Redhead Rambles #16

Hello everyone and welcome to ‘Redhead Rambles’. The series does what it says on the tin, it is a redhead (me) rambling about her week. I share what I’ve been up to each week, how I’ve been feeling and what I’ve been listening to or watching. Occasionally I will my share favourite blog posts and links I’ve found useful or interesting.

• Jamie has a series of posts about unpopular opinions and they are so fun to read. Check out her latest installment *HERE*.
• Last Friday I had a huge sleep in and got up the latest I have in a while… 1pm. I did feel well rested though.
• At the weekend I went on a short trip with my boyfriend and his dad to the shooting range they are members of. I have been before but they are always making changes and fixing things up and it’s come a long way since I was there last.
• Lily Pebbles liked a comment I left on one of her Instagram photos and Andy Brown replied to a comments I left on one of his.
• I think I have come to the conclusion eyeshadow is my least favourite part of my makeup routine. Coming up with combinations is hard, I’m more of a single or two shadow kinda girl!
• On Monday and Tuesday I attended a two day workshop for customer service staff instead of being at work. I really enjoyed the workshop and found it useful. I will have those skills for life.
• Attending the workshop meant I got to wear my own clothes instead of my work uniform and it felt nice to make an effort. I don’t always get to do that. Monday’s OOTD was dungarees with a jumper underneath and Tuesday’s OOTD was one of my favourite cosy jumpers and black pants.
• I’m going to plug one of my own posts because I don’t know whether many people saw it or they missed it. I shared my second Bullet Journal update and video which you can view via THIS LINK.
• I discovered Rimmel no longer sell my holy grail mascara in Extreme Black. They only sell it in Black and it’s not the same. It seems to be a worldwide change which is sad. I hate when you find something you love and it changes. I accept it may not be a popular mascara but it’s still annoying.
• I did find the mascara mentioned above on an American website so I purchased two tubes as well as some other makeup. Let me know if you’d like a haul once the order arrives.
• After work on Thursday I went for my second trip to Kmart. I bought underwear, socks, a top I intend to use as a pyjama top, a travel size EDT and toys for Halo.

What I’ve been listening to:

Kylie Minogue – Golden – My copy of Kylie’s album arrived a week ago and it has been on loop ever since.

Westlife – Back Home – I threw it back to 2007/2008 with this one. The vocal talent on this album is incredible, the melodies and harmonies are beautiful and it is one of my favourite Westlife albums.

How was your week?

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Boyfriend’s Birthday Surprise!

This past weekend it was my boyfriend’s 25th birthday! I was super excited to celebrate and spend the entire day with him. I had plans for his birthday for a long time (that he didn’t know about) and I finally got to put them in place. A few times I mentioned a secret project on the blog and his birthday surprise was it. As he was turning 25 the first idea that came to mind was to give him 25 presents. I combined sentimental handmade gifts, with humorous ones as well as some of his favourite sweet treats. The gifts are unique and not what you’d automatically think to buy. I had so much fun buying all of these gifts and putting everything together and I wanted to share how things turned out!

Each present was numbered from 1 – 25 and given a sticker. There was no particular order apart from a few presents; #1 was a birthday card and #25 was a list of ’25 Reasons You’re Amazing’.

I blew up 25 silver balloons and tied them into bunches of 5. They were present #2.

Most of the presents are in this collage. The consumable presents hadn’t been purchased yet. They included Skittles, chocolate and fizzy drink.

All wrapped and boxed up!

I wrote a list of reasons why I chose each present which was the final thing I gifted to my boyfriend after he opened the presents.

The presents all unwrapped and my boyfriend opening a gift from his parents.

My outfit and makeup of the day.

Outfit Details:

• Jacket – Postie
• Top – Glassons
• Jeans – Dannii For Target

Makeup Products Used:

• Simple Radiance Brightening Moisturiser
• Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in 002 Hazel
• Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation in 101 Ivory Beige
• Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer – 1 Fair
• Maybelline ‘The Nudes’
• Max Factor Excess Shimmer – Copper
• Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex Mascara
• Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector – Opal
• MAC – Show Orchid

We went for an outing to Orakei Korako which is a geothermal area roughly an hour from where we live. There is a short boat ride which takes you to the guided path area where you can walk around the geysers and hot springs. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking and the weather couldn’t have been more beautiful. The temperature was warm without being too hot and it was also the first time I’d been on a boat. I only wish the boat ride had been longer.

After the trip we drove back and I had fish and chips for lunch – they were delicious! My boyfriend had Subway using the gift card I got him as one of his presents. After lunch I had a nap and we chilled for the rest of the evening.

