Monday, 30 July 2018

How to make the transition to natural deodorant

Deodorant is one of those every day essentials that most of us can't live without. It's also one of the products that really polarises the beauty world, some claim traditional deodorants can cause cancer, others say it can't. I don't know if it can or it can't, however I decided to make the switch to natural deodorant when I was pregnant and breastfeeding because I didn't like the idea of having chemicals so close to my babies head.

Finding a natural deodorant proved problematic. I have sensitive skin so can't use deodorant with bicarb soda in it, which is what most natural deodorants use. Finding a bicarb free natural deodorant that actually works was extremely difficult. Thankfully now there are a lot more natural deodorants available, so it's easier to find the right one.

I started my search for an effective natural deodorant around eight years ago. A lot of the deodorants I tried just didn't work. Others said that you needed to give your pits a month to detox before the deodorant would start to work. With that in mind, making the switch to natural deodorant isn't as simple as it sounds.

If you are going to make the switch, I recommend starting in winter when you don't sweat as much. Those of you who are used to wearing an antiperspirant may notice wetness, as natural deodorants don't stop sweating, they just control odour. I'm not sure if a detox is necessary, I didn't seem to have/need one, I just switched to natural deodorant and kept on trying different versions until I found one that worked for me.

Louella from Kiss Ready taught me that you need two different deodorants as hormonal changes can mean the deodorant isn't as effective at certain times of the month. Since Louella told me that I've noticed my deodorant does stop working at certain times during the month. To combat this I switch between two, when one stops working I switch to the other one for a few days, then switch back to my regular one.  

Once you've adjusted to using natural deodorant, you might find there are days when you don't need deodorant. I find that I have less body odour now and don't need deodorant during winter.

In summer I'll reapply my deodorant at lunchtime, the same as I would have when I wore traditional deodorant.

Of all the natural deodorants I've tried, my favourites are: Kiss Ready Skin Natural Deodorant, Alcome Co Bearly There Natural Deodorant Balm, Black Chicken Remedies Axilla Deodorant Paste Barrier Booster and The Physic Garden Sensitive Deodorant.

Sunday, 29 July 2018

Thoughts of the week

1. If you followed along with my Sephora Saga last year, you'll be happy to know that I've since shopped with them several times and had no issues at all. I'm still nervous each time I place an order, but so far so good. Let's hope it was just a one off fubar.

2. Isn't that a wonderful acronym? FUBAR. I love it. 

3. This month ten Australian women have been killed by their partners. What a horrifying statistic.

4. I've been experimenting with making my own chocolate. It's turning out quite well. I'll share the recipe when I've perfected it.

5. The Kiss Ready Skin Superfoods Antioxidants Face Mask is amazing. I used it on Wednesday and my skin still feels super soft today.

Friday, 27 July 2018

FFS Friday - Shoulda, coulda, woulda

Hello Friday, you beautiful thing. 
I've changed the font I use, what do you think? Keep or go back to the old font?
So lovers, what's been happening this week? Any news? Do tell.
I don't know what to talk about today. We've had a wet and windy week, lots of severe weather warnings, lots of rain, it's been lovely. 

Who else takes their kids to the park when it's raining? I do. Tiger won't, he thinks they'll get sick if they get wet. Silly man. You get sick from germs not water. 
Anyhow, the kids love the park when it's raining. They get wet, they get dirty and they have a great time running around in the rain, flying down the slide, rolling in the dirt and splashing in puddles. They have more fun when it's raining than they do when it's dry.

I don't know why more people don't let their kids play in the rain, it's so much fun. We usually drive down to the park, I take four towels and a change of clothes, then when we get home they have a warm bath and they're happy. 

Childhood should be magical, fun and full of happy adventures.  

Yesterday it was raining and the boys were bored so they got three cans of shaving cream, put them all over the trampoline and had a wonderful time sliding around. When they were freezing cold they came inside, had a bath and warmed up in front of the fire.

Childhood should be free. No fuss, no rules, just fun and freedom. Childhood is short, adulthood is long. If we don't allow our children the freedom to enjoy their childhood, they're not going to be happy adults.

A few years ago I made the decision to say yes to the boys whenever I can. Instead of saying no, if it's at all possible I say yes. 
I ask myself "why not?" We've had so much fun doing this. They go swimming at the beach in winter, playing in the rain, following the garbage truck, looking at fire engines, talking to people working in the street and all sorts of other fun things.

