Holiday Gifts

For my post-Christmas post I thought I would keep things fairly casual as I’m honestly in a true lazy, holiday faze. Although my holidays began over a moth ago, I feel that now is the acceptable time to sit on the couch, play video games and finish off an entire packet of Lindt chocolate (I am guilty of all the above). I thought up of doing a type of ‘What I got for Christmas’ blogpost as I recalled some YouTubers last year filming them. I have to disclaim that I am in no way trying to brag about my presents, I am very grateful indeed to have received them. I thought it might be interesting to see what gifts I was given, and perhaps inspire a wish list of things to buy for yourselves in the new year. On with the gifts; it feels like Christmas morning all over again...

As the school year has officially finished, I now finally have the time to read again. And not books off the booklist, ones of my own choice! I have been wanting to watch One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest as I thought it would be interesting, given the psychological themes. It was a pleasant surprise when I opened this from my sister; a book I can’t wait to get into. The Penguin classic cover isn’t too bad either. Cat’s Eye is a book that was only recently added to my ‘to read’ list, so I happened to receive this by complete mental telepathy. One that was actually on the VCAA English booklist this year; I guess it must a worthwhile read. Eucalyptus is a book that I have never seen before, but I have always wanted to read a novel that I have no prior knowledge of. One that I have heard of, however, is Rookie Yearbook Three. Though I don’t own the first two I know this will be coffee table book of sartorial gorgeousness. 

From the top to bottom: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood, Eucalyptus by Murray Bail, Rookie Yearbook Three by Tavi Gevinson

These beautiful notebooks not only fill the insatiable stationary hunger that is present in all of us, but serve a practical purpose. It seems that I have completely bored those around me in my pursuits of a journalism career, but thankfully they have been thoughtful enough to buy me journals. Blogposts will most definitely be planned out and drafted in one, and perhaps my future freelance work in the other. Their positive covers will, no doubt, inspire great work (one hopes!). 

Left to Right: Kikki-k, unknown

These two beauty related gifts both come from TheBodyShop, but were gifted to me by my sister. I requested these when we were in store one day; I couldn’t contain my excitement when I discovered they included a vanilla scent in their Christmas collection. It’s so sweet yet deep, and almost spicy. Absolutely delicious. There’s nothing wrong with smelling like cake, is there? The eau de toilette is completely perfect, though I find the shimmer lotion a little too shimmery. Maybe one to save for a night out, and use sparingly! 

Left to Right: Vanilla Brûlée Eau De Toilette, Vanilla Brûlé Shimmer Lotion

This seems like a random purchase, but one thoughtfully gifted! I had mentioned to my mum that I had wanted a glass nail file (much to her bemusement) as I had seen many YouTubers with them. I’m fairly certain that Australia does not stock any glass nail files, but I do think this is the next best thing. This is a step above the usual nail buffers I use; the cheap ones with the sandpaper-like file glued onto cardboard. My nails will thank me for the upgrade! 

Sally Hansen Ahead Of The Curve Sapphire Nail File

This handbag was a stunning gift from my bestfriend, one that was really too much! I mean, it’s absolutely gorgeous! I love the white and black detail, where the white is perfect for summer and the black trim makes it Instagram worthy with its monochromatic style. I love the quilting and even more, the embossed damask print. The gold hardware really completes the bag and adds a touch of glamour. The round shape is unique, and one that has a retro feel. I have a vision of holding this while drinking a glass of champagne with the ladies, having just finished a tennis match. Not that I really drink nor do I play tennis, but it’s all about the feeling an accessory or item of clothing gives you. 

Forever New Annie-Rose Quilted Bag

The last gift is truly the best one. Before anything, I have to apologise for the lighting in this photo. It appears my camera did not respond well to the light from the screen. I got a 13 inch Macbook Pro! This was a very unexpected gift as I had originally planned to buy myself a new laptop, but it’s one that I am so grateful for. It was intended as a gift to congratulate my graduation from high school, and I could not be happier with it. I have been a Mac fan ever since I was a little girl, as we have always had Apple products in the house. Though I loved my Macbook air as it was so light and I adored the flat keyboard, I needed something a little bigger with all the functions for my time at university next year. Just typing out the word ‘university’ is a little confronting; do I have to become an adult yet? Anyway, what I love about my new laptop is it’s size; 13 inches is definitely the fit for me. Eleven is a little too small and I can imagine the back issues I would acquire by carrying around the 15 inch. The screen makes anything look absolutely amazing, even Youtube videos look more professional. I have only had it for a few days but it appears the battery lasts fairly well, and I like that I has a slot for my SD card. Overall, I’m one very happy, extremely lucky girl!

