purple. I love the formula of these nail polishes as they don't chip too easily and they have a really good consistency. It's the Rimmel Salon Pro with Lycra in the shade Purple Rain. It's a beautiful mid-tone purple that is perfect for this current transition into warmer weather. 

What are you wearing on your nails right now? Let me know in the comments below!

Current Favourite Lipsticks

I've recently bought my first two 'high end' lipsticks and I am so impressed. When I was in Sydney, I picked up a Lime Crime lipstick from a shop called Princess Polly and I've also picked up a Mac lipstick from their counter in Myer Chadstone. 

Firstly, let's talk about the Lime Crime lipstick. I picked up the shade Babette which is a pinky nude. First impressions on this one was that the packaging was adorable. Who can go past cute purple packaging with unicorns on it? When I first tried the lipstick, I was impressed by the pigmentation and how well it went on. The only problem I had with this one was that if I had the slightest hint of dry lips, it wasn't going to work with me. All up though, I am loving this lipstick. It's such a good shade for everyday and it also works with any eye look I decide to do. Easiest way to buy this in Australia is online so check out Princess Polly or just google it and you should be able to find it. 

The Mac lipstick I picked up was in the shade Creme Cup and it's in their cremesheen formula. This is one of their most raved about shades and I can see why. This has quickly become my everyday shade and I am loving it. It's not super pigmented, just a sheer light pink shade. It's moisturising on the lips and perfect for those days when you don't want to wear a bright colour and just want something pretty and natural. 

These two have easily worked their way into my all time favourites. What are your current favourite lipsticks?

Top 5 - Lip Balms

Time to start a top 5 series! I was struggling to come up with ideas on what to post so I figured I could start a little top 5 series for some inspiration!

For this post, we're going to focus on lip balms. A never-ending problem of mine is dry lips. It is the bane of my existence, especially in the awful months of winter! They just wreak havoc on my lips which is so sad because I actually really like my lips (as vain as that may sound) and I like them to look good. 

Enough rambling, let's get started.

#1 Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia

This smells divine! I picked this up from my local supermarket after hearing everyone going on about it and I have no regrets. It literally only costs about $4 and is a life saver for my lips. It's just so smooth and moisturising and you can really feel it doing it's job. 

#2 Maybelline Baby Lips

You either love it or you hate it. In my case, I can't get enough. I reckon I've bought about 10 of these but of course I'm always misplacing them. Again, they're only about $4 and they come in a whole bunch of different flavours(?). They're so good to just throw in your bag or in my case, my a whole lot and leave them everywhere so you always have one! I'll always love these.

#3 Rainbow Nerds Flavoured Lip Balm

This is probably one of the most random additions to this list but I couldn't help it. This one seriously smells like the candy, Nerds. A good friend of mine picked it up from America for me and I can't get enough. I never want it to run out! It smells so delicious and even tastes good too (bonus!). It's great for when you've got super dry lips as it's quite thick and moisturising. 

#4 EOS Lip Balm in Strawberry Sorbet

As you can already tell, I'm a sucker for great smelling lip balms. I loved how cute this one looked so I scoured eBay for one and got it for about $10 (pricey for a lip balm but how adorable is it?!). I find it to be just a really decent lip balm with super cute packaging. Definitely going to need to pick up another soon. Apparently Costco sell them here in Aus?

#5 Blistex

And lucky last, how could I forget some heavy duty stuff? When we're in the real middle of winter and my lips are on serious struggle street, this is my go-to. Just a couple of applications and we're all good. I've been using this since I was about 15 and I'll never give it up.

So that's my top 5 lip balms! What's your favourite?

Bondi Sands Self Tanning Lotion

I picked up this bad boy a couple of weeks ago at Priceline when they were having a 50% off the entire range of Bondi Sands. I have previously only used Le Tan when I wanted to apply fake tan so I thought I'd give this brand ago after seeing so many raving reviews all over the internet. I picked up the Dark shade.

First impressions were good. I liked the simple black look of the packaging with white and blue writing as well as the logo. It contains 200mL of product and smells like delicious coconut. It is enriched with aloe vera and claims to 'leave skin glowing like a day on Bondi Beach.. without the tell-tale aroma of many other tanning products.' Sounds great hey?

