2014 Favourites #1

Since it's been about 10 months since I've last published a favourites post (what!? where has the time gone???), I thought I'd start them up again. Since I haven't written a favourites post this year, this will be a recap of my major favourites from the beginning of the year. Who knows? I may even compile a second list in December! (Hey, the interests of a teenager can change a lot in a few months)

Makeup Favourites
I'm going to start by talking about a well-known brand of makeup that is loved by ladies around the world - M.A.C. Sadly, this brand isn't available in the city where I currently live. However, I purchased a few products while I was in America. And wow. I now understand why M.A.C is so popular - the quality is amazing! While it may seem a little expensive, it's definitely worth it. The favourite product I purchased from M.A.C is the Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation. It gives great coverage without giving your skin the 'caked' look. Since it's a liquid, I set it with the M.A.C Mineralise Foundation (loose powder).

Another popular makeup brand is Benefit Cosmetics. Benefit products are recognisable due to the retro-themed posters surrounding them in stores, not to mention their super-cute packaging. I use the Pore-fessional balm I recently purchased and use it as primer, and I absolutely love it! Also, my sister would definitely recommend the They're Real mascara. It may seem a little daunting to be applying a mascara that promises the illusion of fake eyelashes, but trust me - it does wonders for your eyelashes!

Other Favourites
For a while, I've been looking for a simple, classy, everyday watch. And surprise surprise, I found one while I was at Macy's in America! I love Michael Kors products, period. His bags, clothing and even bracelets are all completely gorgeous, but don't get me started on his watches. It's amazing that he's created such a diverse range of watches to suit both men and women, and it was pretty crazy when I saw my watch (pictured below) and instantly knew that it was the only one I wanted. (Okay, I really hope I'm not sounding crazy to all of you right now) But anyway, I nearly purchased the rose gold watch in the same design, but instead chose the gold one. Gold is just so classic, and will go with a lot more of my clothes.

Michael Kors Midsized Golden Runway Watch with Chronograph

Let's move onto hair! In between washes, it's not unusual for the ends of my hair to feel dry. I'm so glad I was introduced to the L'Oreal EverSleek Oil Treatment, because although I love Moroccanoil, it's way too pricey, considering the rest of the market.

Now onto oil treatments in general...
If you've never used an oil treatment on your hair, you should definitely consider trying one. Although it does seem a little strange that tree sap will do any wonders for your hair, you'll be surprised at the results. All you need is 1-2 pumps of whatever product you choose, depending on the length and thickness of your hair. Massage it between your fingertips, then run it through the lengths of your hair. You may want to comb your hair to evenly coat the ends, but other than that you're good to go - no rinsing is required!






This next favourite may seem a little twelvie-style for some people, but I'm going to mention it anyway: Arizona Iced Tea in peach flavour. In my opinion, this narrowly beats peach-flavoured Lipton Iced Tea in the taste department, but how can you walk past their packaging? Although I never purchase things for their packaging alone, I have to admit it's a cute bonus.

My sister and I have been obsessed with iFunny for about two and a half years. And finally, we created a joint account! While it's been active for less than three days, it's been fun creating original content and finding photos/gifs/videos to repost. Although the app revolves around American holidays and inside jokes (The Super Bowl! College Decision Day! Freedom!), it's almost guaranteed to make me smile every time I open the app. Go iFunny!

Finally, my favourite song over the past six months has probably been MMM Yeah by Austin Mahone and Pitbull. Remember that favourites post from last year where I mentioned Austin Mahone trying to make it? Well, he's finally broken through with this song! Although it was released some months ago, radio stations have begun to put this particular song on replay. I love the beat of the song, and the music video is a-ma-zing.

It's been a short but jam-packed six months for me. Make the most of these next six months, because 2014 seems to be dissolving quickly. Stay tuned! xx


Currently listening to: It's my Birthday (Will.I.Am feat. Cody Wise)
Currently watching: The Vampire Diaries Season 5

September Favourites ♡

Hey Hey! That's right - my monthly favourites are here yet again! So let's skip the intro and get straight into it, shall we? :)

Beauty Favourites
For those of you who don't know, lip balm is by far my favourite beauty product, ever. The Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balms are super good quality, and come in a range of pretty shades (I own the rose tinted one). These take literally no time to quickly swipe on your lips as you run out of the door, and the right colour can make you look much more polished.

Secondly, paw paw (or is is papaw?) ointment has been my love for months now. It can be used as a lip balm, clear mascara, brow gel or even a highlighter. Yeah, I know - What!? Since the formula is nearly transparent, it can easily be used in your everyday routine without being detected as makeup (if you have a no-makeup rule at your school like I do).

