Glitter and Critters

My first purchase from Hautelook

2010-07-24T14:52:00.005+10:00

Rock and Republic Contrived Pressed Blush

I made my first purchase from Hautelook.com recently. I've never really been into blushes. I feel like no matter what shade or formula I get, they always seem to look the same once applied onto my cheeks. But when I saw the packaging on these Rock and Republic blushes, I was sold!!! And I have to say, they are everything I expected. The packaging is GORGEOUS!! It's solid, heavy, shiny and has a magnetic closure. Each compact has a large mirror inside too! What more could you ask for?!?! The pigmentation of the blush is fantastic and there's a wide colour range to choose from too. The two I chose have no shimmer in them. 'Bedroom' is a rosy peach shade with no shimmer. 'Kinky' is a bright hot pink in the packaging, however, it's actually not as bright when applied and gives a nice pink flush to cheeks. Here are the pics!

The blushes were nestled in these circular boxes...

Tadaa!! Beautiful!!!

Large mirror inside each compact

'Bedroom" - a rosy peach shade with no shimmer

'Kinky' - a hot pink shade with no shimmer

Swatches!

~CC

MAC - To the Beach

2010-06-03T13:55:00.012+10:00

I was super excited about MAC's newest collection "To the beach" which came out last week. A lot of the products sold out really quickly but I was lucky enough to pick up the things I really wanted from the collection. Here's what I brought home with me!

1. Creme Bronzer in 'Weekend' - $30 CDN

This creme bronzer was actually the one item I knew I had to buy from the collection. I have relatively dry skin and so all creamy products are my friends. Plus, I wear bronzer pretty much everyday (usually NARS laguna) so I had a feeling I was gonna get good use out of this. The consistency of the product didn't turn out to be as creamy as I thought. It's actually a very light product and the texture reminds me a lot of MAC's cream colour bases.

There were 2 shades available. I bought the darker of the 2 shades and I'm really glad I did because the product really sheers out when you blend it so you get just a hint of colour. I've been using MAC's 187 brush to apply this which allows you to slowly build the colour up. I would definitely recommend this if you want just a very sheer glow on your cheeks. However, if you're wanting to add a lot of colour to your cheeks or to contour with it, I think you'll find this product very disappointing.

2. Marine Life Highlight Powder - $32 CDN

Ahhhh, the highly coveted marine life highlighting powder. This was already sold out on the morning of the first day the collection launched. But, my mom somehow managed to pick this up for me the next day!!!! I was so excited and couldn't believe I got my hands on one! The seahorse design was so beautiful I didn't even wanna swatch it! Anyway...this highlighter is a peachy-gold shade with A LOT of shimmers. It's really pretty when applied to the tops of the cheekbones. However, in the end, I couldn't justify keeping this when I already have a gazillion highlighting products so it ended up becoming Sissy's!

3. Lipstick in 'Lazy Day' - $16.50 CDN

Firstly, I have to say I love the packaging of this lipstick! The orange colour plus the seashell print is so fun and summery! 'Lazy day' was the only colour that really caught my eye. All the other lipsticks were quite vibrant and bright and I thought that this was the only lipstick out of the collection that seemed wearable for me. MAC describes this colour as a light dirty blue pink. It has a lustre finish which is my 2nd favourite finish from MAC (after cremesheens). The sheer and glossy formula makes this lipstick very easy to wear and perfect for everyday during the summer.

I've read several reviews which compared this lipstick to MAC's 'Angel' (which I also have). To me, 'Lazy Day' is paler and more blue-based than 'Angel'. The lustre finish of 'Lazy Day' also makes it much more easy to wear than the frost finish of 'Angel', which can look cakey on the lips. I definitely prefer 'Lazy day' over 'Angel'...too bad it's limited edition....O_O

~CC

Retail therapy

2010-05-26T18:59:00.011+10:00

I was in San Francisco last week to write my California state board exam which I somehow managed to PASS!!! After all the stress of studying was over, of course I had to pay a little visit to the makeup stores with my cousin! Here's what came home with me this time...

1. Bare Escentuals (bare minerals) Hydrating Mineral Veil - $29 USD

This was highly recommended by my cousin and I decided to buy it after she applied some on my face. It's a really fine finishing powder with a slight shimmer to it. I put this on after my foundation and loved the way it glowed. It's not cakey at all, something that's really important to me as my skin tends to be dry. Although it looks like it's quite a peachy pink coloured powder, it actually goes on transparent. This particular set that I bought comes with a brush that you use to dip into the minerals and then swirl onto your face. The brush is super soft and I was told it costs $30 to buy separately. I got this set for $29 at the Bare Escentuals store!!

