Beauty & Lifestyle Yearly Favourites

I wasn’t a hundred percent sure what kind of round up post I wants to do this year. I had a few different ideas but I thought I would just mention all my favourite products from the year, in the categories skincare, makeup, lifestyle & social media. This way I give you a pretty good overview of my favourite things from the year. I will link any BP’s where I’ve mentioned specific products as well as a direct link to the website so you’re able to easily find it. 

SKINCARE

Cleanser: The Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Cleanser

Exfoliating Scrub: Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Deep Pore Scrub

Moisturiser: Nivea Soft Refreshing Moisturising Cream

Toner: Homemade > Tea Tree Oil & Water 

Oil/Serum: Rosehip Oil

Mask: The Body Shop Mineral Warming Face Mask

Lip Care: Nivea Lip Care Products

Hair Care: Keune Care Defining Cream 

MAKEUP

Foundation: Revlon Colour Stay

BB Cream: Chichi Super BB Cream

Concealer: Maybelline Fit Me 

Bronzer & Contour: Australis AC On Tour Contouring & Highlighting Palette

Blush: Maybelline Master Hi Lighting Blush 

Brow Powder: Natio Brow Kit 

Brow Gel: Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara

Eyeshadow: LA Girl Nudes Eyeshadow Palette 

Mascara: Maybelline Lash Sensational 

Lips: LA Girl Matte Pigment Gloss 

LIFESTYLE

Book: Am I Normal Yet by Hannah Bourne 

Magazine: Frankie

Film: Me Before You & White Bird In A Blizzard 

TV Series: Fresh Prince Of Belair 

Song: Closer, The Chainsmokers 

Album: 25, Adele 

App: Apple Podcasts 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter: @britt_saunders

Insta: @meghanreinks @jasminerossol

FB: @shaaanxo @tanyahennessy 

Tumblr: @meghanreinks @hello-narcissus

YouTube: @lustrelux @desiperkins

Snap: @kyliejenner @morellomachine @mannymua

Blog/Bloggers: Lily Pebbles, Anna, Victoria, Rhiana & Angela 

B x

Summer Reading List

Holly Bourne is one of my favourite authors at the moment & I only thought that it would be appropriate to mention my favourite series by her. 'The Normal' series which currently has the four following books in it. 

Amber, Evie & Lottie; three girls facing down tough issues with the combined powers of friendship, feminism & cheese snacks. Both hilarious & heart rending, this is Amber’s story of how painful & exhilarating love can be, following on from Evie’s story in Am I Normal Yet, to Lottie’s determination to change the world with her feminist revelation in What’s A Girl Gotta Do. 

Am I Normal Yet? By Holly Bourne 

All Evie wants is to be normal. And now that she’s almost off her meds & at a new college where no one knows her as the-girl-who-went-nuts, there’s only one thing left to tick off her list . . . 

But relationships are messy. They can make any girl feel like they’re going mad. And if Evie won’t tell new friends Amber & Lottie the truth about herself, how can they stop her making huge mistake.

How Hard Can Love Be? By Holly Bourne  

All Amber wants is a little bit of love. Her mum has never been the caring type, even before she moved to California, got remarried & had a personality transplant. But Amber’s hoping that spending the summer with her can change all that. 

And then there’s prom king Kyle, the guy all the girls want. Can he really be interested in anti-cheerleader Amber? Even with best friends Evie & Lottie’s advice, there’s no escaping the fact: love is hard.

What’s A Girl Gotta Do? By Holly Bourne 

How To Start A Feminist Revolution; 

Call out anything that is unfair on one gender. 

Don’t call out the same thing twice, so you can sleep & breathe.

Always try to keep in funny. 

Don’t let anything slide. Even when you start to break . . .

Lottie’s determined to change the world with her #Vagilante blog. Shame the trolls have other ideas.

. . . And A Happy New Year? By Holly Bourne 

Spinster Club girls Evie, Amber & Lottie are reunited for the mother of all New Year’s Eve parties. Having spent months apart since finishing college, they’ve got plenty to catch up on: how is Evie juggling a relationship with her OCD? Does Amber plan to spend more time with Kyle in America? And where did Lottie end up? Get ready for some serious partying & some major New Year’s revelations from everyone’s favourite cheesy snack loving feminists.

Let me know if you've read any of the books from this series or have any suggestions of good books I should look into reading. 

