My First Chanel Bag Reveal! :D Chanel Flap Bag with Top Handle - Paris in Rome 2015-16 Metiers D-Art Collection

Something really special happened a few weeks ago and that is...i got my first Chanel bag :D

In Australia the prices are so much higher for an already so overpriced bag, i could never justify the price and every time i think about it, the price just keeps getting higher and higher!
However i knew one day i would take that step :) So for my 7th year anniversary with L i asked for a Chanel bag which he reluctantly obliged hehe
I justified it with a lot of complaining at first that he had received his anniversary gift a week before and 2 weeks after our anniversary i had still not received anything. Also i think one Chanel bag after 7 years is pretty decent? :P He had tried to do that trick where he merges my birthday gifts as also my anniversary gift since it is only a month apart but i wasn't going to let him get away with it!
So i did the tiniest big of research online finding out about what types of leather is best and what i should avoid. We went into Chanel on our usual Thursday night shopping dates, and i was not prepared. See i've been saying i want a Chanel regularly as much as a kid says they want candy and without really expecting it. So we just looked around and i already checked prices of the bags online and knew the classic flaps were way out of range on what i am willing to spend on a bag. I did have a few in mind that were around the 5k mark rather than 8k.

I spotted the seasonal Chanel Flap Bag with Top Handle in Sheepskin with Gold metal... It pretty much looked like the Chanel Jumbo Flap bag but less boxy and 3k cheaper. It was good but i didn't get that special feeling you get when you buy something really nice. So we left and had a look in Dior as i've been eyeing the gradient Diorama in navy and silver... gosh it's beautiful :O But it's tiny and not wearable everyday so i knew that wasn't very smart. Also my brother had a friend who works for Dior so if i was to get anything it would be through her.
So after a bit of wandering around and a tiny bit of me moping at my undecidedness, L asked me if i want that bag and if i would be happy with it...so we went back and i did comparisons with the classic flap bag in jumbo and it confirmed my doubts. I had compared it with the caviar leather which looked awful next to the sheepskin. The seasonal bag was also more comfortable to carry and the straps sat much better on my body. In comparison it also looked a little bigger. It wasn't in a bright hot pink filled with sparkles and not shiny like the silver Diorama but it was a classic and a bag i can't go wrong with. Which i've noticed is something i seem to do when i make my first purchase in a price bracket higher than anything i own...i go safe.

There she is on the right :D

Perfect height when worn crossbody

Classic Jumbo...bit too long even when crossbody (i'm 164cm, 5'5)

Not as boxy...look how much more beautiful the leather looks :O

It really doesn't look trapeze shape at all when it's not sitting next to the classic.

Love the chain detail!

Three compartments :) (The inside goes deep and is as wide as the base so it's roomy and can fit a water bottle snug)

For the next few days i had the bag sitting in the box as i would not carry such a nice bag to work incase anything was to happen to it. I didn't feel the excitement of pulling it out and caressing it in my arms as i normally do when i get something fancy (maybe i've been over spoilt already at this point). However i did pull it out and the first time i used it, it felt special. It felt comfy to use and fit everything i needed. It was easy to carry and i loved to carry it by the chain as well since it made me feel ultra cool and trendy. The bag seems almost bulletproof as well. The sheepskin/calfskin is pretty much scratch proof and rough spongey so it doesn't get caught on things.
My only regrets is not chatting to the girl who helped me as much and trying to build that 'sales associate relationship' people keep talking about online. She was on her mobile texting when i asked for help and then was running back and forth to help someone else and left me alone for 90% of the time. I always find it harder to chat to the sales person when i'm with L as well since i would be talking to him the whole time and asking his opinion(which he has none). I didn't get her name and honestly don't even remember what she looks like but that's ok, i don't plan to be a Chanel regular...not yet anyways lol

I have been craving a 2nd Chanel bag. Something i would do to spoil myself  when i spot the right bag. I started a savings account 2 years ago when i decided i wanted a Chanel bag but couldn't justify the price. I had starting putting $100 in it every week religiously after my pay went in and had built up enough to get one. However having the money for it doesn't mean you just blow $8k on a bag...and i had forgotten about wanting a Chanel all last year and decided that money was good rainy day funds. I have found myself looking online non-stop and realised i know what my next Chanel bag will be! I am in love with the Chanel Trendy Bag. It is in the same price bracket as the Jumbo Flap so i am reluctant for now. I actually spotted it in store in black and thought it was also nice. The one i saw online was in a beautiful Turquoise. I didn't think the black one was WOW in stores so i'll do a bit more saving for now and decide later. Now that i know there are things such as seasonal bags and that they will release different bags throughout the year, i want to wait till i come across one i absolutely love. I could barely find any videos or posts on people's seasonal Chanel bags and would love to know what seasonal bag do you guys lust after? Do most people avoid seasonal as they want the resell value on their bag? I think the bag i chose is pretty safe if i do decide to resell one day but i never buy my bags with that in mind. I'm so happy and appreciative that me and L are at a point in our lives where we can buy a Chanel bag. When we get married and build a home together and then children.... i don't think our priorities will be anywhere close to materialistic things so i want to make sure i can enjoy them now while i can. Life is short so live the beautiful life you wish for :)

The Chanel Trendy Bag :) It's beautiful too!

Decluttering and becoming semi-minimalist. Living with Celiac wheat allergy and beauty products.

So this year i've been all about that minimalist life.

During the few minutes spare that i have where i'm not working, eating or sleeping, i am busy rethinking all my possessions and how they fit into the life i want to live.

This is about 1 hour a week spread out into a few minutes a day because i'm mostly too tired after work and lazy when i do have time. I wouldn't say im unmotivated... it's just a really big job to get done!

So as i have mentioned before, due to my sudden increase in allergies, to the point where it's almost illegal for me to NOT be put in a bubble, i have purged a whole lot of my beauty products.

Now, i use to be a beauty hoarder. I use to be a shopaholic. And this left me with boxes and boxes of beauty products stuffed under my bed, under my table, against the walls, anywhere that had space meant i had room to go and buy more shiny new things.

My first purge started a year ago when i got rid of anything labelled officially with wheat. My deadly allergy. I had already said goodbye to the yummy delicious foods i use to eat daily with no issues.  I had to now follow a celiac lifestyle.

