Favourite Places to Shop

Despite my love of makeup, skincare and fashion, spending hours shopping is not something I relish. I hardly have the time for it, let alone the patience. I generally only shop when I'm on a mission.

So I've found a few stores that normally fit the bill.

Skincare

Now that I'm a Paula's Choice devotee, skincare purchasing is all done online and the products arrive within 2-3 days. Easy peasy!!

Makeup

I rarely buy makeup now unless there's a new release that I really just have to have. If I can get my hands on it locally I will, otherwise I'm more than happy to snatch it up online.

Gym gear

I'm a sucker for a great gym outfit. I have heaps of different tops and lycra pants but Adidas is always the brand that seems to fit well and be the best value for money.

Gym shoes

I'm on my second pair of ASICS runners in 4 years.  Yes they are expensive, but pounding the pavements in something cheap is not my idea of fun.  ASICS never disappoints!

Shoes

Despite Novo's cheap prices, their shoes are the most comfortable I've tried.  As much as I try Sander, Jane Debster, Guess etc, they just hurt my feet.  Lucky for me my shoe obsession is not obscenely expensive.

Zara

Zara turns over stock so quickly I can never keep up with it. I love the variety of styles and colours. Their blazers are beautifully cut, their jeans fit me like a dream and their blouses are so unique. I love that Zara is now in Brisbane and I don't need to travel interstate to fill my wardrobe.

Portmans

Sometimes a hit and sometimes a miss. When Portmans is a hit it feels like it's all at once and I could purchase everything in store. When Portmans is a miss it's like being thirsty in a desert.

Guess/Charlie Brown

I normally try to pick up a bag from either of these brands in the post-Christmas sales. I'm pretty rough on handbags and anything more expensive than these brands would be a total waste of money.

Forever New

If I need a formal dress this is the shop that I always head to first. Very feminine and most of the styles fit my body shape well.

Until next time xx

Decluttering makeup

This weekend I decided it was time to cull my makeup collection. My rule of thumb, in typical Marie Kondo style, was to pick up each item and ask myself 'does it spark joy'. If you're not sure what I'm talking about check out my blog post Organising - The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo.

Unfortunately what I have culled (pictured above) is destined for the bin. Much of it was past its use-by date, had dried out or had been on my face or fingers, so nothing could be safely gifted to others.

What was interesting was what items were removed. Some high-end products that I have rarely used - Dior, YSL and Estée Lauder (many gifts with purchase items), mid-range products - Napoleon Perdis  (I just never liked the products enough I guess), some MAC and lots of drugstore brands - Bourjois, Revlon, NYX, L'Oreal, Australis and Maybelline.

So what made it through the culling process - I struggled to get rid of any foundations despite using a CC cream for most of last year - separation anxiety perhaps.

I kept most of my eyeshadow palettes as they are by far my favourite makeup items. Anastasia Beverly Hills, IT Cosmetics, Kat Von D, LORAC, theBalm, Too Faced, Urban Decay and Zoeva made the cut. I would probably refer to them as mid-range brands available from David Jones, Sephora or Mecca Maxima.

I didn't give up on blush - I have so many but clearly they all spark joy.

The trickiest section was, not surprisingly, lipsticks - my more expensive NARS, Smashbox and MAC made it through and the rest are being tested, one per day, until I'm happy with what's left.

Already I'm feeling better with my pared down collection, choosing what to wear each day will be much easier. Less is so much more, but again I have more than I could ever need.

I think I am a more discerning purchaser now. I watch items for quite some time (checking out many, many reviews) before I consider purchasing.

What's interesting is my move away from safe neutral colours and my desire for shimmers, metallics and glow. Watching all of those YouTube tutorials is clearly having an impact. My confidence is growing and whilst I'm still happy for my hairdresser Hayden to style my hair for a special event, I'm more than confident of doing my own makeup and feeling happy with what I can create.

I love that makeup application is no longer a chore. It really is a creative outlet where no look, or no day is the same as the last. I may wear my hair the same way or wear an outfit many times, but by tweaking my makeup each day I always feel like my look is fresh and uniquely me.

Until next time xx