What Have I been up to? // Healthy Eating

Hey guys!

As it's plainly obvious, I haven't posted in AGEEEES. I apologise. I don't have an excuse, I've just been doing me for a while. What does that mean? It means that I've been working hard to reach my current goals.

Goal number 1: Eat better.

I generally don't eat bad per say, but I've never been too strict. I eat whatever my partner or I have cooked or bought. That's usually a bit of pasta, some fish/chicken and veg or maybe a frozen convenience meal if I'm feeling lazy. Occasionally there's some takeaway chucked in the mix. Hot potato chips are my biggest downfall. I could eat them for every meal if I let myself. Even now (7:40am) I feel like eating some. 

I wouldn't consider myself overweight by any means but like almost every woman (and many men, too) I've certainly got insecurities, the biggest being my thighs and lower stomach. I've been working hard at the gym to tone up these areas (and get da booty)... It was really time I kicked it up a notch though. I promised myself that when September came around I'd put down the donuts. Being the *sarcasm* forever organised person that I am, I really needed an extra hand though. 

I tried following the Kayla Itstines nutrition guide for a week after a friend told me she was doing it. SO hard. I trust that it's well written and researched - plus it gets results - but I don't feel like it was for me. I applaud anyone who can follow that plan as a lifestyle (I'm sure it does get easier) but I was grumpy all week, I got so sick of organising my meals all the time and it ended up costing almost twice as much at the supermarket. Not to mention the temptations... Cookies,  donuts, chocolate - it was all right in front of me. I persevered (and ignored those temptations) though, and when I weighed myself at the end of the week I'd lost roughly 2kgs. 

I should mention that I didn't do the Kayla Itstines bikini body exercises at all during that week,  just followed the example meal plan. I continued my regular gym plan - 3.5 days of weights with approx. 20 minutes of cardio on one of the days. I should also mention that the H.E.L.P. guide is designed to be at least somewhat flexible and I'm mostly just being a sook. 

At the moment,  ladies and gentlemen, I'm trying to workout the perfect 'diet' for me. I've been trying SO hard to stay away from the hot chips, as tempting as they are and I'll keep trying to stay healthy. Veggies, meat and rice are looking alright! 

If you know of any great (healthy) recipes please share. I'll be keeping an eye out and share any exceptional meals I find! 

Becky x

Weekly Wrap-Up // 7th September

Happy Fathers Day to all the fathers out there (including all the technically-not-fathers, etc.)! It feels like it has been a very busy week this week, I hope everyone got some nice down time to relax before it all starts again tomorrow.
I guess it would be fair to say I had a pretty good week this week. Things just seemed to work out well - although I think a lot of the time its all about perspective. It's important not to let pointless things get you down.
If you saw my last post you'll know I went to the Cat Cafe Melbourne this week, which was a great experience. I had a lot of fun shopping around Melbourne city too. I got a lot of parcels from the postman this week as well - most of the thing I bought with my birthday money from my partner. Being as indecisive as I am, it took me longer than required to choose what I wanted to spend my $100 on (I ended up spending $135 *oops*). Once I actually receive everything I might put a post up, because it is all sooo pretty! Currently, 98% of my makeup collection is drugstore (Maybelline, Rimmel, Revlon, etc.) so it's been very exciting to get some higher-quality goods.

Unfortunately, both Jordan and I skipped the gym for the majority of the week. It's been becoming increasingly hard to find a time where we can both go together. Next week we're going to put in so much more effort - I want to look toned and sexy for when shorts and singlet weather comes around this year!


Becky x

Day Trip // Cat Cafe Melbourne

Yesterday, my friend and I took the train to Melbourne to visit the newly opened Cat Cafe, the first of it's kind in Australia. Considering we are both 'Crazy Cat Ladies', we thought this would be a perfect excursion for the both of us and we had both been dying to go and check it out.

First, a little about what a cat cafe is, so you get the idea. A cat cafe is a place you can go to play with and watch cats. The cats you play with live at the cafe - it is not somewhere you bring your pets for a playdate. The first ever cat cafe opened in Taiwan in 1998 and they are now very popular in Japan and other asian countries, and also scattered throughout Europe. There have been studies done to show that there are mental health benefits of spending time with cats, so it can be a good alternative to owning a cat if for any reason you are unable.

