It's strange after you leave school, you're starting a new life really and all the school socialising from past years come to a close. This is all good of course, it's life and it's getting out there in the real world and living your life but sometimes it's a little lonely ... I mean I have plenty of people to talk to and there's my family and my wonderful boyfriend but occasionally you really miss the friendship groups of your school friends.
Whenever I get the opportunity to catch up with someone from school I do, it's good for me because it's someone different to be with and have a laugh with. We may not all get to hang out as much any more or do things as a team but we are still in each other's life to a certain degree.
Last week I got to spend the day with my best friend Juanita, we do this every so often, get all glammed up and head off to take pictures of each other, so much fun!!! :) This time was extra special because she's just had her braces taken off and looks amazing (she always has), she also allowed me to do her makeup for my portfolio (practice makes perfect) and best of all we had such a great time together.
We headed off to one of the local beaches in the area and posed and strutted for the camera, haha :D we even grabbed a ladder from her dad's shed and used it as a prop ... did we get some strange looks? You bet we did haha, but we didn't care, as long as we were having fun.
The theme of one of the photos was like opposites, we each wore the same dress from Romwe.com, Juanita in the black version and myself in the pale pink. The contrast with her blonde hair and my dark hair worked great and we were very pleased with the photos.
The weather was absolutely perfect, we have the best winters in the world here in Queensland, I mean look at that water!! :) and the day was perfect.
Remember to make time for good friends because they are a wonderful refreshing change to everyday life :D
The Winner of the wonderful World Cup Giveaway from Romwe.com was ...
kingabojanska @ hotmail . com
Congratulations!!! :D
Also, just a quick note to let you all know that Romwehas a sale on right now with savings up to 75%, also if your order is over $60, you can get extra 15% off til 31st July.
I love my
makeup brushes, I really do!! I waited a long time to get makeup brushes and
now that I have them I really appreciate them, so you can imagine that loosing
some of them is pretty tragic :(
Some of you
may know that I’ve been doing a Makeup Course which means that I was travelling
to Brisbane with my bag of makeup goodies, I have a lovely Zuca Bag which holds
everything nicely enough but my problem was my brushes, the brush belt I had
just wasn’t cutting it, I’d roll all my brushes up in it after doing my work
but when I came to get them again next time some of them had fallen out and
found new homes amongst all my other stuff or they were just missing :(
urghhhh!!!! So frustrating >:(
This is when
I set about looking at a few sites in search of something better to store my
brushes in. I still needed a brush belt and I didn’t want to be moving them out
of one thing and into another all the time.
I watched a couple of youtube videos to see what was around and then
came across something that just might work :D
The ‘Makeup
Artist Brush Belt with Zipper’ by Sedona Lace looked like it just might do the
job!! YAY
I have a
couple of makeup pallets from Sedona Lace which I find great, I have the 28Neutral Pallet (which I love) and the 10 Blush Pallet and I’ve reviewed them
both earlier last year so when I realized they had this handy little brush belt
I was very happy :)
I decided on
the ‘Vortex Professional Makeup Brushes
with Brush Belt’ because like I said, I’m missing a few of my brushes and they
needed to be replaced, also, it’s good to have a nice supply of brushes in my
professional kit.
The complete
set of brushes with brush belt sells for $79.95
The brush
belt alone is $19.95
The brush
set alone is $69.95
The zippered
brush belt is amazing, it keeps all my brushes safely in one place while I’m
travelling and nothing falls out, it’s faux leather (of course) and has a
really good sized adjustable belt. The zip goes all around three sides and keeps
your brushes safely inside. I would have like the belt to be about an inch
bigger just because I do have a lot of brushes (like most makeup artists) and
maybe he belt could have adjusted more to fit smaller people better.
The brushes
themselves I’ve been trying out for a few weeks now, I actually removed all my
other brushes from my bedroom so that I would only use the Sedona Lace brushes
and see how well they really worked. You can see that I’ve been using them in
my last few videos.
I must say I
was very happy with their performance, I only had a problem with the eyebrow
brush being a little scratchy. My favourite brush would have to be the angled/bent
liner brush, it makes applying eyeliner so much easier.
These
brushes have had very little to no shedding. It’s common for most makeup
brushes to shed a little when they are new and maybe the odd hair or two during
their lifespan so the shedding on these brushes
was nothing out of the ordinary.
The kit
comes with four (4) face brushes, eight (8) eye brushes and a lip brush. You
can purchase it with or without the brush belt and I do think that they are great
value for the money.
Brushes
included
Jumbo Fan –
FB01 – Face Brush
Tulip
Contour – FB03 – Face Brush
Dome Contour
– FB05 – Face Brush
Flat Top
Buffer – FB07 – Face Brush
Universal
Blender – EB09 – Eye Brush
Flat
Synthetic – EB11 – Eye Brush
Synthetic
Blender – EB13 – Eye Brush
Pointed
Crease – EB15 – Eye Brush
Brow Spoolie
Duo – EB17 – Eye Brush
Bent Liner –
EB19 – Eye Brush
Detailed
Shader – EB21 – Eye Brush
Angled
Detail – EB23 – Eye Brush
Capped Lip
Brush – LB25 – Lip Brush
Please
remember that these are called ‘Professional’ brushes for a reason, they are
not your basic brushes, this is not a kit you would probably buy for your first
brush set but rather an ‘add-on’ brush set to complete your range of brushes.
