Where Do I Go From Here...

Not gonna lie, I've hit a blogging wall. Im not liking all of my content. I'm getting bored. I want to take my blog in a new direction but I'm just not sure what that direction will be.

I don't have a niche. I don't want to be categorised into one style of blog! I like beauty, I like cooking, I like travel, I'm on a weightless journey, I'm about to start some renovations on my house and declutter/restyle some rooms and I want to document it all!

I want to talk about meal planning and show you all my favourite healthy clean eating cookbooks!
I'd like to do "what I eat in a day" videos/posts.

The ideas are there, I just need to organise myself and figure out how to make a routine of it all, along with everything else that needs doing around the house!
#lifelessons

I want to up my photography game!
I love browsing blogs with gorgeous photos to go along with their ramblings and I'd like to try my hand at vlogging (although I'm not sure how I would handle talking to a camera in public lol)

As you can see if you've popped by before, my blog has had a bit of a makeover. I was hoping a change of scenery would inspire me to sit with my laptop a bit more and get creating!

Here's hoping!

I'd just like my blog posts to help the people reading them. I want the reader to be able to take something from it. Otherwise they just turn into a bragging session.

I hope me posting this and being able to re read it, inspires me to work a bit harder towards getting this little space of mine to where I can envision it.

So for now, I'll sit and think of the things I want to create and work towards making them a reality!

Watch this space!

Xx

Product Review || Healthy Food Subscription Boxes

I'm back with a foodie post!!

I'm here to tell you about 2 different healthy food subscription boxes!
Now I'm a massive beauty lover, but I love trying out new food more, BUT! at the same time, watch what is going into my belly and making sure its good for me.
That is why I have chosen food subscription boxes that contain HEALTHY products.

The two I purchased to try out are Goodness Me Box and The Sugarfree Box.

Lets start with the Goodness Me Box.

Full of yummy clean eats each month, this healthy box of treats is $25 per month with free shipping. You can also choose to purchase a quarterly, bi-annual or annual subscription which in turn, drops the price of the monthly box.

With all items, they must fall into at least two of the following categories to be included: organic, sustainable, raw, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free or vegan.

With 6-10 picks in each box each month, this one is definitely value for money (June box actually contained 11 items!)
Adding the RRP of all full sized items (only 2 were small samples) it was around $40 in value, so straight off the bat, you are almost getting double your money back in SNACKS! Who could be upset about that??

Inside were the following goodies.

1.   Hart & Soul: Coconut Lentil Soup. $3.99
2.   Dr Karg's: Organic Crispbread. (Classic 3-Seed) (200g pack) $6.95
3.   Flavr: All Natural Water Enhancer. (Vanilla Lime) $5.95
4.   Well Naturally: No Sugar Added Dark Chocolate. $2.80
5.   Qi Tea: Organic Relax Tea. (Orange Chai) $4.99
6.   Live Organic: Extra Gentle Shea Butter Natural Soap. (90g) $5.99
7.   Celebrate Health: Organic Coconut Water. $3.00
8.   The Health Food Guys: Raw Protein Bites. (Coffee & Wattleseed) $4.50
9.   Leda Nutrition: Banana Leda Bar. $1.90
10. Pure By Phytocare: Papaya Ointment. $8.95
11. Blue Dinosaur: Paleo Bars. (Mac' Lemon) $3.95

Sooooo, as you can see... REALLY great value for money! Lots of little goodies to snack on and try! I haven't tried any of these bits before, except the sugar free chocolate (which was mint flavoured and I wasn't the biggest fan of it)

For a first impressions box, I'm loving it! So many cool bits inside and nothing that I wouldn't try out! I will definitely be keeping this box for a while longer!


Next up is the Sugar Free Box.

Sugar free box is pretty self explanatory. It's full of healthy goodies that are close to or 100% sugar free!
All products need to contain less than 5g of sugar per 100g and be free of hidden sugars and artificial sweeteners.
You can also get a vegan version of the box.

Same deal as above, you can do a month to month sub or you can go quarterly, bi-anual or annual.
Although there is the exception of getting the jumbo box for $39 per month (free shipping) OR you can go for the mini box at $25 per month. Stated as "all of the faves of the jumbo box, packed in a little box"
I went for the jumbo box and inside I received the following:

1. Mingle Seasoning. 120g $12.95
2. Nutrition Warrior: Super Protein Blend. 50g $7.95
3. The Haus of Health: Bean Bonanza Food Toppers. 100g $5.50
4. Matka Organic Blend Tea. 75g $22.95
5. Crazy as a Coconut: Coconut Oil. $1.50 per sachet.
6. Caveman Food: Lamb Coconut Curry. 400g $12.50

RRP of this box adds up to $66.35, so again, great value for money!

If I were to choose between the two, I'd have to say I was far more impressed with the Goodness Me Box. I think it's because it's full of more snacks than anything else.
Although I thought last months Sugarfree Box was better than this months.

I think July will be the decider if I keep the Sugarfree Box or just stay with the one.
Goodness Me Box's July box is going sugar free! SO! it will be the ultimate battle!

Have you tried any kind of food subscription services before?

Do you have any you'd like me to review?

Leave me a comment below!

Xx

*Disclaimer:

These subscription boxes were paid for using my own money and are not a paid advertisement for either company. I genuinely like to read reviews on things before I purchase and get a little more info or insight into the product.

Product Review || Royal Essence Candle

I'm back with something I'm pretty excited to tell you about!

I was lucky enough to be contacted by the lovely people at Royal Essence to try out one of their beautiful soy wax candles.