You have to book before you go. I very highly doubt you'll get in if you just walk-in, because they have been very popular to date. You can book on their website catcafemelbourne.com, although there is a $10 fee per hour which must be paid upon booking. They don't allow more than 15 people in with the cats at any one time - this is great because it prevents overcrowding and lets people actually see the cats (there are only about a dozen cats). 

Two of the cats which live at the cafe are one-eyed, Braveheart and Ruby - and let me tell you, I've got a soft spot for less-than-perfect moggies. These two were both quite young still and very, very beautiful. Of course, they played with the other cats and visitors just the same. Having only one eye doesn't hold them back in any way.

At the time we visited (1 o'clock in the afternoon), the cats were quite lazy and were happy snoozing for the majority of the time we were there - anybody who owns a cat will be familiar with this. It's important to remember that just like humans, cats need time out too. They have lots and lots of toys and cozy places for the cats to snooze (check out the giant cat tower!) and there are couches in all the rooms where you can snuggle with the kitties.

All in all, I would definitely recommend checking it out if you're a cat lover. It's a really fun experience.

Have you already been? Let me know in the comments what you thought about the Cat Cafe Melbourne.


Becky x

Weekly (fourtnightly) Wrap-up // 31st August

Okay, okay. I'll admit, I've been very slack the last week (possibly the last 2 weeks), but thats only because I've actually been busy. It is quite unusual for me - read my earlier posts and you'll see, I really am a homebody.

I have to be honest. I actually can't even remember all the things that I've been doing over the last couple of weeks, but I"ll do my best to recall some of these. I'll start with the most exciting... Yesterday (the 30th) I turned 20! I had a lovely, quiet day. It was exactly how I wanted it. I woke up to a very sweet card from my partner. He had written a long message in there which made me feel all warm and fuzzy! (aww..☺)We got up and got ready with the intention of trying a breakfast burrito from a new shop which has opened in our area, but it was closed. Considering this was the biggest disappointment of my day, I think this was a pretty good birthday. We grabbed some coffee and did a little shopping before going out for an early lunch. After lunch we did a little more shopping (poor Jordan! Haha) and then headed home to relax before my Mother and Grandmother came over to see me.
For dinner, Jordan and I went back to the new Mexican store but, while it was open by then, it was incredibly busy! We ended up getting McDonalds - it really was a treat for me.
I had a great day, and it felt surprisingly good not to get spoilt silly! I really feel like I've matured since my last birthday. 

Umm... So what did I do before that? I honestly can't remember. I did the usual things, yoga class Monday, RSPCA volunteering Wednesday. Work, work, work. Oh, and Jordan and I have been watching a show called 'Rules of Engagement' - Loving it! If you're in a relationship, or even if you're not, I'd really suggest watching a few episodes. Its a little bit corny, a little bit hilarious and really, very realistic about what couples' life is like.

I'm making a promise to myself now and to anyone who's reading my blog, I will be more consistent from now on! When you've got a memory as bad as I do, you need to.

Until next time,

Becky x

Mini Review // GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment

This week, I had planned on writing a post either Thursday or Friday, but - as it often does - life got in the way. I was playing on my phone trying to think of a quick post idea and came across these photos from a few months ago, so here's my experience with the GlamGlow Youthmud mud mask.
A little while back, when my boyfriend and I were in Melbourne, I stopped in at Mecca Maxima to pick up a couple of things. I had my eye on the GlamGlow Youthmud, since I'd seen great reviews of it online and from youtubers such as Shaaanxo. However, since it costs $75aud for the full size, I wanted to be sure it was worth it. I asked the lovely staff if I could grab a sample - enough for two because I planned on using Jordan as a guinea pig and they were happy to give me this.

Just for reference, I have normal/combination skin and Jordan has normal to slightly dry skin (although he does have breakouts quite regularly). Every now and then I'll get pimples on either my forehead or chin (both if I'm so lucky) and can be oily in these areas as well as around my nose.

