BEAUTY LOOP level 1 box

Australia's beauty store equivalent to Sephora (even though we just got our first Sephora, halleluja) is easily Mecca. Mecca Cosmetica, or Mecca Maxima, stock a lot of beauty brands you'd find at Sephora or Ulta in the United States. Mecca is my favourite place in the whole world.

Similar to Sephora's VIB point scheme is Mecca's Beauty Loop point system. The more money you spend the more perks and freebies you receive. Every quarter your Beauty Loop level is calculated and you receive a goodie box based on your level.

I myself am only Level 1 of 3, although I am only $50 away from reaching level 2. And so yesterday while buying a moisturiser from a Mecca Maxima I was able to pick up this quarter's Beauty Loop Level 1 box.

The Level 1 box includes four sample sized products. Usually two skin care and to makeup related samples. I'm never usually a fan of the skin care samples as I have super sensitive skin, so I usually palm them off to friends. I am however super excited about this quarter's beauty samples.

The Ciaté mini paint pot in the colour Sugar Plum is definitely my favourite item I received this quarter. The colour is so cute. As Summer is winding up I can't wait to use this for the warmer months. I've never used a Ciaté nail polish before. If I like the formula I definitely see myself repurchasing this colour for next Summer.

The Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer is another item I'm super excited about. I have a new found love for primers. I still swear by the Benefit POREfessional for my pores on my cheeks and chin but Hourglass is sucha  great brand. I love my Ambient Lighting Palette to death, so I'm sure this another product I'll repurchase.

Both the skin care items I will be re-gifting as I'm really not a fan of using skin care sampled on my already temperamental skin. I'm very careful about what I put on my skin and am weary to use samples. I prefer talking to the salesperson and purchasing an item better suited to my skin than using free samples.

The products are the Verso Super Eye Serum and the Kate Somerville Kateceuticals Restor8 Serum. I'm sure both are great products for someone with normal skin and will definitely report back when they're used by someone. But for now, they'll be staying right where they are.

LUSH haul

I recently had a really bad day and the only thing I could think of to make me feel better was shopping. I found myself in Lush and before I knew it I'd picked up one of those little whicker baskets and was filling it up with goodies.Amongst the items I bought was these three bath bombs. I bought Butterball, Sex Bomb and Space Girl. 

Butterball isn't your conventionally beautiful bath bomb, it doesn't erupt into a sea of colour, but it is easily my favourite smelling of the three. The smell is a combination of Vanilla, Cocoa Butter and Musk. Those three scents are my all time favourite fragrances, I really couldn't say no to this bath bomb.

Space Girl is one of those bath bombs I had to buy because I loved the pictures of it I've seen online. Shaped like Saturn, the bath bomb erupts in your bath and looks like a galaxy with swirls of purple, orange and specks of red glitter. The scents include grapefruit and blackcurrant, with an overall fruity fragrance.

Sex Bomb was one of those impulse buys. I usually hate anything with roses on it because I'm not a fan of rose scents. With what looks like a rose built into the bomb I was sure I would hate it. But upon further inspection I discovered the scent was actually Ylang Ylang. Ylang Ylang is my overall favourite essential oil. It's not your typical floral smell, yes something about it draws me to it constantly. I can't wait to use this one and smell like Ylang Ylang all day.

Something I was completely unaware of was the packaging you receive when you buy three bath ballistics. I always knew about Lush's return policy on their black containers and lids, but was unaware how exactly they were recycled. Turns out they're used to create this container to store your bath bombs in.

I love the storage and think it would be great to use if you were gifting the ballistics. I'll use this temporarily while I sort out some kind of glass bowl or vase to store my bath bombs in. I like having them on display and being able to smell them while in my bathroom.

What's your favourite Lush item?

STYLE jackets

All images/items are from ASOS.

It's almost time for Autumn! After a pretty bizarre Summer full of rain, wind and humidity, I'm ready for a cool change. Most importantly, I'm ready to dress for cooler weather. My favourite part about Autumn/Winter is shopping for those warmer pieces. 

Cardigans and jackets are the thing I'm focusing on the most this year. Living in the Southern Hemisphere, we get to watch the fashion of the north and work from that. I love taking inspiration from what I see on blogs and celebs, and work that into my own style.

There are two different types of jackets I'm interested in this year. A bright rain jacket, like the first two images above. Something hooded and waterproof that I can throw on over my big jumpers and cardigan. I'm also looking for something a little more versatile in a neutral colour. The third image above is perfect. It's hooded, thin for layering, has a 3/4 length sleeve option and is bat winged.

None of the images above are fitted at all, which is something that sits fine with me. But if I were going to go for something a bit more fitted I would opt for something like a skater fit (Zooey Deschanel), or a shorter more tailored jacket (Taylor Swift).

