ElectroCat

 Today is the last day of 2014 and what a year it was! It was full of ups and downs, self-discovery and life changing events. Most of all I had exceptionally good-looking diary pictured below :) I regained my self-esteem which helped me to find a new job I quit my old job of 6 years that was going nowhere and was ruining me financially as I was forced to take a lot of unpaid leave and reduce my hours. However I miss my old clients a lot. Got a new part-time job to supplement my income and got offered to go full-time 3 months later.  Went from working part-time to working full-time. Went to US for 2 weeks in November. Turned 30. Looking back my goals were mainly financial such as getting rid of debts and having savings. I had three credit cards and one of them was particularly bad. I did a balance transfer to a 0% for 14 months credit card and paid the other two off. Now I have only 1/3 of the original debt remaining and planning to pay it all...

One of the best finds in Sephora was this mascara set which had 9 trial-sized and 1 full size of their top selling mascaras (Urban Decay, YSL, Sephora, Lancome, Kat Von D, Boxom, Benefit, Josie Marant, Shashbox, Clinique plus Sephora eye make-up remover).It was around AUD$50 which is a good value for the amount of product you get. I love that it lets you try all these different products before splurging on the best one. I've only tried Benefit's They are real and didn't like it that much. My trip wouldn't be complete without EOS lip balms. I've tried strawberry one before and really liked it so I've collected all the flavours I could find - strawberry sorbet, honeysuckle honeydew, sweet mint, pomegranate raspberry, lemon drop and summer fruit.   ...and given that nail polishes are about 1/2 price of what we pay here made me come back with few of them. I got OPI in ski slope sweetie which is a sheer white polish with gold glassy shimmer and t...

Two weeks ago I returned from my long-anticipated USA trip. I went there to celebrate my 30th Birthday and really enjoyed my trip. It made me see certain things in different light and learn to appreciate what I already have. Deep and meaningful thoughts aside I managed to bring quite a collection of beauty products that were either unavailable in Australia or are way way cheaper in US which was frequently encountered. After trying a small sample of Midnight Recovery from Kiehl's I was set on getting a full-size bottle. I managed to nab bigger 50 ml size plus got lots of generous samples as well. Sephora was full of weird and wonderful beauty tools so I've picked up soft silicone cleansing pad and super soft facial brush. They both do an amazing job at giving my skin an extra cleanse which being very gentle.   Suncare range was equally as impressive, I even saw SPF 100 sunscreen. I am very picky with sunscreen and dislike the majority of sunscreens so...

It took me good 3 weeks to finish this post. I started a new job couple of weeks ago and I work more hours that before plus social life is getting busy so as you imagine I haven't got much time left for blogging.  Another lot of products has been emptied and some thrown away... Here is what I've used up in the last couple of months 1. REDKEN Blonde Glam treatment   My overall impression - Colour-depositing treatment with gorgeous scent. It neutralized brassy tones in my highlighted hair and makes it very shiny and soft Would I buy it again? - Yes, I think it was my 3-4 bottle of this stuff 2. Billie Goat Milk and Honey soap My overall impression - yummy scented and very moisturising soap that helped my skin when it was extra sensitive. It is probably the nicest "sensitive skin safe" product I managed to find. Would I buy it again? - Yes, if I have to. It only lasted me couple of weeks (I usually get 2+ months from my shower gels). 3. B...

Its that time of the year when David Jones releases their semi-annual Delux Sampler Tote along with Beauty Book loaded with lots of specials. I am a sucker for these totes and I get them almost every time it comes out. I found lots of good products through sampling the content and it gives me a good supply of travel and gym-bag friendly skincare. I was particularly impressed by Spring '14 edition. I can see myself using 85% of its content. I am particularly looking forward to Pear and Lime candle and Laura Mercier Primer. I also adore the Sydney themed canvas tote which probably will become my new compact gym bag. In my tote I got: 1. KORA Organics Sample pack with body lotion, body wash and day and night cream. So far I tried only face mask from Ms Kerr range and really liked it so I am very keen to try other products. I am taking all my sachets of body washes, creams, shampoos etc. to my upcoming US trip as they take little or no space compared to mini bottles. 2. ...

Not that long ago Strawberrynet had Lancome Teint Miracle foundation on sale for just $30 (usually they  plus they had my shade (for ref. MAC NC25, Chanel 02, medium fair) so I decided to blind buy it. It promised bare skin perfection and illuminating effect.  It comes in my favorite type of bottle - a pump bottle. As you can see straight away it has some super fine shimmer to it. Texture is quite liquid (apparently it has a high concentration of water) and very easy to blend. It gives moderate coverage that can be increased if desired. It provides natural sheer glowy finish. The shade as you can see is quite yellow-based and not suitable for a very fair skin (it supposed to be one of the lightest) but I prefer my foundations to be more yellow than pink as it gives my complexion a nice glow. It feels very light on skin and glides easily, you can quickly apply it with hands and set it with a bit of powder for a fast out-in-5 minutes make-up. It has very pleasant scent, ...

I rarely get a day off on Thursday but I was lucky enough to get today off. Sometimes I really need to stay at home by-myself...doing whatever I want, listening to favorite embarrassing music and watching TV shows. Today I also got not one but three parcels in the mail and one of them was July Bellabox. It certainly wasn't as impressive as last lot but I will still use the majority of the products. The these was American Beauty but I must admit it didn't translate into the content of the box. So here is what I got 1. Urban Rituelle Island Citrus Body Scrub 100 ml- value $14.95 I was relieved to see that I scored a body scrub instead of body cream (I have more that enough to last me for ages). It smells like citrus and coconuts and has medium sized salt-like granules. It also contains coconut oil so it will be great for winter but a no-no before fake tanning as oils can affect the application. 2. ModelCo Black Eye Pencil - value $18.00 I am not a big fan of Modelco...

