Valentine's Day

Hey lovelies,

It has been quite a  while since I've been active and in all honesty, it is due to a lack of motivation and pure laziness. Yep.

ANYWAY, I've recently learnt about paperless post and thought that I'd share my experience with you all.

Paperless post is an easy to use, electronic stationery platform based in New York City. As it is an online service, stationery including cards, flyers and save the dates can be made just about anywhere!

For Valentine's Day this year, I decided to customize a card for my partner as it would make it just that much more special and meaningful. I was able to create and edit my card then schedule it to be automatically sent at a certain date and time.

The thing I liked most about Paperless Post is that once I made the card and scheduled it, I did not have to worry about a thing! An email was sent to confirm that it has been scheduled and another when it was sent to the receiver. I was able to track it as it made its way to my partner and even see when they've opened the card!

It is such an affordable and environmentally friendly way to send cards or invitations to numerous people!

The price ranges for each card and the total price at the end depends on how much you've added and customized it... so really, you're in control!

It doesn't end there... you can actually send cards and flyers FOR FREE.
Yes... for free! Paperless Posts have a range of free cards and flyers that you can customize and send to up to 2,000 email addresses at no cost!

As you customize, select the free options and ensure that any Premium defaults are removed and VOILA, free card for you! And you! And you!

Anyway, I could ramble on and on about how great this is but I think you get it..

If you would like to give it a try, visit https://www.paperlesspost.com. Thank me later ;)

Hope this has been helpful! If not... oh well.

Stay sassy and classy,

Lots of Love,
Karine xx

Celebrating 120 years with Schwarzkopf

Most of you, if not all of you have heard or maybe used a Schwarzkopf product. Whether it'd be shampoo, conditioner, volume powder, oil or sprays.

Being the legends that they are, Schwarzkopf Australia ran an online promo and gave away 120 gift packages to lucky instagramers who tagged @schwarzkopf in their photos and used the hashtag #createyourstyle from 7th of May 2018 to 3rd of June 2018.

I was one of the lucky winners who received a hair care pack!

Within the pack was:
- Extra Care Hair Repair shampoo Retail price of $6.90

- Extra Care Hair Repair conditioner retail price of $6.90

- Daily Oil Elixir retail price of $9
- Extra care hair repair leave-in conditioner retail price of $5.75

- Ultra light Matt texture volume powder retail price of $8.99

So before I was to do my review, I thought I'd use the products for a couple of weeks to get an accurate and fair review. I mean I could've reviewed after the first use but naaaaaaah.

Shampoo & Conditioner:

Extra Care Hair Repair - Fibre therapy contains keratin serum and omega flex to help reconstruct broken hair bonds due to colouring and styling. To be completely honest with you, I had never heard of this product until they sent it to me and I am so glad that they did. My hair has suffered tremendously over the past 7 years from bleaching and dying and needs as much care as possible. The old shampoo I was using was leaving my hair even more dry and frizzy even though it advertised "hydration". Since using this product, I'm slowly seeing my hair come back to life. After just two washes, it already looks less dry and a lot softer than before. However, I've noticed that my hair gets knots a lot more since I've started to use the products but I don't mind because it's also less oily which means I don't have to wash my hair as much as I used to! 

Daily Oil Elixir is a precious caring oil for all hair types. It helps make hair supple and shiny. Anyone who knows me well would know that I use hair oils after every wash and when I'm styling my hair. When wet, hair oils soften and help repair the hair and when dry, it makes hair shiny and soft. This particular hair oil is a lot thicker than all the ones I've used before which means that I have to ensure to spread it evenly. I usually use oils after brushing my hair and then brush it again to make sure that to spread it around properly.

Extra care hair repair leave-in conditioner also contains keratin serum. It helps to nourish the hair and makes it easier to detangle it. Before using the hair oil, I usually brush my hair through and that would take maybe a good 10-15 minutes (my hair gets ridiculous knots). A few sprays of the leave-in conditioner before brushing helps undo those knots a lot quicker so that I can spend more time doing something else (Like pat dogs). 

Ultra light Matt texture volume powder promises a 24hr hold and unbelievable volume. I have actually never used a volume powder before. The only time I had volume powder in my hair was when I got it styled at the hairdressers and they knew that my curls would weight my hair down so they added a bit of powder to help hold it all up. This one does the trick too! It is light and is so easy to use (was a bit scared to try it at first). Definitely recommend!

Now I am no professional but I sure do like these products and I think I will be getting more of them once I run out. Out of them all, the oil would have to be my favourite (nothing better than a good old oil - yeah no one says that but you get what I mean) 

I would like to say a massive thank you to Schwarzkopf for allowing me to try all these awesome products and for letting me be part of the celebration! 

