Room Tour

My bedroom is a very special place for me - mainly because it's the only place in the house that's really "mine" but also because I love decorating my own little space. There's definitely a few things I'd love to change but I'm somewhat limited by the fact mum doesn't want holes in the walls and the furniture isn't all allowed to be removed at my leisure...

Ever growing perfume collection along with photos and a few accessories. 

Game of Thrones books, beauty products and notebooks a-plenty. 

My Buddha from Nepal is a very special little guy - I love having him on my dresser. He's come with me to every house I've lived in. 

The tall boy in the corner of my room is a great place for candles, light and the Lush box I keep mementos in. 

Quilt and duvet both by Wallace Cotton - 750 thread count cotton. 

What's your favourite part of your room?

Claire x

3 Ways to Drink More Water

1) Buy a nice glass to drink out of - I always think beer tastes best straight from the bottle but water tastes best coming from a lovely glass.

2) Put something tasty in the water - I like to squeeze a lemon or a tangelo into my bottle to flavour it a little. Frozen raspberries are another refreshing option. If you get bored of the "nothing" flavour this is quite a good way to do it!

3) Buy yourself a nice 1 litre bottle to put it in - drinking more water is easy when you can see how much you've had. I easily polish off a full litre if not more now purely because the bottle is pretty and I can tell "that only looks like one glass worth of water" in my bottle. If there's water near you - you'll drink it without even thinking about it!

Claire x

Weekend Post: Shopping Haul

Seeing as it was pay week this week as mentioned in a previous post I went a little nuts. I'm back into saving mode now but I thought I'd share what I got. I went to Lush as I hadn't been in a while and had a big spend up - the girl in there was a bit over eager but I felt mean telling her I'd been shopping at Lush for seven years and didn't need her following me around the shop - anyone else have this problem?!

I also went to Shampoo and Things to get a new Kevin Murphy shine spray as well as my favourite department store Smith and Caugheys. When I heard Ecoya had a new fragrance in their range - more specifically a candle in coconut and elderflower. I also happened to walk past the OPI counter and somehow ended up with a new nail polish too.

Driving so much always exhausts me so after a big sleep in I did the boring adult thing and cleaned and after that took too many photos for my blog and got on with some gardening. My little plants needed re-potting into bigger tubs so my Lush pots are now vacated.

This also means I have enough black pots for a free face mask - now sitting here deciding which to get and trying to sort out my photos (damn things keep loading portrait when I want them land scape on blogger...)

After much struggling with my photos I think I've sorted the problem. I'll spend another hour or so drafting some posts before washing my hair (I've got so much product in it I just about have dreadlocks), taking some photos and having a relaxing Sunday evening.

Claire x

First Impressions: Lime Crime Velvetines

Left: Red Velvet. Right: Suedeberry

I'd been anxious to get my hands on these shades for a while - I did what any rational person suffering from indecision does - I bought both. The colours are Suedeberry and Red Velvet - retailing at $30 in New Zealand (not including postage...)

Both are very matte in finish, with incredibly vivid and opaque colour pay off. The Red Velvet was the first I got my hands on and I think it's my favourite of the two. It's a beautiful deep slightly blue-toned red though I expect it would look slightly different on different people. Best part about Red Velvet aside from being a total statement lip colour is it makes your teeth look brilliantly white. 

The Suedeberry is more a strawberry tone with an orange undertone and I think a little more wearable day to day. I tone it down with a nude lipstick if I don't want it to look too obvious when I'm at work. 

Both are very long lasting - the Suedeberry lasts around 5 hours with eating and drinking at work. The Red Velvet even more so because once you put it on the only way you'll get it off is with oil/an oil based cleanser (like my much loved Ultrabland from Lush). Due to this the Red Velvet is a little more drying and will show up cracks in your lips more than the Suedebery but if you put a little balm over the top this can be counteracted (though the lipstick will slip/transfer a little more easily if you do this). 

Overall, two absolutely stunning colours with great wear, a big impact and a solid matte finish. I can't wait for an excuse to wear them out more. 

