tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24900796482532880142024-03-16T12:10:08.914+11:00Diary of a Beauty PadawanI'm pretty clueless. Join me as I figure obvious stuff out.Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-62705054364708603322019-11-05T23:25:00.000+11:002019-11-05T23:25:47.813+11:00Weekend Vibes #2Last week was one heck of a week -- a pretty decent mix of the good, the bad, and the ugly, but with <i>just</i> enough stress and anxiety to tip it into the classification of "difficult".<br />
<br />
There are many challenges in being a teacher, but I think one of the biggest ones is when you have students who appear to either not realise or not care about all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. I can admit that the reason I work 80-hour weeks is that I work slowly -- I'm an anxiety-riddled perfectionist who likes everything to be thought through. I don't expect everything to be perfect, but I expect myself to have done as much as possible for my lessons to have gone as well as possible.<br />
<br />
It's not about being <i>the </i>best, it's about being <i>my</i> best.<br />
<br />
That's probably why I'm my own worst enemy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CrrptolPv66F8LAKLAjje0xLSPJjhFUUBiSxsVTOv8bTD2YQBvPDFZir0qZluLoJBrvMvFgE5PknNYfuvHAgewlmXPmlIu9A5ZY-rFChsq6RaGpZsZZA5SBj9IFlYvoyrJQFSqIXezA/s1600/IMG_20191101_200539_656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CrrptolPv66F8LAKLAjje0xLSPJjhFUUBiSxsVTOv8bTD2YQBvPDFZir0qZluLoJBrvMvFgE5PknNYfuvHAgewlmXPmlIu9A5ZY-rFChsq6RaGpZsZZA5SBj9IFlYvoyrJQFSqIXezA/s320/IMG_20191101_200539_656.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doing work on mood in class, and this kiddo got it right,</td></tr>
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Even still, it well and truly sucks when you have students loudly and obnoxiously question why you've planned things a certain way, and then go on to add that they wished they'd been transferred to another class. All this after you've sought their personal feedback -- actually <i>utilised</i> their right to student agency -- to improve and change the type of work that they're doing.<br />
<br />
It's like... glad I stayed up until 2am figuring this out for you, kid.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_itDB8XdgmMF1yt1k5FF231ov23IfdgCWnz46wvPksPZcirmq6tPHgBomf6BiqZ-yjdI9g4t21PsrD3Azv0Pi7c4aG9FLs5Pc8Y92-d-v5drt7CUVgsuJMgnx6TF2_32eFDjA9dkbd1Q/s1600/IMG_20191101_200539_698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_itDB8XdgmMF1yt1k5FF231ov23IfdgCWnz46wvPksPZcirmq6tPHgBomf6BiqZ-yjdI9g4t21PsrD3Azv0Pi7c4aG9FLs5Pc8Y92-d-v5drt7CUVgsuJMgnx6TF2_32eFDjA9dkbd1Q/s320/IMG_20191101_200539_698.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like the Pacific Ocean.</td></tr>
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Still, there's been plenty to feel good about.<br />
<br />
I took a day off work to recharge my batteries. It was actually meant to be a day for me to catch up on all the marking that I still haven't done, but... I am the worst when it comes to marking turnaround times. Still, I did a short 3-minute meditation (usually meditation drives me mental), completed some much-needed house chores and ran some errands. It was a good day, all in all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAp_sQAi1EBdekfNnw77G9IS6lQLybilA2LdI55j768TIwyxXg3ri6_FOpsrjNRpb29u6uz7V6BjHw2XWNOdt4pVUE8TPDqxQMddyl0sRb5uDzYnObEIHOTc3tKftCsdw9iOJJoKnJ9YM/s1600/IMG_20191101_200539_667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAp_sQAi1EBdekfNnw77G9IS6lQLybilA2LdI55j768TIwyxXg3ri6_FOpsrjNRpb29u6uz7V6BjHw2XWNOdt4pVUE8TPDqxQMddyl0sRb5uDzYnObEIHOTc3tKftCsdw9iOJJoKnJ9YM/s320/IMG_20191101_200539_667.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Never surprised by the quality of this kiddo's art skills.</td></tr>
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I flew up to Sydney on Friday night with my best friend, too, for a Sephora one-day event. Just getting to Sydney was <strike>a nightmare</strike> an adventure. I found out in the morning that our flight for that night had been cancelled and we'd been booked onto another flight at 6am the next morning. Naturally, I was freaking out because both of us were teaching all day and didn't have time to sit around to try and fix the problem.<br />
<br />
Qantas did end up pulling through -- after discovering a wait time of two and a half hours to talk on the phone, I ended up utilising their text message chat service, and ended up getting us what I <i>think</i> were the last two available flights to Sydney! We weren't able to sit next to each other buuuut we also didn't care -- we were on our way to Sydney and not about to lose out on a night's accommodation!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_nnQ47aJBBPtTT7b9lzqsVuwSIM98_n34sQInH6R04uj8cEO155L-CTAAJ0z7TXlLMAkztzbwDeEGrdLHstpCkTfZTzWRJ9vILgrTqX2L0J7xme2YutbcfZmQG28Wyfs6g0mxjcN1Z0/s1600/20191101_205607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_nnQ47aJBBPtTT7b9lzqsVuwSIM98_n34sQInH6R04uj8cEO155L-CTAAJ0z7TXlLMAkztzbwDeEGrdLHstpCkTfZTzWRJ9vILgrTqX2L0J7xme2YutbcfZmQG28Wyfs6g0mxjcN1Z0/s320/20191101_205607.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I always appreciate a window seat, especially when I know there's no danger of me needing to pee.</td></tr>
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The Sephora event, called School of Sephora, was kinda hit and miss. I think I'd weight it positively overall -- we got a very generous goodie bag and there were plenty of other samples being given out -- but there were also <i>loads</i> of lines to different stalls and booths, and I don't really like waiting in lines when I haven't really anticipated it. My bestie and I decided to call it quits after a couple of hours and head to the farmers market across the road, which was far more easy-going.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYADOKpBaNmPnIS4_Akt3dMYlZa09g_CfysWnDb-aw6HCJvp3ZtGDElLZaX1e39PzPpPRVr-ksg-hdTAHRcC7XcIBpEVDxgIn5eYnXkiNsvkVxp1-zuvMvrB3T4kqE8Fjzmqn_kaWOGQ/s1600/20191102_122842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYADOKpBaNmPnIS4_Akt3dMYlZa09g_CfysWnDb-aw6HCJvp3ZtGDElLZaX1e39PzPpPRVr-ksg-hdTAHRcC7XcIBpEVDxgIn5eYnXkiNsvkVxp1-zuvMvrB3T4kqE8Fjzmqn_kaWOGQ/s320/20191102_122842.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still gettin' all them goods.</td></tr>
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Okey dokey, let's now head on to the regular round-up!<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Eating recently</b></h2>
<br />
I ate some seriously delicious stuff while in Sydney and naturally took no photos of any of it. The Sephora Collection booth at School of Sephora had like a pick-n-mix lolly bar, so I 100% took advantage of that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1UQb75WX28BvF3logCieYjDmppSX5Z-dWM1QatVcjxOy6zywa3WJ_FSxdLUYLNvObTvJErDZNPX1MV_Eb2zbvwSA63bkORJjSC3ouvGkjUARrtJ4LzyRLvWOtVvUgwmNGmN94jspdgQ/s1600/20191102_123131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1UQb75WX28BvF3logCieYjDmppSX5Z-dWM1QatVcjxOy6zywa3WJ_FSxdLUYLNvObTvJErDZNPX1MV_Eb2zbvwSA63bkORJjSC3ouvGkjUARrtJ4LzyRLvWOtVvUgwmNGmN94jspdgQ/s320/20191102_123131.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This sugar rush from this was insaaaaane!</td></tr>
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I bought a delicious cheese at the Carriageworks Farmers Market called "curly red". I tried a sample and it was absolutely delicious, I simply couldn't not buy some. The lady at the stand was talking about how it was a "mixed milk" cheese to a girl who was next to us, but we kind of came in to the tail end of the conversation and I couldn't really pick up a lot of what she was saying. Looking at the packaging, the cheese was mixed milk in that it was part-sheep, part-cow and that it was gin-washed. I don't know what it means for a cheese to be gin-washed, but I have several friends who like gin so I felt excited on their behalf.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bvQcRuMQX5QV2tbr5LSbsRSU99hmmaa0uE0wuDTuqRFFdIYiDHlWiNydgB_oTcNYLChvWStBevetKvDeJ0QMTrRMXKenW8S95rIS4d84ilOniaEsMQx55WMSWhW0vuzJUFeZWk6CgPk/s1600/received_2567875453465096.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bvQcRuMQX5QV2tbr5LSbsRSU99hmmaa0uE0wuDTuqRFFdIYiDHlWiNydgB_oTcNYLChvWStBevetKvDeJ0QMTrRMXKenW8S95rIS4d84ilOniaEsMQx55WMSWhW0vuzJUFeZWk6CgPk/s320/received_2567875453465096.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a tough choice between Bloomy and Curly Red.</td></tr>
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My bestie and I also had an amazing fresh apple and raspberry juice -- if you know me, you know that I'm a bit of a picky eater and I'm not one for fruits and such (don't ask me how it is that I'm alive, I genuinely don't know), but it was perfectly refreshing and exactly what we needed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qE3ioImIXvyLxkAywEAOlpm7rZGfhGt_XHlaOCsAu5eZkoNLsdWxrvqQ6jtXw5lkaYJNVfpjno2hb5ACGLK8Wv7UCzqPRQpQMvvbR5ZY1atkXw0Hpu8csdfql9XG8QQzGoKKEQw11Ms/s1600/20191102_115636+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qE3ioImIXvyLxkAywEAOlpm7rZGfhGt_XHlaOCsAu5eZkoNLsdWxrvqQ6jtXw5lkaYJNVfpjno2hb5ACGLK8Wv7UCzqPRQpQMvvbR5ZY1atkXw0Hpu8csdfql9XG8QQzGoKKEQw11Ms/s320/20191102_115636+%25281%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just <i>so</i> good on a hot day after a lot of walking around in terrible shoes.</td></tr>
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For a late lunch, I think I found my dream restaurant in <b><a href="https://merchantsofultimo.com.au/" target="_blank">Merchants of Ultimo</a></b> in the Broadway shopping centre. It looked so cool, with different stations for pastries, pizza, pasta, burgers... Ooh, I was loving every moment! I really wish that there was one back home because I'd be there every other weekend to try everything on that menu. I was particularly impressed by the "build your own pasta" menu, which offered a selection of pasta and sauce varieties to which you could add little extras. I did ask for a ravioli carbonara with mushrooms, and then was told by the waitress that it would be difficult "to mix the pasta and the sauce together", so I switched to squid-ink fettucini at the waitress' recommendation.<br />
<br />
My dish did take a while to come out -- we made the usual-style joke about the chef going out to catch the squid for the ink -- but it was delicious. Do I think it would have worked with the ravioli? Yes, I do. I didn't think the sauce was so thick that it wouldn't mix, but then what do I know?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNAaHv2tnonwMIcSKTWbXek2zlj2uYzFHdyv4BTNZtyZNWgJWgdShsFBoIKpSCh0wRz8JcneUZa_5AJjRMn_K9yacFRjStrdfcuEl50dSTJoNNXWRDTVeqDDcOP1R5iq5-j3JIllFJnRI/s1600/received_2487989221526711.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNAaHv2tnonwMIcSKTWbXek2zlj2uYzFHdyv4BTNZtyZNWgJWgdShsFBoIKpSCh0wRz8JcneUZa_5AJjRMn_K9yacFRjStrdfcuEl50dSTJoNNXWRDTVeqDDcOP1R5iq5-j3JIllFJnRI/s320/received_2487989221526711.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Menu @ Merchants. Photo credit: My bestie.</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Reading recently</b></h2>
<b><br /></b>
I've really put in extra effort to listening to <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1890117.Murder_in_a_Nunnery" target="_blank">Murder in a Nunnery</a></b> and it's gotten quite good! It goes to show that it's only really worth listening to something if you're in the mood for it, otherwise you're unable to focus and you'll miss parts. I think I have perhaps 10 minutes left on the audiobook; I can't wait to return it, it'll be a true sense of accomplishment!<br />
<br />
I brought along two books for the plane ride to Sydney, just to give myself a little choice, and I got about 60 pages or so in on <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8579486-six-impossible-things" target="_blank">Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood</a> </b>on the plane ride over. It's one of the Book Club books that my students are doing, and I borrowed it from my public library because there weren't enough copies for me. I was glad for it, in the end. I persisted in finishing the book on the plane ride back to Melbourne, and it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. I'm not quite sure that it's a book I would have been thrilled to have bought.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVe6crTbokaG0Co-1kDgtgNVOkU3eomwGOqoPFSHVA4Tzgru2V7xkVUGUhwxNuQBwymSDKNQG2Heq3kfVc98ZtgTrQr4JxFDsKmW5i2h0N6mrYWs2w_o2Xwd5tjGdkWrSSxECpnuGVsU/s1600/20191102_123140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVe6crTbokaG0Co-1kDgtgNVOkU3eomwGOqoPFSHVA4Tzgru2V7xkVUGUhwxNuQBwymSDKNQG2Heq3kfVc98ZtgTrQr4JxFDsKmW5i2h0N6mrYWs2w_o2Xwd5tjGdkWrSSxECpnuGVsU/s320/20191102_123140.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll just read this gorgeous coffee table book next time.<br />...After I get a coffee table.</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Watching recently</b></h2>
<b><br /></b>
There hasn't been a great deal of time to watch anything this week. It's been <b>RuPaul's Drag Race UK</b>, Season 6 of <b>Below Deck</b> while I've been planning at home and a little of Season 1 of <b>Below Deck</b> to introduce my bestie to it. I think I did attempt to watch a little of <b>The Golden Girls</b>, but I ended up napping.<br />
<br />
Re-watching "Below Deck" has been interesting -- to me, there have been several unlikeable people on the show, and their sense of entitlement makes me feel like I'm back at work dealing with students who think they're owed respect that they have not earned <i>at all</i>. I don't know, perhaps it's always been a problem and I'm only really seeing it now.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3lR69MczvK3RzKkhdzEbpMipQ7S7s2b4MFcSpCSbree9lzE2te-BCnNJdLL8Leurv2gzkyrpfoD2AFuUrnhgudj7M01ZzVx37rOPljTCDhot0tQrVzO1ROPTc4_mis8DxfPmRz4WHDU/s1600/20191102_084745+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3lR69MczvK3RzKkhdzEbpMipQ7S7s2b4MFcSpCSbree9lzE2te-BCnNJdLL8Leurv2gzkyrpfoD2AFuUrnhgudj7M01ZzVx37rOPljTCDhot0tQrVzO1ROPTc4_mis8DxfPmRz4WHDU/s320/20191102_084745+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This park is maybe as far from the high seas as you can get. Kinda.</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Listening to recently</b></h2>
<b><br /></b>
Podcasts have once again been the main source of audio input this week, though I've been moving more towards <b><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3WQCJ4KJQnnlkB4bx8Aef0" target="_blank">The Good Place: The Podcast</a></b>, as well as a couple of other little bits and pieces from other shows that I've been getting through just so that I can delete them from my list.<br />
<br />
I did also start listening to <b><a href="https://twitter.com/officeladiespod" target="_blank">Office Ladies</a></b>, the podcast by Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer on the TV show <i>The Office</i>, and I downloaded episode three for the plane ride. I also misplaced my headphones, so I got to listen to about 20 minutes of it on Saturday evening when I decided to go to Starbucks (!!!) and borrowed my bestie's. I really enjoy these kinds of podcasts; I love to learn all those extra behind-the-scenes tidbits that you used to only get with director commentary on a DVD.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7ZmTDLebNcCwDLTLzpuBUZVmbhOK_-jVyf7h6RRGbiGWrQWHEqCbxqf3Y9_NSH_E66x8wa_oaRm7g78f9UO5CJ8UqlyOr2yfahSru_4HGy1ETfTZwCgZr5mrPKSC8zo8ZmkBGjHsWpg/s1600/received_2018354998267401.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7ZmTDLebNcCwDLTLzpuBUZVmbhOK_-jVyf7h6RRGbiGWrQWHEqCbxqf3Y9_NSH_E66x8wa_oaRm7g78f9UO5CJ8UqlyOr2yfahSru_4HGy1ETfTZwCgZr5mrPKSC8zo8ZmkBGjHsWpg/s320/received_2018354998267401.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early evening walk to Starbuck + podcasts + photos of Old Sydney = lovely.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So that's a wrap on my week! I still have <i>so</i> many things that I have to do, and so, so quickly (ugh), but I'll pull through.<br />
<br />
I suppose I'd like to know: <b>what's something delicious that you've eaten this week? </b>Let me know!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDebVPDi5ZO2hw1Ei1ctAUwfugYXGnwKEzqTo3LUecvYhV0cUcK6Ox9P_oYrykMsC1NJ962QRQAiudMMPZdA3eqTLDPTWuewavyy-GVOOBH9u8iq8_B1aU-GbBYQc_cMSTfrWyi_r_tk/s1600/shae+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="118" data-original-width="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDebVPDi5ZO2hw1Ei1ctAUwfugYXGnwKEzqTo3LUecvYhV0cUcK6Ox9P_oYrykMsC1NJ962QRQAiudMMPZdA3eqTLDPTWuewavyy-GVOOBH9u8iq8_B1aU-GbBYQc_cMSTfrWyi_r_tk/s1600/shae+signature.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This post was brought to you by a woman who knows that's a Tuesday, thus, not the weekend, but whatever, she's tired.</td></tr>
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-26081370864517152092019-10-28T22:08:00.000+11:002019-10-28T22:08:19.651+11:00Weekend Vibes #1As the iconic Vanessa Vanjie Mateo once said...<br />
<br />
Bitch, I'm back!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikONmQT_hkii40RMWfKXxYuiptJM19JLEr0JfWA4aKdZmQdn0MZzykuZDAgy2W99JBdnscEgeyN2LxBS6Cjap_VyD4aW3o-Nwp6XCOqiBpS0wNyVOL7BD-PEh75yFSCyc8OdyZCJst0Hc/s1600/IMG_20190629_165440_590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="1458" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikONmQT_hkii40RMWfKXxYuiptJM19JLEr0JfWA4aKdZmQdn0MZzykuZDAgy2W99JBdnscEgeyN2LxBS6Cjap_VyD4aW3o-Nwp6XCOqiBpS0wNyVOL7BD-PEh75yFSCyc8OdyZCJst0Hc/s200/IMG_20190629_165440_590.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same girl, new glasses.</td></tr>
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Well, let's be real, who knows whether or not I'm back regularly? While I have tried to come back to blogging behind the scenes and have stopped and started many, many posts, it has been a really eventful, life-changing, difficult two and a half years.<br />
<br />
Before I get started on that, however, I'd firstly like to give a shout-out to Charlotte of <a href="https://www.bycharlotteann.com/" target="_blank">By Charlotte Ann</a>, who gave me the A-OK to use her <a href="https://www.bycharlotteann.com/2019/10/sunday-share-13/" target="_blank">Sunday Share</a> post structure. Her blog is leaps and bounds above mine, so it's <i>incredibly</i> kind of her to let me use it.<br />
<br />
Okay. Let's keep shuffling on.<br />
<br />
So I'm a teacher now! That interview I went to in my <b><a href="https://beautypadawan.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-actual-diary-bit-vol-5-january-16th.html" target="_blank">last blog post</a></b>? Turns out I was successful! I landed my first full-time teaching gig aaaaaand my mental health took the biggest battering it has truly ever taken. I've learned some really difficult life lessons in a really difficult way, but ultimately I've grown a lot -- there's something to be said for that.<br />
<br />
Where I am now, I'd say I'm generally a lot happier. The job isn't any easier and I've certainly had my fair share of frustrations, but I've made a lot of positive strides and I can feel myself improving all the time.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZn8M6E61NlABi3fK3qmarLmnchLQYRcO2eRr5oQaZK1b5ilwU_Mn8EZeTQwnCnRRm81vWIXv0ToqJzdTL2KRtHwts2JDr2Bx-uNNb5lpX9wV1v0Dx-4mE4RRRvFdVXaBy4ylk6UotMo/s1600/IMG_20191009_211143_053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZn8M6E61NlABi3fK3qmarLmnchLQYRcO2eRr5oQaZK1b5ilwU_Mn8EZeTQwnCnRRm81vWIXv0ToqJzdTL2KRtHwts2JDr2Bx-uNNb5lpX9wV1v0Dx-4mE4RRRvFdVXaBy4ylk6UotMo/s200/IMG_20191009_211143_053.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5E9Gg73iOaXduabtmN1Ajn-E3LG69QEKMfwOpJb3m7jpZgCWfwVO7rwtfg5Zaq-KIeowVkYN4Cp_foqQingt4QtbFEvmxYVFJhhsuZujHf24GxSB-uXg6Lmd7lGDviZ4jyQlOcNEj48o/s1600/IMG_20191007_234145_903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5E9Gg73iOaXduabtmN1Ajn-E3LG69QEKMfwOpJb3m7jpZgCWfwVO7rwtfg5Zaq-KIeowVkYN4Cp_foqQingt4QtbFEvmxYVFJhhsuZujHf24GxSB-uXg6Lmd7lGDviZ4jyQlOcNEj48o/s200/IMG_20191007_234145_903.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sometimes teaching involves bright, beautiful exemplars and sometimes it's just sleep-deprived ramblings on sticky notes.</span></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Eating recently</b></h2>
<b><br /></b>
I recently bought a three-month subscription to <b><a href="https://zenpop.jp/japanese-ramen-pack" target="_blank">Zenpop's Ramen Pack</a></b>, so I've eaten a couple of the ramen packets in that. I think my favourite so far has been the very first one I tried, QTTA Tomato Cheese Cream Ramen. It was absolutely <i style="font-weight: bold;">~delicious~ </i>and it's the kind of thing that I could eat again and again. I think the sign of a good instant cup noodle is whether or not you can finish the soup, and this soup was delicious.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QU5zutKfk7_2f5Vaoy7lDR-l7L-zbFKSST2unk-tWw5RebGqkW_4Y3d-lo_df5ocnOBmS769DgKFDBk7Ic1-fJy7jmCQ0f4CGC-Y40zADNRvULA-ZpZNMyFnpY5qO2KRKfBA3eJgEAk/s1600/IMG_20191016_215118_083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QU5zutKfk7_2f5Vaoy7lDR-l7L-zbFKSST2unk-tWw5RebGqkW_4Y3d-lo_df5ocnOBmS769DgKFDBk7Ic1-fJy7jmCQ0f4CGC-Y40zADNRvULA-ZpZNMyFnpY5qO2KRKfBA3eJgEAk/s200/IMG_20191016_215118_083.jpg" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many delicious packets of noodles.</td></tr>
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<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Reading recently</b></h2>
<b><br /></b>
I have <i>so many</i> books on the go, it's actually ridiculous. I run a book club with my Year 7 class and I'm meant to keep up reading the books that they're reading, but to be honest... it's been challenging, and at the moment I haven't been able to do it.<br />
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I have been pacing myself with the student texts for this term, which are <b><a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/holes-louis-sachar/book/9781408865231.html" target="_blank">Holes by Louis Sachar</a></b> and <b><a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/trash-andy-mulligan/book/9781909531130.html" target="_blank">Trash by Andy Mulligan</a></b>. Both are books that I've read before, so there's nothing new for me there. I have attempted to listen to an audiobook -- <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Murder-in-a-Nunnery/dp/1909619388/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Murder in a Nunnery by Eric Shepherd</a></b> -- while I'm in the car driving to and from work. I think I'm technically about 65% through it, but I know that there are times when I've zoned out and missed parts of the story. I don't mind audiobooks, but I do find it difficult to always give them my full attention.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXvoXCDDOvU4KBOFq7dIr75DnACTp0GypBlUr6aW4U7lF9qfnNfbK15nsyJinI-qX50QaWw4Xj0mMjaUcovyOIIc2bG_U_4O4sxI1Em-EE7LcUVRGkX_AtLq-GnTL_xUWPNxIWq1Dto8/s1600/IMG_20191006_233327_225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXvoXCDDOvU4KBOFq7dIr75DnACTp0GypBlUr6aW4U7lF9qfnNfbK15nsyJinI-qX50QaWw4Xj0mMjaUcovyOIIc2bG_U_4O4sxI1Em-EE7LcUVRGkX_AtLq-GnTL_xUWPNxIWq1Dto8/s200/IMG_20191006_233327_225.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's an irrelevant picture of a mug that I'm loving at the moment.</td></tr>
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<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Watching recently</b></h2>
<b><br /></b>
I really enjoy watching TV, though there are so many shows out there that it's hard to keep up with everything, especially when work becomes super hectic. That being said, I <i>always</i> make time for two shows: <b>The Good Place</b> and <b>RuPaul's Drag Race UK.</b> "The Good Place" is hilarious, and such the perfect little break on a Friday night -- I'm kinda sad that this is the last season! It is absolutely the type of show that I would buy on DVD.<br />
<br />
"RuPaul's Drag Race UK" is the first season of the original flagship show from the US. I tend to enjoy a British sense of humour but I like to keep my humour clean -- sometimes what these queens have to say is filthier than the Thames was just before it caught fire. My favourite contestants so far have been Sum Ting Wong, Baga Chipz and Vivina de Campo. Sum Ting Wong was eliminated on this week's episode, however, so I'm a little bit sad about that.<br />
<br />
<b>Terrace House: Opening New Doors </b>has also been something I've been watching a lot of during the last few weeks. If you haven't heard of <i>Terrace House</i> at all, then you need. to. get. on. it. It's essentially a show about nothing, but it's so entertaining. Six strangers -- three men, three women -- move into a house together, they're given a couple of cars so that they can get to where they need to get to, and the whole thing is filmed. There's also a host of panellists who kind of watch along the show with you, which is what makes the show so unique. The <i>Opening New Doors</i> season is the third on Netflix outside of Japan, the first being <i>Boys and Girls in the City</i> followed by <i>Aloha State</i>; you don't need to watch them in order by any means, but the panellists do sometimes refer to events that happen in the earlier seasons, and it's nice to have the context.<br />
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This weekend I've also binge-watched Season 5 of <b>Below Deck</b>, which is an incredibly entertaining reality TV show about the yachting industry. The types of experiences that the guests have is certainly something that I'll never be able to have, and the absolute <i>drama </i>between the crew is almost positively delicious. It's kinda like that Gia Gunn meme, y'know?<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOex4td2doMCBveSSXcDsw6B24oSKeuM-r5kavqSIjX0s8Zc571osDqnmXaxj7fQkoX1jA8qZT9MmVYk2o6rQ_Etl897wtqAmaqyypsZR3pKQhjHVF4qdm1Udb-6Z7w0ajp5nYL94gEX0/s1600/20190307_161834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="1078" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOex4td2doMCBveSSXcDsw6B24oSKeuM-r5kavqSIjX0s8Zc571osDqnmXaxj7fQkoX1jA8qZT9MmVYk2o6rQ_Etl897wtqAmaqyypsZR3pKQhjHVF4qdm1Udb-6Z7w0ajp5nYL94gEX0/s320/20190307_161834.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source unknown.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><br />Listening to recently</b></h2>
<b><br /></b>
I've become a massive podcast fiend over the last few years, going from having maybe six or seven podcasts that I subscribed to... to having over 130. Yup. It's become a problem. I'm don't regularly listen to all of them -- I genuinely don't think there would be enough hours in the week -- so what I listen to kind of depends on what I'm in the mood for.<br />
<br />
Unsurprisingly, I've been listening to several <i>Terrace House</i> podcasts lately -- though after I finished <i>Opening New Doors, </i>I went online and checked on some of my favourite people... and when I kind of saw what I hoped I wouldn't (it's truly not as dramatic as it sounds), my desire to listen to anything <i>Terrace House</i>-related was immediately extinguished. Perhaps I just need some space for a little bit before I go back to it...<br />
<br />
Still, my favourite podcasts are <b><a href="https://twitter.com/noscriptatall" target="_blank">No Script At All</a></b>, <b><a href="https://twitter.com/TouristHousePod" target="_blank">Tourist House</a></b> and <b><a href="https://twitter.com/TadaimaPod" target="_blank">Tadaima</a></b>. I'm subscribed to several more besides these, but these are my favourite at the moment.<br />
<br />
