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Sunday, December 16, 2007

Time to make myself feel better

Yes, that's what resolutions are for. You realise your life is going down the drain, make a resolution, feel pro-active and like you're actually working towards a better you (which is what I'm trying to aim at) before failing your resolutions miserably, and realising life sucks.

But.
This year, I am going to KEEP them!!

No, I don't say that every year. Why? Because I know I'm just going to forget. But I'm actually WRITING (somewhat) them down this year. Yay! :)

Plus, if I tell my boyfriend what they are this year, he'll only be too happy to help out.

1. Make-up ban.
Inspired by the beautiful Voguettes, I will ONLY buy what I need. And not twenty shades of all-too-similar looking blush or lipgloss. Only if I've finished what I've got.

2. Nail polish ban.
The bag that I keep my various nail polishes in is full. I am poor. Therefore, I will only buy new, prettiful colours when I have a) thrown out/finished what I've got in my bag and b) when I actually have money. Always a good start.*

3. Shopping - okay, so this year I tried "only buy things every other week" but it didn't work, mainly because I impulse buy a lot and could never remember if this week was a "shopping" week or not; and if I did, I would also splurge because I knew I wouldn't be able to buy anything until the week after next. Of course, then I'd forget the week after and only ended up spending twice as much money as I would've in the first place. So 2008 will be the year of the ruthless. Where I will realise that it's okay to re-use your outfits. And that mixing and matching is cool. And that I don't need new clothes every week.

4. I won't work so much. No working in shopping centre = less money spent (theoretically. It also means less money gained, but let's just try it first, eh?) Plus, I will be happier, more relaxed, and more likely to act drunk on a cup of red cordial. Boing!

* Also, two of the colours are EXACTLY THE SAME. One's Natio and one's el cheapo brand, but I bought two of the same shades and didn't even notice!! >hangs head in shame<

Friday, December 14, 2007

Oh. My. Gosh. I have found THE party look I want to recreate - pity I'm SICK and can't go out this weekend >curses<
Dishevelled, sexy, funky, glamorous, colourful and just screaming "I'm here to party", the look is also teaching me a lesson - if you want to do your hair and make-up all colourful and fancy, WEAR SIMPLE CLOTHES. Focus on your make-up/hair, or your clothes, or risk looking like a drag queen (something highly undesirable if it's not actually your AIM).

If you want to let loose with with colourful eyes, and more sparkles and glitter than a glo-mesh purse, feel free. I know I do. But just remember to pair it with simple tops, preferably cotton if you're going clubbing so the fabric lets you breeeaaaathe, and either so-cute-I-wanna-eat-you shorts or jeans.

I love: Inglot pigments (like MAC, but cheaper, without losing quality), Sportsgirl glitter eyeliner, either Country Road or Witchery tops and shorty shorts. I'm not much for jeans in a club, I get really hot and I want to take them off but we all know that would be taken the wrong way indeed.

Oh and don't forget accessorizing. I like to stick to plain bangles, Diva have some really hot ones at the moment in blue and silver, and the same set also come in cream and gold but those are on sale, so you'd either have to wait till after January or go to Castle Towers, yayyyy (hear the sarcasm?? hear it?). I don't see much point in spending big on accessories unless there's design I REALLY love, because I get bored of them so easily and anyway, I find Diva and Equip do a pretty decent job of copying Mimco and Dinosaur Designs. Plus, then I can save my money and spend it on CLOTHES :P :P


But sometimes I get a little shy, and start to have psychadelic nightmares that I look like a clown. In which case I wear my shiny metallic clothes that my boyfriend doesn't like, but which I don't give a DAMN about because I like them :P and keep the make-up and hair simple. Metallic fabrics are great, because they make you the life of the party and all you had to do was put the clothes on. Easy. Peasy.

Then you wear some black or brown eyeliner, mascara if, unlike me, you actually HAVE lashes to build on, a bit of blush and some shiiiny lipgloss et voila!