It was such a lovely day and my boyfriend was very grateful for all the effort I had gone to to surprise him. I almost made him cry after reading the card and that was only present #1!

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What did you buy your significant other for their last birthday?

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My First Valentine! ❤

Whether you love it or hate it it was Valentine’s Day on Tuesday and I wanted to do a post about my first ever Valentine’s experience. Technically it’s my second (I had a dinner date with a girl friend last year) but my first in a relationship and with a boyfriend. I’ve always liked the idea of Valentine’s Day despite having always been single before. Some people might find the cards cheesy and the gifts gimmicky but I’m quite a soppy person (in a cute way) and it’s nice to have a day to celebrate love.

My boyfriend and I have been together for five months and while that’s still kind of new I always mention to him how many weeks/months it’s been since we met – each one is a little milestone! As you may know, this is the first relationship I’ve ever had and I’m so grateful everything has been positive and to share these experiences with someone like him because he’s truly lovely.

Presents

I got my boyfriend a cute card covered in cats (we post cat memes and GIFs to each other’s Facebook walls all the time) and wrote a rather sweet message in it as well as a bag of Sour Skittles and a plush dog toy holding a heart. I joked the dog even has ginger hair like me!

I told my boyfriend he didn’t have to buy me anything as it was only my birthday three weeks ago and Christmas a month before that. He insisted on getting me a present and gave me a lovely card and one of his soft toys. He told me it’s one he’s had for a while and he wanted me to have it. It’s also a kitty; Jaguar to be exact! *melt*

Outfit

It’s full on Summer in New Zealand so I wanted an outfit that was cute and weather appropriate. Last year I purchased a playsuit on ASOS and I have been loving it over the past month. I paired the playsuit with a cropped, sparkly, black cardigan.

Hair

I love the way my hair looks when it’s curled. I don’t curl it very often but I want to start making good use of the curler I got as a Christmas present from my brother. Curls don’t tend to stay in my hair for very long when I do it myself but I think I may have found a solution. I tied my hair in a ponytail and divided it into two sections. I curled one section at a time and when I untied my hair I had almost perfect curls. There were a few strands I missed but this method was so easy. I set the curls with hairspray which also made a difference.

Makeup

For makeup I based it on my recent Summer Makeup Menu which was inspired by peachy tones. I switched it up slightly and opted for more of a smoky eye and bronzed face as I wanted more glam.

Products listed below in order of application:

1. Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser
2. Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencil in 002 Hazel
3. The Body Shop Vitamin C Energising Face Mist
4. Max Factor CC Cream – 40 Fair
5. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer – 1 Fair
6. The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 01 Light Matte
7. Maybelline ‘The Nudes’ Palette
8. Rimmel Glam Eyes Day 2 Night Mascara
9. Dainty Doll Powder Blush in 004 You Are My Sunshine
10. MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Revved

The Finished Look:

Celebrations

My boyfriend picked me up in the afternoon (we hadn’t seen each other for 10 days, one of the longest times we’ve gone without seeing each other) and when we got to his we exchanged presents, I got given a red rose and caught up on cuddles. We talked and caught up with other, in between affectionate touches, before dinner; pizza if you’re wondering, and chocolate cake for dessert. We sat outside for a while (more cuddling) then went for an evening stroll around one of the lakes. The lighting was so nice after our walk, it was almost dark and my boyfriend described it as ‘atmospheric’ which suited it perfectly.

Overall, it was a beautiful day and I’m glad I had someone special to share it with!

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How did you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

My 22nd Birthday!

Hello everyone! As some of you might know it was my 22nd birthday this week (Tuesday to be exact) and I wanted to share my makeup menu, and give you a little run down of what I got up to on the day.

This year I was torn between having a lunch/dinner and inviting people along or just having a chilled, relaxing day. I opted for the latter and I did really enjoy the day. As a present from my mum I had a massage. I’d never had one before but the massage therapist was lovely and I felt so relaxed afterwards. I then came home and had lunch before my boyfriend picked me up and we went on a short walk. Later that night we ate pizza down by the lake and he took me on a drive.

Presents:

• MAC Matte Royal lipstick (brother) – I asked my brother to buy this for me. I have been curious to try a dark blue/navy lipstick for a while.
• Massage (Mum) – I had never had a massage prior to this but it felt very relaxing and I’d love to go back again.
• Skechers for work (mum) – For the majority of the time I’m at work I’m on my feet so comfortable shoes are a must. I got a pair of ‘Stellar’ Skechers which are black/grey as well as being lightweight and super comfy.
• Gift card (boyfriend).
• Atomiser with Juicy Couture perfume (boyfriend’s parents).

