Category Archives: Beauty

What I bought from Sephora's Annual Spring Sale

What I bought from Sephora’s Spring Sale

Few sales are as highly anticipated as Sephora’s Annual Spring Beauty Sale. From now until the end of April (depending on your Beauty Insider tier) you can enjoy savings across the entire Sephora site. Therefore, there’s absolutely no better time to stock up on your beauty essentials. Don’t know where to begin? I’ve put a list together of everything I’m stocking up on this season to give you a head start.

Kate Somerville Daily Foaming Cleanser.
If brighter, more even skin is what you’re after, then the Kate Sommerville Daily Foaming Cleanser is for you. A clinic-inspired foaming cleanser with AHAs and fruit enzymes, it wakes up and cleanses like nothing else, revealing smoother, brighter skin.

Kate Somerville Dermal Quench Treatment.
A spa-like experience every time you apply it. Kate Sommerville’s Dermal Quench Treatment is an at-home oxygen facial that delivers quick and lasting hydration in as little as one use. The result? Radiance, and lots of it.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lipstick and Lipliner.
Chic, understated and a must-have, for both special occasions and every day wear, a perfect nude lip color is ultra versatile and a timeless go-to for a soft feminine look. My favorite, the iconic and bestselling matte Pillow Talk Lipstick and Lip Liner from Charlotte Tilbury.

Beauty Blender.
This isn’t your average make-up sponge. The Beauty Blender’s unique shape and exclusive material ensures an impeccable, streak-free application with minimum product waste, leaving a smooth, luminous and hydrated finish. A must-have for every beauty bag. If you’re smart you’ll pick up more than one during the sale.

Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask.
Full disclosure. This is actually the first time I’ve picked up this new intense treatment from Olaplex, but it was only released earlier this week. As a long time fan of the brand I’m really eager to try this and there’s obviously no better time to pick it up then when it’s on promotion (and before this soon to be best-seller sells out).

Ouai Detangling and Frizz Fighting Leave In Conditioner.
As far as hair care goes, a leave-in conditioner does to the hair what a green juice does to the body. It’s a sure-fire way to inject some serious life back into your hair. This particular leave-in conditioner detangles and protects against heat damage. And is an essential for keeping my hair nourished and hydrated.

Photos are not my own. Source unknown.

Start Every Morning Over

Start Every Morning Over

I’ve been sitting here for the last week or so trying to write an eloquent and witty opening paragraph for this post. About how I’ve been terribly absent for the last twelve months because I’ve been preoccupied with work and other things. But then I backspaced and just deleted it all. Because small talk along with a long list of excuses just seems so futile…

The truth is the past year has been so much more of a journey of self discovery than I ever could of imaged. And although it’s hard to pinpoint what the single most defining moment was, I’ve stumbled across something buried deep inside me that has seen everything start to fall into place.

As for the future? I’m about to embark on an exciting new adventure, follow my dreams and move to the other side of the world. For that reason alone I know that my greatest achievements are still to come. While I would love to share more about my big move to LA, it’s actually way past my bed time. And I promised myself that I’d start getting to bed at a reasonable hour. So until next time…

Photos are not my own. Source Sonya Esman x For Love And Lemons.

The Perfect Paris Packing List

The Perfect Paris Packing List

The Perfect Paris Packing List

Paris is a place that I have dreamt about visiting all of my life. A place where the stars shine brighter, where your heart beats faster and where the summer days seem to last a little bit longer. For as long as I can remember the allure of Paris has always been there.

In July I finally had a chance to visit the worlds most romantic city for work. I have to admit that when I first found out I would be going on this trip, I immediately began to research the cities best croissants and macaroons, before making a start on a rather comprehensive plan for the small amount of free time I would have once all of the work was done.

A trip to Paris wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Eiffel Tower. But there were so many other beautiful places which I had to see; From the Palace Of Versailles, the original Chanel Boutique on Rue Cambon and the newly refurbished Maison Chloe gallery. And than once my schedule was complete I began putting together a detailed and very long packing list.

Luckily I was flying Etihad who so kindly provide an additional bag allowance for fashion industry travellers. There’s no denying two suitcases are better than one! The first was filled to the brim with new lingerie samples which were for the new Honey Birdette campaign shot on location in Paris. And the other, filled with the following essentials which I couldn’t live without…

The Classics.

Or better referred to as my every day wardrobe; Lots of different tops; Including a classic black Country Road silk shirt, Tuchuzy silk singlet, Zimmermann silk t-Shirt, Bassike classic vintage t-shirt and my Bassike long sleeve vintage t-shirt. I also packed my very favourite black knit from Seed Femme. As well as my Top Shop Cropped Cigarette Pants which go with everything.

I don’t go anywhere these days without my Camilla And Marc classic bomber jacket or my Chanel bag which is perfect for any occasions. At the very last minute I also decided to pack my new and very glamorous Aje Embellished Sheer La Pella Top (pictured above), just incase.

A Statement Dress.

