July Wishlist

July Wishlist by pilar-kim featuring leather jackets

Leather jacket
$570 - stylepaste.com




I have been looking around trying to find a leather jacket that I like without a hood. I stumbled across the brand Muubaa and have figured out they are more or less the way to go. I would prefer a faux leather jacket to save money and animals as long as it doesn't look terrible. A leather jacket is definitely going to be on my shopping list when I go overseas at the end of the year.

Dr. Martens lace up boots
infinityshoes.com




Love the look of this classic, high quality boot!

Smashbox eyeshadow
$67 - meccacosmetica.com.au




Started playing with this palette in Kit cosmetics and was hooked by the range of colours as well as the amazing pigment in all of them! My imagination went wild but unfortunately my budget does not allow for yet another eyeshadow palette at the moment.

Smashbox makeup primer
nordstrom.com




Have heard a lot about this primer and obtained a sample recently. It is great! It is so light, soft and easy to spread over your skin! Quite pricey in Aus so will wait until I do another online make-up haul to grab this one.

Korres face care
sephora.com




Not available in Aus yet but I hope it will be soon! This stuff sounds great and I have been wanting to try something with VitC in it and experience the so called tinglyness it creates on your face as you leave it on.

Smashbox beauty product
nordstrom.com




These glosses were so pretty and sparkly when I tried them! Only problem is I have enough lippies to keep me going at the moment so these ones will have to wait too. I hope they don't sell out in the mean time!


I have seen sooo many celebrities wearing this Louis Vuitton scarf and it always looks fantastic! So of course I want one for my own. I don't even want to mention the price tag for one of these as it might give some people a stroke but I have been keeping a watch on what has been going on ebay with these and maybe one day I will be able to snag a pre-loved one at the right price for me.


What have you been 'hunting' recently and have not yet captured?

Wearing Make-up to School

An Introduction

A quick background so you know where I am coming from when you read this post. I graduated from high school in 2006 from a co-educational Catholic school. At my school, like many other private Catholic and non-Catholic schools, there was a no make-up policy. Hair longer than shoulder-length also needed to be tied up and be a natural colour. I was frequently being sent to the office to remove my make-up. This was not because I was the popular vain type, but because I used to have really bad acne resulting in serious self-esteem issues. I was actually quite the nerd and goody-two-shoes and always wanted to do the right thing and please my teachers but I quickly developed a reputation among the teaching staff for breaking the make-up rule. The boys would even tease me for wearing make-up to school! (amongst other things...I never really quite fit in and still don't). I wanted to write this post to give some advice to anyone still in high school facing the similar issues, or simply looking for some ways to wear make-up to school on a day-to-day basis.

Me as a teen at school, somewhere between 2003-05. (Yeah I went through my little punk-rocker/scene phase like most did at some stage haha!)

First up, I want to remind all you lovely ladies to wear makeup as infrequently as possible. When you DO, wear as little as possible too. I would like to say never wear make-up to school because the best thing for your skin is to let it be free and have your natural beauty shine but that would be really hypocritical of me and not very helpful for you. I am yet to secure a permanent teaching position but from doing relief, I see all to often girls in school with eyeliner and foundation caked on, not looking too comfortable or happy at all. If you MUST wear make-up to school, PLEASE make it minimal and stay to natural looks, save experimenting with colour and smoky eye looks for the weekends and special events. You will give yourself more time to sleep in the morning before coming to school and you will be less worried about touch-ups and rubbing your eyes when you are bored or tired in class. 

Getting Rid of the Acne

If you are like me and have really bad acne (I did before I got it sorted out and grew out of puberty) I will tell you now go and see a doctor for a solution! Stop trying to cover it up with make-up and stop hassling yourself with over-the-counter products, proactive, creams, lotions, whatever. If you have nice skin, it means less make-up and less breaking the rules! (unless of course make-up is allowed at your school). I tried everything, nothing worked in the long run. I actually went to my GP a few times over the year and he prescribed me with a range of medications that I would try one after the other. I say go to the doctor because they are the experts and they will help you find what works for you. I first got put on benzac, a medicated cream. It actually works quite well and I still use it from time-to-time when I get a horrible zit right in the middle (yes you know where). After a few months of that, I went back because it really wasn’t getting to the root of the problem, as it is a surface treatment. I went on antibiotics to settle my hormones and this did help for a while, but I still wasn’t satisfied (my acne was really severe). Eventually, after many other treatments, the doctor referred me to a specialist dermatologist, who (hesitantly) put me on a course of roaccutane. 

