31 July 2016

Monthly Favourites: July 2016




YAY, it's monthly favourites time again. It has to be one of my favourite posts not only to write but I also love reading other peoples & even watching them on YouTube too. This month has flown by but none the less, I still have a bunch of favourites to share with you all.

MAKEUP: This month, I've been really enjoying the E.L.F Maximum Coverage Concealer. This is the first time I've tried any E.L.F face products & I'm very much impressed. This product is definitely high coverage & a small bit goes a long way. This product gets a big thumbs up from me!

LIP PRODUCT: I love my purpley, mauve, berry shades especially in the winter. The Revlon Colour Burst Matte Balm in 225 Sultry has been my favourite this month! I've been pairing super neutrals makeup looks with this lip colour & I love it!

LIP CARE PRODUCT: Especially in the colder months, my lips tend to get super dry & chapped. I've struggled to find a product that really helps lock in moisture & something that doesn't feel like I have to keep reapplying it every 5 minutes. The best thing I've found so far is the Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm. What I love about this product is that it keeps my lips super moisturised & I find that I only have to reapply after I've had a meal. Another added bonus is that it is SPF 15 which is perfect!

SKINCARE: For skincare this month I've been using the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. Now, I only use this for removing my eye makeup because I personally don't like using it all over my skin, it made me break out something wicked. However I love using it to remove my eye makeup.

HAIRCARE: I don't often have new hair care products to talk about in my favourites but this month I've been loving Keune Care Line Defining Cream. You might have noticed it some of my picture that my hair is super long & because it's curly, it can definitely get a little wild at times. I find that the product really does help with defining my curls & leaving my hair looking healthier than ever.

PERFUME: This month I have been thrashing my Lady Gaga, Fame Perfume. I love this perfume, I'm over half way through the bottle & I'm definitely going to have to purchase another one at some point. If you ever have the chance to smell this perfume, definitely do so, it's amazing!

YOUTUBER: Hannah Witton is hands down my favourite YouTube this month. Hannah talks about all kinds of things on her channel, more specifically feminism, sexual health, relationships, dealing with stress plus Hannah also has this amazing series called 'Drunk Advice' where she gets with a friend, has a few drinks & answers some of our questions. Hannah has an amazing personality & is definitely someone I look up to. I'd love it if you checked her content out!

INSTAGRAM: My favourite Instagram account this month is @jennytarb. Jenny's Instagram is incredible, I love the theme & her pictures are simply amazing. There's not really much else to say apart from the fact that I think you should follow her!

SNAPCHAT: @lusterlux is my fav on Snapchat at the moment. Katy's puppies are adorable & I love getting her behind the scenes updates. If you follow her on other social media & want to sneaky peak into bits & pieces that happen behind the scenes in Katy's life I recommend checking her out on Snapchat.

BLOGGER: Poppy Deyes has been my favourite blogger this month. I'm consistently loving her content & I always find it so inspiring. Sean, Poppy's partner has just started up a YouTube channel so I'll also leave that linked if you would like to see more of Poppy.

TV SERIES: When I found out that Season 2 of Jane the Virgin was on Netflix I almost lost my shiz. I've been waiting forever for Season 2 to come out on Netflix & so far, I'm just as obsessed as I was with Season 1! Team Michael or Team Rafael? Let me know in the comments which team you're on if you watching the series.

FILM: There has been a lot of new content upload to Netflix recently & I went through the new films & ended up watching one called, 'Life Happens'. I loved this film, it has Krysten Ritter & Kate Bosworth in it, who play the main characters, which I thought were played amazingly. It's a really nice relaxing film you can enjoying watching at the end of a long day.

SONG: I believe I was watching a 'Morning Routine' video on YouTube when I came across this song, it's incredibly catchy but none the less, I still love it. It's 'Bad 4 U' by Royals & I'll leave it linked so you can have a sneaky listen.

QUOTE: "Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be".

B x

28 July 2016

Embracing Change



Embracing change isn't always something we all fond of. Most of us like to stay in our comfort zone & stick with what we know. After all, it's called a 'comfort' zone for a reason right? Change happens to all of us, it's simply a part of life. And don't get me wrong, while some change is undeniably good, we can often be faced with disruptions & changes in our lives that are not often welcome. 

