tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14807269802646341772024-02-08T11:23:29.088-08:00Beauty.Life.BalanceZoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-83159659751453096932013-07-22T04:14:00.001-07:002013-07-22T04:14:51.734-07:00Announcement: New Blog!!Hi everyone,<br />
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Just a quick post tonight to tell you about my new blog, in my last post I let you know that I was thinking about starting a new project and it's finally done! I spent a bit of time away from blogging to just read other people's blogs and what out what I wanted to do with mine and after that little break I was so happy to get back into it again!<br />
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For those who are interested my new blog is called "Notes from a Twenty-Something and you can find me at www.notesfromatwenty-something.blogspot.com, I will be still doing my beauty posts, I couldn't not do those, it's an obsession... But there will also be a few more lifestyle posts as well, what I'm reading, where I'm travelling, a post about my new apartment or two... And just generally what's happening in my life. The newest addition is my current skincare routine. I'd love if you popped over to say hi!<br />
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I hope you are all having a lovely start to you week!<br />
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Zoe xxZoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-20119102703895698842013-06-18T00:22:00.001-07:002013-06-18T00:52:56.430-07:00Opening that WindowHello lovely readers, <br />
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I haven't spent much time here lately, partly because life has gotten in the way and partly because I have been lacking blogging motivation. But after much deliberation I've come to the conclusion that it wasn't that I didn't want to blog, but that I'm changing the direction of my blogging a little and this may not be the place for me anymore. <br />
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I have been chatting a little with some of my very wise and more experienced blogger friends and am in the process of starting a new blog. Because this is something I want to be very sure about it may take me some time to figure out, even just things like a new name etc. but when I do get all the logistics sorted I will be sure to let you know so watch this space. <br />
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Thank you all so much for all of you finding me and leaving such lovely comments, it has been such a great space and I am looking forward to seeing what my blogging future holds. In the meantime I will just enjoy reading all the great things you are all writing about and seeing the adventures you have been getting up to. <br />
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So while this door closes, I'm pretty excited about what opening that window will mean for me... Wish me luck! <br />
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Zoe xxZoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-83265541098787660582013-06-01T17:18:00.002-07:002013-06-01T17:20:05.616-07:00Chapter 25: A Rocky Start<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s been over a month since I last blogged. Since then I
have turned 25 and become a home owner, bought my first ever fridge, payed my
first mortgage payment, even the seasons have changed. I have high hopes for
25, I think it’s going to be a good year. It did not, however, get off to the
best start. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My first year of being 25 was one of the most stressful
weeks of my life. My house settlement was delayed, I spend every spare moment either
chasing solicitors or real estate agents or packing, my long distance
relationship which is usually fairly functional was taking its toll. By the end
of the week I was well and truly in meltdown mode and had quite the “I hate
being 25, 25 sucks, I just want to be 24 again” rant. Oh dear. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But that was month ago now and things all seem to have
fallen into place, I think things usually do, but it’s easy to lose perspective
sometimes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My little apartment is perfect for me, it’s cozy and
definitely still a work in progress, but it’s MY work in progress and I love
coming home at the end of each day. I have been renting or in share housing
since I started uni at 17, and while that was an amazing experience and I have
met people who will be in my life for a long time, I was so ready to take this
step. And quite frankly, I very much enjoy my own company. I appreciate the
quiet that I come home to and knowing that I can be naked in any room in my house
anytime I want! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I do plan on posting some photos of my place, but like I
said, it’s still a work in progress. For those interested here is one of my
favourite places, my book shelf…</span></div>
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/EB62CBCA-89DE-4249-ACCC-C81DDC77E789-763-0000007B4D5AE0C3_zpsfddb42db.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo EB62CBCA-89DE-4249-ACCC-C81DDC77E789-763-0000007B4D5AE0C3_zpsfddb42db.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/EB62CBCA-89DE-4249-ACCC-C81DDC77E789-763-0000007B4D5AE0C3_zpsfddb42db.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My home internet won’t be up and running for another two
weeks, and initially I quite liked distancing myself from social media
interactions beyond what my phone could provide, but the last two weeks I have
really missed blogging, and I can’t wait to get back into it and to catch up on
all of my favourite blogs. It’s such a great, supportive community and I am
very grateful to be a part of it. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So one month in and 25 has really turned around. I think
this might just be my best year yet… </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Zoe xx<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-64854291161718737232013-04-22T17:57:00.002-07:002013-04-23T00:20:51.313-07:00UK Beauty Swap!<div style="text-align: center;">
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A few weeks ago (maybe a month or two now, time flies!) the lovely Lora from<a href="http://www.loraloves.com/" target="_blank"> Lora Loves...</a> asked if I would possibly like to do a beauty swap with her, intrigued by the idea I asked one of my more experienced blogger friends what she thought, after discussing with her and a little more research I found that these beauty swaps happen fairly regularly in the beauty blogging community, who knew..? I have heard so many things about lots of products that I can't get hold of easily and happily accepted!<br />
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For those who follow my blog you will know that I have been on a spending ban for a while and haven't bought myself any beauty products for quite some time, I just couldn't resist this opportunity though and my spending ban will now probably continue until Christmas, I think Lora has well and truly stocked my beauty stash for the next year! </div>
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Lora and I emailed back and forth for quite a while, we quickly discovered that we had so much in common in terms of our taste in make up and products, and I felt like I was chatting to an old friend! We gave each other some info about brands and products we were interested in trying, but we were both fairly easy going and willing to be guided by the others knowledge and recommendations. Then we set a budget and hit the shops! Everything with the swap went so smoothly, we kept in regular contact and our packages arrived on each others doorsteps at about the same time, overall, it was a lovely experience and I think Lora and I will definitely keep in touch. I hope if she ever comes to Australia that she will come and visit and I know if I find myself in the UK I will be looking her up for a coffee and Boots date! <br />
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Now onto the amazing package that I received... <br />
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I was so absolutely spoilt by Lora, the products she sent me just suited me perfectly and I can't wait to use every single one of them! I initially thought I would write about them all but I feel that would be the longest blog post ever so I decided to narrow it down to the few that I have either had a good play with or just can't wait to use, I tried to narrow it down to five but couldn't so here are six of the things Lora sent me:<br />
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/36bc7df7-e885-445c-9ffa-23f28cf80d85_zps216e3812.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 36bc7df7-e885-445c-9ffa-23f28cf80d85_zps216e3812.jpg" border="0" height="299" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/36bc7df7-e885-445c-9ffa-23f28cf80d85_zps216e3812.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sleek Blush in Pommergranite: Oh my, this colour is beautiful. I have read rave reviews about Sleek products and I just know I am going to get so much use out of this, it will be the perfect Autumn/Winter colour!</div>
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MUA Eyeshadow palette: These colours look so nice, a neutral and smokey mix of shimmers and matte shades, I really am a neutral eye girl and these will be very well loved. </div>
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MUA highlighter: I think this may have been a product I have read about on Lora's blog, so I couldn't wait to give it a go, it's such a nice colour, I think this will give my cheeks a healthy looking highlight and I also plan on using it as a highlighting eye shadow, it's gone straight into my everyday make up bag. </div>
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17 Va Va Voom Mascara: Just in the last week I heard one of my favourite YouTube gals (Maddie from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/clothesandcurls" target="_blank">Clothes and Curls</a>) talk about this mascara, so it was very exciting for me to have one! I haven't opened it because I am trying to be good with only having one mascara open at a time and getting rid of them at the three month mark, so when my current one is ready to go this one will happily replace it! </div>
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Soap and Glory Flake Away body scrub: I was so excited to get so many Soap and Glory goodies, this scrub smells amazing and I can't wait to use this, what a treat! </div>
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Soap and Glory Cheek Mate cheek and lip stain: I have been loving cheek and lip stains lately and am just about to finish a sample size I have of Benefit's Benetint, this will be the perfect replacement! It is more of a gel consistency, I have already worn this a few times and I just love it! </div>
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There are so many products here I can't wait to try and I'm sure others will appear on here in reviews or favourites posts, thank you so much Lora, you are just lovely! </div>
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Zoe xx </div>
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Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-77599840398080449252013-04-18T21:11:00.000-07:002013-04-23T00:22:54.559-07:00My Australian Adventures: TathraOver the New Year I spent a few weeks in New Zealand, it was absolutely beautiful and I had such a nice time writing a little <a href="http://www.beautylifebalance.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/my-new-zealand-adventures-queenstown.html" target="_blank">blog series</a> about my adventures. <br />
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I have found myself missing writing about my travel adventures, and with no overseas trips on the horizon I thought it would be nice to share some of the places in Australia that I have discovered and think are blog-worthy. I'm not sure how long or regular this series will be, but I am hoping to spend some more time exploring the amazing places we have here, and we are beginning our adventure in Tathra...<br />
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/6CF5C8CC-5A9E-4BC2-B77B-9A3ABC9A31ED-797-0000009085A08ED3_zps0889eaea.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 6CF5C8CC-5A9E-4BC2-B77B-9A3ABC9A31ED-797-0000009085A08ED3_zps0889eaea.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/6CF5C8CC-5A9E-4BC2-B77B-9A3ABC9A31ED-797-0000009085A08ED3_zps0889eaea.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A few weeks ago I was invited to a wedding in Tathra, upon receiving this invitation I proceeded to Google this unknown location... It is on the South Coast of New South Wales, about two hours south of Batemans Bay and about 20 minutes from Tathra. <br />
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We took the coast road and travelled leisurely through some really cute towns, stopping at the Braidwood bakery and taking a quick walk along the beach in Narooma... As far as car trips go, it was a very nice one.<br />
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Now before I go any further I must confess I am not a beach lover. I think I was scarred growing up in Sydney spending all day on hot, crowded beaches and neglecting my sun protection and hydration, and then having to catch a ferry and train home feeling sandy and unhappy. But since then I have been coming around to beaches again, and Tathra seems to have all the things I look for in a beach. <br />
<a name='more'></a>It was not too crowded, not too big, the water was clear and beautiful and every single person I spoke to in Tathra was friendly and accommodating. I could get used to this place... <br />
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Having only spent about 24 hours here I know that there is more to discover and I will definitely be heading back. In the meantime I wanted to share some of the photos I took, I don't think they quite capture how beautiful it is, but they give you an idea... <br />
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/71E33686-E9D5-4769-A7C1-3A28EB0061BF-797-00000090A33F818D_zpsa8b9d853.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 71E33686-E9D5-4769-A7C1-3A28EB0061BF-797-00000090A33F818D_zpsa8b9d853.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/71E33686-E9D5-4769-A7C1-3A28EB0061BF-797-00000090A33F818D_zpsa8b9d853.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/F20F2E69-2636-4DEA-967A-D638B08E6E9E-797-00000090D94EA394_zps89bd94e9.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo F20F2E69-2636-4DEA-967A-D638B08E6E9E-797-00000090D94EA394_zps89bd94e9.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/F20F2E69-2636-4DEA-967A-D638B08E6E9E-797-00000090D94EA394_zps89bd94e9.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/83A5FE00-AC04-4DA9-8529-7848B335C397-797-00000091F4AB96E6_zps7cf3f1c1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo 83A5FE00-AC04-4DA9-8529-7848B335C397-797-00000091F4AB96E6_zps7cf3f1c1.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/83A5FE00-AC04-4DA9-8529-7848B335C397-797-00000091F4AB96E6_zps7cf3f1c1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A little disclaimer: My phone did not work in Tathra, no connection to the outside world... I actually really like when this happens for roughly 24 hours, it's nice to "switch off" sometimes, more than this and I struggle, but I also felt like maybe this was why I appreciated the place so much. I had more time to look around and just soak it all in. <br />
