New Year's Resolutions

----> Get a nice job, meet some cool people, survive university, start being fit and healthy annnd be rich and pretty XD no honestly just have better skin and darker eyebrows =_= 

Photo from my instagram because I'm lazy like that ._. ok P.S cut down on the laziness for the upcoming year....

Movie Review and Rant: INTERSTELLAR

So a few days ago I went and saw the movie Interstellar and it is a hell of a confusing one. But epic and remarkably done. 

For those of you who are planning to see this soon I kinda recommend reading my spoilers otherwise you would probably not be able to follow along with all the craziness...

SO BASICALLY....

The future earth that we live in is so destroyed by pollution and whatnot that all we are concerned about are farming enough food and protection against the destructive sand storms. As a result of this all space ventures are written off as propaganda because the government does not want anyone to spend 'unnecessary money' on things other than food or agriculture.  

So Mcconaughey's character Cooper is an astronaut turned farmer raising 2 kids, one of which is the little girl/child prodigy Murphy (who is the only kid that Coop really gives a shit about...). 

Murphy claims to be constantly bothered by a 'ghost' in her bedroom as objects are always being moved. From the 'ghost's movements Coop and Murph find the coordinates NASA‘s secret hideout and they set out on a cheeky little road trip to find it. 

There they learn that Earth is disintegrating and the only way to preserve mankind is to venture into space in search for new inhabitable planets. The president of NASA (Dr Brand) then recruits Coop and his own daughter (Hathaway) to pilot the spacecraft Endurance to carry out this mission. 

There are 2 plans for this quest which are plan A and B. Plan A is the promised one where they shall find an inhabitable planet and then transport all earthlings on space stations to evacuate earth.

However...In case plan A fails (the evacuation process still needs a lot of research) they will have to resort to plan B which is to plant artificial embryos to start the human race anew. 

In the process to convince Cooper's involvement Dr Brand promised that plan A is going to work (so Coop will be saving Murph and her generation). However, we find out later that he never intended it to carry out plan A.... 

*10 or so years prior to the present day 13 NASA astronauts were sent on a suicide mission after NASA discovered a wormhole appearing. It will cause dimension to bend and they can reach distances that would otherwise take light years. The astronauts each investigated one planet and would only send a signal for support if the planet proves habitable. Out of the 13 only 3 signals are detected. It is Cooper and Hathaway's (with 2 others) mission to investigate all 3 and find the best one. 

This is basically the back story...if you know this much before you go see the movie then you will sound uber smart...I guarantee lol 

RANTS:

Wtf I cannot understand Mcconaughey's accent!!! Its like a blend of Irish and southern Texas (I'm sorry if I'm completely wrong lol) but its sooooo hard to understand. The dialog of this movie is done so strangely that I miss half the lines. Would be better if they had...ya know...subtitles when people can't articulate their words WHEN THEY ARE DYING (and I missed the whole plan A revelation part coz of that...)

I felt like there wasn't enough drama I mean obviously saving the world is pretty dramatic in its own right but...maybe they could have put a little more emphasis on plot turns? When the crazy sideburns Hunger Games dude died on planet 1 NOBODY gave a shit...I didn't even realize that he died if it weren't for the split second shot of his floating back...and when they returned to Endurance 23 friggin years have passed and well...they handled it pretty well. I think it would have been interesting if there was a split screen of how time passed for the remaining astronaut as compared to the ones on planet 1.

Also I thought the older son's character was kind of useless... they could have shortened the movie so it won't drag on for 3 hours. Clearly nobody gave a crap about him anyway. 

Although I love Anne Hathaway and I think she's completely gorgeous but I must say Jessica Chastain stole the show for me (as grown up Murph). She was so amazing in her limited scenes. The only part in the whole movie that made me cry was when she 'skyped' her dad on her birthday telling him to come home. That scene made me appreciate Mcconaughey a lot more too. 

Overall It is a really amazing movie and I highly recommend it. Some background in physics will be great though lol 

Now that I'm on the Nolan bandwagon I'm prolly gonna check out The Prestige too 

Best habits to develop for Losing Weight!

Tbh weightloss is a lonnggg and tedious process that requires a lot of work, but whats most important in the long run is to develop healthy habits which can really change the way your body works for the better. These may sound obvious for a lot of people but I thought it would be useful to collect it all as another reminder for all of us. 

hhahahaahah

1. Drink water! 
It is absolutely crucial to stay hydrated all the time. My tip on this is to have a drink around every half hour, always remember to carry around a drink bottle and don't be lazy! It's good to drink lots throughout the day (around two liters, no more!) Do not drink too much water at night because it will make you bloated the next day.

