Sally Hansen Gel

When I want to treat myself too a relaxing day as a reward for a long week of work, a few essential activities come to mind: a facial, a bubble bath, a fancy meal for one and of course a manicure! That said, when you're an intern on a non-existent wage and/or a student, regular visits to the salon to get a professional manicure is simply not feasible. And to be honest, even if I had the budget, I'm not sure I'd have time to make such frequent visits! 

Working in a professional environment it's important to always been well groomed and looking your best, even if you are not in a client facing position. At any given time you may be introduced to someone new, maybe even a manager or executive and almost 99% of the time you'll be greeted with a handshake. You do not want your tailored outfit, perfectly set hair and glowing make up to be tarnished by chipped grotty nails! This sounds so obvious but I cannot tell you the amount of times I've witnessed this first hand. It's more distracting than you would you care to think. 

That is why Sally Hansen's new Salon Gel Polish system caught my eye. The idea that I could give myself a gel manicure in the comfort of my own home, whenever I happen to have 15-30 minutes to spare was music to my ears. Top that off with a promise of no drying time and up to two weeks wear and I'm sold!

Whilst treating yourself once in a while and making a sneaky splurge here and there is important, if I can find a more affordable way to unwind and pamper myself at home then I'm all in! The Starter Kit ($99.95 @ Priceline) has everything you need to get you on your way, LED light, base and top coat, a nice dark red polish to get you started, nail cleansing pads...all that good stuff. Don't worry, the basics can be easily replenished in store in a nifty little pack ($29.95 @ Priceline). 

The Verdict
Get on it. These babies have lasted on my nails for nearly three weeks! No chips. No nail breakage. You would not believe how long my nails have grown with the gel protecting it. Commitment issues? Don't want to stick with one colour for three weeks, no matter, just paint over the gels with any regular nail polish you fancy. Be as fickle as you like because nail polish remove won't affect these bad boys at all. In one sentence? I'm sold. 

Extra Extra...!

Tips
Read the instructions and follow it. Seriously. I know the excitement and adrenaline is telling you otherwise but trust me, you'll thank me later. 

The Colours
The Starter Kit came with Wine Not, I wanted the one with Shell We Dance, they didn't have stock. I settled. I've yet to try it but my mother has and it's pretty, bit shimmery but a lighter wine than I prefer. I'm a neutral or dark and vampy sorta girl, brights in-between aren't really my thing but that's okay. 

I have been obsessed with white nail polish for an unseasonal amount of time. Done right, it's so chic and doesn't at all resemble stationary white-out on your nails. So White Away was a given to be purchased with the Starter Kit. But it's sheer, milky even but nonetheless sheer. So sheer it just looks as though I have gel and no colour on my nails. That's not ideal and I'm disappointed. So it's not what it says it is on the box, but I'll make do. This can be a useful because it doesn't disturb the colours of any other regular nail polish I may paint over. 

Sally Hansen Gel Nail Enamel (Colour: White Away)

Is Two Faced's Mascara Really 'Better Than Sex'?

I received a questionable look as my boyfriend caught sight of the metallic pink cylindrical tube with "BETTER THAN SEX" marked across it's body. This mascara definitely stands out amongst my collection in terms of packing but does it fair the same in terms of it's quality? 


I usually stay away from high-end mascaras because I think drug-store mascaras do an equally good job. Moreover, mascaras have a relatively short life-span as compared to other cosmetic items, as such splurging on a mascara that will only last a couple of months always seems illogical (not that splurging on make-up in general is awfully logical!). 

All that said, I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying what Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara is doing for my lashes. I love the look of long voluminous lashes and to be honest if I could deal with the maintenance, I would probably constantly have lash extensions or fake lashes on. But alas, I'm much to lazy for that and that's where this mascara comes in. It is amazing! I didn't want to believe the hype, I didn't want to cave and fall in love but it just happened. 

What you need to know...

The PROS

> It's build-able without being clumpy. This formula allows me to touch-up without getting spidery lashes. So if you're a little OCD like me or you just feel like a little pick-me-up through out the day, just give them lashes a quick curl and then add a fresh coat of this mascara on top!

