'Tis the season to stock up on Lush. They're certainly one of the key players when it comes to Christmas bath and body gifts and their stores are always manic in the days leading up to Christmas. They have some standout sets but for me, their hero product at Christmas are their bath bombs. Today's post is therefore a bit of a love letter to these carbonated, often sparkly and surprise-laden delights. Cynics might say you're literally dissolving money but there's just something so comforting and fun about bath bombs, especially during the stressful festive season...

Never Mind The Ballistics*-If you like bath bombs that fizz away slowly, allowing you the chance to unwind and recharge your batteries, this is the one for you. Its scent reminds me of Perky Nana chocolate bars, which are my fave so I love that about it. Like Butterbear, mentioned below, it contains cocoa butter so it has that moisturising quality to it. Your skin is left smelling sweet and feeling silky smooth. What more could you want?

So White-So White is one of my favourite Christmas bath bombs from Lush. It's not as showy as some of Lush's other bath bombs but don't let that lead you astray from it. It's apple scented and is like bathing in Granny Smith apples. It smells sweet with just a tinge of sourness and while it may not be the most memorable of bath bombs, it's still a nice one nonetheless.

Northern Lights*-From what I can remember, this is a new addition to the Christmas bath bomb range and admittedly I am not a fan. Its scent reminds me a lot of Granny Takes A Dip which is more on the herbal side of things. Although the notes lean more floral so maybe it's just me imagining scents. Either way, I feel like Northern Lights has a very distinct scent that won't be for everyone so choose wisely. 

Shoot For The Stars-I have to confess, I am yet to use this bath bomb but I have been assured by Lush enthusiasts and staff alike that it is beautiful. I may have even seen it being demo'ed at their Christmas launch last month. Inspired by Van Gogh's famed Starry Night painting, the water is left a deep, shimmering blue and notes of Brazilian orange and bergamot fill the air. S Club 7-inspired singing sessions are encouraged with this one. 

Butterbear*-This is the Christmas twist on Lush's popular Butterball bath bomb. A blend of vanilla with real bits of cocoa butter throughout. It's like bathing in a chocolate milkshake, albeit a very moisturising one. I feel like this bath bomb would appeal to a wide range of people; from kids through to Mums so it'd make a great stocking stuffer. 

Star Dust, not pictured-I'm a bit obsessed with star shaped things and this love naturally extends itself to bath bombs. Star Dust combines the scents of rosewood, vanilla absolute and bergamot oil. It colours your water a milky blue and leaves behind a trail of multicoloured stars. So yes, this is a visual treat. It also smells divine, like vanilla shortbread or Macarons so again it's a winner with me. I'll be trying to stock up on these before the end of the festive season. PS-Santa, I would not say no to one or four of these.

Golden Wonder, not pictured-I couldn't do this post and not mention what is quite possibly my favourite Lush bath bomb ever. In saying that, I've not bought any this Christmas. I'm a disloyal fan. Golden Wonder is a present shaped bath bomb which fizzes away, releasing some gold stars and lustre (Lush's equivalent of glitter) before leaving you with turquoise blue water that looks like something from a Greek island. Admittedly it's this colour that is the biggest appeal for me but I love the scent of it too, kinda sandalwood-y and beachy. 

-Have you tried any of Lush's Christmas bath bombs? What did you think of them?

*PR Sample

November's coming to a close which means it is November Favourites time. There's been so many standout books and beauty products this month so I really struggled to condense my loves down for once. No doubt the things that aren't featured here will make an appearance somewhere else in the next month or so. Today we have a bit of everything really; beauty, books and a musical that does not disappoint in the slightest. Enjoy and be sure to let me know what you have loved this month in the comments. 

Pretty Iconic by Sali Hughes-There is nobody who can make beauty products sound quite as magical as Sali Hughes does. She makes it an art, that is for sure. Pretty Iconic looks at 200 beauty products from the last year and answers why they're staples and have changed the beauty game now or in the past. Many of them have Sali's own personal anecdotes and associations alongside them as well. It's really a book for total beauty obsessives and is the tome you will want to immerse yourself in for a lengthy period of time. I love it and am still reading it as I write this, to savour the decadent prose for a bit longer. 

MAC Liptensity lipstick in Doe-Given I own a fair amount of lipsticks, it really says something when I reach for the same lipstick over and over rather than rotating them around. That is exactly what happened with me this month and Doe is virtually all I wore. The Liptensity lipsticks sit somewhere between a Cremesheen and a Lustre lipstick from MAC in my opinion. They have an almost slightly tacky feel to them which helps them stick around. Doe is your standard, neutral lipstick but there's just something about it that I find so flattering when I'm wearing it. I love it.

