Hello Everyone!

First of all, I would like to apologize for the state of these containers. They have been well-loved but it's left them in quite the state! I'm a huge Lushie and have rarely been disappointed in their products.
I noticed the other day that I'm building up quite the collection of empty pottles, so I thought before I take the pots back for recycling (free face mask, yay!) I would show you what I have been using and why I loved them >>

Hot Toddy Shower Gel
This was one of the Christmas items they released in July, which was perfect for us Kiwis because it meant that we got them in Winter. This shower gel was absolutely amazing on cold days because it has one of those festive comfort scents. And no wonder it smelt so good with ginger and cinnamon spices in it. I was disappointed when they didn't bring it back out in December...

Ultrabland Facial Cleanser 
This is still one of the best cleansers I have ever used. Again, this was perfect in winter because the formula is super thick and rich with honey so my makeup would come off easily. Now that it's warmer I've switched to a lighter one, but if you're looking for a gentle cleanser this one is great.


Ro's Argan Body Conditioner
I heard so many people raving about this when I first started watching YouTube, only my local Lush stopped selling it. But luckily I found this in a gift box so I could finally try it. And it was lovely! It's not as heavy as I expected (like Lush's King of Skin a.k.a the most luxurious bar ever!) but that just meant it was great for everyday use.

D'Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap
I definitely need to repurchase this one. It was super soft and moisturizing to use and I even recommended it to a friend and she loved it too. It has golden syrup, rosehip oil, cocoa butter and fresh strawberries to keep your skin feeling lovely afterwards. It makes the chore of shaving a lot more enjoyable. Highly recommend!

Imperialis Facial Moisturizer
This is probably my third time repurchasing this one. It's quite a good medium moisturizer, with it being light for the mornings but you could still happily use it at night too. It's quite gentle and refreshing, yet has tonnes of great ingredients to help your skin.

Snow-Showers Shower Jelly
This was another Christmas in July item (I think?) that I absolutely loved. I used this a lot on cold Sundays since the orange and champagne scent just lifted my mood and helped me relax. I know some people are put off by using shower jellies but they aren't that bad. I mean, you do drop them a few times in the shower but the oils are great and they smell so good!

Rub Rub Shower Scrub
Now that it's almost Summer I really need to go and buy this again. It smells so fresh and the salt is amazing for exfoliating after a long hot day. Plus, if you use it in your hair you'll get some crazy volume like you've been swimming at the beach!

Daddy-O Shampoo
This time last year I got my hair dyed blonde-ombre for my birthday (which turned out great!) and the color stayed for ages, which I think has a lot to do with using this shampoo. You only need a small amount so this bottle lasted me most of the year, and the lemon makes you hair look amazing. Definitely buying this again when I get my hair dyed soon. 

So those are my empty Lush products, all of which I loved and would highly recommend!

Are there any Lush products you can't live without?

Let me know! 

"Til next time x.

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How I'm getting ready for Blogmas!

 Hello Everyone!

Since this is my first year of serious blogging, it also means that this is my first year taking part in Blogmas! I'm quite excited about it, despite the pressure of getting a post up everyday. I'm quite notorious among my friends for being super organized when it comes to certain things, so this is my kind of fun. I'm also quite excited for Christmas this year and just being in the festive mood so that should come across on my posts too. Here's how I'm getting organized:

Write out 25 (or more) blog post ideas
I started out by just making a long list of possible posts to put up. I feel like it's a great idea to have a few backups just in case one doesn't come out the way you want it. I also made sure to make the most of any events I have coming up in December (several birthdays) as prompts for posts. If you're stuck for ideas, I'm going to be uploading a list of 50+ suggestions for you next week!

Assign a date for each post
You can use a calendar for this, or I just wrote out each day in my blog journal. It's so satisfying to see it all so organized! It's going to be great to be able to just look at the upcoming week and know what editing I have to do and what posts will be going up.


