Be Fearless

Do you ever just want to take a risk? Do something completely wild and unusual simply because your heart is urging you to take the chance? That's sort of how I feel right now. It's past midnight and I just finished watching a film that was about self discovery, among other things, and it's made me stop and reflect on my life. I feel as though I hesitate too much. I think we all do. We become too afraid of failure that we don't even try at all. I think that's failing anyway. Fear has such a firm grip on my life, and I'm unsure how to let go of it and just live. To be unapologetically honest and intentional in all that I do. 

There are so many words and thoughts that float around my mind on a daily basis, most of which I keep to myself. But imagine if I said some of these things that I was thinking. I wonder what would become of it. Sometimes refraining from saying something can be a good thing, and other times it just hinders you from happiness. I definitely need to speak more honestly than I do. It's not that I lie, it's just that there are so many things I wish I could say, but don't. It could be complimenting a stranger on their outfit, telling a boy how I really feel, being openly honest about how I feel with certain friendships, or perhaps just making it known that I don't feel comfortable anymore. These are unspoken words; haunting words. 

I remember reading something written by Taylor Swift once and she said, "there is a time for silence. There is a time for waiting your turn. But if you know how you feel, and you so clearly know what you need to say, you'll know it. I don't think you should wait. I think you should speak now." That was taken from the prologue of her Speak Now album booklet. I highly recommend you read the whole thing because it's brilliant. I don't want to be haunted by all the words I never said and the chances I never took, but I don't know how to say those words or how to take those chances. Whenever an opportunity is presented I freeze and end up convincing myself of all the reasons why it's a bad idea and why it will never work. That's unhealthy and it's stopping me from truly living authentically. I don't want to be the reason I'm held back. I want to set myself free. 

I guess I've written all this to say that you should speak now, and so should I. You should kiss that guy, profess your feelings, write that letter, quit that job, book that trip, and live as honestly and truly as you possibly can. I don't want to find myself filled with regret because I was just too scared to try. I suppose this as much as a reminder for me as it is for you. These are the words that I need to hear. Life is incredibly precious, and sadly with the tragic events in Paris today, that only confirms this truth. The fact of the matter is that we are not totally in control, and the next day is never a guarantee. But why isn't that reality enough? Why do we still live in such fear over all the things that could possibly go wrong if we just spoke the truth? I wish I knew the answer. 

I want to be brave enough and bold enough to just live. To simply be myself in every single area. To allow God to position me exactly where I need to be, and to fill me with the words I need to say (and the courage to say them). Without Him, I would be nothing. I think that perhaps we need to live a little more fearlessly. I don't think this journey will be easy, but I believe it will be worth it. So here's to living a more authentic life, refusing to be held back by fear, and trusting in God's perfect grace and plan every step of the way! And remember that as long as the sun continues to rise each morning, there is still hope and a chance to make a change. 

Love, S.

Image: Tumblr

RawSpiceBar

Recently I had the privilege of being sent the RawSpiceBar Istanbul spice box. RawSpiceBar are a Californian-based subscription box service that aims to spice up your meals. For only $6 a month you get the chance to experience new and exciting flavours that are delivered straight to your mail box. Each month focuses on a different culture and you are provided with a variety of spices to try and enjoy. 

I love to cook. I love to experiment with flavours. I love seeing what other cultures have to offer. That's why I love what this box has to offer. The monthly box includes three different freshly ground and high quality spices and a recipe card with suggestions of meals to make using the spices. Something I really love about this box is that they include little snippets of information on each of the spice sachets. It's a mix of cultural information and suggestions of how to use the spice - and it just makes it so much more interesting to read. 

The spices I received in my box are:

Baharat - spice staple in Turkish cooking, can be used in a variety of dishes, has warm spices such as cinnamon and clove, coriander and cumin, and sweet paprika. 

Urfa Biber - described as raisins meets coffee, smoky and almost sweet flavour.

Za'atar - originates from the 13th century, brings zest to each dish, can be used as a meat rub or stirred into dishes. 

I'm yet to use the spices, but I cannot wait to. I'm definitely not as adventurous in the kitchen as I could be, but I'm excited to give these a go and experience a whole new world of flavour. 

You can check them out here. 