As much as I would have LOVED to post some 'horrendo' photos of my skin at it's worst so you could see what I am talking about, unfortunately I would never let such photos of myself exist and I would have murdered anyone trying to take a photo of my acne when I was a teen. The memories and hurt are enough for me...

A Little Bit About Roaccutane...

Roaccutane is serious stuff and will change you forever. You can only get a prescription from a qualified dermatologist however I have heard it is now banned in some parts of Australia (I don’t know for sure!). It can have a range of serious side effects depending on the individual both physical and mental and that is why it was a last-resort medication for me. Luckily, I only suffered from dry lips, dry skin all over and increased sensitivity to sun. The thing is though, my skin type back then was oily. I now have consistent dry skin and have to moisturize everyday and still burn in the sun like never before. I also had to start taking a contraceptive pill like all women on roaccutane because it can cause birth defects in unborn children. Having said all that, after the 18 month course, my face was totally cleared up and I now only get occasional break outs like most normal people when I don’t eat right, at that time of month, or when I simply don’t wash my face or take care of my skin properly. After going on this course I was so much more happy and confident in year 12 than I was in previous years, and was starting to wear less and less make-up too. 

Bending the Rules

If you go to a school with a no make-up policy here are some tips and possible products you can use that hopefully will make it look like you aren’t wearing anything and will stop you from getting in trouble. I do not condone breaking the rules and if you go to a school with a no make-up policy then you really shouldn’t be wearing at any at all. The rules are there for many reasons, one of those being that it is better for your skin to wear none and you shouldn’t have to worry about wearing make-up at high-school age but like I said (hypocrite) I did it, and I know how it feels. Even if you don’t have any acne at all I know how important it is to be able to express yourself and using make-up and beauty products is a great way to do this so here goes, try this to start with. I have linked each header in this list to a product you can check out!

1.   BB Cream- Use this instead of foundation. I really love The Face Shop Power Perfection BB cream but it costs around $50 which is usually slightly out of budget for anyone still at school but the Garnier BB cream is very affordable at around $10-$15 and is not a bad product to start with. These creams will usually offer a lot more coverage than a tinted moisturizer and depending on the one you choose, can often offer a range of benefits to your skin too! They also blend really well, adapt to your skin tone (making it harder for teachers to spot!) and are super quick and easy to slap on in the morning before school.
2.  Concealer- This is an optional step. If you’re still feeling a little self-conscious about those blemishes and unsatisfied with the coverage of your BB cream then smudge a bit of concealer on those problem areas. Be careful not to put too much or it may end up having the opposite to the desired effect and draw attention to spots and blemishes!
3.  Eye Primer- I use Too Faced shadow insurance as a base all the time for my eye shadows but I also wear it alone whenever I am too lazy to put shadow on. It corrects any discolouration around the eye area and can brighten up your face. You can also try the Lemon Drop colour-correcting primer, both can be found here (or at kit cosmetics in Aus).
4. Compact Powder- Only use this if you are totally confident that you have found one that matches your skin colour perfectly and doesn’t look chalky on your face. Powder sets your skin and keeps it shine free during the day. You can also carry it around and use it for touch-ups.
5. Blush/bronzer- Another optional. Use with extreme caution and only if you feel your face looks blank and unnatural with just the BB cream. You want small touches to contour your face. Don’t use anything with shimmer or glitter in it (sorry, NARS orgasm sits this one out!) and try to stick to pale browns or peachy colours as pinks/reds will stand out more and be a big give-away.
6. Mascara- Mascara looks pretty on everyone. Use something subtle and don’t worry about smacking on layer upon layer.
7. Lips- Use a balm as many glosses have glitter/shimmer and even if they don’t, you are likely to get told of for having a gluggy plumping serum on your lips going to school. I like the range you can find in supermarket check-out shelves from Nivea and Carmex. 

