bellabox march review

Last month, I decided to sign up for the monthly beauty box subscription, bellabox. 

For $15 a month, a little Tiffany Blue box full of goodies gets sent out, with 5 little surprises to test and try.

Not every box sent out is identical and it's like a grown up version of lucky dip!! You can cancel your subscription at any time (but why would you want to?? You'd have to be crazy...), so there is no need to be worried about being locked into a contract.

For those of you with littles, the company also have a Baby Box subscription, bellababy, and a Men's box, bellabox for Men (lookout, Jarrod!), which both work the same way as the original box.

This is what I received in my March bellabox:
{minus one lip balm I realised was still in my handbag after I took the pics. But dont worry, that will feature later!}

Contents:

Modelco Party Proof Matte Lipstick in Smitten $16.95

St Tropez Gradual Tan in Medium/Dark $33.96 (for full size)

Pantene Aqua Light Shampoo and Conditioner $7.99 each for 350ml

Wotnot Facial Wipes for Sensitive Skin $7.95 for a 25 pack

Coconut Revolution Lip Balm Pot in Cherry $7.95 

The amazing thing about bellabox is that all the products that are sent out are available to purchase with ease on their website. So if there is a product that you fall in love with after trialling the sample, you can go right ahead and purchase it without trying to hunt for it at your local pharmacy or department store. 

See the entire range of products that were sent out this month here.

Now. For the reviews of the individual products!

tuesday trends : for love & lemons

We are S O in love with the For Love & Lemons label, and their latest Land of Eternal Spring look-book.

The Los Angeles based line, designed by Gillian Mahin & Laura Hall, could be described as 'modern day gypsy' and features a lot of daring lace, clashing colours and prints. 

The location of the recent shoot & the chosen model (gorgeous Carola Remer) are both perfect to showcase this beautiful collection, and we can't stop looking through the gorgeous images.

We tried to pick our top 10, but it was impossible...

 ^^ this.colour ^^

sunday funday & a recipe

So, this blog could never be called a food blog in any way, shape or form, as we both consider a glass of red, some crackers and camembert cheese a well rounded meal .

However, I do want to share this gluten free savoury muffin recipe with you all, as it is simply delicious. I try to stay as gluten free as possible, as it just makes me feel better, but I do love my sourdough and rye breads , so I give into the 'devil' (as my sister, Zoe so fondly calls it) every now and again.

I served these muffins at the little Oscars Party I had a few weeks back, and they were a hit with all - gluten lovers included.

Sun-dried tomato & herb muffins : 

1 1/2 cups gluten free self-raising flour

1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped basil and/or spinach

1 1/2 cups finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

80g softened butter

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees and prep a muffin tray. 

Combine dry ingredients first, then mix in the herbs/cheese & tomatoes. 

Beat (or stir!! this is what I do and it works fine) butter & eggs together and then add milk. 

Mix the wet ingredients into the other bowl and stir together. Divide the mixture evenly between each section 

Cook for 15-18 mins and serve when warm for the yummiest results!! {Makes 6-8 large muffins.} 

I have also added sweet potato and feta cheese to this recipe and that turns out delicious too. 

Last weekend we spent the entire Sunday down at the South Perth Foreshore with some lovely friends. 

tuesday trends : stylish sunnies

We love adding to our eyewear collection here at belle | beau. Today we are having a look at some of our favourite frames for this coming season.

The looks that are on trend are quite varied - from cat eye (which is proving to be a strong contender in the style stakes for the 4th year in a row!) to flat top, there is something for everyone available at the moment.

 ^^ we are both fans of the 'cat eye' shape ^^

^^ these gorgeous Mui Mui sunglasses are from 2011...

as you can see, they are still very on trend ^^

We believe that sunglasses should be investment pieces, and we are both prepared to hand over quite a bit of hard earned cash for that perfect pair. If you are after a statement pair for a particular event or to just have some fun in, check retailers such as Witchery & Sportsgirl as they have a high rotation of styles that are usually copies of the designer frames and cost a fraction of the price. 

Below are our picks from various designers and retailers. We could have gone on and on, but capped it at 8 pairs for you to browse through. Noone needs a mile long post on a Tuesday Evening!

snippets of life lately

Just a few pictures we have pulled from our iPhones & personal instagram accounts from the past few weeks.

We hope everyone has a beautiful start to their week.

