daffnee: October 2015

October favourites 2015.

30.10.15

It's weird looking at this photo as it was one of the last photos I took in London, and now I'm at the airport counting down to the 18-hour flight that will take me back to where I spent 12 years of my life. October was the perfect ending to my two-year London chapter. Well, other than the first week when I had ~~phenomena~~ the cough from hell. Jaye and I spent an insane amount of time together, determined to make the best of being in the same time zone; I've also had a massive clearout of my wardrobe and makeup, leaving only the gems packed in boxes for the continental move.
I've fallen back in love with the Trilogy Rosehip Oil (£26.50) the past month and am glad to say that I've marked the end of my London chapter the same time I finished this oil. I mix this in with my summer moisturiser - the La Roche Posay Effaclar - and not only does it provide enough moisturisation for the gradually drying weather, it also calms my skin and prevents moving-stress-induced breakouts.
My skin has been looking a lot better, especially in photos. While I can credit some of it to my skin not freaking out every other day, I'd say the Bourjois Java Rice Powder (£9.99) is the real hero here. Initially only used for setting my under eye area, I got lazy one day and decided to use it all over my face. That's when the 'OHMYGOSHYOURSKIN' comments started coming in. It's a brightening powder that instantly adds a soft halo-like radiance boost. I mean, who doesn't like that? The design of the packaging makes this one loose powder that I'm willing to travel with and repurchase again and again.

I dedicated a whole post about the Catrice Eyebrow Set and L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper (£5.99) combo. In a nutshell, when the ashy-toned powder and the best tinted brow gel on the market come together, it's only natural that you get beautiful defined but natural brows. Plus, both offers are friendly on the purse and wouldn't result in instant noodles for the rest of the week when purchased.
Most of my makeup has been kept quite simple but it doesn't mean that I haven't been getting fun with it. October was the month when I faced the music and counted just how many lipsticks I own. Too many, if you're wondering. It's also the month where I've been buying lipsticks like I have all the money in the world. Hey - admitting is only the first step. It doesn't mean I'm ready to deal with my problem yet. I've fallen head over heels, to hell and back again for MAC Flat Out Fabulous (£15.50). I never knew I needed a bright pinky-purple lipstick until the day I swatched this and well, the rest is history. I even dedicated a whole post to this lipstick, that's how hard I've fallen for this unique shade.
Another bold shade that's been adding some drama into my looks is MAC All Fired Up (£15.50). A pinky-red shade, this is one that I know will never fail me no matter how bad/yucky I feel. It's a retro matte finish, meaning that it will stay put on the lips even if a tad bit drying. It's a shade that wears well in all seasons, and even though a bright shade, it's just muted enough for it to be wearable during the day.
There are days when I prefer a more neutral shade. That's where the Maybelline Velvet Beige (£6.99) comes in. As the name suggests, it's a beigey shade, but there's just enough pink and brown in there to make it wearable. This isn't as long lasting as the previous two offerings, meaning that it's a lot more forgiving on the lips. The formula of the Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks are extraordinary, and I would easily say that they're probably one of the best on the market - no matter what price point.
Last but not least, how could I not mention Jaye's Style Diary? No, it's not because of my extraordinary filming skills. Well, not just. Jaye has impeccable style, the perfect balance of girly, casual, and cool. And her legs, oh her legs. They just go on forever and she really knows how to dress up that point. Her editing skills is the cherry on top to it all and basically, what I'm trying to say is, go watch the video if you haven't already.
Okay, that's it folks. My plane is calling for boarding and I'm signing off now. What have you been loving the past month? With Love, Daphne x

current hair favourites.

27.10.15

thought process: when you discover a new blog.

25.10.15

be nice to your bank account #2

23.10.15

the budget brow duo.

20.10.15

cocktail reviews: in transition #4

16.10.15

the highlighter roundup.

13.10.15

an update.

11.10.15

Changes have happened - on the blog and in life. It's been a while since I've updated the internet on what's been going on in my life and now seemed like the right time to do so.

Let's start with the glaringly obvious. Yes, I've completely revamped my blog layout. I've been bored of my previous layout for quite some time but never had the time to deal with it. I've finally had time to properly sit down long enough to tear down the old foundation and reconstruct the layout to one that I'm finally happy with. I'm hoping that the new look will motivate me to up my blogging game even more.

As for what's been going on in my life, as I've mentioned in just about every post in the past 6 weeks, the end of my MSc programme was marked with my dissertation hand-in start of September. It's been a whirlwind of a year and definitely one that's concreted my 'nerd status', as I'm one of those weird people that genuinely enjoyed spending time in the dusty corner of the library, researching and writing my dissertation. So now what? I have the big dream of doing a PhD at one of the world's best academic institutions so the application process isn't going to be a simple feat. Hopefully, the gap between now and then won't be too big as I'm terrified of the world outside the ivory tower.

I've been in London for over two years now and as much as I love the city, it's time to take a break. I'm moving back to Taiwan at the end of the month. So many things have happened while I've been at the heart of the international city. This blog has grown and so have I. I've met people that mean more to me than I ever thought possible, I've fallen in love and I've had my heart broken. I've sort of figured out what I want to do with my life, and I've learned that it is possible to be happy without constantly waiting for the other shoe to fall. It's been an intense two years, and it's definitely going to be weird moving back home after living alone. But I think that I need this change of environment to settle down a bit before I start the next chapter of my life.

So going back, what does this mean for SoaD? For starters, I'm definitely going to continue blogging. I have some posts queued up, hopefully enough till I figure out the blogging photo situation. I'm thinking of expanding SoaD and including more lifestyle posts, and if you guys are interested, maybe touch on some cultural topics (for example: why my mum and a large part of Taiwanese society thinks that red lipstick screams man-eater)? I have some ideas but let me know what you guys think.

Right now, I'm postponing packing and sorting out all the stuff I've accumulated in London. It's quite weird to look at what's essentially been the last two years of my life being packed in boxes, ready to ship half way across the world. I've been trying to spend as much time as I can with friends before it turns into a long-distance friendship with a 7/8 hour time difference.

I don't usually like change, but I surprisingly, haven't been dreading this as much as I thought I would. I think it's just time. It doesn't mean I'm not sad to say goodbye to the people and the city, but I need this change of pace. It's been a good two years and I wouldn't have traded the experience for anything in the world. Thank you, London.

With Love, Daphne x
PS. Disqus is being funny at the moment so if the commenting section isn't there, just refresh the page and it *should* show up. Apologies.

(Yeah...the above photo has nothing to do with this post but look at that golden hour sunlight??? Also, I needed an excuse to showcase a face photo that I'm actually happy with.)