So thaaaaaaat's pretty much it for now! I guess I'd like to know: <b>what podcasts are you listening to at the moment?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtw5G8BnJqYG0klkIzzaB4YCTRkhyCHKUrX4kuoAX1NCEf8m2WVtoqv8P0_1TMDt_YytxdnxCdD3iqU2wIkQAG95-E7o7WdZQ9ObFg59JkuLncoJNMAuedxz6IZmfC7DMfIOWTVUy6xA/s1600/shae+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="118" data-original-width="268" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtw5G8BnJqYG0klkIzzaB4YCTRkhyCHKUrX4kuoAX1NCEf8m2WVtoqv8P0_1TMDt_YytxdnxCdD3iqU2wIkQAG95-E7o7WdZQ9ObFg59JkuLncoJNMAuedxz6IZmfC7DMfIOWTVUy6xA/s200/shae+signature.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This post was brought to you by a woman who has truly reverted back to Padawan status.</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b>Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-84953608500694878902017-01-27T11:56:00.000+11:002017-01-27T11:56:49.691+11:00The Actual Diary Bit Vol. 5 | 16th Jan to 22nd Jan<strong>Monday, January 16th </strong>|| I had my interview today! I had to drive for about half an hour or so to get to the place, but I don't mind this because it's far enough from where I live that I shouldn't be running into anyone outside of work hours. It's awkward when it happens. I think the interview went as well as it could have, all things considered -- I'm not confident that I'll get the job by any means, but I don't think I completely tanked. I went to the library afterwards, met up with my brothers there and kept reading <em>Brooklyn</em>, which has been the next book on my Reading Challenge list. That ending. :| Another little piece of info: I was asked by another place to come in for an interview! Even if I'm unsuccessful at all these places, it'll be great experience.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFtLLSAPzcHoibK-R7Q0ci8V7kJe-os9MjoKIhmABMOWdnI8FL1HS1a-FWqZ4owqgX3JbmZbM0D4y6539Y5___WKGFtcwNQnRbZsWRc1WKJ2IFB0QC1NR5UYMwOmpBhZix-AcdZm7KHo/s1600/IMG_20170116_123528_230a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFtLLSAPzcHoibK-R7Q0ci8V7kJe-os9MjoKIhmABMOWdnI8FL1HS1a-FWqZ4owqgX3JbmZbM0D4y6539Y5___WKGFtcwNQnRbZsWRc1WKJ2IFB0QC1NR5UYMwOmpBhZix-AcdZm7KHo/s200/IMG_20170116_123528_230a.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-interview ramen.</td></tr>
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<strong>Tuesday, January 17th </strong>|| Wanted to blog, but was just not feeling it! I did some laundry, made some chocolate croissants <em>again</em> -- only eight this time, though -- and, despite the 38 degree heat, huddled up on the couch with a blanket because the air con was turned up so high. I've been watching cop shows lately on Netflix, and I ended up napping while one of them was on. What is it with me and napping lately? I should find out tomorrow whether or not I've gotten the job that I had an interview for yesterday. I don't think I have, because one of my referees told me she'd message me if anyone called her, and I haven't heard a peep.<br />
<br />
Oh well!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjufl2-kOfNZj8T01qdfvPguaMNH6LZRzniNo1fbpgfcZJ_zFGy6W5AnsaR_9iPyn_4NW6CmOQbaFYPeQQXigveg6r1StBlk91LbaOiXMlktQuRn5-XrxWG12aO7VqqPQGCyWxeQCFg0/s1600/20170117_133923a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjufl2-kOfNZj8T01qdfvPguaMNH6LZRzniNo1fbpgfcZJ_zFGy6W5AnsaR_9iPyn_4NW6CmOQbaFYPeQQXigveg6r1StBlk91LbaOiXMlktQuRn5-XrxWG12aO7VqqPQGCyWxeQCFg0/s200/20170117_133923a.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that warm, chocolatey, croissanty goodness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong>Wednesday, January 18th </strong>|| Didn't end up hearing anything about the job, but I guess that's to be expected to a degree. They always take a long time at these things. I was also hoping that some of my stickers from Etsy might arrive -- two orders were shipped out on the same day last week, but I only got one yesterday. Even so, no luck for me!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWu8Jk-_WsT0jJlnmJr8AaxCyDutFZ7d5Us0-j1Jz81bY-M7vogd-6qrMV2_bG6WaW4hibciMuOYjeiJy9y3mM93D8ExIo4Ed5QANUhHRPlv_WvdgXjFXZXEJjDF-uqgxA8Jh8whxHhA/s1600/20170117_202654a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWu8Jk-_WsT0jJlnmJr8AaxCyDutFZ7d5Us0-j1Jz81bY-M7vogd-6qrMV2_bG6WaW4hibciMuOYjeiJy9y3mM93D8ExIo4Ed5QANUhHRPlv_WvdgXjFXZXEJjDF-uqgxA8Jh8whxHhA/s320/20170117_202654a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Etsy goodness!</td></tr>
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<strong>Thursday, January 19th </strong>|| It was another uneventful day for me. I did a whole lot of housework and I prepared for the interview I have tomorrow. I had cop shows playing throughout the day again, but at least I didn't nap as well! I had work as well that evening, so I couldn't afford to sleep and be late. To include a little makeup talk (because I really have nothing else!), I used the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette. I'm getting a little bored of the palettes that are in my rotation so I'll have to change it up soon.<br />
<br />
<strong>Friday, January 20th </strong>|| The day of my second interview! I thought it went alright, and I was told that they wanted to make a decision by the end of the day, possibly early next week if things slowed down. I figured I might hear back next week, considering I haven't heard back from the first place, but I found out two hours after my interview that I didn't get the job. That being said, they gave me really good feedback, and I think the experience will just make me better prepared for future interviews, you know?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TDaBj_WmXFTqk2I_jBBE2urvlT0pg3mz-eBH0E9oA1AJpUhwq4zHdNjYEywJ2mz6E9UuNOTld0nfcN1TwDfbxWQ2odUeTZE6Tj5zBdA_GJDutuO5vmjs8jWRc3ehn3XyHBPcOcj0ifw/s1600/20170120_132125a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TDaBj_WmXFTqk2I_jBBE2urvlT0pg3mz-eBH0E9oA1AJpUhwq4zHdNjYEywJ2mz6E9UuNOTld0nfcN1TwDfbxWQ2odUeTZE6Tj5zBdA_GJDutuO5vmjs8jWRc3ehn3XyHBPcOcj0ifw/s200/20170120_132125a.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-interview karaage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong>Saturday, January 21st </strong>|| Today marked a momentous occasion! I introduced my mother to <em>How to Get Away with Murder</em> and she absolutely loves it. I haven't finished the first season yet, but we binge-watched the first half and the only reason why we didn't keep going after midnight was that I have work at 8am tomorrow! Hopefully we'll get to watch some more tomorrow after my shift ends.<br />
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<strong>Sunday, January 22nd </strong>|| Had a long, uneventful shift at work today. I've begun thinking that I might need to cut down on the length of my Sunday shifts. It will mean needing to pick up another shift in order to keep my contract, but my back seems to get worse after so long on my feet. It can take a day or two to clear up, so it's something that I have to think about.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxdpGgEcXR0mC_3Zxal7aQ2OTIKtxgDahXCrfIc9p9Uy5RvxURrFYrheQHlS3ptxmAWvs1WQZkYe_gzkR5q6pQqZ61j1XqYDYFASTYIDPwZGyk1hb9fAYQZuLOKRoENUfOCk4RK7wbv8/s1600/20170118_185259a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxdpGgEcXR0mC_3Zxal7aQ2OTIKtxgDahXCrfIc9p9Uy5RvxURrFYrheQHlS3ptxmAWvs1WQZkYe_gzkR5q6pQqZ61j1XqYDYFASTYIDPwZGyk1hb9fAYQZuLOKRoENUfOCk4RK7wbv8/s200/20170118_185259a.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some kind of delicious chicken pasta dish Mum made from leftovers!</td></tr>
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Anyway, that's what I got up to in the previous week! I want to know: <strong>Have you watched any good TV shows lately? </strong>I'll run out of things on Netflix eventually!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This post was brought to you by a woman who ate a lot of tasty food.</span></div>
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<img height="52" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWu8Jk-_WsT0jJlnmJr8AaxCyDutFZ7d5Us0-j1Jz81bY-M7vogd-6qrMV2_bG6WaW4hibciMuOYjeiJy9y3mM93D8ExIo4Ed5QANUhHRPlv_WvdgXjFXZXEJjDF-uqgxA8Jh8whxHhA/s320/20170117_202654a.jpg" style="left: 305px; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 611px;" width="96" />Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-16454837939274861782017-01-18T12:58:00.000+11:002017-01-18T13:08:11.999+11:00The Actual Diary Bit, Vol. 4 | 9th Jan to 15th Jan<strong>Monday, January 9th </strong>|| Monday was a good, busy day, blogwise. I'd spent the night before making a To Do list, at the top of which was editing a whole heap of photos. I got that done, and managed to fix up a couple of posts, but I forgot to hit "Publish"! Oh well. I didn't get as much social networking done as I'd wanted, as we had someone come round to the house to fix our aircon system.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhbpnhHN0Kl_WgAI5L87ucZwULewNDW1pFYwfSGwrkUhr6QUeflohdnuu17rifF2QTweCGyb2dxwCDLBH5tbo3U2ma6k9fztx4qc3GgGzqZxzl9JpmzZbwp_jxpbiHCHVMcg9_cR72w8/s1600/PhotoGrid_1484698728525a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhbpnhHN0Kl_WgAI5L87ucZwULewNDW1pFYwfSGwrkUhr6QUeflohdnuu17rifF2QTweCGyb2dxwCDLBH5tbo3U2ma6k9fztx4qc3GgGzqZxzl9JpmzZbwp_jxpbiHCHVMcg9_cR72w8/s200/PhotoGrid_1484698728525a.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I won a giveaway over Christmas and I received my goods!</td></tr>
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<strong>Tuesday, January 10th </strong>|| What a day! It was so hot overnight that I couldn't sleep, so by 4am I decided to just stay up and maybe nap at lunchtime. As it happened, I passed out at 7.30am and was forced awake at 10.30am by my phone ringing. Man <em>oh man</em>, was I tired! I then had to make up a shopping list and go grocery shopping -- the whole thing took three hours to do, and I was not happy. I've offered to cook tomorrow, which I hope will kind of lift my spirits a little bit!<br />
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<strong>Wednesday, January 11th </strong>|| I feel like I didn't achieve very much today! I wasn't exactly feeling 100% great, and it turned into light nausea by the afternoon. I don't know what's causing it -- perhaps all the yoghurt I've been eating lately? I had a nap around noon. I love napping, honestly, but I get so mad when I do because then I feel like I've wasted time, which I do not love. I crocheted a little bit, and I decided to make "American-style" burgers for dinner. What. A. Failure. They tasted good, but they fell apart. Le sigh.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzS4xGp5pHdxJb9ahkULmR_6_WRiHly4yw6bheWBnnOzMPIdYJARZRfaDIc_jtYi4Ub6xYiQW_-3GpXlWCKhpy4NqZLY6YZML9B6Q8207yVluFATwmx5Kfo1o42nzDbAhE2GHonKtmFnA/s1600/PhotoGrid_1484698987191a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzS4xGp5pHdxJb9ahkULmR_6_WRiHly4yw6bheWBnnOzMPIdYJARZRfaDIc_jtYi4Ub6xYiQW_-3GpXlWCKhpy4NqZLY6YZML9B6Q8207yVluFATwmx5Kfo1o42nzDbAhE2GHonKtmFnA/s200/PhotoGrid_1484698987191a.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A delicious, delicious fail.</td></tr>
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<strong>Thursday, January 12th </strong>|| Today I woke up at 5am, made breakfast for myself at 7, and then promptly went back to sleep for a few hours. It was another one of those days where I didn't achieve a great number of things but was still productive. The weather is beginning to turn; it was nice enough, sunny and all, but not hot by any means. My family ordered pizza for dinner while I went to work -- which is odd, because I thought my brother was supposed to be cooking? Also, I did a bad thing: I ordered the Violet Voss Ride or Die eyeshadow palette. $140. Sheeeeez.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhSS7-7ATolbi9lto9xF8vOyV0H-OOCia678nUqReNsFfPhMeCdEPYJzh-vc8Dv9JSnHK-_DQgBO90JlxTGbH2zBui6QoTz9LVBv1U_0VOnO-LwXz6FWSwFOSjF8v1EeEWnb8yLFuWNA/s1600/PhotoGrid_1484698216156.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhSS7-7ATolbi9lto9xF8vOyV0H-OOCia678nUqReNsFfPhMeCdEPYJzh-vc8Dv9JSnHK-_DQgBO90JlxTGbH2zBui6QoTz9LVBv1U_0VOnO-LwXz6FWSwFOSjF8v1EeEWnb8yLFuWNA/s200/PhotoGrid_1484698216156.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did a bad thing.</td></tr>
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<strong>Friday, January 13th </strong>|| Went to the doctor today! That sounds so much more exciting than it was, but the doctor gave me some medicine for some reflux I've had lately. I also found out that some stickers I ordered from Black Wombat AU on Etsy had arrived yesterday, so I spent today putting them into my diary! The stickers I ordered were for public holidays, as well as school term weeks -- just cute, handy stickers to have!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mz2ITbQ9ea32JRSugqZf37BSkrms5ilNAp0j64jUpX_P3iri7Y9_aHo-KDjBEyUNqTIdd6Z22D248CwEllbmLkVwyjBzr4vdXwuQhyphenhyphenkg2EobdxzdnizKRDYZr_KWjAARaiR-H15hMtM/s1600/PhotoGrid_1484698307982.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mz2ITbQ9ea32JRSugqZf37BSkrms5ilNAp0j64jUpX_P3iri7Y9_aHo-KDjBEyUNqTIdd6Z22D248CwEllbmLkVwyjBzr4vdXwuQhyphenhyphenkg2EobdxzdnizKRDYZr_KWjAARaiR-H15hMtM/s200/PhotoGrid_1484698307982.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute, adorable planner stickers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong>Saturday, January 14th </strong>|| Today I was meant to prepare for an interview that I have next week. I did a little preparation, but then I went back to what seems to be a favourite past time lately -- napping. I also started watching <em>A Series of Unfortunate Events </em>with my family. I've enjoyed it so far; I was worried that Neil Patrick Harris wouldn't make for a convincing Count Olaf, but he's done a decent job.<br />
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<strong>Sunday, January 15th </strong>|| Work again today! Had my regular long shift, and afterwards I got to see my grandparents -- always nice -- and then I began preparing for my interview tomorrow. I'm not sure that I did as much as I should have. There is only so much I can do, considering that I've only had one interview in the past. Even if I don't get this job, however, I still have work lined up for me once the school year starts, so there's plenty for me to be thankful for.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQoDkNVwpZoezu85RmmvUsxR8nKooxS4J4Q8IJ-4koRl5Q2FALEIy9kuqDjfyVOGqAa-j8K56OtlMTBdebVHQo0Up49X2iBs1RxyCKn-lQ_BhIdbuxeRWBsuuTGV4sC-x9q_7lwLa82I/s1600/PhotoGrid_1484698487416.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQoDkNVwpZoezu85RmmvUsxR8nKooxS4J4Q8IJ-4koRl5Q2FALEIy9kuqDjfyVOGqAa-j8K56OtlMTBdebVHQo0Up49X2iBs1RxyCKn-lQ_BhIdbuxeRWBsuuTGV4sC-x9q_7lwLa82I/s200/PhotoGrid_1484698487416.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actual photo of me checking my bank account after the events of this week.<br />
Source: Kanahei Account phone app.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That's all that I got up to in the last week! I want to know: <strong>What was the tastiest thing you ate over the last week? </strong>Maybe it was something bought, maybe it was at a restaurant, or perhaps you made it yourself! I'm getting hungry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This post was brought to you by a woman who has almost zero kitchen finesse.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-27495638647071421582017-01-13T17:18:00.000+11:002017-01-13T17:18:36.553+11:00Lip Monthly | December 2016 (The Final One)Here it is, guys: my final <strong><a href="https://www.lipmonthly.com/">Lip Monthly</a></strong> post <em>ever</em>. Granted, I've not been the best at posting about my deliveries, what with the hectic year I had last year, but as I'm pretty happy with what I received in my final bag, I may as well give a service overview too, right?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fCPeCN8t9UOgFF4Uy3KdXaHrRZtBUohuQzwD1jcTSYNB27fmyg0klZwbYSYXfJzi3oSqxkW89zHwHyiIHbst1VcaIrUqBs2L6Lc_IMiHsuF7YSTgPCzzAWISTI_LzCIPjdqpi9c4pWw/s1600/IMG_2197a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lip Monthly: December 2016" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fCPeCN8t9UOgFF4Uy3KdXaHrRZtBUohuQzwD1jcTSYNB27fmyg0klZwbYSYXfJzi3oSqxkW89zHwHyiIHbst1VcaIrUqBs2L6Lc_IMiHsuF7YSTgPCzzAWISTI_LzCIPjdqpi9c4pWw/s320/IMG_2197a.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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The December bag for Lip Monthly was a deep blue with sky blue scribbly stars smattered across it. To me, it kind of gives the impression of a wintery cold evening, which fits with US weather at the moment. It has a kind of plastic-y scent, and the product card was kind of stuck to the inside, but that's been pretty typical of the last few bags I've received.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvefNACf3mrdoQsQxiQiQpT0v37lJUBU6T12mZkT6PLPpQ6duH2HS5LlUu1TfIEcMuV7if9BsZGFITdrve1nO9VRBU_vRjbOBQvd97zXm4pSb_jP2kQ7GD7bdq_GI7Zaqsy4E9eSYOrxw/s1600/IMG_2199a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lip Monthly December 2016" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvefNACf3mrdoQsQxiQiQpT0v37lJUBU6T12mZkT6PLPpQ6duH2HS5LlUu1TfIEcMuV7if9BsZGFITdrve1nO9VRBU_vRjbOBQvd97zXm4pSb_jP2kQ7GD7bdq_GI7Zaqsy4E9eSYOrxw/s320/IMG_2199a.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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Inside the December bag was:<br />
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<ul>
<li><strong><a href="http://citycolorcosmetics.com/lips/lip-gloss/lip-gloss-with-argan-oil/" rel="nofollow">City Color Cosmetics Lip Gloss with Argan Oil</a> - "Girl Next Door"</strong> || This looks like a peachy nude gloss which may contain just the <em>slightest</em> amount of shimmer in it. I think it's a great shade for both summer and winter.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.cougarbeautyproducts.com/natural-lipstick-5-piece-set-529-p.asp" rel="nofollow">Cougar Beauty Mineral Lipstick</a> - "Sangria" </strong>|| What looks like a deeper mulberry-toned lipstick, it's actually more of a raspberry that I think a lot of people with different skin tones will find wearable. This type of shade is a typical choice for the spring, but I'll probably wear it all year round. It seems you can't buy these lipsticks individually, but in a full set of 5 shades.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://crazyrumors.com/all-natural-lip-colors/hibiskiss-lip-colors-new/tropical.html" rel="nofollow">Crazy Rumours Hibiskiss</a> - "Tropical" </strong>|| I kind of don't know what to make of this! To me, it's your standard lip balm, but it's marketed as a "lip colour" -- and one that's hibiscus <em>flavoured </em>at that. When was the last time someone ate a hibiscus? If Google is to be believed, it's eaten quite often in China and India, so surely it's gotta be tasty. It has a bit of a medicinal scent that I find off-putting, like whenever I receive anything "cherry flavoured", but it doesn't linger on the lips.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.shopchapstick.com/total-hydration-conditioning-lip-scrub-fresh-peppermint/" rel="nofollow">Chapstick Total Hydration Conditioning Lip Scrub</a> </strong>|| Make no bones about it, I <em>love</em> Chapstick. Other than Maybelline Baby Lips, I have not found a more reliable lip balm on the market. I'm particularly excited about this lip scrub because my lips do like to dry out if I don't have a balm handy, even in the summertime -- and it's peppermint flavoured, which I cannot get enough of!</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvzYYh4QaousLHDTkjvR-PRkWCprOo3wV8uAqWcOelFzbzazFDWBK6hJ5gY8bNuNzdGH1sGbD_iz5sFTAgxitTQPKqrk2Wjnh4QRf9fDnyctsaERib_2EBnto1OwHiex7UWxD8XTLmLA/s1600/IMG_2210a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lip Monthly December 2016 swatches" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvzYYh4QaousLHDTkjvR-PRkWCprOo3wV8uAqWcOelFzbzazFDWBK6hJ5gY8bNuNzdGH1sGbD_iz5sFTAgxitTQPKqrk2Wjnh4QRf9fDnyctsaERib_2EBnto1OwHiex7UWxD8XTLmLA/s320/IMG_2210a.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Price: $12.95 US</strong><br />
<strong>Lip Monthly Bag Value: $25.57 US</strong><br />
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Overall, I'm happy with December's bag. This was the first month where all the products I received were lip products -- there's usually one that marketed as being lip and/or blush item, typically -- so it makes me a happy camper. Checking out their Facebook page, apparently they had some issues with this bag where they had to change products quickly; perhaps that explains why the bag value is so low, as in the past they've been worth twice as much.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_R9rXYMKfhmNcd5p2mkZ0RpxNpHBetXvV5byxJIKHDENGt1y85_xknITqsnof68kCEDMpd-iuKnbju8meE1IyReksGVNqoLpqXb8IHEjJDfIsqLfgAtTmHPEWHBgdzeTBOsAkw8pX1o/s1600/IMG_2207a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lip Monthly December 2016 products" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_R9rXYMKfhmNcd5p2mkZ0RpxNpHBetXvV5byxJIKHDENGt1y85_xknITqsnof68kCEDMpd-iuKnbju8meE1IyReksGVNqoLpqXb8IHEjJDfIsqLfgAtTmHPEWHBgdzeTBOsAkw8pX1o/s320/IMG_2207a.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Service Overview</strong><br />
From memory, I think September's bag was the only one that left me feeling unhappy; excepting that month, I've been really happy with everything I've received! The December 2016 <em>is</em>, however, my last Lip Monthly bag. I received a twelve month subscription for Christmas in 2015, and I chose not to receive another. While I have really enjoyed Lip Monthly and the products I've received, I have an <em>insane</em> number of lip products now -- I really don't need more! Being in Australia, the bags usually got their way to my towards the end of the month; this one made it to me just after New Year's.<br />
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If you're a <strike>hoarder</strike> lover of lip products like me, Lip Monthly is a fantastic service and you'll love it. If you're getting into makeup and want to build your lip collection, or if, like me, you live in Australia and want to get your paws on a few different brands, it's also for you. There are so many brands out there that I didn't know existed, and it's been fun trying them out!<br />
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<strong>Do you have any beauty box subscriptions? Are there any you're thinking of trying out? Let me know!</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This post was brought to you by a woman who has over 300 lip products. Seriously, it's a problem.</span></div>
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-66423949890670720652017-01-10T14:11:00.001+11:002017-01-10T14:11:57.155+11:00The Actual Diary Bit, Vol. 3 | 2nd Jan to 8th Jan<strong>Monday, January 2nd </strong>|| What a way to kick off the new year!! I decided at 12.30am that it would be a <em>great</em> idea to look for some stickers on Etsy for my planner -- and I kept browsing and adding stuff to my cart <em>until almost 5am</em>. I knew it was time to shut the laptop and go to sleep when I heard my brother's work alarm go off. It was also Mama Bear's birthday today, so my stepdad cooked everyone a nice breakfast and we all gave our gifts to her throughout the day. I bought her a few Korean skincare items that I recently introduced her to -- essence and sheet masks -- from a Korean beauty shop in the city, as well as a Sephora voucher. Mama Bear tried her first sheet mask yesterday, and I'm so glad that she enjoyed it -- although, if she hadn't, I just would've kept the masks for myself!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6GV0nn5qTk4hXiAgHpG_33niuLYNzRc8L34nlaUhuvdNrzv5JbqPDE459G7-GP_sK2OO3uwsygN3YvCKc26WZcZDaCRcLA5EvatP1zuBV8amflK3VyEO9jmKWW5X12wPrkFVxiLXFFw/s1600/IMG_20161231_191038_815a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6GV0nn5qTk4hXiAgHpG_33niuLYNzRc8L34nlaUhuvdNrzv5JbqPDE459G7-GP_sK2OO3uwsygN3YvCKc26WZcZDaCRcLA5EvatP1zuBV8amflK3VyEO9jmKWW5X12wPrkFVxiLXFFw/s200/IMG_20161231_191038_815a.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new desk calendar!</td></tr>
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<strong>Tuesday, January 3rd </strong>|| I feel like I had one of those days where I didn't do very much. I woke up with a cold, so it really slowed me down. I worked on a couple of posts for a little bit, but mostly I think I played <em>Kim Kardashian: Hollywood</em> on my phone. I re-downloaded it, after having played it for months and lost my save progress -- twice. First world problems, y'know?<br />
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<strong>Wednesday, January 4th </strong>|| Today was another day where I achieved much without doing too much -- if that makes sense! I went out and picked up some really cheap yoghurt, did four loads of washing and folded it <em>all</em>, and I worked more on the blog! I'm trying to be a little more active in my writing, so that I can hopefully have a few posts banked up for when school goes back and I begin to get more work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMZc_BJe8o-BaPgUD-7-m2jni42pIukDWjMAtvRBowevivetelohD6YluyRy85QGetKm9Oy9qZ4jPSfTne7Ivi6Ddl8bbkWC6MQmgtFpFY6LZ520cMpap1tDFguwGsYkNZISuaUUWiQE/s1600/IMG_20170103_172156_598a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMZc_BJe8o-BaPgUD-7-m2jni42pIukDWjMAtvRBowevivetelohD6YluyRy85QGetKm9Oy9qZ4jPSfTne7Ivi6Ddl8bbkWC6MQmgtFpFY6LZ520cMpap1tDFguwGsYkNZISuaUUWiQE/s200/IMG_20170103_172156_598a.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you're sick, watching Pokémon YouTube videos is the way to go.</td></tr>
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<strong>Thursday, January 5th </strong>|| I made chocolate croissants for the first time today! I cheated, of course, by using ready-made puff pastry, but I experimented with different kinds of chocolate -- some were dark, some were milk, and some were Nutella! A sheet of pastry yielded about four croissants; I think I made about 40 all up! They were really delicious, but <em>oh boy</em> were they filling. With three brothers and a stepfather, though, I don't think they'll see the end of tomorrow. I also ordered a whole heap of stickers from Etsy to decorate my planner with!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p-PhVGX8wZfbbR0MhLohRZb2Njf3qEl9twUsHqRtC89JULIAUnEwfEvRgIWR5APJHTr2WlqNg9uDVSdwuXBRnbrMl0KEUhpDk30_cjfJAPeSfT7mbuIVV38ewkdoio491DTxA221tso/s1600/IMG_20170105_170829_856a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p-PhVGX8wZfbbR0MhLohRZb2Njf3qEl9twUsHqRtC89JULIAUnEwfEvRgIWR5APJHTr2WlqNg9uDVSdwuXBRnbrMl0KEUhpDk30_cjfJAPeSfT7mbuIVV38ewkdoio491DTxA221tso/s200/IMG_20170105_170829_856a.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CROISSANTS FOR DAYS.</td></tr>
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<strong>Friday, January 6th </strong>|| As predicted yesterday, only three croissants remained when I got up this morning. What in the <em>what? </em>Unless I'm working, Friday tends to be Library Day, where I go and hang out for a few hours to work on whatever it is that needs my attention -- today it was the blog! One of the reasons I enjoy going to the library is because it's a prime spot for Pokémon GO. The GPS can't quite pin down where I am, so I can sit at a desk for a few hours and my little avatar just walks around while it tries to find exactly where I am! I know, I know, it's cheating -- but I wanna find a Pichu, and soon, dangit!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWsfYRzRbiTlByWD02vBIC8wsZkgyD2VvfMeq9uAnkmyq_7P44EvcBC1HMxDLNUXmRdfAd-a_nPgNpAhbBmBSKZOy70tgFMh0bht2BVWw4KrSK8PvHkwewKXSDvOg2pyuy9ZFkJUKkFM/s1600/172Pichu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWsfYRzRbiTlByWD02vBIC8wsZkgyD2VvfMeq9uAnkmyq_7P44EvcBC1HMxDLNUXmRdfAd-a_nPgNpAhbBmBSKZOy70tgFMh0bht2BVWw4KrSK8PvHkwewKXSDvOg2pyuy9ZFkJUKkFM/s200/172Pichu.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at Pichu! IT'S SO CUTE! (<a href="http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pichu_(Pok%C3%A9mon)">Source</a>.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong>Saturday, January 7th </strong>|| Today was a pretty relaxed day. I wrote out a job application, and went to work on a few more blog posts, and I napped -- <em>a lot</em>. I think I must have had three or four naps throughout the day! Not even 25 yet, and I'm already like my grandpa.<br />
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<strong>Sunday, January 8th </strong>|| I had work today! It wasn't too bad, honestly; it was really hot outside but my work is always really cold, so it was pretty nice -- I wore a jumper! I started reading Jane Austen's <em>Persuasion</em>, which is causing me to try and work out if a Reading Challenge I found recently is worth attempting... Perhaps it is! I also made a wonderful, <em>wonderful</em> discovery: I discovered Pentatonix's cover of "Jolene" featuring Dolly Parton, and I love it. It's magic in my ears, I tell you!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZo1mspXvV2yAAwwgItid6ahLwY-TPcZx2X5jYrUbYuprjSQ3EFbpLPM-3MCzyBaftEI9TS4UJhTxakO6lwLi_MqVIFxrxcAcOPDEwaA22mfXewru-KV2NN4b2T05hI1mpVa-LGm7usA/s1600/IMG_20170107_203845_424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZo1mspXvV2yAAwwgItid6ahLwY-TPcZx2X5jYrUbYuprjSQ3EFbpLPM-3MCzyBaftEI9TS4UJhTxakO6lwLi_MqVIFxrxcAcOPDEwaA22mfXewru-KV2NN4b2T05hI1mpVa-LGm7usA/s200/IMG_20170107_203845_424.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few of the Kylie Cosmetics holiday collection items.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That's all I got up to in the past week! I want to know: <strong>What was your greatest achievement in the last week? </strong>Perhaps you marathonned a TV show, tried a new recipe that really worked -- or maybe you just bought yourself some cool socks! Who doesn't love socks, am I right?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This post was brought to you by a woman who just really, REALLY wants a Pichu.</span></div>
