MIA

Hi everyone, I just wanted to apologise that I haven't posted for a while. I'll show you a screenshot that currently summarises my life...

FINALS!!!!!!!!!!!!

So as you can see, I'm dealing with a rather nasty exam timetable. I'm halfway through but I'm just sooo exhausted already! If you're wondering why I have finals now, its because I study on a trimester schedule, which is different to the timing of semesters. Also I get almost no holidays. 

As if that wasn't bad enough - my laptop died on the weekend! It appears that the hard drive is dying. Luckily its still under 2 year warranty, but it will take some time for me to get it back. I'm currently using a very...vintage laptop that my dad had lying around, its super slow but I guess it's better than nothing.

Anyway, I do have some (hopefully) interesting posts scheduled for when I'm not so busy so keep an eye out for me :)

xx

Boohoo Wardrobe Bingo

Back in June, when I was asked if I was interested in participating in a Boohoo Wardrobe comp, I thought sure, why not! I'm cutting it a little fine, seeing as entries are due tomorrow, but I thought it seemed like fun. Basically, you pick out 5 tops/bottoms/shoes/accessories from your wardrobe, label them 1-5 and use a random number generator to pick four random numbers, and see what crazy combination you come up with! It's all a bit of fun, just to see what you end up with.

Here are the items I picked out...

TOPS

BOTTOMS

SHOES

I hope the numbering makes sense here, basically start at the top, going L-R (i.e. so the sand coloured gladiators are number 1, and the red heels are number 3)

ACCESSORIES 

(same style of numbering scheme as for the shoes)

Right, now off to random.org to get a series of 4 random numbers...what combination did I get?

Which looks like....

Ta-dah! I'm actually surprised by how cute this combo is, I probably never would have picked this out on my own. I'd probably swap the sandals for a different pair, but the little beanie-hat thing looks really good with the top! It's actually an awesome combo for the current weather, starting to warm up but still a little chilly. Maybe I should decide my wardrobe based on random number generators more often :P

What did you think of my random combination?

If you're into trendy fashion items that won't kill your bank account, check out Boohoo's website!
http://www.boohoo.com/aus/page/home/

NOTD: Kitty nails

Having no social life means I spend way too much time on my nails (hey, it's not a bad thing). Anyways, I thought I'd show you the mani I'm currently sporting...

Yay! Ignore my messed up cuticles. Anyways, we have a fishbone, cat paw, attempt at a cat's face (looks like a possum...should have added a pink nose on the face), another paw and my pinky finger is a little mouse :)

I'm certainly not going to claim this design as my own because I'm not that creative, I used a tutorial by Youtuber elleandish - check out the tutorial here.

As you can see, I've used quite a few polishes to achieve this look - eight, in total. I'm not going to name them all because I think most of these shades are pretty widely available, but if you're curious as to what colours I used, just ask :)

What have you been sporting on your nails lately?

Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Scrub VS. Face wash

You may have seen that Clearasil skin care products have been popping up quite a bit in the blogging world, particularly the new Vitamins & Extracts range. I am lucky enough to own both the Vitamins & Extracts Scrub* and the Daily Wash (which I won off Annsley's blog giveaway a little while ago!). I've already written a review on the scrub, but rather than writing another review of the wash, I thought I'd do a comparison post. It might be helpful for you if you're tossing up on which one to buy.

If my university's plagiarism system got a hold of this, it would be going crazy ;) the front of each is almost identical in terms of layout and text. 

Top: scrub

Bottom: wash

Why have I included a photo of the lids? Well, because they're identical for both of them, but I really don't think they should be. The scrub is much thicker, like a paste, so the squeeze tube and size of the whole works really well. However, the wash is a lot runnier and it can be difficult to squeeze it out without having excess product coming out. So I think the wash needs a smaller hole!

Left: scrub

Right: wash

This is where we see the difference. The deep cleansing scrub, as I said, is thicker and like a paste. Kind of like toothpaste but even more paste-y. It also contains small exfoliating beads, as you can see. I personally like the gentle abrasiveness of this scrub and use it once a day, in the morning to wake myself up. I think it does a great job at making my skin feel refreshed and smooth. It says to use it twice a day, but I really wouldn't do so because scrubbing twice a day seems a bit much? Each to their own. 

Now for the wash, it's basically a clay-type wash that can double up as a mask. The consistency is not as thick, but it's not super runny either. The amounts I've squeezed out on my hand is probably enough for one use so you definitely don't need to use a lot. I use this at night to remove my makeup. I spread it over my skin and massage gently, then wash off. It does a great job at removing makeup and cleansing my skin, without overdrying my face. As for using it as a mask, I don't really find it to be any different to cleansing. 

One thing that is IDENTICAL for both is the smell - they both smell great, kind of fruity and apple-like, which is really refreshing. I enjoy the smell, but I am wondering if I'll get bored of it after a while. This would be one of the main reasons why I wouldn't suggest buying both.

So in summary, the scrub is thicker and the wash is much smoother and clay-like. If you've got sensitive skin, I would suggest the wash. It really just comes down to what you prefer, and if I had to choose between the two, I'd go for the scrub - simply because I haven't met many scrubs that agree with me (they're either too gritty or not exfoliating enough). In saying that, the wash is also fantastic, so its a close call between the two!

Have you tried these? Which do you prefer?