I've realised that a lot of the things they ask are great ideas. It's not often they ask to do something that we can't do. If they want to go to the park in the rain, we go. If they want to go to the beach when it's freezing cold, we go. If they want to have a bath at 10am, they do. 
Why not? What valid reason would I have for saying no to things like that? The only reason I'd have for saying no is control. But why is that so important? Why do we think we need to control children? It doesn't make sense to me.

What difference does it make if they have a bath in the morning instead of the evening? None at all.
So what if they go outside and get wet in the rain? As soon as they start to feel cold they come inside, no harm done.
Who cares if they go out wearing a strange combination of clothes and their shoes on the wrong feet? If they're comfortable and happy with their outfit, that's great!

We have our whole adulthood to spend being responsible, being controlled and doing what we "should", I'm not going to make my boys behave that way any time soon. 

Stay wild my beautiful child. 

Tuesday, 24 July 2018

My favourite my lips but better lipsticks.

My Lips But Better (mlbb) lipstick is something that only beauty fanatics understand. Most people don't see the point in wearing a lipstick that is the same colour as your lips. For those of us who do like mlbb lipsticks, finding the right one can be a real mission. If you're looking for mlbb inspiration, the British Royals have it down to an art.

I remember years ago helping one of my friends find a new lipstick. She wanted something natural looking and we found what I thought was the perfect lipstick. When she got home and tried it on she was so disappointed because it was the same colour as her lips. She told me that it was the same colour as her lips so there was no point wearing it. I told her that whilst it was the same colour, it made her lips look a little brighter, smoother and plumper. She didn't agree. Fair enough.

Unlike my friend, I love mlbb lipsticks. I love how easy they are to use, they subtly brighten up my face, add moisture, don't fade off unevenly and make me look and feel just that little bit more put together. I have pigmented, pink lips and suit cool toned colours. If you're the same, here's a list of lipsticks that might work for you. 

From top: MAC Syrup, Bobbi Brown Sazan Nude, Chanel Evanescente, Urban Decay Backtalk, Neek Pash, Raww Fancy Fig, Revlon Honey, Shanghai Suzy Miss Jacqui

Shanghai Suzy Miss Jacqui Pink Lace

Shanghai Suzy Miss Jacqui Pink Lace
Miss Jacqui lives in my make-up bag, it's my daily go-to lipstick at the moment. I love the gorgeous strawberry scent and flavour of Shanghai Suzy lipsticks, I also love how hydrating and long lasting they are. 
Miss Jacqui comes in the satin luxe formula and is a cool toned nude. 
At only $19.95 each, you can afford to get a few different shades. 
Shanghai Suzy lipsticks are vegan, cruelty free and made in Australia.

Revlon Honey Kissable Balmstain

Revlon Honey Kissable Balmstain  
Honey is so easy to wear. It's a mauve pink that I could happily wear every day, the colour is gorgeous. It's easy to apply, very portable and such a pretty shade. 
Honey is one of those lipsticks that I'll always have in my collection, it's the perfect every day shade. Back when I had a job outside of the home, Honey was my handbag lipstick because I knew it'd go with whatever I was wearing.

Raww Cosmetics Fancy Fig Coconut Kiss Lipstick

Raww Cosmetics Fancy Fig Coconut Kiss Lipstick
I love how hydrating and creamy the Raww lipsticks are, they feel lovely on. I'd happily wear this in place of lip balm, it feels like a lip balm, with the colour payoff of a lipstick. 
Fancy Fig is a satin formula with creamy finish. It applies quite thickly, layers well and lasts around four hours before wearing off.  
Fancy Fig is the deepest of my mlbb lipsticks, the shade is a deep pinky mauve.
Neek Skin Organics Pash Lipstick

Neek Skin Organics Pash
If you're after a cruelty free, all natural, vegan lipstick, Pash is the one for you. The dusty mauve pink colour is beautiful. Neek say this is a satin formula, I find it to be more matte than satin. It's not as hydrating as some of the other lipsticks, however it's one of the longest lasting, I get at least five hours wear before it starts to fade away. 
Neek also have a clear gloss lipstick that can be worn over the top if you want a bit of shine.

Chanel Evanescente Rough Allure

Chanel Evanescente Rouge Allure
There's something about putting on a Chanel lipstick that feels so indulgent.  
Evanescente is the lipstick I wear when I want to feel fancy and have something on my lips, without making much effort. 
The colour is very sheer, it's more like wearing a lightly tinted lip balm. I find that Evanescente is barely noticeable on my lips, but sometimes a hint of colour is all that I want. 
The shade is a sheer, nude, pinky brown with a glossy finish. 