B x

Wishing You A Very Merry Christmas & A Fantastic Festive Season

I’m going to keep this short & sweet but I’m wishing you all a very Merry Christmas & A Fantastic Festive Season. 2016 has flown by & I’m it scares me to think that 2017 is going to fly by just as quickly! 

2016 has been such an amazing year. I’ve pushed myself & achieved things I never though I could achieve & believe it or not, it’s all thanks to the support from you guys. All my friends & family, which of course includes all of you guys too, have been incredible this year. You’ve all been so supportive, positive & caring. It has also been amazing & awarding to watch everyone grow & achieve their individual goals this year & I know that a lot of you inspired not only me but also each other. You guys are simply just the best. 

So from me to you, from my family to yours, I wish you the very best Christmas & all the best for the New Year. 2017 better watch out, I think we’re all about to give it a good butt kicking. 

Something I'd also like to let you know that I'll be uploading over the New Year so follow my social media, @bonnieellenxo to get regular updates! I still have two more BP that'll be going live over the next few days so keep a look out for those! 

B x

My Summer Everyday Makeup Routine

On the days where I feel like wearing makeup I go for something super basic & natural. I don’t wear makeup every single day because I don’t feel the need to or because I simply don’t want to & just don’t feel like it. I never use to be comfortable with out makeup but over the past two years I’ve definitely become more comfortable & accepting of my own skin. Now, makeup is a creative passion for me & I no longer feel like I have to hide underneath it.

FACE

A: Chichi Cosmetics Super BB Cream

B: LA Girl Pro Concealer 

C: Revlon Colour Stay Pressed Powder

D: Australis Powder Contouring & Highlight Palette

E: theBalm Cindy Lou Manizer 

BROWS

A: Natio Brow Kit

B: Rimmel London Brow This Way, Brow Gel

EYES

A: Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

B: Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

C: Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara

LIPS

A: Lime Crime Matte Velvetine 

B x

Summer Morning & Evening Skincare

It has been a good six months since I last posted my ‘Winter Morning & Evening Skincare Routines’ & I think it’s well overdue for a bit of an update. However because we are now in the warmer months I thought it would only be appropriate to talk about my ‘Summer Morning & Evening Skincare Routine’. I’ll also leave my ‘Winter Morning & Evening Skincare Routine’ post linked for those of you who are interested as well as for those who are now in the colder months opposed to the warmer.

I originally wasn't going to combine both my morning & evening skincare routines together but because use the exact same products morning & night I thought I might as well combine it into one post. 

You'll notice that my summer skincare routine is a lot more simple with less products compared to my winter routine & this is because my skin has a tendency to be more dry in the winter whereas in the summer, my skin is more oily than dry. You will see some a similarity between my winter & summer skincare routine as there are some products that I tend to use all year round & that's simply because my skin agrees with that particular product & I'm not about to change something that doesn't need changing. 

Cleanser

The Body Shop - Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash

Exfoliating Scrub 

Neutrogena Rapid Clear, Blackhead Eliminating, Daily Scrub

 B x

Fresh Pine, Angels & Elves

It's only a week until Christmas & I can't believe how fast it's come around. I don't normally do these sorts of posts but since we're in the festive season I thought it would be quite nice to share some of my favourite Christmas memories, films & scents. 

1. What is your favourite Christmas film/s? 

I love most Christmas films but a few of my favourite classics would have to be Elf, The Santa Clause, The Grinch, Home Alone & Love Actually. 

2. Do you open your Christmas presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? 

As a child, I always opened Christmas present on Christmas Day but I've found as I get older, along with cousins & siblings getting older, we're kind of doing our own thing & unfortunately we're not always together on Christmas Day like we use to be when we were younger. Sometimes we'll get together for before Christmas or after Christmas, sometimes even in the New Year, for gift giving & to just spend some quality time together. This year, I'll be opening present on Christmas Eve because that's when I'm going to be with family & I'm going to be doing something slightly different this year on Christmas Day. 

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory? 

One of my favourite Christmas childhood memories was the fact that my little sister was scared of Santa. We use to have a sleepover in my room which meant we got to wake up together on Christmas morning, we'd open our stockings together & we'd always have a sneaky look under the Christmas tree to see if Santa had been. 

4. Favourite festive food? 

My Nan's Christmas Trifle & Shortbread will always be my favourite festive food. My Nan has always been an amazing baker & her food is delicious!

