AUGUST // MONTH IN REVIEW

Noteworthy August goodies

Hi friends!
You may have noticed that I have stopped doing those 'Week In Review's, simply because my week is usually pretty standard and not-overly-fascinating - thus leading to a monotonous repetition of the same products* that you've seen countless times before... But what can I say? I am a creature of habit, after all!

This month was characterised by mad exam-prepping, procrastination at its finest, and a few other unexpected bits and pieces - such as a lovely bit of light reading.

In a Good Light / Rêve de Miel / DDML+

The usual suspects:
Mecca Cosmetica In a Good Light - So, so perfect for the crazy weather we've been experiencing lately. Wonderfully hydrating, quickly absorbed, SPF, and a good dose of illumination to combat dullness and dryness. Totally worthy of HG status for Winter!

Nuxe Rêve de Miel - I know I've already mentioned this nifty jar of goodness nonstop, but it's been getting me through Winter quite nicely - these smooth, non-chapped lips speak for themselves (heh. see what I did there? :P) I've made a significant dent in it now, but it's still nowhere near depleted!

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion+ - I've been reaching for this moisturiser post-shower, as it is soothing and gentle on my dry and sensitive skin. Plus, it's easily absorbed and delightfully hydrating for Winter (though in Summer I do find it a tad emollient).

Color Balm / Cool Water Sea Rose / Radiant Creamy Concealer

The new kids on the block:
Yes To Carrots Color Balm in Soft Plum - My spoils (spoil?) from the Priceline 40% off Skincare Sale last month. Given that I'm technically still on makeup ban, I figured I'd sneak in a little something - I could hardly let the opportunity pass me by! It's a lovely shade of burgundy - 'soft plum' is quite an accurate description. I was tossing up between getting this one, or the Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in another colour. At a fraction of the cost of Burt's Bees' offering (which I adore), I had my fingers crossed that this would be almost as good, or just as good. It's not bad, but unfortunately it's not as moisturising or long lasting - you get what you pay for, I guess! Though I must say that at $6, Yes To Carrots is far more enticing than $15 for Burt's, plus I got mine for 40% off.

Davidoff Cool Water Sea Rose EDT - I've been wearing this all month and I really love it - I kid you not, I'm not even sick of it yet! I'll admit that this was another winner that I pinched off Mother's dresser... It's a lovely fresh fruity-ish rose scent that reminds me of Marc Jacobs' Daisy mixed with Dot? Something like that. Plus it's only $29 for 100mls from Priceline! Win.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard - I mentioned this one a little while back and it's about time I did a proper review of it (coming soon). I've been using it nonstop since I bought it, and have absolutely no complaints - I'm glad to report that it does live up to the hype! It's been my go-to remedy for dark circles, and it lasts all day.

Tangle Teezer / Blow Dry Faster

The, erm, old kids on the block that I've been loving:
Tangle Teezer Compact Styler in Feline Groovy - I bought this a while back and stopped using it after a little bit - I was reminded of why I don't normally use a hairbrush in the first place. What really grosses me out is when lint and hair and other gross stuff collect in the bristles - I can't stand the thought of brushing it back into my hair! But I've taken to brushing my hair before showering to detangle it beforehand, and I've also been making exceptions when my hair is so disgustingly greasy that it doesn't make a difference anyway. I've been amazed at the ease with which it detangles and brushes out knots painlessly.

Cedel Blow Dry Faster - This has been an absolute godsend this Winter, as it usually takes ages for my hair to dry - plus, I've been washing my hair later in the evening, or even late at night, because I can't stand how yucky it feels (ah, the joys of being caught in the rain!). With this hardworking spray I can blow-dry my hair straight without brushes or combs in a few short minutes - #totesamaze is an understatement.

The none-of-the-aboves:
'The Minimal Wardrobe' - Lately I've been intrigued with the idea of creating a harmonious streamlined 'capsule' wardrobe, where each piece perfectly complements the others. After a brief appraisal of my wardrobe, I was less than thrilled with the amount of clothes I have that I don't wear (and probably won't ever wear). I have a right mind to just start again from scratch (Jokes. Too expensive!) But more to come on that topic, so stay tuned.