Start writing drafts 
This still feels like cheating, but I don't know how anyone would survive the month without doing it. And my life isn't exciting enough to just do a diary entry of each day. I've just started writing drafts for the posts that I can, since there will be times where I have to complete it all that day. I've written a D (for draft) by each listed post in my journal to keep track of which ones are in progress.

Take photos. Lots of them.
I'm talking bulk photo time! I have to restrain myself on a few while I wait for it to be appropriate to have Christmas decorations out. But since I don't want Blogmas on Hello, Steph to be a Christmas overload, I'm trying to take as many in November that I can. Having them at least edited will save you lots of time later.

Stay organized.
One thing I've been doing is going back to my post list and seeing which ones I still need to complete and which one's just need photos. With so many drafts floating around it's easy to lose track of everything. This is where list making skills come in handy. The more lists the better!

Are you guys doing Blogmas this year? Any tips for a newbie?

Leave your links in the comments for me to follow along!

Until next time x.

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Zoella Beauty Review

Hello Everyone!

So last week I posted my Feel Unique haul of a few YouTuber products and today I want to talk about my favorite ones! I've been dying to try Zoella Beauty for ages now and I was not disappointed.

Creamy Madly Dreamy Body Lotion
I wasn't sure about the scent as first, but now I am absolutely in love with it. If you have had a bad day, run yourself a bath with your favorite Lush bath bombs (or one of Zoe's bath products) then moisturize with this afterwards. I find the scent of this product really comforting and relaxing; it's guaranteed to make you feel better. Plus, it has quite a thick formula full of Vitamin E and Shea butter, so your skin will feel amazing afterwards.

Foam Sweet Foam Cleansing Shower Gel 
This shower gel does everything you hope it will do. It's refreshing, light and smells like a blueberry dream. I love using this after I've been to the gym or out for a run to feel nice and clean again. While I think it's perfect for the warmer months, you could just as easily use this is autumn/winter to help you wake up in the morning.

Candy Cream Softening Body Lotion 
This stuff most definitely softens your skin and makes it feel amazing. It's the perfect match for the above shower gel, since they share the same amazing blueberry scent. This is quite a thick moisturizer, but if you're like me and you spend time outside in the warm weather your skin could probably use a bit of love. Perfect for keeping your skin looking great during Spring and Summer.

I can't honestly decide which of these products is my favorite. You can tell Zoe put a lot of effort into her beauty range, packaging and all. They genuinely deliver on what they promise and are really affordable. I'm definitely going to have to go back and buy more to try!

Have you tried anything from Zoe's range? Let me know in the comments!  

Until next time x.

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Weekly Snaps Diary #3

Hello Everyone!

Gloomy days call for writing, lots of coffee and watching superhero movies!

Found my latest obsession last weekend, so I had to go out and buy more colors! I'm in love.

It's so nice to see bloggers in magazines lately! Really inspiring.

New favorite: Blueberries, Greek yogurt and chopped walnuts for a healthy dessert. And I remembered that I had chai powder so I made myself a makeshift latte. It always help me relax. 

Finally! Excuse me while I stay glued to my headphones for the next month. The best thing about living in New Zealand is the time difference means we got this a day earlier than everyone else!

This is me naturally waking up early so that I could listen to the new album. Does anyone else's dog sleep on your pillows and no where else?

Family night out! (kinda). It was my parents 34th wedding anniversary this weekend, but my Dad was out of town for a funeral so my brother and Me had dinner with my Mum instead. Most impressive Pad Thai ever!

It was a cold and windy Sunday so we went to the movies to see The Dressmaker. It definitely wasn't what we expected! But the cast was great so I still enjoyed it. I got a massive craving for a grilled pita so I made one with tuna, cheese, spinach and sweet chilli. So good!

Also loving Hailee's new EP! She was brave to release this the same day as 1D and Justin!


