im baaaaaaccccck!

I really want to start making more of an effort to blog! it's just hard when I have ZERO followers and I feel like I am talking to myself.

1] What's been going on? Basically I have started uni again for the second semester of my first year. Shocked that i've made it this far, woohoo! I'm a lit student, politics student who also does French, just in case you were wondering.

2] I got the American Apparel DiScO pAnTs! They are legitimately as good as they say. They are SO sliming and nice and hskfjhslkjfghalskjhfdlkfjhasdkf damn they are worth the money. The way I look at buying clothes is dividing the cost of the item per wear. I have worn these damn pants every day since I bought them (AUS$122) and feel like the money was WELL damn worth it. Currently am lusting after the navy ones (swoon).

3] I think I want to go on exchange with my uni. That or go to Paris for 6 weeks with one of my best friends during June of next year. I am so damn conflicted, don't know what the heck I want.

4] I have tried the MAYBELLINE Colour Tatoos: they are so amazing. My favourite, and most used, is tough as taupe which is HEAVENLY. HEAVEN! A post & swatches are coming soon!

books!

Being a literature student at university, I am forever encapsulated and contained by books. Here is a list of my current booklist, but reader's discretion is advised, I read a fuckload of books at the one time.

1- The Essential Hemingway, Ernest Hemingway. : This is a collection of some of his pieces. He is arguably my favourite writer, making me dream of 1920's Paris and the way and lives of writers and intellectuals of the time. Swooooon. Fiesta is a great piece of prose.

2- Stasiland, Anna Funder: FANTASTIC! Such an amazing book by an amazing writer. Really enjoying it at the minuet.

3- Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert: A classic.

4- Love in the time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez: A recommendation from my mother's partner. He is obsessed with the books and passed on to me. I've just began to read it and am quite engaged in the prose. Will keep you posted!

Also am starting Perfume: A story of Murder and the Corrections. So excited to read them! Maybe I should start a book journal?

the fault in our stars

this book has changed me.

I literally could not stop crying.

No more to be said, I do not want to spoil anything. John Green is phenomenal.

Jeffrey Campbell JC Tardy Boots in Black!

Every season, I allow myself for one, nice and well made piece. Last summer, it was my amazing Nordic Fusion clogs that I love love love and wore nearly everyday of summer. This season, for winter, I have decided on a pair of Jeffrey Campbell Tardy Boots. These retail from $195 to $225 depending where you shop, plus delivery. I found these beauties at urban outfitters, reduced to $150 and with free shipping. So happy. Cannot wait until they arrive! (Photo: Urban Outfitters Website)

Review: Garnier's BB Cream: Miracle Skin Perfecter

Garnier's MIRACLE SKIN PERFECTER: light

I am speechless. I think I have possible found a much cheaper alternative to my MAC FACE AND BODY (I did a review, search away!).

At $10, Garnier's BB Cream is serving me well. It a moisturiser with a tint, though does adapt the name "tinted moisturiser". So I am confused. 

I have fairly good skin, and I find find that this + any old concealer makes a great face, for days of running errands and working! I like to apply "proper" makeup for uni- don't know why. I enjoy it! It also has SPF15 which is so good! Love a bit of protection on the ol' face! lol I'm 18

Furthermore with the review! The product simply comes in three colours- LIGHT MEDIUM and DARK. For me, the light is perfect, but I am imagine that in-between skin tones may possibly have a hard trouble colour matching. A MAJOR FAULT IN THE PRODUCT!

At my local price line, testers were available, so this is a possible way to avoid disappointment by testing your skin first!

The actual product appears quite thick when first dispensed- but my gosh,it's so nice and sheer! Puuuurrrfect for someone seeking a sheer, easy, no maintenance quick face in the morning.

The product is also VERY glowey, which is delicious in my humble opion.

Overall a great product if you can find your colour, cheap and definitely worth the money. I think that one's enjoyment of the product will depend on the colour- it just so happens that the light suited me. I think I am kind of on the, dare I say, 'darker' side of pale HA, so that may be something to keep in mind!

new shoes + asos code!

Just thought i'd share my new pair of flatworms, creeper(ish) styled shoes that I have been searching for for ages and finally found and bought!

