March Beauty & Lifestyle Favourites

I can't believe it's favourites time again. It's only a month until my birthday, how crazy is that? This month I've been loving a collection of things from skincare, to beauty & even the most recent issue of Frankie.

Palmers Shea Formula with Vitamin E, Raw Shea Body Lotion
Love this stuff & highly recommend it. I've previously used the hand cream before in this range & the only difference is that the body lotion isn't as thick, which just means that it soaks into your skin a lot quicker. Other than that both products are very comparable. A beautiful scent & leaves your skin feeling hydrated all day.

Neutrogena Oil Free Daily Scrub for Acne Prone Skin
This product is new to my skincare routine & has been for roughly two months now. So far I'm loving it. It helps unclog any congested pores & remove dead skin cells. It's drastically improved a small gathering of blemishes which were hanging out on my chin, in a matter of a few days. It definitely gets a big thumbs up from me.

The Body Shop Mineral & Ginger Warming Clay Mask
In combination with the Neutrogena Oil Free Scrub above, this product also helped improve my gathering of blemishes over the past few months. The ginger, cinnamon oil & kaolin have amazing effect on your skin as well as keeping the skin smooth while unclog congested pores. The warming part of this mask opens up pores & deep cleanses your skin.

Revlon ColourStay Foundation for Dry to Normal Skin
I have the Revlon ColourStay foundation in 110 Ivory. I find 110 Ivory isn't quite the right under tone for me & I probably should've gone for a shade darker. However, that doesn't change my opinion of the product. It sits beautifully on the skin, it has a long wearing coverage yet it's a light weight foundation that doesn't have the tendency to cake. Would definitely recommend giving it a try, maybe you'll love it just as much as I do.

Clinique Blush 20 Bashful Plum 
Such a beautiful shade & definitely one of my favourites in my collection. It's super pigmented & applies beautifully to the skin. It gives a flushed, warm tone to your skin & makeup look. It's the kind of blush that would look good on several skin types.

Too Faced Natural Matte Palette
I don't think I really need to say too much about this palette. It's clearly a very much loved piece in my collection. The shades are beautiful, pigments, buttery & blend so well. I would highly recommend this palette to anyone looking for a gorgeous neutrals eyeshadow palette.

Frankie Magazine, Australia 
It is not rocket science that I adore this magazine. Frankie is an Australian based magazine with a whole variety of articles on a range of different topics such as design, art, photography, fashion, beauty, travel, music craft, home & life. There is always something for everyone as it's so universal & the current issue definitely has to be one of my favourites. Not only is the front cover stunning, the articles on the inside are just as amazing.

B x

5 To Watch On YouTube

I'm a big advocate for sharing the content of other creators regardless of what platform it may be on. There are several of these posts on my blog for you to check out if you'd like but these are just a few of the creators & their content I've been enjoying recently. 

Aileen Xu / Lavendaire > Journal Collection & How To Journal 

Lustrelux / Katy > Peach Makeup Tutorial 

Boho Berry / Kara > Plan With Me: April 

Shaaanxo / Shannon Harris > Q&A & CCGRWM Chloe Morello x Ciate Palette

Megan Rhiannon > Art School + Autistic Notebooks & Planner/Bullet Journal Slump

B x

Keeping Calm While You're Stressed & Crazy Busy

Being stressed is never great, in fact it's incredibly overwhelming. We've all been there, with a million things to do but no time to do them. Staying up late, waking up early, running around all waking hours just to try & get everything done. Stress is different for everybody but the main thing to do is to stop & relax. If you feel burnt out & in need of a refresh here are a few of my tips.

Breathing Exercises

This is one you can do anywhere, anytime. If you have 5 to 10 minutes, try doing a quick mediation, The mental & physical benefits of mediation are amazing. Apps like Headspace are fun & easy. 

Have Some 'Me' Time

It's important to take time for yourself at least once a week, more if you have time. Give yourself time to focus on yourself opposed to what's stressing you out. 

Break A Sweat

Best way to beat stress is to sweat it out. It doesn't matter if it's a small walk or an intense kick boxing class. Being active will release feel good hormones & fight stress. 

