Monthly Favourites: September

I had a surprising number of favourites this month, when I came to planning this post I thought I'd only have three at most. Come drafting time I have twice that amount...and, like last month I have a music favourite. Anyway, lets get on with it! 

Nars Laguna Bronzer - I highly doubt this cult bronzer needs much of an introduction. It's a lovely cool toned brown that's got a slight shimmer (which doesn't actually show up on the skin). It has a matte, build-able finish that looks very natural on the skin rather than showing an orange cast. It blends beautifully and lasts on the skin all day.

MAC Warm Soul Blush - This blush does indeed have a warm soul. It makes me look like I have a warm soul just by sitting on my face. It's the perfect colour for girls with yellow undertones - it looks very natural and subtle and gives a beautiful pearly glow without being "sparkly" (I'm not a fan of sparkles on my face...). I'm a total convert from coral blushes to reds and this wonderful shade now. Also, Sam from Batalash bought Warm Soul, so I  bought Warm Soul. I am 100% happy with that decision.

Anastasia Dip-Brow Pomade - I feel like this product is the makeup equivalent of how much I bang on about Frank. I've done a full first impressions/review which you can read here if you want something more in depth. This just goes on and stays on. It's just the right shade and is so easy to apply. It was also amazingly afforable - even with the conversion fee it was only 22NZD which is far better than what you'd pay for the MAC equivalent.

xoBeauty Brushes - I always love my xoBeauty brushes but these guys are new to the family (you can tell I love them because they're dirty...oops. It was the morning of brush cleaning day...). The angled blush brush which I use with my Nars bronzer is my favourite but I adore the crease brush for blending with my Naked 3 palette too. Great quality, afforable and fast service.

xoBeauty Pretty Ties - I am sorely tempted to buy more of these. The black one was in my hair while I took these photos and I took the black spotty one off my wrist to show you. I don't wear the spotty one in my hair because I love it too much and want it on my wrist instead. They don't snag your hair, they hold in place really well and they're so bloody cute I love them. Everything Shannon Harris touches is gold I swear.

Awesome Mix Vol. 1 - I love going to the movies, it's the one thing Jack and I often do for "date night." The movie Guardians of the Galaxy is the best Marvel movie I've seen by far and the music is even better. I've been listening to this CD in my car all month non-stop and I'm still not sick of it. My favourites include Hooked on a Feeling, Spirit in the Sky, I Want You Back and Come and Get Your Love. I bought it at JB Hi-Fi with Jack and he ended up getting it too. Every now and then I'll get a text with lyrics from one of these songs out of the blue. If you like classic 80s kind of music, give this a listen.

Moone Boy - If you've never seen this show, you're missing out. It's about an Irish boy in a small rural kind of town who's about 12 years old. He has an imaginary friend (Chris O'Dowd) and I have literally had tears in my eyes this show is so funny. There's three seasons so far I believe and season two is currently screening in New Zealand at the moment. It's a show you can watch each episode more than once because it doesn't stop being funny.

What have your favourites been this month? It's finally warming up here in New Zealand - can't wait for summer to arrive...!

Claire x

Weekend Post: Bit of Orange

I had every intention of getting a lot of fun stuff done this weekend e.g. seeing Maze Runner, going to my favourite place - Newmarket and watching the All Blacks. Sadly due to a sick boyfriend none of that was possible so this post isn't going to be as "busy"as my weekend posts usually are. However, I did happen to get a photo of the outfit I wore yesterday. 

Do you ever have those days that are a "waste of makeup" if I've ever had one it was yesterday. However I have more xobeauty lashes, Nars sheer glow and another Lime Crime Velvetine on their way. After a long as shit week I was really looking forward to it. Instead I'll be sitting in, scrubbing with Frank and tanning my pale as snow bod and painting my nails orange again. Boss. 

Excuse the chronic bitch face and squinting. Anyway. Outfit components: 

Jeans - Levis Leggings

T-shirt - ASOS Petite T-shirt (also available in tall and regular fit) 

Shoes - White Leather Converse

Scarf - Country Road

Kimono - ASOS Midi Kimono

Watch - Michael Kors

Lipstick - Vegas Volt (MAC)

Been a little unmotivated to write this week - it's been a hell of a seven days but I do have a few posts lined up. Phew. Fingers crossed next week is a little better. 