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If you are after an action packed holiday this may not be the place for you but if you are after the kind of place you can take a pile of books and a big hat and just relax, I think it would be perfect, that's my plan for my return to Tathra anyway! </div>
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So thanks Tathra, I will definitely be seeing you again. </div>
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Have you gone anywhere interesting lately? Any places you would recommend I put on my list? I'd love to know what you've been up to! </div>
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Zoe xx </div>
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Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-62913054032336998682013-04-11T02:19:00.001-07:002013-04-12T03:43:35.814-07:00Bobby Pins: Friend or Foe?I love bobby pins. I'm pretty sure that there are at least a million in my house right now. Seriously. I don't know where they come from, and they all seem to mysteriously disappear when needed... But generally, the little guys are good to me.<br />
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However, I found out some information recently while being educated by Podcast, and my feelings towards bobby pins changed momentarily...<br />
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I, like many others I'm sure, use my teeth to open bobby pins. I didn't ever really think much of this until last night when I was listening to a Podcast which made reference to a phenomenon known as "bobby pin teeth", a small dent that has been found on the bottom of one of the front teeth, particularly in women, which has been linked with using your teeth to open bobby pins. <br />
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Low and behold, I have a small indent on my right front tooth (or central incisor for those dental nerds out there), kind of like a teeny tiny chip, probably not noticeable to others unless I was to point it out, but it's definitely there. I always knew it was there but never made the connection between that and opening bobby pins with my teeth. Maybe this was a foolish connection for me not to make but I guess I never thought about it... I was going to include a picture, but I felt that might be a little intimate.<br />
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I feel that this topic at seem a little strange, but once I realised that I had fallen victim to "bobby pin teeth" I felt it was my duty to inform you. <br />
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Do you open your bobby pins with your teeth? I know it's not just me out there... But I'm really going to try and stop! Wish me luck...<br />
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Zoe xx <br />
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P.S. In case you were wondering, the Podcast series is called "Stuff Mom Never Told You", its one of my favourites, it covers a plethora of topics, some serious, some not so much... Next time you have a long drive, or can't get to sleep, have a listen! Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-1636268841774884042013-03-31T21:46:00.002-07:002013-03-31T22:04:14.994-07:00March Favourites 2013<div style="text-align: center;">
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I don't know about you guys but March was a crazy busy month for me, it was the good kind of busy, weddings, work, catching up with friends etc. But nonetheless, I found it hard finding time to take a break, let alone catch up with my blog. So for that I apologise, but I thought a fun way to remind you all that I am still around was with some monthly favourites, I have a variety of products to tell you about this month, and I really love all of them! Alright, let's get into the fun stuff...</div>
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Michael Todd Blue Green Algae Antibacterial toner- I had heard to much blog/YouTube hype about these products that I just couldn't resist giving them a go... I've been using this for a few months now and I really like it. I have dry skin so am wary of any toners because they tend to make my skin feel tight and uncomfortable, this one doesn't at all and I think it has really helped with the condition of my skin, although that could be a number of products, I'll be doing a kin care post soon to tell you about what's working for my skin type and how I am readying myself for Winter...</div>
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Burt's Bees Body Wash- I love all Burt's Bees products! This is a new favourite, it is mostly made from natural ingredients, smells great, and doesn't leave my skin feeling dry at all. I got mine at <a href="http://www.feelunique.com/">www.feelunique.com</a> because they have a good selection and free international shipping, love it. </div>
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CoverGirl clump crusher mascara- I am not such a huge mascara lover but this one is pretty fool proof! As the name suggests, it is a very clump-free mascara, it separates my lashes well and doesn't smudge, it's also easy to take off at the end of the night, always a bonus. </div>
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Revlon Smoky Shadow stick in Torch- This cream eyeshadow stick is dual ended but I mostly use the light end as an eye shadow base, it is easy to apply and doesn't tug on the eyelid as some cream shadows can. The colour is a more shimmery version of my eyelid colour so it works really well as a base, doesn't crease on me, and lasts all day. Well done, Revlon. </div>
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Rimmel ScandalEyes nude eyeliner- There once was a time where if you wanted a nude eyeliner you would have to head to a department store to fork over quite a few hard earned dollars, but thanks to Rimmel those days are over. I am not against spending money on good quality products, but I do love when things like this become available at a more reasonable price. Nude eyeliners are great for putting on the waterline to get rid of any redness and make the eyes look brighter, I also find this one quite nice for putting in the inner corner to brighten my eye area without putting anything too white or shimmery there. </div>
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Voluspa candle in Santiago Huckleberry- Oh my. This candle is amazing. This is probably my favourite favourite this month, its just beautiful. I can't even describe the scent, so if you come across any Voluspa candles, give this one a sniff, it's sweet but not too sweet and makes my room smell amazing. It's burning next to me right now and it just makes me happy! </div>
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Trilogy Everything Balm- Last but not least is this little gem from Trilogy, it is sold as an 'everything balm' which seems pretty accurate to me. The reason it has been a favourite this month is because something very sneaky bit my foot while I was out earlier in the month and my skin seemed to react to it a little, I tried various products and in the end this is the things that seemed to calm the redness and irritation, I was quite pleased! </div>
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I hope you all had a lovely March and enjoyed the long weekend! </div>
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What were your favourite products this month? Let me know below or leave me a link to your blog if you've done a similar post, I would love to read it! </div>
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Zoe xx</div>
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Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-4709890821489559822013-03-18T02:39:00.002-07:002013-03-18T02:39:28.922-07:00Drowning in a Sea of Paperwork (A little life update)<div style="text-align: center;">
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Sorry for the lack of contact lately, my life seems to have been taken over by paperwork!</div>
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If you have any teacher friends you will know about the dreaded "Reporting Time" and for me that time is now. I feel like the piles of marking are rising around me! But I'm getting through it and holidays are the light at the end of the tunnel!</div>
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In the meantime blogging has taken a back seat and I apologise. It may be another week or two until my schedule calms down but after that I will be back in swing of things. Just wanted to write a quick post updating you on where I've been...<br />
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Last week I had my first blogger meet up, I had dinner with the lovely <a href="http://timeaftertea.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Megan</a>, <a href="http://le-bonvivant.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Rachi</a> and <a href="http://vanishaslife.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Vanisha</a>. It was so lovely, for me the best thing by far about blogging is the wonderful people I have come across here, everyone is so lovely and supportive and it is so nice that these online friendships are developing into real ones.<br />
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We have decided to start a blogger book club which I am super excited about, I'm sure I will be posting about it as it happens but if you would like to read more about it check out Rachi's latest <a href="http://le-bonvivant.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/blogger-book-club.html" target="_blank">post</a>. <br />
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The last big thing that is happening in my life is that I am in the process of possibly buying a little apartment of my own, it is so exciting and scary! Earlier this year I decided that I wanted to invest in my own place but am so amazed at how quickly it has all happened. I feel so lucky and things seem to be going really well, it's busy trying to organise everything but things all seem to be falling into place, fingers crossed things stay like that... Everyone around me has just been so supportive too which is wonderful, it is very exciting!<br />
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I am sorry my busy schedule has kept me away from the blog but hopefully these busy times will result in some interesting posts later! <br />
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What have you all been up to? <br />
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Zoe xxZoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-38314563371609620312013-03-08T14:49:00.000-08:002013-03-08T14:49:56.508-08:00The Liebster Award<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/?action=view&current=LiebsterAward_zps0c5fe460.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/LiebsterAward_zps0c5fe460.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Recently the lovely Bex from <a href="http://bexaspey92.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bex's Blog</a> commented on a post of mine telling me she had nominated me for a Liebster Award. Having never heard of this before I went to her page to check it out. Basically it's a really nice way to share some information about yourself with your readers and acknowledge and share the great things other bloggers are doing, particularly highlighting bloggers who may be a little hidden or might be new to the scene. </div>
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Here are the rules:<br />
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- List 11 random facts about yourself<br />
- Answer the 11 questions which are
given to you by your nominator<br />
- Ask 11 new questions for all the
bloggers that you nominate to win the award<br />
- Nominate 9 bloggers with
less than 200 followers to win the award<br />
- Go to each of the blogger's
pages to let them know about their nomination <br />
- Thank the blogger who
nominated you by mentioning them and link it back to their blog on your post
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<strong>11 Facts about Me:</strong><br />
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1. I am the youngest of three girls in my family, and I think my two sisters are pretty awesome.<br />
2. I am a high school teacher and the majority of my students are taller than me, not really ideal...<br />
3. I've never broken a bone (and am touching wood right now that I haven't jinxed myself by writing that down...)<a name='more'></a><br />
4. I moved out of home when I was 17 to go to uni three hours away from my family, it was hard but I'm really glad I did it and had some pretty amazing experiences there that I will never forget.<br />
5. I am addicted to Podcasts, I listen to them all the time, in the car, at the gym, before I go to sleep. Seriously, if you're not listening to Podcasts, you should be. <br />
6. I have recently decided that I would like to buy a house and spend way too much time looking at real estate online, it's quite exciting.<br />
7. My favourite place in the whole world is New York City, I think it is fun and exciting and I think everyone should go there at least once. <br />
8. I have attempted Anna Karenina about 10 times and just can't get past the first few hundred pages, but one day I will conquer it, it is my Everest! I'm not letting myself see the movie until I have read the book, I think I may be waiting a while...<br />
9. I hate the beach. I know that this is so controversial but I am pale and burn very easily and find the beach just makes me feel sandy and sticky and uncomfortable. <br />
10. When I was growing up I did many different extra curricular activities but only for a very short period of time so never got very good at any of them, I did a term of violin, drama and figure skating, just to name a few... Kind of wish I had stuck with that last one.<br />
11. My celebrity crush is Ted Danson, some people find this very strange. I think he is suave and charismatic and I just don't know why he isn't more peoples celebrity crush! <br />
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<b>My questions from Bex:</b><br />
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1. Biggest beauty disaster- Any time I have attempted to cut my own hair, I did this for the first time as about a four year old and most recently as as uni student, it's always a disaster. I haven't done it for a few years now though, I think I've finally learnt my lesson. <br />
2. Most loved beauty
product- Blush. Not a doubt in my mind, I am quite fair and find blush just brightens up my face and makes me look fresher, absolutely love it. <br />
3. If you could look like any celebrity, who would it be? Olivia Wilde, I think she has beautiful features and stunning cheekbones.<br />
4.