It was after this that i realised how much was being wasted and how much i had to get rid of. Yet i still had 80% of my stuff available to use which painted a clear picture that i had more than enough. More than imaginable because i had bought things and put them away 'for later' and just kept buying.

During last year i had not really bought much besides replacing my daily moisturiser and my obsession with Lush. Lush had kept me entertained until i had a giant box of bathbombs and bubblebars under my bed and soaps spilling out all over the place and i knew this wasn't right as well. Not only that, i don't even take baths and was not getting the full effect using them in the shower. So it was not long till i realised i was wasting my money there as well.

With make up, i had a little obsession with Nars and acquired quite a few products from them, as an excuse that i was 'replacing' the stuff i had to get rid of.

This year i've realised i had to get rid of everything with Vitamin E because it's mostly sourced from wheat. Vitamin E is in pretty much 95% of all beauty products according to me reading labels intensely for the last 2 years.

I still use make up with Vit E but found my skin gets minor spots. My skin is at it's best when i just stay away from that stuff and ultimately, that is what i want. I don't want to have anything that i can't use and i want it all to be 100% safe.

So this year is the year i will purge the most. My plan to not buy any beauty products at all so far has gone quite well. 2 full months have almost past this year and the only beauty products i've bought are some witch hazel blemish sticks during the 40% off sale at Priceline because my current ones were dry as chalk and that stuff works miracles for me. I get so excited when i finish up a cream or a wash.

Here is a photo journey of my decluttering:

This has been cleaned! It was topped with so much stuff i could not see the surface before :(

(please don't judge my dresser, it's not my dream setup either!)

My dresser from IKEA. I had replaced my table with a deep 3 drawer dresser to be able to store all my make up and skincare. The top drawer worked fantastic for make up and i had skincare in the 2nd one. More skincare and misc. in the bottom drawer. 

However this soon did not work for me as the make up section had make up piled ontop of each other, the drawers were deep and hard to remember to use the things i had stored in the bottom containers of the drawers so i went to look for a replacement.

I wanted to find something a little taller as my new white stool chair lifted quite high so i had that option now. But i was after 4 drawers and not as deep as i felt the deepness wasted space.

In the end i could not find a good one that fitted my area so i decided to upgrade in the same dresser but with 4 drawers. I also decided that paying almost double to have them split in half was a good idea. It wasn't really due to the cost but it allowed me to have sections and be more organised. Also if i was to ever move soon or rearrange my furniture, the slimmer dressers meant i could work with all kinds of space even if i just used one in a smaller spot.

I loved how the black and white looked so modern and clean cut next to each other and was so tempted to buy one in each... but i knew better lol

So here is only half of my make up spilled all over my bed ready to be sorted

And here is my skincare... a lot i know. I wish i had 10 more faces to slap these on... i just don't have enough surface skin for all this!

This is all my 'backups' and doesn't even include the stuff i had out and was using! EPPP!

They all start slotting nicely into the drawers.

So far my progress has been good. One drawer i can manage to fit ALL my toners and on the other side ALL my cleansers. It's insane but to have a certain product in one place now makes me use what needs to be used quicker and know what i have.

I love this set up and how functional it has been for me.

I am still no where close to becoming minimalist as i still own plenty but my hoarding ways don't wish to be wasteful. I will use what i got this year since i will not be purchasing anymore.

I also did a little decluttering on my clothes. Earlier this year i decided i don't need to wear colours ever again. lol. Since i wear mostly black only for work, my everyday clothes just seemed to be black all the time and everytime i shopped, i opted for black to make it wearable for work too.

I also went and bought lots of functional casual plain t-shirts because i was tired of tops not matching my pants and what not.

This seemed like a really good idea 2 months ago but right now i feel like i'm in a fashion rut and i crave to dress nice but with no effort. I still don't know what i'm after but i feel a little motivated and inspired again. However i am still very reluctant to spend money/waste money! So no i will not be going on on a clothing shopping spree! Thank God lol

I also threw out a bunch of shoes. Some were very old, some were just styles i didn't like much and weren't going to wear again, some just turned bad. I also have decided that unless it was a good quality everyday comfortable leather shoe, it was not worth keeping or buying more of.

I have an insane amount of nice leather flats but tend to just wear the one pair until it's no longer wearable and then just move onto the next. So why do i need the same shoe with 5 backups of it? I do not know... I don't wish to be wearing the same shoe for the next 3 years! I also have a thing for really trendy funky fashion shoes atm. It is my slight weakness and i have purchased a few this year but will try to contain myself after going through so many shoes.

My sisters also had an insane amount of old shoes gathering dust and going bad so i was able to declutter those for them too which felt so SO good haha. I just love to get rid of stuff now and it feels insanely fun!

Old school computer box filled with old shoes! This box was massiveeee.

Sometimes i seek out things to declutter but i think i'm done. There's nothing that's absolutely rubbish left in my life so for now i will try to maintain instead.

I've also noticed this decluttering trend going around on the internet and youtube. I guess all us shopaholics finally hit a point where we just had too much lol It's hard to imagine the amount of money i was willing to let go of in one shop just to buy a large number of products that i didn't even really need or know about. It was more of the thrill of buying so i can own it. It was only exciting when i unpacked it and put it away to never been seen again for the next few years.

What do you guys think? Is becoming minimalist and decluttering a trend you've notice too? Like they say, the less clutter in your life means the less clutter in your brain. I can't wait till i'm 100% there. I don't plan to ever live a life completely minimalist with only a list of 20 possessions or whatever but i do want to follow the idea of it and not indulge in excessive consumerism which seems to be the case with the beauty community online. I still love it all but im not IN LOVE with it anymore. If you get the difference ;)

New Year, Same me... but better version? lol Resolutions of an ex-shopaholic. Becoming minimalist.

This year has been going on for a while now and i feel like a lot of me has changed.
Last year was such a blur. I was working more than i could deal with, living week to week just wanting the week to end quickly so i can relax my mind only for another week to come around and start the process all over again. And not even for much money mind you.
I finally took a week off over the Christmas period and rest a little. But alas, spent everyday going out shopping the sales and not enough to bumming at home. At least it was time spent with my family which i haven't been able to do because i work weekends :)

I've decided to take a cut to my pay so i can have Saturdays off this year. In the end it's a small price to pay to gain my life back.
I don't have too much goals this year besides really trying my best to get closer and more comfortable so i will be ready for marriage in 2 years. I'm not getting any younger! And i feel like it is something i've started to want and feel like i'm ready for in my head. Physically i am a little reluctant lol. I don't cope well with change and i like my little bubble.
Another goal this year is to keep decluttering! I've already started a little last year and my beauty products hoarding has stopped since last year. However i still acquired some make up here and there and bought some skincare here and there.

