Tag Along!

Konnichiwa beauties!

Although I'm constantly lurking in the blogsphere, the weather has prevented me from being able to take pretty much any photos of things I've bought recently (and not so recently!) and review them. Boo. How did I pick one of the most precipitate places in Japan to live? So I was tagged by the lovely, amazing Monica from The Total Opposite to do this tag, and heck, I'm gonna do it.

Copy and paste THE RULES:

1) You must state this tag was created by Megan at TheBeautyPier.

2) You must tag at least one person to do this. However, the more the merrier!

3) Let the person know you tagged them with a comment on their blog.

4)Title this post 'Influences of the Internet TAG!'

5) Enjoy!

1. Did other blogs convince you to start up your own?

Yes, for sure! I would never have thought of starting up a beauty blog prior to reading them. Unfortunately, a couple of the people I first started following have stopped blogging, like, Tali from The Gloss Goss, but luckily, Laure from the Liparazzi blog is still here and has really developed since I first started reading her posts!

2. Have you joined a site because someone else in the blogosphere did?

Yes...I was never really someone that was into Twitter, but I liked the fact that I could keep more on top of what my favourite beauty gurus were up to! (Stalker, much?)

3. Is there a tip/regime you've gotten from the internet that you now use?

Too many to name, actually! They're all beauty related - I was a complete beauty noob prior to entering the world of beauty blogs. But a recent regime I have taken up is using oils on my face - I love supporting New Zealand brands so the Antipodes Joyous Protein-Rich Night Replenish Serum (phew, what a mouthful!) is the one I'm currently using.

4. If your favorite YouTube/Blogger personality likes a product, will that make you buy it?

Ohhhh yes, I think 99% of my purchases are beauty gurus recommendations/loves. But I always make sure I read a trillion reviews before purchasing.

5. What do you look for in a blog that makes you want to follow?

Content and personality. I like a blog that shows what kind of person behind the screen is. Whilst I do love an eye pleasing set out of a blog, I don't mind if it's not the best if the person is interesting.

6. Have you ever been deceived by a product that you ordered online? (e.g you thought it would be pink but it was coral)

Not really, that's why I look at the photos of swatches and FOTD's.

7. Have promo pictures and press releases given you the impression that a product will be better than it is?

Of course, the marketing team will try to talk up a product as much as possible. I don't actually pay any attention to new products, if someone is talking about it, I'll go check out reviews of said product.

8. Is there a product you could give a 'cult' status for being so good that you discovered through the internet?

YES, I HAVE ONE. (I was thinking about this for so long). The Possets oil perfume Ribbands is actually the most amazing scent, it's LE so you can only get it during Christmas, and my word, if it's not the most delicious thing you've ever smelt, then I'm a fool. It smells of chocolate and juicy raspberries, like, for real face. This absolutely deserves cult status, in my opinion.

9. Is there a product you have tried and hated, but others have loved?

Same as Monica, Maybelline The Falsies Mascara! I bought it because my sister said all her friends love it, but I tried it on, immediately took it off and swapped her it for her Covergirl LashBlast Fusion mascara. My HG mascara! (Review here).

10. Is there a Blogger/YouTuber that influences your fashion style? If so, who?

Yes, so many of them! The two UK Laura's dress exactly how I'd like to! Laura from buy now, blog later just has impeccable, classy taste and I drool over every fashion post of hers, and Laura from Liparazzi has this edgy, chic but still professional look that I also adore. Corrie from Dizzybrunette3 is so pretty, and I love her for her love of shorts! The drop-dead gorgeous Eastern European beauties: Zorana from Zorannah's Fashion Corner definitely has a look I would love to have, very edgy and rock, and Tamara from The Glam and Glitter is just stunning and chic. And how can I leave out Shannon from shaaanxo, she is gorgeous, funny and wears a lot of things I'd love to own (and she's from New Zealand, yay!).

11. Is there a Blogger/Youtuber that influences your attitude each day/lifestyle?

Recently, there have been a few fitness blogs that have really changed my attitude towards healthy eating and how to get the kind of physique I've always wanted. I follow them on Instagram, so if you follow me on there, you'll be able to see who I'm following.

12. How much time do you spend on the internet daily?

I'm not going to tell you because you'll actually just choke on your spit reading it the answer, and then you'll try to take my death grip off my laptop. Let's just say LDR suck.