Favourite song- This is tricky, at the moment I have been playing Of Monsters and Men pretty much non-stop, particularly the song Mountain Sound, but my favourite song of all time would have to be Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye, what a classic. <br />
5. Lipstick or mascara- Lipstick, for sure. It can really make or break a look.<br />
6. Country you’d most like to
visit- If this is countries I've never been to I think I would have to say Canada, I sit next to a girl from Canada at work and she just raves about it, it sounds beautiful. Out of the places I have been that I would like to return to I would have to say the Czech Republic, I was only in Prague for one day and it was raining, I would love to see it properly. <br />
7. If you were on a desert island and could only have three beauty
products, what would they be? Well I would have to have a moisturiser with an SPF, I'm so fair, the idea of being stuck on a hot, sandy island just does not at all sound appealing, then I would take a good lip balm, maybe one with a little tint if I'm feeling fancy, and I'm not sure if this counts as a beauty product but I would take my Clarisonic. <br />
8. Favourite high street shop- I'm not really sure what our equivalent of a high street shop would be but I'm thinking of something that isn't high end or department store so maybe Sportsgirl? Or Portmans, I quite like Portmans.<br />
9. Would you
rather have your own personal makeup artist every morning or a personal hair
stylist- Personal hair stylist, I love doing my make up but I feel like I'm not super creative with my hair.<br />
10. If you could only live off one meal, what would it be- Oh my gosh isn't this just the hardest question ever! I love food, all kinds of food and the thought of eating one meal for the rest of my life is devastating. One of my favourite meals is a good burger, or pad thai, or rice paper rolls... See, I just can't choose! I totally cheated on this question...<br />
11.
Favourite city in England- I think I might have to cheat on this question too because I just don't know England well enough, but my favourite city in the UK would be Edinburgh, I love the beautiful stone castles and the history but I also love that you can shop and eat at fun restaurants and pubs, it has been one of my favourite holiday destinations! <br />
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<strong>My questions to my nominees:</strong><br />
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1. Why did you start blogging?<br />
2. What is your favourite thing about blogging?<br />
3. If someone gave you one million dollars, what would you do with it?<br />
4. What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?<br />
5. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?<br />
6. If you could only use five make up products for the rest of your life, what would they be?<br />
7. What is your favourite movie of all time? <br />
8. What do you wear on a typical day?<br />
9. Name three things that make you happy.<br />
10. What are your best skin care tips?<br />
11. If you could have a super power, what would you like it to be?<br />
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<strong>Now for the nominees:</strong><br />
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This was my favourite part of this blog post, I am following so many nice and interesting blogs, quite a few that are new and I really hope you head on over to check these girls out, they are all quite lovely! <br />
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Rachi at <a href="http://www.le-bonvivant.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Le Bon Vivant</a><br />
Soph at <a href="http://sophboat.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Sophisticated Philosophies</a> <br />
Lora at <a href="http://loralovessequincoats.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Lora Loves</a><br />
Jasmine at <a href="http://real-street.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Lavender's Green</a><br />
Cindee at <a href="http://gracefullybroken1.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">My "One Good Deed a Day" Project</a><br />
Alessandra at <a href="http://alessadventures.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Adventures in Wonderland</a><br />
Kayleigh at <a href="http://www.thewayiwanderlust.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">The Way I Wanderlust</a><br />
Stephanie at <a href="http://aouibitofoomph.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">A Oui Bit Of Oomph</a><br />
CC at <a href="http://lifeandsortswithcc.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Life and Sorts with CC</a><br />
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I hope you enjoy reading this post as much as I have enjoyed writing/researching it! <br />
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Zoe xxZoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-35561407503715963442013-03-04T21:45:00.001-08:002013-03-04T21:51:55.411-08:00February Empties (And a Challenge Update)Sorry I have been absent from the blog for a while, this change in season (and probably the germy children I work with) have made me unwell! I finally caved and had a day off today and am already feeling more rested and a little brighter. But for the last week or so have just been laying low and having early nights.<br />
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I decided having recently posted an <a href="http://beautylifebalance.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/my-favourite-makeup-products-of-all-time.html" target="_blank">All Time Favourites</a> that a February Favourites would be a little redundant... But I have quite a few empty products that I thought I would share with you and give you my thoughts on. Now the following photo may appear like I am a bit of a Lush junkie but I am actually just really bad at keeping empty products (still getting the hang of this whole blogger thing...) and the only products I do manage to keep seem to be Lush products because I return them to the store, that being said, I do very much like Lush so calling me a Lush junkie wouldn't be an outrageous claim. <br />
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/?action=view&current=SAM_0558_zpsc2c69621.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0558_zpsc2c69621.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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The Body Shop Earth Loves shower gel in Apricot and Basil- This shower gel is great, I love the smell, it's sulphate and paraben free and the packaging is 100% biodegradable, good for you and the environment! I would definitely re-purchase this, the only reason I didn't is that I am trying to avoid shops and just bought a Burt's Bees body wash on line, but I think when Summer comes around this will be back in my shower! </div>
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The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream and Night Cream- These two products were quite nice, they didn't break me out and did an ok job of moisturising. I won't be rushing out to buy them again, I just like some other moisturisers more. But nothing really bad to say about them either!</div>
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Nivea Milk and Honey lip balm- I'm pretty proud of myself for finishing this, I feel like I never finish lip products! This is really nice, it's been living on my bed side table for ages as my before bed lip balm, I would re-purchase this but I feel like I'm overflowing with lip balms so will be finishing off quite a few others first. </div>
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Lush Ultra Bland- I adore this balm cleanser, I think this is my 4th or 5th tub, I use it to remove my make up before cleansing, and also sometimes as a cuticle balm, it's great, I definitely recommend this and will most certainly be re-purchasing! </div>
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Lush Aqua Marina- This is a cleanser that I tried a while ago, it felt quite nice on the skin but I didn't love it, I found the smell a little off putting and the consistency a little messy, I also didn't feel that it cleansed my skin thoroughly. I think this would suit people with ultra sensitive skin. </div>
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Lush Cosmetic Catastrophe- This is the only fresh face mask from Lush that I have tried and I love it, they have a program where if you take back 5 Lush pots you receive a free fresh face mask (hence my pot hoarding...) and I will definitely be getting this one again, it has blueberries, calamine and chamomile, it calmed any redness in my skin and cleared up my spots, I highly recommend this when your skin is in 'catastrophe' mode. </div>
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Lush Ocean Salt Body scrub- I think this is advertised as a face and body scrub but I only ever used it on my body and I even found it a little harsh for that. I find that because I have dry skin sugar scrubs seem to work better than salt scrubs which i find strip my skin if a little too much moisture, this is a fun product, it's bright blue and smells great, but just wasn't for me. </div>
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Lush Therapy massage bar- Sorry I can only show you the tin I had my massage bar in, but it isn't very exciting to look at. I quite like this product although I found I didn't reach for it all that much because body lotions are just easier! You melt the bar either in between your hands or directly on the skin, it leaves a kind of greasy film, which I didn't mind because I only ever used this before bed. It did leave me hydrated, but overall I just found this product a bit too much work. Also, I left it in my car one day and it melted everywhere, just something good to know... </div>
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/?action=view&current=SAM_0563_zps578888e2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0563_zps578888e2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also wanted to update you on my challenge! Read more about it <a href="http://beautylifebalance.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/up-for-challenge.html" target="_blank">here</a>, I think one of my favourite things about blogging is the support I get from all of you and announcing my little challenge got such positive feedback, it really made me commit to my shopping ban and streamlining off all the stuff I seem to have accumulated!</div>
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These are the only products I have left that I'm trying to use up, I got through heaps this last month! I will confess I gave a few away because I tried them and they just weren't for me, but I don't think that's cheating, they've gone to a good home and are helping me clean out my clutter! </div>
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The above products are all I have left and I am happy to say they are all being used, and what's even more crazy, is that I don't want to go out and buy more! I think my make up/skin care shopping ban may last for quite a while... I told my friend <a href="http://timeaftertea.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Megan</a> this revelation over dinner the other night and she almost choked on her Singapore noodles. But I'm determined to not impulse buy or spend money recklessly, and it feels good!</div>
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How was your February? Did it fly like mine? I hope you're all enjoying March, I love Autumn so I'm pretty excited, just need to get rid of this cold... </div>
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Zoe xx</div>
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Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-52907891281108686862013-02-23T22:19:00.000-08:002013-02-23T22:19:38.793-08:00My Favourite Makeup products of all time<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/?action=view&current=SAM_0536_zps03d6f6de.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0536_zps03d6f6de.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Since putting myself on a spending ban, I have actually really enjoyed using some make up products that I had been neglecting and I think my makeup philosophy is starting to change a little... I used to be the sort of person who wanted to try everything and have a big collection, but I've realised that what is more important is to do research and invest in products that work for me, taking into account my skin type, my colouring, and the quality of the products. </div>
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Another bad habit I have is that I tend to save some of my more expensive products for "special occasions", why do I do this? I very rarely use up these makeup products and I have decided that I am going to start using my high end products on a more regular basis and actually get my moneys worth out of them. </div>
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While shopping my collection I decided it would be fun to share some of my all time favourite products with you. Let's start with face products...<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/?action=view&current=SAM_0538_zps36d4cb45.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0538_zps36d4cb45.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Clarins Beauty Flash Balm- Now this is a product that I do save for special occasions, but only because I don't use primer on an every day basis, when I first tried this product I didn't like it, but then I saw Lisa Eldridge use it in a tutorial and realised I wasn't using it right, you should not rub this product in, it should be pressed onto the skin and moved as little as possible, then wait a bit while it does it's tightening magic and then continue with the rest of your face. It's great. </div>
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Maybelline Fit Me Concealer- I have already written about this product in my <a href="http://beautylifebalance.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/whats-in-my-travel-make-up-bag.html" target="_blank">What's in my Travel Make up bag?</a> post, I just love it, it's the best concealer I have ever used. </div>
