the real first post

Hi there, you might remember me from a small and unknown blog called The Cornflower Blues but I've decided to give birth to another little online space - TCBCD, a little portal for beauty and style writings & tidbits, *crowd cheer*.

This idea to create a separate and focussed blog about this genre of topics had been on my mind since September as these sorts of posts always felt out of place on my original blog, even though I love it when other blogs can mix it up.  I ended up shelving this idea but last night, it hit me how much this stuff has become part of me, of not just expressing myself but actually being myself (will probably have a long yarn about that at some point) and that is something I want to keep doing.

TCBCD's name comes from my original blog The Cornflower Blues, but is the Colour Diary edition.  It has a completely different look as it's a bit of an escape from my main interweb endeavours. My own take on these sorts of things will be more like writing in a notebook rather than a how to. I really know squat about things from a "professional" point of view and will never intend to instruct or guide, especially when there are others that do that better and this is a bit of a fun, side project for myself. My main jam is to just to be and express myself and the journo inside me likes to write and pen thoughts down.

Even though I shelved the idea for this blog for months now, I've continually have had post ideas pop up which I like to take as a sign to do this! And I'm so glad to be able to have a space to let them all out without worrying about it not fitting in with other posts. Funny how things suddenly fall into place. 

x, mai-anne

low end loves

PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA ORGANIC WEAR BRONZER || ECOTOOLS BRONZER BRUSH || RIMMEL WAKE ME UP CONCEALER || NYX SLIM LIP LINER, NATURAL || RIMMEL 1000 KISSES LIP LINER, WINE || WET N WILD MEGALAST LIPSTICK, CHERRY BOMB || EVERYDAY MINERALS EYESHADOW, MY PLACE || BOURJOIS CREAM BLUSH, 02 HEALTHY GLOW || BOURJOIS HEALTHY MIX SERUM, 52

I was hanging with a mate the other day and she is just starting to get into make up (yay!). But getting started is sometimes the hardest part and lamented that it was really expensive to test make up out. Ah, the plight of a full-timer starting out with makeup where high end seems like the only appropriate place to go. But you really don't have to go high end. The high street really does offer some beaute products, even with a "lower" price tag (hmph, Australian pricing) and simpler packaging. I really don't think you have to spend a lot of dough to get quality, especially these days when high and low end brands are owned by same conglomerates.  And that sentiment inspired this post. The above products are absolute staples in my stash, many being repurchases or things I would collect if I was a makeup collector. The Physician's Formula Organic Wear Bronzers are such easy bronzers with a clean, greeny formula, the EcoTools Bronzer Brush is a surprise and under-hyped hit with foundation (fastest way to apply foundation ever), the Wet n Wild Matte Lipsticks are a hit for a matte lover like myself and Bourjois really get it right when it comes to foundations and my personal fave, the cream blushes. My main advice, if I were to dish out any, is to experiment with low end products first to nut out your taste and what suits you, especially colour products like lipsticks etc and then invest in higher end products if that is your jam, which it probably is for most of us. Makeup isn't just about what matches your skin tone, it's a way to be and express yourself, so stuff the rules, just experiment!