Life and leg update : 9 weeks post injury

 It's been 9 weeks since Tough Mudder, since I broke my ankle, since I started the most challenging uphill battle since I began this fitness thing.
And don't get me wrong, I really love the uphill stuff. It makes me stronger. I just really hated this one, because it made me physically weaker and set me back months.

Let's talk first about where I'm at with this leg, shall we? I'm out of the moonboot and walking (relatively) normally and pain-free in normal shoes. Apart from a little localized swelling, the ankle itself looks normal and is back to a pretty normal aesthetic. Internally, the bone is fusing itself back to where it needs to be. It's an avulsion fracture, so I actually tore off the chunk of bone that's attached to the ligament. To make it heal, well, that's a game of hoping it attaches in the right spot and that the bone grows well enough to cover the weak spot. In terms of timeline for a complete heal on it...it could be 12-18 months.


In the meantime, I'm still doing physio every 2 weeks. We are trying to strengthen the ligaments that I sprained in the fall, and build up the muscle that I lost in the moonboot. At last measure (2 weeks ago), muscle mass in my right leg was 30% less than my left. That's actually quite good, according to my physiotherapist.

It aches if I stand on it for a long time. It aches badly if I push too far when I go walking. It's the way that I know how to progress with my training. I'm not cleared for running yet, but my walks are up to 2.7km, with some pain afterwards, but not into the next day (which is how the physio said I'd know that I had done too much.)
At the moment, it's just a bit of a pain that I can't do really simple things. For example, some kids were running around in the shopping center (where the parents were, I have no idea), and one of them almost ran straight into me. A quick sideways movement was just out of the question (and really painful when I tried). Another example is crossing the road. I needed to jog the last few steps yesterday, as there was a car coming (too fast), and it was painful to run on it.

Baby steps. Literally.

The service track at Birdrock beach

In terms of training goals, I have a few for the coming year. Within a month, I want to do Birdrock again. It's my most difficult, and favourite, training ground. There's a set of steps, and a service track. We walk a round trip of 6.5km, with this thing right in the middle. The gradient on the track is 45.7% and it's an amazing feeling to get to the top. People run it. I'd love to be able to do that.
I also would like to do a half marathon and a full marathon, just walking. I'm definitely training towards that, and expect to achieve both in 2014. I may even modify the Birdrock walk and do it 3 times with some extra distance on it for my half marathon. I did it twice in a training session a couple of months ago, and it wasn't so bad.

We have a couple of things planned as a group in 2014. We are doing the Neon Run in February, and probably a relay for life later in the year. I'm sure there will be other things that we can get involved in.

I've volunteered to work at Tough Mudder in March. I won't be running the track again, but I really loved the atmosphere there, and wanted to get involved. Also, my brother has his own goals, which involve the Mudder, and I really want to be there to support him.

Other than the leg, life is going really well. The boys are happy and healthy, and I'm getting over a throat infection. We're doing lots of odd jobs and improvements around the house in preparation for my boyfriend's visit in February. I really can't wait for that. We've been apart for 2 months, and we have 3 more to wait, but at least the end is in sight now.

LIFE/INJURY UPDATE

So, as you all know, I've been a bit cooped up in the house lately following my injury, and I wanted to update you all on how that's going, since I've had some lovely messages asking after me.

It's been a pretty long 3 weeks since it all happened, and I've had lots of doctors appointments and hospital visits and different pieces of equipment to help me get around.

First, I started out in a makeshift cast, a "back slab" of plaster, bound up with bandages. I couldn't walk on that at all, and needed both a wheelchair and crutches to get around. The picture here on the left is how my foot looked when we took the plaster off. The swelling and bruising had subsided considerably, but it still looked quite a mess.

After my first hospital visit with the Orthopedic surgeon, I was fitted with a moon boot and told to remain non weight bearing for 2 weeks. That was a loooong 2 weeks. The boot is heavy and not the most comfortable thing in the world, but at least I can take a shower and sleep in comfort because I can remove it pretty much whenever I need to.

A few days before my 2 weeks of non weight bearing was up, I started physiotherapy. My therapist, Caitlin is amazing, and she tries to be as gentle as possible, whilst also getting the best results we're able to. She informed me that I'll be doing physio for at least 2 months, and gave me exercises to do every day, which I'm trying to make sure I do enough of. One of my main concerns is that the injured leg has lost quite a bit of muscle mass, and I know that's to be expected, but it's still quite shocking to look at. We'll be slowly rehabilitating my leg and getting me to a point where I am fully functioning again. That time cannot come fast enough for me.