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Beauty Blender sponge- I got caught up in the Beauty Blender hype and am so glad, this is one of the best make up application tools I have ever used. It evenly applies foundation and the pointy end can be used for concealer, if you apply blush too heavily this can take some off and even it out, it's a great multi-purpose tool. I didn't wash it very frequently when I first got it and I was mortified by how much product came out when I did wash it, so if you have one of these, make sure you are keeping it clean. </div>
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Clinique City Block- This is my all time favourite face sunscreen, I wear it every day under my foundation, I have strayed a few times to try and find another but keep coming back to this one, it is slightly tinted but the tint does not show up on the skin so I wouldn't rely on it for any coverage, it absorbs quickly and doesn't leave me shiny, I pretty much take one with me everywhere. </div>
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I haven't included a foundation in this because I don't really have an all time favourite foundation and I really wanted this post to be about tried and tested products that I really believe in, I do really like the Clinique Redness Solutions make up but I don't own it right now as I am trying to use my current ones up. </div>
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Now onto cheeks...</div>
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/?action=view&current=SAM_0540_zps50a387f2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0540_zps50a387f2.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Bashful Plum- I received this in a Gift with Purchase and I am so glad I did, it's a colour I don't think I would have purchased otherwise, it is a plummy, rosy kind of colour with some subtle shimmer, I think it's a great, natural colour and the quality of these blushes is really lovely. They are easy to apply and blend very well. </div>
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Dior Bronze Original Tan in 02 Honey Tan- This is hands down the nicest bronzer I have ever used, this one has shimmer, which I don't mind, but I think they do a matte version which I know some people would prefer. This was one of the products I had on my "special occasion" list, but I worry about keeping products too long and I spent too much money on this to throw it out half used so it's going in the everyday make up bag, I adore it. </div>
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There are so many other cheek products I could have put in here, I am a bit of a blush addict, but I didn't want this post to be crazy long, let me know if you would like a blush/bronzer/highlighter post and I can tell you about some other ones I really like. </div>
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Now for eye products...</div>
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/?action=view&current=SAM_0533_zpsc50f6955.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0533_zpsc50f6955.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Napoleon Perdis eye shadow in Ultra Pearl- This eyeshadow colour seems to be never ending, I feel like I use it so much and it doesn't even seem to be dented, it is a gorgeous shimmery peachy bronzey kind of colour (I think that's possibly the worst description ever, but oh well!), I think it looks great with green eyes and it just blends so well and stays put, this is so well loved that the packaging is broken and the name almost worn off, but i just can't bear to part with it, maybe if they still make this colour I will trade up...</div>
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Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow in 970 Stylish Move- I am not super adventurous with my eyeshadow colours. If I'm not wearing browns/neutrals, I'm probably wearing purples, they really just seem to be the main eye colours I'm drawn to. Anyway, these colours are gorgeous, the formula is great and the finish is beautiful, I have even forgotten eyeshadow brushes before and resorted to the little sponge tip applicators and didn't hate them, all round a lovely product.</div>
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Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise Liquid eyeliner- I don't wear liquid eyeliner very frequently so am not the best at applying it, but even I can manage this pen, it's easy to work with, very black, and stays put, I will re-purchase this when I use it up but I've had it for a while and it seems to be going strong.</div>
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Savvy eyebrow pencil in Taupe- I bought this on a whim one day when I forgot a brow product while I was away because it was cheap and I love it, I have the colour Taupe which probably looks like it would be too light but I like the natural full brow look as opposed to the very defined look so this is perfect for filling in areas which are a little sparse. </div>
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I didn't include a mascara because it just isn't a product I care about all that much, I know that is just blasphemy to some people but I don't even wear it every day, I have quite dark lashes and I just hate getting it off at the end of the day so it's kind of in the too hard basket, I'm so lazy! The one I have at the moment is the Covergirl Clump Crusher and I do really like it, so maybe it will eventually make my all time favourite list, who knows..?</div>
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Last but not least lip products- </div>
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/?action=view&current=SAM_0550_zpsc054a9bb.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0550_zpsc054a9bb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Maybelline lipstick in 075 Let me Pink- I think these are called Colour Sensations but I couldn't remember and it's not on the packaging, I love this colour, it's the perfect natural pink that I wear sheered out on an every day basis and build it up for night, it's got enough colour that I can wear it with a neutral eye but it's natural enough to wear with a darker eye colour too, very versatile. </div>
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Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey- I think this is a terrifying looking lip product but it isn't at all, it is such a sheer colour (see the middle swatch below) which works on absolutely any skin tone to add colour and sheen, it's beautiful, this is another colour I have worn day and night. Definitely worth a look at next time you're at a Clinique counter, you won't regret it!</div>
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Clinique Butter Shine lipstick in Baby Baby- I am quite fair and I really just can't pull off a nude lip, I find it really washes me out, this lipstick adds enough colour to have a nude-ish look but the slight shine makes my lips look fuller which I also feel takes away from how harsh nude lips can sometimes look. The only downside is that I don't like the taste, but I love the colour and feel so much I will just try to eat less of it! If you know what I mean... </div>
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<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/?action=view&current=SAM_0551_zps4ddadd57.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0551_zps4ddadd57.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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L-R: Maybelline Let me Pink, Clinique Black Honey, Clinique Baby Baby</div>
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I'm sorry I didn't swatch all of the products, the lighting was a bit off and it just didn't really work out, I will hopefully do a FOTD post soon (my first ever) using these products so you can see them in action. I hope you've found this interesting or useful, I love reading about products people have been loving, what are some of your all time favourite products? I would also like to know if you save expensive items for special occasions or if that was just me being a little crazy? I definitely feel good about my decision to use my expensive products more regularly. It will, after all, take my cost per use way down which helps me justify my spending... </div>
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Zoe xx</div>
Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-6079657257497255522013-02-20T22:33:00.000-08:002013-02-20T22:34:22.735-08:00Taking some me time<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1324.beta.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/SAM_0430_zps299c0b3a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo SAM_0430_zps299c0b3a.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0430_zps299c0b3a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The year is well and truly in full swing, I am three weeks back into work and am feeling a little overwhelmed! I am teaching Business Studies for the first time and although I am enjoying it, it is taking me a while to get my head around it and feel confident. </div>
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One of my New Years Resolutions was to work on my work/life balance and I don't think I've done this very well the last few weeks so it is time to prioritise! I have been thinking about the things I haven't been doing and am making sure I allocate some "Zoe" time,<br />
<a name='more'></a>I had a bath and an early night last night and feel better already. I also realised I haven't been reading as much as I usually do. I have four books on the go at the moment but haven't finished one since my holiday in January... My plan for the week is to try and take some time out without thinking about work or other jobs to do and finish some of the books I'm reading, I think The Happiest Refugee will be first on my list, I'm really enjoying it. I'm also going to try to get to bed a little earlier which always helps me feel more on top of things.<br />
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How is your work/life balance going? I would love to hear some things that you do to take time out and look after yourself, I think it's so important but so easy to forget as well. </div>
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Zoe xx</div>
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P.S. My brother-in-law Glen told me that he read my blog and liked it, except that he felt it was lacking a mention about how great he is. So I just wanted to tell Glen that I think he's the best brother-in-law ever. </div>
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Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-6188598891018240472013-02-14T02:12:00.000-08:002013-02-14T02:26:00.549-08:00Up for a ChallengeI haven't been able to find a whole lot of time for blogging lately, but I have found myself really enjoying reading other people's blogs, and I have found so many of you giving yourselves little challenges. Between <a href="http://le-bonvivant.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Rachi</a>'s clean eating, <a href="http://lifeandsortswithcc.blogspot.com.au/p/100-before-25.html" target="_blank">CC</a>'s 100 before 25 list, <a href="http://www.notesfrommycloset.com/" target="_blank">Rachel</a>'s investment closet and <a href="http://vanishaslife.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Vanisha</a>'s no make up challenge, it's safe to say I'm feeling inspired! <br />
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I didn't want to start out too crazy so I've had a think about some little things in my life/house that I need to organise and sort out and I decided that my skin care/make up should be first on my list! I really hate clutter in general but for some reason this doesn't seem to transition into my make up and skin care. Recently I have found myself doing a few clean outs and have really enjoyed the organised feeling afterwards. My downfall, however, is those sample sized/travel sized products that I somehow find myself believing I will use for a weekend away, but never do... A lot of these products came from a beauty box subscription which I cancelled well over 6 months ago, I was just not finding it useful and was constantly having to find new storage for all these products! After a big clean out of things that I don't like/were past their "best before"/didn't suit my skin type, I was a little embarrassed by how much I still had. <br />
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So my challenge to myself is a ban on buying any make up/cosmetic/skincare/haircare item, until all of these products are finished... <br />
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<a href="http://s1324.beta.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/SAM_0435_zps4cd4ca26.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo SAM_0435_zps4cd4ca26.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0435_zps4cd4ca26.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I estimate that this will maybe take me two months or so, and I feel that I will in no way be depriving myself. In fact, I think it will probably be a nice few months of face masks and regular use of hand cream! I have also included a few products that are almost finished and just seem to be never ending.</div>
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A little disclaimer: I am allowing myself a body wash purchase, because I'm almost out, I was also going to include shampoo, conditioner and sunscreen on this list, but I recently stocked up on these products so I don't think I will need to buy those. </div>
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I'm pretty excited about getting rid of excess stuff and streamlining my skin care routine to things that I know suit my skin and work for me. Have you set yourself any goals lately? If you have, how are they going? I love reading about other people's plans, it has definitely inspired me to plan my own challenge, I'll keep you all posted with how it goes!</div>
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Zoe xx</div>
