I'M ALIVE

Wow
Well
Alright
She's been a bit of a while hasn't it? No one's here reading this anyways, so I'm just gonna make this as out hand as I want I wish it to be. Suppose that makes this more of a memoir thing for me than for anyone else. I suppose I am back, how long that will last is well ... we'll find out in due time I spose. Anyways!
Updates on my life

• I am eighteen years old now and I can buy my own liquor which has led to me being a slight alcoholic, but we're going to overlook that small part of my life for now. My liver is up and running, no problems here. No sir
• I work at a blueberry ice cream shop. It's very cutesy. Sometimes I do shifts with the son of the owners, coincidentally the great guy who got me the job in the first place (thank you) and one of my good friends. Lets call him Po, short for Kakapo. I spend my days cleaning countertops with the designated green cloths, and taking money from people when they choose to pay with cash rather than eftpos. Most of all, I spend most of my time making fresh blueberry ice creams and just yesterday I got my poor lil hand a wee bit stuck in the ice cream machine, but tis nothing but a flesh wound. I assume I will live 
• I have finished my last year of school, what you 'mericans like to call Senior year I think. I'm done with school, and now I'm just waiting for my exam results (17th January - mark the date!) to see whether or not I got enough credits to bump my scholarship up
• Speaking of scholarship, I have a scholarship hehehe. Next year, in February, I am moving to Dunedin! Otago, to be precise. For some reason I have decided to study a bachelor of science, and although my degree won't classify it as such, I am taking all the papers required for majors in three different subjects which I'm hoping will leave me with a lot of options should I choose to pursue a different subject considering I'm taking so many dang majors anyways. Majors include Botany, Zoology and (unofficially) Ecology. Again, don't ask why. I'm not too sure what that will even lead to - but it's what I'm interested in. So I'm following the path of "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" or something. Fingers crossed that I'll do what interests me and then by the end of it, I'll have some sort of job in something doing something.

I think that's more of less everything that's relevant. I'm still somewhat into makeup and beauty but nowhere near as much as I used to be. Instead of spending my money on beauty stuff I'm trying to save it now. Save it for things like surviving down in Otago next year. Survival does indeed seem to be of utmost importance after all ... I might upload some more life updates every now and then since this is what I wanna be doing OH YEAH YEAH I ALMSOT FORGOTE

• I have decided that I'm going to start a vlogging channel next year hahahah no I'm not even kidding though, small part of me though it might be fun. I'll post them to try to get help from other people but they're mostly for me, so when I'm old and stuff I can look back on it and be all cutesy and aww memories and aww. So yes, yes that is indeed happening. Uni stuff and moving stuff and whatever else comes along the way. 

So yeah, that's all there is really haha 

Ciao ♡

Empties #3 - Beauty ♡

I haven't done an empties in a while, and I was starting to look like a bit of a hoarder with all these empty bottles sitting around my room so I decided to take out my camera and write a post! 

WARNING: UNNECESSARY AMOUNTS OF FACE WASHES AHEAD

Bioré warming anti-blackhead cleanser - Fun fact: Biore changed their packaging of this product, so the first two facewashed on the top and bottom left are actually the same product just repackaged. Since I have two versions of it, needless to say that I love this facewash. I love the smell and I also love how it heats up when you use it and I also love how it makes my skin feel. It leaves my skin feeling really clean and fresh and this face wash is definitely of my favourites 

L'oreal gentle makeup remover - This is a pretty decent all round makeup remover, gets rid of all the stuff that you need to get rid of but after you use it your face feels like it has a sheet of oil left on it, despite the package saying that it won't leave your face feeling oily (don't trust them!)

Neutrogena blackhead eliminating daily scrub - Emphasis on the word scrub in this product, the scrub bits in the face wash are quite big and harsh and I could only use this face wash two or three times a week, otherwise it was too harsh for my skin. This face wash wasn't outstanding for me, but it did the job of getting my face clean and I love the smell as well

Nivea day cream - This was a staple for me last year, it left my face feeling very soft and moisturised and absorbed quite quickly. It also had SPF in it which was a bonus but considering it's summer currently I'd find this a bit too thick and creamy for summer. This is a great moisturiser for those winter months where you just need an extra bit of hydration

Simple moisturising facial wash - I really enjoyed using this face wash. Once again, I loved the smell but I mostly loved how it foamed up which isn't something I had ever seen in face washes before. This face wash is very very gentle on the skin but it still left my skin feeling clean and refreshed. Note to self: repurchase this at some point

What're some face washes you guys've been loving? I'm on the hunt for some new ones! 