Sorry Jordan! Hehe (I'm sure he didn't want this photo public)

The girl at Mecca advised us that it was very important to only leave it on for 10 minutes and no longer. I applied it to both our faces using a foundation paddle brush to make sure we had an even layer, avoiding the mouth and eye area (obviously). In the mud there are green tea leaf pieces which look a little funky - that's whats sitting across my nose. The treatment goes on dark grey and dries to a lighter green-grey colour.

The next couple of photos might look a little gross, but they really show just how well the treatment is at extracting pimples and oil in the skin. Within about 5 minutes you could notice the mud had soaked up the oily area around the sides of my nose and some of the pores in on my nose too. Before applying the Youthmud, I had a rather large pimple on my chin. As you can see below, it sucked all of the oil and impurities out of that too. I'm 100% impressed with the way it works on pimples. Jordans blemishes were deeper in his skin and while the treatment didn't completely eliminate those, his skin did look and feel a lot better afterwards. It also didn't seem to be too drying to his skin (I made him apply moisturiser after).

In my opinion there are other masks out there, for a lower price, that will work as well for a whole face treatment. Youthmud would work best for best for spot treating your problem areas and helping to quickly reduce blemishes. I'm yet to purchase the full size product, but I think if i had the spare money, I definitely would.


Okay, so maybe this wasn't such a mini-review - I tried to keep it short! I hope this helped if you were considering buying this mud mask.
If you're in Australia you can purchase it (or ask for a sample like I did) at Mecca Cosmetica or Mecca Maxima, and online here.

DIY // Cookie-scented Coconut Oil & Brown Sugar Body Scrub

When I got up on Saturday and prepared to have a shower, I decided to try something new. Since I regularly fake tan on a Sunday I was planning on exfoliating generously in the shower - to remove the last of last weeks tan and help ready my skin for tomorrows application.

I have used the 'Frank' coffee scrub before but, while I liked the results I found it annoyingly messy. I've seen sugars scrubs in stores but never thought the price could justify what is essentially buying a jar of sugar. So I decided to make my own! It's super easy, and whats even better - mine smells like fresh cookies.

DIY Brown Sugar and Coconut Oil Scrub

Ingredients:1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Method:
Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so begin by melting the coconut oil at a low temperature - I was too impatient to wait for mine to fully melt so there are chunks of coconut oil in it. This doesn't affect the scrub, but it is nicer if it mixes properly.
While that was melting, I measured out my brown sugar and put it in a clean glass jar. I  used the only sugar we had available at home, but I would suggest trying to find the coarsest sugar you can find at the supermarket. If you're like me and enjoy your showers hot the heat and steam from the shower will quickly dissolve fine-milled sugar.
Once your coconut oil is a good consistency, combine it with the sugar and give it a good mix with a small wooden or metal spoon.
For my scrub I added cinnamon powder and vanilla extract to get the perfect scent, but you can add any natural ingredients you think would work well. I just really love the smell of cookies!

I used my scrub straight after making it on Saturday and I'm quite pleased with the results! I applied it to my skin and rubbed in circular motions before washing it off under the shower. The coconut oil left my skin feeling nourished and moisturised, although if you don't like the feeling you may want to go over your body with a shower wash and loofah before you get out of the shower. I also wouldn't recommend using this scrub (or any with oils in them) before applying fake tan as the oil will mean the tan won't stick to the skin properly.

Got any home-made body scrubs you like to use? Share it in the comments!
Becky x

Weekly Wrap-Up // 17th August

This week I was SICK. It's currently late winter here in Australia. I managed to avoid the common cold most of the winter this year but of course, working in a customer service type position and talking to tonnes of people everyday, I was bound to catch something.

Monday night I went to bed with a slightly sore throat -nothing major - but I woke up on Tuesday feeling like I'd had a paper bag sealed over my head. I was stuffy, couldn't breathe, had a raging headache, nausea and a scratchy throat (probably a fever too). Unfortunately, I had work later that day and I've not called in sick to this day. Lucky it was only a short shift, because I was working near the door on a cold day and having to blow my nose between nearly every customer. Don't worry, I used sanitiser every time I touched my face to help stop the spread of the virus! As I didn't have to work on Wednesday, I spent the whole day sleeping. I had to work on Thursday and Friday again but was feeling slightly better - I still had a horrible headache and sniffy, blocked nose though.
Thank god for Codral Cold & Flu Tablets or I wouldn't have gotten through the week, and I think this cold would have been around for a lot longer too! They are honestly life savers.