Claire x

What's in my Handbag

I had been looking for a leather hand bag for a long time, I found this one in Country Road. The price was a little steep (around the 300 dollar mark). In the end I went back because, well hell I'd been hunting for bloody years for a bag I loved as much as this and Country Road only releases a few of each bag before they change the designs. Turns out I was fortunate with my loyalty program and 25% off specials and got it for $120. It's the perfect size and a nice length. If I buy too big a bag I end up filling it with too much stuff. This one is juuust right. (Looking at the contents...can you tell I like green?!)

On the inside:

My mouse notebook and an ejector pencil - I often have little ideas at work, when I'm out and about and need a space to write them down. I prefer pencil because I hate having things crossed out (so this pencil has a rubber too...). It's filled with blog post ideas and photography tips.

A little mirror - Everyone needs a wee mirror in their bag, whether it's to apply your lipstick or check your teeth after a pesto lunch they're always handy. I've had this one for years and it's the perfect size.

Ray Bans Aviators - As soon as I saw these green aviators nearly a year ago and felt like I needed them. I used a decent portion of my first pay at my current job on these babies and I don't regret a cent. I needed a new pair of sunglasses as I tend to destroy the cheap pairs I've bought and these fit the bill.

MAC lipsticks - I usually have a few in my bag at a time, at the moment I have the shade Brave and Myth. They mix really well and can dress a look up or down - one being a nude and one being a berry colour.

Hurraw lip balm - This one has an SPF so is great for New Zealand sun, it's a physical barrier lip balm and creates a nice base for lipstick too.

A Tangle Teaser - Light and great for easily tangled hair such as my own and can be used on wet hair. Much more portable and durable than my boar bristle brush I take this with me everywhere.

Keys - Gotta have my car keys, house key and a swiss army knife. Never know when you might need to snip a loose thread or cut off a tag.

Wallet - I bought this Rip Curl wallet a few years ago, just right for all the cards I have and isn't too clunky, fits in the inside pocket of my hand bag just right.

Nars (very abused) Multiple - This is a great portable bit of makeup - as the name suggests, it has multiple uses. I can use it as a lipstick and freshen up my blush after a day at work.

Anything you keep in your bag that I'm missing?

Claire x

Weekend Post: The Snip

No, I didn't get a hysterectomy but I did get a hair cut. I used to have waist length hair but ever since I was 17 it started thinning and it's about two thirds the volume it used to be. So I am gradually tricking my mind into a long bob - I've done the old "I'm going to cut my hair all off!" a few times in the past and have regretted it. Now that I'm older and my face isn't a child like circle I feel I can pull off shorter styles. This time I decided to go for very blunt ends, shorter in the back and a few minimal layers so it doesn't thin it out further.

My local hair dresser is so casual - he's literally a no appointments hair dresser and is so affordable - he cuts my hair for only $25 which is amazing. He always does exactly what I ask and I always love it, he's so much experience and has owned and run his own business for years. Just goes to show the super expensive salons aren't always the best! I saw Jack after and had a quiet evening in with him - steak, chips and onion rings for dinner. 

 Before

After 

 I decided to get an early start on the weekend on Friday with a cider and some blog planning. I've got the next month and a half of blog posts planned - pretty pleased with myself on that. 

Next week is pay-day so next weekend will mean a trip into the city. In the mean time I'm going to watch the weeks episodes of The Block hair tied chillin' with no makeup on (definitely not when I'm the prettiest). Anyway, until next time. 

Claire x

5 Newly Discovered Beauty Tricks

1) Wash natural makeup brushes with an olive oil based soap. I use a hand soap with olive oil in it on my natural bristle brushes and it cleans them beautifully, leaves them soft and without and residue or strong smell that some anti-bacterial soaps can have.

2) Applying foundation with your fingers first then buffing in with a brush will mean you get a less streaky finish and use less product. When you're using something like Nars Sheer Glow every pump counts!

3) Shorter nails will chip less than long nails. This one is pretty common sense but if I need my nails to go the distance if I have meetings all week or I need them to look shiny and strong for longer I shape them shorter and don't skimp on the top coat!

4) Lip balm your lips after foundation and before anything else. By the time you get to applying your lip liner your lips will have absorbed the balm and won't dry out or be too oily for your lip products.

5) If you've bought a nude and find it makes you look too washed out, use it to "water down" a colour that is too bright for day time wear. E.g. I love Brave by MAC but I think it looks better in Winter as it's quite a berry toned colour, a swipe of Myth over the top and it's set for work.

Claire x