Urban Decay Backtalk Vice Lipstick

Urban Decay Backtalk Vice Lipstick 
You know when you get a new lipstick, put it on and it's just perfect? That's what Backtalk is. The second I put it on I knew it was my perfect shade. It's everything I look for in a lipstick. Backtalk comes in the comfort matte formula, which funnily enough is a very comfortable matte. It's not drying even when I wear it every day. Being matte, the colour lasts around six hours before wearing off. 
I'm planning on getting the Backtalk gloss to wear over the top, which would extend the wear time considerably. 
If you like pinky mauve lipsticks, Backtalk is a must have. 

Bobbi Brown Sazan Nude Crushed Lip Colour
Bobbi Brown Sazan Nude Crushed Lip Colour
When I ordered Sazan Nude I wasn't sure if it'd work for me as it looks cool toned in some photos and warm toned in others. I'm thrilled that it works for me. 
Sazan Nude is one of those shades that I think would look good on a lot of different complexions, it hovers between cool and warm depending on who's wearing it. On me it looks like a cool, pinky brown.  
The Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Colour formula is very unique, they feel weightless on the lips, layer really well and last for ages. One layer gives a barely there, just bitten look, two layers gives an opaque coverage and three layers gives long lasting, full on colour.

MAC Syrup

MAC Syrup
Oh Syrup. You were the first MAC lipstick that I fell in love with and the only MAC lipstick that I'll continue to purchase. 
This is the only lipstick that I've used up and repurchased, I'm onto my third tube. 
Syrup looks quite purple in the bullet, but if you have pink pigmented lips like me, it's perfection on. The lustre formula is lovely, it feels very light on the lips and has a gorgeous glossy finish.

Clockwise from top left: Urban Decay Backtalk, Neek Pash, Chanel Evanescente, Revlon Honey Balmstain, Shanghai Suzy Miss Jacqui, Raww Fancy Fig, MAC Syrup, Bobbi Brown Sazan Nude

What's your favourite mlbb lipstick?

Sunday, 22 July 2018

Thoughts of the week

1. We've all been struck down with the flu this past few weeks, so I'm struggling to come up with thoughts. That combined with Tigers family being here for a week has reduced my brain capacity to nil.

2. I was so excited when I discovered that Mecca is getting the Too Faced Sweet Peach collection at the end of the month. Unfortunately we won't be getting the lipsticks until October though.

3. This week we broke our final ties with the boys old school. We picked up their belongings and I sent an email to the principal letting him know why we left the school. I am so glad that time is behind us.

4. The Bite Beauty French Press glosses look amazing.

5. We've had gloriously wet winter weather recently, it's been wonderful.

Friday, 20 July 2018

FFS Friday - Pranked

Do I have a story to tell today. This is one of those stories that are unbelievable. Whilst it was happening I was constantly looking around to see if I was being pranked. This crap just doesn't happen. Except it did.

As I mentioned last week, we had the in laws here. Mother in law (MIL), Father in law (FIL) and Tiger's brother (BIL) arrived last Tuesday.
When they got here BIL was scratching his arm and mentioned that he was really itchy. MIL worried that it was bed bugs but then realised that neither she or FIL were itching so it wouldn't have been bed bugs. BIL said that he'd been itchy for three weeks and it was because he was allergic to his flatmates cat. 

Thursday morning BIL was sitting outside in the sun talking to MIL. After a while she came inside and got FIL to go outside. A little while later MIL and BIL came inside. BIL headed to the shower and MIL told Tiger that FIL wanted to talk to him outside. Straight away I was looking at them and wondering WTF was going on now, there's always some sort of drama when MIL is around. They talked for a while then they all came inside. Tiger said he needed to talk to me but not in front of the kids so we went into our bedroom.

He then told me that BIL was talking to MIL and scratching when three bugs came out of his arm. FFS. 

BIL was worried about telling me in case I didn't want him to be around the kids.

Let's talk about that for a second. He works in a hospital and could have been exposed to anything. He didn't want me to know he had bugs coming out of his arm in case I didn't let him near my children. He's got mysterious bugs coming out of his arm and instead of being worried about keeping my boys safe, his first thought is that he might not be allowed to spend time with them. How fucking selfish. Don't worry about the welfare of my kids, just worry about yourself mate. FFS.

He thought that if he told me I might over react. Really? How the fuck am I supposed to react when my kids are potentially in danger? Keeping my children safe is not over reacting!

As soon I went into the kitchen MIL started. MIL was carrying on, Tiger was trying to figure out what to do, everyone was panicking, I was the only calm one. Tiger had no idea what to do, MIL thought they should go to the hospital. WTF? It was Thursday morning, the Dr's surgeries were open, why would you go to the hospital?