The
packaging was very secure, they arrived in a well padded box with the brushes
in a nice organza bag. They also come with a pamphlet which explains what each
brush is used for.
Before I get into it, don't forget my Romwe Giveaway in the post below, it closes on the 20th July and you could be the lucky winner of $200 worth of prizes!!!!!! :D
*****************************
Shopping online can be a little daunting for every one, I know my very first online clothes shopping experience wasn't too great and actually put me off shopping online for a while.
The first thing you should have when shopping online is a way to pay for your purchases, that could be either paypal or some sort of credit card. Not everyone has credit cards these days (I don't) so you can purchase the pre-paid kind to use over the net. I buy mine from Australia Post, they have a variety of cards from pre-paid visa gift cards to reloadable visa cards. Be sure to follow the instructions on the card and don't try to use them before they are 'activated' which can be within 1-2 days depending on the type of card.
Just for the record, I've never had a problem with either Paypal or pre-paid Visa, I find them reliable and secure and you're using your own money so you're not getting into debt!! :)
Shoe Shopping
Ok, back to shopping online, most of the things I've bought online have been clothes, If you want to purchase shoes I would definitely read the size guide thoroughly and be sure you know what your size is, international sizes are very different and can be a bit confusing so don't order any shoes unless you are confident with the sizing. I ordered from The Iconic because it is an Australian site and I am confident that the sizings listed are the same as in Stores in Australia and also that if they didn't fit, they have a great returns policy (that I also read thoroughly) :) I'm also a bit fussy when it comes to shoes, I like to know that they are going to be comfortable so I prefer to buy them where I can try them on.
Clothes Shopping
There are so many online clothes sites and you can spend hours looking through their catalogues and 'pretend shopping' haha :D, the beauty about online shopping is that you can put things into a wish list basket and think about it for a while as you continue to browse, the bad thing is that there is such a huge variety that you can quite easily over spend :D Lots of things seem cheaper online (especially compared to Aussie prices) and you can get carried away. Remember if you're ordering from overseas that you may have to pay shipping fees on top of your purchase so be aware that something really heavy may cost quite alot to ship.
Anyway, what most people are concerned with is whether the garment will fit them??? No one wants to wait for a parcel just to find out the fit is wrong :( that can be very disappointing.
Most (I would hope all) online stores have sizing charts, you will probably find these near where you choose the colour and size of the garment when ordering, have a good look around and find the 'size guide' button. Sometimes the Size Guide can be found on the tabs at the top of the site or down the very bottom of the store page. Just because you are a small, medium or large in your own country doesn't mean the size will be the same overseas. The size guide will have definite measurements that you can go by. Take the time to measure yourself (or get someone to measure you correctly) and compare the measurement to the guide in the store and also read the garment description for any other sizing notes. The store sizing guides will change from store to store and from garment to garment (because of different branding) so it's very important to read them on each item before ordering anything!!! :)
One Size garments can be a little deceiving too, my idea of one size fits all is that it should fit everyone from small to large, but my idea of 'small to large' may not be everyone's idea so once again you need to refer to the sizing guide and garment description to see what measurements it will actually fit. Remember to check out the length too, that dress on the model may look the right length in the photo but if you are shorter it may come down to your knees :/ check the length too :)
Have a good look at the photo .... does the garment look well made? Is the garment 'fitted'? If it is fitted then you will have to be very accurate with your measurements and compare them very carefully to be sure the garment will fit, always allow 1-2cm extra (just so you can breath, hehe). Things with elastic waists or corset style backs will always have a little bit of forgiveness in the sizing which can be a great thing. If you are considering buying a formal gown online I would strongly suggest the corset laceup style back :)
Take a good look at the style of the clothes you like, is it a style that will suit your body shape? Just because the model in the photo may look hot doesn't mean you will! Don't get carried away with new trends if you know they won't look any good on you, if possible get a second opinion from a friend or someone you trust :)
Does the colour look ok? Well that's a difficult one, most computers are calibrated (colours set) differently so the colours may not always be exact in real life. Rule of thumb, don't buy something in a colour you don't like even if it looks great on the model.
The only bad experiences I've had with online shopping is where the garments were supposed to be 'Custom Made' to my measurements and did not fit!!! I would definitely prefer to buy from a size chart now.
Another thing I highly recommend is googling reviews on the stores themselves, don't just rely on youtube and people you 'like to watch' but read and watch a variety of reviews from trusted sources.
Recommendations
I can't really give a huge list of places to shop from, I've only bought from a few online clothing stores myself and have been very happy with their products so far.
This Giveaway has now closed, thank you to everyone who entered, Winner has been notified :)
Romwe ‘EuropeanCup2012’ Giveaway
For many around
the world the Euro World Cup is something to get excited about, in Australia we call it Soccer, my boyfriend loves it and plays every week :D As a special
treat from Romwe.com I have another great Giveaway for you. This time one lucky winner will receive over $200.00 worth of prizes!!!!!
