I have walked past the beautifully smelling Bangkok Soap Opera so many times but sadly never been inside however I happened to notice one day while scrolling through Instagram that they were having a sale so I decided as I was down to my last sliver of soap it was the perfect opportunity to order some of their delicious looking soaps to try out and as it arrived to me so fast and so beautifully wrapped with sustainable packaging and smelt so wonderful I just had to share this amazing find with all of you because who doesn't love pretty soaps that smell amazing?
The most appealing thing to me about Bangkok Soap Opera is not just their amazing soaps but the fact that they do some amazing work in the community. Not only do they teach soap making skills and host workshops on natural skincare and candle making, which I definitely want to take part in one day, they also have a project where they take the used oil from local street stalls and restaurants and which would otherwise go to waste and use that oil to make into soap and then donate that soap to communities and charities in need, so by buying their soaps and supporting them you are also supporting a great cause and a more eco-friendly, sustainable future.
As someone with quite sensitive skin I'm always cautious about what I put onto my skin and try to source as natural, organic and vegan as possible. Bangkok Soap Opera prides themselves on their natural ingredients and state they don't use any ingredients in their soap you can't eat as only if it's safe for you to consume it's safe for it to be used on your skin. Using only these natural ingredients they have produced a wonderful and wide selection of soaps in many "flavours" to suit all skincare types, I purchased 5 of their many soaps on offer, strawberry and rose, mangosteen and lemongrass, coffee and orange, chocolate pumpkin and cinnamon, lemon and tamarind, and they all smell amazing! So far I have only used the strawberry rose and it's wonderful, not only does my bathroom smell like an amazing rose garden every time I walk in but I've had complements about my "new perfume" and my skin feels so soft, beautiful and cleansed I really can't wait to get back into the shower to use it again.
I think as consumers we should all be making more of an effort to support businesses and brands that make a difference, personally I want the little money I have to go to the right places and businesses that align with my own ideals and beliefs and Bangkok Soap Opera is definitely a business I'm proud to support, not only are their products handmade with completely natural ingredients of the highest quality, they smell amazing, leave my skin feeling beautiful and are very reasonably priced to so worth every single penny and more, they ship worldwide to so please do go check them out and maybe treat yourself to some natural handmade skincare made with love.
Which one of their soaps would you love to try out?
Love & Bubbles
Cate
xoxo
Psssst if you like what you see and want to see more can support me by clicking the button below
Buy me a coffee and get a shoutout on my SNS
*This post is NOT sponsored all views are my own, all items were purchased with my own money and not gifted.
Earlier this year I started suffering from some quite sever cystic acne breakouts caused by hormones, pollution and stress which gave me a major blow to my confidence, I rarely left the house my skin was so bad and when I did I would usually wear a mask. I completely changed my skincare routine as almost everything I had used previously seemed to irritate me and started using less products with less ingredients. It's taken a while for my skin to return to a better condition but I am seeing some improvements so I thought I would share my experiences on some of the products I've bought from Wishtrend a company that strives to use provide more natural, cruelty free, beauty products which is based in South Korea. I've tried a few of their products in the past and always been pleased with the results so thought this would be a great place for me to start and create a new routine for my irritated, recovering skin.
"The By Wishtrend Green Tea & Enzyme Powder Wash is a mild powder cleanser to use on a daily basis. Consisting baking powder, coconut-derived surfactant, and enzymes, it controls blackheads while hydrating. As a low irritant cleanser for sensitive skin, it helps to exfoliate your skin a daily basis. "
I've never tried a powder face wash before but really liked the idea of it as I travel a lot and it would be easy for me to pack as I wouldn't have to worry about any liquid restrictions. I'm also a big fan of green tea as an antioxidant and baking powder as a natural cleanser so I had high hopes for this and after using it for a few weeks I'm overall very happy with it! I really like how you can tailor the texture of the wash to your needs, so should you need something more exfoliating you use less water or something lighter less powder. Admittedly it did take me a few tries to get the powder to water ratio I liked right but I eventually found that a small amount of powder worked quite well to adequately cleanse my whole face. I always felt really fresh and clean after using this wash and it didn't dry my skin out at all like some washes do. I also liked that there was no fragrance to as fragrance is something that can really irritate my sensitive skin. I do think the bottle is kinda big for the amount of power you actually get in it and I ended up transferring it to a smaller bottle so it was easier for me to travel with but other than that I'm really pleased with this product and how well it cleansed and soothed my irritated skin.
