5 Photos that make me happy ♥

Good morning class,

I was tagged to do this post by my wonderful friend and fellow admin over on Girl Related Jordanne who also runs the AMAZING blog A Little Pinch of Wonder

I’m going to tag Beauty and the Mechanic, and a new friend Katie from Plus+ Beauty .

Basically, I’m going to have a wee look through my old photo albums and post 5 pictures that make me happy and tell you why 🙂

DSCF2032dsjfrhfhsf

 

The first photo I chose is literally the first photo Tom and I ever took together and I am pretty sure this was taken on the first or second day we met. (Long story, if you want me to post about how we met then let me know in the comments below – it’s pretty cute!). Anyway I love it because I still feel just as happy, if not happier than I look in this photo 5 years later ♥♥

Continue reading

January Favourites (collab with Irish Beaut) ♥

Good morning class,

This post is exceptionally exciting because not only is it my first ever favourites post – BUT it’s also a collab with the lovely Claire from the blog https://irishbeaut.wordpress.com/ and YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUJuKFOGumHUJ_AlkcgfdFw/featured

irish beaut

She was one of my first subscribers to my blog and I am in love with her accent (and her videos!) So please go and check her out and check out her favourites post over on her blog 🙂

Alright, we have decided to feature not only beauty products but other things we are obsessed with this month too like food, TV shows, songs etc.

I’m going to start with beauty I think because I know that’s what you’ll all be interested in – this being a beauty blog and all.

Continue reading

Trust me, They’re Real! ♥

IMG_2555

Good morning class,

I have been so lucky to receive some goodies from the lovely ladies at Benefit NZ and I’ve taken a few weeks to get to know them, try them out, so that I can give you my honest opinions on them. You know that I wouldn’t review something on this blog if I didn’t like it. Whether I have received it for free, or if I had been paid to talk about it, if I didn’t like the product I would not mention it at all. I have already been approached by a brand who’s products I did not believe in. They will not be featured on this blog.

However, the products I am here to chat about today I do believe in. In fact, one of them especially is a miracle worker, a Saviour and has become like a good friend. I received the Benefit They’re Real Remover and the They’re Real Push-Up Liner two weeks ago and haven’t looked back.

Continue reading

Matte Lip Cremes Part 1 – Australis ♥

IMG_2288

Good afternoon class,

Personally I love to hate (or hate to love?) wearing lipstick. I think we have a sibling relationship. It annoys the crap out of me but I still love it unconditionally. The thing I think that irks me the most about wearing lipstick is reapplying. I NEED to invest in a wee mirror for my classroom at school – that would be a godsend. However at school presently it’s way too annoying to reapply my lippy or touch up my makeup because I’m always so busy and I can’t be bothered taking my wee makeup bag all the way from my classroom to the bathroom. Yep. I’m lazy. But also I think I’d get laughed at. I am one of the only makeup wearers at my school! At least, a full face that is. So basically by the end of the day I look like the witch off The Wizard of Oz… melting. I’m meltingggg!

Where I’m getting at with this wee rant is that the discovery of Matte Lip creams was the purpose of my existence. It made my life worth living again. A lipstick. That stayed put. Didn’t wear off. I didn’t rub it all over my face. I don’t get it on the mugs at school. I barely need to reapply. Alleluia!

I’m going to talk today about one of my favourite brands of matte lip creams – the Australis Velourlips. Note: this is part 1, which means yes! There will be a part 2 and perhaps even a part 3 so stay tuned for that!

I first heard about the Australis Velourlips when they were released in NZ as a free gift with the “Girlfriend” magazine which is a teen mag here in NZ/Australia. It felt weird buying 2 copies of this magazine aimed at 13 year olds with a huge picture of Tay Swizzle on the front but I did enjoy reading about 1D. Plus I was able to nab two of the three colours released with the magazines. A bright pink called “MAL-I-BOO” and a bright orange called “RIO-D”. The pink itself got me hooked. (I get the chills over bright pinks). Since then I’ve purchased 3 more shades and I have another one in the mail (haul coming soon).

From bottom to top: PAR-EE, HO-CHEE-MIN, LUN-DUN, MAL-I-BOO and RIO-D

From bottom to top: PAR-EE, HO-CHEE-MIN, LUN-DUN, MAL-I-BOO and RIO-D

I absolutely love these lip creams because they do last a really long time on the lips. They’re creamy, they’re cheap as chips (around $14 at Farmers or Kmart, $9.95 in Australia), they have heaps of shades (and are about to add some more!) the packaging is simple and sturdy AND they’re kiss proof 😉

Continue reading

February Wish List ♥

Good afternoon class,

Today I thought I’d compile a list of all the things I want in February (hopefully you’ll see some of these products in haul posts coming soon). For a start I feel like it’s good getting them down in writing so that I don’t forget and buy something completely unnecessary. Secondly, I personally find these posts inspirational (hehe) and they help me remember things I have that I’ve forgotten about or things that I didn’t know I needed. Without further ado – here goes.

 

Stila Stay All day Foundation & Concealer (*not my photo)

Stila Stay All day Foundation & Concealer (*not my photo)

Stila Stay All Day foundation & concealer in Bare ($61.45)

I have been lusting after this mysterious product ever since it started becoming talked about. I say mysterious because the reviews I’ve heard are mixed… however I want it all the same. I worked out my shade on www.findation.com and decided that I straight up needed this product.  Anything that says it’s going to “stay all day” is something I need on my face. At school it’s so hard to keep your makeup looking perfect because you’re dealing with a hot classroom, grumpy kids, high stress (at times), lots of movement and I’m always touching my face!! I’ve been eyeing up this product on ASOS and it was on special last week! But I’d already spent my money on other things (haul coming soon). I also love the idea of having a concealer in the lid of the product – how cute is that?! Would be handy to keep in my desk at school. Continue reading

First Impressions… Benefit ‘Stay Don’t Stray’

Benefit Stay Don't Stray

Good afternoon class,

This week I was lucky enough to get my hands on a well-loved product created by the lovely ladies at Benefit Cosmetics. To be totally honest, I hadn’t heard much detail regarding this product so I don’t really know what to expect. However I am currently writing this blog post as I am trying this out for the first time…

Looking at the packaging I am quite impressed. For a start, I had no idea that this was not only an eyelid/eye shadow primer but it also can be used under the eyes to help your concealer stay as well! That has just made me like really excited. I have found my concealer looking a little cakey and creasing like an old woman underneath my eyes lately so this product has arrived just in the nick of time!