> It's lusciously black 

> In two coats, my none existent lashes are not only longer and thicker, but they are curled! The magical shape of the brush lifts my limp Asian lashes into a curve and saves me from using an eyelash curler.
> If you do use a lash curler, it holds a curl beautifully despite my highly annoying mono-lids trying to force them back down! 
> It does not smudge or transfer.
> This is a non-waterproof formula so it is easy to take off at the end of the day with a basic cleaner or make up remover.

The CONS

> With a price tag of $31.95AUD it's a steep price to pay for a mascara.

> You do need to work with it. For me one coat isn't quiet enough to achieve the amazing affects this mascara has to offer, so you have to play around with it a little and build up the layers. 

>The brush is a little big for my eyes, meaning I do have to be a little bit more careful on application. 

> Again this is not a waterproof mascara, which make be a deal break for some of you out there. This is personally not a problem for me because I don't usually gravitate towards water resistant formulas anyways. 

Verdict 

Although this mascara is not without it's flaws, it's pros far outweigh its few cons. I can tell you for sure I will be repurchasing this mascara despite it's somewhat steep price point because I just cannot get over the amazing length, volume and curl this mascara gives me! It manages to hold a curl against my mono-lids without making my lashes stiff and 'crunchy'. 

I've always been a eye-liner daily kind of girl because my lashes have always looked limp and fairly non-existent even with mascara. The only way I felt I could actually define my eyes was with eyeliner. Since I've started using this mascara I have stopped wearing eyeliner on weekdays! If I can save a couple of minutes in the mornings when I'm frantically getting ready for work, then I'm all for that. The mascara alone manages to define and bring out my eyes without the help of any other eye make-up! The results speak for themselves (pictures below) and to me, it's 100% worth the investment. 

As to whether this mascara is really better than sex? I think I'll let you guys decide on that one on your own ;) 

Chanel

"Our food" - Mr Ramen San

Some couples boast having a song that they share in celebrating their relationship. For my boyfriend and me, we prefer to celebrate our relationship with "our food". What food, so romantic, could embody our love you ask? Chocolate covered strawberries? Oysters? No. Ramen. Yes ramen.

I admit it's an odd choice but my other half isn't really much of a foodie and the only thing that seems to have sparked his interest in my constant search for new food to try is ramen. As they say, relationships are a series of compromises and if it means I get him to show a bit of excitement for my obsession for food I'll take it. 

So we've made a point to try all the ramen joints we can get to. Thus far we've been lucky enough to sample delicious bowls of hot soup and noodles from Sydney to Melbourne. The joint fit to kick off this first review would have to be this little gem: Mr Ramen San.

Charshu Pork Ramen with Tonkotsu Soup

This bowl of goodness won both our hearts almost immediately. The tonkotsu soup, a broth rendered from pork bones, provided the perfect base for the noodles. Honestly the soup alone warrants repeat visits from the boyfriend and I. The moreish broth, flavoured with a dash of black sesame oil, was creamy, flavoursome (without being overly salty) and comforting. It nestled a bundle of noodles, thicker than the likes of Ippudo, but cooked perfectly to avoid doughiness and retain bite. The generous cuts of tender charshu pork was succulent and not overly fatty. Now the ni-tamago, the soft centred egg, done perfectly, added a hum of its own flavour to the ramen, the perfect finishing touch in my opinion.

If you must know, the corn and the spring onion neither added or detracted from the dish.

This little gem impressed my boyfriend so much, he gave his compliments when paying, which ensued a lengthy conversation with the owner who told him she drank the soup every single day because of its high gelatin content, which is beneficial for your skin and joints (collagen). This definitely gives me an excuse to frequent this joint more often, not that I really needed one.

I would definitely recommend Mr Ramen San as an affordable location suitable for a casual lunch or dinner. It is a simple, quint little space that serves up a simple, comforting dish done to perfection. 

Mr Ramen San 

791 Glenferrie Road, 

Hawthorn

Melbourne, Victoria

Australia.