$100.00 to
spend at Romwe.com
USB programmable
‘LED Message Fan’ (value $35)
Quartz Pocket
Watch (value $89)
And all you
need to do to enter is register over at Romwe.com and then come back here and
leave me a comment (something sweet is always nice :D) along with the email
address that you used to register at Romwe ….. soooo easy and if you’re already
registered at Romwe half the work is already done.
Good luck to
everyone, the Giveaway will close on 20th July, 2012.
Hair
extensions are wonderful accessories for us girls, they can give you that extra
bit of confidence on that special night out knowing your hair looks fuller and
longer. They can make that simple braid/plait look like something very
special!!!
Last year I
was sent a set of hair extensions that I did a little review on and that I wore
quite a lot, of course over the summer months it’s a little impractical to wear
extra hair as it’s so hot and humid where I live but now that the cooler
weather is here again I’m loving extensions.
I was recently
asked if I wanted to try out some ‘salon’ extensions that were only available
through hairdressing salons and were top quality and it got me to thinking what
is the difference in clip in extensions???
So I’m going
to be talking about a few different sets of extensions and telling you the
difference in price, weight and quality that I personally found and hopefully
if you’re looking to buy some yourself it may be of some help.
These sets are
all advertised as being 100% human Remy hair. The main points to consider when
buying extensions online is the length of the hair and also the weight,
obviously 90grams of hair is going to be almost half the weight of the 160gram
sets. The pieces are not going to be anywhere near as thick as the heavier sets.
You should decide
whether you want the extensions for length or fullness, and decide on what
colour closely matches your own hair if you want a seamless look. If you are
wanting to dye your extensions then always try to buy a shade lighter than what
you want. It’s much easier to dye hair darker than lighter.
When
something is advertised as Remy hair it just means it is the ‘highest quality’
human hair whether it’s from brazil, india, china or wherever, it’s the highest
grade for that hair. You can easily
curl, straighten, dye, braid and style remy human hair just like the hair on
your head. The hair is a full cuticle hair that all runs in the same direction
(from cuticle to tip).
Having a
sturdy clip on your extensions is very good, you don’t want those clips flipping
the wrong way or being too obvious on your head so the colour of the clip is
important too, try to get them to match the colour of the hair extensions.
Clips should be securely sewn on on at least three sides. Sometimes after many
uses these stitches can come undone and it is a simple thing to sew them on
again.
When you
hear the word ‘weft’ being thrown around, think of the 'weft' as being a curtain of hair sewn together at the top so when weft is referred to it means is how many layers of
hair are on the extension piece (not to be confused with how many clips are on the piece). A double weft would be two layers of hair, a
quad weft would be four layers. Be sure if the extensions are more than one
weft that they are not positioned directly on top of each other which would
make a thick band. They should ideally be placed above each other in a ‘step’
pattern which would make the band thicker but flatter against your head.
22" clip in extensions in #4 (medium reddish brown) they cost approx $110 last year but I think they sell for $99 now.
These
extensions have been through a lot of use, they’ve been styled in lots of ways,
washed numerous times and even dyed and they still look pretty good. I never
actually liked the clips on these ones as they are silver and not attached very
well and now that I’ve seen different types of banding I don’t really like this
banding either. You should check with
the website to see if they have changed their clips. These extensions are a ‘double
weft’ extension sewn directly on top of each other which means they have a bit
of a ridge when they are on.
15” clip in
extensions in colour #2 – 90grams - $49.95 (on sale) – they come packaged in
plastic bag
These were
quite a surprise when I received them, they are much smaller than what I
expected and very light, the ends seam to look a little ‘scruffy’ too. To be
honest I’m not sure why you would really want such a lightweight set, I know if
you have fine hair a lighter set is required than normal but these just seem a
little too thin to me although if you are someone with very fine and short hair
they may work very well. These are ‘single weft’ extensions.
10 pieces - 18”
Delux clip in extensions in ‘Melted Chocolate’ – 160grams - $165.99 – packaged
in plastic
I was quite
happy with this set, the larger piece is really nice and full, it’s called a
‘quad weft’, I can wear this piece just by itself and it makes quite a
difference. You can also purchase this piece alone for $55.99 which is a pretty
good idea. The band and clips on the larger piece are sturdy and strong with the wefts sewn in a stepped pattern and the
hair itself styles up beautifully. The smaller pieces have a smaller and less
sturdy band and are ‘double weft’ pieces sewn directly on top of each other. I have noticed that a couple of the clips have come unstitched in places already so I will have to restitch them.
Hairvenly
Extensions (Australian site so if you’re in Australia the postage would be much
quicker)
10 piece - 20”
Delux clip in extensions in ‘Dark Brown’ – 160grams - $159.00 – come packaged
in plastic
This is a
beautiful set of extensions, all pieces are solidly constructed and all have a
wide band, secure clips with silicon and with plenty of hair on each piece. I’ve worn these
quite a bit and they have styled up perfectly and have performed very well.
Hairvenly Extensions also has a YouTube channel which demonstrates how to care
for your extensions along with some great style ideas - HERE. These extensions are
also ‘double weft’ extensions sewn in the stepped pattern.
