Lavender skirt OOTD with Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn lipstick

LONG time, no post!

The past few months have been a whirlwind with an awesome new job and a new routine and unfortunately this little part of the internet got left by the wayside. But here’s to getting back into the swing of things!

Outfit lavender purple skirt OOTD | Extraordinary Days blog

Purple lipstick, purple skirt!

I pulled this lavender skirt out of my wardrobe to celebrate the incredible weather we’ve had in Perth this week, and matched it with Lime Crime’s Airborne Unicorn lipstick. (I may have also been celebrating how well the curls i got done at the hairdresser the day before held up!)

Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn lipstick

I love this shade!

I picked up the skirt in an op-shop and I think it was hand-made. I really like the shape — there’s tulle underneath to give it lots of extra poof. I paired it with a black singlet and some sparkly drop earrings to keep things fairly simple because I didn’t want to detract from the lipstick!

Outfit lavender purple skirt OOTD Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn lipstick | Extraordinary Days blog

This skirt is just so big!

This light purple lipstick isn’t the easiest to work into an everyday makeup look but it’s definitely a fun shade! I’ve worn it before with a nude lip liner but a tinted lip primer (to remove some of the pink colour in my lips) will also help make the colour pop. The brightness did fade after a few hours and needed a second application.

Outfit lavender purple full skirt OOTD with Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn lipstick

I used Sleek Makeup’s Highlighting Palette – it’s so shiny!

I’m definitely going to work this colour into my summer wardrobe more often!

What’s the most out-there lip colour you’ve tried? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: Lush BIG sea salt shampoo

IF THERE is a shampoo with more hype around it than Big, I haven’t heard of it!

Lush Big shampoo review | Extraordinary Days blog

Little container, big hype.

I finally got my hands in this sea salt shampoo, which promises to give hair a lot of lift and volume and make it “easy to get a comb through”.
It also has seaweed, coconut to make hair soft and fresh lemons and limes for shine.
Having thin hair, I really, really wanted this to work.
Unfortunately, my hair did not want to play the game.

Lush Big shampoo review | Extraordinary Days blog

Lush Big sea salt shampoo.

My usually tangle-free locks became a massive mess after I washed it with Big, so much so that I could barely comb it, even when wet. I was worried I’d pull out all of my hair before I got out all of the knots!
I tried this twice, once when I let my hair dry naturally, (which usually results in lovely curls) and once when I blow-dried and straightened it.
On both occasions I didn’t notice a difference in volume once my hair was dry.
After blow-drying it was just as fluffy as it always is and when I let it dry naturally I ended up with LESS curls than I usually do!
Sure, I got some loose, beachy waves but nothing like the tighter coils I usually get.

Lush Big comparison | Extraordinary Days blog

Hair after using Lush Big and air-drying and how it usually dries.

(The photo on the right is from this post about flower crowns!
While I didn’t get the results I wanted, there are some things I really like about this product.
It smells completely divine, it is made up of natural, vegan and cruelty free ingredients and the pot is made of recycled plastic.

Lush Big shampoo review | Extraordinary Days blog

I love Lush’s use of natural and sustainable ingredients.

Lush Big shampoo review | Extraordinary Days blog

It smells divine!

I’ve heard other people really love it so I’d say it’s worth a try!
Pick it up here.

Have you tried Big? What were your experiences?

What I’ve learned from six months of blogging

IT’S been a big six months!
When I first started this little spot on the internet, I had no idea how much I would love it.
While I put off starting this for months longer than I should have, I was really glad when I finally did.
It’s been a massive learning curve though! Here are some of the things I picked up on during the past six months.

What I've learned in six months of blogging | Extraordinary Days blog

It’s been a whirlwind ride!

Everything takes time:
From brainstorming ideas to writing posts, taking photos and putting posts together, blogging is a time-consuming process.
That doesn’t even take into account all the time you’ll spend on your blog’s Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin and Pinterest pages to promote your blog!
This is something I really didn’t expect when I started this blog. It’s a labour of love but it takes a while to put everything together!

