styleoutsidethebox.com

We all love those ugly yet cozy hand knitted jumpers from nan in the winter time, or that hand made doll house dad put his sweat and tears into for you when you were a little girl.

Hand made, home made what ever it is at the end of the day we all love the thought that someone has put their hard work into something that we cherish. 

Recently I come across the website Style Outside The Box, you can find the link here.

A place where nan's jumpers and dads dollhouses are famous!! ...well not really. But it's full of independent designers with creative brains! You can find anything handmade from home decor to a brand new outfit for yourself! ;)

& of COURSE quite a few things caught my eye!

1. THIS NECKLACE!
$64.00

Find the link straight to the Cotton Deco Crochet Necklace here!

I don't even know what to say about it......

Basically we all have our statement pieces, the blazer, the LBD, those signature heels and the odd statement jewelry piece. But this necklace is well beyond a statement. People from up the road would see it on you! It's just to stunning for words. 

2. Now this is just crazy.. but I WANT IT!

ON SALE! $13.00

Find the link for the Adjustable Mug Cozy with Vintage Button here!

I absolutely LOVE the concept of this. Have you ever gone to grab the take away cup and it's scolded your hand? unless that just stupid me.. But anyhoo, this would make another great gift!

It's one of those things people will think, 'why would I use this?' then down the track they are actually using it! Plus it's adorable!

3.  Year Round Candles!

$17.00

Find these funky Blue Cherry Blossoms Candle Holders here!

All year round I will burn a candle in my bedroom. As long as it smells good and even if it's 100 degrees outside I'll burn that candle!

These candles are just way to cute! They'd make an awesome gift for mum or those stupid Secret Santa's at work when you don't know what to get!

4. That's right! A Tea Bag Ring!
$54.00

Find the link for the Tea Bag Ring here!

Have you ever worn a really cute odd piece of jewelry and gone up to the counter at a shop and the shop assistant notices it! Well this ring for sure will bring you some attention!

Since it's small and quirky people will have to double take to make sure that its a cup of tea on your finger! I just LOVE this! 

Well I think I've babbled enough. I encourage each and everyone of you to check this website out! 

Does anyone have a handmade item that they just love? :) 

| tumblr | pinterest | hellocotton | instagram | bloglovin | pose |

Meet Fiona..

 Meet Fiona <3

 My dog Max and new friend Fiona

Hey All,

Bit of a random post, But recently I have a been fostering to adopt a dog from the Adelaide All Breed Dog Rescue Facebook page. She's a full bred 2-3 year old Siberian Husky, the shelter named her Fiona which isn't a traditional husky name (I know) but she comes when you call her so why confuse her by changing her name right?

First of all I'll tell you about Max my dog I've owned for 12 years. He's a Jack Russell X Collie. Bit of an odd mix but none the less, I love him to bits! He's my first dog and best friend and I wouldn't change it for the world.
His personality and character is nothing like I have seen in a dog before. He's an utter goofball and makes me laugh! He may be getting to be a frail old man but he sure doesn't show it! He soldiers on through life more energetic as the days go by.

Now, a bit about Fiona. Like I said, she's a full bred Siberian Husky, one eye is blue/white and the other is brown/amber with a white patch (very spooky) she's still a pup technically so she's got ALOT of energy in her! 

Her story of how she because a rescue dog is heart breaking, she was raised on a farm with sheep etc. She had puppies at a VERY young age and the pups were taken from her and sold way to young aswell! While the pups were around, she was chained up and had the pups just feeding from her while the owners gave her no food herself! So the puppies were taking whatever nutrition that was left in her as she wasted away, you can sort of tell in the bottom picture how skinny she actually is. To help her gain weight and bring her back to health will take atleast 6-12 months. She needs to gain another 10 kilos to be at a healthy weight. We are doing this by feeding her mostly chicken ie. chicken wings, mince etc in 5 separate meals a day.

It absolutely disgusts me that people treat any animal this way. It's inhumane I say!

Everyone should be aware of rescue groups and the great things they're doing! Adopt a dog! Give them a second chance, don't go out of your way to find a special particular breed for your benefit and DON'T buy from a pet shop, you never know if they come from puppy farms.