B & F xxx

new coffee bar : engine room espresso

I've never had a coffee in my life!! Never ever!! Not even a taste... So the whole 'I can't function until I've had my coffee' thing is foreign to me.  I do, however, have a husband who would call himself a 'coffee snob' and doesn't leave the house without 3 espressos consumed. Steve would have to be the toughest coffee critic around and on the rare occasion he says he enjoyed his coffee, we know we must be onto a winner.

Enter Engine Room Espresso :

^^ the rockstar gives his thumbs up ^^

Engine Room Espresso recently got the tick of approval. I am even tempted to give the coffee a go!
Run by 3 firemen (hence the name), it opened last week, & is a boutique coffee shop in the heart of North Perth. It should most definitely be on your list of 'coffee shops to visit'.

^^ work in progress ^^

^^ love the cups! simple & understated are often the most eye catching & memorable ^^

 

^^ firemen /slash/ baristas ^^

Open weekdays from 6am and Saturdays by 7am - closing time being when you stop coming!

Engine Room Espresso has a really cosy feel to it and although it is small, it has everything you need in an espresso bar. Sit outside in the renovated laneway and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Go and check it out!!! 450c Fitzgerald Street, North Perth.

Follow on facebook and instagram

Enjoy your coffee!

xx F

Ps.... The view (of the baristas) isn't too bad...hehe

tuesday trends : mlm the label

MLM is a relatively new Australian clothing label headed by designer Julia Softley. The colour palette could be described as monochrome, with black & white being the key players each season. MLM create a lot of fun basics, as well as pretty key pieces each season to add to your wardrobe. The brand also design shoes and other accessories that are a must see.

"MLM is a contemporary women's wear label that has become well recognised for its authentic take on modern and feministic dressing.

Designed for sartorially intuitive women, MLM draws inspiration from style icons past and present to create collections that are modern, edgy and forever wearable." - mlmlabel.com

^^ We love their creative 'play on words' t-shirts of this season & the 'Team Tee' of 

last year was ever so popular! ^^

We have sifted through the new arrivals and picked out our favourites. 

^^ we love this take on the givenchy 'bambi' collection. very clever! ^^

 ^^ um. totally agree ^^

 ^^ double denim at it's best ^^

 ^^ stripe perfection ^^

 ^^ cruella ^^ 

 ^^ isn't this dress divine? front view ^^

^^ back view ^^

MLM is available online, at David Jones nationwide, as well as select boutiques around the country {see stockist details here}. 

Happy Shopping Beauties!

B & F xxx

nb : photos are not our own | sourced from www.mlmlabel.com

the long weekend

I know it is almost the weekend again, but my Long Weekend last week was too beautiful not to share with you all.

On the Sunday, we caught up with some great friends for a bit of a tradition that we like to call 'Super Seafood Sunday'. The men go to 'hunt & gather' with the kids at the amazing local seafood shop, Seafresh Myaree, while the ladies stay home and prep (or drink champagne and chat...shhh).

We try to organise it for the middle of each school term (we are all teachers, believe it or not) and this particular time it also coincided with the Point Walter Concert which occurs down on the beautiful Attadale Foreshore.

Super Seafood Sunday has become a tradition that both Jarrod & I look forward to each term as a way to break up the routine that we seem to get into once school (& football!!) is back. 

 ^^princess j^^

^^ the tiger ^^

 ^^ princess j photography ^^

stix & flora : a splash of colour for the garden and home

I'm not much of a gardener.  In fact I think the last plant I put in the ground was probably 20 years ago!! However now that I have seen these pretty little pot plants I all of a sudden want to go to Bunnings and buy some plants...

STIX & FLORA pots are all handmade by Julie & Emily, who describe their product as follows :

"S T I X & FLORA – Gorgeous, bright plant pouches handcrafted from stunning fabric.

Choose from an extensive range of quirky designs & tropical hues.  

Pop one on your desk, bedside table or on your bench top to brighten & energise your space.

Our lovely pouches are the perfect home for succulents (the non-gardener’s best friend!).

Our product comes in 4 different sizes to bunch together in sitting or hanging arrangements. "

We stumbled across these pretty little things on Instagram and the best part is they are really affordable! They come in sizes XS - S - M - L and start from $19.95.

Such a clever and simple way to put some colour in your garden, courtyard or home!

All orders are done via email at stixandflora@gmail.com as their website is currently under construction.

Hmmmm now what colours do I want??

Happy gardening,

F xx

^^the lovely emily, one of the faces behind stix & flora ^^

nb. all photos sourced from STIX & FLORA instagram page

xxx