Right now, I've been weight bearing, hobbling around on the moonboot for about 5 days, and it's getting easier. The ankle aches at the end of the day, but I think that's pretty normal. I'm weight bearing in the boot for 2 more weeks, then the boot comes off and I learn how to use the joint properly again without the support of the boot. I believe it will be braced for a little while, just with a basic ankle brace that I can get at the chemist. Here's what it looks like now. It almost looks like a proper ankle again, not a big swollen bruised up mess.

I'm looking forward to getting on with my fitness goals, and have set myself some new achievements to unlock. I'll be walking a marathon at some point next year, after I'm fully healed and I've worked my stamina back up to a point where I'm happy to push myself again.

I'll do another update in a couple of weeks when I'm out of the boot and on the road to proper recovery. Thank you all, those of you who have been concerned and asked about it. It means a lot to know you all care.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KBS!

Today is the first anniversary of this blog, and I want to send out a big thank you to everyone who has helped and supported me along the way.

My readers and YouTube audience, my family and friends, the awesome PR people I've had the great fortune to work with, and most of all to my wonderful partner, Christopher, who always shares my posts on facebook, even though it's all girlie stuff, and waits patiently for me outside makeup stores when I'm spending on things to show you guys.

Like I told you, there are several giveaways happening this month, so make sure you check them out. On my Instagram, there is a particularly awesome giveaway from Sukin organics, valued at over $160! Go check it out, my Instagram is @katylylak. I'll be posting the entry pic regularly over the course of the month.

Don't forget Liptember is on right now, so there will be lots of challenges there and things for you to win. Liking their page on facebook is the way to go, to get all the latest.

I'm home from Texas now, and back on track, so you can expect lots of content from me, from the massive makeup haul I splurged on in the USA, to reviews and tutorials.

THANK YOU, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, FOR HELPING TO MAKE KATY'S BEAUTY SECRETS THE SUCCESS THAT IT IS.

Katy's beauty secrets is celebrating it's first birthday! You get the gifts!

On September 3rd, 2012, I began my blogging journey. With limited resources and zero audience, it was a bit of an uphill battle. Over the first couple of months, I posted and posted, and enjoyed it so much that I did it every day! In a very short amount of time, I had 1000 views every month, then 2,000, then 3,000. It was amazing. Now, a year on, I'm happily pulling back the reigns and only posting twice a week, to keep my workload manageable, and I'm so happy to say that between the blog and the YouTube channel, we're averaging 3,500 views every single month! Those views don't happen by magic just because I posted something. They happen because readers like you have taken an interest in my work and you keep coming back for more.

I can't thank you all enough for making my first year of blogging so amazing and enjoyable. I know that my numbers are relatively small, compared to a lot of other blogs, but right now, this is a great size for me. It feels like I have a little community happening, and I am grateful for every single one of you.

Now, I would absolutely LOVE to give all of you an individual gift to celebrate my blog's birthday, but unfortunately, that would be a logistical nightmare. What I can do, with the help of some really awesome brands, is celebrate by doing some giveaways that will allow a few of you to win some really great prizes! Stay tuned tomorrow for the first giveaway of 3 (or more) that will be happening over the next month. Details in the giveaway posts.

I would like to send out my warmest and most heartfelt thanks to Sukin Organics and John Frieda Hair care, who have sponsored this celebration by providing products for the giveaways. Without the cooperation and support of beauty brands like these guys, my blog wouldn't be half as awesome as it is. I have to acknowledge all of the wonderful PR reps who I've built a wonderful working relationship with over the last year. It really has been a pleasure.

So once again, thank you all so much, and here's to many, many more birthday celebrations!

Update:Blog news...and I'm sick again!

Hey guys, I know it's been a while between posts....again.

There are a few things going on with me/the blog at the moment, and I figured I should post a little update to let you guys know where I'm at and what you can expect in the future.

First of all, yay winter! Max and I both have the dreaded lurgy, so in addition to dealing with my own illness, I'm trying to tend to a sick almost-3-year-old which leaves very little time for even cleaning my house or dragging myself through the shower, so the thought of putting on makeup to make content for you guys is kinda beyond me right now. I know you all understand.

SO...what's going on with the blog for the future plans and stuff? WELL. I recently completed the pilot course from YouTube Creator Academy, and I'm all kinds of motivated to push my content in the YouTube direction, so that means you'll see more video content from me, which I'll cross-post here to the blog. My posts will be put on a regular schedule, once or twice a week, which I'm still figuring out, and then in between, you'll be able to follow me on facebook, twitter and instagram to get your fix of beauty secrets.