The good news is that embracing change can be an easy life skill to pick up. Trust me, once you start looking at change is a good thing, you'll be amazed at some of the benefits that will follow. I've had my fair share of change in my life but I think without saying, a lot of us have. I've put together seven reasons why change is a good thing. Change is what you make it & it's important to remember that.

1: CHANGE HELPS YOU GROW
Change can often force us to adapt in ways we never imagined, which I believe can drive personal & professional growth.

2: CHANGE CAN CHALLENGE YOUR VALUES & BELIEFS
The way we choose to react to change can often involve re-evaluating our values & beliefs. I'm not saying that you would completely turn your faith on its head but what I am saying is that you should be open to new ways to approaching change & just life in general.

3: CHANGE REVELS STRENGTH 
Without being forced to accept the changes in your life you may never get to fully know your own personal strength. And this also includes your ability to adapt in new & interesting ways.

4: CHANGE BREAKS UP ROUTINE
I'm definitely someone who has set routines & routines can be good. But sometimes routines can leave you in a rut. I find that if I change up my routine every now & then it keeps my mind active & focused & doesn't become fixated on negative thought patterns.

5: CHANGE OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES
This has been a big point in my change journey. By altering the way you live your life, even in a small way, change can present amazing opportunities that can then have a domino effect, providing you with more dreams than you dreamt of.

6: CHANGE HELPS YOU TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE 
Try to start thinking of change as something that gets you out of that rut. Embrace change & face it head on with excitement. If you can learn to not be set in your ways I believe that it will lead to a more positive life.

7: CHANGE MAKES YOU MORE COMPASSIONATE
I wasn't going to include this point at all but I thought that some of you might find it beneficial. When you 'become to comfortable' in your own situation it can be more difficult to understand & be more empathetic towards other. I especially think that change can remind us to be kind, not only when making choices that will effect others but also when others may make decisions.

B x 

24 July 2016

Showing A Different Perspective On Life



We all have our different perspectives on life. We are all different in our own ways & I always think that it is important to remember that & although we are all untilled to our own opinions, beliefs & so on, it doesn’t mean we have to turn a blind eye to the rest of the world & be ignorant to others & their views. I feel like we can all be constantly learning something new, there is so much to learn but half the time we never take the opportunity too. We may agree with what is being said or we may not & that’s ok too. One of my ultimate goals would be for this world to be able to get to a point & a place where we can share all our views, opinions & beliefs & not have it cause any issues or arguments. 

I wanted to share I few words with you today that are based on showing different perspectives on life. It’s ok to change, it’s ok to change our perspective on life, it’s ok to change opinions or views. It’s ok to change. Change isn’t a bad thing, it simply shows that you’re growing. 

1: “My ultimate goal is to be at peace with myself, eliminate toxic feelings, elements & energies from my life, unlearn negative & harmful practices & thought patterns, stop checking for people that don’t check for me, create a space for myself that is nurturing for growth so that I may generate loving energy for myself & others, nourish my spirit & balance my energies, I have big dreams & I deserve to live a life I love & let that love radiate.” 

2: “Happiness escapes from those who refuse to see the good in what they have. When life gives you every reason to be negative, think positive. Let go of what you think your life is supposed to be right now & sincerely appreciate it for what it is.” 

3: “Most of your fears are much bigger in your mind than they are in reality. You’ll see this for yourself as soon as you face them.” 

4: “Don’t stress about the closed doors behind you. New doors are opening every moment & you will see them if you keep stepping forward. And as you’re stepping, also keep in mind that we often waste to much of today worrying about tomorrow. Just be present. Tomorrow will revert itself exactly as it should.” 

5: “The richest person isn’t the one who has the most, but is the one who needs the least. Wealth is mindset. Want less & appreciate more today. Be thankful for your life. For your health, your family, your friends & your home. Many people don’t have these things.” 

6: “Growth is painful. Change is painful. But in the end, nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you do not belong. It’s always better to be exhausted from meaningful work than to be tired of doing nothing.” 

