A Crazy Acne Tip

Acne - we all get it at least once in our lives, and when we do it can range from a small pimple to a huge breakout. We all know that pimples suck! But not all of us have heard of this one crazy acne tip...

Ever had a growing pimple, but run out of spot cream? A quick solution to this problem is to actually dab some toothpaste on the area. What!? Why toothpaste? Well, it contains ingredients such as baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, which dry out your skin. This will reduce the inflammation of your pimple and help your skin to clear up. Because toothpaste isn't as strong as your general spot cream, leave it on overnight (if you don't sleep on your front!), then wash it off when you wake up.

Warnings: Although this is a handy tip to keep in mind just in case you're out of spot cream, it shouldn't become a substitute for it. Toothpaste has been created specifically for your mouth, not for your face! One-time uses of toothpaste every once in a while won't hurt, but using it too much can actually make your skin inflamed and even peel. (gross!)

Sorry if this wasn't as long as you hoped - I'll try to make next week's post much longer :) Just letting you all know I've decided that I'll be publishing to this blog every Thursday, so remember to check this page every week for new posts! xx

Next Week: Get Confident!

July Favourites ★

That's right, it's that time again - it's my July Favourites! From now on, I'll be trying to add more products into my monthly favourites, so stay tuned!

Makeup Favourites
Unless you haven't read a magazine or gone shopping for the past few months, you'll know that the first CC Creams are now available! CC (colour correction) Cream is the newest makeup priming product to hit the shelves at the moment, so most people don't know what they are. Basically, CC Cream is just like BB Cream, only it's self-adjusting - giving you a tailored nude base to match your skin tone. Since I don't really use primer or BB Cream (gasp!), I thought I'd try the green L'Oreal Nude Magique CC Cream. The formula is green because it's for exclusive use on red spots (green cancels red). My response? Although I don't get many red spots, I LOVE IT! I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who has trouble covering up those pesky red spots.

Every week, I move to either my dad's or mum's house, causing the pain of having to bring everything I need for the week around with me when I move. This is a larger problem when it comes to makeup, because there's no way I'm going to buy two of everything! I solve this problem by fitting it all in my makeup bag from Sportsgirl (a lot of people use them as pencil cases, too). I couldn't find the exact design of mine on the website, but below is an example of what they typically look like. Why a Sportgirl makeup bag? They're good quality, a good size, really cheap and come in heaps of really cute designs! I mean, what else could you want in a makeup bag?

Skincare Favourites
Even though it's winter in Australia, I live in a tropical area (and no, it doesn't look like the Tumblr photos!), where it only gets "cold" for about 3 weeks each year. Naturally, my skin isn't used to cold, dry air, making this year's holiday a bit of a problem for me. My family and I headed down south, and although it was only for a week, I still had major skin problems. I was originally using an oil-free moisturiser on my already dry skin - add in the dry air and I had cheeks that felt like snakeskin. After a few days of wondering why my moisturiser wasn't helping, I decided to go to the pharmacy and they recommended the Natio Intensive Moisturising Day Cream. It isn't that expensive, and it caused my skin to go back to normal in a matter of days. If you have dry skin, this is for you!


Casual Favourites
If you didn't already know, I LOVE The Vampire Diaries! I've nearly finished Season 4, and I'm still hooked! My favourite character would definitely have to be Elena, but seriously - who can choose between the Salvatore brothers? If you've never watched an episode, I strongly recommend that you do!

Clothing Favourites
Finally, this is my favourite clothing item for the month. The skirt shown below is from Mooloola @ City Beach, and I love that I can wear it with almost anything! I originally thought that the zipper was meant to be worn at the back, but this model is shown wearing it at the front. Could you guys help me out and tell me which side you think the zipper would look best worn on?