You'll also be able to follow my vlog channel, which I intend to make more active now that I'm training for Tough Mudder and out and about more often. I may even do some one-take vlogs several times a week, just to get my life out there into the Youtube community.

In the works right now are a couple of tag videos, including a cross-promotion with another beauty youtuber, which I can't wait to film. The thought of collaborating with other aussies beauty vloggers is a very exciting one!

I will be filming some stuff over the weekend, including my Violet Box first impressions/review, and should get a schedule sorted out over the next week or so. Just be patient with me, we'll get there. I'm also going to film the "50 facts about me" tag, which will give you some more insight into my life and why I'm so bloody busy all the time!

In the meantime, why not head on over to my Youtube channels, and don't forget to subscribe while you're there!

My beauty channel
My second channel for vlogs and other fun stuff (profanity warning on most of my videos there)

You can also find me on Twitter @katy_lylak
and on facebook (don't forget to hit the "like" button!)
Also on instagram @katylylak #KBCOMUNITY

Coming up very soon, there will be a giveaway, I'm not 100% sure how I'll run it just yet, but it'll be awesome, I promise. Once I've been to the USA in August, I'll have some "can't get in aus" goodies as a special treat for some aussie readers, and don't forget to tune in for my USA vlogs, which I'm sure my boyfriend will just -love- being a part of (haha). I wonder if an aussie accent will be enough for Sephora to let me film in store?

So just stay tuned, I haven't forgotten about you all. You can look forward to some more great content super soon.

Katy <3

Great Gatsby Inspired Makeup Tutorial and update.

It's been a long time between posts, and I feel like I owe you guys an explanation for that.

Some of you know that my son went overseas to visit with my family in England. He returned home last Tuesday, and we've been busy welcoming him home and making some changed to his bedroom, and unfortunately, that came at the cost of my blogging time.

For the next two weeks, I'm participating in the pilot run of YouTube's Creator Academy program, an online course designed to help YouTube creators put out better content and improve their channels, brands, and general viewability. As a YouTube partner, this course can help me to earn money from my blogging and vlogging and so it's in my best interests to make it a priority. You can look forward to better quality content from me very soon!

So please bear with me, and I'll be back to our regular scheduled programming very soon.

In the meantime, I've filmed a Great Gatsby Inspired Makeup Tutorial for you guys. The eye look is a basic nude/brown smoky eye which also looks great teamed with a more subdued lip.


Enjoy! I'll post more as I get a moment, and hopefully within 2 weeks, once I've completed my course requirements, I'll get back to daily posts.

A fresh new look!

What do you all think of the new blog layout???

I'm going to try to change it with the seasons, just to keep the look fresh and occupy my creativity a little bit.

So...opinions, please. Do you like the warmer new patterned background and reversed layout, or did you prefer the blue background with the daisies?

I have also been switched over to the new YouTube layout, which took me forever to set up properly and create art for, although I will be changing that again soon because I'm not entirely happy with what I have there right now .

Blog stats, changing things up a little bit.

Hey guys,

I was looking over my stats today, and it seems I'm getting as many hits in the USA as I am here in Australia. It strikes me that I should really be giving the USA product information, where to get things, etc.

So from this week, if I do a product review, I'll be including price comparisons and distributor information for readers in the USA as well as my homeland of Oz.

I guess it helps that I'll be in the states in August, and will definitely be picking up some things that aren't currently available in Australia for my use and review on the blog. I'll also be waiting until I can hit a Sephora store to pick up things like the Lancome mascara that I'm reviewing this coming week, as it has a price tag of $52RRP here in Australia, and is only $28 RRP in the states! That's not a rare occurrence, so I'm sure I'll need a whole bunch of spending money. My poor boyfriend will just have to drop me off and go do man stuff for a couple of hours while I shop!

While I'm just blogging about my everyday stuff, I'll update you on my workout schedule and my weight goals, etc.

I've been working out at least a little bit almost every day for two weeks now. I'm already seeing a difference in the shape of my body, and I'm very pleased with my fitness progress. Today we even did walk, jog, sprint training things that I really would not have been able to do 2 weeks ago, and I did them 3 times! See the pic above for a bit of a progress pic. It's not a huge difference, but we are only talking about 2 weeks here, can't expect too much.
I'm stepping up my clean eating plan this week, so I expect to see more of a difference on the scales. The amount of strength training and weight lifting I've been doing has seen my weight drop by only 2kg in the 2 weeks, but the muscle mass that I'm building weighs a lot more than the fat that I'm dropping, so I don't see it as a demotivational thing.

