Doing a little pre-spring cleaning

I got these as part of a gift a few years ago- I barely ever use nail polish (maybe once a year?) so I think I'll be giving these away



The nail polish on the left has separated (eww)
I've finished using up my T-Gel Shampoo and my zinc supplements have expired

Update On Life in General

So it has been a while....

I've been busy with exam prep and the actual exams themselves. How did I go? let's not talk about that- it makes me depressed. Nevertheless, about 2 months ago, it quite suddenly struck me that my unhealthy lifestyle wasn't doing me any good. I know, I know, I had always known that junk food wasn't great for the body but I really wanted to start living a healthier, more natural lifestyle.

It all started a couple of years ago when I noticed that I'd break out in a sweat only on my face when I had Red Rock Deli Honey Soy Chicken Chips (I know, that's really specific and gross, sorry). It soon expanded to salty biscuits, cookies, Mcdonald's and now, just about everything that is classified as junk food with the exception of carrot cake.

I decided to change my habits, swap eating out for eating in, purchasing fresh fruits and products in the health food aisle. I also minimised my meat production just because I didn't feel the necessity of eating meat (when I mean meat I mean beef, pork, poultry).

I also started looking at the ingredients in the products that I used on an every day basis; my skincare  and I realised that there were quite a few nasty chemicals e.g. parabens and sulfates. Of course, a little of the stuff in moderation isn't going to kill you but I do used a lot of these types of products on a regular basis so it does become a little concerning.

Why not choose the more natural alternative if it costs pretty much the same and is better for you?

Anyway, that's all just my opinion. Take what you will from it but I definitely am not enforcing any sort of radical ideology on you guys so don't worry :)
I am though, saving a lot of money because my fear of chemicals is preventing me from purchasing any more products (I guess that's a good thing). Of course, I'm not going to waste the products I already have so I will use them up but I definitely won't be repurchasing them.

Enough of my rant, how was your day?

With Love,
The Wallflower

Using up stuff

From Left to right:

1. St. Ives Apricot Scrub; Blemish Control: another one of these yet again but I can assure you, it will be my last one for a long time. (see previous empties posts for mini review)

2. Revlon Colorstay for oily combination skin: as much as this is raved about in the world wide web, it wasn't for me. The colour selection pretty poor and I hated the smell.

3. Sukin Daily Facial Moisturiser: I quite like this stuff- this is my third bottle I think? It's just a basic, affordable daily moisturiser that contains pretty good ingredients e.g. avocado oil

4. Palmers Cocoa Body Scrub; luuurvely smell, basic body scrub, was quite moisturising

5. Sukin Rose hip oil: they say all rose hip oils are the same. they are wrong! honestly, every brand rose hip oil seems to have a different absorption rate and feel on the skin. Maybe its just me. Oh well, this one was decent but personally, I prefer A'kin's Pure Radiance Certified Organic Rosehip Oil
http://www.beautyheaven.com.au/your-body/cellulite-scarring/13265-a-kin-pure-radiance-rosehip-oil 

6. Palmolive Milk and Honey Hand wash: I used this to clean my brushes. I've got nothing to say about it other than the fact that it smells quite pleasant

7. Makeup cotton pads and facial wipes (the Kmart brand): if you're in Australia and you need cotton pads, these are the cheapest and highest quality I've found ($2 for 200 pads). The facial wipes aren't great but they get the job done

So my trial exams ended today

so decided to get home and hack off my hair. It seemed like a fun idea at first... until my parents got home and yelled at me for it

Empties Bonanza

I've been guilty of spending way too much of my time and money on beauty products and after the makeup swap I did with my friend a few months ago, I decided to put myself on a spending ban. Did it work? Well... I did cave a bit, just a little bit but I think the spending ban overall went pretty well. I think I have losing my priceline sister club card to thank for this as well-

1. Soap 2 Go Hand Sanitiser in Strawberry Bliss: it did the job, but the nice smell was a little too strong for my liking

2. La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo: This cult product was a nice gel consistency that didn't break out my skin at all but I don't think it made my skin any better either. I would probably not repurchase this again

3. T.N. Dickinson's Witch Hazel toner: this stuff stinks but you do get used to the smell after a while to the point where my nose can no longer detect the smell. Overall, it's great if you're looking for a basic and affordable toner. Although this is my second bottle and I've also already repurchased another, I will no longer be repurchasing this again simply because I'm looking for an effective alcohol-free toner.

4. Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes: just the standard makeup removing wipe, nothing special. I would not repurchase.

5. Healthy Care Lip Balms in Paw Paw and Acai Berry: I hated this stuff. I was glycerine-y, over glossy and didn't really moisturise the lips

6. Blistex Ultra Lip Balm: I bought this originally for the spf 30 factor but oh my. don't buy this. It not only doesn't really work as a lip balm, I can leave your lips looking a very sickly translucent white. On the bright side, it did prevent lip sun burn :)

7. Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light moisturiser: love love love! Great for summer. I've mentioned this is a 'favouriticisms' post: https://projectprettywallflower.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=U0vE3kYBAAA.CLy5Ya1WOABJHir58xOsKA.6MWgR_JB7FzAVOvGgLPBrg&postId=7006483481748931237&type=POST

8. Burt's Bees Anti-Blemish Solutions:  it was pretty good as a cleanser though I'm not too sure about the anti-blemish claims, at least not on my skin. It is pretty expensive for a pharmaceutical brand and I would not repurchase.

9. Alpecin Double Effect Caffeine Shampoo: was great with dandruff but I didn't use it long enough to note the hair growth promotion it claimed. The used it up pretty quickly (less than a month)

10. St Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub: this is my 3rd bottle of the stuff so I do quite like it. I would like to try out some other scrubs too so I would be repurchasing this any time soon but maybe in the near future.

11. Lush BB Seaweed Fresh Face Mask: see future blogpost :)

12. Hydratherapy Replenishing Eye Cream: didn't think too much of this product just because I don't quite have aging eyes so I can't really notice any vast improvements. It was really cheap though, about $7 and you got 30ml.

13. Samples of the Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport Suncreen and After Sun Repair: didn't think much of this stuff either. It was ok but I don't think i'll be forking out $50 on a sun screen any time soon.

14.  Wella Moisture Shampoo: I quite liked the fact that it cleansed my hair yet retained as moisture to the hair without being overly heavy.

15. Simple Kind to Eyes Eye-Makeup Remover: decent eye makeup remover that did its job but boy oh boy! it stings when it gets into your eyes which for me is quite often.

Style Icon

What's not to love about this simple yet classy look?

Digging into the famous coconut oil

Mini Swap- What I got

1. A handful of samples including face masks, lash cards, bb creams
2. Almay Smart Shade pressed powder
3. Tea Tree Essence from some Korean brand
4. Sukin facial moisturiser for sensitive skin
5. Maybelline Dream mousse blush in shade 40 soft plum
6. Tony Moly Kiss Lover Live Tint, lip and cheek tint
7. Sugar Baby Tahiti Sweetie eye and lip palette

I'm looking forward to trying out all this,

xxx The Wallflower

Style icon- Vanessa Hudgens

effortlessly elegant  

Mini Swapsies

Prior to my "Its official" blog post, I agreed to a mini makeup swap with one of my friends. Here's what I got her:

- Skin Food 3D face masks in Aloe Vera and Pomegranate
- Tony Moly Tomatox whitening massage pack (the sample version, the saleswoman gave it to me with the mask purchase)
- Face of Australia Glamazon Palette in Minx (comes with a blush and highlight)
- Covergirl Lip Perfection Gloss Balm in Scarlet Twist (its a lip crayon)
- Almay Softies eyeshadow in Crème Brulee
- Nivea Cleaning Mousse for Normal Skin

I also got her two extra things I've already given to her in advance
- Chi Chi Crayon Eyeliner in U Sexy Thing
- Elf Hypershine Lip Gloss in Flirt

I can't wait until for the swap on Sunday!

