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HOMEMADE COFFEE SCRUB RECIPE WITH ANTIOXIDANTS

January 6, 2016

HOMEMADE COFFEE SCRUB.

Homemade Organic Coffee Scrub

My sister gifted me this jar filled with this homemade coffee scrub which she actually made herself. I was so impressed she made the effort and I love the jar as opposed to the standard paper bag. If you haven’t already heard- Coconut and Coffee are extremely beneficial to the skin due to the high amount of antioxidants. People have even claimed that coffee reduces cellulite, I personally have no idea if this is actually true, but what I do know, is that this coffee scrub is extremely effective when it comes to exfoliating dead skin cells and rejuvenating the skin.

Because of the vanilla, this coffee scrub smells heavenly and my skin feels so good afterwards. Be sure to try it out before applying self tanner, the coffee will exfoliate your skin more effectively then a normal scrub, so it gives you the perfect base for a gorgeous even looking tan!

How do you like your coffee? 😛

THE ANTIOXIDANT COFFEE SCRUB.

1 Cup Ground Coffee
1 Cup Sugar or Salt
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon (optional)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla (optional)

Directions

1. Melt coconut oil and allow it to cool but not solidify.

2. Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container or mason jar.

3. Use 1-2 times a week (or everyday if you like).

4. The coffee and sugar will exfoliate your skin and the coconut oil will leave your skin soft and moisturized.

If you love this scrub as much as I do, make sure you give this post a share so your friends can try it too!

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November 11, 2015

Perfect the art of Instagram.

Creating the perfect Instagram theme is all about your personal preference. Everyone obviously has their own style, and that is what makes Instagram so great. It’s somewhere we can express ourselves artistically.

I thought I would share my basic guide to creating a pretty theme that is aesthetically pleasing and helps to encourage others to follow you! With that said, your follower count shouldn’t be the only reason your on Instagram, it’s just a bonus to have more people interested in what your doing. The prettier and more interesting your account- the more buzz you can generate around what your doing. (This is especially great for start up business’, freelance models and photographers and bloggers) The more buzz around you- the more opportunities will come your way.

Anyway, lets get on with my guide for creating your Instagram theme!

Picking Your Theme.

A few basic questions are needed when picking your theme; What type of photos do you like? What colours are you most attracted too? What do you like to take photos of? Picking your theme doesn’t have to be ridiculously strict, even just choosing a colour you like (this is the simplest way to go and then you have a little more freedom with what style pics you take)

Your Photo Formula.

Once you have your theme, you can use this as your personal formula for creating photos. The way you edit photos should become easier because your sticking with a similar style. For editing, I personally like VSCO, Snapseed and Airbrush. My edits are usually concentrating on making the photo a little brighter, contrast a little punchier and altering colour correction. Their are two ways to look at your photo when posting to your Instagram, how does it look as a single photo and how does it look within your feed? If the photo your posting looks good in both ways, your theme will look well thought out and put together.

Build up Your Gallery.

To get a whole new theme happening- you need to take LOTS of photos. Make sure you have a lot of photos to pick and choose from. Don’t post them all at once- you don’t want to post a million photos in one day and then not post again for another a week. This is inconsistent and annoying for your followers. I would suggest posting 2-3 times a day and soon your gallery will start to build up a beautiful new theme. (P.s the best time to post for engagement is about 7pm-9pm) This is when I notice most of my engagement happening and I will hardly ever post in the morning.

Engage with other accounts who have similar themes.

Search popular hashtags (ones that are popular with your theme) and get liking, commenting and following. This is a great way to find inspiration and build up relationships with others on Instagram. The more engagement you put out, the more you will get back.

I hope these tips work out for you! If you liked this post make sure you subscribe to my #Girlsquad for more updates on Instagram, Posts and some pretty sassy giveaways!

You can also find me on Instagram

How to: My Work

How to prepare for a photo shoot in 6 steps

October 29, 2015

If you have ever wanted to create your own photoshoot but wouldn’t have the first idea on getting started, this post is for you. Creating a photoshoot can be a difficult task- especially if you don’t know what your doing. It takes a lot of preparation and teamwork to pull off your vision.

