What's in your head.

My life sucks. I mean, really. I'm not dying, i don't have some incurable disease or disability. But i do have anxiety. It sounds like nothing but it affects my life every single day. It makes it suck. It's improved an enormous amount since i first was told that i had it, but lately i've kinda found myself falling back into old habits. I'm avoiding people and social situations at all costs. When i feel a little anxiety coming on, instead of ignoring it or trying to push past, i let it get to me and i freak out. Last week, i was with my girlfriend in the supermarket when i felt a bit of anxiety coming on. I felt like i was floating through the isles, which sounds like fun but when i say floating, i don't mean like floating on a cloud or flying, i mean that i am so dizzy and out of it that i feel like i'm unable to walk, like my legs can't hold me up and so i'm floating, trying not to fall. Walking made me feel sick, but standing still made me feel worse. When i was still, i could feel everything. All of the dizziness and floating feelings were all still along with me, still somehow all hitting me hard and fast. We stopped to look at something and it was too much for me, i said i needed something from the next isle and i would get it while she stayed there, so i could move, so i could try and fight through it. It didn't work. I tried to rush her, while trying to hide the horrible feelings that i had going on inside of my head. Eventually she walked away, believing an excuse that she made up for me and i agreed to, while knowing it wasn't true. I left the supermarket to wait outside and sent her a text message. I couldn't tell her to her face, as much as she understands, she doesn't need this again. As i waiting outside, i felt worse. I was alone, i should've been calm but all i wanted to do was run. I wish i knew what i was running from. Was it the cold sensation the moves through my body, just before the hot flush comes? No. It couldn't be. That doesn't make sense. Or maybe it was just so i could feel.. something other than this. I wish i could remember what happiness felt like, without something in the back of my mind telling me that it won't last long. I wish i could feel sadness, without being depressed. I need to feel again.

I need to fight this, it can't go back to what it was.

I heard your heart say love, love, love

I've never had a valentine before. I mean, there was this guy in high school who liked me forever but things were just too complicated. Anyway, one year for valentine's day, he bought me a block of chocolate. I met up with him after school as i was walking to the train station and he got it out of his backpack and handed it to me. I also got given a tiny piece of paper ripped from the original sized piece with "Happy Valentine's Day (I ♥ U)" written on it. Romantic, right?

So as you may have guessed, Valentine's Day has never really been a big deal for me. Don't get me wrong, i think it's super cute. But if you've got no one to celebrate with, then it's not so important. I've always loved going to the shops and seeing some places go all out for this one special day of the year, the day of love. There's red, pink and white everywhere, flowers, teddies, chocolates, anything with hearts or love written all over it. It's always made me smile, but of course i had always secretly wished that someone would buy one of those things for me.

This year, things were different. I had been with my girlfriend for almost 6 months. My valentine was finally here! I bought her a cute little giraffe holding a red love heart with "I love you" written on it and left that out for her for when she got up for work in the morning, along with a card and love heart chocolates formed into the shape of a love heart. I thought that would be a nice surprise for her, little did i know that when i woke up, there was a treasure hunt planned for me. This was the cutest thing that anyone has ever done for me. I had to follow clues and search for the next one and they all rhymed! It was amazing. And then when she got home, she gave me 4 Pandora charms, the openworks set. They are beautiful.

Presents for my girlfriend

My gorgeous Pandora charms, plus a heart one

I hope you all had an amazing day! Let me know what you got up to!

Remember, the only makeup you need is a smile.

Hair extensions; the good, the bad and the ugly.

People with straight hair wanted curly hair, so perms, rollers and curling irons were invented. People with curly hair wanted straight hair, so straightening chemicals and straightening irons were invented. People with long hair wanted short hair, so they got it cut and people with short hair (or people who thought they wanted short hair) wanted long hair, so they invented hair extensions!

Hair extensions might seem like they have only been around for a few years, but in fact they go as far back as the Egyptian days. They were worn by both men and woman for cosmetic adornment as well as being used to avoid infections like head lice. These days hair extensions are worn mostly for fashion purposes. They are used to add different colours, as well as thickness and length to the hair.

We all have ourselves or known someone who had/has hair extensions, but do we know which are the best?

Clip-in extensions - These are the gentlest and easiest types of hair extensions to work with. To attach them, hair should be split into sections from the bottom, working your way upward. The number of clips used depends on the volume needed. Firstly tease your hair a little at the base, then open the clips facing them to the scalp and snap them into place. They are easily removed and don't damage your hair.

Weaves - Weaves are tiny hidden braids that hold hair extensions against the scalp. These hair extensions can apply tension and add uneven weight to natural hair where they're attached. This is a concern when washing hair, swimming or participating in other activities where hair gets wet, as it is hard to dry hair that's under the braids. Some people with weaves don't wash their hair as often because of this.