7 piece - 20”
luxury ‘ultimate volume’ clip in extensions - $425.00 – colour matched to your
hair
Available
from salons only – packaged in silk organza bag inside a thick cardboard
cylinder.
This set is
the first set I’ve owned of ‘salon quality’, I wasn’t really sure if there
would be much of a difference between this set and the last two sets I showed
you but even when I first opened them the quality and thickness in this set was
obvious. From the packaging to the actual performance and feel of these
extensions (they actually feel like satin) there really is a sense of luxury.
This set is also cut with a more blunt end rather than a natural layered end
which is great for those that want that look or want fullness right to the end
(which is great for braiding too) and because they are only available from
salons you could easily get them cut to suit your style while you’re in the
salon. All the pieces have a sturdy band and well placed clips with silicone
strips for extra girp. If you are someone who wants to wear extensions on a
long term basis it would be worthwhile to invest in something like these. You
can also get sets suitable for fine hair which are 5 piece sets. These
extensions are advertised as being ‘ethically’ obtained (so no poor Russian prisoner
had to give up their hair against their will!!) and they are ‘double drawn’
which means all the hair strands are the same length all the way down and they have been
thoroughly checked twice.
********************************
So overall,
are the salon extensions really worth the approximate $200.00 more than the
online extensions? Well they certainly are beautiful and seem to be of a
excellent quality and if you can afford to pay for that luxury then I say go
for it, if on the other hand you are a teenager with limited funds, I can quite
happily recommend the extensions from ‘My Fantasy Hair’ and ‘Hairvenly
Extensions’.
Putting in
extensions is quite easy once you’ve had a little practice and there are
hundreds of ‘how to’s’ on youtube to show you how, heck I even have a simple
one myself – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDH_QuaUxaM&feature=plcp :D
MyFantasyHair has a great slideshow that shows you where to place the pieces - http://www.myfantasyhair.com/Style_Guide.php Remember, you don’t need to
wear every piece in the set, I quite often just wear one or two of the larger
pieces, one parallel to the top of my ears and the other just above. The size of your head will also determine how many pieces are best for
you to wear.
Caring for
hair extensions is pretty easy, you need to remember that extensions do not
produce oil like your normal hair so they will dry out quicker. Simply giving
them plenty of loving care, especially when you wash them will keep them
looking healthy. Always apply a heat protector when you’re styling them with
anything heat related. Deep condition the ends occasionally too with argon/moroccan
oil or something similar.
It’s not
necessary to wash your extensions after every use, because they don’t have
natural oils they don’t actually collect as much dirt and dust but of course if
you use a lot of products in them they will need washing when you think they
need it. Normally after about 4 wears is
a good time to wash. When you wash them, use a gently shampoo for dry hair and
then condition them with a conditioner (leaving the conditioner on for about
5-10 minutes before rinsing) you can then use a deep conditioner if you like. Don’t vigorously scrunch the hair when
washing, just gently massage the shampoo in and then rinse out.
It’s always
better to let your extensions air dry rather than using a hair dryer, you can
lay them on a clean towel to dry but I prefer to hang mine over the towel rail
over night. Using wide tooth combs and brushes or special loop brushes on them
is best but not when they are wet and you should NEVER sleep or swim in your
extensions. It’s best to store them in a clean dry place, I store mine in boxes
so they stay clean and out of the dust, some people like to hang them up.
So I hope
this post was of some use to you, here's my video :)
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!! Winner has been contacted
Thank you to everyone who entered this Giveaway :)
I'm so excited to be bringing you all another Giveaway from Romwe.com :) I really love this store and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone there :)
Once again this month one lucky winner will win $80.00 to spend at Romwe and not only that but they will also receive a pair of sunglasses too!!! The winner will get one of the four sunnies in the picture above, YAY!!!! and if you hadn't noticed, the sunnies I'm wearing in those photos are also from Romwe :D hehehe
So here's what you need to do to be in the running to win this fabulous prize, just head on over to Romwe and register then come back here and leave me a comment below and let me know your email address that you registered with at Romwe :) easy!! If you've registered at Romwe before then half the work is already done for you, haha
Good luck everyone :D
For those who want to do a little shopping right now, I have some discount codes for you ....
Coupon Code: RomweMotherDay1 - save $10 on purchase over $60 Coupon Code: RomweMotherDay2 - save $15 on purchase over $90 Coupon Code: RomweMotherDay3 - save $25 on purchase over $120
*Coupon codes can be used once with one order*
This giveaway ends 20th May, 2012.
Oh, and before I forget, I just want to mention that the clothes sell pretty quickly over there so if you see something you really love don't hesitate for too long because it may not be there a day or so later :/ I know this from experience!!! Some things may get restocked at a later date but not everything will, The lovely blue dress I wore in my Get Ready With Me #4 video sold out quite quickly and I only got it a couple of weeks ago o___O
I'm such a sucker for hair care products and I can't seem to get enough of them, I love trying new potions and lotions and when they work really really well I'm in love with them :D
After trying out the Sebastian Professional 'Potion 9 Lite' and 'Volupt Spray' for a little while now I thought I'd write a post about what I think.
They both come in nice sleek, clean looking packaging which are easy enough to use, the 'Potion 9 Lite' in a white spray bottle with a small cap and the 'Volupt Spray' in a black spray bottle with a large cap, so they are easy enough to grab and not get confused. These two products are meant to add 'volume' and shine to your hair.