Zoella Beauty Treats

Once again, Zoe has brought out some more incredible products that I just had to get my hands on. It's still so crazy to me that I own many of her actual products, when I remember many years ago just reading her blog and watching her videos, and now this! It's surreal. With each new batch of products that Zoe releases she steps up the quality. You can really see that she learns as she goes and strives for improvement - which does not go unnoticed. This is only a small haul, because I couldn't spend too much money this time around, but couldn't resist these few bits. 

I'll start with the Two Balmy Lip Balm Duo. This is part of her limited edition Christmas range, so grab it while you can. The super cute set includes two lip balms that have such a beautiful Christmassy design, and are in tins, which makes them feel that little bit more special. They are each a different scent and colour. The red tin is vanilla cream and is a coral/red shade, and smells very sweet and lovely - it's a really nice vanilla scent, not too over the top. The green tin is sweet mint and is a nude/pink shade, and smells like candy canes which is amazing! They both smell like Christmas and will provide you with either a hint of colour, or a lot, depending on how much you decide to build it up. I am so impressed with these lip balms and I know I'll be getting a lot of use out of them. 

Next is the Fairest of Them All Travel Pass & Compact Mirror. This is another one from her limited edition Christmas range. I'm not entirely sure what prompted me to buy this, I think it was probably that I've always wanted a travel card holder (strange, I know!). Plus it's a rose gold/copper colour, so you know, I couldn't resist. While the mirror is sharp in its reflection (not cloudy), it is a bit angled in its placement, so the reflection isn't completely straight. Hopefully that made sense! It's not the worst thing, but just makes your eyes feel a little funny when looking into it for too long. Other than that, I love this and can't wait to look so stylish when using it. 

Lastly is the Blissful Mistful Solid Fragrance. This is part of her permanent collection and has the same scent as the first lot of products that she released. Unfortunately they don't ship glass bottles overseas so I was never able to buy the spray version, so had to opt for this instead. I've never used a solid fragrance before, but I thought it would be a nice thing to have in my handbag. Plus I really love the tin it's in - it's so cute and Christmassy and pretty. It'll look nice in my handbag and even nicer pulling it out to use. I just hope it doesn't melt! Not sure how these things usually go, so fingers crossed. 

I'm once again wowed by Zoe's products and cannot wait to use them! Also, props to Zoe for choosing not to test on animals. That makes me feel even better about using them. If you live in Australia like I do, then the best place to get her products is from FeelUnique, and they're currently on a 3 for 2 deal - so hurry in and grab a bargain! 

Lust Have It! September & October Boxes

I've combined the past two months boxes into the one post for one main reason. I haven't loved the past two boxes. Their birthday box from a few months ago was amazing. I wrote a raving post on how impressed I was with the items I received. Sadly, this level of expectation has not been met in the past two boxes - and I hate saying that, but I strive to always keep these posts honest. Instead of talking about all the products that I haven't really loved, I'm going to summarise the two boxes, and then gush about the one product that stood out among the rest. 

September Box (top two pictures)

The standout item in this box for me was the Designer Brands Twist n Go nail polish remover. I haven't had a chance to use this yet, but I've always wanted to try a nail polish remover pot. This product is vegan and they don't test on animals - which is always great to see! The other items in the box were a lip liner, whitening toothpaste, sample size hair products, lip tint stick, and a sample tea bag. Sadly, just run of the mill products, nothing too memorable for me. In saying that though, the toothpaste and hair products will come in handy whenever I travel. As for the lip products, I'll be passing them on to friends who I know will appreciate them more than I could. 

October Box (bottom three pictures)

I did like the look of this box a bit better than the month before. It included an oil based hair treatment, nail polish, eyeshadow quad, sample moisturiser, sample tea, chocolate, and a highlighter. Even though I have oily hair, and I still plan to try out the hair treatment because I've never used anything like that before - so my hair could probably use the treatment! The nail polish will be passed on to my mum, and I will also be passing the eyeshadow quad onto friends - I'm just not game enough to wear that shade of blue. The one item that impressed and excited me the most and made me forget about all the products I didn't love, was the highlighter. I've been on the hunt for a good highlighter for quite some time now, but haven't found one that I really loved, until this arrived on my doorstep. It packs some serious glow, but there is no glitter to be seen. It's also Australian made, vegan, cruelty free, and contains natural ingredients - YAY! 

I'm hoping that next months box will go back to being amazing, but overall I can't complain. I am so blessed to get the opportunity to try these boxes and review them for you all, and that in itself is good enough. Plus, did I mention how much I love that highlighter! 

