Six Summery Nail Polishes

Now that it finally feels like summer, I've been feeling a little more inclined to do my nails more often. Here are some polishes I love for creating a summery mani-pedi, and most of them are inexpensive too! I've included links to online purchase options when shipping to NZ is available, plus I've include my local sources. Please note that prices are in New Zealand Dollars.

Songs of 2014

I feel like this year has been defined by music, for me, perhaps more so than in the previous few years. I decided to pick my top 15 tracks and put them together in a YouTube playlist to share with you all. Enjoy!




Songs of 2014
1. High - Peking Duk ft. Nicole Millar
2. I Wanna Be Yours - Arctic Monkeys
3. West Coast - Lana Del Rey
4. Settle Down - The 1975
5. Oats In The Water - Ben Howard
6. To Be Alone - Hozier
7. Cool Kids - Echosmith
8. The Epilogue - Crosses
9. Angel of Small Death & The Codeine Scene - Hozier
10. Yellow Flicker Beat - Lorde
11. Figure It Out - Royal Blood
12. Cannibal - Silversun Pickups
13. Left Hand Free - alt-J
14.  Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran
15. Move Like You Want To - Ben Howard

My most listened to albums have been Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey, The 1975 self-titled debut, Every Kingdom by Ben Howard, Hozier's self-titled debut, AM by Arctic Monkeys, and Crosses self-titled debut. I've also been a rather enthusiastic Radio Hauraki listener, especially in the car - and yes, of course I sing along very loudly.

December Favourites 2014

It's that time again! I can't believe how fast December has gone, that it's Christmas tomorrow, and that 2014 is almost over. Where on earth has it gone? Anyway, for the lowdown on what I've been enjoying throughout the month, have a watch. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas all! :)

First Impression: BYS Matte Foundation

I tried out the BYS Matte Foundation that I bought the other day. Watch to find out my thoughts on it. Enjoy!

Mini Fashion & Beauty Haul Video

I did a spot of shopping the other day and came home with a bunch of beauty and clothes. Er...oops? Enjoy!

A Day Cream I Can Trust

I think I've found The One! In terms of daytime moisturiser, at least. This year has been a year of skincare product trial and error. I've been through so many creams and they've all left my dehydrated but oily skin feeling tight and gross. That is until I found Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream. The little tube in the photo was part of a free gift set I got and oh my god, yes it is it. There is no tightness and it feels so nourishing without leaving my skin greasy. I use it in the morning after I cleanse and tone, and I sometimes pop a bit on top of my Antipodes Divine Face Oil in the evening, for some extra oomph. I can also go a few days without using my hydrating serum and my skin doesn't completely freak out. Woohoo! While I wish my skin was hunky-dory on a supermarket-bought cream, it just isn't - I've tried nearly every one of them just to be sure.

My skin - and by that I mean me - is developing an obsession for Antipodes products, no joke. You are likely to be reading (and hearing) more about this brand in the future, sorrynotsorry!

My Favourite Makeup Remover

The bottle might say 'for lids, lashes and lips' but I use Clinique's Take The Day Off everywhere when removing my makeup. It's the best remover I've found so far, and I've been using it on and off for about six years. I keep going back to it after trying cheaper brands and being unimpressed. Nothing gets my eye makeup off as thoroughly as this stuff does! It is on the oily side and this prevents face cleansers from lathering as much as they usually would, but that is the only thing - besides the price tag - that I can find 'wrong' with it. The oiliness/lather issues don't prevent cleansers from actually cleaning you skin, so don't worry about that. Oh, and you don't need heaps - just one or two dabs on a couple of cotton pads to get all the gunk off your skin.

My Current Everyday Makeup Look

I tend to go through phases of wearing a certain look for my everyday makeup. Here's my latest take and the products I'm loving at the moment. Enjoy!

My Brow Routine

Brows are an incredibly hot topic right now, so much so that just about every day I see an eyebrow meme on social media. I'm definitely not immune to the brow hype - I want my brows to look amazing at all times, with or without makeup. I'm fairly lucky that mine are naturally a good shape and managed to survive the Brow Disaster of 2003-2004, when I plucked them within an inch of their life into pencil thin lines. Yes, it was as bad as it sounds. Eleven years later I can say that, for the most part, I've got good brow game. Usually I just pluck the strays and get a proper job done by a professional every so often. Once they're tidy, I go over them with some brow products on makeup days. I don't like wearing makeup without having at least a little bit on my brows, because I find it finishes the look off nicely, even with very minimal makeup looks. You can see below how my brows look without any product on them.

Kids Christmas Gift Guide 2014

November Favourites

September Favourites