So for the past few days, I’ve been spending my time in bed recovering from surgery I had on Tuesday (tonsillectomy), and whilst drifting in and out of sleep and taking four different kinds of painkillers at various points of the day, one of the only things I can do is watch TV. If it wasn’t for the excruciating pain, it would be the perfect situation for me, but the inability to eat or drink anything without feeling like my throat is being ripped open over and over is growing tiresome.
Nevertheless, I’ve narrowed it down to six shows that have helped to take my mind off of the pain and boredom, and if you’re in a similar situation, I suggest trying them out for yourself.
Friends
Honestly, this TV show barely needs any introduction. It’s been one of my favourites since I was in primary school, and will always be my go-to show for lifting my spirits. If you’ve never experienced the magic of Friends, you need to rethink your life ASAP.
13 Reasons Why
This show is completely new to Netflix, but the buzz it’s induced on social media is impossible to ignore. It follows a high school student named Clay who receives some tapes from a former classmate, Hannah Baker, detailing the reasons why she committed suicide not long before. I read the book a few years ago, and although I must say the book was slightly better in my opinion, the TV show is incredibly powerful and portrays a great message for those struggling or hoping to help friends in similar positions.
Gossip Girl
There aren’t a lot of things that sound better than getting lost in New York with the likes of Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass when I’m ill. The scandals and schemes alone are enough to distract me from the miseries of life, and the eye candy is just a solid bonus.
The Real Housewives of…
I’m not too picky when it comes to my housewife faves. Sometimes all you need is a bit of trashy TV to take you away from your spot on the sofa and into a world of unnecessary drama and insane wealth. It’s not a crime to want to immerse yourself in someone else’s issues just to escape your own, right?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Hands down, my favourite TV show of all time. I’m not exaggerating when I say I cried watching the 20 year reunion show that the cast recently filmed for Entertainment Tonight. In case you don’t already know, the show focuses on a girl named Buffy Summers who is ‘chosen’ to fight the battle against evil with superhuman strength and speed along with her trusty companions. I grew up watching Buffy kick ass again and again, and it still to this day makes me feel like I can take on anything – even right after surgery.
Charmed
Charmed is kind of like Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s cousin. It oozes the same kind of supernatural goodness and everyday drama, yet this one features three sister witches working together to fight evil, instead of only one strong female lead. The show really pushes the importance of family, and in my opinion, the Halliwell sisters are great role models for those growing up watching the show.
Now that we’ve reached the end of the post, I can feel my throat begging for the next round of painkillers, so I must oblige. I hope that you enjoyed this list and it helps to cure your boredom at some point.
Christmas is my absolute favourite time of the year, and Christmas music is one of those things that can lift me out of any bad mood. I think I’ve been driving my parents round the bend, though, since I’ve been singing ‘It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas’ since September. However, it’s finally time to break out these Christmas jams without judgement. It was so difficult to pick which songs to include as I love basically ALL OF THEM, so I managed to narrow it down to the ones that make me smile and get excited the most! They’re also listed in no particular order, because that would’ve been way too much stress.
I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Michael Bublé
You can’t go wrong with a good Bublé song at Christmas, and this one is just so God damn lovely and sweet I couldn’t possibly leave it off this list. It’s not as ‘in your face’ as a lot of other Christmas songs are – not that that’s really a problem for me lol – so if you’re not a massive fan of Christmas music in general, give this one a go.
Driving Home for Christmas – Chris Rea
The reason that this is one of my favourites is basically that it was one at my cousins’ house when I was back in England for Christmas 2013, and it reminds me of my family and the fact that I was able to spend Christmas Day with them, which I don’t usually get to do. His voice is also amazing, and it’s a fabulous tune to have on in the car during December.
It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas – Bing Cosby
This is the first song I put on when I woke up this morning and opened my first advent calendar chocolate. Bing Cosby’s voice is a dream and it’s the perfect song to get anyone in the mood for the Christmas season.