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Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-20684369593927291242013-02-10T01:59:00.000-08:002013-02-14T02:23:37.200-08:00Coconut Oil: Wonder Product<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1324.beta.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/SAM_0416_zps9be21320.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo SAM_0416_zps9be21320.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0416_zps9be21320.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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At any one time there are two jars of coconut oil in my house, one in my kitchen and one in my bathroom. I absolutely love it and I thought it would be fun to share with you some of the things I use it for. </div>
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Let's start in the kitchen...</div>
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Unless you have been living under a rock I am sure you have heard of the Paleo craze, one of my friends husbands is an absolute convert and on a recent visit to their house was greeted with some delicious Paleo friendly banana bread. I asked for the recipe and my relationship with coconut oil began (let me know if you would be interested in the recipe and I will happily share it). I am not on any specific diet but I like that all these diet crazes come with fun new recipes because I do love experimenting in the kitchen and finding new and interesting ingredients, I now use coconut oil in a lot of cooking in place of butter and other oils, it is delicious! </div>
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Now for the bathroom... </div>
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Once I developed a love for Coconut oil I had a little Google and found it had many more uses than just baking. One of my favourite things to do with Coconut Oil is to use it as a hair mask, it is a solid product but I just scoop some out and warm it between my hands, I cover all my hair in the oil and then, depending how lazy I'm feeling, will wrap my hair in a warm towel, or just put it up in a claw clip thingy. I usually leave it on for an hour or so but have left it on overnight before, and then wash it out. The washing part does take a little longer than normal and my hair requires two shampoos to get all of it out but I love the result, my hair looks so healthy and shiny, if your hair is dry or damaged I strongly recommend giving this a go. </div>
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I also love using this as a body moisturiser, I haven't been using it as much in the warmer months, but I realise that a lot of you are in Winter now so I decided to do this post anyway! I love just warming the oil in my hands and using it wherever I have dry patches, in particular my elbows, cuticles and my legs after shaving. It leaves a bit of a sheen, as you would expect from an oil, but it absorbs quite quickly and leaves you smelling divine! In the Winter my dry skin can have a tendency to experience a little eczema, I have found this to be one of the most effective ways of clearing that up, it really is quite amazing!</div>
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Do you use coconut oil for cooking and/or beauty? If so, I would love to know what else you use it for.</div>
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Zoe xx</div>
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Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-79012928582974096192013-02-03T01:40:00.000-08:002013-03-31T21:48:11.358-07:00January Favourites 2013<div style="text-align: center;">
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One month down! I can't believe it is February already, for me that means back to work and real life again, sigh... It's been a great break though, and I am feeling ready to go back to work feeling refreshed and rejuvenated! Let's hope it lasts... <br />
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I am excited to share with you some of my favourite beauty products from January, I just love reading favourites posts/watching videos so I hope you guys enjoy reading this.<br />
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Let's start with make up...<br />
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<a href="http://s1324.beta.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/SAM_0413_zps9383a1b0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo SAM_0413_zps9383a1b0.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0413_zps9383a1b0.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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Maybelline Fit Me concealer- This product has received rave reviews and for good reason, it is the best concealer I have ever used, and I have used a lot... It is smooth and does not sit in any fine lines, I use this on blemishes and any darkness under my eyes. I would highly recommend it. </div>
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Clinique Even Better Foundation- I did not take this product away with me when I went overseas and when I got home I re-discovered how much I love it. It is light but provides good coverage, and it does even out skin tone as the name suggests. I also love the packaging of this product, sometimes I find foundations in bulky glass packaging annoying, but this is compact and convenient. This foundation also has an SPF so is a good one to wear during the day. </div>
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MAC Mineralize blush in Love Thing- I love blush, to the point where some may think I have a problem... I just think that cheek colour really brightens your face and can really complete a look. This is the blush I have been reaching for frequently this month. It is a deeper coloured blush than I would normally go for but when applied lightly just looks great, it is a deep kind of berry colour with a light gold shimmer, this does not look overly shimmery on the cheeks, it just adds a healthy glow, this blush would probably look great on people with a deeper skin tone than me (I am quite fair), but I just tap the excess off on the back of my hand and apply it lightly and I love it. I think this colour would suit just about everyone. </div>
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Urban Decay Lip Junkie lip gloss- I got this teeny tiny sample sized lip gloss with my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette, and I love it, it is a great neutral colour, it just adds a little something so I have been wearing it when I have darker colours on my eyes as it is not a 'steal-the-show" kind of colour. I also love the consistency of this gloss, it is glossy without being sticky and tastes slightly minty, yum! I will definitely be purchasing some more of these. </div>
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Now on to skin and body care...</div>
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<a href="http://s1324.beta.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/SAM_0415_zpsd940722c.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo SAM_0415_zpsd940722c.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0415_zpsd940722c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Vaseline Total Moisture Dry Skin 24 hr nourishing lotion- I have quite dry skin, but it has been super hot here lately and I just hate the feeling of thick body creams'/body butters in the Summer, gross... So I gave this one a try, it is a thin consistency and absorbs quickly but still keeps me moisturised, and it's cheap! I'm sold! </div>
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Lush Ultra Bland- This is my all time favourite Lush product, it is a balm cleanser which you massage on to dry skin and it just melts off your make up, it smells like almonds and honey and is wonderful! Sometimes I use this on it's own and other times I follow it with another cleanser, it just depends how lazy I am! I am not sure if this would suit people with oily skin, but for me it works wonders.</div>
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Clarisonic Mia- I think this was the first big skin investment I have made and I am so glad I did. The Clarisonic Mia is an electronic cleansing tool which oscillates to remove make up and impurities, there are lots of claims made about this product including that it removes 6x more make up than manual cleansing. I don't really know how I would test that, what I do know, is that my skin tone has improved, my breakouts has decreased, and when I do get them they clear up quite quickly and the dry patches that I used to get are a thing of the past! I'm a happy customer!</div>
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What are your favourite products from the month of January? I love reading what other people are loving so leave me a comment below or link to a blog post if you have done one, I would love to check it out!</div>
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Zoe xx</div>
Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-37511593280432355492013-01-27T19:13:00.000-08:002013-02-14T02:24:33.110-08:00Blogging about Blogging...<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1324.beta.photobucket.com/user/ZoeCole/media/SAM_0405_zps1c37baf2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo SAM_0405_zps1c37baf2.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u610/ZoeCole/SAM_0405_zps1c37baf2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So I'm quite new to this crazy world of blogging, and I thought it would be fun to share with you some things I have learnt, and also some things I'm still working on... Really, I think I just wanted to do a bit of a casual/let's have a chat post, I feel that it's the online equivalent to a sit down over a cup of tea!</div>
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I always knew the blogging world existed. When I was interested in a beauty product I would hop on Google and see what other people thought and what it looked like on them or see what other people thought of a book I was interested in reading, but now that I am a part of this world I realise there is so much more to it. </div>
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In my almost two months as a blogger I feel like I am starting to get the hang of some things a little, my first few posts took me so long, between taking the photos, sorting through them, worrying about my wording, changing my mind and starting all over again, it was quite a process! Now I feel like I am getting my photos organised, my entire computer is just folders upon folders, it may not sound productive to some people, but it really is making my life easier! </div>
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I am also getting more organised, I have heard a few people mention having a notebook to jot down ideas, I love having this, I have little lists where I write down notes or start lists so I don't forget things (at the moment I am working on my January favourites post and I think if I had to sit down and think of all the products I loved during January I would struggle, never fear, trusty little notebook to the rescue!) I think this will be even more helpful on my return to work this week as my brain seems to function less efficiently when it is full of work info, does this happen to anyone else..?</div>
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There are a few things that I am still learning and I kind of like that, I think the more you learn the more you realise you don't know, so I hope I'm always learning new things! Here are the main things I am trying to figure out...</div>
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Photos- taking photos is tricky, particularly with make up/nail polish I think it is important that things look true to colour, and I don't always feel like I am very good at this! Sometimes I blame the weather... But I'm working on it! I'm also not sure what the rules are about using photos from websites, so I'm just taking my own. This is working for me at the moment and I think I would only want to use other people's photos if I was trying to re-create a look or something, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it! Which brings me to my third photo-related qualm... I am a little nervous about taking photos of myself, I think this is something that will just come in time and my blogging/photography confidence will grow, I just think some people are amazing at this and it's a little intimidating, but I'll get there!</div>
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Replying to comments- This is something I am super confused about, I don't know the right way to respond to comments left on my blog, I am pretty sure that if I reply to it on my blog that that person won't be notified, but sometimes I feel a little silly responding on their blog under a post they have done about something totally unrelated, so I'm still working on the best way to do this, but rest assured, I am most definitely reading all of the comments, loving that you guys are relating to some of my posts, and writing down all the make up recommendations, I love it! </div>
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Lastly I just wanted to share with you some blogs that have helped me learn more about blogging, <a href="http://heartifb.com/" target="_blank">IFB</a> (or Independent Fashion Bloggers) have a lot of useful blogging tips which I have enjoyed reading, and of course <a href="http://vanishaslife.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Vanisha</a>, I just get so excited every time she has a new post up on her new series on blogging, it is interesting, thought provoking and absolutely invaluable to someone new to the blogging world like me.</div>
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Whether you have been blogging for two days, two months like me, or ten years I think everyone brings something unique to the table and I think that is one of the things I love most about it. I love finding new blogs and if there is something that catches my eye letting that person know! It's so interesting and I very much look forward to reading more from all of you.</div>
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I would love if you told me a little about your blogging experience below, and am always happy to accept advice!</div>
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Zoe xx</div>
