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A note: new adventures

Hello my little birds,

I know I've been a little MIA lately so I wanted to take a quick minute to explain what's been happening.

Around September I decided to make a job change, a pretty big one too. One that I never would have even considered if it weren't for this blog and its little legion of followers and supporters. I'm now working in the beauty and cosmetics industry and it's honestly one of the best things I've ever done.

I'm feeling happier and healthier, I'm pursuing a passion, and it's been amazing so far. I'm learning so, so much, that I can't wait to share with you all, and I'm finding my skills and confidence growing every day. This blog is still my baby and my happy place, and I'm going to try and keep it updated as much as I can going into 2016! 

(AH IT'S NEARLY 2016 HOW DID THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN NO SERIOUSLY WHAT IS THIS)

So here are a few of the looks I've been sporting at work, my next few posts will be what I'm loving and how I follow the three-colour-rule (an eye, a cheek and a lip) day-to-day xx



Gotta love a good contour!

Until next time,
Tweet tweet xx

Cult Products: The Good and the Meh

Hello my little birds! 
I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long, work, life and all of that wonderful stuff has been a little intense lately.


So I’m making a comeback with my thoughts on some of the big name products I’ve been trying lately!



First up – NARS Sheer Glow. 
I know, I know, I went on about this baby a few posts ago, but now that I’m almost two months into using it consistently and constantly, I need to say it.

HOLY. GRAIL.



Holy grail foundation. I know, a big claim, but I am still so, so in love with this foundation. I’ve changed my application method from using the Real Techniques buffing brush to smoothing it on with my fingers. I find it gives me a little lighter coverage, that’s more buildable, and feels nicer first thing in the morning.
Worth the hype? Absolutely.
10/10


Last month I treated myself to the original Naked palette by Urban Decay. 
I actually can’t describe how excited I was to open up my post package and carefully take it out of its box. The packaging is gorgeous, chocolate brown velour with a magnet closure, and a lovely big mirror to go with the shadows. 





The brush that comes with the palette is incredible too!
In terms of the shadows, I quite like the shimmer shades, especially Virgin and Half Baked. They’re quite pigmented and give enough shine without large glittery fragments. The matte shadows are nice enough, but I prefer my Too Faced Naturals palette. I haven’t tried the darker shadows, simply because I haven’t had an excuse or reason to whip out a smoky eye lately. But it is pretty to look at, and hold… and there is a great variety of colours in the palette, some of which I haven’t swatched or used just yet.
Worth the hype? Eh, kinda.
7/10

I’m a dirty blogger. 


Last month I ordered my first, of what will be many, Frank Body coffee scrubs and OH MY GOSH. My skin feels amazing, soft and nourished, my shower is a coffee bean infested mess, but it’s so worth it. If I had one minor complaint (and I do), I hate that you need to leave the scrub on for five minutes before rinsing. Not because I don’t like waiting (I can be patient when I try), but because it’s FREEZING. Freezing, freezing cold; the pack recommends five minutes but it’s a struggle, folks, standing in the shower DESPERATE to jump back under the hot water.
Worth the hype? YES.
9.5/10 (because waiting and being cold sucks)



In terms of beauty inspo Zoe (Zoella) is kinda up there, so when she started raving about Maybelline Lash Sensation Mascara I thought I’d give it a go. 
Coles had it on special so I figured, why not? AND OH MY GOD AM I GLAD I DID. THIS STUFF IS AMAZING. It looks like I’m legitimately wearing false lashes, more so Maybelline Falsies, or Benefit They’re Real! 