7: ‘’Do what you have to do, but leave space too. Be flexible. Don’t overlook your life with rigid plans. Sometimes great moments happen unplanned & big regrets happen by not reaching what exactly was planned.” 

8: “Instead of getting angry over the words of others, choose to listen, be mindful & grow stronger one way or another.” 

9: “Life doesn’t give you the people you want, it gives you the people you need to learn, to grow & to fall in love.”

10: “Three things ultimately define you: Your patience when you have nothing, your attitude when you have everything & who you help when you’re able.” 


11: “Be humble. Be teachable. The world is bigger than your view of the world. There’s always room for a new idea, a new step, a new perspective, a new beginning.” 

B x

21 July 2016

Currently No.002




I thought that since I've been away for a couple of weeks, that it would only be appropriate to do an updated 'Currently' post. I'll link my last 'Currently #001' post if you're interested to have a read of that too. 

READING: I’ve been reading ‘How Hard Can Love Be?’ by Holly Bourne. I wanted to read this book due to the fact of how much I enjoyed reading, ‘Am I Normal Yet’ by Holly. I’m not quite half way through yet but I’ve really been enjoying it so far. Holly just has a really unique way of writing that I really enjoy & feel like I can relate to a lot. 

LISTENING: I’m going to mention a couple of my favourite songs at the moment. One is more of an older one & that is, ’Today’ by The Smashing Pumpkins. I was watching a film one night recently with my Mum & this song featured in it & I rediscovered it so that has definitely been on replay along with 'New Romantics’ by Taylor Swift. I didn’t think I would like this song but I’ve had a change of heart & I actually really enjoy signing along with it.

EATING: If you follow me on Twitter then you might have seen me going on about how I’ve been able to buy, from my local fresh fruit & vegetable shop, avocados for such an amazing price. At this time of the year they have them at supermarkets & sell them at a ridiculous price so I was super excited to see that I could get my hands on some for what I would generally pay for them in the summer. So it’s safe to say that I’ve been eating my fair share of avocados. 

THINKING: I’m currently thinking about what I want to make myself for dinner! I think I might just have something simple like a chicken salad but also about how I get to watch a new episode of Pretty Little Liars. Definitely excited! 

WATCHING: I’ve been watching ‘Jane the Virgin’ Season 2. I’m so obsessed with the series. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone but you should definitely check it out if you’re looking for something to watch on Netflix. 

MAKING: I’m not sure if I mentioned this in my last ‘Currently #001’ but I’ve been really enjoying getting into the kitchen & making a whole bunch of different foods & just experiencing with flavours.

LOOKING FORWARD TO: I’m going away next month for about a week for a 40th birthday party & I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to going. I’m going to get to catch up with all my friends that I haven’t seen in ages & I cannot wait, it’s going to be great fun. 

ENJOYING: I’ve been really enjoying going to the op shops lately. The op shops are a great way to support your community but also find yourself a bargain. I really wanted to purchase a leather jacket this winter however I haven’t found anything that I’ve really fallen in love with. However, I was recently at one of my local op shops & I did manage to find a leather jacket for cheap that I loved & I thought that it would be perfect until I can find something that is a litter more long term & that I love. 

LEARNING: In the last month, with everything that has been going on in this world I feel like we have all learnt quite I bit. Just to love & be positive because honestly, life is way to short & there have been some seriously devastating events happen in this world recently that I feel like have made a lot of us realise that. My last post was called ‘We are all human’ & it’s about the negativity we are seeing in our world today, specifically on social media. I’ll leave that post linked but I’m also going to have a couple of other posts that you should look out for, one where I’m going to talk about the different perspectives we all have on life & the other on how change is a good thing. They’ll be coming very very soon. 

LOVING: For this particular section in ‘Currently #001’ I mentioned how much I have been loving Desi Perkins so I thought I would mention somebody else that I have been loving & that person is Katy but you also may know her as ‘LustreLux’ & she actually happen to be best friends with Desi & that’s how I happened to come across her. Katy is incredibly flawless, she’s just slaying all the bloody time. I feel like she is so real with us as subscribers & followers. And let’s not forget to mention her adorable puppies, they are honestly to die for. If you’re not subscribed to her on YouTube or aren’t following her on social media then I a hundred percent recommend it. 