"The Klairs Supple Preparation Unscented Toner is the second version of the Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner. The unscented toner is the second version of the original toner that excluded all essential oil, which makes it scent-free. While the original toner contains non-irritating all natural essential oil, the unscented was made to provide an option for customers’ preference to scents."
This is a newer version of their popular Supple Preparation Toner which I have used previously and had good results with but this one is unscented and therefore better for sensitive skin or skin which is prone to irritation. What I really like about this toner is that it has a thicker texture so leaves your skin feeling soft and hydrated for longer without feeling sticky. I personally found the original toner had a strong lavender scent so prefer the unscented version but both work well it just depends if you prefer your cosmetics scented or unscented and how sensitive your skin is.
"The Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop is a serum to rejuvenate the skin. It contains concentrated pure vitamin C and key ingredients directly from nature. Its innovative multi-solution and non-irritating formula is to revitalize, maintain, and transform the skin. "
Out of all the vitamin C products I've tried I found this one to be the most effective at brightening skintone and reducing acne scars, it's the only product I found that actually made a visible difference to my skin. I've been using this serum for a few years now however I found it best not to use daily as it can sometimes irritate my sensitive skin so I tend to store it in the fridge to keep it fresh and use a few drops to treat my hyper-pigmentation and acne scaring every few days and you really don't need to use more than a few drops on your skin to feel the effects. This is also a favourite of my Mum's to after I recommended it to her as she found it really brightened and evened out her skintone. It can be a bit irritating to use on especially sensitive skin or days that your skin is feeling irritated from acne etc. but I found if you mix in a few drops with moisturiser it works just as effectively.
"The concentrated formula of the Rich Moist Soothing Cream provides immediate, long-term moisture for a more radiant, hydrated complexion. It works deep within the skin to provide much needed soothing and moisture. Infused with yeast-derived beta glucan, it supports the skin’s natural moisture barrier and defense system."
If you suffer from dry, sensitive skin this moisturiser is perfect! Whenever my skin is especially dry I find after using this that my skin immediately is more hydrated and soft. I also like to keep it in the fridge as I find on days when the weather is warmer or days when my skin is flaring up and feels irritated that it really cools, soothes and calms it down. This moisturiser also works well with the Freshly Juiced Serum should you need to add a little extra treatment into you routine as both work well together, and don't contain any ingredients which negates each others properties, and keep your skin moisturised and soothed.
"Oval shaped, highly adhesive acne patch suitable for covering several adjacent acne spots at once.
26 patches in 3 different sizes (15x23mm Large 8ea, 11x16mm Medium 9ea, 9x13mm Small 9ea)
Patch that not only helps the acne disappear without a scar, but also helps soothe and calm the spot.
The border of the patch is thinner to strongly adhere to curved areas such as jaw line and hair line."
Acne patches are a must! I've tried all different types from COSRX and while they are all very effective these are definitely my favourite and the ones I will be purchasing from now onwards. I love that they come in different sizes and the bigger sized ones are great for covering up a few pimples in the same area, I also prefer the oval shape as I think it adheres to the skin better, especially around places like your nose and chin. They're also really thin so hardly noticeable and I often wear these under my make-up as they are very discreet and easy to cover with concealer or foundation to blend into your regular make-up. Whenever I have a particularly angry spot that is irritating me or one that has popped I put one of these on it and within a day it's already calmed down and healed, definitely a must have for anyone that is prone to getting pimples.
Wishtrend also included a bunch of free samples in my order which I can't wait to try out and are also perfect for me to travel with when I have overnight or weekend trips and don't want to pack so many things. COSRX & Dear Klairs are my favourite Korean beauty brands and in the past I was always able to find them in store at ALand or online at Style Korean however I've found that often the items I want are out of stock when I visit so I decided this time it would be more convenient to order from Wishtrend as they are the creators of Dear Klairs and also stock COSRX and other cruelty free brands, they also offer great prices and fast international shipping. In the past I would hoard my favourite products but I found that especially with the serums that they can go bad before I've even had the chance to use them especially with the warm humid climate in Thailand so now I only buy in small quantities I intend to use immediately after purchase. Their service is so fast and reliable now I need not worry when I'm running low on my favourite products as I can just place an order with them and it will be with me within a week, so if you're looking to purchase more cruelty free Korean beauty products definitely check them out!