So, that's it! I tag each and every single one of you who wants to do this. I'd love it if you linked me to your post, just leave a comment down below!

Rausch Moisturizing Body Butter for Very Dry Skin Review

Lovely ladies of Europe,

I have discovered a must-have product for you. Last year when I was visiting my aunt in Switzerland, I came across this beaut of a product. My aunt is into natural hair and skin care products, and she's a devotee of Rausch, a Swiss company which use natural, raw plants and herbs in their products to provide people with the best care for their scalp, hair and skin. They have a large range of various hair care products, but the product I have been in love with is their body butter for very dry, flaky skin.

It smells absolutely heavenly! It contains extracts of barley, oat milk and Tahitian monoï oil. Barley extract is known to soothe and moisturize skin, promote replenishment of the skin’s protective barrier and renewal of cell membranes. Oat milk is high in Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that protects and repairs your skin. Tahitian monoï oil acts as an emollient for your skin (emollients are lubricating agents that have a soothing and softening effect on your skin and prevent water loss). So it's jam packed with absolute goodies for skin that is in dire need of TLC.

I burnt myself to a crisp during my holiday in Greece, and while I was suffering I was using this religiously, and it definitely helped to keep my skin soft and completely prevented peeling, which is amazing because I've always peeled after I've gotten sunburnt as bad as I did that time.

Look at how much I've been loving it, almost all gone!

The consistency is very creamy, and although it has a scent, it's not one that I find overpowering. For something that is such a heavy duty body butter, it blends in so quickly to the skin, and there's absolutely no trace of "greasiness" which I adore.

This is a wonder product and even though it is a tad pricey, I would wholeheartedly recommend it to all the beauty gurus out there in Europe who have easy access to it, it's amazing!

Beauties, have you used any products by Rausch? What do you think of this body butter?

Peachy Goodness: The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Butter Review

The plum blossom has blossomed on trees in Japan, and the cherry blossom are about to make their debut. Pretty exciting stuff, this spring weather. Unfortunately, whilst it has definitely become warmer, it's still not time for me to put away my winter leggings and jackets. So my legs have been suffering, and after getting a whiff of the peach body butter in The Body Shop, I knew it was coming home with me come next pay day.

Pay day came and went, and this bad boy ended up coming home with me after I joyously discovered that TBS were having a wee sale. Yes!, cried my wallet, and off I hopped off with this glorious body butter in my bag.

I'm a big fan of fruity, gourmand smells, so of course, this is completely up my alley. Slathered across my desert dry legs, this provides wonderful moisture to them, and I was ever so surprised how quickly this sinks into the skin.

Is that a pumpkin in my fruit bowl? Why yes, yes it is.

 Many of you who are reading this post will already be familiar with TBS body butters, so I don't need to go into too much detail. This body butter is designed for dry skin and it claims to leave your body all hydrated for 24 hours, and I would have to say that I am happy with the state of my skin now that I've been using it. I would even go so far to back the 24 hour hydration claim.

This is a pretty big tub of this peachy goodness, and the cream is super thick, so it would take you yonks to work your way through this whole tub. And did I mention how amazing this smells? Because, oh my lawdie lawd, this smells ever so divine. When I put it on in the morning, my clothes absorb the smell, so even after I take them off, I can smell this wonderful body butter. YUM!

Think I've gone peach crazy and this post by the amazing Cassi from Thrift Thick is definitely not helping. (Srsly guise, go check her out, her posts are incredible, and her videos hilarious!).

Body Shop, you've done it again, another glorious product to add to your ever expanding collection.

So, what products do you think are peachy keen? What's got you sniffing your arm like a dog every 2 seconds? Do share!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fitness Friday: Protein Pancakes

I know I've been a little AWOL, but I recently went away to visit a friend in the wonderful city of Nagano, and I've been enjoying my very brief spring break from work, so I've just been enjoying reading blog posts as opposed to writing them.

I've recently attempted to make my diet healthier and more specific for my nutritional needs. I have a massive sweet tooth, and I managed to make it by one week without so much as a piece of sweet goodness passing my lips, but unfortunately my trip to Nagano ruined my resolve, who can pass up the opportunity to try a cherry blossom flavoured ice cream? Not me, that's for sure. 

So I had this massive craving for some pancakes last night, and whilst the box of Japanese pancake mix and I had a stare down, I quickly put the search for hash tags to good use, and found a recipe I wanted to try my hand at.