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Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-15289405012955392442013-01-23T22:20:00.000-08:002013-02-14T02:24:41.927-08:00My tips for getting (and staying) Fit and Healthy!If you read my <a href="http://beautylifebalance.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/hello-2013.html" target="_blank">Hello 2013</a> post you would know that staying fit and healthy is one of my 2013 goals and, almost a month in, I feel good about how this one is going. I want to make it very clear that I am no expert in this area and am definitely no professional. I have, however, made strides with my fitness in the last few months and am feeling better than I have in a long time. So I thought I would share five things that I am doing in the hope that they may help you if you are on a health and fitness journey like me!<br />
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1. <strong>Surround yourself with fit and healthy people</strong>- This is one that I feel like just happened to me, at work I sit next to a guy who is Cross Fit crazy and work with another girl who has decided we should all go to work early on Friday mornings and work out together. I have found having these people around me has really helped keep me on track. I have also discovered that very fit people are not "scary" as I once thought and more often than not are happy to discuss work out plans or tips with those of us who are less fit, I feel lucky that I have people supporting me and checking in on me as I work towards my fitness goals.</div>
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2. <strong>Be the fit/healthy person in your family/friends lives</strong>- I know that my first tip might be a little hard for some people, so my challenge to you, if you are not surrounded by fit people, is to be that person! Next time you catch up with someone, make it over a walk or after a gym class. Or maybe just suggest you cook at home instead of going out to eat. I love catching up with friends over a walk or a home cooked meal, not only does it save money, but I feel like I actually get to spend more quality time with that person, and they will probably be glad you suggested it!<br />
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3. <strong>If you're not having fun, try something new</strong>- I don't know about you, but I really seem to go through phases with my exercise. For a while there I liked Body Pump classes and then I decided I wanted to be a runner so I got myself a Couch to 5km podcast and laced up my running shoes. What I used to do, however, was be really dedicated for a month or two, get bored, and stop altogether. Not productive... So this time when I get bored of what I'm doing, I just try a few new things until I find something I like, and so far it is going well! I'm over my running phase and have recently really been liking RPM/Spin classes and Pilates, it's working for me right now, and when I get over it I might give Zumba a go, who knows??<br />
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4. <strong>Reward yourself with things that will keep you on track</strong>- I feel that it is really important to acknowledge success and milestones, so why not reward yourself with things fitness related? The only vital things I think you need to work out are well-fitting appropriate shoes and a supportive sports bra (my smaller-breasted friends may not even need that, for me, it is definitely an essential!) but there are other things that I have inested in that make working out a little more fun. I really like my yoga mat, it's pretty and purple, I also recently got a heart rate monitor from my Dad for Christmas which is not only fun, but a good motivating tool and later this year I will be investing in some more nice workout clothes. Obviously these are not essentials, but I think it's a much better alternative than food rewards, and if your little treat to yourself makes you want to hit the gym, I think it's a good one!<br />
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5. <strong>Give yourself a break</strong>- This one is probably the most important and the one that has helped me change my attitude towards food. I have really tried to make sure that the food in my house is healthy, that I don't have chocolate every night with my cup of tea, and that I make good choices when I can. But sometimes, things come up, and that's ok! Last weekend I was out in Sydney for a Hen's weekend, this included a high tea with copious amounts of tiny food and champagne (delicious!), followed by dinner and a few cocktails, then we went out for breakfast the next day, so much food in so little time! Did I feel guilty? No way! Because I knew when I got home at the end I would have a nice big salad for dinner and go back to my healthy eating that week. I don't ever want to be the person at high tea who has one cucumber sandwich, it's just not my idea of fun... I eat good, healthy food most of the time, and then when a food oriented special occasion comes up, I enjoy that too! My absolute favourite quote of all time is by Nigella Lawson, she says "Everythng in moderation... Including moderation", I love it! Well said Nigella! <br />
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These are just a few things that I have done that I feel have helped me stay on track with my fitness and healthy eating, I hope they help you out a little!<br />
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Do you have any healthy lifestyle tips for me? I would love to hear them! We can embark on a health/fitness journey together and encourage each other!<br />
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Zoe xxZoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-39226227681988369902013-01-21T00:06:00.000-08:002013-02-14T02:26:37.190-08:00My New Zealand Adventures: ChristchurchChristchurch was the last stop on my New Zealand Adventure, I am actually a little sad that my travel blogging will come to an end, it has been such a good way to record and remember my trip, I hope that you have enjoyed reading about it as much as I have enjoyed writing about it!<br />
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I am so glad we got the opportunity to spend some time in Christchurch. It has now been almost two years since the earthquake and I am so impressed with how they are re-building. There is still so much to do and everywhere you look there are construction sites, but the people there are amazing, and everyone we spoke to had such a positive attitude towards the future of Christchurch, it was an incredibly uplifting experience. <br />
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I didn't actually take a lot of photos in Christchurch, I feel that the city is still very much a work in progress at the moment and it kind of felt a little disrespectful, I definitely didn't think the photos would showcase the amazing city that it is, but I have no doubt that I will be back in Christchurch again and will hopefully be taking many photos of the inspirational new city that it is becoming. I also think that they are doing a great job of trying to conserve as much of the old Christchurch as they can. Along with new buildings, there was a lot of restoration happening to beautiful older buildings, and the new city is going to be such an interesting mix of Christchurch's history and the new beginning that they have all worked so hard to achieve. <br />
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Along with the construction sites there are many signs around the city outlining the future plans, there has been a lot of research and surveys done in order to determine what people are looking for in their city and the new design looks incredible. Read more about it <a href="http://www.rebuildchristchurch.co.nz/" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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We did spend a little time in the Botanical Gardens which, although parts are still under construction, seems to be well on the way to recovery from the damage. It was here that I discovered a love for Dahlias, they are beautiful and bright and happy! What's not to love?<br />
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One of the highlights for me was the Re:START mall, and not just because I am a shopper! Nestled among the construction sites there is a mall that seemed to be growing by the day, part shops, part market stalls, and part makeshift stores in shipping containers, the Re:START mall is the small insight that you get into the future of Christchurch, and it is great! We decided what better way to boost the Christchurch economy than to do a little shopping? <br />
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Another highlight for me was a restaurant that we went to on our last night called <a href="http://www.strawberryfare.com/" target="_blank">Strawberry Fare</a>. This restaurant was divine. Their philosophy is all about fresh ingredients cooked well, and they deliver! They use organic and local produce and their desserts, in particular, are absolutely delicious. The highlight for me was this amazing Pecan Pie, a must try if you are in the area... </div>
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I think my experience in Christchurch was the perfect way to end my holiday. I knew that I would feel sad being there, and what happened was an absolute tragedy. But I was not really prepared for the overwhelming sense of hope and determination I felt from the people of Christchurch. In the window of a completely gutted kitchen showroom there was a sign that said "Our Showroom is broken, but our Canterbury spirit is not" and to me this absolutely summed up my experience in Christchurch. If you get an opportunity to go, I would highly recommend it. I will most definitely be returning. <br />
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Zoe xx Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-45650176904632675412013-01-17T02:02:00.000-08:002013-02-14T02:25:03.516-08:00My New Zealand Adventures: Wanaka, Lake Tekapo, Mt. Cook and Lake PukakiWelcome to Part Two of my New Zealand Adventures!<br />
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We hired a car the last day we were in Queenstown and headed slowly North towards Christchurch stopping at a few places on the way. During this part of the trip I was so amazed by the scenery, I literally felt like I was in a postcard at times. Some of the places were just breathtaking. By the end I actually stopped taking photos because I just felt like they weren't doing these places justice and I wanted a little break from viewing through a lense, but hopefully this gives you a little idea of what we saw. <br />
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The drive itself was really nice, at every turn there was more beautiful scenery and if you're visiting from Australia, you don't even need to worry about changing what side of the road you drive on. Quite convenient really!<br />
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Our first stop along the way was Wanaka, it is a pretty town, smaller than Queenstown, it very much seemed like the family friendly place to visit. We strolled along the lake, there were lots of people doing water sports, we saw boats, jet skis, even paddle boards. We only stayed in Wanaka for a break and to check out some shops, we did end up at the Black Peak ice creamery, oh my! If you are ever in Wanaka, this is a must do, the Malteaser ice cream was amazing, so amazing I forgot to take a photo for you, sorry, you'll have to take my word on it's deliciousness. I did get one of the lake though...<br />
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Next stop Lake Tekapo! It really was so beautiful, a very relaxing spot, we stayed here two nights and I feel like that was the perfect amount of time. The water was gorgeous and clear and there is a little old church by the lake which has the most beautiful view out the window. If you are looking for some relaxing/unwinding time, this would be a really good spot. If you are in Tekapo it is definitely worth heading to Run 77, a local cafe, for breakfast, my French toast was divine! </div>
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Here is the view of the lake from inside the church, the Church of the Good Shepherd and the clearest water I have ever seen in my life. </div>
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While we were in the area and the weather was good we thought we would do a little day trip out to Mt Cook. Apparently we were incredibly lucky to even be able to see Mt Cook, 1 in 3 days the mountain isn't visible due to cloud cover. Our timing was perfect!</div>
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We took a little hike through the national park, the people there were really helpful and there are walks ranging from 30 minutes to week long treks to the peak. We chose a 1-2 hour track called the Governers trail, it was a nice walk with beautiful views. <br />
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Then we went on a Glacier Explorer tour to check out the Tasman Glacier, the biggest in New Zealand, it really was huge! Just to give you some perspective it is melting at a rate of 300m per year, if it is getting that much smaller each year you can imagine how big it is! There are constantly ice bergs breaking off and floating around the river. I was really glad we got the opportunity to go out on the boat and see it up close. <br />
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That's the glacier there at the bottom, it is covered in dirt and not really what I expected, but it really is quite amazing. </div>
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Emma and I headed out to dinner that night, this photo was taken at about 10pm, this really was possibly my ideal holiday destination. I love those really long Summer days where you just feel like you have so much time to fit everything in, but I hate the scorching heat that accompanies them over here, so this was just ideal!</div>
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Last but absolutely not least was Lake Pukaki. This lake was potentially one of the highlights of the whole trip for me, it was absolutely breathtaking. The water was the brightest turquoise and the mountains in the background just topped it all off. I think with this one I am just going to let the picture speak for itself.</div>
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Wow. </div>
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I hope I managed to be a little more concise with this one than my Queenstown post... I would love to hear about your holiday adventures, tell me about them in the comments below or leave me a link to your blog, I would love to read it.</div>
