Wednesday 29 October 2014

Lucas' Papaw Ointment


I feel like every country has one or two beauty products that are quintessentially 'theirs'. For France it's the likes of Bioderma and La Roche Posay's famous Effaclar Duo. For Australia it is undoubtedly Lucas' Papaw Ointment. My Mum's an Aussie so ever since I was a kid I've had a tube of this lying around in my house and over the years I've been able to use it in so many different circumstances. I personally like it most for dry lips or sores, however as it is known to be a fabulous multi-use product you could use it for pretty much anything: think insect bites, gravel rash, splinters and many other not-so-beautiful cases.

Annoyingly, like many wonderful foreign products this isn't the easiest to find in the UK. For all you fellow Londoners out there - we're lucky and we have an actual family-run business called The Pawpaw Shop, located in Worcester Park, SW London (KT4). For all you non-Londoners out there, you can get numerous versions of Australian papaw-based products on their website, including a whole range of Lucas' Papaw Ointment in all different sizes. I have the 25g Handy Tube which retails for only £4.95 - a real bargain considering it's imported and you only need a tiny bit at a time. I'm not exaggerating when I say this stuff lasts forever - honestly, it won't be a fiver wasted.

The smell is very hit and miss when it comes to many opinions - but it's one that I personally love. I understand that the concept of fermented fruit doesn't sound all too appetising, however it is something you really do get used to. More than anything, this stuff reminds me of Australia so so much, something I adore as I miss my second home so much.

Have you ever tried the famous Lucas' Papaw Ointment?

Thalia
xxx

P.S // I got incredibly excited when in Perth back in July when I went back to Priceline (Aussie equivalent to Boots) for the first time in five years and found tubes of this everywhere. I even felt the need to document it via Instagram. What's a girl to do, eh? My half Pommie half Aussie vibes are so strong right now.
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Saturday 25 October 2014

Becoming a trainer girl?

grey new balance 410 schuh (link)

If you'd asked me a year ago if I'd happily go out and spend money on trainers, the answer would have undeniably been a 'no'. For years the only pair of shoes I own that have any relation to trainers at Converses, but they're so classic that I don't even consider them to well and truly be trainers. Everyone has a pair of 'em hiding in the depths of their wardrobe and they go with absolutely everything, but that's common knowledge.

Anyhow, times have seriously changed and I think I've warmed to the idea of trainers. I bought a pair of plain black suede and mesh trainers from Miss Selfridge about a year ago for a bargainous twelve quid and ever since, I have been on the hunt for something sporty to add to my shoe closet. (Disclaimer: sporty not actually implying that I will actively do sport. That happens very rarely..) My best friend Soph works at Schuh and kindly offered me one of her 25% discounts (cheers Soph) after I let her use my Arcadia discount a number of times, so at this point I figured a new pair of trainers to add to my somewhat ever-growing shoe collection seemed inevitable.

I'd heard brilliant things about New Balance, with them being lightweight, seriously comfy and importantly, plain enough to wear and not attract too much attention. I'm personally not a fan of huge, colourful shoes so the grey 410's seemed like the perfect choice for me - and my oh my am I pleased with them or what. I wore them all summer when travelling (they are so ideal for the endless walking in airports) and find myself gravitating to them all the time, even going into the colder months.

So I guess the moral of this story is that if you're not a trainer girl, never doubt that the tides won't turn. A year ago I would have shied away from anything sport chic (probably in memory of hideous PE lessons involving cross country - a personal hatred of mine) but now I'm definitely pro-comfort. Don't get me wrong, my Chelsea boots remain on my feet for a good 40% of the time however these beauties have also found a spot in my heart.

Next on my wishlist? The 410's in navy and black. I seriously cannot get enough of them.

Thalia
xxx
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Thursday 23 October 2014

Summer Throwback

 playsuit miss selfridge | heels new look | clutch kurt geiger | earrings lovisa | watch casio 

In true #throwbackthursday style I thought I'd look back to the end of summer today, obviously reminiscing at the light that was still present outside at 6pm and the actual option of going out sans tights. They are a thing of the past now, yet I'm looking at this situation positively, of course.