B x

19 July 2016

We Are All Human


📷 : www.tumblr.com

I consider myself as a strong advocate for positive vibes & non-judgemental thoughts. I always try to be as positive as I possibly can with everything I do, more specifically when it comes to writing on my blog. I prefer to spread a positive frame of mind rather than a negative. 

I often see varying levels of negativity, opinions, emotions & reactions across not just my social media but also those that I follow. It’s definitely helped me realise that there is absolutely no exemption from online bullying, no matter how sheltered, famous, thick skinned we are. Negativity has seemed to become a big part of social media & definitely a big part of what comes with putting yourself out into the online world. I often tend to see or hear, “Well, they’ve but themselves online, not only themselves but their life too. What do the expect?” There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to be bullying someone online. Just because people have chosen to put themselves out there & put their life online doesn’t give anyone the right to bash them down every chance they get. And just because they may have different opinions or thoughts to what you may have, doesn’t mean they deserve hate or negativity thrown at them. 

It seems that everyone of us, at some point, have faced negativity & hatred in some shape or form. And it’s a shame to see so much of that has been happened online. 

I feel that they’re are a lot of lessons, things you could learn from seeing all this hate & negativity online. I don’t just think that these lessons apply to social media but I also think that they especially apply to the online industry that we are seeing become more popular day by day. I’ve complied just a few of the lesson, or things you could learn from all the negativity you & I see on a day to day basis. 

1: No matter if you work online or have online profiles for whatever reasons, I feel hate & negativity is inevitable. I see negative & malicious comments everyday across several different online platforms. But as I am only human, I am still continuously shocked at not only the negative comments that I see on a daily basis but also the fact that these people actually have that much hatred to freely post negative comments without the thought of consequences towards another person. There will always be this small part of the me that hopes they will one day respect others or leave them alone altogether. Either one, they don’t need to write negative insults toward others online. It’s so not necessary. Whether someone has millions of followers, hundreds of thousands or just one, they are still human, with emotions & feelings just like you & I. And regardless of how much a person may dislike them or what they do, they do not deserve any kind of disrespect. They might be having a bad day, just like you could be & negative comments aren’t going to help or do anyone any favours. Never mind how successful you may think someone is, this goes for Bloggers & YouTubers too, remember they are regular people, with hearts, souls & emotions just like you & I. They’re entitled to their opinion, just like you & I are & I’m sure they didn’t even set to offend you in the first place. 

2: Secondly, all this hate & negativity I’ve been seeing as of lately, has only pushed me, even further, to ensure all my comments, thoughts, feelings & opinions are coming from a place of positivity. No one needs to see negative comments especially when they could already by having a shitty day. 

3: I can’t stress this enough, everyone deserves respect, even if they’re entirely untouchable & someone you’ll never met in your life time.  They have feelings exactly like you & I. Whatever they may be posting or sharing, about whatever they choose, isn’t an open invitation to bash them in an open & public forum. 

4: I’ve realised that we all really need to be aware of the words the leave our mouths. Life is too short to be upsetting people for no reason other than the fact that you have nothing better to do. Don’t get me wrong, your words matter but it takes nothing to stay quite & keep your opinions to yourself. Choose carefully when you decide to voice your opinions. I think the concept is quiet simple, don’t say anything unless it can genuinely enhance someones day or life in someway. 

5: People will read & see everything, even if you think they won’t see you comment, I guarantee they will. Even the smallest comment could hurt someone, just don’t say it. I don’t care if you have one million followers or just one, you don’t have any right whatsoever to be posting nasty, shitty comments. And at the end of the day they will be read & probably by more people than you think. 

6: Just be positive & spread positivity & I promise you that’s what you’ll get in return. Hate breeds hate. Happiness in infectious. 

My point simply is to share these bits & pieces with you, the things I have learnt along the way. And I guess to also open the eyes of those who think it’s okay to bully others online. I would really love to see things start to change when it comes to online negativity & hatred. Remember none of us are exempt from it, everyone is human & I truly wish that in the future people will start to realise the affect their words can have on a person & people. I would just like to see an online world where not only where people learn not to voice their negativity & hatred but also feel that they are able to voice their opinions & thoughts in a positive way without having to worry about the comments they may receive. Lets start bring others up instead of tearing them down. 