I applied it using a tanning mitt to avoid the classic fake tan hands that I really despise. It was super easy to use and it has a guide colour so you know where you've applied it as you go. The first time I tried it I just applied one coat and then slept over night before washing it off the next morning. I was a beautiful shade of tan after this but thought that I would definitely try a second coat the next time I used it. So the next time I decided to tan, I applied a first coat then waited about half an hour before applying a second coat. Once again, I slept overnight as I don't mind doing this. I was super happy with the colour this time. The tan has more of a green base rather than orange like some which makes it appear more natural. The tan soaks into your skin very quickly so you don't have to stand around naked for forever while it dries.

I would absolutely recommend this product to anyone wanting a beautiful, streak-free tan as I had such a good experience. I will definitely be repurchasing this again and again in the future.

Monthly Favourites - September

September has been a pretty good month to me. Work hasn't been too bad at all, I took a weeks holiday and spent a weekend in Sydney. Having a career in retail means it's a pretty good idea to take some time off before the Christmas period starts so it's what I do every year. So before I think to much about Christmas, let's talk about some favourites, yeah? This month's favourites aren't really new products to me but something that I've found myself reaching for constantly throughout September.

Chi Chi Fabulous & Flawless Foundation
A bought this a little while ago when Myer had 25% off Chi Chi as I'd seen plenty of people raving about it on Youtube, especially Shaaanxo. The packaging is really nice, just a really simple glass bottle with a pump. It's super easy to find your match as on each box it tells you the shade and undertone for the foundation. It's definitely buildable and has a beautiful, natural, dewy finish. I would say this is my number one foundation right now as I find myself using it nearly everyday. In Australia, you can pick it up in Target and Myer as well as www.chichicosmetics.com.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Black
This is my favourite black eyeliner I've ever found. It's super creamy and pigmented and so easy to use. I always use it in my waterline and find it never irritates and is easy to apply as it's not hard or super pointy (if you know what I mean). Definitely recommend picking this one up as well as the other colours as they're really affordable and such a good drugstore product.

Girlz Only Haircare Dry Shampoo
Target must have realised how good this product actually was as they've recently changed the price from $2 to $3. Hopefully it doesn't jump up anymore! This dry shampoo is so incredible for it's price. As long as you don't spray it too close to your head, it doesn't really show up in your hair and even if it does you can just brush it out. Using this, I can get away with not washing my hair for like 5-6 days which is so awesome because my hair takes way too long to dry and style. If you're new to the dry shampoo world, go pick this up and see how you like it!

Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Skin-Clarifying Mud Mask
What a mission to say the name of this one! This is such a good mask for the price. I picked it up from Priceline for less than $10 I think. It's just a standard mud mask but I find my skin to be really smooth after using it. It gets rid of all the excess oil on my face and I really like using it if I've got a couple of (rare) breakouts. I've even convinced my boyfriend to use this and he seems to really like it as well! I've used a cleanser from this range and I enjoyed using that too. 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
I LOVE this product. Before this, I never realised how much makeup was being left behind on my face after using a makeup wipe. I still wipe my face with a makeup wipe and then I go in with the cleansing water over my face again and then on my eyes. It's not harsh at all like some cleansers and seems to get off most waterproof makeup as well. It'd be suitable for sensitive skin as well which is great. It's also only around the $10 mark which is so amazing considering the Bioderma cleansing water sells for around the $30 for 150mL less product!


So those are my favourites for the month of September. What were yours?

Garnier Body Beauty Oil Scrub

I made yet another trip to Priceline the other day as I was strolling around the city and I decided to pick up a bottle of the new Garnier Body Beauty Oil Scrub. It is an oil-infused nourishing scrub that claims to exfoliate, nourish and illuminate your skin. It contains four precious oils which are argan, macadamia, almond and rose. 

The first thing I noticed about this product was it's smell. It smells absolutely delicious and the thing I liked about the scent of this product was that it wasn't overpowering which is one thing I love when smelling body products. I mean, who wants their body scrub to overpower their perfume.

