So much to discuss this week.
First up, a bit of a drugstore beauty find. One that I didn’t really expect to love as much as I now do. Maybelline have this thing they call Tatto Brow Gel Tint. It has a RRP of $24.95 but with recent sales at the major retailers, people have been getting it for much less. I think the price as well as its effectiveness would explain why the display unit at my local Chemist Warehouse looked as bare as it did when I dropped by last week. Read
here for a comprehensive review and ‘how to’ video.
Intel from my gorgeous Instagram sisterhood suggested that some of the lighter brown shades turned to red on the skin after a while. The Dark Brown shade thus seemed my best bet but with it being sold out, Grey Brown looked to be the next best thing.
The basic premise of Tattoo Brow is that you pain a layer of the tint thickly over your eyebrows and wait for it to set. From what I’ve read in the beauty blogger world, the longer you leave it, the darker the colour of your brows. Which then got me scared about whether my skin would also be tinted too but more on that a bit later. Once you’re ready to peel, then you just go for it. Apparently in one easy layer of dried tint and voila, perfectly shaped and tinted brows achieved in the comfort of your own home.
It was pretty reassuring that I hadn’t read about any major disasters. The worst that seems to happen is difficulty peeling off (the secret is a thick layer apparently) or tint not making much of a difference or fading fast. Nonetheless, I popped the kettle on to make a cuppa to give me courage.
I’d also read that it helps to neaten your brows with a spoolie wand before tinting. As luck would have it, I had one from getting my brows threaded earlier on in the week. Another big tip is to make sure your skin is as dry as possible before application.
I found the brush applicator very easy to work with and the packaging looks pretty sleek too. For those who need to know countries of origin, Tattoo Brow is made in China. I left the tint on for around two hours as I pottered around the house doing mum stuff.
The big reveal went perfectly to plan. The tint really did peel off me in one easy layer. No loss of eyebrows either. I did have a greyish tint on my skin but it came off easily with my normal cleanser under the shower. Leaving me with … PERFECTLY TINTED BROWS. Sorry not sorry about the caps. They really did look better than that one time a beautician at the DJs Beauty Hall did them. The finish I got was a ‘your brows but better’ effect rather than those Instagram beauty influencer brows that almost look like a caricature.
In terms of durability, I’ve had three full days of good brow from that first application. In that time I’ve worn my usual makeup and removed it with an oil-based cleanser on a daily basis. I especially like that after the initial (minimal) effort of painting on the tint and keeping out of the public eye until it’s peeled and rinsed off, there’s no upkeep for the next few days. No need to pencil, powder or gel anything in.
So, in summary, two thumbs / brows up from me! Well played, Maybelline. This girl who hates drawing or brushing in her sparse browse loves you to the moon and back right now.
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| www.amazon.co.uk |
In the world of books, I’ve found myself with spare half hours here and there to get lost in a good bit of absorbing fiction. My current unputdownable read is ‘
The Break‘ by Marian Keyes. It’s a book about atypical families, everyday family issues, modern relationships and the insecurities of being fortysomething. It’s my favourite Keyes novel so far because of its gentle humour, flawed characters and sharp observations of life in the 2010s.
The break of the title is the one Amy’s husband Hugh is taking from their marriage and crazy but loveable blended, extended family so that he can travel for six months to reconnect with himself after a series of stressful life experiences. The novel travels back and forth in time from this event and we get to know a little more about Amy the angry, bewildered and grieving wife. Amy was a single mother for a while before Hugh swept her off her feet and after their marriage, there have been periods where Amy has faced temptations and hard decisions of her own.
There are so many fascinating themes to ‘The Break’ that set it apart from much of the chick lit that’s being published of late. Keyes explores not only the lives of fortysomething, imperfect women and their men but also of their children in this age of social media and 24/7 online connectivity as well as their ageing parents who face chronic, harrowing illnesses or else find themselves becoming full time carers to a partner suffering from one. Relationships within families change with the shift of responsibility and through all of this people have to somehow confront their grief at losing their old, familiar lives and the fear of what the future may hold.
It’s also a novel that portrays ‘older’ women as women who face voids in their relationships with their partners. From sexual to emotional needs to the simple need to just put themselves first, Keyes manages to explore all of these through Amy and her other characters that I found both relatable and hilarious.
I’m also very excited to have Jane Harper’s latest novel ‘Force of Nature’ freshly downloaded on my Kindle. I loved ‘The Dry’ and this one sounds just as promising.
I’m plugging away with my fitness programme. Actually it’s not a programme, I just aim to get to the gym six days of the week and do stuff. My bluetooth earphones from Miniso are working a treat. I swapped the fitted ear buds for a smaller set included in the package and they stay in through most activities, except medicine ball sit ups. But then again, don’t we all get a bit unhinged by doing those?
CardioFM is a thing. A continuous track of heart thumping dance music that helps ease treadmill and step machine apathy. So heart thumping, I’m convinced I’ve managed to dial up the speeds on my sprints after only a couple of listens.
Work has been its usual whirlwind of high drama and just plain busyness. I’ve gotten myself a new emergency work desk fragrance in the shape of Sarah Jessica Parker’s NYC fragrance. It’s very sweet and possibly a twentysomething kind of scent but I do love the bottle.
Some of the ‘excitement’ at work relates to the final stages of all our records going electronic. Writing (and re-writing) drug charts have been a part of my life for my entire career and as of now, these charts and their triplicate carbon copies are going to be obsolete. Those who know me beyond the blog may struggle to believe this, but I saved my neatest printing and signature for writing these charts. I even numbered each one and countersigned each name label section where indicated.
I’m feeling a bit sad that they’ll be gone, old because I’m one of the dinosaurs at work that’s seeing the transition to paperless charting and a bit frustrated with the new system because I’m so used to seeing everything in front of me on the paper charts. Mixed emotions. And yes, I have squirreled a chart away in my office for old times sake.
I’m also a bit sore about these rubberized keyboards and mice that we’re meant to type on when we’re out and about on the wards. They just feel … icky to the touch and the mice never track properly. Luckily I don’t actually have to do much typing on them myself….
In other old lady dinosaur news, I’ve had a bit of a handbag cleaning session. I got an old rag, some leather cleaner and got to work on two of my almost forgotten favorites to get them ready for spring /summer.
This old lady dinosaur then made the mistake of whipping out her special, going out foundation for a big Friday night out (the kind that start at 6.45pm and end two hours later…). I’d forgotten how much work there is in blending that stuff in properly with a brush. Apparently, those beauty sponges are much quicker. Can anyone confirm this?
Preschooler bath / shower time was in progress while I was slathering on my foundation and this is what that looks like at our place. Apparently, the goggles are necessary if any hair or face washing under the shower is to proceed.
Kings Cross was saying yes to love for all on Friday night.
I was also saying yes to good friends, bubbles and superior chocolate desserts at The Butler in Potts Point.
If you haven’t been, I highly recommend The Butler for your next night out. Date night, girls night or a ‘just because’ night .. it’s a lovely space with great views of the city from the verandah and food that’s 11/10.
And then it was time for this nanna to totter home in her going out heels as the young people were just getting started for the night. Tell me I’m not the only one whose girls nights out end at Woolies in search of a piece of fruit and breath mints before heading home for two glasses of water and a thorough makeup removal session before bed?
Be well and may the week ahead be a good one.
