Sunday 30 August 2015

Everyday Travel Makeup

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I feel like everyone might be a little sick of hearing about my trip to England but I have so many things to share with you! Today, I thought I would share the everyday makeup products that I found myself reaching for on my trip.

This stuff is the bomb.com! I found that my skin was really dry and this was hydrating enough to smooth out all the dry patches, as well as even out my skin tone and cover up any redness or blemishes. I did have to go in with a little concealer occasionally, but this did the hard part of the job.


I picked this up in Boots, I was intrigued by the complexion clearing claims. It's a translucent finishing powder, very similar to the Rimmel Stay Matte powder but it contains an ingredient called PureSkin that's designed to help reduce breakouts. I really like this powder, it's lightweight, mattifying and feels just a little more lightweight than Stay Matte. I'll definitely have to find a way to get my hands on some more!

3. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette ($76.00) Limited Edition

It's heartbreaking that this palette is no longer available because it's the perfect companion for travel. Three gorgeous, marbled blushes in one handy (and very pretty) gold package. I probably used all three shades equally, although Mood Exposure is definitely my favourite. 

4. Benefit Roller Lash ($40.00)

This mascara is AH-MAY-ZING! I only took this and a sample of Urban Decay's Perversion mascara with me and I probably used Roller Lash more for day-to-day wear. I just love how well it coats, curls and holds lashes. Even just one quick coat makes my lashes look a million times better. 

5. MAC Velvet Teddy ($36.00)

Velvet Teddy, nuff said! Possibly my most-used lipstick of the entire trip. This lipstick was perfect to amp up and finish my super simple everyday face. I also wore it out several times, I think it must be love!

6. Sleek Brow Stylist in Dark (£5.99)

This was yet another of the goodies I picked up at Boots and one that I'm really pleased with. Sleek isn't terribly easy to get here in Australia so I was quite keen to see what they had on offer. This brow pencil caught my eye because instead of a traditional pencil, it's more like a gel in a retractable pencil form. I like to think of it as Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow in a pencil. Bonus points for the spoolie on the other end too. 

What are your regular favourites?

Dani xo
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Thursday 27 August 2015

Brow This Way by Rimmel

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One of the things I picked up in my Mega Boots Haul was the Rimmel Brow This Way Kit. I was pretty pleased to have found another product that wasn't available in Australia so imagine my surprise to arrive back and see it on sale! I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to review it as it's now available here in Aus!

Yet another brow kit to add to the growing list! This one features a tinted wax and a powder as well as a mini spoolie and double ended brow brush. I like that they chose not to include the weeny (useless) tweezers that you usually find in brow kits. I bought this in the UK for £3.99 so the markup is quite large but nothing new for Aussie beauty fiends. 

I was a little worried that the Dark Brown shade might end up being too warm, a common problem for me when it comes to brows. I much prefer cooler, ashy toned shades but the majority of dark shades seem to be too warm.  This shade isn't my ideal BUT it's much better than I thought it would be and it actually works quite well for me. I'd say that it's a good drugstore equivalent to the Benefit Brow Zings Kit. It does come in a Mid Brown shade too.
Dani the Girl gives the Rimmel Brow This Way Kit:
Will you be purchasing this new offering from Rimmel?

Dani xo
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Sunday 23 August 2015

Fitbit Fun

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Confession: I am lazy....super lazy! Combined with a love of all things chocolately, it generally means that my fitness levels leave a lot to be desired. I need something that's going to fit in with the type of exercise I usually do (walking) and present a little bit of a challenge too. Enter, the Fitbit!
The Product - Fitbit Charge HR ($199.95)

I was lucky enough to get a snazzy new Fitbit for my birthday this year and it's been a pretty fun journey since then. It's just like wearing watch and comes in a rainbow of colours. The Charge HR tracks sleep, heart rate, kilometres walked, steps, stair climbed and a whole range of other things. It also tells time. You can also sync it with the app to see all your stats at the click of a button. My three favourite features would have to be the sleep tracking (great to see how much sleep you're actually getting), the step counter (you even get a little celebration once you reach your daily goals) and the badges (you can earn badges for things like walking a certain number of kilometres in a week).

I find it quite motivating to be able to see in a second how far I've walked, how many steps I've done and how many flights of stairs I've climbed. You can set step goals, compete with friends and you can even track your calories using the app. I think it's a really fun way to stay motivated to much just a little bit further. Having your goals at the tips of your fingers make it so easy to reach them. For someone like me, who isn't particularly interested in going to the gym but still wants to stay fit and healthy, it's perfect!