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Zoe xx</div>
Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-72424699763813198592013-01-16T01:19:00.000-08:002013-02-14T02:25:20.007-08:00Product Review and Swatches: Revlon Colorstay Eyeshadow quad in PrecociousMy first product review and swatching experience, how fun!<br />
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I had heard a lot of good things about Revlon's Colorstay Eyeshadow quads so I thought I would give one a go and share my thoughts with you! I was drawn to this shade as I have green eyes and find I like the look of plummy purple colours on them, I also liked that it just has two neutral shades which I thought would be quite versatile. <a name='more'></a><br /></div>
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The quad has a light grey frosted colour, a darker grey with some shimmer, a light shimmer pinky purple and a darker plum. All shades have shimmer which does make it a little harder to work with but not a deal breaker!<br />
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I didn't think the light grey highlight shade was anything special, as you can see below it doesn't show up very well, and I went over this a few times. I like the darker grey, I think I might give it a go as a liner and see what I think. The pinky purple is lighter and a little more sheer than I thought it would be, but I quite like that. Sometimes I feel people rave on about eyeshadows not being "pigmented" enough, but I personally think these sheer shades have their place. It is a really easy colour to work with and on an everyday basis I quite like wearing a sheer wash of colour on my eyelids as opposed to something overly bold. The last shade is probably my favourite of the four, I think if you have green eyes finding some good shades in this colour range will look lovely.</div>
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I don't think this formula is anything to rave about, and I still think I will be reaching for my trusty Wet n Wild palettes more frequently, but this one will definitely get some wear, it's a nce little addition to my eyeshadow collection!<br />
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Have you tried any other quads in this range? I would love to know what your thoughts are. <br />
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Zoe xx</div>
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Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-52518699679903320892013-01-13T21:39:00.000-08:002013-02-14T02:25:31.558-08:00My New Zealand Adventures: QueenstownSo I started writing my travel post about my recent holiday and very quickly realised that it was going to be outrageously long, so I've decided it will be best for everyone if I break it up into a little mini series. So here is part one of my New Zealand adventures! <br />
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Our first stop, and where we stayed the longest was Queenstown. It has to be one of the friendliest, easiest, most beautiful travel destinations I have ever been to. <br />
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After a short three hour flight and a 30 minute shuttle we arrived at our apartment overlooking Lake Wakatipu, to say the view was beautiful is an understatement. This was what I woke up to every morning for a week, and I have to say, it is definitely something I could get used to.<br />
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Most mornings I would sit out on the balcony with my cup of tea and my breakfast. The view really was amazing, I felt like I was just enclosed by these amazing mountains and, depending on the weather, it looked like a new landscape each day. I guess that's the other thing to mention about Queenstown, the weather is very fickle! In our seven days we had sunshine, clouds, rain and we even woke up to snow on the mountains one day, you really do need to pack layers. Or buy new layers, as I did...<br />
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Here's my beautiful view after the snow.<br />
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I would have to say I think Queenstown is one of the most versatile holiday destinations I have ever been to, if you are an adrenaline junkie, a foodie, a girl who loves a pamper, the outdoorsy type or even if you're looking for a family holiday destination, I think you would find what you are looking for in Queenstown.<br />
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So what did I get up to on my adventures?? It can probably be summarised with walking, drinking, hiking, biking, eating and shopping. <br />
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Let's start with walking! I am not the most outdoorsy of gals, but I don't mind a good walk, especially when there's a beautiful view waiting for me at the top. We headed up Queenstown Hill, about 970m above sea level, it was about a 2-3 hour return walk, I would say of medium difficulty, and so worth it, the views from the top were stunning in every direction. A must do if you are into a good hike! We were planning on tackling the much higher Ben Lomond but the weather got in the way, not to worry, I'm quite sure I will be seeing more of Queenstown in the future, so for now Ben Lomond is still on the to-do list!<br />
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Now for biking, ...</div>
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We headed out to Arrowtown for a day to do some bike riding and sight seeing. We went through <a href="http://www.qtbiketours.co.nz/" target="_blank">Queenstown Bike Tours</a>. I was really impressed with them, we just wanted to do a half day of riding and then just have a stroll around Arrowtown, they picked us up from our Queenstown apartment, took us out to Arrowtown, fitted us out with bikes, helmets and maps, and then drove us home at the end of the day. They were really great.</div>
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Also just wanted to mention that I was pretty proud of myself after my bike ride, while I quite like the occasional RPM class, I haven't actually ridden a real bike since I was probably about 8, and I rode 32km, and did I mention it was hilly?? So that was pretty exciting. It really is a nice way to see the sights, you see more than you would walking and it's nice to be out in the fresh air, my friend Emma started singing songs from The Sound of Music during our little ride, it really was quite a delightful day! </div>
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And of course there was funyaking! "Funyaking?" I hear you ask. Why yes, funyaking. </div>
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It's kind of like kayaking, only more fun... This was probably one of my favourite days in Queenstown, we found out about this through one of the Information centres, it was one of the many many outdoorsy options available to us. It involved three components, the first being a jet boat ride up the Dart River, then we got in our little Funyaks and paddled down, and then we finished with a 4WD through the country side where we learnt some history about the area. </div>
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Here we are in Glenorchy before our Funyak adventure began. <br />
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Unfortunately I don't have many photos of this day because my little camera was hidden away in a waterproof bag for most of it! But <a href="http://www.dartriver.co.nz/dartriver/FunYakSafari/" target="_blank">here</a> is the website incase you're wondering what these inflatable kayaks look like. Did I mention I ended up in the freezing cold river? I was given what I claim to be bad advice from our guide and in an attempt to get out and pull our boat to shore, ended up shoulder deep in the river, apparently it was very entertaining to the rest of the group! Hmm. </div>
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We were so lucky that our last day in Queenstown had clear skies because we finally had a good day to head up to the gondola and luge. The gondola ride was nice and the view from the top really was breath taking. <br />
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Then we went on the luge! It was really fun, definitely something kids of all ages would enjoy! <br />
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Here we are post luge, it was fun, even if I was overtaken by adventurous 5 year olds, oh well! <br />
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The rest of our time in Queenstown was spent eating, shopping and enjoying things like Farmers markets and strolls around the lake. Here are some more snaps from my adventures...<br />
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We went to the Onsen Hot Pools, they are little private spas which overlook the mountains, it was a lovely relaxing way to spend the afternoon after all our physical exertion earlier in the week!</div>
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New Years Eve! My first cocktail of the night was at 1876, where we went for dinner, it was quite nice, good food, really great service. </div>
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For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to dip my little toes into Lake Wakatipu... Yeah, it really wasn't a good idea, it was freezing. The water just looked so clear and beautiful I couldn't help it! </div>
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We were also pretty excited about the ice bar, there are actually two in Queenstown! We went to one called Below Zero, if you haven't experienced an ice bar before, it is definitely worth checking out. The entire place, except the floor and ceiling, is made of ice, tables, chairs, cocktail glass, everything! so it's pretty cold in there... </div>
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Did I mention the chandelier was ice too? Very fun. </div>
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And of course, last but not least, here is the food of Queenstown... <br />
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Some of the winners for me were Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar and the famous Fergburger, but my absolute favourite would have to be the Fork and Tap in Arrowtown, if you're in the area, it is definitely one to check out! <br />
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Sorry that this post was crazy long, there is just so much to say about Queenstown! My next one will be shorter, promise.<br />
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Where have you guys been holidaying recently? I would love to read about it. Leave me a comment below or a link to your blog so I can check it out.<br />
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Zoe xx<br />
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Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-27835740138392136402013-01-12T23:00:00.000-08:002013-01-12T23:00:06.517-08:00What I'm reading: Divergent by Veronica Roth<div style="text-align: center;">
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Now that work has finished for the year I have been able to get in a bit more reading which has been very nice. I heard about this book from one of my high school students and I try to keep up with what they're reading so I can talk to them about it!<br />
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Set in a Distopian world where people are divided into "factions" depending on a choice they made when they were teenagers, <em>Divergent</em> follows 16-year-old Tris as she goes through this process. The five factions are based around one main value each of the groups have which dictate thier actions and behaviours. These include bravery, knowledge, honesty, selflessness and peace. You are raised in one faction and at the age of 16 can decide whether or not this faction is for you, if you decide to change factions this decision will lead to leaving your family behind. <br />
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It kind of reminds me of <em>The Hunger Games</em> in that it is a very easy to read book clearly targeted at young adults, but still deals with some older themes including loyalty, dealing with consequences, making life changing decisions and being true to yourself. <br />
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I did enjoy this book and finished it in a few days but there were some parts that frustrated me. I found myself being frustrated with Tris, the main character, as things that I thought seemed obvious to the reader, she did not pick up on until significantly later. There is, however, some good characterisation in the novels and you do find yourself really hoping that good triumphs over evil in the end. There is also quite a nice little love story that develops. <br />
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This book is the first in a trilogy and while I won't be running out to find the other two, I think I will get around to reading them eventually. If you are after a light, holiday read, or if you are a high school teacher trying to keep up with what your students are reading, this just may be what you're looking for! <br />
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I'm always on the hunt for new books to read, if you are reading anything good at the moment I would love to hear about it.<br />
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Happy reading!<br />
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Zoe xx<br />
<br />Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-26769926412997775832013-01-09T20:46:00.001-08:002013-01-09T20:46:59.098-08:00Home Sweet HomeHey everyone,<br />
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I am back from my New Zealand adventures, I had such a wonderful time, it is such a beautiful country and I feel all refreshed and rejuvinated! I am planning on going through the many many photos I took and telling you guys all about it but for the moment I just had to share this one with you... <br />