5. Favourite Christmas gift? 

My little sister & I were brought up to really appreciate that Christmas isn't all about the gifts. We always had big family Christmas' & although for us Christmas wasn't all about gift giving & I guess it was a small way for us to show appreciation for each other & like a congratulations on everything we've achieved throughout the year. One of my favourite Christmas gifts that my sister & I were given when we were younger was a trampoline. We adored that trampoline & got so much use out of it that summer. 

6. Favourite Christmas scent? 

My favourite Christmas scent is definitely fresh pine scents. Just the smell of real, fresh Christmas trees really gets me into the Christmas mood. 

7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions? 

Not so much anymore, but when I was younger we use to have a BBQ dinner & watch a bunch of Christmas films as a family. Nothing to extreme, but it was lovely to just relax with family before a busy Christmas Day. 

8. What tops your Christmas tree?

At the moment, there is an angel on the top of my tree but as a child it always use to be a star. 

9. As a kid, what was that one gift you always asked for but never got? 

I can't really remember if there was a specific gift that I always asked for but never got. I do remember my sister asking for pony or a horse every Christmas. When she was younger, she was obsessed with horses & it was always at the top of her Christmas wish list. 

10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?

Just being around & spending time with family & friends. We're all so busy throughout the year & although we do make time to see each other throughout the year, I feel like Christmas is the perfect time for a good ole catch up & to celebrate everything that everyone has achieved throughout the year. 

Let me know some of your favourite Christmas memories in the comments below. 

B x

Christmas Gift Guides For Him & Her

December is such a crazy time of the year. Where all busy stressing about all the things that need to be done before the end of the year & then trying to organise Christmas with friends & family. You’ve also got purchasing gifts, sending gifts & Christmas cards if that’s something you do. You’ve got school graduations & Christmas work functions. 

Because December is such a crazy month, I feel like even if you love gift giving, sitting down at the end of a busy day to try & work out gift ideas for those special people in your life can be slightly difficult. I love gift giving but I feel like I’m terrible at trying to find a variety of different items that my family & friends will enjoy & find useful. A lot of my favourite YouTubers have brought out ‘Christmas Gift Guides’ this year & I thought I would combine them all into a post for easy access if you’re look for some gift inspiration. These videos definitely helped me come up with some awesome gift ideas for my family & friends. 

Shannon Harris

Festive Makeup Tutorial & Gift Ideas For Him & Her

Zoe Sugg 

Gifts & Stocking Fillers Under £20

Fleur DeForce

Best Beauty Gifts 2016

Fleur DeForce

Christmas Gifts For Her 2016

Fleur DeForce 

Christmas Gifts For Him 2016

Fleur DeForce 

Stocking Filler Gifts 2016

B x

My Summer No Lipstick, Lipstick

Summer is great for bold, bright lip products however sometimes I find myself wanting to tone it down a little but still have that touch of colour that says screams summer. When it comes to the formulas of all kinds of lip products, I will generally reach for something that is light & moisturising, nothing that is to thick or drying on the lips. Obviously, I am absolutely all for wearing whatever colour lip you want, at whatever time of the year you want. 

These are just a few of the shades from my collection that have a really beautiful light & moisturising formula & are perfect shade for minimal makeup look as well as achieving that no lipstick, lipstick look. The  four lip products that I have chosen can either be paired together or worn on there own. I’ve chosen two glosses & two lipsticks from my collection that I enjoy wearing the in middle of summer when not wearing my favourite lip balm. 

Lipsticks 

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick By Kate Moss in #16. Rimmel has some amazing lipsticks with beautiful formulas & a variety of gorgeous shades. #16 is a beautiful slightly more pink, peachy shade. It has a beautiful moisturising formula & if applied with a lip brush, can be slightly more of a natural shade. 

Maybelline Colour Whisper in #60 Petal Rebel. Maybelline also have an amazing variety of lipstick collections with some truely beautiful shades. The reason why this is one of my favourite summer lipsticks is because the formula is so incredibly moisturising. The lipstick formula is also quite sheer but it’s quite nice to reach for something sheer every once in awhile. #60 Petal Rebel is quite a neon pink, like a bright barbie pink but because it’s quite sheer it can be blended gorgeously if you’re wanting something slightly more natural. 

Glosses

Maybelline Colour Sensational Colour Elixir Lip Lacquer in #60 Nude Illusion & #100 Petal Plush. Now these so some of my favourite glosses, the apply beautiful on the lips & beautifully over other lipstick products. #60 Nude Illusion & #100 Petal Plush are the perfect shades for summer. You can wear them on there own for a subtle look or apply over your favourite summer lipstick for extra colour & gloss. 

