Friday, January 2, 2015

2015 New Year Resolution Inspirations


Welcome 2015! 2014 has wisped by so quickly.
You know what a new year means, it's time that we find out where we are, rethinking our accomplishments and readjusting our mindset! For this year, I've decided to be less broad - to think less about the goal/outcome, and focus more on the mindset I'll be adapting to to be able to get there.

I've drawn some great inspiration to online articles, here are my new years resolutions:

1. Spend less!
This hole in my pocket is mainly from food. Food has become my motive and it has impacted me in the wrong ways, I've been spending a disastrous amount throughout 2014, I must have found myself eating out 23 times in one month, this takes a toll on not only my wallet, but on the scale as well! Dining should be a treat, not a necessity. I commit to limiting my dining to two times a week, max.

2. Fit in fitness.
I've been constantly told of the 'creeping' 5 pounds a year gain, and I am a clear victim to that (dammit). Being fit not only makes you look, but feel better! I commit to fitting in fitness into my weekly schedule by daily exercises and actually making use of the compulsory payments to my school gym,

3. Minimize alcohol
Alice, do you really need that pint with your meal? Since discovering beer, I've become entirely addicted - I don't know what mixed drinks are anymore. Anything dark on the rocks or a pint of craft beer, I'd demand! I need to stop. Beer is tremendously high in carbs, a negative lot at that. I commit to minimizing my overall alcohol intake in one eve', as well as leaning towards non-beer beverages.

4. Get more sleep, 8 hours minimum.
The heavy belief that if you want more of X, you need to sacrifice X. 2014 hasn't fared so well in less sleep for me. Sleep is a miracle worker, not my worse enemy. Poor sleeping patterns leads to obesity and diabetes! Nothing good here. An adequate amount of sleep means a happy and bright Alice!

5. Keep learning.
I need to constantly be an open book, I am no where near complete. By consistently exploring, I will also be able to discover more of what I'm passionate about. I commit to digging deeper, and improving my knowledge on whatever I'd like the focus on day after day.

"Either write something reading or do something worth writing."

6. Volunteer more!

Volunteering just feels good. I love the network of people I come across, they're all a very like-minded and positive bunch. I commit to actively searching for volunteering opportunities.

7. Organize my life better.
The biggest issue I have is taking on way too many projects at once. I need to stop believing that I am invincible and that I need to "seize the day" and be outside for 14 hours of my day. I need to tone it down. I will commit to becoming more organized by:
- Setting a weekly schedule to make time for personal activities, time with friends and errands
- Creating a to-do list the previous evening, this way I will become much stress-free
-  Become a better food and beauty blogger

8. Read more.
Knowledge is power. I will commit by always having a set of preloaded e-books in my phone and in my bag ready to flip open during my one-hour commutes. I will actively find topics I'll be interested in reading - I already have a few I'm already leaning towards which is exciting!

That was super invigorating to write and read about. I am excited for what this year entails!
Angela Lee Duckworth: The Key to Success - Grit!
Karen Thompson Walker: What Fear Can Teach Us
Check out these two TED Talks:


What are some of your new years resolutions?

Friday, November 21, 2014

Swatches + Quick Review: Motives Cosmetics in Venti, Naughty & Berry Sexy

It's been strange. Since my encounter of MAC's Diva and Rebel, I haven't had a dark lippie out of my bag. I have compiled a nice collection of them, and with the arrival of these darlings from Motives Cosmetics, I truly have no reason to stem out of the addiction.

Motives is widely known for their highly pigmented and rich formula; at the price of MAC, and, with the addition of saving (killing two birds with one stone) - it's a no brainer!

These three beauties were happily added to my newly ever-growing collection of lipsticks - since reducing the 40+ lipsticks to a narrow eight once I moved to Canada. 

1. Motives for Lala Moisture Rich Lipstick in Venti ($17.08)
2. Motives for Lala Mineral Lipstick in Naughty ($18.98)
3. Motives by Loren Ridinger Rich Formula in Berry Sexy ($16.21)

They all look the same, eh? Too curious of how they'd look swatched.

One dark lippy from each collection!

 Nude - Venti - Naughty - Berry Sexy


I usually suffer from extremely flakey lips after testing and removed two lipsticks, with how smooth and creamy each one of these were, there were no problems with it at all. I really liked each one, 

1. Motives for Lala: Venti struck me up as a very dark, blue-toned brown shade once swatched, but it looked great on! Almost a relative of our beloved MAC's Diva, 

2. Motives for Lala: I loved the packaging of Naughty! The click and shmick packaging for Naughty was only the cherry on top, it is very beautiful and rich.

3. Motives by Loren Ridinger's Berry Sexy sure surprised me. the pay off was a much more maroon version of Naughty, but it looked like a brighter deep pink/red on the lips.