 B x

17 July 2016

Empties No.002




Empties posts are some of my favourite to write up & I always feel so accomplished when I’m actually able to finish a product completely. I’ll link my previous ‘Empties NO.1’ post so that you can check that out if you would like. I’ll also link all the products along with a mini review & if I would repurchase them that way you can get more of an idea of how I feel about each product. 

SKINCARE // 
Nivea Daily Essentials Gentle Exfoliating Scrub for Normal & Combination Skin: I really adore this product & I mentioned it in ‘Winter Morning Skincare Routine’. This exfoliating scrub is definitely hydrating & is more of a gel formula which feels amazing & leaves the skin feeling clean & fresh however doesn’t dry your skin out. I would definitely repurchase this product & the only reason I haven’t is because I’m trying out another exfoliating scrub so I’ll keep you update on how I’m liking it. 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash: Again I mentioned this in my 'Winter Morning Skincare & Winter Evening Skincare Routine'. I’ve already brought my second bottle of this so that says it all really. I really enjoy using Tea Tree on my skin since it has amazing anti bacterial properties. This specific product leaves my skin feeling super clean however it doesn’t leave my skin dry & tight. I really love products that don’t leave my skin any drier than what it already is, especially in the winter when I’m skin is naturally a lot drier. 

Nutrimetic Nutri-Rich Moisturising Body Satin: This is a beautiful spray on moisturiser but just don’t know if I can justify the price overtime I ran out. You get 100g in one spray bottle & I think its really easy to use to much especially because you don’t have to rub it in at all. I don’t think I would repurchase this product because of the price but also because I’m love so many other moisturisers & they are a lot more affordable. 

MAKEUP // 
Revlon Photo Ready Perfecting Primer: This primer is more on the high end spectrum but I did really enjoy this primer. I found that it really help minimise the appearance of pores & leaves your foundation looking flawless. I would definitely repurchase this product but there are a few different primers I’m wanting to try out. Let me know in the comments if you have any primer recommendations. 

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind, The Lifter in Nude Beige: This foundation was my holy grail foundation for a long time. The formula is definitely more of a mousse & applies beautifully with both a beauty blender & flat top foundation brush. I enjoyed using this foundation so much that I have already purchased it again. A beautiful, beautiful product. 

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder: I used this powder for specifically my under eye area. I found the product really finely milled & set my under eye concealer beautifully. I really enjoyed using the powder & the only reason I haven’t repurchased it is because I’m trying out a bunch of other setting powders but I do definitely recommend this one. 

Australis Clear Brow Gel: I just had a quick look on the website & this product actually has been discontinued however I liked that product, it did the job & kept my brows in place nicely. 

ELF Lash & Brow Clear Mascara: Again, another brow gel. I found this one made my brows super crunchy & after the product dried I just wasn’t a fan of how it left my brows looking. 

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara: I don’t have much to say about this one expect that I absolutely love this mascara & I am good portion into my second tube. 

Avon Ultra Colour Rich Mega Impact in Pink Pop: I wasn’t a big fan of this lipstick & it’s not actually completely finished. The shade is beautiful, I’m just not a big fan of the formula or the fact that it has tiny glitters all through it. 

Avon Lip Liner in D120 Simply Spice: Loved the shade of this specific liner. The formula wasn’t as moisturising as other liners I’ve tried in the past & I found that it would pull at my lips when applying. I probably wouldn’t reach for this brand of lipliners again. 

ChiChi Lip Liner in Totally Nude: From all the drugstore lip liners that I have tried ChiChi definitely have to be my favourite. They are long wearing & the formula is moisturising, leaving them super easy to apply & easy to wear. I’m really looking forward to picking up some of the other shades. 

Australis Velourlips Matte Lip Cream in Pa-Ree: This was the first liquid lipstick that I ever purchased. At that point I hadn’t worn anything super matte on my lips before but I felt like this liner of products was a perfect place to start. I really loved the shade of this specific one, it was a beautiful nude & I’ll definitely be picking this shade up again. 