Wow, that was a lot of typing! If you'd like to ask me anything or suggest any ideas for what you'd like to see me post about in the future, feel free to leave any comments. xx

Next Week: A Crazy Acne Tip

The Balancing Act

This week, I thought I'd publish my first fashion post and share an old (and very helpful!) tip of mine with all of you. Here it is...When putting an outfit together, try to achieve a balance between tight and loose fitting clothes. This means that when it comes to clothing only, if one half of your outfit is a loose fit/baggy, the other half should be a tighter fit (it fits comfortably without being skin-tight).

Still confused? Here are some examples of where you would use this rule...

Floaty skirt or pants? Balance this by teaming it with a relatively tight tank top or shirt. If you'd like to wear it with a shirt that is slightly baggy, using a thick belt to cinch in your waist will cause your shirt to look a little tighter.

This shirt with a 1/3 sleeve is perfect for this floaty skirt! Team it with a pair of embellished sandals and you've got yourself one cute summer outfit. 

Skinny jeans or pencil skirt? Team it with a slightly oversized or baggy shirt to keep your outfit balanced. If you'd like to team it with a shirt that fits a little better, don't hesitate to add a blazer or jacket into your outfit. This will create the illusion that you're not wearing an all-tight outfit. Alternatively, you could use accessories to balance your outfit (think chunky jewelry and a ruffled/oversized bag).

Adding a blazer or jacket over a tight shirt can cause your outfit to look a little more balanced. 

This rule doesn't have to apply every day, but it's just something to keep in mind if you're ever stuck for ideas on what to wear with a new clothing item. Till next time xx

Next Week: July Favourites

Ultimate Fangirling

When it comes to celebrities, everyone knows that some dedicated fans can go absolutely over-the-top crazy over them - fangirling.  It's pretty common these days, mostly because there are so many singers, bands, actors, You Tubers and bloggers out there that just about everyone finds someone they like.

The first time I remember I went crazy over a celebrity was during my (and just about every other 10 year-old girl's) Disney phase. Oh, Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers! No matter how much you deny it, you've most likely have gone through a Disney stage in at least point in your life. I mean, it's likely that you'll still know all the words to one of the Jonas Brothers' songs that you haven't heard in about 5 years. 

Anyway, fast forward to where I am now. You'll find that although I'm definitely not as crazy over celebrities as I have been in the past (thank god!), once I find my favourites, I'll stick with them for a long time. Here's a list of  my current (and long-time) favourite singers, You Tubers and the like. 

Cody Simpson 
Before you comment, think about how many songs of his you've actually listened to. My tumblr playlist has 6 of his songs in it, because it's so hard to choose which ones don't deserve a place. My favourite songs of his right now include "Summertime of our Lives," "Awake All Night" and "Pretty Brown Eyes."
Austin Mahone
I first discovered this cutie about a year ago, and I'm so excited about the release of his new song!
The Collective
If you haven't heard of them, search up their X Factor performances from last year. I probably wouldn't love them as much if they hadn't come to my town for a concert a few months ago, because people can be so different when you finally see them in person.
MakeupbyMandy24
I'm subscribed to a lot of You Tubers, but if I had to choose just one as a favourite, MakeupbyMandy24 would have to be it. I first started watching her videos about this time last year, and it's crazy how every one of her videos is both different and interesting.
Lauren Conrad and The Beauty Department
Here I go again... This girl is amazing, and her beauty website has to be the most helpful I've come across!

Okay, so I'm definitely not this OTT...

I would go on, but I don't want this post to be too long! Don't forget to keep checking back for new posts every 1-2 weeks (I'm trying to get in the habit), and I'll talk to you next time. xx

June Favourites

Hey hey! I haven't posted in a while, so this week I thought I'd do my June Favourites. This is actually my first favourites post, so I'll try to make this as detailed as possible.