2. Diorskin Nude foundation (Shade 030) - $46 USD

My cousin and I both picked this up at Sephora. I had been wanting to get this for a while now after hearing great things about it. The packaging is beautiful and has a pump dispenser. It contains 30ml (1 fl.oz) of product. According to Dior, this foundation 'contains a unique blend of 100% mineral pigments and energizing mineralized water' which is supposed to give you a natural glow and improve skin over time. I've been using this for over a week now (I apply it with my MAC190 - a synthetic foundation brush) and here are my thoughts on the foundation:

- medium coverage but buildable to full coverage

- easily blended

- satin finish

- definitely hydrating

- gets slightly oily towards the end of a long day...and I have dry skin!! - so I would not recommend this for someone with oily skin

- slight scent (sissy claims it smells like sunblock but smells more like light soap to me)

Overall, I am LOVING this foundation. It gives me the coverage I need while still looking very natural AND keeps my skin moisturized. What more can I ask for?!?!

3. NARS blush (Orgasm) - $26 USD

One of the most popular blushes EVER but I have always been hesitant about getting it just because it seemed so shimmery in the packaging. Again, I ended up buying this on recommendation by cousin. She raved and raved about it at the store and I finally decided to get it. My cheeks felt very pretty with this on! I can see why it's a cult favourite now. It gives you a nice rosy flush and highlights your cheeks at the same time. Oh, and the shimmers are actually quite subtle!

4. Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes eyeliner (0L) - $17 USD

I had purchased one of these pencils a while ago after hearing about how long lasting and black this liner was. However, I was quite disappointed because the one I had was not dark at all!! To make a long story short, what happened was I had actually picked up the 1L instead of the 0L. The packaging of the two looks pretty much identical but the 1L is actually black sheen - which is a softer black. Anyways, I thought I would give this a try again since my Urban Decay 24/7 pencil is running low. I have to say though, even with the correct shade of black now, I still prefer my UD pencil better. Both are about the same in terms of long lasting but to me, the UD liner is still darker than the MUFE pencil.

5. Tarina Tarantino Lipgloss (Nouveau)

Got suckered into buying this mainly because of the pretty packaging. It has a sponge tip applicator that's unlike the typical lipgloss wand in that it's flat on both sides. The colour I picked up (Nouveau) is a pretty candy-pink colour. The formula is quite sheer (best used over a lipstick) and non-sticky but doesn't last too long on the lips. Scent-wise, it smells kinda like those cheap candies you buy that looks like pills and is really powdery when you bite it...like the ones in candy necklaces!

6. L'oreal Lipstick (Fairest Nude)

Got this from CVS pharmacy while trying to look for EOS lip balm for sissy (which was a big fail as they didn't carry it there). I've heard great things about this lipstick but unfortunately, this shade is unavailable in Canada. I'm really glad I bought this because it's the perfect 'nude' colour for me. It's definitely not a corpse-y colour like so many nudes are. This one is a pinky nude that doesn't make me look like a zombie. It's perfect for everyday wear and can go with many different looks. Pigmentation and hydration is excellent. The only things I hate about it are the packaging (I've always thought the L'oreal lipstick packaging is hideous) and the scent...I mean, it's not really a gross scent, just not something I'd prefer.

So...that's my little bit of retail therapy in San Francisco!

~CC

Lash serum - Week 4 and Final Thoughts

2010-05-11T05:26:00.007+10:00

I've been using L'oreal's lash renewal serum (aka lash boosting serum) for 4 weeks now and I have to say I'm quite pleased with the results! The truth is, I didn't really expect too much from it when I first started using this considering it's a drugstore product, relatively inexpensive and even the company itself didn't claim it will help grow lashes.

I really started to notice a difference to my lashes probably around week 3 of using it. To me, it seemed like there were more lashes when I went to apply this at night. I also noticed that my lashes seemed just a tad longer when I went to curl and apply mascara in the morning. For a drugstore product, I'm satisfied with the results I've gotten and I think I'm going to continue using this until it runs out!

Week #0

Week #2

Week #4

My final conclusions for L'oreal lash renewal serum:

The good:

- affordable (a lot of product still left in the tube after 4 weeks, probably will last me another 2-3 months)

- easy to use (just swipe onto lashes like mascara, I like to coat the topside of my lashes too)

- friendly on my eyeballs (didn't cause any irritation or redness)

The bad:

- product dries to become flaky/crusty so you get extra goobers in the morning O_o

- can't really apply 2x a day as instructed due to the flakiness of the product after it's dried on the lashes

~CC

Saying goodbye to my favourite shoes...