What are your favourite cruelty free beauty brands?
Love & Sunshine
Cate
xoxo
Disclaimer: These items were all purchased by myself with my own money and I was not asked to write this review I simply want to share my experiences of these products in the hopes it might help others, this post does contain affiliate links of which I will get a small percentage of the sale should you decided to purchase using my link.
Menstrual cups are something I have wanted to try out for a while but always been a little apprehensive about so when Sileu contacted me asking if I'd like to try out their Sileu Cup I saw this as the perfect opportunity to try one out for the first time and also share my experiences and hopefully encourage more people who have doubts to try one out to.
Sileu send me their Travel Pack which included cup, steriliser and case, I travel alot so this set is perfect for me to keep in my bag and take out to use whenever I need it. Before you use the menstrual cup you should clean and sterilise it, the foldable steriliser makes this easy as all you need to do is put in the cup fill it with water and microwave it for a few minutes then once dry it's ready for use. I decided to get a small size cup as it was my first size using one and I was a little worried about insertion and the fit but after my first time I found I had no difficulties and I didn't feel it at all, it was such a good fit it even passed the white underwear test and I had no leaks, something which I often get using tampons and pads. Emptying and cleaning it was no problem to even when I was out the house and had to use public toilets, I just made to to have some anti-bacterial handwash with me so I could sterilise my hands before touching the cup and wet wipes just incase. Although it varies per person depending on their flow I found I only needed to empty the cup no more than 3 times a day and it gave me no problems using when I sleep, sometimes I even forgot I was using one.
My first experience using Sileu menstrual cup was a very positive one and this is definitely my favourite over pads and tampons and a great way to reduce on the waste as this menstrual cup is reusable and with proper care will last up to 10 years! I will admit was nervous and apprehensive to try using one and very thankful for Sileu for this opportunity as it was exactly the push I needed to try one out and I'm so grateful I did as it's made that monthly visitor so much easier to manage, so I totally encourage everyone to try one out to especially if you're having doubts as you won't regret making that switch.
Have you used menstrual cup before? What are your experiences?
Love & Roses
Cate
xoxo
Get 10% off your order at Sileu with the discount code
Cintage School is one of my favourite stores in Siam Square, Bangkok, it has the cutest fashion at really affordable prices and every time I visit I always end up buying some really cute stuff. They change their collections every few months and it's really popular so if you see something you like there it's best not to hesitate to buy as it may not be there on your next visit.
There are a few of these stores around Bangkok but this one is my fave as I love the pastel pink school theme the store is decorated it, it's perfect for Instagram opportunists and there's always lot's of school kids taking photos there so you often have to wait a while before you can take those cute photos.
As well as the clothing store they also have a nail bar where you can get your nails done with super cute designs, nail art never lasts on me so I very rarely get my nails done but I'm always in awe of their cute designs and it's advisable to book ahead if you plan of getting it done as spots fill up fast.
My absolutely favourite thing about Cintage School is the 'canteen' on the top floor which serves all sorts of cute drinks and cakes, every time I go I always order the matcha frappe as it's probably one of the best you can get in Bangkok, not too sweet and full of matcha flavour and they also host KPop events like Pixie Dust Cafe, where you can get cute cupsleeves with your favourite idols on which is very popular with Kpop fans in Thailand right now.
If that wasn't enough to get you to visit then the icing on the cake is the ball pit that they have which you can play and take cute photos in, admittedly I've not yet had the chance to play in it because it's always full of people taking cute photos but I love the cute kitschy inflatables they have, it's such an adorable addition to an already cute store.
Siam is such a fun place to go shopping in, it's almost like my second home so if you're ever in Bangkok you'll know where to find me, and if your a fan of all things kawaii I suggest you go check out the area as there's just so many cute stores and cafes waiting for you to visit.
Whats the cutest store you've ever visited?
Love & Matcha
Cate
xoxo
Psssst if you want to see more awesome cafes from around the world you can click the button below, buy me a coffee, get treats & a shoutout on my next post
I absolutely adore wearing coloured lenses and I change up my eye colour almost as often as my outfits! I'm shortsighted so these lenses are not just for cosmetic reasons, I need them to see and sometimes when shopping for coloured lenses I find they don't come in my prescription or the range of colours can be limited so I normally order online but even then it can be hit and miss as the colours often don't match photos. I've purchased from Kosemeshop in the past and always been a big fan of their lenses so when they offered to send me some lenses from their new Lens Town Aloha Candy range to review I happily obliged and was excited to see how they'd look.