The main, and most exciting, thing about it all is how good I feel. Most days I get a bit sore and stiff and sometimes I get hungry or crave sweet things, but I'm mostly being guided by my body about what I need. If I'm hungry, I eat. I try to keep the sweets to a minimum (I've had chocolate once in 2 weeks!) and I've cut liquids other than water and the occasional sugar free gatorade (only with intense training sessions) out completely. I don't keep soda, chocolate, cookies, chips, or any other tempting snackfoods in the house any more, and I make sure the fridge is always well stocked with fruit and vegetables so that any time I'm hungry, there it is, all right there in front of me. I'm also drinking optifast (they used to be only available by prescription, but they are on the shelf now) shakes for breakfast every day, and lunch as well on workout resting days.

I've switched all of my white carbs for wholegrain, and I've cut out potatoes. Obviously, the kids are still having everything they need for their growing bodies, I just make my vege portion bigger and cut out the mashed spuds or pasta or whatever they are having. I eat vegetarian once a week, and I eat lean red meats at least 4 times a week, the rest of the days are chicken, as I don't eat fish. I know it seems like I've made pretty radical changes, and I guess as far as my body is concerned (for the first week, my entire body was in a bit of shock, like WTH is going on???) the change is quite huge, but the main thing that's kept me on track is keeping my motivation up. I have lots of ways to do that, and even on days when I thought I couldn't possibly work any harder, I've managed to keep going and get the work done that needed to be done for that day.

OK, so that's a big update on where I'm at. If you're in the USA and you're happy about my blog changes, let me know in the comments below. If you're on a weight loss or fitness journey, give me a high five in the comments too!

Have a great week.

Katy

Review: December 2012 bellabox!

Ok...before I start this review properly, I have to say that we were led to believe the the December box would be epic and filled with colour (makeup) products. And though that is technically true and they have included a product here that retails for $110, I have to say that the remainder of the box is somewhat disappointing.

The box well and truly paid for itself with the one special product and it's a really good opportunity to pick up the makeup kit for next to nothing if you want it, but for beauty bloggers like myself who like to see different products in usable sized samples that we can try out and tell you guys all about, there really isn't much to show you this month.

So... enough whinging about a box I only paid $15 for. Let's get down to the nitty gritty.

Inside, I found:

Allegra Rhodes hand and nail cream, 5ml (regular sized product 175ml RRP $32.95)
It smells good, and is Red Lychee scented.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Cream, 30ml (regular sized product 113g RRP $16.99
This will come in handy for my crazy hair. It's a good sized sample that I'll be able to get some decent use out of before I review it for you guys.

EmerginC Multi fruit Cleanser and Protocell Cream 3ml each (regular sized product 240ml RRP $55 (cleanser) and 50ml RRP $119 (protocell cream))
i've used products from this company before, and they're great, but tiny sample will probably be a one use thing and it's really hard to form an opinion on one use.

Compeed blister pad, single (regular sized product size unspecified, RRP $11.95)
This feels like an afterthought. Without knowing how many of these you get for $11.95, it's really hard to know whether they are value for money or not. However, for anyone who has ever had a blister...the benefits of relief from that are pretty priceless.

and last of all....the big product:

Savoir Fair limited edition makeup kit, full sized product, RRP $110
Ok, ok... it's pretty awesome, and the retail price of it makes the box seem really awesome. I got the winter toned kit, and as you can see below, it's full of makeup essentials. The packaging is nice and it has a really great sized mirror inside the lid. Would I pay $110 for it? Hell no. For that sort of price, I would expect full sized products inside.The lipgloss is quite decent sized, around the size of an OCC liptar, and the eyeshadow pans are small normal sized, but the baby-sized mascara, eyeliner and blush are a major disappointment for someone who already has a decent makeup kit.
HOWEVER, for the makeup noob, this is a really amazing kit, and it has most of the essentials to start creating makeup looks, along with some cool cards stashed away in the lid, under the mirror, to help you figure out how it's done. The main problem with this is that makeup noobs generally don't want to shell out over a hundred bucks to get their first bit of makeup, no matter how nice it is.

So...I'm not sure if I just did my first ever negative review, but I still see some positives in this box, and will continue my beauty sampling journey with bellabox in 2013, because they work really hard and produce great sample boxes.

Oh... and just for something really cool... I'm giving away my Savoir Faire makeup kit in the Christmas giveaway!!!!
This is something I'd decided to do before I got my hands on the kit, so I'm sticking with my decision, and now all I have to do is figure out what you guys are going to have to do to win ALL THE THINGS!