 

This photo was taken about four hours after application and they still look phenomenal, and since the formula is waterproof there’s no risk of smudging or shadow during the day’s wear.
Worth the hype? HECK YEAH
10/10

It's spring! (WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN SERIOUSLY HOW ARE WE IN SEPTEMBER ALREADY??)
Aside from my shock and concern over the fact that we're already in September, spring time means that summer isn't far away, which means, you guessed it, this pasty little beauty blogger is going to start seriously tanning again soon. Whilst I'm in love with the St. Tropez mousse in Light/Medium, I don't have the time currently to be applying and waiting for it to dry, etc., so I wanted to use a gradual tanner for now. I've used the Dove Body Glow, Le Tan Gradual Tan, and Palmers' Cocoa Butter Gradual Tanner in the past. This time around I decided to opt for the Bondi Sands Everyday Tan, after reading some very positive reviews online. Before I found St. Tropez on sale (Oh, HAPPY DAY!), Bondi Sands was my go-to tanning mousse, so I figured the gradual tanner would be the same quality. 

And so far, so good! What I love about Bondi Sands is their tan is red based, rather than brown or orange. This means, for me, having a pinker skin tone, the tan looks that touch more natural. Unlike the Palmers' Cocoa Butter Gradual Tanner, which starts depositing colour almost immediately, the Bondi Sands takes 1-2 days to start clearly showing up. That being said, it's a really nice, warm, natural looking tan, however I've found the Palmers' tanner to be more moisturising. What I've been doing is alternating each day, one with Bondi Sands, the other with Palmers' Cocoa Butter, just to keep my skin nice and moisturised.
Worth the hype? I'd say so!
8/10



Now I’d like to quickly re-visit a product I reviewed a little while ago, because it’s a cult classic, and also… Well, I’ve had a slight change of heart.
When I first tried the AContour palette, I struggled. The powders were highly pigmented and good quality, but not quite right for me. I pushed them to the bottom of my make-up bag, thinking, if anything, I’d try it out again this summer when I’m tanned (by the bottle) and going out, etc.
Well HOLD YOUR HORSES, FOLKS, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY WENT OUT. SERIOUSLY. I WENT AND DID 21-YEAR-OLD-THINGS. And that involved being tanned, and a lower cut top, and I tried something I’ve never done before.
I contoured my boobs.
Yep.
That happened.
And it went… well? Really well, actually, it looked quite natural, and I have the AContour palette to thank for that! So… thank you, Australis!
Worth the hype? Actually, yeah!
8/10




Also I FINALLY HAVE A GLASSHOUSE TAHAA CANDLE MY LIFE IS COMPLETE I AM SO SO SO HAPPY AND THE VANILLA SCENT IS ACTUALLY AMAZING
Worth the hype? YES.
11/10, 12/10, ALL THE NUMBERS/10


So there we have it, a few cult classics, a few new favourites, and a couple of misses, and a whole lotta reading for those of you who've missed this bird!

Until next time my loves,
Tweet tweet xx

Cleaning My Make-Up Brushes: Lilo and Stitch

Tonight I cleaned my make-up brushes and I feel like the only way I can express this to all you little birds is through GIFs of Lilo and Stitch.


STARTING OFF
heck yeah! Cleaning my brushes!




FIRST BRUSH IN
washing out AAAAAALLLL of the make-up and seeing how much there is... ew


SECOND BRUSH IN
Aaaaand that's my lower back that's hurting 

ya' know, from bending over the sink and squeezing all the soap and goop from the bristles



HALF WAY!
Why did I start this? Why why why?

Internet/Fellow Beauty Bloggers/Experts/By the Book People:
"Because your dirty brushes gather bacteria and it's important you clean them!"
Me:


Parents walk past bathroom twenty minutes in and ask what you're doing... And you tell them... And they respond accordingly



When you're finally up to cleaning your shadow brushes and realise it's nearly finished

Finally being finished! And they're all clean and drying and done!



..... but you realise you have to do it all over again in 1-2 weeks' time...



And that's how I wash my make-up brushes!

Tweet tweet xx

The Little Red Blogger: The Interview, Part Two!

If you haven’t checked out The Little Red Blogger then what on earth are you doing with your life?

whatta babe!