Photoshoots are trial and error, no matter what stage your at. It’s like this for anyone and everyone. However, learning the basics, makes it a lot easier to know how to avoid a flop.

Here my 6 tips for creating your photo shoot, I have gone into a lot of detail so feel free to just read the bits your interested in!

1- Create a mood board

Creating a mood board is the first thing I recommend you create for your shoot. Pinterest is probably the easiest way to do this. Try to stick to a theme throughout the board so their is a direct focus on what your trying to achieve. When it comes to sharing your board with your team you want them to be clear with what direction your heading in. Focus on one particular style, weather it’s the “mood” in the photo’s or that the colour scheme is consistent throughout. Also, have an open mind- your shoot will never turn out exactly how you picture in your head. And that’s OK.

2- Arrange your team

Once you know what you want to achieve- it’s time to find your team. If you don’t know a big group of photographers or models to work with- utilize your friends. Your friends may even know someone who can help. Most of the time you don’t need a full set of professionals to set out what you want to achieve. It can be a great way to hang out your friends on a fun project. Make sure you discuss all the small details with your team, everyone needs to be on the same page and needs the same vision for the shoot. It can get a little messy and confusing if their are two dominant parties in the team, so I always just recommend keeping an open mind.

3- Location

Choose your location beforehand so your not driving around for hours looking for somewhere to shoot. For my blog posts, I usually keep locations pretty simple. Somewhere pretty to set a casual tone for my pictures. For my portfolio shoots or my hair shoots I usually have a studio or a white room set up like studio.

4-Get your kit ready, remember to pack snacks!

Shooting can end up taking along time (depending what the shoot is for) so make sure your camera is fully charged, your outfits have been trialled before shooting and you have plenty of snacks to keep you going. Do not turn up to the shoot without testing your outfits- unless you have a wide range of options to take with you. What looks good in your head may not look great in reality, so trial it all out beforehand.

5- Turn up on time and organised

If you have a team working with you on your shoot- make sure you arrive on time. It’s not cool when everyone’s waiting for you- especially if the shoot is for you! So arrive early and make sure you have everything you need for the day.

6- Have fun!

Turn up the music, have fun with it. The more fun and relaxed the shoot is- the better the pics are going to turn out!

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How to: LIFE

The 5 Warning Signs that you’re doing Social Media Wrong

October 12, 2015

These days it seems like you can find everything you need to know about someone with a simple Google search (a scary but true thought!)

Social media accounts are now acting as a digital resume, so it’s more important than ever to manage them carefully. Your accounts are how you are represented with not only your friends and family, but also future employers or future clients who are doing some sneaky homework on you.

The Golden Rule.

I read on another blog that you should never post anything on Facebook or Instagram etc that you wouldn’t want on the cover of The New York Times. Basically, if what you just posted would mortify you if printed for millions of people, then you probably shouldn’t post it on your social media. This may be a little dramatic, but overall a good concept.

Pick up your social media game by avoiding these 5 mistakes;

1.Can’t figure out the hype?

If you can’t figure out the hype here it is; Social media is a great way to connect with like minded individuals and build relationships. Instagram, is one social media platform that I feel has helped me a lot with some personal and career growth. Making the right connections with people in your niche always works in your favour. On Instagram, I have managed to build relationships with other bloggers, find new brands to work with and on top of that I am inspired daily by the Influencers that I one day hope to be like.

2.Your last 5 posts were Inspirational quotes

Yes, we get it. Quotes can help you boost yourself up if your not feeling your best, but posting quotes left right and centre is not a good way of communicating with people. Would you wander around the street bursting out quotes all day long? Probably not… People want to connect with you, not a quote that is plastered all over the internet. Before posting something, think “how would this sound in real life?”

3.You can’t remember the last time you had a conversation in social media

The intent of social media is to social not to just focus on yourself, but the other people around you. Having conversations with other people and focussing on engaging with others. If you can’t remember the last time you had a conversation on a social media platform, you may want to start one up, the results could surprise you.

