Simple Cute Nail Art

Nail art is something I personally love doing. It's so fun just to add that little extra creativity to your nails. However at times it can take a lot of patience and time that we don't always have.

Here I show you an easy way to add a design to your nails without much effort and all your need is some nail polish and scotch tape no fancy tools required. 

Begin by choosing 2 shades of nail polish in your chosen colour scheme. Then paint your nails with a base coat and 2 coats of your first colour. 

Before the next step you will need to wait until this coat is fully dried. I suggest using a fast drying top coat to help speed up the process.

Once your nails are completely dry you can now start the fun part. Cut small pieces of tape and add them to the nails. Below are example pictures to help you place them correctly.

Once the tape is stuck paint the next colour on top and then remove the tape before the polish starts to dry. You will be left with an amazing design that will have people asking 'how did you do that?!'


               

Finish off with a top coat to protect all your work.  Now you know the basics you can create many designs.  Just switch up the positions of the tape and the colours and you will have endless designs. Hope your enjoy this simple nail art and give it a try. Please share if you liked this tutorial. 

~ Cass 

Amazing Curls in Just 5 Minutes

I recently discovered a new way to curl my hair super fast and it still looks like I put a lot of effort in. I have pretty long, thick hair so when I have to curl it, it usually will take no less than 25 mins but since I have been doing it this way it takes around 5 - 8 mins!

Ok so here is the trick, I start off by brushing my hair out making sure there is no tangles and everything is smooth. I then tie my hair up in a high pony tail but not to tight. Then you just proceed to curl all the strands of the pony tail with a 25 mm barrel wand. I recommend using the heat protection glove that comes with the curling wand as it makes it much easier.

After each curl you can either let it cool in your hand for a few seconds or if you have harder to curl hair,  just wrap the curl back up and pin it with a bobby pin until it cools down. At this stage your hair should look something like the picture to the right.



After all the hair is curled spray it with hair spray and wait until all the hair has cooled down and then removed the hair tie very gently. You will see amazing curls and just give them a bit of a shake to create more volume and loosen them up. Some might need a touch up most likely it will be the ones around the face. Spray them with lots of hairspray and you're done.

And it's as simple as that you have now created amazing curls super fast with little effort,  and made it look like you spent hours styling your hair.

Things to remember:

- The direction you wrap the hair matters. If you do it all in one direction the curls will link together where as if you go in alternate directions the hair will be more natural. ( I used alternate directions.
- If you wrap the hair around the wand flat you will get a smoother wave where as if you twist it as you wrap it will give a looser more messy effect.
- The longer you let the hair cool in the pony tail the better chance of the curls lasting all night. It is best not to touch the curls until they have fully set.


Please share if you found this was helpful and I hope you give it try!

~ Cass

Fishtail Braid - How to

Always wanted to learn how to fishtail braid but thought it was too confusing? Well today I will teach you how to fishtail braid in just a few simple steps and all you will need is a hair brush, 2 hair ties and a couple of bobby pins. I have also provided pictures at the for each stage, as the steps might sound a bit confusing alone.


Step 1- Ensure you hair is all brushed out so there is no knots or tangles. This step is very important as it will make the braiding process much easier.

Step 2- Gather all your hair to you preferred side and tie into a pony tail with a small elastic. Then grab a small piece of hair and wrap it around the elastic tie and secure with a bobby pin to hide it.

Step 3- Split your pony tail into two equal sections, these will now be known as Strand 1 and 2.

Step 4- Now take a small piece from the back Strand 1 and cross over the front and add to Strand 2.

Step 5- Repeat the previous step however instead take a small piece from the back of Strand 2 and cross over the front and add to Strand 1.

From here you just repeat Step 4 and 5 until you run out of hair then secure with a hair tie. If you want a more messy, laid back look you can tug at the braid being careful not to pull layers out. But this will add more volume to the braid and give it that more 'lived in' feel.

























At first it will take a bit of practice but once you get the hang of it you can get it done pretty fast. It is a little extra work compared to a regular three strand braid but I think the end result is worth it.

Good luck and thanks for reading. If you know anyone who has been wanting to learn how to fishtail braid please share this with them.


~ Cass

NYX Lip Gift Sets - Review and Swatches

I recently saw that NYX has come out with a bunch of new lip gift sets. I think they came out with around  4 or 5 different sets and I purchased 3 of them, the Chunky Dunk Hydrating Lippie set, The Legends LipSet02 and Butter Gloss BLGSET03. I have to say these sets are quite amazing and especially for the price, $10.25- $14.25. I already love NYX lip products but now I have some new favourites.

The Chunky Dunk set comes with 4 lip stick/jumbo pencils ranging in shades from a pale pink to a darker brown nude. I had never tried the Chunky Dunk products before but I was amazed at the quality. They are super pigmented and go on so smooth. They feel very moisturising and as the products suggests very Hydrating to the lips. They are a good every day staple, something to throw in the handbag and you wont even need a mirror to apply.

