Monthly Favourites

This is my first monthly favourites I've done on my blog.  I'm going to be honest it's going to be a mixture of favourites and some of my bible pieces that I cannot live without.

Lets start with the items that I will keep using and using and using.  First up is my mascara.  Now if I was aloud one staple piece of make-up it would probably be mascara (even though it's a horrific thought and sight of me with no make-up on!)

I'm pretty sure that mascara was one of the first pieces I bought when I was about 15 and started to wear it to school (yikes that was like 9 years ago) which was not easy at my school as we regularly had 'no make-up wearing' checks.  Anyway I have tried brand after brand and wand after wand and am happy to say I have found my one and only mascara that will be with me till my grave.

It is Maybelline's The Colossal Volume Express in Glam Black or the Blackest Black.  This stuff is a god send.  The consistency is perfect and I find it never clumps on my lashes and the wand is jammed packed with bristles.  I can't stand mascaras that have the plastic comb or spiky stumps on them and that they expect you to put near your eye...erm no thank you!

This brand of mascara has been with me for years, through think and thin.  The water proof one is just a good and has fantastic staying power.  

I do have to point out that I have the most ridiculously long eyelashes and with this mascara it makes them look amazing.  It really lengthens them and I've never had any shedding of the product under my eyes.

If your looking to try a new mascara I would highly recommend this little beast.  

Please don't laugh at my next must have/I will always use this forever item.  It is Johnson's Baby Lotion.  

Now this really is something that I have been using forever and was introduced to me by my Mum for me to start cleansing and cleaning my face at night back in my high school school days.

I use this morning to clean and freshen my face before applying primer etc.  Then again in the evening to remove my make-up.  I find this has been the best thing to get all traces of foundation and mascara off leaving your face feeling so fresh.  I've never got on with face wipes, i just don't like the consistency and never felt they did a good enough job. 

Don't get me wrong I do dabble in other moisturisers but I find that this is best for my skin.  My Nan use to use it the same way I did and she use to have fantastic skin.  And being Italian is probably another reason why she looked so bloody amazing!

It's taken me ages to find a good base coat to protect my nails before I smother them in polish.  I found this one by Revlon.  It's a quick dry base coat and yes it dries super fast.  It also has a little whitening in it so if your nails are looking a little off colour it will add a nice bit of pazaz to them.

Last on my list is this little baby.  I bought this while in Fiji but I'm sure you can get it online somewhere.  It's called Pevonia.  It's to be applied to your feet and legs when they are feeling tired or after a heavy day of your feet.  It has a tea tree/eucalyptus smell and boy does it sooth your feet.  It has a gorgeous cooling factor to it that makes your feet tingle.  I really like to use this before I get into bed and let it soak in over night.

I do have hundreds more that I could put on here but this would then end up being the worlds longest post.  Maybe later I will just add on a photo of some of the others I missed off.

Movember

Let's do a huge round of applause/pat on the back to all the guys who left their clean shaven look behind for a month and embraced the hairy oh so attractive look of the moustache. 

I love Movember.  It's a fun thing to do for a fantastic cause and more importantly to raise awareness for men's health, particularly prostate cancer and depression.

Through the month of November the Mo Bros preen, wax and shave their way to the finest moustache they can muster.  And let's say walking the streets of Bondi I have seen some mighty tashes.
Companies, shops and celebrities have all been taking part and donning the marvellous moustache.

Donations are still open so drop by and donate what you can.  It is for a worthy cause. 

I salute you Mo Bros!

Bondi Beach - taken from Movember website

Glossy Box #1

Da da da daaa....it has finally arrived!  Australia's first Glossy Box was waiting on my door for me after a very hectic day at work and I was so excited I raced in and tore open the box (ok not in such a manic way as I had to document this grand opening)

So a quick low down, I was originally signed up to Beauty Box.  A few months ago I got an e-mail explaining how Glossy Box has now taken over Beauty Box and that if we wanted to we could continue our subscription with Glossy Box.  Erm HELLO I jumped at the chance!