Sometimes when buying coloured lenses the colours often don't stand out against my brown eyes but what I love most about Asian brand contact lenses is how much the colour stands out, these grey lenses looked so pretty and the colour wasn't lost at all they look exactly how they do in the bottle.
These lenses are very comfy, I've worn them for both short and long periods of time and not experienced any irritation or drying. You can experience some shadowing wearing coloured contacts (where the lense can cover the iris) but despite how pigmented these lenses are I experienced none of that and they blended in with my eyes well, without looking too artificial.
Kosmeshop is a great place to buy popular lenses from trusted Korean brands, you can also buy idol collaborations there, I recently purchased the Monsta X collection and Blackpink also has a collection to! Shipping is very fast, my lenses arrived in about 1 week and they also include lens cases and a bunch of other freebies with your purchase and you can even earn points on your purchases which will go towards saving you money on your next purchases and most importantly they ship worldwide so I totally recommend you check them out!
Korean beauty products have saved my skin! I've been a huge fan of Korean beauty products for the longest time but it's only in the past few years I've become really obsessed with it and started learning more about different brands and what ingredients actually make a difference to my skin. Now I'm living in Thailand I have easier access to all my favourite brands and can actually test them in store before I buy so for this months giveaway I wanted to share the love and give all of you an opportunity to test out some of my fave Korean beauty products and brands.
Most of the these are sample sized so perfect for testing out and I've also included a full sized cushion from The Face Shop because no Korean beauty routine is complete without one, I for one am pretty obsessed with using cushions and have multiple ones! So if you want to be in with the chance of winning this beauty loot be sure to check out the widget below for details on how to enter.
For the past two years my obsession with GOT7 has grown so much that they've become a pretty big part of my life, they've given me so much strength and inspiration to continue to pursue my dreams and through all the struggles of the past 2 years of me leaving my UK life and starting over again in Thailand with no idea how it would work out they've been there with me forever making me smile and giving me hope through their music and their actions. So to show my support to these boys I did some shopping and I'll admit I went a little bit crazy with the GOT7 merchandise whilst I was travelling but no regrets! Kpop merch is pretty hard to get, especially official stuff so I thought I would share all the amazing things I bought whilst I was away.
I split the haul into 2 parts because there was that much stuff and I also wanted to share a couple thoughts about the concerts and events I've been lucky enough to go to as I realised apart from a few Instagram Stories of me fangirling I've never actually talked about them before. This probably won't be the last of my GOT7 hauls and concerts though as they're currently on a World Tour and I'm planning to support them in as many countries as I can so stay tuned for more of my GOT7 adventures as it's not over yet!
Let me know your favourite KPop artists & don't forget to enter my GOT7 giveaway!
May is a very special month for GOT7 fans especially here in Thailand as not only is tomorrow our boy BamBam's birthday but the World Tour is starting and there will be a 3 night concert happening here in Bangkok next week and YES I'M GOING!! I've mentioned my love for this group multiple times on this blog and if you follow me on Instagram and Twitter you'll know GOT7 is pretty much my life now! So to celebrate I want to give my fellow IGOT7's something special and share the love of KPop because believe me I know the struggle of being an international fan and how hard it is to support your favourite KPop groups let alone see them in concert.
I've been very lucky to find a whole bunch of GOT7 merchandise during my travels (haul coming soon!) and I recently discovered some KPop stores in Bangkok so I thought I would pick up a couple things for you to win and because the World Tour has started I'm going to include some exclusive concert merchandise I picked up when I saw them at Nestival in Chiang Mai and Turn Up in Tokyo.
♥ The Prizes ♥
GOT7 Thailand Tour 2017 Nestival Folder
GOT7 Thailand Tour 2017 Nestival Stickers
2017 Turn Up GOT7 Japan Tour Postcard
2017 Turn Up GOT7 Japan Tour Final Postcard
2017 Turn Up GOT7 Japan Tour Merchandise List
It's Skin GOT7 Aloe Sheet Mask
It's Skin Jackson Honey Sheet Mask
It's Skin BamBam Postcard
JB Postcard
Mark Clear Card
Ahgabong Lightstick Keychain
So if you want to be in with the chance to win all this amazing merchandise, check out the widget below for details on all the ways you can enter and be sure to stay tuned for even more GOT7 and Kpop fun happening on the blog this month!