Picture Credit

They're the ASOS DINO Velvet Flatform Trainers. With free delivery from ASOS, a 10% discount code they were too good and cheap to pass up! I would say that the shoes run true to size, maybe even slightly slightly small. But the UK 8 fits me like a glove!

The flatform sole is noticeable swell, which is very pleasing.

The 10% ASOS code is BONUS10 at the checkout!

Make me laugh:

I hope that if you're having a shit day- this makes you giggle. Or even smile. I know I have.

lol.

FASHION: mixing metals.

the timeless dilemma, silver or gold jewellery. now is everything in between, blacks, rose gold.

to know what metals suit you best, compare metals by placing them next your face/body and seeing which one washes you out.

i say when mixing jewellery metals, do it tastefully. i think that someone can wear both sliver and gold rings, but don't go OTT.

Have fun with it. Layer. Go cray.

fashion reads for the bored fashion lover.

1) BELLA SUGAR is a hair, makeup, skincare and fashion site. It is oh so addictive on lazy sundays to pass hours on. Very simple how to's and beauty/fashion/hair DIY and secrets.

2) WHO WHAT WEAR DAILY is a celebrity fashion and trend site. great for looking at current fashion trend, looking up celebrities styles to emulate them. once again, very addictive. it is so easy to pass hours reading.

Top 5 MAC Lipsticks:

Okay.....top 5 (in my humble opinion) mac lipsticks.

1) Angel: I fucking love this colour. It is so delicious. Mine is absolutely destroyed and gross (melted in the heat, but heck, I still wear it anyway. Blue toned pink. Great for everyday. So easy to apply. With a bit of wear, it develops better with time. I feel like it also has a long lasting time.

2) Hue: A cult favourite, for a reason. I bought Angel first, and it's not that I don't love Angel, I LOVE ANGEL, but Hue is everything I wanted Angel to be when I bought it. I now wear the two for different things and love them the same. Hue is everything i've every wanted in a lipstick.

3) Russian Red: PERFECT best red. Blue toned (make teeth look whiter) and is just plain amazing. It is a matte finish.

4) Morange: An orange "amplified" lipstick. So bloody sick. Tends to run on the bottom lip BUT is okay if you line your bottom lip with a natural colour.

5) High Tea: It's a lustre sheer brownish neutral colour- so damn easy. Just like Hue and Angel, you don't even need a mirror to apply. My lips but better (ish).

YOUUU HOOOO another review: NARS Bronzing Powder Laguna ☮

NARS LAGUNA Bronzing Powder: ☮ 

- apologies about the absolute SHITE quality of the photos, done on my trusty iPhone!

Beautiful packaging GAH

Nar's LAGUNA lives up to the hype. It really is a luxurious, beautiful and pigmented product. 

The price for Australians (like fucking everything) IS OUTRAGEOUS, though through various other platforms (mainly the internet) you can definitely acquire it at a decent price. Mine was bought from the States. It's quite a matte powder, with VERY LITTLE SHIMMER which is both good (no one wants CRAZY glitter in bronzer) and flattering to have a small amount on YA cheeks.

It is a very pigmented product, though beware pale and lightened toned gals, too much product could give an orange-y effect.

Packaging is beautiful, as is every NARS product. I just can't help feeling luxurious when using it.

Swatch!

Also, i've put a swatch of the colour in!

- All photos are my own :)

rock it to the break of day

After spending a saturday afternoon reading through my favourite fashion blogs, I read a post from Gem Fatale, that inspired a new idea. She proposed trying a new style for each day of the week, that would consequently aid old clothes lost in clutter to emerge and thrive in ones current wardrobe. Tomorrow I will be trying to emulate a "rocker" look. dear god.

1) red OPI nail polish 2) Casio watch 3) Rock tee shirt dress 4) Spike eating cuff 5) Leather leggings 6) Black doc martens.