They managed to catch a few of the bugs and MIL wanted me to look and see what the problem was. I told her I'm not a medical professional so wouldn't have any idea what the bugs are. After a few minutes of nagging I went to have a look at them, with MIL hot on my tail. As I was trying to look MIL was leaning over in front of me and talking non stop. Forgetting that she wasn't a child (she acts like a child) I told her to stop, move away and be quiet. Heh.

I looked at the bugs and they looked like nits, so I told BIL and Tiger that they needed to go to the chemist and if the pharmacist didn't know what they were then they needed to go to the Dr. BIL thought that he'd stay home and let Tiger go. I told him he had to go, get out of the car and talk to the pharmacist. He wasn't impressed. 

Meanwhile MIL decided it was scabies because FIL had it years ago. She said that he had a rash all over his body. I pointed out to her that BIL didn't have a rash so it clearly wasn't scabies. Then she decided he'd caught lice from the dog because the dog had been scratching and had a rash on her belly. Shelby hadn't been scratching and didn't have a rash.

Off they went to the chemist while MIL started cleaning all BIL's bed linen.

They got back from the chemist who'd confirmed that it was body lice. She said they were like head lice and BIL needed to use a wash and a cream then they'd be gone. She said they couldn't live off the body so we didn't need to do anything else. Easy.

Thursday night when I was laying in bed I decided to double check that the pharmacist had been right. 
She wasn't. 
Body lice are different to head lice. They can live on surfaces for two to five days. They also live in clothing and bedding. To get them out of clothing, everything needs to be washed inside out on a hot cycle then dried in the hot dryer. Bedding needs to be washed and dried the same way. Mattresses and anything else that can't be washed needs to be either thrown out, vacuumed or ironed. Great.

We spent all Friday washing everything that BIL had come in contact with. He'd touched pretty much everything in the house. By we I mean Tiger, MIL and I. BIL sat around complaining about how annoying it was. Not sure why he was annoyed considering he'd caused the problem and was doing sweet fuck all to fix it.

Cleaning everything took us the whole day. We had to clean the lounge suites, vacuum his room, vacuum the carpets in all the rooms he'd been in, wash all his clothes, wash his towel, his bedding etc. We threw out his pillows and cleaned the cushion covers. For some unknown reason, whilst we were cleaning the cushion covers he decided to lay on the cushion inserts, so we had to throw them out too. FFS.
When I found out he'd done that I muttered under my breath "That man is a fucking idiot" and Chai heard me. Oops.

Around this point I started to seriously reconsider my decision to marry Tiger. I love him but I'm not sure it's worth the stress that his family causes. 
Added to this, I also had the flu, so my patience and tolerance was really wearing thin.

We had to wash all the quilts that BIL had used, which took ages, MIL took them to the laundromat and finally finally finished on Saturday. BIL took no responsibility for what had happened, he didn't pay for any of the cleaning, replace the pillows or cushions, nothing.

Sunday he said something about what a hassle it'd been and I told him it was annoying and expensive. His reply was "that's Mum for you". FFS. Talk about not taking responsibility for your actions!

Sunday MIL decided to go and buy more cushion inserts. Tiger and I had looked at Kmart but they didn't have any. She was gone for around three hours and came back with the wrong size. She needed one size larger. I told her not to bother but she insisted on going out again. She came back two hours later. Instead of buying the next size up, she'd spent $60 on inserts two sizes bigger, making them too big. 
By this stage I just couldn't be bothered. 
She told me they'd be fluffy. Nope. When you use cushion inserts that are too big they aren't fluffy, they're hard because you've crammed in an insert that is too big. Fucking annoying but I just cbf by this time. We finally finished washing and drying everything on Tuesday afternoon. That's five days of having the washing machine and dryer going constantly. I hate to imagine what our power bill is going to be like. 

What really annoys me about the whole thing is BIL's attitude. He stayed here for a week, ate our food, made a mess, ate at least three blocks of chocolate, ate Tigers protein bars, ate food that we buy just for the kids (all without checking if it was okay), ordered the kids around, was rude to Tiger demanding he did things for him (make me a coffee, get that for me etc), kept on turning our music off or down and was generally unpleasant to be around. 

He didn't care that he could potentially be placing our children at risk, he was only worried about himself and what he wanted. It amazes me that people can be so very selfish and inconsiderate of others. I'll bet that when he goes home he doesn't tell his flatmates about the body lice. They could be all over the house. Poor flatmates. 