My gorgeous gal-pal is not only one of my biggest inspirations in life, but in style and fashion too. WATCH THIS SPACE. She’ll have her own label and more followers than Bec Judd in the next two years, just watch!
She did a little interview with me late last year which you can check out here, and I recently got to turn the tables on her

so nice, you see her twice x

Sparrow: When and why did you start blogging?
The Little Red Blogger: I started at the beginning of the year, mostly because I have an unhealthy obsession with clothes and fashion and pretty things and needed an outlet. I'm studying full time so am on a student budget so wanted to share my experience of being a broke-ass fashionista with people. I know there's more of us out there!

Sparrow: Where do you draw inspo from? Life? Work?
TLRB: All of the above. I'm so inspired by people on the streets for fashion. People watching is one of my favourite past-times. I love seeing how people dress and how they put outfits together. I blog about everything though, and usually whatever is in my heart at the time (how hooey does that sound?!) but if I'm on struggle street I'll write about it, if I cook a mean dinner I'll write about it, if I'm having a bad hair day I'll write about it. Blogging is a great outlet for that!

Sparrow: Your top three designers?
TLRB: Oh my gahd how does one choose? There's so many! I'm going to cheat and give you six. Top three Aussie designers are Toni Matecevski, Dion Lee and a tie between Ellery and Josh Goot and top three international are Jean Paul Gautier, Alexander McQueen and Yohji Yomamoto. Ok, that's actually seven but that was a tough question…

Alexander McQueen 2015
Dion Lee 2015
Ellery 2015
Jean Paul Gautier 2015
Josh Goot 2015
Yohji Yomamoto
Toni Matecevski

Sparrow: Haha, revenge is sweet! So what do you love most about fashion?
TLRB: I love that it can be interpreted in so many ways. There no right or wrong, there's no rules. What you wear can literally change your entire mood, and I love that! Rachel Zoe once said “Style is a way of saying who you are without having to speak”, and I find that to be so true.



Sparrow: I agree, absolutely. So then, what do you think about mainstream, fast fashion chains finishing at size sixteen? Do you think it limits women and their style choices?
TLRB: Absolutely it does. I think times are definitely changing though and there are more and more brands waking up to the fact that the average Aussie babe doesn't always fall into the sample size category and a lot of brands are starting to realise that they're missing out on a huge market there. There are some great brands like Basque and Bib (available at Myer) that to do beautiful and fashion forward pieces for curvy girls. Online stores like Asos are great too because they show the clothes on a body so it makes buying online without trying it on a little less scary.

Sparrow: On that note, you’re petite and lovely – is shopping ever frustrating for you? Pants too long, nightmare jeans?
TLRB: Always! I'm barely 5'3" so everything I buy is too long. Even midi skirts are maxi's on me. Luckily I'm pretty handy on a sewing machine! But I have learned to always try before I buy and even if I absolutely LOVE the piece, if it doesn't fit and look flattering then I'll leave it behind. And then cry. Or console myself with a new pair of shoes.. Even though I'm quite petite I'm also pear shaped so I have trouble finding jeans that fit my thighs and waist which can be super frustrating. I've found Forever New jeans are the best for that.











Sparrow: Heels – how do you make them work?
TLRB: Oh man I would sleep in heels if I could. I love them! I always put gel cushions in my heels, no matter the occasion so I can last in them all day or night. It makes a world of difference! I think pointed toe heel with a pair of jeans and a tee is SO sexy, but I can't go past a statement heel. Anything in a crazy colour, crazy embellishments, straps, buckles, whatever. If I could have a closet full of Sophia Webster and Nicholas Kirkwood heels I would be one happy lady!

Sophia Webster
Nicholas Kirkwood











Sparrow: You’re currently studying at fashion school – what’s that like?
TLRB: Intense to say the least. I think the biggest misconception people have about fashion school is that "It's just fashion, it must be easy." It's not. Really, really, not. The contact hours are pretty standard, twenty one hours a week in second year, but the homework expectation is about the same amount of non-contact hours. While you work and intern and try and have some sort of life on the side. Yup. Sure. Easy. They make it tough because the industry is tough and competition is fierce so they want you to be prepared. I really love it though. I love being constantly challenged and being able to be creative and being able to do something I'm passionate about. I feel very lucky for that. Even if I am a walking zombie for lack of sleep all the time. Coffee becomes your best friend at fashion school.

