2017 Favourites

This post is a month too late but hey, we got here in the end. In no particular order, here is a giant list of all the things that got me going in 2017 – things I think you all might enjoy too! We’ve got it all here – beauty, lifestyle, travel, music, movies, tv…

 

Zoella Moisturisers

I absolutely fell in love with these whipped body butters in 2017 – they are really moisturising and smell divine, plus they feel silky smooth on my skin. I have both the original scent and the newer Gelat’eau fragrance which are both really lovely. These are so cheap on feelunique.com – I highly suggest you check them out!

 

NYX Foundation Drops

It will be no surprise to any loyal readers that I am obsessed with these NYX foundation drops. Finally! A Colour! That matches! My pasty ass! Eeeek! They are super full coverage and build very well as a concealer, and come in a range of shades. The formula is very liquidy and I’ve found although it works well with a beauty blender, a stiff brush (like the Real Techniques expert face brush) is what it takes to blend this bad boy out.

 

Brown Eyeliner

Again, to no surprise, 2017 was the year of all around the eye brown eyeliner. I realised when I started working full time that a) I do not have the patience, time, energy or fucks to do liquid eyeliner at 7am while crying into my cereal, b) with my brown eyes, brown eyeliner makes them look more brown (can I say brown this many times in a sentence?) and c) eyeliner all around my tiny eyes makes them look smaller, yes, but also makes the whites pop so they look more intense. I love the look and I’m glad I discovered it for myself last year.

Miniso BB Cream

Hands down, this is the best BB cream I’ve ever tried. Yes, it’s a bit pink, but it’s b e a u t i f u l. It glides on, has reasonable coverage, evens out my skin and makes me look glowy. It’s SO cheap it’s ridiculous, so I highly recommend popping into your nearest Miniso and picking it up!

White Fox Boutique Alexa Dress

I wore this banger to my brother’s wedding and got so many compliments on it! Desperate to wear it again – any suggestions on where?

KOREA

I don’t have anything else to say other than Korea was my absolute favourite thing of 2017. I adored every moment and am already planning on going back at some point this year. Check out my Korea posts!
–My Week In Korea
–Essential Travel Tips for Korean Travel
–Korea Haul

Top Music

1. Client Liaison – 80s style Aussie pop band, saw them twice this year
2. Two Door Cinema Club – we saw these guys live and they k i l l e d it
3. Harry Styles – his new album is everything I hoped for and more ❤
4. Foals – really rocky discovery and I just love them
5. The Weeknd – We went and saw him in concert and he was insane

Top TV Shows

1. Handmaids Tale – by far my favourite show of 2017. No words. It’s just exquisite television.
2. Peaky Blinders S4 – Vikings & PB are tied for 2nd place, both were incredible seasons of the shows and I was very impressed!
3. Vikings S5
4. Psycho Pass – this anime is one of my all time favourtes and I’m so mad it took me this long to discover it!
5. Game of Thrones (obligatory mention) (it was okay)

Top Films

1. Blade Runner 2049 – one of my favourite movies I’ve ever seen. Beautiful, cinematic, incredible story and soundtrack. They nailed this sequel.
2. Kingsman Golden Circle – an insanely funny sequel to the original, I was worried they were going to fuck this up but they definitely didn’t! I can’t not laugh at this movie, it was so funny!
3. Spiderman Homecoming / Thor 3 – both these Marvel movies were so funny! I was very pleasantly surprised with both and if you like fun, good time movies, these are for you
4. Okja – very hard hitting, this movie really tugged at the heartstrings but was lovely to watch. Excellent movie of 2017.

Youtubers

My youtubers of this year were by far Kalyn Nicholson, Lavendaire and Amanda Rach Lee. Kalyn does lifestyle content that is super motivating and inspiring, Lavendaire does videos on intentional living, organisation and creativity, and Amanda does monthly bullet journal videos which are not only beautiful, but very relaxing to watch. I love both these amazing girls!

What did you love in 2017??

 

Zoe x

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November Favourites | Blogmas 2017

Welcome to my 12 days of Blogmas series! Every other day until Christmas I will be posting something festive for you all to enjoy 🙂

Today isn’t Christmas themed, but you all know I can’t go a month without my favourites! Here is what I’ve been obsessed with for November.

Zoella Body Creams & Handcream

I recently picked up Zoella’s new whipped body butters and her new Christmas scent hand cream and love them all. I know she was in hot water with that advent calendar drama, but I do love her and her products.

Tanya Burr Contour Stick

I’ve been using this religiously this month – just adding a bit and blending it out before I add powder and it gives a very subtle contour. Very creamy, pigmented and easy to blend!

Miniso Spring Herb Essential Oil

This is a beautiful and fresh essential oil to have going in my diffuser and I’m really enjoying having it on all the time! Miniso do the best essential oils!

