10 Self Care Tips for Days You Don't Want to Leave Bed

Of course we all have days where we don't want to leave bed and we all have our own ways of dealing with those kind of days. These are my top 10 things I like to do, as part of my own self care, that help me get through the day with as little stress and anxiety as possible.

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I hope this helps you all!

1. Having a shower

This is honestly my favourite thing to do of a morning. Whether I jump back into bed or not, this really makes me feel a little more motivated, plus who doesn't love a nice warm shower in the morning.

2. Washing my face

Okay, this sounds a little strange but I love the feeling of my face after it's been freshly washed and nice and clean.

3. Putting on fresh pyjamas

Changing out of my old pyjamas and into nice, clean pyjamas is amazing! And it's also good to change out of your old pyjamas and start fresh.

4. Watching Netflix

If you are going to spend the day in bed, at least do it with Netflix. Lately I've been re-watching How I Met Your Mother, but I've also been loving Black Mirror and Stranger Things. If you have any recommendations, let me know in the comments.

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5. Making Hot Chocolate

I think this is the nicest way to calm down, and a warm hot chocolate is just so soothing. I love being under the blankets in bed with a nice cup of coffee or hot chocolate and watching Netflix.

6. A Bottle of Cold Water

This is probably the most important thing I like to do on these kind of days as it's important to keep yourself hydrated. I always have a bottle of cold water next to my bed and try to have 2-3 bottles a day, especially on days where I'm not feeling myself.

7. Have A Nap

Pretty self explanitory. Napping is great and more often than not, you wake up feeling a lot better. I love having my room super cold so that I can just get cosy and rug up and have a nice afternoon snooze!

8. Light a Candle

I have so many half burnt candles so when I'm spending a day by myself or in bed I just light them all. Even when I have a shower I have one lit in the bathroom, it's amazing how soothing some candles can be.

9. Social Media

I love just relaxing by scrolling through Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and even Facebook! I even skim over new blog posts or plan some of my own.

10. Have a Cry

Last, but not least, have a cry. Crying is not a bad thing, damn I enjoy having a good cry. Either in the shower, or in bed, even on the phone to a friend. It's an awesome way to just let go of things some times. I highly recommend this one!

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Hopefully this gives you an idea on what to do when you are feeling down or kinda crappy, and if you have any other tips then feel free to leave them below or even link your own self care posts.

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Christmas Gift Guide

Wow! Can you believe it's less than a month until Christmas? This year has flown by, but I am totally ready to get into Christmas mode and start spoiling my friends and family. As much as I love treating them I always struggle to know what to get them, so here is my Christmas gift guide for 2016!

Firstly, I'd like to mention The Lifestyle Blogger, who has a gorgeous store with gifts ranging from bags, scarfs, homewares and my favourite, candles! A lot of their products will be listed through this gift guide so hopefully you can find some cute gift ideas from their store.

For Your Mum

Blue Metallic Scarf

Copper Photo Frame

For Your Sister

Floral Saddle Bag

Daisy Chain Bracelet

For Your Best Friends

Rose Gold Scarf

Trinket Dish

Hopefully this helps you decide, or gives you an idea on what to buy for Christmas. You can find heaps more items like these from the Lifestyle Bloggers store and they are all very affordable!

I will be adding a gift guide for all the Dad's and Brothers out there! So stick around for those ones.

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Mid Week Review - Australis Part II

Well, I am back again with another Australis review. My last Australis review was actually quite popoular, also make sure you catch up on all my previous Mid Week Reviews. This week I am reviewing a foundation that I had been recently using and I think it is one of the most popular Australis foundations, the Oh2Glow foundation.

Australis has marketed this foundation as a light diffusing foundation that has great coverage and provides a natural glow. It has Vitamins A, E and C and Aloe Vera which means it's really hydrating for the skin and I would also like to mention that it is cruelty free and completely vegan! I purchased this from Priceline but you can get Australis from quite a few places here in Australia, or even their website. This foundation retails for $22.95 (AUD) which is pretty standard for drugstore foundations in Australia.

I have been using this foundation for over a month now, and it's been what I use everyday. When I first started using it, I really loved this foundation. I think it is super hydrating and gives an even coverage and nice finish to the skin. Then a few weeks into using it started going really funny on my skin, it would start separating and going patchy which I thought was really weird as I hadn't changed anything.

As for quality, I do think it is a great quality however it doesn't even compare to any of the high end foundations I use like Nars Sheer Glow or Too Faced Born This Way. The only downside is that they don't have a super big range of shades, however they have just released their shade adjusting drops which is going to allow people to get a more accurate match. The consistancy of this foundation is amazing though and it just applies easily.