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-39960108700299663642017-01-06T11:58:00.000+11:002017-01-06T11:58:02.100+11:00That Personal Update | A Check-in on my 2016 GoalsIt's been really busy over here in my personal world.<br />
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I finished my Masters degree in June. I was completely mentally burnt out, so I went on holiday for a while. I started working two jobs in October, and it got to the point where I was working six days a week, sometimes both day <em>and</em> night. There wasn't a whole lot of time for so much as <em>thinking</em> about Diary of a Beauty Padawan, let alone planning posts and taking photos.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzgZUnelvMl-huD9si2HXZfeUd6PA9BAqSrQsmK8S8GS3038XfKwMz2UN9PZqpSPXJiitveOKodtbkat912_XXkq9vHAAN_Oy4ISbP6Kp8825ZYZQycU_LDXZ9oIbVmDPVHbXW0EIuMg/s1600/goals+checkin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzgZUnelvMl-huD9si2HXZfeUd6PA9BAqSrQsmK8S8GS3038XfKwMz2UN9PZqpSPXJiitveOKodtbkat912_XXkq9vHAAN_Oy4ISbP6Kp8825ZYZQycU_LDXZ9oIbVmDPVHbXW0EIuMg/s320/goals+checkin.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I got the date wrong. Shhh.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I made the following goals at the start of last year:<br />
<ol>
<li>Vary the content that I churn out</li>
<li>Post regularly -- ideally, at least twice a week</li>
<li>Participate in regular blog chats on Twitter</li>
<li>Inject more personality into my Facebook page</li>
<li>Increase my viewership</li>
</ol>
Honestly speaking, I didn't achieve any of these.<br />
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In some respects, it's been kinda hard: my 2016 blogging goals had already been thrown out of the window by the end of March, so the struggle to try and stay relevant recently has felt like a bit of a futile task. It got to the point where I seriously considered shutting the blog down, because what was the point of keeping it around if I couldn't write anything?<br />
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After a long, hard chat with myself, I've decided to keep the blog around, but I'm going to take it really easy. I don't have the time or energy to keep up with all the blogs that are out there, and I'm not very aggressive in promoting my own, either. As long as I don't lose sight of why I began to blog in the first place, and ensure that it doesn't turn into a chore, I should be able to have some fun no matter what the future throws in my way.<br />
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That's essentially what blogging is all about, isn't it?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This blog post was brought to you by a grown woman who spent the day in her PJs.</span></div>
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-16903480829507219852016-12-31T20:09:00.000+11:002016-12-31T20:09:26.717+11:00What I Got For Christmas: 2016 EditionI think, for those who celebrate it, Christmas is more or less the same thing: getting together with your family members, eating <em>loads</em> of delicious food, having more fun with everyone than you'd have at any other point in the year, and, at some point, exchanging thoughtful gifts.<br />
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Last year I was emanating that Grinch attitude all Christmas season, but this year I really got into the spirit. I found gifts for my family members that I <em>knew</em> they would appreciate, I counted down the days until I could wear a Christmas t-shirt at work, and I eagerly looked forward to piling up my plate with my nanna's roast potatoes and timpana.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas Haul 2016 - featuring my brother's legs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sorry, Mum, but Nanna's timpana really is better than yours. Don't worry, though, because yours is still better than mine.<br />
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My family are typically very good at gifting presents, whatever the occasion, and this year was no different. Have a look at what I received, and let me know what you received as well!<br />
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<h3>
From my brothers</h3>
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<img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjEIs6yGiCimP7gwrIV7qx7w5ZNaMY9RREV71nx-zuGG9YQuRR9tyaUMvnHgjUbRSqBb7IQltWHg_pHGZtfP_8cB1cKA0ITncws7TEna_TqvdGTsXF4ayHF358sv2GX3ahgPFF53ch0Q/s200/IMG_2051b.jpg" width="200" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-YLE7LkH72S5VfqfIHXo3U6p0GdnCNoitEeBbLWLsbumjQ9RVD3-ki5HM4UheZ3Iv9PENf0LwxXneZZRG558RvwDH9c4yuwWQ4u1_8BW9k1HNfeBx3j-N_-NMr0oYGhpIsZNv2Ox7qs/s1600/IMG_2063b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-YLE7LkH72S5VfqfIHXo3U6p0GdnCNoitEeBbLWLsbumjQ9RVD3-ki5HM4UheZ3Iv9PENf0LwxXneZZRG558RvwDH9c4yuwWQ4u1_8BW9k1HNfeBx3j-N_-NMr0oYGhpIsZNv2Ox7qs/s200/IMG_2063b.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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My brothers know how to buy me gifts. It's impossible for them to go wrong with buying me DVDs because they know that it'll be a hit so long as there's at least one actor or actress in it that I like. You'll see <em>Sisters</em> here, starring Amy Poehler and Tina Fey -- I was too busy when it came out to watch it in cinema, so I'm happy to have it on DVD. The same goes for <em>Bridget Jones's Baby</em> -- I was waiting to see it with my best friend, but by the time she was available, it was too late. I <em>love</em> Bridget Jones, and anything with Colin Firth will have me going "YAS!" so it was an easy pick.<br />
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You may have noticed an adorable Pikachu chilling nearby. It's actually a portable charger designed to give your phone an additional three hours of battery power with the aid of a couple of AA batteries -- great for if you're in a pinch. It also has a bag strap, so that you can hang it from the zipper of your bag or backpack. I will be absolutely be giving this a try the next time I go Pokémon hunting in the city!<br />
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One of my brothers also bought me a Lush gift box! It's hard to go wrong with Lush items for me, because I will use it no matter whether it is for the bath or the shower -- though I tend to bathe more in the wintertime, for my back. This pack with a tub of Reindeer and Robin Fun (whatever "fun" is), Santa's Belly shower jelly (which had unfortunately melted a little!), a bottle of Bubbly shower gel, and a bar of Baked Alaska soap. The soap especially smells <em>amazing</em> for this time of year -- light and citrus-y, it's perfect for the scalding Aussie summertime!<br />
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<h3>
From my parents</h3>
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As I opened up the box this was all packed in, I thought my parents had made a relatively large MAC order -- and that in itself would've been huge, because they typically don't like to buy me makeup. When I saw what was inside, I was so surprised that I couldn't breathe for coughing; I needed Ventolin! I was so, so lucky to receive the entire Kylie Cosmetics holiday collection -- I don't have anything from Kylie Cosmetics, so I was <em>beyond</em> thrilled!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkTDoRmhbJG28zEHPHkXDBxNYHG9RZ3eoE81o9m1dkqr4tX2udrTgT1gGdPNdPv16JO_XHpkJWL3b1gC9JvKHqBQVs0e5fOlTqvK8WW0Q3mV-8ZAusXFx9d-9Vdp2tdVIb5NSZ2FUkN0/s1600/IMG_2069a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkTDoRmhbJG28zEHPHkXDBxNYHG9RZ3eoE81o9m1dkqr4tX2udrTgT1gGdPNdPv16JO_XHpkJWL3b1gC9JvKHqBQVs0e5fOlTqvK8WW0Q3mV-8ZAusXFx9d-9Vdp2tdVIb5NSZ2FUkN0/s320/IMG_2069a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There were three Christmas tree decoration items: a metal liquid lipstick (Dancer), and two glosses (Jolly and Naughty). There were also three crème shadow: Yellow Gold, Camo, and Golden Plum. I haven't tried Dancer or Jolly yet, but Naughty was a really beautiful pink-based red, which faded more into pink as time faded and the gloss wore off. The crème shadows were kind of light and somewhat moussey to the touch -- not super creamy or thick like other crème shadows I've stuck my finger in, and while they're not intensely pigmented to start, you can build them up.<br />
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Then...<br />
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There was a Kyliner kit in the shade Snow, described as a "crisp matte white". I haven't tried the gel liner or the pencil liner yet, but the formula for the latter in particular seems really nice and creamy. There were also two Lip Kits, called Merry and Vixen. I haven't tried either shade yet, but the Vixen lip liner reminds me a little of MAC Currant.<br />
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And then...<br />
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There were two holiday lip sets, one that contained six mini liquid lipsticks featuring both permanent and limited edition shades, and another, a four pack that had two full-sized liquid lipsticks and two full-sized lip glosses. The mini liquid lipstick set contains Moon (wasn't that a Halloween shade?), Ginger, Kristen, Angel (a Holiday shade), Love Bite, and Vixen (another Holiday shade); the four pack contains a full-size Angel, Blitzen, Cupid gloss, and Noël gloss -- all Holiday shades.<br />
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While I haven't yet tried any of the minis, I have worn everything from the four pack excepting Blitzen. Angel is a beautiful nude shade that looked great at work and wore really well throughout my shift, Cupid is a gorgeous pink gloss that really adds something special to the everyday look, and Noël, while looking <em>super</em> gold in the tube, sheers out quite nicely for those who don't want a colour that's "out there".<br />
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Finally...<br />
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The Holiday Edition Kyshadow palette. I've tested out a few different shades from this so far, and I don't know if all of the Kylie palettes are like this, but... the quality is not great. I expect more from a much hyped brand that chooses to charge almost $50 US for an eyeshadow palette. The swatches might look alright, but Gingerbread -- that nice metallic gold you see -- was the only shade that swatched well on the first swipe. The two mattes in the top row, Sugar Cookie and Chestnut, swatch OK for matte crease shades, but the others were underwhelming.<br />
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Even with a primer underneath (at the moment I'm going through MAC Soft Taupe), the application is so-so. The shade Mittens, in particular, was kinda awful. The majority of these shades are definitely helped by the crème shadows, but I feel like it's kind of a cop out to need them when the products are just so expensive. I'm going to keep testing them to see if they work better with different primers, or if they apply better with natural instead of synthetic brushes, but... yeah.<br />
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This eyeshadow junkie is kinda disappointed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oUV0FHaXk303vdKgudcbn3yvZyIONF474_AVPr5vdyQ7bKPOArRw_t3VDx6lhnmyphb2dUU6HAdJCPu3VVdnhtSv-mwdjl6bYYYx98V7Aiqe2-Ecj9pEk9HUQPI17fxh-6PBVz3YSng/s1600/IMG_2090c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oUV0FHaXk303vdKgudcbn3yvZyIONF474_AVPr5vdyQ7bKPOArRw_t3VDx6lhnmyphb2dUU6HAdJCPu3VVdnhtSv-mwdjl6bYYYx98V7Aiqe2-Ecj9pEk9HUQPI17fxh-6PBVz3YSng/s200/IMG_2090c.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJp1EALSJ_45h-pffsbTkpkumcnX-BxXGnEX6hxYbQY48vuEsRP2mFOmEvOfigkLIRPsHg0BBU5CZr4464xfDpXyge0XvZx0FsKol7qtSDu5KNjQjHsP7o08H3_Dno7Pq86y1acllwpnI/s1600/IMG_2158a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJp1EALSJ_45h-pffsbTkpkumcnX-BxXGnEX6hxYbQY48vuEsRP2mFOmEvOfigkLIRPsHg0BBU5CZr4464xfDpXyge0XvZx0FsKol7qtSDu5KNjQjHsP7o08H3_Dno7Pq86y1acllwpnI/s200/IMG_2158a.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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The box also came with a super soft, snow white Kylie sack to pack all your goodies in, as well as a makeup purse with the signature "dripping lips" image. I forgot to take pictures of both!<br />
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Lastly, my parents gave me the NYX Liquid Suede Lip Vault -- this one, at least, I knew about, having snapped it up on sale for them. I know, I know, I'm a very considerate daughter.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVztLhBiwT8GpuXYtVHbswZu-l4h6x_YPqkcS7tddewLDhPQfcVyKAOFJ94OZwg4uWzI_muiemtb51DSHWS9w0MKVkGgtvg-xoNSMLjVkJx_ttved4ssIn_hv6-XZhIkVdB3DPbKWJJU/s1600/IMG_2059b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="NYX Liquid Suede Vault" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVztLhBiwT8GpuXYtVHbswZu-l4h6x_YPqkcS7tddewLDhPQfcVyKAOFJ94OZwg4uWzI_muiemtb51DSHWS9w0MKVkGgtvg-xoNSMLjVkJx_ttved4ssIn_hv6-XZhIkVdB3DPbKWJJU/s320/IMG_2059b.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NYX Liquid Suede Vault</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This lip vault contains minis of <em>every single shade</em> from NYX's Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick line. As you can see, you've got plenty of safe, traditional shades mixed in with some crazy, crazy colours. From a dusty pink to blinding orange, bright blue to jewel-toned navy -- whatever colour you like, the line has it all!<br />
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I'll eventually give every shade a go, but there are a couple there that are either seasonal (that dark, vampy jewel-toned purple ain't no good for this bright, blinding Aussie summer) or just too alternative for me -- I can't see Little Denim Dress being used at all, and I absolutely despise Respect the Pink.<br />
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That's it from me for this year! I know I have a couple of other things coming -- one of my brothers bought me <em>all</em> the Sailor Moon POP Vinyls -- because both Sailor Moon and POP Vinyls are LIFE -- but at time of writing they have only just arrived, and I don't want to delay this post any more than it has been delayed already.<br />
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Let me know all about what <em>you</em> received for Christmas! Or, alternatively, let me know: what was the last thoughtful gift you received? I want to read all about it!<br />
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Until next year!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-89128382008820267562016-10-07T19:14:00.000+11:002016-10-07T19:14:39.715+11:00Japan Haul Pt 2 | Stuff, Glorious Stuff!Going to Japan, I had one thing and one thing only on my personal shopping list: makeup. Yes, makeup might mean dozens and dozens of items, but it really was the only thing I had any interest in purchasing for myself. I knew there were items from brands like Rimmel and L'Oréal that I wouldn't be able to get in Australia, and I figured that there were other brands waiting for me to discover them.<br />
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With makeup on the brain, I'd completely forgotten about Japan's ability to create something else that I have a deep, undying love for (besides tonkotsu ramen): stationery.<br />
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Yep, in today's post you're going to be treated to all of the different stationery that I bought for myself, despite not needing any of it. There's other stuff in this post too, like charms from temples and Disney themed jewellery -- but yeah, most of it's stationery.<br />
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Let's take a look!<br />
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<strong>Australian origami crane </strong>|| I thought about buying this, but it was actually given to me as a gift by an old man when I bought something from his store in Koyasan. It was very sweet of him, and I couldn't not include it here.<br />
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<strong>Year of the Monkey charm </strong>|| I bought this from Kaminarimon in Asakusa on the second day of my tour. I was born in the Year of the Monkey -- which 2016 also happens to be! -- so, y'know, I couldn't pass up the opportunity! I bought other Chinese Zodiac charms for my brothers too, and they really liked them.<br />
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<strong>Eeveelution container </strong>|| I got this from the Pokémon Centre in Ikebukuro's Sunshine Mall. The first time I went, I passed it over -- how on earth could I justify 500 yen plus tax for an empty box? The thing is... I saw this picture on all kinds of posters around all sorts of stores. I even noticed a promotion for what looked like a loose powder compact type thing at a store called It's Demo, <em>but</em> they didn't have any left, so when I went back the Pokémon Centre a few days later...<br />
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It turned out to have biscuits in it, so it wasn't as much of a waste as I thought. XD<br />
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<strong>Kiki's Delivery Service hand towel </strong>|| I'm actually not that into Studio Ghibli, but when buying a whole bunch of stuff for one of my brothers, my eyes kept coming back to the adorable little cat from Kiki's Delivery Service. I settled for the hand towel because it's practical and I felt that I might actually need it during my trip -- and the cat on it is <em>sooo</em> soft! I kinda don't wanna use it, so that it stays soft forever!<br />
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<strong>Sailor Moon Miniature Tablet </strong>|| Swear to goodness, I almost lost my nut when I saw this! I'd seen these reviewed on YouTube but they were one of those things that I never actually thought I'd ever see in person. There were others from the set in the store, but this was the nicest one and I was exercising an odd sense of self-control -- buuut you're about to see why.<br />
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<em>Hellooooooo, stationery!</em> I bought the abovementioned Sailor Moon thing at It's Demo, and the reason why I went easy on buying things from that collection was because I went to <em>town</em> on the notebooks!<br />
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The little Post-Its that you see are actually from Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, not It's Demo in Ikebukuro, so they don't count in the 'going to town' sense of this haul, but aren't they just adorable?! Then there are the things that did come from It's Demo: the cute Eeveelutions, Stitch covered in kisses, and Pikachu with sunglasses!<br />
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My heart! It beats!<br />
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And how adorable is <em>this</em> Stitch notebook? I think this was the first one I actually picked up in the store. It was the gateway notebook -- I saw this notebook, touched its cover and then before I knew -- BAM! -- notebooks everywhere! Pikachu on the surfboard is also super adorable, chilling out there like she's got all the time in the world, and while Jasmine isn't 'my' Disney princess, I just thought that the design was so elegant that I couldn't help myself.<br />
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There were other Disney princesses there too, but alas, no Snow White. The whole watercolour design for Disney princesses seems to be really popular in Japan at the moment, and I really could've bought so much more than the store had.<br />
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I couldn't pass up on the hardcover books either! Pikachu chilling at the beach... Pikachu with a couple of Eeveelutions on a surfboard... I really like hardcover books for work particularly, because they're just that much more durable. I typically don't have to worry about them about them bending or getting out of shape or being crushed by whatever farm tools make their way into my handbag...<br />
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I'm joking about the farm tools.<br />
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The Sailor Moon notebook probably pushes my limit for cutesy, just a little bit. I got it from Hakuhinkan Toy Park in Ginza (that was a whole adventure in itself), and with my love for Sailor Moon, it ended up in my arms relatively quickly. It's no secret that I enjoy cute stuff, but there is a limit to how much I can take, so it wasn't an immediate given as soon as I saw it.<br />
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<em>How freakin' adorable are these?!</em> I saw these at the Pokémon Centre as well, and didn't get them the first time around because I had other stuff I wanted to buy -- but I couldn't resist the second time! I'm not gonna lie, I have absolutely 100% no idea as to what I'm going to do with these but I just don't care.<br />
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I will find a use for them. I will find a use for them all.<br />
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Yep, I got one of each Eeveelution.<br />
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No shame.<br />
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No regrets.<br />
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And how adorable is Pikachu clinging to the SkyTree Tower? This was a double pack, which I hadn't been too sure about until I actually opened it up, so it came with the folder of the little Starter Pokémon SkyTree Towers as well.<br />
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Then you've got Pikachu dressed up as Rayquaza -- I mean -- it's just -- how can your heart stand it?! There was loads of items as Pikachu dressed up as something or other, but for me this one just took the cake!<br />
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I bought the file on the left when I was in Koyasan, from a shop run by a little old man who gave me the Australian origami crane. There were four different folders, one for each season, but I held back and settled for just picking the one for winter.<br />
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Then, on the right, you see... a Sailor Moon Black Moon five-part folder. Is that a chorus singing hallelujah I hear? I just -- you know -- my heart. It's not often that you get goods with villains on it, and especially something that, to me, has a bit of a classier feel about it. Will I be rocking this when I get full-time work? Hell yeah.<br />
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I don't think I've been to a Disney store since that time I passed by one as a little girl, saw a Cruella de Vil plush and refused to let go of it. Going to the store in Ikebukuro was like heaven. Seeing the jewellery, there was no way I couldn't <em>not</em> get some of it, so I settled for several pieces that I thought were kind of understated -- just the way I like my fandom merch.<br />
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There's a Mickey Mouse ring, which I really like because the fact that it <em>is</em> Mickey isn't too obvious until you actually get a proper look at it; if you're glancing at it, it looks something more like a crown or an old-school castle wall. There's also a tiara ring, and for some reason I had in my head that it was Princess Aurora's tiara, but it really isn't, is it? I've been trying to wrack my brain to figure out who it belongs to -- someone, help me out!<br />
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What <em>is</em> indicative of Princess Aurora are the earrings -- really cute studs with her <em>actual</em> crown and a pink gem the colour of her official dress. The back of the earrings are nice and long too, so they're going to be less likely to fall out. That's not to say that I have fat ears, by the way, but I do have an amazing ability to lose earrings while wearing them. It's pretty much a gift.<br />
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Let me show you some close-ups!<br />
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Last, but certainly not least, there's something I bought that got me <em>so</em> excited I had to have a private fangirl moment when I got back to my accommodation in Ikebukuro.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-goQIefeagq4ZvnAwLpy4V_5fMtVXItkjHBgHhiY-ogCnib7uY_CwyCfLxR-UMIocMT8N1-hWygZDQ4y05JatLqhY5CL3M5JNy5xWZO-39-z9Szq1MWOlqs-fFky7WtCFWyLIBec9JU/s1600/IMG_1742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-goQIefeagq4ZvnAwLpy4V_5fMtVXItkjHBgHhiY-ogCnib7uY_CwyCfLxR-UMIocMT8N1-hWygZDQ4y05JatLqhY5CL3M5JNy5xWZO-39-z9Szq1MWOlqs-fFky7WtCFWyLIBec9JU/s320/IMG_1742.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yeah, it's a mug. No, it's not <em>just</em> a mug.<br />
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I went to a café in Omotesando called LATTEST and I actually got to meet a girl who works there who's kinda famous. She was on a Japanese TV show on Netflix called <em>Terrace House, </em>a show that I've <em>really</em> gotten into, and I could hardly believe that I got to meet her. I was tossing up whether or not to buy a mug from the café as a memento, but someone (maybe my best friend? I can't quite remember. Probably my best friend.) told me to just go for it!<br />
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Not gonna lie, was absolutely surprised and 100% excited when I realised she'd written a message on the box.<br />
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Does that make me kinda lame? Maybe. It doesn't matter.<br />
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Either way, that wraps up the collection of wonderful, wonderful <em>stuff</em> that I got while I was overseas! I feel like I picked up so many adorable things, and even if they weren't exactly needed, at least I know that they'll get used in the future. (Note to self: don't buy yourself stationery for another seven years).<br />
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If you want to take another look at the makeup that I bought while I was there, you can go <strong><a href="http://beautypadawan.blogspot.com.au/2016/09/japan-haul-pt-1-makeup-goodies.html">here</a></strong> and check it out.<br />
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Did anything here catch your eye? Do you have a stationery obsession too? Let me know!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" /></a></div>
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-46470827549606486812016-10-04T11:57:00.000+11:002016-10-04T11:57:52.682+11:00Lip Monthly | September 2016 (Weirdest. Stuff. Yet.)It's been quite a while since my <strong><a href="http://beautypadawan.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/lip-monthly-february-2016.html">last</a></strong> Lip Monthly post -- the first half of 2016 was so insanely busy that blogging obviously slowed down, and the last couple of months have also been busy for me. Busy in the sense that I've needed a break from <em>everything</em> after finishing my Masters degree. I was still getting my Lip Monthly in the mail, but there was no way I had the motivation to blog about it.<br />
<br />
If you're reading this post, and thinking, "Lip Monthly? Whaaaat?", I'll break it down: <strong><a href="https://lipmonthly.com/">Lip Monthly</a></strong> is a monthly subscription service that sends three or four beauty products to your doorstep -- I've typically found this to be three lip products and one product from some other category. If you're a lipstick hoarder like myself (I've got at least two shoeboxes), this is a great way to get a monthly lipstick fix and try out a few brands you might not normally get, especially if you're outside the US.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05F1QICeePLjxILbxKPzpm0eothsX2wc7uXNDaFxHn8-02hmwounbPuTBJpPwcGYSJleHf-6zFZjRVJlHEksaNSwJhqn_GON_ynrn7E3BlPA5qkbxa2dwuG05F4LcgPuk5kzgiAkcSrU/s1600/IMG_1820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05F1QICeePLjxILbxKPzpm0eothsX2wc7uXNDaFxHn8-02hmwounbPuTBJpPwcGYSJleHf-6zFZjRVJlHEksaNSwJhqn_GON_ynrn7E3BlPA5qkbxa2dwuG05F4LcgPuk5kzgiAkcSrU/s320/IMG_1820.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This month's little bag was accompanied by a product that immediately caught my eye: the <strong><a href="http://www.modelcocosmetics.com/shop/cosmetics/lips/lip-liner/lip-enhancer-lip">Model Co Lip Enhancer Illusion Lip Liner</a></strong>. With a nude beige "one shade suits all" colour, it's meant to emphasise the size of your lips, so that you can "create the perfect lip silhouette". I've tried it once and a I don't mind it, but until I play with it a big more, the jury is still out overall. This retails for $22 AU.<br />
