2016 December Favourites ♡

Twenty-sixteen is over. The last few months of this year flew by way to quickly. I have been really enjoying relaxing over the Christmas break, however I am still working as per usual. I have discovered a few amazing products this past month which I am very keen to share. Looking back at my past favourites posts has made me realise how much make up I have collected and how amazing some of the products have been this year. There has been so many new brands I have discovered and I am very pleased with my collection right now. 

♡Mario Badescu Skincare Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rose Water - This product gives me life. This was a random impulse by when I was standing in line, waiting to pay at Mecca Maxima. I turned to my left and there it was, this beautiful rose water for just $9.00. Believe me when I say that this product has made my skin so radiant and healthy looking. I use it before my make up, as a setting spray, throughout the day and before I go to bed. <- Maybe a little excessive but it is such a multi-functioning product and I am obsessed with it. 

♡Zoella Beauty Double Creme Body Cream - I love me some Zoella Beauty, especially her body creams. My collection is slowly growing. For staters, this body cream smells bloody amazing. It has this beautiful vanilla, marshmallow scent that is not sickly sweet at all. Moisturising is something that I struggle with because I am so lazy. However, this product makes my skin feel so incredibly soft that I am constantly wanting to moisturise.

♡Zoella Beauty Blissful Mistful Fragrance Body Mist - Surprise surprise another Zoella Beauty product. I absolutely love this fragrance. It is a very light fresh and floral scent that is perfect for spring and summer. It is not too over powering which is lovely for a day wear mist. 

♡Colour Pop Lippie Stix in 'Brink Matte' - This shade is a beautiful nude with a pink undertone. The formula is very hydrating, unlike many matte lip products that I have tried. It is very comfortable to wear and quick to apply because it is a crayon which makes it easy to line the lips. It is not super matte, it still has a sheen to it which is what I like because it does not make my lips look dry. 

♡Colour Pop Ultra Satin Lip in 'Dopey' - When I first swatched this shade, I did not like it because for some reason it appeared to have a really ashy undertone. The more I used it, the more I started to like it. It is a mauve shade (typical Sara), although it is more on the purple spectrum. I love the formula of this; Colour Pop lip products are known to be quite identical to Kylie Cosmetics, however Colour Pop ones are so much better. This has a satin finish so it is very comfortable to wear on the lips. They smell good too which is a bonus. 

Music:

Waves - Dean Lewis

Just Hold On - Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson

Starboy - The Weekend

Million Reasons - Lady Gaga

Can't Help Falling in Love (cover) - Christian Akridge
Fast Car (acoustic) - Jonas Blue
Perfect Strangers (acoustic) - Jonas Blue

Films:
HAIRSPRAY LIVE. If you know me you would know how much I bloody love Hairspray. I have been waiting for Hairspray Live since it was announced and it did not fail to amaze me. I love the cast so much! Derek Hough was literally born to be Corny Collins, Ariana Grande slayed my life and so did Garret Clayton, Ephraim Sykes, Jennifer Hudson and of course Maddie Baillio. . The choreography, music, costumes and set were amazing. I just want to re-watch it over and over again. 

The Little Things:

Pamper time has been something that I have been trying to incorporate in my week. It is a great way to relax and cleanse your soul. We all tend to have a minds focused on other things that we forget to take time out and treat ourselves, well for me at least. I love putting on a detoxifying mask to cleanse my skin, which has been something that I have been mistreating recently. Hand creams have become apart of my daily routine (honestly turning into my mother). I also love the simple yet dreadful tasks such as exfoliating and moisturising the entire body. I get so lazy when it comes to taking care of my body, so setting time to do all this is a really good self confidence/esteem booster. 

No make up days have also been amazing for my skin. I love wearing make up but sometimes I feel like my skin needs time to breath. I have always been a little self conscious when I don't wear make up but I am slowly, slowly learning to accept what I look like because there is no point wasting time caring about stupid things when we are all unique and beautiful. As dumb as this probably sounds, I find  sometimes skipping a few steps of my make up routine really helps in developing that positive self esteem. By getting out the house without make up, I have learnt that it is not the end of the world.