Almost every night this week I ate takeaway - I had just lost some weight too (after a long period of being stuck at the same weight) but hot potato chips are my comfort food, and I definitely needed comfort food.

I hope everyone reading this is feeling happy and healthy today! Sorry about the post, I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer but this is really all that went on in my life this week. Sad, I know!

Until next time...


Becky x

Birthday Wish-List // Ikea, Nike, Hourglass, Too Faced

In just a few short weeks, my birthday will be upon us (I'm turning 20!) and although I've had my main present picked out for a long time, I thought it might be fun to make a little post including some things which I've been dreaming of. Plus, I never know - Christmas isn't all that far away either... *wink wink*.

Ikea furniture: Top of my list - and what I'll hopefully be getting for my birthday. Watching youtubers with their perfectly set up makeup stations has had me lusting after a set of Alex draws. We don't have a huge amount of space in our bedroom but I think either the 100mm or 120mm desk top would fit fine and make a beautiful dressing table/vanity paired with a small stool.

(This image was sourced from google, but is essentially what I want).

Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette: For a long time I was considering the Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow palettes, but especially after they brought out Naked 3, there were too many for me to choose from (I'm absolutely horrible at making decisions). Since this palette was released I've all but forgotten about the UD Naked palettes. I mean, just look at how beautiful these colours are... and all in the one palette. Plus, it smells like chocolate! What more do I need to say?

A good gym bag: As mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I've been using a large black tote (intended to be a handbag) whenever I go to gym, ever since I first joined 9 months ago. While I've been meaning to upgrade, I haven't done much active looking other than to notice that StyleRunner.com.au stock some really stylish, beautiful sports bags.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette: More makeup! Okay, I might be a little addicted. However, this highlighting palette looks truly beautiful and highlighting products are something my makeup collection is really lacking so far. These powders look so luxurious, but I found this palette for a decent price on net-a-porter and I'm itching to get it now - even if I get it as a 'present to myself'.

Bedside lamps: Although I don't have anything particular in mind here, a bedside lamp would really come in useful a lot of the time (who's familiar with the blind dash to the bed) and would save a few of the 'who's turn is it to turn the light off' arguments. I'd like something small and rather simple, and of course white, or maybe a soft neutral colour, to tie in with the bedroom colour scheme.
Beacon have a great selection (as you would expect from a lighting store) ranging from the very plain to rather abstract.

Nike Roshe Run: I'll be the first to admit that I don't need another pair of new sneakers. There is really something about Nikes though - they are functional, stylish and (generally) comfortable. I've had my eye on Roshe Runs for some time now, but all the nice styles sell out super quick!




I could go on and on about all the things I'd like to own, some cheaper and some far more expensive (a celine handbag is right up there) but I know I already get far more than I deserve from my partner - he really spoils me. My family are great too; I'll appreciate any and all presents which I get!


Becky x

Weekly Wrap-up // 10th August

Hello everyone!

I thought I might start a new thing, where on a Sunday evening I post about the week that was. While I'm aware it will make my blog become more personal,  I think it will good for me to reflect on how things have been. Lets be honest - we all take things for granted sometimes. 

So here goes...

The good stuff:

I am forever grateful for everything my wonderful partner does for me. This week he paid for us to get mexican take-away - a luxury in our town where there is only one Mexican restaurant. He also came shopping with me on multiple occasions, although I know how much he despises shopping.

I'm incredibly happy, our older kitty, Eve, is finally starting to accept our young kitten, Toffee! It's been 2 (maybe 3?) weeks since we brought her home and while they havent been very aggressive, Eve was definitely unsure about the new member of the family. Today they were even caught cleaning each other. It was so sweet!

While browsing the specials on Catch of the Day, I found St. Tropez tan which retails for approx. $60 here in Australia,  for only $27.98. Definitely counting that as a win!