B x

How To Be Mindful This Festive Season

For a lot of us, this time of the year is not only exciting but also very busy. We spend weeks preparing for the festive season, we make all these plans & then it’s over in a heartbeat. Time flies by these days, which is why staying mindful & in the present moment is so important. 

Let Go All Expectations 

It’s all about expectations & so often we hype ourselves e up & then end up feeling disappointed. Like being able to see all your friends & family, or things such as people arriving on time or everything going according to plan because nothing always goes to plan & we need to learn to be ok with that. Little mishaps & inevitable & the key is to not let them get to you & stay grounded. 

Don’t Overcomplicate 

Don’t over complicate things for yourself. It’s ok to ask for help if you need it.The errands, the shopping, the cooking, the planning & cleaning, all those things I like doing & if you’re anything like me then you’re a bit of a control freak & feel the need to do things yourself & that’s overcomplicating things for yourself. It soon becomes draining & exhausting. At the end of the day you can’t enjoy yourself because you’re either too tired or you’re thinking about the next thing you have to do. Don’t be afraid of simple, smile is good. 

Disconnect & Count Your Blessings 

Just because things get hectic throughout the festive season, doesn’t mean you can’t take time for yourself & time to just slow down. Take time to truly disconnect, turn your phone off, have a bath. Don’t be afraid turn down invites to holiday parties because you’d rather stay in & take sometime to yourself, watching Christmas films & wrapping Christmas gifts. 

Find time to reflect & appreciate all the wonderful things that happened to you this year & all the amazing things you do have! Most importantly though, staying mindful this festive season is about remembering to slow down & be present. Remember that we are the ones who make the real magic happen & it would be shame not to truly enjoy it.  

B x

Currently Listening, Thinking & Feeling No.004

You’ll all agree with me when I say that December is one of the busiest times of the year, right? We’re a week into December & I already have a running to do list that might as well be the length of my arm. With being so busy & trying to get things completed before Christmas, I haven’t been as active as I would’ve liked online. I enjoying writing & sharing these ‘Currently’ posts with you all because it gives you a bit of an idea my thoughts, feelings & the bits & pieces I've been doing lately especially for those of you who don't follow me over at places like Twitter, Instagram & FB, which of course you're more than welcome to if you'd like! One thing you will notice is that I have slightly changed the name of these sorts of posts however it's still the same concept. 

Listening: I did a whole BP about Ingrid & Cat's Podcast, Girls Who Lunch & I'll make sure to have that linked but I highly recommend Ingrid & Cat's Podcast, Girls Who Lunch. Ingrid & Cat do a fantastic job with sharing their opinions, thoughts & beliefs about topics which can be slightly controversial but also so important to talk about! I recommend having a listening if you maybe need some advice or are just looking to hear someone else's opinion on a specific topic. 

Feeling: Although it’s a busy time of the years, it’s also a super exciting time of the year. It’s Christmas, the weather is getting warmer & I find this time of the year really uplifting & exciting. For me, Christmas has always been about spending time with family & friends. People have time off over the holidays which allows time to see friends & family, you’re able to spend quality time with them & have a proper catch up before the new year really kicks into gear. 

Reading: I believe I mentioned the book I’m currently reading in my November Beauty & Lifestyle Favourites but if you haven’t seen that post, I’m currently reading a book called, Breaking The Silence by Lorraine Moir. It’s based on mental health, more specifically depression & suicide. The book has a bunch of different true stories about New Zealand families who have experienced & got through loosing someone to suicide. It’s super insightful & I think it’s a book everyone should have a read of. 

Watching: I have just finished watching all six seasons of Fresh Prince Of Bel Air on Netflix & I think I have maybe two or three episodes of season six of Shameless US before finishing that. I’m also thinking that maybe Gilmore Girls might be my next TV series that I binge watch. 

Wanting: Right now, I’m really just wanting everyone to have an amazing month & Christmas. I understand that Christmas isn’t always a great time for everybody but just surround yourself with those that you love & that love you & remind yourself that everything will be ok & work out for the best. 

Needing: I’m desperately needing a new computer mouse for my desktop. Mine broke, I think it might just be wear & tear but it’s a big pain in the butt especially because I wanted to work on my desktop today. So I’ll have to pick up a new computer mouse at some stage. 