Umm... Of course I wanted to!! I consider myself a bit of a candle connoisseur. AKA i own and burn a lot of them.
The thing that makes these candles different from all of the others on the market?
THEY HAVE JEWELLERY INSIDE THEM!!

With a number of different scents to choose from, there's something for everyone. From sweet desserts, to juicy fruits and earthy freshness. Such decisions!

My final choice of fragrance was based on the fact that I had never seen another candle that was scented with WHITE CHOCOLATE!!!
I mean come on, how could I resist??

The Royal Essence candles are Australian made (big plus!) and hand poured with 100% soy wax with a natural cotton wick.
Now the jewellery (rings, necklace or earrings) hidden inside these candles can be anything from a $10 piece of costume jewellery made from alloys (lead and nickel free) to sterling silver pretties to a 14K gold ring with a value of up to $2000!
Pretty frickin' impressive!

I was literally like a child looking out the window, waiting for the postman to deliver this package so I could light it up and get to that buried treasure!!

The white chocolate scent is to die for! I wouldn't say it smells like a block of Milky Bar, but it's definitely a chocolate/vanilla swirl that isn't sickly and leaves a beautiful scent around the home.

Now I don't know if i was just a lucky one, but I read that some people had to burn their candles for days before the little silver parcel inside was revealed. Total burn time for this monster is up to 80 hours!!
I'd say mine was burning for around 3-4 hours before the top of the silver foil was showing (It was only around 2 cms from the top) All it took was a pair of tweezers and a little wiggle and out came the gift!

I'm going to be 100% honest. I wasn't expecting much when it came to the gift inside. But when I unraveled that little silver parcel, I was SUPER chuffed with what I found!!

Hidden inside a little clear ziplock bag wrapped in tin foil was this absolutely beautiful silver ring!! 

Enclosed was a little note that read: "CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE WON A $100-$500 JEWEL! POST THIS TAG WITH THE RING ON OUR FB FOR THE RRP"

I quickly snapped a pic and inboxed Royal Essence on Facebook to ask for the details in private, as I wanted the reveal to be left for the blog!

I couldn't believe it when I heard back, that this ring is 925 Stirling Silver with Swarovski elements with a RRP of $325!!!

I actually couldn't believe it... This is genuinely a ring that I will definitely wear and I was so shocked  that I received it! 

And even more exciting was the fact that it fits my chubby fingers!! haha

These would make absolutely amazing birthday presents for friends and family. I am really impressed with the quality of everything and will definitely be buying more of these in the future. 

The cinnamon donut and strawberry cheesecake scents sound so good.

If you would like to try these out for yourself, Royal Essence have a weekly giveaway on their website! They give out 1 ring candle a week and also have some other neat prizes like:

* 4 x jewellery candles valued at $44.99 each (with free shipping)

* 12 x rings valued at $25 each. 

* 50 x 15% off gift vouchers. 

All you have to do to join is head to www.royalessence.com.au/giveaway 

It's as easy as that!!

Be sure to check out the website www.royalessence.com.au and their Facebook page for sales and other peoples cool ring reveals!! http://www.facebook.com/royalessence.com.au

Have you tried any of these Ring Candles before? What is your favourite scent? Or which would you choose? Leave me a comment below!

Xx

* This product was kindly gifted for my consideration. I am under no obligation to share this if it was not something I was genuinely interested in. Anything that makes it onto Eclectic Clash is 100% awesome in my opinion! 

Product Review || Rimmel The Only 1 Lipstick

I love a good drugstore product and I'm a huge fan of Rimmel. So there was much excitement when I was kindly sent the newest lip editions to their collection.

These are "The Only 1" lipsticks. With 12 shades in the line, there is bound to be something in there to catch your eye.
I am absolutely loving all 6 of these shades, especially the two red hues.

The formula is extra moisturising on the lips, containing rosa fruit oil and vitamin E.
It glides on easily and doesn't feel heavy on the lips.

Pigmentation get an A+. These colours are all intense and definitely high impact, super fun and very true to the colour of the bullet. One swipe and you are set!

It is also long lasting and does a pretty good job of staying put while you eat.
I would say it is a semi matte formula, it doesn't dry on the lips but doesn't feel like it's going to slide around on your face either.

A little negative I have with them would be the scent. In my opinion they're quite strong smelling. It's not an offensive smell by all means (it smells like the Rimmel wonderlash lift me up mascara)
The cucumber (ish) fragrance is just a little overpowering when you take off the lid.

You can't smell it once on your lips and you can't taste it, so it really is only a tiny little downer.

The colours I have tested out are:

110: Pink a Punch
What I can only describe as Barbie pink. Bright, vivacious and perfect spring summer colour.

120: You're All Mine
A touch more of a rosy pink but still packs a punch! I think its a perfect everyday pink.

510: Best of the Best
A gorgeous blue based red. A traditional classic and my standout pick of the bunch.

620: Call Me Crazy
A zesty full on orange! Loud and proud this is a perfect summer shade.

710: Easy Does It
The nudey brown of the group. This is a beautiful pinky/brown nude with a slight shimmer, another everyday fave.

810: One-Of-A-Kind
A beautiful deep cherry red. Perfect Autumn shade!

A great affordable lippie that you can find almost everywhere! RRP is $15.95 but Chemist Warehouse and Priceline always have sales on.
Well worth the purchase in my eyes.

Let me know what you think in the comments or give me a shoutout if there are others you think I should try out.