*This box was sent to me for consideration, however all opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post. 

Embracing Uncertainty

It's been a while since I wrote on here at all, and it's been even longer since I splashed my personal thoughts on here. I just came across a quote and it prompted me to write something. The quote said, "Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won't have a title until much later." I feel as though my whole life is uncertain right now, and that is a scary feeling. There isn't a lot that is completely set in stone at the moment, and everything feels as though it is on the brink of being thrown up in the air. I am on the verge of a new season, and even though I don't feel prepared, there isn't anything I can do to postpone its arrival. This quote gives me hope, encouragement and reassurance on what's to come. Being a Christian helps in times like this, because I know that God has every piece of my life planned out. He knows what he's doing and I just need to t r u s t. Boy is that a difficult thing to do. 

I've only got three more assessments left of my degree, and they are all due over the next two weeks. Scary. I have no idea what to do about my career or which direction to go in either. I know that I'll need to get a full time job sometime soon but I'm not even sure where to begin. I wish they taught you things like this at university, but they just don't. Then throw in my constant thoughts and ponderings about love and my brain just never shuts off. I haven't managed to progress any further since the last time I wrote about love. It's a little discouraging, but it'll happen when it happens. I'm just trying my best to stay present in every moment and keep my eyes open for opportunities. To stay open to things as best as I can, rather than hiding away. 

To go back to my struggle with trying to decide what sort of career path to go down, I'm thinking potentially something along the lines of writing or books perhaps. But then I also love many, many other things too. If you have any suggestions/words of advice for me, please do let me know! For now I am going to remain focused and try my hardest when it comes to finishing these last few assessments. Once they're done I'll switch my focus to finding a job and trying to begin to work out what sort of direction I would like my life to go in. Every year of my life up until this point I've always had a plan. There has always been something to go into, something purposeful that I knew was coming. Not this time. I have absolutely no idea what next year is going to hold for me. I'm hoping that the uncertainty proves to be a good thing, and that like the quote suggests, it will end up being one of the most beautiful chapters of my life. I'll let you know.

Love, S.

Image: Tumblr

Drool-Worthy Products from Makeup Revolution

A couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon a photo of a blush/bronzer/highlighter palette on Tumblr and knew immediately that I needed to get my hands on one. I did a quick Google search and managed to find it and place an order. It's the Makeup Revolution Golden Sugar Blush Palette. While browsing the site I also picked up the Redemption Palette Iconic 3, which is an eyeshadow palette. Both are very affordable, with the blush palette being £6 and the eyeshadow palette being £4 - what bargains! Annoyingly there was a shipping fee of £7.95 because I live in Australia, but it was well worth it. 

For starters, both palettes are visually stunning. Not only are the colours themselves really beautiful, but so is the packaging. It's made of plastic, but the rose gold accents add that touch of luxury. I'll start off with the blush palette. This includes 8 shades - one being a highlight, 5 being blush colours, and 2 bronze/contour shades. 7 of the 8 are shimmery, with the contour style shade being matte. They are decently pigmented and give that healthy and glowing look to the skin. They blend out nicely and aren't anything too dramatic or disco ball-esque. I'm all for the mineralised 'Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes' style of blush that are everywhere at the moment, and if that's your kind of thing then you simply can't go wrong with this palette. Plus it comes with a very decent sized mirror which makes it perfect for travelling. 

The eyeshadow palette is clearly meant to be inspired by the Urban Decay Naked Palette, and as far as dupes go, this one is pretty darn good. It boasts a total of 12 shades, including both shimmer and matte, all of which are nicely pigmented and blendable. They also lasted all night on my oily lids, so that makes it a winner in my books! Something that I really love about this palette is the variety of looks that you can do. The possibilities seem endless. It offers lighter, more pink shades, as well as deeper plum/purple shades. This is the perfect day to night palette with a pink theme throughout the shades. In other words, I am totally all about this palette for the springtime. 

From memory these took a little over two weeks to arrive, and they arrived in perfect condition. For the price, these are absolute steals and I'm so pleased I picked them up. If you've wanted to get your hands on those blushes from Hourglass or an Urban Decay Naked palette but don't want to pay the hefty price tag, then definitely have a look at the range from Makeup Revolution (their website is here) because you will no doubt find something that's right up your street! 