A Bit Extra

If you ARE allowed to wear make-up to school then here are a couple of looks that I am a fan of. You won’t make me cringe by any means if you walk into my classroom looking like this. 

Pinup makeup from Anna Saccone

Peachy Nude from makeup by Alli

Vegas Volt and Peaches from Beauty Down Under

I hope this was helpful, comments are always appreciated... let me know what you think!

Disclaimer- I am in no way a certified medical expert or practitioner. The advice I have given is based on my personal experience alone and should only be used to assist when thinking about what acne treatment may or may not be right for you.

Hoods and the Lesson

For the past few months I have been rehearsing for a play going up at Nexus Theatre in Murdoch University. I just wanted to do a quick plug for all those in Perth to COME SEE MY PLAY! I am playing the role of the pupil in 'The Lesson' by Eugene Ionesco. Since it is a one-act play they are double-billing it with 'Hoods' by Angela Betzien. 'The Lesson' is an absurdist piece so expect some dark humour and to be a bit 'WTF' throughout the piece. 'Hoods' is a performance that is currently part of the West Australian drama curriculum so if you happen to be a Drama or English teacher then make sure you bring your students along to do some critical analysis!


The production goes up next week and is on at 7.30pm on 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th of July as well as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of August. Tickets are only $15 so if you live in Perth come one down for a great cheap night!

Let me know if any of you bloggers that I haven't met are coming. Would be fantastic if I got to meet some of you after the show!

Follow me on Instagram and Pinterest!

I have just started using Instagram recently but am starting to get quite addicted very quickly! Follow @creoquekim to join me on a fun-filled adventure looking through the lens at my life with a quirky vintage twist.




I am well established on Pinterest and use it quite frequently because if I didn't, my bookmarks bar would be overloaded with products, clothes, pictures, and whatever catches my eye. I save my bookmarks bar for job hunting! I love putting clothes and shoes on my style pin board as a way of stopping myself from buying something instantly. Instead, I put it there, wait a week or so, then look back through my pin board and see if there is anything I still feel like I MUST have then I buy it. I also have an interest in digital art so will pin anything that I really like then sit and stare whenever I am stressed or upset. Some tea and flicking through my pinned art pieces will usually make me feel a bit better (yes, a little strange, I know).



I am not getting much work for the next couple of weeks as I have a performance and final rehearsals are in full swing cutting into my work hours so I wont have many new beauty products to write about as I wont be shopping for a while but please stay tuned for details on my upcoming show, what I get in my July Bellabox, info on some things I am lusting over at the moment, and maybe some quick reviews on some old favourites. <---badly structured sentence!

Ammo Eyeshadow Palette

With the release of the new Urban Decay Smoked Eyeshadow Palette I thought I would do a quick share on my one and only Urban Decay palette which is the Ammo Eyeshadow Palette. The smoked one looks great and I can see a couple of really nice colours that I can see myself using a lot, but I haven't had this one for very long and I think it has a few similar colours to the ones on the smoked palette so I can justify going out and getting a new one just yet.

I bought this one because I saw a couple of my favourite youtube make-up gurus dope2111 and Michelle Phan use this in their tutorials and I really liked the variety of colours you get in it. I am also a sucker for following trends so when the description of this palette said '10 of our best-selling shades' I went for it. My favourite looks that they have made so far are the Adriana Lima look, the Tim Burton look, and the first bits of the Lady Gaga Bad Romance look (I don't have the guts to go the full way with all the white on the bottom!).  

Here is a close look at the colours within the palette...

My favourite so far is Maui Wowie, because it is so versatile and I just love the colour. They are all very shimmery and packed full of glitter, even oil slick, the black shade in the palette so I wouldn't be using any of these if I was going for a matte look on my eyes (which I never do anyway!). I can't wait to try Mildew. I just haven't had the chance to wear it yet. I really like these dark green colours. I am currently looking for a chalky pale yellow to go with it, so let me know if you have any recommendations.

All of the colours a really pigmented and easy to apply. Be careful and try not to be messy or you will end up with glitter all over your face when using this palette! 

and a swatch... I don't know why I bother though. I need a new camera!!

Has anyone else got this palette and have any specific looks you have created using it? Would love for you to share! Remember to check out those users on youtube, they are fantastic, or just have a look at this channel, they are both part of that network.

