An alternative to candles?

I love nice smelling stuff as much as the next person, but is it just me, or do you need to have a candle burning in every room of your house just to get the scent throughout?  No matter how cheap or expensive the candles are, I just can't get the scent to travel... Until now.

Wax or oil burners are ceramic models that have a dish-like shape on the top, and are hollow. Basically, you light a tea light and put it in the hollow part, and put a scented 'melt' in the hollow dish to melt down and release fragrance.

The melts (I use this brand), can be burned over and over again (or until you get sick of the scent).  So there's no need to constantly buy large candles, (only tealights - which are much cheaper - are required). Also the scent pay off of the soy melts is amazing,  and depending on the fragrance you choose, your whole house can end up smelling lovely. Soy wax is an economical way to go because it is a renewable source, unlike in traditional candles.

Personally, I got my lovely owl burner and Elume soy wax melts from Wen and Ware.  But if you're

not in Ballarat or Malvern, Dusk has a good range of burners and melts, and so does Elume.

With scents like cinnamon (my favourite!), cranberry, chai tea, beach crush and lemon myrtle, the choices are endless. 

What do you think?  Will you trade in your candles for a wax burner?

Beth. x

Subscription boxes #2: Violet Box

So, my second subscription box landed on my door just recently. (Much to my excitement!) So here's the rundown for you.

I received another Australian beauty box called Violet Box. Violet Box is a bit more expensive than Bella Box, as it retails at $22.95 per month.  However, I used the code VIOLETBOX10 to get $10 off mine.

This subscription box comes with 6-7 samples, and I was much happier with the selection than I was with my last box. Violet Box has a different range of product suppliers to Bella Box, and this seems to suit me so far. Also, can I just point out the purple factor... Bonus points for that!

This month's box included:

1. Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse. - Which is a multi-purpose oil for dry skin... Very apt for this weather!
2. Eve's Ready To Wear Lipstick by Teeez.  - I am a lip product addict, so this was a welcome inclusion in this box! So far this lipstick seems really moisturising, but isn't as pigmented as I thought it would be... Perfect for a no-lipstick-lipstick day though. (And... This lipstick retails at $32, so with the price of the box, this is a steal!)
3. Nuxe Creme Merveillance. - Supposedly meant to target visible expression lines, I will definitely be getting this one onto my frown lines!
4. LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub. - I've used this product before, and it's good if you, (like me) wear lipstick a lot, and your lips end up in bad shape. 
5. Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil. - This product excited me greatly. I've been contemplating getting a highlighter for a while now, and now I can try one out!
6. StyleSign Sleek Perfection. - I don't often use heat tools on my hair, but I think I might have to start so I can try this heat protectant spray.
7. Timeless Truth Miracle Rejuvenation Mask. - Face masks aren't kind to my sensitive skin, but my mum is excited to give this one a go.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with this one! Not sure if I'm willing to fork out the $22.95 a month though.  What do you guys think?

Beth. x

Woodlock's Labour of Love.

‘Labour of Love’ is the second EP for the lovely boys from Melbourne-based band Woodlock. The EP is a fairly long one, with eight tracks, but every song is incredibly easy to listen to.

The EP starts off with a song called ‘What you’ve got,’ which has a lovely brass line that runs the whole way through. (A brass line that for me, is quite nostalgic, as it brings back memories of the Annie the musical soundtrack.) Haunting vocals are layered with a beautiful piano and guitar line, as well as a foot-tapping drum beat, and lovely child-choir harmony towards the end. A brilliant way to start the record.

‘Baby girl’ is more along the lines of the title track of the boys’ last EP ‘Lemons,’ with happy guitar rhythms and clap-along chorus. Lyrically, it’s incredibly sweet, with lines such as, “I know we’ve got dreams of our own, I know we’ve got room left to grow,” and “there’ll be no one like our love.”

Next is ‘Run.’  This track starts slow with a simple piano line, which leaves plenty of room for the vocals and lyrics to shine through. Throughout it builds to a more up-tempo song, with guitar and drum patterns almost reminiscent of Boy and Bear.  Lovely harmonies are scattered in just the right places. Possibly one of the best tracks on the EP.

You see a much more rock side of Woodlock with ‘The Garden.’ The guitar and drum patterns in this seem a lot edgier, but the gentle vocals contrast it nicely.  I love this song, and with brilliant lyrics like, “because once your heart leaves you, I’ll never call you home,” it will be on repeat.