2010-04-26T21:49:00.003+10:00

I have finally decided to throw away my favourite pair of shoes...

These babies have been with me for the last 3.5 years and I've worn them at least 3-4 days each week. They are just so comfy, reliable and goes with everything I wear! They have been with me through my 2nd, 3rd AND 4th year of vet school. They've travelled with me to Vancouver, San Francisco, LA, Philly, NY, Hong Kong, Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne....they've been with me everywhere!!

The bottom of the inside of the shoes has been completely worn down for a while now but I've overcome that by placing thick insoles in them. I've even had to replace the insoles TWICE cuz they got worn down too!! There's also a gigantic hole in the toe of the left shoe (which I think has been there for the last 6-8 months now)...but still I could not bear to part with them! I've tried and tried to search their replacements but every other pair of flats I've bought just cannot match up to them. *sigh*

Anyways, I think it's time to say goodbye now cuz the hole is just getting bigger and bigger...and it's really starting to become embarrassing wearing them out...

GOODBYE!!!

~CC

Lash serum - Week 2

2010-04-26T11:44:00.002+10:00

So it's been 2 weeks since I started using L'oreal's lash renewel serum. I've been applying religiously every night before bed. The application is really simple, just a few swipes of the wand from the base of the lashes to the tip. I also like to run the tip of the wand along my lash line as well. However, I haven't been applying it every morning as instructed on the packaging. That's because the formula is quite runny and wet so I didn't think it would work well under my mascara. Plus, my lashes are already hard enough to curl as it is and I can just imagine how much the serum would weigh them down if I apply under my mascara....

As to how well it's working...I feel like I have less lashes falling out when I remove my eye makeup and they feel a little fuller when I apply my mascara. Length wise, I haven't really noticed a difference. But looking at these pictures that I've taken, there really doesn't seem to be a big difference between week 0 and week 2!!

Week #0

Week #2

Oh well, I'm gonna keep using this for the full 4 weeks before I completely write it off...

~CC

Lash serum

2010-04-11T11:56:00.004+10:00

When I first heard about lash enhancing serums over a year ago, I was very skeptical about whether it was just a gimmick or something that really works. However, after seeing some amazing results from friends and other beauty bloggers recently, I've decided I need to try it out myself! The 2 most popular ones that I've come across are Latisse and Revitalash. However, both of these are relatively expensive and Latisse requires a doctor's prescription. So, I've decided to go much cheaper and bought the L'oreal renewal lash serum.

Unlike the more expensive versions, this serum does not claim to stimulate eyelash growth but rather condition lashes to make them stronger and prevent eyelash loss. According to the instructions on the package, I am to 'apply to the root of the eyelashes....sweep along the length of the eyelashes....in the morning and evening for maximum effectiveness'. I am supposed to see 'visibly more lashes in 4 weeks' and 'lashes are re-energized'. All right then...we'll see if my lashes are bouncing off the walls with energy in 4 weeks time!!

~CC

New hair!!

2010-04-08T18:40:00.002+10:00

After years of contemplating whether I should cut my bangs, I finally did it!! It was such a spontaneous decision too. 1 minute, I was sitting at the cafe talking to my hairstylist friend about it...the next minute, I was sitting in the salon getting it cut by her! So far, I'm really enjoying it. I think it makes my big face look smaller and slimmer...BONUS!! =)

~CC

Some recent newbies

2010-02-27T15:06:00.033+11:00

There's been some recent additions to my makeup collection lately. Almost all of them were purchased together with sissy during her visit here in Melbourne. I was able to use the remainder of a gift card I had received from my Aunt and Uncle for some of the things I purchased...BONUS!! Overall, very happy with everything I got!

1. Belt from MNG (aka Mango in other parts of the world)

It was on clearance and they just happened to have 2 of the same thing in our size so me and sissy each got one! It has snap buttons at each end of the belt and is meant to be worn high up on the waist. Although this style of belts has already been around for a few seasons now, I still really enjoy them as I find them really flattering! The light, neutral colour also works well for me as I have a lot of black clothing.

2. Makeup bag

We picked this up at the Sunday street market at St. Kilda Beach. It's made of fabric with plastic covering the front part of the bag. It's supposedly handmade from Melbourne. Nothing really fancy, just a simple cloth pouch but I quite liked the selection of designs available and especially the size of the bag. Perfect for toting around makeup in my purse.

3. MAC Lipsticks (swatches below)

Viva Glam V (Lustre) - I had been wanting to get this for some time now. It's a plummy pink colour with slight shimmers in it. It's a tad darker than my usual lipsticks but I think still very wearable as it is a lustre formula and goes on quite sheer. Also, all proceeds from this lipstick goes to benefit the MAC AIDS fund.