Just a little side note, for all the products that I've mentioned & that are no longer available, I have linked the brands website because you might be able to find something similar to the product that I mentioned. 
B x

14 July 2016

It Got Me Thinking




You might have noticed that I haven't been online as much over the last couple of weeks & that is simple because I decided I needed to take some time away & clear my mind. During my time aways I was given countless opportunities to have some time to myself & just think about random crap. When I say random crap I'm meaning anything & everything that came into my mind at the time. I wanted to share a couple of small things that got me thinking recently & just get your opinions.

LEARNING FROM OTHERS //
I think that we under estimate the amount we learn from those around us. You'll find that my constantly asking questions, asking people for the thoughts, opinions & feelings on specific things. Although we may not agree with someones opinion, it does however just us the opportunity to learn something new & think about those bits & pieces or ideas that we've never thought about before.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT //
This specific topic has been on my mind a lot more often as of recently. There have been so many people that have lost there lives at ridiculously young ages. We can't afford to take the small & simple things for granted. We have to be grateful for the present moment because we can't change the past & we can't control the future which only leaves us with the present moment to be so incredibly grateful for. I can't stress how important it is to just be in the present moment & be grateful for everything & everyone in your life. I know that life can be really shitty sometimes but make sure you tell those you love that you love them & appreciate them in every way possible, because we aren't guaranteed tomorrow.

Those are just a few things that have got me thinking recently. What are your thoughts & opinions? Keep an eye out for more in depth posts about a few other things that have been on my mind as of recently.

All in all, the time I took away was really good. It was lovely to just take a step back for a small amount of time & just get myself back into a good place again.

B x

12 July 2016

Favourite YouTube Creators: Beauty Edition




If you have been following me for awhile you'll know that not only do I have a love for YouTube but also love having the opportunity to sharing others creative content with you all. There are so many talented & creative people out there in the world & I want to be able to share those that I love with you all, so that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to regularly talk about my three favourite YouTubers, at that specific time, in a post. I honestly couldn't tell you how many YouTube channels I'm actually subscribed too nor could I tell you how many favourites I have because like I said earlier there are just so many amazing creators out there & I want to be able to share those that I enjoy with you all.

SHANNON HARRIS //
I'm sure you are all familiar with my love for Shan & to be perfectly honest I'd be surprised if you weren't already subscribed & following her. I've been following Shan for the majority of her YouTube career & it has been so rewarding to see how much she's grown not only with beauty & makeup but also in life in general. I'm incredibly proud of all her achievement, I almost feel like a proud little sister. Shan is just the most real & down to earth person I feel like you could ever meet. I feel like I've learnt so much from Shan over the years & I really admire her passion, determination & love for everything she does in life.




DESI PERKINS // 
Although my love for Desi is new, I promise you it's real. I've been subscribed to Desi for awhile however it hasn't been until the last six months that I've really got into her videos. Over the past six months there have been times where I've just sat & binged on Desi videos, old & new. Desi is so super talented & it got to the point where I was wondering why the hell I had not been watching this girls videos right from the start. I always find myself feeling inspired while watching the content she produces. I can quite confidently say that not only have I really enjoyed Desi's content over the past six months but I have also learnt so much in regards to makeup application & just makeup in general. I really do recommend checking Desi out if you haven't already or don't know who the heck I'm talking about. 

KATHLEEN LIGHTS // 

Again, I've been subscribed & watched Kathleen for awhile now. I believe that it was her anxiety video that first caught my eye & it just went from there. I binged watched all her videos & loved them. There's really not a lot to say about Kathleen, she's down to earth, talented, creative & gorgeous. I get these really amazing vibes from Kathleen & her content & I think that's what a lot of people look for. They want a place to go where they can forget about everything else, Kathleen's channel is definitely it. I don't have a bad word to say about Kathleen & I think you should all go subscribed or at least check out a few of her videos.



I'm going to link these three gorgeous girls Twitter & Instagram's down below so that you can get more of an idea of the content they create but also what else they get up to in their everyday life. 

SHANNON HARRIS // 

DESI PERKINS // 

KATHLEEN LIGHTS // 

B x