All I Want For Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
Do I really need to explain this one?
I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday – Wizzard
I used to hear this song all the time when I was in primary school around December, as we’d have it playing throughout all of our Christmas parties. It’s just one of those really cheery songs that make me feel like an 8 year old at Christmas again, and that’s a really exciting feeling.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Frank Sinatra
I play this song every single Christmas Eve when I go to look at the lights with my family, and it honestly makes me so happy and kind of emotional. It was my first ever favourite Christmas song, and it will always have a very special place in my heart. Sinatra’s voice is just impeccable and it’s such a sweet song. I couldn’t have a Christmas playlist without it.
I Got Love For Xmas – Pixie Lott
This is a new favourite, but I love Pixie Lott so much already so this is pretty much the perfect combo for me. She’s so bloody talented and this song makes me feel all the things. 10/10 would recommend.
I hope this post gave you some ideas for your own Christmas playlist, or if you’re like me, made you revisit the one you’ve been playing since September. I’m so excited that it’s finally the holiday season so expect a few more Christmas inspired posts from me in the near future!
Since I’ve spent the majority of this last week in Melbourne and started making travel plans for next year, I’ve been thinking a lot about some travel posts I can write. I’m originally from Newcastle, England, so I’ve experienced my fair share of long-haul flights between England and Australia, and I’ve put together a list that I believe will help anyone just trying to get through a long flight with even just a sliver of sanity intact at the end of it.
Wear comfortable clothes
I used to be one of those people who wanted to look as stylish as possible when I got off the plane (oh, how the mighty have fallen) but as I grew older I decided that I’d much rather be comfortable in tracksuit pants than be snapped in high heels by some imaginary paparazzi photographers. Being stuck in the same position for a long period of time is uncomfortable enough without feeling restricted by your own clothes, so wearing something you can move, or sit, in is gonna be your best bet. You can find some comfy, yet still cute, loungewear here, here and here.
Bring your own food & drinks
At the best of times, plane food is dry and tasteless, or tastes like arse, and the cups of water the give you are small AF. So, once you’ve gone through customs, make sure to stop by one of the duty free convenience stores and grab some snacks and some bottles of water. I tend to get really dehydrated up in the air, so it’s important to stock up on liquids.
Pack some entertainment
Aside from the mini TVs provided by most airlines, it’s in your best interest to bring some other form of amusement to keep yourself occupied for the journey. I usually take my phone for music and my Kindle with a number of reading options preloaded onto it, as well as a little notebook for anything I feel I may need to jot down or to make lists of activities I want to do when I arrive at my destination.
Try not to wear a full face of makeup
This one may be slightly subjective and doesn’t really apply to flights that are only a few hours’ long, but I know from experience that wearing makeup on a long-haul flight only leaves me feeling groggy and, tbh, disgusting. It doesn’t look fabulous once you’re off the plane, so why bother? If you really don’t feel comfortable exposing your au natural self after a 14 hour flight, big sunglasses are the way to go! You’ll find the sunglasses I use for exactly that here and here.
Pack some skincare
Your skin can get pretty dehydrated on a long flight, so it’s helpful to pack a couple of things to combat this. There is, however, a limit to how much liquid you can take on a flight, so I recommend purchasing a couple of travel bottles for some face wash, toner and moisturiser. Make up wipes can work well if you don’t really want to fill your carry on baggage with skincare. Lip balm is also highly recommended, as my lips ALWAYS end up dry and cracked. My current favourite lip balm can be found here! It’s so moisturising and smells AMAZING.
Don’t load up on fatty foods before takeoff
This may seem massively hypocritical of me to those who know me IRL, but honestly, if you’re going to be stuck on a plane for more than a few hours, the worst thing you can do is make yourself feel even more groggy and gross. You also need to remember that going to the bathroom on an aeroplane isn’t the most glamorous of things, and it’s awful when you have a bad stomach. Just do yourself – and those going to the bathroom after you – a favour and find a nice balance.