4. Your not replying to comments

I guess this kind of falls under number 3, but this is one thing that really bothers me and thought it deserved a mention. If someone is taking the time out to comment or engage with you on one of your posts, not only is it rude to not respond but you will also look a little stuck up (sorry to be blunt). People will eventually get bored of you ignoring them and they will move on.

5.You can’t remember when you last posted on Facebook or Instagram

Social media does not wait for anybody. If you can’t remember the last time you posted, guess what? No one else can either. It’s up to you to be present. Time moves faster in social media than it does anywhere else. It’s not built to be a static website where everything stays the same for months on end, it’s built to be somewhere you connect and somewhere people can find out more about you and what makes you tick.

I hope these tips helped, have you got any social media tips for me? Let me know below!

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Beauty How to:

How to style a grown out pixie

August 16, 2015

Finally tired of that cute pixie cut you’ve been rocking? Or maybe you finally decided to take the plunge and chop it all off only to realise your face shape does not suit your new do at all? Whatever the reason- Growing out a pixie is a long drawn out process and it tends to be a less than fun experience. Be prepared for the awkward bowlcut stage, the “too short to be a bob stage” and then the awkward flicks when you finally make it to shoulder length (by the time you make it to that stage you really won’t mind the flicks I’m sure)

This year I decided to grow out my pixie cut. I’m not even sure why- I think i just felt like a change. I actually love pixies but I have made it to far to turn back now and i’m quite enjoying the change. I thought I would show you guys some of the styles I have rocking as of late. They are all really simple and easy ways to change up your look during the awkward stages. I have just made it into the “not quite a bob stage” I’m almost there, and a bob is my end goal so I’m really not too far off my goal!

1. Freshly blow waved.

When your hair is freshly cut and styled you always feel better about it, so not only is a great confidence booster but it’s also going to help your hair grow out more evenly. I just had my hair shaped and thinned out so I’m feeling pretty good about the style now. When you do finally decide to cut some shape into your hair make sure you go to a hairstylist you trust or have been recommended (there are so many out there that have no idea what they are doing!) When you have a good hairdresser, tell them exactly what your end goal is. Usually they will avoid taking length off (unless it’s really needed) and make sure to give it a good thin out and style. Make sure you and your hairdresser are on the same page before you start the cut! The last thing you need, is to be upset because they took way to much off! For my style, I just asked for a good thin out and to shape the back a little more (it was getting a little mullet like!) The front pieces still have a little more growing to do, so keeping the back trimmed and styled is really important to make it feel like a proper haircut rather than just a unflattering grow out phase.

2. Braids

Braids are so cute and so feminine. Almost everyone loves a little braid, so don’t be afraid to get creative with it! I’m not very good at braiding myself but simple little French braid like this is so easy to achieve and I was really happy with the result.

3. Slicked back

Whether you like it slicked back in a headband or just with a little gel, this is a ultra modern look and is actually a great way to hide the shorter bits around your hairline. I find at this length- the shorter bits around my face are always getting in the way so why wouldn’t I want to pull them away from my face? I’m really into pulling it back into a cute headband it makes my hair feel more “bob” like.

4. Top knot

I’m obsessed with creating top knots lately, I just think they are a cute way to add some difference to my hair style. Super easy to create also. Just like a normal top knot but leaving out the bottom sections. My hair is obviously bleached so I like to straighten my hair out with my GHD’s firstly to get it ultra sleek, and then knot the top. Cute and youthful hair with a difference. Don’t worry about getting it perfect- If your hair is short it will never be a perfect topknot so embrace the messiness.

So now you hopefully have a few more ideas on how to style your grown out pixie, I hope you guys like the styles I have been wearing lately! Leave me a comment below if you enjoyed this post or if you have any tips for me I would love to hear about them! Also, thanks so much to the girls at Marilyn’s for looking after me with my new cut and colour, check them out if your in Auckland ladies, they will be sure to look after your do!