Please give any animal a second chance <3

Has anyone adopted an animal before? Hearing stories like these from others make me feel like there are genuine people in the world who understand animals :)

| tumblr | pinterest | hellocotton | instagram | bloglovin | pose |

My 'Everyday' Face..

So we all LOVE that moment when we realise we have mastered our foundation routine.

After years of trying new foundations, concealers, powders, primers, brushes blah blah blah I have FINALLY discovered the perfect everything! I'll start off with telling you a bit about my skin and how I use the products.

My Skin:
I have oily skin. I get a very oily T-zone at least 2 hours after applying makeup. I work in an office and now that it's summer, the air conditioner is running non stop and the recycled air definitely causes your skin to look very dull.
I have had issues with acne several times over my teenage years. I've used birth control tablets, creams, medication, vitamins, all having worked but once you stop using them it goes straight back to how it was. Now I'm 21 and still get the occasional bad ones but nothing like the pizza face I used to be.

Products:

Step 1: Face of Australia Oil Free Primer - This primer is a god send. At $10 from Priceline this just DOES.THE.JOB! It's a very thin/liquid consistency which I like. I'm not into the thick silicone base primers. I apply this with my fingers and work it into the skin.

Step 2: Clinique Oil Free Stay Matte Foundation in 02 Alabaster - By using an oil free primer you need an oil free foundation. This Foundation is medium to full coverage, a little goes a long way and at $50 a pop it's VERY helpful. My skin stays matte and flawless all day long. With this foundation, I use my Real Techniques Contour Brush, I feel like it buffs into my skin better and I can focus on the areas where I have acne scaring.

Step 3: MAC Select Cover Up Concealer in NW20 - I know every second person either uses or has tried this concealer for their under eye areas. I don't suffer from bags, puffiness or dark under eye areas but this does help just to brighten the area up and make you look less run down and tired at 8am everyday lol I use this concealer with my finger in a dabbing motion.

Step 4: Murad Acne Concealer in Light - This concealer I have written a review of already and expressed my undying love for it. I purchased this for $14 off eBay and I will continue to purchase this when it runs out. This is full coverage and covers any spot possible. Even those monstrous ones. Again I apply this with a clean finger.

Step 5: Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 003 Peach Glow - Since I've been using oil free/acne products my skin is already pretty matte by this stage. But just to set it all I use very minimal powder through my T-Zone with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush and pat it onto my skin.

So ladies, I hope those of you with yuck oily skin like me find this helpful in some way! All in all, I recommend this foundation 110%!

Any one have any other oily skin foundation routines? I'd love to hear :)

| Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | HelloCotton | Instagram | BlogLovin' | Pose |

OOTE: Christmas Tree Lighting in Victoria Square

Dress: Insight Secret September Dress Surfstitch 

Blazer: Target (Old Stock)

Gladiator Sandals: Sportsgirl (Old Stock)

Watch: Rose Gold Michael Kors - Ebay

Hand Armour: Sportsgirl

Hey!

So Friday 7th of December was the Christmas Tree Lighting in Victoria Square here in Adelaide CBD.

In my 21 years of living here, I have never seen it oddly enough so I thought it was about time! 

Dragged my boyfriend down to go watch as well as take photos of me for my first OOTE post :)

In my future outfit posts I will link where you can purchase what I am wearing. If something is old stock then I will say so also.

What's everyone in their home town's doing to celebrate the lead up to Chrissy? I'd love to hear :)

| Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | HelloCotton | Instagram | BlogLovin' | Pose |

Murad Concealer..

This is something we all wish we had at some point in our lives.
When we get those gross spots that wont go away or just wont stay hidden we think our lives are over or we're better off staying in bed!

This product has changed my life and I will forever be grateful of it!
Murad Acne Treatment Concealer.

Shades are lighter that light, light, light medium, medium, medium dark and dark. Sort of a wide range of shades but I understand now why they don't really need to. The light shade is yellow on my skin tone, but when blending it out it just blends into the skin, covering the spot. Best part is it stays covered all day!

It's a thick, smooth consistency, applies really well and is full coverage. 

I purchased this over Ebay for only $14.95 but there are plenty of website who stock Murad.

I recommend this to everyone, no matter what shade you are.

If you have any acne wholly grail products please share!!

Where you can purchase it:

www.murad.com

www.ulta.com

Ebay Page

Oily Skin Tips..