* product was provided for my consideration. It has been reviewed in accordance with my disclosure policy and is completely honest. 

Rimmel GWP at Priceline (offer has ended)

I normally don't get sucked into GWP deals because usually you have to spend X amount which is usually too much for me. So when I saw on Instagram that Priceline were running a Rimmel promotion where you spend $20 and receive a Rimmel gift box worth $47.80, I was so keen to get myself there.

I can't seem to find a link on their website, Facebook or Twitter page about it! But it is definitely on their Instagram page. 

What I bought to reach $20

Rimmel Apocalips in Apocaliptic

Rimmel I Love Lasting Finish polish in Misty Jade

The box and a description of the contents

The bottom row is what you get in the box!

Rimmel 60 seconds polish in 'How Do You Lilac it?

Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 103

Scandal Eyes eyeliner in silver

Scandal Eyes Show Off Mascara

I haven't swatched things yet because I'm not sure I'll keep them, the colour of the lipstick is quite nice - check out some swatches here, but I don't know if it will suit me. Not too sure about the silver eyeliner either, but I will need a new mascara soon and I love the colour of the nail polish!

At the store I went to, the SA asked if I wanted the pink or the neutral toned box but pink appealed to me more. I'm not sure what specific shades are in the neutral box but I'm sure they are just as nice as this box!

This GWP runs until the 12th of August or until stock runs out, so if you are keen, get to Priceline soon :)

Winter blues

Winter is reaching to an end (FINALLY) which means its nearly time for spring, my favourite season! Anyway, I am fairly lazy with skincare in winter, but I'll show you a couple of things that have made winter a little more tolerable...

Top: Nivea Pure and Natural Regenerating Night cream

L-R

Crabtree & Evelyn La Source hand cream (sample size)
Trilogy Eye Contour Cream

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme

Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream

Nutrimetics Nutri-Rich Moisturising Body Satin

Nivea Night cream

I received this back in January for a beautyheaven trial and found it way too thick for the extremely hot summer days we were having back then. However, it's perfect for winter - super thick and creamy, it makes my skin feel so soft in the morning. I'm also loving their Soothing Day Cream for daytime (well, duh) but I chose not to include it to avoid repetition. 

Crabtree & Evenlyn hand cream

I actually got this with Woman's Day (I think?) a couple of months ago, but didn't really use it until recently when it started getting cold. I love the way it smells, kind of like fresh purified water or something...not sure how to describe it. Either way, I use it at night before bed and my hands feel a lot better in the morning.

Trilogy Eye Cream

This is the first eye cream I've used properly and I'm really liking it. It is quite hydrating and makes my under eye area appear more plump, so my dark circles are less noticeable.

Burt's Bees Cuticle Creme

I enjoy this all year round. Great for those who abuse their nails with chemical torture on a regular basis. 

Nivea Lip Butter

THIS SMELLS AWESOME. Even if I hated this as a lip balm (which I don't!) I would still buy this because it smells so yummy. I love caramel, and this is a great lip balm. I love Nivea, they're one of my fave skincare brands.

Nutrimetics Body Satin

Spray on moisturiser? What a great idea! I use this after jumping out of a hot shower into the freezing bathroom, quickly spraying it all over because I really just want to get dressed asap. It smells very sweet and apricot-y. I've seen on a few blogs that Vaseline have also done their own version of spray on moisturiser, but I'm not sure if it has made it to Aus yet. 

What have you been loving this chilly season? Feel free to link me to your winter faves post!

PS - I've just joined Twitter, so follow me and let's chat! 

https://twitter.com/allherpretty

Suigo shampoo + conditioner review

Suigo is a brand I've seen popping up quite a bit in the beauty blogging world, so after expressing interest on a blog post of Sarah's on Suigo hair products, she asked if I would be interested in trying out some samples - um, heck yes!

Suigo Ultimate Control Shampoo

Suigo Ultimate Control Conditioner

I was lucky enough to receive two 60mL bottles, shampoo and conditioner. The bottles look quite nice - simple but elegant.

From a quick peruse of the website, it seems that this range is packed full of great ingredients (bean protein and nut oil, to name a few), and not your usual chemical nasties. To be honest, I generally just use any shampoo because my hair isn't too fussy, but I feel like this range really does make a difference. I'm thinking it has something to do with the no-nasties approach that Suigo has towards hair.

The shampoo is super creamy and smells delicious - if only I could find a body wash that smelt like this! It smells kind of like salon hair products, with a hint of cinnamon. The shampoo lathers well and leaves my hair feeling smooth, but not stripped.

The conditioner is also excellent, but make sure you wash it out really well otherwise it can leave some residue behind. Again, the smell is pleasant. It gives you that 'slip' feeling which I am a fan of.

As for volumising - yep, it definitely adds volume. The next morning, after taming my fro, I found I had more volume at the roots which is where I normally lack volume and look limp. My hair felt soft and bouncy, but maybe a little less wavy than usual - this might be from the thick conditioner. I did get some compliments on my hair in the following days, so I guess thats a good sign!

Overall, I did like the shampoo and conditioner. I'd probably use them for days when I need a bit more volume, like when I plan to straighten my hair, for some extra oomph. As for the packaging, I found the lids quite difficult to open and close - not too sure why!

Have you tried Suigo products before?