I know this week ended on a very tragic note, I hope everyone is safe and well!
#prayforparis

'Til next time x.

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My Fitness Bucketlist

Hello Everyone!

I've decided that since fitness is a very important part of my life, I want to include it more in my blog. This year I completed my first half-marathon, which was tough but makes you feel like you can do anything. So I thought it was time that I start working on some pretty big fitness goals. I'm also a massive lover of bucket-lists so why not combine the two?

Run a full marathon 

Might as well while I'm young, right? I told myself that my big challenge at 25 will be to run a marathon, and I intend on keeping that promise. There's two generations behind me that have done it, so it would mean a lot to be the next one to carry it on.

Run the Disney World Marathon

I don't think you could find a cooler run. You get to got through all four parks and everyone gets a Mickey medal! Then you can recover in Florida for a few days. I'm going to make this happen soon!
 

Climb the Great Wall of China

It has to be done, right? There's actually a marathon based around it which would be hard, but totally worth it. You would definitely earn bragging rights for doing it. Traveling and competing are a winning combo for me!

Climb the Haiku Stairs, Oahu, Hawaii

This one looks absolutely insane and potentially dangerous. So of course I want to do it. It's 4000 steps up and is the Oahu's most difficult hike. But the views look absolutely stunning so I know it will be worth it at the top. Hopefully my runners legs will help me get up this one. 

 

Compete in a Reebok Spartan Race 

When we were last in Hawaii, we came across this race at the Kualoa Ranch and it looked pretty insane. When I saw it at the time I thought there was no way I could do it. Now that I have really got into my training I have a lot more confidence and I reckon with the right team this would be awesome. It's probably the most bad-ass race ever, I mean, you get to jump over fire! Sign me up.

Climb to Machu Picchu 

It's about a three day hike but the sights look so stunning. This is something that's also on my Mum's bucketlist, so hopefully we can do this one together in the next few years!

Run the Avengers half-marathon

I mean, the have a night time pasta party! What better reason do you need? Oh, and I can dress as a super-hero and not be judged, hooray! Definitely going as Captain America.

Run the London marathon

Apart from New York and Boston, this is probably one of the iconic marathons. The sights would be amazing and a lot of it is for charity so it has to be done. 

Have a strong, fit body

Going to the gym and getting toned was never about getting skinny for me. Both sides of my family have quite stocky body shapes and don't really grow over six foot, so I have quite thick shoulders and thighs. But as I have been working hard I've noticed how much I love having a more muscular and strong body. Bring on the abs!

Conquer the pull-up 

I've already been practicing this one and getting better. My trainer has me using a bungee to help, but one day I would love to not even have to use it. Especially since I've come from having absolutely no upper body strength at all!

3 Minute Forearm Plank 

Probably going to be the longest three minutes of my life, but to be able to say that I can plank for that long would be awesome. I can clock about a minute at the moment so I need to do some hard work to get there! 

Show off my hard work  

I've had a couple of friends post their weight-loss success on Facebook and I think it's great! People work damn hard to get into shape. So to be able to post a picture showing off a few abs will feel great. I'd say in about a year I will be in my dream shape so it will be my turn then.

It's very ambitious, I know, but you have to work hard and dream big! 

What would be on your fitness bucketlist? 

Let me know! Pretty please? x.

Main Photo Credit: Instagram

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Review: Chi Chi Creamy Matte Liquid Lipsticks

Hello Everyone!

I'm not lying when I say that I might have just found my favorite lip product of all time. I was out trying to find some new lip glosses (any recommendations?) when I found these gems. It's my dream to have a lipstick that's also a stain, a gloss, it doesn't dry your lips out, AND the color stays on all day. Turns out dreams do come true! OK, that was cheesy...

Long lasting? This stuff will leave you with amazing color, even after eating! I tried and tested this. I only have to reapply this a couple of times during the day and it still looks amazing.

