Top 9 Lipsticks (Drugstore)

Ahoy

This may be quite a long post due to all the pictures but these are the 9 lipsticks that I love, that are cheap and that I wear constantly. I have divided them into three groups, nudes, browns and reds! At the end I'll also include a picture of them all swatched on my arm. Let's begin!

Nudes

1. MAC: 'Fresh Brew' A83

Admittedly this one is not exactly drugstore, however it is the only one on my list that isn't. I wasn't going to add it in but seeing as it is the only MAC lipstick that I buy over and over, I feel like I have to. I love this lipstick, the colour is almost a light coffee-brown and smells delicious, it glides on and I adore it. However, it looks a lot better on me when I'm tan. (I think it cost me either $20-something or $30-something).

2. Essence: XXXLlonglasting Lipgloss 'Soft Nude' 06

This one claims to be a 'lipgloss' but as it is matt has absolutely no gloss what so ever, which I'm thankful for. It's a bit of a darker nude than the MAC one but I find it looks a lot better on my pale skin tone. It goes on with a little brush-like thing like most lip glosses do and actually makes me lips feel quite smooth! It's only about $4 from Priceline and well worth it. This is one that I buy a few of and toss in each of my handbags so I'm never without it!

3. Essence: 'Flattering Nude' 63

I clearly have an obsession with Essence, as I think in total three of my choice are the Essence brand. These are insanely cheap and actually quite nice colours and quality so, what can I say! This 'Flattering Nude' is an in-between colour of the first two. I think I wear this one the most, I leave one in my car and throw it on every day for work! It's my work colour lipstick! also about $4 from Priceline.

Browns

4. Rimmel: 'Coffee Shimmer' 264

I picked this one off the shelf on my way to an event in a hurry and have ended up using it quite often, it's a fairly dark brownish colour which I know a lot of people may avoid, but for some reason I'm convinced brown tones suit me and I find them quite classy. I just like them! Including this one from Rimmel which was about $10 also from Priceline.

5. Revlon: 'Just Bitten' Lipstain + Balm 

Now, I won't lie, unless your lips are in impeccable condition and you blend this in really well with your finger it comes out a little blotchy and darker in any places you have cracks or what not in your lips. It is also very dark. BUT I like to wear this under any lipsticks I have that aren't really the right colour, usually reds that are too orange toned or pinks that are far too light and make me look like someone who's rubbed foundation all over their lips. I sometimes wear a bit of this under MACs 'fresh brew' that I had in the Nudes Section. Perhaps putting the Balm that comes with it on makes a difference but I snapped mine off the day I got it so... I'll never know! I got this one on eBay for about $5!

6. Models Prefer: 'Rocky Road' 0714

This colour is gorgeous. Well, I think so anyway. It's almost a dark reddish brown and I loooooove it. As you can tell because the label has worn off slightly and the end looks slightly... shall we say 'well used'. Which it is. It's so smooth and easy to apply, it doesn't make a mess, it's not too harsh and it winds up and down like a crayon! Could it get any better? Maybe, but still. It's pretty darn' great. I'm not sure how much this is to buy alone because I got it in a pack with about... 10 of these coloured lip crayon things. But I only really liked a few of them, the rest sit in my drawer unused. 

Reds

7. Rimmel: Kate Moss 107

I only just bought this lipstick a few weeks ago but let me tell you.. I adore it. It's a lovely kind of deep almost plum red. And it really stays on, even if you don't want it to. It is very bold and quite dark (for a red). I think it's a very classic-looking deep colour, and it almost glides on. Although, if you go over the edge of your lips by accident it will be a nightmare to try to 'delicately' remove the excess without smudging it all over your face. (perhaps that's just me?) - this one was $10 from priceline! cha-ching! 

8. Models Prefer: 'Candy Licious' 1013

The pictures I have taken do not do this lipstick justice. It looks much more vibrant in person and is a bit of a deeper pink. I don't usually go much on overly pink lips but this one is gorgeous. I wore this once with a bright pink dress to a wedding and got so many compliments that I almost started to think people were making fun of me hah! Regardless, it's beautiful and like the other Models Prefer crayon, it glides on, rolls up and has been used like crazy (I need a new one). I don't know how much these are separately because this one also came in the pack - But I plan to find out because I need to order another very soon. 