I hope you all have enjoyed 2016. It was a crazy year full of exciting beauty products, music and films. As well as a whole lot of life lessons and experiences. I hope you have a lovely Christmas and New Years. God bless.

Love Always,
Sara xo

2016 November Favourites ♡

I cannot believe that we are now in the last month of 2016! It has gone way too quickly. This past month started up not so uplifting. I have been feeling pretty run down lately - hopefully that changes as we are officially in full festive mode...This is a little different to my usual monthly favourites because I unfortunately did not accumulate any new and amazing products to share but I wanted to talk about a couple of life style favourites instead. Also, there is quite the horror/thriller theme with all the films I have been watching through November.

Music
Scars to your beautiful - Alessia Cara
Wild Things - Alessia Cara
How Far I'll Go - Alessia Cara
Safe Inside - James Arthur
Can I be Him - James Arthur 
Run - Snow Patrol

TV Shows/Movies
The Conjuring 2 - I finally watched it. Alone in my room. To be honest, I did not get as scared as I thought I would. I got a little emotional at some parts in the film (is that weird), like when they all sang together..my heart was full. I just really enjoyed watching it. 100% better than the first one.

Don't Breathe - I strangely enjoyed this film. I'll be honest, some bits are a little cringe worthy but it is one of those films where you are sitting on the edge of your seat, trying not to make any noise because you feel like you are in the movie. Hence the name 'Don't Breathe' ha ha ha.

Ouija; Origin of Evil - I think after watching this movie, it is fair to say that I will never touch a Ouija board. I do not care if someone pays me a million dollars. Any-who, I really enjoyed watching this. It is not overly scary, but there are a few jump scares that made my heart skip a beat.

Fantastic Beasts; and Where to Find Them - The long, anticipated wait is over. I have been excited for this movie since it was announced. I absolutely loved every second of it. If you love Harry Potter, you would very much enjoy this film. It was a perfect combination of all the emotions. - I did shed a few too many tears. Basically, J.K Rowling is life so go and see this film now!

American Horror Story Season 6 - I freaking love AHS. I was a little confused watching this season at first because it is so different to all the other ones. However, I am obsessed! It is so twisted yet humorous and emotional at the same time. I love the cast and everything about it. It is hands down up there with my top favourite AHS seasons.

Memory:
RETREAT! The last few days of November, progressing on to December, my year group went on a retreat. Despite the increasingly large amount of flies, intense stuffiness in the rooms, broken shower doors, creepy sounds in the evening, tears and sleepless nights; I had a lovely time. It was one of those retreats where you just switched off from reality and got heart to heart with the people around you. I found out things about people that I never would have thought of or assumed. I have never felt more empathetic towards those around me. It was so nice to hear that I was not alone. 

The Little Things:
Taking Polaroid photos has also been such a fun thing to do with all my friends. I brought my Polaroid camera to my retreat, that had been sitting on a dusty shelf in my room for the past year untouched. I just love the whole thought of capturing a single shot and seeing people's anxious faces as they wait to see if the photo turned out. It is is an amazing way in capturing moments in time + you get cute photos to hang around in your room. Also, an amazing Christmas gift for yourself or someone obsessed with taking photos.

I hope you enjoy the final month of 2016! I am so excited because Christmas is just around the corner, followed by the start to a new year. I cannot wait to watch Elf over and over again.

Love always,
Sara xo

Too Faced Bon Bons Palette

Too Faced is hands down my favourite high-end brand. Everything about the company is amazing. It was my birthday early October and my lovely girl, Jess got me this lovely Too Faced Bon Bons Palette! (she told me I had to do this review so enjoy). 

The Too Faced Bon Bons palette includes 16 eyeshadows ranging from mattes to shimmers. Like all Too Faced palettes, two of the eyeshadows can be used as a highlight. Although, I do find them a little chalky to be used as a cheekbone highlight. The matte shadows are easy to blend  and pigmented. However, I do wish the shimmers had more of a colour pay off. My favourites at the moment would have to be 'almond truffle', 'mocha', 'bordeaux', 'cafe au lait' and 'molasses chip'. These shades in particular create a beautiful sultry eye look that is perfect on all eyes colours - particularly hazel eyes as the warm tones are complimentary. 