Outfit of the Day:

Left To Right:

Top: Keira Short Sleeve V Neck Tee (Cotton On)

Shorts: Daisy Cheeky Denim Shorts (Glassons)

Jumper (for the evening): Slouch V Neck Jumper (Glassons)

Makeup Menu:

• Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser
• Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in 002 Hazel
• The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist
• Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 010 Light Porcelain
• Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer  – 1 Fair
• The Body Shop Honey Bronze Matte Bronzer in 01 Light
• Maybelline ‘The Nudes’
• Max Factor Excess Shimmer in Copper
• Rimmel Day 2 Night Mascara
• MAC Ruby Woo

Finished Makeup Look

I am a big fan of this look – I used a number of my staple products and paired them with a classic red lip.

Random balloon pictures – who doesn’t love balloons?!?!

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Thank you for reading this post and a big thank you to everyone who took time out of their day to wish me happy birthday!

Date Night OOTD & Makeup

Happy Wednesday, it’s the middle of another week already! I was in two minds about whether I should (is should the right word?) share this post or not but I’ve decided to. I’ve always been open about the fact that I haven’t been in a relationship before or had a lot to do with the opposite sex but a few weeks ago I went out to dinner on a date. To cut a long story short, I never heard from the guy after that. Despite this, I really enjoyed putting this look together and I wanted to share what I wore in case you’re in a similar situation or just need some inspiration.

The Outfit

1. Cotton On Archy Crop Pullover

I knew it might get a bit chilly so I wanted to make sure I was warm whilst still looking nice. I went for a casual/semi-formal look and I rolled up the sleeves of this pullover to make things a bit more cute and playful. The colour broke up the black of the rest of the outfit.

2. Cotton On 3/4 Sleeve Boat Neck

Underneath the pullover I opted for a simple black 3/4 sleeve top. These sorts of tops are so versatile and perfect for layering.

3. Dannii For Target Coated Leggings

I absolutely love these leggings for their comfort and the way they look! These are more glam than your usual pair of plain black leggings and the coated animal print also adds a bit of personality and playfulness.

4. Forever New Scarlett Quilted Bag

I picked up this bag when I was in Auckland with dates and evenings out in mind. It is the perfect size and can hold a decent amount. For example, on my date I had my phone, keys, cards, ID, various other bits and there was still room to spare.

5. Diana Ferrari Onix Suede Boots

It was a chilly evening and I’m glad I opted for boots. These look so cute with the leggings tucked in and I do love the sound of the slight heel against the pavement as I walk.

The Face

I started with my trusty Simple moisturiser as usual. All other products are listed in order of application:

1. Makeup Revolution Ultra Face Base Primer

2. Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in 002 Hazel

3. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 010 Light Porcelain

4. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 1 Fair

5. Maybelline ‘The Nudes’ – (Shades 3 and 7)*

6. Max Factor Excess Shimmer in Copper

7. Rimmel Day 2 Night Mascara – (Two coats of the volume mascara)

8. Goddess of Love Highlighter

9. MAC Syrup – (I wanted to make an impact but not go over the top with a bold lip)

*Both shades were applied all over the lid before going in with Max Factor’s Excess Shimmer in Copper for added sparkle!

The Finished Look

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Let me know what you think of the look I created, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Do you have an outfit or makeup look reserved specifically for date nights?

❄ OOTD: I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter ❄

In New Zealand we are over halfway through winter and thankfully it hasn’t been too bitter. *Touches wood* I wanted to share an outfit with you that I have been wearing a lot lately, it’s perfect for winter but will still keep you looking stylish. (The outfit is pocket friendly too!) This outfit is a cross between casual and semi-formal. I took inspiration from nature and opted for greys and blacks to represent the clouds and gloomy weather. I kept the colour palette neutral so it would be easy to recreate and it also means you can accessorise easily and wear whatever makeup you wish. Unfortunately, most of these items aren’t available online anymore but I will link the products I can find at the end of the post.

Clothing

Long sleeve Roll Neck Boucle Jumper – $15

I purchased this jumper at the beginning of June and I have been obsessed with it ever since! I spotted this in store and instantly fell in love. The jumper is lightweight and doesn’t feel heavy on but is still warm and cosy. I really like the roll neck, how it looks and the practicality of it for cooler weather. This jumper is quite slouchy and oversized but somehow it is the perfect fit at the same time. The sleeves aren’t too long and the hem sits nicely. The short splits at the sides are a cute touch.