Highly recommended for this second option: Blush - Covergirl TruBlend in 430 Shimmering Sands. It's soft, powdery and lightly shimmery too, and you can build up the colour. I like it because it highlights my cheeks without making me look sunburnt :) unlike their bronzers which make me look like the personification of a dirty orange, but that's another story.

As for lipglosses, my current favourites are Inglot lipglosses because they taste like SUGAR (but, funnily enough, don't last too long), Dior ones because they're moisturizing and feel like silk on your lips, and ModelCo Liplights. The ModelCo ones have a little light that switches on when you open the gloss and a mirror on the side, so you can re-apply on the dancefloor. They're a little sticky, but not, thank goodness, as sticky as MAC lipglasses, and they last long, but the best part is seeing your friends startng at it like a rabbit caught in a headlight, and repeating to themselves "woahhh... it's got a light... woahhh". Heheheh. It's so amusing.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

The Road Taken

Yeah, I haven't posted in a while. There aren't any excuses left - apart from maybe I've been too busy at my new job at Country Road? :P

The funny thing is, before I started, I'd been in there only TWICE before in my life - both times to buy those excessively mainstream tote bags, and neither times for me. The customers have serious issues (SOME of them that is - the rest of them are beautiful lovely people who I would serve ANY day) but the clothes are nice and the workers are hilarious, I don't love them yet but I probably will soon.

So that's one thing --> if you're a nice customer, you'll be more likely to get more out of your sales assistant.

The second thing is, because the clothes are so great, and I think to myself *discount! discount!* I spend ALL MY PAY THERE. Seriously. They might as well just dole the clothes out to me, instead of bothering to put it through my bank account, only for me to spend it there anyway. It's even worse in summer because the clothes are so damn comfy in the heat. Arrrgh!

Anyway, so I LOVE LOVE LOVE the flower-print dress in the middle (below) - tunic hem, very cute, also comes in a cami, beautiful feel to the fabric - trust me, I'd know. I also adorrrre the metallic skirt second from the end, but haven't bought it because I have a not-quite-the-same-but-too-similar-to-justify-buying-a-new-one skirt from Blue Juice.

The clear plastic tote on the bottom is SO DAMN GOOD for the beach - and for once, I don't have to be upset when I find a crumby ('scuse the pun) mix of Doritos, pretzels and sand at the bottom of my bad. Or when the sunscreen decides to spill itself everywhere. And with a nice, fluffy towel in there, I can hide my wallet under it when I'm walking, or if I go in the water I just chuck the towel on top. No worries about its transparency. At least I can find everything :P

xx

p.s. Nothing wrong with Country Road bags - if you need 'em. But please don't carry a mostly empty one everywhere, just because it's a Country Road bag.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

More gifts (for myself)

So they're in the 'great gift idea' section. So the website suggests to buy it for the dear lovelies in your life. But I really, really want them... for myself.

And so what? I work in retail, and it's seriously not uncommon (whee double negatives) for people to come in and guiltily admit to me that they meant to buy a gift, and ended up spending twice as much on themselves. Cheers for human nature.

It makes sense though. I'm sure no one needs me to tell them how hard it is shopping for your Aunty who lives overseas whom you haven't seen since everyone was still scared of the Y2K bug. But it's WAY easier to find stuff for yourself, because you KNOW what you like.

And DAMN STRAIGHT I know what I like. My mother is going to America in two weeks, which means cosmetics that are only two hours' worth of wages, as opposed to ten (go slave labour!), yayyy!! AND the upcoming holiday season (not sure which holiday? Check out your local Westfield. You SERIOUSLY can't miss it) means that adorable little gift sets are making their way to store fronts for me to pet because they're SO DAMN CUTE.

Sephora, my inner beauty-holic's grog shop, is the source of most my shopping list. Damn them! Let's just say that my credit card and bank account would like to thank the lovely people at sephora.com for refusing to ship internationally.

NUMBER ONE:
1. Cargo Bronzing Kit $35 USD at Sephora, valued at $59 AUD by beautyheaven.