This year i've decided it has to stop! I am not allowed at all to buy any beauty products! I must use everything i own, and if i run out of something specific...i will have to find something in my hoardings that can substitute. Like a face moisturizer as body moisturizer instead.
I have insane amounts that i can't even stand it when i'm cleaning/organising anymore.
Of course i know this is not entirely possible and maybe will give myself a leeway of 5 things or so.
I feel like this is completely possible to do :)
I read minimalist blogs and feel so inspired. Although i know i've always been materialistic and i can't become minimalist completely!

I've trained my shopping habits to be extremely tamed :) It might be due to the fact that i've decluttered so much and realized how everything you buy eventually becomes junk. I try to not buy things i don't value highly anymore or that i don't need right now. Last year i felt a lot of guilt everytime i bought something i didn't need. Spending money felt painful because i had realised i wasted so much of it over the years.

Even with my clothes, i've thrown a lot of things out and was more willing to get rid of things i thought i would TRY and wear because they were still new. They sat around for over a year of me trying to wear them and they never got worn. So i bagged them all and sent them to the charity bins.
I revamped my wardrobe to be mostly blacks. There is harder any colour now but because i only wear black for work and am there mostly, colours just seem too much for me now. I go for plain colours and plain cuts now.
I want that simple classy look like models on their day off style. If you know what i mean lol

I am going to work hard on my spending habits and savings goals this year. I really want to be able to own a home one day and i feel like that is such a big goal of mine now yet it's so far away and pretty much impossible on my own. I know L can look after me but i want to be able to do my part too even if it's very little.
That's why i've been feeling guilty for wanting another bag lately. I've been eyeing a YSL one but cannot justify spending $4k on a bag and let alone carrying a $4k bag on my shoulders! The price just seems ridiculous for what it is and i feel like that amount of money is better saved. There is no rush either. I have the right amount of bags i need right now. So i've decided if i complete this year with no spending on make up and skincare i will let myself enjoy this luxury :)
I think waiting it out helps a lot too. My last bag i wanted at the beginning but not enough. When my birthday rolled around and i was able to get a bag i just chose that one and got it in a rush. I didn't feel enough joy out of it for such a expensive bag so i don't think i want to get anything now until i've eyed it 100 times and imagined how it would fit perfectly with my life.
If not the money can be better saved towards my future home!

So this is the me i want to be this year :) I also want to get back into cooking as i need it for my health and always enjoyed it as a hobby. I want to add as much to my life as possible so i'm not a empty shell that just goes to work everyday and sleeps when i can!
And i want to live a life where it isn't dependent on spending to be happy! :D

Hello :) Prada Birthday Haul!

Hello There :)
Ok so i'm not going to make anymore promises of more blog posts lol Because at this point i don't trust myself to be all that reliable. Also that 2nd Lush haul never came and at this point i've used up most of those products already! Epppp! I'm lazy, what can you do? :(

However my birthday did pass recently and i wanted to post up some goodies i got. L did not promise me any special gift this year but we all knew since my last birthday that from now on i'll be getting a little something something from Prada ;)

I've been eyeing the BN2619 Glace Calf Tote in Pale Grey in Prada everytime we went in for a little look. Earlier this year when i picked it up, i was thinking about it for a week! Not in a, i want it now! way. More like, isn't that such a lovely bag?, it would nice to have that bag. And L said maybe for my birthday if i'm good and we all know that means the bag is pretty much mine :P

So the week before my birthday we went in to have a look and L was all ready to make the purchase. However i wanted to wait because i knew the Prada sale will be starting any day now and i will absolutely rage and cry if a bag i just bought went on sale. So we waited for the week after and the day i was making the trip after work was the day the sale started. I was so excited and hoping to find a few more goodies in the sale.
However when i got there i was a little disappointed. Last year i got the cutest make up bag but this year i feel all the designs on sale were the limited collection items that had too much going on and wasn't up my ally at all. Also the prices were so much more higher for the smaller accessories which i didn't think were that nice.
I met up with L when he finished work and we headed over to Prada, after a long decision i decided to go with the one i've been eyeing since that was the one i liked the most and would be most practical. Turns out L already paid for it a few days ago to make sure they had it in stock! Super nice and considerate of him. So the SA brings out my bag from the back all packed and i had to ask if i could have a look at it first.
Upon instant inspection the inside leather pocket was in the worst condition ever. The leather looked mangled or damaged and was very VERY noticeable. I was unhappy and asked if they have another one which they didn't besides the display. I didn't like how the manager there then rushed over and explain to me how with leather it is all different and i should see this as unique to the bag etc etc and at that point i knew they were just trying to brush me off and stuff me with a awful condition bag. I was undecided whether i should go for the display instead which looked perfect. The leather was smooth and consistent throughout. While i was examining the new bag some more and deciding if i can accept it with the mangled interior leather, i found a long scratch along the handle causing it to peel and that did it for me. I said to just give me the display one.
So to make matters worse the guy said they didn't have a box for my bag and if i really wanted he can give me a box from one of the other saffiano models but then he made an excuse right after that it won't fit and he didn't want to squish the bag. At that point i was just too upset for words. At the end of it i finally managed to push on and again insist i want it with the box, i don't mind if the box doesn't close, because i can still store the bag with the lid off. He said ok, went to the back and brought my bag out in a 'industrial packing box', his words not mine. Ok... well i give up now.
I was also eyeing one of the bags on sale and was told they only had one new one left. I asked them to hold it for 10mins so i can quickly head over to the main store and see what other colours they had there. So when we left they insisted we leave the bag we just bought there as they weren't really suppose to use those boxes and probably didn't want the main store seeing them giving us such shitty packing. We just left them there and headed over. I didn't find anything at the main store i liked better so we went back and i made the decision to purchase the other bag as well :) I liked the style and colour. Out of all the sale bags i thought this was the only one that was a good design and good colour! It is white so will require a lot of loving hehe
So i checked the new one, this style was in perfect condition, not a single fault.
And again the SA said there was no box which really upset me as i already have the other bag without a box. How will i store my bags? On the limited floor space i have? I feel like i'm entitled to a god damn box for the price we are paying. L was tired after a long day at work and didn't say much or seemed happy.
And i felt teary because i was having such a bad experience and this was suppose to be a very happy purchase!
So i paid for my bag and again he stuffed it into another industrial packing box and we left. I tried to pretend to be happy since i really appreciated L getting me such a lovely gift and i didn't want him to think i was unhappy.