Lust Have It! August Box | Happy Birthday LHI

I'm just going to come out and say it from the get-go. This is probably the best beauty box I've received thus far. I don't just mean the best Lust Have It box, but the best beauty box in general. Lust Have It are celebrating their birthday this month and the quality of items I received just reached a whole new level. My favourite thing about beauty boxes is when they include items I've never heard of/things I wouldn't normal buy - and this one did just that. Let me start off by saying that this months box included 5 full size items which make the box worth more than $80 - and the price of the box is only $19.95 (or you can get $5 off your first box with my code SAMINDIGO1). I am so, so, so impressed with this months box, so let's get into what was included. 

First we have the Red Carpet Kolour Body Glow in Medium ($49.95). This is essentially a luminous body lotion that has colour pigments within the formula to give you that healthy and glowing look. It seems like it's almost like fake tan, but not as intense. In order words, this product is right up my street. I'm the kind of girl that wants to look healthy and sun-kissed but too intimidated by fake tan to use it. I'm rather excited to give this a go, especially since we've just come into spring. 

Next up is the Reed Orange and Poppy Seed Scrub ($7.50). Body scrubs are some of my all time favourite products to use, and this one not only smells divine, but also contains all natural ingredients. I've had a little browse of their website and they sell some products that look amazing, so depending on how I get on with this scrub, I can definitely see myself trying some more things from them. They look like an independent brand and it makes me so happy that LHI have included a brand like this in their box. What good exposure and a way for them to get their name out there! 

Then we have two products from Mellow Cosmetics, the Baked Eyeshadow in Olive ($9.50) and the Mineral Auto Twist Liner in Navy ($8). I've never heard of this brand before, but the pigmentation of these two products are very decent and they look like good quality - especially for the cheaper price tag. These are two colours that I wouldn't usually go for, but I'm happy that they were included in my box because it gives me a chance to try them out. And who knows, I might end up loving them. 

Last, but certainly not least, is the Ulta3 Volume & Length Mascara in Black ($6.95). According to the little product card that was included in my box, this is a newly released product. I find it quite rare to see new products included in subscription boxes, so the fact that they have included one is great. I'm a sucker for mascara, so I cannot wait to give this one a go. It looks as though the formula contains little fibres for thickening the lashes, so I'm expecting good things from this one. 

All in all I couldn't be happier with this box. What a lovely assortment of products they've included, and they are all things that I can see myself getting a lot of use out of. If I were you, I'd hurry onto LHI's website and order one of these boxes for yourself before they run out - you can do that here (and don't forget about my code for $5 off!). Now I'm off to test out these products and get overly excited in anticipation for next months box...

*This box was sent to me for consideration, however all opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post. 

Finding Inspiration to Change the World...

Taylor Swift has been one of the main inspirations in my life for many years now. To me she's more than just her 1989 album and short hair. I came across this image on Tumblr a while ago and haven't been able to shake it since. I felt like I lost myself a few years ago, and have been clinging to anything to get who I was back. The past few years have held a lot of rainstorms. There have been too many moments where I've completely lost it. I've found myself crumpled on the bathroom floor more times than I would like to admit. I seem to continually refuse to deal with things, which causes them to build up until I explode. This leaves me having to deal with my broken self all over again. It's not healthy. 

I love the final line of this speech that Taylor gives. She says, "I now believe that walking through a bunch of rainstorms gets you clean." Something I have refused to do, no matter how hard I find it to be, is to stop walking. You fail when you abstain. I will always keep walking. Keep going. Keep fighting. Keep pushing. Because there is always another side to the mountain. A bright side with a downhill slope. 

Last week I cut my hair shorter. I decided that I needed change and I needed healthy hair again. I think that was when these more empowered thoughts really came to mind again. I try to have a positive outlook on life most of the time, but I've been feeling down lately. I've been feeling lost, actually. I needed to find myself again. I needed to shake and change old ways and find out who I truly want to be. In the foreword of 1989 Taylor writes, 

"The debate over whether people can change is an interesting one for me to observe because it seems like all I ever do is change. All I ever do is learn from my mistakes so I don't make the same ones again. Then I make new ones. I know people can change because it happens to me little by little every day. Every day I wake up as someone slightly new. Isn't it wild and intriguing and beautiful to think that every day we are new?"

We break and we bleed and then we heal. We change and it hurts but we are strengthened. I am very much obsessed with becoming someone who is completely comfortable in her own skin. Because this is it. This is what I get. I get this life, and this body, and this mind, and it is up to me to be okay with that. I think I'm slowly becoming okay with that. 