My First Blog Award, the Liebster

I have recently been nominated for the Liebster blog award by Emma, Judy and Jenni. I just started blogging a few weeks ago so I just want to thank these ladies and everyone visiting and commenting for all your support so, thanks everyone!

The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The Meaning; Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

Here are the rules for receiving this award:

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you've tagged to answer.

3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.

4. Go to their page and tell them.

5. Remember, no tag backs!

11 Things About Myself

1. I am a bit loony and quite frequently talk to people using an array of strange noises 

instead of actual words.

2. I love animals.

3. I am a nerd and love computer games.

4. I was born in England, my Mum is Spanish and my Dad is Irish but I grew up in Australia.

5. I will try almost any food once and enjoy eating new noms.

6. My natural hair looks like Hermione Grangers' in the first Harry Potter movie.

7. I am passionate, impulsive, hot-blooded and regrettably jealous.

8. I hate working out but hate the layer of pudginess I get when I don't.

9. I love hats and scarves.

10. I had the worst acne in my class during my high school years.

11. I can't shop enough for hair stuff, make-up and clothes but have never been one for shoes or bags.

Emma's Questions

1: Favourite Book?

The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice

2: What is your Holy Grail beauty product?

Too Faced Natural Eye Palette

3: Favourite Drugstore brand and favourite High-end brand?

Covergirl and Too Faced

4: What was your favourite subject in school?

Drama, of course!

5: Tea or coffee?

Tea

6: Favourite place in the world?

Wherever i'm with the ones I love

7: What languages do you speak?

English, and i'm learning Spanish

8: What are your favourite skincare products?

My Clinique 3-Step

9: Who has been the most inspirational person in your life?

Can't really think of anyone so will say myself

10: Your favourite television programme?

There are too many, either Pokemon or Sex and the City (two very different ones I know!)

11: What is your Guilty pleasure when it comes to makeup?

Spending lots on high end products

Judy's Questions

                                             1. What is your favourite hair product and why?

Moroccan Oil because it works for me and it smells amazing!

2. Who is your favourite writer/novelist/poet?

Anne Rice

3. What is your magazine of choice and why?

I don't really like magazines but if I had to choose it would be Cosmo for a mix of shopping trends, celeb news and beauty/health advice.

4. What is your all time favourite movie?

Nope, too many. Will give a mention to the Disney Classics, Edward Scissorhands and the old Don Bluth children films.

5. Do you speak any other languages?

Im learning Spanish

6. What is your favourite makeup brand and why?

Too Faced for their great colour palettes

7. What is your favourite part about blogging?

Being part of such a wonderful and friendly community

8. What is your favourite perfume?

Byredo Gypsy Water

9. What is your profession?

Drama Teacher/ Croupier

10. Are you a romantic? Yes, no, maybe?

Yes, I am in love after all

11. What is your favourite shoe brand?

Don't have one

Jenni's Questions

1. What is your phobia (come one, there must be something everyone is afraid of)?

Ticks, leeches, mosquitos. Any bug or creepy that latches on.

2. Something you wear everyday.

My silver necklace with theatre masks pendant

3. Worst Habit?

General laziness

4. What do you think is the best thing invented?

too many possibilities, too much thinking. See previous answer.

5. Are you a tea drinker or a coffee drinker?

Both, but love drinking all sorts of herbal teas too.

6. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

About 10 I think

7. What would you do if you won the lottery?

Buy a house, buy my parents both a house, go on a trip, go shopping, donate to charity, quit my job!

8. Last 3 beauty products you last purchased?

Witch Hazel toner, Benefit the Pore-fessional, Nars Lipstick

9. Name up to 3 must-have beauty items you cannot leave the home without?

Lip Balm...thats it

10. Watched anything that made you cry?

The Land Before Time, when Littlefoot mistakes his shadow on a rock for his Mother and runs up to it, licks the rock then realises she isn't there and gets sad again.