The not-so-good stuff:

Friday marked the 4 year anniversary of when we lost my cousin, Rachel. My general way of dealing with any thing bad is to ignore it, but it's hard when I can't even log onto Facebook without being flooded with pictures of her.

Overall this was a very slow week - I worked  a fair few extra shifts and spent a lot of money (oops!) but nothing overly exciting.

Becky x

Meet my family // Eve

On the 18th of May 2013, Jordan and I welcomed our baby girl Eve into our home. As soon as we we're sure that we wanted to add a fur-baby to our family, our first stop was the RSPCA. This little girl was 10 weeks old when we went in and just as her profile said, she loved climbing onto people. Although there were a lot of kittens in the shelter at the time, 'Genevieve' (as they had named her at the RSPCA) really caught our attention and not just for her unique markings!

Eve is a domestic short hair, silver tortoiseshell. All her little paws are white with pink pads (they are just the cutest!) and she has a big orange splotch on her nose - as you can see in the photos.

When she was small enough, she used to love sitting inside the front of Jordans hoodies. Now that she's fully grown though, she is WAY too big to be hoping in there! These days her cozy spot is the bed. Almost every time we come home she is sleeping on the bed - I think she thinks of it as hers. During the night she loves to get under the covers with us and snuggle up around our legs.

She is a super special girl. You could probably have a 'conversation' with her for five minutes - she always talks back. While she loves attention, it has to be on her terms. If you give her a scratch but she would rather have a pat, you'll probably get a warning bite. She definitely has an attitude!

Despite her assertive nature, Eve has given us tonnes of love and laughs. She often does silly things like chase her tail or fall off the bed. There has been a few times we've even witnessed her jump into the wall head-first in a miscalculated pounce.

Since I'm a serial cat-photographer, I had an incredibly hard time choosing photos of Eve for this post. I have close to 500 saved... Sorry Jordan! This one was just too cute not to add - look at her poking her little head out of his hoodie!

Thanks for reading!

Becky x

Workout Style // Outfit featuring Nike, 2XU

Go-to gym look // Nike Air Pegasus by beckystewart on Polyvore

This here is one of my favourite looks for gym wear. I like to keep things simple clothing-wise when I workout and prefer black - it is slimming to the body and doesn't tend to show obvious sweat marks! My favourite top to wear with these tights is one from Cotton On Body, it isn't the exact one pictured however it is very similar. I like that it is long enough to cover my bum.... because my 2XU tights are TOO tight for me! Shame, I know. It took me a long time to accept the fact that I really should start buying a size up. The tights fit okay, until I bend over and give everyone an insight into what kind of underwear I'm wearing. Apart from this (which I accept is entirely my fault for buy a size too small), I think they are great compression tights and would definitely recommend them.

I consider all my Nikes to be my babies but I definitely hold a soft spot for my Nike Air Pegasus+ 30's. They are just the perfect colour! And really comfortable too. I definitely rate these over Free Runs.

Ever since I joined this gym I've just been taking a plain black tote bag with me. It's big enough to carry my water bottle and towel as well as anything else I need. Basically, it does the job. I don't have this particular bag in the picture - I am on the lookout for one though, I'm a huge fan of everything Nike. 

This post was made with the help of the fantastic Polyvore app. Details for the outfit pictured are below.

Becky x

2XU black tight
$130 - theiconic.com.au

Nike shoes
zappos.com

Nike Ultimatum Max Air Small Duffel
zappos.com

Voss Artesian Water (Flat) Glass Bottle From Norway (3 Pack) Large 800...
amazon.com

HAUL // Australis Cosmetics 50% off Online Sale

Over the weekend, Australis Cosmetics had a 50% off sale on everything on their online store. In all honesty I didn't even realise they had an online store, I knew they were stocked at Priceline and Big W and not much beyond that. But who am I to resist a half-price sale!

I filled up my cart with pretty much everything I had wanted from Australis. There were a couple of things which I wasn't too sure about so I googled reviews and adjusted my cart so I ended up with 9 things in all. The total came to $106.55, but with the discount code it came down to $53.28 (shipping is free over $50).