Overall, I do recommend this eyeshadow palette. I have been wearing it most days and get tonnes of compliments. It has some amazing natural shades with a few pops of colour to play around with. That being said, there are many palettes out there with similar tones. What are your thoughts on this palette? 

Love always,
Sara xo

2016 October Favourites ♡

This month started off in a not so uplifting way. The first of October was my birthday and boy was that the most miserable birthday I've ever had. I did not want to talk or see anyone. I have no clue why I was acting as such, I guess the day did not turn out how I planned...Any-who I did not discover an extensive amount of things to share, this is all really.

♡ Too Faced Bon Bons Palette: I have obsessed with this palette! I am a huge fan of Too Faced and it was expected that this palette would be in my favourites. The eyeshadows are so smooth and easy to blend. My favourite shades are 'Almond Truffle', 'Bordeaux' and 'Mocha'. - The most perfect transition shades you could imagine!

♡ Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector: This beautiful, luxe nude glides on the lips so smoothly. I love the sponge application and chic packaging. It enhances my natural lip colour and looks gorgeous over any nude lipstick.

♡ Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub: An old favourite of mine - My lips have been in the worst condition lately and this baby has saved my life. Evidently, you can make your own scrub with just sugar and lemon juice but it is good to have one on hand that you can take everywhere. I love this scrub because it makes my lips feel soft and minty. 

Music:

This Town - Niall Horan

Love Me Now - John Legend

Desire - Years & Years

All We Know - The Chainsmokers

Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur

I hope you are all enjoying the lovely month of November!

Love always,

Sara xo

2016 September Favourites ♡

Where did this month go! I think I was too busy stressing over end of year exams, getting excited for my birthday and binging on so many old Zoella vlogs. However, I did get to try a whole lot of new beauty products which excites me because I get to share them with you...so grab a cup of coffee and a snack and carry on reading. 

♡Australis Banana Powder: I have been loving using this product to brighten up under the eye. This banana powder is not too yellow so I find it looks great on fair skin. It has a nice, smooth texture and is quite pigmented. It completes any make up look in my opinion so I highly recommended checking out this one if you're after a good banana powder from the drugstore. 

♡Becca Jaclyn Hill Collection Champagne Splits Shimmering Skin Perfector Mineral Blush in 'Champagne Pop - Floweredchild': Believe me when I say that my cheekbones have been on point this past month and I owe it all to this product. The highlight shade is a stunning champagne with gold reflects. It is so pigmented so you don't need to use a lot of the product. This duo is so luxurious and I am obsessed! I have been using the highlight shade more than the blush, only because my cheeks naturally flush; nonetheless the blush incredibly pigmented and looks beautiful on the skin. 

♡Kat Von D Tattoo Liner: I do not at all have steady hands so eyeliner is a bit of a challenge for. Thankfully, Kat Von D has made my life a whole lot easier with this fine liner. It is easy to apply because of the fine tip and allows for great precision when creating a wing -that has allowed me to fly away from everyone's bullshit. The liner lasts all day, even through watching the titanic. I highly suggest checking this one out if you need a new felt tip eyeliner. 

♡Australis Make-Up Finishing Spritz: What is life without setting spray. This spray has been amazing at setting my make-up for the day. It leaves the skin looking healthy and not too dewy or matte - which is what I love. It makes my skin feel hydrated because of the rose water in it. I do not feel complete without it. 

♡Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Parfume: This was a special birthday gift from my mamma bear. I am so obsessed with this scent! It it so flirty and feminine. It is one of those fragrances where you do not need to drown yourself in it because it is quite strong. I am awful at describing scents so if you see this in stores, give it a try! Also, how aesthetically pleasing is this bottle. 

Music:

Heart on Fire - Scott Thomas
Let Me Hold You (Turn Me On) - Cheat Codes
Mercy - Shawn Mendes 
The Sound - The 1975

Movies:
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: I have been waiting for this movie since the first trailer came out. It definitely did not disappoint. Despite the bickering and munching of people in the cinemas (pet peeve), I really enjoyed it. I loved the fantasy world and the characters. I highly recommend you check it out. 

I hope you are enjoying the month of October! 