The first single off the EP – ‘My Throne’ – is similar to ‘Run’ in that it starts with just a simple guitar line and Eze’s vocals, and comes together after the chorus. Initially, this song seems to only stay at one level. However, just when you think it’s over, an instrumental kicks in, and it’s just the boost this song needs to make it memorable, and sing-a-long worthy. (The guitar in the instrumental reminds me of the sort of twangy guitars in the intro of ‘A Little Piece’ by The Jezabels.)

‘The Fallout’ is another track that is a lot edgier than previous stuff. Again it feels familiar, in that, before you even hear the end of it, you already know it… A sign of some excellent songwriting. The intro again has Boy and Bear elements to it, (which is by no means a bad thing!) It has beautiful instrumentation throughout and a nice drum ending.

‘Eleanor’ is the penultimate track. It can be summed up simply: Harmonies = flawless. Lyrics = absolutely beautiful. - “It took 6 months before I could talk to you. It took 3 years until we made our love true.” –

And to finish off the record, a sneaky extra song is added onto the end of ‘Eleanor.’ It’s definitely a lovely surprise of another lovely guitar and harmony track.

‘Labour of Love,’ while keeping all the lovely elements that were on ‘Lemons,’ also heads into slightly edgier, rockier territory, which I am incredibly fond of.  Eze, Zech and Bowen have done a brilliant job to produce an EP that is so easy to listen to, and so diverse.

(On a sidenote, the album artwork is amazing! And if you happen to get a physical copy, there’s a very cute band picture on the inside.)

You can get ‘Labour of Love’: https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/labour-of-love/id862265974 

http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/music/alternative/labour-of-love/702417 

You can find Woodlock: https://www.facebook.com/WoodlockMusic?fref=ts

Beth. x

Skincare for super sensitive skin.

I have had the biggest struggle finding skincare products... I have incredibly sensitive skin, to the point where I can't even use Simple Skincare or even targeted sensitive skin products without having really bad skin reactions. (I'll spare you the details).

So I went on a hunt for products that might save me some discomfort, and get my skin looking clean and fresh.

The make-up remover.

Make-up wipes are the worst offenders for me in the skin irritation stakes, and that really frustrated me because 1. I'm lazy and 2. I had no idea what the other options were.

Enter Bioderma Solution Micellaire! While it may just look like water, when a tiny bit is put on a cotton pad, caked on make-up doesn't stand a chance! It leaves my face feeling fresh and cleansed, and it doesn't dry it out. And it takes mere seconds to remove a full face of make-up, which is perfect for those time-poor or lazy ones among us. And as an added bonus, it's a cleanser too!

Price-wise, Bioderma does seem expensive at about $30 (depending on where you buy).  However, a 250mL bottle lasted me almost four months! (And that is with wearing make-up most days.)

The only downside of Bioderma, is that it's not the most efficient at removing waterproof mascara.  Which is where The Body Shop's 'Camomile Waterproof eye and lip make-up' remover comes in.  This product is a lot oilier than bioderma, but since you only need to concentrate it on your eye area, this isn't a problem.  Simply shake, put some onto a cotton pad, hold on the eye for 5-10 seconds and sweep off. Easy peasy. 

This product retails for about $17.95, but again, lasts a very, very long time.

The cleanser.

I've tried my fair share of cleansers.  Products with plant extracts, essential oils, chemicals... You name it.  But when I went back to basics, that's when I saw results.

I use the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, and while it may not have the fancy packaging or the fancy ingredients, for me, it works. Its a mild, soap-free, and fragrance free cleanser that you can pick up at most supermarkets or pharmacies for $8+ (depending on the size you get).

The toner.

This is a relatively new addition to my routine, but a good one at that.  The La Clinica Sensitive Skin Soothing Facial Mist (or here). The best thing about this is, not only is it made in Australia, all La Clinica products are made with certified organic products, so no nasty chemicals involved! 

 It has a lovely floral scent, and has extracts of chamomile to sooth the skin.  How I use this product... I spray a few pumps all over my face, then dab in with a cotton pad.

It retails for about $23.

The eye cream.

This is the only product in my stash, that I'm not really sure if it actually does anything. It's the Sukin Antioxidant Eye Serum. It is quite cooling when you dab it under the eye, so I think that's the antioxidants at work.

 Again, its paraben and fragrance free, and made from certified vegan products.

It is on the cheaper end of the eye cream market at about $19.95.

The moisturiser. 

Last but not least, my favourite moisturiser for a long time the La Clinica Clear Skin Oil Control Day Cream (or here). The packaging is lovely, and this stuff smells like lemons.  It's not overly oily or sticky like some other moisturisers, it just sinks into the skin nicely. One pump does nicely for the whole face, so this stuff lasts for ages.

