Resent Food Ventures // ABlogByAliceOlivia

Resent Food Ventures // ABlogByAliceOlivia

Alice xx

New Zealand Fashion Week 2015 // ABlogByAliceOlivia

Four Favourites For April // AliceOlivia

Four Favourites For April // AliceOlivia

Hi lovelies, I hope you all had a fabulous April. Whilst I do not have many favourites this month (no new skin or hair care products at all, in fact), I have discovered these four makeup products and fallen in love. 

I have many - almost all - of the Rimmel foundations, however this is by far my favourite. I have been using the Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation almost every day this month, and I love the satin finish it gives (far less glittery than the Wake Me Up, and a little less dewy than the Match Perfection). The shade is also perfect for me; I used a website called Findation, and it most definitely gave me the correct shade. I have also been loving my Mac Viva Glam II Lipstick; its a slightly darker nude, and since it's a satin finish, I do find that it lasts longer than creme sheen lipsticks, without being as drying as a matte finish lipstick.

I have discovered how to properly use my Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade (read that blogpost here), and I'm now loving it. I may of applied it at 7 in the morning, and it will still be perfect at 10 at night. Lastly, a new mascara which may compete with my Maybelline Falsies (however - I think I do still like the Falsies more...), The Covergirl Lash Blast Volume gives lots of separation and length more than volume, which is why I don't particularly understand the name. Regardless, it is a fantastic mascara that is not too expensive but still gives you lovely, long lashes.

Alice xxx

Favorite Baking Books // AliceOlivia

Favorite Baking Books // AliceOlivia

I am a bit of a baking fanatic. In fact, I bake just as much as I apply makeup, and I wont go two days without whipping egg whites or icing a carrot cake with creme cheese frosting. No, I am not one of those strange, delusional (yet some what admirable) people who live their sad life not enjoying a massive slab of cake once in a while, but instead drink a kale smoothie for dessert. My motto is everything in moderation my friends. Since I bake so often, I have accumulated a rather disturbing number of cookbooks and have a folder on my iPad that has dozens of links to recipes I've found in the past years. These four books however are my most grubby, covered in some sort of batter, as they are my most loved. If you are in need for a new baking book, I hope my recommendations help!

Australian Women's Weekly Cakes, Biscuits and Slices
Australian Women's Weekly is a fantastic source for delicious, dependable recipes that promise to turn out well, and this book in particular is fantastic. I use this recipe book for many of its cake recipes, such as its chocolate mud cake that beats every other, and a fantastic ginger cake that is my favorite cake at the moment.

Edmonds Cookery Book
A must have for all cooking fanatics, as it includes both savory and sweet; and is what I depend on for classics (sponges, shortbread, icing, bread, sauces etc.) While its not the most exiting book of the bunch, it sure is useful.

Little and Friday Celebrations
By far the most beautiful cook book I own, and some of the most delicious food I have baked. I am a huge fan of their cafe, and this book is perfect for recipes to fit special occasions. In fact, I cooked 95% of the Christmas chapter in December.

Treats from Little and Friday
Another beautiful book full of mouth watering recipes. I love this one for its tarts (in particular the Baked Chocolate Tart - I have one in the oven as we speak!), all its delectable cakes, its cream cheese icing recipe that beats any other food on this planet, and their sweet pastry recipe is unbeatable. Like my other book, I have cooked almost every recipe in this book, some more than a dozen times. 

Happy Easter!
Alice xxx

Best Beauty & Style Books // AliceOlivia

Best Beauty & Style Books // AliceOlivia

Gok Won Work Your Wardrobe
A fun and sassy look at fashion from the Queen Gok himself. I recommend this for those of all ages; he discusses in depth different cuts of jeans, blazers to suit which body type etc, and really teaches how to dress for your body. While some of the outfits are not my style, this book is very useful, and reflects Gok's cheerful personality.

Lauren Conrad Beauty
A must have for all makeup lovers, or those who want to learn more about the art of makeup application. She also discusses other aspects such as skin care and hair care, and lists certain ingredients to avoid when shopping for products. This one is my makeup bible as I learnt a large portion of my makeup skills from here, and makes the perfect gift.

Lauren Conrad Style
Another fantastic book by Lauren, this one's about fashion. She discusses every thing from her key pieces, travelling essentials and go-to lists for any holiday occasion, work/ school appropriate outfits, and her makeup tips (though Lauren Conrad Beauty is far more in depth). I love Lauren's effortless, classic style, and this one makes for another fantastic gift to any fashion loving friend.

#GIRLBOSS 
A quirky and insightful look at Sophia Amoruso, Nasty Gal founder and CEO, journey to becoming a enormously successful business woman in the fashion retail industry. She gives worthwhile tips and words of wisdom surrounding becoming your own "Girl Boss" in business.

