Running

A wise runner I had great faith and admiration in, once shared with me a piece of advice and I quote it every time I start running again..

"Everyone started somewhere.  Even marathon runners, they start by running around the block".

So simple. So true. 

If you want to run, you can.  Because everyone starts somewhere.  Cue self-portait of me running :)

Step 1:  Motivation.    

No gym membership comes close to the satisfaction that new running clothes can bring.

They don't expire. They don't make you feel guilty when you don't use them. They just sit there all pretty until you are ready to pull them out from your workout drawer again. They are an investment.

These sneakers are actually my walkers and light joggers. Invest in some good quality bio-metrically prescribed shoes that a foot specialist fits you to. Try Saucony, Mizuno or New Balance at Shoe Clinic.

Ex-boyfriend number two scoffed at me for buying running shoes when I declared that I would become a runner. Yes, SCOFFED at me. (Note the EX-boyfriend status of that sentence). His negativity was motivation enough. I thought about his cutting comment every moment for two years while I ran. I ran off ten kilos. I ran 10km races. I ran down rivers, through forests, around parks in winter, through parks in summer. I ran away from him and into my new future.

I started running 2/3 times per week. I then ran 10km races around parks in weekends.

 The Regents Park, London 10km Mornington Chasers Running Club meet every first Sunday. 2007

 Irchester, United Kingdom, 10km.  Hard slog through forests and uphills.  July 2006

 Huntly Half-Marathon 2010.  Training for 13-16kms for 2/3 per week for 6 weeks in advance.

Step 2:  Read for inspiration

Kerre Woodham. "Short Fat Chick to Marathon Runner".   Irksome but addicting.  I picked this up in the aisle at The Warehouse one Christmas Eve to have a giggle at.  Got through a chapter, then bought it.

She also has a great training programme in her book based on the Arthur Lydiard regime and Waitakere Rats Race.  
If she can do it, you can.

And into crazytown....  Lisa Tamati.   Running Hot.

A NZ girl and with crazy stories about desert running. She is an inspiration.

Extreme crazy:   Dean Karnazes.   Ultra-marathon runner.   A great read, but I warn you. He is mental.

50 marathons in 50 days? Enough said.

Step 3:  Ipod headphones.

My favourite running headphones are Sony's. (Not those shoddy white Apple ones. They are a disgrace to the company and fall out constantly).  Running headphones are the key.  They need to be rubberised. 

And a decent playlist of running tracks with a mix of Ministry of Sound, dance anthems and some heedy girly power ballards like the Supremes, Aretha Franklin or some such. 

Step 4:  No excuses. Every excuse is a bad reason.  It is true. You can think of every reason not to run.  Just think of one reason you can. Too hungover? Run anyway. Too cold? Run anyway. Too sore? Run anyway. Not enough time? Make time.

Something else that is true:  Running will never make you feel more tired.  Really?  Try it. It honestly doesn't.

And another self-portrait out running.  No, I'm not "thumbs-upping" you.   This is how I naturally run.

Budgie xo

M.A.C. Makeup- All time favourites

Makeup Artist Cosmetics started Toronto, Canada in 1984.  link here!

The company was initially and specifically designed for professional makeup artists, but was quickly caught on by the public and is now sold in stores worldwide.

Is it expensive?    Yup.  Worth it?   Yup.  Worth the hype?  Yup.

Unlike other makeup brands, M.A.C. makeup is not too flashy and gimmicky. Their packaging is characteristically simple and understated in recognisable sleek black packaging. You're not paying for shiny brass finishes, shell embossing or celeb-endorsements. Just quality products.

So here are my favs I thought I'd share with you.   
(FYI: For all you M.A.C. lovers out there, I float between NW20 in winter to NW25 in summer).

1. All time favourite powder foundation.   That's a big call to make.    I know.

    Mineralised Skin Finish in Medium Plus.

Otherwise called an M.S.F.  The newest craze of foundation coverage, but soo good.

This is clay/mineral makeup. 

It most importantly, buffs into your skin. You need a good buffer brush or small kabuki (short handled brush) for this stuff.   But it is the shizzle.   It allows your skin to breathe which is essential in our sweaty/windy kiwi climate. Gone are the days of thick foundation lines and cake-like makeup. Must admit I do have one liquid must-have left, but that's a different blog post.  

So throw your bottles out ladies along with your Australis teen makeup days. We are grown-up women.  Get your makeup bag sorted already!

2.  Favourite all time concealer. Jeepers, another big call I know!

     Studio Finish Concealer. NW25 and NW20.

These are milk bottle cap-sized pottles.   You need a decent small flat brush to apply it.   I love the thick consistency and it is SPF30 to both hide and protect skin blemishes. I love how the darker shade on me covers redness and small scars. The lighter shade is great for under eye circles and brightening. I haven't found an under eye concealer to replace this.  Not even Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Eclat. *gasp*  shock horror!

3.  This lipstick will do.    I'm not a big lover of lipstick like many Generation Y-ers.  I'm still on 

      the lip balm/shimmer cabooze, rather than gloss.

      Creme D'Nude   Cremesheen Lipstick.

Like many others, I believe this is the best nude lip out there. A current staple in any M.A.C. kit.  Hard to find and always sold out. 
Snap up one of these bad boys if you can sometime.

4.  I love me some lashes.  I'm a sucker for falsies.  Cute as a button packaging.       
     Handy and flattering case.

     Number 31.  These are natural full lashes.

You can reuse your lashes 3-4 times depending if you degunk them each time and replace them safely in their case.

BTW- Duo glue is the bomb. I asked my M.A.C. counter if my two year-old glue needs replacing, and they said no. Not til its out. What's your thoughts/feelings on this?  General consensus please?

5.   Favourite Foundation Brush:  Stippling 188.  Great for applying foundation, but I 
      really need a full buffer brush.  Any ideas?  This is great to stipple liquid, smudge, 
      sweep and rotate onto your skin.  Love.

6.  Eye products. Yipee!
     Painterly Paint pot.   Say what?   A paint pot is a base in which your shadow adheres        
     to. It is an essential ladies. Trust me. It makes smoking out/smudging easier and   
     makes your eye shadow last. No more greasy eyelids. 
     You will wonder how you lived without it.

Applies chalky/ nude/ grey.

Dodgy swatch below right.

7. Wedge.   Eye shadow.   A must for the outer half/crease. Great for blending. 
    This is a staple in my kit.  Love, love, love it.

8. Eye Shadow Brush. 217. All hail the best blending brush.   For real.  This is an investment. Worth every penny.

9.   I love a good holiday collection and this year's Glitter and Ice is gorgeous.

Thee most gorgeous compact. With a snow globe case. Yes! a snow globe case. (I know I said no flashy packaging, but the holidays are the exception).

Inside is:  Mocha Blush (under slide-out tray)
                Shadows L-R top        Phloof!     Brun  
                             L-R bottom   Quarry   Dance in the Dark
                Mirror included.
I needed two of these eyeshadows colours anyway. AND it came with a nude gloss, rosey-pink lipstick, three travel-sized brushes inside a clear/foil decorated kit bag. Bargain!


10.   Paint pot in Limited Edition Glitter and Ice Collection.
        Let's Skate!     Pinky shimmery goodness with tasteful gold sparkle. 
        Great for inner eye corner.

Subtly sparkly shimmer.
So festive!















What are your favourite M.A.C. products?




Budgie xo

Nail Polish: Nude Neutrals

I love nail polish.  Especially the nude neutrals.  And I have always found mannequin hands especially gorgeous: long, elegant fingers with perfectly manicured nails. I'm on the hunt for that nude. But for now, here are some of my favourites.

O.P.I   Nail polish. Worth the splurge?  Yup!

Skull & Gloss bones has to be one of my favourites (pictured below). Grey and unexpected. Putty-like fingers. Part of the Pirates of the Carribean collection. A love of Laura's. You must read her blog!

You can't miss the stands in Farmers selling at around $25 a bottle. Occassionally they have 3 for 2. Keep a look out. I managed to pick this bottle up at one of those legit Parallel Import Warehouse sales. Lookout for knock offs, especially online. You can often tell the fakes because they have blue bottom labels instead of green, meaning that they were produced before they were formaldehyde free. (Or in a shoddy flat).

Essie Nail Polish.   Thee best nail polish.   Better than O.P.I ?   Yup.  Why?

Well having my fingers tested everyday through cleaners, scratching stickers, picking staples and general madness, this nail polish stands up to the test.   The consistency is always consistently good.   The application excellent. The finish, durable. Usually the colour goes opaque in two solid coats. $25 a bottle at Radius Pharmacy.

I love the colour Jazz.   I liken it to a "dead finger nail look". Cue picture with dodgy camera work.

Another nail polish junkie I love.    Miss Glamorazzi.   She often does NOTD's.  (nail of the day's) and is really interesting to read about upcoming collections in the U.S. before they come to our shores.

Butter London's breed of nail polish is pricey, a few colours always catch my eye. They retail around the $27 in Farmers NZ.  They are 3 Free: no nasty chemicals. Okay polishes, but still not of Essie's standard.

On the nude hunt..
This is the colour Tea with the Queen. I have also just finished O.P.I's Samoan Sand. Would anyone recommend Coney Island Cotton Candy? It looks a little too peachy for me. 

Share the love. What's your favourite seasonal nail polish? Any of the holiday collections tickling your fancy?


Budgie xo

WTF?

Just when you think you have life sorted, it turns around and smacks you over one more time.

If there is one thing that life has taught me lately, it is that life is hard.


Called out in the Dark - Snow Patrol

Just thought I'd share this song I love and provide you with an epic background song as you read :)
(Open link in separate tab and continue please...)

A reality check.
Where is my prince charming to come and rescue me? There is none. I am my own saviour. I am the only one to step in and do something about my life. I shouldn't expect any help. It's MY life.

So where are the highs?  I've had more lows lately and where does this leave me?


A reader.
A daughter.
A runner.
A blogger.
A friend.
A shopper.
A consumer.
A thinker.
A floater.
A traveller.
A saver. (hmm mm)


Think positively. Because you can't think about what life is like otherwise.
I'm think I'm coming back to life... and summer is just around the corner :)

Holy Moly- Motocade

Budgie xo

Mascara

It's been a long enduring process, but I think I have finally found my top three mascaras.


The hardest part of trialing a new mascara, is that all mascaras are good when they're new. It's because they are new. The formula is fresh, no clumps and glides on easily.

I love an oily mascara. My lashes are fairly blonde and fine/medium in length. So when it comes to mascara, I'm all about length. If you need thicker lashes, black or dramatic lashes, then maybe try Lash Blast from Covergirl. I don't really try any thickening/dramatic mascaras myself. Let me know your recommendations.

Max Factor's Masterpiece Max Mascara

Masterpiece Max Mascara from Max Factor ( I know, I know- who even stops at that display? ) is actually really good: a great price, easily available in stores and Max Factor Mascara's are often voted in the top ranks of makeup awards each year. Don't knock it til you try it.

I have tried Yves Saint Laurent's Faux Cils mascara at $65NZ duty free and liked it. Also in the high end prices would be Clinque's High Definition Mascara, which was equally as good. But as far as price goes, I don't think you are getting anymore for your buck just for shopping in dutyfree or makeup counters.

All mascaras I will mention are around the $30 - $ 40 mark.

Loreal's Telescopic Clean Definition

I love this mascara. I keep deviating and trying new mascaras, but always come back to this one. It's the right consistency for my love of oiliness. A wee bit greasy, you have to wait until it drys in order to not get those annoying black dots on your upper lids. So no sneezing for at least 5mins.

(Note: I've tried the waterproof version, but found it dried up really fast, any flaky bits irritated my sensitive eyes and it was super hard to remove without time consuming makeup removing).

Revlon's Grow Luscious

Yeah, I know. Gimmicky right? A mascara with Fabulash that makes your eyelashes grow longer?? 

Well, either way, my lashes do look longer after the three month growing cycle it takes to start working its magic. After three months, my lashes don't look as fine. They maybe a hint longer. And they don't have any small patches missing at the root line. So maybe it works? My lashes feel softer each night when I take it off, so that's a bonus. I thought I'd give it a nudge then it would be thrown into the 'tried and failed' pile, but no.
I have made my third purchase of this tube recently, so its a winner in my books.
I love the Blackened Brown shade for daytime.

An interesting mention....  Loreal's Lash Architect 4D

I was really excited when this got released in NZ. I mean, just look at that tube. It's a work of art in itself. 

'False Lash Effect in 4 dimensions'. Well, judging by the goop I removed from the end of the wand, I think it has those icky fibres that attach to your lashes making them thicker and fuller. It creeps me out. I was ready to bin this tube, but gave it one last try by removing most of the formula with a tissue and using the remnants.
It is workable, but definitely forgettable. Will not be repurchasing this one.

Tips:

• Don't keep mascaras, no matter how tempting, for more than three months.
• Put mascara on after a shower when lashes are soft
• Try a brown/brownish black mascara if you want a less dramatic look for blondes
• Invest in a decent black mascara for night time
• Lancome's Eye makeup remover in Bi-Facil is great for sensitive eyes. Love it.

Any mascaras that you love?   Comment below.

Budgie xo

Marauder's Map of Men

Warning: This blog post contains references to Harry Potter.

I was recently out in town one Saturday with my gorgeous, also-single friend, when as one guy so eloquently whispered into my ear, we were being "served on".

Well, more specifically, my friend was being served on.  I was fending them off with a bat.   Okay, Okay ... I was cleaning up the slopping seconds: trying to befriend the tag-along friend as their mate was googly-eyed at my friend.  It was seriously unreal.  At one point her ex was floating around. An ex-fling's brother. A friend. Just while my head was spinning...  then ANOTHER guy came into the bar. He stopped in his tracks, jaw-dropped, hand on heart, declaring his love for my friend. No kidding. No less than four potentials hanging around like moths to an oestrogen-scented flame. It's no surprise though, my friend is friggin gorgeous.

This got me thinking. It's like a game of survival out there. Us girls need a little help....  Haarryy!!

The Marauder's Map was given to Harry Potter in The Prisoner of Azkaban when Fred and George found it in Filch's office while in detention. They then presented it to Harry so he could sneak out of Hogwart's. 

The map works like this. When the reader taps the blank piece of parchment with their wand (hee hee), whilst simultaneously saying "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good", it allows them to track anyone approaching. The small dots reveal the names of people in the corridors of Hogwarts. Once you have finished, you tap it again and say, "Mischief managed", thus making the markings disappear to become a blank piece of parchment once more.

Perfect. Can we adapt and market this?  Instead,  let's call it  'A Marauder's Map of Men for Single Girls' .  

How good would that be?   A constant map of fast-approaching men.  But instead of flashing names above each 'man dot', the map should be colour-coded. Like a Pac Man maze. Yellow for friend. Blue for potential. Pink for gay. And red for Warning! Escape now, danger approaching. Get the f *k out...  Brilliant.

So what do you think?  I might give Facebook a call, and tell them not bother with their "Check ins".

I've got it sorted.

"Mischief Managed ".

Budgie xo