Until next time,

xxx The Wallflower

English Extension creative due tomorrow

gotta start gotta start

Style Icon- Bella Thorne @Divergent Premiere

with the enviable face structure of kiera knightley depending on the photo

Besame Mucho

Demi Lovato's leaked song made for her 3rd album 'Unbroken' but was ultimately not selected to be in the actual album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-kgOgTtIys

It's official

I need to go on a spending ban. The sheer number of products I've accumulated over the past year has been ridiculous and as usual, I wasn't even bother doing a blog post on it. Anyway, I've already planned a mini makeup swap with a friend of mine so that will be the last of makeup shopping I will do (directly or indirectly) for myself.

I have decided set out on a little 'project 10 pan' quest in which I try and finish 10 products within the course of 1 month.  However, I'm going to put a twist on it. Instead, I'm going to try and finish ALL makeup, skincare, hair care etc. products and I won't be purchasing anything until I finish all types of the specific type of product. e.g. I have several moisturisers so I won't be purchasing any more until I finish all the ones I already have.

Hopefully I don't get distracted the hype of beauty products.

Wish me luck,

xxx The Wallflower  





sunflower cartoon by lostlillies

a few of my favourite things...

Since the last favouriticisms (I know it's a made of word) post, I've been on far too many little adventures to shopping mall and stocking up on stuff I clearly didn't need. I didn't end up posting what I bought simply because it was so long ago and I didn't really think it was that interesting. Nevertheless, here are my favourites:

1. Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Eyeliner in 005 Nude
love love love this stuff. I use it more than black eyeliner because its it super natural (barely noticeable) and really brightens up your eyes

2. Puretopia Instant Moisture Moisturiser with SPF 15
This has a lovely consistency, smell, no residue and definitely doesn't make me oily throughout the day. being a 2 in 1 product, it's great for a lazy day when I can't be bothered with the separate sunscreen and moisturiser.

3. Australis Colour Inject Lipstick in ChaCha
this is a fairly bright berry red colour that I have enjoyed using as a cream blush. The lipstick itself is very moisturising, vibrant and lasts a long time

4.  Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 220 Natural Beige
I absolutely love this foundation. It matches my skin perfectly and leaves a natural finish to the skin. Even though I have acne, I still like the light to medium coverage it provides and I just add a little extra concealer on extra angry spots.

5. La Roche Posay Efflacar Duo
What a Cult beauty favourite! This, in combination with a variety of other factor have really improved the appearance of my skin. It is a clear gel which can be used for day and night and definitely isn't overdrying or harsh on my skin. I tend to concentrate it on my spots and spread it thinly to the rest of my face as an acne preventative measure. Since this post was uploaded, my views on this product has changed. After I stopped using this product, the condition of my skin did not change and therefore, I don't think the product really did anything for my skin.


6. Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub
I bought this to cheer myself up after exams and although it was a steep $10 and totally diy-able, I've been addicted to it! As strange as it may sound, it smells and tastes (it is safe to eat) great but I would say Cotton Candy flavour, definitely not bubblegum. It is a really sweet smell though so it's not for everyone and keep in mind that smelling it in the store aint gonna cut it. It will smell completely different at home unless you really block out all the other smells and sniff hard.

7. ELF luscious liquid lipstick in Cherry Tart
Super cheap and super nice. It has a very similar colour to the Revlon Kissable glossy balm crayon stain thin in 001 honey. The only difference is the elf one doesn't last as long but still... it's a tenth of the price of the Revlon one.


It's way past my bed time,

xxx Wallflower

Style icon- Karen Gillan

Emptiness #1

Well, it has been a while.... I've been really busy lately, wither exams yet even after that chaos, I still couldn't be bothered blogging. I must admit, I was procrastinating.

