The Gold Coast Hidden Paradise

As someone who loves to take interesting Instagram photos (I mean, who doesn’t nowadays?) I am always on the lookout for some new places, especially places people haven’t been before. 

So when I first moved to the Gold Coast, my boyfriend and I decided to go and check out the Currumbin wildlife sanctuary, on our way there we spotted this beach right off the highway that had the clearest water and there were people jumping off the railings into the water! (I have found out though, that if you are caught doing this it can result in a ticket; so just a heads up)

We both decided that this was the next place to check out on our list. It was amazing, there were no waves and when we were there; no jellys! Which was a big bonus. It was so nice. They even had a little nature hike you could do through the forest. 

 

The last time I was there, there was a photo shoot going on so it was pretty awesome to see. The scenery here is amazing and absolutely breathtaking. 

So if you ever come to the Gold Coast or live here already, it’s definitely a great place to check out. 

 

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any places that I should check out around the Gold Coast, let me know in the comments below. 

 

  

Book Review: #GIRLBOSS

I AM BACK! It has been a hectic week! Quite a few things have happened and with all the nice weather we were having, I have of course been spending it outside tanning. (Yes, I do feel for you all who are in colder temps – stay warm.) I hope everyone had a lovely valentines day! I decided to do a book review, I am not sure if this will be a consistent thing or not because I am extremely judgemental when it comes to books.

#GIRLBOSS written by Sophia Amoruso is the perfect book to read if you are feeling slightly unmotivated or just need some inspiration in your life. She talks about how at the age of 17 she decided that she didn’t want to be in school and she wanted to go on her own way of life, working for others she found wasn’t something that she enjoyed doing either. She talks about the highs and lows and what it took for her to start “one of the fastest growing companies” (Inc. Magazine, 2012) Nasty Gal. If you are not familiar with Nasty Gal, it is a company which sells clothing, accessories and shoes for young women. (Definitely take a peak at the website – one of my favourite online stores)

What stood out to me the most about this book? The fact that she defied social norms. I like that she did not attend any schools, get her masters or come from a wealthy family – she did this all on her own, because she had an idea and she worked her hardest to make that idea a reality.

GB

Favorite Quotes:

“If you believe that what you’re doing will have positive results, it will – even if it’s not immediately obvious”

“Constantly tweak & move on…if something didn’t work… I just tried something else.”

“If you’re frustrated because you’re not getting what you want, stop for a second: Have you actually flat-out asked for it? If you haven’t, stop complaining. You can’t expect the world to read your mind. You have to put it out there, and sometimes putting it out there is as simple as just saying, ‘Hey, can I have that?’”

“I do think that you should put effort into what you wear. Clothing is ultimately the suit of armor in which we battle theworld. When you choose your clothing right, it feels good. And there’s nothing shallow about feeling good.”


Thought I would throw in some items that I personally love from the Nasty Gal website:

So do I recommend this book? ABSOLUTELY. Go get it, it is honestly amazing.

Manda

January Favorites

I thought I might start something new, so here it is!

1) Too Faced- Chocolate Bar Palette: This palette is amazing, I can not say it enough. The colours are so pigmented and the smell when you open it is just delicious. It has been my staple in my everyday make up. (Still wondering if I should do a review, let me know in the comments down below!)

2) Garnier Micellar Water: I first heard about this in one of Lauren Curtis’ video and just had to buy it because of how much she raved about it. It was worth the hype! All it takes is one damp cotton pad to take off my make up on BOTH eyes.

3) Olay Fresh Effects Moisturizer: This is my favorite out of their line, they face washes made me break out and did not do anything for my skin. I put this on every night before bed and in the morning and it does not make my face greasy at all! I also love how fast in sinks in.

4) Apple Cider Vinegar: Okay, I know that this is the weirdest favorite but I had to tell you guys how amazing it is. I mix one part ACV and 3 parts water and use it as my toner, it has completely cleared my skin and made it look brighter. I also have recently started putting some of it into my water.

5) Haivanas Slim Thongs: I kept hearing so many great things about this brand and pretty much everyone in Australia owns a pair; I completely understand why. They are so comfy! I ended up getting the slim pair with the jewel (the exact ones in the photo) just because they looked a little classier.

6) Flash Tattoos: I have gone through one sheet and already ordered a couple more! These are amazing and so cute. Great for the summer!

What are some of your January favorites and did you enjoy this post? If so, let me know in the comments below wether or not it is something I should continue.

Manda

A Weekend Away In Byron Bay

As some of you may know last weekend was the Australia Day long weekend aka the weekend in which Byron Bay stole my heart.

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The beach was gorgeous and the sand art added to the vibe that this place gives off.

There are no big name stores or restaurants which add to the hippy vibe and everything from the clothing to the food was just amazing and pricey to say the least.

The people do their part in keeping this gorgeous place clean and tidy; the act of throwing a cigarette butt on the ground is followed by a $200 fine.

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The nightlife is suitable for all different kind of music tastes. The night started off at The Beachy which was a fun EDM atmosphere but we were feeling something more laid back; so we ended up at The Northern where a live band was playing acoustic version of popular hits. It was a great way to finish off the night!

Byron Bay is beautiful and I plan on going back especially to do the Lighthouse walk which I didn’t get a chance too. If you have been debating on going there, I recommend you do- it’s such a great environment.

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Thanks for reading.

The Very Inspiring Blogger Award

It was a lovely surprise to be nominated for this award so thank you so much to Travels Of A Beauty Addict

Right, the rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated you and add their link to your blog.
2. List the award rules so your nominees will know what to do.
3. State 7 things about yourself.
4. Nominate other bloggers.
5. Contact your nominees and provide a link to your post.
6. Display the award logo (button) on your blog, whether on your sidebar or about page, or special award page.