Modesty (Cremesheen) - I got this lipstick on a whim. Hadn't heard anything about it and don't even remember ever noticing it before! It's described as a muted neutral pink colour on the MAC website...which really doesn't mean too much to me. I really liked the rosy glowing pink colour of this lipstick. As always, the cremesheen formula stays very true to its name; it goes on very creamy and gives my lips a subtle sheen. Love it!

4. Lancome Juicy Tubes Lipgloss in Rose Fishnets (swatch below)

I ordered this online from Brigette's Boutique, a site which I have mentioned in a previous post (here). Similar to my last order, this only took about 5 days to get to me. The box got a bit smushed but the actual tube was in perfect, unused condition. I've always been a fan of Juicy Tubes. I find them to be very long-lasting and stay glossy on the lips for a long time. They don't dry out your lips at all, in fact, I find them to be quite moisturizing. Many of the Juicy Tubes have a fruity scent and a slight sweet taste to them which is nice. The only downside?...they are very sticky glosses.

This particular colour I got was a limited edition one. It's a very sheer pinky golden shade with gold shimmers in it. Because it has both golden and pink tones to it, I imagine it would be quite nice layered over both beige-y and pink lipsticks. Versatile! It has a very sweet smell, like candy. Packaging is the usual squeeze applicator but with designs on them to represent fishnet stockings. Cute!

5. MAC 130 Brush

It's a mini version of my 187 brush!! Again, picked this up on a total whim. It was released with the mineralize foundation (in a cream compact form) here in Melbourne. Such a cute little brush! It's a duo fibre brush like the 187 but the bristles was a lot denser. It applies cream/liquid products (eg. foundation, cream blush or highlighters) really well. I find it takes too long to use this brush for foundation but I've been using it for buffing in cream blush and MAC cream colour bases to give a fantastic glow.

6. LUSH Breath of Fresh Air Toner

I had been wanting to get this ever since I blogged about getting my Angels on Bare Skin cleanser from LUSH (here). It comes in 2 sizes and I searched all around Melbourne for a bottle of the smaller size with no luck. I finally decided to just get the larger bottle since I had a gift card anyways. It's made of all natural ingredients and doesn't contain alcohol which a lot of skin toners do. Depending on my mood, I either apply this by spritzing all over my face and just letting it absorb or by spritzing on a cotton pad and then applying to my face. It leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed. The smell is typical of other LUSH products...organic-y...but it's a very light scent and I don't mind it too much. I found this to be especially soothing after a whole day of sun and applied it multiple times throughout the night after having gone surfing with sissy to keep my face hydrated. It definitely lived up to my expectations and I'm glad I had gotten the larger bottle!

Until next time...

~CC

Highlights from Sisticle's visit

2010-02-26T18:06:00.019+11:00

My sister visited me in Melbourne last week. It was her first visit in Australia and she stayed for about 10 days. True to our mother's prediction, we completed only about 1/2 of the events and trips I had originally planned out because we were too lazy most of the time. It took us 2 attempts to actually visit the zoo and when we finally got there, we got tired very quickly and left after 2.5 hours. Plans to see the new baby elephant at the zoo was a big fail because the lineup was just too long. We also got extremely sidetracked on the day we were supposed to drive out to Phillip Island to see the penguins and instead got a mani/pedi followed by suntanning at Torquay beach.

I think the most memorable part of sissy's trip would be the day we went surfing. Somehow managing to wake up early that morning, we drove 1.5 hrs to Ocean Grove beach for our 11:00am surfing lesson. The weather was perfect that day, a sunny and hot 34 degrees. We got to there earlier than expected and had breakfast at a quaint little cafe that looked like a house. The breakfast burrito we ordered was the best burrito I have ever had.

The tortilla was warm and soft. The inside was filled with beans, egg, cheese and freshly chopped tomatoes. The sour cream was light and not heavy at all. It was so refreshing and tasty...mmmmmm!!!! After breakfast, we went to meet our surfing instructors which I had booked through West Coast Surf School. They provided us with our sexy wetsuits and our boards. The instructors were pretty quick and efficient at teaching and we were in the water in no time. I realized that day that I have poor balance and is quite UN-talented in surfing. I wiped out many times (resulting in salt water searing through my nostrils O_o) and managed only to stand up for 2-3 seconds on my board a few times. Sissy, on the other hand, did a lot better than me. We were quite exhausted after our 2 hour lesson and spent the rest of our time at the beach just lazing about and suntanning. I am very excited to report that after years of withdrawal from the sun, my chicken legs are now finally nicely cooked!!

