Saturday 21 December 2013

A Day in the Sun.

Living less than an hour from the beach, a road trip with friends to the sea side is a great way to spend a boiling hot day in the middle of an Australian summer. Lying on the sand hearing the waves crash on the shore has an instant calming effect, removing you from the busy hustle and bustle of the city. There are a few items for me that are essential to having a successful day at the beach.


A beach towel is always requires as it is a great way to avoid the burning sand, while still being able to enjoy the beach.
So that the skin on the bottom of your feet doesn't end up being sizzled by the burning cement or sand, make sure that you pack a pair of thongs, your feet will thank you the next day. I have defiantly forgotten this item in the past and trying to walk after the beach was a struggle to say the least.
I have recently started using little clear ziplock bags to pop all of my more expressive belongings in. This way they are protected from the sand and water, and your touchscreen electronics still remains functional.
In order to capture your amazing day in the sun, make sure to pack your Polaroid camera or your instant camera of choice. The beach was meant to be photographed in polaroids and it gives your pictures a much more genuine feel.
If you want to pop up to the shops during your day, make sure to pack a summery dress that you can throw on top of your togs. The dress code at the beach is extremely casual, so go for something very light and material that will dry quickly.


To make sure that your lips don't get too damaged from the combination of the drying sun and salt, don't forget to include an extremely moisturising lip balm.
Sunscreen is probably the most important item when trying to avoid getting burnt. Make sure you use a product with the highest SPF of 30+ for protection against the harmful rays. I recommend using a face specific sunscreen for your face, as it designed for this delicate skin and is usually a lot lighter, preventing breakouts a few days later. For an added protection you can also use zinc on areas that are particularly prone to burning. For me it is under my eyes and on my nose. Feel free to get experimental and use bright colours opposed to nude.


Now how would a day at the beach be complete without swimwear of your choice are an obvious essential. I recently purchased this spotty bikini off ASOS, which are extremely comfortable and a really lovely shape.
Speakers are perfect for a day in the beach. Make sure they are water resistant and protect your phone from the sun and sand. There is nothing more relaxing than listening to music and lying in the sun on a hot summers day.
So that your eyes are protected from the bright rays, make sure you remember to pack your favourite pair of sunglasses. There are so many different designs nowadays, so there is the perfect shape frame from everyone out there.

Wednesday 18 December 2013

Perfect Skin Dream.

Makeup isn't something that I write extensively about and have a lot of knowledge on. However about a week ago I stumbled upon a makeup product that I felt I needed to share with you. I have quite oily skin, which is not helped by the extremely hot and humid Australian summer. I find that foundations are always a bit too heavy, causing me to break out even worse. I then opted for the tinted moisturiser route, but I find that even though they are much lighter, they don't have the coverage that I need.

So after wanting to try this product for so long, I finally bought it. BB Cream. I decided to go for Garnier's Miracle Skin Perfecter for combination to oily skin in a medium tone. I decided upon this brand after having my friends rave about its benefits, and I think I will be joining them. I am kicking myself for how long it took me to try this product as I have instantly fallen in love with it.

Garnier's BB Cream for combination to oily skin (40mL) - $14
This shade was a perfect match to my skin tone in summer, as I tend to go a lot darker. However I'm sure when winter comes back around, I will be able to mix colour in order to get the perfect match for my skin. The coverage that this product gives is fantastic. The little bit scaring that I have on my face from pimples is almost completely gone, as the BB Cream evens out my skin tone. I have found that I only need to go back on my face using a little bit of concealer on some of my worse pimples. This product is also good at keeping my face hydrated, giving my skin a beautiful healthy glow. As well as this it also contains SPF15!

I think that this product would be great for girls (and boys) who are conscious about their skin for school, but don't want to have to use heavy makeup everyday. It is extremely light on your skin, making you look as though it is your natural skin tone. As well as those dealing with teenage acne, it is also a great everyday product for everyone. Your skin will thank you for it!

Saturday 14 December 2013

Christmas Gift Ideas.

It's less than a fortnight till Christmas and if you are like myself and are yet to buy any presents, here is a list of great gift ideas for your family and friends.

John Green
My last post was about this amazing author and it was only right that I recommend his novels as a Christmas present this year. Green's novels have such a variety of genres, meaning that you can choose the perfect one for each person. I promise that once they start reading his books, it will be hard for your friends and family to put them down.
Lush Products
Lush is a company that makes fresh, handmade cosmetics without testing their products on animals. As well as this amazing work ethic, Lush also has amazing products. I particularly love the Christmas themed bath bombs that they release around the festive season every year. These are a great stocking filler because lets be honest, who doesn't enjoy a bath!
Bath-bomb (Left): Dragon's Egg Bath Ballistic - Citrus Scent
Bath-bomb (Right): The Comforter Bubble Bath - Redskin Scent
Anything Topshop
Topshop has just opened up in Brisbane and it seems to be the only shop that anyone can talk about. I know that if I was given anything from here for Christmas I would be more then excited. Clothes can sometimes be a little hit and miss as a present, but Topshop has a massive variety of accessories including these adorable socks. A perfect way to jazz up a Winters outfit.
Socks (Left to Right): Grey Rabbit in Purple, Digital Panda & Margot's Bear in White ($8 each)
Chocolates
This last one is obvious as everyone loves chocolate!