Harry Styles – Harry Styles

I was never really a 1D fangirl, so I was pretty surprised when I realised this month that I’m head over heels in love with Harry Styles lol. His new self-titled album is absolutely amazing and I’m obsessed with the songs Only Angel, Carolina, Kiwi (obviously) and From The Dining Table. He gives off SUCH Mick Jagger vibes, especially when he performed at the VSFS in Shanghai!

Korea

I feel like this is a given, because I’ve done a tonne of posts about it, but my favourite thing about November was that I began it in South Korea! I had the absolute best time, and would 10/10 visit if you have the opportunity!
–My Week In South Korea
–Korea Haul
–Top Tips for Travelling in South Korea

Tanya Burr Selfie Lash Mascara

I was sceptical to try this, but this mascara is really nice! It layers well, separates, lengthens and creates a bit of volume. Truly the perfect everyday mascara!

Beauty Blender Holder

I grabbed one of these on a whim for $2 at kmart, but it actually makes a world of difference! It keeps my blender damp for longer and nice and fresh, plus means I never get any of the crap floating around in my makeup bag on my blender.

Peaky Blinders

I’ve loved this show for a couple years now, and the new season has just started – much to my excitement! It hasn’t let me down (unlike other shows *cough* Walking Dead *cough*). So beautifully shot, moves fast, written well and anything with Cillian Murphy in it has me hooked.

Armada – Ernest Cline

I gave this book a full review on my new series Zoe’s Bookshelf so I won’t go into detail here, I just loved this book! Read here if you want more info about it and to hear what I thought.

Check out my most recent posts;  Festive Bucketlist & Zoe’s Bookshelf!

Zoe x

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October Favourites | 2017

I had a pretty good month in October! I haven’t had the best year this year, but it seems to be turning around this month which I am beyond grateful for! Here are some things that I’ve been loving through October 🙂

Blade Runner 2049

This movie was insanely good. I didn’t expect it to be as amazing as it was, but I found it super beautifully shot with a wonderful follow-on plot from the first film and the soundtrack was to die for. A 10/10 film that I really enjoyed and can’t wait to watch again!

Miniso Cleanser

I picked this cleanser up on a whim, as I was using a Nip+Fab Glycolic cleanser that I just felt was too harsh for everyday use. It was only AUD$7! That’s so cheap for down here. I really like this cleanser – it’s gentle, moisturising, and does a great job of cleansing my makeup off.

Daiso Cosmetic Headband

I wanted a cute headband for a while, one with ears preferably, but I grabbed this plain one at Daiso when I just couldn’t be bothered anymore and I LOVE it! It’s really strange, but I feel like I can actually spend the amount of time on my skincare that I need to – when the headband goes on, my skincare routine is all I focus on. I really like it!

Miniso BB Cream

I should not be allowed into Miniso lol, I always buy stuff on a whim. This BB Cream is absolutely incredible though, with great coverage, a healthy, dewy finish and a fraction of the price of any normal BB cream. It’s also light enough for my ghost skin – definitely give it a try!

Chilli Sauce

Weird fave, but I’ve been putting chilli sauce on literally everything this month. Don’t ask me why, but I just can’t stop, lol.

Vanilla Candle – Bath & Bodyworks

UGH THIS SMELLS LIKE CHRISTMAS!!! I’m so excited! Also, you can’t go wrong with a Bath & Bodyworks candle, especially one that smells so divine. A good vanilla candle is a staple for me!

Pimple Patches

I was introduced to the incredible world of pimple patches during my trip to South Korea and I’m actually concerned about how much I love them. These little plastic stickers you pop over any spots and they MAGICALLY MAKE THEM DISAPPEAR!! I’m not joking, they pull out all the crap from the spot and heal them overnight. It’s also super satisfying/gross when you take them off and see how much gunk is in your spot. The CORSX ones are my fave!

Psycho Pass

Image from google images

I started this anime before I left and I really couldn’t stop thinking about it while I was away. It’s a dystopian future setting, where the populace is maintained by a set of sematic scanners that determine your crime coefficient, and those over a certain number are punished by the police. It’s a very “blade runner” vibe and I’m here for it. I’ve finished both seasons now and I’m really sad about it! If you like anime and dsytopia, give this a go!

 

South Korea 

I feel like I don’t have to mention this, but South Korea was the best time of my goddamn life! Check out my trip here 🙂

What have you been loving this month??

Zoe x

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My Candle Collection

I have always loved candles. There is something so relaxing about striking a match or turning the wheel of a lighter and putting the flame to a wick, then filling your space with a warm, ambient glow and beautiful fragrance. I used to be one of those people who bought $3 candles from the dollar store and collect millions of them, but I have come to understand the scents I truly love and now stick to buying a select few good quality candles. I hope you enjoy my collection as much as I have enjoyed collecting it!