Tape-in extensions - Tape-in extensions are attached using a glue that that is used in medicine so it is completely safe for the hair. They are applied by taking a thin section of the person's hair and attaching one hair extension to each side with the glue. This way, the glue attaches to itself as well as the pieces of hair. These can be worn for 2.5-3 months before they need to be redone again.

Microbead extensions - Microbead extensions are one of the popular methods used for hair extensions. They cause little damage to the hair as they are attached by linking a small bead (can be metal or plastic), to the extension and using pliers to squash it and join it to the real hair. No chemicals are used.

So there are a few different methods of hair extensions, which have you tried?
Which did you prefer/which would you recommend?
Let me know in the comments below.

Remember, the only makeup you need is a smile.

Beauty websites, yay!

In Australia a lot of makeup brands are not easy to come by, and if they are, they are usually double the price (if not more) of what they're sold for in the US. I have discovered some amazing beauty websites that not only have reasonable prices (and incredible products!) but they also ship to Australia at a reasonable price!

Most of the websites also ship to other places around the world too.

Crush Cosmetics (http://www.crushcosmetics.com.au)
Brands: Ardell, Barry M, Beauty Blender, China Glaze, Coastal Scents, Crush Cosmetics, Duo, Elf, Eyeko, La Femme, Lime Crime, Milani, NYC, NYX, Out The Door, Palladio, Poshe, Red Cherry, Revlon, Seche Vite, Sleek, The Brush Guard, Wet N Wild, Z Palette.
Shipping Locations and Prices: Australia - Orders over $60 are shipped for free, all other orders are calculated by the weight in the shopping bag. Asia-Pacific Region - $9.50 - $22.80 depending on the weight. America, Middle East, Madagascar & Mauritius - $10.65 - $27.70 depending on the weight. Orders over $40 are shipped at a flat rate of $8.
Rating out of 10: 10! I love their products and service.

Fashion Addict (http://www.fashionaddict.com.au)
Brands: Be Yourself, BK, Borghese, BYS, Cover Girl, Exhibit, Face of Australia, Maybelline, Revlon, Rimmel, Almay, Bonne Bell, Boots 17, Boots No7, Botanics, Bourjois, Calvin Klein, Lancome, L'Oreal, Guppy Professional, Max Factor, Outdoor Girl, Physician's Formula, Sally Hansen, Yves Saint Laurent, W7, Ciccone Cosmetics, Beilizi, Bi Hun.
Shipping Locations and Prices: Australia - $9.95 or free shipping on orders over $40. New Zealand - from $15.90. Asia Pacific - from $18.20. USA/Canada/Middle East - from $15.95. Rest of the world - from $23.90. Free shipping everywhere with $100+ spend.
Rating out of 10: 7. They sell accessories as well as makeup but they sell more well known Australian brands.

Jesse's Girl Cosmetics (http://www.jessesgirlcosmetics.com)
Brands: They only sell their own brand of cosmetics.
Shipping Locations and Prices: Australia - $6.95 - $12.95 depending on the weight. USA - $5.95 or free shipping on orders over $20. No other countries are named but they say they ship internationally (i know for a fact that they ship to Australia).
Rating out of 10: 8. Some of the products are good quality and some are crappy. But the good products are really good and they have crazy cheap prices. Check out the eye primer, best i've ever tried!

E.L.F Cosmetics Australia (http://www.elfcosmetics.com.au)

Brands:  They only sell their own brand of cosmetics.
Shipping Locations and Prices: Australia - $5.80 or free shipping on orders over $30. New Zealand - $7.60 for orders under $30. $10.50 for orders over $30 and $14.50 for orders over $50.
Rating out of 10: 7. Products are awesome but the prices are so much more expensive than they are in the US.

Cherry Culture (http://www.cherryculture.com)

Brands: Amuse, Arissa, Beauty Blender, Bloom Cosmetics, Crazy Rumors, Eyeko, freshMinerals, Girlactik Beauty, Jelly Pong Pong, Jordana, Juice Beauty, Kitten Vixen, L.A. Colors, L.A. Girl, LASplash, Lucky Chick, Lulu Beauty, Luscious, Me! Bath, Milani, MOR Cosmetics, NYX, Pinkie Swear, Playboy Beauty, Pookie, Principessa, Sinful Colors, Styli-Style, Sugar Baby, TINte, Wild and Crazy.

Shipping Locations and Prices: Australia - $8.95. Canada/Mexico - $6.95. USA - $5.95. Rest of world - from $8.95.

Rating out of 10: 10! I love this website so much. It has so many awesome brands as well as amazing prices!

