2015 Favourites

2015 has been huge and to finish it off I wanted to share a few of my favourite things from the year.

New Year's Eve Make Up Look

New Year's Eve is all about the glam so I wanted to design a look that was big, smokey and full of lashes and sparkle. 

Merry Christmas | 2015

Merry Christmas! Just a quick post from me today to send you my well wishes. I hope you are having a wonderful day with your family or friends. I've spent the day with my family, eating delicious cooking and sharing gifts. 

Enjoy the break (if you have one) and take the time to remember all that you've accomplished this year. It's time to relax and recharge. 2016 is sure to be a big one!

Hannah x

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Christmas Traditions

All families have a range of different Christmas traditions! Here are a few of mine:

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies | Christmas Recipe

Christmas is the perfect time for baking and an extra perfect time for cookies! These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies taste like brownies and look so pretty. They're also very simple to make. I found this recipe on Pinterest (you can see what I'm pinning here) and it is from simplyrecipes.com. With this recipe I was able to make 24 cookies. 

Festive Make Up Look

Today I bring you a festive make up look, perfect for a party or to wear on Christmas Day! 

Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas & Stocking Fillers

Image from StockSnap

Christmas is only 9 sleeps away! I always find shopping for Christmas gifts both the most exciting and most stressful part of the festive season. However, the internet is a wonderful place and is making it easier and easier to find the perfect gift. Here are some ideas if you're still struggling with your gift shopping or need a few more ideas for stocking fillers: 

Christmas at Lush | 2015

Lush is my favourite store to visit and I was incredibly excited to see their Christmas range. Here is what I picked up:

Beauty To-Do List

Anyone who dances or has danced at a studio will know how busy the end of the year gets. Dance concerts are a huge affair and a lot of time and effort goes into them. Mine is this weekend! With all the rehearsals and preparation, I haven't been taking care of my skin or hair. I'm definitely noticing a difference. So here is my beauty to-do list (plus a couple others) to complete once it is all over: 

Summer Dressy Casual | Outfit of the Day

This outfit is perfect for Summer dressy casual functions. I love wearing white during the warmer months and this skirt is very comfortable. This outfit keeps you cool and is super pretty. 

Banana Mango Smoothie

Smoothies are a great option when you want to throw something together quickly. This smoothie recipe is perfect for breakfast during Summer!

Getting Back Into Reading

When I was younger I really enjoyed reading. I'd always have books lined up under my bed in the order I wanted to read them and would steadily work my way through. Then when I hit high school I got busy with coping with a totally different environment and I often had a book to read for English assignments anyway. By the end of high school I wasn't even finishing my novels for my exams because I didn't enjoy the material I was given and I felt as though I had no time. 

Everyday Make Up Look

Today I'm sharing a make up look that you can do every day. It generally takes me 10-15 minutes to do and is super simple. 

Wellington | Travel Diary

Over the weekend my sister and I made a trip to Wellington, New Zealand. We had surprisingly good weather (sunny though Wellington definitely upheld its windy reputation). I think Wellington is a really nice city, with good food, culture and great shopping opportunity. 

NYX: Butter Lipstick | Review & Swatches

Top to Bottom: 09 Candy Buttons, 06 Fireball, 02 Sweet Tart

This week on my blog I featured some NYX products that I recently bought. Last one of the week is the Butter Lipsticks. I purchased the colours 'Candy Buttons', 'Fireball' and 'Sweet Tart'. My opinions are based on using 'Candy Buttons'.

NYX: Love in Paris Eye Shadow Palette | Review

This week on my blog I am featuring some NYX products that I recently bought. Today is the Love in Paris Eye Shadow Palette. I purchased 'Parisian Chic'. I bought this palette because I was searching for something that was affordable and contained matte shades. 

NYX: Glam Shadow Sticks | Review & Swatches

This week on my blog I am featuring some NYX products that I recently bought. First up is NYX Glam Shadow Sticks. I purchased the colours 'Luminous Crystal', 'Elegant Marble' and 'Dazzling Quartz'. I had never used eye shadow in pencil or stick form and I was really eager to try it.

Zoella Beauty | Haul & Review

Last year, Zoe Sugg launched her own beauty range, Zoella Beauty. Since then, she's brought out two more ranges (the Tutti Fruity range and the Christmas range) and added more products to her original range. I ordered these products from Feel Unique who ship internationally. Some of these products aren't available on the Feel Unique website anymore, but I believe are still available from Superdrug if you live in the UK. Here's what I bought: 

Raspberry Pancakes

I absolutely love raspberries, they have to got to be one of my favourite fruits. Desserts incorporating raspberries are my go-to. I definitely consider myself a savoury breakfast person, but when I found this recipe for raspberry pancakes online (from tasteofhome.com) it sounded too good not to try!

L'Oreal Paris: SuperLiner Perfect Slim | Review

L'Oreal Paris SuperLiner Perfect Slim is something I've been lusting after for a while. I've always found the price a bit too expensive for me ($24.45 AUD), so I snatched it up when it went on sale. I am so impressed with this eyeliner and am so happy to finally have it in my hands. Here's what I love about it:

Maybelline: Lash Sensational | Review

If you're even remotely interested in make up, I'm sure you have heard of Maybelline's Lash Sensational. So many people have raved about this mascara but is it really worth the hype? I purchased Lash Sensational Waterproof in Very Black to give it a try.

Eggs Benedict

Whenever I go to a café for breakfast it is almost guaranteed that I will order Eggs Benedict, especially if it has spinach. It's definitely my all-time favourite breakfast. Here's a recipe!