So, seven things about me:
1. I am a huge fitness fanatic, I am one of those crazy people who enjoys cardio.

2. I have always had a passion for acting, and have successfully achieved an important role in 6 different plays.

3. I was not able to bring my dog over to Australia with me and I think about him every single second.

4. I am an extremely tropical person. I thrive off of sun, water and sand.

5. I love all things beauty – I am constantly watching YouTube videos and purchasing new products.

6. I love travelling so much that checking flight times is a morning routine.

7. I could spend 8 hours in a mall and not get bored of it.

My nominations for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award:
This blogger is not only my best friend but an amazing writer. Check her out and give her a follow:

Beer & Blahniks – Danielle

Thanks again to Rebecca, such a beautiful welcome.

 

Manda

First Impression: Australis Contouring & Highlighting Kit

If you live in Australia, then you know how difficult it is to get your hands on this kit. I searched so many different Pricelines and Big W’s until I finally found it. It was definitely worth it because it has now become a staple in my everyday make up routine. This kit retails for $16.95 AUD  and I ended up getting it for only $11 because of my $5 gift card from Priceline for my birthday.
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So the top three colours are your highlighting colours. I use the middle colour as my under eye setting powder and adding some to my cupid bow, its perfect. This kit is extremely pigmented, I did some swatches so you could see what I mean. Here are some swatches of the top row:
SWA
This was just one stroke, so you can see extremely pigmented. Someone had told me that they found this kit too shimmery, in my opinion, there was no shimmer to any of these colours; they are extremely matte.

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The above are the swatches of the second row of the kit, these are the contouring colours. Same as above, still very matte. I am using the last colour in this kit for my contouring just because I find the other 2 too dark for my skin.

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(Just a close up of the different colours)

I have been using this kit for 2 weeks now, and I absolutely LOVE it. I recommend it for sure and it is a great alternative to the Anastasia Contour Kit which retails for $40 USD.

                                          Manda

What a Wednesday!

It’s a beautiful day in the Gold Coast today and I woke up to a great surprise this morning!

Starbucks Canada had featured my Instagram from last week! Which is pretty awesome.

That is the picture above. If you aren’t a gold star member I suggest you get on it!

Some of the gold star member benefits include:

– a free drink with every 12 stars.

– the cutest card for your wallet (as note above)

– a variety of special offers

Just start off by purchasing a Starbucks gift card (or asking for one as a gift) and recharging it with money every time you order a drink. This gives you a star every time you do!

Here is the photo posted by Starbucks Canada.

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So cool!

Follow me on Instagram; mandaagomes for some more great snaps.

What is your favourite Starbucks drink?

Manda

My Travel Bucket List For 2015

Some people like to set goals of what they will accomplish for the upcoming year, mine is going to be different this year. I am hoping to hit every place on my travel bucket list!

  • Thailand
  • Bali
  • California
  • Hong Kong
  • China
  • Japan
  • Singapore
  • Brazil
  • New Zealand

What about you? Do you have any bucket list countries/places?

Manda

Top 10 Travel Must Haves

Before I begin, I just want to say that these are some of the things that I found the most useful while I was travelling Europe, this is not a packing list. I have also listed all this in no particular order.

1) Bobble Water Bottle: If you have not heard of these or have been on the fence about getting one, I suggest you buy yourself one. Especially if you are going on an adventure. The water bottle comes with a filter which makes it easier to find water just about anywhere! It comes in a variety of colours as well.

2) Urban Decays Naked Palette: Not only are these the most important staple in my make up collection, but they are perfect to bring with you when travelling. I personally favour the 2 and 3 over the first one, but that is all about preference. The palettes all come with a brush and a mirror so you won’t need to really bring anything else! It is very easy to use and great for beginners or pros!!

3) Batiste Dry Shampoo: I probably would not have taken as many selfies if it wasn’t for this shampoo (because my hair would be a disaster). Dry shampoo is a MUST when travelling, unless you plan on wearing a hat the entire time or just rocking the greasy look. I have tried many different dry shampoos and Batiste has definitely been my top favourite.

4) Verbatim Power Bank: I probably would not have thought to bring this if I wasn’t gifted it. It was literally a life saver, especially when my phone was on its last bar and we were using it as our means of navigation. This one was good for up to 2 charges, worked very well and was extremely portable.

5) My Cheetah Print Neck Pillow: I had to bring up the fact that it was cheetah because why not. This was not only helpful on all of our train rides, flights and bus rides but also great in some of the places we stayed at. Some places had those really flat pillows that felt like you were sleeping on the mattress alone and this gave my neck the support it needed.

6) Straightener: This was important for me just because I prefer my straight hair over my curly hair. It also helped changing up my hair a bit when I felt like doing beachy waves.

7) Scarf: If you have done your research on backpacking or have done backpacking, you will know that you are limited on how many different items of clothing you can pack. A scarf is the best accessory and they are so light as well. I brought my colourful pashmina with me and wore it so often, it even worked well on the days I didn’t bring a jacket and used it as a shawl.

8) Nikon DSLR D5200:  I think that this is an obvious one, I decided to put this here just to show what type of camera I am using.

9) Favorite Lipstick: Do you know that one lipstick you own that just goes so well with no matter what other make up you have on or what you are wearing, BRING THAT ONE. I got this lipstick in one of my Ipsy bags and I use it SO much. The brand is Hikari and its in the colour cabernet, this is a long lasting lipstick and its just such a great colour.

10) Statement Necklace: This goes with #7, this can immediately change up a plain black or white t-shirt and make you look very put-together.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope this helped you out. If you have any questions, let me know below. Also let me know what were your travel must-haves?!

Manda

A Few Reasons Why Santorini Should Be On Your Bucket List