Claire x

Youtuber Induced Purchases

I think we've all been there. Watching that new video by one of your favourite YouTubers and you see a product. You think "I might like that" you happen to try it in store. Next thing you know it's in your bag/handbag/on your face. I have a lot of these purchases and there are some Youtubers in particular that I really love and especially trust their recommendations. I have two products from each of my favourites, if you haven't heard of them I'll link to their channels/blogs/etc. so you can have a browse.

Shaaanxo 
Youtube | Facebook

Shannon Harris is the only Kiwi I subscribe to on Youtube at the moment and I've been subscribed to her for over a year now. She almost always uses Nars Laguna bronzer so naturally when I found my bronzer was getting low and given the Nars fiend I am these days I thought I'd try it out. I have a similar skin tone to Shannon and have never been dissapointed by anything she's recommended/anything Nars has produced so into my Mecca bag it went.

The other purchase Shannon particularly influenced me on was Saint Germain lipstick by MAC. It's such a wonderful "Barbie" kind of shade, it's the amplified formulation (which I love) and wears like a dream. It's also a very "Shaaanxo" kind of shade.

HelloOctober
Youtube | Blog

Suzie is a great source of inspiration for me as she has an absolutely wonderful blog and amazing editing skills. She has very flawless but natural looking skin and always looks naturally gorgeous, so of course, I want what she buys. In this case it was the Nars Radiant Tinted Moisturiser and the Nars Creamy Concealer I've banged on about these products enough on this blog but they're a dream team for my face and are products I would definitely re-peat purchase.

Batalash
Youtube | Blog

Sam, the founder of Batalash the blog and youtube channel is one of the most hilarious people I've seen on youtube. I frequently re-watch her videos for her sense of humour alone. That aside, she's got the most amazing makeup skills and her brows are the brows I can only dream of which is what prompted me to make my Anastasia Beverly Hills dip-brow pomade purchase *deep breath*.

Aside from her brows, Sam always amazing looking skin - and I'm all in favour of a good base. Her love for MAC warm soul blush/beautiful skin made me walk into two different MAC stores to get my hands on it when it was sold out at the first one.

BeautyCrush
Youtube | Blog

Sammi was the first Youtuber I ever started watching and I think that was about four or five years ago now. Her frequent use of Nars Sheer Glow and a new found disposable income when I was finally an employed graduate meant I tried it within a month of starting my job. I will never go back after trying this - it's my face's soul mate. Perfect amount of coverage, glowy without being shiny/a nightmare for an oily t-zone and long lasting.

The more recent purchase was a few months ago around my birthday, I'd seen Sammi using this in a favourites video I believe and I'm a sucker for pearly looking highlighter. I homed in on the Benefit counter and tried Watts Up and fell in love on the spot.

Anyone else as bad as me with things like this?

Claire x

The Writing Process

I'm still pretty new to Blogger but I did start a beauty blog over on Tumblr over a year ago now. I think my "writing technique" and drafting/planning process has changed somewhat so I thought I'd write down a few things that help me find inspiration, expand ideas and actually get pen to paper...well...fingers to keyboard. You get me.

1) Read other blogs. This is the most common sense place to get inspiration, I don't mean copy other peoples ideas post for post but personally I love seeing how people write, things they include when reviewing a product (e.g. texture, what skin type it suits etc.) that I find particularly useful or relevant. Aside from that I think reading inspires writing. Some of my favourites are HelloOctober and TheLoveCatsInc..

2) Look at magazines/media. There's always plenty of inspiration for new makeup looks, products to try and new trends. Whether it gives me an idea of how to use a product I already have or find something new to try or even a new kind of beauty treatment/way to style an old classic I get plenty of ideas this way.

3) Keep a little notebook. I bought a set of three from the Wildlife Photography exhibition in August and ever since I've had the little mouse notebook in my handbag. If an idea strikes me at work, at home, whatever, I reach out and write it down along with any relevant notes which I find really important, if I'm too vague my brain can't remember why the hell I thought that was a giid thing to write about and it can get abandoned. Examples of extra notes would be what products to include, any particular comments to make, things like that. I find it helps keep me motivated and looking over old ideas often leads to the evolution of new ones.