This outfit really is an absolute bunch of bargains for me - the playsuit is originally from Miss Selfridge yet I picked it up from Sarojini Nagar back when I lived in New Delhi. Five years later I'm still yet to truly identify what was wrong enough with it to send it back to India (that specific market often received the stock which wasn't good enough quality to sell in the UK or US) however I'm pleased that somehow the fashion gods worked on my side and delivered this beauty all the way back to India. A massive cheers to whoever you are.

I wish I could say that I bought this Kurt Geiger clutch after extensive deliberation in one of their stores, taking in the sights of all their beautiful accessories lined up oh so perfectly but if I did I would be lying through my teeth. Ebay is your friend, my dears. I think I got this for six quid or so a couple of years ago for a wedding in Cardiff (which I subsequently forgot to take to Cardiff with me, oops...) Anyway, it has a slight stain on the front which I guess was enough to justify selling it on Ebay yet to me it's hardly noticeable and is the perfect finish to this outfit, my favourite combination of the pink/purple/blue trio. 

On a complete and utter other note, I APPLIED TO UNIVERSITY. Holy moly I'm finding this whole process a bit shocking seeing as I still get told on a regular basis that I look around thirteen yet I went and applied for the first step of my future adult life. How I'm old enough to apply is still beyond me considering I got ID'd the other day when buying a lottery ticket (Euromillions worth £140million or so, so undeniably it was worth it). Heck, I got ID'd buying ibuprofen tablets in Sainsbury's not too long ago. So yeah. I'm less than five months away from saying goodbye to my childhood and I'm not quite sure what to think of that. But yes. Universities - accept me pretty please. I will work hard and always contribute to cake Fridays (and one day become an awesome journalist, pinky promise).  

Thalia
xxx

P.S I love how in the second photo you can see the mark on my wrist where I had evidently had a hairband on it probably moments before the photo was taken. That means that for once I actually remembered to remove it before taking photos - something miraculous that's taken me a good two and a half years to master. As to whether this trend will continue I am seriously unsure.

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Tuesday 21 October 2014

The Holy Grail Foundation | Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum

You know that feeling you get once in a long ol'while when you stumble upon a product and simply know that it is the one, it has been your destiny to find it and your entire existence has just been justified because of it. Jokes aside, this foundation is my holy grail, and has been for the past two and a half years. 

Bourjois' Healthy Mix Serum is known for being the updated version of their famous original Healthy Mix, which although I have not tired myself, I have heard wonders about. Think of a light to medium completely buildable coverage, beautiful scent and a lovely semi-matte finish and you've equated to this beauty. It claims to last sixteen hours but from personal experience I'd say it stops looking quite as good around the eleven-twelve hour mark, but that's to be expected isn't it.  

At £10.99 for 30ml it isn't the best bargain I've ever found but it is definitely one of my favourite beauty products out there. I'll choose it above any other foundation I own every single time and I'll never tire of the beautiful fruity scent, either. I should put it out there - although it is scented, it isn't to the extent that it aggravates my skin, so this suits me just fine (and I have quite sensitive, combination skin that is unfortunately prone to acne). I'd recommend this to pretty much anyone - whether it's the younger girl wanting to dip her toes into the foundation-ny waters (and yes, it is worth the eleven quid) or the women who knows her stuff and just wants something that works. 

What's your holy grail foundation?

Thalia
xxx

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Friday 17 October 2014

military x studs



khaki stud detail shirt h&m | grey v neck tee primark | black 'joni' jeans topshop (link) | black brogues dorothy perkins | black elephant print bag Thai market | watch casio via asos | necklace namaste, Camden market | black/silver bracelet cotton on | nails: models own snow white

I think anyone who is or has been a blogger will understand the feeling of sheer joy upon finding content you forgot to post. Wow. I was chuffed. Absolutely chuffed when I found these photos. 