Monday, 16 July 2018

Sensitive Skin Saviours: What I do when my skin is super sensitive

At least twice a year my skin freaks out, gets really sensitive, red, dry and flaky. Most products sting and it's very uncomfortable. It's only happened since we moved to the country, so I assume I have allergies to thank.

The good news is that I have my freaked out skin routine down pat so it only takes me around five days to get it under control. For anyone else who has sensitive, irritated skin, this might work for you too.

I cut my skin care routine back to basics, I don't use sunscreen (not something I advise, but when my skin is upset I can't use sunscreen without it irritating me) and I only use very gentle products. 

The first and most important part of my skin rehab is Clarins Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate. This little bottle holds an amazing serum that does wonders for sensitive skin. Years ago my skin was sensitive all the time and I had to be so careful what I used on it. One bottle of Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate fixed the problems and now I rarely have sensitive skin. 

I use Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate twice a day, with a little Kiss Ready Skin Light Chia Oil over the top. I use a gentle cream cleanser and go make-up free. At night I'll cleanse with Kiss Ready Skin Rose Omega Face Balm (or cleansing oil), then use Skin Beauty Repair, Light Chia Oil and a soothing balm. My favourites are Kiss Ready Skin Rose Omega Face Balm, Egyptian Magic and Black Chicken Balm of All Ages. 

If you haven't used it yet, the Kiss Ready Skin Rose Omega Face Balm is a magic product. It can be used as a cleanser, moisturiser and face mask. It's non irritating and all natural, so perfect for sensitive skin.

After a few days when my skin has started to settle down I'll add in Clarins Hydra Quench Intensive Serum. I use it after the Skin Beauty Repair and before the Light Chia Oil. 

At this stage I add in a very gentle exfoliant I only exfoliate the dry, flaky patches and use a light, gentle touch.  I exfoliate daily until the dry, flaky patches have gone, then I go back to twice weekly exfoliation. My preferred exfoliants are Concordia Handcrafted Skincare Exfoliating Face Scrub and Acure Brightening Facial Scrub. Both are intense yet gentle.

Using this routine, my skin is back to normal within five days, sometimes sooner. 

What are your sensitive skincare saviours?

Sunday, 15 July 2018

Thoughts of the week

1. To promote her beauty line Flower Beauty, Drew Barrymore has been doing YouTube video's with different beauty vloggers and I'm loving it. You can see her collab with Nikki Tutorials here, Tati here and Carli Bybel here.

2. I've started watching Infowars on YouTube. It's making my brain hurt.

3. Dior's new Backstage collection is calling my name. It looks so pretty.

4. A few weeks ago I put all my social media apps in a folder on my phone. I'm amazed at how much less I reach for my phone now. I used to mindlessly scroll through social media constantly. Now I only check them once or twice a day (with the exception of Instagram).

5. After having the MIL here for five days I am exhausted and brain dead.

Friday, 13 July 2018

FFS Friday - Brainy

I've had Tigers whole family here since Tuesday. FML.

Added to that, the boys and I are sick. Chai got sick first, then I got sick, then Eljay got sick, then Chai got sick again. Fun times.

It's been a long, slow week. 

MIL is her usual annoying self. 

She's still lecturing us about how we look after Shelby. 
As a joke Tiger told her she could be the dog trainer, so now she's decided that's what she'll do. FFS.

I have to hide in my room, every time I come out she starts lecturing me about how to train a dog and how she did obedience classes with her dog so she knows all about how to train a dog. Right.

If I didn't have a cold I'd decamp to my BFF's or Mum's house, but I don't want to infect them so I'm stuck here, hiding in my bedroom. 

I can't wait for them to leave. 

Every time I leave the bedroom MIL starts talking at me. She doesn't talk to me, no responses are required, she just talks at me, non stop, barely even taking a breath. 

This visit she's been acting like a child and dobbing on everyone. 
She dobbed on the BIL because he didn't wash his hands after he put washing in the machine.
She dobbed on Eljay when he only ate the sugar off the oats she made him, 
she dobbs on the boys every time they get something to eat. FFS.

I don't understand why she thinks the boys should check before getting food. They know what food they can eat and what food they have to ask for. As long as it's healthy they can help themselves to whatever they want. I don't mind when they eat. If they've just finished breakfast and they're still hungry, that's fine. If it's just before lunch and they want to eat, that's okay too. They eat when they're hungry, not to a set schedule.