Beauty Favourites
Since it's winter here in Australia, my lips are getting really dry and chapped lately, especially at night. I fix this by applying the Vanilla lip balm from Colette. I've never really been a fan of lip glosses that come in pots, but this one is really thick and easy to apply - and stays on all night! Also, I've been loving the Givenchy PhenomenEYES Mascara for so long! Its unique wand design helps coat and define each lash individually, causing your eyelashes to look amazing. Oh, and it may be expensive - but it's so worth it. Finally, the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (that's a mouthful!) has been my favourite coloured lip product lately. I own the colour "Sweet Valentine," but it's really about what colour looks the best with your skin tone. If you don't eat or drink for about 10 minutes after you apply it, the colour will stay on for hours. Really!

Casual Favourites
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Lauren Conrad's books are perfection! I'm currently reading Sugar and Spice (the third book in the L.A. Candy trilogy), and I love it! Also, just because it's winter here, that doesn't mean it's not sunny! This isn't my picture, but my glasses look similar to those shown below. Because they have a similar design to Ray Ban sunglasses, you can easily pick up a cheap, similar, stylish version from just about anywhere.

Other Favourites
I got these boots the other day, and I'm already in love with them! They're from a brand called Bellissimo, which I found in a shoe warehouse at DFO. Be quick and get some of your own before the sales end!

From now on, I'll attempt to publish monthly favourites posts, and I'll talk about even more things next time! Stay tuned xx

Getting the best results from exercise

Hey! I've taken this post from my second tumblr, so please don't accuse me of stealing -  I wrote this myself! This post got a lot of notes on tumblr, so I thought you guys would like to read this, too. (:

You’ve all probably heard about how exercise is so good for you, so I won’t go on about that. Instead, here’s a few tips on how to get the most out of your exercise sessions. 

- Aim for at least 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Everyone can achieve this, trust me. You just need to make time rather than try to find it. 

- 1 weights, 2 cardio, 1 stretch and 1 sprint sessions per week. Weights sessions are pretty straight-forward: get some weights and target whatever muscles you like. For cardio, try running or swimming non-stop. Stretch sessions (probably not the proper name) are basically just yoga or Pilates. Finally, sprint sessions are just fast-paced exercises such as cycling, running, swimming or rowing (as fast as you can!). This is just an example/guideline. Do whatever suits you. 

- Warm up and cool down. A lot of people just can’t be bothered to do a cool-down, but it’s really important. Try to get your heart-rate up by doing something like taking a brisk walk and lightly stretching for both your warm-up and cool-down. 

- Wear good workout clothes. This could just be a tank top, tights, runners and a sports bra. 

- Drink heaps of water. This is much easier than you think! Just keep a water bottle next to you during the day and drink whenever you want. This, and not eating 1.5 hours before you exercise, will help prevent stitches. 

- You got a stitch!? This could mean that you are breathing too shallowly. Slow down a bit, breathe deeply and grip the stitch until the pain goes away. 

- Don’t be too intense. This is just common sense. If you know you have a sore muscle, don’t crank up the intensity. If you can, try to focus on another muscle group while you give your sore muscle some well-deserved rest. 

Of course, you can alter these tips to suit your own personal lifestyle. That's all from me for now. Bye! xx

Yeah, I'm a bookworm...

When it comes to books, I'm usually in one of two stages.... I either have nothing to read and am extremely bored, or I have a long list of books to read, because all of the good ones always have to come out at the same time. I have the same problem with movies and TV shows, but let's just stick to books for the moment...

Not to sound like a pushy teacher, but reading is seriously good for you. I mean, just 10 minutes of reading can help you get to sleep much faster than 10 minutes of texting, which ultimately leads to less dark circles. Yes!

Ever heard of the phrase, "don't judge a book by its cover?" It's so true! If a book has won countless awards but has a boring cover, don't hesitate to get it and see what it's like for yourself!

In case you didn't already know, I LOVE Lauren Conrad! Her books are perfection, and I'm currently in the middle of her two series; L.A. Candy and The Fame Game. 

Who couldn't forget Vampire Academy? Definitely not me! I first finished reading the series in grade 7, but I still love them and can hardly wait for the first movie to come out next year!

What are your current book obsessions? Let me know in the comments! xx