This product is usually about $20.

So hopefully this helps someone out. If you have any other products which are good for sensitive skin, let me know!

Beth. x

Subscription boxes #1: Bella Box

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Can we just talk about subscription boxes for a minute? No, not the Youtube kind, the arrive-on-your-doorstep kind.

Now I will admit, I'm very late to the party on this one.  I've been umming an ahhing for far to long, trying to decide if these subscription boxes are all they're cracked up to be.  However, after seeing this video by Maddie, I decided I had to have them all!

So today my lovely BellaBox arrived at my door.  BellaBox is an Australian subscription box, that contains 5-6 beauty/cosmetic/hair products.  Now I got my box for just $10, with a special promo for May, but they're normally $15 per month.

This month's BellaBox was flight themed, with Jetstar images on the sleeve, and a boarding pass inside the box. All of the products had some link to travel as well.

And here's what was in the box:

1. Timeless truth face mask.
2. Wen by Chaz Dean sweet almond mint cleansing conditioner. (Which I am very excited about using! I hope this can replenish my dry hair).
3.  Appelles rosemary body bar.
4. Sally Hansen sugar coat textured nail colour - full size. (I got Lick-O-Rich, which is a black polish with grainy flecks in it for the texture).
5. Chapstick limited edition tin.
6. Chapstick moisturiser green apple - full size. (You can't really go wrong with one of these).

Overall, I think this was a good mix of products, and I do like how they all went with the theme. However, I was hoping to receive more cosmetic products. I did get a couple of full size products though, so it's swings and roundabouts I guess.

Have you had any subscriptions boxes before? What did you think? Let me know!

Beth. x

I Miss Michael Paynter.

There I said it. I miss Michael Paynter.

For those of you who don't know, Michael Paynter is an Australian singer, musician/multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, all-round awesome human... And that still doesn't sum up the talent that this guy has!

Me with the lovely Michael Paynter at
The Deluxe Sessions in 2008.

Michael has been an enduring musical favourite of mine since my cousin took me to see a Shannon Noll show in 2008, and Michael was the support act. I was absolutely taken by this guy who could sing and play, and man could he sing! Since then, the only other chance I got to see MP perform was at The Deluxe Sessions - a special, intimate, rehearsal-space gig - because I wasn't old enough to attend any of his other shows. But now I'm 18, and Michael has been missing.

His stint on The Voice saw him reach audiences who had never experienced the MP magic, and I was so glad that he was reaching wider audiences. He was let go from the show far too early, (don't even get me started on that), but while all the other contestants are releasing music, MP (humble as he is) is helping up-and-coming artists to fulfil their dream of musical success on the big stage.

I have days when I play his back catalog and reminisce and remember why I love his music so much. My friends will tell you just how much! His music is just...uplifting. It tells a story. It has heart. Yes, it is unashamedly commercial pop, but it's REAL. It doesn't tell stories about getting drunk and getting with someone, it tells of overcoming hardship, of dealing with heartache and of taking chances. And yes, the music and MP himself have evolved, but everyone does over time.

I miss spending hours replaying a song like novocaine on YouTube, just so I could learn to play it and sing it myself, (and show my parents, my friends, and my school just how amazing this music is). I miss his hilarious vlogs and amazing one-take covers that were truly phenomenal.

(One of Michael's phenomenal covers).

It's not often that you find an artist that really resonates with you. I listen to so much music - I adore the stuff! - but I keep coming back to Michael Paynter. With lyrics like "There's a moment when we all, have to choose to fly or fall, here's yours," and "Before you go let me know if you're happy pretending, before you leave make believe that you know who you are," it's hard not to!

('Praying For Rain' - an original song).

It frustrates me that we have talented people like this in our own country, but can't give them the support they need and deserve. I want great things for all these striving, talented people!

So, Michael if you're reading this, your fans (and there are a lot of us!) "won't run away... We're all a little broken, hoping, to get closer."



Beth. x

Check out Michael here: https://www.facebook.com/michaelpayntermusic?fref=ts

Beach Snaps.

I recently got to spend some time at the lovely beach town of Barwon Heads.  The weather was lovely, so I dusted off my old faithful Canon 550D and headed towards the beach.
Here are some of the many photos that I took:

I love capturing sunlight and working with interesting light.

I also love photographing different textures... And this wooden wall definitely caught my eye!

And a shadow seflie never goes astray!

So although it's currently the middle of Winter here, I got to make the most of the gorgeous weather and amazing scenery to wile away a few hours.