I'm a firm believer that every single wardrobe needs the fundamentals, the basics that keep you going all of the way through the year regardless of the weather. This Primark grey v-neck is a prime example of this - at £2.50 or so a while back, it's the perfect layering device that is comfy and affordable. 

This khaki shirt is a firm favourite of mine and has been since I grabbed it for only a tenner in last year's October sales. It creases like no other though, as you may be able to tell. But I guess that adds to the rough, military look...right? Or perhaps I was a little too lazy to give it a good iron. You can decide.

Snow White by Models Own is hands down one of my 2014 nail polish favourites - seeing as I've now downsized my collection by a good two thirds, finding 'the one' is now considerably easier. It suits every outfit, so I never have any worries about matching/clashing with one of my many ensembles. I must admit though - snow white is in its prime when worn with a bit of a tan. Which reminds me that I need to disclaim - these photos are from late August, after Thailand. Not any time recently. London's been feeling the rain like no other and well it's been a bit...wet.

Until next time,

Thalia
xxx
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Tuesday 14 October 2014

Thalia in Thailand #9:The End & Trip Round-Up

So finally we've reached the end of my travels. It's been a long'ol while that I've been posting about my Australian & Thai adventures so please excuse me for that - ideally I would have sorted all of this out a little while back but alas, I'm here now, finally finishing them all off. I honestly had the absolute time of my life for the month I was away, and if anyone offered me to nip back in time I 100% completely would, if it meant I could relive it all. Even through the seven flights (totalling 40 hours in the air) and the 17 hours spent waiting in the various airports (6 of them, in total). I'm so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to go, I really am. I'm so so grateful my family love travelling and that I've been raised in a way that has taught me to love exploring different cultures, even those thousands of miles away from home. This is getting a little bit soppy but I can almost guarantee that my parents will read this at some time so here's a massive cheers to you both. I adore you both so so much.

So what's the plan for Summer 2015, eh? ;)

Links to all of my posts from Aus[Thai]lia 2014:


All photos are labelled from left-right, top row-bottom row.
1 // 5 // 10 // 2
6 // 11 // 9
 3 // 4 // 7 // 8

Thalia in Thailand #1: Bewildered in Bangkok
Thalia in Thailand #2: Serious Paisley Vibes
Thalia in Thailand #3: Chiang Mai Night Markets
Thalia in Thailand #4: Villages & Temples
Thalia in Thailand #5: Coconutty in Koh Samui
Thalia in Thailand #6: Traveller's Trousers
Thalia in Thailand #7: Elephants & Monkeys
Thalia in Thailand #8: Floral Invasion
Thalia in Thailand #9:The End

1 // 3 // 2 // 5
 6 // 8 // 7 // 4

Thalia
xxx

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Tuesday 7 October 2014

Thalia in Thailand #8: Floral Invasion

black crop top supré | black floral skirt miss selfridge | elephant print bag Thai market | studded loafers primark

This black crop top from Supré gives me life. I honestly love it - and I love to admit, it was far cheaper than the British counterparts available over here. At fifteen dollars (around seven quid) this body-fitting and zip-fastened beauty was all mine. Unfortunately, the weather over in the UK is making a seriously speedy turn for the worse, so this one will stay folded (yet loved) in the depths of my wardrobe until summer reappears in the probably distant future. I'm seriously missing the beautiful weather in Koh Samui - the beaches are illuminated with sunlight for oh so long and the tan I developed was a complete rarity, yet one I obviously appreciated. This trip gave me hope that sometimes (yes, sometimes) pale girls can tan. Substantial efforts may be put in. Hours of after-sun and SPF protection may go into it. But we can tan. We can. And that's what we need to remember during the long'ol  winter that is inevitably approaching us Brits. If you're fortunate enough to live in the Southern hemisphere/relatively near the Equator, I'm jealous of you. There, I said it. I love the wintery Christmassy vibes we have in the UK. But the weather is not the one. And I think I've just proved myself to be a true Brit by expressing my climate-related thoughts in an entire paragraph. My surname is Fairweather, after all...