I love the coverage of this foundation, however I hate using a damp sponge to blend it out. The best way to apply and blend the foundation out is to use a dense kabuki type brush to buff it into the skin. It blends out super well and is super buildable which is good for days where you want a more intense coverage.

As for wear throughout the day it does tend to last a few hours, if you use it with a primer. With this foundation I opted for the Australis primer and setting it with a loose powder, which seemed to help it last through the day, however towards the end it did start to get patchy. I don't know why it was starting to split and go patchy but I think it may have been the heat, as we were getting some quite warm days the past few weeks.

I'm not too sure if it is worth the money - I feel that if you are spending almost $25 on a drugstore foundation you may as well just spend that extra $25 for a high end one. However, if you are looking for that slightly cheaper, vegan alternative this is a good option. You get 28ml, compared to the previously mentioned high end foundations that have 30ml it is good value for money.

Overall, I love this foundation but I don't tend to reach for it on days that I want that long lasting, flawless base minus the patchyness. If you are looking for a good drugstore foundation I do think this is one of the better ones and definitely recommend getting it, or even waiting until Priceline have their sales to get it slightly cheaper. The only thing that I don't like about it is that it goes patchy but I don't think that's the foundations fault as I have only noticed it on the really hot days recently.

Do you use this foundation? What do you think? Do you have any other drugstore recommendations?

~ Keep updated and follow me on my socials ~

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Mid Week Review - Kylie Cosmetics

I am fairly sure there is hundreds of reviews of these lip kits out there but I really wanted to give you guys my honest review and experience with these popular beauty products.

Liquid lipsticks have definitely become a trend over the past 6-12 months and hopefully you have read my favourite liquid lipsticks post. When Kylie announced she was releasing matte liquid lipsticks I knew I had to grab some, so the two shades I picked up were KoKo K and Exposed. I'll be honest, it took me a while to purchase these as they would sell out so quickly, but I finally got them!

I love these liquid lipsticks, although I have noticed the quality of both these lipkits differs quite a bit, however they are both really nice on the lips. I love KoKo K, it is definitely my favourite colour out of the two. The formula is very creamy and doesn't dry out the lips, however I have had a few issues with the Exposed lipkit. My main concern with this shade is that once it dried it started to flake and peel from my lips. Even when I was just pressing my lips together it would start to peel, which kind of sucks because I end up having to just take it all off.

I don't have any issue with the lip liners. I think they are great. They are very creamy and glide on the lips so well, plus they are super pigmented. You can use them on their own but they really make the liquid lipstick last much longer.

Apart from the issue with Exposed, KoKo K is very long lasting whether you use the lip liner or not. You definitely only need one coat of the liquid lipsticks as it is very pigmented and is true to the colour on the packaging and bottle.

The lipkits cost $29USD which equates to around $38AUD, with shipping adding up to $15USD which is almost $20AUD. I would definitely say that this is a high end price point, so it isn't cheap but the product is great. Considering it was shipping from the US it was quite fast - it took just under 2 weeks to be delivered, which is great.

Considering you get two products, I don't think $38 is that bad for the lipkit, however the shipping cost is a bit extravagent. So, if you are wanting to get these products I'd suggest waiting for when Kylie announce free shipping or discounted shipping.

I would suggest trying out these lipkits if you are a fan of liquid lipsticks. I know that Kylie changed the formula so I could've possibly gotten the old formula of Exposed  hence having issues with the longevity and wear. I have not had any issues with KoKo K so I definitely want to purchase more colours. It is very high quality, doesn't dry out your lips and doesn't get tacky or sticky which is what I love about matte liquid lipsticks.

Let me know what you think about the Kylie Lip Kit and which shades I should get.

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Date Night Makeup

Hey guys! I have another makeup look to share with you all but this time there's a twist. I've teamed up with Adore Me again to show you all my favourite bra and panty sets for date night! You can check out my previous post with Adore Me, here and my previous tutorial here.

I have come up with this smokey eye look that was inspired by Bella Fiori, and paired it with two lipstick options, so I really hope you like it and let me know if you try it out as well.

To start out with this look, I used the Urban Decay Naked Skin concealer to prime my eyes and set it using Charmer and Flowerchild from the Tarte Tartelette in Bloom palette. I used this palette for the entire look, so no need to dig out all the neutral palettes for this look. Then I used Sweetheart and Rebel through the crease and blended it upwards.