I haven't received any beauty boxes for quite sometime so I decided to sign up for one this month because they had really good promo on FB ($10 inc. postage)   These boxes can be hit and miss but this one is definitely impressive It came with InStyle magazine worth $9.95 which is a nice bonus and it gives me a good excuse to have a bath and detox my brain.  1. Herbal Essences Naked Shine Shampoo and Conditioner - value $2 Apparently silicone and paraben free plus they have nice neutral smell...I don't usually use supermarket shampoos but these will be great for my gym bag. 2. Kora Organics Hydrating Mask - value $49.95 I was stoked to receive this famous full-sized product. I currently don't have a moisturizing face mask and my skin is on the dry side so it definitely arrived at a right time. 3. Mary Kay at play eye trio - value $18.00 Looks nice but I don't often wear colours like these so will be giving it away. 4. L'Oreal Base Mag...

I love Strawberrynet and I've been shopping there for nearly 10 years and never had any issues. I like getting my hair products there as they are often on special and you get a salon-quality product for supermarket price. My shampoo supplies are getting low. So this time I got Sebastian Color Ignite shampoo for blonde and multi-tonal hair (I have blonde highlight and lowlights). It received positive reviews on makeupalley plus SN had it for just $23 for huge 1L bottle. I was expecting purple shampoo but this product is actually milky white. It smells very neutral too which I like :) Couldn't resist another Jack Black lip balm in Grapefruit and Ginger! I already have Lemon and Camomile and absolutely love how it instantly sinks into my lips without being heavy or sticky yet it is very moisturising. Jack Black skincare is designed for guys so these lip balms won't leave your lips shiny. As a bonus I received Cath Kidson Cherry Blossom hand cream. I already have lots ...

...more like yesterday but Mondays are always crazy for me and I never get a chance to blog on mondays unless it is a public holiday. It is getting a lot cooler in Brisbane so naturally my sleeves got longer and my pants got thicker. Clockwise Shoes - Mimco Mascara - Benefit Scent - Narcisso Rodriguez for Her Foundation - Lancome 24 h Teint Idole Eye shadows - Dior Impression Cuir Top - Witchery Pants - Country Road <3

It got cooler, the days got shorter, clothes got darker and longer and my hair and skin got drier. There are few things at the moment that I tend to reach for the most. So here are mine mild Australian winter favourites Tokyo Milk Lip Elixir in Dead Sexy It comes in big 20 g tin container with nice dark antique design. The texture of this lip balm is thick and waxy and it does very smooth on my lips and relieves discomfort immediately. However my favourite part if the scent which includes the notes of Ebony Wood, Warm Vanilla, Citrus Peel, Rosewater! It taste a bit like jasmine tea and has slight sweetness to it. I love using it and getting close to hitting the pan already. It is not the most handbag-friendly packaging therefore it lives in my desk drawer.   Kerastase Elixir Ultime I scored this hair oil as a freebie from Oscar Oscar when they have a Kerastase promotion. My hairdresser advised me to use colour-free hair oil as my beloved Morrocanoil is too yellow and...

Another lot of 10 beauty related items was finished by me since February plus I threw away a huge bag of expired and old make-up and skincare. I have been good and haven't really purchased anything apart from perfume. 1. L'Occitane Essence Sublime  My overall opinion - Pleasant serum with semi-matte finish and gorgeous subtle floral scent that instantly absorbed into my skin and make it velvety and soft. It came in my glass pump bottle and I used it very quickly (mainly as a make-up base). Would I buy it again?- Yes, I was very impressed and it suits my skin well. 2. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Foundation My overall opinion - Creamy foundation with medium coverage and natural radiant finish. Would I buy it again?-Not sure. While I like the finish, texture and how it felt on my skin the lasting power wasn't that great. 3. Vichy Normaderm Micellar Water My overall opinion -I remember when I first used it I was surpr...

It is something I wanted to do for few week now. I always liked the look of multiple earrings and even pierced a second hole in my ear when I was 11 (which then I took out and it eventually healed). Tragus piercing to me looked very appealing but painful. However after speaking to few people who had it done I realised it doesn't seem to be as bad. Today I summoned my courage and called Cosmetics Plus at Carindale. They told me to come in as Fridays are usually not very busy. I've applied plenty of EMLA numbing cream on the area 30 min before (however I was told it is best to apply it 45 to 60 min prior). The whole process took 10 minutes and set me back $35 including the earring.     The girl who did my piercing was very nice and friendly. She first marked the spot with a marker pen and asked if I was happy with the placement, I've decided that I wanted it a bit lower hence why you can see a bit of ink residue above the piercing. Then she disinfected the area and a...

Yes, I know...I've been missing :) Life suddenly got really busy and had some unexpected twists and turns... The change in weather called for some wardrobe updates but my hours at work have been reduced so I could only afford a handful of items. Shopbop had 25% off sale recently so I got my hands on... BB Dakota Fleming Ponte Dress...RRP$84, paid $44.10 I was lacking a good fitted black dress in my wardrobe and this one was a great find. It is made from thick material so it is very very flattering yet sexy and figure hugging. Club Monaco Ana Sweater...RRP$160, paid$60 I had this sweater for 3 weeks and already wore it at least 5 times. It is made from a quality blend and feels soft and warm I currently have only one pair of work shoes so I needed more but couldn't find anything I liked. I have to wear fully enclosed shoes to work for H&S reasons. I've been in the industry for over 10 years now and let me tell you that there has been a...