Days Like These

Monday 8 September 2014

Some days, more so than others, can be really trying can't they?  Today seems to be one of those days for me.  This weekend, I hosted a linen party at my house - sort of like a Tupperware party, but with linen (obviously).  I invited around ten people, of which only two came - my mum and my brother's lovely girlfriend.  But that's okay - I wasn't expecting a huge turnout, and people have lives, so no biggie.  It turned out to be a nice afternoon with our small group, and the products were lovely and luxurious.

I had a horrendous headache before it even started, so I was struggling.  But I put on a brave face and enjoyed the time.  I was really looking forward to having my brother, his girlfriend and my nephew over for dinner afterwards, as it's not that often I get to spend much time with them.  But of course a savage migraine hit, didn't it?  I could feel it coming on all day, and then bang - the nausea set in, and my head felt as though it was going to explode.  I could feel that I needed to be sick, and I was just trying to pretend it wasn't there.  Of course we had to cancel dinner, and I spent the rest of the evening on the bathroom floor.

I know it may be a little hard to understand for some people, why something like that would be so upsetting to me.  I mean, everyone gets sick right?  And it's family, so they understand of course.  But to me, this is an ongoing cause of disappointment in my life, and every time it happens, I feel genuinely upset for days afterwards.

Today I'm at work (writing this on my lunch break, don't worry!), and I'm struggling to keep a smile on my face.  For me, it's obviously more than just the physical effects - the chronic pain and the aftermath of something like a migraine, where I feel sick and exhausted for days after.  It's my emotional issues that are triggered also.  I get upset over something that in the scheme of things may be small, but for me it's a daily battle - it doesn't just happen once, it's in my face every day.  And something like this just reminds me of it in a big way.

It's one disappointment after another.  It's one plan after another that has to be cancelled.  It's having to say no to things, that if it weren't for my health, I would love to do.  It's saying "good thanks", when someone asks me how I am, when really I just want to burst into tears.

There isn't a profound point to this post.  But it occurred to me that there are plenty of others out there feeling the same way, at this same moment.  So why not share, and in turn, maybe someone else may take comfort in knowing they aren't alone.

Here's hoping tomorrow will be a better day!

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My Current Favourites

Friday 5 September 2014

I've been feeling really bad about how slack I've been with posting lately, so today I thought I'd do a quick Current Favourites post for you, to keep the momentum going.



The first thing on my list, is my Shanghai Suzy lipstick in The Gossling Lippie.  This lipstick is just so beautiful and luxurious!  The colour is stunning and I'm so impressed with the formula and how long it lasts.  I have three Shanghai Suzy lipsticks, which I received in a goodie bag at a blogging event thrown by Sparkling Soiree.  I got so many beautiful products in that bag, but I think this one is still my absolute favourite thing!







Next is another little gift I received in the same goodie bag.  It's the None Of Your Beeswax lip balm by Lush.  I've really been enjoying this one.  To be honest, for the past few years, I've kind of gone off lip balms in that I really don't remember the last time I actually purchased one.  I tend to stick to my paw paw ointment, or even just plain old Vaseline for my lips!  But this lip balm, I love!  It smells so beautiful, like honey with a hint of coconut.  And like all Lush products, the formula is organic and is lovely to wear.  It lasts a long time and really moisturises well.  I love it!




My absolute, hands down favourite bath & shower product at the moment, is the Soap and Glory Scrub Actually body scrub.  I was super excited when I discovered that Mecca Maxima now stock Soap and Glory, as I've been wanting to try one of their scrubs, ever since I saw Zoella mention them in one of her videos.  I picked up Scrub Actually, at the recommendation of one of lovely sales assistants, and I have been obsessed with it ever since.  It smells so gorgeous - that lime and brown sugar scent that Soap and Glory are known for.  And as far as scrubs go, it is one of the more harsh ones I've tried - but that is what I was after - a really good body exfoliant!  I can't rave about this enough - I love it so, so much!









If you read my last post, you will understand why I am including the next product as a favourite.  It's the Nails Alive Dry Hard top coat.  I have been so impressed by this product and I was sold from the minute I tried it.  I won't go on too much about it, as I have already posted a detailed review.  But let's just say, I'm a little obsessed!








And for a couple of non-beauty related favourites, I have to include Taylor Swift's Shake It Off - I cannot stop singing it and bopping around every time it comes on.  It has to be the catchiest song around at the moment, I love it!

And last, but definitely not least - I have been in love with watching Orange Is The New Black!  It is one of the best shows I've come across since my obsession with Breaking Bad.  I can't stop watching it, I love it so, so much!  If you haven't seen it, I absolutely recommend giving it a shot - if you're anything like me, you'll be hooked from the first episode!




So, those are my current favourites!  I'd love to hear what yours are, so please do leave a comment if you'd like to share. 

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Nails Alive Dry Hard Review

Wednesday 3 September 2014

Recently, a few of my lovely girlfriends and I were having a girly catch up day - watching movies, eating junk food, a glass of wine and painting our nails.  We mixed and matched, and played around with our different nail polish collections, "ooh-ing & ahh-ing" over different colours.  One of my friends handed me this huge bottle of clear polish, and said it was a good top coat.  So I gave it a try and needless to say I went home lusting after this awesome product!

It's called Nails Alive Dry Hard, and basically it's a quick dry top coat.  I've tried quite a few of these in the past, because - like most people - I love painting my nails, but I'm super impatient when it comes to waiting for them to dry.

I had to share this one with you, because I can honestly say it is hands down the BEST product of it's kind that I have ever tried!

The bottle says "makes polish hard in 45 seconds", and that's exactly what it does!  You apply it over top of your last coat of colour, and almost instantly it hardens and dries, leaving a beautiful, shiny finish.  Unlike many of these sorts of top coats, this one actually, truly does what it is advertised to do.  It dries!  Not just a little bit, but properly dries and sets the polish.  It doesn't leave the nails tacky at all, and you can literally go and wash your hands after the 45 seconds are up, and the polish will not budge.

I cannot rave about this product enough - I love it so much!


I have yet to find a stockist for Nails Alive in Australia, however I was able to find it on eBay easily enough for around about the $16.00 mark.  It's a huge bottle, and is well worth the money in my opinion.  I'll definitely be repurchasing in future!
Disclaimer:  This is not a sponsored post.  All opinions are my own, and I have not been paid in any way for them.
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