Xx

Celebrate Australia Day In Style || With Farfetch.com

Hey guys!

I'm back and I'm still alive!

The festive season left me with zero time for sitting on my behind and getting creative. The new year hasn't been much kinder to be honest. 

My job is literally eating up 95% of my day, leaving me with a few hours of a night to catch up on everything else that needs to get done.

Some serious organisation skills will need to be acquired to keep some sort of flow going. I will try my best!

Today is all about Australia Day. A day of celebration. Getting together with your mates, having a few cold bevvies and a BBQ and if you're anything like me, you will have Triple J blaring, counting down the Hottest 100 songs of 2015!

This year, because I've been away the last few days and having to work tomorrow, today has consisted of grocery shopping, house work and food prep. WOO! At least I've got the countdown to keep me pepped up!

Lets just pretend for a minute that I had some really fun party to go to today. I'm thinking in Melbourne, some hipster pub listening to the count down in the arvo then onto a club after sundown..

I've teamed up with farfetch.com to pick out my ultimate Australia Day outfit. 

Drumroll...

I am obsessed with this whole outfit!! Everything screams luxe but still casual enough for a backyard party or a night out in the city. The mesh skirt teamed with the casual T is definitely my style. the gold accessories and over the shoulder bag all top it off and make for a sweet combo. The sunnies need to be mine! I am crushing on these guys so bad!!

I had so much fun putting these pieces together. 

If you're interested in some luxe pieces for yourself check out farfetch.com

Beauty Review || Renewed Hope In A Jar. Dry...

Ever since I was a teenager, looking after my skin had never really been a thought of mine, until I finally started to realise I am now closer to 30 than I am the side of forever youthful skin! So insert the hunt for some skincare that no longer consists of the oil free, acne fighting, skin stripping ingredients I thought I needed back in the day.

Fast forward to now, I would say my skin is more on the drier side. I still get the odd blackhead or pimple in that crease below your bottom lip, but apart from that I now need the kind of skincare that is going to brighten, nourish and HYDRATE!

That's where this little gem comes in.

The Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar Dry found itself in my life to test out and try and I must say I was very much a fan from the moment I tried it on the back of my hand.

This is a super nourishing, lightweight, yet very hydrating creamy moisturiser with a really lovely scent. It sinks into the skin making it feel so plump and supple after you've used it. I think it definitely leaves you with glowing skin. It became a firm favourite in my nightly skincare routine.
It could definitely be used day and night but I prefer my SPF daily moisturiser for the daytime.

I think they have described it down to a tee on the packaging. Refreshing and refining. This cream contains a triple blend of AHA's which help to exfoliate and renew the skin cells. Don't be scared off by this! This is what gives you that beautiful glow!
I sometimes have a little skin sensitivity, when it comes to harsh exfoliators (even some cleansing wipes can sting my skin)
This cream has caused no redness, stinging or discomfort whatsoever. Just pure, lush, soft, yummy skin.

One important thing to note when using anything with AHA's is to make sure you wear an SPF out in the day time as you may burn a little easier with the fresh new skin being uncovered.

There are literally no negatives towards this cream for me. I did a little research online and did see that a few people didn't think it was as good as the original Hope in a Jar, but I cannot make comment on that as I had never used it.

This beauty is available online at adorebeauty.com.au for $55AUD for a 60ml jar.

I am super keen now to try other Philosophy products. I think the next purchase will be the matching eye cream.

Have you used Philosophy before? What's your favourite product? Drop me a comment, I'd love to know!

Xx

A Mini American Beauty Haul

Hello again!

I think I am finally (after being home for a week) settling back into some sort of normal again, which includes getting back into my blog!

If you guys didn't know, I was lucky enough to jetset around the states for 4 weeks with my boyfriend on one hell of a holiday!

I have been dying to try out all of my new beauty goodies I purchased on holidays, but wanted to leave it until I could grab some snaps! #bloglife

I really didn't buy a whole lot this trip for a couple of reasons.
1. I have a LOT of makeup already that I don't really use/have occasions to wear/ forget is there and
2. The exchange rate absolutely sucked this time around. Stuff that is normally cheap in America was either more expensive after I converted it back into Australian dollars or around the same price that I could grab it back home.

I did however grab a few pieces that I couldn't get back here in Oz or that were still cheaper after working out the AUD pricing.

Lets start with the pieces from Bath and Body Works. These bits are hard to come by in Australia, however you can grab selected bits from Bath Body and Home.
I picked up 3 travel sized products as they had a promo going, plus they're just easier to cart around. The first is the Velvet Sugar fragrance mist. I had purchased the body wash from Bath Body and Home a while back. This smells SO nice! super sweet. It reminds me of those red love heart lollipops I used to get as a kid!! (who else remembers those??)
I also got the Warm Vanilla Sugar scented body wash and lotion. A lovely sweet but subtle scent.
Then last but not least the hand sanitisers. I love that Bath and Body Works make so many different scents. It's nice not to have to smell so antibacterial after you sanitise your hands. I got the scents Cosy Vanilla Cream and Berry Scary.