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Opening up my Lip Monthly purse, my eyes were immediately drawn to the <strong><a href="https://jcatbeauty.com/lips/lip_paint/wonder_lip_paint">JCat Beauty Wonder Lip Paint</a></strong>, in the shade "Curious Oysters". Perhaps the Alice in Wonderland reference should've been a clue, because this shade is <em>weird</em>. It's a semi-transparent shimmery, white gloss -- or so it looks at this stage. I'm wondering if it's actually separated on the journey, because when I read words like "lip paint", something thick and full colour is what comes to mind first, kinda like the OCC Lip Tars. I looked around on the web, and there were a number of different shades available, and while I like a challenge, this shade is not wearable for me. This retails for $4.99 US (about $6.51 AU).<br />
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Up after that was a <strong><a href="https://starlooks.com/collections/hot-stuff/products/lip-crayons?variant=25327925896">Starlooks Lip Crayon</a> </strong>in the shade "Dubl Bubl" -- and the name was enough to send off alarm bells in my head. (Someone play that Anne-Marie song, quick!) It made me expect a bright bubblegum pink, which is a shade that just doesn't play well with me. What it ended up being was a light, slightly pastel lavender, which for me is perhaps slightly worse. It's a shame, because, looking online, all of the other shades are really, really nice! Unfortunately, this is another total miss for me, though I know there are loads of girls out there who would rock it. The lip crayon retails for $19 US (about $24.79 AU).<br />
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Finally is a pack of <strong><a href="http://www.shopncla.com/collections/petites">ncLA Petite Instant Nail Fashion</a> </strong>nail wraps, and while I know that some people don't like nail products, I kinda don't mind them! I'm about 98% certain that the design is an exclusive collaboration with Lip Monthly, as the it matches that on the bag; the Lip Monthly logo has also been conveniently printed on the sheet of wraps. I might get around to wearing these eventually, and looking on the ncLA site, they have a lot of cute designs! (Secret between you and me: there's a <em>Pride and Prejudice and Zombies</em> set, and you know that I <em>need</em> anything Jane Austen in my life <em>now</em>). Lip Monthly values this product at $11 US (about $14.35 AU), but all of the nail wraps from the Petite line are $9 US (about $11.74 AU), so... I'm gonna go with what's on the site.<br />
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<strong>Price: $12.95 US (~$16.89 AU)</strong><br />
<strong>Lip Monthly Bag Value: $52.99 US (~$65.04 AU)</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
While this month was kind of a fail for me in terms of shades, I've enjoyed Lip Monthly enough this year that I can easily overlook one dud month. I'm in two minds as to whether or not I'll keep the products I don't like -- I may hold onto the Lip Paint, because I <em>do</em> have a silver lipstick from the CoverGirl Star Wars collection... Who knows, perhaps I can make it work!<br />
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What did you think of the products in this bag? How would you use them? Let me know!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-56673967175136517332016-09-12T12:05:00.000+10:002016-09-17T17:07:58.262+10:00Book Swap with Aoife from Pretty Purple Polka Dots!I don't often talk about books on the blog, mainly because I love chattering on too much and my posts would be longer than my thesis. I haven't quite worked out the way in which I want to talk about the books I read or the TV shows I watch -- I'll get there, but I'm not there yet.<br />
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That being said, several months ago I was having a great chat with Aoife from <strong><a href="https://prettypurplepolkadots.wordpress.com/">Pretty Purple Polka Dots</a></strong>, an Irish book blogger who has no shortage of suggestions should you be looking for something to read. While I can't remember what our chat was about, it led to her asking if I wanted to participate in a book swap with her! And why wouldn't I? It's great to connect with others in the blogging community, and sharing something you love with someone else who you just <em>know</em> will love it too... There's nothing like that.<br />
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So we grabbed each other's details, found out about each other's interests and began digging to locate a book that we knew the other one would love.<br />
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What did I get Aoife? Well, you'll just need to pop over to her blog and have a look. No spoilers from these lips!<br />
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Before you do that, however, let's get stuck into what arrived in my mailbox!<br />
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<strong><em>An Irish Country Girl </em>by Patrick Taylor </strong>|| This book appears to be a prequel to other books by Patrick Taylor, about a woman named Kinky Kincaid (given Ireland, this is most probably not pronounced the way it's spelled), whose real name is Maureen O'Hanlon. It seems to be set in the earlier part of the twentieth-century, with supernatural elements that really intrigue me. It makes me wonder if it ties into Irish folklore -- and as someone who loves history, I'm excited to find out!<br />
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<strong><em>Brooklyn </em>by Colm Tóibín </strong>|| I've definitely heard of the movie and the book on which it was based, and I recall there being a great deal of fuss being made, but as I tend to be very lazy when it comes to jumping on bandwagons (both literally and metaphorically), I never really looked into it. This one's about a girl named Eilis Lacey, who emigrates to North America to make a future for herself, only to have to return to Ireland later on. I'm not gonna lie, it's piqued my interest as well!<br />
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Aside from these titles (both of which sound really good), Aoife so very kindly sent me some other bits and pieces too! A bookmark featuring Irish writers -- always handy, as I tend to dog-ear my pages (sorry!); a block of Dairy Milk that has long since been demolished; a magnet with an Irish toast on it; a few candles, one of which I know to be a Yankee candle (<em>hallelujah!</em>) and all of which smell incredible; and a keyring.<br />
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But not just any keyring -- no, no, this keyring has my surname and my family crest!<br />
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Can someone please find me a gif to accurately describe my joy?<br />
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I didn't need to read my surname to know what it was when I saw it. While my particular strand of Barry DNA has Cornish origins instead of Irish, I've nevertheless always kind of unofficially adopted this crest as my own. I can't wait to attach it to all of my keys!<br />
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That just about sums up my absolutely awesome package from Aoife! Don't forget to check out her blog to see what I sent her -- I know I sure will be <strike>(partly because aside from the book I forgot what I sent her)</strike>.<br />
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Have you read these books before? Did you watch the film <em>Brooklyn</em> when it came out? Let me know!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEyRtXruSOrV2d3Ppi41NGTWB_T8UTvYEZW99NdkRXRpPZr7aZk8szmDjEko-aYJFyRVy9bhbgUeDD8tHkiG4z-Jh2xsmiXDZVtznYYxe5X2CfrQumYrK5Dz7aB-rNre-IjUiQt0jBXE/s1600/sign.png" /></a></div>
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-66814128421781442032016-09-05T21:40:00.000+10:002016-09-05T21:40:25.611+10:00Japan Haul Pt 1 | Makeup Goodies Everywhere!If you're a makeup addict -- hell, I don't even think you need to be an addict -- then arguably one of the greatest priorities you'll have when going overseas is getting your paws on the goods that you just can't find at home. Whether it's different products from familiar brands or new items from new names, it's so easy to get excited and just want one of <em>everything</em>.<br />
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This happened to me.<br />
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In the name of Daenerys Targaryen, First of Her Name, this happened to me.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29R38bAwkluvipsiggZdgr24vdk0KT074DRGDqdWYfS_fV8RW907bsVHoHfTQzyFa7FF-ksFwXg0CoGPx4rPNQDjMpMSgmw0XN_GjRPJz-OohFjbQEMu_6eqWFXpE54UpdyBYSEXLYEQ/s1600/IMG_1656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29R38bAwkluvipsiggZdgr24vdk0KT074DRGDqdWYfS_fV8RW907bsVHoHfTQzyFa7FF-ksFwXg0CoGPx4rPNQDjMpMSgmw0XN_GjRPJz-OohFjbQEMu_6eqWFXpE54UpdyBYSEXLYEQ/s320/IMG_1656.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at this stuff. Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Don't get me wrong, it could've been a lot worse. There was a point towards the end of my trip where I was going to splash a whole lotta extra cash on brands I knew I hadn't seen before -- but instead I ended up deciding to go meet a friend for dinner.<br />
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A friend who ended up being an hour late.<br />
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Please, a moment of silence for the makeup not bought.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwSjEqh8g_txxHLMpjm6SaAxlD1tTNw51ega_AzFLHEp1EpXlf8GmIfltcZS6oL_yufK_P5cR2qLYYpj5II_NhnYSWZ943l5DXLzermhyphenhyphenyLjkknFdOTqhS-TcQz0z5QBIghbjCIodlEM/s1600/IMG_1652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwSjEqh8g_txxHLMpjm6SaAxlD1tTNw51ega_AzFLHEp1EpXlf8GmIfltcZS6oL_yufK_P5cR2qLYYpj5II_NhnYSWZ943l5DXLzermhyphenhyphenyLjkknFdOTqhS-TcQz0z5QBIghbjCIodlEM/s320/IMG_1652.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You want things of above? I've got twenty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Still, I shouldn't really complain, right? I did end up creating a relatively decent haul whilst overseas, so let's take a look at the beauties!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbt3HE3hph0mT0F4wn2CLwod0gYQqYxDq0JPFKNY9Hiy2mdg5ovyz51nhdFonYCMu5kMXTCO-6GyHbH5i_KA3l2v78V7bqLc5SCj8TXihjyY4T2p4QCIPfJbJMtNKqHgrU-XFlQpXawU/s1600/IMG_1672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbt3HE3hph0mT0F4wn2CLwod0gYQqYxDq0JPFKNY9Hiy2mdg5ovyz51nhdFonYCMu5kMXTCO-6GyHbH5i_KA3l2v78V7bqLc5SCj8TXihjyY4T2p4QCIPfJbJMtNKqHgrU-XFlQpXawU/s320/IMG_1672.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But who cares? No big deal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS7D1lU-9T8mWZ3ixqATOR3Ir3RbfpRhwN8nOq6JCr6V_Jy_blWaWQ3if8h07nmwNbW11jkAzuNn15yZI6AkuObYEGpuwioPPq3mdDyVAbcy1ROTlfCuiyfJLgO4jtUlSDmX1RlvfYCs/s1600/IMG_1678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS7D1lU-9T8mWZ3ixqATOR3Ir3RbfpRhwN8nOq6JCr6V_Jy_blWaWQ3if8h07nmwNbW11jkAzuNn15yZI6AkuObYEGpuwioPPq3mdDyVAbcy1ROTlfCuiyfJLgO4jtUlSDmX1RlvfYCs/s320/IMG_1678.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I want mooooore.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<strong>Rimmel London x Daichi Miura Chocolat Sweet Eyes Eyeshadow Palette - "#002 Almond Chocolat" and "#009 Rose Chocolat"</strong> || Look at these adorable little eyeshadow palettes! Look at them! I'd say that they're meant to be the Japanese drugstore answer to the chocolate bar craze that began a couple of years back courtesy of Too Faced. I believe that these are available in the regular packaging as well, but these two in particular were created in collaboration with Daichi Miura. Who is that? No idea. I know that these two palettes look very, very similar, but they are different -- trust me!</div>
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I had wanted to get the rest of the palettes in this range, but I bought these relatively early into my trip; by the time I went to a store and saw them again, they only had the original packaging, and I couldn't remember which ones I'd bought. I know, what a rookie error.<br />
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<strong>Rimmel London x Daichi Miura Marshmallow Look Lipstick - "#012 Very Red" </strong>|| I had originally written this shade as "Berry Red" until I took swatch photos and remembered that 1) there was nothing remotely berry about the shade; and 2) 'very' could be written the same way as 'berry'. So here we are! This is a very clean, bright red, and I'm sure that I definitely do have shades just like it -- what I have never seen before is that heaven-sent packaging! Can you see it? It's similar to the eyeshadow palettes in terms of the drawings, but it has three girls whose outfits you can mix and match depending on the way you click the lid on!<br />
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No that's not drool at the corner of my mouth. Don't know what you're talking about.<br />
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<strong>Rimmel London x Daichi Miura Marshmallow Look Lipstick - "#015 Melty Red" </strong>|| I didn't know why this was called Melty Red, as in the tube it looks more like a deep, kinda rusty brown. I can see the red tones when I engage it in a staring match (it always wins), but I'm interested in seeing how it translates on the lips. Will it look kinda 90s? Who knows!<br />
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<strong>Rimmel London Marshmallow Look Lipstick - "#21 Deep Plum" </strong>|| I haven't mentioned this yet, but the whole idea behind the "Marshmallow Look" line is the idea of matte lip colour that gives your lips a soft, pillowy look -- it sounds pretty nice, right? Off the top of my head, this shade seems kinda comparable to MAC Rebel, but my eyes aren't known for being reliable so time (and side-by-side swatches) will tell.<br />
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<strong>Rimmel London Marshmallow Look Lipstick - "#23 Raspberry Rose" </strong>|| This shade ended up swatching lighter than I thought it might, but I think I'm going to love wearing it! It's the kind of soft pink that I rarely get sick off, and I think it'll look as great during the winter as it will in summer. I think this may suit those with very fair skin as well, but I can't be 100% sure -- thanks to the Japanese sun, I returned to Australia looking a bit like a slow-roasted chicken, so my skin isn't as pale as it normally would be at this time of year.<br />
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<strong>Rimmel London Lasting Finish Creamy Lip - "#009 Vivid Pink" </strong>|| How beautiful is this pink? It's a shade that I personally love to rock in the wintertime -- whoever said you should stick to nudes? -- and the bullet shape makes me wonder if this is Japan's rendition of The Only One lipstick. An awesome feature? There's a little mirror on the top of the cap! (Screeches everywhere.)<br />
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<strong>Rimmel London Lasting Finish Creamy Lip - "#014 Mauve Red" </strong>|| When I first opened the cap upon coming home, I first thought that this looked almost worryingly similar to the Marshmallow Look "Melty Red" shade, but it really does swatch more rosey-red. I think it's a very pretty colour, and a good red for those who don't like something so in-your-face.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCGlBqtYXqiwXP7mCzNC5I8snAbtsRbhnnK433i2W89gmA9gf_-0Xy7oWpdBuju7cmT0kLpEy2x7oKrcB0BtlLLu0_PwbdI3ms45JXIPcZELuYzjr0QuUxuu2JZkqIhU4JqEsUxaDFOw/s1600/IMG_1816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCGlBqtYXqiwXP7mCzNC5I8snAbtsRbhnnK433i2W89gmA9gf_-0Xy7oWpdBuju7cmT0kLpEy2x7oKrcB0BtlLLu0_PwbdI3ms45JXIPcZELuYzjr0QuUxuu2JZkqIhU4JqEsUxaDFOw/s200/IMG_1816.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKiWf_iWjkz3rpMFf5ZpkVurIhYHvxTXu1Zh8V7dV6bYkg01kH7PqQ3RtXV7WO9QIeBzP0zJKM_UKi9ooP_wzy_iJLzqmXj-1rXNGP-TF6BAkyZwT0y3e8MUS3tRtiXzTT-pQ4N5w_BFc/s1600/IMG_1818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKiWf_iWjkz3rpMFf5ZpkVurIhYHvxTXu1Zh8V7dV6bYkg01kH7PqQ3RtXV7WO9QIeBzP0zJKM_UKi9ooP_wzy_iJLzqmXj-1rXNGP-TF6BAkyZwT0y3e8MUS3tRtiXzTT-pQ4N5w_BFc/s200/IMG_1818.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Left: Swatches of the Marshmallow Look lipsticks; Right: Swatches of the Lasting Finish Creamy Lip lipsticks.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzci5njnyHzpP7U__5tTWyheEqM88laZcTW2JXfntafn16tGBb8O1EnQHtFqHso6z6Q2AbOS8VXpAbzD_03ZC0BhLROyi-DOaOPLvHwa6xPn6duSwGfQS1J083bxTNwPx19KEF44-RRx8/s1600/IMG_1706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzci5njnyHzpP7U__5tTWyheEqM88laZcTW2JXfntafn16tGBb8O1EnQHtFqHso6z6Q2AbOS8VXpAbzD_03ZC0BhLROyi-DOaOPLvHwa6xPn6duSwGfQS1J083bxTNwPx19KEF44-RRx8/s320/IMG_1706.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L'Oréal Paris -- if it has a name, it has a place in my purse.</td></tr>
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<strong>L'Oréal Paris Collection Star by Barbara - "Barbara's Pink / Rose" </strong>|| Everyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for a product with a name attached to it, and when I found out that Japan had its own version of the Collection Exclusive... I practically needed a mop to wipe my drool! This is a sheer, milky pink with a very subtle microglitter that's hard to pick up on camera. Typically this type of pink isn't my style, but I think that's it's sheer enough for me to pull it off.<br />
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<strong>L'Oréal Paris Collection Star by Blake - "Blake's Pink / Lily" </strong>|| This I <em>definitely</em> love! It's a beautiful blush-pink that doesn't get all in your face. It didn't have any glitter that I could see when swatching.<br />
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<strong>L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Extraordinaire - "#500 Molto Mauve" </strong>|| This was an interesting purchase. I saw a stand at the store that had a dozen different shades that came with a Swarovski-element crystal bracelet, with each shade corresponding with a different month of the year. If I had all the money in the world, I'd definitely have bought one for each month (like a magpie, I love shiny things) but at the time I felt it was overkill, even for me, so I only bought the one for my birth month: June! June's gemstone is opal (I think -- sometimes I see moonstone, but I can't remember what the stand itself said), and the bracelet is meant to reflect that.<br />
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The lip colour itself is a beautiful shade that I might not have looked at too closely had it not been for the bracelet. It's a gorgeous reddish-mauve with flecks of gold microglitter -- I can honestly say that I don't have a shade like it in my collection!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTLUdFYR7sYpLrPdCJR8EF9ngEFXmEHHg0T4xXq8XZkMJhbh9P9KswEjt6b_-t2Vvt02zeTTChlVYQ-xEaKRmCr9Pqno7MuL51D8giCKnaEeEgItDoEg8uqFxoKKqglVPc6piYTkEbAs/s1600/IMG_1781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTLUdFYR7sYpLrPdCJR8EF9ngEFXmEHHg0T4xXq8XZkMJhbh9P9KswEjt6b_-t2Vvt02zeTTChlVYQ-xEaKRmCr9Pqno7MuL51D8giCKnaEeEgItDoEg8uqFxoKKqglVPc6piYTkEbAs/s200/IMG_1781.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: no regrets.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjfxP0RRFz3I0AKth9UAlcoPt-dxB5xZOJSKXTRPffRB_1LdCCoBW874zbvV0dYQArbxCL5FbPCh2EL_d5odadxNybOip5jHOygHkLBETrYbOQn1l7OyEij1P1sXzRqyubjZ9jmp3DDI/s1600/IMG_1707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjfxP0RRFz3I0AKth9UAlcoPt-dxB5xZOJSKXTRPffRB_1LdCCoBW874zbvV0dYQArbxCL5FbPCh2EL_d5odadxNybOip5jHOygHkLBETrYbOQn1l7OyEij1P1sXzRqyubjZ9jmp3DDI/s320/IMG_1707.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleek in name, sleek in nature.</td></tr>
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<strong>Excel Sleek Glow Lip - "#GP05 Sakura Pink" </strong>|| This slender little tube has a somewhat luxurious feel to its packaging and offers sheer colour for your lips. I only picked up two shades because most of them had names that were kind of a little scary -- names that contained the word "beige". Unless it's in a foundation, I run from the name "beige". This shade in particular is a sweet watermelon pink, and the product itself is so soft that they say you don't need to twist it higher than a couple of millimetres.<br />
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<strong>Excel Sleek Glow Lip - "#GP06 Pink Mirage" </strong>|| There's a little more raspberry in this shade than to Sakura Pink, although when I first started swatching I was concerned that they were more identical than I'd thought. Just like Sakura Pink, Pink Mirage offers a very pretty, natural-looking blushing pink to your lips.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMshmdV4Q16zw3S___Eqi0EQpu42kxnXzbvJrbg9znNB7OkdGNFgKEM25xIr7FdTqz3y0WvlGNZHGAblW0ikdsjLcwoUgd2kYpCLCgomfVaNNzwDtKZPp-sjea0H3IxSTFEN17P2cOok/s1600/IMG_1793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMshmdV4Q16zw3S___Eqi0EQpu42kxnXzbvJrbg9znNB7OkdGNFgKEM25xIr7FdTqz3y0WvlGNZHGAblW0ikdsjLcwoUgd2kYpCLCgomfVaNNzwDtKZPp-sjea0H3IxSTFEN17P2cOok/s200/IMG_1793.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For all your sheer lip colour needs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8GsJSfptqfMEPygxoQMtk5H8NHOaL7oDxNvXgOVpq3koKVW0HyR6Oi389ONSZiz1w9zgzxS7AMAPP-6TjUlT7o5t-uQOsIxJHjOHfA6joyUDmN61RqdBsGVnGBmr6iMlVpoq4HsFYJk/s1600/IMG_1715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8GsJSfptqfMEPygxoQMtk5H8NHOaL7oDxNvXgOVpq3koKVW0HyR6Oi389ONSZiz1w9zgzxS7AMAPP-6TjUlT7o5t-uQOsIxJHjOHfA6joyUDmN61RqdBsGVnGBmr6iMlVpoq4HsFYJk/s320/IMG_1715.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't be jelly, Linda.</td></tr>
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<strong>Canmake Tokyo Your Lip Only Gloss - "#03 Clear and Vivid" </strong>|| I'm wondering if perhaps the name of this line is the product of some typo that didn't get picked upon before it went into production. Who knows? I noticed straight out that the applicator was a pinky-purple, the kind of colour you get when you apply a clear gloss over a coloured lipstick directly with the applicator and thus never have clear gloss again. When I swatched it, it seemed to be nothing more than a clear gloss with a colourful applicator -- and I was wrong! You can see that it has a very light pink tint to it -- so, not exactly clear, but perhaps tinted just enough to enhance your natural lip colour.<br />
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Only testing will tell!<br />
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<strong>Canmake Tokyo Jelly Stick Gloss - "#05 Dark Raspberry" </strong>|| At time of writing, this is the only product that I've tried, and I really like it! Like with the Excel products, you only need to twist it up the very slightest bit because of how soft the product is -- and my, oh my, is it soft! Imagine slathering butter onto your lips, but without the greasy feeling. That's what wearing this product is like.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5tg_SUo1mDjScIT09TTxnmem77bSwmauRRBpGCYsvTMdSomUUmsUgFZ-l82-6lUqqkbWkkqhSaAKHmJxryOkcE3eTSB2QD1wfmtacwlv23b3P9j7cSZo5cWc5wVkbhFhoG65Sneu7Fc/s1600/IMG_1787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5tg_SUo1mDjScIT09TTxnmem77bSwmauRRBpGCYsvTMdSomUUmsUgFZ-l82-6lUqqkbWkkqhSaAKHmJxryOkcE3eTSB2QD1wfmtacwlv23b3P9j7cSZo5cWc5wVkbhFhoG65Sneu7Fc/s200/IMG_1787.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I could probably swatch this forever.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvvkmokVcADkrHMj5l7Qc988Cf6oPvNtKbh44j1s6UFRlNd5Nhl6LATHnOy8u2vvuGW4CZaWrqa4zWxxk5r7F2ApFTTOrKcaN4GLunn5qFQ0NmOH0KzmkLnaKAIbwqjiYde0Bxme1KZY/s1600/IMG_1657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvvkmokVcADkrHMj5l7Qc988Cf6oPvNtKbh44j1s6UFRlNd5Nhl6LATHnOy8u2vvuGW4CZaWrqa4zWxxk5r7F2ApFTTOrKcaN4GLunn5qFQ0NmOH0KzmkLnaKAIbwqjiYde0Bxme1KZY/s320/IMG_1657.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why buy regular edition packaging when you can get the cute limited edition one instead?</td></tr>
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<strong>Maybelline Fashionista Mascara </strong>|| I haven't seen this mascara at all in the western world, although I'm guessing from the general shape of the packaging that it might be Japan's version of the Illegal Length mascara. This particular one is either special or limited edition packaging -- I'm not 100% sure which -- in a collaboration with Little Twin Star; there was also a blue one for the waterproof formula.<br />
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<strong>Opera Sheer Lip Color - "#104 Pure Coral" </strong>|| So here's the thing about this line: there some to be two sub-lines, the "basic type" and what seems to translate to me as the "good colour type". This particular shade belongs to the latter, and leads me to think that "good colour type" refers to more pigment. This really is a stronger peachy coral than I'm used to wearing -- honestly, I'm not used to coral at all -- but I've never been one to shy away from a challenge!<br />
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<strong>Opera Sheer Lip Color - "#01 Pure Red" </strong>|| Clearly more sheer than Pure Coral, this really is meant to give nothing more than a sheer red tint to your lips. It'll be great for work, because I've shied away quite a bit from wearing lipsticks lately.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-DzxtExzZqeRPQ8Y4Lfgn4a329D3DGC2ksQIS4gGw8z-9xickwus9aTBEPZMd45DTe_2XMB-dj2iOwYBxZAS2cZHsaVGZ4Zsk3HCA0IwXVTGzcH_L2Fiw4FyAEpVx6WZ-VgJgnEVqSM/s1600/IMG_1796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-DzxtExzZqeRPQ8Y4Lfgn4a329D3DGC2ksQIS4gGw8z-9xickwus9aTBEPZMd45DTe_2XMB-dj2iOwYBxZAS2cZHsaVGZ4Zsk3HCA0IwXVTGzcH_L2Fiw4FyAEpVx6WZ-VgJgnEVqSM/s200/IMG_1796.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not what I expected, for whatever reason, but who doesn't like a challenge?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhME_RpaGqaPj6zKiX77FUIOk3ZYofOc5feMMOaTyTbanCeld2kH7Zzt6DzwBgv2UBOof36bETxPF7vpkcUXrD4zvs-fWFZLItCfLUAgmg0ejZ9kPzHgO8c0UY_GEGF0Da27j0MbOObftE/s1600/IMG_1664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhME_RpaGqaPj6zKiX77FUIOk3ZYofOc5feMMOaTyTbanCeld2kH7Zzt6DzwBgv2UBOof36bETxPF7vpkcUXrD4zvs-fWFZLItCfLUAgmg0ejZ9kPzHgO8c0UY_GEGF0Da27j0MbOObftE/s320/IMG_1664.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Disney Lip Gloss - "Rapunzel" </strong>|| This gloss is a sheer sparkly pink that doesn't really build up a whole lot of colour, no matter what the inside of the tube looks like. I think the entire line is pretty good for younger girls who are developing more of an interest in makeup -- but make no mistake, this shiz is for me -- and this shade in particular would be a good place to start.<br />
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<strong>Disney Lip Gloss - "Ariel" </strong>|| This one is somewhat sparkly too, but a slightly more pigmented coral. It's not a bad idea for those who might want to try a more natural lip colour but are somewhat intimidated by the idea of a nude. <br />
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<strong>Disney Lip Gloss - "Minnie" </strong>|| This watermelon pink has no glitter at all, and while not overly pigmented, it's still a stronger pink than Rapunzel. It's another safe shade for younger girls or those who want something natural and don't mind carrying around a something that demonstrates a blatant love for Disney.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQjOhTs6vQTfFZzJZJrbahjbg4wP-WjTdSuq-UE4xh87AjXArhYv_1HD1gAVvBOy1o2i6aEWSeYMTFUzz7PbBTcvp0_Gf-70tBmOu092S2Y-p3Iv7lY0lY7abb0MzRXpeKvSUXjrf3AQ/s1600/IMG_1777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQjOhTs6vQTfFZzJZJrbahjbg4wP-WjTdSuq-UE4xh87AjXArhYv_1HD1gAVvBOy1o2i6aEWSeYMTFUzz7PbBTcvp0_Gf-70tBmOu092S2Y-p3Iv7lY0lY7abb0MzRXpeKvSUXjrf3AQ/s200/IMG_1777.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fairest of them all.</td></tr>
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<strong>Daiso Japan Hello Kitty Oil Blotting Paper </strong>|| Of <em>course</em> I went to Daiso in Japan! How could I not? There were all kinds of blotting paper available, from those that were plain and to the point, to those that looked they belonged in a more upmarket store. As someone who does find Hello Kitty quite cute, this was a must!<br />
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<strong>Daiso Japan Mickey Mouse Oil Blotting Paper </strong>|| If there's one character that Japan loves, it's Mickey Mouse. He and Minnie seem to be everywhere you go, and while I wouldn't call myself a die-hard fan, this is cute yet discreet enough that it's right up my alley.<br />