You have to be organised:
It just won’t work if you aren’t.
I have to fit in a full-time job, about two and a half hours per day commuting, seeing friends and sleep. It can be done but it isn’t easy.
When I started writing this post I was on a plane, watching Captain America – you just learn to fit in blog activities with your schedule.
For example, I get my lovely family and friends to take outfit photos before events and I’ll take a range of photos in advance so they’re ready to use whenever I need them.

Other people are so inspiring:
There are so many people out there creating amazing content.
Whether they’ve been blogging for a few years or a few months, there are a lot of really cool people on the Internet!
Twitter and Bloglovin are the ways I use most to find new blogs. (Check out my Twitter feed here, I’m always retweeting awesome content from wicked bloggers I find!)

Don’t expect people to interact with your blog if you don’t do it with anyone else’s:
Your blog doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
Unfortunately there are people out there that think just promoting their own content is enough – but interacting with others is an awesome part of the blogger community!
The best way to do this is read, read and read some more! And if you like what you’ve read, let the author know!
Joining a Twitter chat is also a great way to meet new people and bounce ideas off each other. Check out these great list of blog chats I found here and here – so useful!)
We’re all in this together!

Sponsored posts are a very fine line to tread:
While there are bloggers out there who can pull of doing a sponsored post (they’ve usually been doing it for a while and have a great reputation), it’s not for everyone.
I find it frustrating that so many new bloggers say yes to everything that gets sent to them.
Most of the time I have no idea if that’s what they actually think about a product or it’s what they want the company to read.
Building up a strong reputation first is important so people know they can trust you.

Some days you just don’t be feeling it:
Blog burnout is real.
There are times where you won’t want to even look at your computer screen, let alone create and promote posts. I went through a really stressful time last month (which helped me create this post about awesome ways to tackle stress)
On days like this, it’s OKAY to take a break, switch off for a day and do something you enjoy.
You’ll feel better in the long run and come back refreshed.

Have fun and do it because you love it:
There are a lot of people who give blogging a go and just don’t love it as much as others.
But for those who stick around, it’s because they absolutely love what they do.
It’s your little space on the Internet, do with it what you will!

I’m looking forward to another big six months!
I can’t thank you enough for reading this blog, whether you’ve been around from the start or whether this is your first visit.
Without you, this would be much more like shouting into the void and I love sharing my life and experiences in this way.

Do you have a blog? What have you learned? (Also, make sure to post a link to your blog so I can check it out!)

Sneaker heels and aviator sunglasses

A FEW years ago I would have said these shoes were hideous and impractical, but somehow they’ve won me over.
I wore this outfit on my birthday on the 16th – how was that already over a week ago?
This month has been insane and has gone so quickly.
It was the first time I wasn’t able to get the day off on my birthday but I am lucky enough to have lovely colleagues who made my day great!

Sneaker heels, sparkly top and aviator sunglasses | Extraordinary Days

Just caught the last of the sunshine!

I picked up the sneaker heels in Valley Girl on one of my last trips to Melbourne and they fast became my favourite shoes to travel in.
I like the relaxed vibe they give to this outfit and I know they’ll give my boots a run for their money this winter.

Sneaker heels, sparkly top and aviator sunglasses | Extraordinary Days

The perfect outfit for a lazy day running errands or going to lunch.

And how great are the glasses?! I’ve been eyeing off reflective sunnies for ages but I just can’t pull off the completely round frames that every off-duty model seems to be sporting these days.
So when I spotted this aviator-style pair in Cotton On (during a strictly guilt-free birthday shopping trip on my birthday) I knew I needed them in my life!
These Jay Jays jeans are good, sturdy staples that have lasted for ages even though they were cheap.
When it comes to jeans I’m really not fussy – I’ve worn more expensive ones and they give just the same as cheap version.

Sneaker heels, sparkly top and aviator sunglasses | Extraordinary Days

These heels are surprisingly comfortable.

I picked up the top from a clothes swap event so I have no idea what brand it is! I love how it’s light and the shape the cuffed sleeves gives it.
On my wrist is my Fitbit – a lovely birthday gift from Michael – and it’s helping me keep track of all the running around I do. With a shirt this shiny I really didn’t feel the need for any more jewellery.
The lipstick is MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus – it’s such an awesome shade of pink! (Watch this space for a separate review of it soon.)
And last but not least, a simple black bag brings the whole thing together!