So kiddos, today I'm going to share with you this pantastic pancake protein recipe!

You will need:

1 x medium sized banana, or half a big one
2 x egg whites
1/4 cup of oats
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 scoop of protein powder of choice (I have vanilla flavoured at the moment)
1 x teensy bit of coconut oil

You mash the banana with a fork and add the egg whites and mix them around a bit. Add the oats, cinnamon and protein powder, and add a dash of water to make the consistency a little runnier. I think I added a tbsp or two.

Warm up your pan, add just enough coconut oil so your pancakes don't burn, and add the mixture to the pan once warm enough. I had enough mix for two pancakes, and I cooked them on a medium flame.

Fail at making my pancake look pretty, but I scoffed down the other one with a bit of peanut butter and blueberries on top and it was yum as!

What do you think, kiddos? Something that you might give a go? What's a simple and healthy dessert you enjoy?

 

Liebster Award!

I really wasn't expecting this so this really made my Tuesday morning! A big thank you to Monica from The Total Opposite blog who has nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award. Please check her out, she's a bilingual beauty, and I hope she'll help me brush up on my Spanish!

I've been trying to source the original blog that started this, but unfortunately it seems like this might not be possible but this blogger has done the detective work. I'm going to change the rules around just a wee bit, because it's a bit like that game, Chinese whispers, and I'm a rule breaker ;)
 
1) Share 10 things about yourself.
2) Answer the 10 questions that your tagger has given you.
3) Choose at least 5 fellow blogs to nominate. The nominees must have under 200 Google Friend Connect followers and be told in a comment on their blog.
4) Think of 10 questions to ask the bloggers you have nominated.
5) Thank the person that nominated you and link back to their blog.

10 Tidbits About Me

1. It has been my dream to visit Japan since I was 12 years old, so I'm living the dream as I am currently living and working there. 
2. I have a deep love for a Japanese boy band called NEWS (ニュース). They are all things fluffy and adorable and they make my life. And this song is super catchy (I suggest watching it from 3:00 unless you want to see their adorkableness).
3. I am a group fitness instructor. Minus the leggings and neon tights.
4. I have lived in 3 different countries.
5. I am multilingual.
6. I once almost ate a bug by accident. It was in my drink and I chomped down on it *cries*
7. I used to read a lot of vampire/werewolf/witch teen romance books as a teen. Twilight does not compare to them.
8. I smell all my fruit before buying them.
9. I never wear my new shoes in so I get painful blisters 99.9% of the time.
10. I don't drink coffee because I know that if I started to drink it, I would never give it up.

11 Questions From Monica

1. Shorts or skirts?
Shorts! As much as I'd like to say skirts...I always slip into shorts in warmer weather.
2. What's your favorite magazine?
I don't read them much, but if I did, it'd be The National Geographic.
3. Favorite piece of clothing you own?
Jeez, this is a toughie. But I have to say this dress I am absolutely in love with and can't wait to wear again during summer!
4. Wavy or straight hair?
Wavy, definitely! I think it just always looks sexy.
5. Do you like to read?
Hah, do I ever? I'm a total bookwork.
6. What's your ideal job?
Doing close to nothing whilst earning lots of money and helping others. Is this a real job?
7. Do you have any pets? How many?
I wish :'( My current pets are a stuffed penguin and a dying plant on my windowsill.
8. Favorite fruit?
Difficult! Bananas...and strawberries...and cherries.
9. Do you play an instrument?
My best friend started to teach me how to play the guitar and the bass when we were in high school. I stopped because I didn't have a guitar of my own which I really regret.
10. Heels or flats?
As much as I adore heels, I wear flats all the time, so flats it is!
11. Favorite thing in your room?
My Montego Bay candle. It smells just absolutely divine, I cannot describe my love for Glasshouse Fragrance candles. (I also own Tahaa, the best vanilla scented candle in the world.)

My Nominees

1. Kendra from Beauty By Kendra C 
2. Emma from A Hundred Lip Things
3. Rosina from All Things Beauty 
4. Stacey from Expat Make-up Addict
5. Ezi from I.K.I.N.T.O.O.