Happy 120th year Schwarzkopf

Lots of love,

Karine xx

Ever thought of what it would be like to live in the 50s?

You may not know that I was actually not born in Australia. In fact, I only moved over to Melbourne when I was 11 years old (10 years ago). Having moved countries meant leaving family and friends behind to a new and clean start.

Although some people may find it hard to be so far away from family, it also brings such an excitement and a chance to allow them to be part of your new environment when they come over to visit! One of my favourite things to do is to actually show people around.... hmm maybe I should be a tour guide.... yeah I don't think so!

The greatest thing about living in Melbourne is being to go to places which are overflowing with history. Learning about what took place years and years back at the very spot you are now standing on, is actually one of the craziest feelings ever. And my favourite place to experience that would have to be Sovereign Hills in Ballarat.

Even though I have been to Sovereign Hill at least 4 times, I would probably still go every time I get asked because it is so rich in history and traditions.

Sovereign Hill is basically an open museum where the site and era of the  discovery of gold took place. The main street used in the 1850s has been reconstructed along with the buildings and equipment.

 

P.s. they actually let you and teach you how to dig and look for gold! 

How cool is that?!?!

While strolling down the main street, you will see ladies and gentlemen of the 1850s going about their day. Whether it'd be playing music with mates, working, being at the pub, finding gold or getting arrested, this theatre packed town will make you feel like you have been dropped in the middle of the 1850s with no choice but to try blend in!

The activities are incredible. Speaking to the goldfield characters, you learn what it was like for someone like them back in day.

My favourite part of the trip was definitely getting to have a chat with the characters and learning a bit more about them.

AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST... do not.. and I repeat do NOT forget t grab yourself a packet of their delicious lollies!!!

I'm pretty sure I spent over 15 minutes choosing the right combination for me!

Overall it was actually such an awesome and very successful day as I did not step in horses poop at all! Yay me!

Everytime I go is like the first time as there are so many things to see and learn! Other things like I didn't mention earlier are tours which are really worth doing and presentation worth watching!

Have you ever been to Melbourne or are you from Melbourne? If yes, what are your favourite places to visit? But if Melbourne is on your bucket list, please ensure that you leave a day for you to go to Sovereign Hill because trust me, you will not regret it!

Lots of Love,

Karine xx

Sick week - My favourites

Being sick has seriously left me in such a funk. I have had no interest in anything other than sleep for the past week and it has been such a long one as well! I felt like it was a never ending cycle of viruses... honestly I'm over it!

There are a few things I've been enjoying these past week though so I thought that I'd share them with you!

1. Green Tea

I've been asking for it wherever I go including at restaurants while I'm having a meal! I thought I'd change my usual soft drink order for this bad boy! It adds a little flavour to the water, has no sugar, hydrates you and keeps you warm! What more could I ask for?

2. My Keep Cup

I use this cup everyday and everywhere I go! I usually make myself a cup of coffee in the morning before going to work and refill it throughout the day with any kind of beverage I come across! Its double layer glass is perfect for both cold and hot drinks! Thought I'd sneak in a picture of my breakfast as well in there because I've really been loving this in the morning!

I usually scramble two eggs with a handful of baby spinach and sometimes cut up some avocado depending on whether we have any at home - the one in the picture wasn't ripe enough and to be honest tasted quite terrible!

3. Snapchat filters

Being bored in bed or even feeling like your body doesn't want to do any work while you are at work makes you not want to look in the mirror as you often look as bad as you feel. Thankfully there's Snapchat filters that help create that fake glow us sick people are missing at the moment! I honestly can spend hours on that app! It's so entertaining and actually makes my scary sick face look kinda cute!

4. Music

Now we all know that music is the universal symbol of love and no matter what language you speak, music breaks the barrier and reaches out to everyone. So naturally my boredom and lack of ideas of what to do which wouldn't require me moving lead me to dream about leaning to play an instrument again... hmm maybe guitar this time? I do have small fingers... I think I can still make it work though! 

At the same time I thought this would be so cool for a travelling musician - hey maybe that'll be me in a few years! Find out I have some kind of unknown musical talent then once mastered, I take on the road with my trustee guitar and amp! Nah but in all honesty, if there's any musician who do this already, hats off to you and I'd totally recommend the Roland Cube at guitarcenter,com

So this is my week's favourite things. I think I need to go to bed now even though it's only 6pm on a Saturday night! I am so wrecked and feel sick as! 

Hope your week has been a fantastic one! 

Have a lovely weekend :)

Lots of love, 

Karine xx