Tea With Alice - Tea Subscription Box


"Would you like some tea with your milk and sugar?".


Growing up I couldn't stand herbal tea. My mother would drink cup after cup after cup, so my sister and I would always have to quickly usher her out of places before she was offered any or else we knew we had better get comfortable, we would be there a while.

When I hit about 14 or 15 I started to tentatively dip my toes into the vast expanses of the tea world. I started out with Peppermint tea to help with my diet and then moved on to Chamomile before bed to unwind and relax. It wasn't until was 19 that I finally acquired a taste for green tea and now I can't get enough of it. What started out as a reluctant step towards good health has propelled me forward into an obsession.

Tea With Alice is a monthly Australian subscription box that I am hoping will feed my obsession by providing me with a "lucky dip" assortment of teas. Most subscription boxes these days seem to have a match making quiz that helps to ensure that you get the right kind of products for you and nothing goes to waste. Tea With Alice takes you through a selection of very easy questions that help determine your tea needs, for example I am not a fan of black tea and was able to specify my aversion.

I am way too excited about the selection that I received in my first box and am already thinking about next month!

Beach Babe - Organic peppermint, hibiscus , elderflowers and lemon balm.
Probably my favourite pick of the bunch its a really fresh tea that would probably be really great as an iced tea.



Liquorice Spice - Liquorice root, orange peel, cloves and cinnamon - unfortunately I don't have photo of this tea as my mum really liked it so I gave it to her before I had a chance to get a photo.

New Beginnings - White tea (the smallest bud and first two leaves of the season)
A really smooth flavour similar to a nice green tea but without the sharp bitterness green tea can often have.




Vitalitea - Oolomg, papaya, pineapple, hibiscus, orange and lemon
Not my favourite of the pick as it tasted too much like a breakfast black tea


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Planning For Paris - My Sightseeing Bucket list

"Because we will always have Paris" - Casablanca

Come the beginning of June 2016 I will be spending one glorious week in the "City of Love" - Paris. I know its still a good 8 months away but I'm just so excited about it and keen to accrue as much information about what to see and where to go. So feel free to add your two cents as I still have gaps to fill in my bucket list.


The Eiffel Tower 
Probably the most iconic French building / tourist sight its not something you can avoid seeing - literally, apparently its visible from most areas in Paris CBD. Personally I am planning to set out to see it twice. Once during the day, when I will set up a little picnic with market bought goodies and maybe a bit of champagne (which you can legally do) and once at night when I will actually scale the building stairs to see "the city of light" from the best vantage point.



Notre Dame 
As a long time Disney fan there is now way I'm not going to climb to the top of Notre Dame to see the phenomenal view and get a snap with one of the Gargoyles.


Sacre Coure 
Sacre Coure is the only other Cathedral I'm going to see - you can only see so many before they all start to look the same.


Marche de Bastille 
Like a true hipster the idea of going to the markets (food or flea) makes me very happy. There are a couple around Paris that I have heard are worth checking out but Marche de Bastille has won out for me due to its location and popularity. This is going to be an early morning start for me, then off to lucnch in front of the Eiffel Tower.



Versailles 
After doing a bit of research and discovering that it can sometimes take up to 3-4 hours to get entry into Versailles (and don't think the Paris Pass is going to help you much, even if you have a pre purchased ticket you still have to queue for a security check) I have decided that the best approach is to book a guided tour. Not only do the tours help you to skip both queues but they also get you access to some of the sectioned off areas of the palace.


Muse du Louvre
I've heard that you could spend days making your way around the Louvre and if you've got days and this tickles your fancy they hop to! If like me you've got about a half day then do your research before hand, figure out what is priority for you and bee-line for it. For me (not being all that art savvy) its the obvious Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and Virgin and Child.


Muse de Orsay 
Another, "you could potentially spend days here" pick your must-sees and if you've got time for anything else after, perfect. Personally I'm actually really very excited to see the works of Monet.

Catacombs
If you're into scary movies, horror stories and ghost towns then this macabre tour is right up your alley. This is one of those things I am kind of forcing myself to do because I'm a scaredy pants to boot but I don't want to miss out on a fantastic experience. The last thing I did like this was the haunted hospital in Japan - pretty sure i s**t my pant but I don't regret a thing.

