Spring is upon us!

Wherever you may be are in the world, time seems to be going at a rapid pace! The seasons seem to change at blink of an eye. So for the first week of Spring I thought I would give a collaboration of both a procrastination post and a beauty review. Get ready southern hemisphere the sunshine is coming, so get that sunscreen out and floppy hats!

• This article on matte skin is perfect! I love, love, love matte skin... 
• I am in love with Marie Forleo, her vlog on how to follow through has definitely made more focused on how to complete all the projects I start.
• One thing that has surprised me is how my taste varies from the mainstream population, as much as I like current trends as the next woman, I ended up wearing the most peculiar things during the seasons. What I am talking about is this opi nail polish!

Beauty Review

Dove Antiperspirant Deodorant

I was given this as a present from my sister, sometimes the simplest gifts are the best. This is a limited edition spray, though product inside is the same as the normal white packaging only that the money is donated to the pink ribbon foundation. To my surprise there was no white mark in my shirt after wearing it all day, the scent was not harsh and it lasted me a good amount of time, you cannot really review too much on this product unless you go into the details of chemicals in it; which I am not going to do. Reasonably priced if you are looking for a no fuss antiperspirant I say give it a go!

Maybelline Volum'Express Flared Falsies 

This product has been raved about and criticised just as much, I like the packaging of this mascara and the size. What some people do not realise is that it can become annoying having such a large mascara, especially if you want to keep it in your purse as a top up. It lasted all day, however it did flake a little near the end of the night; but by then I don't care how it is I just want to take it off! I am a non waterproof kind of girl, I find it easy to take off this mascara at night and it builds up very nicely to make a fuller voluminous effect. At the pricier end of the drugstore range, for me it has been worth every penny and I haven't yet found a same priced mascara that can beat it. 

Olay Provital Day Cream

As much as I like to deny it, I am aging and as many beauty gurus says your need to start using anti aging cream even before there are signs of wrinkles! Well the first thing I noticed about the product was the smell, it smelt to me like baby powder which is definitely not my kind of smell that I would enjoy...however it has grown on my and I don't mind it anymore. As to application it is easy to spread on and sinks into your skin very quickly without leaving too much shine, with moisturisers that have SPF in them there is always going to be a hint of shine as one of the components that makes up SPF has a shine factor to it. But hey isn't that what powder and foundation are for? make the shine go away?? I am still halfway through this product so I would have to say I do notice that my skin has adapted to this product well, there has been no breakout using this product and my skin does seem to have a little bit more of a glow to it. So I do give it a thumbs up for a basic anti wrinkle cream, not sure how it would benefit someone who is trying to decrease more predominant lines.

Lastly I did find this brief overview of Spring Trends for 2013 my favourite in this clip was the sea foam and pistachio trend, check it out if you want some ideas!!

Until next time,
Peace Out

Z

Across the ditch a.k.a Australia

My Sydney Shopping Trip

So over the past week and a half I have been inhabiting Australia, I have been mostly in Sydney and for four days in Melbourne. Australia for me is like a second home that you visit on a yearly basis. My uncle and first cousins live there so I don't need to worry about accommodation while I am over there.

This time round I stayed with a friend for free in Wollongong which is south of Sydney about 1 1/2 give or take depending on what direction you are coming from.  

One of the beaches in Wollongong

Wollongong reminds me a little bit of Whangamata in New Zealand, a small town where people are friendly and the city just plods along. I was really impressed with the free bus service they had, it saved me a lot of money and it got me where I needed to go! I also watched my friend play in an Ultimate Frisbee tournament,it didn't take me too long to figure out the rules and seemed like a lot of fun, even when i did get smacked in the face with the Frisbee. If you are looking to get into a sport that is not to overwhelming I would recommend ultimate Frisbee, so check it out!

On a side note, Wollongong is a coastal town so there is plenty of beaches to surf and swim at. A bit of a sleepy town but I definitely got my r and r in.

Pancake Parlour in Melbourne, one word, AMAZING!

Now Melbourne, that is another story, the city is huge! It took us 90 minutes to get our hotel from the airport!! However there was so much to see, I went to the Melbourne National Museum and the Victoria National Gallery to see the Monet exhibition, Impressionism has always been my favourite type of art and the fact it was all based around Monet was pure heaven for me! I did go into the city for a night on the town, it was great, we ended up staying at one bar that played current and old school music; definitely had a few sing a longs to some old hits. Visually I did find that Melbourne was lacking something, maybe it was the mix of old and new buildings didn't seem to fit in my eyes, though the old buildings I saw there were very beautiful. Sadly to say I did not get a chance to hit the shops and see what kind of places Melbourne had to offer as my friend I went with did not like to shop, boo! annoying boys...