Are you on the Fitbit bandwagon yet?

Dani xo
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Thursday 20 August 2015

Soap & Glory - Vitamin C Facial Wash

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On my recent trip to England, I went a just a little bit crazy on the makeup and skincare shopping. I was pretty excited by all of the brands and products that aren't available in Australia. We can get a limited amount of Soap & Glory products but it was a pretty big deal to see the full skincare and makeup ranges. One thing in particular that I've been loving has been the Vitamin C Facial Wash.

Right, try saying the name three times, fast! Bit of a mouthful! But this baby is jam-packed with ingredients like vitamins, amino acids, the super fruit Yuzu and super cute pink micro beads. It's designed to cleanse, purify and remove makeup, leaving you with baby-soft, radiant skin. You also get 150ml of goodness which made me really happy as I wanted something that was going to last as long as possible.

I've been using this daily in combination with my Clarisonic for about 3 weeks and I really love how my skin is looking and feeling. It does feel really soft and unlike with some cleansers, my skin doesn't feel tight or dry at all. It also has a really fresh, citrusy scent which is nice to use in the morning for a bit of an energy boost. If I ever see this baby again, i would repurchase it in a heartbeat!

Dani the Girl gives the Soap & Glory Vitamin C Facial Wash:
What's you favourite Soap & Glory product?

Dani xo
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Sunday 16 August 2015

Put a Ring On It

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On a recent room clear out, I discovered a whole stash of rings that I'd pretty much forgotten about. So I did what any blogger worth their salt would do and decided to write about a few of them, maybe even start a new series! So here are three pretty little rings from my collection.
Oui

This ring was from Colette on sale for about $1. I love that it's just a very simple ring and silver is my thang so it was a no brainer really. The little crystal in the "i" is also a nice touch and adds a little something to an otherwise super simple ring.

Molten Metal

This one was from an online store called Peeptoe that I think has since closed down. They used to do a really awesome range of bags, shoes and jewellery. I haven't ever seen anything like this ring, it's quite unusual and I like the gunmetal grey colour too. It's quite a heavy ring and I tend to wear it alone because I feel like it's a bit of a statement piece. It's also adjustable which is great for skinny fingered people like me.

Blue Diamond

This was a Her Fashion Box special from quite a while ago but I always liked it. I love the pairing of the blue jewel with the silver ring and the unusual shape of the jewel too. Again, another adjustable ring that can jazz up an otherwise simple look.
What are you favourite rings?

Dani xo
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Thursday 13 August 2015

The Nudes Palette by Maybelline

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Rejoice ladies! The long awaited Nudes palette by Maybelline has finally hit Australian shores! This palette has been out for goodness knows how long in the USA and UK but, as per usual, Aussie beauty babes had to wait a ridiculously long time to get their hands on it. Without further ado, here it is!
The Product - The Nudes by Maybelline ($25.95)

There are very VERY few large eyeshadow palettes available in Australia from drugstore brands so it's really nice to see this one arrive AND for a pretty decent price too. The packaging is pretty simple, if a little plasticy and the plate comes with two of those awful "standard" eyeshadow applicators. But you do get 12 shades in a mixture of matte and shimmery finishes. I like the colour selection that Maybelline have gone with, there's a nice mixture of shades. There's a guide on the back and the shade are meant to pair up as duos, trios or quads, or you can just wing it like me! 
Left: top row, right: bottom row
Quality-wise, I was really surprised and impressed with the majority of the shades. They're quite pigmented and easy to blend with minimal fallout. One or two of the shades aren't fabulous, not very pigmented and quite hard to use, but for $25, I think it's really fantastic value. I also think that Maybelline have set the bar pretty high for the competition. 

Dani the Girl gives The Nudes by Maybelline:
What do you think of this new offering from Maybelline?

Dani xo
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Sunday 9 August 2015

The Perfect Boyfriend Jeans

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The quest for the perfect pair of boyfriend jeans can be just as tough as the quest for the perfect boyfriend! They need to be comfy enough to lounge around in on lazy Sundays but also chic enough to jazz up for a mid-week dinner date. They need to be be stretchy, soft and just a little bit ripped. Where is a girl to look? The answer is.... Topshop!

Brisbane babes were lucky enough to have Topshop open here last year and it's been a frequent stop for me ever since. One of those stops yielded my perfect pair of boyfriend jeans, the Hayden Ripped Jeans which were a steal at $80. 
Images from Topshop
I love everything about them from the bleached colour to the ripped knees to the high waisted fit. They are super comfy, they feel almost as comfortable as my lazy tracksuit pants! But thanks to the slightly fitted waist, I feel like they can also be dressed up a bit and still look good. 

