Regular Dosage: How to be thrown off by the musings of a child

I remember a few months back, I was at a family friend's house and was looking after their daughter while the 'adults' chatted in another room. She was about two and a half at this time, maybe closer to three years old. We were playing with the coasters on the coffee table (riveting game play, I know, but she seemed engaged), stacking them high, building different shapes.

Amidst the repetition of our game, she stopped giggling for a second and looked at me. She asked me, 'Are you happy, Stephanie?'

I replied easily, 'Yes, are you happy?'

'Yes!' she squealed and threw all the coasters in the air. 'I'm always happy! Why are you happy?'

Ah. Now I've been suddenly thrown into the therapist's couch and I'm being psycho-analysed by a little girl under the age of three. And damn, she had me there. I think in that moment, my response was probably offhand - 'Because I'm playing with you!' 'Because dessert is nearly ready!' 'Because I'm having fun!'

And of course, those are all valid reasons to be happy. It's 100% truth that my happiness increases tenfold when I remember that dessert still awaits. But leaving their house later that night and driving home, the questions just kept repeating in my head. At the time, my parents and sister were both on separate holidays, leaving me alone to blast bad pop songs and fall asleep on the couch without being woken up at 5:30am by the coffee machine. But, you know, it also left me to write lists and scribble words, rifle through pages and scroll through old writing.

And I think most of the time, it's easy enough to say, 'Yeah, I'm happy today.' But sometimes, it's really, really hard to say that honestly, and to then be able to rack up reasons for your happiness. I know that I'm grateful for a lot of things (my house, food, money, water, clothing, safety, family) and that remains a constant. But sometimes my happiness fluctuates. Sometimes there are days when if that little girl were to pop up randomly and ask me, 'Are you happy, Stephanie? Why are you happy?' I'd be unable to answer either of them. 

Shoeholics Anonymous: Windsor Smith 'Whistel'

Mildly obsessed with buying uncomfortable clunky black shoes. The latest is this pair of pointed, chunky flats from Windsor Smith, 'Whistel' (why is it spelled wrong? What purpose does that serve?)

I'm yet to wear these out in public yet because the sole literally does not bend, it is so unbelievably solid that it feels like I'm walking with concrete boots on my feet. But they're so classy looking, plus they were 50% off! (My justification for every impulsive purchase).

In other news! I'm back to posting on my nailart Instagram account, after a two month hiatus! And I've finished my uni degree! It's really difficult to see this time now (post classes, pre-March 2015) as time to start looking for a job as opposed to the four month holiday as it's been for the past four years. Here's hoping I find some purpose, motivation and focus to kickstart this next stage of my life!

Shoeholics Anonymous: Hey, I put some new shoes on and suddenly everything is right

Maybe a tad materialistic. Also a Paolo Nutini lyric (ooh, that Scottish brogue). Also a motto I live by. If you take the words 'new shoes' and change it to 'new perspective and attitude towards life and hardship.' Though new shoes is a thousand times easier. Catchier as a song lyric too...

That being said, who doesn't love $15 bargain new shoes? I'm way too nervous about starting my career as a teacher, so I'll just keep building my 'teacher wardrobe' in the meantime. These shoes are definitely comfortable enough for long periods of standing, decent heel height to still be professional and simple cork-n-black combo. Plus, you know, they're heels. So that menacing 'click click' sound as I walk will no doubt scare students into minimising their Facebook and Tumblr tabs and shoving their phones back in their pencilcases. Kids these days...

Swatches: Get Nude! - My favourite OPI neutrals

OPI is one of those nail polish brands that I always felt apprehensive about purchasing. Don't get me wrong, the quality is always great and the colour range is amazingly extensive (if you're into reds and pinks, they've definitely got you covered). But at full price - $19.95 - it's just far beyond my price range as a low, poorly, poor student working two shifts a week bagging groceries. 

So I do what any addict does. I search and search till I find my (reasonably priced) fix! My local chemist started selling a limited range for $9.95 each, My Beauty Spot by My Chemist usually has a 2 for $15 deal (also a limited range) and best of all, Gloss Cosmetics is currently selling 3 OPI's for $20. And so somehow, I ended up with a bunch of OPI's... none of which I've purchased at full price. They're even cheaper if you buy online via eBay but I've read some articles about fakes and I prefer to see the color and formula in person anyway.