Next up are the bits I purchased from Walmart. This is where I found things were still a fair bit cheaper than home and a couple items I hadn't seen in our stores yet.
I got the L'Oreal Miss Manga Rock waterproof mascara in Blackest Black. I had heard good things about the regular Miss Manga mascaras and these were only like $7 USD.
I also grabbed the L'Oreal La Lacque lip crayon in the colour 203 Lacquerized. A glossy fire engine red.
I picked a Milani Powder Blush in the colour Romantic Rose. The picture doesn't really show its true colour but its a lovely dusky rose.
I stocked up on some more Vaseline Lip Therapy Pots. This one is the cocoa butter scent. If you follow me on instagram (@eclecticclash) you would have seen me raving about the creme brûlée flavour.
The last one I'm really excited to try! The Jergens Wet Skin Moisturiser with added coconut oil. If you're a coconut scent fan, you will love this. Perfect for the warmer weather! (when it finally decides to make its way to Victoria...) It's a little different to the Nivea after shower lotion as you don't have to rinse the Jergens lotion off. Just shower, turn off the water, apply to wet skin then pat dry. Sounds really great to me!

Finally I have the bits I grabbed for myself from Sephora. Let me tell you I restrained myself HARD in this store. I wanted everything! I did however grab mainly Kat Von D things as you just can't get them in Australia (apart from Sydney Sephora, which don't do internet orders) I am eagerly awaiting the Melbourne grand opening. This girl will take the day off work if she has to to be there! #eagerbeaver
I purchased one of her new Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks in the colour Outlaw a beautiful traditional blue based red. I could have lashed out and bought majority of the colours available, something for everyone. These are my favourite kinds of lipsticks. Matte and SUPER long-lasting. The swatches on my hand lasted all day long. Perfect for a night out!
I also got a regular Studded Kiss Lipstick in the colour Motorhead. It's a gorgeous matte wine/plum/burgundy red/purple it transfers a lot lighter than the colour of the bullet.

Now I knew before I left home that I wanted to get a Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. This is a lot of YouTuber/bloggers fave liner on the market. BUT! There is a new kid on the block. The Ink! Liner. I thought when I picked it up that it was the same thing but I asked the lady working there at the time if there was any difference and she swatched them together.
This new ink liner is SO much more pigmented than the tattoo liner and it literally does not budge. I can definitely see the hype about her products.

Now this last one was a bit of a splurge for me. I'm not normally a big spender when it comes to makeup. I like my drugstore products but I just had to come home with a Naked Palette. After much deliberation on which one I would get I settled with Naked 2 as i thought I'd get the most wear out of those colours.

And that was my little haul! Very paired back for someone like myself but I'm really happy with all my bits. Besides, this trip was more about just getting away and enjoying each others company and the locations (and lets be honest, THE FOOD) than spending all my money on things I really didn't need.

Let me know if you've tried any of the above or if there's other things you'd like to recommend!

Xx

My Long Haul Flight Beauty Essentials.

EEEEP! It's almost that time to start packing my stuff for my trip away!! SO excited but also a little nervy. Im not really sure why I get like I do, but I freak out that I'm going to forget to do something before I leave or leave something important at home. #neurotic

This post is all about what I plan to take in my hand luggage to keep my skin in check mid flight!

As I've spoken about in my previous post, long haul flights wreak havoc on the skin. All of that recycled air drying everything out.

The following are items I hope are going to keep my skin calm and refreshed on my long ass trip to New York City!

1. Formula 10.0.6 Clarifying Facial Wipes - $6.99AUD
Perfect for taking off any makeup or just for a nice refresh after a nap.

2. Antipodes Night Replenish Serum - $58.99AUD
A beautiful serum to put some moisture back into your skin after a cleanse.

3. Maybelline Baby Lips - $3.95AUD
There's really nothing worse than dry lips in my books. Especially when you have nothing to put on them. I once resorted to hand cream at work because I'd left my lip balm at home. (Don't recommend that by the way) These lip balms would have to be my absolute favourite. No touching the balm involved so no germ spreading. They also smell amazing! Mango Pie, Anti-Oxident Berry and Lychee Addict (pictured) are my faves!

4. Rosken Intensive Moisture Hand Cream - $3.99AUD
I got this hand cream as a freebie in a gift bag from Priceline and I really enjoy it. It doesn't soak in super quick but it is for "very dry hands" It has a lovely subtle scent and will be perfect for the plane.

5. Avene Thermal Spring Water - $9.99AUD
I love this stuff on flights or on really hot days to refresh your skin. Spritz it on over makeup or on a fresh face as a toner.

6. Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream - $52.99AUD
This is my current love and will be used on the daily over my trip. It is super nourishing and hydrating and I will be lathering this on after take off.

7. Jessica Simpson Fancy Rollerball 15ml (part of a gift pack) - $39.00AUD
This little rollerball is part of a gift pack and would have to be my favourite scent and one i wear on a daily basis. The 100ml bottle will be travelling in my main bag. No being stinky for me!

So those are my main squeezes for my carry on. Is there anything you think I might be missing?
Let me know!

Xx

My Top Tips For Overseas Travel || Part 1

I'm SUPER excited that I've gotten the opportunity to head back to America for another holiday with my boyfriend! It has also come at a great time as I had spotted online a competition from ProBlogger and Virgin Australia calling for bloggers to share their top travel tips!!

I was bitten with the travel bug at a young age. I think I was around 12 years old when I had my first long haul flight. It was to London to visit my family in England. Since then, I have been back to England another 4 times and to America 3 times.

In that time, I think I've learnt a few little tips and tricks to dealing with having your butt sat in (I'm not gonna lie, not very comfortable) seats for a minimum of 14 hours.