I'll make sure I post my first OOTD tomorrow! How exciting. Today I watched the film Vicky Christina Barcelona, a Woody Allen film. I really enjoyed it, the scenes of old Spain, the art. I think it's really inspired me to be a bit more creative (perhaps a bit more arty?), as sometimes I fall victim to a rut. Me and my best friend have decided to plan a trip to the UK and Europe for three months. Now, I am desperately searching for a job to start saving. Ahhhh I have always been so bad with money.

you don't want to be alone,

I am so money stricken! With so many things I currently want and no recent purchases, I have complied a list of things I am currently loving, fashion wise. Aside from these fashion items, in my time off I am loving late sleep ins, nights out of mischief with my friends, giant summer margaritas, painting my nails, local pubs, reading good books and watching great films! also, eating yummy foods such as great pizza, risotto and gill'd burgers.

1) Thrifted Denim Jacket from SAVERS ($10 so cheap!) 2) Black Doc Martens 3) Topshop skater dress 4) Silver Cross Earrings 5) NARS blush duo orgasm/lagoona.

summer diy: tie dye

tie dye is one of those things that I had always imagined would be incredibly hard. something that i would build up in my mind to be a success, and the subsequently fuck it up because i am uncapable to successful do DIY projects. so, whilst listen to the beatles- let it be, on my ipod, I will reguritate the process of my own experience with diy. spoiler alert: in the process I dye my hands hard purple. yay.

I really should have documented the entirety of the project. Unfortunately I only have the final product.





I purchased a packet of Dylon fabric dye, and use a dark purple colour. I filled a bucket with 6L of wwater, added 5 table spoon’s of salt and added the sachet. i then proceeded to tie hair-ties (i have no rubberbands!!) and tied them around evenly apart, in a messy manner. i left it in the bucket for a couple of hours, drained the bucket, and sprayed the bucket with clean water! i let the skirt soak for another hours and then repeated a rinse.

For this project I used a cheap, cotton white skirt. The beauty of tie dye is that you can basically use all the rags/crap from around the house. Next time, I may try and make head bands. Bonne chance mes enfants!

univeristy crap + summer foundation review:

http://www.maccosmetics.com.au/product/shaded/158/393/Face-And-Body-Foundation/index.tmpl

I have been so stressed lately. The idea of choosing majors/minors/fuckall is stressful. It's not like highschool, the subjects I pick will shape my career. And I will be doing them for three years. *shudder*. Regardless, on with the review!

I am reviewing a not so recently purchased foundation. It's MAC FACE AND BODY foundation.

First and foremost, im going to come out and say that I love this foundation. And suprisingly it is not due to the hype that surrounds this foundation. I live in Australia, currently it is summer. This foundation works perfect in the summer heat, giving me a dewy look, nature and like "real" skin. I hate the feeling of wearing a mask of foundation or having foundation sweat of in the heat. Don't get me wrong, I love me a matte foundation, JUST NOT IN THE HEAT!

I would say that colour for me is great, yellow based colour. As I have quite rosey cheeks, the yellow tones compliment the pink on my face and masks any major imperfections I have.

As for price, MAC face and body retails at $60. THIS IS RID-U-LOUS! QUOI LE FUCK. I had a friend who was traveling in America to pick this one up for me, but I would never pay over the counter prices for this foundation. Instead, I recommend trying American stockists that ship to Australia or google whole sale cosmetics to get it for around $30. A price well worth the quality of this foundation.

Some negatives of the foundation could be said to be that if you apply LAYER after LAYER a paste like consistency does arise on the skin, though this can be easily avoided. Overall an amazing summer foundation in my opinion. Any more questions, please feel free to hit me up!

welcome aboard

Hello and welcome to oui j'aspire! A makeup, fashion and general crap-of-life blog. Please, wipe your feet at the door and come inside, the kettle is on!

Firstly, my name is Alexandra and I am from melbourne australia. WHY have I decided to make a blog? Primarily because I would like to contribute my thoughts and opinions to the beauty and fashion community of blogger! I am a massive fan of reading blogs and YouTube video of fashion (especially British b/vloggers) so I felt that I am finally in a stage of my life where I can dedicate tme and effort to make that a reality. I am 18 years old and am about to commence university.

Well, I think this is enough of a first post. I have heaps of ideas for posts and have in mind a weekly rant that I would love to do. Anywho, I'm off!

♥