The Legends Lip Set 2 comes with 5 lip glosses with a brighter shade range. First of all these lip glosses smell amazing and the pigmentation leans more towards a liquid lipstick / lip gloss hybrid with a high colour pay off. They glide on to the lips and have the perfect about of stickiness where it is not to overwhelming but enough to make them last. These lip glosses are perfect to either wear on their own or paired over a lipstick.

The Butter glosses have to be one of my favourite product from NYX of all time so I was very excited to try this set. It comes with 3 butter glosses with a variety of shades. The butter glosses like the lip glosses smell amazing the scent reminds me of a sugar cookie. The pigment is amazing and as the name suggests they go on like butter. They are very creamy however they still have a lasting power of around 3 hours.

BLGSET03
From top to bottom- 
Red Velvet, Tiramisu,
 Devils' Food Cake

"Chunky Dunk Lip set"
From top to bottom- Pink Bikini,
Cherry Smash,
Hibiscus Tea Punch,
Caramel Martini

"The Legends Lip Set 02"
From top to bottom- 
Classic Pink, Classic Coral,
Classic Red, Classic Fuchsia,
Classic Violet

After testing all these products my favourites would have to be the Chunky Dunk and the Butter Glosses. However, I do highly recommend all these products so I suggest you get down to Target and pick these up before they are all gone.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to subscribe to the email list so you don't miss out on any new posts.


~ Cass

Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil - Review

I use to think that the hardest thing about make up was trying to find a way to remove it all at night in the easiest and most effective way, that is until I came across the Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil. It is actually a dupe for the Mac Cleanse Off Oil for nearly half the price!

This oil works like magic you simply take a pump and massage it onto dry skin. You will immediately see your entire face of make up breaking down. Your eye make up will come right off even waterproof mascara!

Once you have rubbed it all in you can then add water and it turns into a foamy consistency to further cleanse the skin. Simply rinse off with warm water and your skin will feel amazing.

With a full face of make up 

After 2 mins of Cleansing
all make up is removed!

2 Pumps of the oil applied
to my dry skin

Another great thing about this oil is that it does not break me out or clog my pores. It has actually improved the way my skin looks as it now clear from all the make up residue and dirt that sits below the skin.

It is made from fresh flowers therefore the ingredients are all natural so there is no harsh chemicals that will dry out or harm your skin.

This has now become one of my favourite ways to remove my make up as it is quick and easy but still very effective.

Give it a try, would love to hear what you think!

~ Cass

Pink Obsession Cake

So the other day was my mum's birthday and I decided to put my baking skills to the test and bake her a cake. I took ideas from the traditional Kit Kat Cakes but wanted to make it a little more exciting. So I decided to go pink overload and do a layered vanilla cake with two shades of pink and then fill the top with cute pink decorations.

For this cake you will need: 

2 boxes of cake mix of your choice (preferably a white cake)

Butter cream frosting (I used Betty Croker's Ready Frosting)

3-4 Family Kit Kat Blocks

Pink food colouring 

Pink decorations for the top

2 x 22 cm round cake tin

a Cake board

To Begin I followed the directions on the box of the first cake mix. Pretty simple, just add egg, milk and butter and beat together. Once it was all combined I added in around 1/2 - 3/4 tablespoons of food colouring and mixed this in to achieve a pale pink. 

I then separated the cake mix into two tins by placing two tablespoons in each until all the mix was used up. For the first cake I used baking paper as I was concerned for it sticking however I recommend not using it as for the second cake I did not and achieved a better shape with no sticking. I baked them for about 20 mins, do not follow the time on the box as the cakes are smaller so will take less time to cook. To test if the cake is cooked look to see if it has separated from the edges also stick a knife in the middle and if it comes out clean the cake is cooked. 

While the first 2 layers were baking I began working on the second cake mix. I did the exact same thing but when it came to adding the food colouring I added around 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons to get achieve a brighter pink. I then sprayed the pans and separated the cake mix in to 2 again. 

Once the cakes were cooled I began the decorating process. 

First I cut of all the brown areas on each layer of cake and made the cakes all the an even size and flat on top. I then placed some frosting on the cake board and placed my first layer of cake. Once positioned I covered the top in frosting and added the next layer making sure to alternate colours. I continued until all the cakes were used. Then covered the entire cake in frosting. 

  

 I mixed all the pink lollies I had to create a custom mix. It included pink and white sugar balls, pink and white hearts and extra tiny pink and white marshmallows.

 I prepared the kit kat by cutting them into two line pieces. It is easiest to cut them with a sharp knife then to attempt to just snap them as they have a tendency to break.










Then I began to stick the kit kat around the outside of the cake. I found it easiest to apply a little bit of frosting on to the kit kat and then hold it against the cake. Be sure to stick the kit kat pieces close to each other ensuring no gaps. This will prevent the lollies from falling through.
You can then place the lollies on the top a handful at a time to ensure they do not fall off.
Then clean the board up, tie a ribbon around it and your cake is complete.

So there you go a pretty simple cake that is sure to grab attention and don't forget about the surprise when you cut the first piece. 

Hope you enjoyed reading how I created this cake and hopefully give it a try. 