It’s always a good idea to have at least one really special dress in your suitcase. As far as romantic silhouettes go, a loose fitting, effortless little black dress remains as timeless as it is dreamy. It’s also just as likely to be to be found on a Parisian street after dark, teamed with appropriate jewels as it during the day with a pair of Chanel ballet flats. On this particular trip I couldn’t go past my favourite Camilla And Marc LBD.

Beauty Products.

I only ever pack my absolute skincare essentials when travelling and tried and true products. I can always count on Alpha H skincare to tame my sensitive skin. And I have recently fallen back in love with Chanel’s skincare range. In particular La Nuit De Chanel, a serum which soothes and repairs skin during the night. I picked this up by complete accident in LA and have used it ever since. It is skin-saving on long-haul flights.

No matter where I’m travelling one of the first things I always pack is a red lipstick. It’s the easiest way to instantly update your look, or make a casual outfit appear more glamourous. And best of all, it’s almost as light as a feather. I also couldn’t go anywhere without at least one beautiful fragrance. Right now I am obsessed with Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris. All perfectly packed in my Chanel cosmetics bag.

Photos are not my own. Source as stated above.

New Year New Goals

New Year New Goals

New Year New Goals

I’m not particularly good at setting goals. I can never get a grasp on what’s realistic and what’s not, so I usually skip the whole process altogether to avoid letting myself down. But there’s something in the air that has me filled with hope. So I’ve decided that this is the year to set some serious goals. They may or may not be relevant to what you want to achieve, but they’re the things I’ve been needing to change for a while. And hopefully they’ll provide you with a little motivation. It’s onwards and upwards from here!

No putting things off.

I have an awful habit of creating long lists of things to do and not quite getting around to everything. Like yoga, completing the My Blonde Closet e-book I began writing a few months ago or going to Byron for the first time! This is the year I’m going to make sure I tick off everything on my list.

Be less indecisive.

I am at times terribly indecisive. I torture myself with two options. And often myself unable to make a choice. So this year I’m putting a limit on the time I allow myself to make decisions. And I’m going to be confident in my choices.

Step outside my comfort zone.

I have to admit, I hate being in front of the camera. Which is also slightly annoying because I love fashion and blogging more than anything. I also know that in order to achieve everything I want to, this needs to change.

This year I’m going to step outside myself comfort zone, take note of my favourite fashion bloggers (ie. Sonya Esman above) and hopefully find a little comfort in my own skin. Which means personal style posts will be making a come-back to the blog shortly. As well as Instagram in the next few days.

Go home more often.

I’ve spent the summer break at home in Cowaramup and loved every moment: fresh milk, fresh air, slow days at the beach, afternoons spent at wineries, the Margaret River Chocolate Factory. And sand at the bottom of every bag and in every shoe.

Spoil myself.

I’m not going to go crazy or anything. But after two years of serious saving it’s time to enjoy life a little. I want to invest in a camera so I can take better photos for this website. I’m currently obsessed with the new Olympus-Pen E-PL8. And that perfect little black dress from Sir The Label I’ve had my eye on? I’ll have that too.

Make this website everything I want it to be.

I’ve spent the last three years talking about it. Now’s the year to do everything I ever said I would. Watch this space!

Photos are not my own. Source Sonya Esman x For Love And Lemons.

Alpha-H Vitamin Serum

Here’s the thing. Whilst most skincare products will contain the ingredients your skin needs from day-to-day, we all have those moments when you feel like you need something extra to combat a specific problem. Especially during the warmer months. From long days at the beach, to those late nights, your skin is sure to need some additional love and attention.

For the past couple of months I’ve been applying the Alpha-H Vitamin C Serum each night, before going to bed. The result? Better skin. And not in a subtle way. In just a few weeks this made my skin about 10,000 watts more radiant. Not sure which serum is best for your skin? Have a quick read of my guide below and you’ll be sure to find what you need for your own summer skincare needs…

Alpha-H Vitamin B Serum.

If you’ve had enough of fine lines, uneven skin tone and tired looking skin then you should try the Alpha-H Vitamin B Serum. It is formulated to take on the daily environmental elements and prevent the appearance of premature ageing. If you’re not used to high-quality active serums like this, I recommend using it on alternative days at first. Just before you go to bed. Otherwise you might find it really rich at first, which is totally normal.

Alpha-H Vitamin C Serum with Grape Seed.

Think of the Alpha-H Vitamin C Serum as a good nights sleep in a bottle. This light-weight serum assists in the improvement of radiance, elasticity and skin texture. Whilst helping to reduce pigmentation, refine pores and provide protection against future sun damage.

Alpha-H Vitamin E Serum.

If you’ve spent too much time at the beach these summer holidays and your skin is crying for out for hydration and antioxidants this is the serum for you. The Alpha-H Vitamin E Serum will provide your skin with longer lasting hydration. Whilst the healing qualities of vitamin E will repair damaged skin cells, dry skin and sunburn for a brighter, healthier complexion.

Photos are not my own. Source Alpha-H.