My 10 Questions For the Nominees

1. What song are you currently bopping along to?
2. What is your favourite fairy tale?
3. What is your favourite online store/s?
4. What is your pet peeve?
5. What book has had an impact on your life?
6. If you were turned into a vampire, what would you do?
7. What is something that's really made you laugh recently? (Link us to the video/image/post, if you can!)
8. How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa Claus?
9. What is your favourite Disney/childhood movie?
10. If you rubbed a lamp, a genie popped out and could grant you three wishes, what would those wishes be?

Spreading the love, y'all. Big thank you, again, to the lovely Monica for nominating me!  If you think there are any other lovely blogs that deserve this, shout out so we know!

Image from www.theyesgirls.com

 

February Favourites

Better late than never!, is what I always say. With that said, I'm jumping aboard the monthly favourites bandwagon all the beauty bloggers seem to be riding.

My selection is small, but there are the ones that have stood out most for me *cough*didn'thaveenoughroomforotherthings*cough*.

Pompadour Peppermint Tea: A favourite tea of mine no matter what the time of year, but was even more of a treat during the cold winter. Warms me up, and keeps the discomforts of gluten-filled food eating slightly at bay. Unfortunately, tea is on the expensive side here so this cost me a horrifying ¥600!
Burt's Bees Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil: This lip balm has lived in my right jacket pocket for the last couple of months, and I don't go anywhere without. It smells delicious, tastes sweet, and has helped relieve my poor lips of their chapped pain.
Rausch Moisturizing Body Butter: A gift from my aunty's friend who used to work for Rausch. This body butter smells amazing, clean and refreshing. The scent just reminds me of Greece now because I used it constantly on my poor sunburned body. It's perfect because it deeply nourishes, and absorbs into the skin straight away. Will definitely be doing a review on this.
Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water: Has been my saviour for those lazy winter nights when I can't be assed waddling over to my sub-zero temperature bathroom to take off my makeup. I can hear the tsk-tsk's from over here...But review is over yonder.
Fake Pearl Stud Earrings in 8mm:  To make myself look (and feel) more classy, I bought myself these stunners from this eBay seller for 2 buck. Sweet as.
Flowerbomb by Viktor&Rolf EDP: One of my favourite all-time perfumes. Bought this LE gorgeous perfume for myself 2 Christmas' ago, and it feels like I'm indulging in something very luxurious whenever I wear it. It's a scent I would describe as heavy, and is perfect for cooler weather. Very sweet, very beautiful, and I think a favourite of many other women.
It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product: My hair and I are in constant war with each other, but I feel like my techniques of pacification have been helping me with a peace treaty. I have been using a few other new hair products, but I feel like this has been helping with the split ends and hair breaking off. Unfortunately, have naturally fine and curly hair that's been dyed blonde for the last couple of years, means that I have an array of hair problems.

I have kept it short and sweet my lovelies, but what has been your favourite of the short month of February?

Almost The One Ring to Rule Them All

I'm a big fan of costume jewellery, as much as the real stuff. I worked in a jewellery store for most of my time in university, so I know a thing or two about the bling bling. I love something different, something I know not many people will have. At the same time, I'm not about to avoid something because I know it's "trendy" or a lot of people also own it.

This weekend I spent a fair bit of time in a shop I'd normally speed by on my way to the amazing 315 yen store. It's a costumer jewellery store, and it has a lot of rocking, trendy things in there that I wouldn't have noticed had I not actually gone in. From the outside, it looks like it sells the normal type of delicate chains and earrings commonly seen here in Japan, but once you go in for a closer look, there are many beautiful things to be discovered.

I have been lusting after a plain bar two-finger ring for a couple of years now, and I have not been able to find "the one" even after hours of searching on etsy and eBay. However, this weekend, I think I've found something very close to "the one".

As you can see from the misalignment of the bars in the ring, it's not a very high quality ring. Even though it was overpriced, I was happy to treat myself to something I'd been wanting for a while.

As you can see you can bend it to fit the size of your fingers - though surprisingly, it's the first ring in Japan that I've tried that doesn't bend to be as snug as I'd like it to be. I was definitely thinking, 'wow, this ring is definitely made for fat gaijin fingers!'. (P.S To those not familiar with Japanese words - 'gaijin' means foreigner, and it has a somewhat derogatory nuance to it depending on situation, and who's saying it, etc.)

Selfie of fat gaijin fingers as aforementioned. I think this ring will definitely spice up my otherwise boring work outfits!

What kind of jewellery person are you? Do you prefer rings, necklaces, earrings? Are you a silver, gold or rose gold fan?