Sweet, Vanilla Scents
-Merry Cookie (Bath & Bodyworks)
-Vanilla Bean (Bath & Bodyworks)
-Vanilla Snowflake (Bath & Bodyworks)
-Warm Apple Pie – Mini (Bath & Bodyworks)
Merry Cookie – Mini (Bath & Bodyworks)

Floral Scents
-Honolulu (Dusk) – Franjipani Scented
-Fresh Cut Lilac (Bath & Bodyworks)

Fresh Scents
-Light My Fire (Typo)
-Dusk Candle (unnamed, smells exactly like the Typo one)
-Relaxation (Dusk)

Musky Scents
-Manhattan – Little Black Dress (Glasshouse)

I keep all my candles in my bedside table shelf, so they don’t get too hot.

What’s your favourite candle scent?

Check out my recent posts; September Favourites & October Bullet Journal

Zoe x

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September Favourites | 2017

September has come and gone in an absolute whirlwind. Now it’s October – middle of Spring for us in Australia (most days are nearing 30 degrees which I’m VERY happy about) and I leave for overseas in just over 20 days. Where is this year going?! I’ve loved a heap of things this month, so keep reading to find out what!

The Psychopath Test – Jon Ronson

If you like psychology, murder mysteries, generally great non-fiction writing – read this. This has been on my list for AGES and I finally got around to reading it this month and I loved it. Super interesting book!

Invisible Planets – Ken Liu

Another book, but this is an anthology of Chinese science-fiction short stories. Might sound strange, but my friend lent this to me and I really enjoyed it. Most of the stories are dystopian (if you’ve read me for a while you know I’m a sucker for anything dystopian) and are incredibly beautiful and thought provoking. So many cultures and countries have incredible stories written, and it’s unfortunate that they usually aren’t translated for us to read. Pick up this book if you like reading, you won’t regret it!

Image & purchase here

Zoella Gateau Range

I grabbed both the body spray and shower sauce from the summery Zoella range and (besides the original scent) it is my favourite scent she’s ever done! It’s pomegranate and elderflower, so it’s perfect for us Southern Hemisphere folk going into spring and summer. If you can get your hands on it, go and smell it – such a wonderful scent!

OGX Weightless Oil Mist

I tried this for the first time this month and really enjoyed it! It does exactly what it says it does, and hydrates without looking greasy. It also smells amazing! OGX is a great brand that’s definitely worth the hype.

IKEA Panda

I bought this little glowing panda from IKEA a while ago now, but I really like having him accompany me when I’m writing long into the night. He glows green to blue and you can pause him at your favourite colour. He’s such a cute addition to any room 🙂

Binaural Beats

This has become one of my new favourite ways to meditate! You must listen to this with headphones on, but it gets you into a meditative state after only a few minutes. You can read up on the science about it here.

Glitch

Season 2 of the Australian Sci-Fi drama Glitch just came out and I binged it in two days! Such a good show, and there are only 6 eps per season. It’s all about a small country town where people from all eras start coming to life. Aussie drama doesn’t get enough credit – check it out!

Four Legendary Kingdoms – Matthew Reilly

If you’re an action and history/mythology fan, get on this series by Australian author Matthew Reilly. This is the fourth in this series and intertwines with some of his other work, and is nothing short of a showstopping, page turning piece of great entertainment. I read it in a day.

Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard

I used to have an external keyboard that used cords to connect to my laptop, and I did like it but it definitely got annoying. This month I picked up a new logitech keyboard and I’m loving it! If you spend a lot of time on your laptop typing, this might me a good investment for you.

Finally, I just want to send my love and hugs to anyone out there who needs it. The world is a scary place, but we can find happiness within each other.

Zoe x

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Creating Your Dream Life

If you read one of my most recent posts – Life Update –  you’ll know that I’m in a weird stage of soul searching, job hunting, and everything else that comes with the territory of being a millennial in 2017. One thing that I have always struggled with is a sense of purpose, and the finding of a dream life. This doesn’t just mean career, although that is very important (see: How To: Pick The Right Job For You). It means every facet of your life being exactly where you want it to be. What does it look like? How do you get there? Where do you even begin?

For most of us, a dream life may look something like being financially stable (or even wealthy), surrounded by friends and loved ones, contributing to society in a job that we love with lots of free time. For others, it may be something along the lines of being 100% plant based and sustainable. That’s the beauty of a dream life, it is particular to each and every person. Everyone has an idea of where they want to end up, even if it is just in one facet of their life (if you’re stuck, maybe look at what New Year’s Resolutions you set for yourself and you may realise you are looking for a healthier/more fulfilling/happier life in certain aspects), but the real question is, and excuse my French, how the fuck do I get there?