4) Play with your makeup. Every now and then I "decorate" my face with makeup in ways I haven't tried before and it helps me to create a new look, or reminds me of how much I like a product. If I find there's something I'd like to try and do but don't have the product for it I look into what I can use instead/if I need to plan a shopping trip. Alternatively sometimes I'll find a new way to use/apply something that I feel is worth sharing. Often just being around new trends in Newmarket or purchasing a product gives me a new lease on my collection and gets me going with new plans.

5) Get creative. Listening to music, painting my nails and taking lots of photos of products/editing them and even just getting outside often leads to ideas. Trying a new kind of post is always good, I started doing a weekend post pretty quickly after I started and it gives me an outlet to just write what I feel like writing so the "beauty" part of my blog doesn't get stale.

The main things I've found is if I get an idea is to just start, once I've pressed that "New Post" button and written the title the rest sort of takes care of itself.

Claire x

Eczema/Dermatitis - how to manage it

I say how to manage it because really, it's a skin condition and you can never fully get rid of it. It can resurface at any time with seemingly no cause. I've had eczema and/or dermatitis since I was a baby so I've had 22 years of trying various methods to try and get it to go away. There are a few ways to treat it: topically, environmentally and internally. I'll cover each, what I've used and why I think it's good. This isn't going to be a super exciting post as it's not all about a new product or anything like that, but I know a lot of people have skin issues like this so thought I'd pass on what I've learnt.

If you have any more ideas to add comment below - I'm always willing to try something new! Especially going into spring/summer here in New Zealand it's prime season for skin problems, eurgh. Anyway, lets get on with this post without any more preamble.

Topical solutions: 
By this I mean of course things you apply to your skin to soothe inflamed skin.

Steroid cream
This is the least natural albeit most effective way of quickly treating eczema/dermatitis. I have a very strong 75% beta cream which I was prescribed - it's not great for extended periods of use but if your skin is as bad as mine (it would essentially crack, bleed, heal then start all over again...) this may be a good option. There are of course lower doses available and these are just as good if your skin isn't as dire as all that.

Frank
If you read my blog frequently you're probably getting sick of hearing about this product. It smooths skin, gently exfoliates (depending on how hard you scrub!) and moisturises skin beautifully. I'm most partial to the coconut variety as it's the most hydrating. It really helps the dry skin on my hands especially.

Charity Pot
Generally, it's wise to use unfragranced products but that doesn't mean you can't use products that are NATURALLY FRAGRANCED. What I mean by this is, coconut for example naturally has a smell but this doesn't mean it will be reactive to your skin. Charity Pot by Lush has a beautiful chocolatey smell which has resulted in me using 4 pots consecutively over 2 years. It's so gentle, hydrating and doesn't sting my skin. I think moisturisers/body lotions are very personal but I'd tried other lotions and this was one of the few that really helped. Another lovely Lush option is Sympathy for the Skin - a slightly thicker lotion but wonderful all the same.

Burt's Bees Banana and Beeswax Hand Cream
This is the thickest and most luxurious hand cream I've ever used. Even in the worst days of my dry hands this has been such a relief to use. It smells beautiful, has very few unnatural ingredients and lasts a really long time both in the pot and on your hands.

Calamine Lotion
This can be a little drying but if you're desperate to stop that itch this will do the trick. You can get it from the pharmacy, keep it in the fridge and smooth it on it's or hot feeling skin and it really soothes it.

Environmental solutions:
Certain environmental factors can affect your skin in different ways, these are a few things that can help!

Sun
The sun is great for dermatitis, obviously you don't want too much but I always found the sun made my skin a little less tight and itchy feeling. I'm not sure if it's the vitamin D or what but ten minutes a day with your problem areas exposed can really help.

Salt water
This can be a bit painful if your skin is really bad but the more salt water exposure you can get the better. If you're miles away from the beach, you can always dissolve a cup of salt into a bath, let the water cool until it's just warm and have a soak.

Shower temperature
Too much hot water will irritate your skin. You know how your skin feels all soft and can go pruney in water? That's not good if you have skin problems! Likewise for the bath, by all means have a soak but a dermatologist once told me water is in itself an irritant - too much will make your skin worse. Don't stay in the tub too long.

Avoiding soap
Really foamy products like shower gels and bubble bath are especially rough on your skin. Trying a creamy soap with olive oil or something more neutral like QV wash is a good option.