When i got home that night, i was inspecting the bag some more as you should always do with these pricey bags, and found a massive marker mark on the base! And to make it worse, it looked like the staff or someone tried to clean it off and rubbed on it so hard there was a faded patch around it! I was devastated. I can't believe i didn't see it in store. I guess the lighting was dim but i instantly picked up the phone and called them. I asked for them order another one from another store for me. I didn't care if i had to wait over a month, i will not accept paying this much for a faulty bag. The staff was very unhelpful and said there was one in the main store and they won't transfer if for me until i go and check it there myself. And i cannot do the exchange there.
So the whole night i couldn't sleep worried over getting this sorted out. I was working straight the next 4 days and i knew i couldn't wait that long. So i tried to leave work early the next day but couldn't. I did find out Prada opened later that night so after work i went out to the city even though it was freezing cold. After all night and morning thinking about it at work i was just over it. I was ready to just get another saffiano tote in a different colour than what i already own and be done.
When i got there, the staff did not even look at my bag. They said a new one had JUST arrived downstairs today and they can go get it for me now. I still took the bag out and showed the other SA the mark. If they work there, they should be well aware of the mark on the base for their display bags. Maybe that's why they seemed to try to convince me not to get the display but still did not mention the mark to me. So when the original SA who helped me went to get the bag, i did say i still want to get a box for my bags. The girl said because it was sale season they had no boxes but i can leave my details and they can call me when they have them available, or i can just call up and ask them. So that was what i did. I checked the new bag which was perfect this time and left feeling my mission was accomplished. I got a bag in the new and good condition we paid for and i will make sure i get the proper boxes for my bags later on.
I was so glad it was sorted. I always imagine the worst scenario and was ready to go full bitch mode to get my way if they insisted on being difficult.
And because we made our purchase at the DJs Prada, refund is always an option so that was going to be my final solution. I wasn't going to have a bag that cost $2.5k and be unhappy with it. Money doesn't grow on trees and we all have to work hard for it. The bag better make me god damn happy! So i am happy now :) Although with this whole experience i have to admit i am not treasuring the bag as much and i did with my first and am very reluctant to want to go back to Prada now. I think it's time to venture out into other brands that offer better quality and service.

Sometimes i think maybe a Celine would have made me more excited :D But i feel it is a very seasonal in trend bag and it is also very heavy! The prada is perfect lightweight and simple everyday design. I am also obsessed with the white BN2579 i purchased too :) It's not saffiano like everything else i own but feels tough and as i mention, is perfect. It is a off white so i guess getting it a little dirty over time is ok. After all they are just bags and they are meant to be used!
I'm just terrified to start using them. They seem so fragile and when i pull out my saffiano tote i can really appreciate how structured and durable it seems now hehe
Anyways i think my story of my bad experience at Prada totally overshadowed the happiness of me getting 2 Prada bags for my birthday! One from L and one from me to me hehe :D Aren't they beautiful? I feel so blessed and happy for having such a loving bf. For having a job which allows me to support myself and can afford to buy a Prada bag (on sale). I know the amount of money it costs for these bags are ridiculous but i feel like we all work hard for something and at this point in time, these bags show the effort we put in life to live a life we enjoy :) In the future i hope to be buying a house instead! But that's for the future after a lot more hard work hehe :)

Australian Lush Christmas Collection Boxing Day Sales Haul 2013

I've been obsessed.

I love Lush. But not enough to pay $8-10 for some soap.

I've tried many lush products in the past and in the end didn't find it to be anything special besides just being fun to use.

I still go into Lush occasionally for a browse but have not purchased their stuff regularly anymore.

Now that i've had to cut down on my products and have to be extremely careful of ingredients in the products i use, i don't shop as often for beauty items anymore.

I did check out the Lush Christmas collection early December and wasn't tempted by anything besides their Santa Baby Lip Tint. Having gotten rid of 20+ MAC lipsticks, i felt like i had nothing to put on my lips in the morning! So when i swatched this Lip Tint and found it to be a very rich full pigmented red, i knew i needed to hoard these. I have been loving red lips for a year now! I dab it on so it's not completely in your face bright. The ingredients appear gluten free and have been safe on my lips so far :)

The only downside is that it is very dry. It is almost rough and clumpy when i'm trying to smooth some product out of the tin. However it dabs on the lips fine and spreads easily with some lipbalm on the lips first :)

Also the expiry dates are only for a year long. I purchased 3 when i first spotted them and tried to not go crazy since i knew they would last forever and boxing day will have 50% off all Christmas Lush items.

I did end up going to the city on Boxing Day even though i had no plans to be part of the crowd. So my first priority shop was to Lush! Only one Santa Baby Lip Tint was found on the shelf so i grabbed that instantly. Originally $9.95 so half price was pretty good. I also grabbed one of their lipsticks that come in a dropper style bottle. I have been eyeing their lipsticks FOREVER but cannot justify paying $24.95 on another make up item when i have so much already. I got the shade Strong which is a dark deep orange. I absolutely love orange on my lips. It's like a pin-up red but much more cute :)

And that was all i got. The shelves were all ravaged to the point of almost empty. The line was to the door and the sales assistants were being extremely slow and inefficient. They love to talk and talk and TALK. When the line is out the door and the heat is up to 40 degrees C in there, you would think they would hurry up a bit more? That's the problem i've experienced at Lush. They are lovely but too friendly. There were times i've missed the train because they don't stop talking even when it's to the point where you're feeling awkward now and they need to stop. If i'm looking for something and you're helping me, ok fine. But when i've helped myself and gone to the counter because i want to pay and leave, please just stop :(

I went home with no regrets of not buying anything else from Lush. I didn't even think about it.

A Lush Kiosk opened near where i work and somehow it has tempted me after that. I walked pass during work and had a few looks. And in the end, decided to buy some of the gift sets while they were half off. It's the best time to buy so i needed to take advantage!