They also don't have to eat food if they don't want to. I'm lucky that the boys both like fruit and veggies, that's what they mainly eat, so if there's something they don't like, they don't have to eat it. Simple. If only MIL could understand that. It's not like I haven't told her over and over again. I've been telling her for 7 years now. She still doesn't get it.

The whole attitude about kids being inferior and not having rights really annoys me. They are people just like us, they have the same rights we do. They are not inferior, they should not be subservient and they do not have to be told what to do all day. Kids won't learn to be independent if they're constantly ruled and monitored.

Both BIL and Tiger have had enough of MIL and have both had words with her. Thursday she got annoyed with them both telling her off and left the house for the whole day, it was lovely. 

Later on she told me that she doesn't get along as well with BIL because he thinks she's telling him what to do all the time. That's exactly what she does. She does it to us too. I told her that she is constantly tell everyone what to do, the only difference is that Tiger and I put up with it and BIL doesn't. 

This visit MIL told me that Tigers family (meaning BIL and the PIL's) come before me and the boys, because "wives come and go but your family will always be your family". FFS.
She wasn't even joking. 
Since she's religious, I reminded her that the bible says that a man will leave his parents, find a wife and start his own family. That shut her up. Heh. 

They leave on Sunday. I'm counting down. Pretty sure I'm brain dead, it's been a tough week.

Wednesday, 11 July 2018

MAC Oh, Sweetie Lipcolour in Purple Panna Cotta

When MAC came out with a range of flavoured lip products, I knew they had to be mine. I'm all about flavoured lip products, if I had my way all my lip products would be flavoured.

The range is quite bright and pigmented so the only colour I'd wear is Purple Panna Cotta, although having said that, I'm quite tempted to get a few more. If I could see them in person I probably would, buying online I have more restraint, which is probably a good thing!

The texture of these is mousse like, MAC call it a whipped mousse which is very accurate. It's creamy, smooth and opaque with one layer. The colour is what you'd expect from a liquid lipstick, without the drying texture they usually have. Unlike liquid lipsticks, these don't dry down on the lips, they stay wet and shiny, partly thanks the the shimmer finish. 
The shimmer is subtle, more of a shine than an obvious glitter.

I get three to four hours wear before the colour starts to fade.

My favourite way to wear Purple Panna Cotta is over the top of MAC Syrup. Together they are perfection. They were made for each other. Layering Purple Panna Cotta over Syrup also means that the colour wears longer, usually at least six hours.

The Oh, Sweetie range is currently available at Mecca Cosmetica. I expect it's also available at MAC counters, it's not on the MAC website yet.  

From bottom: MAC Syrup, MAC Purple Panna Cotta, Syrup with Purple Panna Cotta over the top

MAC Oh, Sweetie Lipcolour costs $35. I purchased mine online from Mecca Cosmetica. 

Monday, 9 July 2018

2018 Project Pan Update Three

We're halfway through the year and I'm halfway through my project pan. 
I've found it quite eye opening to realise how long it takes to use products up. It certainly makes me think twice before buying new products.

Last week I finally found my holy grail mascara (Designer Brands Beyond Amplifying, review coming soon) so I've tossed all my other mascaras. I'd already done a cull so only had a few left, but once I started using the Designer Brands mascara I knew I wouldn't use the others so gave them away. If you have yet to try a tubing mascara, buy one and prepare to be amazed.

I also did a cull of my bronzers (read that post here). For someone who rarely wears bronzer it was ridiculous that I had 13!

Having all my make-up (other than lip products) in the same place makes things so much easier. I can go through, check out what I've got and cull where necessary. Highlighters and blushes are next on my cull list. 

Back to my project pan. I've now finished 29 products. WooHoo!

Looking at this photo shows the products I do finish: lip balm, primer, foundation and mascara. I won't go through mascara as quickly now that I've found my holy grail, I only finished the ones in the photo because I had so many open at once.

For anyone who's interested, here's the list of what I've finished so far:
9 lip balms
1 lip gloss
1 lipstick
1 eye primer
3 primers
2 eye shadows
4 mascaras
3 foundations
2 eyeliners
1 brow pencil
1 brow gel
1 blush 

I have nearly finished my Givenchy Magic Lip and Cheek balm, that'll probably be done within the next day or two. I've also hit pan on my current foundation (a discontinued Bourjois one). They're the only two products that I'm nearly done with. I'm hoping to have 50 make-up empties by the end of the year, so far I'm on track, hopefully I can keep the momentum up and either reach or exceed my target.

You can see my original project pan post here,my first update here and my second update here.

