Life Lately #3

Oh, what's this?! A post?! On my blog?! NO WAY, your eyes are definitely not deceiving you! This is definitely a new post.

I cannot believe it has been 3 months since I last posted! I am incredibly sorry and highly ashamed of myself. What went from not posting for 1 week to 3 months is so so bad! But I am back now you guys! I miss blogging so much and reading all of your blogs (which I haven't done in a while either PLEASE forgive me!! *hides behinds hands*). Plus, I feel like I disappear around the same time each year (I can recall writing a similar post circa 2013) and come back with the same sorry excuses. So this is really horrible of me to keep disappearing but I promise I am back for good (if not a long while), this time round!

But I thought what better way to get back into the swing of things than to update you with a little life lately post (which hasn't been updated since March - quite pathetic if you ask me). The main reason for my extended absence is that real life got a bit too 'real' and hella busy, which I am sure you can all understand, right? It just so happens that (sadly) I'm probably not as good as all you guys are with time management thing and updating my blog seemed more of a task than something I enjoyed doing. So I stopped. I did achieve a few things in my mini hiatus though.

I FINALLY got my license!! If you know me in real life you will understand how much of an achievement this was for me. I'm 21 and in Sydney you get your learners permit at 16, so that's about 5 years of me trying to learn how to drive and failing. I've always hated driving, but I finally bit my tongue and did it! I got my license and bought myself a lovely new car (in red, because you know red cars are faster... ahaha).
I also started up a new internship in August and probably the main reason for disappearance. Juggling real work and an internship, plus real life got a bit too much for me. I intern at a cosmetics brand 2 days a week and manage their social media and blogger relationships - which I love because I still got to hang out in beauty blogger land, just on the other side of things.
I also started taking up German classes once a week. Completely random I know but I've always wanted to learn the language after traveling there when I was a teen and I already know basic French so I thought why not learn some German! If you can speak German feel free to test my skills and comment below - it would be good to see how good (read: bad) I actually am.

AND if you're interested, I am also now a contributor on the brand spanking new More Than Adored site which is managed by the ever lovely Sarah. So if you ever get the time go check it out (but you probably do already, because let's be real her blog is ah-mazing!!) I have some of my own posts in the works so I will keep you informed if one does go up!!

So that's my last 3 months in a nutshell! What have you guys been up to!? Let me know, because I miss you all so very much!

Chantalle x

My Winter Beauty Survival Kit

Some might think that switching up your skincare and make-up as the seasons change is something that is quite cliche, silly, ridiculous or unneeded (*cough my family cough*) but for me it is such a necessity (like, come on!) While my skin will sadly be forever oily, it does get really darn dehydrated in winter. Plus, who can say no to rocking a berry lip daily? So today I've decided to share what products have been my saviours this winter and have given the highly coveted status as being part of my Winter Beauty Survival Kit (capitalisation necessary).

The Product Round Up | Dry Shampoo

I still remember the very first day I tried dry shampoo and let's just say it didn't end quite as I planned. I know I can't be the only one who bought dry shampoo, tried it and was left completely baffled (or it could just be me, you never know ...) Not only was I completely mind blown on how to use it properly, I had no idea which to choose. Most of the time I ended up with white roots, hair that was still oily after application or that hair that felt seriously disgusting and possibly worse than what I started with. I was convinced that dry shampoo was some evil beauty hoax, created only to make me believe there was hope for my gross second day hair. But since then, I've learned the (vital) importance of shaking the can well, spraying at least 30cm away from roots and hair parts to maintain my normal hair colour (bye white hair!) and rubbing it in gently. With all that tried and tested knowledge under my belt I have created a selection of my trusty favourites, and others that aren't so suited to the dry shampoo game and I will gladly never buy again.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask | Review

I've promised you guys a review on this mask for quite some time and I'm FINALLY getting around to delivering the goods. I use detoxing masks that target congestion quite often because of my oily/blemish prone skin. I also wear make-up on a pretty regular basis too and I can only imagine what that combination does to my pores! I try to use a detoxing mask at least once a week, sometimes that extends to two depending on how much make-up I have been wearing and how congested my skin is/feels (that time of the month is particularly bad). I also mix up a few brightening and hydrating masks in there too so my face isn't too stripped and dry.