1. Wear Comfortable clothing.
If I could look semi respectable wearing my pyjama leggings, baggy jumper and slippers in public, I would definitely have those on while traveling on a plane. But, if you're like me and look more like someone who has just crawled out from hibernating all winter then I'd probably go for some loose or breathable fabrics. My personal fave, jeggings. Sound daggy, but they look like skinny jeans without the digging into the skin buttons and tight waist bands. I'd also wear leggings with a shirt dress or just pull out the comfy trackies. The key is layers! I tend to get cold once lights are off and its sleep time. Pack some wooly socks and a cardy or jumper. Slip on or laceless shoes are the go also! Especially when leaving the States. Shoes have to come off to go through security. Slip ons help!

2. Pack an essentials bag to put in your hand luggage.
One thing long haul flights love to do...? DRY YOU OUT! Make sure you pack a little makeup bag with your main essentials. Mine would be: Lip balm! (Maybelline baby lips are the best!), makeup wipes to refresh after a nap (if you are so lucky), hand sanitiser for all of us germaphobes (also antibacterial wipes for the toilets and surfaces at your seat), a facial moisturiser to put on after you use your wipes and a hand cream! I would also pack some earplugs, Panadol and some refreshing eye drops (contact lens wearers, leave them out when you fly. Go for your glasses and put your lenses in when you get to the other side)
Ooh and a pen! For filling out those pesky customs forms before you land.

3. Always ask for the seats with extra leg room when you check in.
Any extra room you can squeeze out of an airline, take it and run! A lot of airlines these days have caught onto the fact that people will try and request the exit row seats as there are no seats in front and therefore some will charge you extra moolah for the leg room. These seats however, can offer the statuesque among us (I am 6ft tall) a lovely extra space of our own to stretch right out and help with trying to sleep away some of the hours ahead. You can also try and sweet talk the lovely ladies at check in to get you upgraded to business class. It had literally worked for my Mum and I on our way to London. We scored a business class ticket from Kuala Lumpur to London!! (Absolute Bliss!! I recommend everyone try it once in there lives... But, be warned. You will be spoiled for life and will never want to fly economy again) We were lucky this time around to have found an amazing sale on with Flight Centre and are flying Premium Economy with Virgin Australia! Can't wait to see how they compare with their regular economy!

4. Drink lots of water.
Try to always have a bottle of water on hand. Keeping hydrated is super important! It helps with the whole not turning into a scaly mess on arrival and your poor skin will thank you for it. Its also very handy for those times I think most of us dread. The turbulence. One trip to America, we got a constant bout of turbulence for a good two hours. Seatbelt signs were up. I started to feel sick, got the cold sweats, all I wanted was some water to help with the sick feeling but wasn't allowed to get up and all of the stewardesses were also strapped in. No water for Brooke.

5. Get up and walk about.
Being so far up in the air in a pressurised cabin can be a little harsh on our bodies. Getting up and walking about whenever you get the chance can help get the blood circulating and keeping you safe from that Deep Vein Thrombosis we all hear about. Even while you're in your seat, moving your feet in a circular motion and not having your legs crossed helps.

6. Try to get some sleep.
Just because alcohol is free on most long haul flights, doesn't mean you have to drink it. Alcohol and soft drinks cause dehydration. Being up in the sky, breathing recycled air drying everything out plus the added alcohol, not really the best. Plus it does nothing to help you sleep, if anything just makes it more restless. Try a camomile tea if they have it or a warm milk. Eye masks and ear plugs are key. I also like to have my iPod or sometimes the airlines entertainment have audio books or music to listen to. Anything to drown out the hum from the plane. Kick the seat back, get that dodgy little pillow and bend the corners of your head rests as far around as they come and use them as a prop! Try not to dribble on your neighbour.

7. Beat the jet lag!
My final tips for beating the horrid jet lag would be to try and get a good nights sleep before your flight. Set your watch to the time of your destination. When you arrive at your destination, if its 8am, try and stay up until a reasonable hour of bedtime to try and reset your body clock. If you get in early then try and have a nap, guaranteed you will wake up 8 hours later and won't sleep that night. Push through the tired for the day and it will pay off on a fabulous sleep that night in a real bed in your amazing holiday destination!

I hope some of these tips were helpful for you. I am now on the countdown for my holiday and will be posting a few other travel related blogs before I jet away!

Let me know your favourite places to eat in New York, Chicago or San Fransisco! I am all about the food... haha!

Xx

Product Review || Maybelline Color Drama Lip Pencils

It's another lip product review! This time I've got the Maybelline Color Drama Lip Pencil.

These are apparently a great dupe for the NARS Velvet Lip Pencils, although I will have to take their word for it as I don't own any.

I really love these lip pencils. They are SUPER pigmented, silky smooth to apply and I didn't find they bled either! Score!

Being a pencil lippy, some people don't like to have to sharpen them and would prefer a wind up. I on the other hand don't mind. I think with a pigmented stick like this, it's easier to have a sharper edge to get to the edges of the lip better. (Colour in between the lines)

I am a big red lip girl, so of course I had to buy the two reds in the collection. Red Essential, what I class as the classic red lip. Lovely and rich with a blue undertone, perfect on any skin type. The other is Light It Up, a bright fire engine red.

The other two colours were a little out of my comfort zone but I loved the swatches, so I took a chance and I'm glad I did!

In With Coral is the most out there one for me. A bright pinky coral, it was a little harder to get a smooth even coverage with this one and I could see it getting a little patchy quicker than the others, but I really love the colour. I think the trick with this one is to have really well prepped lips and apply a little lip balm on beforehand.

The other is called Pink So Chic. A gorgeous dark dusky pink, again something I normally wouldn't gravitate towards but I loved the swatch. This is probably the easiest colour to wear every day, I found it a little less matte than the others which I liked, it felt more like a moisturising lipstick than a matte lippy.