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That's it for part one of all of the goodies I purchased from Japan! Stay tuned because part two will be posted very, very soon -- and if you like stationery, Pokémon and/or Disney jewellery, you're going to find this one a <em>real</em> treat.<br />
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But for now: what did you think of the makeup? Did anything I buy grab your eye? Have you yourself bought makeup in Japan? Let me know! Let's get chatting!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-73068221356823070512016-09-01T10:10:00.000+10:002016-09-01T10:10:40.820+10:00The Actual Diary Bit, Vol 2 | 22nd Aug to 28th AugGorgeous fellow humans, how have you <em>been</em> these past few weeks? It's been so quiet in this pocket of the internet, but after finishing my thesis what I needed more than anything else was a break from the computer! I was also in Japan for three weeks, and I can't remember the last time I've had so much fun. I spent about a week on my own, then I joined up with a tour, and then I had a few more days on my own again. I might write up posts on some of the places that I visited, but if I do then they may be slow-coming. There's just so much to get done!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, thank <em>you</em>, Japan.</td></tr>
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And what have I been up to since I got back? Read on and find out!<br />
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<strong>Monday, 22nd August </strong>|| Today I landed back home from Japan! I arrived at about 11.30am, but I didn't end up getting home until about 3.30pm because I had lunch with Mum. I actually wasn't feeling too well for most of the day -- I don't know if it was travel sickness, or maybe just that I hadn't eaten properly. I've never been travel sick on a plane before, so... Who knows. I also got to give my family members their presents, which was pretty fun.<br />
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<strong>Tuesday, 23rd August </strong>|| LAUNDRY DAY! You wouldn't think that doing laundry would be something to get excited about, but when you haven't really had properly clean clothes for three weeks and you're out of underwear... It's pretty darn exciting. Finally, I have clean clothes!! I took a couple of naps today as well. I don't really understand it, it's not like I'm jetlagged.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOthx-J3Q3q59hoxkaqrGT2l1VuFHOmovXpZPrx2YZ2RCrAWPVDVpfwoARCeMFaGF-rVNvjbTSCtLCkfit9Dw7bNijK6orsEro4RA11mqMKAOsns3JszGWsWUjmtzDtz-I8zCmvE3qoPI/s1600/PhotoGrid_1472534638145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOthx-J3Q3q59hoxkaqrGT2l1VuFHOmovXpZPrx2YZ2RCrAWPVDVpfwoARCeMFaGF-rVNvjbTSCtLCkfit9Dw7bNijK6orsEro4RA11mqMKAOsns3JszGWsWUjmtzDtz-I8zCmvE3qoPI/s320/PhotoGrid_1472534638145.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last night of the tour! Things got CRAY! (Not really.)</td></tr>
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<strong>Wednesday, 24th August </strong>|| Again, didn't do a whole lot. I rang up my best friend and we chatted for a while -- it was so good to hear her voice! It's been kinda strange, going from a situation where I had people constantly talking to me to having almost nobody at all. That in itself sounds a little strange, because it's not like I live alone, but... I don't know how to describe it.<br />
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<strong>Thursday, 25th August </strong>|| I think that the worst part about unpacking is trying to put away the final bits and pieces that kind of don't really have a place. I had a nice, sizeable lump of stuff on my floor and no desire to find a place to put it. I spent most of the day photographing the makeup and the stationary that I'd bought in Japan -- the question is, however, will it make it to the blog? I'd hope so but gosh know with my organisation at the moment. Also tonight was my first night back at work! It was good to kind of get stuck back into it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snap back to reality.</td></tr>
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<strong>Friday, 26th August </strong>|| Went out for lunch with Mum and my brother today. I was feeling like something light, like a salad -- so that's what I got. A delicious, delicious Caesar salad. I mean, it really wasn't the best one I've eaten in a while, but it did the trick. I also remembered to register for my graduation -- <em>so freaking expensive, </em>but hey, I can officially say goodbye to university in September instead of December!<br />
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<strong>Saturday, 27th August </strong>|| Appointment with the witch doctor (aka osteo) today! Things are looking pretty decent. This time last year, I was going weekly (really not a good thing), but now we've pushed appointments back to every six weeks. The witch doctor said that the heat in Japan has done me a lot of lasting good, so I'm pretty pleased with that.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love seeing these flowers bloom -- so happy I came back home in time to see it!</td></tr>
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<strong>Sunday, 28th August </strong>|| Wasn't exactly looking forward to getting back to my long Sundays at work -- I've been so tired this week that I felt there was no guarantee I'd get up in time! As it happened, I did, which was great, but the day itself could've been better. It was so quiet that at times I was almost bored to absolute tears; sometimes it's nice when it's quiet, but the time was dragging! In the end, I only ended up working a half day, because it was so quiet and we had so many staff members that my boss told me to finish early.<br />
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Tell me: what have you been up to in the last week or so? I want to hear all about your own adventures!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-72805564901017934572016-07-21T23:51:00.000+10:002016-07-21T23:51:37.263+10:00The Actual Diary Bit, Vol. 1 | 11th July to 17th JulyHow's it going, gorgeous people? I worked a lot, I Pokémoned a lot (is "Pokémonning" an acceptable a word yet?), but other than that, I wasn't as productive as I probably should've been. Even so, this is how my last week went!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tonkotsu ramen. My new favourite dish.</td></tr>
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<strong>Monday, 11th July </strong>|| Worked another 8-hour shift today. I'm not used to working so often! I'm getting so tired from it, which isn't really a bad thing, but I do need to start getting stuff together for my Japan trip. It's only three weeks away! Finished watching <em>Terrace House: Boys & Girls in the City</em> on Netflix -- I want part two, darn it! I don't always understand the references they make, but I really enjoy it.<br />
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<strong>Tuesday, 12th July </strong>|| Busy day today. Had my second vaccination for Japanese encephalitis. Underwent my typical reaction. Had Japanese for lunch with the mama bear -- <em>so delicious! </em>Finished watching a K-drama called <em>To Be Continued</em>, which I hadn't been super keen on in the start. Kinda wasn't in the mood for all the singing that goes on. Also went over to a friend's house for her birthday, as I can't go away to Torquay with them later in the week. Ate pizza, and chatted to some really great people.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpkEk98ZPveUnFMgTIvI6tkFU-cAE3OTJKNGTu_VhIH2WZFhVx3ty1X6J9cLzekZywCvuzs2K0gggODx0eUmaCC1n8FZdOFS2S1hqzV5xIr23oLZtn8MtIDqh_PlNmhBj1ZEjQp889NU/s1600/Screenshot_20160721-121448.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpkEk98ZPveUnFMgTIvI6tkFU-cAE3OTJKNGTu_VhIH2WZFhVx3ty1X6J9cLzekZywCvuzs2K0gggODx0eUmaCC1n8FZdOFS2S1hqzV5xIr23oLZtn8MtIDqh_PlNmhBj1ZEjQp889NU/s200/Screenshot_20160721-121448.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How cute are these?! Naturally, I want them all.</td></tr>
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<strong>Wednesday, 13th July </strong>|| One of the few days I've had lately where I don't have to go out or do anything! I HAVE MISSED MY PYJAMA DAY LIFESTYLE. I tell you what, when I get proper full-time work, I think I'm just going to exist in PJs on the weekends, especially when it's cold like this. I made instant pasta for lunch and burned it like an idiot. Only me, I tell you, only me. Started watching <em>Offspring</em> from the start. Yes, I love TV, don't judge. AND MY NEW PHONE ARRIVED!<br />
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<strong>Thursday, 14th July </strong>|| Planned to spend my day doing very little, but ended up spending over an hour with Mum playing Pokémon Go. Worked a short shift, found out I was rostered for an extra shift next Tuesday! Tried to put music onto my phone but it doesn't want to work. Haven't figured out why.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeadLlWM8rru26kq1jbcoua-1kp27Sdo_skf5KjdePq5Of-VSYwF6CvU5K1FpVGLcc9Bpsvi1V4AHgiS-gfP-UotWWXlCEVBel3TLehyv8YuJPYwE6ADyjKqM8KMjslIs85UJEtiMUXpc/s1600/Screenshot_20160721-121457.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeadLlWM8rru26kq1jbcoua-1kp27Sdo_skf5KjdePq5Of-VSYwF6CvU5K1FpVGLcc9Bpsvi1V4AHgiS-gfP-UotWWXlCEVBel3TLehyv8YuJPYwE6ADyjKqM8KMjslIs85UJEtiMUXpc/s200/Screenshot_20160721-121457.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you're not welcome.</td></tr>
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<strong>Friday, 15th July </strong>|| Planned to spend the day doing mostly nothing -- and by nothing, I mean catching Pokémon with Mama Bear for about an hour, and then doing a little light Japanese study whilst watching something. What I ended up doing was ditching Mama Bear for my friend Jo-Anna to go Pokémon hunting in <em>the city</em>. I did feel guilty for leaving Mama Bear behind, but I did end up having a lot of fun. Had Japanese at my favourite restaurant, bought a little Korean skincare (lusted after the rest), went to Daiso, and walked all over the Melbourne CBD to locate a Ponyta that never revealed itself. What a day!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeXtplAbRkB78wTsWmU9AwgiQo-RMfY3Hl2fSsi7smdgQo-7PMmiEZX84QDL6R7JKZMXiiWQ-uEMCyC5-F55h9qNxJEGlFEvWGl6S42gXvDwgnxpD-CRbvl8-VmJHwmrVOy01oHAkIoE/s1600/Screenshot_20160721-121518.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeXtplAbRkB78wTsWmU9AwgiQo-RMfY3Hl2fSsi7smdgQo-7PMmiEZX84QDL6R7JKZMXiiWQ-uEMCyC5-F55h9qNxJEGlFEvWGl6S42gXvDwgnxpD-CRbvl8-VmJHwmrVOy01oHAkIoE/s200/Screenshot_20160721-121518.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cutest Daiso haul!</td></tr>
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<strong>Saturday, 16th July </strong>|| Worked an early morning shift, huzzah! It was actually really nice to finish work just after lunch, as my most recent shifts finished quite late, or took up most of my day. That being said, I don't think I achieved very much afterwards. I was pretty tired, so I napped. I did a little Japanese study. Jeez, it really sounds like I do nothing!<br />
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<strong>Sunday, 17th July </strong>|| Another long day at work! That was pretty much my entire Sunday. Not that much to it afterwards! My feet were <em>dead</em> tired, though. When I came home I sat on my bed and listened to a whole bunch of podcasts. I also started making a list of things I have to do before I leave for my trip. I really need clothes -- and I know that everyone says that, but literally, I need clothes. I have one pair of actual pants and they're starting to tear. I need new pants, and I need jeans.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoSblXhEM8wZdqXWiltRYKMB2BbYrDnZyD3yaPUPoyF9NT6ZadR2rtYvkJdt6S_GpSVFNxr3nrWjCoQI9UHJpcOeGQ3Ek_fjnAqnq4TCRPO8MyO1tmOpaNfAcObBFhIrBaGGWn6urTPc/s1600/Screenshot_20160721-121507.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoSblXhEM8wZdqXWiltRYKMB2BbYrDnZyD3yaPUPoyF9NT6ZadR2rtYvkJdt6S_GpSVFNxr3nrWjCoQI9UHJpcOeGQ3Ek_fjnAqnq4TCRPO8MyO1tmOpaNfAcObBFhIrBaGGWn6urTPc/s200/Screenshot_20160721-121507.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She said it would taste like an apple pie AND BY GEORGE IT DID.</td></tr>
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That was my week last week! What did you get up to? Let me know!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-13692731323418967752016-06-06T18:17:00.002+10:002016-06-06T18:23:53.086+10:00The Actual Diary Bit, Vol. 0 | 3rd June to 5th JuneSix months ago, when I was <strike>in a state of delusion</strike> thinking about my blogging goals for 2016, I decided that I wanted to include more lifestyle content over here on Diary of a Beauty Padawan.<br />
<br />
Let's be real: I've pretty much failed so far.<br />
<br />
Sure, I've taken photos of places that I've been to, but I haven't actually gotten around to writing <em>about</em> them, and the delay got to the point where I ended up deciding to abandon the posts altogether. It's not cool, but that's what happens when your university slams you with more work than a normal human can take on at once.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me trying to manage my responsibilities.<br />
Credit: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/roveandsam/">Rove and Sam</a> Instagram</td></tr>
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We all know that I <em>love </em>a good chit-chat -- read any of my posts, ask any of my friends: you'll see how much I can talk! -- but in order to keep posting content regularly when I'm busier than a bat out of hell, I've been thinking of ways to keep my words economical. Don't worry, <strike>un</strike>fortunately for you, you're still going to get those super long make-yourself-a-cup-of-tea-and-chat-with-me posts, but I'll actually be able to give them more of the time they deserve to make them worth reading.<br />
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In the meantime, I thought that I'd bring it back to the "diary" in Diary of a Beauty Padawan, and jot down a few notes about what happens to me day to day. At least we'll all know I'm still alive and not drowning in research!<br />
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<strong>Friday, 3rd June </strong>|| Honestly did not achieve much. Drove my brother to his exams and back home again because I'm basically the best sister ever -- I <em>did</em> miss the re-run of <em>MasterChef Australia</em> because of it, however... It's okay, though, because I found out on Instagram that Cecilia was eliminated. Pretty sad about this; she was one of my favourites. Started the Blogilates June workout two days late -- but better late than never, right? One thing is for sure: my body is frickin' <em>weak</em>! Also started watching <em>Cleverman</em>, which is a new Australian Aboriginal sci-fi show. So far: loving it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEmzoAAH9PfPVw6WlqCAL7BxfCY8JZrpexVwvbdc5HUCT7tZ4NMTBfoUG1ilxuSMcw1_CLllvJRNaEEVpyTsPQhV0TiQozL9pCTSALEARC78cktOCwZkC8TPwAhhfM0rqsjL6G2m8qQI/s1600/IMG_20160604_140009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEmzoAAH9PfPVw6WlqCAL7BxfCY8JZrpexVwvbdc5HUCT7tZ4NMTBfoUG1ilxuSMcw1_CLllvJRNaEEVpyTsPQhV0TiQozL9pCTSALEARC78cktOCwZkC8TPwAhhfM0rqsjL6G2m8qQI/s200/IMG_20160604_140009.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not even asthmatic. My body just hates everything right now.</td></tr>
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<strong>Saturday, 4th June </strong>|| <em>Three hours! </em>That's how long it took me to get my health sorted out! Went out at 10am to go to the clinic to see my doctor, and ended up having to leave so that I could go to the osteo. Went <em>back</em> to the clinic after that and luckily I was seen almost immediately. Bad news: I'm now on Ventolin and antibiotics. Good news: I technically don't <em>need</em> any shots before I go to Japan! Very bad news: If I don't get the optional shot and catch the weird mosquito disease, my brain might be kinda screwed. Even worse news: They'd need to do a blood test and spinal fluid test thing to diagnose me if I get sick. Conclusion: I'm going to be a mess, but I'll get the shot. I think I'd rather suffer phobia-induced hysteria for the purposes of prevention rather than diagnosis.<br />
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Additionally, discovered that Americans don't use kettles. HOW DO YOU DO ANYTHING?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAoFXNba0UwixWTVKrC59eTO0XkyqzrLY4XR8RQ-o4YxKk76_YlHKWyC-qGr6R8lv1-QOtJUOS16K-EOpJ6KXxjZib2m9CyiMA-RHRRoXx_Gs36zXZwArL3IR3jkSCKl49WclEJDwx2Y/s1600/20160605_170511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAoFXNba0UwixWTVKrC59eTO0XkyqzrLY4XR8RQ-o4YxKk76_YlHKWyC-qGr6R8lv1-QOtJUOS16K-EOpJ6KXxjZib2m9CyiMA-RHRRoXx_Gs36zXZwArL3IR3jkSCKl49WclEJDwx2Y/s320/20160605_170511.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>USING A STOVE IS UNACCEPTABLE!</em></td></tr>
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<strong>Sunday, 5th June </strong>|| Work almost killed me -- metaphorically. Woke up half an hour before my shift started, so I had to seriously <em>hustle</em> my ass! My body was exhausted throughout the entire shift; nine hours on a Sunday can be <em>rough,</em> but I managed to get through it by constantly worrying about the ending of <em>Good Morning Call</em>. That show feels like it is NOWHERE near done, but there's only one episode left! WHY?<em> </em>Did a little Blogilates after work, but only half a day's stuff -- disappointing, but it broke a sweat and killed me. Mum made timpana for dinner (delish!) and it was <em>MasterChef </em>Night tonight! Charlie, Harry and Nicolette are in the elimination tomorrow. UGH.<br />
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Sydney's also gone through some weird weather lately, huh.<br />
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That's been some of what happened to me in the last week! What did you get up to? Tell me all about it!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-507915820502039142016-05-02T21:35:00.000+10:002016-05-02T21:35:47.843+10:00Product Review: BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek PaletteIt is a truth universally acknowledged that a beauty blogger in possession of makeup must be in want of more makeup. Never was this truth more plain than in the offices of Diary of a Beauty Padawan, within which a young woman, surrounded by makeup, promptly lost her mind and abandoned her No-Buy Policy when she found out that <strong><a href="http://www.bhcosmetics.com/new">BH Cosmetics</a></strong> had begun selling a small <em>Pride + Prejudice + Zombies</em> line.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_qjLGkZOmj-zzNREbz74SZ_-08zkbXjrlZdArmxXRyzndz3hdVxDqXjgyDJ9Q9hZRVwYgb2NKyLwkxgeZWgAELCr8iwMsFRn3E2CKoSuQP-JGY_tKalDLzxbjNLseZWihzxLKS11JZE/s1600/IMG_1150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_qjLGkZOmj-zzNREbz74SZ_-08zkbXjrlZdArmxXRyzndz3hdVxDqXjgyDJ9Q9hZRVwYgb2NKyLwkxgeZWgAELCr8iwMsFRn3E2CKoSuQP-JGY_tKalDLzxbjNLseZWihzxLKS11JZE/s320/IMG_1150.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette</td></tr>
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It was, quite simply, meant to be.<br />
<br />
Today's post looks at the eyeshadow and blush palette in more detail -- I wrote a very quick, rather scanty <strong><a href="http://beautypadawan.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/a-universally-acknowledged-killer-duo.html">overview</a></strong> of both products in March, but we all know that the devil is in the detail, and I've seen very few posts reviewing these products in any depth.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdGMHBXiHKcicvVd4YgMBdwoJmRsAl2fkhHmH5N1wDL0DqU-fHvdG9Rdm0IKfKHfwqAZGfGQxk59N4FxE562PUHweApo4sX1PxOllzQ-Sw7jhejyTAUMlWyy4phrWA1curnumASM586k/s1600/IMG_1151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdGMHBXiHKcicvVd4YgMBdwoJmRsAl2fkhHmH5N1wDL0DqU-fHvdG9Rdm0IKfKHfwqAZGfGQxk59N4FxE562PUHweApo4sX1PxOllzQ-Sw7jhejyTAUMlWyy4phrWA1curnumASM586k/s320/IMG_1151.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PPZ Palette - back<br />
Heck yeah that's a Sailor Moon necklace you see. What is shame?</td></tr>
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The first thing to surprise me about this product was that the palette does not come in any form of protective sleeve or packaging -- it's simply the palette on its own. I almost found this to be unsettling at first, as there was no way of knowing whether or not it was sturdy enough to hold its own. If the palette opened easily, it would spell disaster quite quickly.<br />
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Luckily, I believe that there's no such issue! Despite being made of cardboard, it has a magnetic close within that keeps it shut properly -- I've never seen any indication that it will just fly open! Across the top is a rather sombre image of the sun rising on dark times, with zombified hands reaching out from the ground. The film title takes centre stage, in glossy gold typeface, and the palette type and brand name is not far underneath. The sides are embossed with a glossy, elegant black frame, and I think that it highlights a feeling of regency elegance to the whole thing -- without it, the palette would look rather plain and generally unremarkable.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21IL49tO51p-fKBnOV-bzo8diPb6WE01BJQN3qAWuwuJh5tx8-vUp2tmTcWqsD4-psEQXXsWxadM0lPp-FZimdTS_aGJ_6ZKd9TsM0p36_sIKEWuxIRjgCgGklPisInq8nYvYQk40Ym8/s1600/IMG_1154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21IL49tO51p-fKBnOV-bzo8diPb6WE01BJQN3qAWuwuJh5tx8-vUp2tmTcWqsD4-psEQXXsWxadM0lPp-FZimdTS_aGJ_6ZKd9TsM0p36_sIKEWuxIRjgCgGklPisInq8nYvYQk40Ym8/s320/IMG_1154.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PPZ Palette - embossing</td></tr>
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The back has that same embossed pattern around the sides, with the film title at the top and the ingredients list clearly printed below it. These shadows and blushes do contain talc, which -- for some reason that is currently unknown to my Padawan self -- is a no-no for some people. I'm personally not bothered by it.<br />
<br />
What <em>does</em> bother me is the scent. There's something almost horribly artificial about the palette's smell that is rather off-putting. It isn't the actual product, because I've sniffed it up close and quite carefully (she says with as much dignity as she can muster). I think that it must be the glue that binds the cardboard together, as it kind of reminds me of a sort of 'book' smell -- just not exactly the pleasant kind. I'm currently testing to see if it's something that fades over time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjGv5XjeTnlky0oaTLo7Y5exX3OHoth8g3GmJKIKCym2iBSAyLtoUyPj1hkSNTEsL_fiWZZbHvGUDW_KrsdaNc7vnC8UWYfMePSBP1ly90ftjEbJL4xY1zP_pFNpdJAao1gaygqlB3vc/s1600/IMG_1160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjGv5XjeTnlky0oaTLo7Y5exX3OHoth8g3GmJKIKCym2iBSAyLtoUyPj1hkSNTEsL_fiWZZbHvGUDW_KrsdaNc7vnC8UWYfMePSBP1ly90ftjEbJL4xY1zP_pFNpdJAao1gaygqlB3vc/s320/IMG_1160.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twelve killer shadows, two deadly blushes and one excruciatingly gorgeous highlighter.</td></tr>
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The inside of the palette is quite pretty, in a plain sort of way -- I kind of want to reference Jane Eyre, buuut that might be sacrilege. There's a nice, sizeable mirror once you open it up, with a quote by the spirited Elizabeth Bennet: "I shall never relinquish my sword for a ring."<br />
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We all know she's going to eat those words in the end.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMcVoUmSM6BbO4QLCj0sxuLSoa7DhSgSr7MLA5rMqt9uBhZI_rgc-xTiEHLelscnSCIaTuD51f5Bl-2pQrdumoYDcnHyyOgCMcQb0Tpp1h_L2qMREqszwYOrwAt-EeRF43IS6B8BfqPo/s1600/IMG_1168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMcVoUmSM6BbO4QLCj0sxuLSoa7DhSgSr7MLA5rMqt9uBhZI_rgc-xTiEHLelscnSCIaTuD51f5Bl-2pQrdumoYDcnHyyOgCMcQb0Tpp1h_L2qMREqszwYOrwAt-EeRF43IS6B8BfqPo/s320/IMG_1168.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ironic ring placed for ironic purposes.</td></tr>
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There are three rows of product within the palette: two rows of shadows (the top warm-toned, the bottom cool-toned) and a row of three blushes. There are immediate shadow pairings that jump out as being fantastic together, such as the purples and the browns, but I've found that, in practice, they generally inter-mix quite well!<br />
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Let's look at this shiz up close.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky0H4hWC3atW7GChiJ4Ujpm_YgtsfEI7EYmjSNCE-nxr-nasg4N8gol8IYlc7CmV3KC_pQ7aNJPu0njIL1bt2B5jeX7v6UY6zZ5AhfEZgHGDUZIBhvLlcUBJy6YdY9WdsjwB6tnytIvk/s1600/IMG_1169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky0H4hWC3atW7GChiJ4Ujpm_YgtsfEI7EYmjSNCE-nxr-nasg4N8gol8IYlc7CmV3KC_pQ7aNJPu0njIL1bt2B5jeX7v6UY6zZ5AhfEZgHGDUZIBhvLlcUBJy6YdY9WdsjwB6tnytIvk/s320/IMG_1169.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So up close and personal that it'd be a scandal in Georgian England.</td></tr>
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It's important to note that these shades don't actually have names assigned to them -- not on the palette, and not on the sheet of protective plastic inside. Despite that, the BH Cosmetics <strong><a href="http://bhcosmetics.com/blog/2016/02/03/ppzswatches/">blog</a></strong> labelled each shade when swatching them, and I've carried that over here. I always think it's a bit of a shame when eyeshadows aren't given names, as it adds to the charm, but we can't win them all!<br />
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Now, I was very curious to see whether or not the shadows lived up to the swatches that BH Cosmetics put up online. If you've clicked the link I've just provided above, you'll see evidence of shadows that are <em>amazing</em> quality: rich, creamy swatches that go on like a dream. I'm quite skeptic when I see such swatches, and you'll see that many of the shades don't quite appear to match up when <em>I</em> swatch them. That being said, there's no way of knowing exactly the process by which companies swatch their products -- I always swatch <em>without</em> primer, so that you see exactly what it is you're getting.<br />
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Shall we look at these shadows in more detail?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUu90lWToYJ7-KIQNocBMk3Y6o4p6b5R3MDJsKAIbxWyCKjyaIHDcW3OlaHUeU3Zs-ZPLgCBbd0RzdM90OdGwzKu_jrXo0qGN1o_B14HvsvI_Y1CGgUJJJSGpeO-LhbAERY0GWDjCZGgA/s1600/IMG_1255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUu90lWToYJ7-KIQNocBMk3Y6o4p6b5R3MDJsKAIbxWyCKjyaIHDcW3OlaHUeU3Zs-ZPLgCBbd0RzdM90OdGwzKu_jrXo0qGN1o_B14HvsvI_Y1CGgUJJJSGpeO-LhbAERY0GWDjCZGgA/s320/IMG_1255.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatchy-swatchy of the first third of the PPZ shades</td></tr>
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<strong>Bone </strong>|| A warm, matte, yellow-toned cream that doesn't really show on my skin. It's kind of chalky and powdery, and not much use for anything another than highlighting the brow bone. I think it's a shade that would show better on skin tones that are either much deeper or lighter than mine, so I don't think it's entirely useless.<br />
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<strong>Pale Yellow-Gold </strong>|| This is a really pretty, metallic yellow gold that swatches nicely and applies well. Initially it may seem a little 'meh' -- there are definitely richer golds out there, it doesn't seem a hard shade to get wrong -- but it builds up very well and lasts all day over a primer.<br />
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<strong>Pale Ivory </strong>|| The cool-toned, less yellow version of "Bone", I much prefer this. It feels a little silkier and, because it's so much paler, I use it on both my brow bone and my lid, depending on where I want it.<br />
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<strong>Lilac Pink </strong>|| This is also a really pretty shade; it's a frosty, cool-toned lilac. It's not exactly the most intense lilac I've ever seen, but it swatches really creamy and builds up quite well -- think Jane instead of Lydia. When used with other shades in the palette, it makes for a really nice, girly look that will last all day.<br />