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How to: LIFE

July 20, 2015

Finding your Instagram niche can take a while, but once you find it, it’s important to stick to it.

Everyone has their own opinion of what makes an account beautiful, my favourite accounts vary from monotone and minimal to crazy kawaii accounts with loads of colour and sparkle.

My own personal feed is quite different to the ones I adore. I like my feed filled with fashion posts, pastels and some scenic pictures in the mix too. It suits my style and my personality. I can be a bit of a fuss pot when it comes to what I have posted on my account.

These are my top tips for Instagram, from the apps that I use to colour choice and theme’s.

1. TAKING THE BEST POSSIBLE PHOTO’S

Don’t have a DSLR? That’s cool, the iPhone camera can take some amazing photo’s as long as you have the right lighting. One thing I have learnt the hard way, is it is all about lighting! Most of my Instagram images are taken with my DSLR but I like to break it up with some iPhone images too. If your taking photo’s outdoors, the best time of day is definitely sunset or “golden hour” (usually around 4-5 pm) The lighting is so pretty and most of the time you won’t need to edit them a lot because images tend to look warmer, brighter and have a more “finished” look.

Unedited image, taken at sunset. The image looks warm and doesn’t need a lot of editing.

This was also taken at sunset, but the light had shifted a little. Still beautiful lighting, I really like the golden shimmer and the reflection on the water

2. EDITING APPS

I like to edit my photo’s even if they already look amazing. It’s just fun to play around with them and bring put the colours even more. My favorite editing apps rotate, but the two that I will never get rid of would be Photoshop Express and Aillis. Two quite different apps which I use for different things. I love Photoshop Express because I can adjust the noise in a photo. If you do take a photo in bad lighting, this app could actually save it, just by the “reduce noise” feature. Sure it’s better to get the lighting right in the first place but sometimes you don’t have much of a choice. This is my favorite feature on the app. After I have done that I will always punch the color out and brighten it up. I typically like bright photo’s with high color saturation, so Photoshop express is my go to.

Aillis, is my “beauty” app. It does it ALL. Brightening, skin clearing and color correction. If you want to go crazy- you can actually make your eyes bigger and face slimmer. It can get a little weird, but as long as you don’t go too crazy on it, it’s a great editor. You don’t want to go to overboard on the beauty apps, you start to look like a painting or a cartoon. It eventually becomes too artificial.

Going a little too crazy on Aillis, I played around with enlarging my lips and eyes and I look almost alien like. Fun to play with but definitely not realistic!

3. THEME

Sticking to a theme can be hard work. I struggle to stay within a theme because I like so many different types of images, plus I get a little bored overly themed accounts. I tend to just stick with girly colours and a girly aesthetic overall. This just gives me a lot more to play around with and allows my feed to demonstrate my personality. Your theme could be just as simple as a colour that reappears in your posts.

With my “theme” I like to break up my images by posting one photo of me (or someone else),then either a scenic pic or a photo of my new shoes or bag etc. This stops me from going too crazy with the fashion posts and not only keeps it more interesting, it reminds me to post with a little more variation. As you can see I tend to use a lot of pastel tones.

Some more examples of some great themed accounts that I follow,

account is a great example of beautiful lighting, well composed images and subtle glimpses into her life. I love the neutral tone of her feed and the compelling angles.

account is a pastel dream that perfectly matches her hair. The consistency in her images has kept me hooked, and the colours used in her feed are all perfectly in sync.

I’m sure most of you have heard of . The theme of their account is the perfect example of breaking up textures and using monotones’ to their benefit. Beautiful and simplistic images, that create a well thought out account. Meadowlark have their Instagram theme down pat.

likes to have a lot of colour and florals on her account. I love the high saturation in her photo’s. Her account is the type that makes me happy to look at, every image is a whimsical story.