Earlier today I bought Taylor's fragrance called Incredible Things. Priceline was having a half price sale on perfumes so I decided to treat myself. More so than that, I wanted to cement this mindset that I had formed. A mindset that incredible things can and will happen to me. I am beautiful, and courageous, and strong. I have the ability to change the world. I refuse to not believe that these things are true. It breaks my heart to think that there are far too many girls out there who don't believe these things about themselves. Whenever I spray this perfume I will think of these words. Whenever I catch the scent on my skin during the day I will remember this mindset. 

I try to live with the thought that something good and wonderful is about to happen, and so should you. I want to encourage you with the reminder that even if you're in the middle of a rainstorm right now, you'll get through it. You'll come out the other side cleaner than you were when you went in. You will come out stronger and with a new drive to fight for who you are and what you want to be. Don't be afraid to live your life with confidence. For too many people are. I used to be too afraid, but it's something that I'm working on. And remember, those who are crazy enough to believe that they'll change the world are the ones who actually do. So let's be world changers. 

Love, S. 

Lust Have It! | July Box

Can I just make it known from the get-go that I am SO impressed with this months box! You definitely get your moneys worth in this box - and more. I'm just going to jump straight into the products because I'm so excited about them all!

The item I was most excited for was the Be a Bombshell 'The One Stick' (full size, RRP $24) in the shade 'Southern Belle'. This was the item that we got to choose which shade we wanted, and I picked the more coral toned pink out of the two options. Think of this as being like a NARS Matte Multiple. You can apply this to your lips, cheeks, eyelids, or wherever you fancy. I don't have many corals in my collection, which was why I picked this shade. I really love the colour and the texture of it is smooth and creamy. I'm very curious to see how well it lasts on both the lips and cheeks, because sometimes it can be hard to find a product that lasts well on both. I can see myself reaching for this product more and more as the warmer months roll around. 

The other lip product I received in this months box was the Be a Bombshell Lip Gloss (full size, RRP $21) in the shade 'Taupeless'. I do have to admit that I wasn't totally blown away by the colour, but I don't really have any peachy-nudes in my collection, so it will be a good colour to have. I do find lip glosses to be quite sticky sometimes, so hopefully this one isn't too bad - but I'll have to test it out a bit and report back. 

The last make up item was the Hikari Eyeshadow Quad (full size, RRP $22.50) in 'Halle' which includes the shades Almond, Champagne, Majestic and Brownie. The colour pigmentation isn't too bad, and I do really like the shades I received. Particularly the bottom right hand corner, which is a peachy/golden sort of shade. I have been on the hunt for a shade like this for quite some time now, so I'm very pleased to finally have one! 

The skincare item that stood out to me the most was the Racinne Ultimate Aqua Blanc Concentrate (full size, RRP $51). From what I understand, this is a concentrate/serum type of product that you use as a treatment after toning and before moisturising. The box says that this product instantly energises skin cells, promotes blood circulation and removes dead skin cells, which further regenerates healthy and translucent skin. This type of product is totally up my street, but as I've only just started using it I haven't seen any results just yet. 

The last item was the Paula's Choice Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum (deluxe sample size, full size retails for $52). While I don't yet have to worry about repairing wrinkles, I do have some dark spots, which this product claims to also target. I haven't tried this out yet, but I am keen to in order to see what difference it makes. Although it isn't full size, it is a very decent sample size which is great to see. 

There was also a bonus item which was some sample sachets of the Garnier Fructis Full and Luscious shampoo and conditioner. Sachets don't particularly excite me, but they come in handy for travelling or if you've run out of shampoo and desperately need to wash your hair. 

As I mentioned before, I am so impressed with this months box. I feel like Lust Have It are just getting better and better, and I'm excited to see what next months box will contain. If you like the sound of this box and want to join in on the fun, you can check out their website and sign up here. Also be sure to use the code 'SAMINDIGO1' at the checkout to receive $5 off your first box! Now I'm off to play around with these products and get overly excited in anticipation over next months box...

*This product was sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post. 

Lust Have It! | June Box

Lust Have It have begun rolling out their new packaging, and so far I really like it. The products used to come in a little mesh-like pouch, but I ended up with so many and no use for any of them. Their new packaging is just a simple pillow box with the cutest illustrated sticker on the front - I'm a sucker for illustrations of makeup! This months box promised to have you covered from head to toe, and they did just that. All of the items were full size, so you definitely got over and above your moneys worth with this one. 