Anyway, onto my empties (products I've completely used up) so from the top:

1. Aveeno Tinted Moisturiser: Ok, I must confess, I didn't finish this stuff but I honestly, we didn't get along at all! The fragrance smelt clean but strong, it stung my eyes, it was sparkly, balled up really quickly and was overall just a bad product

2. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer (Shade: Medium)
   It's quite a favourite amongst the beauty community and I quite like it too. I use it on under eyes, blemishes, redness and scarring and it does a pretty decent job at concealing those issues too. Although I have repurchased it 3 times now, I one thing I hate about it is the  twisty packaging. I don't know about your packaging but I waste so much product because the mechanisms don't work properly. I wish they went back to their old squeezy tube packaging.

3. Simple Facial Toner (travel size)
Quite a standard toner, really nothing special except for the fact that it's alcohol free (always a plus) and fairly cheap. I might repurchase it one day.

4. Sukin Facial Moisturiser:
this is just my everyday night time moisturiser. I have normal-combination skin so I don't need a heavy duty moisturiser. I'm currently on my 4th bottle of this stuff and still loving it.

5. Sukin Foaming Facial Cleanser:
A very gentle foaming cleanser that overall works ok but definitely won't repurchase. I'm weird in that I love an EXTRA EXTRA foam foaming cleansers and for me personally, there just wasn't enough foam going on. I'm one of those people that doesn't feel clean unless there's lots of foam.

See you soon,

xxx
The Wallflower

i don't want it to end

For the past 2 years of my life, I've been really looking forward to the end of high school, you know, the freedom, the university courses, the absence of school uniform etc. I've almost been so excited by the concept of university that I've practically neglected my studies.

It's the holidays now and I was starting and finishing my yearbook page and then it hit me. I really don't want high school to end. The responsibility, the university courses, the reality of what it life. I've been fiercely protected by a schooling system all this time and I really don't know what the 'brave new world" has to offer. I'm terrified to say the very least.

my health is failing me

I screwed up my toe and its not getting better. I pray that it does. If it can get better without medical help, I will believe there is a god, there is a miracle maker

Happy International Women's Day!

C'mon and inspire change
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/events.asp#.UxnIT9e4bIV

Eating Arrowroot Biscuits With Butter

because I want to

Favouriticisms I

 

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-purpose Dry Oil: It moisturises the skin without the greasiness of a traditional oil. It is on the slightlier pricey side at $39.95 AUD but its sheer versatility means you can use this on just about everything. Personally, I like to spray it on my neck and décolletage (chest area). It also smells like a dream and the scent lingers on pleasantly for hours so it doubles up as my everyday scent.
http://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/hand-and-body/skin-moisturisers/huile-prodigieuse-100.0-ml

Lush Sea Spray: I actually got this as a Kris Kringle gift from a friend. this stuff smells amazing once you spray it onto your hair, adding a little volume and texture to your hair. It's great for a day when I'm lazy (which is most of the time) and I feel like sprucing things up a bit. (RRP 12.50 AUD)
http://www.lush.com.au/shop/product/product/path/147_152/id/1525/hair-styling-products-sea-spray

Puretopia Soothing Mist and toner: the refreshing citrusy zing of this spray really does spritz me awake on a groggy day. The only downside is that there is such thing as over spraying and it can get a little sticky on the skin. It's paraben/ sulphate free, not tested on animals and for all you sensitive skin people out there, there's no alcohol :) (14.95 AUD)
http://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/face-care/facial-toners/refresh-and-balance-hydrating-soothing-mist-and-toner-125.0-ml

Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Moisturiser: I love this stuff. I got it in a travel size but I will definitely repurchase when I finish using this up. Its really light and cooling on the skin and it has no fragrance.  As the brand suggests, this is a simple moisturiser; it doesn't boast any miraculous properties and its great on the go. (9.99 AUD)
http://www.priceline.com.au/index.php/skincare/face-care/facial-moisturisers/hydrating-light-moisturiser-125.0-ml