After using it a few times, I have definitely noticed a difference. It has made my skin feel significantly smoother and more moisturised. It's not necessarily some sort of miracle product but it definitely perfect so add into your own little pamper routine. 

All in all, I would definitely recommend this product and maybe with more use my skin will feel and look even more amazing (which would be perfect for this time of year)!

Mini Priceline Haul

Today I made a quick trip into Priceline as I wanted to check out the new Australis Velourlips. I've seen them all over Instagram the past week and haven't been able to find them at the Priceline near work so I had to wait until today! 

I picked up two colours out of the give newly released ones. The lighter pink is called LUN-DUN and the darker shade which is more of a coral type colour is MI-A-MEE. I'm excited to see how these go on the lips and how opaque they are.

The other item I bought was the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. This product has been raved about and compared to the Bioderma cleansing water so I had to try it out. Especially because it was 20% off! 

What have you picked up recently?

Xx 

Liebster Award

Up until about a week ago I had absolutely no idea what the Liebster Award was until a lovely girl by the name of Janani (http://www.therealjanani.com/) nominated me for it. It was such a surprise to actually realise someone read my blog so thank you, Janani. The point of the Liebster Award is to highlight new up-and-coming bloggers. It gives readers a chance to get to know us better and is a great way to discover new blogs! 

So now onto the post:

11 Facts About Me

1. I live in the city of Melbourne with my amazing boyfriend and have done so for 2 years now.

2. I've been with my boyfriend for just under 3 years now.

3. I currently own 2 cats but grew up with dogs.

4. I manage a handbag and jewellery store and love my job. 

5. I have an obsession with smelling things which is kind of weird considering I have a really bad sense of smell.

6. I've been dancing ever since I was 3 and currently take jazz, contemporary and pole dance classes. 

7. I'm excited to be a bridesmaid in my life long best friends wedding in 2016.

8. I tend to eat too much chocolate and lollies but don't put on much weight which just fuels the addiction. 

9. I have an obsession with Disney movies (about 90% of the movies I own are Disney) and in particular Tinkerbell.

10. I've been to many, many concerts but don't have much of an interest in them anymore for some reason.

11. I want to travel the world and the top of that list is Paris. 

Now to answer the questions I've been asked!

1. Why did you start a blog?

I really only started this as I tend to have lots of spare time on the weekend and wanted something to do. I've been obsessed with watching YouTube beauty videos and reading many blogs so I figured, why not?

2. Dogs or cats?

Okay, if you'd have asked me this question about 2 years ago, I would have straight out said dogs. Now I've got 2 cats though as dogs wouldn't like living in a small apartment with no backyard and I have to say, I can't decide. They're both such cool animals and are good for their own reasons.

3. Coffee or tea?

I love a good coffee in the mornings and love a nice warm cup of tea at night so once again, I can't decide.

4. What's your favourite food?

You know, I used to love pasta so much and every time I was asked what I wanted for dinner, that was it. Since being with Eli though, we rarely eat pasta so it's not really my favourite anymore. From recently though, I have to say good old fish and chips from your classic fish and chip shop. Delicious!

5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I've never been one to actually want to change anything about myself. I've always been taught to love myself for who I am. Maybe just something like having stronger and healthier hair or teeth or something. I'm not really sure!

6. In your opinion, what's the best blog post you've written (include the link)?

As I'm only quite new to blogging, there's not many posts to choose from. I really liked the post about adopting my cats though as it's something I'm really passionate about and it was completely different to all my other posts. 

http://lifeloveandlipstickblog.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/my-cat-adoption-experience.html

7. Top three favourite bloggers?

Top three would have to be Michelle from beautylifemichelle.blogspot.com, Annabel from http://mascara-and-maltesers.blogspot.co.uk and http://www.thesundaygirl.com/.

8. Would you rather have your hair or makeup done?

That's quite a tough one. I think I'd prefer to have my hair done? I don't know! I mean, once my hair is done, I look a bit more put together and can definitely leave the house without worrying about makeup.

