12/31/2015
Goodbye 2015!
Oh 2015, where have you gone? You blissful, beautiful, many-splendored thing. It's been a really good year on many, many fronts but also a somewhat testing year. I stepped away from my studies until the end of September and I won't dwell on that much now, mainly because it is quite personal but it really changed a lot of how the year went, in good ways and bad. This year I also finally became licensed to drive alone and while I can't drive anyone without a full license yet, it's really the most liberating, amazing thing ever. One of my favourite things is driving in the countryside with the windows down and wildflower spotting. A month or so back I started doing the social media for a magazine store and I love it. Magazines are my passion and to get to be surrounded by them, their pages and ideas makes me one very happy human being. There was also a few adventures in the mix, with trips to Sydney and Wellington, the latter twice. An evening with Florence Welch happened too and she was mesmerising as always. I made new friends this year and this blog took a new direction with books coming more to the forefront. The lovely Kate Key designed me a pretty swish new blog logo too, and I'm still as smitten with it now as I was when I first saw it. So 2015, thank you for being decent and not diminishing my sense of optimism too much.
And of course here's to you dear readers. Thank you for continuing to be your amazing, wonderful selves and for always being so lovely to me, whether online or in person. Your kind words, emails and messages of positivity never fail to make my day. Here's to 2016. May it be full of adventures, good vibes and amazingness for us all xx.
12/30/2015
December Favourites
I'll spare you all the usual, 'where has the year gone' statement. That'll come tomorrow... December's been a darn good month. For so many reasons it's my favourite month of the entire year so I'm glad it lived up to its expectations. It was also a good month for favourites as well and there could easily have been a fair few more items in here. For now though, here's the eyeshadow I'm quite smitten with, a book I wish I'd read sooner and everything in between...
Printicular App-This app's had a fair bit of the limelight around these parts so I'll keep this brief. Cheap, cheerful, Instagram sized images at your disposal. If you live in New Zealand and have a Warehouse Stationery handy you need to give this app a go. These are also great to gift somebody else as well of course as keep tangible versions of your visual memories.
Mac Satin Lipstick in Brave-Thanks to the lovely Fiona this lipstick made its way into my life this month. Whether or not it is Kylie J's shade of choice, it is a stunning colour. It's a lovely pink nude, with the slightest pearlised sheen running through it. Go give it a swatch and be prepared to swoon.
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Eyeshadow in Bette-Dear Charlotte, please bring your luxurious makeup to the Southern Hemisphere in 2016. Love from Sophie x. These cream shadows are heaven in a frosted glass jar. They're so moussy which makes blending them a dream and the pigmentation is spot on. Bette is a golden bronze hue, perfect for the Summer months. It might be a bold claim but this is definitely one of the best cream eyeshadow formulas I have ever tried.
Essence Mattifying Compact Powder in Light Beige*-This powder was sent to me months ago and I remember liking it at the time but it ended up lost in my makeup drawer. It's definitely getting a thrashing at the moment though, when my face begins to resemble the reflective surface of a CD. Every day in other words. This powder is porcelain-skin friendly, doesn't look cakey and helps to keep shine at bay. It mightn't be the most long-wearing of powders but given how cheap and cheerful it is you can't really complain.
About A Boy by Nick Hornby-It took me far too long to read this one, given I watched the movie months ago and bought the book at the beginning of the year. Whoops. For those unfamiliar with the story it charts the journeys of Will, a thirty-something singleton and Marcus, an adolescent+outcast. Their paths cross and ultimately they both have a lot to learn from one another. This novel offers an interesting insight into life in 1990's London as well as the contrast between youth and adulthood. It's well worth the read.
Gilmore Girls-No brainer: I'm doing that thing where I rewatch Gilmore Girls and love it+inevitably declare it a current favourite. Let's be real, it's at all-time favourite status now. It doesn't even need a proper explanation.
Memories by Lang Leav-When I spotted this in the bookstore it was one of those moments where I judged the book solely on its cover. It didn't disappoint. Biographical, nostalgic, mesmerising poetry is contained within its pages. If you like inspiring writing give this a try.
-What have you loved during December?
*PR Sample
12/28/2015
What I Got For Christmas: 2015
I'm back, and while I did take a little bit of a blogging break, as per usual I ended up missing it too much so I returned here earlier than I expected. Maybe I will make like Anna and take the odd break or two from posting in 2016 but we shall see. On Saturday amid a humid haze I made my return to filming. For all you curious folk who like to know what people got for Christmas, this one's bound to keep you happy. Oh and apologies for my nearly naked face. I had a smidgen of makeup on but couldn't be bothered going the whole nine yards. More so when it was just going to disappear off my face. Anyway, the video is below. Enjoy! x
12/23/2015
Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas | 2015
It's that crazy, wonderful, hectic time of year. If you've left your Christmas shopping to the last minute, it can feel even more stressful. My advice; take advantage of the early morning opening hours and the later closing times. If you're feeling a bit stumped on what to get, how about something along these lines? These are all items you can easily go out and buy yourself in Australia and New Zealand, and even some you can order online and have looked after for you...