9.  Essence: 'On The Catwalk!' 04

Last but certainly not least I have this classic red shade. I love this one so-so-much and before I stumbled across the Kate Moss one this was my favourite. They're currently in battle for top of my red lipstick list. ANYWAY, this lipstick is lovely. It's soft, it stays on, and it's not an orange/scarlet red that I'm just not a huge fan of. I think the less coral/orange/scarlet the red the more it will suit most people. It takes a certain skin tone to pull off those reds in my opinion and I just don't have it. This red is not too deep, so it's still a very classic colour and doesn't look like the kind of red you got with those teen magazines when you were 12. Win/win!

and the award for most flattering and smooshed arm goes to.... me

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you found something you liked - I know I had to dig these out of my handbags because I use them all the time, but then again I could just be very strange (haha).

Happy lipstick hunting!

x

Popin' Cookin' / Happy Kitchen - Hamburgers! (Tutorial)

Hallo!

Last weekend I went home to visit my parents. I've seen a lot of people trying the 'Popin Cookin'/'Happy Kitchen' candy food. What I really liked was the fact that it looked adorable but no one seemed to really enjoy the taste, so naturally my first thought was "brilliant, I'll make Mum eat it!" and so that is what I did. I went on Ebay and ordered a packet! For fun (and a little help in case you couldn't read the steps like me), I did some photo steps of the cuteness!

mmm-mm looking adorable 

The first step was opening the box and reading the instructions, which sounds simple but seeing as the only language I can speak or read (shame on me) is English. So I ended up having to turn to google to help me out a little - thankfully, because I would have tried to drink the cheese. 

Look how cute! Instructions for stupid people need to be included  

After opening the box we found confusion. Along with lots of packets and plastic spatulas and a lovely tray for mixing and cooking.

Labels to help you out - you're welcome!

Thanks to the internet, we managed to get started. First up was fries! All you do is open the packet, mix in two scoops of water with the tiny corner scoop that comes in the box, mix it all up, flatten it into the bumpy tray, microwave for 15 seconds and BOOM! The smell of potato fills the room!

These smelt amazing - and tasted pretty good too

After chopping up the fries and maybe eating half of them it was on to the burger patty! This didn't smell so amazing... or look too amazing, but hey. You never know! for the burger and bread we mixed the packets separately, again each with two scoops of water from the water scoop, put the burger goop into the middle circle of the tray and the bread we halved into the two side circle spaces then zapped it in the microwave for 15 seconds. 

The smell is getting less amazing at this point

After being blown away by the strangely meaty smell, the burger and buns were pushed to the other side of the room to waft and cool down. Then it was time for the cheese, which I'm not sure why, but I was really excited for. For the cheese the packet was opened and this time only one water scoop was added. It was then mixed up, scooped out and flattened into the 'cheese board' as I'm calling it, that came with the box. Then we cut the cheese in half (one for each burger!).

Not quite the same consistency as cheese - just a heads up!

Next up was my Mum's least favourite (and alas my favourite) part of the process. The sauce/ketchup! Now, my mum is deathly afraid of ketchup so I had a blast mixing up this part and waving the tray at her. The ketchup packet was emptied into the mixing tray and then we added two scoops of water and stirred. It smelt a lot like actual sauce, much to my joy and Mums heartbreak.

Doesn't look disturbing at all!

Now we made the drink, which turned out to be the most fun of the entire process because it actually fizzed up like coke. I turned into a five year old yelling "LOOK AT IT!" until the fizzing went down. To make this amazing drink we emptied the drink packet into the tiny cup and kept adding scoops of water until the cup was about 3/4 of the way full!

LOOK AT IT!

Now that we have all the things we need, it was time to put the burgers together! I won't lie, although the smell was slightly strange (a little too realistic) I could almost over-look it because it was all so darn cute. We cut both the burger patty and the two buns in half. Half the burger patty went into the middle of each bun. We then added the cheese and sauce (Clearly only I had sauce because of Mum's weird fear).

Feeling like a true chef at this point

Now it was time for the fun part - The presentation. We stuck the little flags in, set it up all nicely and then spent a good five minutes in the "No, you eat it first!" argument. After no one winning that we decided to try it together (aww). Now, I won't lie, the fries I legitimately sat and ate. But the burger... That was another story. I'm not sure if it was the texture, the fact that something that started as powder actually smelt like meat or the fact that it vaguely tasted like mean but for some reason, I couldn't stomach it. I had the smallest bite and that was all I could handle. Although unlike Mum I did actually swallow it (Did someone say winner?).