Sunday, 8 July 2018

Thoughts of the week

1. I'm 45 and I've just figured out that if I use the back of my fingernail to get lip balm out of a pot I don't have to smoosh my finger in there and end up with balm all over my finger and under my nail. Smart.  

2. Shelby has realised that she can sit on my knee when I'm using my computer, so every time I sit down she's onto me. She makes a great lap warmer, but it's not very easy to type with her on my lap.

3. Tuesday we got stuck at the park in the middle of a downpour and had to walk home in the rain. It was so much fun. I'd forgotten how much fun it is to be outside when it's raining. Funny how we forget about life's simple pleasures.

4. Next week I have Tigers parents and brother here for a whole week. I may not survive. I've warned Mum and my BFF that I may need to decamp to their house.

5. I've just discovered the wonder that is tubing mascara. I'm never going back to regular mascara. Why did no-one tell me about this sooner?

Friday, 6 July 2018

FFS Friday - Instinct

You know those times when you don't trust your instincts and everything goes to crap? That's what happened last week. I knew better, I really did, but I listened to everyone else instead of trusting myself. Stupid.

I mentioned before that I was taking Chai to a new paediatrician. We saw him last Thursday, he was lovely. 

Chai put on the performance of his life. The whole time we were there he was bouncing off the walls. He was jumping from the examination table to the floor, doing ninja rolls, flying kicks, jumping on me and having a wonderful time showing the paed all his tricks. 

Due to his wonderful performance the paed came to the conclusion that Chai has ADHD. I told him that I don't think Chai does as he's not hyper all the time and it's not consistent. The paed said that he though Chai had enough signs of ADHD and said that we could try some medication. He explained that the medication only needs to be taken for around a year as it teaches the brain how to produce the chemicals itself. If Chai didn't take the medication and he was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult he'd need medication for the rest of his life. 

I asked lots of questions. The Dr said I'd know from the first dose if the medication worked, it'd calm him down and then around lunchtime it'd wear off and he'd be back to normal. If he didn't have ADHD the Dr said that the meds would have no effect.

Despite my better judgement I decided to give the meds a go. It was the thought of him having to take medication for the rest of his life that got me, I didn't want him to need meds as an adult if it was something I could have sorted for him when he was a child.

The meds need to be taken in the morning, so I got them on Friday and Saturday morning at 6.53am I gave it to him. I was supposed to give him half a dose, I gave him about 1/3 of a dose. 

As soon as the meds kicked in my beautiful boy turned into a devil child. He was angry, aggressive, frustrated, short tempered, irritable, agitated and totally out of sorts. Nothing I did helped. Fark.

We went to the park for two hours, came home for lunch then went back to the park for another three hours. When we got back home he was bouncing off the walls. I emailed the paed at 5pm, he replied (which I wasn't expecting) and told me that Chai would be back to normal the next day. He lied.  

At 7pm Chai was wide awake and wanting me to jump on the trampoline with him. At 9pm he was still awake. I gave him some melatonin and put him into bed with me. I was exhausted so fell asleep straight away, I have no idea how long he took to get to sleep. 

Sunday he woke up at 4.30am. Whilst he wasn't as bad as he had been on Saturday, he was still off his trolley. Sunday we spent five hours at the park again. Thankfully by Monday he was back to normal.

Meanwhile, the paed emailed me and said that he still thinks Chai has ADHD and suggested an some alternative medications. No way. There is no way in hell I'm going to give my boy another medication that will potentially turn him into a monster again. 

If I'd only trusted my instincts. I know he doesn't have ADHD, I've researched it a lot and whilst he has some symptoms, he doesn't have all (or even most) of them and he's not showing those signs all the time. He only shows hyper behaviour under stress or excitement. 

My BFF works with children and has seen a lot of kids with ADHD, she told me he definitely doesn't have ADHD because he's not constantly bouncing off the walls and he's not out of control. 

So basically because I didn't trust my instincts, I gave my child legal speed. Good one. 

Wednesday, 4 July 2018

Frank Body Lip Balms

Frank Body lip balms

Frank Body is such a funny brand. I love their cheeky slogans, messages and advertising, it always gives me a good laugh. Even better, their products are lovely. Whilst I love their coffee scrubs, I particularly love their lip balms.

I have all of their balms, the original, Send Nudes tinted balm, the shimmer balm and Cherry Bomb tinted balm. 

The Original balm is coffee flavoured, Send Nudes is a caramel coffee flavour, shimmer has a lemonade flavour and Cherry Bomb is cherry flavoured. 