Bronzing Kit includes CARGO's best-selling and award-winning Medium Bronzer, professional quality powder/bronzing brush, PurseGloss™ in Baja (exclusive to this kit), and the brand new EyeBronzer, in a reusable gift tin.

Perfect for summer, no?

2. Nars the Multiple (Orgasm) $36.50 USD at Sephora, $85 AUD at Mecca Cosmetica
YES. I FEEL AWKWARD ASKING MY MOTHER TO BUY ME SOMETHING ENTITLED "ORGASM".
But the savings are sooo worth it!

A multi-purpose stick for eyes, cheeks, lips and body. Its unique lightweight, cream-to-powder formula blends effortlessly to provide sheer all-over color, shimmering accents, contours and dynamic highlights for all skin tones. Creates perfect, glowing complexions and is conveniently designed for failproof application.

3. Sephora Supermodel Kit $79 USD, unavailable in Australia, but individually: Stila Lip Glaze $45 AUD at Mecca Cosmetica, Diorshow mascara $32-$42 AUD already. My Asian side is revealing itself, I know, but as a friend said, it's hard to put off centuries of hereditary Asian stinginess.


A glamourous gift set filled with products used by Sephora makeup artists for Fashion Week Live.
Set includes a Stila Lip Glaze in Brown Sugar, Make Up For Ever Diamond Shadow in Diamond Black 307, Smashbox Mini Travel Photo Finish Foundation Primer in Original, Smashbox O-GLOW, Dior Diorshow Mascara in Black 090, Sephora Blush Me! Mono in Abricot Plaisir 6, all in a chic black sequined Sephora Brand clutch.


And you just wait... there IS more... a LOT more... I'm just sleepy :P

xx

Friday, November 9, 2007

'Tis the time to get me some MONEY

Only to buy gifts, of course. I'm serious. I LOVE this time of year, everything is cuter-than-a-cupcake and it's great!! BUT. One issue - limited funds. While I would love to buy my boyfriend a car, and fill it up with clothes, electronic goods, sporting goods and everything he [hearts], I really can't afford it. ONE piece of clothing is more like it.
SO. Here are my imaginary gifts for imaginary people to pay with non-imaginary money. They are cheap, they are chic, and thank goodness, NOT TRASHY!!!

1. Silver "LOVE" Spinner Necklace $19.95 from Witchery
THIS IS SO COOL. You give it a flick of your finger and if you focus on the pendant, you can see the word 'love' appearing!! This necklace = endless hours of amusement.

2. Silver Mirror Compact $19.95 from Witchery
Not quite up there in the cool stakes, but it's shiiiiiny. And $5 is donated to charity if you buy one. Like, as IF you could get better than that.

3. All Natural Chocolate Lip Balm $9.95 from Kit Cosmetics
HELLO! Chocolate!! >waves arms round like one of those yellow guys on aeroplane runways onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MJH9vgNPRtOcdexefppfkjXQ4tKicYg9kAJvzoWe9pbX8USJxrVAoSVxsY77ujtQQ2ZTHkQUGCX6KbNf4mmHzVT0_19xmnwP2Ul1P-sE5jzLsymttzGMC4u1Hwq2O_LX3iaR03k3sGVm/s1600-h/Picture+7.png">


To bulk up the present a bit more (heheheh), throw in a chocolate bar or goodies from Darrell Lea. It looks more expensive :P :P.
Then head to the Reject Shop, buy a pack of tissue paper and a roll of ribbon which will last you till the cows come home (the ribbon, that is), wrap it up and neatly and VOILA!! A present that looks like it cost u five times more than it actually did. AND it looks cute. AND - it (hopefully) makes the person happy :)
xx

P.S. IF YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT A GIFT, REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT THE STORE'S RETURN/EXCHANGE POLICY FOR GIFTS!!! And to make it easier, DON'T remove the barcode if you can help it - this works well with jewellery and clothes etc... if you want to flaunt the brand or something. Just black out the price with a permanent marker :)

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

BOGOFF!!