4. PLAYING WITH LAYOUTS

I’m not normally one for the mirrored look but at the same time I will never post an image to my Instagram unless it is square. Unfortunately, not all of my photo’s will fit into that perfect square box because of the narrowness of the image. So if I’m working with a portrait image and I’m unwilling to crop it, here is a little trick I tend to use. Using the app picsart, I will choose “Draw, then choose blank, then the size 2048 x 2048” This gives me a blank square image. I then pick 3 of the same photo to add to the blank background. Adjust the size accordingly and drag one photo to the left, then one to the right. Use the third image in the centre, and the back works as a well disguised background. I’ve done it really obvious for my example, but you can make it a lot more subtle.

So it all comes down to lighting, finding your theme, editing and placement. I hope you have taken something away from this post to help pick up your Instagram game and if I have missed anything out, leave me a comment below and I will try add it in to the post at some point! Happy snapping!

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How the F#*k do I wear a Bralette?

April 20, 2015

Once upon a time, a visible bra was the biggest fashion blunder you could make. Thanks to social media, (not to mention all the babes wearing them) it now seems the more lace you show, the better.

There are so many gorgeous styles of the Bralette on the market these days and when you’re wearing something so lacey, feminine and sexy, why would you want to hide it?

Unfortunately, there not the easiest things to style. You can go from sexy and elegant to (for lack of a better word) tarty, if not done right. If you are one of the MANY left wondering “how would I even wear that???” Here are some sneaky tips and picture’s I put together to help you show off that bralette without showing off “too” much.

Song of Style is completely gorgeous! I liked this image because she has just the right amount of straps showing. If you do think it’s showing off too much, you can always button up slightly more for a peek-a-boo effect

Bralette and Image by Her Apparel

The cooler months are coming up and these amazing straps give this sweater a edgier, more fashion forward look. One to definitely try.

I am loving this runway look! Team a sheer blouse with a soft Bralette underneath for a soft feminine look that is sure to grab attention for the right reasons.

Dressing up a plain singlet is a breeze with this cute style

Show off beautiful details with a backless shirt. (This is definitely a style I still need to try!)

Definitely more a summer look, but pairing your bralette with a high-waisted skirt is always a winning look for me. I love this look, I think it is really sexy, elegant and pretty, it’s also very wearable.

So I want to know what you guys think! Do you love or loathe of the bralette, and if you do love them, would you be game enough to show it off? Let me know your thoughts!

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How to: LIFE

How The F#*k do I wear Floral Jeans?

March 24, 2015

A couple of days ago I was asking some of the girls from work what my next topic for this should be. Alicia, was telling me she had a pair of floral jeans, and she had no idea what to pair them with. Initially, I didn’t think floral jeans would really be a challenge? Floral jeans have been around for quite some time now… and every second girl on the street is wearing them (with good reason too!)

Then she explained that they felt like pyjama pants when she wore them out and struggled trying to pair them with other items in her wardrobe, so I decided to put together a few images where I think floral jeans look amazing. This post will hopefully inspire her and anyone else who may struggle with the confidence to get these babies on!

1. I found this image on Pinterest, there was definitely a strong trend of girls wearing there floral jeans with nude heels and a jacket/cardy I think this look stood out to me because of all the small details. The chunky necklace is perfectly understated because of her black singlet. I’m ALL about the minor details that complete a look

2. More nude shoes, but they are definitely not boring. Making sure your toes are freshly painted! It’s always a little cringe worthy having chipped nails with open toe shoes (Bright toes with nude shoes are a DO)

3. Pairing with Metallic shoes and then keeping everything else simple. Floral jeans are such a statement piece you don’t want to wear them with anything else too patterned. I’m usually all for rule breaking but in this case it’s nice to keep the jeans your statement.

4. These jeans are so girly so sometimes it’s nice to break away from that girly-ness and pair them with a cool army jacket like this one.

5. Cute look for autumn, soft colours and flattering little ankle boots tie in perfectly together.

So I hope that at least one of these five looks has in some way inspired you to dust off those floral jeans in your closet. Now it’s your turn to tell me, what have I missed? What do you like to wear with floral jeans or do you just avoid this trend altogether?

BB x

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