The Potion 9 Lite is designed for fine to medium hair, I fall in the medium category so it was right for me. This product is meant to be a styling potion and conditioner in one and to be used before blow drying your hair, you can use it all over your hair and you can also gently mist your hair with it any time just to add a little bit of a boost.
I found that this Potion worked well for me, it did what it was supposed to do but I wasn't exactly 'wowed' by it, but my hair did feel nice and soft and shiny after using it.
The 'Volupt Spray' is designed to make your hair soft while adding lots of volume, you just spray it on your dampened hair and work it through to the ends before blowdrying it as you normally would, the key is to make sure you 'shake' that bottle well to activate the special two part formula inside, allowing the product to work properly.
I found that my hair was lovely and soft and very shiny and that my waves were enhanced but not overly 'volumised' as I was hoping for, I had images of huge '80's' hair but ended up with 'inspired 80's' hair : ) hehe Overall I'm happy with this product but not overly impressed with the results.
Well this post isn't really beauty related but rather background stuff because you see, without these kinds of things in the background life just doesn't run too smoothly :/
ZUCA
So firstly lets talk about the 'Zuca Sports' bag that I recently got. I was so happy that this bag came as part of my Student Kit for my course because I'd been looking at these bags earlier in the year and was going to purchase the pro bag if I had to get my own 'kit' together. They are really easy to pull along and very smooth, they have a metal frame that will hold up to 300 lbs so you can sit on it if you have to and also put other bags on top. My bag came with four plastic (not sure if it's plastic or some similar material) zipped pouches inside that can stack on top of each other. There is a little tab so that you can write what is in each one and they are super easy to wipe clean.
The bag itself is very compact, it has zippered pockets on both sides along with a mesh pocket and when you open the front door there are more zippered pockets for storage.
So this is currently my favourite new toy, it's much better than having to carry heavy bags up stairs and onto buses and trains and hopefully will look after me for years to come :)
I recently made a video showing my 'Student Makeup Kit' if anyone's interested in seeing what came inside my bag for my course. My course is more focused on 'special effects' makeup and is really interesting so far. The kit I received was included in the cost of the course I am taking so yes, I did/am paying for everything myself :) Along with what I show in this video I got a 'Set Bag' which I forgot to show and there's also a few more things that haven't arrived yet that need to be added to this kit.
MANFROTTO
What is that you may ask ..... hehehe :D it's my new tripod. Over the past month or so I've noticed that the tripod that my brother bought me for Christmas just wasn't what I needed and when I was borrowing my other brother's camera I really made my mind up to look for a new tripod.
I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on one, I'm not a photographer but I did want a sturdy good quality tripod so I went for the Manfrotto MKC3-P02, this is a compact tripod that is ideal for travelling and setting up on my cupboard top, it has a light weight aluminium frame but it's not flimsy and the central column can be removed and put in upside down for compactness. It has a quick release ball head for easy adjustment of angles and for portrait shots and locks easily with one quick screw.
This is the most compact 'full size' tripod I could find, it has easy leg adjustment and little rubber feet that also adjust to the lay of the land :)
So far I'm very happy with my new tripod :D
CANON
As some of you may know I was having trouble with my camera lens, for some reason it just started to go all blurry on me so I had to send it away to get looked at. It was still under warranty plus I did buy an extended warranty when I bought the camera in December, 2011 so hopefully between the two it would be ok. I received my lens back last week in perfect working order, now I'm not quite sure if it's a brand new lens or they fixed my original one but either way I'm really happy that it's back.
This lens is a 18-55mm that can cost up to $150 if it has to be replaced so for it to have problems at this early stage (approx 3.5 months) isn't good, I'm still not sure why it happened or how because I always put the lens cap back on and keep it in a padded camera bag that has a extra padded nose in a very safe place??? Fingers crossed it won't happen again!
LAPTOP
I purchased a HP laptop back in January and it DIED in March??? What the ... ok so I wasn't impressed at all, I know it wasn't an expensive top of the range kind of laptop but I did expect it to last longer than 2-3 months!!!! Not Happy!! >:( ....... anyway, after taking it back to the store and them sending it away to be looked at I was informed that it was DEAD!! They gave me a store credit to get a new laptop, so I did, hopefully this one will last longer than the first one.
Now I know that old saying that 'you get what you pay for' but honestly I can't afford a great quality laptop right now, if I could I would probably get a macbook or something but right now I need to get what I can. Fingers crossed this one will be around for quite some time :D
So it seems that March was the month of my equipment failures, let's just hope it's all over now and things will work the way they should.
This Giveaway has now closed, thank you to everyone who entered and good luck!!!!
I will announce and contact the winner in the next few days :)
People all over the world celebrate Easter in many different ways and a large percentage of those people will be eating, or should I say 'overeating', mainly chocolate in the shape of an egg!!! Yep I'll probably be one of those people myself :) For a lot of people it's just a great excuse for a long weekend and to overindulge in just about everything.