-Hourglass Blush: The Hourglass Ambient Lighting palette may be everywhere this season and while it is stunning, it's really not the best value for money. I'd recommend picking up one of their full sized blushers, bronzers or face powders instead. They're luxe, beautiful and such flattering powder products. Available from: Mecca Cosmetica and Mecca Maxima.
-Tender Love & Carry Pouch: I have a rose gold one of these and love it! It's designed to be a makeup bag I'm sure but at the moment it's become my temporary wallet until I buy a new one. They're really lightweight and compact, perfect for storing things like beauty minis, beauty tools, pens, whatever you want really. You could stick her favourite lipstick or something equally as lovely inside too. Available from: Farmers,
-2016 Diary: There's just something about fashionable stationery that builds the illusion that you're an organised person who has it together and has excellent taste. What better way to keep tabs on all your fabulous moments in 2016 than with a diary. Whether it be weekly, daily, or monthly that you're after, they are a godsend. I'm sure some people will think they're archaic in the days of iCal and the rest, but you cannot beat pen and paper. Available from: Kikki K, Typo, stationery shops. You know the drill..
-Kinfolk Home: Or Kinfolk magazine, whichever floats your boat. I've actually gifted this book to Amy as a wedding gift and she+her partner love it. It's even on my own wishlist. If stunning interiors and home design+decor are popular, they're bound to love this one. Available from: Book Depository, Mag Nation and other specialty book stores.
-Printicular Photos: This one is really easy guys-all you need is a phone, an app and an internet connection+access to a Warehouse Stationery store. You can choose to sync this to your Instagram or upload your own photos, choose what size and finish you want, order them on your phone and bam. Once your pictures start printing they're usually ready not long after. These square sized options are perfect for your Instagram pictures. I think these would make a great gift for someone else if you chose to print out their photos for them. Available from: Warehouse Stationery, the Printicular app is on the app store.
-An iPhone/phone case: The number of people who tote around an expensive phone without a case on it astounds me. Not only do they look rad, but they keep your phone protected! C'mon people. If you're looking for something with a bit more functionality, those phone cases that double as a cardholder are nifty too. Available from: Rifle Paper Co., Kikki K, Typo, I even think Kmart may have some options.
-Freedom Bowls: Homeware is the one item that can be a bit risky as people's tastes with this are either really clear cut or a bit more relaxed. You can't go wrong with something like bowls or plates though. They might seem boring but if you buy something that you know will appeal to someone's tastes then it's much more thoughtful. I love this Freedom set (pictured) but they have a ton of other great options in store too.
-What would you recommend someone buy for Christmas as a last-minute gift?
*Have an awesome Christmas everyone! If you don't celebrate, I hope you enjoy some rest and relaxation as well. This is my last post until next week-I'm not sure when I'll be back blogging because I'm really just winging things at the moment. I'm working pretty much every day next week too so it might be a bit more difficult to upload posts. We shall see. I'm off now to tidy my room and then I might do some Christmas themed reading. I'm working Christmas Eve so I'm trying to relax now while I still can haha. See y'all sometime next week-post Chocolate and gift giving x.
12/21/2015
The New Brow Game Changers
'Tis the season for strong brow games. Season might be a bit modest, it's been more of a year for brows. I've been trying some new brow products lately and I love them. It seemed about time that they received a bit of attention around these parts so here we have it...
L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper in Dark Brunette-I've tried a few brow mascaras now and this one has to be my favourite. This colour's dark but it doesn't add too much colour to your brows. It's really easy to dispense the colour through your brows and works well on its own or combined with a brow pencil to help set things in place. The one thing that lets this product down is there are only a blonde or brunette option available. What about the redheads and people who aren't blonde/have dark eyebrows? There is a transparent one too but still, there should be more options.
Smashbox Brow Tech Gloss Stick in Brunette*-Ignore the gloss part of this product's name for a second because you're not going to be left with shiny brows. I guess the gloss comes into it because the pencil is quite creamy as opposed to something more waxy. Anyway, this is a wind up brow pencil with a spoolie on the other end to comb through your eyebrows. It's super quick and easy to use and this colour leans more on the natural side of things. If you have dark brows like me, this is what you want. It's long-wearing as well and combined with the brow artist plumper you have a match made in eyebrow heaven.
-Have you tried either of these brow products before? If not, what are your go-to brow products?
*PR Sample
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