2. Do not have your dinner too late 
Lots of diets do suggest skipping dinner altogether but that is practically impossible for me LOL so the next best alternative is to have it early. This doesn't mean having supper afterwards haha. The thing is, if you stop eating a few hours before bed because that is when metabolism is the slowest. So I would recommend to stop eating after 7.

3. Do not stay up!
Honestly, how many of us are guilty of grabbing a late night snack ;_; yup. Staying up does this to you, there's no resisting it. To eliminate chances of eating between dinner and bedtime staying up is not the way to go.

4. Try to dress a little less 
This tip applies mainly in autumn/early winter and spring when the weather is a little chilly. The reason is because the body naturally burns fat to keep us warm so obviously the colder we are the more fat the body has to burn. NOT saying to freeze yourself and have a cold, but try not to over dress.

5. Eat fruits and vegetables
Yeah... This is a helpful tip...very helpful actually, try it out sometime ;P
However, I should mention that fruit juices, dried fruits etc do not compare to fresh ones and green juices are not as healthy as you think they are. Often the fibers are all broken up so it doesn't deliver the same amount of nutrients. Also, most veggies are better after they're cooked.

6. Always tense your muscles!
If going to a gym is inconvenient for you, there are other ways to exercise without interrupting your daily activities, whenever you get the chance, try to tense your abs while walking. You could also tense your calves by going on tippy toes while sitting down. The key is to not let your muscles rest. 

7. Stand after dinners 
After each meal try not to sit or lie down straight after, especially for dinner. My tip is to stand flat against the wall with your back facing it. Make sure the back of your heel and your head are touching the wall because it forces your body to be very tense. Try to do this for around 15 minutes, you will likely to feel quite tired after that. 

8. Have more baths
Hot body and foot baths helps to increase blood circulation which speeds metabolism. Soaking your feet in hot water is very good to the body in general. I recommend bathing around once a week and foot baths around 3 times a week. 

9. Weigh yourself regularly 
Checking your weight around every fortnight will be a great indication to how your body is doing. You can change the way you're eating etc based on fluctuations in your weight. 

10. Stay away from intense diets 
Do Not skip out on meals or stop eating food entirely like some crazy diets suggest. This will seriously screw up your system and can lead to numerous side effects not to mention you will only eat more after being starved. Eating fruits alone will not supply efficient energy and you will feel absolutely sick if you diet like this. 

11. Try to keep the 'inside' of your body heated
This should not conflict tip number 4 as the aim for this tip is to stimulate metabolism by heating the inside of your body. You can do this by incorporating spices into your diet and dishes, lots of dieting pills include such things such as tumeric, cayenne powder and cinnamon. 
Drink ginger tea and try to stay away from cold drinks. 

12. Eat smaller meals more regularly throughout the day 
This is pretty self explanatory, the key is to allow food to be digested quickly and completely so its better to stay away from large meals.

Banila Co Summer Fantasy neon tinted Lip Crayons review + demo

I've mentioned these lippies in a post wayy back when I said I wanted to try them out, it wasn't until a couple of months back when I finally did :D I got them on sale for $15 NZD each but I believe they are sold online for around $20 USD each. I got them in shades 1 (Margarita) and 4 (Sunset). 
And boy these are neon!!

Points: 

The scent is amazinggggg, its a mixture of jasmine/frangipani floral scent which lingers 

They are very pigmented so you have to be careful when applying for everyday use, however the pigmented colours are so good for selfies or photoshoots. With the bright neon pink and orange it looks very edgy. 

The lasting powers of this isn't that impressive, because the consistency is so crayon like it tends to rub off super easily. However it does leave a slight tint on your lips. 

Overall, I would say they are a very fun lip product to collect because they're unlike other chubby sticks. These have a tougher consistency and tug more on the lips, its really like using a crayon.

When applied it feels like a wax coating on the lips since the colour payoff is so exact. The swatches on my hand here is what it will look like on your lips. It covers the natural colour of your lips completely. 

For the price I paid I really enjoy my purchases, however, for the full price...I'd be a little reluctant. I do recommend these but I also think they are overpriced. Edit: This is NOT for chapped lips, it is not 'creamy' at all so it is very unforgiving to peeling skin. 

If I had to buy one of these two I'd personally go for the orange one, its such a cool colour that I wear a lot. 

