The Joy In Life

I had a very thought provoking conversation with a friend the other day about doing things that brings us joy, not in the outcome but in the process. I thought I should brainstorm the things that make me calm and contented and this is what I came up with:

• A tidy bedroom - this may seem odd to anyone who knows me because I am an extremely messy person but a tidy room is a sure-fire way of making me motivated and happy.
• Getting things done - similarly this may seem odd as I am a chronic procrastinator however there is nothing more satisfying than being productive.
• Looking forward to things - as someone about to finish their second last year of school there is nothing that brings me greater joy than daydreaming about the future. I'm most excited to travel, for uni and for moving out (although who knows when the last one will actually happen).
• Cooking - I don't actually do this as much as I would like to firstly because I am ridiculously busy and secondly because, as mentioned earlier, I am a massive procrastinator but when I do manage to get myself into the kitchen I love to whip up some yummy sugar free snacks.
• Seeing my friends - this is probably the most obvious one and also probably the most common among anyone, no matter who they are, but there is nothing better than catching up with friends to boost my mood. Give me a hot drink, some sun and a couple of lovely friends and I will ask for nothing more.
• Going to the city - I live about an hour out of Melbourne which, for Australia, is fairly close. I usually find myself in the city at least once a week, usually before 9am, and I love exploring the city then; its so quiet and calm with hardly any people in there at all at that time.
• Laughing until my stomach hurts - this laughter is not just chuckling softly this is lying on the floor begging for the pain to stop. Physiologically speaking this is good for both your happiness and your stomach muscles. Whats not to like?
• Setting goals and sticking to them - this might be cheating a little as it kind of falls into the 'getting things done' category but I think this needs its own little category. Whether it be committing to practising my cello everyday or posting a blog post every Saturday (this is the 8th week in a row and I am very proud of myself) actually sticking to my goals fills me with the utmost joy.
• Girl power playlists - nothing can get you feeling fine as quickly and efficiently as a girl power playlist can, of this I am sure. 8Tracks has some great compilations that make even the most mundane chore fun.
• Sitting in the sun with a book - living in Australia means I get the privilege of actually seeing the sun for a large portion of the year and an hour soaking up the sun is an ideal part of any day, just as long as I manage to not get burnt!

This is what I do to bring joy into my life but I think the list is no way near long enough yet and hopefully it will expand hugely with time. What do you enjoy in life?

xx Gemma

Recent Makeup Buys

As I am currently saving for my trip to Germany (Less than two months way! I'm so excited) I have restricted my spending a lot however I have managed to sneak a few necessities in over the past month or so. 

From Lush I have picked up the Tea Tree Water toner (full review here) and I am in love! I also got my hands on Grease Lightning and, whilst I thankfully have not needed to use it too often, am very impressed.

From Rimmel I picked up the Scandal'Eyes Waterproof Mascara in black. I usually opt for a waterproof mascara as I cry more than is socially acceptable and this one seems to manage to not make me look like a panda which is always a plus! I also grabbed the Scandal'Eyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in nude because every blogger that I follow seems to own this and, despite what I would like to think, I am not immune to their enabling. Whilst I do like this for my waterline I don't think it is particularly long lasting, at least on me, and I do need to reapply throughout the day. I also feel that the colour is a little too shiny and metallic for a nude but aside from that I am really enjoying using it. Lastly from Rimmel I picked up the 60 Seconds Colour Rush Nail Enamel in the shade Breakfast In Bed (Is that not the cutest name?) I absolutely adore this nail polish! Everything from the fast drying formula to the gorgeous  colour has my completely head over heels!

After giving up on my Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream I decided to try the Revlon Colorstay Makeup for Normal to Dry Skin in the shade Buff. My opinion on this one is a little all over the place at the moment (some days I love it, some days I can't wait to get it off my face) so I plan on making a full review with all of the pros and cons.

I also picked up an eyelash curler (from the home brand at the supermarket because I am a truly classy girl), a Covergirl Eye Enhancers 4-Kit Eye Shadow in Pure Romance which is nice enough but nothing to write home about, a Neutrogena Naturals Lip Balm which I love - great moisture without the sticky residue? Yes please! - and the Bourjois Happy Light Luminous Serum Primer. Whilst this gets the job done, Bourjois is a slightly more expensive drugstore brand (I'm saving remember!) and I think that, for the $21 that I paid, it would be nice to get a little more product. Aside from the size I really like this primer and can definitely see the difference when I use it as opposed to when I don't.

xx Gemma