To create the dark smokey lid I mixed Leader and Activist and pressed it onto the lid to try and get as much pigment on the lid as possible. After that was on the lid I used Sweetheart and Rebel again to help blend it all out.

Before I finished the eyes, I went on to my base. I used the Too Faced HangoverX primer and then went on with the Born This Way foundation in both Porcelain and Snow and blended it all in with a Real Techniques sponge. For under the eyes I used the Too Faced Born This Way concealer in very fair and then set my whole face using the Revlon Translucent powder.

I then used the Revlon Sculpt and Highlight kit in the contour shade to add a light contour and the bronzing shade over the top to add a bit more colour and topping it off with the light pink blush from the ELF Blush palette and using Funnygirl from the Tarte palette as a highlight.

To finish off the eyes, I used a pencil brush and blended the two darker shades along the bottom lash line and blended it out then coated the lashes with the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. Lastly, I filled in my eyebrows using the NYX eyebrow pencil and added Funnygirl to the brow bone and inner corner.

I decided to add in two lip colours as it goes with both a nude and a dark lip. I used Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in Celebrity Skin for a nude look and then switched it out for the shade Unicorn Blood and realised that they both look really good so I included both options.

Finally, my go to lingerie for date night - I love having a matching set, not only does it look good but I feel like I have my life together! I feel like this a real sexy look when paired with the dark lip so I suggest going for a cute lace detail set, like this Julie Contour set.

For a more subtle and relaxed look, I love this nude Paris Unlined, lace detail set. I think it is actually quite sexy and classy.

Discount Codes*

AUTUMN5 $5 off one Bra

AUTUMN25 $25 off two

AUTUMN40 $40 off three

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Beauty Event Style Board

As a beauty blogger, there are quite a few beauty conferences that I'd love to attend. However here in Australia we aren't too spoilt for choice. I do know that we get IMATS and I would love to go one year as I think it is a great opportunity for anyone who loves makeup and beauty. For Australian bloggers it's good to join up with Bloggers United Au as they are starting to host quite a few events around Australia and I also suggest checking out Eventbrite as they have an awesome list of local events for your area. You can even plan your own event or conference with their conference management software!

Today I thought I'd share my beauty conference style board with you all, from outfit choices to makeup ideas and inspirations.

For a more chill outfit, I love having a basic tee link this burnt orange tank from Sportsgirl, and paired with a nice pair of black jeans and a nice ankle boot. I also LOVE this simple peach toned clutch from Colette. 

I think this is such a classic outfit and should be paired with a nude lip and subtle smokey eye.

Stick with me on this one! It seems a little whack, I know but I'm loving these nude pink tones and the high waisted skirt, and with a simple black cami and scarf I think it is a great look for a beauty event. How adorable are these shoes too!!

With all the neutral colours in this outfit, wearing a natural or nude eye look with a simple winged liner and a nice glossy, pink toned lipgloss would really bring this look together.

Lastly, this outfit is also a simple one but feel like it can be more formal as well. This lovely black playsuit and simple black heels should be a staple for any event!

I think you all saw this coming but a gorgeous red lip would go beautifully with this playsuit, and keeping the eyes natural, or adding a nice pair of wispie lashes would be stunning.

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Mid Week Review - Australis

Hey, look who is sticking to a schedule! If you missed last weeks review you can read it here. This week I will be reviewing the Australis Contour and Highlight palette. I've been using this palette for almost 2 years now and I have a few mixed opinions on it.

Countouring has become such a trend and this is definitely a more affordable option for anyone who is just starting out, this palette comes in both cream and powder formulas and also has light, medium and dark palettes. Although I do have the cream contour palette, today I am reviewing the powder contour palette.

I don't mind the quality of this palette, however I do think that some of the darker contour shades can be really difficult to blend so I do suggest using a tiny amount to start out with and blend before adding anymore colour. Personally, I haven't tried any high end contour kits so I can't make any comparisons to those but for under $20, it is a decent product.

I'm quite pale so I always tend to use a cool toned, lighter contour shade like the one in the middle, as for highlighting I'm not a real fan of the banana shade. I know this comes as a shock as EVERYONE loves a good banana powder but for me it is wayyy too yellow for my skin.

I prefer to use the pinker powder to just set under my eyes and even underneath the contour to create a more carved out line. The third highlight shade in this palette is my favourite drugstore highlighter. It adds a nice glow to the cheekbones and also works well on the brow bone and as an inner corner highlight.

The powder probably isn't the highest quality as it has a lot of kick back which you can kind of see on the pans already, and also some of the darker shades don't blend that well. Although the blendability of some shades is difficult, it isn't completely impossible to work with. I will add that it does last all day and doesn't tend to fade at all.