Luxembourg and Des Plantes




Secret Streets of Paris 
For those of you that don't like busy, hustling tourist areas but still want to experience the chic beauty of France. For those who need quite time to wind down and perhaps enjoy walking there appear to be an array of beautiful street and houses throughout Paris that you can enjoy and get snap happy with.


Laduree 
France is renowned for their pastries and Macaroons so a trip to Paris without sampling the famous Laduree Macaroons is a trill ill spent.


Moulin Rouge 
Literally just around the corner from where I will be staying, I'm going to have lots of opportunities to see and photograph the infamous red windmill. I'm not intending to actually go and see a show (although perhaps one day) because its darn right expensive.

Fashion Museum 
As a fashion enthusiast this is something that definitely tickles my fancy. Entry to this museum is included in the Paris Pass, so hey, why not.


Champs Elysses 
A hot spot for high end shopping and from what I have heard a great spot to camp out at a cafe and people watch - one of my favourite things.

Arc De Triomphe 
The second best vantage point in Paris, it's another great place to map out the city of love from above (It's already effecting me, I'm practically a poet).


Pont de L'archeveche 
Paris' own version of the famous Milivan Bridge in Rome where many a couple have visited to attach a padlock with their names written on it and throw away the key as a symbol of their love (personally I would chose Paris over Rome, what with it being the city of love and all). Even for those who have yet to find their Prince Charming it is still a great photo opportunity.

Shakepsear and Company 
Renowned for being one of few English bookshops in Paris and a hot spot for writers like Ernest Hemingway, F.Scott Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound and Henry Miller.

Victor Hugo Apartment Museum 
Another favourite for those book enthusiasts. The writer of the much loved Les Miserables (p.s. saw the musical and loved it) had a different design theme for each room in his apartment, all of which seem quite eccentric


The Lido Show 
Similar to although less iconic than the Moulin Rouge, a discount to the Lido Show is included in the Paris Pass. So guess what, I'mma going to a late night show and included dinner.


Pont Alexandre 3 
This beauty speaks for itself, I mean just look at that gold detailing! This arch/bridge spans the Seine River and connects The Eiffle Tower and the Champs Elysees and is the most extravagant of its kind in Paris.



Seine River 
Personally I am not intending to opt for one of the infamous cruises down the Seine (I get sea sick very easily) but it is a fantastic way to see some of Paris' most iconic sights.

Galleries Lafayette
From what I understand this shopping complex is similar to that of David Jones - high end brands all piled into one accessible place. It is also probably the most beautiful shopping centre ever!

Saint Germain de Pres
An absolute hot-spot for shopping in Paris for tourists and locals alike. I have heard that it is a pretty busy area, so prepare to be swamped and walk with your elbows out.
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Beauty Haul - Too Faced, Jurlique and Tanya Burr Cosmetics Advent Calendar


I all honesty I have kind of been avoiding the Tanya Burr cosmetics line since its launch back in February 2014. I'm not exactly an avid collector of nail polishes (they chip so quickly on me) and I'm always a bit skeptical of lip glosses - you never know how sticky they are going to be - but I finally caved when I saw that she had launched her own Advent Calendar.

It's a 12 days of Christmas calendar with a mix of full sized and mini products, all of which are so far are limited edition and only available in the calendar. I did cheat a little and open my advent calendar early(purely in the interest of the blog) but I am not going to use any of the products until I open the respective windows.


Tanya Burr Lipgloss 
The lip glosses themselves are pretty glossy and slippery and only slightly sticky which I do think helps them to last a bit longer on the lips so its something that I am able to over look. The colour intensity seems to fade the darker the colour ("Just Peachy" seems to be opaque enough to wear as its own lip colour, whereas "Carousel" would do better paired with a lipstick).

The lipgloss "Diamonds are a girls best friend" has quickly risen to my current favourite lip product. It has a clear base with beautiful silver shimmer throughout that makes the lips look incredibly glossy and big - on its own or paired with something else, it is the perfect lip for the festive season !!