If you look really closely you can almost see the bite mark

TA DAAA! Looks gorgeous, tastes slightly disturbing and the texture is even more rubbery and disturbing but it was definitely worth it. The process is fun, they look adorable and watching your Mum's face as she has to try it is priceless.

Happy Cooking!

x

Understanding Anxiety and Panic Attacks (Plus 6 Tips)

Hello! 

Anxiety is something that a lot of people struggle with and a lot of people don’t properly understand.

Experiencing anxiety is not simply feeling nervous or worried about an upcoming event, starting a new job or presenting a speech. It is completely natural (and helpful) to feel nervous about those sorts of things. It helps us perform at our best.

Anxiety can be unpredictable and strikes at times when it’s not needed and will not benefit you. It can cause someone to experience a panic attack about anything from situations as stated above or simple things like catching a bus, talking to people or even leaving the house. Someone who is experiencing a panic attack will not just be feeling ‘nervous’ they will be feeling anything from heart palpitations, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, feeling of choking, trembling/shaking, dizziness, chills or heat sensations, sweating, numbness/tingling to the fear of dying.

Sometimes the person will know what triggers the panic attacks and will avoid that particular thing or place but a lot of the times people will have no idea what will trigger their panic attacks, which can leave them never really feeling safe to go anywhere for fear that a panic attack will strike.

Having a panic attack is a truly terrifying experience. There are people who have shown up to hospitals thinking they’re having a heart attack while experiencing a panic attack. They are not to be brushed off or taken lightly. They can seriously impact someone’s life and make them feel completely isolated.

However, if you or someone you know are experiencing anxiety there are definitely things you can do to help you to manage it and get it under control.

   1.  Speak To A Professional

This can include a doctor, psychologist, counsellor or behavioural therapist. They will definitely be able to help you, and if you feel like they’re not taking you seriously, understanding or helping please go and find someone else. It may take a few different people to find someone who you will click with and who you will feel comfortable with. A counsellor will mostly talk things through with you, which some people find helpful. But if just talking about things isn’t helping you, a psychologist/behavioural therapist is a good idea. Teamed with your doctor they can work out what road would be best for you. A behavioural therapist will work through active ways and things you can do to best control and overcome your anxiety.

 2.  Understand What’s Happening To Your Body

When experiencing a panic attack it is very, very easy to convince yourself there is something seriously wrong. Because your body is giving all the symptoms that something IS seriously wrong. But understanding why these symptoms are occurring can help to rationalise what is happening and calm you down. Your heart will beat faster due to the adrenaline going through your body which, which will make your body work harder to prepare itself for threat, which will increase your breathing and then you start to feel light headed and nauseous and it all just jumbles into one horrible feeling of terribleness. Your entire body will respond to the adrenaline. But if you can feel this start to come on and remind yourself that you’re not actually having a heart attack or dying, it is the adrenaline pumping through your body it can help to reassure you that you will be okay.

 3. BREATHING TECHNIQUES

I’ve put this in capitals because this is an important one to remember. Being able to control your breathing can be a huge help to you when you feel a panic attack coming on. (I for one absolutely hated when anyone would tell me to ‘breath’ when I was in the midst of a panic attack) but they have good reason for it. It is not possible to have a panic attack when you are breathing normally. Once you have controlled your breathing, everything else will start to calm down too. You wont magically stop worrying and be instantly cured of all the horrible thoughts BUT your body will start to calm down. Everything will start to work at it’s proper rate when you bring your breathing back to normal. I repeat: you cannot have a panic attack when your breathing is regular.

 4. Be Kind To Yourself

One of the most important things is not to beat yourself up about not being able to do things that other people might find easy because of your anxiety. You are not crazy, you’re not being ‘over dramatic’ or ‘stupid’, you’re not anything bad that you might be thinking you are. So many people struggle with anxiety, you are not alone and there are people who will be there for you and who will want to help.

5. Reward Yourself For The Small Things

A lot of the time doing something simple like going to the grocery store, getting your hair cut, catching a bus is a huge deal when you’re struggling with anxiety. Whatever it is that you find difficult to do, make sure you give yourself recognition and praise when you DO manage to do it despite how absolutely terrified you are. Because doing something when you’re that afraid is most definitely something to be proud of, no matter how ‘simple’ it may seem to everyone else. You have the right to be beyond chuffed at yourself. Doing these things more and more will help build your confidence.