 Sparrow: End game, where do you see career in fashion heading? Owning your own brand? CEO of Chanel? Chief editor of Vogue?
TLRB: All of the above of course. I'm basically Grace Coddington. (It's all in the hair, ha.) In all seriousness the end game is to have a career making beautiful things, whatever that entails. I've always thought the best thing in the world would be to be walking down the street somewhere and see a girl wearing one of my designs. I couldn't think of a better feeling. I love painting and drawing too so would happily do that for a living if someone will pay me for it!

Sparrow: How important do you think beauty is to fashion? Do runway shows need hair and make-up for looks to work?
TLRB: Oh it's so important! Your beauty look is the icing on the cake. Even if it's simple and you wear it the same every day (like yours truly because I'm so lazy) it finishes off your look and, like fashion, makeup and a good blow-dry can literally change your entire mood! For runway fashion the beauty look gets just about as much love and time and research as the fashion itself. It completely changes the look and feel of a show. And a lot of the time the beauty look of a runway show is the first thing to become mainstream because it's easy and much more economical to recreate. Hello Chanel smoky eyes and black headbands!


 Sparrow: What’s your favourite make-up brand? Or do you mix and match?TLRB: I mix and match and tend to try new brands especially for foundation. Australis is definitley my go-to brand for bronzer and powder but for liquid foundation I love Nars and MAC. And for lippy it's usually Revlon, MAC or Sportsgirl.

 Sparrow: Ok, you did it to me, so it’s payback time – I’m ditching you on one of the nicer desert islands and because I’m nice you can take a whooping FIVE products with you. And a copy of Elle magazine.
TLRB: Haha thanks, you babe! Ok I would take my Lucas Paw Paw ointment because I can't live without it, Sukin Eye Treatment, Olay moisturizer with SPF 30+ (so important for us pasty white redheads!), my favourite perfume Hot Couture by Givenchy and.. my phone? I know it's not a beauty product but I'm going to need a way to blog about how you abandoned me on a desert island.

Sparrow: Good luck getting bars out there! Speaking of, does YouTube ever factor into your styling or beauty routines? Do you have a favourite YouTuber?
TLRB: In all honestly I never go on YouTube. Ridiculous, I know! The few times I have though I've found its very easy to find some incredible beauty bloggers and I find it a great platform for that. I have noticed there a very few fashion bloggers on there. Maybe I need to change that? Still waiting for a BeautyByASparrow YouTube, just quietly…
not everyone can make me ugly laugh like this

Sparrow: Ok, ok! Point taken haha! (and yes you should missy!)
 What’s the best thing about Melbourne?
TLRB: Where do I start? The coffee, the shopping, the architecture, the people, the fashion. There's always something to do, always a new store to find, always new designers popping up and good coffee on every corner. What more do you need?


Sparrow: What’s your favourite beauty treat? A mani-pedi? A face mask?
TLRB: I love a good mani-pedi but you can't go past a good facial. Especially when they throw in a face and scalp massage. Heaven.

 Sparrow: Finally, what’s your go-to beauty look for a night out?
TLRB: Usually it's a smokey eye with browns and golds and a peachy-nude lip and I'll throw some messy waves in my hair. Although if I'm pressed for time it'll be liquid eyeliner and a red lip, a lá Amy Winehouse. You know, without the beehive hair and druggy boyfriend…

I feel you girl, I feel you. Thank you so much, my lovely little red blogger, and I can’t wait to see your next big move in the fashion game!
Pleeeeeaaaaasssee head on over and subscribe to her blog, and follow her on Instagram @thelittleredblogger <3

Until next time little birds,
Tweet tweet xx

Easy like Sunday Morning...

Good morning my little birds!

I know, I'm blogging on a Sunday, it's unheard of, but it's my first one off in about... Well, too long to even try and count! 

It's gotten me thinking about all the Sunday things that I love, and that I've missed as the seasons have melted from autumn to a very wintry winter here in Melbs.