So.. oily skin.. eww
Some of you out there are blessed with normal skin, the skin that is neither oily nor dry. Neither pink or yellow untertones.. it's pure perfection. I've worked on a few normal skins before and I have to say.. I was jealous lol because I am one of those people who have the very.. very.. VERY.. oily skin :(
It happens tho.. growing up and becoming a "lady" shit changes and we have to deal with it all.

What is Oily Skin:
Oily skin is usually dull looking with enlarged/coarse pores and more than often have those horrible blemishes that are almost impossible to hide!
The sebaceous glands (where oil is produced) is overactive and produces more oil than it's suppose to.

How Does it Start:
Oily skin can come from MANY different things.
The most common being hereditary. If your parents grew up with oily or acne prone skin then it will more than likely pass down to you.

Your diet is another issue. If you eat fatty foods, deep fried or just foods that contain alot of oil themselves then your not doing your skin any good. Include fruit, vegetables and most definitely WATER in to your daily routine.

Birth control pills and Hormone levels.. don't get me started. We're all girls here.. so we know what we go through every month. But hormones do play a big part as well. If your taking birth control pills then be sure it is the right one for you. Usually when your doctor proscribes one to you, after the first three months you'll see the positives and the negatives of it and can change to a different one.

Lastly, skin products. Dry/normal/combination/oily no matter where you shop for skin care, you must make sure you're buying the right products for your skin type.

Products I use & Highly Recommend:

Cleansers -

Neutrogena 2 in 1 Face Wash & Mask
Use morning & Night, it really does make a difference! I've heard nothing but good reviews!

Lush Dark Angels -
Use 2-3 times a week depending on the oiliness. It clears your complexion!

Toners-

Lush Tea Tree Water -
Use after cleansing with a cotton pad or just spray it on your face. It's refreshing and makes you feel that little bit cleaner.

Clinique #4 Clarifying Lotion-

Use after cleansing. I use to use this when I was a teenager, but I still recommend it even though I use Lush now.

Blotting Papers & Pore Minimiser-

Nivea Mattifying Gel Cream-

Use this before primer/foundation. This is amazing for a supermarket product! 

Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets-
Carry these with you during the day just to touch up your t-zone.

Primers -

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer-

Use after skin care and before foundation. I've only ever used a sample of this and I loved it! I'm trying to get my hands on a full size.

Napoleon Perdis Calming Primer (for redness)-

I.love.this.stuff!! Definitely counteracts the redness and does the job!

Moisturisers-

Nivea Daily Essentials Oil Free Moisturiser-
Use after toner. I love this! It's so light and fresh.

Lush Enzymion-
Perfect for oily skin. It's fat free, so no oils etc. 

Well, sorry this post is so long :s
But I hope it's helped atleast one person. I'm always trying new products and reading reviews. If you've done a post similar or have any products to add, link them below I'd love to read them!! :)

A blog I'm loving..

So we all have those blogs we stalk VERY regularly....

This one is by far my favourite!
I check her blog out daily and haven't been disappointed once!

Her blog's called Killer Colours, she's Swedish and extremely talented!

She blogs daily! (I wish I had that sort of time) She writes about different beauty brands, occasional clothing, fragrances, amazing makeup looks, and what I love the most is she's completely against brands with animal testing. (aren't we all)
This I found out from her Facebook page.. apparently Benefit Cosmetics brushes contain animal hair!! :(
Also the theory that how MAC Cosmetics has now branched out into China, animal testing is now being performed. So.. who knows what's really going on.. but if it is.. I refuse to buy MAC products in the future.

ANYHOO..

Here's a link to her blog:
http://rodeo.net/killercolours/

Here's some of her work for you to check out as well :)

Green Tea..

Hey all :) 

So I am aware this is a random post lol...

But Green Tea is something I love and swear by, I could seriously live off of it..forever! 

I'm always looking for new 'healthy/dietary' type of things to try out and Green Tea for weight loss came to my attention about 3 years ago. I was 17 and yea.. I had some puppy fat on me and the whole self esteem issue grew on me and one day I just got up, went for a run and ate healthy from that day onwards. This resulted in loosing 7kgs over 4 weeks!!
I have no significant proof.. but I honestly think it was all thanks to GREEN TEA!!