Create an account and save big on Motives - check it out their lipsticks, here

I will be following up with in-depth posts on each lippy real soon! But, for now, ending off with my favourite lipstick of the three - the brownest of them all - Venti! *cheese*

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Review: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner + Giveaway


Eyeliners. Since my first $12 purchase of a Sephora Liquid Liner in 2008, I've been relying on it since. In either two forms it came in, liquid or gel. But it's only been over a year and a half since I incorporated the winged liner as my every day look, and it's only been a few months since I've become acquainted with gel eyeliners. Not such a good habit, but, I rely on a swipe of this across each eyelid a day.

 It makes a difference.

I received one of the holy grail of all gel liners (since the beginning of time) from the lovely Ashley of Mizspa.  Mizspa is an online beauty shopping site which carries many big named brands, SKII, Clarins and Lancome to name a few, do check out their website, here

It was with great pleasure to affiliate with them, having followed their instagram for a while, I especially appreciate the love and effort they put into packaging their goods. Having a great love for eyeliners, I chose the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner set to review and share!


The Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner is perfect! Smooth and rich pigmentation which makes application easy. It dries matte and is budge-proof staying throughout the day, I haven't found any fault.

A gel liner as great as this is a must in any make-up stash. And thanks to Mizspa, I will be holding an international giveaway of this fantastic Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner Set! 

I will also be holding this giveaway from Instagram as well as on this post (on Instagram it will be mandatory entries to repost, follow on Instagram and 'like' the Mizspa Facebook page)!

To enter this giveaway (+1):
1. You must be a GFC or Bloglovin' follower of this page
2. 'Like' Mizspa on Facebook!

Additional entries:
3. Follow Mizspa on Twitter (+1)
4. Follow me on Twitter (+1)
5. Tweet about the giveaway!
"A giveaway for a set of Bobbi Brown's amazing gel liners over at @Arsyparsy! Enter to win: http://bit.ly/16ETsKh" (+1)
5. 'Like' Arsyparsy on Facebook (+1)
6. Share my giveaway post on Facebook (+1)

Comment below with:
1. GFC/Bloglovin' name:
2.  Facebook name and pages liked:
3. Twitter handle:
4. Tweet link:
5. Share link:
6. And, tell me of your experience with eyeliners! Do you use it as often as I do? What is your go-to brand at the moment?


(Psst - You can also re-post on Instagram for an extra entry ☺! Check out @Alice_Please on Instagram for the post!)

Open internationally - giveaway will close on 14th September.
(I will need a few days to check with Mizspa for Facebook names ;))
 Find out more about this fantastic Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner after the jump!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Review: Girlz Nailz' Gold on Black Fishnet Nail Wraps

The amount of time I've spent looking at nail wraps, and... the amount of nail wraps I already have on stash. They are complex, fiddly little things, which always turned me off from trying them out. Always with the fear of not getting them 'just right' and messing the whole thing up. But with the arrival of a nicely designed nail wrap sheet of Girlz Nailz on my desk, I had no excuse! I had to over come this fear.


I made a great choice in choosing the these nail wraps! They already look great from the packet. There are 22 nail wraps in the pack, enough for a full set of toe and finger nails! Upon unveiling the wraps from it's plastic packaging, it has a nice shine and a smooth finish.

And, hold up! As good as the quality of Minx nails, Girlz Nailz was previously a distributor to two leading UK nail wrap brands before starting up their own company - you are guaranteed quality!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Swatches + Review: Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in Vibrant Mandarin, Hot Plum, Fuchsia Flash and Brazen Berry

Sighting these lipsticks in my local Shoppers, it never itched me at all to bother with these. Still being as frugal as ever, $12/lipstick... I just couldn't do it. I am super appreciative of the drugstore brands here being a lot lower priced than in Australia, but I still can't weigh out the costs.

(But I will definitely be throwing [drugstore brand makeup] hunnids once I am employed *giggles*)

I always admired the amount of makeup people in the US/Canada would be selling online. To my luck, I saw a lady selling six Maybelline Vivid lippies, but I still couldn't do it, even though it would have been $7.50~ a piece, it was just too much for my pocket to handle. I passed the offer and found myself curling in my bed the next few days, wide awake, thoughts going through my head of regret. I would awaken each successive morning, and peep into my, now- depressing lipstick box, with no shades I would want to wear. It is really hard now, from being buried (not really, just fourty+ lippies) a few months ago, and to now, just having a measily 12 to choose from. 

Another offer came up, of four lippies this time, and now, $8.00/ea. There were 3/4 in this bundle that I wanted. Oh, the pinks!!! The purples!!! I had to do it. I accepted the invoice, and a week and a half later...


I quickly scoffed down my blueberry waffles, sorted out my college application, and opened each lipstick in awe. I can't describe my happiness opening the package this morning. They are so beautiful.

Bottom to top: Hot Plum, Fuchsia Flash, Brazen Berry and Vibrant Mandarin

Close up: here

I am especially in love with Brazen Berry! It's a purple that I've never tried before. Vibrant Mandarin, I knew, once I opened the package that I wouldn't look so great on me, and that was true. But I do need a red-orange tone lippy in my life again (I previously had BYS Wet Red).

These are super pigmented, buttery, moisturising and stains so nicely!

A purchase, with no regrets!

Indepth reviews of my favourites of this lot to come ☺.

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