I Can't Live Without

I think that every girl has her list of products she just cannot dream of living without. There are certain essential items that I use almost daily, and I thought I'd share these with my readers and anyone looking for some highly recommended, tried and trusted, skincare and beauty products. I love that this list will differ from person to person as we all take our own special likings to certain cosmetics on the shelves of our favorite stores. So, here's fifteen things I cannot live without, what are yours?

1. Extra Virgin Minerals Foundation - The Body Shop

2. Nearly Naked Loose Powder - Almay

3. Ruby Woo Lipstick - MAC Cosmetics

4. Special Cleansing Gel - Dermalogica

5. Multi-active Toner - Dermalogica

6. Active Moist Moisturizer - Dermalogica

7. "William Tell Me About OPI" Nailpolish - O.P.I

8. Shea Lip Butter - The Body Shop

9. Eau De Toilette, Vanilla - The Body Shop

10. Lucas' Pawpaw Ointment - From Australia
11. ColorStay Liquid Eye Liner - Revlon

12. Cocoa Butter Body Lotion - Palmers

13. Cow Udder Cream - From the farmer's market (this is an excellent and 100% pure moisturizer good for face and body.)

14. Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Body Lotion - Bath and Body Works Fall Limited Edition

15. Honey Autumn Apple Shower Gel - Bath and Body Works Fall Limited Edition

I Love It - December

Festive season. Snow. Winter woolies. Sitting by the fire place. HunCal Peppermint Mocha. Cosy Starbucks. Christmas. Holidays. Houses that glisten with green and red lights. Decorating trees. My first wintertime Christmas. Sending cards in the mail. Ben Howard. She & Him Christmas album. Turkey dinners. Gingerbread. Ugly sweaters. Knitted scarves. Snowboarding season. 2011 draws to a close. Red and white stripes. Leg warmers. Plaid shirts. Chunky boots. Baking from scratch. Belly-laughing. Hot springs. Ecstatic encounters. Winter wonderland. Warm drinks. Wooly gloves. Chick flick marathons. Decking the halls. Gift exchanges. Words of affirmation. Supernatural Ways of Royalty. Skype dates with South Africans. Communion. Leadership. New levels of responsibility. Falling into the arms of Grace. The mirror translation. Enjoying the present. The Biebernator's Christmas songs. Receiving parcels in the post. Game nights. Chrismukkah. Sugar-frosted cookies. Spending days in my pajamas. Urban Outfitters. RAC New Year's Eve party in San Francisco. Vivid dreams. Vintage photo effects. The Christmas spirit. My family all around the world. Cherry pie. Sigur Ros. Divine Romance. Life-long friendships. Communication. Giving thanks. 

Siyabonga Jesu {Things I am thankful for}

In an ideal world, encouragement trumps criticism and positivity trumps negativity.
I am personally not a believer in 'The Secret' or any form of self-help medium that encourages you to 'pull yourself towards yourself' and think positively in order to turn yourself into a magnet that attracts good things. Karma doesn't govern the way I think or do life and I've never made use of the 'forces of attraction' or 'power of the mind.'
However, I find it funny how it seems that as humans we have a default setting that likes to point out the wrongs, the bad, the negative and be in continual pursuit for more; for that 'one thing' that is suddenly going to click our lives into place like a visit to the chiropractor and unclog the wells of happiness that we feel we are lacking. Our lives then become something along the lines of the 'Waiting For Godot' play, and we live each day as if it is just a dress rehearsal rather than the grand finale. The more we get, the more we want and the harder we are to please. We develop eyes that are focused on the supposedly 'greener grass' on the other side of the horizon, instead of realizing that true wealth is not measured in riches. We allow ambition to be replaced with ungratefulness as we compare our lives to the next person that appears to 'have it all.' Like a dog that chases it's tail, we can spend a lifetime searching for happiness that we already posses, and begin to weigh our lives up on the scale of 'haves and have not's.'


This week I've realized that ungratefulness is very unattractive and doesn't show up the colour of our hearts very nicely. I've realized that if I want to, I can be a very unhappy person who's primary topic of conversation is always about what I want or what I think would make my life better. I think I choose to be thankful instead. I choose to see the good, see the blessings, see the wonderful things, because there are just so many to see if you will only view what is right if front of you. I want to look at life using a magnifying glass rather than a telescope that always sees the things that are far away and unreachable instead of the incredible things that are right under this nose of mine.


Things I am thankful for:
My saviour, closest friend and source of all my life and happiness. A family that loves, cares for and is proud of me. Friends that span the globe. Being able to wake up every morning and see the ocean outside my window. Being able to fall asleep to the sound of the waves. My home. A beautiful hometown. Two cute pugs. My car, scratches and all. a driver's license. My church that feels like my extended family. Memories. My Blackberry and it's free internet {thanks mom and dad}. The feeling of surfing a wave. A healthy body, that is not impaired in any way. Youthfulness and vitality. My free tank of petrol every month. A closet full of clothes. People that make me laugh {I'm pointing at you aunty Carol}. Living in a country that offers an me the most incredible lifestyle. A simple life. Being debt-free. A support system of amazing people. Easy communication across the world. Always having food on the table and never having to starve. Living in a country that is not at war or affected by natural disasters. Not being poverty-stricken or disease-ridden in any way. Running water and electricity. The gift of freedom. Perfect weather all year round. A future and a destiny. Faith. Love. Hope. A job and an income. Having both parents alive and well. A life of fun and adventure. Overseas travel and discovery. Not being controlled, forced or constrained in any way. Breath in my lungs. A heartbeat. LIFE.

{Images: We Heart It}

Little Things...

The following is a list of small things to appreciate from the blog 'Little Things'

• When people take care of you when you're sick
• Letting chocolate melt in your mouth
• Compliments even when you look like a mess
• Perfectly peeling off a price sticker
• Achieving the perfect milk-to-cereal ratio
• Saturday morning cartoons
• Twisting the lid off the jar when nobody else was able to
• The smell of old books
• When people enjoy the food you make
• Your favourite part of a song
• The excitement of your pet when you come home
• The moment when you find a comfortable sleeping position
• When the lights start to dim before a movie
• Songs that match your mood
• Being lifted off the ground during a hug
• Sleeping in your own bed after being away
• Flipping to the right page of a book on the first try
• Clever puns
• When someone understands your humor
• Bendy straws
• When someone opens the door for you
• When a person's laugh is funnier than the joke
• The sound a can of soda makes when you open it
• Overhearing somebody saying nice things about you
• Piggy back rides
• Midnight snacks
• Breakfast in bed
• Waking up with clear skin
• A full tank of petrol
• Waking up just before your alarm goes off
• Wearing your pajamas all day
• Perfect shower temperature
• Perfectly painted nails