Moving on to the point of this point. One thing that OPI does really well is nudes and neutrals. These are some of my favourites. Click through the jump for a more detailed read :)

OOTD: Not enough uni makes a girl even lazier than usual

ASOS Cable Pom Beanie (here)

Cotton On 'Miranda' Denim Shirt (similar here)

Cotton On 'The Crew' Black T-shirt (here)

ZIGGY 'Swizzle Sticks Jeans' in Bright Blue Denim (here)

Converse All Star Ox Plimsolls (here)

So this semester (MY FINAL SEMESTER, EEEE!) is mostly done via distance/online education. I really only go on campus once or twice every fortnight. Prior to starting classes, I was super excited to have all this free time. I think I believed (for some unknown, unjustified hopeful reason) that this meant I would become magically productive, and spend all my time doing amazing, useful, effective and efficient things with all this wonderful *free time!* But, sadly. Reality has hit, and I'm two weeks in and have done barely anything except clean my room a bunch of times, organise every folder on my laptop and donate a bunch of clothes to charity. Well, I'm happy about that last one, but it's not highly beneficial to me sorting out my life and (scary word ahead) 'career,' on the large scale. 

Also, not having to go to uni means not having to dress up nicely every day during the week. Or even, ahem, get dressed at all. After two days of just wearing my pyjamas and then my work uniform for the evenings (I did shower though, promise) my brain was telling me to make one of two choices. (Yes, my brain talks to me. Myself and my brain are two separate entities. Ask Karl Pilkington about the scientificalness).

1. Throw out all your clothes and just wear pjs to uni on the rare occasions you actually go. Or:

2. Get out of bed you lazy sod, get dressed and go outside because you're actually starting to look a bit pale and that isn't really even biologically possible. 

So here's what I mustered up today. The usual 'lazy girl uni uniform' of beanie, t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. I used to dress nicely for classes. Something about post-grad study makes me even more dull... Anyway, so on another note, today I also started doing my readings/taking notes properly, and I'm (kind of) determined to make sure that I do well this term to keep up my marks. Let's see how long this lasts...

PS: That's Harry Styles behind me, not a random phantom human. 

PPS: A cut out. Not actual Harry Styles, unfortunately.
PPPS: I remember kids used to always write 'PSS' in primary school. No. It's 'Post Post POST Script,' not 'Post SCRIPT SCRIPT SCRIPT.'

Polyvore Outfit 004: Cheap Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Cheap Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday by judeswardrobe

Tank: Cheap Monday 'Bruce' T-shirt

Shoes: H&M Velcro Sandals
Jean: Topshop Deconstructed Skinny Jeans
Bag: Elizabeth & James Leather Purse

Necklace: Sportsgirl

Hat: Rag & Bone Fedora

Sunglasses: Cheap Monday Tortoise Shell Cat-Eye Sunglasses 

Lipstick: NARS 413 BLKR Semi Matte Lipstick 

Journal: Monica Rich Kosann Hand-Stamped Leather Journal

Click on the image above to go to Polyvore.com, which will have links to each individual item! 

Swatches: LIME CRIME Velvetines 'Salem' & 'Wicked'

Hello, hello! Massive disclaimer: I am not a makeup expert by any stretch of the imagination. I like makeup but I have no professional training or education and therefore if I stumble over technical language and end up sounding like I'm talking rubbish - it's probably because that's 100% accurate. BUT. This will be a review based upon my own personal opinions and preferences and that's the gospel truth. Also, while I know all about Lime Crime's dubious marketing strategies and customer relations reputation, this review is not going to discuss any of it, because like the makeup thing, I'm no expert.

Okay! On to the review! Excuse the selfies. Photographs of just my lips look absolutely horrendous.

Lime Crime's Velvetines have tempted me for ages now, but I always felt like the colors offered (Red Velvet, Suedeberry and Pink Velvet) were a bit too bright for me. Pink lipstick always makes me look like an odd, sad clown. Not cute. So I was happy to see this year's new collection, 'The Clueless Witch,' included shades that would hopefully not clash with my skin - Black Velvet, Salem and Wicked -  all of which are dark, muted tones. The collection has named these Velvetines 'Gothatines,' I guess to fit with the whole retro 90s aesthetic they're emulating?