Anna High Neck Tee – $5

Cotton On has become one of my favourite places to shop for clothes recently. Their clothes are the right mix of stylish and affordable and I picked up this high neck tee back in January for only $5! I like the ribbed effect, the sleeve length and the fitted look. I’m a curvy girl but I love how this looks on and how it makes me feel confident when I wear it; it hugs in all the right places. I believe this tee would work with most outfits all year round.

Grey Jeggings – $15

I love the comfort of leggings and I love the look of jeans so it was a no brainer for me to pick up this pair of jeggings. My pair have an elasticated waist as opposed to a button and zip closure. Unlike a lot of jeans and leggings that gather around my ankles because I’m short, these don’t. Although I couldn’t find a picture of my exact pair online, I feel this image best represents the colour, not dark grey but not light grey either.

Accessories

The Saturdays Crystal Heart Necklace – $2

I have had this necklace for a couple of years now and it was an even bigger bargain than the high neck tee! By Gioia are a company that specialise in jewellery from the world’s biggest musical artists and I purchased this necklace from The Saturdays’ line for £1. When the line was first released I think this retailed for roughly £17.99. This necklace has an adjustable chain and I chose this particular piece to compliment the roll neck jumper because of its’ length.

Footwear

When it comes to footwear for this outfit, I have two options: one is more casual and the other is more dressy if you were going out or had an event in the evening.

1. Skechers Flex Appeal Sweet Spot Walking Shoes – $77.99

 This pair of shoes is the most expensive item in this post but as far as shoes go they’re still not too expensive. I find shoe shopping can be difficult because I have wide, short feet and my ankles roll out when I walk (pronation). These shoes are one of the most comfortable pairs I have worn and I’m sure that’s down to the memory foam. I love to be comfortable and I bought these because I wanted a nice pair of trainers which these certainly are. If you’d like to read more about these shoes, I wrote a post on them HERE.

2. Onix Suede Boots – $20

I bought these boots almost two years ago and they are still in near perfect condition. Despite these being suede, I’ve never experienced any water damage or any marks. Originally these boots retailed for $179.99 and I almost couldn’t believe it when I saw the price sticker for $20. These boots have the slightest heel but that doesn’t alter how comfortable they are to wear. These look so cute with the grey jeggings tucked into them.

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Jumper: Kmart

Top: Cotton On

Jeggings: Postie

Necklace: By Gioia

Shoes: Skechers

Shoes: Diana Ferrari

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I hope you enjoyed reading this post and seeing what I’ve been loving and wearing lately fashion-wise. Let me know what you think of this outfit – would you wear it?

Valentine’s OOTD ❤

Happy Monday lovelies! How was your Valentine’s Day yesterday? I literally had nothing planned until Wednesday night when a friend messaged me and suggested her and I meet up and do something together. We decided to go out and ended up settling on going out for desert. If you want to see what I wore and how I did my makeup, keep reading!

Outfit:

I wanted to wear a relatively simple outfit but still incorporate an ounce of femininity and glamour. I paired the blush/black tee featured in my Me Spree: Birthday Edition with a pair of black leggings and a pair of plain, black heels. I don’t wear heels a lot but thought they worked nicely with this outfit.

Makeup:

I wanted my makeup to reflect my outfit so I kept it simple and went for a statement lip keeping my eyeshadow and blush neutral.

Products listed in order of application:

1. Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser
2. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation – 081 Fair Ivory
3. Maybelline Fit Me Concealer – 15 Fair
4. Maybelline ‘The Nudes’ Palette: I used the first two shades on the top row all over the lid.
5. Rimmel ScandalEyes Lycra Flex Mascara
6. Dainty Doll Cream Blush 003 Billion Dollar Babies
7. Revlon Fire & Ice Lipstick

Food:

We went to a restaurant called Fat Dog and the food I had on this particular visit was lovely! The atmosphere is always very relaxed and chilled. Neither of us had eaten much all day so we decided to have more than just dessert.

You know how much I love my water!

“Potato wedges served with sour cream.”

“Caramelised banana, fresh made waffle with peanut butter, passion and vanilla ice cream.”

I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day filled with love! Even if you celebrated on your own you deserve to feel special! ❤

 

Get Ready With Me: Weekend Glam

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a lovely weekend! This was one of the first weekends in a while that I’ve felt I’ve been able to relax and haven’t had anything crop up or on the go. I had been looking forward to this weekend for a long time, ever since Ellie Goulding announced the release date of her third album ‘Delirium’. While I was getting ready to go into town I came up with the idea to do a little OOTD/FOTD/Get Ready With Me post as well as sharing the rest of my weekend with you. Enjoy!