I absolutely love the size! I had no idea it would be this big! It’s ginormous! I feel as if this product will last me for forever. I don’t have a concealer this big and I figure I’ll be using about as much as I’d use of my concealer each day (maybe a little more for the eyelids). Opening it up I see it has a doe foot applicator (is that how you say it? It sounds wrong but let’s just roll with it) which I absolutely love! I love using this type of applicator for concealer because it applies so easily and there’s always heaps on the wee doe foot top part so you don’t need to keep pumping the applicator in the product and getting air trapped inside. I’m finding it a little bit hard to close the lid properly? It’s one of those situations where it doesn’t like going all the way down but I can live with that. Continue reading

The best powder in the entire world ♥ Giveaway! ♥ // Closed x

Australis Fresh & Flawless

Australis ”Fresh and Flawless” powder in the shade “Natural” ($18NZ at Kmart)

Good afternoon class,

Ahhh writing this post makes me feel sort of content and warm and comfortable inside because I am so SO SO incredibly in love with this powder that I can almost hear the wedding bells ringing and I’m just so excited to spread the love and tell you all about it too!

I remember the first time F&F and I laid eyes on each other… it was after hearing rave reviews on the likes of ‘Girl Related’ and ‘Makeup Obsessives’ on Facebook and I immediately went on a mission to K-mart to get my little white double-jointed fingers on this beautiful bounty. From that moment on I knew I’d never try another powder again. Of course I have tried other powders, because you guys know me and you know that I just can’t help myself, BUT they’ve never been as good as the Australis Fresh & Flawless powder.

I remember the urgency to buy another powder when I hit pan, and once they ran out at my local Kmart and I could not even go about my daily life as every second was spent with worry for what I would do when I ran out completely. Now, of course, I’ve got a million back-ups and I order in bulk from Australis’ website. However, they only ship to Australia so I have to ask my uncle very nicely if he can bring my beloved haul back to Auckland. Continue reading

GET ON MY LIPS


Urban Decay Revolution LipstickUrban Decay Anarchy lipstick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good afternoon class,

I have decided today to chat about a product that brings a bit of a tear to my eye. Why? Well for two reasons. One being because it is so fantastic of course, and the other being because it’s oh-so underrated! And to be quite honest, I don’t know why it’s underrated (apologies to my students for starting a sentence with “and” – oops!). I mean it’s a decent brand, it’s readily available, so WHY do I never hear about it?

This magical, mysterious product is the Urban Decay ‘Revolution Lipstick’ and mine is in the colour ‘Anarchy’. These retail on http://www.beautybay.com for $27.50 AUD and can be shipped internationally.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick Swatch Continue reading

Mascara Madness

Jordana Benefit They're Real Collection Does It All Too Faced Better Than Sex

From top to bottom; Too Faced ‘Better Than Sex’ mascara ($29.60AUD), Benefit ‘They’re Real’ mascara ($45 NZ), Collection ‘Does It All’ mascara ($17.49) and Jordana ‘Best Lash Extreme’ mascara ($3.59 US).

Good afternoon class,

Keeping on with the theme of comparisons on my blog currently, I thought I’d chat to you today about my favourite mascaras. Lashes are super important because we use them to flutter at potential suitors, they help us perfect our sarcastic eye roll and personally, I need to compete with some of my students because little boys seem to have the most beautiful thick, long eyelashes (unfair!). I am super picky when it comes to what I’m going to put all over my eye area and especially the concoction I am smothering all over my lashes but these four mascaras have stolen my heart and opened my eyes (literally). Continue reading

BH Blush Bounty

BH Cosmetics Blush Palette Glamourous

 

Good afternoon class,

Ahh blush, it has the power to make you look angelic, embarrassed, child-like, hot, orange, glowing or potentially, sunburned. What a lot of power that is. I can almost feel the rays of emotion coming from this palette.

 

Today I’d like to chat to you about this blush palette I received recently from an order on Beauty Joint (www.beautyjoint.com). It is the BH Cosmetics Glamorous 10 Blush Palette. I have heard really great things about BH cosmetics so I thought I’d give it a wee go (why not eh?). I have always wanted a blush palette purely because I always buy pink blush shades and I wanted to mix it up a bit. I love this palette because it’s so cheap – so I was able to justify my purchase of $13.29US on an entire palette – even though I may not use all the shades!

The worst thing about this palette is that the shades don’t have names so it’s going to be difficult to describe which shade I’m referring to but hopefully we will get there and if that’s the worst thing then it must be pretty fab!

The packaging is very simple and sleek, it’s nothing special really. As a warning – it is quite thin and I feel as though it could break fairly easily. Or at least it probably isn’t great protection for your blushes. That being said, I’d recommend not taking this one away travelling with you, and be careful where you store it.

I was most excited to get this palette because of the gorgeous lavender shade in the bottom middle. Like, what? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a blush in that shade before! It is gorgeous. I have no idea what it would look like on the cheek (perhaps like I’ve smothered lavender flowers over my cheeks) but it’s gorgeous all the same. Continue reading