9. What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Something along the lines of, don't let others get you down. Just because you other people want to say silly things and get everyone else with them, doesn't mean that it's true or that you have to hide away because of what they're saying.

10. Have you ever thought about making your blog a full time job?

Absolutely! Who hasn't thought about something like that? Being paid to write about thing your passionate about would not even be work to me. Just a whole lot of fun. I'm open to things like that but we'll see how we go.

11. What's one thing you'd like your readers to know about you?

If there is anyone there, I'm just a normal girl living a pretty normal life with a passion for beauty and life. I just want to write about it and it would be amazing to be able to share that with a whole lot of people.

Now I'm supposed to be nominating people with not much of a following but I can't really think of anyone so if you're new to the blogging world and want to have a bit of fun, I challenge you to this. 11 facts about yourself and then you can answer the same 11 questions as what I did. 

The Rules:

1) Thank the person who nominated you and post a link to their blog on your blog.

2) Write 11 facts about yourself

3) Answer 11 questions that have been set for you

4) Nominate 5-11 blogs with less than 200 followers

5) List these rules in your post

6) Inform the people that they've been nominated!

Thanks so much for reading.

Until next time.. xx

Maybe it's Maybelline..

In honour of the recent 50% all Maybelline at Priceline, I thought I would share with you a bunch of products I've picked up and what my first impressions of them were. 

I had to stop myself from buying more so the items I chose were:

• Fit Me Concealer in Light
• Hyper Glossy Liquid Liner in Black
• Colour Sensational Lipstick in Party Pink
• The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara in Black
• Baby Lips Lip Balm in Mango Pie

Fit Me Concealer

This has to be one of the most amazing drugstore concealers. Not only is it super affordable but it conceals like a dream and is the perfect consistency. Hands down, my new favourite concealer.

Hyper Glossy Liquid Liner

Now I'm no expert in liner and am only really used to Maybelline's Master Precise Liquid Liner but this one I didn't find too hard. It's definitely true to it's name and has a beautiful glossy finish. It dries very quickly and is completely budge proof from my experiences. The brush is quite thin and not too long making the application easy. I can't wait to have a bit more of a play around with this one.

Colour Sensational Lipstick

This is hard and fast becoming my new favourite lipstick. The formula is beautiful and creamy and the lasting power is amazing. I find I only really have to reapply after eating. The colour is a lovely berry-toned pink and is perfect for the autumn and winter months. I would highly recommend this product and I can't wait to pick up more colours from this range.

The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara

Silly me did something I've done before. I picked this one up in the waterproof formula which I'm not much of a fan of. Clearly haven't learnt my lesson yet. None the less though, Maybelline has come through with another amazing mascara. The brush is quite firm (unlike the bendy one on The Mega Plush) and the formula is very black and very buildable. Maybelline seems to be the clear winner when it comes to drugstore mascaras so you really can't go wrong with any of them.

Baby Lips

One of the best lip balms I have tried. On sale, this was only $2 so I couldn't resist picking up yet another one. I reckon I've had all the different flavours (?). They're super moisturing, they smell amazing and you just can't go past that price point. Highly recommend.

Today is the last day of this sale and I am SO tempted to pop in to my nearest Priceline and pick up a couple more lipsticks!! 

Did you make it to the sale at all? What did you pick up?

My Cat Adoption Experience

Today I thought I could change up the pace a little and just talk about my experience in adopting my treasured little kitties. As lame as that sounds, I just wanted to discuss adopting pets over buying them from breeders or pet shops. 

In the past year or so I've had the chance to adopt two little kittens and take them home to enjoy a new life with us so I thought I would share my experiences.