Outfit of the Day

Pants: Black leggings

Top: Cream t-shirt with black shoulder detailing

Shoes: Holster sandals in Pewter

Face of the Day

Instead of just listing the products like I normally do, I thought I would give a step by step guide to how I did my face.

1) Using Garnier’s Micellar Water (not pictured) I cleansed my skin before applying Simple’s  Light Hydrating Moisturiser.

2) After 20 minutes I patted Rimmel’s Fix & Perfect Primer in the shade 001 into my skin.

3) Next I applied my eyeshadow using Maybelline’s ‘The Nudes’ palette.

I used the two taupe shades in the top right hand corner and the black shade to line my crease.

4) Moving onto my base. I used Rimmel’s Match Perfection Foundation in 081 Fair Ivory and Maybelline’s Fit Me Concealer in 15 Fair.

5) For mascara I opted for my trusty Rimmel ScandalEyes Lycra Flex. This mascara gives my lashes a lovely curl that lasts all day.

6) Time for blush. Dainty Doll’s You Are My Sunshine is a lovely rose-gold and I apply this by swirling my ring fingers in the compact then rubbing them both together to get an even amount of product. I lightly dab the blush on to the tops of my cheeks in a circular motion.

7) You all know lips are my favourite part of my makeup routine and for this look I tried something new. I patted Revlon’s Tutti Frutti Lip Butter into my lips to get a light wash of colour then layered L.A. Colors’ Glossin Go lip gloss in Sherbet (not pictured) on top to give my lips shine. The result, a luscious peach lip!

All made up and ready to go!

The first stop for mum and I in town was lunch. The two of us shared a strawberry thickshake and some hot chips.

After lunch the time had finally come to buy Ellie’s CD; what this whole trip was about.

I couldn’t resist playing the album as soon as I got home and I suspect it will be a real grower. Ellie is one of those artists who I know I will love pretty much everything she does and her music always makes me feel happy and excited when I listen to it. I can still remember the day I purchased her first album and how I would listen to it literally every day.

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There’s not much else to report really. Sunday involved me sleeping in and not getting up until rather late *ahem 12:30pm* and catching up on blogging and getting this week’s posts written up for you. I hope you enjoyed this post and do let me know what you did with your weekend!

OOTD & FOTD: 21st Edition

Hello beautiful people! How was your weekend?

I had a friend’s 21st on Saturday and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to do a wee outfit of the day and face of the day post for you all! Initially I was worried about the party, I didn’t know what to expect or who was going to be there but I ended up having a good time. Dancing for three and a half hours is great exercise!

What I Wore (Outfit):

Jacket: Postie – This is a long sleeved lightweight waterfall style jacket. I didn’t want to wear anything too heavy but I still wanted to be warm. The metal jewels down the sleeves bought a little bit of bling to my outfit!

Top: Kmart – I picked this top up for $10 at the beginning of the year and it really does look good with anything, casual, or more dressy on this occasion. The stripes helped to break up the black of the rest of my outfit and introduce a bit of pattern and playfulness.

Skirt: Pagani – This skirt is absolutely beautiful and so comfortable to wear – it feels like I haven’t got anything on! The material is soft and stretchy and cut in a bandage style which adds texture and doesn’t make it look like a plain black skirt or a skirt you’d wear to work.

I paired all of this with a pair of stockings and my Diana Ferrari Onix Slouch Boots. They are super comfortable and allow me to dance all night without getting sore feet.

What I Wore (Makeup):

Base:

Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 081 Fair Ivory

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer ’15 Fair’

Eyes/Brows:

Chi Chi Billion Dollar Palette ‘Heiress’ – I used the white as a primer all over the lid before sweeping over the grey shadow and patting on the shimmery silver.

Rimmel ScandalEyes Lycra Flex Mascara in Black

Profusion Eyebrow Pencil in Brown – I don’t normally do anything to my brows but I had this pencil lying around and decided to try it out last weekend. I kept things pretty subtle on Saturday and thought it turned out well considering it was only my second attempt.

Cheeks:

Dainty Doll Blush 004 You Are My Sunshine

Lips:

BYS Lipstick ‘Fuchsia Surprise’

All made up and ready to par-tay!

I wore my hair down and curled it and was very happy with the way it (and the rest of my look) turned out! Apologies about the quality of the photo, it was almost sunset and natural light was disappearing fast.

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This post was so much fun to write and I hope you enjoyed reading it! Be sure to let me know what you think of my look and if you have a go to party look of your own, why not share it in the comments.