~ Cass

Shaaanxo Colourpop - First Impressions Review

For months now I have heard great things about the Colourpop products. So when Shaaanxo collaborated, and the shipping was finally open to Australian and NZ, I was immediately on top of this.

I purchased the Shaaanxo collaboration along with 'So Quiche' eyeshadow and 'Punky' lippie pencil and lippie stix. Each coloupop product is $5 USD each and the shipping was around $13 to Australia. 

I first have to say the packaging is adorable and great quality. It arrived in a box with a personalised note and padding to keep the products safe in transit. 

Now to the eyeshadow, the Shaaanxo set comes with 4 eyeshadows, 2 matte and 2 pearlized.

From Left to Right- Deluxe, Rebel,
So Quiche, XO, Selfie

My first impression was that these shadows are amazingly pigmented and creamy. The picture below shows swatches of each colour with only one swipe in the product. However this photo does not do the colours justice. 

The pearlized shadows have the most incredible metallic finish with a sparkle to it, yet the glitter is not chunky or patchy. It is the perfect consistency and applies so well to the eye lid. I have found it is best applied with my ring finger to achieve the best pigment. 

The matte shadows are so smooth and so easy to blend, except there is no fall out. The colour just glides through the crease and creates such an amazing look with ease. I have found the best application is with a fluffy blender brush such as the Sigma E35. 

From Top to Bottom- So Quiche, Selfie,
XO, Deluxe, Rebel  

From top to bottom- Lippie Stix 'Punky' , Lippie Pencil 'Punky

For the lip products colourpop have created matching lippie pencils and lippie stix. You can purchase the matching products or be 

creative and alternate to create an ombre lip. I purchased the matching set of 'Punky.' 

The lippie pencil is very creamy and does not tug on the lips when applied. It is easy to both the line the outside of the lips or alternately fill in the entire lip surface. The colour is such a perfect pink it is not to bright but at the same time still has an intense colour pay off. 

The lippie stix is also very creamy and slides onto the lips. It matches the lippie pencil perfect and creates a perfect pink lip. I have found that with both the lippie pencil and lippie stix they have a long wearing ability and will last for up to 4 hours. However,  I have found you need to be 

careful when applying not to twist it up to far as it could likely break off. 

From top to bottom- Lippie Pencil, Lippie Stix  

Overall, I am very impressed with the colourpop cosmetics and the people behind it. They have great customer service and I will continue to try new products from them. 

~ Cass 

The beginning - Everyday Makeup Routine

Hey everyone,

Welcome to my new blog! I have decided to create a blog where I can share my interests and aspects of my life with the blogging community. I aim to write about beauty, DIYs, cooking and lifestyle events.

A few things you should know I am 21 and from Melbourne, Australia. My skin is fairly normal with the exception of hormonal breakouts.

As this is the first post I thought I would start of with something simple like my everyday make up routine.

 

I like to keep my make up to a minimum on the day to day basis. In order to do so I begin with the hourglass mineral veil primer.  This is perfect as it has a purple tone to it in which cancels out redness. It also makes my skin so smooth and keeps my make up lasting all day. 

Next up is concealer and my favourite one is the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in the shade 'fair clair'. It is perfect for covering up dark circles and making the under eye area appear much brighter. I then apply some of this to the top of my nose, the centre of my forehead and my chin. Once blended i move on to powder.

I first set my concealer with the Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder. It is finely blended and does not add any extra coverage so therefore it does not look cakey.

I then use the Tarte Amazonian Clay Full coverage Foundation on the rest of my face. This is a powder foundation however it applies smoothy and does not have a powdery finish. It looks more like an airbrushed finish and is fast & easy to apply so is perfect for everyday.

I then move on to blush and bronzer. My favourites of the moment are  Nars Laguna Bronzer and Mac Springsheen Blush. The Nars bronzer is the perfect shade, not to muddy or to orange, it gives you the perfect bronze glow. The mac blush is a rosey pink with a slight gold shimmer. It is not intense and I have found it goes with almost every make up look. 

 On the everyday I do not tend to use eyeshadow, instead I use the Nars bronzer and apply that with a soft blender brush in the crease to create some dimension without being anything to intense.

I then fill in my eyebrows using the Anastasia brow wiz in the shade soft brown. This has to be the easy brow product. It applies so easily and fills in all the gaps so quickly. I have brown hair with some lighter highlights and this colour matches perfectly. I then set it all with the essence brow gel.

 Next up is mascara and my favourite of the moment is the tarte lights camera flashes mascara. It creates lots of volume and length without looking clumpy. It lasts all day and does not flake off however when it comes to removing it is not difficult. Simply comes off with make up remover. 

Finally it is lip time, my go to everyday lip product is the revlon colorburst matte balm in the shade 205 Elusive Insaisable. It is the perfect everyday shade and can be applied on the go with no mirror needed.








So there you have it my everyday make up routine. There is a few products involved however I have found when I need to get ready fast I can do this look in 10 mins.
Thank you for reading and I look forward to continuing blogging.

~ Cass