Ciao x 

My Favourite Mascaras ♡

I must admit, I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I've tried pretty much every single drugstore mascara out there ... oh well. Here's my favourites from my vast ventures in the drugstore mascara world.

Firstly, I don't think there's a huge difference in quality when it comes to drugstore and high end mascaras, they all essentially do the same thing and the only huge variable (apart from price) is the brush. So I've vowed to only stick to drugstore mascaras, but if there are any really outstanding high end ones be sure to let me know!

My favourite mascara brand is Maybelline, I think their mascaras are just plain good. I can't really fault them. One of my favourites is the Maybelline Falsies. The brush has fiber bristles and it really fans out my lashes and gives them length and volume and is overall a great all rounder. The only criticism I've got is that once this mascara starts to dry out it gets extremely flaky and throughout the day bits of the mascara falls off from my lashes onto my undereye area, so I can only wear this mascara for about two months before it starts dying. But I love the way my eyelashes look with this mascara on, so for me it's worth the risk! :P  

Another favourite of mine is the Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal. Me and this mascara have been through a lot together. When I first got it I wasn't a huge fan of it, I found the consistency of the mascara way too fluidy and I found it difficult to build coats of it on my lashes and I just didn't find that it too much for my lashes. I came back to it a few weeks later and gave it one last try and I absolutely loved it! I think the mascara itself had dried out a bit over the weeks, and so the formula was much easier for me to work with. Now this mascara gives my lashes a TON of volume, and lengthens them a bit as well, and unlike the Falsies it hasn't flaked on me yet. Definitely worth the wait for it to dry out. 

I have a third favourite as well, but I seem to have lost the bottle? No idea where it's gone to *cries* but my third favourite would've been the Maybelline Colossal Volume Express - Cat eyes. It comes in a yellow bottle and has a very skinny, curved wand. It doesn't give you a ton of volume but it makes your lashes look super duper long and I find that my lashes look slightly more curly when I wear this. It gives you long, spidery lashes so if that sounds like something you'd like then I highly recommend trying this mascara

Any other mascaras I should try out? Dare you to suggest one I haven't already tried x 

Ciao x

♡

Summer Holidays ♡

It's finally summer! 

I'm not gonna lie, I've never really liked summer. I know, I know but bear with me here. Summer to me just reminds me of sweat and being too hot and sticky all the time. And to make it worse I hate swimming so the only way I can cool down is by sticking my head inside the freezer. Me and summer have always had a love hate relationship, but I think that this year might just be my best summer ever. With my trust air conditioner by my side, I feel like I can conquer anything and three months of freedom sounds exactly like what I need at the moment. 

For those of you on the opposite side of the world who still have school... I'm sorry for your loss. Meanwhile here in New Zealand I'm planning what to do with my summer. Plans so far include:

• Shopping spree with my two best friends
• HUGE TV series marathon with my biffle (we plan on watching PLL and Game of Thrones!)
• Redecorate my room
• Colour run!
• Dye my hair light brown
• Go camping
• CHRISTMAS
• Blog upkeep (this'll be tricky)
• Overdose on blueberry ice cream

For those of you in summer, what're your plans? Let me know in the comments! :)

Ciao x
♡

Empties #2 - Hair & Makeup ♡

I had collected too much stuff to put it all into one, so I split it into two :P This is the first part of my empties .. haul, I suppose haha 

Clear scalp & hair mask - I loved this soooo much, it left my hair feeling super nourished and healthy and it smelt like classic shampoo, which I love :P If you're out looking for a hair mask this one ticks all the boxes for me

Maybelline mega plush mascara - This mascara is really good if you're going for a more natural look. It doesn't really lenghten but it adds some volume. Not too much, but just a bit. I don't know if anyone feels this way, but compared to other mascaras I have, this gives a very natural and minimal look. It's perfect if you're just starting out and want something very minimal and not very noticeable

Rimmel stay matte powder - This product is an absolute godsend. It smells incredible, it keeps me matte for ages, it's finely milled, it doesn't look cakey and my favourite thing about it is that it doesn't cost a thousand dollars. This is just all around perfect, I can't really fault it. As you can see from the photo my powder was in quite dire condition ... be careful not to drop them if you've got one haha :P

