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.

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!

Bright Kisses.

Tease                                                                           Ohh La La                                                                         Beehive

I am someone who is not very adventures with there lip colour, as I usually stick with nude tones. However spring and summer are times to be wearing bright colours, so I though what the hell? I'll join in. I purchased a few bright colours from Topshop as they have really nice pigmentation and a really creamy and moisturising consistency. The lipsticks are £8 each, which at the time was about $13.

Ohh La La, Beehive and Tease

The Power of Music.

I am someone who loves to constantly have music playing in the background of my day, no matter what I'm doing. Studying, chores or even when I'm just on my computer. It has the ability to make boring times a little more bareable. However, I feel that once you start constantly hearing music around, it is almost like a drug. Whenever I am out and about, and there is no music playing my life feels somewhat more boring.

Summer and Spring are the times of the year when it is acceptable to listen to your favourite pop guilty pleasures. It is almost essential to have one of these mainstream album's playing while you are lying around the pool. Whenever you heat these pop tunes, you can't help but dance to them. As summer is just around the corner, I have began the transition into the music genre. During these warmer months I have been absolutely loving Katy Perry's new album Prism. It is the perfect combination for a killer summer playlist, and let's be honest, who doesn't love Katy Perry!

During the colder months of the year, in Autumn/Fall and Winter, it's time for your inner hipster can emerge. These seasons require a more chilled out vibe, which alternative music can provide. These are the sorts of songs you want to listen to while snuggled up with a blanket and a hot cup of tea around the fire. The really cold months in Australia are long gone, so I listened to this album a while ago, but I still love it. Gabrielle Aplin's debut album English Rain is the perfect sombre music for the colder months.

Music has the amazing power to change your mood almost instantly. Within ten seconds of listening to an upbeat song, it can have a positive spin on your outlook on life. I think the greatest reason why we love music is it's ability to make our lives feel more and more like a movie, having the very own soundtrack to our life.

Monthly Favourites | October

Summer Sandals
Every Summer I have to buy a new pair of sandals as each year I seem to "over love" them and wear them out. I am a sucker for a comfy pair of sandals that will last me through the warmer months. Now I usually go for a tan pair of sandals, that way they are able to match pretty much any other outfit. However this year I thought I would be a bit adventurous and go for a pop of colour. This cute shoes I purchased from Witchery and were only $80. I don't mind spending a little more on sandals, as I know I will get my money's worth. Also I am loving this lime green colour. I think it perfectly complements the silver.

Sandy Sandal (Citrus) - Size 41

Check Pattern
This fashion season I have been seeing a lot of this check pattern in the Northern hemisphere. So I thought I would be a part of this and I decided to to purchase a cropped shirt for this summer season. When I see this pattern, I automatically think of the Australian bush, as this is the style of shirt that I see a lot of the country folk wear. However the pattern now has more of a fashionable twist. I purchased this shirt online from Topshop. in was £28, which at the time was about $54. I have been pairing this shirt with denim shorts with either the top button done up, for a more "preppie" look, or just with the top buttons undone to be a little more casual.

Short Sleeve Check Shirt (Multi) - Size 10

Converse High Tops
My wardrobe has been desperate for these shoes for such a long time! Even though they are not the most appropriate shoes for summer, I most definitely will find more than a few occasions to wear them. They are a just a really comfortable and casual pair of shoes to wear. Converses are brilliant for a full day of university or any other activity that involves a lot of walking or standing. I managed to find a shop that was having a massive converse clearance. However as the red colour is one of the classic designs, mine unfortunately were not reduced. I was still more than happy however to pay the full retail price of $80.

Chuck Taylor All Star Hi (Red) - Size 9

One Direction Concert
On October the 21st, I went along with my sister to the One Direction concert. Can I say that I was not disappointed even slightly. The five boys bought so much energy to the stage and they bought a different attitude to all the songs they produced. You could tell that they made a really conscious effort to connect and interact with all their loyal fans. The arena that we were in was relatively large, but the band made an effort to connect with people, even right in the back row. The staging for their show was also amazing, having various English themed backdrops. I was fortunate enough to go to their concert last year, and I could see how much the group had developed vocally and as performers. I sure whoever has been to their Take Me Home tour will completely agree with me.

Smoothie Season.

Now I don't know about you, but I feel like recently the latest food craze on Instagram is people posting photos of their smoothies or muesli and yoghurt in a glass jar. You would probably pay around $10 for something like this. So I though that I would buy a little glass jar and make my very own smoothie at home. Don't worry I made sure to throughly wash the jar before I used it.

I absolutely love summer time fruits and berries, they are some of the best available throughout the year. This is one of my favourite simple, yet delicious smoothies. All that you need is a banana, raspberries, yoghurt and some rolled oats. I usually buy frozen berries as they can be quite expensive. Also if you ass frozen fruit, you don't have to add ice-cream in order to make your smoothie icy cold. Then you just place all of the ingredients into a blender and let in all combine. Then poor your smoothie into a glass jar, and feel free to get creative when decorating.

As well as being a refreshing drink, this smoothie is extremely good for. The berries are a packed full of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. All of these help in reducing disease, keeping you healthy during the warmer months. Berries also increase memory capabilities, the an ideal ingredient in any meal around exam times. Banana's store high amounts of energy, which will be able to keep you going all day. They also have been proven to improve your mood, and even reduce PMS symptoms ladies. Yogurt is a perfect source of your daily calcium intake, which is essential for strong bones and giving you a beautiful smile. Finally rolled oats, opposed to toasted oats, contain virtually no fats or sugar, while being filled to the brim with energy. That is why a smoothie like this is an ideal breakfast as it gives you the energy that you require for the rest of the day, or until your next break.