1. Brunch

OHMYGOD FOOD. I love food, and breakfast foods in particular. Eggs, bacon, avocado, I'm all over that like Hollandaise sauce. 
When your working day starts at ten though, you miss out on that opportune brunch bracket and then by the time you eat again (because you HAVE to have breakfast before work!) it's well and truly lunch time and if you try to order poached eggs or muesli people look at you strangely. Also brunch is SUCH a social thing, that doing it alone would feel unnatural.
Now that I've reclaimed my Sundays you can be sure my Insta feed will be flooded with the stuff of food envy dreams!

2. Converse Chucks

If I could wear my Converse Chucks to work I would literally never take them off. They're so comfy, they're so cute, and they perfectly walk that casual/cool line that I so often struggle with. Weekends and sneakers were made for each other, like Nutella and strawberries. Teamed with denim, cute skirts, chunky knits, thick coats and scarves, they work with everything and make Sunday feel like Sunday, to me at least.

3. Exercise

I live near one of the most gorgeous rivers in Melbourne, the Maribyrnong river. It's a great little 4km walk that's scenic, pretty, and just generally a nice thing to do. Driving past all the morning walkers with their dogs and their bright work out gear has made me so jealous, so I can't wait to get out there soon and have a walk with my mum, or maybe some girlfriends! 
(And the best bit? THERE'S A BRUNCH PLACE AT THE END OF THE WALK!)

Cute workout gear that I want to steal

4. Bed

You have no idea how much you love your bed until you have to drag yourself from it, at six-thirty on a Sunday, and walk across FREEZING bathroom tiles to get ready for the day.
More than anything (even more than brunch) I've missed having a lie-in, in my beautiful, cosy bed, and not having to jump up and out and start being busy. I mean yeah, you can sleep in on other days you have off, but there's something about Sundays. I think it's waking up knowing that the rest of the world, and the rest of the city, is just as relaxed and easy-going as you. Knowing that everyone else is also waking up, and going 'Ah!' is sort of nice. The Sunday papers always have better lift-outs, coffee tastes better, Sundays in bed are just better than other days.

5. Cleaning & Tidying


I know, I know, I was just going on about the amazingness of laziness on Sundays, but I love a good spring clean! Folding and putting away nice, clean laundry, washing your sheets and drying them outside, so they smell like sunshine when you crawl in that night, re-arranging knick-knacks and my bedside table... All the things that I don't get time to do during the week, that make me feel a little more organised and in control of my life. I'm also a fan of all things pretty, so getting into my room and making everything perfect gives me all the warm and fuzzies.
And if I get a chance to re-arrange my make-up bags and storage? THAT'S SERIOUSLY THE BEST
#goals

6. The beach

"But it's winter!"
And...?

I love the beach, regardless of the weather. Any chance I get to be by water, I take. The same way I love walking near the Maribyrnong, walking on the beach is one of my all-time favourite things, especially at the end of a hectic week. There's something about sea air that makes me feel immediately better, no matter what's going on in my life. Sundays and sand just make sense, right?


7. Shopping


Ok, so I've never had a Blair-style splurge, but Sunday shopping is the best kind of shopping, It's more wandering and occasionally spending money than actual shopping. I love going to Puckle Street and Chapel Street in Melbourne, popping in and out of the little boutiques, the big brands, and the DFO's. I love taking time to look at different pieces, feel inspired, and pick and choose what I want. Like brunch, it's a social thing - spending an afternoon with my mum, or one of my close friends, aimlessly looking at everything from clothing to candles, is a luxury to me. 


8. Markets
Image: houseofhumble.com

Since I was little, my mum and I would get ready and go, every second Sunday of the month, to Flemington market, to look at lovely crafts, clever innovations, fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables, and to eat mini-Dutch pancakes with lemon and icing sugar. The boy started taking me to Daylesford markets about two years ago, and again, beautiful, handmade crafts and soaps, fresh produce, and unique things you can't find anywhere else. And donuts. 
There's something about Sunday markets that I absolutely adore. It could just be the mini-Dutch pancakes talking, but I love the idea of shopping local and organic. The best Pink Lady apples I've ever eaten came from a farmer at Flemington market. Wandering around in the sun, picking up trinkets and no-where-else-one-of-a-kind things, and apples, is my idea of a perfect Sunday. 