Christmas makeup

This is actually a look that I wore to my work Christmas party. Today I bring you a non-obnoxious, not overly festive Christmas face. If you haven’t decided three weeks in advance the makeup you’re wearing on the birth day of Jesus, grab a pen and paper and be ready to take note. Something else to note; no glitter was used and there is no red lip in sight. 

Let’s be completely honest, it takes an effort to compile a semi-appropriate Christmas ensemble. On a day I would love to spend in my pyjamas (Peter Alexander of course!) drinking eggnog and admiring my presents, putting on makeup comes around 10-20 minutes before I have to physically leave the house. This is a very easy look to recreate, one I did by topping up my day makeup. 

If you’re starting from scratch, the first thing is the base. Using a primer like Benefit’s the Porefessional will ensure your makeup lasts the entire day. L’oreal’s Eau de teint foundation gives a very natural, light coverage that is perfect for a summer Christmas in Australia. If you need concealer for blemishes, go right ahead, but chances are you won’t need any for the under-eye area, the excitement of opening presents would have masked any signs of fatigue. Maintaining the warm weather appropriate look, sweep NARS’ Laguna bronzer across the hairline, cheekbones, temples and jawline. Add a little of Rimmel’s Stay Matte powder to the T-zone to reduce shine. In a nod to Christmas, apply TheBalm’s Mary-Lou Manizer across the cheekbones, down the bridge of the nose and the inner corner of the eye. Now onto the eyes: pack on Maybelline’s Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze with the ring finger to create a complete eye look with one product. Curl the lashes and apply your favourite mascara. Fill in the brows in any which way you are comfortable with. To avoid doing the typical Christmas red lip, I suggest going for a shade of pink instead. This one is MAC’s Faux Pas lipstick, a part of their holiday collection, who’s glittering packaging makes reapplying lipstick on Christmas day a pleasure rather than a chore. 

Christmas makeup done. Now to buy presents... 

The Kimono

In the same weekend that I had a shopping spree, seen in this Instagram post, it was a given that I also had purchases from H&M. Personally, H&M is like the upper class cousin of Kmart, where I can buy items at full retail price, not have to wait for sales and not be embarrassed to shop there (though let me be honest, I’m not ashamed in the slightest to shop at Kmart!). I spotted this kimono on the rack and immediately tried it on (I normally just try things on then and there rather than waiting in line for the change rooms, if the item requires little effort or removal of clothes). I had been searching for a kimono that was longer in length, and priced at $29.95 it was a great find. Its shape also did not look strange on my shoulders, which sometimes can happen with pieces like kimonos, and its length did not highlight my shorter height. 

That day, though mid spring, had a heat very much like summer temperatures which meant that air conditioning was in full force in the shops. I decided to wear my kimono on its day of purchase, a sign that it truly was a good buy, protecting me from the slight chill of the air conditioning. As a cool change swept (quite literally, it was extremely windy) through Melbourne, my kimono served another purpose. Wrapping the kimono across my chest I protected the wind from hitting me, and in the car it served as an almost dressing gown as I wrapped the long, soft fabric around myself as I waited for my mother to return from the supermarket. On returning home and placing the kimono on a hanger, I had a revelation. A quick search on the laptop and I discovered that this kimono was the one I had been coveting for months from Lily Pebbles’ blog post here. She had uploaded that post in May, and I now bought this in November. I could not believe the time that it took clothing to come into stores in Australia. It does make clear sense that a kimono would not be appropriate attire for May in Australia as the temperature drops, but it was crazy that it was six months ago that I had first spotted this online. H&M had just opened in Melbourne; it feels like it was years ago. This year has been drawn out, though it has passed so quickly, at least fashion can act as a reminder of the year that has been. 