Thalia
xxx
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Thursday 2 October 2014

Thalia in Thailand #7: Elephants & Monkeys

We had a feeling that Koh Samui had more to offer than simply beaches. I say simply beaches - they are beautiful, albeit not the be all and end all of the island. Many companies offer ecotourism excursions, many of which involve elephant trekking, learning how to cook traditional Thai food, waterfall visits and seeing monkeys. And we wanted exactly that. 

We were picked up in a jeep and along with another family of tourists made our way to the Nuamuang Waterfall, stopping at a Thai hut deep in the centre of the island beforehand. Here a family taught a group of us how to cook hot Thai curry, consisting of green chilli, galangal and fish paste. To say it was a little hot would be the understatement of the century, but in terms of the taste I can tell why the Thai love it so much. 
We then made our way to Namuang Waterfall, located in the Na Muang Safari Park. Once we were dropped off, we hopped out of the jeep to a pathway surrounded by tall trees that framed the area beautifully. Market stalls injected some colour into the relatively shaded location and we walked down the path in awe.
It's hard to convey how beautiful the waterfall was the day we visited because it was so bright in some places that the light/shade and contrast simply didn't come out well in many photographs I took. However, these two make it look pretty nice (if I say so myself). The thing about waterfalls with me is that after visiting Iguazú Falls in Brazil/Argentina my standards are incredibly high although I do admit, Koh Samui had a good ol' crack at it. At the bottom of the waterfall there were many young Thai school children having the time of their lives swimming in the water and it was so sweet to see so many happy faces.
The rocks next to the waterfall reminded me of Robbers Cave in Dehradun, India. 
Now onto the bit I was most excited for - elephant trekking. My lovely friend Amelia visited Thailand last year and went on and on about how much fun it was and I 100% agree with her - it's such a great experience. You start out in a hut, built onto an elevated bit of land that essentially overhangs so that the elephants can be guided up and stop so you can hop on. It's quite shaky but so much fun and so surreal - I honestly had no clue quite how tall elephants were until I sat on one. As someone that's only 5"2 being that high up was something I'm not used to at all. I don't have many photos from when I was on it as it is seriously shaky so focused and clear photos are out of the picture, if you'll pardon the pun. The guide reaches a point when he takes your camera if you have one and literally jumps off the elephant, fearlessly (and evidently with a lot of practice under his belt). 
At this point the guide told me to get off the chair and actually sit on the elephant. I'm not going to lie - I found this so scary at first. Their hair is quite prickly so that's a little uncomfortable but more than anything I was convinced that I was going to slide right off the animal and well, you can guess how that would pan out. However, as I'm here today documenting my experiences you can probably tell I made it out 100% alive and I can tell you that I 100% loved the experience, too.
After visiting the waterfall we hopped back into the jeeps and went to a coconut plantation where we were shown how the monkeys were trained to run up the tall coconut trees and collect them, dropping them down onto the land below. 
You may have been able to tell from recent posts that I am loving this reflecty vibe at the minute so when I saw this gorgeous picture of one of the monkeys I had to give it some identical twin power. 
You could say that the monkey liked me more than my brother. At one point the monkey started to grab my brother's hair, and it was then that my Mum decided that a photo with the monkey wasn't for her. Back in 2005 we visited Gibraltar Rock and she got attacked by monkeys big time so with that in mind I don't blame her for that decision at all, even though the monkeys were a lot more...polite in Koh Samui.
To finish off the day we got to try some of the coconut water, fresh and recently collected from one of the trees. Now I'm not a massive lover of the coconut smell or taste so I didn't adore this but to me it was important that I got to experience it. I think that really applies to travelling in a greater sense though - even though you may not love something, it's an experience you've had, one that when combined with others makes you as a person and makes you interesting. And that's what's important.

Thalia
xxx
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