I'll get this right some time...

Hi everyone,
So I've been battling illness (nothing serious), being without internet, computer AND a camera.  It's been very tricky to keep this updated.
Buuuuuuuuut!  I just got my very own laptop YIPEEEEE! And by just, I meant about 2 hours ago. So as soon as I can, I might start doing some video reviews (I'll see how I go, I don't feel very confident in video form) 
Expect something soon
Take Care xoxo

Quick update

Hi everyone!
Sorry I've been absent for sooooo long. It's hard to blog without a computer and wifi :-(
Hopefully this will be rectified within the week and I have a lot of exciting stuff to review and tell you about!

Take care and have a great weekend xo

Delicious Food!

Hi everyone! Just a quick post to show you a delicious (mostly) raw food recipe.

It's for avocado pesto pasta and it is fantastic!

http://chefchloe.com/entrees/avocado-pesto-pasta.html

I'll explain raw cooking in a later post, and my adventures in it!

Hope you're all well xoxo

The Humble Lemon...

photo from Wikipedia

Where I am, it's approaching winter.  It's getting cold!  And unfortunately the cold brings sickness.  I'm doing everything possible to avoid it.  Well maybe not everything, but as much as I can.

My 'sister in-law' has been drinking what she calls hot lemon for a long time (she doesn't drink tea or coffee) and she hasn't had a sick day in almost a decade!  So I thought I'd give it a shot.  Really, what have I got to lose? 

I haven't asked how much lemon she uses, but I found about a quarter has worked for me. 

Basically, what I do is heat a mug of water up in my microwave for two minutes (or boil the kettle if I'm making more than one drink) and squeeze a quarter of a lemon into the hot water, then I drop the squeezed lemon into my drink.  I've taken to adding a teaspoon of honey to my drink, for the extra goodness it brings and for me it makes it slightly easier to drink.  That being said, if I don't have any honey, it's still drinkable without.  My better half drinks it without and so does my sister in-law.  It just depends on your personal preference.

I've been doing it every day (almost) and I have to say it has helped a lot!  Those times when I wake up all sniffly and on the verge of getting a cold, it pulls me back and stops me from going over into sickness.

I'm quite liking my little daily ritual and it's cheaper and better than taking tablets.  And I will continue this for as long as I can still get lemons!

Give it a try (especially when you feel like you're getting sick) and see what it does!

Eat well, drink well and stay well xoxo

Nb.  As stated the photo shown is not my own

Testing things on myself!

Ok, so quite recently I've been moulting.  If you don't know what it is it's shedding hair.  This doesn't sound too bad (it's something we do everyday to a small extent).  But I have been losing a ridiculous amount.

The hairdresser said I shouldn't be worried as it happens, and we do go through stages where we lose more hair than others.  Also, I'm not looking like I'm balding or even thinning.  But, I do feel worried that it might happen.  And it can be quite embarrassing to be leaving pink hairs about the place...  I can't pretend they're anyone elses!

I'm also wanting to keep it long for my upcoming wedding.

I know I can put things on my hair to try to help it, but that can only do so much.  Really healthy hair comes from the inside (same with skin and nails)

I eat a relatively healthy diet.  I eat a lot of vegetables and little junk, with a little treat now and then. I am human after all!

I've been reading what to do to start and maintain healthy hair and one of the things I found were supplements.  I thought I'd give it a go.  Just go down to the local chemist and pick something up, simple really.  I have found that there are a lot of Biotin supplements there, so I decided to go for ones that treat hair, skin and nails, something that all need improving. 

I've been taking a once a day tablet for 4 days now and I've started to notice a slight change in my skin.  It's been nothing major so far, but it has only been 4 days!

I'm starting a log of how it goes.

Skin

Here's a close up...  It doesn't look too bad (thanks to the camera) but it does look a little rough

Here's my bad side.  As we can see it's spotty

And here is my hair.  It's still thick, but I want it to get longer too, and don't worry I'm not drunk or stoned here...  I'm just looking down.  And it's how I look quite often haha

So here we go!  Week 1.  I'll start reporting any new developments, or if there's is anything noteworthy :-)

Anyway, that's all for me now.  Let me know if you have any tips or tricks!

I'm baaaaack!