I'm pretty much addicted to Korean beauty there's just so many amazing and innovative products that come out of Korea I can't help myself when I'm there. KBeauty has made a complete difference to my skin and since I got into it many years ago I've noticed so many benefits and learned so much about different igredients and what does and doesn't work for my skin. Whilst in Korea I picked up a whole different range of products from all sorts of different brands so I though I would share everything I got and some of my thoughts, so if you're interested in beauty and skincare be sure to watch the video below and if you'd like me to film a skincare routine and do a more in depth review of these products please do let me know as KBeauty is a subject I love talking about.
Etude House is one of my favourite Korean beauty brands and I normally visit one or twice a year to stock up on some of my favourite products. I recently visited their store in Siam in Bangkok and thought I would share with you all the amazing things I bought, so if you're interested in Korean beauty be sure to watch the video below to see some of my favourite Etude House products.
Style Korean were kind enough to send me their new A.C.N.E Try Me! Review Me! box to test out and it could not have come at a better time because after going from the harsh winter of Korea to the ridiculously hot season in Thailand my skin was freaking out! My T-zone was producing way to much sebum, I was getting breakout not just on my face but on my body, and my cheeks were super dry so I really needed something to balance my skin out and get it back to a manageable state.
Before I go more in-depth on each of the products I just want to give a special mention to their super fast shipping because this package arrived from Korea to Thailand in less than 48 hours, that's even quicker than some domestic post here so if I ever have a skincare emergency I know I can count on them to get me what I need fast! The video above shows me testing the products out for 2 weeks as I think that's the minimal amount of time you should test out any new products to see real results but as I'm the type of person who likes using products until they're finished as I'm writing this it's actually been around a month since I started using them, so here are a few of my thoughts on each.
"All ingredients rank between 1 - 2 on the EWG Cosmetic Database scale - perfect for those with sensitive skin. Provides the optimal acidity (pH 5.5) to soothe and hydrate your skin while preventing break outs and excess dryness. Contains centella asiatica and witch hazel to soothe and heal inflamed skin."
Heimish is a brand I've heard a lot of good things about so I was happy I could test out this cleaner, it comes in a really good size to so no doubt this will last me for a while. This is my first step in my skincare routine and I use it both morning and night and I've noticed quite positive results with it. My skin is super dry and this didn't dry me out at all and my skin felt super soft afterwards, it also did a really good job of removing my make-up to as sometimes I find I have to use an oil cleanser in addition to the foam cleanser to remove all my make-up but I didn't have to do that at all with this one at all. I also used it with my Clarisonic a few times a week to and it seemed to work quite well and foam up really nicely with it, I really liked the gel consistency and using just a small amount and foaming it up with water was more than enough to cleanse my whole face. I'll definitely continue to use this as I really loved how gentle and soft it was which made it perfect for sensitive skin and those days when you're suffering from a nasty breakout.
"Contains calamine, centella asiatica, tea tree and witch hazel extract to soothe and heal body acne (bacne / chestne). Cacao seed powder, papain, oatmeal and basil remove excess sebum and dead skin cells to prevent pore blockage and subsequent out-breaks."
I used this soap every morning and night to cleanse my body as I suffer from bacne which can be exacerbated by the hot sweaty weather here. It comes with a bag which you can store it in or use to cleanse your body which is what I did as the soap got smaller and harder to grip, the soap also contains small grains to give you added exfoliation but isn't to harsh or abrasive so can be used on you face to. I really loved this soap and after two weeks I had almost used it up, it didn't dry out my skin at all and I actually found I had to use less moisturiser when I was using it which was a shock as my skin is super dry! There was a couple days I switched back to my old body cleanser and I found the next day I had some acne on my shoulders so I switched back to the soap and it actually seemed to calm it down and clear it up quite quickly. I will definitely be buying this again as it worked so well for me and I love the little soap net that comes with it which makes it easy to store and also great to use as sort of sponge to prolong the life of it but most of all it really worked to heal my acne and didn't dry out my already dry skin, the only negative is that it didn't really have a scent but if you prefer unscented things it's perfect!
"Charcoal powder absorbs excess sebum and dead skin cells from pores to reduce blackheads and whiteheads. Contains squalane, an oil that mimics the skin's own sebum to hydrate and prevent moisture loss. Also acts as an anti-bacterial to fight against acne."