All of the balms are beautifully hydrating, they keep my dry winter lips soft and comfortable. The texture is very smooth with a glossy, non sticky finish. They can be hard to dispense in winter, I keep mine in my pocket so that it's warm and easy to use.  

Both of the tinted balms can also be used on the eyes and cheeks, making them a great multi purpose product. They give sheer, buildable coverage. If you are after opaque coverage, these aren't for you. If you want sheer, natural coverage, this is it.

The shimmer balm is glossy, not a glitter filled shimmer. It makes my lips look super glossy, which I love.

Frank Body original balm, Send Nudes tinted balm, shimmer balm, Cherry Bomb tinted balm
Out of all the balms, Send Nudes is my favourite. Aside from the gorgeous flavour, the rosy pink colour is perfection. 

Frank Body balms are cruelty free, petrolatum free and all natural.  

If you want to try all the balms, the Lip Trio kit is a great choice. It contains the original, Send Nudes and Cherry Bomb balms for $29.95. You can also buy each balm separately, the original balm costs $9.95, the tinted balms cost $11.95 and the shimmer balm costs $12.95.

Monday, 2 July 2018

July Empties

It's July already! End of the financial year, time to get taxes done (and then spend a little bit of the tax money on make-up, yay!)

June was a pretty quiet month empties wise, I barely finished anything. Here's hoping next month is better. 

Natio Rosewater Gentle Cream-Gel Face Cleanser
What a beautiful cleanser. I really loved it and will be repurchasing next time it's on sale. The scent is lovely, it's very gentle and removes all traces of my make-up.

The Body Shop British Rose Shower Gel
You can see a theme here can't you? Anything rose scented and I'm there. This is a gorgeous shower gel, I repurchase it over and over again, the scent is beautiful. 

Aveda Damage Remedy Conditioner
I don't have a negative thing to say about this gorgeous conditioner. If you are yet to try Aveda hair care, you're missing out. You can read my review of the Damage Remedy range here

Paula Dorf Brush Out Brush Cleanser
There really isn't that much to say about a brush cleanser. This one is non oily, gentle on my brushes and works well. I don't remember where I got it from, so I won't purchase again. As much as I like brush cleansers, I usually just wash my brushes the old fashioned way.

Face of Australia Gentle Make-up Remover
I've lost count of how many bottles of Gentle Make-up Remover I've gone through, it's such a great, gentle product. I mainly use it to remove my eye make-up, however it's also good at removing long lasting lipstick. 

The Body Shop Oils of Life Tahitian Tiare Shower Gel
Love, love, love. This new range of shower gels from The Body Shop are beautiful. They're very hydrating, soothing and the scents are gorgeous.

Grants Fresh Mint Toothpaste
We're a Grants family, it's the only toothpaste we use now. It's natural, Australian owned and made and cheap. Winning.

Now for this months tosses.

Olay Foaming Cleanser
The Olay cleanser leaves my face feeling squeaky clean, a feeling that I really don't like. I got it in a Priceline goody bag, it's not a product that I would buy and I'm not sad to see it go.

Karl Lagerfeld + Model Co lipstick
This lipstick is awful. The colour is nice but it is really difficult to apply, it drags across my lips and an effort to put on. It was a magazine freebie, I'd be asking for a refund if I'd bought it. I have no idea why Karl Lagerfeld agreed to put his name to such an awful product.

Lipstick Queen Lipstick
Whilst I love the Lipstick Queen lippy, I hate the case. It gets horribly stick and no matter how often I clean it up, within a week or two it's sticky again. I have no time for that, so out it goes.

Glam Glow Plumprageous Gloss Lip Treatment
I've used the Glam Glow lip plumper a few times but it's just not love. I don't love the way it makes my lips feel like they're burning and I don't like the cinnamon scent. When I tried it out in store I couldn't smell the cinnamon and it didn't burn at all, so I'm not sure why the one I bought is different to the tester. 

The Body Shop 3 in 1 Brow Definer
This brow pencil just doesn't work for me. It's too soft and too dark. The highlighting end is too hard and too narrow to be able to use properly. It's a no from me.

See how disgusting it is? I really don't like it when the cases go all sticky. I know I could clean it, but it needs cleaning every few weeks and I just can't be bothered.

Sunday, 1 July 2018

Thoughts of the week

1. How is it July already? I'm sure it was only April last week.

2. What's everyone's thoughts on IGTV? So far I'm unconvinced.

3. Bite Beauty Maple Agave Lip Mask is amazing.

4. Have you all voted in the Mecca Beauty Election? There's some great prizes up for grabs.

5. The Nars Erdem collection is calling my name. I. Must. Stay. Strong.