Of course, how can I talk about your visit without mentioning the infamous tattoo drawing by the bf...right, sissy?? There was just something about these 2 pictures that just made us laugh over and over again. The Jesus-looking figure that actually kinda looked like me...the alien hand...the angel at the bottom with the eyes rolled to the back of the head...it was all just too too funny!!!! I still couldn't help but giggle even as I was scanning and uploading them here =)

So, here they are for you to enjoy, sisticles! Hope you had a fun time here, I sure did! See you in May!

~CC

Sneaking in a bit of LUSH time

2010-02-11T21:59:00.015+11:00

One of my biggest weaknesses is doing paperwork. I am horrible at it and usually get so stressed out over it that I have mini panic attacks which then leads me to abandon the paperwork all together and procrastinate until it is absolutely essential that I finish it...

So you can imagine how much fun I've had for the past 2 days researching how to become licensed as a vet in California, apply for a US working visa and extend my Australian visa. Clicking into what feels like a billion websites, then realizing you have 10 windows open all filled with fine print font and having no idea why a window was even opened in the first place....it's just all too much for me!!

Maybe I'm just old-fashioned but I still prefer talking to a real human being on the phone, telling me exactly what I need to apply for something and what requirements I have to fulfill. Imagine my surprise to find out that the US embassy in Ottawa charges $1.89/minute to speak to an operator there!!! The charges apply as soon as you call, even as you wait to be connected to an operator. Unbelievable.... Fortunately, I was lucky enough to have a friend answer my questions and so avoided having to call the embassy this time.

Of course, there are many different levels to completing paperwork. It's not all just sitting around at home, clicking away on the computer. So today I had the pleasure of driving to the city to prepare bank documents...and getting caught in a major thunderstorm during rush hour on my way home. On the bright side, I did squeeze in a quick visit to my favourite makeup counters. Nothing really caught my eye there but I did make my first ever purchase at Lush!!

I bought the Angels on Bare Skin facial cleanser which is supposed to be one of their best sellers. It has ground almonds in it and seriously looks like cookie dough! It's for all skin types and the almonds exfoliate your skin as you cleanse. Can't wait to try it out! I was also really interested in the Breath of Fresh Air Toner which, according to their website, does not have any alcohol in it. Definitely will be my next purchase!

Well, that's all for now. More paperwork adventures tomorrow at my appointment with the Australian immigration officer!

~CC

Mixed emotions

2010-02-09T15:38:00.007+11:00

Leaving behind a place I've called home for the last 4 years...

After 2 long months of waiting, I finally got results from the internship matching program I've applied to. I was matched to a clinic in Lawndale, California!! It was a very unexpected result as I didn't even interview with the clinic. It was definitely a mixed bag of emotions for me last night when I found out about it. On one hand, I didn't match to a clinic in NYC (a place I'd been dying to move to). But on the other hand, Lawndale was another excellent location, just 10 minute drive away from the coast and 20 minutes away from LAX and LA downtown. I'll be closer to Vancouver and going to Melbourne will now only be a 14 hour direct flight away! Besides, who complains about having to move to California??!?!

There's so much planning to do now I don't even know where to begin and it all still feels so very unreal to me...

~CC

Me vs the Vacuum

2010-02-05T01:15:00.003+11:00

A full day of house cleaning today. *sigh*. I think there's definitely an 'art' to cleaning the house though which I didn't fully understand until I started living on my own. Here's my little routine:

1. First start with laundry (eg. bed sheets, clothes, towels etc).

This makes the most sense to me because then you can do your other cleaning while you wait for the washes to finish and sneak in from time to time and transfer items from washing machine to dryer.

2. Then clean the kitchen

After studying microbiology for 4 years, I hate to think what types of bacteria I would lug onto my cutlery and dishes if I did this after, say, cleaning the toilet!! Also, spillage from the sink onto the floors is almost a certainty which would be a shame if you had done the floors already.

3. Tidy up the living room

Generally involves putting away magazines, fluffing up cushions, wiping down the coffee table, dusting etc..

4. Rest

Very important to maintain stamina throughout the day.

5. Tidy up the bedroom

Slot in some extra time as one often get distracted by their makeup collection and will end up spending way too much time rearranging eyeshadows and lipglosses.

6. Clean the bathroom (but leave toilet for loved one to do..)

My least favourite job. This is probably because I have a strange phobia where I have this fear of being forced to lick the drains...yea...

7. Vacuum!!

I absolutely DETEST vacuuming. I don't know, I think it's the noise and having to haul the vacuum around that just really annoys me. Vacuuming near the end of the day makes sense since a lot of dust has probably settled out during the other steps of cleaning.