I would highly recommend these to anybody who will stop and listen and I will definitely be out to (more likely than not) buy the rest of the collection.

I was lucky enough to score mine half price at a Chemist Warehouse sale, but on the regular they're only $9.95!

Available from the usual haunts, Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, Kmart and some Coles and Woolies!
(Priceline have actually got these on sale right now as we speak for $5.95!) Run, don't walk... Click here to shop!

I'd love to know what you think about these! Leave me a note below about which colour you think I should get next!

Xx

Product Review || Rimmel Oh My Gloss!

A new kid on the block... Today I have the shiny new Rimmel Oh My Gloss! lip gloss.

Being a mine worker 6 days a week, I'm normally more of a Chapstick/Maybelline Baby Lips type of gal, but when these pretty little things showed up in my mailbox I was more than willing to give them a test run.

I don't own too many glassy lip lacquer type glosses as I find they're always too thick and super sticky. The Oh My Gloss! range is surprisingly smooth and glides on like a dream, making it a lovely everyday staple.
It's formulated with Argan oil and vitamin E leaving a silky soft feel on your kisser!

On their own the glosses deliver a nice sheer colour, nothing too out there for those who aren't into a bold lip.

They claim to deliver 6 hours of colour and shine, I wouldn't say they lasted that long on me, but I found the gloss to have hung around even after eating and a few glasses of wine! #winning

They have a nice doe foot applicator and I love the tubes sexy curves! Very sleek.

With a range of pinks, reds, mauves, nudes and a clear gloss, there's something for everybody!
I have been grabbing the clear gloss to layer on top of my matte lipsticks, turning them into super pretty wet look glossy brights! Sometimes it's just nice to be able to smoosh your lips together without the grip from a matte lip!

There are 8 colours to choose from in the line and they sell for $13.95AUD. 

Available from all of the usual haunts. Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, Target, Kmart and selected Coles and Woolworths supermarkets.

The three I received were the Crystal Clear, a red called Ooh La La (left) and a sparkly pinky nude called Love Bug (right).

The only slight negative for me about the gloss would be the scent. It doesn't have one. A nice peppermint or vanilla smell to it would have made it a bit more appealing to me, although this might be a bonus for some.  

Well, do I recommend these I hear you all asking? Yes! Perfect for an everyday casual look, great to add some sparkle over the top of lipsticks, or for those days you just want a sheer wash of colour. 

Definitely worth a swatch next time you're browsing the makeup isles. 

Let me know if you have tried these out and what you thought down below!

Xx

Copper Errthang! Copper Home Decor for Under $60...

Now I don't know about you, but I am all aboard the copper decor train! I am drawn towards all things copper so for yours (and my own) benefit, I have troweled through the internet looking for all of the goodness that is the shiny metallic glow of the rose gold!

1. Kmart - Copper & Wood Table Lamp. $20AUD
2. Kikki - K Glass Water Bottle With Cup. $24.95AUD
3. Adairs - Lhasa Metal Tray. $59.95AUD
4. Target - Lisa T Lips Money Box. $25.00AUD
5. Domayne - Foxy Wall Decoration. $45.00AUD
6. Matt Blatt - Alto Copper Alarm Clock. $48.00AUD
7. Target - Lisa T Ceramic Vase. $35.00AUD
8. Hard To Find - Copper Foil Prints. $49.95AUD

1. Adairs - Mercer & Reid Candle. $39.95AUD
2. Hard To Find - Copper Round Chain Mirror. $59.00AUD
3. Corner Store - Sachet Copper Tin Candle. $49.95AUD
4. Target - Lisa T Dimple Tealight Candle Holder. $12.00AUD
5. Freedom - Maison Deco House. $24.95AUD
6. Adairs - Home Republic Diamond Tealight Holder. $12.95AUD
7. Domayne - Belford Beaten Tray Copper. Sml $18.95AUD Lrg $52.95AUD
8. Domayne - Robert Gordon Copper Waste Paper Basket. $39.95AUD

I hope I have inspired some online shopping for you all on this dreary rainy day that is Victorian life at this time of the year...

Xx

Whats In My MECCA Wishlist

If you're like me and don't have unlimited funds in the bank, but you love to "window shop" online, then you will have all your favourite sites bookmarked with wish lists, hearts, save for laters all neatly filed away waiting patiently for some rainy day spare cashola to come your way.

Today I wanted to share my Mecca wishlist.
SO MANY AMAZING GOODIES!!!

1. Philosophy - Birthday Girl Vanilla Bath Gift Set.
Who says gift sets ACTUALLY have to be gifts!? Vanilla birthday cake scented shower gel AND lipgloss sound like heaven to me and I think it would go peachy with my TIGI Caramel shampoo and conditioner! (Product review on that here)

2. Soap & Glory - Orangeasm Body Wash.
For starters, I love ALL Soap & Glory packaging and this body wash sounds amazing. Scented with fresh green mandarine, lemon and orange, this wash would be a nice pick-me-up in your morning shower.

3. Bobby Brown - Hot Nudes Eye Palette.
Umm... YES PLEASE! I have a thing for nude eyeshadow palettes (or eyeshadow palettes in general) and this one is no exception! There are 8 gorgeous shades that include mattes, metallics and shimmers.

4. Diptyque - Vanille Candle.
"A blend of vanilla orchard, sandalwood, elemi and balsamy bourbon vanilla, this candle delivers a scent that is both warm and comforting"
How dreamy does that sound!?