Love always,
Sara xo

Rimmel London 15th Anniversary Collection by Kate

Lipstick is a girls best-friend - well probably not for some people but I do personally love me some lipstick. Rimmel London is one of the best drugstore brands with good quality lip products - especially the Kate Moss collections. As you might have seen, the 15th Anniversary Collection by Kate recently hit stores. It includes 6 new dreamy shades in this stunning rose gold packaging that I am obsessed with. All shades are have a smooth, satin finish formula. The lasting power is not that great but topping it up is no issue. 

From left to right:
53' Retro Red: A stunning burgundy red shade with a purple undertone. It is easy to apply because of the smooth texture. This one did feel quite uncomfortable after a few hours on my lips so have lip balm on hand. However, it is a pretty colour and suits all skin tones. 

54' Rock N' Roll Nude:  A sweet nude with a baby pink undertone. This nude is perfect if you have fair skin. This one is a bit hit or miss for me because sometimes I feel like it washes me out. Nonetheless it is still a pretty nude.

52' Idol Red: This one is a fire red shade. It has an orange undertone which can unfortunately make your teeth look yellow. I'm not very big on blood orange lip shades as I feel they do not suit me.

51' Muse Red: Your classic red. It has a blue undertone which makes your pearly whites shine. This one is perfect if you're after a bold red lip because the formula is super comfortable and smooth. I much prefer this one than Idol Red because it looks good on all skin tones.

55' My Nude: This nude has a slight pink undertone. It is deeper than Rock n' Roll Nude and a lot more opaque. The formula is very soft and glides on the lips smoothly. It feels comfortable on the lips however, the lasting power is not that great.  

56' Boho Nude: A nude with an apricot undertone. This one is my least favourite out of the nude shades because I don't think it suits me. Although, it would look great on a lot of people. The formula is lovely and applies full colour in one swipe. 

Overall, I think these lipsticks are lovely. The formula glides on the lips smoothly and leaves a nice, satin finish. The long lasting formula was slightly disappointing although, reapplying lipstick is not a problem for me. I found the darker/bold shades to almost flake off my lips which was irritating as it made it feel uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the opaqueness makes up for it.

Love always,
Sara xo

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Butter Cream Icing

Baking is something that I hardly ever do. It is so relaxing and enjoyable but I never make the time for it. Now that my birthday is coming up I want to try out different recipes - plant based of course. So, I decided to make a classic chocolate cupcake with butter cream icing. These are delicious and easy to make; I cannot remember the last time I ate a cupcake! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. 

For the chocolate batter:
All purpose flour - 1-1/2 cups
Baking powder - 1 tablespoon
Coconut sugar - 1/2 cup
Raw sugar - 1/2 cup
Cacao powder - 1/4 cup
Sea salt - 1 teaspoon
Coconut oil - 1/4 cup
White vinegar - 1-1/2 tablespoons
Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
Water - 1 cup

Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
2. Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients in two separate bowls
3. Combine both the wet and dry ingredients in one bowl
4. Mix on a low speed for one minute, a medium speed for another minute and a high speed for two minutes using a hand mixer or kitchen aid.
5. Line baking tray with cupcake cases
6. Pour batter into cupcake cases - about 2/3 full
7. Place in oven for 15 to 20 minutes

For the butter cream icing:
Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
Icing sugar - 2 cups
Dairy free butter - 1 cup
Almond milk - 3 tablespoons
Raw sugar - 1 cup

Steps:
1. Combine all ingredients into a bowl
2. Mix ingredients together using a hand mixer or kitchen aid for about 4-5 minutes (this will make the icing fluffy)
3. Pipe onto cupcakes once cooled
4. (optional) Sprinkle some shredded coconut on top or whatever you desire.

...and finally you can devour! 

Love always,
Sara xo

Sephora & Priceline Beauty Haul

Hi loves, after a long and exhausting two weeks of exams, I finally had the chance to spoil myself with a few make-up goodies. To be fair, I needed to update the products in my collection because I was getting kind of bored.. I placed an order at Sephora and went to Priceline and this is what I got!