I have found exact dupes for these colours which are MAC's Morange and Impassioned. I would wear them together for a gradient look. 

I've used the pink colour (shade 4) for the photo below to create that Korean gradient. 

I used lip foundation to mute the colour of my lips, smudged out MAC Impassioned to a pale pink and applied 'Sunset' on the very inner parts. Finally I coated my lips in a candyfloss coloured Barry M gloss (because it's quite crap and not pigmented haha, it won't smudge out my lips) and done! 

Banila Co Slick Expression Eyeliner review

So wayyyy back I mentioned I wanted to try some products from this brand, and sometime this year I finally went out and bought a couple of their products, mainly because there's this new store on Queenstreet that's stocking them. I got these on sale for $15 NZD but I'm pretty sure you can get them elsewhere for less than $20 USD. Mine is in the colour dark brown. 

This is my currently most used eyeliner because it looks sooo natural. First of all, the colour comes off lightly in a shade of dark brown, meaning it is easy to build up. And once you do it isn't far off black which is the colour I normally use. As you can tell, this is a super liquidy liquid eyeliner, which isn't of much concern to me because it makes it easier to apply and won't dry out as fast. This has very good lasting powers and will not streak throughout the day. 

It comes with a normal pointed brush tip which makes precised lines and defined tips. 

Would I recommend? Yes, it looks extremely natural and in general is a good quality eyeliner to work with. What I love the most is that it doesn't have that dry sticky feeling even after a couple of months of use. It just gives off that high end vibe from the packaging to the application. It is definitely the best Korean eyeliner I've used. 

Is it worth it? In my opinion, it is wayyy better than Dolly Wink (which is roughly at the same price point) but I am unsure how it compares to western brands. I certainly do not regret my purchase. 

The BEST double eyelid tape EVER (daiso)

So being a girl with natural (most-of-the-time) monolids I'm constantly on the hunt for the perfect double eyelid trick. I've been through glue, fibre, single sided tape (clear, nude and black) and none of them have worked. The worst of the bunch would have to be fibre...and they're ridiculously expensive if you get them from Ippondo here in Auckland.  The pictures below are precisely the brands I've tried, Automatic Beauty fibres and Etude House 66 big eye line charm.

The problem with those is that THEY DON'T LAST. I apply them right after foundation and they barely last through eye makeup let alone the whole day...Right when I was desperate I found out about double sided eyelid tape, it just made so much sense! And from then on...my life was changed...

This stuff is awesome!!

They are sold in Daiso (NZ $10 for 3) its super sticky and will definitely last the whole day and more. If I had to only live with one product for the rest of my life...it would no doubt be these. I once used them on a tramp...and they survived through a shower right until bed...

Its super super easy to apply, you could literally use your nails. The only bad thing is once you start loving it...there's no going back, its addictive. I can't even imagine what I will do once they discontinue. 

I've only tried another brand of double sided eyelid tape aside from this and it doesn't even compare so I stopped exploring then and there. Daiso is the cheapest and best quality stuff you will find. 

If you already have double lids and just want more definition, I would recommend the smaller size. I typically use the larger sized ones a lot more because they give more support.

Missing my hair...

So I got a haircut recently, nothing too dramatic but enough to make me feel nostalgic when I see old photographs... 

My Thoughts on Project Runway Season 13 Designers

So since I reside in the tiny little country of NZ I was pretty slow to catch on that my all time favourite TV show is back for its 13th season. I immediately went online and watched all the 4 episodes that have aired so far in one sitting and I do have a little something something to say about this show. First of all...IT REALLY MADE ME QUESTION MY TASTE. I mean I've always sort of prided myself on being quite stylish but after watching the very first episode...I literally didn't understand life. So here's my take on who should have gone home and who I think will make it to the top. 

 FAVOURITES:

Fade: He is my number one designer, I just love how creative and sophisticated he is with his designs. He works so well with manipulating his fabric as shown in the suit challenge which I thought he should totally have been on top. What makes me angry is how underrated he is, it seems like the judges never see beyond tacky fringing and pinstripes to real glamour. He does remind me a lot of previous PR winner Dimitry as they both have that exotic touch (and were both pretty much ignored in the first few rounds). Any how I'd really like to see more of his work in the previous episodes to come and I hope the judges will finally give him some credit to the level of work he is presenting.
This is my favourite look from him so far:

Samantha: She is another one of the underrated designers who I really happen to like, firstly omg her personality is such a breath of fresh air, perhaps the only designer in the house who's not constantly having a dig at others failing designs. 