5. Philosophy - Hope In A Jar Night.
This is an intense night time retexturizing moisturiser which claims to help noticeably smooth the skin, visibly soften lines and restore your rosy glow... Who wouldn't like the sound of that?

6. Mario Badescu - AHA Botanical Body Soap.
This one is currently living in my shower as we speak and I love it! A definite repurchase from Mecca after buying my first bottle from an American site I'm happy I can finally get it in Australia. This was featured in Women's Fitness magazine and claimed to help eliminate those pesky little bumps you get on your upper arms... Well, I can say it works!!

7. NARS - Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella.
I've seen a few bloggers rave about these lip pencils and I'd love to get my hands on this colour in particular. A beautiful rich deep red. This shade would look amazing on anybody!

8. Bumble and Bumble - Thickening Dry Spun Finish.
I will try anything that claims to give hair some volume and lift. This claims to add volume, fullness and texture to the hair... SOLD!

9. Philosophy - Coconut Frosting Shower Gel.
Another yummy sounding sweet shower gel to go with my caramel smelling hair. Bring it on!

10. Kiehl's - Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado.
I'm searching for a new eye cream and this one sounds super hydrating and perfect for putting on before bed. The avocado oil helps restore the skins natural moisture.

11. Urban Decay - Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette.
I'm pretty sure I have saved the most wanted until last. The Naked3 palette is the one I would most like in my hands! The rose gold shades look amazing and I am yet to have one of these palettes in my possession. One day soon Urban Decay. One day soon.

Has anyone tried any of the above or have any other suggestions on things I should try? Leave me a shout out below and let me stalk your wish lists!

Xx

Product Review || Iluka Nourish cream cleanser.

I'm finally starting to realise that I no longer need "blemish control/acne fighting" cleansers or "oil free" moisturisers in my life.

Having now entered the "late 20's" age bracket, my skin is a changin' and I have had to go in search of a new cleanser that didn't strip my face of all its natural oils and leave it feeling tight and dried up.

I made a v-line to my local Priceline for a wander around and stumbled across the new Iluka range by Natalie Imbruglia. It's a gorgeous, all natural skincare line that is 100% Australian made. A big plus in my book. It's also paraben/sulphate free and there is most importantly no testing on animals!

The packaging was definitely eye catching sitting on the shelf, I think it has a high end look.

I wanted to try out a cream cleanser as they are a lot more hydrating on the skin. 

This particular one is beautiful! A nice subtle smell, not at all overwhelming. It was a little different to use than a foaming cleanser. This doesn't foam but it does feel great on the skin. It doesn't sting the eyes and once washed off, it doesn't leave any oily residue and my face still has that lovely washed fresh feeling.

I am yet to use it to see if it is any good at taking off makeup (I love my Body Shop Camomile cleansing butter for makeup removal) but as my morning wake me up... It. Is. Love.

The Iluka range carries everything from day/night/eye creams, cleansers, toners, exfoliators, oils, a primer and a lip care product.

I am definitely keen to try out the day and night cream and the eye serum.

If this one cleanser is anything to go by, they will be making a regular appearance on my bathroom vanity. 

Xx

What's On My TYPO Wishlist...

Oh Typo... You will never bore me... You will forever be one of my favourite stores...

Here is what is sitting in my wish list right now!

1. Hangin' Around Planter. $19.99AUD.
Everybody needs a little bit of greenery inside and this cute little planter would make the perfect holder for it. Herbs in there, hung in the kitchen. A nice weeping plant hung in the lounge. Endless possibilities!

2. Pennant Flag. $24.95AUD
This would look cool hung anywhere around the home. In an entrance, office, living area. I think it adds another element to a room, instead of just framed pictures or posters.

3. Set of 3 Trinket Trays. $19.99AUD
A cute little set of bowls to have on your dressing table for rings and trinkets. Could also be used in the kitchen for nibbles or to rest your cooking spoons.

4. Bowl Jewellery Tree. $14.99AUD
Anything copper in my life, right now!
I love this little jewellery holder. perfect for little bracelets and rings.

5. Such A Mug. $9.99AUD
I have managed to adopt my mothers love of collecting mugs. I love this one with the pastel colours!

6. Industrial Lamp. $39.99AUD
This little guy reminds me of the Pixar lamp! I love mint green and this would make a great addition to a computer desk.

7. Queen Bed Quilt Cover Set. $149.99AUD
Now that the weather is starting to cool down, I think this doona cover would set the perfect tone for Autumn/Winter. I love the detailing on the end of the cover and pillow cases and with crisp white sheets it would just scream luxe!

8. Carried Away Mug. $14.99AUD
Again with the mugs! This one is clearly because I'm a wine drinker and thought it would be a funny one for work.

9. A3 Plan Ahead. $14.99AUD
I'm teaching myself how to become a planner! After just finishing an 8 week I Quit Sugar program, with meals plans and shopping lists all written out for me, I wanted to keep it up! This planner would be super handy to write out what things I needed and what was being cooked on what night etc. I will become organised eventually!

And there you have it... Anyone else as obsessed with Typo as I am?? I'm sure I could go back online right now and find another barrage of things to add to cart... Just a shame I didn't have the bottomless bank account to go with it!

Let me know what you fancy from the list, or let me know if there's something else you think I should know about!

Xx

Product Review || Tigi Bed Head Color Goddess Shampoo & Conditioner

Oh. Em. Gee.

I think I have stumbled across the most scrumptious smelling shampoo and conditioner EVER!!
Enough for them to claim holy grail (always on my repurchase/have back ups in the cupboard list) status.