Ahahaha. Okay, so the acronym for Buy One Get One Free amuses me (don't ask me where the extra F came from).

Anyway, so BOGOFF sale at Diva - buy any ring from the front gondola and get the second one free! There are some really HOT ones too, from massive, in-your-face cocktail rings to faux wedding rings to shmexy ones you can wear to a part-ay. Only for two weeks!

BOGOFF sale at Smart Poppy too (discount cosmetics site). BOGOFF time popping up everywhere!! Stila, Too Faced, MAC - but this one's only for two days. Click here to go to the BOGOFF section.

And finally, Hot New Face to Watch:
(actually, she's been around for a while, but I only just realised who she was :P)
Melinda Jackson. Her latest song Magic is based on the piano riff from Sting's Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - and thankfully, ONLY the piano riff. It's a beautiful song though. Check it out :)
Melinda's Mypsace page
Her videos on Youtube

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Watch out for: Transeasonal Collections

When: 9-11 October 2007

What: Rosemount Australian Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2008 Collections

Where: Sydney (yay!)

Who: Invitation Only - but apparently most of the big names won't be showing and many fashion editors won't be there either, since it's so soon after the European shows.

I think it's nice to keep an eye on things locally though, because while the fashion overseas is great, YOU LIVE HERE. And if you started transposing ideas from overseas here, you'd be, well, a little out-of-place. It's all about the now, not the future (and in Australia's case, for some reason this happens to be three or four months in the future, a rather long time in fashion-speak) - because by the time it's the future, no one will remember anymore.

Anyway, keep an eye out for this fellow, Daniel Avakian. His designs are hot, and you never know - he might end up like sass & bide, and in a few years, his clothes will be ricocheting off the walls because they'll be too hot to handle.

Daniel Avakian and one of his designs - don't tell me it's not hot.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Jeans, jeans, they're good for your heart

But, thankfully, you don't fart if you wear them more (that'd be an interesting experiment to conduct though).

So anyway. I hit Miranda Myer today and somehow managed to pick the perfect pair of jeans.

You know that moment when you touch a piece of clothing and your heart seems to race and the whole day just suddenly got better? Your very existence is justified; it's magic and there's no other way to describe it? No?

Okay, it's probably just me then.

But anyway. That is how I felt (cheesy, I know) when I touched this pair of jeans hanging from the Cooper St stand in Myer. Let me clarify: they are NOT Cooper St jeans, they are Ninedays, a brand which my cloistered little head has never of, but WHO CARES. They're perfect. AND. They were in my size.

If I could give awards for shopping moments of the year, THIS WOULD BE IT.

They're dark (I dislike light-coloured jeans with a passion, but that's just me). They're slinky. They're stretchy and comfortable and I DON'T CARE if skinny jeans are "going out", nor that summer is coming in and it will therefore be too hot to wear jeans. The fact is, I love skinny jeans (everything else makes me look as FAT as a heifer) and I LOVE THESE JEANS.

Yes, well, ANYWAY.

New: Gracie by Alice McCall at General Pants Co.

They only had one stand at Miranda General Pants Co today. I love Alice McCall and all (rhyme unintended, seriously!) but I wasn't that impressed. It's cute, for sure, but if I had to sum it up in one word I'd say it's... okay.

Or maybe they only seemed that way after my brilliant stop-the-press-i'm-falling-in-love moment with the jeans. Sorry!

Friday, October 5, 2007

Beach to Bargain

Hrm, so for some reason, no matter how determined I am to NOT go shopping, as soon as someone mentions the word 'Bondi' I start plotting which shops I plan to hit first. Serious sign of a shopaholic? Or serious self-image issues? Probably both, but let's leave that for later. Psycho-analysis is boring, shopping is FUN!

So anyway. YES I hit Bondi today. YES I bought something. And YES there are 5 million and two other things that I really, really want but am too poor to afford (believe me, it sucks).

NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST: Silver T-bar 'U Thong' sandals from Wittner $109.95 (I know, horrible name. I wonder who makes up the names?? I wonder if someone's job is to just sit there and come up with names. That'd be hilarious, hee hee hee.)



NUMBER TWO: A shimmery, almost-nude, pale pink colour like OPI Nailpolish 'Hearts & Tarts'. Yummm. Elegant but different.

NUMBER THREE: EVERYTHING in Kookai Bondi Junction. I want to live in the store!! (Of course, I also want to buy a nightclub and live there - with the current property rates in Sydney, buying Kookai and the nightclub might actually be cheaper).

NUMBER FOUR: Shiny dark-blue metallic Havaianas. But first, I need to actually find them in my size. Grrr. =.=

Oh yeah! And they have CUSTOM HAVAIANAS now!! Check it out at General Pants Bondi - you pretty much choose the base colour and the straps at the top. I like my thongs to be one solid colour though, so so much for playing with that >sigh<.
So anyway, the list goes on, but a girl can only save up for a few things at once... after all, I DO have to save money for impulse purchases.

p.s. I am quite aware that this sort of spending and materialism is bad. OH WELL.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

News Feed: Nigeria readies for Pfizer battle

THIS you have to read.

It's disgusting - intellectually, physically and ethically.

It's about an American drug (ok, pharmaceutical) company who went in and tested their drug on poverty-stricken African children, who are now mentally disabled as a result, or so say their mothers. Within the article, there is no "other side to the story" because the drug company did not wish to speak to Al Jazeera, so forgive me for being biased.

But still. It's great that people are protesting against animal testing, but what about testing on humans?? Is there too much money at stake??

Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege speaks to residents of Kano in Nigeria who claim a vaccine, manufactured and adminstered by US pharmaceutical giant Prizer, was responsible for the deaths of local children, as hearings resume in a Nigerian lawsuit against the firm.


Photo: Firdausi became mentally handicapped, her mother
claims, after she was used to test a meningitis drug

Thirteen-year-old Firdausi Abdullahi is severely mentally handicapped, suffering from a condition her mother claims is a result of scientific negligence.

Zainab Abdullahi says Firdausi was used along with 200 other children as "guinea pigs" to test a meningitis drug.

That is the central allegation in a criminal case pitting the state government of Kano in Nigeria against the pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer.

Hearings resume in the case on Wednesday with the government alleging Pfizer deceived patients and caused the deaths of 11 of them in 1996 when performing clinical trials for a new meningitis vaccine, Trovan.

Full article at Al Jazeera

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

News Feed: Australia hints at action against Burma


Today's highlighted story: The government is taking action against the gross breach of human rights in Burma. FINALLY.

Australia hints at action against Burma

October 2, 2007

Australia is flagging further action against Burma pending the outcome of a meeting between the UN's special envoy Ibrahim Gambari and the country's military leader Than Shwe.

Mr Gambari had been waiting since the weekend to see the reclusive general to express global outrage after security forces put down protests led by Buddhist monks, leaving at least 13 dead and hundreds - possibly thousands - behind bars.

Australian officials believe at least 30 people were killed and 1,400 arrested during last week's crackdown in Burma's biggest city, Rangoon.

Canberra has already tightened financial sanctions against members of Burma's military junta and foreign affairs officials last week called in Burma's most senior representative in Australia to protest developments in the isolated nation.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer indicated Australia would consider further measures if Mr Gambari's meeting was less than successful in alleviating the situation.

"I hope that Mr Gambari has some success," he told reporters.

"But if not, well then we will be talking with a number of other countries about anything further we might be able to do."

The government revealed that earlier this year it had rejected Burma's nomination for its ambassador in Canberra, Brigadier-General Thura U Thet Oo Maung.

Mr Downer admitted it was a very unusual decision but said Australia would never accept anyone from the brutal Burmese military regime as an ambassador.

"It almost never happens that Australia or any other country refuses to accept the ambassador proposed by the sending country," he said.

"In this case, Burma has a very brutal military regime and I refuse to accept a general from that regime who has had command in a couple of provinces in Burma over the years.