Casual Favourites
Yeah, I know The Hills is pretty much old news by now... But I absolutely love it! I watched one episode to see what the big deal was about (and because LC stars in it), and next think I knew I was already onto the second season. Scripted or not, this show is super addicting!

Ever since I got some black high-top Converse shoes from some very generous friends on my birthday this year, coordinating outfits with shoes has been so much easier. Whatever you're wearing, these can easily be slipped on and still look cute! Plus, since they're enclosed, they are appropriate for just about anything you do. (I actually wear mine to theme parks so I don't have to keep slipping them on and off between rides)

My favourite song lately has been "R U Crazy" by Conor Manyard. It's seriously catchy and I think it's Conor's best song yet!                                                                                       Oh, and just to be fair, "Better Be Mine" by Cody Simpson isn't my favourite song at the moment, but it's still pretty amazing so I think it deserves a special mention :)

I'm actually away camping right now, so I've had to quickly write this on the weekend. Next month, there'll be heaps more favourites, I promise! xx

Next Week: My Crazy Camp Adventures

August Favourites!

Hey Hey! So this week I'll be talking about my August favourites (oh, and is it just me or is 2013 going way too fast?). I have no idea what else to say in this intro, so let's get started :)

Makeup Favourites

I like to think that I'm pretty good when it comes to applying makeup, but there's just one problem: I've only learnt half of it! I mean, I've got blending concealer and applying mascara down pat, but I've never been brave enough to try the complicated stuff, like eyeshadow. Yeah yeah, I know - I'm boring! Since then, I've started to make an effort in learning how to master eyeliner. I decided to purchase a liquid eyeliner because I was struggling with my kohl pencil, but a very helpful sales assistant deterred me from the expensive brands and to the ChiChi Black is Black Liquid Eyeliner Pen instead. It worked just as well, if not better, than any other eyeliner from a well-known brand. (plus, it's a fraction on the price!) Remember, sales assistants are paid to help you, so make the most out of them!

Ahh, Maybelline Baby Lips! Just about all my friends keep one in their pencil case at school, because they're so handy to have wherever you are! Plus, the name isn't misleading; your lips are so soft when you regularly use it!

Okay, this is another long-time favourites of mine. For too long, I've been suffering from dark circles (no matter how much sleep I get). However, it's unlikely that you'll ever see them while I have makeup on. My secret? I've been using the Garnier Anti-Dark Circles Roll-on nearly every day for the past 2 years, because I love it so much! It's not the strongest concealer out there, so it doesn't look like you've covered your face in makeup - but still covers your dark circles. In addition to this, the formula includes caffeine, which helps to de-puff your eyes. Seriously, this thing works!

Beauty Favourites

As horrible as it is, a lot of people have dandruff. Also, cheap shampoos that you pick up from your local supermarket may seem to fix the problem, but will actually damage your hair if you use them for long enough. As for the expensive products? As much as I hate to say it, the upmarket products are the ones you should be looking at. Sure, they may be expensive, but they definitely work. Currently, my favourite hair product is the Kerastase Bain Exfoliant Purifiant anti-dandruff shampoo. 

                                

Casual Favourites

My favourite clothing item for this month are the Lorna Jane tank tops (wow, trust me to include workout clothes in my favourites!). But hear me out: everything from Lorna Jane is perfect for almost any sport, no matter what your size. Also, I find their clothes are super comfy, and are made from good quality, breathable materials. 

Okay, I know you're all probably sick of hearing me talk about Lauren Conrad's books, but seriously! I'm currently reading the final book in her The Fame Game series, and I'm literally glued to it! I strongly recommend reading her books, because they're really well-written and the stories are quite unique. 

TV Favourites! Okay, so whoever hasn't seen an episode of Pretty Little Liars should definitely consider doing so (Warning: you'll be hooked). The storyline isn't the best, but it's just too easy to watch episode after episode without hesitation once you get started. Plus, the clothes these (extremely lucky) girls wear will definitely give you some fashion inspo. 

Finally, my favourite song is currently Summertime of our Lives, by Cody Simpson. I can't think of what else to say, so I'll leave you to form your own opinion on this super-catchy song. 

                  

That's all my favourites for August, but I'll definitely have a lot more next month! Don't forget to keep visiting this blog every Thursday for weekly posts. Till next time xx

Next Week: Making a Statement. You know you want to. 

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