This is the TIGI Bedhead Color Goddess duo... and it smells like CARAMEL!

I found these little gems on the Feel Unique website. After reading the description and some reviews I was instantly sold.

Full of super nourishing ingredients like sweet almond oil, coconut oil, shea butter and keratin, along with essential B vitamins for keeping your locks super luscious, this is exactly what the doctor ordered for my long colour treated hair.

The shampoo foams up a lot which I love, along with having the amazing caramel aroma wafting through your bathroom is absolute bliss! It left my hair feeling squeaky clean.
The conditioner is more like a nourishing mask. A super thick consistency which instantly injects life back into stressed out hair.

It washes out great and doesn't leave your hair feeling heavy or with any residue.
Just literally dessert smelling hair and a salon quality feel to your tresses after it's dry.

The only downside is the pack that I purchased came with a 400ml shampoo and a 200ml conditioner.
Now I don't know about you, but I always manage to finish my conditioner before I finish my shampoo... They really should upsize a conditioner so you can actually finish both at the same time. Anyone who can actually manage to do that deserves a medal!

If you're a big dessert lover like me, it's totally worth the cash to just sit on the couch and smell these all day long. If they could bottle a scent like it I would probably wear it, but for now I will settle with having the best smelling hair on the planet!

Click here for a link to check them out at Feel Unique.

Do let me know if you have tried this glorious invention before or if you think you have something better for me to try out!

Xx

Quitting Sugar... For Reals?!

Oh Heyyy!

Excuse the hiatus...

Life gets in the way sometimes. January was a hectic one for me. I had a besties birthday weekend in Melbourne, a weekend away with my sister and some friends, then I celebrated my 27th birthday!! Super social!
I am also back at work full time. For those of you that don't know me on a personal level, I am a truck driver! and when I say truck, I mean of the Tonka variety. (the height of a two story house) In an open cut mine.

Random job for someone that loves to write about beauty things in her spare time and really only gets to wear makeup on my days off.
Eh! I love it! But, the whole having to get up at 5am to start at 6.30 then working until 5.30pm doesn't really leave a whole lot of minutes left in my day to sit behind the computer screen.

ANYWHO!

After the Christmas feast and my January social calendar, of course the healthy eating and exercise had well and truly gone out the window. I felt pretty bloaty and awful.
Which swayed me to try out the I Quit Sugar 8 Week Program.
I am a massive cookbook hoarder, so of course I have the 2 I Quit Sugar cookbooks by Sarah Wilson. I had made a couple of things from the books but wasn't entirely convinced.
But after seeing the yummy looking food on the website and reading up on some of the benefits of ditching the sweet stuff, I thought I would give it a go.

So far so good!

I am almost onto my 4th week of being sugar free. It was so much easier than I expected! You are warned about the detox headaches and all of the fun stuff that goes along with cutting out sugar, but I haven't had any horrible side affects as yet...

It has also made me SO organised! I absolutely love having my shopping list and food plan all sorted and emailed to me each Thursday. I can then sit down and organise when I'm going to go and do my food shop, or just hop online and get my groceries delivered to my door! (best invention EVER)

The meals are quick and easy and most of all delicious!
I love how each dinner is the next days lunch, which for me is awesome as I have to take my meals to work every day. I don't have the option of buying meals.

When Sunday rolls around it is time for a teensy bit of prep work to make life easier for you throughout the week. This can range from baking a loaf of bread to whipping up a quick basil pesto. Nothing overly strenuous. Just an hour or so out of your Sunday, which for me would probably be spent sitting on the couch procrastinating or looking at all of the housework that needed to be done. Orrrr trawling the internet and bookmarking all of the lovely things that I would like to have in my possession. #dreamer

So far, I have managed to lose 2.4kgs. I am really happy with those results as I am still a little bit in struggle town with the whole exercising everyday thing.
Included in the program is a 'Movement Plan' which I really actually enjoy doing a lot, when I make myself get up and do it.

My goal from here on in is to get out and walk at least 5 times a week (just 30 minutes) and keep on with the movement plan 3 times a week. I would also like to include a beginners yoga session in there for my flexibility as it is virtually non existent at 27! How am I going to be 60??

I think by far my favourite thing from this program to date is how much my tastebuds have changed! I am tasting more sweetness in vegetables that I have never been able to taste before. Caramelised onions are SO deliciously sweet! As are carrots! Who would have thought??

All in all, I am super impressed with this program and think it is definitely money well spent. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an easy way to quit sugar. Not even just that, but for someone busy like me that struggles big time with trying to organise life and was so tired of having to think about what to cook for meals. I think being focused on preparing the yummy fresh foods and looking forward to trying the new meals on the menu has really helped with not missing the sugary sweets.

Check it out yourself if you are interested in learning more. You can find the link here.

P.S This is not a sponsored post. I am just genuinely excited by this program and I think it is well worth looking into if it is something you are interested in! :)

Let me know in the comments if you are living sugar free or share with me some of your favourite healthy recipes!

Xx

My year in pictures...

A little something to welcome in the New Year and to remind me of the one that we are about to leave behind... 2014 has been a whirlwind of a year. So much so, it took me looking back into my Facebook and iPhone photos to remember the majority of it... I'm hoping 2015 is firstly going to pass by a heck of a lot slower and I hope for me, it contains some more overseas travel!

I'm definitely looking forward to see what 2015 has in store and I hope it's a happy and safe one for everybody.

Until next year... Xx