The one item I was most excited to see was the Teeez Trend Cosmetics lipstick in the shade Classy Caramel. I'm still not totally convinced that I can pull off this shade, but I'm going to try. The rose gold packaging is stunning, and when I swatched it the colour was pigmented and creamy. Next was the NAK Thermal Shield spray. I'm all for protecting your hair when it comes to using heat, and this product grabbed my interest. I don't often see heat protectant in the form of a spray/mist, similar to hairspray. Definitely one I'll be trying out and seeing how it compares. I'm a sucker for a lip balm, and this Chapstick Hydration Lock lip balm is really interesting because it is double-ended to hydrate and then lock in moisture. It seems like it could be a bit of a hassle, but I'll be giving it a go and seeing how it compares to my well-loved Nuxe Reve de Miel or Burt's Bees. Finally, there were two items from The Cosmetic Kitchen. I've used some of their products before and have enjoyed them, so it was nice to see some more. This month I got the peppermint foot mask and the wake up body scrub. I can't say I've ever used a foot mask before, so that will be interesting. As for the body scrub, well I'm a sucker for them, so that will definitely be getting used. 

Overall I'm pleased with what I received in my box this month and I know that I'll be getting use out of everything. I really feel like Lust Have It are continuing to grow stronger and produce boxes filled with great quality products. If you want to subscribe you can do so here, and you can also use the code SAMINDIGO1 to save $5 off your first box! 

*This product was sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post. 

Essentials For a Summer Adventure

Here in the southern hemisphere it is anything but summer, but that hasn't stopped me from dreaming about all the adventures that I plan to embark on when the warmer seasons roll around again. For today's post I thought I would offload a little inspiration onto you to get you feeling just that little bit more excited about the upcoming warmer months. Currently, the weather is anything but sunny. It is cold, windy and very grey outside today. So here is a little bit of summer sunshine to warm up your gloomy day. Below is my list of essentials for a summer adventure! I love going on adventures to new and exciting places, and these are a few of the things that I always seem to take with me. 

1. Comfortable shoes for the journey | I understand that Birkenstock's are a bit of a love it or hate it shoe. I personally love them, though I was definitely a hater at first. Once I saw how they could be styled they began to grow on me, and then I couldn't resist buying a pair. I actually bought a cheaper pair of dupes at first, but have recently invested in the real thing (a leather pair too, might I add!). A good adventure needs comfortable shoes, so invest in a good pair! For me, it's Birkenstocks, but I also love a good pair of Nike's. 

2. Camera to capture | If the adventure isn't posted on Instagram did it really happen? Of course it did! But taking a bunch of photos along the way helps you to capture the amazing memories. While I do have a proper dSLR camera that I love dearly, you just can't beat the portability of an iPhone. It's way too easy to snap a good quality photo, edit it using an app such as VSCOcam or Afterlight, and then post it to social media for your friends to drool over (and for you to look back on and drool over also). 

3. Tinted lip balm to have pretty lips | I'm all for lipstick, but sometimes when it's way too hot outside, you just can't be bothered with it. That's when I turn to a chubby stick alternative. My current favourites are these new releases from Maybelline. They're the Baby Lips Candy Wow tinted lip balms and they come in a variety of colours/flavours. I happen to own them all because I'm a little bit obsessed, and I know that I'm going to get even more use out of them once spring and summer rolls around. And who said you can't have pretty lips while adventuring and exploring? No one. Exactly! 

4. Sunglasses to see | Nothing is more frustrating than being outside on a sunny day and forgetting your sunglasses. I make sure I always keep a spare pair in my car, just in case. The ones I'm currently wearing look just like those pictured above, and I actually bought them off eBay. However, if you wear prescription glasses then I recommend checking out Salt City Optics (view their website here). They sell some great sunglasses from the leading brands and they're perfect if you're a prescription wearer. You can also save 20% on your purchase by entering the code SUNNY20 at the checkout! 

5. Tote bag to hold everything | I'm a big lover of tote bags and I use them for all occasions and at all times of the year. However, they're particularly good during adventuring in the summer time when you have a lot of stuff to carry. In the summer I tend to use brown/tan coloured bags more so than any other because the colour is a lot softer and just seems to go with everything. 