Alice xxx

The 2 Step Brow Routine // AliceOlivia

The 2 Step Brow Routine // AliceOlivia

Before 2012-ish, brows were pushed aside and not really thought about by those who weren't makeup artists (it seemed they were the only ones who really understood the importance of them). In the past few years however, brows have been brought into the limelight, and now people are plucking them less (thank you Cara), and giving them the attention they deserve. While some girls love the very drawn on look, I like the more natural approach & just fill them in to enhance my natural shape and make them appear fuller. 

I used to swear by my Elf Brow Kit, which I still totally love, however I now have a new obsession. I've been using the Anastasia Dip Brown Pomade in Chocolate instead, and have been loving it. I use very little on the Eco Tools Angled Brush, and fill them in lightly, starting where my arch is and working towards the end of the brow, then using the remaining product to lightly fill in the front. I then use my trusty Elf Brow Gel to set them in place. 

For those wondering how I maintain my brows; not once have I had my brows professionally plucked - I've always done them myself as I'm anxious that they would pluck too much or alter their shape, plus its bloody expensive! I just tidy up any stray hairs (around once every 1-2 weeks), and keep my natural shape, and then I wax the mono cos that's never cute. I really recommend giving your brows a little more attention, they absolutely frame the face and can make an enormous difference. 

Alice xx

Outfit no. : Red & White // Alice Olivia

Outfit no. 6: Red & White // Alice Olivia

Ganni Stripe Midi Dress (asos.com Designer Premium Sale)
Rubi Heels
Glassons Sunglasses

Alice xxx

Rotorua Adventures // AliceOlivia

Rotorua Adventures

Alice xx

Nude Lippies (Drugstore and High End) // AliceOlivia

Nude Lippies (Drugstore and High end) // AliceOlivia

Products (Left-Right):

NYX Butter Gloss in Tirimisu (Brown - Nude)
Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight (Peach Nude, Very Moisturizing hence it is not so long lasting, however still a beautiful lipstick)
Wet'n'Wild 903C (A darker, peachy pink nude - matte finish, can be quite drying. I don't tend to wear this one by itself, I will wear a balm underneath and a gloss on the top. Fantastic for medium/tan skin tones)
Revlon Matte Balm in Celesial (Matte Finish - however still manages to be moisturizing. Very similar shade to Rimmel Nude Delight)
Mac Lipstick in Viva Glam II (Satin Finish, long lasting, smells delicious too! This is a 'your-lips-but-better nude', not too pale)

Alice xxx

The Stripey Tee // World

Hi lovelies, I hope you are having a lovely week. Another blog post today, where I share my new love for two things; World, and the classic stripey tee every girl must own. I spent a fair few hours roaming the shops in Britomart, which I do admit is my "happy place", had a look in World and was very impressed; their clothes are beautifully designed and crafted, the quality is fantastic as is the staff, and the shop is so quirky and cool just like the clothing. World is a New Zealand leading designer fashion house, created by Denise L'Estrange-Corbet and Francis Hooper. 

I found this classic and timeless stripe tee; I fell in love with the fabric and boat-neck neckline, and I love how its over sized - perfect with a pair of jeans. It's actually a men's top, however I never go by whether something is "men's" or "women's", just whether I love it or not. If you have a World near you, I highly encourage you to pop inside, however you have been warned; you most likely will not leave empty handed! This outfit is now my go to weekend look, and sometimes I like to swap these cuffed "Girlfriend Jeans" for my Topshop skinnies. 

World Website: http://www.worldbrand.co.nz/

World Top
Glassons Jeans

Alice xxx

AliceOlivia's 1 Year Blogging Anniversary!

AliceOlivia's 1 Year Blogging Anniversary! 

Hi all! I hope you are having a fantastic start to 2015. The year has seemed to have flown by, as the 7th of January (pssst, that's today!) marks this blog's one year anniversary!

I can't believe I have been posting for 12 months already, and I cannot thank you enough for the support you have given me in relation to this blog. I have been privileged to have experienced some pretty incredible things as a result of this little website of mine; I was lucky enough to volunteer at New Zealand Fashion Week backstage, as well as attending the Designer Selection show. I also worked with Creme Magazine, and was actually a model in one of their shoots! This year I have built many relationships with influential people and companies in the fashion and beauty industry behind the scenes, and continue to work with these companies in 2015.

Look forward to higher quality blog posts, as over the holidays I have been writing like a mad woman and have been really picky with my photography (hence the lack of blog posts during December). I am also working on some more technical sides to the blog (which is my weakness), like the SEO (I am aware that some are struggling to find my blog on Google search, I am working towards getting that fixed and making it easier for you to navigate this website). I cannot believe that 85,000 people around the globe have viewed this blog, in fact it almost scares me. Thank you to everyone who has read my blog once or twice or fifty times (that would be my mum), I am thankful for every reader and will continue to try my absolute best to create content that is better than the last for you.

Love always,

AliceOlivia xxx