Making: I don’t know if you can’t this as technically making but I’ve been doing a lot of blog bit’s & pieces, just trying to get things organised for when I take time off over Christmas & New Year. 

Planning: A lot of Christmas planning has been going on as you could all probably imagine & I can only imagine that it’s the same for you all. I’ve also been doing a lot of blog planning & preparation for when I take a break over Christmas & New Year, like I mentioned earlier. So I’ve been doing a lot of planning over the past couple of weeks & next few weeks I’ll be busy trying to get things done before Christmas & busy planning bit’s & pieces for in the New Year. 

Loving: I’d love to be able to say that I’m loving the warm weather that summer has brought us so far, but as I’m writing this post, it’s incredibly miserable outside. It’s grey, cloudy & raining. In saying that, what I have been loving is all the festive spirit, all the decorations I’ve been seeing. If it wasn’t for all the decorations I’ve been seeing it definitely wouldn’t feel like Christmas & there’s a part of me that still doesn’t feel like it’s Christmas so fingers crossed the weather clears up soon & the sun decided to come out. 

B x

What's In My Beach Bag This Summer

Today’s post is going to be a bit of a quick one but more importantly whooo, it’s summer & words can not begin to describe how excited I am. Just like every other summer, I’ll be spending a lot of my spare time at the beach & because of that, I’ll need a beach bag to hold all my beach essentials. 

No.001: Beach Towel

No.002: Sunscreen 

No.003: Lip Balm 

No.004: Water Bottle

No.005: Bikini 

No.006: Spare Set Of Clothes

These are the basic beach essentials I can guarantee I will always have on me. I feel like if I at least have these six items on me then I’ll be able to survive a great day of fun on the beach. Oh, I will also have one me items such as my phone, wallet & whatever else might be in my handbag on that particular day. I’d love to know what you all take with you on a trip to the beach, are your essentials similar to mine?

B x

Beauty Cosmetics Storage & Organisation

I believe that organisation is such a big part of everyone lives in one way or another, especially when it comes to how we choose to organise & store the items in our homes. Whether this is our clothes, our beauty products, the food we have in the pantry or even the towels & bed sheets in the linen cupboard. There are so many different forms of organisation around us on an everyday basis but what I love most, is that we all have different ways of organisation which suit us best individually. 

We all know about my love & passion for beauty. I mean, I do have my fair share of products. I thought I would share how I organise & store my makeup products & that way you can get some ideas for yourself if you’re looking at re-organising your collection. Now, this post is in collaboration with a company called ‘MakeSpace’ & they are a storage company. I think storage companies are fantastic, especially if you’re moving & perfect for those moving or traveling interstate. What I specifically love about ‘MakeSpace’ is that they will pick up your belonging, store it & then deliver you belongings back to you. There are heaps of features that this company offers such as free packing bins which means you’re able to save on boxes & tape, they offer an online picture inventory of what you have in storage along with free goodwill pickups. You can visit the following link, MakeSpace Company Locations, to find the current locations available & I believe they are soon to be announcing new locations so keep an eye out for that. I think this is an amazing service & if something like this was offered here in New Zealand when I moved to the city I’m living in now, I would definitely have used the service. There’ll be more of a disclaimer down below if you’re interested in knowing more about who benefits from what & more about this collaboration between myself & the 'MakeSpace’ company.

In the above photo you can see my current beauty storage & set up. This organisation & storage system is currently what works best for me & I think that it's important when choosing how you'd like to store your own belongings. As you can probably see, I use small white containers, which I just purchased from the dollar store, to hold the majority of my beauty bits & pieces such as foundations, powders, bronzers, blushers etc. It's super simple yet effective & I adore it. On the top of the vanity you'll see a small acrylic draws which holds a variety of lip products, lip care products & various mascaras & eyebrow gels. It's perfect to have sitting there as it's easily accessible especially if I just want to wear super natural brow & chuck on some mascara. There's also some small glass jars which I use to hold my brushes again easily accessible for daily use & then I also have a free standing mirror. I'd love to know some of the items you have sitting on your vanity & how you like to organise & store your beauty products. 

Disclaminer & More Information; 
I received an email from a lovely lady from the MakeSpace Company about three weeks ago & after looking into the company & receiving more information from them, we decided to work together on a project which involves talking & sharing about how we store & organise out beauty products. I'm receiving no benefits from the company other than the potential opportunity to feature in article that the company are putting together which is going to incorporate a lot of what the blogging community are putting together in regards to this project. 

B x