All Cosmetics Wholesale & Suite 7 Beauty (http://www.allcosmeticswholesale.com)

Brands: Balmshell, Benefit, Bobby Brown, Chanel, China Glaze, Claudio Riaz, Clean, Clinique, Dermablend, Dior, Duwop, Estee Lauder, Eyes By Design, Face Front, Flirt, Fushion Beauty, Gaultier Le Male, Giorgio Armani, Guerlain, Japonesque, Kiehl's, Korres, Kryolan, Lancome, Laura Mercier, Lola, L'Oreal, Mac, Make Up Forever, Max Factor, Maybelline, Me Me Me, Michael Todd, Nars, Ojon Hair, On10, Paula Dorf, Pop, Pixi, Prescriptives, Revlon, Rocket City, Sally Hansen, Sigma, Smashbox, Stila, Tarte, Too Faced, Twilight, Ultraflesh, Urban Decay, Victoria's Secret, YSL.

Shipping Locations and Prices: The pricing is calculated at the checkout based on weight and location, it isn't crazy cheap but most of the products are heavily discounted or retired products, so i guess it's worth it.

Rating out of 10: I'd give it a 10 for products and brands and a 2 for shipping. Surely the prices could be a little more reasonable.

Non Pareil Boutique (http://www.nonpareilboutique.com)

Brands: E.L.F, Prestige, Urban Decay, Thebalm, NYX, Milani, Beauty Treats, L.A. Colors, L.A. Girl, Red Cherry, 2nd Love, Stila, Princessa, Tweezerman, Star Glue, Wet N Wild, Jesse's Girl, Sinful Colors, Fushion Beauty, Duo, Tarte, Nars, China Glaze

Shipping Locations and Prices: Australia - Shipping price is calculated at checkout. USA - $5.95 or free shipping on orders over $40. Rest of the world - Shipping price is calculated at checkout.

Rating out of 10: 9. Good quality products and reasonable prices.

Let me know if you guys have any other cheap and amazing makeup sites. And don't forget to check out my youtube channel for all things beauty!

Remember, the only makeup you need is a smile.

TV show addict?

To say i like tv shows would be an understatement, i LOVE tv shows. I'm not so much a movie person because usually i get distracted by something, or get hungry or thirsty or have to pee. They just go for so long, like get to the point already! Anyway, i thought i'd do a top 10 of my favourite tv shows/recommendations but 20 seems like a more reasonable number for me.
Part one, in no particular order:

1. Grey's Anatomy

2. Private Practice

3. Pretty Little Liars

4. The Vampire Diaries

5. Ringer

6. Kourtney & Kim Take New York

7. Khloe & Lamar

8. Bones

9. The Big Bang Theory

10. Up All Night

Part 2 coming soon!

Remember, the only makeup you need is a smile.

25 books in 2012

I used to love reading. I learned to read at an early age and i was addicted. Then something changed, i guess i grew up. Reading wasn't "cool" anymore, so i stopped. Recently i have found books that i really love but i still don't read nearly as much as i want to, or should and honestly i have no excuses! I have all the time in the world to read. So i have set myself a challenge, to read 25+ books this yeah. I will cross them off as i have read them and also add more if i decide to read others.

1. Dollhouse - Khloe, Kim & Kourtney Kardashian
   
2. The Apprentice - Tess Gerritsen
3. The Sinner - Tess Gerritsen
4. Body Double - Tess Gerritsen
5. Vanish - Tess Gerritsen
6. The Mephisto Club - Tess Gerritsen
7. The Keepsake - Tess Gerritsen
8. Ice Cold (The Killing Place) - Tess Gerritsen
9. The Silent Girl - Tess Gerritsen
10. Katy Perry - Alice Montgomery
11. Katy Perry - Chloe Govan
12. Makeup Masterclass: Beauty Bible of Professional Techniques and Wearable Looks - Jemma Kidd
13. LA Candy - Lauren Conrad
14. Sweet Little Lies (An LA Candy Novel) - Lauren Conrad
15. Sugar and Spice (An LA Candy Novel) - Lauren Conrad
16. The Fame Game - Lauren Conrad
17. Poor Little Bitch Girl - Jackie Collins
18. Pretty Little Liars books (PLL, Flawless, Perfect, Unbelievable, Pretty Little Secrets, Wicked, Killer, Heartless, Wanted, Twisted, Ruthless, Stunning) - Sara Shepard
19. Harry Potter Series
20. Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America - Leslie Knope
21. Are You There Vodka? It's me, Chelsea - Chelsea Handler
22. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang - Chelsea Handler
23. Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth - Jenny McCarthy
24. Baby Laughs: The Naked Truth About the First Year of Mommyhood - Jenny McCarthy
25. Life Laughs: The Naked Truth About Motherhood, Marriage and Moving On - Jenny McCarthy

If you're anything like me, you should do this. Make a list, i'm sure it will make it more fun this way, more like a competition against yourself. If you decide to join in, post a link to your list, you may just give me some more book ideas.

Remember, the only makeup you need is a smile.