TWTW #14 - Figuring it Out

Every time I think I'm starting to figure myself out, something hits and I'm lost again. Tis the path of life I guess, and I don't think I'm ready to be "sorted" anyhow (though if you ask me, I really would have wanted to be in Gryffindor and would've begged the hat to get me out of Hufflepuff! :P ).

Beauty

The Makeup Area (a sneak peek!)

Ahh, I de-cluttered and simplified my on the table stash and I'm lovin' it. Too many products out and I feel guilty and overwhelmed. I started feeling like I had too much makeup (damn youtube) after talking to a friend who is just starting to get into it, but it honestly is one of my loves and I put a lot of thought into what I buy. Self-justification...

Music

Mariah Carey + Miguel - Beautiful / Lana Del Rey - Young & Beautiful

Oops, didn't realise how similar these titles are but both songs are gorgeous. I just love the production on MC's new song and it's been awhile since I've loved a new song of hers. She was my absolute idol in my young in' years and I'm not ashamed to admit that anymore. I'm not a huge fan of LDR but a piano student of mine showed me this song and it's got me. I initially couldn't take her seriously since I saw that video on SNL but there is something so unique yet authentic about her voice that I love in this song. 

(Home / ) Inspiration

My little room is starting to feel sorted, with of course space to grow. I moved some bits around and have found a little corner to be able to store things for inspiration. Now I'm not a big Harper's Bazaar reader, I'm not a high fashion girl at all, but I'm definitely looking forward to collecting magazines to help me 'hone my style' so to speak, and above all, to be inspired. I don't like the word fashion, but clothing is definitely another creative outlet for me so I'm glad to have found this spot to well, stir that pot..

Hope you've had a lovely week!

love, mai-anne

Topshoppin' [Haul]

Some new pieces I found in the Topshop sale, one of the benefits of living in the opposite pond :P But boy, I didn't realise how pink everything was until now! O_o

TWTW #13: Be Yourself

Nawww how sweet. Hehe, in all seriousness, I've had a soul-searching past few weeks and this month has been about getting my sh*t together. At home, uni, life etc so I'm sorry for ally my "deep and meaningful" posts, it'll get more fun soon :P

Beauty
Wayne Goss Eyelash Tutorial

Lord I've got stick straight mamas hanging off my lids. I've also got thick hair so my lashes are the same and they don't have too bad a length on them but this combination means that most mascaras drag them down almost instantly. I decided on a whim to find some answers on youtube and Wayne Goss (you beaut) answered me. This technique works. *fist pump* Now I just have to find a better mascara that doesn't flake on me. On the other hand, doing this without mascara does keep my lashes curled all day so it's good for those lazy days. 

Music.

Microsoft Zune, 30gb

Yup, I spent $55 on "old" 2006 technology. What?! I missed having my home travelling with me - I've gone from a walkman, to a discman, creative zen, an ipod classic to just an iphone and it wasn't cutting it.  So I decided to get a fat mp3 player to bring it back and I love it, makes me feel whole again. It was actually hard finding something like this. You would think old technology like would be easy to find and be cheap, but most devices are such multi-taskers that simple devices are hard to find (without a hefty price tag). It don't look pretty but I like that - makes me worry less about scratches and an extra device means that I can always have my headphones wrapped around them. Lazy bones..

Find / Book

Blog Inc by Joy Cho

I've been itching to get my hands on this book and I'm so glad I got the physical copy and one for my kindle. I've loved having a blog and even though it's a small fish I know I need to have it in my life. But I've really struggled with direction since I've been in such a strange place in my life. I'm only in the beginning chapters but it's really got me thinking in ways I didn't expect. I think everyone would benefit from this book, with or without a blog, as there are some really interesting points and stories that Joy shares. It's really helped me find my feet with myself and blogging.

Lesson

Well the titles does say it all. We're always making steps and leaps at becoming ourselves and I was reminded again this week, thanks to Joy Cho's book. It is so important to do things that we believe in and fight for it, in whatever situation, big or small. I'm a very happy duckling at the moment, feeling settled and determined, a cool combo.

There isn't much in this week's post as I'm in the midst of a uni paper and assessments, which may explain the more introspective posts these TWTW can turn into.. how have you been fairing? :)

x, mai-anne

New in: Home Decor ft. Daiso!

I've been a bit of a home decor monster lately, painstakingly perusing numerous websites to spruce up my living space. My home is my base, and I really want it to reflect and inspire me. 

The other day I found out about Daiso and that a few had opened in Sydney! Daiso is dubbed the "100 yen" store in Japan, as everything inside is 100 yen. 100 yen is roughly $1 in Australia, but of course, being Australia, it has been marked up to $2.80 (more thoughts on this later..). So yesterday I trekked up to Chatswood Daiso before uni, and Ikea afterwards and these were the items I scored..