It started with one big gift set and a small one.

Then when i went home and got all excited smelling each item and looking at the pretty packaging, i ended up going back the next day at work and got another gift set and some small items.

Also when i notice one gift set being the last one left, i tend to just NEED to buy it.

So through all Boxing Day till this date, i've been popping into lush constantly and buying an item here and there. There isn't much left unfortunately and i feel sad i didn't decide to buy while there was still stock around. Today i did finally make an order from the Lush website which does have SOME stock left that i couldn't find in stores. There's only 3 different gifts sets left and like maybe 2 other single items. Not much at all. :(

I have unboxed a lot of the items that came in gift sets, cling wrapped them and put into my Lush tin anad threw all my extras into a bag.

I've got a whole assortment of stuff so i won't list everything i got.

Products which has stood out to me are, the Mr Punchy Soap. The smell is just so fruity and nice, i bought a few of the gift sets it came in. Keep in mind the 2 item sets were around $6-7 and 3 item sets were $10-13. The most expensive gift set i got was for $31.50 and there was 9 items. Overall i figured they worked out to be around $3.50 each item which is a super good deal!

I also love the Candy Mountain scent. My sister described it as cherry flavoured medicine which isn't very off from what it smells like. The Snow Fairy Massage Bar is the same scent and i was so reluctant to buy these at $5 still after being discounted but when i noticed stock was running low, i did purchase a few here and there. It's so creamy, i just love touching it. They won't last though and are very melty.

I've been told the Valentines' Day collection will be out soon and i have the catalogue with all the products on there. I will definitely be checking it out but probably not purchase anything since i have so much now! Although, if a Valentines' Day sale also happens, i might learn my lesson from this time and quickly snap up all the good stuff first!

I'm a little obsessed but i've been nothing but work work work lately so it actaully feels good to have something to be excited over :)

Ok so i guess i've mention the other things i've purchased during this sale season :)

I've been quite good until this Lush obsession hit. I've only been on one other proper shopping trip.

I purchased a fabulous dress from Myer and of course in one of my favourite brands, Tokito for $45 which isn't too bad. I expected the sales to be much more and the Parramatta Myer sale sections were in such a mess. They threw all the sale clothes on 3 massive racks and after a bunch of browsing, you realise there's only a few styles on there but just all over the place. Things were still not considered cheap to me. There are constantly 30% off sales at Myer and the clothes were only marked down by that much anyways which didn't make anything a 'steal'.

I purchased a wrap bracelet from Fossil. They had half price on certain stock. However it is blended in which normal stock so you won't even notice they were having sales besides one dinky red sign in the corner of the shop somewhere. The bracelet i got turned out to be the last one so i was fine with taking the display since i was going to wear it anyways. However i noticed it was all scratched up and had a massive logo flaw where the metal had a dent. This made is quite upset so i took it to another Fossil store just to change it over to one that was in decent condition. The service was shocking. Not only to me. I noticed it towards other customers as well. 3 staff in the store, yet none can finish serving this one girl waiting to pay and no other customers were needing help besides me just wanting to exchange the bracelet over.

They took forever to get the bracelet out of the case, one girl standing at the case not doing much got annoyed she had to take it out for me, took the faulty bracelet and asked what was wrong with it rudely. When i showed her the obvious faults, she said 'that's what happens when you buy sale items'. Excuse me? Sale items aren't faulty items. And i've been a constant regular to this store and purchasing everything at full price all year round, now to have this kind of treatment makes me extremely turned off the brand. The lady taking 1 hour to process a simple exchange because all 3 staff were incompetent, eventually had to call someone from outside to do it. The girl came in, knew what to do straight away and gave me the new bracelet and let me go. The sad part is that it wasn't their usual staff who would have recognised me, and these 3 random staff seemed like they would have been head office people too because their heads clearly weren't on this planet.

I was going to do a massive order from the Fossil website since none of the sale items are even displayed or available in stores for some reason. However after that day, i don't think i will be buying anymore from Fossil.

My next purchase was at the Chanel counter. I've been needing a new powder to set my make up and i've been loving my Chanel blush so i decided to have a look at what they had. I purchased 2 items from them and the young girl there had the snootiest attitude. She stood on the spot and everytime someone called her over, she would roll her eyes a little and go to them, answer their question and walk off back to her spot. While the other 2 staff were actively helping other customers.

She was the only staff available for us to call over for us to make the purchase and even thinking about it now makes me annoyed at that kind of attitude. We were such an easy sale for her, she made no effect, she even tried to up sell me stuff after i told her what i wanted. To the point where i was going to change my mind because she told me what i'm buying is not for what i plan to use it for...

There's bad staff everywhere. It makes me sad how some much more capable people are more deserving of these jobs yet these kind of people get it instead.

Another thing i got was 2 Avene Body lotion creams for sensitive skin. This has been the best face moisturizer for me now. When my skin is flaring up from allergies and hormones or whatever, this is the most basic and nicest feeling cream for the face. It's also a massive tube so it will last agessss. But when Priceline had 40% off i couldnt resist  to not buy 2 back ups :)

My Victoria Secrets order also came. I love their body mists. Everything of theirs just smells heavenly and luxurious! This is going to be one nice smelling year with all my new goodies i think :)

Scored some generous Lush samples without even asking! :D

I don't like the dry feeling of soap but this smell is addictive!

Candy Mountain Bubble Bar!

I went back for more :D

Shooting Stars Gift Set

This bag of lush goodies has now completely over flown :)

2nd Lush haul coming soon.... :D

Not Dead

Hello :)
I just wanted to quickly update that this blog is not dead. Ok so it has been dead for the past few months but i have very good explainations! lol Won't you let me explainnnnnnnnn.