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer: This might be sold as an under eye concealer but who cares! I use it on my aggressive red spots when I can bothered and it works a charm. The coverage is great and the medium shade matches my tanned yellow undertone skin well.
http://www.priceline.com.au/index.php/cosmetics/face/concealer/instant-age-rewind-eraser-concealer-5.9-ml

Smith's Rosebud Lip Salve: The multipurpose balm claims to help with blemishes, detergent burn etc. but personally I just use it to soothing moisturising my lips. I've tried the famous chap sticks and lucas pawpaw ointment both of which I think is overhyped. For those of you who don't like sticking your finger in it's goodness, it is also available in a tube form and in tinted varieties. (10 AUD)
http://store.americanapparel.com.au/smith-s-rosebud-salve_salve#

So there you have it, my personal favourites for this month. What are some of yours?

Between the Bars- An introduction to Elliot Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPD-a1FjUtU

Winter: Eye Like It

It also comes with a sizeable mirror and 2 shadow applicators

I had been previously conflicted over whether I to purchase this eye shadow palette, repeatedly searching it up only to find reviews on its sister palette (a great review here: http://www.labmuffin.com/2014/01/sportsgirl-eye-like-it-palette-review.html).

On my  mini adventure to Officeworks with two of my friends with the express purpose of buying stationery supplies, I couldn't resist submerging into the energetic vibes of the nearby Sportsgirl store.  I took one look at it, asked for my friends' opinion and caved. I bought it!



The SPORTSGIRL WINTER EYE LIKE IT PALETTE has intriguing floral cardboard packaging is quite sturdy with the classic magnetic lid to prevent damaging the gems inside. For those of you who love depotting; it will be a breeze. From what I can see, the shadows are glued to the foam backing of the package so it shouldn't be too hard to pull off. However, caution to the butter fingers out there (like me), continuous dropping of the shadows with the lid open (you never know) may result in the detachment of shadows from its packaging. That should be too much of a concern though because:

The colour and quality is beautiful :) You could go as far as saying that this palette is rather Urban Decay Naked Palette inspired. Considering the fact that the $14.95 AUD eye shadow palette has 12 shimmery neutrals, it is a HUGE bargain in comparison to most other makeup available in Australia.




Yes, I apologise in advanced- the picture is upside down and the lighting isn't great

Overall, they are quite pigmented (some more so than others and I didn't use a primer), smooth and fairly easy to work with. I have tanned skin so some of the colours don't show up as obviously me as they would on paler girls. I would especially recommend this palette for anyone who wants wearable yet versatile shades or prefer makeup that is not tested on animals. And yes, the palette might not have an assortment of mattes, glitters, shimmers etc. but for everyday or a night out look, this palette should work fine.

Just in case you're interested too and remember that theses palettes tend to be limited edition so hurry: http://www.sportsgirl.com.au/beauty/eyes/winter-eye-like-it-bronze-all

Have Fun,

The Wallflower

Supremo Burger?

Had Nandos for the first time today after my English Exam. Had a $10 supremo burger.
It was... so so

I would buy a cardiovascular inducing Macdonald's cheeseburger over this any day.

Since I'm allergic to the idea of taking pictures of food, so I'm going to paste a picture from the internet: Imagine this

 

but browner (whole wheat bread), on a plate and nicer looking

Iron and Wine

So tell me, Should I go to the Iron and Wine Concert this holiday?

the happenings of today

- could barely wake up this morning ( not like its any different any other day)
- got on train with friend and had math class early
- assembly wasn't too bad
- bought a 'club' sandwich and mango and coconut bread. they both tasted great!
-some informative classes
-at the train station, someone shouted my name. I had no idea who it was because I wasn't wearing my glasses
- now i'm procrastinating.yay