Collection lasting perfection concealer - I don't quite understand how I only used up one mascara but somehow used three concealers? Something clearly went awry here ahaha. I finished two of them with the shade Warm medium 3, and one in Fair 1. This concealer has always been a favourite of mine since I tried it, it's incredibly high coverage and blends very nicely and easily and is just all around very very good quality. It does crease on me, but I have not yet found a concealer that doesn't haha. Otherwise, this product is perfect. If it were a human it would be Johnny Depp *drools*

VO5 give me texture shampoo - I haven't exactly finished this product, I used it a few times and I did not like it at all so I'm throwing it out. It just left my hair feeling extremely dry and straw like and didn't do much else. My hair was no more texturised or voluminous than usual, it just felt more dry and got tangled more easily. Deepest apologies to all the VO5 fans out there, but this just did not agree with my hair 

Anyone else obsessed with the Collection concealer? Help me feel better about my addiction by telling me below :P

Ciao x

♡

Zoeva Rose Gold Brush Set - Review ♡

left to right
106/Powder, 102/Silk Finish, 112/Luxe Sheer Cheek, 110/Face Shape, 142/Concealer Buffer, 222/Luxe Soft Definer, 231/Luxe Petit Crease, 317/Wing Liner

After hearing so much hype from everyone everywhere about these brushes, and after wanting them for about two years, I finally bought them! :D 

I got these brushes about maybe two months ago and I've been using them every single time I've put makeup on. Not just to test them out but because I am actually obsessed with them.
I got them from the Zoeva website. The shipping and handling was great, I got them within a week I think and they came in a big box with lots of padding so there was no damage at all. The brushes themselves were all wrapped individually and they were put inside of the brown Zoeva bag that you get. The brown bag you get is really nicely sized and the material is beautiful and would be perfect if you wanted to take your brushes somewhere with you.
All the brushes in this set are absolutely gorgeous, there's 8 in the set and each one of them has a matte black handle with a stunning rose gold barrel, ugh they're so pretty. I love these not just because they look adorable on my vanity but also because they're actually such amazing quality. They're all soooo incredibly soft *drools*. They're not incredibly soft to begin with but I found that the more you use them the softer they get. I've used them heaps and washed them heaps and none of them have stained or shed.
To begin with I found that the three luxe brushes were the scratchiest, I presume it's because they're made from natural hair. But after washing them and using them they got softer and softer so I guess this set of brushes needs a bit of breaking in haha.

I think these brushes are really really reasonably priced and they look super duper stunning, and they're all really soft and just absolutely incredible quality. These have been my new favourite brushes for a while, if I could I would definitely marry them <3

PS. They're dirty in the first photo but they're brand new in the second one so you can see how they wear out and stuff. After washing them they always look brand new though! :)

Have any of you guys tried these brushes? Let me know your thoughts!
Ciao x
♡

Lipstick Splurge ♡

Rimmel Kate Moss in 106 - I've had other Rimmel lipsticks previously and the Kate Moss collection has always been my absolute favourite. They're so incredibly pigmented and glide on really nicely and they don't dry your lips out either! Their formula is just incredible and they stain your lips slighty as well so they last really well. I even love the smell of them!
Loréal Colour Riche in 600 Doutzen's Nude (Privee by Doutzen collection) and 286 The Queen's Kiss (Project Runway collection) - Firstly, these lipsticks smell so good. Best. Smelling. Lipsticks. Ever. I love the two colour I picked up in these, one's more of a nude and the other ones a berry purple colour that would look really nice in the colder months. These lipsticks are have a glossy finish and are decently pigmented, they're also super buttery and moisturising as well. 

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Maybelline Colour Drama in 630 Nude Perfection and 510 Red Essential - These lip pencils are a new release from Maybelline and there's been a lot of hype about them going around, and rightly so! They're sooooo creamy and easy to apply. They're also really pigmented and last really well too. I can't really fault these, they're just stunning. I picked up two, one's a dark berry red and the other one is a stunning Kylie Jenner esque nude colour.

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Rimmel Apocalips in 501 Stellar - I have no idea why I've not heard so much hype about these lip laquers cus dangggg, this impressed me sooo much! The colour I picked up in this is a gorgeous bright neon fuschia. It's so incredibly pigmented, it's unbelievable, definitely one of the most pigmented things I have ever used, I was so blown away by this. Despite being so pigmented it's super easy to apply with the doe foot applicator. It has a very glossy finish but it lasts really well as well. If you've not yet tried these I would highly recommend trying one out! 

I definitely don't need to buy any more lipsticks for a while now (although we all know I probably will haha). Thanks for reading, ciao! x 

♡