Non-drying and Moisturizing? Yup! I keep waiting for it to dry out within ten minutes like a lot of products, but it doesn't. Maybe after a few hours yes, but considering this is basically a lip stain and lipstick, that's still impressive. I found that since it's quite moisturizing it's super easy to reapply and you won't even need a mirror.

Vivid Colors? Chi Chi are pretty great when it comes to colors. These lipsticks in particular are amazingly pigmented and have a matte finish (while still being moisturizing). I went for quite bold shades when I bought these and they give such an amazing pop of color.

If you didn't need another reason to buy these, they also smell amazing! Kinda like the LipSmacker Sours you used to get as a kid? I love a bit of nostalgia. They're also very affordable ($22 NZD) which is something I love about Chi Chi as a brand. You get great quality without having to spend all your money on one product.

 I think this is the first beauty product that I have bought, and then gone back to buy more colors. My first purchase was Show Stopper (pink/berry), then I went for Sexy Lady (berry/red) and Crazy in Love (pink/nude). Here's their website if you're interested in checking out more colors. I think I might go for Drama Queen next!

If you can't find Chi Chi in your country I would honestly be happy to ship them for anyone wanting to try them. I have a feeling I will be using these as my go-to lip colors for quite a while! 

What's your current favorite lip product?  

Let me know in the comments!

'Til next time x.

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Beauty and Skincare Haul: feelunique

Hello Everyone!

 I've been doing really well with my fitness lately so I thought I would treat myself to some online shopping. I've been meaning to place an order on Feel Unique for a while now, especially since they can ship some brands that aren't available in New Zealand. I've been dying to try products from the Zoella Beauty range for ages now, especially since she has brought out new products. 

Anyway, here's what I bought:

Zoella Beauty Creamy Madly Dreamy Body Lotion
Firstly, can we talk about how gorgeous the packaging is? The rose gold writing is the perfect touch. I really needed a new body lotion and since this one has all the good stuff in it (Vitamin E, Aloe and Shea butter) I thought it would be perfect. It also smells incredible, almost like a comforting scent that helps you relax. I have a feeling that I will be repurchasing this!

Zoella Beauty Foam Sweet Foam Cleansing Shower Gel 
A girl can always use a new shower gel right? I'm currently running out of my Body Shop soap, and since this one is lovely and fruity it will be so nice to use now that the weather is getting warmer. I can't even explain how great the scent is...if you love blueberries this one's for you!


Zoella Beauty Candy Cream Softening Body Lotion
I know, I bought two body lotions. Please don't judge me. To be fair though, this one has little exfoliating beads in it so I probably won't use this one as much. I'm pretty sure this one has the same scent as the above shower gel, which makes me happy because it's so good. I love how bright and happy the packaging is too.

Fleur de Force Lip Gloss #30 Starlight 
I'm not the biggest fan of lip glosses, but I've recently decided to give them another go. Fleur has some really gorgeous colors, so I decided to go for this nice bright pink one. It's such a universal color for a lot of my lipsticks and I am bound to wear this  all through Spring and Summer.

Tanya Burr Cosmetics Lip Gloss Lunch Date
I'm saving my personal favorite until last. I was so blown away by the packaging of this one, it is honestly stunning. If I saw someone pull this out of their handbag I would think that it was quite expensive. The pigmentation is amazing and I can't wait to wear this one!

Freebies 
Who doesn't love free stuff? I was pretty happy to see that there was a free sample of the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, simple because Zoella has raved about it. I also got a Perfecting Concealer from Nude by Nature, which is useful considering I'm on the hunt for a new concealer.  

 Just as a side note, I would definitely recommend buying from Feel Unique. They quite often have sales or deals on (I actually got 3 for 2 on Zoella products!) and their shipping was really quick. Considering that I live close to the bottom of the world, I value this kind of service. Thanks guys!

Have you guys tried any YouTuber beauty products? Let me know if you have any favorites!

Until next time x. 

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