Hi all, I have been having a bit of a rough trot lately... I've been battling fatigue caused by another problem as well as having to take an unexpected flight interstate for unfortunate reasons. But I am vowing to get back into blogging at least once a week. It's getting late here so I'm not up to writing a big long post (I'm crafting some ideas now mwahahaha!) but if I have access to a computer I'll get some more blogging done over the next few days But just because, here is a photo of me after playing around with foam curlers. I haven't had long hair since I was about 10, so I'm trying to get better at doing my hair :-)

Still need to keep working on it I think... Anyways, good night lovely people xoxo

Blergh!

So it's happened, the first touch of wintery weather and I get some sort of bug!

I'm not up to writing a big long post, so I just want to remind everyone to look after themselves!

Much love xo

PeriPera BB Cream Review-Take 2

Hi everyone,
So my original review somehow disappeared grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, so here I go trying to remember what I said (I may even do it better this time.... maybe)

PeriPera BB Cream

Photo courtesy of Vanity Box

Since I've heard of them, I've always wanted to try BB creams.  The problem with them is I had always found them to be too orange for my skin tone (in other words I looked like an oompa-loompa, and that's not really a look I tend to lean towards).

It wasn't until I read a review from another blogger (and I can't remember who it was!), who had a very similar complexion to me, I knew I had to try it.  And I am so happy that I did

Firstly, I'll just say Vanity Box, the company that I ordered from have AMAZING customer service, as well as very fast delivery time. I even got lollies with my package!  Even though I'm not a lolly eater, I thought it was a nice touch...  And I ate them anyway :-D

The product itself is so lovely on my skin and it gives a great coverage.  It hasn't irritated my sensitive skin and one thing I noticed is it doesn't make my eyes sting, even with the high SPF rating.

Oh and just as a reference, I use the 'Light Beige' shade

But as it's hard to describe how it looks without photos!  Here they are...

Before

Here I am with no makeup Eeeeeeek!  It's a bit hard to see with the quality of the photo, I have a fair bit of acne and redness around near my nose and on my chin.  THe web-cam photo just makes it look like redness...  But I can assure you, that it's worse than that!

After

This is without any other makeup, no powders, eye makeup or concealor.  Quite a difference! If I'm just doing a quick run to the shops or going to a dance class I'd normally just add some mascara, blush and gloss and I feel confident enough to go out (I know it sounds like a lot but really it's a 5 minute prep).  But I think we can all agree that the BB Cream does do a fair bit.

Here comes the Pros and Cons (it's inevitable guys!)

Pros

• A little really does go a long way.

This is how much I used for my "after" face.  To really put it in perspective, I bought this early December, have worn it almost every day since I bought it and it feels like I'm only about halfway through the tube!

• The cost is fantastic.  I'm really impressed with the price, $18.50 AUD, as I can't usually find good foundation for a cheaper price. 
• I really like that it does have such a good SPF rating.  I haven't had a sunburn once when I wear this
• It wears really well.  It lasts pretty much all day
• It doesn't irritate my skin (that's always a great thing!)
• The packaging is beautiful too.  It's so shiny, I couldn't get a photo of it without my own reflection showing!

Cons

• Because of the SPF rating, it can give a slight "sunscreen sheen" in photos.  So it's not something you'd wear for an event where you'd be having your photo taken a lot
• It can have a slightly grey tint to it.  This can be balanced balanced out with a powder or even adding a dot of a warmer foundation
• There isn't a huge range of colours, actually there are only two.  This isn't a problem for me, but it may be for someone with a different complexion.

My Thoughts

If you haven't worked it out, I LOVE this product!  It works perfectly as my day to day foundation.  Whilst I haven't discovered it to have "regenerative properties" I have found it lovely and smoothing.  It hasn't made my skin better, but it hasn't made it worse, and it hasn't been the cause of any breakouts.  For me that is a winner :-)

Would I buy it again?  HELL YES!

So there are my thoughts.  If you try it please let me know

Hope you all have a great day xoxo


Nb.  All photos are my own, unless stated otherwise

Disclaimers: All opinions are my own. All products mentioned have been purchased with my own money. I am not being paid.

Treat Your Skin!

Hello again everyone!

So every now and again I like to 'treat' my face with a peel or a mask, after all, I do mistreat it sometimes *cough cough* a lot. 

Here are the products I use as a treat for myself

Estee Lauder Idealist Action Refinishing Treatment

I looooooooove this product.  I had to search long and hard to find it at a price I could afford, and yet it still wasn't the cheapest.  I do not regret buying it as it is worth every cent and I have had it for  ages and there is still a lot in the tube.

