I've been trying my best to avoid the shops lately (no easy feat when you love shopping and happen to work within walking distance of Canal Walk) but while on a quick stop at Dischem recently, I couldn't help but stop at the Catrice stand - I mean, look at these beauties!

These are part of the Limited Edition Caviar Gauche collection - there is a total of four nail shades, but these two caught my eye. The grey is C04 Cool Wonder and as the name suggests, it's a lovely cool-toned grey - possibly a little bit dark for my ghostly fingers, but I'll see how it looks in summer when my skin has a bit more colour. Then, the colour of my dreams, C03 Love Me Tender.... basically, this is the colour I've been searching for - the perfect pinky lilac - not too pale, not too dark, just right! My only issue with this shade is the formula - it's quite runny so you need 2 -3 coats for a completely opaque look - but the end result is totally worth the effort.

I've been a fan of Catrice's nail polishes for a while now - they have such great brushes (wide and rounded) and people always ask if I'm wearing gellish, especially with the darker red colours. Also, at just over R50 each, you really can't feel too guilty for spoiling yourself.

So if you're looking some pretty new shades to spice up your nails, be sure to check these out.

An exciting new series - Babe on a budget - I think the name speaks for itself, but this is basically going to be all about looking your best when your bank balance is small (aka, my life at the moment, fun times!) I'm not sure how regular this will be, since I don't go make-up shopping that often, but I'm going to try my best to keep it a semi-regular feature.

Until very recently, I wasn't really that bothered with eyeshadow - I mean, I always thought it looked nice on other people, but I was perfectly happy with my standard black liner (one thing I can kind-of brag about is that I've just-about perfected the ultimate cat-eye, but maybe that's a post for another day!)

All that changed when my amazing friend Linda surprised me with the LA Girl NUDES palette a couple of months ago - oh my goodness, this is incredible... such a good mix of mattes and shimmers, perfect for any occasion. I remember these sold out really quickly, and I'm not sure if Dischem has restocked them yet. I also can't quite remember how much this was, but it was definitely under the 100 mark. Totally worth picking up if you do see this.

A more recent purchase is the HD Perfect 10 eyeshadow palette - I spotted this at Clicks about two weeks ago and at only R40 (yes, you read correctly, forty rand) it's another total catch. This one is a really nice mix of warm shades, which is perfect if you have blue or grey eyes like me. They also had a darker/ cooler toned version, so if you have green or brown eyes, then definitely give that one a try.

As you can probably see, both of these have already had their fair share of use, in fact, I use at least one of the shadows every day, so both palettes are definitely worth it - not that you need much convincing with prices like this though!


Do you have any budget beauty faves? I'd love to hear!

x A



And a quick disclaimer: I am no professional when it comes to makeup and skincare, I'm simply a girl who loves a bit of something-something from time to time. Hopefully you'll enjoy what I put up here!

After this post and the last one, things are starting to look a little gothic over here.... but that's okay, right guys? Okay, maybe there is such a thing as too much black (as my wardrobe will probably tell you!) Anyway, here are a few looks that I've been drooling over lately. Enjoy! x

Lace skirt
Pretty bralets
A stunning Free People number
Sheer back
Nicole Richie, Vogue Australia, July 2014
Nicole Richie, Vogue Australia, July 2014
Bralet
Jenni Kayne Resort 2016

A winter outfit collage! Even though Spring is on the way, I'm still determined to enjoy the last few weeks of my favourite season... and an upcoming weekend away is also always an excuse to daydream...

Black parka - Asos
Stripey top - Mr P
Black jeans - Mr P
Pointy black boots - Asos
Fringed tote - Woolworths
Sunnies - Asos
Dainty triangle cuff - Asos
Watch - Asos
Lipstick - Clarins at Woolworths

Overalls, dungarees... whatever you call them, I'm really into them! After a quick search and scroll through Pinterest (aka, my happy place) I've gathered this little round-up of favourites. Now, I just need to find a pair before summer...

Alexa looking fab

smart but casual

dungarees are for cool kids too

green machine

striped wonder

yes please!

perfect for summer

Green NB's; Champagne nude NB's; Pale blue Nikes; Black NB's

So I've been on a bit of a health kick for the last few months - this is a huge step for me because until recently, I was really unhappy with my weight and lack of fitness, but also just unwilling and unmotivated to do anything about it. Thank goodness that's changed and now I'm slowly but surely making sure that I eat right (protein! less carbs! more water!) and love exercise - and my poor running shoes are taking strain. So much so, that I've been getting really bad shin pain after just a few minutes of running or skipping.... worn out shoes are not good for shins, people!

So, I need to get some new shoes, but because I'm fussy like that, I also want them to look good (I mean, if I'm going to spend a chunk of my hard-earned cash on anything, it better look good!)...

Which brings me to this list.... It's not the most diverse in terms of brands (Nike and New Balance) but there are some real beauties on here. I'll report back as soon as I've found a pair! Watch this space....

Everything on this grid: Superbalist

source

found here

found here

found these ones here

and some motivation!

Hope everyone's having a wonderful long weekend! And happy Women's Day to all the ladies!

I'm in full-on hibernation mode today - even though Cape Town is beautifully sunny for a change, it's still pretty nippy outside. Luckily, I have these fluffy bear slippers that I picked up at Woolies last week (payday! whoop!). I also popped into The Body Shop to check out their sale (and use up my stash of vouchers that I've been clinging onto for no good reason) - and I walked away with a big tub of their Shea Body Butter - this stuff smells incredible, like warm vanilla, but not too strong. Basically just awesome.

What are you up to this weekend?

x A