Estee Lauder Brow Duo, Brow Now Volumizing Brow Tint* and The Brow Multi Tasker*-I don't usually get too excited by brow products, mainly because I struggle to find ones that don't make my eyebrows look like Helga's from Hey Arnold but these two are the best. I could probably opt to not use the brow gel but it keeps them in place all day so I like to use it. The real winner though is The Brow Multi Tasker pencil, an angled crayon with a spoolie on the other end. I find angular pencils like this a lot easier to use and they can be more forgiving than something like the pomades that are everywhere.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit in Surreal Light, limited edition-This palette is inevitably going to end up in a few monthly favourites posts, that's my prediction at least. Just look at its outside casing for starters. Beautiful. Inside you have a finishing powder, two blushers, a strobe powder and a bronzer. One thing I will say is the bronzer is incredibly light so unless you're extremely pale I don't think it will translate as a bronzer. For that reason I use it as a blush. Otherwise I have no real qualms with this palette, aside from its somewhat eye-watering price tag. In saying that, Hourglass palettes last a lifetime so you get your money's worth. 

The Body Shop Eye Colour Stick in Nevada Gold*-Eyeshadow crayons are one of my many beauty vices. They don't require a great deal of work and are so easy to just swipe on and be done with. I'll admit The Body Shop's aren't quite as creamy as the uber luxe By Terry offerings but they're still pretty fantastic. Nevada Gold is a champagne, sparkly wash of colour for the lids. It's a beautiful colour to wear and lasts really well with primer underneath. It's going to be my go-to in the hotter months. 

The Wrong Girl by Zoe Foster Blake-While I was in Australia, I went to Readings, which is like a Melbourne version of Unity Books and I purchased Zoe's book alongside one by Frankie magazine. It's the book that has also inspired a TV series on Channel Ten in Australia, which I watched some of and loved. Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect tonic to the mess that was the Presidential Election. It's entertaining, heartwarming and the book equivalent of a bunch of peonies. If you want a light read for the beach this Summer, this is your book. 

Matilda The Musical-Matilda by Roald Dahl is one of the first books I remember reading by myself and the movie was one I watched countless times in my childhood. Naturally the musical was always, always going to appeal to me. I can tell you it is amazing. Part musical, part play, it is a visual feast and the score is superb. The Australian cast were all so talented too, major props to Elise McCann as Miss Honey and James Millar as Miss Trunchbull. If you get the opportunity to see this show, do not pass it up.

-What have you loved during November?

*PR Sample

Today we have a little, condensed roundup of some of the bits and pieces I grabbed in Melbourne. Non-beauty of course. Some of what I grabbed was gifts for friends and family for Christmas, hence it's not here but here's a little snippet anyway. Enjoy!

The Books: Can I go to a foreign country and not buy books? Especially when they're so much cheaper. Don't quote me on this but I don't think they tax books in Australia like they do here, hence the cheaper prices. Case in point. I grabbed a couple at Dymocks: Inside Vogue and Air Kisses, Readings: Something To Say and The Wrong Girl and then Artful by Ali Smith from a Book Barn. The latter had every book in store for ten dollars. Utter bargain. 

Muji: I could not go to Melbourne and not visit Muji. What I was not anticipating was just how busy it was, although I've since been told that Muji is always busy. Who knew? Muji was a plethora of covetable, inexpensive things but I was actually reasonably restrained. I think I only spent about $20 in there. Shout out to their amazing pens that are pictured above. I sincerely regret not buying at least fifty of them. I also loved the notebook+bag+tshirt stamping station where you could personalise your things. So cool. NZ needs a Muji right now please.

The shoes of dreams: To know me is to know I hate shoe shopping. Okay, hate is a strong word, I sincerely dislike it. So when I stumbled upon these shoes in Zara and they fit my weirdly proportioned feet, I was beyond happy. I can't find 'em online, nor did I spot them in-store here at home so I am guessing they may be sold out now. There's lots of similar variations in store though, including some that look almost identical to those fur-trimmed Gucci ones that are sending everybody into a bit of a loafer frenzy.

Decorative Delights: Aka the one where I go on my usual card, Christmas decoration acquisition. I grabbed some decorations from David Jones (this and this), some cards from the Viktor and Rolf exhibit and some beautiful Megan Hess for Disney cards that I am going to frame. 

Sweet Treat Yo'Self: If I could have bottled Boost Juice up and smuggled it home, past two lots of customs and security, I so would have. Seeing as that is not an option, I made do with some lollies I love. First up; Fantales. Why we don't have these in NZ is beyond me. I freakin' love them and regret only buying one extra bag to come home with. Also making its way back to Auckland; Violet Crumble which is basically like a Crunchie bar, but better. Some boiled sweets from the Vic Markets made their way back here too. Raspberry drops, nom oh and Smiths Chips, S&V chips because I am a bit obsessed with them. I did eat fruit in Australia guys, promise(!), I just couldn't bring that back. 

-So that concludes my Melbourne posts! I hope you've enjoyed this little series of shorts. Have a great weekend, it's no secret how I am spending mine..