Weight loss:
Green tea is know to help fasten your metabolism which means your body digests food quicker. This isn't always a good thing, it means your body is not as efficient as a person with say a normal or slow metabolism. Basically from the food you eat, your body isn't getting as much energy as it should be.
But.. I think thats where exercising and a well balanced diet comes in. By just drinking Green Tea your not getting all the benefits you should be.

Health Benefits:
Green Tea is high in antioxidants which can help prevent the growth of cancer cells. It's also known to lower cholesterol levels and the growth of blood clots which is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.
(This here amazes me) ..Tooth decay. Green tea actually fights the bacteria that causes dental plaque.

Skin/Body:
We've all seen on the market these days green tea is now in deodorants, moisturisers, body washes, shampoos EVERYTHING! It's known to help rejuvenate the skin, giving it a healthy glow. Mature age skin may feel the need to use it as appose to younger skin.

Negatives:
Side effects include insomnia considering green tea does contain caffeine. I wouldn't recommend drinking it late at night.

Serving:
I drink at least 4-6 cups of green tea a day. I drink it with a tea spoon of honey.. because alone.. green tea isn't the BEST taste lol. But you can also buy tea bags which are infused with lemon, ginger, apple etc.

So I don't know how people will feel on this topic, but if there is anyone who has had personal experiences with Green Tea good/bad feel free to share! I'd love to hear what other people think.

Thanks :) x

Graftobian HD Foundation Palettes

In The Graftobien pack I recieved a lip palette with 18 colours, a corrector palette with 5 colours and 3 foundation palettes with 18 colours each in neautral, cool and warm shades.

 This is the casing of the palettes

 The Warm Palette

 The Neutral Palette

 The Cool Palette

 The Lip Palette

The Corrector Palette

Hey all!! :)
So for a while now I have been looking ALL OVER for a foundation palette for my makeup kit. Being in Adelaide we don't necessarily have a wide range to choose from so I always resort to buying online, which I don't have a problem with, I just don't like the waiting part :/
Anyhoo, I was tossing up between this or the Bobbi Brown Foundation and Concealer Palette.
When I purchase ANY form of makeup for my kit I ALWAYS research it regardless. I usually will use makeupalley.com and find out just everyday people and their opinions and then find youtube videos on the certain product to see how the products works, how it sits on the skin etc.
So, as you can tell (duhh) I purchased the Graftobian set and so far so good :) I haven't got around to properly finding the right colour for my skin tone, but I will soon. Since there is SO many colours to choose from I don't see any skin tone being hard to match!
The corrector palette is my FAVOURITE! I have a pink undertone to my skin and have had problems with acne in the past so the green corrector saves my life!
The foundation does sit well on the skin, I like to really buff foundations in to get the BEST possible finish and this makeup being a HD really does the trick.

Anyhoo :) Does anyone else use Graftobian? I'd like to know more people's thoughts on the product. Or does any one have a foundation they swear by?

I will admit tho, being a makeup artist.. I am STILL trying to find the RIGHT foundation for me!!

Thanks for reading :) <3
Ps. Mind my girly floral bed sheets lol I have had them my whole life and have an emotional attachment to them :)

March Glossybox

The Body Shop - Chocomania Body Butter
Klorane - Dry Shampoo

Power Bracelet

Thin Lizzy - Concealer

Eau Thermale Avenue - Gentle Milk Cleanser

Eau Thermale Avenue - Gentle Toner

So this is my first Glossybox EVER :D i've seen it on youtube before but only from the girls in the UK.
Then I discovered one day it was here in Australia anway! I decided to try it out.
It's not a bad idea for $14.95 a month.

I tried most of these products out, except for the cleanser and toner, they were for dry to very dry skin, and my skin is combination to oily.. so I wasn't going to try a product that wasn't right for my skin type. I gave it to my mum to try since mature age women (see I was nice without saying the O word) have dryer skin than younger people.

The Thin Lizzy Concealer wasn't too bad, the coverage was great! but i broke out a little bit. That might have just been my skin reacting to a new product, which it does NOT agree to new things.

The Power Bracelet I gave to my boyfriend to try out since he plays footy and loves sports, lol he said it was useless and did nothing. But I guess those who think different really believe they can benefit from it and feel good when using it!

