What's in my Rubbish Bin? #3

There's something so damn satisfying about seeing so many products totally used up.

I am always so sad when I finish a tub of the Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque - this product does wonders for my hair. It's a bit expensive at $32 for 250mL. It is a lot easier to get your hands on these days - when I first started using this I could only get it from Beauty Bay. Now it's stocked at Woolworths! I haven't repurchased this yet because I'm working through some other hair products, but I definitely will be buying this again. 

The Swisspers Dual Cosmetic Tips are absolutely essential to have on hand when doing eye make-up (especially when doing winged eyeliner!). These have a flat oval pad on one end, and a pointy tip at the other end. So versatile, I will forever repurchase these.

 

I've finished up two primers lately; the Face of Australia Face Base Primer and the Make-up Store Vitamin Day Primer. 

The MUS primer is really rich, very moisturising and my favourite primer ever. Unfortunately, it's also discontinued. I hate when companies do that. 

The FOA primer is a dupe for Napoleon Perdis' Autopilot primer. I used to love this, but I think now my skin needs something more hydrating - I find this leaves my foundation looking worse-for-wear at the end of the day. So I won't be repurchasing this one. 

I have finished up the Revlon Photoready concealer - I really like this concealer for my under-eye area. It's creamy and covers up dark circles well, without settling into fine lines. I don't love it as much for covering up blemishes - it tends to cling to the skin, and make pimples look scabby, so I avoid it for that use. I have already repurchased this.

 

 

Brush cleansers! I really like how effective the Napoleon Perdis Brush Cleaner is - it spot-cleans my brushes really well. I just totally resent paying $40 for 250mL when I'm positive the main ingredient is alcohol. For that reason, I won't repurchase it. 

I have also recently finished up the MAC Brush Cleanser -  This retails for $20 for 235mL. I hate the packaging for this - the lid leaks way too easily, which wastes a great deal of product. I also feel a bit 'meh' about the product. It doesn't do a great job at spot-cleaning - it just doesn't get the colour out when using it to clean eye brushes, and it doesn't effectively clean my foundation brushes. So I won't be repurchasing this ever again. 

In better review-news, I freaking love the Loreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil - this is the original formula; they've since released a few different ones. I love this and use it constantly on my hair - after straightening, before blow-drying, after blow-drying, when it's just feeling dry. I love how this restores the smoothness and shine to my hair. I have repurchased one of the other formula types, but I will definitely return to this original one. 

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Lately, in Pictures #68

I have, like, a million friends getting married or engaged at the moment. Which means lots of pre-wedding celebration events. The other weekend I headed down to Wollongong to celebrate my friend C's kitchen tea.  

It's been a few months since I took the long commute to the Gong - spent most of the trip listening to T.Swizzle and sinking my teeth into a new book. I loved the Goldfinch, so J's sister-in-law and brother got me her other book - I'm not very far into it but already love it. Donna Tartt has such a way with words. 

 

I arrived a few hours before the kitchen tea actually started, so I got up with my uni friend, B. He took me to Sifters - one of the baristas who used to serve me at uni, Mel, opened her own cafe out of shipping containers. I'm so thrilled I finally got the chance to check it out - I really miss Wollongong coffee; it seems to be better there than anywhere else.

  

The kitchen tea had amazing food, champagne and tea, and great company - pretty much everything I could want in a Saturday.

 

I found a stockpile of Priceline coupons stashed at various points around my desk - of course I spent them all in one go. I got some more Winter-y coloured nailpolish.

 

 

And speaking of Winter...my nights and weekends have started to look a lot like the above photos; curled up on the lounge with either hot food, hot drinks or a kitty heat pack.

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May Goals

I am still in denial that it's already May... We're more than a quarter of the way through 2015!! 

I spent most of April sitting in front of Netflix, and not much time was focussed on goal-achieving. I'll have to strike more of a balance for that this month... 

APRIL GOALS

- Set a budget.

I have not set a strict budget, per se, but I have been a lot better with accounting for where my money is going, and accounting for upcoming expenses. My last two pay slips have had their dollars allocated, and I feel a lot calmer when I know how that next bill is going to be paid. 

- Sell clothes from wardrobe clean-out

- Do 5 pull-ups

This fell a little to the way-side, and I practically stopped training pull-ups, in favour for handstands. I need to get more consistent with this during May.

- Stretch 5x a week

I totally failed my splits challenge. I had one week off, and then lost all motivation to continue. I'm going to make a more conscious effort with my fitness, including stretching, during May. 

- Set a regular cleaning schedule

- Pay for C's hen's night

Now that this has been paid off, I'm so looking forward to it! 

- Revise my Chinese to send a letter to my penpal in Chinese

- Get my practising certificate and High Court certificate framed

I now have all my certificates framed! I'm so excited to move into my new office at work and have them adorn the walls. 

MAY GOALS

- Sell clothes from wardrobe clean-out

- Set a meal plan

- Return to regular stretching

- Revise my Chinese to send a letter to my penpal in Chinese

- Submit my audition tape for Pole Evolution 2015

- Keep track of all spending transactions

- Save up to buy dress for weddings I'm attending in June

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Her Fashion Box: March 2015

Happy 2nd Birthday to HFB! 

There were lots of goodies in this month's box - the main fashion item included was the soft, neutral scarf (RRP $24.95). Mine is a yellow tinge, which looks a bit different to the one included in the magazine, but it's big and soft and will hopefully provide lots of warmth as the weather gets cooler. 

I love trying different scrubs out, and apparently this one from Naked Harry can be used as a face mask and a body scrub. This scrub is organic, vegan friendly, and Australian owned. We received a 30g sample of Naked Harry Mud, which retails for $19.95 for 100g. 

I also received two of these sample packs from Zuii Organics. There was nothing included in the information magazine, so I'm guessing this was included as the gift for taking part in the monthly review survey. 

This cute notebook was thrown in to the box as a birthday present to celebrate HFB's 2nd birthday. A pack of four retails for $29.95. 

I'm not sure whether the Ribbon Ties count as beauty or fashion, but I love them! These are "kind on your hair and cute on your wrist". I love that they are stretchy, but don't create creases in your hair, and they protect from hair breakage.A set of 5 retails for $9.95.

We also received a 35mL sample of Nivea's Silk Touch deodorant. I really like the smell of this - it has delicate notes of citrus, bergamont, rose, geranium and musk, and I love the way it provides instant dryness on application. I don't really use spray anti-perspirants, but I always keep one in my handbag for freshening up during the day

The other fashion item included in this month's box was this Onyx Ring Set (RRP $12.95). 

I think this ring set is really pretty, and I like the way they all stack together, whilst still remaining quite delicate. 

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