St. Ives: Smooth & Hydrated Oatmeal Scrub + Mask | Review

Face masks have got to be one of the most fun elements of beauty and scrubs are so important for your skin. St. Ives Smooth & Hydrated Oatmeal Scrub + Mask is both in one! Here is what I love about it:

Current Skincare Products

I think skincare is extremely important and when my routine slips I definitely notice the difference in my skin. I have combination skin and for a while it was hard for me to find the right products to work with my skin. Here is what I’m currently using:

Favourite Fragrances

I love wearing fragrances, I feel that they give a person an extra little something. Here are my current favourite fragrances:

Wanderlust List

Images from: Pixabay and StockSnap

I've got wanderlust and I've got it bad. Over the past few weeks I've had such a strong urge to travel! Here are the destinations at the top of my list right now:

Toni & Guy: Nourish Reconstruction Mask | Review

I have a sin to confess... I tease my hair pretty much every day. It's so bad for my hair, I know, but I can't help it! To achieve a decent bun for dance, I first have to pull my hair back tightly, tease the thin hair of the ponytail, wrap it around, put a bun net on and stick a heap of bun pins in it. Then at the end of the night I have to brush it all out. Not only that, until today I couldn't even remember the last time I used a hair treatment! Now that I'm writing this I realise the torture I put my poor, unfortunate hair through. It was time to respect my hair and give it a little pamper. To do this I decided to try Toni & Guy's 'Nourish Reconstruction Mask'.

Lush: Rock Star Soap | Review

When I visited Lush last week to pick up my Halloween products, the lovely ladies working there offered me a sample of their 'Rock Star Soap'. Who can say no to a free sample?!

Lush Halloween Haul | 2015

Last week I made a trip to my nearest Lush store and picked up their 2015 Halloween range. When I visited them earlier this month all of their Halloween products were sold out, proving how popular these products are. Here is what I was able to score!

Orange and Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes | Halloween Recipe

Looking for something to bake for a Halloween party or even just a yummy chocolate recipe? These cupcakes will hit the spot. Chocolate and orange has got to be one of my favourite flavour combinations to ever exist. Bake these cupcakes and then kick it up a notch with spooky decorating for Halloween. Now I have to say I’m not much of a baker, so you’ll have to excuse my decorating. But practice makes perfect!

Essence Lip Liners | Review & Swatches

From left to right: 05 Soft Berry, 06 Satin Mauve, 07 Cute Pink, 08 Red Blush, 12 Wish Me A Rose

Over the past few weeks I've seen other bloggers go crazy for Essence's lip liners. Naturally I had to check them out! I was able to purchase 5 of the 6 colours available at Priceline in Australia. Unfortunately 'In The Nude' was sold out at each store I went to, but I will definitely be purchasing it when it is back in stock. These lip liners are great!

Adopt Don't Shop | Personal Musings

Image from: StockSnap

For the longest time, whenever someone I watch on YouTube mentions (even in passing) that they are thinking of getting a dog I see that the comments are filled with people begging the person to adopt from a shelter instead of "shopping" for one. I always found it frustrating because I was sure that people were aware of the options they have when it comes to bringing a new pet into their home. If someone wanted to rescue a dog, they would get one. If they didn't want to and decided to go with a breeder, then that's what they would do. This past week my mentality has changed. 

10 Things to Do When You're Feeling Under the Weather

Image from: StockSnap

I always struggle to keep good health in the change over from Winter to Spring. After a busy week, I finally had the chance to slow down and that's when it hit me. There's nothing I hate more than a fuzzy head, sore throat and a general run down feeling. Here are some things I like to do when I'm not feeling my best: 

Maroon 5 Concert | Outfit of the Day

To celebrate my sister's birthday we went to Maroon 5's "Maroon V Tour". Here is my outfit from earlier this week! 

Checked Chiffon Shirt - Supré

Ribbed Crop T-Shirt - Topshop

Leggings with Zips - Supré

Zip Boot - Rubi Shoes

Black Clutch - Strandbags

I believe that none of the clothing items are still being sold, but I'm sure there are similar items out there. I bought the bag a few years ago, but again there would be something similar.

For my make up I used Rimmel's Kate Moss Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick in 111 paired with a soft grey and brown eye. I also used Maybelline's Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara. I wore my hair in a high messy ponytail using Fudge's Salt Spray to give my hair some texture. 

Maroon 5's concert was fantastic! They performed a lot of their big hits and are great entertainers. I really enjoyed myself. 

Hannah x

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The Body Shop: Virgin Mojito | Review

Last week The Body Shop Australia released the new Virgin Mojito collection. The collection consists of a body butter, shower gel, body splash, body sorbet and body scrub. It also comes in three different gift sets - Cool Cube, Happy Hour Collection and Party Collection. The Virgin Mojito range is a crisp combination of mint and lime. I am completely in love with fresh scents so needed to give this one a try and I chose to buy the body sorbet ($19.95 AUD).  

Mixed Berry Smoothie

I love myself a good smoothie! They're refreshing, filling and a healthy alternative to other desserts. I often drink them in the morning to give me energy and a fresh start to my day. Here is a recipe (from Taste.com.au) I have been loving lately: 

Keep Moving Forward | Positivity Post

I am definitely a chronic over thinker. Every second of every day I'm thinking about something. What I'm doing, where I'm going, what's ahead of me, where I want to be, what I have to do, what I want to do. The wheels in my brain are always turning. It tends to slow me down. I think too much about where I want to be in the future, instead of focusing on how to get there. There seems to be such a gap between where I am and where I want to be. 

Hair Care 101

For as long as I can remember I have been frustrated by my hair. It's thin, difficult to manage and temperamental. It always seemed to be frizzy and damaged or noticeably oily. That was until I reexamined the way I took care of my hair and realised all the mistakes I was making. 

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! 

My name is Hannah. I'm 19 years old and I live in Australia. I've set up this blog to document my thoughts and share my opinions on different things in my life.