My Questions

1. What is your favourite animal?

2. Have you ever been in hospital, why?

3. Last time you laughed till you cried and at what?

4. Your dream job?

5. Top 3 favourite things to eat?

6. Favourite cocktail?

7. Worst fear?

8. What is your zombie apocalypse plan? (3 sentences)

9. What do you wear to bed?

10. Favourite website to shop at?

11. Your top 5 clothing brands?

My Nominations

I'm passing this on to the following to spread the love, give support to new and upcoming blogs or just show a couple of blogs I love! (all have less than 200 followers).

Veronica

Hannah

Rachel

Maria

Luce

Martina

Kerri

Vivian

Alexandra

Joy

Shiv

Well, that was a bit of fun. Hope to see a few of you answering the questions and passing it on to welcome more new bloggers like ourselves!

June Bellabox

Straight from the post...

The box within the box

I recently signed up for a monthly subscription to Bellabox, a beauty sampler available in Australia. I heard of these sample boxes and loved the idea of being able to try a whole bunch of new, popular and upcoming products without having to buy the whole thing first. Sign up for your own here! (Please do, I get referral points!)

This was my first sampler box, and I wasn't disappointed! Here is what I found inside...

The theme for this months Bellabox was 'Winter Escape' and included "a sumptuous range of cheery products to help you feel like singing in the rain!" I was full of squee as I rummaged through the box and started the initial product testing. (The prices I have listed are for the full product). 

Kiss Nail Dress AU $13.99

What They Say:

"Kiss Nail Dress kits are the ultimate in high fashion nails. Not for the girl who likes just a clear topcoat, these press-on patterns and colors are meant to be eye catching and provocative. Bright colors and mixed with sparkle and shine make this the go-to product for at-home manicures that have a professional “wow” factor. Express your inner wild child with this standout product."

What I Say:

I thought I would get this one out of the way first because this is the only sample I havent actually used yet. I am still waiting until I can stop biting my nails so they grow a little bit and I actually have something to stick them on. Working in a casino dealing table games, my hands are pretty visible the centre of attention a lot of the time so keeping neat nails is an important part of our grooming standards. I don't know how I get away with it sometimes! Either way, I really like the pattern I received and am looking forward to giving these a full shot.

The Porefessional by benefit AU $58

What They Say:

"What woman doesn't want to have poreless skin reminiscent of an expertly re-touched celebrity magazine cover? Benefit Cosmetics offers you the opportunity without the rigors and expenses associated with high profile photo shoots.

Their POREfessional balm minimizes the appearance of pores in an easy-to-apply lightweight formula that creates a flawless looking canvas for underneath your makeup, or to wear on its own. It works for all skin tones, and has Vitamin E to protect your skin from damaging free radicals. Shrink the visibility of your pores today!"

What I Say:

EEEE!! I love it! When I first looked at this I just thought, hrmm, another primer, oh well I may as well try the sample. As soon as it touched the skin on my face I was impressed. The texture is sooo silky I can hardly describe it. When I put it on my T-zone I immediately saw a reduction in the appearance of my pores and as I put it over the rest of my face I couldn't stop touching my skin because it felt so soft. I put my foundation on after and was shocked at how easy it was to blend it with this on underneath. I have used it under my make-up and once instead of make-up just because I loved the way my skin felt and looked after putting this balm on. My sample is already running out but I think I will invest the painful $58 in this one when I get my next pay check because it works so well for me. Head into store and give it a try, seriously. 

Gatineau Aquamemory Moisture Replenish Cream AU $104

What They Say:

"This cream is not only a beautiful translucent shade, replete with a subtle floral scent, it's also an incredibly effective humectant with ingredients that maximize your skin's ability to hold on to its own moisture and rebuild your hydro-lipid film.

Pure Hyaluronic acid instantly moisturizes the surface of your skin while brown algae extract reduces the loss of moisture through the top layers of your epidermis. The result is touchably soft and smooth skin that with regular use has a perpetually youthful glow."

What I Say:

It's nice, steer clear if perfumes in moisturisers bother you however I quite like them. It doesn't completely stand out for me as I don't consider myself to have dry skin at the point where it becomes problematic so I will probably stick to my regular moisturiser as it does it for me. 

Pure Fiji Body Butter AU $29.95

What They Say:

"From a brand known for its commitment to environmentally friendly products and botanical ingredients comes this amazingly rich, sumptuous body butter. If you suffer from dry skin, this cream will instantly give you the soft, supple skin you want.

