2015 Favourites

Happy New Year!  I don't have an exhaustive list of new year resolutions to share but I do want to quickly share some of my favourite  things from 2015: 

1. The pursuit of the perfect manicure:

There are always those girls. Those girls who look like they have personalised stylists hidden in their closets at home. Perhaps in true Cinderella style, they have fairy Godmothers and an army of adorable fluffy critters who style them everyday? Just like I didn't get that highly anticipated letter from Hogwarts, I certainly don't have a fairy godmother. 

When I was at university, I would lust over the flawless manicures of those girls. It may be a weird thing to obsess over, but there is something so stylish about having a perfect manicure. It pulls a look together. It makes someone look so polished. You could be wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans, but that on fleek manicure screams sophistication. We use our hands so often, to greet, to indicate something important on a page, to grasp a steaming cup of tea to your lips, to write notes down on a page… I just tend to notice people’s nails. I have tried countless times to paint my nails at home but it just never looks salon quality. Perhaps it is my impatience? Or my knack for getting a nose itch just as I painstakingly finish my final coat of nail polish?

When I started working two years ago I made a conscious decision that the one treat I would allow myself every month was to get a professional manicure done at a salon. This year I started to try out Dream Nails. Their shops look a little tacky from the outside and I have always despised the fog of acetone that forms a toxic barrier around every store, but I found that the service was a lot better and that my manicure lasted much longer than when I had my nails done at any other salon. This year I have been IN LOVE with the Dream Nails gel overlay. It looks so natural but ever-so classy. One of my friends loved my manicure so much, she decided to get the same done for her wedding. I think I may just have to continue this trend into 2016.

2.  Learning how to be an adult from Youtube:

Of course, I have used Youtube before but mostly to watch cute pug videos or something funny that was trending. This year I have spent hours scouring Youtube for informative videos. It really is an invaluable resource. I finally learnt how to apply make up properly and have a better insight as to why so many teenagers are looking like Kylie Jenner these days. My favourite makeup guru right now is Jaclyn Hill. She is too funny and my makeup game has been changed forever because of her. If you haven’t checked her out, I really suggest you watch her videos here. I have received so many compliments on my winged eyeliner this year whereas a year ago I did not even know how to apply eyeliner to my upper lash. Just sad! My favourite cooking channel is definitely "Food Wishes" with chef John. I have recreated a few of the dishes and they were a hit every time.

3. Bubble baths and candles

After a long day at work, a long, reflective bubble bath is the perfect way to soak away that stress. Lighting a few candles, forgetting about the world and just floating in a thousand floral bubbles is my heaven. Showering is like a “get up and go” thing for me. 

My mom (who has a serious case of wanderlust and travels overseas at least twice a year) went to Czech, Austria and Vienna at the end of last year and brought back some beautiful tea-light candle holders. When they are lit it looks like a cityscape. Currently my favourite bubble bath is Sweetpea & Jasmine from Woolworths.

    4. Reading

I have always been an avid reader but when I started studying, I was forced to read all.the.time. (I completed my law degree a few years ago). I was completely put off even picking up an easy holiday-time read. This year I got back  into it with thanks to none-other than J K Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. I devoured her new detective series and it was exactly what I needed to reignite my love of books. I also just read "Animal's people" by Indra Sinha which I cannot recommend more.

5. Flower Wreaths 

If I could wear flowers in my hair every. Single. Day I would. I just love it. I picked up a few flower headbands from Lovisa.

What were your favourite things in 2015?
xxx