Find a decent sized carry on bag
If you’re taking two carry on bags, this may not be as useful to you, but I’ve found that it’s best to take a bag with enough space to fit everything you need, rather than trying to squish everything into your usual handbag. This bag from Kate Hill is very similar to the Kate Hill bag I use (mine doesn’t have the quilted feature on it), and I find that it can fit everything from my laptop and case to my skincare and other electronics, with extra space leftover.
Only take the essentials
You’re going to have to take your carry on baggage with you wherever you go, so only pack what you know you’ll need. You probably won’t need two kinds of headphones or another pair of shoes in there, so put them in your checked baggage. Especially if you’re only taking one carry on bag.
Convert your currency
On a long-haul flight, there’s usually a stopover along the way, so it’s handy to take a some currency for the country you’ll stopover in to get a coffee or a sandwich or something. The last time my Mam and I flew to England, we didn’t do this and she had to pay AU$30 for a coffee. Not sure how that happened, but she was foaming. Don’t let this happen to you.
If you have any other suggestions or helpful tips and tricks for surviving a long flight, please let me know in the comments!
This is going to be a short post as I’ve just created a look using glitter eyeliner for the first time, and I kinda love it. I took a few photos so I figured I may as well pop them on here!
The photos are in black and white because my camera just wasn’t cooperating with me, but all I used was a soft brown shadow for the crease from the Morphe 35O palette, Makeup Geek’s ‘Corrupt’ all over the lid, blending that out with one of the red/orange shades from the Morphe 35O palette and the silver NYX Glam Liner Aqua Luxe!
I’m really happy with how this look turned out and I can’t wait to wear it out for drinks sometime soon!
So I’ve finally handed in my last assessment for university, and I AM OFFICIALLY FREE! Other than starting a new full time job at the end of the month, my time is now my own and I’m really hoping to post more on here from now on.
Today, I thought I’d go through some of the lip products I’m absolutely loving at the moment and show you guys! They’re mostly nude colours but I have throw in a couple of reds and pinks for Spring/Summer. I don’t usually go for bright pink lipsticks in general, but for the shades included in this post, I do make exceptions.
I know there’s been a bit of controversy surrounding Lime Crime, but I really love the formula of their liquid lipsticks way too much to care tbh. They’re so easy to work with and the staying power is incredible. They don’t dry out my lips or go all crumbly after a while, and the colour is so vibrant and gorgeous. It has a hint of a pink undertone to it, too, so it’s perfect if you’re not looking for a deep cherry kind of red.
I only bought this liquid lipstick sometime last week and it’s already one of my favourites. Although the NYX lip lingeries can be slightly more drying and crumbly than some other brands, the colours are all right up my alley and so affordable. They will not move once you’ve put them on, so their staying power is fabulous, and all the different shade names are so cheeky and cute!
BH Cosmetics ‘Clara’ Long Wearing Liquid Matte Lipstick
I’ve mentioned these liquid lipsticks in one of my last posts, and I’m bringing the darkest shade I have back because I honestly can’t get enough of it. The formula is so brilliant and they’re so, so affordable yet high quality. BH Cosmetics is one of my faves right now and I must say half of the reason is down to their liquid lipsticks. This shade would be perfect for colder seasons – especially Autumn – but I can guarantee I’ll be wearing this throughout the Summer, too.
I bought this shade in London in 2014, and since I’m not much of a bright pink kinda gal, I haven’t gotten as much use out of it as I’d intended. However, it’s the one pink shade I have that I’ll regularly be using throughout the warmer seasons as it’s so pigmented and such a lovely shade of pink. It’s so creamy and comfortable to wear.