First we found Olly. I've always been against buying pets from pet shops as I can't stand the thought of supporting businesses that lock dogs and cats in glass enclosures with shredded paper as floor and barely any room to play around in. It's just something that I've always found extremely disturbing and cruel. So when I came across the website Pet Rescue, it seemed like the perfect place to find our first fur baby. Every day I would scroll through the pages and pages of kittens looking for their forever home and would just want to take them all home and give them the love they deserved. It was too hard to decide. Then I scrolled past this beautiful Burmese cross kitten with the most gorgeous, heart warming eyes you've ever seen. I stopped right there. I called Eli over to where I was sitting, made him fill in the application form (as I can be horrible with words when I'm filling our formal, more important things) and within a couple of hours we had organised to go see him the following weekend. Olly had been rescued by a group called Geelong Animal Rescue (GAR), a nonprofit organisation run by volunteers where all rescued animals are put into foster homes until they can find a new home. So as organised, that Sunday we jumped in the car and drove out to Geelong to meet the little kitten. We soon saw how much of a loving, smoochy kitten he was and before we knew it we were driving back home with a new kitten in the back of the car. GAR charges $200 for kittens which covers all their vet costs including microchipping and desexing. It may sound like a lot for a kitten that they've just rescued but let me tell you, it is a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a cat you've seen in the window of a pet shop. Olly is now a perfectly healthy, fully grown, handsome 1 year old cat.

Just under a year later, we'd been tossing up the idea of getting Olly a friend. My birthday came along and Eli surprised me with a box full of packing peanuts as well as a little note with a kitten on it, saying that he would buy me a new little kitten as my present this year. I couldn't hold back my excitement and started on Pet Rescue as soon as I could. I also heard through my brother that a pet supplies store called Pet Barn fostered kittens through the Lort Smith Animal Hospital. Seeing as a friend of ours worked there I thought I'd pop in and meet some of the current kittens they had. After popping in a few times, our friend told us of a kitten that had recently been rescued by another employee. She had been dumped at a petrol station to fend for herself. The thought of any little animal being in this situation tug at my heart strings and I was dying to meet her. After all her vet checks and everything at the Lort Smith, she was brought into Pet Barn on a Saturday. First thing Sunday morning I was there and she was adorable. Super shy at first but she snuggled right into me when I was able to hold her. Even my mum (who doesn't really like cats) fell in love with her and even now says that she's got something for her after all that she went through. I went through the application form and was super nervous as apparently someone else had been in not long before me and already applied for her as well. Two days later got the call that I'd been accepted. I couldn't believe it. We took her home the following weekend, took a week to decide on her name but now we have a perfectly healthy kitten who is in a much better place now. Poppy cost us $170 which also included all the vet fees. 

Now I have two adorable cats who I am so happy with and wouldn't trade them for anything. Yes, I sound like the crazy cat lady but rescuing two animals and giving them the life they deserve really made me feel good. 

So if you're looking for a new pet to add to your family I highly suggest doing some research and rescuing a pet from somewhere rather than buying from a breeder or pet shop. Yes, you more than likely won't be able to get the exact breed or cat or dog that you were looking for but at the end of the day that really doesn't matter. What does matter is that you're giving this animal the forever home they deserve. 

Until next time.. xx

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette Review

Yes, you've probably guessed it already. After writing my last blog post, I ended up caving in and splurged on the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette. This is one decision I definitely do not regret. I just couldn't help myself. After writing about how amazing it seemed to be I found myself inside Mecca Maxima in front of the Too Faced stand asking for the palette. 

To begin with, the packaging is absolutely gorgeous. The box that it comes with looks like something out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and the actual palette looks like a chocolate bar. It's a metal casing with a mirror on the inside as well which is always handy. 

The palette contains 16 shadows with a nice mix of matte and shimmer shades. It's such a beautiful neutral palette. You can create endless looks with these and they're all really good for everyday wear. They're all made with 100% natural cocoa powder so opening the palette is a delicious experience. They are buttery smooth and super easy to blend out as well. 

From L to R: Marzipan, Salted Caramel, Triple Fudge, Black Forrest Truffle, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Gilded Ganache

From L to R: Champage Truffle, Cherry Cordial, Haute Chocolate, Creme Brulee, Hazelnut, Amaretto, Candied Violet, Strawberry Bon Bon

The palette also comes with a 'How-To Glamour Guide' which is a little booklet with three different eye looks to get you started. Perfect for those just starting out with makeup or even just anyone stuck for ideas. 

My final verdict is that this an amazing palette and definitely a great addition to my collection. Beautiful colours, delicious scent, cute packaging and just really good quality in general. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a super versatile, neutral palette. 