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<strong>Champagne </strong>|| A super shimmery bombshell, I use this deep, warm champagne as a highlighter -- and I use it <em>sparingly</em>. There's a lot of potential to go overboard with the shimmer if you don't use a light hand, but I think the result is beautiful. I feel like it's a less golden, slightly more natural version Becca's Champagne Pop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZ5w_8fr3lT-r_tUqJM0xJq2maYSRwHf-KOMtoQmmYA1N_xZRvctOSUFfd2iGqEWLrQO9znA0pdVIJ0b-LBqjTTj8kxLnOt39IIwNNm0ex_ohw6p-0nWcbNMW5Hk5GHgiKtHuYdAqGBM/s1600/IMG_1257c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZ5w_8fr3lT-r_tUqJM0xJq2maYSRwHf-KOMtoQmmYA1N_xZRvctOSUFfd2iGqEWLrQO9znA0pdVIJ0b-LBqjTTj8kxLnOt39IIwNNm0ex_ohw6p-0nWcbNMW5Hk5GHgiKtHuYdAqGBM/s320/IMG_1257c.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatchlings of the second third of the PPZ palette</td></tr>
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<strong>Shell Beige </strong>|| This is a shimmery light brown that reminds me somewhat of "Marzipan" from the original Chocolate Bar palette, and it works quite nicely all over the lid. Over a primer, I find that it usually lasts all day, which has been particularly good during all the warm weather over the last couple of months.<br />
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<strong>Burnt Sienna </strong>|| You'll be somewhat disappointed if you're looking for a super creamy, immediately pigmented shadow. This matte milk chocolate brown is chalky on initial application, <em>but</em> it builds like a dream and is a perfect transition shade.<br />
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<strong>Deep Plum </strong>|| A shimmery blackened grey, it's a little bit of a letdown. Metallic shades are usually easy to get right, but this is kind of disappointingly sheer. It makes for an alright transition shade if you don't mind using something metallic, but my preference is for something matte.<br />
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<strong>Slate Grey </strong>|| A slightly frosty medium grey, it looks disappointing in the swatch. Despite that, I find that it actually has great versatility; it works really well as a gentle transition shade for a large number of the shades in the palette, and is fantastic if you want a light smokey look.<br />
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<strong>Dusty Rose </strong>|| I am in <em>love </em>with this blush! I think it is an absolutely gorgeous everyday colour; it just looks so natural and perfect and... Ugh, like "Elizabeth and Darcy" perfect. You know that blushing glow you get when you have an interaction with a really cute stranger? That's kinda what it looks like, and I like it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTv6aXVleghQxmbOUkaQrG520UyJYqHOr-e5e8U7vGlDUXVQC9foj9Cg5natjnZzZHLA7QtqEQjT_YzwcDI-qCqaohUCm39TB_v46g-FyZIhFW3f2TkKlnLnX2mXTfqeLDnD_RHGUMwQ/s1600/IMG_1264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTv6aXVleghQxmbOUkaQrG520UyJYqHOr-e5e8U7vGlDUXVQC9foj9Cg5natjnZzZHLA7QtqEQjT_YzwcDI-qCqaohUCm39TB_v46g-FyZIhFW3f2TkKlnLnX2mXTfqeLDnD_RHGUMwQ/s320/IMG_1264.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatchy-swatchin' the third third of the PPZ palette.</td></tr>
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<strong>Chocolate Brown </strong>|| This shade is absolutely beautiful. It's a deeper metallic chocolate brown, and it looks so beautiful all over the eye. On a good primer, it lasts really well all day. It's a winner!<br />
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<strong>Cool Dark Brown </strong>|| Another great shade, I like this frosty brown on the outer third of my lid. Sometimes I'll take it into the crease a little with Burnt Sienna and I quite like the effect it gives. It also lasts all day long.<br />
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<strong>Shimmering Charcoal </strong>|| When you look at this shade straight up, you expect a fabulous silver that screams out for a night on the town. Unfortunately, you're not going to get that. The silver you see is an overspray, and wipes away immediately to give you that shimmery blackened grey underneath. Aside from that, it's a great shade that works well with literally <em>every</em> shade in the palette for some dynamite smokiness!<br />
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<strong>Deep Gunmetal </strong>|| This black with a hint of grey does what I suppose you'd want it to do: turn up the smoke so much that you'll be setting off alarms! Whether you're after just a hint of smoke or a full on inferno, with the right brush this shade will get it done for you. No, it's not the greatest budget black shadow I've come across, but it's still a lot better than MAC Carbon.<br />
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<strong>Warm Pink </strong>|| This blush is one that I think I'll only be using when the weather warms up. Being in April, this warm apricot pink might be too much as the weather the gets colder, but who knows? It'll definitely be something to experiment with.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing shades from the PPZ palette on my eyes, and the PPZ lipgloss "Elizabeth" on my lips.</td></tr>
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As far as performance goes, this palette did really well! I've switched back to using Too Faced Shadow Insurance as a primer lately (I was using MAC's "Soft Ochre" Paint Pot for a while) and I find that my eyeshadow holds all day. I usually reached for this palette when I was on placement, and I was applying my makeup at 5am or 6am, and getting home at about 5pm or 5.30pm -- it was key for my shadow to last all day and this palette stepped up to the task. We suffered through some uncommonly hot weather as well, both humid and bone-dry; in both cases, it held up well.<br />
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I found it relatively easy to pair shadows together; I could mix together both cool and warm shadows, use a purple with a brown or a grey, and it would usually pull together quiet well. You have the option of creating something suitable for either everyday work life or a girl's night out. This palette has also proven to be really good if you're in a pinch for time -- these days, this is the palette I grab for if I'm in a serious hurry!<br />
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<strong>Padawan Product Rating: B</strong><br />
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All in all, I think this is a pretty good palette to have, and I'm not sorry that I bought it! I don't necessarily think that the swatches live up to what BH Cosmetics shows on their blog, but they perform so well that you can forgive it. The cardboard/glue smell has been quite off-putting, but I'm sure that's something that will probably fade over time -- for all I know too, mine just be a special little cookie.<br />
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This palette's RRP is $16.50 US (about $21.69 AU) not including postage, which I think is a pretty good price -- by comparison, Revlon quads cost more but the quality is far poorer -- and it's often on sale for less (at time of writing, it's $12.50 US or $16.43 AU). Is it possible to go wrong?<br />
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Is this your kind of palette? Have you watched <em>Pride + Prejudice + Zombies</em>? Let me know!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-74354190111279518082016-03-24T19:45:00.000+11:002016-03-24T19:45:56.472+11:00Daiso Stationary Bits + Bobs HaulA couple of months ago, I went out with some friends to the city for lunch, and when looking for places to go afterwards, I suggested Daiso. Daiso is basically a Japanese $2.80 store -- you can find loads of great things there, from homewares to gardening equipment to makeup.<br />
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Yes, makeup.<br />
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I was tempted.<br />
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I resisted.<br />
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I didn't have any specific intention of buying anything, particularly as my brother had already been in and I'd asked him to pick me up a couple of things (which, of course, I have included), but it wasn't long before I too was trying to stop myself from piling things into a basket! That's the great/terrible thing about Daiso -- they're such a contrast to the regular $2 shop (which rarely has anything for $2) that once you start seeing things that you like, <em>you just can't rationalise buying nothing at all</em>.<br />
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<strong>1. Cat Post-It Tabs </strong>|| Not technically the "Post-It" brand, but that's not important, right? I almost had kittens when I saw these, as they were just <em>the</em> perfect item for a semi-retired cat lady such as myself. They had a nice little variety of animals that you could purchase -- I have a set of frog ones from years ago -- and they're definitely great if you love a little kawaii in your life.<br />
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<strong>2. Beautiful Days Pink Eyelash Container </strong>|| This came in a couple of different patterns -- either red or pink, mostly -- but I just love this. It's made of sturdy plastic and opens up to reveal four compartments with removable plastic inserts to put your eyelashes on, as well as a narrow row along the bottom that is great for storing those little bottles of lash glue. I do kind of wish that I'd bought more than one, because I have more than four pairs of lashes (and two are missing, because I <em>never</em> put them away right away) and there was no way of telling from the outside how many would fit. Still, a great storage solution -- just remember to put a little Post-It note under the insert so you know which lashes are which.<br />
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<strong>3. Pink notebook with French lettering </strong>|| Okay, this is proof that I have a problem: I do not need any notebooks. I bought three big ones from Typo last year, then cleaned out my room and found a whole drawer <em>full</em> of other notebooks. (I just can't throw notebooks out if there are more than a few empty pages left.) That being said, I have plans to use this while writing my thesis, so it might not be a complete waste.<br />
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<strong>4. 0.5mm pencil lead </strong>|| This might seem like such a random thing, but I have this pacer. It's glorious, it's wonderful, it cost me frickin' $4.50 from the university bookshop because I wanted a 50c pencil but it was all they had. Although I've had it for a couple of years now, it needs 0.5mm lead, which appears to be the most difficult lead refills to find. These two packets will keep be supplied for a good while.<br />
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<strong>5. Floreine binder </strong>|| An adorable piece of stationary that I bought for placement! I get given so many documents whilst there that it's easy to become disorganised very quickly. I figured I may as well have an adorable binder to help combat that! Unfortunately, it's only a little larger than A4, so the pocket refills that I put inside kind of... poke out of the front, if that makes any sense. My documents weren't quite as neat and maintained as I'd hoped, so I ended up not using it. Oh well!<br />
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<strong>6. Daiso Makeup Brush Cleaner </strong>|| One of the things my brother bought for me! I've heard several good things about this brush cleaner, so I'm really eager to give it a go. It's such a small bottle, though -- 150ml, I think -- that I don't know if it's going to last me very long. That being said, it probably works out to be cheaper than alternative brands.<br />
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<strong>7. Daiso Detergent for Puff and Sponge </strong>|| This was what I was after the most, and my brother delivered it to me! I have a Kit Cosmetics blender sphere and it gets filthy <em>so</em> quickly, but I didn't have anything to clean it with -- I was practically looking to just buy a new one to replace it. Holy cow, does this do the job. I do find that I kind of need to put detergent all on the dirty areas, but it practically makes it look brand new again! I can still remember the utter shock I had as I saw the dirty water run from it to reveal a gleaming pink sponge.<br />
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<strong>8. Cake scraper (not pictured) </strong>|| I was so excited to use this that I ripped the packaging off as soon as I got home and put it away. I'm not actually sure what a "cake scraper" is meant to be, but I'm not going to use it for whatever the name makes it sound like it's supposed to do. You know how when you chop vegetables and stuff, it gets all over the board and just makes a massive mess when you try to put it into the pan? I use this to kind of gather everything into a heap to dump it in. It just makes everything <em>so</em> much easier. Insert heart eyes all over the place.<br />
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That shows all that I've gotten from Daiso. I definitely want to pick up some more detergent in the future (that shiz is the bomb), and if I ever manage to properly organise my current collection, I might look at also purchasing some of the cosmetics!<br />
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Have you ever been to Daiso and purchased anything? Do you have any similar stores where you live? Let me know!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-86622038551053141372016-03-21T20:27:00.000+11:002016-03-21T20:27:50.697+11:00Lip Monthly | February 2016Hello, gorgeous humans! It has been a very, very busy month and a bit for me so far -- you'd think that being on placement might mean that I might have more time to myself in the evenings, meaning a little more time to write up a few posts or take a few pictures on the weekend.<br />
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Yeah, you'd think that, and you'd be wrong.<br />
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So many first world problems going down at Diary of a Beauty Padawan right now.<br />
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Today I'm comin at you with an unbagging (which I will probably now call "unzipping", because it sounds less lame) of my February <strong><a href="https://lipmonthly.com/">Lip Monthly</a></strong> bag! This bag did indeed arrive in the last week of February, so it was well on time -- it's just been my insane schedule that has prevented me from writing up on it.<br />
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Let's take a look at what showed up in my mailbox late last month!<br />
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February's products showed up in an awesome little orange bag with red roses scattered all over -- not usually my personal aesthetic, but I'm not going to turn up my nose at easy storage space! I've got the little zipper bag from my January delivery in my bag with a couple of mirrors in it (I swear they're like bobby pins -- they keep disappearing!) so I've since passed this one onto my mother.<br />
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She likes orange and red quite a bit.<br />
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Let's take a look at what else arrived in my bag!<br />
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<strong><a href="http://seraphinebotanicals.com/home/19-vegan-berry-tint-lips-cheeks-liquid-blush-839002002527.html">Seraphine Botanicals Vegan Berry Tint</a> - "Cherry Cream" </strong>|| This is described as a liquid blush for lips and cheeks, and almost half of the ingredients are supposedly natural. As the name suggests, it's vegan, but it's also free of mineral oil, parabens, and phthalates, and it isn't tested on animals -- amongst many other things. It has a doe-foot applicator (is that what it's called? I swear sometimes I hear a different name) and there appears to be a slight scent. I feel like it's kind of sweet and artificial, like something I've smelled before. I haven't worn it yet, so I don't know how well it applies, but I'm more likely to wear it on my lips than on my cheeks. I received a little 4.5g bottle that retails for $18 US.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.primbotanicals.com/collections/lips/products/lip-cheek-glow">Prim Botanicals Lip & Cheek Glow</a> - "Radicchio" </strong>|| Another lip and cheek product! As with the tint above, I'm probably only going to use this on my lips, simply because I haven't quite mastered the application of cream and liquid blushes. I think the packaging also makes it difficult to apply to the cheeks, as there are two colours set out like a mini lip palette. I can see myself dipping into it with a lip brush, but not really getting it to my cheeks. Who knows, perhaps it'll be a point of experimentation for the blog! This product is also free of mineral oil, parabens, phthalates and gluten (because apparently gluten is a thing in makeup these days) and it isn't tested on animals. This is a little 2g palette that retails for $22 US.<br />
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<strong><a href="https://www.harveyprince.com/product/sincerely-body-cream/">Harvey Prince Organics Sincerely Body Cream</a> </strong>|| Yet another organic product! I'm normally not a body cream person -- it's essentially a thick moisturiser for the body, and who can be assed applying such a tedious product? That being said, this seems to be thinner than most body creams I've come across, and it has a very light, delicate floral scent. I actually think that it's a product I might get some enjoyment from! A 12 ounce bottle retails for $24, and I received a 15ml tube worth about $1.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.newyorkcolor.com/us/makeup/expert-last-lip-color#440-creamy-caramel">NYC Expert Last Lip Color</a> - "Creamy Caramel (440)" </strong>|| I had thought that perhaps this month's bag was all about organic products until I pulled out this lipstick. I know that it's a drugstore brand, thus <em>probably</em> not entirely animal friendly -- but we have drugstore brands in Australia that manage to usually be cruelty-free, so it wasn't outside the realm of possibility. Oh well. This appears to be a really nice brown-nude shade, which is great because lately I've been <em>all about them nudes</em>. Whereas my typical go-to colours are bright reds and pinks, I've toned it down a lot lately (mostly due to laziness) and so this lipstick is going to fit awesomely into my growing collection! I received a full-sized product that retails for $1.99.<br />
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<strong>Cost: $12.95 US (~ $17.02 AU)</strong><br />
<strong>Lip Monthly Bag Value: $42.99 US (~$56.52 AU)</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkwJ0iy3bsKsAEH1mRi0lLIgmAj7O30NtRRgn-emeVC1sFw7LEInmKVkoRmze_pNtCjH99dyBv-XuzYSK8eHHSvqnva9gUskhzG6Z2IyU_E0oXLGkzdzfFKmGZqWCCR1MlOyLVWJX7q0/s1600/IMG_1275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Prim Botanicals Lip & Cheek Glow" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkwJ0iy3bsKsAEH1mRi0lLIgmAj7O30NtRRgn-emeVC1sFw7LEInmKVkoRmze_pNtCjH99dyBv-XuzYSK8eHHSvqnva9gUskhzG6Z2IyU_E0oXLGkzdzfFKmGZqWCCR1MlOyLVWJX7q0/s320/IMG_1275.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prim Botanicals Lip & Cheek Glow -- how would you not want dip a lip brush into this?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All in all, I'm pretty stoked by this month's bag! I feel that it might be worth noting that the site <em>does</em> claim to send 4 or 5 lip products every month -- so far I've received four products, with one of them being not remotely related to lips at all, but I'm only two months into my subscription and that's not really much indication of a pattern. My March bag should be arriving on my doorstep within the next week, and I think we'll start to get a feel of a pattern when it does!<br />
<br />
If you want to check out what I received in my January bag, you can find my unzipping over <strong><a href="http://beautypadawan.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/lip-monthly-january-2016.html">here</a></strong>.<br />
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Do you own many organic lip products? Have you used anything from these brands before? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-43425717567826257882016-03-10T20:54:00.000+11:002016-03-10T20:54:28.326+11:00A Universally Acknowledged Killer Duo from BH Cosmetics!It's a brand that I've somehow heard of -- I'm not sure from whom -- but seldom seem to read about. Indeed, if blog posts <em>have</em> appeared on my Bloglovin' feed, it's very possible that I've ignored them lately. I've been so busy with my thesis of late that I only have time to quickly glance through my feed every few days.<br />
<br />
Kah-razy!<br />
<br />
Despite that, I saw a post in passing about the Pride + Prejudice + Zombies collection from BH Cosmetics, and I was just... All the yes. You know what I'm talking about, right? When you see a piece of makeup and your heart just <em>sings.</em> That compulsive, instantaneous desire to either own what you see before you -- or die.<br />
<br />
Alright, Shae, reign in the Drama Llama.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXU0g7awHIgbtae6tBUIZEpkhReKfxWo-wqS__PJxd-KsNfSi7mgSHjW3zQtK65TlbMxq5YwCsfaUTRNYpnJKYDrwDWjX6IzSU07CtX7Bn6O_cNCmaQbUw7C-n3UEtP_-MTMEL8bq7C0/s1600/IMG_1138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BH Cosmetics - Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette; Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Lip Gloss Collection" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXU0g7awHIgbtae6tBUIZEpkhReKfxWo-wqS__PJxd-KsNfSi7mgSHjW3zQtK65TlbMxq5YwCsfaUTRNYpnJKYDrwDWjX6IzSU07CtX7Bn6O_cNCmaQbUw7C-n3UEtP_-MTMEL8bq7C0/s320/IMG_1138.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Lip Gloss Collection (left);<br />
Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette (right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><a href="http://www.bhcosmetics.com/">BH Cosmetics</a></strong> released two Pride + Prejudice + Zombies products recently-ish, and I was no less than <em>compelled </em>to pick them up. All of my friends know that I'm a Janeite -- if there's an adaptation of any of her books, I've seen it. I've read all of her books many, many times (except, oddly enough, for <em>Persuasion</em>. I do own it, but I've never opened it. Maybe because it's part of a heavy-ass omnibus.). At one stage I was in the Top 10 for Australia in the Jane Austen category on Quiz Up.<br />
<br />
Let's not talk about that, though. I become embarrassingly competitive when I want to win.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7i8-O8U-P1RF3XheS8bZgihrhQZzUR_6pnwKL9wDNPULuXBfVXiR5F6IybxhIwtr5VpO4vF5GIJtotxNrIzjjsKLogWKDrXyciVkeiTjVtsVwJqMOjocwgKvfGwom6Pe8pJjbBxVuwo/s1600/IMG_1150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7i8-O8U-P1RF3XheS8bZgihrhQZzUR_6pnwKL9wDNPULuXBfVXiR5F6IybxhIwtr5VpO4vF5GIJtotxNrIzjjsKLogWKDrXyciVkeiTjVtsVwJqMOjocwgKvfGwom6Pe8pJjbBxVuwo/s320/IMG_1150.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye + Cheek Palette</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I think these products are pretty neat! There's an <strong><a href="http://www.bhcosmetics.com/products/pride-prejudice-zombies-eye-cheek-palette">eye and cheek palette</a></strong>, and a <strong><a href="http://www.bhcosmetics.com/products/pride-prejudice-zombies-lip-gloss-collection">lip gloss collection</a></strong> -- both of which are pretty affordable. Given the price point and the lack of reviews on the trusty internet, I didn't really hold any high expectations for either items; the palette is $16.50 US, and the lip gloss set is $12.50 US -- and they're frequently on sale for a good deal less. Even the postage wasn't all that expensive, though it is cumulative: the more you buy, the more you pay, but it wasn't exorbitant.<br />
<br />
I've been playing around with these products for the last couple of weeks, I'm playing around with the idea of doing in-depth reviews on them -- y'know, thesis permitting -- but barring one or two little issues, my thoughts are largely positive.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i5PNjPZULI_lTLW_MwMP_yhzEzfOM7-_WBvJ87I-7x0sEb869rJJF4DemQTpDw_m00QsJluOTmHEvGCoOFtnytmZCvTU7G4vIczCdy1u-uLI-vsb01KVxqU6PaprKGKKSi1OuDT3cyQ/s1600/IMG_1175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Lip Gloss Collection" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i5PNjPZULI_lTLW_MwMP_yhzEzfOM7-_WBvJ87I-7x0sEb869rJJF4DemQTpDw_m00QsJluOTmHEvGCoOFtnytmZCvTU7G4vIczCdy1u-uLI-vsb01KVxqU6PaprKGKKSi1OuDT3cyQ/s320/IMG_1175.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BH Cosmetics Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Lip Gloss Collection</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Worth buying? I think it comes down to extent to which you worship the Almighty Austen. If the thought of Pride and Prejudice <em>anything</em> is enough to send you into a frothy-mouthed, zombie rampage, I think you might just kick yourself if you missed out! If you were seriously strapped for cash, I'd recommend the lip gloss set -- if you're into lip gloss. I think it's something a little different, especially if you're an eyeshadow fiend and own a thousand palettes, and you could unleash your inner Bennet sister.<br />
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I'm going to leave it here for today, and sign off!<br />
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Oh, but on a related topic: have you seen <em>Pride + Prejudice + Zombies</em> yet? I haven't yet, but I enjoyed the book so much, and the film looks so kick ass!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-89030115689314071362016-03-05T11:53:00.001+11:002016-03-05T11:53:50.791+11:00The Great (and seriously late) Boxing Day Haul of 2015In true Padawan style, I bring to you a haul that happened a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away -- but better late than never, that's what they say, right?<br />
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I don't need to explain what Boxing Day is all about: you'll either nod eagerly and think of the amazing sales on offer, or shrink back in horror for fear of the traffic and hordes of people. Normally I'd be one to avoid the shops for a couple of days, but I'd received a Lush voucher for Christmas and I was an eager beaver to get at all of the Christmas Lush products. Naturally, this also meant that I spent a small fortune on clothes and lingerie (which, to be fair, I did need to update) and took advantage of the clearance bin at Myer.<br />
<br />
Sometimes the clearance bin is my best friend. Not gonna lie.<br />
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I chose not to include any fashion items because my attempt at describing would be atrocious -- seriously, think of Brick from <em>Anchorman. </em>That would be me. ("This is a dress. It is blue. It is long. I like it.")<br />
<br />
Anyway, let's get to it!<br />
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First up, the products that I nabbed from Lush! I was so kind as to receive a $50 voucher, which will only go so far if you're not buying bath bombs and the like. With all of these products but one at half price, I think I only ended up spending $5 myself.<br />
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Pretty neat, amirite?<br />
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<strong>Snow Fairy Shower Gel </strong>|| People seem to either love or hate this scent, and while I like it, I can see why it might be too much for someone. When you sniff straight from the bottle, it's a very strong, sweet, syrupy scent -- it's meant to be fairy floss, but to me it's more like very, very strong strawberry Nesquick. It's a lot softer when you actually use it; you get a more delicate scent, something that is a little more akin to fairy floss.<br />
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<strong>Twilight Bath Bomb </strong>|| I believe this was the only item not on sale. I haven't used this yet -- I tend to take baths in the wintertime, when the climate is much worse on my back.<br />
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<strong>Lord of Misrule Shower Scream </strong>|| Holy moly, I <em>love</em> this. I love the notes of patchouli and peppercorn, and I adore how it lingers on the skin long after I've finished in the bathroom. My favourite thing, however, my <em>absolute favourite thing</em> about this product is: it foams green. <em>It foams green!</em> How many times have you bought a coloured soap or body wash, only for it make white suds? The fact that this makes green suds means that it has sealed a place in my heart forever.<br />