After seeing countless youtube videos and blogs about Glossy Box I knew I wanted to get my hands on one.  The are also renowned for their great products/presentation, the quality and size of the items.

The image below to the left is how it looks when it turns up on your doorstep.  All protected in a beautiful box and inside is it's trade mark pastel pink box waiting for you to dive in.

Once opened you are greeted with a welcome note from Glossy Box and on the reverse a run down of all the items that have been chosen for you.

Let's just say when I saw what was on the list a grin so large spread across my face.  

So what was in my first Glossy Box:

* Jurlique ~ Age defying Ultra firm & life cream  (RRP  $90/50ml)

* Bio Oil ~  (RRP $14.95/60ml - $24.95/12ml - $34.95/200ml)

* Essie ~ Summer Nail Colour  (RRP $ 18.95 - 15ml)

* Bobbie Brown ~ Cleansing Oil  (RRP $60 - 200ml)

* Mirenesse ~ 3D Forever Gloss  (RRP $39.95 - 14g)

For my first box I couldn't have asked for better products.  However I have heard people back in the UK say that some of the boxes since their first have not been as good as the first one, but meh I'm super excited to see what will appear next month and you have to expect some ups and downs.

The first product that caught my eye was the Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil.  Firstly I love Bobbi Brown and have a few items making an appearance on my Christmas Wish List.  This Oil is a 2-in-1 formula that removes all traces of make-up and cleanses the skin while maintaining your natural moisture levels.  And the plus side, it's suitable for all skin types.  I am so excited to try this out.  So much so I will do tonight and will let you know how it goes.

Next was the Essie nail polish.  I am a huge fan of Essie.  The colours and texture is just fantastic.  It would have to come in joint first with OPI.  The only problem with Essie over here is that it is just so darn expensive.  So a good hunt down on the net for a cheaper buy is the way forward.

The shade is called Meet Me at Sunset.  I instantly painted it onto my nails and I adore the colour.  As I still have a bit of a tan from good old Fiji it looks great.  The shade is a bold red/orange.  A bit like a home brand Tomato Ketchup that can't quite hit the colour on the head.  Regardless of that awful comparison.  I love it!  Big fan.  Huge High Five and whatever other celebratory thing you can think of! 

Up next is Mirenesse's 3D Lip Gloss.  It comes in the colour Hot Kiss.  The colour did shock me at first.  I'm not really use to wearing dark coloured lipsticks/glosses but this would be fantastic for winter. It contains Shea Butter and Vitamin E which feels great on your lips and so moisturising.  It also smells so yummy.  There is no worry of this little beauty running out any time soon as its a good 14g in size.

I have always been a fan of Bio Oil.  I find its great for dry skin.  I use to get really dry legs, esp in the winter so I would rub a layer into my shins and leave over night.  Then in the morning I would awake with shiny new pins ready to face the day!  

I use to have stretch marks when I was younger but they have since faded over the years so am not able to try it out on them.  Though I have heard it works wonders.  We received a hefty 60ml bottle which I cannot wait to start using again.

Last up is Jurlique's Purely Age Defying firm and lift cream.  The cream is said to regenerate the collagen, elastin of the new skin cells and can be applied to your face morning and night.  On twisting off the lid half of the product poured out (Dam my clumsy fat fingers!) I have managed to salvage what I can and hopefully put it to good use today!

Jurlique have such a beautiful range of products, some with a bold price tag but you know you are getting your moneys worth when buying from their store.  They also make awesome Christmas presents with beautiful colourful packaging. 

To say I am a happy girl with my first Glossy Box would be a massive understatement.  I certainly look forward to next months.

Happy 1st December lovelies!

Lipstick love & shoes

I said in a previous post how A) I was going to stop spending and B) that I had another MAC lipstick that I was waiting to arrive.  So the lipstick turned up and I haven't stopped spending!

I am loving MACs Glitter & Ice collection that is out for Christmas and will defiantly be making some more purchases over the next few days/weeks.  I also have my eye on some pieces that will be great for Christmas pressies, just have to be strict and not keep them for myself!