The Klorane Dry Shampoo was amazing! I use dry shampoo weekly anyway and this was just a bonus to have a little bit more! For those who don't use/know what dry shampoo is, it's just a supliment to washing your hair, it really does refresh it and absorbs the oil. I wash my hair once a week thanks to this stuff!!

Last but not least, The Body Shop Chocomania Body Butter. This stuff had the CHOCOLATIEST smell to it! It was incredible! I smelt like a bloody chocoalte bar in bed! lol this stuff really does bring moisture to your skin and makes you feel softer than ever. But so does any Body Shop Body Butter. They're all good!!

Do you guys get Glossybox? What are some of your favourite hair/skin/makeup products!?

Thanks for stopping by :) Much Love x



Inspiration..

...::Rachel Bilson::...

...::Alexa Chung::...


Hey everyone! :)
Lately I haven't been purchasing as many clothes as usual. (which is a good thing)
I've been researching random boutiques in Australia, bloggers and just websites which have lookbooks on them, which I think is the worst idea (for me).. makes me think, "ooo that looks good ill buy it!"
Anyway, these two celebs are my inspiration for throwing clothes together and just looking great!
Rachel Bilson (who I have loved since the very begging of the OC) and Alexa Chung whom I just discovered on the weekend, but my god she's so similar too Rachel!
This just encourages me to use the clothes I own more, It's relatively easy to pull off jeans, a white T and a blazer and just look comfy and stylish!

I also wanted to ask, anyone who comes across my blog, leave your sites in the comments and I PROMISE ill check your's out. I love seeing how creative every one can get!

Much Love! xx

Makeup Artistry..

- Sunset Eye

Clinique Repairwear Foundation

Nyx Soft Matte Lip Crem in Antwerp

Mac Opulash Mascara

Inglot Eyeshadows

- Peacock Garden <3

- Inglot eyeshadow
- Clinique Repairwear Foundation
- Mac Opulash Mascara

- Dior Rouge Promotion <3

- Fake flower petals

- Mac Studio Fix Powdered Foundation
- Inglot Eyeshadow
- Mac Russian Red Lipstick
- Mac Opulash Mascara

- Cartoon Pop Art Girl <3

- Mac Eyeliners

- Mac Studio Fix Powdered Foundation
- Mac Russian Red Lipstick
- Mac Select Cover up Concealer (for dots)

- Lady Gaga (Born This Way) Skull Face <3

- Mac Eyeliner

So at home lately I've suffered from severe boredom.. My boyfriend and I are saving for a Round the World trip at the end of the year for 2 months so we try to do as little as possible!
This has resulted in me getting back into makeup and being creative on myself :)
The pictures are just a few makeups I've done over the weekend :) 
Hope you like them! If there's any pictures you like, email them to me at smarieblog@hotmail.com 

I'll be more than happy to recreate a look for you and tell you what products I've used!Let me know what you all think! 

The Adelaide Fringe Festival

So here in Adelaide, every year we have the Adelaide Fringe Festival!

It starts February 24th and it's basicly (for those of you who don't know) a big "carnivale" type of thing with comedians from all over the world, like from the Edinborough Festival in Europe, Bands from all over the world, Circus shows, Theatre shows, Cabarets and LOTS more!
It starts off with a street party in Rundle park where theres little shows, which is all of these pictures above!
Everyone from all over Adelaide, Australia and a few from the other side of the earth come down and get drunk lol, see bands, go on rides, EVERYTHING that a fate/fair/carnival has, its here!
Me and Dan went to only one show, it was the Mutant Barn Yard lol there was mutant animals, like a two headed cow, a rooster with two heads and three legs, little still born pig fetuses, (EWW) a cute little baby chicken with one eye and one leg lol.. BUT they all had a very short life span so these animals were unfortunately stuffed.. bit of a let down lol but I would have feel sad if these animals were REALLY there :(
There was a freak show aswell, the guy standing out the front of the tent swallows SWORDS, and the picture of Dan (above) is with the Lizard Man from Rippleys Believe It Or Not! He was so cool, heaps polite and just looking at him was facinating!
Over the next few weeks that the Fringe Festival Takes place ill be going to a few shows, so ill post photos etc of them too :)
Hope everyones having a good weekend where ever you are!
Do you have any carnival things like this where you live? :P