Firstly I would just like to note how quickly shipping was. When you place an order they say it should take one week for it to be delivered. I ordered at about 9.30am on the Saturday, and expected it might take a bit longer since they would be busy with all the orders from the sale but 10am on the Wednesday my packaged arrived, delivered to my door by AusPost.

Back in summer I had purchased a Velourlips Matte Lip Cream in the colour Rio-D which is a vibrant coral-orange colour which I actually find to be very wearable (as long as I've got a tan). I was impressed by the product, too. I was interested in trying the other colours - there are 5 all up- and thought this was the perfect time to snap some up. 

Australis Velourlips RRP $9.95 each

The colours I purchased are Par-ee (beige nude), Mal-i-boo (barbie pink) and Ny-cee (red). The only one I don't own now is Tok-i-o, a bold purple shade, which is just not something I think I'd feel comfortable wearing.

I ordered the Mineral High Lights in both Pearl and Gold, as I have no idea what will suit me better. Confession: I am completely new to highlighters. I'm not sure if liquid highlighters are the best place to start but fingers-crossed I don't come out of this looking like a discoball. These both look like nice colours and I've heard that one of them is a dupe for Benefit's High Beam.

Australis Mineral High Lights RRP $14.95 each

I'm yet to share with you all what my biggest beauty struggle is... My brows. I'm a natural light blonde and my eyebrows do indeed match my hair colour (if not even lighter). I'm not a big fan of overly dramatic brows either, so I'm constantly searching for brow products which are just the right shade. I bought the Tint My Brow in Blonde, which I believe is essentially a coloured brow gel and an Eyebrow Pencil in Light Brown. On the website, the light brown pencil appeared less warm-toned than the blonde - hopefully I picked the right one!

Australis Eyebrow Pencil RRP $7.95 and Tint My Brow RRP $9.95

Last but not least I ordered the Make-up Finishing Spritz and Matte Out Mattifying Face Base (primer). I've heard great things about Australis' finishing spray and had been planning on picking it up for quite awhile but hadn't gotten around to it until now. I'm still not sold on Matte Out - there are mixed reviews about it online - but curiosity got the better of me with this one, I want to see if it works for me.

Australis Make-up Finishing Spritz RRP $14.95
and Matte Out Mattifying Face Base RRP $13.95

Also in my box was a free 'Lip Trio' with a lip exfoliator, moisturiser and gloss, and a 25% card for Le Tan online store.

I give Australis a big thumbs up for making quality products at affordable prices and also because they are 100% cruelty free! For anyone interested in checking them out, here is their website: http://www.australiscosmetics.com.au/home They only ship in Australia (sorry international beauties). Did you get anything from the Australis sale? What are your favourite Australis products? Comment and let me know! Becky x

Meet Me // Becky

Hi everyone!

I thought I’d give myself a quick introduction, I'm new to blogging but plan to give it my best shot!
First things first, my name is Becky. I'm 19, turning 20 in about a month and I am a born and raised Australian. I currently live with my partner and our two cats – Eve, who we have had for about 15 months and Toffee, who we only brought home this past weekend. They are both RSPCA shelter cats and both beautiful tortoiseshells.

While my furbabies are my life, I’m also interested in an array of other things.  I try my hardest to find the motivation to get to gym at least 3 times a week where I do a mix of weights and cardio. Once a week I take a yoga class and volunteer at the RSPCA. I work part-time at a supermarket but aspire to get into an administration-type role, although at this stage I'm not really sure on anything.

In the past year or so, I've really gotten into make-up, thanks to Youtube.  Before this I only ever really knew the basics – foundation, powder and mascara – but now I am so amazed by all the different techniques and products you can use. I have a small but growing collection, and if you asked my boyfriend I'm sure he would tell you I'm addicted to buying new products!

Another hobby of mine is games; I'm certainly not a hardcore gamer by all means but I enjoy playing certain games for fun. Some of my favourites have been/are Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Fallout 3, Portal 1 & 2 and Skyrim. Most of the reason I started playing games because of my lovely partner (who is more of a ‘hardcore gamer’). Occasionally we'll play things together and often I watch him play through games on the xbox and PC.

This covers most of what I'm all about, hopefully over time more of my personality will start to shine through my new blog.

Becky x