Author John Green.

I am not a massive reader, and I find it really difficult to finish books if they aren't action packed. However after months of my sister begging me to read a book by the author John Green, I finally gave in and I am sure glad that I did. I know that I am jumping on this bandwagon a little late, but I thought I would share this with the people who haven't read any of his novels.

My favourite genre of novel is dystopian, as I love to read about a present issue that has affected the world that we now live in. They are always full of action, like Hunger Games or Divergent, constantly keeping my eyes glued to the page. That is why I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading Green's novels, as the way they are written, I found it really easy to get lost within these fictional worlds. 

You can tell that this author's mind is filled with knowledge which he shares with his readers, writing it in a way that is understandable to a wide audience. Green tackles issues and problems that many young adults face, taking a fresh and truthful perspective of situations. I found the topics that he chose to write about extremely relatable. As well as this, his novels plots are also vastly different, however his writing style remains the same. It's so lovely not seeing the same formula from an author. This is where I think his popularity lies.

As well as is literary talents, John and his brother Hank also have a Youtube Chanel, which for some reason makes me love him even more. He is a 21st Century author, who has used the power of the Internet for good. I am slowly making my way through my sisters collection of all of his books, and I highly recommend that you get your hands on this fabulous authors work.

Wednesday 4 December 2013

'Tis the Season.

After a year of waiting patiently for my favourite month, thank goodness that December is finally here! The final month in our calendar year, and even early in the shops, revolves solely around Christmas. When my diary flips over to the 1st of December, I am allowed to express my Christmas joy that I have had to store inside me for an entire 11 months. In order to get into the jolly spirit that this time of year brings, I love to place small Christmas themed decorations around the house and my room.


As well as decorations, December is the month for overeating and putting on a few extra kilos. Fruit mince pies are a perfect treat to have around Christmas, either on a lazy afternoon with a tea or spread out to share with friends during Christmas drinks. When these little gems are cooking in your oven, their spicy scent fills the house, creating an almost instant merry feeling. The recipe that I follow is one that I have used for many years and is a favourite amongst my family and friends, so I thought I would share it with you.

Fruit Mince Pies

125g butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 cup plain flour
1 cup self raising flour
410g jar fruit mince
icing sugar for dusting

Cream butter and sugar. Then add the egg and beat well.
Fold both flours into the mixture and lightly kneed pastry.
Wrap the pastry in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F. Grease a 12-hole tartlet pan.
Roll out pastry between baking paper. Cut out 12 circles and place into tartlet pan.
Spoon a generous teaspoon of fruit mince filling into each shell.
Roll the remaining pastry out and cut small hearts, or shapes of your choice. Place the decorative shapes in the centre of the fruit mixture.
Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked. Cool in the pan and then remove to completely cool.
Dust with sifted icing sugar to serve. (Makes 24)



Monday 2 December 2013

Monthly Favourites | November

Flower Headband
With Summer officially beginning yesterday, a flower headband seemed like an appropriate accessory to own this season. I love headbands, as they are an easy way to jazz up a quite plain outfit, adding a burst of colour. I purchased this headband online from Princess Polly for $40. Some headbands can be quite painful behind your ears after longer periods of time, but I have found this one to be quite comfortable so far.
Pink Ice (Pale Pink)
White Skort
I haven't owned a skort in years, and I remember when I was younger I used to be in love with them. When I was browsing online one day, I saw a picture of the beautiful Eleanor Calder (Louis Tomlinson's from One Directions girlfriend) with one on. Then I had a look online and saw that Market HQ had a design available that I liked. So I purchased it online for $60 and it arrived on my doorstep by the end of the week. This will probably be one of my staple clothing pieces for this Summer as it is extremely light and comfortable, and can be easily dressed up or down depending on the occasion.
Skort (White) - Size S/8
Tangerine Nails
Nails is Stage Dive
This would have to be the nail colour that I have been absolutely adoring this month. I was given so many compliments on the colour as it is quite unique. It is almost a fluresent orange, but isn't. I purchased this awesome colour from Topshop fo£5, which at the time was about AU $9. I found that the quality was really good and the colour lasted for quite a long time without chipping. Topshop has such an amazing variety of nail polishes that I know I will be purchasing more of in the future.