6.  Don’t Give Up

This seems corny but it’s true. It is highly likely that you will try and it will feel like a ‘one step forward, two steps back’ situation. Where you will get frustrated and feel like it’s not ever going to get better. But it will, so long as you keep going. Once you have strategies in place and a plan of action you will feel much more in control. Anything in life is easier when you have the right tools to deal with the situation and anxiety is no different.

This is just a very broad overview and quite general tips. There are also tips of things you can do while having a panic attack and a lot more information on the kinds of therapies and how they work that I wanted to go into but this post is already quite long! I hope something in here was even a little helpful for someone and if by any chance you have any questions do feel free to ask!

x

Travelling Overseas! (5 Tips for Flying)

Ciao!

Early this year for the first time in my life I flew overseas! I took a five-hour flight (nice and short for a first trip– but still too long if you ask me) to Indonesia with two lovely friends of mine!

Now, I don’t have a fear of flying as such. I’m not at all bothered by the idea of the plane crashing or falling from the sky. I think what I personally dislike about flying is being stuck in one place for so long with no-where to go. I find the sensation of flying also gives me a horrid headache and makes me feel incredibly nauseous. So with a headache, nausea, and nowhere to lie down, stretch my legs or get some fresh air (without flushing myself down the toilet) I have to find a way to survive the flight. 
This is how: 

1.    Dress Comfortably

Now, I decided to get on the plane wearing skinny jeans. Sitting in skinny jeans is bad enough, but stilling in a small airplane seat in skinny jeans is not a fun time. Next time I am going in track pants. I don’t care how homeless I may look.

2.    Take Entertainment

And I mean more than an ipad that you can’t connect to the internet and don’t realize until you’re on the plane that 99% of your aps and games need an internet connection to work. (books, playing cards, travel-size board games, magazines, movies, music, pen + paper etc)

3.    Prepare for Travel Sickness

Get some over the counter or doctor prescribed travel sickness/nausea tablets. I find sometimes these will help me and sometimes they wont, but when you feel dreadful they’re definitely worth a try! Some painkillers for headaches are also a good idea to have on you. (if your nausea comes with headaches like mine). Another thing that I find helps is something to chew on such as little lollies (sweets) or even chewing gum.

4.    Make Flying Seem as Normal as Possible

By this I mean make yourself comfortable so that you have everything you may need on you, as you would at home. Take a neck pillow, a relatively thin blanket, warm socks or a cozy jumper. Anything that you find comforting to make the small space you have your own.

5.    Bother Your Travelling Companion

If you have one, make your travelling companion play games with you. Stupid simple games you can play on paper that you probably played as kids. (MASH – predicting your future life, naughts and crosses, hang man, etc). Try to keep yourself distracted from how you’re feeling.

And those are my Five Tips for Flying. If worst comes to worst and you’re able to, I suggest sleeping. I personally cannot sleep on planes it is too uncomfortable and too weird of an environment for me. But considering at the end of this year (or very early next year) I will most likely be on a 20-hour flight to London I’m going to have to learn.

If you have any tips for me about flying (I’m always wanting more) or even any fun suggestions for things to do in London please let me know!

x

Halloween Make-up 2014 (Alice In Wonderland)

Guten Tag!

The other day I stumbled across my liquid latex, kind of smooshed to the back of my makeup drawer. Which made me go on the hunt for old Halloween photos from last year where I actually tried it out. Unfortunately there aren’t many of them and I also took them myself… on my phone... But hey, I tried.

Now, last year I left my costume to the day before (no surprises there) and went for a slightly not-so-creative-yet-still-fun-to-make attacked, bleeding Alice In Wonderland. Because let’s face it, who doesn’t love Alice In Wonderland?

I won’t lie, doing those cuts on my face took a long time but for a first attempt, I’m pretty proud of myself. Even if I did get impatient waiting for the latex to dry and ended up nearly blasting myself across the room from trying to dry my face with the hair-dryer.

As a side note you can always just put realistically sized gouges or scratches on your arms or legs to terrify your mother if you’re a lovely person like I am. Bonus fun points!

I think this year I want to plan ahead and go for a costume that will take a little more craftsmanship. Although just what that will be, I have no clue. All I know is I will definitely be making myself look as wounded as possible. 

Perhaps a sad, wounded animal? People might feel sorry for me and feed me sausage rolls. 

x