Basically, i am a make up skincare hoarder. And i've been trying to cut back and use what i have. The disappointment of looking at something you love and knowing it's nearing the 'too old to be used' stage makes me sad especially when i have 10 back ups of it.
So i've been not buying anything i don't need, not buying things that are "new and fun to try". Simply because i've got 30 other 'new and fun to try' unopened eyeliners or lipsticks sitting in a drawer somewhere.
Also, saving. At my mid twenties, my financial status is not at the top. It isn't bad. If i wanted something i could buy it easily. But it's time to think about the future. I want to buy a new car and be able to afford a house one day.
Also i figured, the amount i spent on beauty products, a few shopping trips could = a designer item that will maintain it's value a bit longer than make up :)

To stop buying beauty products is hard but something has really made me start. And it is my allergies. I need to avoid gluten/wheat products which means nothing with wheat germ oil. I've also recently discovered i need to avoid things with Vitamin E which is derived from wheat.... which means 90% off my beauty products will go in the bin.
I've been slowly sorting my stuff. Anything with wheat for sure i've taken out and given away. I will try to sell some more expensive products that are new and sealed to hopefully get back some of the $$$ i spent and use that towards my new gluten free make up :)

That means this blog will now become a gluten free shopping blog!
I think i'll have stuff like fashion accessories, make up and skincare still but only things i find that are gluten free :)
I'm so busy with work i won't be able to post once a week like i use to :( Hopefully once every fortnight i guess hehe And because i'm buying lesser now i'll just post collective hauls which has lots and lots of photos. I know that's what we all like! hehe

I've definitely bought a lot of fun items since my last post... which i can't even remember when that was! Sorry :(
Is there anyone else who has had to cut back on their beauty stash for any reason? I'm a bit of a organization freak so it's kind of fun even though it's sad at the same time :O

I will back back soon with lots of photos!

Priceline 2 day 40% off skincare Sale ~ nanoblur ~ hydraluron ~ snoxin

Priceline had a 40% off all skincare sale on Tuesday and Wednesday!

Most brands only ever go on 30% off at MOST so this was a good chance to buy those products you've been eyeing! Not only that, some brands never go on sale too!

I've been on a de-hoarding and budgeting plan so i have not been eyeing any products or been in need of anything :)

However it doesn't hurt to look and see what would be the best item to buy on this sale right? :D

I did end up getting some exciting stuff!

I bought a Nanoblur which i have tested on the back of my hand before and it definitely does have a matte blurred effect on the skin. I had wished i read reviews online first because apparently it doesn't work well with make up. Whats the point of using this without make up on when i'm going to look ugly anyways??? lolol 

I also picked up from the same company Indeed Laboratories, Hydraluron which is a moisture booster. This caught my attention and i have dry skin so i got 2 of these. I'm so glad i came home to raving reviews on this product. The size is a tiny 30ml but withthe 40% off it was around $22 which made it a decent price compared to the Dr Lewinns Super Hydrator 30ml $89.95. It's not as sticky and disappears into the skin quickly. I do enjoy still feeling the moisture on the skin which the Dr Lewinn's does though.

I decided to also get the Snoxin from the same brand since i was already getting most of their stuff. When i tested this on the back of my hand, it felt nice. The spot on my hand looked nicer instantly too! Maybe it's in my mind :D But i bought it anyways. When else would be a better time to try it? 

Maybe i should have got the eye cream too much i don't have eye wrinkles. I do have some darkness and sagging under the eyes but that's probably all genetics and i'm not convinced anything will save them now.

I'm super excited to try the Hydraluron mostly because i feel like that's something i need straight away. Nanoblur was just for fun. I don't have shiny skin that needs to be mattified. If i can't use make up over this, then it's kind of useless to me but i'll see if i can make it work. If Snoxin is as amazing as it claims, and a cheaper alternative to the Lancome Genefique. I may start adding it to my routine regularly. I didn't think the Genefique was doing anything for me, but my skin did feel like it was in a good condition until i stopped so it must have been doing something!

Overall i really like this brand and think it has so much potential. The ingredients list is short and not filled with fillers. Which is what i like since i need to avoid gluten in my beauty products as well!

I hope they come out with more stuff! But maybe not because i really don't need more products lol I can't wait to finally reach the point where i have one-two back up of stuff, not 20. It's exhausting to use 5 body cleansing products in the shower every day lol Gotta use them up somehow right? :D

I've resorted to old body lotions as shower washes and old facial moisturizers as hand cream. I've been pretty good at not buying more skincare :) except this one time hehe

MyProsperity.com.au

MyProsperity.com.au

Product Talk by Nuffnang

If you've stumbled across my blog, you probably like shopping. I know i do lol

However being a shopaholic can be a bad thing. I was definitely one for a long time. However i grew up in a family which always knew saving was important. 

I've really let go last year and spent way too much. It got to the point where i was spending all my pay every week and i knew i had to stop. I've been doing ok this financial year :) My goal is to stop being a shopaholic/hoarder. I don't need more stuff! My room is overcrowded and i'm never going to be able to downsize my stuff at this rate!

So when i got an email to review MyProsperity i knew it was something that could be of use to me. It is a website which allows you to have better control of your finances. It securely links your bank accounts, credit cards, loans, super, shares, property, car, etc all in one place and best of all it is free!

It allows you to design your own budget plan and sorts out your spending for you. You can see all your money related stuff in one place which i think is the best way to know how your financial situation really is. Sometimes i spend on one card but i monitor my other bank account more. Before i know it, i've spent everything in one account without realising and thinking i still have money :(

I usually put all my spendings on a very VERY messy spreadsheet. I use EditGrid which i can access online everywhere but their servers are always down so i have been looking for a new option :)

I've signed up and so far the website navigation is easy. They also have a easy set up steps for you at the beginning. There's a few sections where you can add goals and budgets. Apparently if i want to save for a new car, it's going to take me 150 months if i only add $200 in per month lol... no more goal of a new car any time soon :P I really like how it puts your goals and plans into perspective. Now i know if i want a new car within the next 1-2 years, i'm going to have to buckle down and save hard!

Finding a good way to watch your spending and money flow is so important these days. Money is put into all kinds of things like share, investments or even an old sock in your drawer :P lol Keeping track can be a headache trying to gather everything together. I know because i did my tax recently and i hated looking for all my files and logging into all my bank accounts! 

I think this website service is great and something we all need in our busy lives.

If you need help with budgeting or just want to be able to see all your finances in one place, check out MyProsperity.com.au! They even provide a free car and house worth valuation :) 

New Prada Bag! Prada Saffiano Lux BN1786 in Baltico Navy Black Blue

For my Birthday last month i got the Prada bag i've been wanting from L :)

It's their Saffiano Lux tote bag which is their popular standard bag design. It's my first luxury designer bag, and although the price still hurts, we only live once and if you can afford to get one, why not. I always knew i would indulge in one someday :) But letting go of the money is always hard especially when you slave away at work for so long just to be able to purchase one of these!