8. Mop floors

Mopping is very satisfying to me. I like to use really hot water with hospital grade antibacterial floor cleaner (again, the microbiologist in me creeping out) and it feels like I'm sizzling away all the bacteria to death with my concoction.

9. Return to the laundry

After doing multiple loads of laundry throughout the day, you end up with a big pile of clean clothes and bed sheets which can now be neatly folded and put away. All done while waiting for the floors to dry after mopping! Makes sense to me!

Of course, that's the ideal scenario...

Today, however, my vacuum broke down halfway through and just as I finished mopping, Antonio decides to throw up on his bed and blankie complete with a small splash on Andreaus and on the floors. So, tomorrow, I'll have to take the vacuum cleaner into the repair shop and his blanket to the laundromat...NICE...

~CC

Soy milk, anyone?

2010-02-03T11:35:00.011+11:00

Soy milk, you either love it or you hate it. Or, in my case, you don't have much choice because you're lactose intolerant.

As a child, I drank milk like water. I loved the taste of cold milk and the sensation of it running down my throat. I remember regularly drinking 2-3 glasses of whole milk (the fattiest kind) everyday, often enjoying them with chocolate chunk (that's right, CHUNK, not chip) cookies after school. Then my teenage years hit and I decided to stop drinking milk completely as part of my scheme to lose weight like everybody else. That continued for a few years until around the age of 18 when I suddenly decided that I should start eating healthier. My cleverly designed healthy diet consisted of a glass of skim milk in the morning + yoghurt as a mid-morning snack...which left me feeling nice and rotten every single day!!

Eventually, I discovered I was actually lactose intolerant and it's something I've had to put up with for the last 10 or so years. Different dairy products affect me differently. Milk, obviously, is the worst. For me, yoghurt is pretty bad too. Cheese, I can tolerate moderate amounts. Ice-cream...leaves me incredibly farty. While lactose intolerance is not life threatening and I definitely would not say I'm suffering because of it, I find that it is a bit of a hassle sometimes and carries with it certain social implications that people may not realize.

Ordering coffee now routinely involves the question 'do you have soy milk?' which often makes me feel a bit snooty as if I'm a health conscious nut who's too savvy for regular milk. If soy milk is available, great! But make sure to bring extra change because there are extra charges most of the time. If it's not available, I'm stuck with a bitter cup of long black/Americano. Then there are the grand inquisitions people have upon finding out I drink soy milk. Reactions generally involve some sort of 'ewww...' together with a slight look of disgust. This is generally followed by questions of 'what happens when you drink milk?' which then forces me to discuss in detail of how I get farty, gassy, burpy with bouts of diarrhea sometimes. NICE....

Iced chocolate drink at specialty stores are now out of the question as many are often blended with a frozen pre-made dairy product. A nice slice of cheesecake? I don't think so. A trip to the ice-cream store on a hot day is no longer as fun as it used to be. Having cereal for breakfast? Better whip out the good ole soy milk again!

These are just the more obvious food items the lactose intolerant has to look out for. There's also a lot of diary products lurking is creamy pastas, soups and of course, in cheesy pizzas. This gets especially difficult when you're dining at someone's house. They've cooked up a delicious meal of seafood spaghetti with creamy alfredo sauce and homemade cheesecake for dessert. Now, one of my major pet peeves is picky eaters. So being a polite guest, I try to eat everything off my plate (which, don't get me wrong, is usually delicious) and deal with the consequences of holding in farts all night long.

Of course, there's always the option of taking lactase pills which help digest the lactose in diary products. But these are pricey and have to be taken immediately prior to eating the dairy product which makes it a bit inconvenient sometimes. With all that being said, in many ways, I already have it easy compared to others with more serious dietary restrictions like diabetics or those with celiac disease who cannot eat gluten. In comparison, I guess soy milk is really not too bad!!

~CC

Brushes with pretty red handles

2010-02-02T16:26:00.010+11:00

Shopping for cosmetics online can be frustrating for international buyers. Often, I'll find something that I like only to discover that either the site ships only within the US or the shipping charges cost more than what I'm actually buying. I have recently discovered an excellent website which not only sells a variety of brand name cosmetics at discount prices but also ships internationally at a very affordable and reasonable cost. I am in no way affiliated with the website but I am so impressed with the prices that I feel I have to share it with everyone!!

Here is the link: www.brigettesboutique.com

I have made 2 purchases from them now and was very satisfied each time. Shipping (to Australia) took about 1 week. The products were genuine and unused (the 2 main things I worry about when I buy online). This time, my purchases included 2 brushes from Smashbox.