As it's bad to over exfoliate your skin I haven't used this product that often, I use it maybe once or twice a week depending on how oily my T-zone is looking. The first few times I used it I didn't notice much of a difference and wondered if I should use a nose pack to clear out my pores but I decided to just stick with it and after a few weeks I did actually notice that the pores around my nose looked much smaller and there was no need for me to reach for the nose packs at all! I use this after I've cleansed my face and it helps if you have quite moist skin and take some time to gently work the product in using your fingers to deep clean the T-zone area before washing it off. I also love the way the product is designed as it makes for easy application to the areas that need attention and it's super compact to travel with, which is always a bonus for me.
Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner
"All componets rank between 1 - 4 on the EWG Cosmetic Database scale. Contains the key acne-care ingredients: Consists of sodium hyaluronate and glycerin to provide an intense moisturizing effect. Mildly acidic to ensure the skin's barrier is protected without stripping away any hydration."
Toners are something which I never really used to pay attention to before but over the past few years they've become essential to my routine. The key is to find one with a good slightly thick texture that doesn't dry out your skin and allow a little time before your next skincare step for it to absorb in, I really loved this one and used it night and day first wiping it on my face with a cotton pad then just patting a couple of pumps directly into my skin. My face always looked really clear and refreshed after using it and it did a great job at fading some of my hyper-pigmentation and scars as well as keeping my skin really hydrated as one of the reasons I gave up on toner many years ago was that it always dried out my skin but this one didn't have that effect at all. I did find that it was a little sticky at first but it does go away quite quickly leaving you with a nice dewy glow.
"Centella asiatica and madecassoide acts as an anti-inflammatory to soothe and heal acne prone skin. Dermatologically proven to be safe for sensitive skin. SPF 47 PA++ UV protection. Available in 3 shades (#21, #23, #27)."
This cushion has become my go to cushion and I wear it almost everyday, firstly the shade really matches me well and isn't greying or doesn't oxidise at all, secondly the coverage is really good and from one layer alone it really covered all my redness and pimples, so much so that I found I didn't really need to use as much concealer. The cushion also gives me a nice warm dewy glow, which I love as I don't like matt look foundations and feel they can be kinda ageing. The staying power is also pretty good especially with the heat here, I found that it lasted most of the day without completely melting off my skin, it's definitely better than other cushions I've used which just seem to fade after a few hours even without the heat factor but it's not the best one I've tried when it comes to staying power, however out of all the ones I have tried this is definitely my favourite and I will most definitely re-purchasing it in the future.
"Hydrocolloid dressing to treat acne. Absorbs impurities and protects against external factors such as bacterium to ensure faster healing."
These patches have become a staple product in my skincare routine, I love them that much! I have that bad habit of picking at pimples and aggravating them even more so these patches stop me playing around with them and allows them to heal naturally and stop me creating scars with all my popping and picking. Compared to the COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches I used to use I like these ones a lot more, for starters they're a lot slimmer which means they adhere to the skin better and also as the sheets are cut it's easier to remove them and place them on your face, I find with the other ones when I'm trying to peel them off I often damage them which means they don't stick as well, and I also feel like the slimmer ones do a better job of sucking up all the crap that's inside your pimples. The only thing is that I wished they came in multiple sizes like the others do as sometimes they don't cover my big angry pimples but overall if I had to choose between the two it would definitely be these.
Whilst in Tokyo and Seoul I could not stop myself picking up a few anime goods, as much as I tried to resist, it's just too tempting with kawaii stuff everywhere you look. Compared to my lasttrip I do think I restrained myself quite well though but I think that was mostly because I only had a few days in Tokyo and although we visited quite a few otaku shops in Seoul their prices were considerably higher than what you can find in Japan, but I still put quite a dent in my bank account...
Most of the things I bought were Pokemon related, after Pokemon Go came out I became obsessed and it's an ongoing joke in my family that if they can't find me I'll most likely be out playing it, which isn't too far from the truth haha! I hope you've been enjoying seeing my hauls so far there will be a couple more coming soon but for now I'm on a spending ban... at least until I can afford my next kawaii adventure!
My dear friend Cally sent me a huge package full of goodies which I was so happy and excited about I decided to make a video of me unboxing them for her to see. Living alone and being so far away from friends and family can be super hard sometimes so getting such thoughtful care packages like this is an amazing way to show you still care. Although this was filmed a while back I forgot to share my excitement on the blog but as it's the season of giving I thought I would share it now in the hopes that it will inspire you to reach out to friends and family near and far and make their day all the much brighter.
You can find Cally on Instagram and Twitter so be sure to check her out, give her a follow and spread the love. I'm honestly so grateful to have the friends that I do, I may not have many and I may be far apart from them but they bring so much joy and inspiration to my life and while I'm super flaky at keeping in touch with everyone I promise I'll make an extra effort and make 2018 our best year ever!
What ways do you like to show your friends that you care?
Dresslily despite its name sells a lot more than dresses, you can find anything from fashion, to make-up, to homeware, and there's just so many different products it's easy to spend hours browsing. So I thought I would save you a little time searching through the thousands of products and share a few of my fave nerdy finds.
♥ Kitten Backpack - This bag is just too cute not to mention! I love it because it reminds me of Luna from Sailor Moon who is one of my fave anime characters ever. I'm also loving how versatile it is with the detachable straps that allow it to be worn as either a backpack or shoulder bag.
♥ Plush Doughnut Shape Pillow - The homeware nerd in me has been loving cushions lately but of course not any old cushions, novelty cushions! I mean who doesn't love donuts? They're both delicious and cute although I can see if I had this it would give me constant sweet cravings.
♥ Ombre Mermaid Makeup Brushes - How cute are these makeup brushes? It's been forever since I bought new makeup brushes and these naturally caught my eye because of the adorable pastel colour and mermaid design, they would look awesome in any makeup collection.
♥ Bat Print Plus Size Halloween Sweatshirt- Batman prints probably make up half of my wardrobe and it has been forever since I added to it but one can never have enough bat clothing! The design of this sweatshirt is so cool with the comic print sleeves and melting bat symbol and it looks super comfy and warm to. This is a great time of year to stock up on bat goods and Dresslily actually has a really amazing Halloween collection I've been lusting over to.
♥ Lace-Up Winged Led Luminous Boots - These are the shoes of my dreams not only do they light up but they have wings... WINGS!! I have been looking for shoes like this for the longest time I mean they're amazing, I need them in my life already!!
♥ Police Box Coffee Mug - I love this mug because it reminds me of the Tardis but pretty much all police boxes do now. I've been feeling a bit nostalgic for Doctor Who lately and missing my Dad and I's nerdy TV nights so I'm looking forward to the new series and new Doctor and this mug would be a perfect pairing for my tea and Jammie Dodgers.
August is my birthday month and I was thinking it's about time I treat myself to something special although there are many things I would love to have (HotToysHotToysHotToysLEGO!) I'm trying to only spend my money on things I can actually make use out of and save some money for more nerdy adventures but sometimes you just need to #TreatYoSelf so here are a few things I've seen recently which would make an awesome birthday treat.
♥Nuyu Wonder Woman Warrior Crop & Leggings - I've been a bit lazy when it comes to exercise recently but I really want to get back into it as I've found daily exercise really helps me both mentally and psychically feel good so what better way to motivate me than some awesome work-out gear themed around the even more awesome strong, warrior babe Wonder Woman.
♥Klairs Skincare - If you've been watching my YouTube videos you'll know I'm really into Korean skincare and I've heard so many great things about this brand and would love to try a few of their products, my skin has changed so much since I moved to Thailand so I've had to completely change my routine so I'm always on the lookout for new products to test out.
♥Agent Carter Crossbody Satchel Bag - Agent Carter is such a big inspiration to me and I'm still so sad about the cancelling of her show and also Civil War... one of the things I loved about Peggy was her style and I think this bag not only is a great representation of that but her to as it's so classy, cute and super functional to.
♥Unicorn Make-up Brushes - How adorable are these make-up brushes? Even the case they come in is super pretty to! I really need to get myself some new make-up brushes and these would just be perfect.
♥ Sorry I'm Busy Sailor Moon Pouch - Usagi is like my spirit animal and I adore this design so much, life is all about food and fun and this just embodies that completely, I love it!
How do you like to treat yourself on your birthday ?
Love & Strawberry Soda
Cate
xoxo
If you're feeling generous I do have an Amazon Wishlist or you can treat me to a "Cup of Coffee" but don't feel like you have to, birthdays are more than the gifts you receive they're about spending time with the people you love, reflecting on life and enjoying the ride.