I'm afraid i know this will not be the only overpriced bag i will possess in my lifetime :D But it's a good start! I've wanted this for it's simple elegant design. It's very sturdy leather. Should not easily stain and the design will go with everything. It's a classic piece which should stay within trend for years and years.

The problem was choosing the colour. I was set on Navy or Black. Should i go safe and stick with Black? Or should i add a bit of fun and go Navy? When we were at the store choosing out my bag, they had the seasonal colours available :D Which is how i came upon 'Baltico'. A Black Blue! My perfect shade! It's so much more classy than the Navy but not as flat and boring as the Black! I knew straight away this was the one :)

This is how the colour looks in real life. Isn't it beautiful? :)

With Flash! Definitely see the blue tones in this now.

I feel like this bag needs a seatbelt on in the car :P

I hope this can become my everyday bag and i can the money's worth in use out of it! I've got one of those plastic bases from a supermarket environmental canvas bag to put in the base so it keeps it shape ok. But i don't mind if it doesn't stay 'boxy' since i want it to look like a comfortable everyday bag. Sadly i've only used this bag twice as i don't want to bring it to work where it sits unattended in a cupboard all day with a good chance of it being possibly stolen! On my days off i don't tend to bring a handbag with me when i drive around to local places :( Must find places to bring this bag! It's so roomy i can fit everything in it. I might start bringing this to work but after i've done all the leather protecting stuff hehe

I love this bag so much :) But once you own one, you realise you don't need a million designer bags like you dreamed of hehe. I'm at the stage in my life where i've tossed all those cheap bags where i had like 20 different designs and have stuck to the one basic black bag everyday. What age were you guys when you decided to stick to one handbag only like most 'adults'. Not that adults should stick to one bag but my mum always uses one bag for everyday, so did my teachers and older people i've come across :)

I can't wait till i choose my next designer bag to put on my want list. But i'm super happy with this bag and will wait till it's a little worn before i even consider wanting another pricey bag :P

BTW i've been meaning to do a massive haul post for the past month. But my laptop screen broke and i'm using an old laptop which won't connect to my phone so i can't upload photos easily. It's really such a hassle and has made blogging so inconvenient :( I'm working on it though, i've bought so much fun stuff, i can't wait to share soon :)

Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Daily Clear Wash and Mask Review and Giveaway :)

Product Talk by Nuffnang

Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Daily Clear Wash and Mask $10.99

I was sent this item to review around a week ago. It is the new Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Daily Clear Wash and Mask. 

"Formulated with Avocado Extracts and nourishing Vitamin E, glycerine for hydration, as well 

as Pomegranate fruit extract, an anti-oxidant known to help keep skin looking and feeling 

healthy, these delicious smelling products cleanse gently and do not leave your skin over 

dried."

Definitely sounds like it's packed with lots of goodness for the skin. The packaging is a easy to use squeezy tube :) It smells so lovely. Very refreshing and soothing. It is a greenish grey colour with a cream gel texture. It reminds me a lot of Dermalogica's Dermal Clay Cleanser. But when used on the face it definitely feels more like a watery gel and smooths out very nicely. It's at a very good price too for only $10.99!

This is great for the mornings when you need something to freshen up your face and is gentle enough to just clean off left over cream from the night before :) i would recommend this as an everyday morning face wash or even for nights where you just bummed at home all day and don't have much to wash off :) Sometimes its better to use gentle products that don't strip off everything too harshly. Gotta give the skin some R&R now and then right :P

~Giveaway~

http://blog.nuffnang.com.au/clearasil-product-talk/

5 commenters will also win a full sized Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Daily Clear Wash and Mask. Just leave a comment below on what skin concerns you think Clearasil Vitamins and Extracts could help you with? 

For me i think it will help me feel energized and more awake in the morning so i can apply my make up with my eyes opened! lol 

This giveaway will only be till the 22nd of July 2013, so i will contact the winners then to arrange for the prizes to be sent to you :)

Now leave a comment! Gogogo :D Chances are i wont get enough comments so if you're the first 5 you'll probably win hehe Everyone loves a freebie right? :)

Priceline Skincare Goody bag June 2013!

Priceline is having another Goody bag offer again! This time it's on skincare and you have to spend $60 or over on the selected brands :) I got mine already hehe and they seem to be almost out since it's Saturday today. You might be able to find a few more left in some stores. It's a really good one too so if you're in need of some stuff anyways, this is the best time to buy!

On Thursday night, just 20 minutes before all the shops were to close, i rushed into Priceline on the drive back home from the city and grabbed a basket, threw stuff in and went on my way as they were slowly kicking people out. 

In such a rushed manner, i didn't make a very good choice with what i needed to buy. I knew i needed make up wipes as my last pack was coming to an end and a few packs of pore strips, you will always need these babies. 

So i ended up buying pretty much all make up wipes and a few packs of pore strips. There looked like only 3 goody bags left on the shelf like they were almost out!

The next day when i was at work, there is a better Priceline there and i had a good chance to look at all the skincare on sale as well. My local Priceline has skincare divided into this 4 section maze and i didn't see most of the offers the night before. This Priceline still had shelves full of goody bags!

I really didn't need an extra goody bag as i already have more than enough skincare at home. I still have unopened stuff from last year's goody bag! But the skincare was 30% off and i went through convincing reviews on my phone. I decided to just go for it. 

My sisters got the goody bag as well so we all did product trades and swapped for things we would use which was good hehe.

 Priceline Skincare Goody Bag 2013 :)

Dr. Lewinns Reversaderm Micro-Cellular Age Correcting Peel

I'm not at the age that Dr. Lewinns products are targeted for but they do have products which interest me. And it's usually these brands that have good stuff that works! I've also bought their new cleansing oil and will do a review on it later.

I've bought quite a few skincare products lately but haven't had the time or energy to do any posts but i will post pictures and mini reviews next :D If anyone has had good or bad experiences with Dr. Lewinns please let me know! I've got a lot of their basic stuff which i haven't gotten around to really using properly yet and their new products really look appealing :D

Thursday Night Haul :) Clarins Gift With Purchase @ Myer, Pandora ~

I swear i've been meaning to update with a post for the longest time! But finally! Yay it's time for another shopping haul :)

I haven't bought much lately. Which unfortunately didn't mean more saving either as i've spent my money elsewhere :(

My most exciting beauty purchase for this week is on Clarins! They have a gift time at Myer at the moment and it's a really good one too! It comes with 7 deluxe sample size products and a little shopping tote.