Palettes On My Wishlist

Everytime when pay day comes around, I contemplate splurging out on a luxe eyeshadow palette but I have to resist the urge and convince myself that I have more important things to spend my hard-earned cash on. It's a little bit sad, but I'm sure on of these bad boys will come into my possession soon when I finally cave in.

#1: Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette

This palette looks so amazing. I've swatched the colours multiple times while killing time on lunch breaks and have had to hold myself back. What makes this even more appealing is that the shadows are made with cocoa powder resulting in them smelling so delicious. There's a nice mix of matte and shimmer shades and they're all so wearable. It's definitely up there on the list.


#2: Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

I have been eyeing this one off since the day it was released. The colours are beautiful and unlike any palette I've ever seen. I've watched countless tutorials on youtube with all different looks that can be achieved with this palette. Let's just say one thing: I am keen.


#3: Stila In The Light Palette

And again, another extremely wearable palette. It's filled with all the best Stila eyeshadow shades and is definitely popular within the beauty community. This one comes with 8 lovely shades in a mix of shimmer and matte as well as a complementing Smudge Stick. It's another palette that I have swatched quite a few times as well and I'm also in love with it. 


#4: Smashbox Full Exposure Palette

Lucky last, is this one. It has 7 matte shades and 7 shimmer shades. The perfect palette. Once again, it is full of neutral shades and can be used to create endless eye looks for both day and night. Such a versatile palette that would be perfect in any makeup collection.



So let's see how much longer I can resist. Considering a Mecca Maxima has just opened near work and they stock Stila and Too Faced, I feel like I'll be snapping one of them up very soon. 
What's on your wishlist?



Note: Photos sourced from Sephora

What I've Been Loving..

So for my next blog post, I thought I'd share with you a few makeup products I've been loving. I narrowed it down to 5 items that I have found myself reaching for quite frequently in the last few weeks. So let's just jump straight into it!

#1: Makeup Geek Eyeshadows

These shadows are to die for. So far, I only have 5 of them but I am hanging out to buy more. They are so smooth and super easy to blend. The pigmentation is outstanding. What gets me is the price. The only way to get them is through the website (www.makeupgeek.com) and each eyeshadow pan is only $5.99. I mean honestly, how can you resist? They have also been compared with the one and only eyeshadows by MAC. If the price, comparison and colour choice can't get you over the line, then I don't know what can!

#2: NYC Bronzer in Sunny

Good matte bronzers are quite difficult to find from my experience so when I came across this one on www.beautyjoint.com for only $2.99, I couldn't resist. It's perfect for contouring and doesn't give off that unwanted orange colour that some bronzers do (unless you apply WAY too much). It also has been raved about on YouTube so it's got to be good. All up this is a perfect bronzer for everyday use and I highly recommend it.

#3: Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

This product is probably one of my all time favourites. It is definitely an essential for any time that I decide to wear lipstick. For one, it tastes delicious. To use the product, all you do is scrub your lips with it and then lick it all off. No complaints from me! I tend to get dry lips quite often so this is such a good solution to the problem. I use it every time I wear lipstick so as to avoid the flaky lips look which is made more obvious with lipstick. All in all, this is definitely a holy grail for me.

#4: MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle

This is one of my most recent purchases. This was my first purchase from MAC and I am in love. I'd never actually owned a highlighter of any sort either so it was an exciting day for me. I find it to be a really nice, subtle highlight that can be used on a day to day basis. So far, so good with this one and I also feel like it's going to last me a long, long time which is great considering the $47 price tag here in Australia.

#5: Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipstick in Calypso

I received this as a birthday gift from my girls at work back in April and I couldn't have been happier. They definitely knew the way to my heart. It is a beautiful bright pink shade and is nice and easy to apply. It has a lovely matte finish as well. The only thing is that it doesn't completely dry, which is a good thing in that it doesn't dry up your lips but if you accidently brush your hand over your lips or something, you WILL get lipstick on your hand. Other than that, I have been loving this lipstick. The colour is gorgeous and the formula feels so nice on the lips.

So, that's what I've been loving lately. What have you been reaching for?