These lipsticks are marketed as a 'Liquid-to-Matte Lip Stain.' I've always been a sucker for matte lipsticks, and so I was really hoping that these would live up to their reputation and actually have some staying power. Also, I figured my boyfriend might be happy that his clothing/face wouldn't be stained in smudges of red and purple.

If you care about this sort of thing: the packaging of these lipsticks is super cute. Classic Lime Crime pink, cutesy box adorned with roses.

Salem (left) is a chocolate-y brown colour. When I checked swatches online prior to purchase, the shade looked as though it may be a tad too light for my skin tone - as in, it appeared like it might blend into the rest of my face entirely. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was darker than expected, a gorgeous deep, rich color that would probably suit most skin tones quite well. I suppose it would look significantly more 'gothic' and edgy on lighter skin tones, but looks decidedly more muted on mine.

Wicked (right) is a rich, brickish-burgundy colour (wow, you can really see how much of an expert I am... naht). I own a tonne of red lipsticks and hardly wear any of them because they're just not quite right (my sister has taken most of them hostage and it angers me how much better they look on her) but this is one red I can totally get on board with. The matte finish makes it a lot more subtle (maybe a dumb thing to say for a red lipstick but it's true) and it's a seriously flattering color for any skin tone.

Application: The Gothatines come in a matte glass and plastic tube, with a doe-foot applicator brush for application. The brush makes it easy to apply sweeping strokes easily, but make it very difficult to be precise around the fine edges of your lips. I suggest using a lip liner in similar color first, then applying the lipstain slowly and carefully around the middle, fuller parts of your lip. I usually then use a lip brush to grab a bit of product, then apply it around the edges for greater precision. I find that two coats of the lipstain is enough, as it is a highly pigmented formula. They apply as liquid and gradually dry to a matte finish in several minutes. Two coats takes longer to dry than one, which goes without saying, but I guess I'll say it anyway. In my opinion, the finish is not drying, but is actually quite pleasantly smooth - not quite 'velvety' but soft nonetheless. My lips are usually shockingly dry but these do not exacerbate the problem further.

Wear and tear: I find that these lipstains can literaly last hours without the need for re-application. The color does not fade nor bleed into the edges of your lips which is fantastic. The only time I've needed to touch up is after eating food that is a bit greasy or oily, or after using a straw. Even then, all that's needed is a tiny bit of color on the very middle. They're a bit of a nightmare to remove entirely, but I usually use liberal amounts of baby oil to do the job.

Below are some photos after I've just applied Salem and Wicked. I was planning on making my sister be my model because she generally has a nicer face and lips than me, but she ditched me for the week with her friend so, here we are.

If you got to the end of this post, congrat-u-frickin-lations! What a long, dull read. I apologise profusely. But thank you! Seriously, I highly recommend these Velvetines/Gothatines if you love pretty lipstick that applies well and stays ridiculously well and looks gorgeous.

#doilookedgyyet

#sahhipster

#hashtag

OOTD: Thursday morning, day and night

This week is the last of the semester. I only have one semester of uni to go. This is incredibly daunting to me, and I spent a good two hours today venting to one of my best uni friends about how nervous and anxious I feel when contemplating the future ahead. I'm excited for it, yes, of course. But nervous as hell and prone to hyperventilating and burying myself under my blankets when my mind dances over to the big scary 'FUTURE.' One of my friends got a job, and is dropping out of our course to pursue full-time teaching in an amazing school, and I am positively elated for him. But that just made it feel so real to me, that in just a few short months, I'll be expected to do the same, and truth be told, I am 100% not ready. Not even 10% ready, really. 

Anyway, I'll leave my nervous breakdown/anxiety rant for another day. Today was just nice. Despite starting uni at 8am and work later tonight - outside, the sun is shining, I managed to snag a park in free parking (no $8 fee for me, woo!), chatted with friends outside for hours, managed to deliver my presentation in class adequately and I'm just glad days like these exist. Plus I found some super cute boots at Target the other day and wore them today and I didnt get the usual aching that comes with new shoes that haven't been broken in! Ah. Small mercies.

 Jumper: New Look (link)
Jeans: Cotton On (DIY distressed/ripped - link)

Boots: Target (link)

Purchased: Don't wear hats on windy days

I have a massive problem with hats. I own a handful or so, but hardly ever get to wear them because the weather is so tempermental here, and there is usually at least one bout of extreme windy weather during the day. And I typically make bad decisions, and wear hats on the most extreme of these windy days. So I kind of purchased this ASOS hat really hestitantly, knowing I would probably wear it only once or twice in the winter months to come. Hashtag 'I make silly decisions when there is a 20% off sale.'