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<strong>Dirty Toothy Tabs </strong>|| I was at my friend's wedding last year when a girl I was sharing a room with mentioned that she had chewable toothpaste. It naturally piqued my curiosity, so I asked her more about it, and I was thus introduced to Lush toothy tabs. I wasn't keen on the variety of "flavours" available in-store, as I'm a fan of the plain ol' peppermint, but I bought this one because it was spearmint-ish and that was clearly the closest I was going to get to peppermint. Bottom line: I don't like it. It works fine but I find the taste abhorrent.<br />
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<strong>Sakura Bath Bomb </strong>|| This one looks as though it has popping candy in it, but I'm not sure that it does. Of course, I'm not going to know until I drop it into a bath, but in the meantime I can just enjoy its fresh, floral scent.<br />
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<strong>Yog Nog Bath Bomb </strong>|| Another Christmas item that was half price, I think this is meant to smell like both yoghurt and egg nog. I've never had egg nog in any way, shape or form, but I believe that it will make for a fantastic aromatic bath in the dead of winter. Hopefully there are no bits in it. I hate cleaning bits out of the bath.<br />
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<strong>Golden Wonder Bath Bomb </strong>|| This was the last one in the store, and I snatched it up really quickly. A little bit was broken away from the right, but I really don't mind! It's beautiful and Christmas-y and it has a little glitter on the outside; the glitter is going to be a pain in the butt to clean, but that's the price one pays for fabulousness!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DYIIO3WaHdPOblZbjONaGK93YEJHEJpjF_Fu2El7ob_8gQ6um0uBMjaBD6XqCYs9GQql-rjKIGohEC6N5ehgdOixQOw-0MEs6DoUHkGlOYD840oZv0zVmIJGWy0PO7fyKTgTRNMAXFA/s1600/IMG_0824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Chi Chi Glamorous Makeup Summer Collection" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DYIIO3WaHdPOblZbjONaGK93YEJHEJpjF_Fu2El7ob_8gQ6um0uBMjaBD6XqCYs9GQql-rjKIGohEC6N5ehgdOixQOw-0MEs6DoUHkGlOYD840oZv0zVmIJGWy0PO7fyKTgTRNMAXFA/s320/IMG_0824.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Chi Chi Glamorous Makeup Summer Collection </strong>|| Of all the numerous holiday collections that Chi Chi released last year, this caught my eye because of the brand new <strong>Summer Eyeshadow Palette</strong> that isn't otherwise available. It also came with the <strong>Tropical Island Bronzer</strong>, which is a really nice, soft-textured, non-orange brown, and a <strong>Pink Peach Mosaic Blush</strong>, which has a really cute little plaid pattern of pink, peach and mauve tones.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38rdDL9cczS5KZLsM4kV9CbmmZKlka02NsBvfPQowXcKFl8a4-SySeWtpq7ragdK9T9JfP74_a1dvCDWCmYVJUGPSd0493JZaV8_zyvsHpg3Vecg9AFY563e_1cSdEzMP0-Dy-KCiHvg/s1600/IMG_0905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chi Chi Glamorous Eyeshadow Palette - "Summer"" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38rdDL9cczS5KZLsM4kV9CbmmZKlka02NsBvfPQowXcKFl8a4-SySeWtpq7ragdK9T9JfP74_a1dvCDWCmYVJUGPSd0493JZaV8_zyvsHpg3Vecg9AFY563e_1cSdEzMP0-Dy-KCiHvg/s320/IMG_0905.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A closer, less shoddy look at the Chi Chi Summer Palette.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8-ODqirs1NsysWKgtd99kIzJRKpadi9YodTlX5rhXP8ku8SudPN726MezavWqQfxghXXn5gngXTJb5yuInJb_lpMJ3-tCm4-396emT5s_NzbBOkmXpaUcntZdjrb6NqewsICXEHQ7e0/s1600/IMG_0911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chi Chi Tropical Island Bronzer; Chi Chi Pink Peach Mosaic Blush" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8-ODqirs1NsysWKgtd99kIzJRKpadi9YodTlX5rhXP8ku8SudPN726MezavWqQfxghXXn5gngXTJb5yuInJb_lpMJ3-tCm4-396emT5s_NzbBOkmXpaUcntZdjrb6NqewsICXEHQ7e0/s320/IMG_0911.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A closer look at the Tropical Island Bronzer and Pink Peach Mosaic Blush.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0JiQbui37XNGyIBHRD7ngay9ZGOo3k9gmP7FHT8MlUTfAHonqRUiNaGrxlKkOdmwjQ-QYItBU0pWaFIrzydFbQGoI4g-gCVzW20S_V7uKHh0eK_4LD9MkvPa14EsfmMQAb-MhxNdaOI/s1600/IMG_0828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0JiQbui37XNGyIBHRD7ngay9ZGOo3k9gmP7FHT8MlUTfAHonqRUiNaGrxlKkOdmwjQ-QYItBU0pWaFIrzydFbQGoI4g-gCVzW20S_V7uKHh0eK_4LD9MkvPa14EsfmMQAb-MhxNdaOI/s320/IMG_0828.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Chi Chi Viva La Diva Lipstick Collection </strong>|| There were a couple of these really awesome little sets available, and at the time I decided to go for the reds and pinks, because red and pink lipsticks bring music into my soul. The lipsticks in this collection are all available for <strong><a href="http://www.chichicosmetics.com/lips/lipsticks-viva-la-diva/lipstick-viva-la-diva?default=312">individual purchase</a></strong>, but purchasing them together in this set put them at about $7.50 a piece -- <em>before</em> the discount. The shades in this box are: <strong>Glamazon</strong> | <strong>Lady Bump </strong>| <strong>Countess </strong>| <strong>Hot Mamma</strong>.<br />
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<strong>L'Oréal Paris Glam Matte Intense Matte Gloss - "Skinny Tangerine (511)"</strong> || This cool-looking line seems to have been deleted from L'Oréal's line, because I found a couple of them in the clearance bin for an absolute steal. This definitely leads on the more orange side of red, which is not what I'm used to, but given the right weather and clothes, I think I can pull it off.<br />
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<strong>L'Oréal Paris Glam Matte Intense Matte Gloss - "Cherry Crop (510)" </strong>|| Another from the same line, and this one much more my style. It's a really beautiful pink-red, and, in my Padawan opinion, looks great all year round.<br />
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<strong>Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balm - "Whimsical (115)" </strong>|| This is probably the most beautiful purple berry shade to have ever graced a clearance bin, and what I especially love about it is that there's glitter! Not many of my lip products have glitter or shimmer in them, and I love it when they do.<br />
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That's all that I picked up for Boxing Day last year! I did actually end up going <em>back</em> to my local Myer a week later and getting a few more things (I just love that clearance bin so much) -- and when I was last there, they still had plenty of Chi Chi gift sets left!<br />
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Did you grab anything in the Boxing Day sales, or do you avoid it like the plague? Would you like to see more in-depth looks at any of these products? Let me know!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-86424143483908537372016-02-13T20:33:00.000+11:002016-02-13T20:33:02.627+11:00Lip Monthly | January 2016For Christmas in 2014, my parents gave me a twelve-month Bellabox subscription. 2015 passed, I received my twelve boxes (three of which I still need to post about... but it wouldn't be a Padawan post if it wasn't late, right?) and when asked if I wanted a renewal, I was all like, "Yeah, nah, no thanks." While it's not a bad subscription box service, I now have loads of samples that are piling up -- I don't really need any more.<br />
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To my great surprise, my (often) wonderful mother gifted me a twelve-month subscription to <strong><a href="https://lipmonthly.com/">Lip Monthly</a></strong>, as a reward for making it through the stresses of 2015, of which there had been copious amounts. If you know me well, you'll know that I <em>love</em> lip products -- I have about a shoebox and a half full of them -- so to receive a few products from brands that I wouldn't normally have an opportunity to try will be an awesome little boost each month!<br />
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My January Lip Monthly bag did indeed arrive in January -- I know that Australian beauty vlogger <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/missbillynamdar/featured">Miss Billy</a> </strong>gets this too, and her previous videos have sometimes remarked that her bag has not arrived in its due month. Lip Monthly does come from the US, however, and Australia Post's postal services are now very lame, so I wouldn't be too surprised by delays, given that they are "timely".<br />
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(By "timely", I mean that they don't take a whole extra month to turn up.)<br />
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This month's lip monthly arrived, for the most part, in the cute little red and white striped purse that you see above. I love this little purse, as it will be the perfect little storing place for the lipsticks in my handbag -- there's a small army of them, and they keep falling out of the pockets.<br />
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Additionally, I received these products, so let's take a look at them!<br />
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<strong>Oscar Blandi Moisture Recovery Treatment Balm </strong>|| The one item that was a smidgen too big for the purse. This is a hair product that promises to "saturate hair from roots to ends for the ultimate restorative therapy". Let me tell you, the ends of my hair look fried and frizzy, so anything that promises to give them a little bit of love will sit well with me! (Maybe, Shae, you should just book a haircut.) This product doesn't seem to be available for purchase anywhere online, so it might be some overstock from a previous promotion, but I received a 125ml bottle that Lip Monthly claims is worth at least $25 US.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://citycolorcosmetics.com/lips/be-matte-lipstick/#.VqwW3Z5f3IU">City Color Be Matte Lipstick</a> -- "Latte (M6)" </strong>|| YAS, LIPSTICK. This cruelty-free shade is a kind of brown nude. Usually I'm very careful when it comes to brown nudes, for fear of sporting beige-coloured lips (yuck), but I'm hoping that this will suit me well. A potential put-off for people is that it smells like a crayon when you sniff it. No joke: when I uncap it and take a whiff, I'm immediately transported to memories of a very old Crayola computer game that I had in the late 90s. Lip Monthly values this lipstick at $4.99 US.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.ofracosmetics.com/collections/lips/products/long-lasting-liquid-lipstick?variant=9014148163">Ofra Cosmetics Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick</a> -- "Laguna Beach" </strong>|| I remember being slightly concerned by the shade of this liquid lipstick, but I really don't remember why! This is the dusky pink nude, the kind that I feel is floating around as a pretty popular shade at the moment. I thought that it might be comparable to Kylie Jenner's Candy K Lip Kit, but after looking around online, I really don't think it is. These retail for $19.90 US each.<br />
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<strong>Starlooks Luxe Longwear Lip Pencil -- "Stellar" </strong>|| HUZZAH FOR LIP LINER! I only have a couple of lip liners in my collection, so this is definitely a welcome addition. It seems like a much deeper pink nude (at what point do I stop calling it "nude" and just stick with "pink"?), and I think it will wear well underneath nude browns as well as on its own. I'm still a fresh-faced Padawan when it comes to applying lip liner, so here's hoping I don't make myself look like a massive fool when I try it. This apparently retails for $14 US, but this particular line doesn't seem to be available on the Starlooks site.<br />
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<strong>Price: $12.95 US (~ $18.28 AU)</strong><br />
<strong>Lip Monthly Bag Value: $63.89 US (~ $90.18 AU)</strong><br />
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Overall, I'm really excited about what I got in my Lip Monthly bag! It doesn't look like much, especially when compared to my previous Bellabox unboxings -- but, being rational, do I need to receive more than three or four lip products at a time? No, probably not. It's still a great little way to try some products that I wouldn't normally have access to, so I'm looking forward to incorporating these into my makeup routine, as well as my future bags!<br />
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Have you ever received a Lip Monthly bag? Do you own any products from these brands? Let me know in the comments!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-19281598749945522702016-02-06T21:18:00.000+11:002016-02-06T21:18:32.312+11:00Beauty SwapBox with Emma from Peace Love VintageIf you follow my blog, chances are that you follow <strong><a href="http://www.peacelovevintage.com/">Emma</a></strong>, too. Emma is the wonderfully chic individual behind Peace Love Vintage, and such an incredible blogging friend. I feel as though I have seen few blogs with more thought and effort put into it than Emma's, and her posts continually inspire me to keep at it, even when the going gets tough (and I've had a bit of Writer's Block recently). I always find her content refreshing and engaging to read, and she is also absolutely gorgeous; her personality is full of such positivity that I would swear her breakfast is laced with sunshine.<br />
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The word sunshine isn't any weird euphemism for anything, right?<br />
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The bottom line is that I could rave about her blog forever. Seriously, I dare you to tell me that her blog header alone doesn't give you heart eyes.<br />
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Anyway, several months ago, we were chatting and decided to do a beauty swapbox with one another. We did the usual: worked out a budget, asked each other about what kind of makeup we liked, took some time to get our pieces together, and then shipped our parcels to one another. We both excitedly waited for our packages, and, by luck, we received them on the same day!<br />
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Let's take a look at the gloriousness that is my swapbox from Emma.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2s3KbipQKGuAJLdCkhkjhvAWZO4LZ9dt7x-AcGKAWTHz-AEMXLbKNbyxfy-A0pm8VRQMy5SgfqM5a_q52dcfJvr0YrFYvFnHsrm2FcQN1SAJQhH8EhzVlFWnRcQiK0H0Hh86G0cFmvek/s1600/IMG_1002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2s3KbipQKGuAJLdCkhkjhvAWZO4LZ9dt7x-AcGKAWTHz-AEMXLbKNbyxfy-A0pm8VRQMy5SgfqM5a_q52dcfJvr0YrFYvFnHsrm2FcQN1SAJQhH8EhzVlFWnRcQiK0H0Hh86G0cFmvek/s320/IMG_1002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IS IT NOT GLORIOUS?</td></tr>
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I could wax poetic and talk about how much I love the stuff in here, but I think I'll just dive straight into it!<br />
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<strong>Chewits Xtreme - Sour Apple</strong> || Firstly, can I just say: YES FOR SNACKS. I eat loads of sweet things, and I really like to break it up every now and then with something sour. I haven't tried any yet, but if they're as sour as they the packet says they are, my face is going to turn into a lemon. Once again: YES. (Also, who could pass up anything apple-flavoured? It's basically the only acceptable fruit flavour out there.)<br />
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<strong>Dip Dab</strong> || I felt like this was a step right back into my childhood! I feel pretty sure that we had Dip Dab when I was a kid, and I cannot say how much I enjoyed cracking into this. It's basically Wizz Fizz with a lollipop -- and I have not had Wizz Fizz in <em>years!</em> An absolutely great little treat to break up all the Kit Kats I've been chowing down on lately.<br />
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<strong>Cadbury Fudge Bar</strong> || I thought that these looked familiar to me, but I knew for a certainty that no supermarkets in Australia have ever stocked it because I stalk the chocolate aisles of Woolies and Coles with expertise. These must be firing synapses from my time in the UK three and a half years ago, but I hadn't eaten them then either... So who knows. We don't have anything here to liken this to in Australia, but my first thought was that the fudge was light enough to compare it to a Milky Way. Sooo delicious!<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.crushcosmetics.com.au/eyes/eyeshadow/mua-pearl-eyeshadow">Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow</a> - "Chamoisee"</strong> || I don't think this is a shade I have many duplicates of in my collection. It's a kind of shimmery mauve taupe shade -- that's really the best I can do at describing it. The pigmentation and size of the pan reminds me strongly of my Klara Cosmetics eyeshadows, which have absolutely <em>incredible</em> staying power as well, so I'm curious to see how this formula compares.<br />
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<strong>Makeup Academy Pearl Eyeshadow - "Copper"</strong> || Holy moly, this shade is <em>divine!</em> An incredible copper that I am going to <em>love </em>busting out at every chance I get. Watch out work, this girl is going to go unnecessarily glam!<br />
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<strong><a href="http://au.rimmellondon.com/products/the-only-1">Rimmel The Only 1 Lipstick</a> - "Best of the Best (510)"</strong> || My favourite drugstore makeup brand is Rimmel, and Emma was so kind as to include a lipstick from their latest lipstick line. It's something that I really appreciate, because sometimes new releases don't make their way to Australia for over a year. Best of the Best is this absolutely brilliant true red -- the kind that a lot of bloggers will bust out for Christmas but I will personally bring out all year round. I've had a chance to wear this once, but over lip liner, so I can't say too well how well it stands up on its own. I do know that it looks glossy and feels creamy, so it may be relatively forgiving on dry lips!<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.crushcosmetics.com.au/lips/lipstick/mua-matte-lipstick">Makeup Academy Matte Lipstick</a> - "Scarlet Siren"</strong> || Emma definitely got my memo that I love red lips. I haven't had a chance to test out this lipstick yet, as my days recently have been relatively makeup-free, but most of the matte lipsticks that I do own are by MAC, so I'm excited to have something from a different brand!<br />
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<strong>Makeup Academy Luxe Limited Edition Metallic Liquid Lips - "Glitz"</strong> || Now this just SCREAMS glamour! When I see this, I think red carpet, I think Met Gala, I think Academy Awards -- it might not be a product for everyone, but I absolutely adore it. It might be tricky to work this product into an everyday makeup look, but you watch me, man, <em>you just watch me do it</em>. Challenge accepted.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.muastore.co.uk/matte-liquid-eyeliner">Makeup Academy Matte Black Eyeliner</a></strong> || I love me some winged liner -- in fact, I'm incomplete without it. I'm like Cinderella without her Godmother, like Bridget Jones without Mark Darcy, like Sarah without the Clone Club. Perfectly fine, but incomplete. That being said, this product is a learning curve for me! I'm not used to silicon-tip liners, and I know that people say that it makes wings easy, but for me... it's a workout! That being said, I love a challenge, so I look forward to mastering this beast.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.crushcosmetics.com.au/lips/lip-pencils/mua-lip-liner">Makeup Academy Intense Colour Lip Liner</a> - "Red Drama"</strong> || I may have only used this a couple of times, but let me just say: I love it. I used to have a red lip liner a little while back, but it's disappeared into a black hole somewhere in my bathroom and I hadn't bothered to repurchase one since. I love this -- not just because of the handy sharpener in the lid, but because it doesn't leave my lips feeling sticky. One reason why I don't always bother with liner is because my lips feels kind of sticky when I layer lipstick over the top, but I don't get that with this. This also yields <em>incredibly</em> creamy and even pigmentation, so it's two thumbs up from me!<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.freedommakeuplondon.com/makeup/base/blusher/pro-blush-palette-peach-and-baked.html">Freedom Pro Blush & Highlight Palette</a></strong> || Open your window, and stick your head out. Can you hear the woman squealing in excitement in the distance? Yeah, that's me you hear, even though I'm at least one ocean away. I remember telling Emma that I didn't have many blushes and was looking to expand my collection -- and <em>this</em> is an expansion! There are six beautiful blushes and two gorgeous highlighters; I've yet to play with them all, but the ones that I have are <em>so</em> pigmented and blend into the skin so wonderfully... I get a thrill every time I open it up.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.muastore.co.uk/mua-luxe-whipped-velvet-blush-spry">Makeup Academy Luxe Whipped Velvet Blush</a> - "Spry"</strong> || I've established that I do like a good challenge, and Emma has provided me with yet another: cream blush. Cream blush has always frightened me a little bit, but I am determined to work out how to use it. This is a beautiful dusky pink that's going to be great once the colder months start rolling in.<br />
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<strong>Benefit Bella Bamba Blush</strong> || I <em>looove</em> Benefit, to the point where I'm actually surprised that this is my first blush by them! This blush is just... I can't begin to say how beautiful it is. It also smells really nice; really sweet, like those candy bracelets you can get.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can we just take a moment to appreciate this splendour?</td></tr>
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<strong><a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/benefit-skincare/au-benefit-its-potent-eye-cream-d-12852">Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream</a></strong> || A handy little pot of goodness! I have one of these that I got a while back, and I'm just about out so I'm really glad for another! I personally don't think that it does much for brightening my under eye, but I like how it moisturises the skin there without ultimately drying it out -- that can be a problem, let me tell you.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.thebodyshop.com.au/skincare/anti-blemish/tea-tree-oil.aspx#.VrQljJ5f3IU">The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil</a></strong> || Oh. My. Yes. I had forgotten all about the existence of tea tree oil until this little bottle turned up in my glorious box! I feel like I'm not prone to your typical breakouts, but when they do happen, they are <em>bad</em>. I've already dabbed a little of this glorious stuff onto them, and they dried up and cleared out in what felt like no time.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.superdrug.com/Superdrug/Superdrug-Sugar-%26-Spice-Self-Heating-Mask/p/440457">Superdrug Sugar & Spice Self-Heating Mask</a></strong> || I'm saving this wonderful little thing for the wintertime, when I get back to having baths -- a self-heating mask will make the perfect accompaniment. I love face masks, but they're a real treat for me as I don't often have the time to use them!<br />
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I don't think I could thank Emma enough for all of the thoughtful gifts that she included in my swapbox. Everything is very, very "me" and I know that everything is going to be a highly reached-for item -- especially that blush palette. I'm going to have to <em>that</em> a real test-drive and do a more in-depth post later on in the year, I love it that much.<br />
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If you'd like a look to see what I sent Emma's way, you can check out her far more timely post <strong><a href="http://www.peacelovevintage.com/2016/02/beauty-swapbox-with-diary-of-beauty.html">here</a></strong>. If you're confused by who she's talking about when she refers to "Sarah", never fear -- <strong><a href="http://beautypadawan.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/a-name-changing-game-changer.html">that's my name</a></strong>.<br />
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Once again, thank you <em>so</em> much, Emma! Your items really made for a fantastic day in what had previously been a rather down week.<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-18068193811551466782016-01-16T08:11:00.000+11:002016-01-16T08:11:28.488+11:00Mini Limited Edition MAC HaulLast year, my friend Jo-Anna and I went to an event hosted by Estee Lauder for the Ronald McDonald House Charity, a non-profit organisation that provides assistance to seriously ill children and their families. It was an opportunity to purchase makeup at a discounted price while also supporting a good charity (the entry fee went directly to the charity), although Jo and I weren't quite sure what to expect. We didn't know if it would include whole collections or just bits and pieces -- there was a limit to the amount that you could spend, so we thought that it might be really busy and everything would sell out really quickly. The one thing that we did know was that we were going to get there early and have a good time!<br />
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We didn't get there early -- in fact, we got lost -- and it wasn't anything like we expected. It was quiet, and there were products from brands including Clinique, Bobbi Brown and Estee Lauder at a decent discount -- but it was MAC that I was interested in the most. The stock appeared to mostly be discontinued limited edition stock, some from collections such as MAC is Beauty and MAC Bao Bao Wan, and some from collections that I knew nothing about! There were even some MAC RiRi Hearts MAC brushes there that made my heart sing (you can read about that <strong><a href="http://beautypadawan.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/sorry-not-sorry-5-mac-collections-im.html">here</a></strong>) but I was on a strict budget and sadly had to turn them down.<br />
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I did, however, pick up a few pieces from previous collections, all of which I coveted and kept me under budget!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPrRnwJHtNCQq5n19av9YyBL4TuZFvivqpm8fgAHOFp69OyYiE3eGpXdLHROvbtH89Q4yzN5dUVHJjRu84IBbtMmHVR39uGtwepdQQ5wQzR_Uvcjwsft-cYfm4q83pBy-VPPXnzuQ8ws/s1600/IMG_0814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPrRnwJHtNCQq5n19av9YyBL4TuZFvivqpm8fgAHOFp69OyYiE3eGpXdLHROvbtH89Q4yzN5dUVHJjRu84IBbtMmHVR39uGtwepdQQ5wQzR_Uvcjwsft-cYfm4q83pBy-VPPXnzuQ8ws/s320/IMG_0814.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: MAC Alluring Aquatic, MAC Toledo, MAC Cinderella</td></tr>
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<strong>MAC Alluring Aquatic Nail Varnish - "Neptune"</strong> || This is a really beautiful antique gold nail polish that can last a long time with the right products! It can be a little streaky when applied, and it's not quite opaque, so I need three careful layers to achieve the look I want. Paired with an Essie base coat and a Sally Hansen top coat, this nail polish lasted way longer on me than when I wore it without -- it was also less prone to flaking and peeling. I particularly love the packaging with this; the little beads of water on the packaging makes it looks as though it was recovered from an underwater sea chest!<br />
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<strong>MAC Toledo Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner - "Designer Purple"</strong> || Please ignore that the swatch photo says "Designer Violet" -- I stuffed up! There were plenty of MAC Toledo products at the event (but, sadly, none of them were lipsticks), and I was umming and ahhing about a good number of them. I remember wanting virtually every piece when I'd seen the press releases, so how was I going to decide? Swatching the liner was what did it for me. I saw that gorgeous, glittery purple and went, "Yup, that's going into my basket."<br />