My carry on luggage for my trip back home!

With this holiday I did manage to travel quite a lot within Australia, I used the Sydney Railway to get around and found that they were spot on every time. I would recommend using the trains as you can get day, weekly and fortnightly passes, plus the trains go to most places; I took a train from South Sydney to North Sydney to see my Uncle and that in the end was 3 1/2 hours! For my domestic flight from Sydney to Melbourne and back I used Tiger Airways, overall, not impressed; both my flights were delayed and there service was appalling. To be honest though I guess that this was Murphy's law really about only just wanting to get the cheapest flight and mentally having to end up paying for it!

Other than that, I had a pretty fun holiday! Hanging with friends and family, getting a little bit of shopping in and overall just relaxing. Perfect! I hope this little review might interest you in visiting Australia or even just giving yourself a bit of a holiday, we all need it you know.

Some purchases before I even left Auckland, oh dear...

Peace Out

Z

Beauty Review - Products Recently Used Up

Photo at Elephant Hill

What a world win the last two weeks have been for me! I took on a contract and it has been non stop for me since then, balancing two work loads and trying to find me time; which in the end I talk a small weekend trip away to regroup my bearings, got to love Napier!

Now in the process of these two week I managed to ruin my happy functioning eating plan, also let my room turn into a bomb site and fall behind on my blogging, the thing I am really enjoying the most. However there are priorities that do outweigh others and with contract work you have a limited time to complete the task set out for you and believe me that was the most important! 

I digress this beauty review was something I really wanted to share with you all, as a lot blogs that I read have reviews on a product but lack the lustre of what the product is actually suppose to do. So for this beauty review I am going tell you about two products that I have brought and used up and how I used them and what they are mean't to do. Being a novice in certain beauty areas myself I find that a good review has a description as to how they are used and why, then when I buy it I don't feel stupid in not knowing how to use  it.

So after that long winded spiel here are the products I used up:

Nivea Visage - Daily Essentials Refreshing Toner (Normal to Combination Skin)

I have been using this toner for years, it is light when you apply it and my skin feels refreshed, awake is the best way to describe it. Toner is designed as the in between of your cleansing and moisturising, it is suppose to ensure that when you clean away the dirt on your face, the toner top up any natural oils that have been stripped. What I have found is that some toners are too acidic and makes skin feel tight and can be itchy when moisturiser is not applied straight afterwards. I found the best way to distribute the toner is in a little spray bottle, I created in way a spritizer for my face, I spray the toner all over my face and neck then wipe away the residue.  The toner I found is a happy medium, there is no great result with this toner, it does its job but not to a brilliant effect; I recommend this as a staple in your beauty regime for a cheap effective toner that would go well with any routine.

Garnier - Clean Detox, Gentle Brightening Scrub

When I first used this product my skin can away slightly red, however I persevered and found that my skin did feel fresher. It claims to be a brightening scrub that clears away the dead cells and pollution from your face, however I was not sure that my skin looked fresher but it did feel it. I did used a face scrubber to help the scrub go into my pores, I think doing this helped the face product be more effective. This product I would use again but I want to find something better, this product needed extra products to make it effective on my face. I would not recommend this to beginners as the application is not easy and you need to be consciously aware of the affects it might have on your skin.

I hope this was helpful!

Expect more soon from me,

Peace Out

Z

Beauty Review - Nivea & Garnier

Hey Peeps,

The weeks have seem to have disappeared, I hope everyone has had a interesting time. For me I have had a car accident, been super busy at work and still managed to fit in birthday parties in the process. What a life you might say, I say yes! but everyone can be busy it just might not be the same things as me; so again procrastination material has been sparse. So the material I present you is my opinion the two products shown above, Garnier BB Cream and Nivea Light Moisturising Day cream. In the last month or so I have started to become more and more obsessed with finding face products that are not horrendously expensive and to point actually do at least 70% of what they say the can do on the box. Well I hope this is interesting for you and is in the end helpful as a review.

Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector (Oily & Combination Skin)

I was very very skeptical when I purchased this product, "gives a matte effect" "reduces pores & imperfections". The first thing I would like to point out is that if you are not educated on what type of skin you have any of the products you buy that are not suited to your skin type, will not be as effective as you want it to be!

Our skin changes all the time due to many external and internal elements i.e. the weather. BB cream is the current fad at the moment I have come discover why, not only does it complete one of your skin care routines but it also has traces of foundation and SPF. Upon application it looked like foundation out of the tube and had the similar texture, when I applied it to my surprise it glided on like moisturiser and did have a matte finish!

Doing the test run I checked on it through out they day and again I was pleasantly surprised, it stayed on with only a few area getting a little thin however it kept its coverage. Being a supermarket/drug store product it does a great job, it has now become a definite in my beauty bag and I would recommend giving it a go if you like tinted moisturisers or are bit young to be wearing foundation. Also please not I tested this with a other products, I used under eye concealer, general concealer and adding on top bronzer and blush. This product is great as a simple base for everyday natural wear, I would not recommend it for night wear.

Nivea Light Moisturising Day Cream

Now this cream it good, not amazing or mind blowing but it completes its job of being a moisturiser. I know that Nivea followers will understand what I mean when I say it has that distinct Nivea smell; lots of their moisturisers especially have a distinct smell in which you know it is Nivea. The cream apply's easy and is not too creamy as being a oily/combination skin I am very anti sheen! It worked well with the Garnier BB Cream, the combination seemed to help the BB Cream stay on longer and my face was not irritated by it. You cannot really go wrong with the product, great for day to day wear under other products; a good starting product also for a beauty routine or a new person taking on a facial routine.

So there is my beauty review for these two products, I do hope they were helpful! Now back on the band wagon and bring on Procrastination Wednesday. What great and wonderful site to find and explore next..

Peace Out

Z

Procrastination Wednesday 20th March

Hey Peeps,

So I am a bit late this week, however I have gathered some awesome content for you all! Scientific research mixed with beauty and life advice; keep you on your toes really.

• I could not believe it when I read this anti ageing is slowly becoming possible, kind of scary to a point don't you think?
• Also I have been researching different alternatives to deodorants as my under arms easily get irritated, this was definitely a good article to read up on.
• As I try my best to not use product used on animals, it was really exciting to hear that Europe is now making legislation to ban animal testing!
• Plus now I am getting excited for the Wicked if you don't know what it is I suggest you check it out!!
• I have booked my tickets to Wellington, I am off in the next few weeks to visit my very good friend, promise I will give you some info and pictures of the trip.

Lastly I brought two of these products, the Day Cream I was low on and wanted to try something new and the BB cream was an implosive buy and the fact it said that it has a matte finished drew me in. I will in the next couple of weeks right a review on how I found these products, so stay tuned.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Peace Out

Z

Beauty Review: Face Product

Photo from Lush

So Procrastination Wednesday has been and gone, but what there was nothing to read?! Sorry folks working has kept me busy and I have not been able to source anything read worthy; or more I have a few links that will be interesting but I will save them for a big post!  This week I am going to give my personal review on a product that I have used for the last 3 months and have been very happy with, I was a bit sceptical when I purchased this product but the lady at the store guaranteed I would love it and she wasn't wrong there!!

The product I am talking about is Buche De Noel, which I purchased from a Lush store, if you have not heard about Lush it is a beauty store which bases it's products on being environmentally friendly and ethical. 

When I brought this product it was a completely a new experience for me, I had used the bath bombs and soap but never had I invested in a facial product. After purchasing the item I took it straight home to try it out and boy I was not disappointed. The texture was a little bit strange a first, it felt like I was applying porridge to my face; it smelt so good I wanted to taste it! Surprising after the first wash I felt a difference to my skin, the overall effect was a smooth textured feeling to my skin; everywhere I touched had the same feel, it was a shock as to how quickly it worked. Now I have combination skin, so finding the right type of face wash becomes a balancing act. Everyone's skin changes throughout the year whether it is from the weather or stress or the environment you work in. My pores reduced from consistent use, I was very happy at the result that this product gave me, right from start to finish! However it is a limited edition that comes out around Christmas so I now have to wait until then to purchase another one...

For the price of this product was great, it was roughly $18.00 NZD which is a little pricey, however it managed to last 3 months in which if you divide 18/3, $5 a month is something I can definitely live with. Buche De Noel is great for all skin types, so if you happen to come across it get a sample! 