What about an excuse for a Giveaway!!!! hehe
Romwe.com is an online store that specialises in up to the minute 'street fashion' that's also very affordable and they have allowed me to host a Giveaway for one of my Followers to win $80.00 worth of freebies from their store PLUS one of their detached collars!!! How good is that :) and yes, it's International!!
All you have to do to be eligible to win is Register at Romwe.com and then come back here and leave me a comment on this post together with your email address (the same one you used to register at Romwe) so that I can contact you if you're the lucky winner.
Not only that, here are some coupon codes that you can use if you want to start shopping right away.
Coupon Code RomweEaster1 - save $15 on purchase over $60
Coupon Code RomweEaster2 - save $25 on purchase over $90
Coupon Code RomweEaster3 - save $35 on purchase over $120
The Giveaway and Coupon Codes expire on 20th April, 2012.
Have fun looking around this wonderful store and don't forget to come back to leave your comment, Good Luck and Happy Easter everybody!! :)
Blush Amour is a cosmetic company that has been around for 10 years and to help launch their new online store, they are generously giving away a lovely ‘Lipgloss 2 in 1’ in Coral Shimmer to anyone who signs up for their Newsletter, just note that this is for Australia and New Zealanders only. The ‘Lipgloss 2 in 1’ comes in a sleek tube with a detachable cap at the top of the handle that hides a hidden lip pencil, so you can line your lips beautifully and then apply the gloss!! Coral Shimmer is a lovely peachy shade that is ideal for Autumn.
Subscribe to Blush Amour Cosmetics to receive
a free Lipgloss 2 in 1
To be completely honest with you, I’ve never heard of this brand before so I’m quite interested to sample their products, I’ve subscribed to their newsletter myself so that I can get my freebie ‘Lipgloss 2 in 1’ :D hehe Go take a little look around their site, their products include categories such as nails, eyes, skin and lips and they are all very well priced.
I first received the Luminess Air System back in 2011, I was contacted by the store and asked if I would like to try it out and maybe do a review if I wanted, I initially agreed but then after a little thought sent an email and said I would prefer not to receive the product because this was not a product that was easily accessible to teenage girls, not something that they would purchase and use everyday!! I was told the kit was already on it's way.
Professional Airbrush System Priced at $309.95
When it arrived I was quite happy to try it out, in fact I was like a kid in a candy store, it really was so much fun to play with, I actually loved it and found it very easy to use but I still didn't feel right reviewing it because it is an expensive product and I don't like to just 'review' stuff on my channel. You see, I want to be a makeup artist so to me an Airbrush System is great, but to a someone who doesn't want to spend a lot of money on makeup it's not something they are going to be interested in ............. so that's why this review and 'how to' has taken so long to do.
Ok, my explanation out of the way .... hehehe :) What are my thoughts on this system?
I do like this system but I cannot compare it to another system because this is the only one I've used. I did have to buy a 'converter' for the plug because Australia has a different electric plug to the us and other countries. The system itself is the 'Professional System' which has three different air flow speeds and came with four foundations, primer, blush, bronzer and glow/highlighter plus a water bottle. It comes with a instructional DVD and booklet (which wasn't really that helpful). I also received an eyeshadow pack to trial. When I received it, everything was packaged inside a large box and the compressor and nozzle were enclosed in a shiny silver pouch. My compressor is white but I think they have changed the colours now and perhaps their packaging.
I found the system very easy to use with a little practice, the range of foundation colours included was great if you are wanting to do other's makeup but if it's just for personal use I think you should have a choice of what foundations you receive.
The primer and highlighter work very well and I have no complaints, I actually love the highlighter they have.
The eyeshadow kits are another story, I have used them a few times and although they do look quite nice once appllied I find they crease very easily, now I'm not sure if it's the way I'm doing it or just the product so I'm not comfortable demonstrating it right now.
The blush is lovely but you really don't need to apply a lot, I applied more in my video than necessary just so it came up on camera but I would usually only use one drop very lightly.
I do wish they had a wider range of colours available for 'makeup/body art', now I think that would be really cool and would open up their market a lot more, also the tube leading from the compressor to the pen does slip off a bit now, this didn't happen when I first received it and is probably the only problem I've had with the system.
The nozzle is easy to keep clean with water sprayed through it and once you're finished you can gently wipe any excess out of the little funnel.
*** Please note, when I received this product the electrical plug was an American fitting so I had to purchase an adaptor for it to work. This may or may not have changed since then so if you are considering purchasing this or any system from overseas, please be sure to check.
Sorry about the blurry photo, something has happened to my camers lens :/
The Bellabox was a little different this month, packaged in a calico drawstring bag instead of it's usual brown cardboard box, this will probably come in handy for something but I've heard that it's a 'one off' thing so it will be back to the boxes next month.
March's box is about getting naked and letting your true self shine through, beauty wise that is, I don't wanna see anyone running around naked this month thank you ;D now let's have a little look at what was in the box.
Bellamer Eye Balm - sample pot
This is for tired eyes and supposed to help relax the skin around them, you apply a very small amount from the inner corner outwards (underneath) and let it sit for about 15 minutes to absorb and then wipe any excess away, great for night time use. I have used this once but it's a little too early to tell if it will make any difference.