Internal solutions: 
Some foods and supplements can do harm to, or benefit your skin. These are some things I've noticed.

Citrus can aggravate your skin
When I was a kid I used to drink lots of Raro (that citric acidy orange drink - with the powder you dissolve in water?) and ate a lot of tangelos and the like. There was often a trend between sugar/acid consumption and my skin flaring up.

Cod liver oil/krill oil
Of all the oils I've tried krill seems to have helped my skin the most. My hands flare up less often, my face seems to have less break outs and I can have more things that would usually be a bit irritating to my skin in my diet e.g. coffee.

Hopefully this very wordy post has interested/helped someone. Do let me know if there's anything you find particularly useful - it's always helpful to hear other peoples perspectives because I know how common a problem this is!

Claire x

Weekend Post: Naked 3, Voting and the Chocolate Shop

This weekend I decided to stay up north rather than venturing back south into the city again. My much anticipated Urban Decay Naked 3 palette finally arrived Saturday morning. I've literally been dreaming about it arriving for a WEEK. Anyway seeing as I don't post a hell of a lot of photos of myself I thought I'd show you my experiments with some of the colours I used.

I absolutely love the colours in this palette - they're a tiny bit powdery but are very pigmented and blendable. I've played around with the dark colours too so presently I look like I've been punched simultaneously in both eyes...what I can say is yes, all the colours are lovely. I'll do a more in depth post soon! Weirdest thing is the pinks make my eyes look green when they're usually a very icy blue.

Side note: I'm all about that stupid face.

Jack was lovely and bought me lunch at one of my favourite local cafes - I'd already eaten the roasted veggie fritatta and was onto dessert before I realised I hadn't gotten a photo (I blame the fact that hunger distracts me). This cafe does the best brownies. After that I did the important voting thang for the 2014 general election.

After all that I also bought a few other "necessities" i.e. some yummy lollies and the latest Fashion Quarterly - the Spring edition. 

Pottered in the garden checking on my plants - a wee update for you. My kale is all growing well in both the ground and the little "green house"

Nail of the week this week is Hot and Spicy by OPI - I felt like something nice and bright - trying to induce more spring like weather since it's been shit here all of last week. Now I'm sat here drafting up posts like a mad woman so I have a few up my sleeve - next week at work is sales meeting time so going to be very busy! Following that it's "brush cleaning day" *sigh*

Will be back with my usual beauty related posts on Wednesday! 

Claire x

All About That Bas(e) pt. 2 - Tools

So this is part two in my "All About That Base" little series. I may make a third about skincare/how to get your skin looking and feeling good for BEFORE makeup as well. These are the tools I like to use to help me get as good a base as possible whilst also looking natural and nicely blended out.

L-R Small Tapered Face Brush, Angled Top Blush Brush. T-B Blush Brush, Flat Top Face Brush, Eyeshadow Brush

xoBeauty Flat Top Face Brush + Foundation

I love this brush for buffing in foundation, it doesn't leave you looking streaky and the bristles are beautifully soft. I find liquid foundation (for me anyway) seems to apply best when I do a bit of blending with my fingers to spread the product then buff in for a perfect finish with one of these. You don't use as much product and get a better final look. 

Real Techniques Eyeshadow Brush + Concealer

I've bought a few Real Techniques brushes in the last year but this has been the only one to really stand out to me. It has very densely packed bristles that really work the product into your under-eye area without leaving marks or dragging the skin. 

xoBeauty Small Tapered Face Brush/Angled Top Blush Brush + Bronzer/Contour

As you can probably tell by now, I kind of use brushes for whatever the hell I think they'll be best for and these two work splendidly for contouring. I use the angled top to get a general bit of dimension going so I don't look so flat, this brush really disperses product nicely rather than packing it on too heavily to one area of the face. The tapered face brush is great for then doing some more specific work under the cheekbones with my taupe coloured blush. 

ecoTools Blush Brush

I actually use this one for what it was designed for. It's nice and fluffy, doesn't put too much product on and is about the right size - I find some brushes are a bit too small and specific but with blush I like a general wash of colour up/across my cheekbones. 

You can find the ecoTools and Real Techniques Brushes on FeelUnique and the xoBeauty brushes (which might I add, are my favourite brand) from xoBeauty Shop

Claire x