Well, for one, you may never get there. You have to accept that some things are entirely out of your control. But having a goal of what you want your life to look like and taking steps to achieve it can only make your life better, and who doesn’t want that?

Prioritise

If you aren’t prioritising making your dream life happen, you may not want it enough. Or, you may not realise that you want it enough. The first step to getting your dream life is making it a priority. Do that, and the rest seems worth the time.

Write It Out

Once you have prioritised that you want your dream life, write it out. Every minute detail, spend a couple of hours detailing exactly what you want. Then, once you have your future life story written, you can break it down into areas, then goals, then tasks. This makes the whole process seem not so daunting.

Visualise 

Vision boards, pinterest, tumblr – get images behind your dreams. This will make them more appealing, realistic and tangiable to you.

Look

With your notes of your dream life and all of your visual materials, go over them. Look at them every day. Make them your wallpapers, stick them above your desk, save in your phone to read on the bus. The more you immerse yourself in the life you want, and then visualise yourself living that life, the more likely it is that it will happen.

 

Tiny Tasks

Take small steps every day to work towards goals that add up to your dream life. Add these small things to your to do list each day, and make sure that daily you are working towards it. You can visualise all you want, and this really does help, but you need the hard work to back you up when push comes to shove. Be small, and be realistic. Just head down, and keep going.

Tip: don’t get caught up in the hype of fancy new notebooks, self-help books, etc. Your dream life is an internal thing and is realised within. You don’t need external stuff to make that happen. Sometimes we get a sense of what we think is achievement, but really it’s just fancy procrastination. You know when you want to get fit so you reward yourself before you start with active wear? Yeah. Same shit.

Zoe x

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Sunday Routine

Sundays are a very underutilised day. Often used to nurse a hangover or binge the latest season of Geordie Shore (which sucks without Holly, btw), this is a whole day before the working week that you can used to your advantage. Ever wanted to wake up on a Monday morning and feel completely ready for the week ahead? That’s how I feel every Monday, and it all starts on the meek day of Sunday.

1.Write a List

This is perhaps the most important step of the day, as without a list, your day will have no direction for the day. I like to use a similar method to Kalyn Nicholson’s GYST day, and include cleaning, planning, self care and relaxing. That way, I wake up on Monday feeling super refreshed. If you get up, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and write out your list first thing, you’ll be super inspired to get on with the day and make it work for you.

2. Cleaning

This doesn’t have to take all day, but get the boring cleaning and household admin out of the way first up. Put things away, make your bed, wash your sheets & clothes, wipe down the counters, sweep, mop and vacuum, dust and water your plants. Blast some music and just get it done. There is honestly nothing better than a clean space, so do it first and keep your inspiration for the rest of the day.

 

 

3. Planning

I use this time to plan out my meals and do my groceries, as well as to meal prep. I love having all my meals sorted for the week ahead, whether that means they are cooked, the ingredients are simply prepped or even just my snacks are bought and in the cupboard. It definitely helps me out for the rest of the week. I’ll also go through my bank account on my computer (not on the app) and sort out my finances for the week ahead, and put out what I want to wear the next day, as well as group my outfits in my wardrobe for the rest of the days of the week.

4. Workout

This may not be for everyone, but I for one like to carve out some time on a Sunday to get in a workout or at the very least do a big walk around the block. Getting moving and getting outside will help clear your head of the mundane activities you’ve just done and get you ready for the next part of the day.

5. Self Love

I wish I had a bath, but you can definitely show yourself a bit of self-love without one. Take some time to shave, tan, wash your hair, full body moisturise, do a face mask and a pore strip. Do all the things that you forget/don’t have time to do throughout the week, and go into Monday feeling fresh.

6. Creativity

By this point in my Sunday, I’m ready to me winding down. So, instead of bingeing something on Netflix, I like to use my creativity for a good purpose. I create and fill out my Bullet Journal spread for the week ahead, do some writing or photography for my blog or book. Even just half an hour of getting my creativity flowing helps my mental state more than I could explain.

 

7. Relaxation

When Sunday is coming to an end and night is upon you, this is a good chance to do a guided meditation or some yoga, call a loved one, light some candles and treat yourself. Sometimes I like to make myself something a little extra-special for dinner, read a book or watch a movie. By the time I’m ready for bed, I’m in a freshly-sheeted bed in clean pj’s, full tummy and fresh hair and body. It makes waking up on Monday a world easier when everything that stresses you out has already been done.

What do your Sundays look like?

If you liked this post, don’t forget to check out Kalyn Nicholson’s Get Your Shit Together video, which is super inspirational for me!

Check out my previous posts (they will open in a new window): My Favourite Books, Life Update, August Faves. 

Zoe x

Zoe x

Come chat!

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