The Eyelift Kit Eyelift Pots - 3 small pots
Apparently this is like a little facelift for your eyes, helps to conceal dark bags and circles when you need it. I'm looking forward to trying this one out and I'm really hoping it works too :D hahaha
U Little Beauty Natural Repair Hair Masque - 100mls
I've tried this one out last night, the smell at first reminds me of 'glue' and is quite strong, not really very nice but once it's absorbed the smell seems to disappear. It actually made my hair appear fuller but I wasn't really wowed by it, maybe I'll use it a few times and see how it goes.
Pure Fiji Coconut Hydrating body Lotion
I'm such a sucker for coconut, there's just something about the scent that gets me everytime, haha. I tried this one last night as well and it felt really nice on.
Yes to Carrots Liptint - Ready Red
This little liptint is all natural and made from fruits and veges :D It is very very tingly on your lips when you apply it and seems to have a 'minty' taste sensation, I really like it and would be interested to try others in this range.
Carman's Muslie Biscuit - bonus
I didn't like this, it was an interesting addition to the box but it really wasn't to my taste, my brother and sister didn't really like it either.
So that's the Bellabox for March, another interesting sample box with things I haven't tried before. I like how it contained products for the eyes as I think a lot of people would be interested in this, it seems to be a problem area for many :/
I have to admit I'd never heard of this store before so when I went to have a look around I was totally shocked at the prices they ask for their jewellery! Just looking around the site took for ever because they have a HUGE selection of necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and hair accessories.
Ok, I wasn't overly thrilled with the hair accessories so I stuck to the jewellry items. I do find that there are some things that I wouldn't buy, but there were also many pieces that I really liked, in fact probably too many, hahaha :D
You need to keep in mind that some things are not made to last a lifetime and that some things are made for a 'season', these jewellery pieces are just that, made for a season, they are fun costume pieces that are cheap and easy to buy which is excellent for young girls.
Ok, so what did I get?
I chose five items from the store, one necklace, two rings and two pairs of earrings.
Necklace - 'Charming Black Beads Choker' and cost $7.99
I do like the look of this necklace, it fits nicely and has some weight to it but it's not too heavy. There are a row of rhinestones along the chain which dresses it up a bit. The only problem I found with this necklace is that the gaps between the balls are a little uneven in a couple of places (not that noticeable), if you are OCD then this is not a good choice for you :D but if you don't mind a tiny imperfection then it's fine.
Rings Vintage Flying Loveheart Band - $2.79
I like this ring and have had a few compliments on it already. It fits me really well and I have very tiny fingers and it's in that nice coppery colour. Elegant Leaf Ring - $1.99
This is a design that caught my eye on tumblr, there are a few pictures going around with this ring so when I saw it on the site I grabbed it, and at only $1.99 why wouldn't I, I chose it in silver. This ring fits me very well and is comfortable to wear.
A note to take into account with the rings, I did notice that the sizes were quite small so be sure to check this if you are ordering :)
Earrings Vintage Coppery Cross Drop Earrings -$3.99
These are very cute, they are light, casual and easy to wear, they are a nice size without being too big. The coppery finish is very 'in' right now too. Celebrity Inspired Large Hoops with Rhinestones - $4.99
hahaha well these satisfied the 'girly girl' in me :D They are big and sparkly but they are not heavy at all. I have tiny ears so anything heavy drags them down and gives my lobes a weird look. I think these will be lots of fun on a night out.
The packaging was fairly simple, jewellry was in small plastic bags wrapped in bubble wrap (lots) and then more bubble wrap on top, this may be a problem if you order something very delicate as it may get bent if it's pushed down too hard, this was all in a small cardboard box. If you spend over $15.00 you get free shipping and for me it took two days to arrive in Australia !!! Gotta love that :D
THE GIVEAWAY (International) - Now Closed
Thank you to everyone who entered this little giveaway, winner will be announced and contacted within the next two days :D
So I have a little Giveaway, for anyone who would like to win the following three items, they are brand new and have not been opened :)
March is all about being active with Glossybox this month and I can't agree more, with some cooler weather finally arriving after a very humid and hot late Summer I feel that I can finally get moving again, hahaha
So let's take a peek at what I got this month :)
Proactive Cleansing Bar - 150g - full size
This is a huge bar and probably something I won't use a lot but that doesn't mean it's useless to me, it's said to contain tiny micro-beads to help with exfoliation and I have a younger sister who is prone to breakouts and blemishes so I might just pass it along to her and see if it helps :) Not everyone is going to be happy with this in the box but I can honestly say I'm not that disappointed, it won't get wasted and it's a good full sized product for someone who has problems with their skin.
Eau Thermale - Avene Thermal Spring Water - 50ml - small full size
This is a gentle spray that is used to cleanse and relieve the skin both on the face or any inflamed area of the body (external), mainly used for sensitive skin. I tried this already and it felt quite nice on, of course my skin wasn't inflamed or anything so I won't really know how it works until then :) but on regular skin it's nice.
Klorane Extra Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk - 50ml
Well it's nice to see a different brand of dry-shampoo :) I've given this a quick try and it appears to work like it should, the smell is a 'clean' smell, nothing overpowering which is good, it won't compete with perfumes etc. I will use this and find this a great addition to the box this month.