Zooey Dechanel Picture - wwzdw.com // Taylor Swift Picture - laineygossip.com

Quay Australia x Shay Mitchell

All Images // Source // Quay Australia

I am a huge fan of the TV show Pretty Little Liars. Because of this I am a huge fan of Shay Mitchell, the woman who plays Emily in the hit show.  I've been following her on Instagram and have dutifully awaited the release of her eyewear collaboration with Australian bran Quay (pronounced Key).

There have been tweets, Instagram posts by both Shay and Quay and teasing promo pictures. The day has finally come, a few days ago the line was released to the public on their website and I have one word drool.

I am a big advocate for sun protection. I live in Australia where the most prevalent type of cancer is skin cancer. A huge part of preventing skin cancer is sun protection from UV rays. Common places for skin cancer include the hands, back and face, especially the delicate skin around the eye area.

It's imperative that we look after our skin and cover up as much as possible to protect ourselves from harsh UV rays, and why not do it in style?

The line is flawless, looking at the pictures of Shay modelling each piece is like flipping through a high end magazine. It's not just the style of the glasses that makes you want them, it's Shay wearing them that does the most selling.

I have a couple of favourites from the line, but I think the best is the Tilly Gold and the Vesper Black. I find the shape of the Jinx and Tilly styles particularly flattering. I'm desperate to make a purchase, but I think I'll be careful and buy a pair a bit more suitable to winter. I'm all about that cold weather.

Check out the full line here on Quay Australia's website.

NEW IN January

This post is delayed, like super delayed. It's because I really wanted to take pictures using my DSLR and not my iPhone, completely justified if you ask me. I haven't included swatches because these are all relatively old items that have been swatched to death. I've included links to some swatches and other relevant posts.

I was on a bit of a no buy for the first half of the month as I was saving my funds for while I went away on holidays so I could splurge. I didn't end up splurging as much as I thought, but here's a bit of a review of the products I did buy.

I love this primer. It's the MAC Prep + Prime Moisture Infusion primer. I am prone to really dry, really sensitive skin. Unfortunately their are some irritants in this product that I usually try to stray from but so far so good. This was the best option for dry skin like mine. My makeup glides on smoothly and flawlessly when I use this. I love it about 100 times more than I love my Benefit POREfessional. Also can we just talk about the bottle? It's like a dark purple with sparkles and I want to keep it even when it's empty.

The Mac pigment was an impulse buy. I've always wanted a pigment, but I was always leaning towards Melon after watching Rachel's Youtube video. Unfortunately I tend to get really red, a lot, so the lady at the counter thought that Tan would be a better option. I'm really glad I went with this one now, it's a bit more universal than Melon. Melon is a bit of a Summer colour, where as I think Tan is a more of a neutral colour. Here's a comparative swatch of Melon and Tan by Corallista.

I wanted Fix+ but I walked away with the Mineralize Charged Water. Apparently it does the exact same thing as Fix+, but with the added bonus of nutrients that benefit the skin. I ended up buying it. The promise of added nutrients had me sold, I love my skin and pride myself in taking care of it. So far it works well for foiling the pigment, it also works well as an overall setting spray and a refresher when your makeup is looking a bit dull towards the end of the day.

The NYX Eyeshadow Base was a buy out of frustration. I have the jumbo eye pencil in milk, which is basically this item's counterpart, but no matter how I freeze it, no matter the size of the sharpener I use, and no matter how gentle I am, it has ended up looking like the picture to the right. Oops. So I decided to get a potted version, a lot easier to use if you ask me.

I love the colour of this NYX Butter Lipstick. It's the shade Licorice (yum) and I think it's going to be perfect as I head into the cooler months here in Australia. It's really no secret that I love cooler months because of the fashion and makeup. Here's a swatch by xxxbeautyredefinedxxx.

HAIRSPO the lob

Sources: Lucy- Instagram // Lauren - Instagram // Kate - Getty // Taylor Swift - pbs.twimg

Recently there's been a huge spike in celebrities sporting a 'lob', which is essentially a long bob. The list is endless. My favourite lobs right now probably belong to Kate Mara (bottom left) and Lucy Hale (top left).

Shorter hair is a lot easier to manage and maintain than long hair. I know myself, as someone who had very long hair, that it would take me an hour to do my hair properly in the mornings. That's a ridiculous amount of time, so usually I wouldn't do it properly. I'd twist it into a bun and let it sit while I got ready, then when I took the bun out I'd have messy waves, which never felt put together.

With shorter hair there are shorter drying and styling times. A quick blow dry, straighten or curl and you're good to go. There's also need for a lot less product, thank god! Long hair can be a drain on my finances, always have to replace shampoo, conditioner and whatever treatments you're using.

After years, and I mean years, of growing my hair out I decided to experiment with a lob. To be fair, I didn't go as short as the women above. I was nervous I wouldn't like the end product, so I went a couple of inches longer that your usual lob.

After one month of living with shorter hair I want to go shorter. I love the length it's at now, but I want to play around with my hair. In the end it is hair, and it will grow back if I don't like it. My first big chop is the image below, and I'm about to take about another 5 inches off that.