This is my go-to lipstick right now because I am absolutely obsessed with it. It’s kind of a mixture between brown and pink and it’s the perfect colour for any occasion. It’s so pigmented and easy to work with, and feels really comfortable on the lips. You can rarely go wrong with MAC lipsticks but this one is by far the best in my opinion.
This shade is kind of a hybrid of a bright red and bright pink, and is one of my all-time favourite shades. It is a matte lipstick, but somehow it’s still super creamy and moisturising on the lips and it stays on for so long! If you’re looking for something bold but don’t want to jump right into reds, this would be the perfect starting point.
Makeup Revolution Rose Gold Lipstick in ‘Chauffeur’
Makeup Revolution is a super affordable brand with some great products, and this lipstick is one of their bestsellers. You need to build it up a bit to get the full effect, but the texture is so creamy and glides right onto the lips so easily. It’s the perfect lipstick to throw in your bag for work, uni or school or if you’re just running errands. Also, my obsession with rose gold really drew me to this lipstick, not gonna lie.
I only bought this lipstick two days ago and already it’s one of my faves. The formula was slightly weird to get used to at first as it took a bit longer to dry and felt quite sticky on my lips, but the colour payoff is amazing and lasts so long. It’s such a lovely nude brown shade, and right now I can’t get enough of those.
So that’s it for my current favourite lipsticks at the moment and this blog post. I hope you enjoyed reading and keep an eye out for the next one!
As I write this, I’m currently sitting in the last university class I’ll ever have to attend (sorry, Sir!). Over the past three years, I’ve complained about assignments, stressed over exams, spent all my money on the campus cafes and made some amazing lifelong friends along the way. I’ll be graduating with a Bachelor of Communications and Media Studies, and a major in Journalism and Professional Writing. Although I may not possess the same passions that I entered my degree with, looking back, I’ve absolutely loved every second of it.
University life can be a big adjustment, with a larger workload and closer deadlines. It’s incredibly intimidating to begin with, so in order to help out some of you future (or current) university students, I’ve put together a list of things to remember throughout your years of studying:
Reference. Reference. Reference. I cannot stress how important it is to learn how to properly reference your sources at university. It seems like such a tedious inconvenience at first, but once you get the hang of it, it will come naturally.
Don’t leave everything until the night before. I know you’ve probably heard this hundreds of times and I sound like a teacher right now, but trust me, if you put everything off to the point where you have 3 or more assignments to do in one night, you’re going to hate yourself. Getting organised is going to help you so much in the long run.
You don’t need to look on-point 24/7. It may be hypocritical of me to say this because I have been known to overdress slightly at uni, but no one will give two shits if you turn up in your pyjamas and slippers. If anything, they’ll only be jealous. I’m saying that from experience.
Don’t be afraid to speak up. Your teachers love any contribution to discussion, and considering you may also be marked for class participation, try to involve yourself in debates and don’t second-guess yourself. There have been so many times I’ve wanted to suggest an answer in class, only to keep quiet out of fear of being wrong, and what I was about to say was right. Talk to your classmates, too. I’ve made more friends in my last semester than I have throughout the rest of my degree because I realized how little time I had left to do so. Try as much as you can to put yourself out there.
Attend university events. I’ve missed out on so many university events and parties because of work commitments, and I wish I’d made more time to attend them. They’re a great way to meet people and become more comfortable in your surroundings if you’re feeling intimidated by the adjustment to uni.
Go on student exchange. Everyone I know that’s gone on an exchange has loved it, so if you can, please consider it and let me live vicariously through you.
Make sure your teacher actually plans to use the textbooks assigned for your subject. Textbooks are waaaaay too expensive to buy only to find out they were a waste of money.
They’re there to help. If you’re struggling with some personal issues or just need to talk to someone, most universities have counsellors on hand to help you, and they can usually help with deadline extensions if you need it.
Try to avoid paid parking spots. Parking at university is ridiculously expensive, so if you can, go for a spot in the streets surrounding the uni, or get a few friends together and use the carpool parking if your university offers it.