You can see from these swatches that they are very pigmented which is why they are quite difficult to blend but as I previously stated, using a little at a time and blending between application will make it a lot more smoother.

I bought this palette at Priceline here in Australia, however you can purchase it from the Australis website as well. It retails for $16.95 here but for all my Australian readers, Priceline currently has a 40% off cosmetic sale. For a drugstore product this is quite a fair price. It comes down to around $3 per pan which is very reasonable. 

I've had this for almost 2 years and only 2 shades have hit pan, admittingly I haven't used this palette everyday but there is a consistant use. With the darker contour shades, a little goes a long way so for the price it lasts quite a long time. As for the highlight shades, it's easy to use a lot of them as they tend to cover a larger area compared to the contour shades. 

Overall, this product would be great for someones first contour kit. Just remember that blending is key with this palette, also a little tends to go a long way with the contour shades. Personally I really like this palette but I have recently purchased a new contour palette that I'm testing out for now. For a drugstore contour kit I definitely think it is worth purchasing and recommend you go and try it out.

Have you used this contour kit? What do you think of it?

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Tarte Tartelette in Bloom Palette Swatches

I am so happy that I finally have my hands on this Tarte Tartelette in Bloom palette! Let's just say as soon as it arrived I was in love. This is the first Tarte product I have bought and tried and I definitely wasn't disappointed. The colours in this palette range from nudes to deeper brown and red colours and is definitely a staple palette.

Top Row (L to R):

Charmer

I love using this shade all over the lid, it's a ncie off white colour.

Jetsetter

A warm taupe shade that goes nice either in the crease or outer corner.

Rocker 

A gorgeous shimmery taupe that works well all over the lid.

Smokeshow

A deep black brown to really add definition to the outer corner.

Middle Row (L to R):

Flower Child

A matte peachy nude, that mixes well with Charmer to go all over the lid.

Smarty Pants

A cool tan shade that I tend to blend through the crease and sometimes all over the lid.

Firecracker 

A bronzey copper colour that looks great in the centre of the lid to add a pop of colour.

Activist

Another brown shade, though this one is a lot darker.

 Bottom Row (L to R):

Funny Girl
Another shimmer shade, this is more champagne toned though and works well as an inner corner or brow highlight.

Sweetheart
A nice cool toned peach that looks beautiful when blended through the crease.

Rebel
I think this is my favourite shade in the whole palette, a beautiful chesnut brown that goes well on the outer corner and blended through the crease.

Leader
Another favourite, this deep aubergine red shade is gorgeous! I like adding it to the lower lash line for a slightly smokey look.

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October 2016 Favourites

I haven't done a monthly favourites post in a while so you'd think I'd have a few products saved up, but I definitely don't haha! They are all quite new products that I don't think I have mentioned on the blog lately but if I have I'll link back to them so you can get a bit more info if you need it.

Let's get into this months favourites!

This is the first Australis foundation product that I have tried and I have fallen in love with it! It's glowy but still provides coverage. I love it. I used it in my Spring makeup tutorial and really loved how it applies and blends on the skin.

I have been loving this Kylie Lipkit in KoKo K, it is my go to colour lately. It's a gorgeous nude pink colour and I love how it feels on my lips, I used it in my tutorial as well.

Another lip product that I love is this Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in Mannequin. It is the perfect nude for me and when I'm not using the Kylie one, this is what I reach for. It is one of my favourite liquid lipsticks and you can see the rest of my favourites here. 

This one has been a very recent purchase and if you follow my Instagram you'll know all about it! The Tarte Tartelette in Bloom palette. I absolutely love this palette. It has the perfect mix of mattes and shimmers and love the neutral colours and those gorgeous red shades at the bottom. I will be doing an in depth swatch and review in a few weeks.

Another Australis product that I've been loving! This Primer is actually a really great product and is super affordable. It's replaced my Nivea Men's Post Shave Balm - it does have a silicone feel but states it's silicone free which is great. Although I wouldn't recommend using it with the Too Faced Born This Way foundation as I've found it makes that foundation separate. Of course, paired with the Australis foundation it works great.

I've been wearing a lot of winged liner looks lately, I love having a flawless base and just adding a simple wing I feel like it is quite sophisticated. This Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper is hands down one of the best liners I have used. It doesn't budge at all and it makes drawing wings really easy with the brush tip.

And we've come to the end of another favourites post! You can read my previous monthly favourites post here. Also, link me to your favourites posts - I'm always looking to try new products.

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