I'm never a fan of the Clarins totes, i wish they have a make up bag instead or a nail file lol They're always quite ugly and useless but this time's one is a nice denim blue and simple so i don't mind it too much :)

I spotted their Mother's Day sets in DJs a few days ago and really liked the body set for winter. But i decided to hold back and check out Myer first because they tend to have a GWP running most of the time. So i was so glad the set was available and there was a GWP! But i needed to purchase an additional skincare item and i didn't have a clue what to get. Mainly because i have wayyyy too much Clarins products from all the times they did a GWP or special sets and i haven't really gotten around to use any religiously to know what is good. In the end, the sales assistant suggested i get their make up remover which is suppose to be the best one out there so i just got that with some regrets. Who pays $36 for a make up remover when you can get a bi-phase one from Maybelline for $8???

After reading some reviews about how it apparently conditions the lashes too, i decided i shall use it for when i've washed my face and there's still that smidge of black around my eyes :) That should make it last longer than using it on my whole face everyday. 

Moving on, Bourjois currently has a nice GWP at Priceline too. I was in there yesterday trying to spend my $11.20 points voucher and didn't really have anything to buy.

But i did spot a new lipstick line from Bourjois called 'Rogue Edition'. The shades were interesting too. There was lots of funky yet wearable shades. I was trying to stick to my budget but i got 2 lipsticks because the shades were so lovely and i needed to spend over $25 to get the gift with purchase anyways.

The lipsticks are extremely pigmented and creamy! Which is what i love. They glide on like a gel. It's amazing :D I got the shades 03 which is a fluro pink peach coral and 10 which is a pin-up orange red. The red is probably too much but i love to foundation the edge of my lips and then use a orange red to dab the inside of my lips. This is amazing for my fat lips that don't want anymore colour but would like to be pin-up-y :)

I'm very curious about the nude shade that has no tester. It reminds me of honeylove by MAC which is one of my favourites but no Pricelines i've been to have testers for it :( Theses lipsticks were at $19 each and definitely worth it for the quality. But if you need a reason to justify more unnecessary make up then you must have a look at the GWP!

Comes with a Volumizer mascara and a Clubbing Liquid Liner in black and a nail lacquer in either a dusty baby pink or a grey navy blue.

Here are some swatches of their new clubbing liners from the current collection :)

They are amazingly smooth. The brown and the teal are amazing. So pigmented and smooth. The black isn't dark enough for my liking, the purple was a little gritty but still nice, the blue was smooth but boring and so was the green. 

They are not as good as the Prestige high intensity liners though. These do fade a bit when rubbed and i can imagine these smudging a bit on the eyes after a long day. However the colours are very unique and i wish i owned them all! I love colour liner for the bottom lash line on a boring day :) They are very nice quality!

The Body Shop recently released a new collection of scents. I picked up the Japanese Cherry Blossom fragrance and perfume oil. I already own this scent so i'm not sure why they say it's new. The packaging is different from the old which is nice. It is a lot prettier and smells the same as the old :)

Not long ago, My Chemist Warehouse had Organix shampoos in sets on sale :) Usually around $15 each, it was $15 for a set! I love the coconut milk scent. I love coconut everything so i needed to hoard! I got a few sets and some of the cherry blossom ginseng too :) They are not organic but did you know they are gluten free? Even more reason for me to love them! I'm very much into my Lush shampoos now though but sometimes i would prefer my hair to not stink of natural ingredients lol I use Organix after Lush shampoo bars to clear out the bad smell :)

Talking about smells, i love candles. Which has lead me to discover oil burners. I got one from L a while back and i can't smell the aromatherapy oils when i use it AT ALL! I guess i'm not using it right. But i walked pass Dusk the other day which is a all things candle kind of shop. They had lots of oil burners for sale and i searched for these..... :)

Melt bars! Just like the Scentsy stuff everyone talks about online but i can't get my hands on over here.

They have a permanent deal of 5 for $15 which works out to be $3 a bar which is very good.

I got a few scents which i thought would be nice for winter.

I love how it sit perfectly in the hole of my oil burner and these don't evaporate super quickly! I've had one burning for around 3 days and it hardens back to almost its original size! They definitely last a long time and is totally worth getting rather than candles which die fast and are dangerous :O The scents are strong as well. I can smell it when i come back home. It's not too strong either that i can constantly smell it while in the room. Love these :D

My next exciting purchase is my new handbag from Marcs! My handbag broke and i was on the hunt for a while but i didn't like anything! But while randomly shopping i found this gem :) It's exactly what i wanted. I can use it as a sidebag as well. It's black and leather with gold hardware. It's plain but not boring so it looks 'designer'. It's got so many zipper compartments! The only thing i didn't like about this too much is that it is a little slouchy in a out of shape way. And the zippers are annoying. The zipper handles sometimes flip over and get stuck and i can't easily flip them back. I end up just opening the zipper without the handle. It doesn't happen as often after some use so it's not too bad :) It's a gorgeous bag and i'm so glad i didn't have to spend a few k's on a fancy one just yet. This was $299AUD so it was decent for a nice leather bag

.

I also scored a total bargain with some Witchery flats a while back. I actually spotted these a long time ago but didn't find my size. They must have moved their stock around the stores because i found these in David Jones a few weeks back and in my size! They were also on massive sale RRP$130, now $39.95 :) I couldn't resist not buying these cute FULL leather flats for such a good price. They're wider fit and extremely comfy too hehe

Last but not least, L got me a Pandora bracelet last week. I wasn't too fond of the design since i'm not big on Pandora which i think is over hyped and ugly, but i did manage to change it to something decent looking :)

BEFORE (His design)

AFTER (My design)

Clearly we both have very different taste hehe. It's still a little too girly for me but at least now it looks like the price it cost! I think it will look nice with my pearl bracelet on my girly days :)

So much for not shopping lol I didn't think my collection of shopping photos would end up including all these. I'm pretty sure i have a few things here and there i've forgotton about too. 

I've craving to shop but i need to resist for a bit longer :)

Until next time!