Appreciate it. Time flies so quickly when you’re studying. I actually don’t know where the last three years have gone. It might be a pain in the arse 75% of the time, but there will come a day when you’ll wish time had slowed down a tad.
University can be extremely stressful at times, so if you can get through a degree, you can get through anything.
Unfortunately for my bank account and any savings goals I’d previously had, I’ve been doing some shopping (mostly online) over the past few weeks, and so I thought I’d throw up a quick blog post to share some of my favourite things I picked up.
This collaboration between BH Cosmetics and beauty blogger, Carli Bybel, is an absolute dream, with ten highly-pigmented eyeshadows and four dazzling highlighters to choose from. It’s so bloody affordable (currently at US$14.50) and is amazing value for money. Having bought from BH Cosmetics before, I knew this palette wouldn’t let me down, and the range of colours it includes legit GIVES ME LIFE.
When I first received my package, however, two of the eyeshadows were smashed and crumbled throughout the palette, which must have happened in transit. So, I emailed BH Cosmetics straight away, and they were so polite as to send me a completely brand new one, free of charge! BH Cosmetics is quickly becoming one of my favourite brands, and I’ll also be including some other products I’ve bought from them in this blog post!
I’ve wanted the Morphe 35O Nature Glow palette for agessss, and I finally got my hands on it a couple of weeks ago. It’s definitely safe to say that I’m already obsessed, and I’ve picked out my favourite colours (as you can probably tell in the above photo). So many people raved about this palette, and I can 100% confirm that it ain’t no joke – these eyeshadows definitely live up to the hype. They’re super pigmented and so, so easy to blend. Although there can be some fallout, the formula is really smooth and buttery and really great to work with.
The tones of this Morphe palette are largely on the cooler side, which is a bit different for me as I usually stick with warmer tones such as browns and oranges etc. However, this palette was on Ozsale and it was just so pretty I couldn’t resist. It took forever to get to me though (one of the downsides with ordering from Ozsale) but it was worth the wait. Because I’ve been quite sick and lethargic this week, I haven’t been able to have as much of a play around with the shadows as I’d like, but from what I have used so far, I’m really impressed.
The one thing that’s also going to be really important for me soon is the fact that the Morphe palettes would be great for travelling! 35 colours in each palette is a great range to choose from, and for those of us with a hell of a lot of palettes, it makes make up packing so much easier.
Bottom to top: Muse, Samantha, Clara, Endora & Sandy
I’m all about liquid lipsticks right now, so I cannot even begin to explain how excited I was when I heard that BH Cosmetics had released a line of their very own liquid lipsticks. As I said before, I’ve been a fan of BH Cosmetics for a while now, so I knew I’d love these. The first colours I bought were Samantha, Sandy and Clara, and when I realized I’d fallen in love, I bought Muse and Endora. The formula isn’t very drying, which can be a cause for concern when using liquid lipsticks, and it slides right onto your lips, making it really easy to apply. These products are currently US$8.50 (HELLO, BARGAIN!!), so you don’t have to worry about them breaking the bank. They’re honestly amazing, so if you’re in the market for a new lip product, hit up these bad boys!
Back in July, I had my blonde balayage redone as it had faded an alarming amount since I’d initially had it done in October last year. While at the hairdressers, I was asked what kind of shampoo and conditioner I used, and we worked out that it was probably my fault it had faded, as I wasn’t using the right kind of products on my hair. For shampoo, I bought the FUDGE Clean Blonde Violet Toning Shampoo, and just recently, I decided to go ahead and purchase the Tigi Catwalk Fashionista Violet Conditioner. It was slightly expensive (AU$32.50) and I’ve only used it a couple of times so far, but I can already tell that the blonde in my hair is looking a lot more vibrant, and my hair feels really smooth and silky after using this conditioner. If you’re looking for a toning product that’s going to help get rid of any brassy tones and help your hair look healthier, you should definitely try this product.