Sneaker heels, sparkly top and aviator sunglasses | Extraordinary Days

This lipstick is MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus.

What do you think of sneaker heels? Would you give them a try?

Review: Lime Crime Poisonberry and Geradium

CHECK out these colours!
I’d been eyeing off more of the Lime Crime collection for a while.

Lime Crime Poisonberry and Geradium

Oh those colours!

Lime Crime Poisonberry and Geradium swatch

Lime Crime Geradium and Poisonberry

Poisonberry is one of the darkest lipsticks I own but it’s got that classic Lime Crime stickability so it stays on without much retouching.
I’ve worn this with MAC’s Magenta lip liner underneath to even out the colour.

Lime Crime Poisonberry

I may be a little bit in love with the holographic packaging.

Moving onto the pink!
I usually stick to cool colours because they suit my skin tone more and Geradium is just a tad warm.
That said, it’s a fun, bright colour and still worth giving a go, especially if you’ve got a skin tone that’s darker than mine.

Lime Crime  Geradium

This is a warm pink and may not suit all skin types.

I’ve done a lot of reading about the questionable practices of this business and its founder and although I can see why people don’t want to support it, I haven’t found lipsticks that live up to Lime Crime’s.
As I said in an earlier review of Centrifuschia, it just stays put all day.

What’s your favourite Lime Crime colour?

Flower crowns and glitter

I THINK I just fell in love with flower crowns!
I’ve always liked them but never found the right outfit to wear them with.
Today’s outfit is part boho vibe and partly filled with glitter.

Flower crown headband

I love this headband!

Flower crown headband spring / fairy-inspired outfit

I mixed in blues and purples in my accessories to match the headband.

Flower crown headband spring / fairy-inspired outfit and glitter handbag

This skirt has an opaque mini-skirt under a sheer maxi skirt.

I picked this skirt up at a clothes swap event and wanted to keep the rest of my accessories fairly neutral. (Okay, for me, silver glitter counts as a neutral!)
I like how this skirt has an opaque mini skirt underneath the sheer maxi skirt – it makes it just that little bit lighter and different.
For my jewellery I followed the colours in the flower crown – blues and lavender.

Flower crown headband spring / fairy-inspired outfit and glitter handbag

The weather was great today!

Flower crown headband

Simple makeup was key to this light, daytime look.

I kept my makeup quite simple but with hints of glitter.
I used two Sleek Makeup palettes in this look: the Precious Metals Highlighting Palette and the Eye and Cheek Palette in Dancing Til Dusk.
For my eyes I used Two Faced Shadow Insurance and the two gold colours in the Sleek Eye and Cheek Palette – one matte and one with shimmer, as well as the silver colour from the Highlighting Palette for underneath my eyebrow arch.
I used the pale gold highlighters on my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and on my cupid’s bow.
My mascara is Maybelline The Falsies Volum’ Express Flared — it’s been my go-to mascara for years!
I used the light pink shimmery colour from this Max Factor Flip Stick, too.

[Top to bottom] Sleek Eye and Cheek Pallete in Dancing til Dusk, Max Factor Flipstick Colour Effect in Boreal Mauve and Sleek Highlighting Pallette in Precious Metals.

[Top to bottom] Sleek Eye and Cheek Palete in Dancing til Dusk, Max Factor Flipstick Colour Effect in Boreal Mauve and Sleek Highlighting Palette in Precious Metals.

Flower crown headband spring / fairy-inspired outfit

I’ll take any excuse to use highlighter.

Flower crown headband spring / fairy-inspired outfit and glitter handbag

The cat decided he wanted to be part of the photoshoot!

This is definitely an outfit I’ll be bringing out again.
Perfect for sunny days with the family and eating lots of food!
This also really makes me want to buy 100 huge flower crowns. I wish I’d discovered them earlier!

Is glitter one of your staples, either in outfits or in beauty products?