Becca Jaclyn Hill Collection Champagne Splits Shimmering Skin Perfector Mineral Blush in 'Champagne Pop - Floweredchild': LOOK AT THIS BEAUTY. I have been dying to try the Champagne Pop highlighter for so long and now I finally have it. I was originally going to purchase just the highlighter but then I saw this cute duo and could not pass it up. Both the highlight and blush are so pigmented and I cannot wait to use this in my make-up routine.

Tarte Tartelette Tease Palette: How cute is this palette. This is evidently the small version of the Tartelette in Bloom Clay Palette. I purchased the mini one because I have never tried Tarte shadows before. This palette has literally all my favourite eyeshadows. All these shades are so pigmented + there is a perfect range of mattes and shimmers. I highly recommend checking out this one!

Original Beauty Blender: I had to get this booty blender (as Patrick Starrr would say). I've gone through so many sponges from other brands so I thought it was time to give the original a go. I am still yet to try this so I will let you know what I think!

Australis Make-Up Finishing Spritz: What is life without setting spray. I love setting spray and I do not feel complete without it. So far I'm loving this one for a dewy finish however, nothing beats the Urban Decay all nighter setting spray. Australis was having a sale so I'd thought I'd give this one a go.

Australis Fresh & Flawless Pressed Powder: Throw back to the good old days when I was starting out with make-up. This powder is a classic. It is incredible quality for the price. It has amazing coverage and is perfect for setting foundation. I cannot wait to start using it again!

Australis Banana Powder: Special thanks to Bella Fiori for always using this in her youtube videos - now I am hooked! The banana powder was the only shade I used from the Australis on tour contour palette so I was really excited when they came out with this as a single pringle. This powder is lovely for brightening under the eyes and completing any make-up look.

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lip Stick in 'Lolita': I have been dying to try a Kat Von D liquid lipstick. This shade is my all time favourite lip colour. It's a mauve with a pink undertone that suits all skin tones. This is very similar to 'Candy K' by Kylie Cosmetics but I feel like the Kat Von D formula is so much better!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner: I have been on the look out for a new liquid liner and I have heard nothing but great reviews on this one so I had to pick it up. I am still yet to use this one but I will update you when I do.

Eylure London Definition Lashes in 'number 121': You cannot go wrong with this classic style of lashes - that is smaller on the inner corner and fuller on the outer edge. I love Eylure lashes because they are lightweight and easy to apply. This pair was too pretty too leave on the shelf. 

That is what I purchased recently. Let me know if you have tried any of these products..I hope you enjoy your week!

Love Always,
Sara xo

Sleek MakeUP - Solstice Highlighting Palette

I was feeling down the other day.. I came home from school and saw this beautiful thing sitting at my doorstep. I was fortunate to receive the Solstice Highlighting Palette by Sleek MakeUP and I'm so keen to review this for you because it has become one of my holy grail products! (I mentioned it in my monthly favourites)

I love Sleek MakeUP and I knew this palette would not disappoint. I opened it and there I see this beautiful, gold packaging. I'll be honest, it felt quite cheep at first because it's really light weight - I suppose that's a good thing? I mean, I don't want to be holding a brick when I apply my highlight. It also comes with a mirror which is handy, plus a brush - let's be real, who actually uses the brushes that come with products? (totally cool if you do, just not my preference)

Any-who, I opened the palette and my jaw dropped. I admired this for a solid three minutes. The palette comes with four high lighting shades, one cream finish, a silky shimmer and two baked powders. The baked powders caught my attention first because I've never owned anything like it. All the powder highlights are highly pigmented as well as the cream finish. 

"Hemisphere" (top right) is a lush baby pink shade that looks perfect on fair skin. It's also perfect for spring! "Equinox" (bottom right) is a beautiful peachy shade with gold reflects. This one is particular has been my favourite because it suits all skin types. "Subsolar" (bottom left) is your classic ivory shimmer. I have been wearing this one every day. It's a little more subtle then the baked powders, although it's blinding in the sunlight - feel a bit like Edward Cullen's. Lastly, "Ecliptic" (top left) I haven't been reaching for this one that much but it's still very loved. It's a pearl-pink shade that is applies as a cream formula and sets in a silky, powder finish. This one is perfect to pair up with any of the powders for a more extreme glow. - cheekbones will be popping. 