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I never thought I would say the words "This is my favourite lake" but Lake Pukaki on the South Island is possibly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. It is breathtaking. The colour of the water is amazing and the snow capped mountains in the background made me feel like I was in a picture. Unbelievable. </div>
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I hope that you have all had a wonderful break over the New Year and if you are already back at work I hope it is positive and productive. </div>
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Along with the many photos taken and wine consumed I managed to get in a bit of reading so watch this space for some news about my trip, some book reviews, and of course, I will fill you in on all of the shopping I did while over there. I think I really did the NZ ecomony some favours... </div>
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I hope you are all well! What did you get up to over the break? </div>
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Zoe xx </div>
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<br />Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-14053622791223026272013-01-08T23:00:00.000-08:002013-01-08T23:00:02.998-08:00What's in my travel make up bag?<div style="text-align: center;">
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I love reading about what is in other people's make up bags, so I thought I would share with you what's in mine, I really love some of these products, so I hope it is helpful for you. <br />
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Let's start off with the all important face products...<br />
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SkinMedica Daily Physical Defense SPF 30+ sunscreen: To me, sunscreen is one of the most important things in my make up bag, I am quite fair and burn very easily so I wear it every day under my foundation. I like this one, it has quite a thick consistency but it absorbs quickly. It is important to look for a sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UVB rays, look for the words "Broad Spectrum" or "UVA/UVB" protection. I got this one from StrawberryNet, you can find it <a href="http://au.strawberrynet.com/skincare/skin-medica/daily-physical-defense-spf-30-/142622/#DETAIL" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Bourjois 123 Perfect foundation: I love this foundation, it is made of a mix of coloured pigments (green, purple and yellow) intended to correct discolouration. I think it is a great foundation for evening out skin tone. Just a little disclaimer- this foundation has no SPF. As I wear sunscreen everyday I prefer to use foundations without SPF as I find them more versatile. I don't wear anything with SPF on my face when I'm going out at night because flash photography can cause a white cast. If you are someone who doesn't wear sunscreen regularly, I would recommend looking for a foundation with an SPF.<br />
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Maybelline Fit Me concealer: This is a new addition to my make up bag and so far I am really liking it. The consistency makes it appropriate for covering blemishes as well as dark under eye cirlces, and I love travelling with versatile products like that! I like the wand applicator and the colour is perfect for my skin tone ( I am using the shade 15 fair).<br />
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Covergirl TruBlend pressed powder: My skin type is normal-combination (in the colder months I am prone to dryness and dehydration if I don't look after my skin), so I need a powder that won't highlight any dryness I may have. While I like this one, I am still on the hunt for the perfect pressed powder, if such a thing exists! I am always looking for any reccommendations so if you have any I would love to hear from you.<br />
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NARS blush/brozer duo in Laguna/Orgasm: These are two of my favourite products of all time, I had heard so much about these that I just bought the smaller blush/brozer duo to try them out and I understand their rave reviews. My skin tone is quite light and I find that if I lightly apply the bronzer it blends out really nicely and the blush is just gorgeous. When I get through this I will most definitely be repurchasing both products! For the moment, this little mini duo is perfect for travelling! <br />
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Now onto the eye products...<br />
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Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze: I love this cream eye shadow from Maybelline, you can wear it alone or under powder shadows, it is smooth, easy to work with and doesn't crease on me. Well done, Maybelline!<br />
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Wet n Wild Color Icon eyeshadow trio in Walking on Eggshells: I originally had about 4 eyeshadow trios/quads that I intended to bring with me but thought that would be a little extreme, and when I thought about it more I realised this is the eyeshadow trio I have been reaching for more than any others lately. I love that it is a neutral palette that can be worn during the day but the brown is dark enough that it can be easily turned into a night look, I particulary like the brown on my lower lash line. This over my Bad to the Bronze Color Tattoo is one of my favourite looks! <br />
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Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Definition mascara: I love this mascara but my sister hates it, I think mascara is one of those things that is very much up to the individual. This mascara has a thicker consistency and can tend to clump if you use too much, less is definitely more with this one. I really like the look it gives with just a few quick strokes but if you are a person who likes to work with a thinner consistency mascara or likes to layer different mascaras, this may not be for you. I think I'm going to do a more in depth review of this because I just love it. <br />
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Maybelline Master Precise liquid liner: Hands down, my favourite liquid eye liner, the pen application is easy to work with and, on me, it lasts the whole day/night. I usually just dot liquid eyeliner along my lash line to make it appear fuller but I have also used this as a more bold eyeliner and it works well either way. If you are a beginner looking to try liquid eyeliner (or even if you aren't), I would reccommend trying this one. <br />
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Savvy by DB eyebrow pencil: Let's not forget our brows ladies! I actually did forget an eyebrow pencil so I picked his one up while at the shops, and I quite like it. My eyebrow pencil advice is always go lighter than you think you should, I have this in Taupe, even though my brows are quite dark, I really only use it to fill in a few sparce areas and create some more definition at the ends. <br />
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I only brought 4 lip products with me (in addition to the 3 lip balms permanently in my handbag at any one time) because I felt these were the most versatile, and are currently some of my favourites...<br />
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Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses lip liner in Cherry Kiss: This is one of my favourite lip liners of all time, it is so well loved that I couldn't even read the label and had to Google what it was called... I love wearing this by itself or underneath lipstick. It is a colour that can be worn very lightly or built up to quite an intense colour. Definitely one of my faves. </div>
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Rimmel Moisture Renew lipstick in Vintage Pink (180): This is a great lipstick, I also think this Rimmel product is very versatile, it can be worn lightly by itself for a more natural colour or built up over the Cherry Kiss liner for a more bold lip. The only downside to this lipstick is the scent, to me it just smells like lipstick from the 80s, but it doesn't seem to last on the lips so I can overlook it! </div>
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Revlon ColorStay lip liner in Red: I decided I wanted to have the option of wearing a classic red lip while I'm away and this lip liner/lipstick combo is one of my favourites. I just don't think you can do a red lip without a liner and this one does not budge. </div>
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Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Cherries In The Snow: This is one of my favourite red lip colours, it is a cool toned, almost pink red and I think it works very well with my skin tone (NW15 for reference), it is one of those reds that brightens the face and whitens the teeth. Paired with my Revlon liner is a winning combo. </div>
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And now, last but not least, the tools...</div>
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Revlon lip brush: I really think you can't wear a bold lip without applying your lipstick with a lip brush, it helps get the lipstick into hard to reach areas and allows for a more precise application, a must in any travel bag!</div>
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Cosmetica by Manicare Rounded Blending brush: A pretty standard eye shadow blending brush, but I like this one, gets the job done! Anything similar to this would be fine. </div>
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Sephora Complexion Poudre 53 brush: I love this brush, I bought it last time I was overseas and have used it almost every day since. On an everyday basis I would usually only use this for blush but for travelling purposes I will use this for setting powder, blush and bronzer, a great all rounder brush.</div>
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Sephora brush wand: The quality of these brushes isn't great but I really like the versatility of this product, I don't use this on a regular basis but it is good for the purpose of travelling. I do quite like the angled liner brush but the rest are a little average.</div>
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Revlon eye shadow blending brush: Although this is called a blending brush, I find the tapered shape is good for applying colour to the lid, it picks up and distributes colour well. </div>
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Last but not least my make up bag is one that I got in a Bourjois gift with purchase, I usually discard these bags pretty quickly or give them away but this one is cute and the plastic cover that you can wipe down is super handy, it's good to keep these when you find a good one! </div>
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I hope this has been a useful insight into what's in my travel make up bag, I would love to know what your travel essentials are!</div>
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Zoe xx</div>
Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1480726980264634177.post-65881228311417746162013-01-01T10:00:00.000-08:002013-01-01T10:00:02.012-08:00Hello 2013!Happy New Year everyone! I can't believe it is 2013! <br />
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The first day of 2012 was very exciting to me as my gorgeous niece Brooklyn was born, I can't believe that was a year ago! This is the first photo I have with her, and boy has she changed since then. <br />
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I always find the new year such an exciting time, I love looking back on all the things I have done in the past year and, I know this is quite nerdy, but I really enjoy watching the news when they do the "Year in Review". Every year it is gauranteed to make me laugh and cry, I just can't help it! </div>
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I also think it is exciting to make plans for the year ahead, I've thought about it a little and I have decided there are three main things I want to work on this year, so I thought I would share them with you...<br />
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1. Work on my work/life balance- I have only been teaching for 3 years, and I think any transition from uni to full time work is a tough one so I feel like along the way I stopped doing things that I enjoy because I was getting my head around this full time work thing! But now I am more experienced and feel like I am kind of getting on top of things a little so it's time again to start doing things I enjoy! A friend of mine (who is an art teacher) suggested I should join her in a Ceramics course she is looking into next year so I might start there, I'll let you know how it goes!<br />
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2. Maintain a healthy lifestyle- Lately I have been really trying to focus on getting fitter and looking after myself. I have made quite a bit of progress in the second half of 2012 and just want to keep on top of things in 2013, I really enjoy trying new things and have actually developed quite a liking for RPM classes, a year ago I never would have uttered such words... I am hoping that 2013 will be my healthiest year yet!<br />
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3. Make better financial decisions- Doesn't everyone have a budgeting New Years resolution? I feel like I make one evry year! My plan for this year is to just stay on top of my money and be prepared for any costs <em>before</em> they come up. My sister is amazing with money so I plan on consulting her for advice, let me know if this is one of your New Years resolutions too and we can encourage each other to save!<br />
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Do you make new years resolutions? Let me know your plans for 2013!<br />
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I am bringing in the New Year in Queenstown this year which is very exciting, I've scheduled a few posts while I'm away so I hope you enjoy reading them, and once I'm back get ready for some pictures and stories about my adventures! <br />
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Most importantly, I hope you are all looking after yourselves and having a safe holiday season, I look forward to hearing all about the adventures you've gotten up to this holiday season. <br />
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Zoe xx Zoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940225745873556986noreply@blogger.com5