Too Faced Melted Lips
The current craze surrounding these liquid lipstick is, in my opinion, most undeniably warranted. Personally this kind of formula is right up my alley - it is thin yet very opaque and super hydrating, with maybe 1.5 - 2 hours worth of full intensity before you need to reapply. No to mention, how gorgeous is that packaging.


Jurlique - Brightening Essence 
A close and very wise friend turned me onto using Jurlique and since I've started I haven't looked back. As it is a somewhat more expensive range than I am accustomed to using so I have been up to Jurlique counter both at David Jones and Myers to ask for samples. The brightening essence was one of the first samples I received and have really loved using it. Despite the fact that it doesn't actually list lavender as an ingredient the formula seems to give of the same calming fragrance, which I have found has really helped me to wind down in the evening.


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BEST Under Eye Concealer Of ALL Time - Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer 

I have known about / been using this product for something like 4 years but have only started using again religiously in the last couple months - why oh why did I stop ?!?  I cannot recommend it enough to makeup lovers of all ages, shapes etc



Pros

It's a hydrating and creamy concealer, without the slippery or glossy factor that causes other products to end up at you chin after an hour.

It's got great illuminating / brightening / light reflecting qualities that give the skin a lift, making you look younger and more awake.

You can use it as an under eye concealer or a natural face highlighter.

As far as longevity goes, I find that it will last me a good 4 or so hours before it starts to fade and needs a bit of a touch up.

It doesn't emphasise or settle into the fine lines around your eyes - I have laughter lines and my mum has lines from ageing and we both love it!

It seems to work best, I've found, when you blend it out with a Beauty Blender - some other brushes I've used have had a tendency to soak up the product.

Even so no matter how you apply it, it blends into the skin effortlessly.

Also as a random side not when you google image search "best concealer of all time" it is featured several times!

Cons

There isn't a wade range of colours available in this product. There's about 6 shades in total in the line, most of which are directed at lighter to tan skin tones - even so I still need a shade or two lighter than their palest colour "Fair"

At $18.95 AUD its a wee bit pricey for a drugstore item in my opinion. However it performs as well as, if not better than most high end concealers, so it is still worth it. 
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Beauty Bloggers You've Got To Know About

Arna Alayne 
I've have always been an admirer of women with tan and dark skin - they just look so beautiful and flawless. So in my green-with-envy state I would follow tutorials from women of colour and while their techniques, product and colour choice were spot on they were definitely not the right match for me. Even things like highlighting powders, take MAC Soft And Gentle for example, were far too warm and pigmented for my pale ass skin, it just didn't look right. After discovering Arna Alayne I have become more excited about embracing my pale skin and researching products that were more flattering to me rather than just the latest must-have.



Tiffany D Makeup
Tiffany has been a long standing favourite of mine, she was the second youtube I ever subscribed to over four long years ago. Tiffany has a very simple and natural yet classy style, preferring quality over quantity. She has a great and honest knowledge of makeup and I have always found her product recommendations to be really reliable. Beware whilst she does dabble in drugstore products she does tend to have quite an expensive taste. Tiffany is also a new mummy and she does occasionally show off her beautiful bub Olivia in some of her videos.



Jackie Aina 
This woman has the best personality. I love watching her for her great sense of humour and application/style tips and techniques - and seriously guys how cool is her hair. You guys have got to check out her video "What Is Strobing" - it had me in stitches!



April Athena 
If you are a partial hipster like me and into the whole "Nartural Skincare" who-ha thats so popular then you really have to check out April. She's a beautiful, cheerie, upbeat, positive - really any synonym of happy applies here - young mother who has a lot of D.I.Y skincare recipes. Her attitude and outlook on life is also super comforting and motivational to watch.



Tanya Burr
Tanya is an obvious choice - I swear I live vicariously through this woman! Great life, awesome job, super hot hubby, gorgeous squishy puppy etc. She also has a wealth of beauty tutorials and is uber popular at the moment.


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Irregular Choice Male E Bow Blue Lace Heels

Irregular Choice - Mal E Bow

This style of shoe also currently comes in a light pink - which I am all too eager to get.

I am excited to wear these in summer, not only because of the bold colour but also because the lace detailing means ventilation for your feet, so you will stay nice and cool.

The heel is a comfortable height to walk in.









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