Little make up sponge – big results

GOODBYE, make up brushes – I’ve found a replacement!
As I don’t wear foundation every day (BB cream usually provides enough coverage), there is nothing I hate more than getting to the weekend, going to put on my make up before a night out and finding my brushes really need a wash.
The result ends up as a streaky mess!
I don’t have that problem any more though!

Chi Chi makeup blending sponge | Extraordinary Days

This little sponge gives great results.

I spotted this Chi Chi Make Up Sponge while killing time browsing in the beauty aisle and as it was only about $6, I decided to take the chance and buy it.
I won’t lie, using it for the first time was a bit daunting so I read the instructions carefully and watched a few YouTube videos before I tried to apply my make up with it.
When using it you first fully submerge it in water so the sponge can expand to its full size.
You then squeeze out as much of the water as you can (using a towel helps) and start using it to apply your make up.
I pump my liquid foundation (MAC Studio Fix Fluid) on to the back of my hand and use the wide, round end of the sponge to pat it onto my face in a stippling motion.
The pointed end is for around your nose and eyes – harder to reach places.
It feels a bit weird at first but the effect is seriously amazing.
These types of sponges were designed to give an airbrushed look and that’s exactly what it does.
I’ve also started applying my powder (MAC Mineralize Skinfinish) with the sponge and my blush and highlighter too.
I’d read not to drag the sponge through pressed powder as it picks up too much product and I’ve found this to be true – it’s especially noticeable when you end up with a cheek full of blush!
After using it I wash it with warm water and goat’s milk soap because I’ve used it on my face before and I know my skin can handle it.
The packaging says not to use anything too harsh to clean it because it could irritate your skin.
One thing to keep in mind is it seems to take ages to dry properly, even when wrung out properly and left in the open. I’ve previously washed it before going to bed and it was still slightly damp in the morning.
The original version of this product is the Beauty Blender but it’s $27 for a single sponge and I found the Chi Chi version works perfectly well without the price tag.
In the long run the Chi Chi version probably won’t last as long but the price is something to keep in mind, especially if you don’t know whether you will like putting on your make up on this way.
I have heard from people who still prefer using brushes.
All in all I really love this sponge though and definitely won’t be going back to brushes any time soon!
Bonus points – they don’t test on animals!
Get more info here.

Have you used a make up sponge? What did you think?

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water review

THIS is a product that I’ve been wanting to try for a while now but I honestly didn’t know if it would live up to the hype.
According to the creators it “removes makeup, cleanses and soothes” and is for use on your face, eyes and lips.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water | Extraordinary Days

Way more than just water!

It also promised “no vigorous rubbing or rinsing required”.
Those are big claims in my eyes!
But I thought ‘how is it going to clean my skin if it’s just water?’
How wrong I was!
Apparently the key is the active cleansing ingredient, the micells, which “act as a magnet to capture impurities makeup and sebum”.
This has really changed my cleansing process.
Up until now I’ve just been using goat’s milk soap to cleanse and remove makeup because for a long time, that was all my sensitive, eczema-prone skin could handle.
Now I’ve got my skin under control, though (more on that here) I could reassess what I use.
I wanted to use something gentle, that wouldn’t clog up my pores and that I wouldn’t have to roughly scrub my skin with just to get my makeup off.
To put it simply, this cleansing water just works.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water | Extraordinary Days

This has changed my cleansing routine.

To use it you put a bit on a cotton pad and wipe your face with it.
Foundation, lipstick, eyeliner and long-wear concealer have been no match for this product.
It usually takes about four cotton pads to remove a full face of makeup, including all of my mascara and liquid eyeliner.
The impressive part is there’s no residue left behind.
My skin feels cool and refreshed after I use it and not tight and dry like it does with a lot of soaps or other cleansers.
And, true to their word, I didn’t have to scrub heaps to get my makeup off.
I first spotted this in a chemist and really liked the look of the packaging (this happened with another Garnier product I reviewed here) – so their marketing people are doing a good job.
To sum up, this product is awesome, perfect for sensitive skin and I will definitely buy this again.

What’s in your makeup removing routine? Would you try a cleansing water?