Nougat - Nurturing Hand Cream in Tuberose and Jasmine - sml sample size
This handcream actually feels really nice on and absorbs quite quickly, I'm not overly fond of the fragrance myself, it may suit an older person better but I would still use this of a night time in winter.
Thin Lizzy Concealer Cream in Oriental Doll - 7.5ml
I'm always happy to try new concealers so I was quite excited to see this in the box, I haven't heard of the brand before either. I gave it a try and it goes on smoothly, I'm not 'wowed' by it but it does work alright.
Power Balance Bracelet
I received this in 'glossybox' pink :D and I'm pretty happy to try it out too. Apparently this little silicone bracelet is meant to help you keep in balance, feel stronger and be more flexible, originally created for athletes by athletes. The little hologram discs help combat electromagnetic chaos to the body caused by mobile phones and computers etc. I'm going to be wearing this to see how it goes and if I feel any difference :D
Also enclosed was a $10.00 Gift Card if you spend $50.00 or more at 'Zanui.com.au' which is an online furniture and decor store, valid until 30 April, 2012.
All in all I wouldn't complain with my box this month, I have some interesting new products to try out that I haven't tried before and another storage box for my shelf :) hehehe
'Stylemeceleb.com' is an online fashion store that specialises in giving girls that 'star' look without the 'star' pricetag. Their site has a great range of dresses that include styles such as 'Bodycon', 'Bandage' and 'Towie' which in everyday talk just means they are all very very figure hugging, hehe :D
This site is the perfect place to find that 'special' dress you've been looking for that also says 'quality'.
They also have some gorgeous shoes to drool over and a few very stylish jackets.
The Rihanna Geometric Strapless Bodycon Dress
This is a fun dress that is very similar to a 'Herve Leger' dress that Rihanna wore in St Tropez. The pattern is almost identical to the photo on the site and the finish inside is great. I did notice there were a couple of tiny loose threads on the dress and one of the panels was slightly 'off' (curved) but once the garment is on it's not even noticeable.
I chose the dress in a small but can honestly say I would also get away with the XS in this particular design. This dress is not as tight fitting as a heavy 'bandage' style dress so I'm pretty sure the small would fit up to a 12 (lower end of the size) and look good. The dress is comfortable to wear and doesn't ride up when I walk, YAY!!! hahaha
The packaging of the dress was nicely done, inside the brown postage packaging there was a large pink/peach colour box with the site's name on the front, the dress itself was wrapped in tissue paper with a Feedback form offering 10% off my next purchase together with a Returns form valid for 7 days from receipt of garment, this to me earns a few 'brownie points' :) The postage took just under two weeks to Australia and it's to be noted that there is FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING!! :)
When you are choosing dresses online be sure to check for availability in your size, it's easily overlooked especially if you're new to the site. A small error like this can add days on to any deliveries you may be waiting for.
This particular dress is priced at 139 pounds (A$208.00) so it's not your average priced clubbing wear but if you choose your style with thought it should last for many years and still look hot.
Honestly, I don't know how I survived before I started using this wonderful tape, oh wait, yes I do :) I would use little pins on everything and just hope the rest of the garment stayed put!! haha
I first received this wonder tape in early December, just in time for the hot weather and more revealing clothes. I've known about it for quite some time but I never actually got around to buying any, I either didn't think I needed it or just plain forgot.
Hollywood Fashion Secrets are the online suppliers that stock a huge selection of 'undercover wardrobe magic' hehe they have a 'fix it' for just about any wardrobe malfunction you could imagine, it's no wonder they are called the 'Fashion Fairy Godmothers' :D
First and foremost would have to be their 'Hollywood Fashion Tape', I can't stress how good this product is, I've used it all Summer long in various places and it's never let me down. I've used it to hold up strapless tops and dresses, keeping shoulder straps in place (urgh this used to be the bane of my existence), prevent boob gapage and also on the front of button up shirts, you know the spot, between the buttons, haha ..... it's fantastic!! I even included it in my February Favourites :)
The dress I wore in my latest video was backless so I used some under the shoulder straps and also under the arms where the dress could gape when you bend, this stuff is surely a lifesaver and should be kept in your purse or a couple of strips in every handbag for any embarrassing emergencies that could arise.
A couple of other products that I received were the Temporary Hem Tape and the Hip Hugger. The hem tape is great for adjusting the length of pants if you're wearing heels one day and then flats another, you don't have to permanently change the length just use a bit of this tape, fold the hem to the length you want and press. When you've finished with them for the day, simply remove the tape!! It's also great for other things such as jacket cuffs, skirt hems that fall down at the last minute and even curtains that you may not want to take up permanently.
As for the Hip Hugger, the only pair of pants that gape on me at the back are a pair of shorts and they don't have the belt hoops on them so I haven't been able to try this out yet, trust me, as soon as I have a pair that do I will let you know how it works out. The concept is quite simple, just thread the Hip Hugger through the loops on the back of your jeans etc and attach to the outer loops and then adjust to fit giving yourself a smooth tailored look. The only drawback is that you would have to wear a shirt over the top of your pants rather than tucked in.
Check out this ingenious site and take a look at all the miracle working products they have, they also have a store locator on site if you don't like ordering online.