6. Sunscreen to protect | An adventure is not worth having if you're not wearing sunscreen. Protect your skin, please! My favourite is the Beach Defence by Neutrogena because it smells like summer, not like sunscreen! It also has an SPF of 50 and sinks in to the skin really well, without leaving a greasy residue behind. It is everything you would want in a sunscreen and more. 

I hope this has got you feeling just that little bit more excited for summer to come around again! I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so I can jump in my car and begin exploring again. Let me know what some of your essentials are below! Now I've got to begin planning my next adventure...

Pondering on Love...

Right now I feel excited. I feel like good things are coming my way. One thing I know is that it is very easy to be excited and happy after something wonderful has happened, but harder to be excited and happy before such a thing has occurred. I'm trying to shake that up a little. So often we wait until we get what we've been yearning for to be thankful for it. I'm trying to be thankful already. It's no surprise that the thing that I'm most excited for will be finding, falling, and being in love. I talk about it nonstop, and think about it even more. However, I don't let the fact that I am currently single dictate or rule my life too much, because I used to. I used to get so hung up and caught up over the fact that I was single. Now even though I definitely wouldn't say no to a date if a boy asked me out on one, I'm not really that fussed over the fact that I am single. It's by one thing only that I'm at peace with it. It's the simple thought that if I was meant to be in a relationship right now, I would be. I know that everything has a perfect timing, and it just so happens that it's not yet my perfect timing for love. And that is totally okay. You've just got to accept such a reality and move on with life. There is so much beauty and wonder out there to experience. Why should I let the fact that I'm single hold me back so much? It just seems silly. My value isn't dependent on my relationship status. I used to think it was. 

I have three siblings and I am currently the only one who is single. That's okay. My time for love will come around soon enough. I believe that you've just to keep running your race and let things happen how they're supposed to. It doesn't mean sit back and do nothing, but that instead of stressing about the things I can't control, just vibe with life instead. The simple, but complicated, fact is that we are not as in control as we think we are. One day love is going to find me and it's going to be amazing. So instead of sitting and feeling sad and alone, I am feeling excited and happy about the day that it will happen. I'm not going to miss out on the present because I'm looking too far forward into the future. I'm going to embrace and delight in every wonderful experience that comes my way. I'll feel excited over the fact that one day I'll get to share all of these experiences with the love of my life, and that I'll get to hear about all of his wonderful experiences too. 

Love isn't always sunshine and rainbows, and social media tends to glamourise it while forgetting that a lot of hard work goes into those relationships. We read flowery words and see beautifully framed pictures on Instagram and think that's how it always is. We couldn't be more wrong. It is vital that we remember that good relationships take effort and perseverance, a lot of hard work behind the scenes, and two people who want to be together more than anything else. These relationships are formed in the valley, not on the mountain top. Skies will become grey and times will be tough, so you want to make sure the person whose hand your holding is planning on staying there for the long haul. I can't pretend to be an expert on love, when I have virtually no experience in the field, but something I do know is that it should make you feel infinite and out of control. It should be a bursting flame that makes you feel like you have fireworks going off inside you. Most importantly though, it should feel like coming home. I can't wait to come home. 

Love, S.

Image: Tumblr

Homemade Granola Recipe

This morning I was faced with a dilemma. I was out of muesli. This is an awful situation to be in when you're really craving muesli, fruit and yoghurt. Bit of a #firstworldproblem though, I know. Instead of remaining upset and deflated, I just decided to make my own. The thing about granola is that it is very easy to make, and they all work off the same basic recipe. The one that I made, which is the one I'm sharing here, is very basic. That's simply because I didn't have too much in my pantry, so I just worked with what I had. This recipe is a mixture of Suzie's (from Hello October, you can find her recipe here) and also from an article I read on Buzzfeed (which you can find here). 

Ingredients 

2 cups of oats

Handful of pumpkin seeds

A bit more than 1/4 cup of honey

A bit less than a 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

Brown sugar (just to sprinkle)

Dark chocolate (chopped up into little pieces)

Pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Preheat your oven to about 160 degrees celsius. 

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl (for me that was the oats and the pumpkin seeds. If you were using dried fruit, nuts or spices you'd add those in now). 

3. Add in the oil and mix to combine.

4. Then add in the honey and mix to combine. 

5. Add in your pinch of sea salt and mix well. 

6. Once it's all mixed well pop it onto a baking try and spread it out so you have an even layer that isn't too thick, then add your sprinkling of brown sugar. 