I'm also considering messing around with the colour. I currently have a dark blonde colour, more on the warm side though. I'm thinking, with the fact that we're heading into an Australian Autumn, of going a little dark and ashy. Nothing too dark, I don't want to wash myself out, but a bit darker for the cooler months.

I love Lucy Hale's colouring above, I even love the little ombre ends. I'm thinking something like that and if I don't like it I can just dye over it. That's the beauty of hair, nothing is permanent, it grows, it changes and you can always fix it quickly.

Is there a style you really want to try? Maybe a cut, or perhaps a colour?

GUIDE TO gift giving

I've hit that year of my life. That year where everyone around you is starting to turn 21. There's a 21st every second weekend.

21st parties tend to go hand in hand with 21st gifts. Which I don't resent at all, in fact I really enjoy shopping for gifts for my friends and looking for the right card. I've even found myself enjoying the card part more than the gift part.

I have two 21st parties coming up soon so I went shopping for them both to save some time later. Look at the cards I got, they're adorable. Greeting card companies sure have lifted their game, honestly. Kudos to them for most improved business and services.

Pleeeeease ignore my terrible nails.

Honestly, sometimes I think I could keep the cards I buy. I have absolutely no use for them, they're a useless item to keep laying around - yet I want them, because they're cute.Regardless of how much I like the cards, the gift itself is the part that takes the most thought and consideration.

For one friend I purchased a pair of Pandora earrings in her birth stone, Garnet. For the other I bought a shirt online of her favourite member of One Direction, Louis, with angel wings on her back.

I think gift giving is really all about thinking about where and how you connect with the person you're buying for. If you share a strong love music, I'd lean towards a gift to do with that. If this person is someone you consider a dear friend, I think it's really good to spoil them with jewellery or perfume.

Sometimes it's hard, you're not sure who else is buying for this person. I've found recently a lot of people are buying the Pandora birth stone rings, which is why I went for a bit of a different option with the earrings. You don't want two of the same gifts. Sometimes it's good to think a little bit outside of the box.

What's your favourite gift you've ever received?

THE 1975

I went to a concert for quite possible one of my favourite bands at the moment, The 1975. I absolutely adore them, I can't get enough of their music. I went to one of their concerts late last year and I managed to catch one of the drummer's, George Daniels, drumsticks.

This concert was just so much better, even though I didn't catch another drumstick. It was a bigger location, the vocalist (Matty Healy) was a lot more sober, and they interacted with the crowd beautifully. 

At one point Matty came out with this amazing quote:

'The world focuses on boring things like gender, race, sexuality, religion. Here we all are because of music, music transcends all of that".

The set list was superb, they even played their most recent song which featured in a re-scored version of Drive. I got separated from my friends during the concert but found I wasn't lonely at all, I was surrounded by people who I shared one common thing with - the love of the music.

During one song Matty Healy asked us to hold hands with whoever was next to us, and we didn't hesitate. I held hands with two complete strangers, everyone smiled and no one was uncomfortable.

The uniting feeling of concerts are amazing. Even when you're 'alone' you're not really lonely. I really appreciated the music a lot more being alone, I'm even considering buying tickets to more concerts in the future just by myself.

It was quite possibly the best concert I've ever been to. I hope you enjoy the pictures I've included.

CARE PACKAGE

Last year I had the absolute delight to live with an amazing girl from the United States. We'll call her Care Bear. Care Bear is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She was so interested in learning about Australian culture. It was a pleasure to share my lifestyle and experiences of Australia with her.

Unfortunately, as most exchange students do, she had to return to her home. The far north of the United States. To say I miss her is an understatement. I miss her every Wednesday morning after a night out at our local uni bar, when we would gather and discuss the night before. I miss her dry sarcasm, her hugs, because after all she was my care bear.

It's been 18 months since I've seen Care Bear and it's beginning to become a bit annoying. Sometimes you just want a chat, or a hug. But unfortunately the Pacific Ocean and 15,000 kms sepreate us now. I'm not quite sure when I'll see her again, but I'm hoping sometime in the next 18 months I can save up enough to head over to her half of the world.

In the meantime I put together a Care package to send her. Inside I included Australian goodies such as Milo and Tim-Tams, an Australia fag mug for her to enjoy the Milo in - also she can use the Tim-Tams to create a Tim-Tam slam,- there's also a few post cards, an Australia flag wristband, and a little vial of sand from "down under".

I stumbled across a cute card that I also decided would be a good fit, as all I want to do is give her a huge hug. I wrote a two page letter and stuck it inside the card, along with about a hand full of tiny little star confetti.

It will probably take weeks for her to receive, lets be honest, it's Australia post. But I'm so excited for her to receive it. I felt almost instantly better after wrapping it all up and writing her address on the box.

Long distance friends suck, but at least I have a holiday destination for the future.