Make A Gratitude List 

Instead of focusing on all the worries in life & tasks you need to get done, grab a piece of paper & write down everything you're grateful for. 

Sleep

The benefits of getting enough sleep are incredible. On the flip side, not getting enough sleep can create some terrible side effects, one of those being stress. So turn off your laptop/smartphone & try to get a decent night sleep. 

B x

Too Faced Natural Matte Palette: Everyday Makeup

The Too Faced Natural Matte Eye Palette has been a favourite of mine recently. You can do so many looks with the one palette & since I'm neutrals fan, this palette is perfect for me. 

FACE: 

Revlon Colourstay, Normal to Dry Skin Foundation in 110 Ivory

ChiChi Super BB Cream in Light

Revlon Translucent Pressed Powder

Australis Strobe Lights Illuminating Powders - Limited Edition

Clinique Blush, 20 Bashful Plum - Shade No Longer Available  

Australis AC on Tour, Contouring & Highlighting Palette

BROWS: 

ELF Eyebrow Kit 

Natio Eyebrow Kit

Rimmel London Brow This Way Brow Gel in Dark 

EYESHADOWS: 

Too Faced Natural Matte Palette, shades Strapless & Honey Butter

EYES: 

Maybelline The Falsies, Big Eyes Mascara

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara

LIPS: 

LA Girl Lip Liner in Natural 

Maybelline Colour Drama, 630 Nude Perfection

B x

Empties No.003

Finding a product you genuinely love is one thing but finishing it is another. I don't know what it is but there is so much satisfaction in finishing a product & being able to throw it away. Or maybe that's just me? 

'Empties' posts are some of my favourites to write up & share with you guys. I have a variety of skincare empties to talk about today. Some I loved & would repurchase & others I think there are better alternatives on the market. Please remember that just because I don't like a product or that a specific product doesn't work for me, doesn't necessarily mean it wont work for you. We all have different preferences & skin variations, so what works for me may not necessarily work for you & vise versa. 

Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Deep Pore Scrub

I thoroughly enjoyed this exfoliant & would purchase it again. It seemed to work well for my skin & didn't leave my skin feeling tight or stripped of all moisture. It left pores feeling & looking brand new. It had a pleasant scent & wasn't to harsh on the skin, but still exfoliated skin well leaving it feeling fresh.

Roen's Placenta & Collagen Cream

I believe I've spoken about this product before & it could well be my second bottle of it. It's a beautiful moisturiser & because it's more on the thicker side it made for a great night cream. To me it smelt like baby powder, which is an enjoyable fresh scent. Would definitely purchase this product. 

Garnier 2 in 1 Express Eye Makeup Remover

One of the best makeup removers I've found to date. I thoroughly enjoyed using this product, it removers all makeup beautifully without any pulling or tugging, even waterproof eye makeup. If you can get your hands on this product then I definitely recommend you give it ago. 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Now, some of you may be aware I've had issues with this product & it's definitely not a favourite of mine. When used all over the face, it broke me out the worst I've ever seen my skin. However, because I had so much of the product left I decided to use it purely & only for the removal of eye makeup. It works well for removing eye makeup but I wouldn't just go out & buy this product specifically for eye makeup removal as I believe there are better products out there on the market that I could use. 

The Body Shop, Vitamin C Microdermabrasion Exfoliant 

Love, love, love this product & would repurchase it over & over again. You only need to use this product maybe once a week because it really does deep clean pores & remover all the gunk from your skin. It leaves skin feeling so soft & smooth as well as super clean. 

The Body Shop, Tea Tree Facial Cleanser 

I don't think I really need to say to much about this product since I've been using it for a good two years now. I'm about to go purchase my third bottle of this stuff. It helps to keep impurities away & leaves skin feeling fresh. I swear by this stuff & it's been a staple in my skincare routine for as long as I can remember. 

Nivea Soft, Face, Body & Hand Moisturiser 

Again, I've spoken about this product before & I simply adore it. It's light on the skin, absorbs beautifully & leaves your skin feeling moisturised all day, even if wearing makeup over the top. This product if perfect for travelling as well because you're able to use it on not only your face but your body & hands if needed. Definitely going to be repurchasing this in the near future. 