The thing that drew me to these brushes initially were the red handles, aren't they so pretty!! Also, the discount on the prices on the website was just incredible!!

Precision cream eyeliner brush - selling at sephora for $20, on brigettesboutique $6.95!

Powder brush #1 - selling at sephora for $48, on brigettesboutique $18.00!

I've already tried out the cream eyeliner brush (with my Bobbi brown gel liner, of course) and I love it!! It makes it so easy to draw a precise and even line on your eyelids. It is also especially useful for making a thin line on the lower lashline. All in all, a fantastic liner brush!

Happy shopping everyone!

~CC

No words are needed...

2010-01-30T22:34:00.003+11:00

I managed to snap this photo of the usually camera-shy Andreaus as he looked out the window this morning. I racked my brain for the entire day trying to come up with something catchy to say about it. But as the old saying goes 'a picture is worth a thousand words' and I think this photo speaks for itself...

~CC

The boys

2010-01-28T21:18:00.011+11:00

A long overdue post on my 3 little boys...

Mr. George Puggles (aka Beast/Pugman/Pug-zai/Sultan Puggles)

I met Mr. P for the first time while working as a vet assistant at an animal clinic. He was a patient there at the time and suffered from seizures, pneumonia and bronchitis. He was the sweetest little patient, always sitting quietly and staring out between the bars of his cage with his big brown eyes. I remember he was always the easiest one to medicate, lapping up each drop of his strawberry flavoured antibiotics with his little pink tongue. To make a long story short, Mr. P's family did not want to deal with his illnesses, they gave him up and he got to come home with me!

Nowadays, Mr. P lives in Canada with my family and no longer suffers from seizures. He still has a tendency to have respiratory problems due to his breed. He had a mild case of pneumonia just this past Christmas but did well with a course of antibiotics. Most of the time, Mr. P enjoys sleeping on one of his many luxurious beds at home. His favourite food of all time is Chinese preserved sausages. Time really flies but Mr. P will be 6 years old this April!!! I can never get enough of this little guy.

Andreaus (aka Brutus)

One of my little stepsons in Australia, Andreaus is a Staffordshire bull terrier. I've only known him for about a year but love him to pieces already. On the outside, he's all muscular and bulky and looks like he will eat you if he had the chance. On the inside, however, he has the kindest heart and will never hurt a fly. Andreaus is the most affectionate dog I have ever known and he will push and shove his way through just to get as close to you as possible.

Like Mr. Puggles, Andreaus has also gone through rough times as well. Last year, he was hit by a car and almost lost his life. He had thoracic and abdominal trauma and had to receive plasma transfusions for shock. He suffered fractures in his pelvis which luckily did not require surgery. After spending a few days in ICU followed by strict confinement for 8 weeks, he was slowly rehabilitated and now he's back to his normal self!!

Antonio (aka Munchkin/Little One)

My other stepson in Australia. This little one is full of energy and personality. While he may be the smallest of the bunch, he sure doesn't act like he is which is typical in Jack Russell Terriers. He spends most of his days either bullying Andreaus or bossing him around. He is secretly obsessed with a toy which consists of two large tennis balls connected by a thick rope and is up for playing fetch with that thing any time of the day.

This little munchkin does not care much for affection. He will most likely try to run away the moment you reach out to touch him. He also prefers sleeping by himself on the floor while the rest of the family snuggles on the couch. A secret trick to get him to sit still? Make him wear his doggie sweater, he'll stay as still as a statue as long as that thing stays on his body!

~CC

Satisfied

2010-01-26T20:19:00.027+11:00

Ahh, my purchases after a day of shopping at Doncaster shopping centre. As usual, I gave in to my 2 nemesis, makeup and accessories. After using and loving my Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in 'Black Ink' for months now, I decided to purchase a new colour. I picked it up in 'Forest Shimmer Ink', a dark olive brown colour with gold flecks in it. I figured it'll be nice as a liner as well as a base for eyeshadow (MAC's sumptuous olive, perhaps). This stuff does not dry out in the pot and will seriously last all day on your eyelids. I love it!!!!

I also bought a cocktail ring and 'dreamcatcher' earrings from an accessories store called Diva. I've loved the jewellry from Diva for quite some time now. There's a lot of variety and everything is affordable; the ring was $9.99 and the earrings $14.99. The best way to describe the store, I guess, would be an up-scale Claire's. I'm not sure why but I've always thought that they were a North American brand, which they're not (after conversing with sissy about it). Anyways, while browsing through the Diva website to find out where the brand originated, I came across this....an elephant pendant necklace, how cute!! Oh, and I just realize I never did find out where the company originated from....