"I refuse to accept a general as an ambassador and told the Burmese authorities that they should send a civilian to fulfil that role, and a professional diplomat."

Australian Democrats foreign affairs spokeswoman Natasha Stott Despoja, co-convenor of Australian Parliamentarians for Democracy in Burma, welcomed the government's tough stand on the ambassador.

She urged the government not to lose focus on the situation in Burma.

"There is a danger that the world's attention will shift elsewhere now that the military junta is using force to discourage mass protests by the Burmese people," she said in a statement.

"We must not let this happen.

"Australia and the world must keep up its pressure on the Burmese regime.:

© 2007 AAP

How many moisturisers does a girl need?

Indeed, how many of anything. But let's just stick to moisturisers here.

I have:
Johnson's Holiday Skin Body Lotion (for cancer-free tanning)
Nivea Body Firming Treatment Cream (for getting rid of cellulite, which apparently doesn't work anyway)
Veet Anti-Ingrown Hair Cream (for treating ingrown hair, obviously)
Anna Sui Body Lotion (it was on sale, it smelt nice, and it came in a pretty pink bag - as IF you wouldn't have bought it!)
Nature's Resistance Pear-Scented Hand & Body Massage Lotion (good salesperson)
The Body Shop Mango Body Butter (last year's Christmas gift)
The Body Collection Tropical Coconut & Jasmine Body Lotion (yet again another girft)
Affection Skin Firming Cream (Can you believe it? Easter Show showbag)
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Leg Gloss (claims to minimise the need for shaving, tint legs and make 'em shiny)
and plain Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula for no apparent reason apart from the fact that it smells niiice.

This. Is. Insane.

Until I compiled that list, I knew I had many moisturisers - but not that many. The thing is, I buy one for a specific purpose, use it for, like, a week - and that's it! It's relegated to the back of my beauty box, to be kept for two years until I find them again, remember that I have it and that it's not that great to use, and put it away again for the next two years.

Gerrrgh. I should really just throw away the ones I don't use (like the crappy ones from the Easter Show). For the record, I just bought the Johnson's one today (why??? Oh yeah - because I didn't want to die of skin cancer) so I don't know how good it is, but Palmer's are still my favourite. Creamy, rich, easily absorbed and CHOCOLATEY. Who could beat that?

Oh, and from now on, I will NO LONGER BUY MOISTURISERS UNTIL I HAVE USED UP THE ONES I HAVE.

Why do I get the feeling that won't last??

xx

Shirt dress/dress shirt?

Every now and then, I have a craving for a specific piece of clothing that I believe (often in a delusional manner) will, upon wearing, somehow render me sexy, fashionable, glamorous and highly sophisticated.

I go into one-minded huntress mode, prowling shop after shop in the hope that the item I want will be found in the perfect size, the perfect colour and the perfect price($50 or under - hah! Wishful thinking).Shop assistants can normally recognise me when I'm on the hunt. I just walk into a store, stand in the middle - and walk out because I can't see what I want.

Said item is currently a dress-shirt, which I somehow fantasize will be great for wearing out casually, straight to clubbing, without being too hot and sticky, but be hot and sexy instead.

Fantasize is the key word.

But I still want it, and I want it white. I want it short. I want it comfortable. I want it cotton. I want it sexy.

So far, there's one at Bondi Westfield I found, but the colour I want (settling for light blue here) doesn't come in my size >pouts<, and the fabric seems really thick. And I'm one of those people whose body temperature rises quickly, so I don't really want something thicker than a wood plank for summer. >sigh< onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Wn07XpGcsML1L6UfNzJ7BYhd0NR_V7v-z6r5utCr6sm88TY1wPFePqhUj1M5eW-0CiGKdhQvsZ4GTRkHXbt__sJb1MWFZZnoAAMhjEwjJHCtuMsXZ6Sqh7PpKVyaE0FovwmCQ5l2M6mB/s1600-h/white+shirtdress.jpg">