Palmers Shea Formula, Raw Shea with Vitamin E, Hand Cream

Palmers always have such beautiful products & this one didn't disappoint. I've actually purchased this product a few times now & what I like most about it is that it's completely raw, it doesn't have any of the nasty stuff in it. The scent is amazing, the product is thick & settles into dry patches well. I've purchased the body lotion version of this stuff & my skin is thoroughly enjoying it. 

B x

How Simple Affirmations Benefit My Morning Routine

“Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” - Buddha 

Your morning routine can have a huge impact on your day & how it plays out. Creating a routine where you start your day by doing, thinking or saying something positive, is  a good way to shift your focus. 

Affirmations are short, simple yet powerful statements that help you asset something to be true in your subconscious mind, similar to making your subconscious thoughts conscious. They’re first person mantras that you repeat over & over again. Using affirmations on a daily basis can transform your life. If you wake up feeling anxious or your mornings are filled with dread, affirmations can help you shift into a calm state of mind.

I love using affirmations in the mornings, as any negativity & stress from the day before is gone. It’s the perfect opportunity to remind myself that your possibilities are endless & that there is something to look forward to in everyday, regardless of life's current circumstances. I prefer short morning affirmations as they’re easy to remember & stick with. 

Today, I give gratitude for everything in my life. 

Today, I feel strong & healthy. 

Today, I am full of energy & joy. 

Today, I welcome infinite possibilities. 

I am patient. 

Today, I feel calm, centred & balanced. 

Good things are coming to me. 

I am powerful & I create the life I desire. 

My dreams are much greater than my fears. 

Today, I have enough time to do everything I need to do. 

I love & appreciate all that’s surrounds me. 

Please, always remember that you are enough. There will be days where you feel lost, day where you’ll want to give up on your dreams & goals, days when you feel like there just isn’t enough time to do everything you wish to do, days where you feel alone. Hopefully you don’t have to many days like thing but having a good support system & surrounding your with positive & like minded people is important but ultimately it’s up to you to heal that negativity & doubt. 

B x

Gratitude Towards The Small Things

Last month I put up a post updating you guys on a lot of what had been going on in my personal life & why I hadn’t been posting on my blog or as much on my social media. I had published all of five posts before I got some news that really broke my family. I haven’t gone into a lot of detail about it online, for personal reasons but two weeks ago today heaven again another angel, my Pop. If you read my ‘Life Update’ post, you’ll be aware that I’ve had several losses in my life, in the last three months. It’s been tough to say the least, but I’m ready to slowly begin getting back into regular routines again. 

I’ve learn’t a lot over the past three months & I think a lot of it becomes down to gratitude & being grateful. We all have a certain degree of gratitude in our everyday lives. I’d like to think that we’re all grateful for the food on our table, a warm place to sleep, clothes to wear but when you have to say goodbye to a loved one for the very last time, knowing that you’ll never physically see them again, something really clicks within side you. I’ve always been an extremely grateful person, that’s how I was brought up, however, after the series of events that have happened to me in the last three months, it’s really made me take a couple of steps back & revaluate my life, in ways that I’d never really thought about. I’m now consciously more grateful of things I wasn’t really aware of before. 

Although the last three months have consisted of so many life changes, they’re all experience I can take in my stride & learn from. 

The point of me rambling on about all this is because I want us all to be living our lives to our best possible capabilities. Don’t take the small things for granted. I’m so incredibly grateful that I was able to spend the time I did with my Pop leading up to March 02. We fed the ducks, we went for walks & on coffee dates. I took him to get a haircut, we went shopping & we went to visit a few of his friends. These are all memories I’ll now cherish forever. 

I’m fully aware I’ve rambled in this post but at the same time I created my blog to talk about everything & anything, the things that I love, past & present life experiences. There are going to be times where I’m going to post things like this opposed to a new makeup look or things more lifestyle based. I have a passion for writing & it’s beneficial for me in more ways than one, I just hope that you find in beneficial on your end. 

B x