MAC Saint Germain lipstick vs Savvy High Shine lipgloss

I CAN’T get enough of light, bright pink lip colours right now!
Today I wanted to review two very eye-catching lip products in my collection that are similar shades, MAC’s Saint Germain and Savvy High Shine Paparazzi.
Let’s start with Saint Germain.

MAC Saint Germaine lipstick and Savvy High Shine lipgloss | Extraordinary Days

Can you tell that lipgloss has rolled around in my handbag for a long time?

When I first picked out this colour I was intending to match it to the dress I wore to the Melbourne Cup last year.
Needless to say I should have actually brought the dress with me to the shops that day because while it would have gone well with the fluoro pink (can you tell yet that I’m a huge fan of fluoro?) it’s not quite what I was going for.

Melbourne Cup fluoro pink dress | Extraordinary Days

This was an amazing day!

But I’ve since teamed Saint Germain with other outfits like a little black dress and I really love how bright it is!
As far as lip liners go I’ve worn this shade just by itself with MAC’s lip clear lip primer underneath, with a rose-coloured liner and also with a bit of concealer on my lips to make the colour really pop.
My favourite was the concealer just for that boost to the colour but I really enhancing my Cupid’s bow when I don’t wear lip liner so I’ll probably just continue to change it up depending on how I feel.
I love how bright this is when you first put it on but unfortunately, I’ve found the vibrancy just doesn’t last.
That said, it’s still a lovely rosy colour when it does fade and I think there’d be people out there who would prefer that to how full-on if is when it’s first applied but I’m just not one of them.
Of course, there’s always the option to just keep applying it to keep the colour vibrant but that wouldn’t be my first choice.
Before I found Saint Germain my go-to product for that sort of shade was Savvy High Shine gloss in Paparazzi.

MAC Saint Germaine lipstick and Savvy High Shine lipgloss | Extraordinary Days

These two are a bright pair.

When I first saw the two side by side I thought they were very similar and it wasn’t until I put them together on the back of my hand that I saw Paparazzi is much darker.
Still, I think it gives that punchy colour I was aiming for on my lips and the thicker consistency makes the coverage a bit more even.
In terms of how long they last, in my books a lipstick will usually always win and this is no exception.
While I like lip glosses sometimes, at the end of the day if can’t stand up to me having a meal then it’s probably not going to be one of my favourites.
(My ultimate go-to lipstick/liner combination for THE LONGEST wear in my collection can be found here.)
So for my final verdict, both of these products are great if you bear in mind the colour-fade issue.

Would you wear either of these lip products? Let me know in the comments!

Review: MAC’s Rebel lipstick

TALK about a bold colour!
I’d been eyeing off New Zealand songstress Lorde’s signature plum lip colour for a while now so I thought I’d give this ago.
While Lorde and MAC collaborated on a similar plum lip colour last year, I’d read that her makeup artist actually used a combination of the Heroine and Cyber lipsticks.

Lorde Rolling Stone magazine cover

Photo by Rolling Stone. Source: http://tinyurl.com/qac68th

To recreate this look I used the colour Rebel paired it with MAC’s Prep and Prime lip primer and a MAC lip pencil in Nightmoth.
Rebel is part of the brand’s satin range and goes on smoothly with a bit of shine.
Nightmoth looks like a really deep, dark purple on the packet and at the tip of the pencil but when applied is almost a brown.
It’s not a colour you can forget you’ve put on, that’s for sure.

Mac Rebel lipstick and Nightmoth lip miner

Mac Rebel lipstick and Nightmoth lip liner.

While I initially balked at how dark Nightmoth was on its own, I really liked the end result when paired with Rebel because it gave it a more plum-coloured shine.
The first time I tried this look it didn’t pass the food test 100 per cent (I ate a jam and cream donut, yum!) and needed touching up, particularly on the middle of my bottom lip.
However, that might have been because I was a bit over-zealous when putting it on and put on too much.
More tries will tell.
I first wore this during the day and it felt a bit heavy for a sunny morning so I might try wearing it again at night and see how it feels then.
I really like it with this collared top – it’s got a bit of a Wednesday Adams feel to it.

MAC Rebel lip 1

Have you tried a dark lip? What do you think of the trend?