It’s quite safe to say that I’ve become a little obsessed with these sunglasses since my friend told me about the brand, Quay Australia, and I began to see others wearing them all over Instagram and YouTube. I’m not sure why these sunglasses gripped me the way they did, but at over $200 later, I still have no regrets whatsoever. My bank account has shed a few tears along the way, though, but we got through it together.
These were the first Quay sunglasses I bought, and the reason I bought them was that they were big and could hide half my face when I’m exhausted or hungover. Not gonna lie.
These sunglasses are so simple yet so sassy, and could add a touch of attitude to any outfit, in my opinion. The fact that they’re matte black with an equally dark lens also draws more attention to the style of the sunglasses and you can wear them with anything, which I believe to be purely justifiable.
I bought these sunglasses mostly because they were on sale and I didn’t feel as guilty about buying yet another pair of sunglasses, as I was essentially saving money (let’s not draw attention to the fact that I would have saved more money if I hadn’t bought them at all. That doesn’t matter. Move on. I have.) They’re actually pretty perfect for university, too, as they’re not too dressy and they sit really comfortably on me.
The Jetlag sunglasses are my most recent purchase from Quay Australia, and I absolutely adore them. They’re slightly big on me so they can be annoying to wear at time, but LOOK AT THE COLOUR!!!! They’re so pretty I could cry, and the really chic pouch it came with is just an added bonus. They were out of stock when I first decided to buy from Quay, so when they finally returned, you can bet I was straight into the checkout.
That’s all I really have for you today, and after trying to get this blog post done all night because my laptop decided to have an existential crisis, I think I deserve to curl up in front of the TV with a cup of tea and the the newest episode of The Real Housewives of the OC.
I’ve been really crap with posting – I have issues with finishing projects – but I do really enjoy blogging, so hopefully I manage get myself together and post more very soon.
I’d also just like to pop in a little shoutout to this petition right here. We adopted my gorgeous cat, Blaze, from Sydney Dogs and Cat’s Home in March this year, and it honestly feels like he’s been with us forever. They’re the only animal charity pound in Sydney with a ‘no kill’ policy, and they really need your help in showing the government how valued their services are, so that they can find a new site in Sydney to continue their care for these animals. I’d really appreciate anyone taking a few seconds out of their day to sign this petition, so that abandoned animals like Blaze can find new, loving homes!
The palette has 9 eyeshadows and 9 lip colours, which is amazing value for the price! Having owned a BH Cosmetics lip palette before, I had high expectations for the quality of both the lip colours and eyeshadows, and after watching Shaaanxo on YouTube for over two years, I knew she wouldn’t let us down.
As you can see, the palette contains a range of eyeshadow colours that can be used for a natural daytime look or a glamorous nighttime look. It also includes a duochrome eyeshadow (middle bottom row) which is absolutely stunning – especially on a dark base – which you can see in her make up tutorial here:
I also swatched the eyeshadows on my arm so you could see the pigmentation and payoff of the colours, and as you can see the pigmentation is amazing after one swipe. (NOTE: Please excuse how dodgy the shape of my arm looks in this picture.)
As for the lip colours, they consist of a few differing shades of reds and pinks, with couple of nude colours thrown in, too, which I believe I’ll get the most use out of! They have a creamy consistency and although it does take a while to build up the colour on your lips, they do also act as a lip stain. The colour I would probably use the most (bottom left) is actually similar to my favourite colour from the BH Cosmetics Ultimate Lips Palette which is close to running out, so this couldn’t have come at a better time!
I’m so excited to try this palette out with lots of different make up looks, and the range of colours makes it the perfect travel palette to take with me to Melbourne for a long weekend trip next week!
I would highly recommend purchasing this palette – even just for the duochrome eyeshadow shade – and hope for more Shaanxo and BH Cosmetics collaborations in the future.
Jessica Anne 