The Messenger by Markus Zusak - (I borrowed the book and have since returned it, so apologies for the lack of visuals.) I'd been intending to read this since it was recommended to me by a lady I met camping way back in January (Camping. Yeah - who'd have thought?) I thoroughly enjoyed it - it's beautifully written and tugs on the heartstrings so delicately, in a most unassuming manner. It's also very typically-Australian, and a great Young Adults' pick. I found it difficult to extract myself from the world within the pages of the novel once I had finished reading it!


What was your August like? I hope it was a good 'un! :) x


*Sorry if you actually enjoyed those posts!

WEEK IN REVIEW // 9

A week of slow recovery, new loves and little treats.

L-R:
Whittaker's Peanut Butter Chocolate Block - Did someone say Reese's Peanut Butter Cups?! Courtesy of sleepandwater - recommendation seen on her instagram here. (Dayumm gurl, you'll be the death of me!) So after seeing that, of course I dashed into Aldi. And it did not disappoint. While I prefer the saltier, nuttier taste of Reese's, this really is the next best thing! What are you waiting for? Run, don't walk!

Swisspers Naturals Cucumber Facial Cleansing Wipes - Wow. That's all I have to say - these are good! So effective, and ridiculously soft - unlike some other brands I've tried (Simple and Garnier, anyone?) I did buy these for Mother when they were on sale at Priceline, but couldn't resist trying them myself. These definitely own every other brand I've tried to far.

Chi Chi Baked Eyeshadow Single in Rock With You - I finally tested it out (here). My first impressions were as follows: Not as intensely pigmented as I'd first thought - or as first swatched - but easy to blend, with no fall out. Lasted a good 6 hours or so.

Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm - This is probably the first 'week in review' where you haven't seen my resident lip balm fave Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream! These past few days Nivea just hasn't been making the cut. Perhaps it's because we're now officially in Winter and my wind-chapped, cracked lips need something a little more, well, 'nourishing', but at any rate, I've finally drawn out Nuxe from hibernation. First impressions? It's waxier than I'd anticipated and smells faintly of lemon curd! Lasting power is also pretty good, and has so far managed to keep my lips looking and feeling better.

Swisspers Cleansing Eye Make-Up Remover Pads - These are also great. While it seems superfluous to have these as well as the wipes, I can say that they remove mascara with ease, and are so saturated with remover that I could take off the rest of my makeup with the remainder. Win!

QV Cream - Claims to "replenish dry skin" - and indeed it does! You may remember that I've been sick recently, and have experienced all the joys of illness, such as a sore throat and runny-and-raw nose. I've been using this to combat my gross, sore and peeling skin, and found it to work wonders, though it did sting a little at first. It's quite emollient, but sinks in quickly - plus, it's of a rather handy size. 

Cedel Blow Dry Faster Heat Protector - As the nights get colder, this has once again become my bestie, as it allows me to dry my hair quicker, and makes it wonderfully straight, too - and all without the assistance of a brush or comb - you can check out my full review here.

Forever New Taliah Clutch - My sale find! I popped in to Forever New this week, on a whim, and walked out with this beauty. I'm looking forward to taking it out on formal occasions. These 'end of season'/mid year sales have been so good - but result in so much debit card damage!

What has been the highlight of your week?
Do you have a weakness for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups like me?

WEEK IN REVIEW // 4

A week of novelty chilling at home, surprising improvement, and small luxuries.

Love Your Hair by Richard Kavanagh - This week I thought I'd shake up my hair routine as I was kind of stuck in a hair-rut. I don't brush my hair because it usually looks worse afterwards, and end up shoving it into a bun everyday because it's quick. I grabbed this book when it was on sale at Dymocks, but have to admit I found it somewhat disappointing. It lacked diagrams and detailed step by step instructions, and was very brief and simple - too simple. There were no images to accompany the tools and utensils summary, so I had to google half the items listed. I did think it was an interesting look at how the pros do more intricate hairstyles, and 'cheats' they use to achieve a certain effect. There were a good mix of hairstyles for different lengths, though none of them really appealed to me, as I was put off by the amount of time required to create them. Most of them were quite time consuming for me personally. It's just unrealistic for me to spend half an hour doing my hair - ain't nobody got time for that! However, I do wish I had longer hair. Now I'm inspired to grow it out again - I haven't had long hair since I grew it to donate to the Princess Charlotte Alopecia Foundation. And who knows, maybe this book will come in handy for special occasions. (Try'na be positive, here!)