ASOS: Felt Fedora Hat, currently $29.41  (link)

I usually have a great experience with ASOS and have only had around 2 complaints in the past 4 or so years I've been purchasing from them. Usually this arises from a discrepancy between the photos provided on the site, and the actual quality/fit of the garments themselves. The fedora photographed above is pretty accurate to reality - although it's a lot wider brimmed on me than on the model. However, it's also quite stiff - the felt is not very pliable and I'm not too sure if it'll relax and become more 'floppy' as time goes on. I hope it does though, because the brim looks a lot nicer when it's relaxed rather than very stiff and awkward all around. I do love the pinched top though, and it seems like it'll go with a lot of clothes in my wardrobe.

PS: Sincere apologies for the crappy Photobooth photos, but my iPhone is atrocious when it comes to focusing and my camera charger has disappeared into Narnia or something. *bows out apologetically*

Nails ETC: Valentine's Day and Candy Heart nail art

Ah, February 14th. Just any other day really, but unfortunately we get bombarded with advertisements about 'the perfect gift' and instructions how to 'show her how much you really care...' Flowers, chocolates, jewellery, romance, pink, red, lions, tigers and bears, oh my! I'm firmly of the opinion that you should show love and care to the people in your life every day, rather than just a burst of affection on Feb. 14th. So I reassured my boyfriend that I really didn't want a present and secretly hoped that he would. No, I'm just kidding! I really didn't want a present. But I think he was sucked in to the whole Hallmark holiday schtick and I answered the front door to a rose, box of chocolates, balloons and a sweet card - also my boyfriend too. And despite myself not wanting a present, I did get him a gift voucher for the hot springs. So I guess I did give in. Once again. Damn you, clever marketing and guilty conscience. 

I've seen some lovely Valentine's Day ideas online though - like taking your children out for little dates, special cards for strangers and making baked goods and delivering them to neighbours. That's something I can get on board with!

Date night: Cotton On 'Miranda' denim shirt, OPI 'Minnie Style', OPI 'French Quarter For Your Thoughts,' Sportsgirl 'Mistress' sunglasses, Fujifilm Instamax 8 camera, Marc Jacobs 'Dot' perfume, Jo Mercer 'Hermione' heels
 

Swatches: Sally Hansen 'Triple Shine' nail polishes: 'Reef-Raf' and 'Dive In'

I went into Priceline a few weeks ago and noticed that Sally Hansen (whose top coats I swear by and whose formulas are consistently great) had a new range of nail polishes named 'Triple Shine.' There were only a few colours (mostly glitter) the first time I went in, but since then there is a full 29 colour range, including glitters, cremes and shimmers. Which is ten kinds of awesome for me, and ten kinds of despair for my bank account!

Triple Shine is marketed as a "High Shine Nail Enamel with Patented Gloss-Tech Brush to maximize shine with smooth colour application for a flawless finish." Phew! Basically, it's just extra shiny. I usually use a top coat anyway to seal in colour and prevent rapid chipping, so this isn't really a massive selling point for me. However, I can't really fault the colours I bought - they really are super shiny and well packaged. The brush is the same as the brushes in the Salon Manicure range - a thick flat, wide brush so that colour is evenly distributed and is consistent.

I purchased these two colours at Chemist Warehouse, as they were having a 2 for $15 sale. These usually retail at $9.95, but are currently on sale at Priceline for $6.95 I believe!

RIGHT: 'Dive In' LEFT: 'Reef-Raf'

 

 I tried using 'Reef-Raf' as the base for some Valentine's Day themed nail art today. The formula is pretty good. I used two coats for full opacity, and waited for the first coat to dry before applying the second, as it seemed to pull and drag if the first coat was still mostly wet. The picture below isn't that colour accurate - it's a pretty hard colour to capture on camera! Reef-Raf is a bright pink, not as neon as the photo suggests. It looks quite coral-leaning in yellow lighting. For a girl who's not a massive fan of pink, I do love this colour! Reef-Raf also reminds me a lot of Essie's 'Off the Shoulder' from a couple of years back. 

Must. Not. Go. Back. And. Buy. Them. All.