7. Bake it for about 10-15 minutes, but stir it about halfway through baking. I ended up baking mine for a little longer, so just test it as you go. 

8. Take it out to cool, and once it's cool add the chocolate chips. 

9. Add it to your breakfast or store it in an airtight container. From what I've read, this will keep for up to a few months! 

I ate mine with some vanilla yoghurt and strawberries and it honestly tasted SO amazing! This is definitely something I will be eating regularly from now on. Happy baking! 

Lust Have It! | March Box

It's once again time for another monthly Lust Have It box to arrive in my PO Box for me to enjoy! Now this is the March box, and it came a little late due to shipping and supplier issues, from what I know. Nevertheless, it's here now so that's what matters!

I'm just going to start with the product I was most excited to receive, and that is the Model Co BB+ Cream in Light. I was overjoyed that I had finally been sent a face product that would actually match my pale skin tone! I find Model Co products are a love/hate thing for me. Sometimes I am so impressed by them and absolutely adore them, other times I can't stand to use them at all. Thankfully, this was a product that I love! BB creams are part skincare, part makeup, and this one is great. My biggest problem with BB creams is that they are usually too oily for my skin and make me look like a complete mess after a couple of hours (no matter how much primer or powder I use!). I was a little apprehensive to try this one out because I expected to see the same thing, but I didn't! This is an oil free formula that's lightweight and feels so good on my skin. Upon application it feels quite moisturising, but then it sinks in and leaves a satin matte finish and I can hardly feel it on my skin at all. If you're on the hunt for a new BB cream, definitely check this one out.

The next product that I was excited to see was the Lonvitalite Coconut Milk Facial Mask. I have tried a few face masks from this brand before and I always love them, so I'm sure this one will be no exception! Moving onto the Appelles Blackseed Shampoo and Tamanu Conditioner. I have used these and I did like them. You can definitely tell that they're organic, and while they aren't the most nourishing, I still did like using them. They smell very herbal/floral but I kind of like it. I haven't tried the Urban Skincare Co Daily Body Cleanser yet but I am excited to use it the next time I have a bath (which will probably be tonight). It smells great and so relaxing. Last but not least there were two skincare samples from Uriage. There was the Toléderm Cleansing Water and the Toléderm Hydra-Soothing Cream. I'm not sure when I'll get to use them, but I'll keep them in my drawer with the rest of my mini products for if I ever go away anywhere. 

I was rather impressed with this box because it contained products that I'll actually use! Out of the ones I've used so far, I love them, and can't wait to try the others. Just like always you guys can get $5 off your first Lust Have It box by using the code SAMINDIGO1 when checking out, and I encourage you to do so (you can click here to join)! There's nothing quite like having lovely beauty products arriving at your doorstep each month...

*This box was sent to me for consideration, however all opinions are my own. This is not a sponsored post.

Moments and Memories #1

Yesterday at uni was one of the most stressful days ever. I was there for a solid 10 and a half hours working on a group assessment. It was the third day we'd been there that week. Stress and tension levels were high, and it seemed that everything was going wrong at some points. However, we finished our assessment, submitted it, and felt another weight lifted off our shoulders. Surprisingly there were parts of the day that I really enjoyed. We had moments of laughing so much that some of us ended up on the floor, moments where we were almost crying, and moments where we wanted to throw our laptops at the wall. But we made it. 

I'm currently in my third year of my degree, and I'm about to finish my second last semester. It took a while, but I managed to find some really solid friends who I am so thankful for. Uni would be a whole lot harder without them. A thought I've been having recently is 'have I really been experiencing uni?'. Because I kind of felt like I hadn't been, and it scared me. As much as there are moments where I want to give up, cry, and drop out, I'm glad I haven't. I know that it will be well worth it in the end. 

Although yesterday was a crazy stressful day, and this week hasn't been the best and kind of feels like it's been going on forever, I walked out of uni last night feeling happy. I felt like I was truly experiencing uni in all it's forms. Even though it was awful at times during the day, we survived through to the night and ended on a good note. I felt a part of something. I felt like I was fulfilling my uni duties correctly. I felt like I was experiencing something great. 

These moments will become memories and stories that I'll probably share with friends and tell my kids one day, and that makes me happy. So often I feel like I don't have that many great stories to tell, but I feel like I could perhaps be beginning to make some. I hope you don't mind that I'll jot them down on here every now and then, but why not? Here's to more story-making...