I hope you found this review helpful and have a great weekend!!!

Peace out

Z

Procrastination Wednesday 27th Feb

Picture from Pinterest

Happy Procrastination Wednesday!

So I have not be as dedicated to my procrastination material as I would have liked, it has been a busy week for me! I went to the Auckland Lantern Festival on Friday, it is always a magical place for me, I really love the unique lanterns that they show. Also I really love food too! It was a great time, friends, light and especially food like the stuffed pancakes... Have a wonderful week everyone, enjoy the company of your friends and have some fun!!

• I came across this article about this homeless man's honesty that it was so heart warming, go human beings!
• That brings me to the concept of how people view money
• Also in New Zealand summer is coming to an end (sad), so here are some tips for prepping your skin for the cold weather.
• Favourite song and video right now!

Peace out

Z

Procrastination Wednesday 6th Feb

Happy Procrastination Wednesday

Happy Waitangi Day everyone, or as some Kiwi's like to think New Zealand day. On this day the native people and British colonies signed an agreement known as the Treaty of Waitangi. I have attached this website if you are interested in the history about New Zealand! 

I hope everyone is having an awesome day, enjoy what I have found:

• Kris Carr really puts the emphasis on how to really say No
• Last week I put up a photo of what type of make up brushes there are, however I did find a better site that provided me with more valid information.
• I have to agree, having a beauty routine is important!
• If you are wanting to get into organics but not sure how to go about it, read this article.

Since Waitangi Day is a public holiday here I was enjoying the weather just a little too much, I will make up next week with some more interesting content.

Peace Out

Z

Procrastination Wednesday 30th Jan

Photo from Pinterest

Happy Procrastination Wednesday

How are you today? Here in New Zealand I had Monday off to celebrate my city's anniversary, Auckland Anniversary that is. We have been having amazing weather, which of course I have been talking full advantage of! Now that I am not working in my compulsory work placement I have found it a struggle to keep up with content, but never fear I am if not stubborn and there is still content for this week.. Just makes me think why do we procrastinate in our jobs when we are paid to complete tasks?

So onward and upwards here is my content for this week:

• Everyone sees social media as the forefront of positivity, but what if there is are some down falls that people do not take into consideration when they jump into this world. 
• I now drink lemon water, it is so yummy! it helps me consume more water everyday..as I am not the best at drinking my 8 glasses of water.
• Now, I came across this article about a proposal that I never expected, do out there proposal mean that there is a more likelihood that the person will say yes?
• I may be getting old, but this piece definitely reminds me that yes, yes I am getting older and might be starting to get stuck in my ways....but in a funny way.
• A man in New Zealand called Gareth Morgan has proposed that the government think about slowly eradicating domestic cats, as they supposedly destroying our native bird wildlife. However his accusations have holes in it and being a cat lover myself definitely did not see eye to eye on his declaration. So when I came across this article about how to turn Mr Morgan into a cat lover; I could not help but share it with all of you.

So my pretties enjoy the rest of your week, have a laugh.

Peace Out

Z

Procrastination Wednesday 23rd Jan

Photo from Pinterest

Happy Procrastination Wednesday

This week has been up and down for me, the good and the not so good! I haven't been able to work on my vlog yet, due to unforeseen restrictions. Nevertheless we all with continue on, after all isn't that what life is for? to challenge us in many ways. Keep up the good work my friends!

• This week I discovered a beauty website based in little old New Zealand that provides items such as Urban Decay and Elf! I watch a lot of beauty channels and lots of Gurus talk about these products. But since being on the other side of the world it is quite expensive, however this site is reasonable priced and is based locally, yes!!! So that where some of my paycheck will be going, Mucho Gusto. 
• I have noticed that my preference lately is Beauty & Fashion, but knowing me it will change sooner or later, however I found this article on shopping tips which were very handing indeed!
• Also who doesn't need more sparkle in their lives right now?!
• On the organisation note, this article about organising your beauty corner is perfect for the organiser in all of us.
• This brought me to attention about what not to write when describing yourself, it quite surprised me that people use a lot of these adjectives...
• For starters in beauty, look at this article on what type of brushes you should use when applying make-up; it is very educational.

So lovely's enjoy your week! Do let me know about any tips or tricks that you have come across..

Peace Out

Z