What's your favourite pair of jeans?

Dani xo
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Thursday 6 August 2015

NEW! Too Faced Cocoa Contour

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Despite the dawn of the latest trend, strobing, contouring is still alive and well. Contour kits are still popping up left, right and centre in cream, powder and liquid varieties. My current favourite contour kit is the latest offering from Too Faced, the Cocoa Contour.
The Product - Too Faced Cocoa Contour ($52.00)

This compact little kit contains two highlighting shades (one matte and one shimmery) and two contouring shades, all with the trademark Too Faced chocolate scent. The kit also includes a mirror and a super soft Contour Buki Brush making it perfect for travel. The shades themselves feel very silky and are really easy to work with. There's a handy booklet included showcasing three contour looks: instant cheekbones, skinny sculpt and celebrity contour.

I find this kit really easy to use, the colours are so easy to blend and you only need to use a very light hand. My favourite shades would have to be Light Cocoa which is perfect for a light contour and Pop of Light, a champagne-pink shimmery highlight. The Dark Cocoa shade can be used for a stronger contour but I don't find myself reaching for it as often, just because it's a little warmer toned. It would be perfect to just warm up the face if you aren't after a strong contour though.
All up, the Cocoa Contour is a winner for me. It's the perfect travel contour kit because of the mirror and brush. I think Too Faced did a really great job with this one, it's got a good amount of all the right products for everything from warming up the face to a full-on Kimmy K contour.

Dani the Girl gives the Too Faced Cocoa Contour Kit:
Have you go your hands on this baby yet?

Dani xo
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Sunday 2 August 2015

Top 5 Long-Haul Travel Tips

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Having recently come back from a trip to England and also having just re-vamped the blog, I thought I would start fresh with a travel post. Unless you can afford to travel in first or business class (which I can't...yet), long-haul flying can be stressful, uncomfortable and if you happen to be seated next o a screaming child, something close to torture. Even if you are about to brave a long-haul flight in economy class, flying doesn't have to be a complete pain. Here are my top tips to make flying just a little more bearable:
1. Choose your seat wisely

The best way to get a decent seat is to check-in online as early as possible OR be friendly and polite to the ground staff when you check-in and ask what seats are available. I usually go for the second option and have been pretty successful, sometimes even scoring a whole 4 seats to myself. You can head to sites like seatguru.com which highlight the best seats (those with ample leg room and space to stretch out) and those to avoid (ones near the toilet that don't recline). Once you're in your seat of choice, respect the Golden Rules of Air Travel. Don't hog the arm rests, don't drool on your fellow travellers while sleeping and don't recline your seat without letting the person behind you know. Trust me, it makes for much more pleasant flying!

2. Dress smart

You might give Kim Kardashian a run for her money in your stiletto heels and skinny jeans as you waltz through the airport. Trust me though, three hours into a 12 hour flight with those skinny jeans digging into your hips, you're going to be really regretting your outfit choice. If you do want to look good as you check-in, make sure you pack a more comfortable second option to change into later. Also keep in mind that you'll be taking off jewellery, belts and shoes every time you go through security so leave the statement necklaces at home. It's also pretty frosty on-board so layering is key. 

3. On-board essentials

Four things you need to have in your cabin baggage: noise-cancelling headphones, earplugs, lip balm and a scarf. The headphones will be infinitely better than any of the budget variety that are handed out on board and will also be able to cancel out the drone of the engines. Ear plugs will help keep you sane between screaming babies and snoring seat-mates. You'll be grateful for the lip balm in the super dry cabin air and the scarf can be used as an extra layer or even a blanket. Try and have your essentials ready to tuck into your seat pocket, no one likes the person who has to get things out of their bag in the overheads every five minutes. 

4. Know your stopovers

Doing a little research on your stopovers can help make your transit a breeze. You can find out lots of handy tips like places to catch up on sleep, the best places to eat and where to find a free shower. Sites likes Trip Advisor are absolute gold mines for things like that. 

5. Sign up to frequent flyer programs

A lot of people think frequent flyer programs are a bit of a gimmick but they can be lifesavers for long-haul travellers. If you do managed to make it to the higher status levels, you can enjoy food, showers, free wifi and a whole host of other perks too. You don't even have to fly with the same airline all the time as most airlines have partner programs so you can pool your points and get access to perks from other frequent flyer programs. 

What are your best long-haul travel tips?

Dani xo

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