We all know my love for books is only really rivaled by my love for magazines. Discovering new ones to enchant and inspire me is naturally something I enjoy. Recently I've been wanting something a bit more from my women's magazines. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy perusing the pages of Vogue and Allure. I just have been  craving magazines a bit wordier and more idea-filled than what I usually reach for. Today I want to fill you in on three magazines you may not be so familiar with. They all deliver something different and are equally as inspiring. Coincidentally they are all British too. There must be something in those English magazine waters...

Bedboat, published quarterly-An independently published title, Bedboat is only available as a print magazine. The team appreciate the beauty in something that we can all hold and read, rather than cast our eyes across a PDF file and I love that about them. That's not where the love for Bedboat magazine ends though. Inside you will find a treasure trove of ethereal, dreamy imagery and writing that will inspire you to put pen to paper yourself. It embraces creativity in all its forms and does it brilliantly. The next issue is out in January 2017, I backed the Kickstarter campaign but if you want to pre-order a copy you can do so here. Oh and if you're in Auckland you might be able to find this in Mag Nation Ponsonby if there's still some copies there.

The Gentlewoman, published biannually-The Gentlewoman is the sister publication of Fantastic Man and The Happy Reader. It's the talented middle sister in a trio of creative, well designed paper siblings basically. It's also incredibly hefty and crammed with a tonne of content, focusing on inspiring women and fashion+style in a way that never feels trite or superficial. Past issues have profiled woman such as Saiorse Ronan, Tilda Swinton, Adele, Beyonce and others. Issue 13 looks at Zadie Smith and her latest novel Swing Time. Side note: It's a brilliant book and I'm loving savouring every last sentence. Diana Athill, literary editor is featured as is Erin Brokovich among others. If you like wordier magazines that are designed seamlessly and are an absolute treat to read, this is for you. 

Riposte, pubished quarterly-Another magazine that is in a similar vein to The Gentlewoman but with less of a focus on fashion. Each issue contains curated content, specially produced for that issue which I think is pretty darn fantastic. They also do brilliant essays and interviews as well. Issue 6 featured a great one with Gloria Steinem and Barbara Nessim. Again, if you like magazines that are a bit wordier and embrace women from all walks of life, you should hunt this down.

-What women's magazines do you read and like?

Hello and happy Monday to you all. If you like photos, you are in for a treat as today's post is laden with a lot of them. I love compiling these travel diaries for myself more than anything so I can go back and look at them later on but I hope you enjoy seeing my photos too. I'm missing Melbourne even more today as I start Summer School-adventuring sounds much more fun! Anyway, photos and captions below. Enjoy..

-A selection of fashion and beauty books in the Dymocks on Collins Street. Shortly after taking this I discovered the no cameras signage. Whoops. Dymocks is fantastic though and I wish we still had them in NZ. 

-My favourite, favourite view of Melbourne, looking back onto the city from the Shrine of Remembrance steps. Whenever I come here, this is a mandatory thing and soaking in the surrounds never fails to put a smile on my face. 

-The iPhone snaps, part #1: *Reading Zoe Foster Blake's novel The Wrong Girl on the train to South Yarra. Amused Melbournites will note that is only two stops from Flinders Street. Probably not worth taking a book. *Saying 'peace out' to Melbourne on my last day. Those shorts are from H&M and are the comfiest things ever. A++ would recommend. *Inside the stunning Princess Theatre, waiting to watch Matilda: The Musical. One of the many highlights of this week for me. *A sculpture I stumbled upon en route to the NGV for the second time. *I have a bit of a thing for decadent, borderline tacky Christmas decorations like this. While I didn't end up buying this, I did admire it for a while. This was inside the amazing Christmas shop at Queen Vic markets. Open year-round (I think), *A rose to gift to a stranger. I'll let this caption fill you in.

-I've totally blanked on the name of this park but it isn't far from the Yarra River and Federation Square. Anyway, tangent aside, the day I visited here was beautiful and I had to take a picture of these palm trees whilst looking up.

-Inside the exquisite Viktor and Rolf exhibit at the NGV. I think I've raved about this to every single one of my friends now. Well anyone who will listen to be fair. It's amazing and if you are in Melbourne, do yourself a favour and go see it. It does not disappoint. 

-Outside the Princess Theatre in Melbourne. I swear the theatres in Melbourne are some of the most beautiful in the world. Don't get me wrong, The Civic in Auckland is stunning but theirs are next level. 

-The iPhone snaps, part #2: *Inside the Block Arcade, home to the notoriously busy Hopetoun Tea Rooms and rather dazzling floors like these. *Wallpaper inside the Viktor and Rolf exhibition. Myself and a few of the ladies were all admiring this and talking about how we wanted to deck out our walls in it. In fact, you could actually buy it there I believe. *Kate Spade has a store inside the Emporium building and my goodness, it was fabulous. The prices made me cry of course but her things are beautiful to look at.