Well there you have it, little birds, my favourite Sunday things. Stay tuned for what's on my face on these lazy Sundays. 
I hope you all enjoy a sleep-in, some brunch, and most importantly some time in the gorgeous winter sunshine with your favourite people.

Until next time,
Tweet tweet xx

Meet Kristyn!

EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND LOOK AT MY INCREDIBLE FRIEND.


Seriously how pretty is she?!!

If you don't have a friend like Kristyn in your life then I feel very sorry for you. This gorgeous girl and I met through work and we've been buds ever since, and aside from my lovely PT, she's my go-to for fitness and health. She's actually a sponsored athlete for Protein King, because that's how awesome this girl is!

So naturally, when you have an amazingly exquisite gal pal with all that fitness and health knowledge, you want to pick her brain, and luckily enough Kristyn let me do just that! I honestly believe that when you feel good on the inside, it'll show on the outside, and Kristyn is a beautiful example of that. 

Without further ado, here we GO!

Kristyn is bae <3



Sparrow: What is your pre-workout skin routine? (Make-up off, make-up on? Moisturizer or bare face?)
Kristyn: I generally go to the gym after my day has already ended so I just go with whatever make up I have left on. I’m not going to purposefully take it off but if I go early in the morning before I have work or uni, I’ll just put some tinted moisturizer on. I don’t want to scare people away!


S: What do you do post-workout, beauty and skin wise?
K: I take my make up off and wash my face as soon as I get home, especially if it’s been an incredibly sweaty session (ew, gross right?).

S: What’s the one beauty/skin trend that you hate most at the gym?K: Honestly, there’s nothing. I just let people be. If someone wants to get all fancied up for the gym, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it at all, it might make them feel more comfortable.
S: How do you think your awesome, super fit lifestyle has impacted your beauty and skin routines?
 K: My skin tends to look a bit more healthy and “glowy” if that’s even a word. Now that I’m a bit more self confident than I used to be, I love a good bright red lippy.
dat glow and red lip tho!

S: What’s your go-to make-up look for a night out?
K: Standard smokey eye (even though I’m terrible at it) and a bold lip.
(I heartily disagree, look at that gorgeous mug!)

S: What’s the one thing you wish people would stop doing at the gym?
K: Judging others! Nothing makes me more angry than seeing a group of guys or girls laughing or snickering about someone working out behind their back. 

S: I’m a rad beauty blogger who can name mascaras by packaging, but I’m almost clueless at the gym. What are the two things you’d recommend to the average girl/blogger? K: Number one, don’t be scared of lifting heavy weights and secondly, if you’re not sure how to do something – ASK! Too many people injure themselves trying to do something incorrectly!
S: What are your favourite three beauty products?
K: My MAC Rebel lippy, NARS Sheer Matte foundation and my Australis bronzer!
(a girl after my own heart, ALL THE LOVE to Australis!)

S: What are you three favourite fitness/gym products? K: Anything Nike. Literally anything. I want it all. Quest Protein bars are the bomb.com and my pre workout.
S: You have a big date tonight with your crush of three weeks. What’s one thing that always boosts your confidence before a big night out?
K: A good hair day! If my hair looks good, I feel good. My hair is scary thin so on the rare occasion that it actually does what I want, it makes me feel amazing.
 
Yeah like that!


And finally, this little sparrow HAD to ask:
Do you even lift bro?

To which the ever-lovely and brilliant Kristyn replied;
I like lifting dat pizza slice to my mouth.

Amen to that sister!



Much love and thanks to Kristyn for letting me bombard her with questions! Check out her articles and videos at http://www.proteinking.com.au
See more of her gorgeous face, fitness advice and fitspo on Instagram!

Until next time my little birds,
Tweet tweet xx
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