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<strong>MAC Cinderella Fluidline - "Little Black Bow"</strong> || You may remember that <strong><a href="http://beautypadawan.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/the-mac-cinderella-haul.html">earlier last year</a></strong> I <strike>cut off my arm and</strike> spent a small fortune purchasing as many pieces of the MAC Cinderella collection as possible. This fluidline was the only MAC Cinderella product there, and I walked past it several times -- that is, until I got too nervous that someone was going to snatch it up, and grabbed it myself! It's a shimmery blackened grey that I think will apply quite nicely for a softer alternative to the traditional black wing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnjlUgwZkTvhqJi1MPgjf2nFWdEyC0Q_pll0D1f7cj0y3pq27IBRuzx12WnXsB8Zx83lGHhwspEVwmA6KBstmEwv8uZYJC3GGrQdoci5O6eYgQAsL7X6Q6QGd0z1DQYaIyzrzRSeyy44/s1600/IMG_0817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnjlUgwZkTvhqJi1MPgjf2nFWdEyC0Q_pll0D1f7cj0y3pq27IBRuzx12WnXsB8Zx83lGHhwspEVwmA6KBstmEwv8uZYJC3GGrQdoci5O6eYgQAsL7X6Q6QGd0z1DQYaIyzrzRSeyy44/s320/IMG_0817.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unboxed: MAC Alluring Aquatic, MAC Toledo, MAC Cinderella</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTFAkXkj5HoglJsmrBa82CbYao8uvvAkBmN45L1bL8Zg4x5FaIoWh3mONHlRk6POWHHBB7xS-xswwJH-5U80kn93XfdD4xJS09FUyFCOcWYDWbwC4A4liksusP4o0ho6f04dib8_XDhA/s1600/IMG_0820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTFAkXkj5HoglJsmrBa82CbYao8uvvAkBmN45L1bL8Zg4x5FaIoWh3mONHlRk6POWHHBB7xS-xswwJH-5U80kn93XfdD4xJS09FUyFCOcWYDWbwC4A4liksusP4o0ho6f04dib8_XDhA/s320/IMG_0820.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: MAC Toledo, MAC Cinderella</td></tr>
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That's all that I picked from the Estee Lauder event last year! There was plenty of makeup there -- particularly limited edition MAC lip glasses -- but I had a budget to stick to, and I happily did! It's definitely an event that I will go to again in the future, if not to pick up some discounted quality makeup but to window shop while supporting a good cause.<br />
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Did you manage to pick up any of these items while they were available? Would you go to an event like this to help support a charity? Let me know!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-36388769493142729412016-01-02T21:51:00.000+11:002016-01-02T21:51:27.661+11:00Mecca Beauty Loop L1 UnboxingHello, beautiful people! Today brings another unboxing post into the forefront -- this time, one from Mecca. I haven't frequented Mecca in quite a while, so there will come a time where I will likely stop receiving these. My financial goals for 2016 are to be more sensible for my spending, so splurges at Mecca are going to be a rare occurrence.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://mecca.com.au/mecca-cosmetica/to-save-face-superscreen-spf-50-/I-020875.html">Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen</a></strong> || You can never have too much sunscreen, right? I have a larger sample size of Mecca Cosmetica's SPF30+ facial sunscreen, so I was slightly disappointed to get such a small sample for this -- but hey, you can't win them all. I'm still quite excited for this; I like its small size, because it'll be better for travelling than my other samples. A 75ml tube costs $40, and I received a 5ml tube worth about $2.67.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://mecca.com.au/josie-maran-cosmetics/pure-argan-milk-treatment/V-019481.html#q=Josie+Maran+Cosmetics&start=1">Josie Maran Pure Argan Milk Intensive Hydrating Treatment</a></strong> || I'm pretty excited to get this as well! I've wanted something from the Josie Maran line ever since it launched, but with the whole "trying to be fiscally responsible" thing, I have abstained. This product is called a "treatment" -- I'm going to say that's a fancy word for "moisturiser". Regardless, I am going to savour every drop of this product. Who knows how long it will be before I can afford something like this? A 30ml bottle of this retails for $79, and I received a 2ml sachet worth about $5.27.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://mecca.com.au/bumble-and-bumble/hairdressers-invisible-oil/V-015184.html#q=Bumble+and+Bumble+Haidressers+Invisible+Oil&start=1">Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil</a></strong> || YAY! Another product that I'm excited to try! Bumble and Bumble is another one of those brands that I have <em>longed</em> to try, but the reason behind this particular abstinence is that I could never quite work out which product would be right. This will give me a real chance to try a product that I have heard about before, and see if it's something that I would like to add to my still-developing hair care routine. A 100ml bottle retails for $56, and my sample is 30ml, which works out to be worth about $16.80.<br />
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<strong><a href="http://mecca.com.au/clinique/smart-custom-repair-eye-treatment/I-022082.html#q=Clinique&start=1">Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Eye Treatment</a></strong> || Another high end brand (of course), but one that I don't often give much thought to. This sachet might be small, but it promises to be powerful: this treatment is meant to repair the eye area and promote youthfulness. Obviously the issue of youth isn't something that I need to worry about, but I've used some eye moisturisers in the past that have actually <em>dried out</em> that area of my face! I think it will be nice to use this, especially with the number of long, study-filled nights ahead of me. A 15ml tube of this is $65, making my 1ml sachet worth about $4.33.<br />
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<strong>Beauty Loop Box Value: </strong>$29.07<br />
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That's all that was in the Level 1 box for this quarter! I'm excited to use every single product in it, and if I could purchase all of the things... Let's face it, I probably would. Have you used any of these products before? Or anything from these brands? Let me know!<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2490079648253288014.post-5724380283967327492015-12-31T23:49:00.001+11:002015-12-31T23:49:34.892+11:00What I Received for Christmas: Beauty EditionThere are loads of "What I Received for Christmas" posts on the Internet right now -- and rightly so! I <em>love</em> reading about what people received, because it often says so much about the thoughtfulness behind their gifts. I love giving presents that I know people will enjoy, just because nothing can beat the delight on their face as they see something that they will love; this year, too, I know that my family and friends put that same amount of thought into giving their gifts, because I and everyone around me clearly felt that same joy.<br />
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That being said, I'm not certain that everyone would be interested in reading about the non-makeup items that I received. Hey, if you want to see me talk about a stick blender, t-shirts and POP! Vinyl figurines, let me know!<br />
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For now, however, here's the makeup that I received!<br />
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<h3>
From Andrea</h3>
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Andrea is a girl I work with during the week -- and honestly, you'd be hard pressed to find a girl with a bigger heart of gold than her. She is always willing to help wherever she can, and she <em>always</em> has a smile on her face. She also drew my name for the Kris Kringle that we put together for the Thursday night workers, and she gave me the loveliest gift on Christmas Eve!<br />
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<strong>Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate - "107" </strong>|| We know how much I <em>adore</em> Rimmel lipsticks, and Andrea picked out such a great colour! It's a gorgeous deep berry red shade that lasts really well throughout the day, although it does help to have your lips in tip-top shape.<br />
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<strong>Bourjois Paris Levres Contour Edition Lip Pencil - "Plum It Up" </strong>|| I don't own anything by Bourjois, and I certainly don't have many lip pencils, so I <em>love</em> this! I haven't had much of a chance to properly test it out yet, but it does seem to be very creamy when swatched; it matches the lipstick nicely, even though it is more toned towards plum. On first glance, it looks similar-ish to MAC Currant, but I'd have to swatch it side-by-side to be sure.<br />
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<strong>L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Quad - "Rose Memories" </strong>|| Another colour-coordinated product! This quad has a nice little selection of rose-toned shadows, with one plum-red shade that <em>really</em> pops. I've played with this palette once already, and I <em>adore</em> the plum-red, but I've yet to figure out how to make the rest work to the best of their ability. I don't own any L'Oréal Paris eye shadows, so I think that Andrea picked out a really winning quad.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Lipstick, L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Quad, Bourjois Levres Contour Edition Lip Pencil</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDd4sWzrKXsG2ovwVhwd_mfmt1maGKbSNnw01bkOJe5wvveOIx_jPOWo6Av3vvXWPYR7fD_Dc6hEuU0Y_MsfXUnpM_YDhWJyFDGOE1-EFlAVS2hyphenhyphengHertPkGP6APGc23N6otC3RZuUgY/s1600/IMG_0732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDd4sWzrKXsG2ovwVhwd_mfmt1maGKbSNnw01bkOJe5wvveOIx_jPOWo6Av3vvXWPYR7fD_Dc6hEuU0Y_MsfXUnpM_YDhWJyFDGOE1-EFlAVS2hyphenhyphengHertPkGP6APGc23N6otC3RZuUgY/s320/IMG_0732.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Lipstick; Bourjois Levres Contour Edition Lip Pencil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWVEz0AmpQWlGQFRK_r4FVJ6vNPLNXJBTYadTAl5uB03V9hoVrA63l32HvmQzYS_Z8sO7lenkAN2t3Zr5U9ixrjPxlcB9S9pEpNyDSmR657a5-uXXpDT9cv_LqVL7Q_IoAKY-Xca0bDw/s1600/IMG_0734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWVEz0AmpQWlGQFRK_r4FVJ6vNPLNXJBTYadTAl5uB03V9hoVrA63l32HvmQzYS_Z8sO7lenkAN2t3Zr5U9ixrjPxlcB9S9pEpNyDSmR657a5-uXXpDT9cv_LqVL7Q_IoAKY-Xca0bDw/s320/IMG_0734.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Eye Shadow Quad - "Rose Memories"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
From my brother</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UdLprb8A08cyu3QRBjZc0dRJcVoZhQrWX7G5qrCCTFbBgIGO1qDUS04PZpd7zS0Omi4eJdkWtaW7mQfPf-rUSN3ghYqchFOP0VH4QZ1gT9iSrVCP3A0Sd1PRih31I0TpK4060Pekht4/s1600/IMG_0743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UdLprb8A08cyu3QRBjZc0dRJcVoZhQrWX7G5qrCCTFbBgIGO1qDUS04PZpd7zS0Omi4eJdkWtaW7mQfPf-rUSN3ghYqchFOP0VH4QZ1gT9iSrVCP3A0Sd1PRih31I0TpK4060Pekht4/s320/IMG_0743.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
My brother recently returned to Australia after spending a month in the US. I had, of course, given him some money and a nice little shopping list (also known as a 'scavenger hunt', to make it sound more exciting), but alas, with the exception of some CoverGirl Star Wars makeup, he told me that the makeup stands were essentially empty.<br />
<br />
Or so I was told and believed, until I unwrapped my gift from him on Christmas Day. He had, after all, very thoughtfully bought me some makeup -- and products that, for the most part, I had not expected! I had to chuckle at the CoverGirl Queen Collection products, for a start. It's the kind of gift from my brother that demonstrates two things: firstly, that he's very thoughtful for buying me pink and red lip products (which I wear <em>all</em> the time); and secondly, that he knows very little about makeup. I think my brother bought them realising that they were something he hadn't seen before -- I'm guilty of leaving lip products all over the bathroom countertop, so all of my brothers are somewhat familiar with my lip collection -- but I don't think he realised that they're for women with much deeper skin tones than I have.<br />
<br />
You kinda have to love him for it, though, right?<br />
<br />
<strong>L'Oréal Paris Collection Exclusive Nudes - "Liya's Nude" </strong>|| An interesting lipstick, that's for sure! I don't own anything so brown, but I know that lips like this were all the rage during the 90s, so perhaps I can make it work.<br />
<br />
<strong>CoverGirl Queen Collection Jumbo Gloss Balm - "Jammin' Gem" </strong>|| This is a really sheer, glossy red. I have Scarlet Twist from the regular collection, and in comparison I would say that this looks somewhat more watermelon-y. You know what I mean -- when watermelon is at its peak and the inside is really red, promising full-on watermelon flavour. I mean, it's not appealing to me, because I hate watermelon, but that's what it reminds me of.<br />
<br />
<strong>CoverGirl Queen Collection Jumbo Gloss Balm - "Disco Punch" </strong>|| I feel like this is slightly more true to the traditional watermelon colour. It's kind of more pink-coral, and also very sheer and glossy to swatch.<br />
<br />
<strong>CoverGirl Queen Collection Jumbo Gloss Balm - "Electric Flamingo" </strong>|| This reminds me of the hot pink shade that I have from the regular collection, Haute Pink Twist. It's a bright pink shade, and although I haven't compared them side-by-side, I feel like Electric Flamingo might be less stark than Haute Pink Twist.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tzGQwm605yqJOqIDwyCJrNONbBC7roGs0e7hwmHFxRaZXULCZmGpf01UEmwNZ70jzNFn0bBzQAziIAcaKhyphenhyphendqVBPK4e_Ilz0h3U1sZyJ7GFQ2ZeiMpiODBzw9m11X2m-6zacC9kXWLY/s1600/IMG_0747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tzGQwm605yqJOqIDwyCJrNONbBC7roGs0e7hwmHFxRaZXULCZmGpf01UEmwNZ70jzNFn0bBzQAziIAcaKhyphenhyphendqVBPK4e_Ilz0h3U1sZyJ7GFQ2ZeiMpiODBzw9m11X2m-6zacC9kXWLY/s320/IMG_0747.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: L'Oréal Paris Collection Exclusive Nudes; CoverGirl Queen Collection Jumbo Gloss Balms</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_zE1ZmhHvvSmlnCFB-9cJNT-J_gNBN8ymw11ncvXyR8cw-O72GJsvV4c22dAbZzksDJyyae420vCWF4uWLphJxEvAQYIWsc40G8hLySaMkmeg4BYEUcrnoBDaLfKV9-MMPzruot_wqs/s1600/IMG_0748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_zE1ZmhHvvSmlnCFB-9cJNT-J_gNBN8ymw11ncvXyR8cw-O72GJsvV4c22dAbZzksDJyyae420vCWF4uWLphJxEvAQYIWsc40G8hLySaMkmeg4BYEUcrnoBDaLfKV9-MMPzruot_wqs/s320/IMG_0748.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Wet 'n' Wild Eye Shadow Trio, Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<strong>Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector - "Champagne Pop" </strong>|| Can I get a "YAAAS!"? I asked my brother for this for Christmas, and the boy <em>delivered!</em> I know that he was daunted by the idea of going into Sephora, but I wrote him a note with the exact product name and the price, and told him to give it to a salesperson if he felt confused or nervous. Whether or not he used it or found it himself, I don't know, but I'm so proud of him for pushing through and getting it! I cannot wait to give it a spin.<br />
<br />
<strong>Wet 'n' Wild Sweet As Candy Eye Shadow Trio </strong>|| This particular trio was actually on my list! I <em>love</em> eye shadow, and I've learned to love Wet 'n' Wild after <strong><a href="http://daniellecaliforniaa.blogspot.com/">Danielle</a></strong> and I did a beauty swap last year (if you're curious, it's over <strong><a href="http://beautypadawan.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/beauty-swap-with-confessions-of-beauty.html">here</a></strong>). I really love this combination of colours, and I think they'll make for a really nice look. I can see it being a quick and easy everyday product, so I love it!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqKeot299k2WSanhiIfDXHrpQRe7cn4p3gN25WM3dofmTE7vQadqD1MVztQ6k2YCe4RQaV5wsCqh4wZv8OQg4JwLbbvqOHrhKey4rECcyTKBDyZH22hRfdGuNHyrTyDSrk1xT3mbyMB8/s1600/IMG_0750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqKeot299k2WSanhiIfDXHrpQRe7cn4p3gN25WM3dofmTE7vQadqD1MVztQ6k2YCe4RQaV5wsCqh4wZv8OQg4JwLbbvqOHrhKey4rECcyTKBDyZH22hRfdGuNHyrTyDSrk1xT3mbyMB8/s320/IMG_0750.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector; Wet 'n' Wild Sweet as Candy Eye Shadow Trio</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
From my mother</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5SFvtEjm3zafkQVZdTSFxtbP6SVtXnhNkuXbReeFnzROUS73AdDPIKqfRQZ6rPQ85zET6G35aD1-j0_ZAxGNZoOlOtwTGwiIYHIf2HZMd6_oZOfn-O8SAsfuYyxiBHJGY-kW7d4ovIE/s1600/IMG_0756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5SFvtEjm3zafkQVZdTSFxtbP6SVtXnhNkuXbReeFnzROUS73AdDPIKqfRQZ6rPQ85zET6G35aD1-j0_ZAxGNZoOlOtwTGwiIYHIf2HZMd6_oZOfn-O8SAsfuYyxiBHJGY-kW7d4ovIE/s320/IMG_0756.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look in the mirror, you can see my PJs. GOALS, AMIRIGHT?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There's one thing to know that you're receiving a particular item -- it's another to forget that you were going to receive that item, and to experience the fresh joy and excitement of something that you already know you love! I was out in the city with my friend Jo-Anna before Christmas, and I happened to see the <strong>Elizabeth Arden Day to Date Color Collection</strong>. It's one of those great holiday high end gift ideas where you get a fantastic value for money -- there were so many <em>adorable</em> collections this year, especially from Estee Lauder, but this one took the cake for me!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQLKJ5VMZ5AspIHosMMeFZ68E7VGzs9YN1of2-_Q7_J6JFEeLpu3WheN1eIU5ZlCMuBdS6oJy6vyn5O79x4XP-Y_U2zXi1sHllsMIB_T2kplaI1q7vcOLoisngZWa4O5AP_TwhNyYWfI/s1600/IMG_0758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQLKJ5VMZ5AspIHosMMeFZ68E7VGzs9YN1of2-_Q7_J6JFEeLpu3WheN1eIU5ZlCMuBdS6oJy6vyn5O79x4XP-Y_U2zXi1sHllsMIB_T2kplaI1q7vcOLoisngZWa4O5AP_TwhNyYWfI/s320/IMG_0758.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that luxurious gold packaging!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All of the makeup comes in a bold red makeup case, made of fabric that is sturdy (just enough to hold its own shape) but not hard, allowing for some flexibility in whatever products you decide to pack in it.<br />
<br />
The collection itself comes with products that you can purchase individually, so I may well review the components in the future with that in mind. Inside are the following:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvo2l_stp8xQfOble8fbgaNM8zw7o1Yii9NvU8MRzHKKHHQcxMMkFmJ1kb1GucB0hhExu35bb9pCEV7AoxSpLUq50vThjgDhfsoHa8A_FxZ74Pn5PgwjqtnRAhMUiPHmGbfsHiIntkSbo/s1600/IMG_0763+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvo2l_stp8xQfOble8fbgaNM8zw7o1Yii9NvU8MRzHKKHHQcxMMkFmJ1kb1GucB0hhExu35bb9pCEV7AoxSpLUq50vThjgDhfsoHa8A_FxZ74Pn5PgwjqtnRAhMUiPHmGbfsHiIntkSbo/s320/IMG_0763+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Arden Daytime Eye Shadow and Blush Palette</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A daytime eye shadow palette (with the red lid), containing the following shades:</div>
<ul>
<li>Blonde</li>
<li>Chocolate</li>
<li>Misty Teal (intended as a contour)</li>
<li>Innocence</li>
<li>Classic Khaki #1 (intended as a contour)</li>
<li>Classic Khaki #2 (intended as a highlighter)</li>
<li>Cobblestone</li>
<li>Periwinkle</li>
</ul>
It also contains the Romantic Rose blush.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJFSpWVm0jT_1XWYwokXs0T8gFG4yHDf48_LsQLtpcSC3_9z04ECG_XzHGyZ6eoPYulmzUEgZ2ZduG4GuL0UUpyrmY6G1QdFL8dFS9pvddfX2VGH8xXtp1UD-Jr8z_CWz3jwWGWy4zrQ/s1600/IMG_0767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJFSpWVm0jT_1XWYwokXs0T8gFG4yHDf48_LsQLtpcSC3_9z04ECG_XzHGyZ6eoPYulmzUEgZ2ZduG4GuL0UUpyrmY6G1QdFL8dFS9pvddfX2VGH8xXtp1UD-Jr8z_CWz3jwWGWy4zrQ/s320/IMG_0767.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: Elizabeth Arden Daytime Palette - eye shadows</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQp59WlULowryA3CXqwvoveXgDIfSjLAFtjy8I9-ojTwAKhmNhAaQoL1GmAUuLMW_-LXWFC8aS2UsNHZaj_HTCg-CUtnEexluz4Qu60ueqPV0ank7Q6ZgYDBnubgsrjOiHYnqSWDHbA8/s1600/IMG_0776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQp59WlULowryA3CXqwvoveXgDIfSjLAFtjy8I9-ojTwAKhmNhAaQoL1GmAUuLMW_-LXWFC8aS2UsNHZaj_HTCg-CUtnEexluz4Qu60ueqPV0ank7Q6ZgYDBnubgsrjOiHYnqSWDHbA8/s320/IMG_0776.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatch: Elizabeth Arden Daytime Palette - blush</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7BqxNxAdOJwMPFOZeK6uRo5A061tE-kdwC9gQnHlTLnDoM15JBfyHd8xRhNacQ7sLmi4cyBjTc22dBXgs1oKuo4vw1EvbIpkRVOTeKgoJfMkKFCZXQef45skAhjk_ULaZN1_SN2kNwk/s1600/IMG_0765+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7BqxNxAdOJwMPFOZeK6uRo5A061tE-kdwC9gQnHlTLnDoM15JBfyHd8xRhNacQ7sLmi4cyBjTc22dBXgs1oKuo4vw1EvbIpkRVOTeKgoJfMkKFCZXQef45skAhjk_ULaZN1_SN2kNwk/s320/IMG_0765+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Arden Evening Eye Shadow and Blush Palette</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
An evening eye shadow palette (with the black lid), containing the following shades<br />
<ul>
<li>Party Plum</li>
<li>Blackout</li>
<li>Night Owl</li>
<li>Spotlight</li>
<li>Bone</li>
<li>Pearled Kiss</li>
<li>Tempting Teal</li>
<li>Gold Rush</li>
</ul>
It contains the Blushing Pink blush.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNyBU58k1N7-RH1agAfZhvL6xck4A4ms5_1aMsBCOocLtw7gAbng7VBLBLYZ1MH1Bjfob-bvwkl0xGOH6tAhxR9z8td9mUHW0GaEmumrnyuQW95R27wRwmRJjwQvZXy8iL4pIeXSilWW0/s1600/IMG_0779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNyBU58k1N7-RH1agAfZhvL6xck4A4ms5_1aMsBCOocLtw7gAbng7VBLBLYZ1MH1Bjfob-bvwkl0xGOH6tAhxR9z8td9mUHW0GaEmumrnyuQW95R27wRwmRJjwQvZXy8iL4pIeXSilWW0/s320/IMG_0779.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: Elizabeth Arden Evening Palette - eye shadows</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zAVHljGob5DPYgoT5gGw1sn_KhPhwgB4XVV0kFib2tqWVzmQ2RSJWVXeDzpAn3EbDqM79xeQkIHNuXHninF12gnZMK7uIEr4mD-o0icRvZI4EKdrMwqRjuo339GA3MRXSxV62KFVR3g/s1600/IMG_0789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zAVHljGob5DPYgoT5gGw1sn_KhPhwgB4XVV0kFib2tqWVzmQ2RSJWVXeDzpAn3EbDqM79xeQkIHNuXHninF12gnZMK7uIEr4mD-o0icRvZI4EKdrMwqRjuo339GA3MRXSxV62KFVR3g/s320/IMG_0789.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: Elizabeth Arden Evening Palette - blush</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A Shimmer Powder -- what I presume is a highlighter.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdt7kW05nQY7DUVQOkrF9iNkQxS3lqJU35JdihlkccOmeCRLrxPFhWAX4PiICrM7dOfqyGGQsYfsqFho5REc0CO1890INZBWcDIaJWyJHDEL4QR3TLtSyIO77qaGY3rdc5f7Lb0lgL4g/s1600/IMG_0790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdt7kW05nQY7DUVQOkrF9iNkQxS3lqJU35JdihlkccOmeCRLrxPFhWAX4PiICrM7dOfqyGGQsYfsqFho5REc0CO1890INZBWcDIaJWyJHDEL4QR3TLtSyIO77qaGY3rdc5f7Lb0lgL4g/s320/IMG_0790.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Arden Shimmer Powder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKDbKJ2V05SmiknHXagoyxYVoGuK3xWI7dgSAnXdreM-Cs4CV-yhalGnCauHImdkV_rkTYvHU7nflFpZ27G8Z4IdG2-6IzsVAzEwkwujOKimNJCPPV5VqoiW-nxG4cB88gI1WxLRL99E/s1600/IMG_0792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKDbKJ2V05SmiknHXagoyxYVoGuK3xWI7dgSAnXdreM-Cs4CV-yhalGnCauHImdkV_rkTYvHU7nflFpZ27G8Z4IdG2-6IzsVAzEwkwujOKimNJCPPV5VqoiW-nxG4cB88gI1WxLRL99E/s320/IMG_0792.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: Elizabeth Arden Shimer Powder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP7KJ8tNgzK0MQ9vJr7ihcpE-_3qNqexZWkNJpk2af_wYYYNis6l-OHQhEyOKTna8N8rat6gARUz3d29_wHQdJ3hbaCtkz1z8j-nNukfNKK1uKkyld6aiirKDCXuqvJULRqXWRu239oc/s1600/IMG_0795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP7KJ8tNgzK0MQ9vJr7ihcpE-_3qNqexZWkNJpk2af_wYYYNis6l-OHQhEyOKTna8N8rat6gARUz3d29_wHQdJ3hbaCtkz1z8j-nNukfNKK1uKkyld6aiirKDCXuqvJULRqXWRu239oc/s320/IMG_0795.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Arden Lipsticks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Four lipsticks, presumably from the Beautiful Color Moisturizing and Beautiful Color Moisturizing Matte ranges (although they are not labelled as such):<br />
<ul>
<li>Desert Rose</li>
<li>Iced Grape</li>
<li>Raspberry</li>
<li>Ultra Violet</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfvDZQ3tacGqxqz-AtzV2bj-bibKHt8D_kytIcl_Ig78ykp84-9SeGp02LP9OXvAObETrFrzwS8wddvmaPGn72q3b7FWJf4Nk9s4MEFyUP1x7VBZL_7MLLAVg3yPKVa_sK76zWUes1po/s1600/IMG_0798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfvDZQ3tacGqxqz-AtzV2bj-bibKHt8D_kytIcl_Ig78ykp84-9SeGp02LP9OXvAObETrFrzwS8wddvmaPGn72q3b7FWJf4Nk9s4MEFyUP1x7VBZL_7MLLAVg3yPKVa_sK76zWUes1po/s320/IMG_0798.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: Elizabeth Arden Lipsticks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLg3uNaO7geuvpF6zkTmuenPDOUDuUZm-Zv-SGS6vx0uwDP-lfplqSldl8R-bfAay7iw-j6qnHnGudQp7wVvT8giJ9Ktr-vg6AN7C6i29ufAFxcb3Ms_gWG5Dt12LjzTahA8CbvZMyp4/s1600/IMG_0806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLg3uNaO7geuvpF6zkTmuenPDOUDuUZm-Zv-SGS6vx0uwDP-lfplqSldl8R-bfAay7iw-j6qnHnGudQp7wVvT8giJ9Ktr-vg6AN7C6i29ufAFxcb3Ms_gWG5Dt12LjzTahA8CbvZMyp4/s320/IMG_0806.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Elizabeth Arden Mini Lip Glosses, Lip Pencils, Eye Pencils</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Two mini Beautiful Color Luminous Lip Glosses:<br />
<ul>
<li>Precious Petal</li>
<li>Passion Fruit</li>
</ul>
Two lip pencils, presumably from the US Beautiful Color Smooth Line and US Beautiful Color Precision Glide lines respectively (although they are not labelled as such):<br />
<ul>
<li>Orchid</li>
<li>Sugared Kiss</li>
</ul>
Two eye pencils, presumably from the Beautiful Color Smoky Eyes line (although they are not labelled as such):<br />
<ul>
<li>Smokey Black</li>
<li>Midnight</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWFvCHSUo4hFRpLt2YO3ztnkyhHF9y6VNdqhydlSm1Y6ZHu_FgLiW3p6fJxcCgOeFI3UkjO_d_c0Jo3m-rX6P19rhZaOlN3JrBuAqZeWdhfrZ-COSpBTbYp9M8pnBwmpbAGzP1_SWrfM/s1600/IMG_0800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWFvCHSUo4hFRpLt2YO3ztnkyhHF9y6VNdqhydlSm1Y6ZHu_FgLiW3p6fJxcCgOeFI3UkjO_d_c0Jo3m-rX6P19rhZaOlN3JrBuAqZeWdhfrZ-COSpBTbYp9M8pnBwmpbAGzP1_SWrfM/s320/IMG_0800.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: Elizabeth Arden Mini Beautiful Color Luminous Lip Glosses; Elizabeth Arden Lip Pencils</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A44uKuitfuuP2xvJUUr4i1PxhNqa7D-FJ1OzsDu0LXEFv_O4CY4pEV_-dfBObfdcX-_XxXhShZJ_EStteTkrQE5-ypcFWIhQdOdB58JBhyphenhyphenPrmoicZeJlnwfCL1ox1SYVAL-dBRcbHIo/s1600/IMG_0804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A44uKuitfuuP2xvJUUr4i1PxhNqa7D-FJ1OzsDu0LXEFv_O4CY4pEV_-dfBObfdcX-_XxXhShZJ_EStteTkrQE5-ypcFWIhQdOdB58JBhyphenhyphenPrmoicZeJlnwfCL1ox1SYVAL-dBRcbHIo/s320/IMG_0804.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swatches: Elizabeth Arden Eye Pencils</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The collection also had a tube of Beautiful Color Lash Enhancing Mascara in Black, a small bottle of All Gone Eye & Lip Makeup Remover (neither of which are pictured because, y'know, I forgot), and three brushes (a powder brush, and two eye shadow brushes -- one seems to be a flat shader, and the other an angled shader).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_IU5ssUgblzoSrqNhn03mwKcFi3CqgX3UNoYzzdpMeVD44865CSRM5NOr4N9XVi0KxwtJ9N-q13wqBp8HYP8_pr5_qa6WBqy8cnkIbSaVbyBXP4O2SpDD9-h5wcMRQ_JfDaosco6bl0/s1600/IMG_0810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_IU5ssUgblzoSrqNhn03mwKcFi3CqgX3UNoYzzdpMeVD44865CSRM5NOr4N9XVi0KxwtJ9N-q13wqBp8HYP8_pr5_qa6WBqy8cnkIbSaVbyBXP4O2SpDD9-h5wcMRQ_JfDaosco6bl0/s320/IMG_0810.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Arden Brushes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the reasons why I love this gift set so much is because I just <em>love</em> Elizabeth Arden -- and I'm not entirely sure why. I think I must have grown up with that kind of mentality, because I know that my mum loved wearing the Red Door perfume, and she's <em>really</em> into their foundation and facial oil capsules.<br />
<br />
For me, Elizabeth Arden is one of those brands that I'm not going to be able to really afford until I'm make a full-time salary, so it was really thoughtful of my mother to purchase something that really has that wow factor for me. There's no way I can look at that gorgeous red case and not feel a sense of appreciation for her.<br />
<br />
That's it for the makeup that I received over Christmas! Once again, if you'd like me to post about the non-beauty items that I received, drop me a line and say so!<br />
<br />
Did you receive any particularly amusing or heartwarming gifts from loved ones this year? If you're a blogger, be sure to link me to any gift posts that you write -- I <em>love</em> having a good nosey about!<br />
<br />
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Shae Barryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09193754844594292426noreply@blogger.com5