I use this when my skin starts to look a little dull and 'blah', and it leaves it feeling so soft and smooth.  I don't use it as often as it says on the tube as I find overusing can irritate the skin.

I also don't use my everyday Priori products with this as it is too much exfoliation in one go (it'll sting and you look like a lobster.  Learn from my mistake!)

Palmer's Purifying Mask

I love face-masks.  Absoloutely love them, and with this I have tried more than my fair share of them.  There are a lot of good ones out there, for me to write a list would take a life time (so I may always have something to write about here! haha).  I have only just recently started using this one. 

I love that it's a budget buy, it does a great deep cleanse and that it's nice on my sensitive skin.  So for me it's a winner.

I use this about once a week or so.

Well this is just a peek into my skincare. 

Hope you all have a great weekend xoxo

Nb. These are pictures I have found on the web. If you would like to be credited for the photos please let me know

Disclaimers: All opinions are my own. All products mentioned have been purchased with my own money. I am not being paid.

My first week!

Well today marks the one week anniversary of me starting my blog!  Yay me!

I think to celebrate, I may go out, have a coffee and soak up some of this glorious sunshine! 

Tomorrow I'll write about my skin 'treats'

xoxo

Skincare-What Goes On My Face Daily

Hi everyone!  Hope you all had a good weekend.

With my line of work (makeup artist, if you haven't picked up on it yet) I quite often get asked how I keep my skin looking bright and healthy.  Whilst a lot of it is all smoke and mirrors, and diet and exercise, I have found that using the right products have helped no end.

First off, I will describe my skin type (get ready, it's a doozy!)
My main concern is oil and pimples, this results in a fair bit of redness.  I also get a dry top layer of skin on my nose, but I quite often get sensitive skin on my cheeks (usually from the weather or trying out new products).  So if you have a similar skin type, this may be some products you should look in to.

So lets have a look!

Priori Gentle Face Cleanser
This is a beautiful cleanser.  It took a little getting used to as it's non-foaming.  But I found it was so gentle on my skin, and it doesn't strip the skin of oil

Priori Perfection Facial Gel
This is my favourite product!  For me it gives a slight exfoliation, so it helps me keep my skin smooth and really reduce the amount of spots I get.  It can be drying if I don't use enough moisturiser
 

Priori Barrier Repair Complex
A beautiful smooth, non-clogging moisturiser.  This is really needed if you're using the Perfection Facial Gel.  It also creates a beautiful base for makeup.

Palmer's Line Smoothing Eye Cream
This is a product I'm really new to, thanks to an emergency purchase (luggage loss) and I have been so happy with it!  I can't really say it has reduced any lines, as I don't really have any noticeable ones normally.  But my skin feels so soft and smooth around the eye area.  Gotta love a budget buy that works!

Face of Australia Gentle Make-up Remover
This is a nice and gentle makeup remover, that I've recently picked up on.  It's admittedly not the best in (heavy) makeup removal, but it doesn't strip my skin, clog my pores or make my eyes water, which is a nice way to end my day :-)
 

So this is my basic day to day skin care (I will do daily sun protection and make up entries in the future!)

Hope you're all well! xoxo

Nb.  These are pictures I have found on the web.  If you would like to be credited for the photos please let me know

Disclaimers: All opinions are my own.  All products mentioned have been purchased with my own money.  I am not being paid.

So new and already failed!

I had such good intentions in starting this blog!

I've been trying to get good photos and after the last few days trying, trying and trying again... I failed.

I'll keep trying the next few days so I can write a few reviews (and possibly outfit posts).  I'll see what I can do if I can't get decent ones :-)

Until then, have a great weekend!

Look at me, acting like anyone's reading this yet :-D

A Quick Introduction

Hi everyone!
So here I am, new to this whole blogging scene, so I thought I'd introduce myself!
My name is Stephanie
I live in Sydney, Australia
I'm in my 20's ;-)
I'm recently engaged to my wonderful boyfriend (I'm still trying to get used to calling him my fiance!)
I work as a freelance make-up artist and sometimes beauty therapist, and I'm looking at expanding my fledgling business.
I have pink hair (if you didn't guess already!)
And just because you read this...  Here's a picture of me kissing a dinosaur!

Thanks for sticking with me and I'll be back with an actual post soon!

                                                                               xoxo