Make-up and skin care haul

Is it just me or does everything seem to run out at the same time?
This week I've been doing some re-purchasing of my favourite make-up and skin care items. I'm heading to Sydney this week so definitely "needed" them. Speaking of Sydney I can't wait to head to Sephora and see how it compares with American Sephoras. The exciting life of a make-up addict. 

Kate somerville Goat Milk Moisturiser - Indeed Labs Hydraluron - Ren Clarifying Toner

Stila One Step correct - Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Santa Fe - Nars foundation pump.

I especially can't live without my Nars foundation. It's so easy to apply and gives great coverage for my skin. I asked to be colour matched again, because the last time I bought the foundation was more than a year ago and I was given punjab. Interestingly the sales assistant at Mecca Cosmetica chose Santa Fe which has pink undertones. I've been out in the sun more this summer and am much more tanned. Hopefully it works out. 

Any way, enough rambling. 

Enjoy your week. I'll try to post when I'm in Sydney, otherwise follow me on instagram or twitter at laurabirch25

Love Laura x

Fit Food Friday

Hello,

I hope you're having a good week. Work has died off for me so that means more time spent around the house cooking. I thought I would start a series of post's every Friday focussing on some of my favourite healthy recipes, or delicious recipes I've discovered.

At the moment I'm besotted with fast, simple, raw recipes.
Perth is ridiculously hot at the moment, so any recipe which means I don't have to turn on the oven is a winner.
I'm a big snacker, with a massive sweet tooth. So anything which can tick these boxes is a plus for me also.

Recently I've being making a lot of raw bliss balls.
Chuck all the ingredients into a food processor and voila, your job is basically done.
The first recipe is super simple. Dates and cacao. You really can't get any easier.

The second recipe requires a few more ingredients.

Almonds, cacao, shredded coconut, coconut oil and dates.
Roll some of the bliss balls in coconut or cacao and you're done.

And lastly even incorporate some fruit into the bliss balls.
2 cups of dates, 1 cup of almonds and throw some fresh blueberries too.

Refrigerate or freeze the bliss balls. I personally like to freeze them so they will keep for longer and are super cool in the hot weather.

Have a lovely weekend!

Laura x

What's in my bag

I am most definitely a bag person. When I've had a bad day you will most probably find me scrolling through the Louis Vuitton website, drooling over some Stella McCartney bag (the falabella anyone...), or dreaming about owning my own Celine bag. 

In Hawaii just over a year ago one of those dreams came true and I bought myself a Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM Monogram. (It's my baby) I'm a lover of big bags especially for uni or work. There's always a hundred or so things I'm trying to squash in. So here's a condensed version of what's in my bag on a average day out for me.

Mimco pouch: If you don't own one of these you need it in your life. It's the perfect size for squashing everything from your card, phone and keys or lip glosses in. I always take it out with my on errands or on a nights out, so it's always in my bag because I often forget to transfer everything back into my main wallet.

Napoleon Perdis Greatest Hits Cheek Palatte: This bronzer, blush and highlight palette is honestly my saviour. It has lovely, wearable powders and is extremely compact, so perfect to take out with me on a night out or to travel with.

Hourglass Ambient Dim Light powder: The most wearable powder I've ever owned. It's very light and very wearable. Perfect for people with dry skin who want to add a touch of powder. 

Stila blush brush: This was from a Stila Christmas pack two years ago. It's great quality, washes well and the perfect size. I'm always surprised I don't hear more about Stilla brushes in the blogging community. 

Real Techniques Blush Brush: Again one of the most perfect brushes, I use it for powder. 

My phone: (Yep still on the 4S...)

Kikki.K Diary: One of my favourite stores to explore. They have the cutest stationary and Kikki.K is my first stop for a new diary.

Victoria Secrets Pure Seduction Mist: I have a massive sweet tooth so love the smell of this mist. It doesn't last long unfortunately but I love it regardless. 

Mecca cosmetica Lip De Luscious: If there was one thing I couldn't live without it would easily be lip balm. I'm quite susceptible to dry lips and this is the perfect saviour. It smells amazing and contains hyaluronic acid, an ingredient which helps to hydrate the skin. It's expensive but I've never regretted buying it. 

Prada Sunglasses: As well as handbags, sunglasses are my kryptonite. My favourite brands are Prada and Raybans, I'll always have a pair in my handbag. I love the tortoise shell print on these sunglasses, they go with everything. 

Mimco wallet: A 21st birthday present, the leather is so soft and beautiful. I love Mimco wallets and this pinky nude shade fits in well with most bags. 

I hope you've had a lovely week and enjoyed exploring what's in my bag :)

Laura x

Summer nails

I love the summer months because it means COLOUR. 

Bright, printed clothing, statement accessories, standout lipsticks and for me cute pastel coloured nail polishes. 

Work has died down this past week which means I have much to much time on my hands. And while this means beach days and long lunches we also deserve a bit of pampering. 

On my nails is the pastel purple Essie Lilacism and the silver is Revlon's 860 Metallic. I love to add a statement nail. I love the contrast between a subdued pastel and shiny metallic.

Hope you're enjoying your week!
Laura x

Ren Addict

I think we all have that one favourite skin care or make-up brand. The brand we can always rely on and who's products we are always repurchasing. 

For me that brand is Ren. 