A unique blend of exotic nut extracts locks in moisture to keep your skin hydrated and nourished. But that's not all. The inclusion of milk proteins help firm and mask fine lines. Soy and passion flower help calm stressed skin, too. The first time you apply, this luscious product will feel like an indulgence. The next time you apply, superior results will have made it a necessity. Enjoy!"

What I Say:

Again, it's nice and smells nice. Used it after shaving my legs and my skin absorbed it really well. I am already committed to a body butter which I have been using since my teenage years and have never gone back on it so this one from Bellabox, unfortunately, wont replace it.

Phytocare Pure Papaya Ointment with Calendula AU $6.60

What They Say:

"After years of research, Phytocare's Managing Director realized the long-term harmful effects of a common product used in many skincare products: Petrolatum. You won't find a trace of it in this amazingly versatile ointment. What you will find is a combination of natural, organic ingredients that bring healing, moisturizing properties to your skin.

Use it on your lips, cheeks, elbows or any other dry part of your body, including irritated nipples due to breastfeeding. It also works wonders on the delicate parts of a baby that are susceptible to diaper rash. When you buy this ointment you're also helping to support the village women who harvest Shea kernels used in its production. The women use their proceeds to build schools and health facilities in the Burkina Faso region of West Africa."

What I Say:

I got the full-sized product in my Bellabox and immediately started comparing it to my 'Lucas' Pawpaw Ointment', a fair comparison I think. I could write a full review and face-off on the both but that is another post all together so I will just go over a couple of points that stood out to me now. I'm quite sure that Lucas' Pawpaw is a staple in most Aussie girls' beauty bag because of its versatility. The Phytocare one is opaque and creamy in appearance where as the Lucas one is clear and glossy. I feel that the Phytocare one is easier to rub in and is absorbed quicker than the Lucas ointment. Both are Australian made and owned which is always a plus in my books. Despite how much I use my pawpaw ointment, I can't ever remember having to go back and buy more (because it never seems to run out), so I cant tell wether I will go and buy this one having been given a full sample but I would absolutely recommend it.

Olea Olive Leaf Drops by Comvita AU $7.45

What They Say:

"These amazing supplement drops provide you with 400% more antioxidant power than an equal amount of Vitamin C. They have approximately double the power of Green Tea extract and 30 times more antioxidants than an equal amount of the highest quality virgin olive oils.

Olive Leaf Australia prides itself on cultivating the most effective olive plants, at the most effective time of day to bring you a supplement with serious anti-aging power. They believe nature is the key to a better quality of life, and we agree! Start to combat the signs of aging from the inside out with Olea Olive Leaf Drops."

What I Say:

These are yummy! I thought they were a bit of a random thing to put in a beauty sampler box and I find the 'combat the signs of ageing with these' claim a little hard to believe but hey why not?. I was expecting a eucalyptas-y/lemon-y taste from these but they are more sweet and creamy like butterscotch lollies. I gave a couple to my boyfriend as he was suffering from 'man-flu' the day I got my Bellabox. Not a bad little thing to keep in your car or handbag for a vitamin C and antioxidant boost. I laughed at how in the 'directions for use' they felt the need to specify "Slowly dissolve one drop in your mouth at a time. Repeat up to five times daily." Hahaha....thankyou! I'm so glad we cleared that one up!

Fan Di Fendi Fragrance

What They Say:

"Not for the tame of heart, this fragrance is bold, deep and as beautiful as the bottle its packaged in. Fendi calls it sensual, playful and electrifying; we have to agree!

pear and blackcurrant mixed with tangerine, enriched with pink peppercorns comprise your top notes, which are refreshing and vibrant. The middle notes are made of Damascena rose, yellow jasmine and tuberose. Finally, a rich base note of leather and patchouli finish off this divine scent."

What I Say:

For me, this fragrance is super-floral, which I don't really like. I get the leather base note and it makes me think of the Fendi bags haha. I don't really have a lot to say except this one just isn't for me, I think my Mum would really like it though.

Well, there is my June Bellabox. Did anyone get anything different? Or have you tried any of these products and agree/disagree? Let me know what you think!