At Daiso, I picked up some cute little fruit plates and a heart one which I thought would be adorable as tealight holders. I also was curious about the eyelash curler since $2.80 was a very bargainous price. Don't recommend these. I tried them today an they do feel very cheap and rather than curling my lashes, they bent them 90 degree up! It didn't even help my lashes stay curled after mascara. I didn't go for much more since at $2.80, some things felt like a rip off and are more expensive than our normal dollar stores. The range was nice and I think if you're looking for utensils and what not it's a possible option but at that price point it doesn't really invoke a shopping spree as I imagine it would in Japan or the States where the price is $1.50. I think it should have been priced at $2 or $2.20 for the Australian market, I would be happy with that price.

I also had a quick look around at Ikea. I ended up with the kvarna table lamp for $8 which wasn't too bad (is it like 45 cents in the states though? lol) and the infamous white pot plant holder. I really didn't plan on that one but when I saw the small potted plant inside the white one, I thought it was too cute a combo to miss.

(can't wait to keep decorating this little spot..) 

I also threw in some bunting in the pictures as I ordered them off ebay recently. Am currently trying to make work in my room, it's not working...

So there it is, more things I've been picking up! I'm on a bit of a roll, there probably is more coming..

Do you have any home places you like shopping at? Do share! :)

the skincare drawer

a sneak peek into my skincare home..

Skincare is my first love, can you tell? I thought I would show you the contents of my beloved top drawer which is filled with all these goodies. I definitely have more than the average amount where I can rotate the products but still can be finished before expiration. I put a lot of research (*cough* online shopping *cough*) before buying products so I usually will like what I buy but I don't tend to break out and am not particularly sensitive which does make it easier.

I'm a stickler and champion of natural/organic skincare which makes me love this drawer more. Beauty doing a good thing for us, the earth and our farmers? Win.

There will definitely be more in-depth reviews on lots of these products and I'm open to requests. Are you a skincare fiend too? :P

x mai-anne

TWTW #12: Brave

Music. 
Sara Barielles - Brave

I just discovered this song the other day and it somehow put me back in my place - in a good way. It helped me put back in focus what my heart is about aside from all the distractions, I am grateful. I love how Sara crafts her lyrics and how strong she is when she performs. Inspired.

Beauty. 
My Ethos

I think I finally am able to express where I am at with my beauty ethos and it's taken me awhile. I went from being a green-eyed monster, to wanting to rebel against myself like a geeky teen in highschool, since I discovered makeup shortly after and felt like I was "missing out", to feeling guilty about that and to where I am now. I've hesitated calling myself a green blogger (or even a beauty blogger) because I'm not completely perfect about it and was afraid of the judgement if I wasn't - silly, I know.  I've also started a move towards cruelty-free products but I really don't know anything about it, so I'm no resource and therefore not a very good activist. But I've come to realise that for me, its not necessarily about "converting" or "switching" into an eco, cruelty-free person etc, but appreciating companies that are thoughtful and not just profit driven. It's not about the rules per se but the thought put in when purchasing, blogging etc. And it keeps it fun - I don't just buy green products because it's good for you, but because I genuinely love it and appreciate them, sappy. 

TV. 
Gilmore Girls / Kim Sam Soon

I started watching Gilmore Girls again, this was my favourite show back in highschool. I still find Rory inspiring, and it gets me going with my blimmin' uni work. Kim Sam Soon? Well whenever a big change in my life happens and I'm feeling a bit, well, emotional, I seem to gravitate to this series and its soundtrack. I'm not hypo about Korean dramas but this is one of my favourites, if not THE favourite and I highly recommend it. Think Bridget Jones but Korean :P

Just some little snippets from the week. I love these posts, it's a nice way to look back while writing it and someday in the future as well, I hope.

x mai-anne

First Beauty Emporium (Mini!) Haul

So a crazy day back in April, Beauty Emporium had a 50% off off on their entire site for 24 hours. Yes, the entire site.  I had never seen a place offer that before and so even miss careful-shopper me placed an order quick smart. It's a UK based website that offers an unusual range of brands with many organic brands such as Trilogy and Priti, to mainstream brands like NYX. I like that it offers harder to find brands and am slightly kicking myself that I didn't pick up more, though this is quite a lot for a very slow shopper like myself. 

The first thing I was all over was Wild About Beauty, a makeup brand that includes lots of natural ingredients mixed in with some chemicals. I find that the ingredients can vary across products so more greenie eyes may scoff. I decided to pick up the Smooth Cover Concealer Kit, which is a duo concealer with a setting powder and the Ultra Dewy Creme Blush in 03 Phoebe, both of which had ingredients lists I was happy with. I'm planning a more in-depth post on these soon as there isn't much written about them.

For skincare, it was a great time to try something high-end on the cheap and a brand I've never heard of and is therefore harder to source. I went for the Sophyto Super Skin Concentrate which was featured in my last pamper post, and Cupcake Organic's Frankincense and Orange Day Cream as frankincense always seems to agree with me. I'm planning on some reviews on these soon too.

I was really impressed with the service from Beauty Emporium, the package came much quicker than expected (roughly a week-1 1/2 weeks) and was nicely wrapped. They also included their shopping bag which made it a more luxe experience, as if I had actually just gone shopping. I shop online mostly so it was nice to feel that way (sad). I definitely recommend this site and definitely sign up to get their offers, as they are clearly very good ones!  Now if only they offered free shipping.. Am I starting to ask for too much?

x mai-anne