Overall, I am very pleased with this palette. It's perfect for all skin tones as you get a nice selection of shades. I highly recommend you check this palette out if you are looking for a new and affordable highlight palette. Let me know if you've tried this! (Target Australia now stocks SleekMakeUP if you did not already know). 

Love Always,
Sara xo

2016 July/August Favourites ♡

Hi my loves, it has been way too long! I cannot express how much I have missed blogging.It feels strange because I have changed my URL (I thought it would be relevant to change it since I always end my posts in 'sara xo'). I'm still thinking about changing my layout because I am getting quite bored with the simplicity but I'll save that for later...Any-who these are my favourites from the past few months..

♡ Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette - I have done a full review on this baby HERE. Basically, this product is perfect. It smells of peaches, every single shade is beautiful, soft and wearable. There's nothing bad to say! If you know me, you know that Too Faced shadows are my absolute favourite! This definitely lived up to my expectations.  p.s I apologise that this is limited addition and I don't think it's still available to purchase!

♡ Rimmel London Fix & Protect Makeup Primer: Rimmel London never fail to impress me. I adore this primer! I have noticed that it makes my foundation application a lot smoother. It makes my skin less dull which is so good (it is winter here in Australia and my skin is a little under the weather). There is SPF25 which is quite handy for day time as the sun still is still out and shining and it is important to protect the skin from those sun rays. 

♡ NYX Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator in 'Sunbeam': Glowing skin has been my favourite thing these past months. This is a gorgeous pearl illuminator, that gives the skin a fresh highlight. I love applying this with my fingers to really work the product in, either before or after my foundation. It sets beautifully and lasts well all day. 

♡ Cover girl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation: This foundation is my new obsession. I normally get pretty oily throughout the day and end up looking like a disco ball. This foundation is oil-free so it does reduce shine, although still adds a healthy glow to the skin. The coverage is light to medium, however it is build-able and comfortable to wear. It lasts all day too which is a bonus! 

♡ Sleek MakeUP Solstice Highlighting Palette: Believe me when I say that this highlighting palette is life. I was kindly gifted this from the beautiful team at Sleek MakeUP. I am so OBSESSED and IN LOVE with this product. It comes with four stunning shades; one of the shades is a cream formula, another is a silky shimmer and the other two are baked powders. All shades are highly pigmented and add a gorgeous glow to the skin. I like to go to town with these highlights to blind the haters. 

♡ Zoella Beauty Wonder Hand Moisturising Hand Cream: I can't believe I'm talking about hand cream (I am becoming more and more like my mother every day)...Any-who, my hands have been so dry this winter and this has saved my life. This hand cream leaves my hands feeling so smooth and smelling very fresh. One thing I love about this product is that it actually sinks into your skin quickly and does not make your hands feel sticky - unlike a bunch of moisturisers I've tried that make my hands feel disgusting. I love Zoe and I was so exciting to try out her products. If you are looking for a new hand cream, I highly suggest checking out this one. (Now available in Target Australia). 

Music:

Unsteady - Erich Lee Gravity Remix/X Ambassadors

When you love someone - James TW

Oceans - Hillsong United

Transfiguration - Hillsong United

TV Show:

Scream - This show hits me right in the feels every episode. I have a love/hate relationship with this because I love that it's got horror, romance, comedy and drama all mixed in one. Although, when I develop this deep love and affection for a character, they end up dying! 

(re-editing this after watching the season 2 finale, I new the killer would be *****)

Memory:

I haven't included a memory in my favourites post for a while (I guess nothing exciting happened in my life).....BUT I DID SEE SELENA GOMEZ IN AUGUST. I got the privilege to see my queen Selena Gomez on the Revival Tour. I was looking forward to this tour for a really long time. I went with my best friend and had the craziest time - from lining up for 8-9 hours in the sun to escaping the mosh pit because it got too much to handle. We meet really lovely people too + I got to see two of my childhood crushes in the same room Selena and Joe Jonas! DNCE were an amazing opening act and I'm crying thinking about it (queue the post concert depression)

That is all my loves. I really want to make an effort to upload regularly again. I hope you all have an amazing September. 

Love Always,

Sara xo