(Similar kimono from H&M here)

Lush haul

I must admit that I rarely have baths. Showers are my preferred method of cleansing, where I could literally spend an hour in the shower. But what do I do in there besides wash myself? Well, I think about the day, what I will do tomorrow and next week and then, after a while where perhaps the scent of my shampoo has metaphorically gone to my head, I will generally just have an overall contemplation of my life. But for some reason, baths just bore me. A few weeks ago during stressful end of assessment time I decided to have a bath to calm my ever buzzing mind. I even lighted a candle and used a Lush bath bomb. Perhaps it’s the running water in a shower that calms me in an ironic way, but the still water of a bath and the gradual decrease in water temperature does not excite me. Nevertheless, when Christmas time rolls around (not really Christmas time as stores like to start early) my sister and I like to take a trip into Lush. There is something so festive about Lush during this time, where favourites like cinnamon and glitter are mixed to create a handful of pure joy.  Last year I made the mistake of going into Lush either just before Christmas or a little after, where half of the Christmas products had sold out. Much to my disappointment of the Star Light Star Bright Bath Melt having been completely sold out, this year I was determined to get in early. Late October we took a trip into Lush, had free rein over the Christmas stock and spent a little too much money (or so my mother thinks). Today I will share with you my purchases and give you a quick description of my first impressions of the scents. If you want a more detailed and precise description of each product I will link each one to the Lush website. On with the haul…

Wizard Bubble Bar

This is actually for Halloween, but I decided to include it anyway. I have to comment that this bubble bar is encrusted in purple glitter; utter decadence! The scent is very deep and musky, one that I would not normally be drawn to, but whose sweetness adds a warming element. 

Star Light Star Bright Bath Melt

I will not begin a long winded rant but I was very disappointed last year when this sold out. Hence, this year I bought two, as I am an absolute glitter fiend. This scent, as described by my sister, apparently smells like uncooked noodles. For a more reliable description I would say that the scent is very summery, different from the warm, comforting winter scents, with a citrusy, zesty blend of ginger. 

Yog Nog Soap

As the name suggests this soap has a scent reminiscent of egg nog; a very warm, sweet, spicy mix of cinnamon and nutmeg. One of the most classic Christmas scents that is almost quite expensive smelling, as it’s not overly sweet. I do have to comment that the soaps are quite expensive for the amount your receive, so something to consider when buying, as I did not realise the price until I got home!

Cinders Bath Bomb

My sister’s personal favourite, this bath bomb is a simple, warm, cinnamon-like scent perfect for Christmas time baths.

Golden Wonder Bath Bomb

This absolutely gorgeous present shaped, gold glitter dipped bath bomb is my favourite. It does have a scent that is very hard to describe; I remember from last year that is has champagne in it, so quite a crisp fragrance. It has an expensive scent that is slightly citrusy. 

Butterbear Bath Bomb

A very cute one in the shape of a bear, this has a creamy scent (if that exists), with notes of vanilla and spice. Also, the fragrance is not too overpowering, and can perhaps be used in conjugation with another Lush product. Unfortunately I dropped him, hence his broken ear!

Luxury Lush Pud Bath Bomb

One that I remember using last year, this has a scent very similar to the Golden Wonder Bath Bomb, but is a little more strong and floral. 

The Christmas Penguin Bubble Bar

Apparently this has the same fragrance to the Olive branch line at Lush, so it has a very natural, unisex, pure smelling odour. One for those who shy away from the extremely sweet scents. This one is actually from last year, which explains his deformed face. 

Magic Wand Bubble Bar

This is a reusable wand that you swirl in the bath, which hopefully creates beautiful, pink bubbles! I’m not completely in love with the scent; it’s a little artificial and strong for my personal taste. 

So White Bath Bomb

This was quite an unexpected scent for me, one that took me a little while to acurately decipher. It has an apple fragrance, one that is light, fresh and a little floral. One just perfect for summertime in Australia. 

Snowcake Soap

This soap is quite different from the Yog Nog, it has a very creamy fragrance. It is almost quite artificial smelling, and one that I find difficult to describe.

So that concludes my Lush haul. The Holly Go Lightly Bubble Bar has been on my mind though. Perhaps this calls for another Lush trip...