Nivea Men Post Shave Balm - I actually got this a while ago from iherb, as part of a Real Techniques Brushes haul, but only just started using it. I mistook it for the Nivea for Men Revitalising Double Action Balm, which I really liked, due to its creamy texture and surprisingly-not-so-offputting scent. This Post Shave Balm has a rather cologne-y/lynx deodorant-y (and not like the one for female folk, either) scent, which I was not anticipating, and which I did not love. It's also runnier - more of a lighter cream/lotion-y, whereas the Double Action Balm has more of a whipped-ish, light, creamy consistency. Thankfully it does the job, and I'll continue to use it, but I guess I've learnt my lesson!

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Multi Purpose Dry Oil and Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm - A couple of cult goodies that I've wanted to try for ages, bought from Priceline as a little pick me up. Post coming soon.

Cedel Blow Dry Faster - So this week I finally came to a conclusion about this little gem: it's love.

Seagull guitar -  I've been trying to teach myself guitar for years, but only recently starting making a more consistent effort. Sometimes I surprise myself with the things I'm able to achieve when I apply myself... I've been trying to learn 'Home' by Gabrielle Aplin, and Birdy's version of 'Skinny Love'. They're progressing slowly!

Bloch pointe shoes - This week I was finally able to progress doing to centre work, as I had previously been barre-bound. I've been learning pas de bourrées in the centre, which has been a painful but satisfying experience, seeing myself improve. Maybe one day I'll finally be able to do fouettes en pointe!

REVIEW // CEDEL BLOW DRY FASTER

A revisit and more in-depth look at this 'wonder' product. I first mentioned this eye-catching little can of promise in my second Week in Review, noting its 'different' scent and seemingly improbable claim. I'd been wanting to try it for a looooooong time - ever since I spotted it in Priceline whilst on the hunt for dry shampoo, but could never justify buying it as I still had a barely-used heat protecting spray by Tresemme. The other day, however, I decided to bite the bullet, justifying it with some flimsy excuse or another.

I had my fingers crossed that it wouldn't have the same powdery grandma scent as Cedel's dry shampoo and to my great relief, it didn't! (After being burned once, I was certainly going to be more wary about future Cedel purchases!) It's difficult to describe the scent - not quite fragrant, not overly unpleasant (not as unpleasant as the dry shampoo, anyway). Plus it doesn't linger, so it's a safe bet that it won't overpower or compete with your fragrance.

I really liked that it was a heat protector and a kind of 'blow dry balm' in one, while also lessening drying time and detangling hair. It usually takes me a while to dry my hair and my arms are already aching by the time I'm half way. When I tested it on 90-95% dry hair, it became fully dry in about 5-7 mins, which is pretty good for my thick, coarse hair. I try to avoid heat styling as much as possible, as I'm paranoid about the damage and breakage that comes with frequent usage. Consequently, I never blow dry my hair until it's 'bone dry'.

I also liked the spray nozzle on this product - not overly highly pressurised, or concentrated; reminiscent of an aerosol deodorant without the 'oomph' - a light mist for even distribution. I found that three sprays (sides and back of head) were plenty. It left my somewhat-unruly and slightly-frizzy hair straight and sleek - I was even more impressed by the fact that I was able to achieve an almost salon-worthy blow dry using only my fingers as a comb.

Now I don't have "stereotypical Asian hair" - thick, poker straight, shiny, 'swooshy' strands. My mop is more of the thick, straight-ish, voluminised, fluffy bedhead-y faction. Think a slightly scruffier version of Alexa Chung's signature lob minus the panache. Occasionally I'll wake up with wonderfully straight hair that I won't have to style, but that's usually once in a blue moon, so you can imagine my amazement when I woke the next morning with straight, 'swooshy' hair. Not quite shampoo-commercial-worthy hair, but pretty good by my standards. My verdict? This one's a keeper!

WEEK IN REVIEW // 2

A week of temperamental weather, long shifts at work, more Disney soundtracks, and a fun weekend project (stay tuned!).