I feel like her aesthetic is the closest to mine with lots of use of muted colours and youthful silhouettes, I would wear her clothes in a heartbeat. But I feel like the practicality of her designs will eventually go against her because she does not always interpret challenges in the most creative way, and PR judges being themselves will totally fail to appreciate those who don't take risks. I hope she incorporates more colour and patterns into her designs soon because I really hope this doesn't handicap her in future episodes. Nonetheless I'd hope to see her at fashion week as she really does represent the younger generation of designers. 

other designers I hope to see at fashion week: Sean (NZ represent!!!) and Char, they both have strong visions and can create polished looks to support it. 

LEAST FAVOURITE:

Amanda: I honestly never appreciated her style. IMO everything she makes is drunk hippy barbie. And that's possibly all I have to say about her aside from the fact that I question the judges taste on making her the teacher's pet. 

Seriously. enough said.

Mitchell: If he only spent as much time on his garments than he did at bitching about other designers...mayyybe he'd do a bit better. Frankly I don't think he has any taste at all. 

Innisfree Green Tea Mineral Mist review

Before I even start I just wanna say HOLY this stuff is soooo good. Its summer in a tube. Literally. I would consider this one of my absolute essentials, I used it religiously and lugged the 150ml sized bottle everywhere I went. This is not even comparable to some other mists I've used in the past such as the Skinfood and Skin 79 ones, unlike the others, this is in an aerosol tin so the mist is SO FINE. The spray pump is awesome and just the right size. Sadly though, I don't have a photo of it because IT GOT TAKEN AWAY FROM ME IN CUSTOMS *cryyyyyyyy. So lesson of the day...don't think about swindling your way through customs...they are horrible people.

You can use this directly on makeup and it will not stray simply because you can barely feel the water. Its just a cloud of coolness, a lot like walking through a fog on an early morning. I would use this when I'm getting too hot, my skin is dehydrated or when I get sleepy. 

 I would definitely recommend this product and you can get it on ebay for super cheap (something like $14). Super worth the money.  

My Favourite Fragrance

So recently I've been loving trying out new fragrances and I came across the most comforting and fresh scent, which is the DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom. It is just the right blend of floral and fruitiness which makes it such a pretty perfume to wear and its so easy to use everyday, I feel like I can't get enough of it!!!! 

I mean there are other perfumes which smells stronger and more inviting than this one but I really can't picture myself wearing scents like that, such as Dior or Chanel (Gucci Envy on the other hand is another one of my favourite scents). I'm so drawn to fruity floral scents such as Lady Million and Versace Yellow Diamond...I literally cannot stop smelling them every time I go to the store........sooonnnnn.....

so the conclusion is, if you are looking for the perfect, girly, young daytime scent, this is my recommendation for you. The staying power is alright, I can get through a whole day of school with the smell attached and on my body the scent melts into a clean orchid scent which settles quite well over time. 

The only disappointing thing is the packaging and spray, it's really not my aesthetic and doesn't look that nice on display but I guess it's kind of cute being so round and all. The spray doesn't disperse the product properly so a lot of perfume lands on the same spot, but I mean those are all minor issues.

Day out with wifey and life

So lately I've been quite busy with graduating and what not and haven't been bothered with anything... I managed to convince my school's counsellor to let me graduate a year earlier so I can go to university sooner than everybody else. I'm still not sure if this is a good idea as I'm only 17 and most of the people in uni should be around 19+ as a lot of people prefer to take a gap year.
 I'm enrolled in a conjoint degree of accounting (I know -_-, I'm regretting it too) and law. Apparently law requires an A- average with an acceptance rate of less than 5%.... so I guess I have an extra year to muck around with.
Anyway, uni starts in less than a month and I'm so under preprepared and nervous, the feeling of walking into a new school without any friends is coming back again and making me a little uncomfortable.  
Last month I had a little day out with my best friend who sneaked out during her SAT prep (I didn't encourage her lol), we went to one of the best high tea places and spent a lot of unnecessary money haha. Makes me sad to think that she will be leaving for the states in June and I'll probably not see her until Christmas if she chooses to come back. Hate that feeling when you finally discover that you've become an adult when the people around you all fly off in different directions. Its still possible to retain close friendship with someone who lives so far away from you right? 
Anyway, here are some photos of our day in town
(I'm the one with the hat haha)

*written in Jan