As it's summer here and reasonably hot I don't really fancy too bold of a lipstick during the day.  While browsing I came across Whirls & Twirls.  It's a gorgeous rose pink with some shimmery sparkle.  

When applied it's not so pigmented but leaves a beautiful shimmer over your lips.  A perfect look for work during the day.  I have a feeling I will be getting a lot of usage of this over the summer.

This next one belongs to MaxFactor.  I have one or two pieces from there but I always think it's so over priced and I am never really wowed by the bits I purchased in the past.  That was until today.

There were four different shade sections to choose from and this one jumped out at me.  I was a bit worried about the shade to start.  I have never done a dark lipstick before but I though I would give it a go as the colour was superb.

The colour is Mulberry 685 and for once the colour swatch cap at the end of the lipstick is pretty much spot on with what is inside.

This is defiantly a shade that I would rock in the evenings and during the day once autumn arrives next year.  I was surprised at how it wasn't as dark on my lips once applied.  I did only do two light coats but you could layer up for a darker look.  It is such a beautiful shade and am very tempted to try others from this range.

Last but not least were these sandals that I have been eyeing up for a while.  I have seen them in every shoe shop I've gone into but I either didn't have the money or couldn't justify spending the amount they were.

I was having a snoop around Kmart on the hunt for some bargains and came across these in my size and only for $16.

I grabbed them from the shelf, tried them on then whisked them off to the cash register.  I was so happy with myself for finding these.  I know that these won't last me for years but if they can get me through this summer and autumn then I will be a very happy bunny.

This is what happens while I'm killing time waiting to meet someone.  I shop!

Baby Crab Cakes

We are having friends over for dinner later this week and thought we should do a trail run of our starter as we've never made it before.  Seeing as the sea food is so dam amazing out here in Australia we couldn't resist but to give these little beauties a go.

So here is what you will need:

200g fresh crab meat

2x green shallots, ends trimmed & finely chopped

1x celery stick, finely chopped

2x egg whites

1tbs fresh chopped dill

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

70g breadcrumbs

1 tbs vegetable oil

1x small ripe avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled & finely chopped

1x fresh red chilli, deseeded & finely chopped

1 tbs finely chopped chives

2 tsp fresh lime juice

Prep time:  15 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Now this may seem like a lot of ingredients and don't be put off by it.  It is worth it.  (we did cheat a little as it was a trial run, we didn't use fresh dill or chives, but shhh we will keep that between you & I)

Mix together the shallots, egg whites, crab, celery, dill, Worcestershire sauce (which is where I am from back home) and bread crumbs in a medium size bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat.  Spoon six 1 tablespoonful portions of crab mixture and place in the pan.  Use a palette knife to gently flatten the mixture.

While these are slowly cooking, take your diced avocado, chilli, chives and lime juice and mix in a small serving bowl.  You may need to add a little salt and pepper to season, so try it first before adding!

It doesn't look that attractive in the bowl, but it tastes divine.

Once the topping is done, check your crab cakes.  They should be turning a nice golden brown.  Transfer them to a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up the oil.  Repeat in three more batches with the remaining mixture.  We are cooking for six people this week so we will be doing two per person.

Once golden brown and slightly crisp, place them on a serving dish (or in our case our dinner plates!) and add the avocado topping to complete the cakes.

Ta Daaa...

Now I know it looks like a hell of a lot of green everywhere but for the actual dinner party we will perfect that and tart up the salad etc.  For the mains we are doing a chilli baby snapper.  YUM!

The crab cakes taste amazing if I do say so myself.  They are so easy to do and actually don't take that long.  A perfect little starter or if you want a small dinner these bad boys will fill you up.

Sculptures by the Sea 2011

Every year the costal walk from Bondi to Tamarama hosts a Sculptures by the Sea display.  This is where artists from all over the world design bizzare, out of this world sculptures for the general public to observe.  If you are also a keen art enthusiast and are not worried about shedding big bucks then you can buy one of these amazing pieces for your home.

The sculptures walk is open for about three weeks and the boyfriend and I only just caught it as it was closing.

Take a look, some of them are phenomenal and if you are ever in Bondi next year for November go check it out.