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

Valentines' SOS

So Valentines Day is tomorrow! I personally don’t have any plans (except for the usual), but I know a lot of you do. The key thing to remember when putting your look together for a Valentines date is to keep it as soft and natural-looking as you can. Here are some tips on planning your look with minimal stress...

Hair - don’t spend heaps of time on it. Today isn't necessarily the day for tight ballerina buns and multiple cans of hairspray (unless, you know, that's your thing). Braiding your hair then taking it out after a few hours will result in soft, touchable curls - a great Valentines' idea. Remember to try to have a relaxed look, so wearing your hair out with nothing done to it is completely fine, too!

Makeup - this needs to be really natural. This means minimal foundation, long eyelashes (If you have brown eyelashes, use brown mascara if you can), and soft pink lips and cheeks. If you can, red lipstick is a great idea. Also, I'd try to stay away from eyeshadow unless it’s mostly shimmery/nude colours.

Clothes - try to wear something that suits your everyday style. This could be a floral dress with flats, or a knitted jumper with jeans and heels (if it’s cold). If you don't like wearing pink, but would like to dress in traditional Valentines' colours, opt for something like a red bag, pumps or baby pink nail polish. Just be yourself - really!

Jewelry - wear your normal earrings/bracelets that you would any other day, but just add something a little different (a statement necklace? An over sized ring?).

Okay, so this is actually one of the prettiest Valentines' Day outfits I've ever seen...

[Photo Source: Windsor Store]

Don’t get upset if you don’t have a special someone to spend the day with. Valentines Day is all about spending time with your loved ones, not necessarily your boyfriend. After all, what’s better than watching rom coms with a bunch of your friends, with lots of popcorn and ice cream? Happy Friday everyone! ;) xx

Taken from: My second tumblr (I've added a lot more to this post since I initially wrote it last year)

Next Week: When you don't like change...

Make your own cute wall art

Hey everyone! A few months ago, my school started talking to us about what we wanted to do as adults. At that point, it dawned on me that I’m growing up way too much, not to mention how often my interests are changing. I decided to make my own wall art filled with pictures of my current obsessions, so I can keep it and go back and see what my interests were at a certain point of time. I think it’s pretty cute, and I hope this inspires you to do something similar. 

You will need:

- Scissors

- Glue

- A3 paper (this will be the size of your poster, so you can use a bigger or smaller page if you like)

- A4 paper (to print your pictures out onto)

- Coloured pens

- Access to the internet and a colour printer

How to make it:

- Search the web for about 20 pictures that make you happy (I normally just go through my tumblr archive) and make sure you get some pictures of your current interests, such as your favourite actors or singers. Below are some examples of pictures I've used for my latest posters. 

Emily from Pretty Little Liars

This is just a cute photo I wanted to add

Who doesn't love sparklers?

I say this way too much...

- Load these pictures onto a Word document, (I use two A4 pages) making sure you leave a good amount of space between them. 

- Print the pictures and cut them out

- Lay them down on an A3 page and decide how you’d like them to sit, leaving a generous space in one of the corners bare. 

- When you’re happy with the layout, you can start gluing the pictures to your page. 

- While you’re waiting for the glue to dry, you can use some coloured pens to write the current month/season and year in the corner you left bare. You could also draw some hearts etc. if you want (and if there's room). 

- Tape/stick your poster to your wall, stand back and smile at your work!

That’s it!

I really hope some of you decide to do this yourself, because it only takes me about half an hour and I do it four times a year (the beginning of every season). I started doing this about a year ago, and my wall's already filling up. By the time I finish school, my whole wall should be covered with posters showing my current interests as I've grown up. I really hope you guys try this out, because I seriously think it's one of the best ways you can document your teenage years! xx

Next Week: