Favourites of the week..

There's a few purchases I've been really happy and surprised by this week. It's a bit of a dogs breakfast (no pun intended, read on..) with no overall theme, but hopefully there's something for everyone.

MAC's Vegas Volt is a product I'm sure most makeup lovers are familiar with, and now I know why. I'd been admiring it for several weeks, but my first and only MAC lipstick (Pretty Please) hadn't dazzled me and I was reluctant to fork out $36AUD for another. Pretty Please is in the lustre finish, and it's nice but doesn't inspire feelings of 'Wow, I need 12 more or I'll die'. But Vegas Volt was firmly stuck in my head, so when I received a department store giftcard for my birthday, I decided to take a gamble and try something new.

I nearly chickened out at the counter. Vegas Volt looked like an obnoxious bright orange, nothing like the safe pinks and peaches I usually stick to. And certainly nothing like the gorgeous, summery pinky-coral I'd been looking at online. But I put on a brave face and now I have a lipstick which sits proudly at the top of my 'favourites' list, next to Estee Lauder's Crystal Baby lipstick. The Amplified Creme formular is very similar to Crystal Baby-almost balmy. My lips dry out with most things, but these two lipsticks hardly dry my lips at all. Vegas Volt is very buildable in colour too. One coat leaves me with a very pretty pinky-red stain, where 2-3 coats is full on (but surprisingly wearable) coral. It's so easy to apply, with no need to faff about with a lipbrush. Best of all, it fades gracefully. MAC is sometimes seen as a bit lame and try-hard, but products like these show why it remains so popular.

Now for my second purchase. Topshop offered free international shipping over the Easter weekend. I'd been planning to do a biggish order since I'd got back from England, and this spurred me into advancing past the filling-the-cart-DELETE stage of procrastination I was caught in. Now I'm sure my mum wouldn't approve of me flashing my knickers online, however they are just so cute I can't help myself:

The regular bras didn't fit me very well when I tried them on in England, so I was a bit unsure as to whether this would be a good buy. These vintage-style 'bralets' as they are called are still quite hard to come by and expensive in Australia though, and I really, really wanted one! Thankfully, it fits beautifully and feels very well made too...important when you're on the "cup half full and a little more" side of things. I'm still unsure as to what exactly I'll wear it under. It almost seems too pretty to cover up! My 13 year old sister suggests pulling a Lady Gaga and not covering it up at all (no thanks). I hung it up proudly next to my tops in my wardrobe, instead of shoving in my underwear drawer, just so I can see it as I flick through my clothes everyday.

And the most exciting, the new arrival!

Seamus was my mum's mothers day present, but more importantly, a new friend for our old Pyrenean Mountain Dog (Great Pyrenees in the US). He's a chocolate brown labrador, 9 weeks yesterday. We love him to pieces, but he's so exhausting! Seriously, I worked for a summer in a child-care and he only a fraction less demanding than a 3 year old. Luckily his cute face and  amazing intelligence have kept him with a warm bed and meals!

Hope you're all well,

Rachel