Ren products are well priced, they have a great range for different skin types and their products deliver where it really counts, making my skin blemish free and hydrated. I know if I try a different skin care product or my skin is breaking out I can always turn to Ren to fix the problem. 

So these are a few of my favourite Ren products currently in my collection.

ClearCalm3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser. Wow what a mouthful, but this is probably the best cleanser I have ever used. When I say cleanser I mean not as a make-up remover, a 2nd cleanse. It's targeted at blemish prone, oily skin but can be used for all skin types. It clarifies and cleanses my skin thoroughly without my skin getting dried out. And it's a massive bottle, so you won't run out for ages and ages. ($36 from Mecca Cosmetica). 

No. 1 Purity Cleansing Balm. So I had run out of my forever favourite cleansing balm by Emma Hardie (You know the one..) and I thought I'd try something new. The lovely Lisa Eldridge posted a cleansing balm video and this was one of the first balms mentioned. From the first moment I used the No. 1 Purity cleansing balm I loved it. The smell, the consistency, it's amazing. My skin feels plump and clean afterwards and it hasn't broken me out. So I use this product as a 1st and 2nd cleanser and to be honest I think it's beating Emma Hardie.. possibly. ($46 from Mecca Cosmetica). 

Clarifying Toner. A firm favourite of mine and an every day essential. I first read about this product on Caroline Hirons Blog. It's a good acid toner to use day and night. It's definitely on the low scale of acid toners, so it's gentle enough to use everyday. If you follow Caroline's skin care routine this would be used as the 1st toner. ($24 from Mecca Cosmetica).

Glycolatic radiance renewal mask. A firm favourite of mine which I like to use if my skin is dull or I have any prominent scarring. It's great for that extra exfoliation my skin sometimes needs. It also helps to give my skin a glow, make it smoother and it also helps to fade some of my acne scars. Great for all skin types except though with sensitive skin. It says to leave it on for 10 minutes but usually I'll just leave it on for around 5 minutes and it does the job. ($59 from Mecca Cosmetica). 

Omega 3 optimum skin serum oil. Possibly my favourite serum ever. I use this day and night under my moisturiser and it just simply helps my skin stay hydrated and heal. It doesn't make my skin feel excessively oily and it's fine to wear under make-up. I simply love it. ($46 from Mecca Cosmetica). 

Global Protection Day cream. Let me firstly say this is the best smelling moisturiser ever. It smells like turkish delights. It is beyond delightful. This is a great every day moisturiser. Nothing fantastic, it just works, keeps my skin hydrated and works well under my make-up. It's the perfect everyday, no fuss moisturiser. ($54 from Mecca Cosmetica). 

I would love to here what some of your favourite Ren products are too. 
Have a great weekend :)

Laura x

My Hair Saviour

I have blonde hair. Which translates too I spend an exorbitant amount of money for someone to dye me hair and also on products to stop my hair from become dry and drab. Basically blonde hair is expensive. So as I continue to try and save for travel next year I decided instead of spending my hard earned money on hair products I would buy a cooking product from the supermarket.

I’ve read and heard a number of people raving about coconut oil and its many uses. So I went into Woolworths and picked up this organic coconut oil for under $9. Bargain.

Firstly let me tell you that coconut oil smells amazing. If you like the smell of coconuts, otherwise it may be a pretty horrendous smell for you.

So my deep conditioning treatment routine: After a shower at night when my hair is wet I slather this beautiful smelling product onto my hair, tie my hair up into a high bun and then proceed to sleep in it. Next morning I shampoo and condition my hair. And hey presto my hair is hydrated, shiny and it looks thick and luscious. The transformation was actually pretty wondrous. My hair is quite thin and can look very drab. It’s also helped to prevent any breakage. It’s basically a magical product in my eyes.

A few tips, for obvious reasons change your pillow cases after you have slept in the mask. Also if you want to cook with the coconut oil I would have two separate jars. No one wants any hair in your food.

Do you have any other natural or affordable hair solutions? I would love to know.

Laura x

My Skincare Routine

For me skin care routines are one of those things I’m never quite content with. There’s always a new products I want to try, a new problem, a different situation, a new brand and a new Holy Grail product doing the rounds. I have to say though the majority of the product featured in this post have been tried and tested for months if not years and they’re firm favourites of mine.

Let me give you a quick rundown of my skin. As a teenager I used to have acne/blemish prone skin. Presently my skin is oily in the T-Zone, occasionally blemish prone and has some scarring.These products work best for me because they help to prevent blemishes and oil, while keeping my skin plump and hydrated.

My favourite product of them all is easily the Ren Clay Clarifying cleanser. I love how clean my skin feels after cleansing in the morning and night, while still feeling hydrated. It really is a skin saviour and a pretty affordable one too. I nearly had a panic attack when I was told it was being discontinued (false alarm from Mecca, Ren was merely repacking the product. Phew). 

Morning: 

Cleanse:       Ren ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser

Tone:            Ren Clarifying Toning Lotion

Eye Cream: The Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream

Serum:         Ren Omega 3 Optimum Skin Serum Oil 

Moisturise:  Darphin Hydraskin Light Cream Gel

Evening: 

Cleanse:       Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm

                        Ren ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser

Tone:             Ren Clarifying Toning Lotion 

                        1x a week Clarins Gentle Exfoliator 

Eye Cream: The Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream

Serum/Oil:    Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil 

What's your favourite skin care product at the moment?

Laura x