~CC

Silver keys, engraved hearts

2010-01-24T21:54:00.008+11:00

Visited the Tiffany's store in Melbourne for the first time today. There were two items which continue to linger in my mind tonight. One, of course, is the new and popular Tiffany key. The other, also really popular from the return to Tiffany's collection, is the heart shaped design on a long chain.

Valentine's day is coming up soon, maybe I'll get lucky this year...

~ CC

Love.actually.is.all.around

2010-01-23T15:06:00.004+11:00

'Life is full of complications and interruptions...'

One of my favourite movies of all time, Love Actually, was on TV last night. Even though I must've watched it about 30 times by now and pretty much know every single line in the movie, it still somehow manages to captivate me every time. For anyone who's seen the movie, there is always a particular story line that is especially adored. My personal favourite story from the movie is the relationship between Colin Firth's character, Jamie (whose girlfriend cheated on him with his brother) and Aurelia (his Portuguese maid).

I think everyone should see this movie at least once in their life!

~CC

A memorable scent

2010-01-19T22:21:00.001+11:00

Perfume has never been something I've deliberately gone to shop for. Thinking back, the fragrances I do own have always been purchased either because it was a memorable scent worn by someone I know or simply because a sample being handed out at a department store appealed to me. And so, for the past 5 or so years, I have been wearing Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue almost everyday after smelling it on a co-worker. It's light and refreshing with a citrus-y scent to it and I think I must have gone through 4-5 bottles by now. I absolutely love it and cannot even count how many times I've been complimented on it or the number of times people have asked me what scent I'm wearing.

A few weeks ago, a new fragrance stumbled into my life as they have always done in the past. I was handed a sample of the new Chloe perfume (Eau de parfum intense) while shopping for makeup and immediately fell in love with it. Knowing that perfume can smell differently on everyone, I quickly spritzed some on my wrist to see how well it gelled with my skin. Let me tell you, I could not stop smelling my wrist for the rest of the day! It can smell a bit strong at first but settles nicely about 5 minutes later into a light floral-y scent. It was feminine and fresh at the same time. I quite liked the design of the bottle as well, simple and classic. The only major downside was the price for one of these babies. I was lucky enough to get mine as a Christmas gift. Thank you mom and dad!

For now, this Chloe perfume has definitely become my new favourite scent but don't worry little bottle of Light Blue, you'll always have a place in my heart!!

~CC

A thing or two about Australia

2010-01-17T15:17:00.002+11:00

I realized today that 2010 will be my 5th year in Australia! I moved here 5 years ago knowing absolutely nothing about the country or the culture. While I most certainly am no expert on the ways of the Australians, I can say that I have definitely learnt a thing or two about the land down under over these past few years. Here are some random facts about everyday life in Australia that I have found interesting and some which still bewilders me to this day (eg. #1 and #4...)

1. Makeup is very pricey in Australia. Brands like MAC cost double to triple the price in Canada and drugstore lipsticks cost around $20-$25 each! WAaaHHhhhh...

2. On the other hand...Jurlique is an Australian skin care brand and they make the BEST hand creams.

3. Tips are generally not required at restaurants unless you're at a very fancy one.

4. Don't be alarmed when you see people walking around the city with no shoes on, it seems to be an acceptable thing to do around here. O_O Nicole Kidman proves my point!

5. Coffee is excellent here! Aussies don't drink percolated coffee (ie. the huge jugs of pre-made coffee sitting behind starbucks counters that everyone orders in N. America) so be prepared to be questioned on the type of coffee (eg. cappucino, latte) you would like when you stroll up to a cafe counter and order a 'coffee'.

6. The weather is crazy in Melbourne! It can go from 40 degrees to 25 degrees in a few hours. Oh, and when the forecast predicts rain, expect rain for a total of 15 minutes that day.

7. Don't speed when driving, there are speed cameras everywhere! I found this out the hard way...

8. Staffordshire bull terriers, or Staffies, are a common dog breed kept as household pets here. While they're considered to be under the Pit Bull family, they're some of the friendliest, most affectionate dogs I have ever met. There should be more of them in Canada!

9. There are no pennies in the Australian currency. Yet prices at supermarkets are set to the 0.01 decimal point (eg. $10.97). So what happens at the cash register? Your total gets rounded up or down!

10. The potato chips are so good here! The variety is huge and there are so many yummy flavours!

This was officially my first blog post, hope it was an interesting read!

-CC

2010-01-16T14:59:00.000+11:00

A blog on random things and the 2 obsessions of my life: makeup/cosmetics and my 4 legged friends. Enjoy!