What do you think of the box? I know it sounds like I'm whiney and ungrateful, and I assure you this is not the case, just trying to look at the box critically for the review. I still think it's AMAZING that bellabox included such an awesome product.

Super-sneaky peek: Christmas giveaway.

With Christmas steadily approaching and my viewcount going crazy, I'm happy to tell you all, my dear readers, that we are definitely going to be having a Christmas giveaway...and it's a big one!

I took a picture of the product I have and could fit in the shot so that you guys can have a really quick sneaky peek at the kind of things on offer, but I'm still working out the details of the giveaway and what extra-special things you'll have to do to win it, so it's by no means complete yet.

I can also tell you that there's a super-secret special product that I'm going to include in the giveaway. It's really awesome and I really want to tell you all what it is...but you'll have to wait.

Also, I will acknowledge and thank several companies who have contributed product that I have included so far in the giveaway. Eylure, Biore, and So...? fragrances all have products in the giveaway that were provided to me free of charge, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. there are some other companies that are contributing, and I'll get around to thanking them when I do my official giveaway post.

So...I know what you're all thinking... Shut up, Katy and show us what's in there so far!!!!

Ok...

Discount makeup haul!!!!!!!!

There's not a lot that I like better than an amazing bargain. This year has been a really awesome one for discovering avenues to purchase top quality products at really affordable prices. Everything in this picture was more than 50% off the RRP, with four of the items costing me $1 or less (free).

The lip tattoos (stickers) I got on ebay for just over a dollar each. I wasn't interested in paying ten dollars each for something that lasts one wear, so I took to ebay to find what I wanted (Thank you, reader Alice for the advice about where to find them!!!). They had about a hundred different styles to choose from, and I chose five of the more unusual ones. I'll show you how they work in a review post later next week.
Next is my Elizabeth Arden Go red for women palette, which I've already reviewed. It cost me $13.50 from cosmetics corner. The RRP is close to $60, so I feel like I got the bargain of the century. Everything else in this haul is actually from cosmetics corner/dollar cosmetics club.
The MAC metallic eyeshadow in the round pot is called "unflappable, and is a really awesome dark purple shade which will be great for smoky eyes and special effects (bruising). I think it cost me abour $12.
The next four items are dollar cosmetic club $1 deals or freebies with the $1 deals, so we have Revlon Grow Luscious eyeliner pencil in Graphite, which has become my favourite liner, Revlon just bitten lip stain/balm in Lust, and Max Factor Silk Gloss in Cinnamon Glow all for $1, and Almay pure blends eyeshadow in cocoa, which was a freebie with one of the $1 deals.
I got 2 Calvin Klein lip products for $8 each, including the delicious pout lipgloss in Sparkle, which you saw last night swatched, and their delicious luxury creme lipstick in Memerize, which is a really awesome deep pink colour.
Last is my best purchase so far, another Elizabeth Arden product. Flawless Finish Foundation in Buff, which provides a flawless base and SPF 8 sun protection. It was, I believe $12 at cosmetic corner.
Let me know what you think of my awesome bargains, and tell me what great deals you've had recently!

Breaking news! December 2012 bellabox surprise!

This afternoon, bellabox gave us a sneak peek at the special christmas gift that every member will receive in their December bellabox....and it's a big one!

The Savoir Faire limited edition kit contains 6 eyeshadows, a blush (or bronzer), eyeliner, mascara, and lipgloss, and is valued at $110!!!!

For the box price of $15, with no obligation to continue monthly subscriptions, this is an amazing opportunity to pick up a high end, amazing makeup kit for very little cost. Bonus is, you'll get other products in the box too! We've been promised a colour-heavy box this month, so makeup lovers, get on this box straight away!

Here's another little bonus. For every dollar you spend with bellabox, you'll get one reward point to spend in their shop. 100 reward points = $10 to spend. All they ask is that you spend 20 real dollars on top of any points that you redeem. If you'd like to pick up the December box, and want to help me earn a quick 50 points, hit this link to sign up! https://bellabox.com.au/bellabox/index/r/rid/5134 I promise to spend some bellabox rewards points on awesome things for my next giveaway!

Back on track / hair chalk update

After a super-busy weekend with working commitments at the exhibition center, and coming home to a sick child who stayed home from school yesterday, I'm back on track and today I'll be filming my November favourites, a makeup tutorial video, and maybe also a hair diamonds tute.

I wanted to update you guys on my hair chalk use. I used it on my hair extensions (and in my natural hair) which I wore through two 4-hour shifts under heavy lighting and lots of crowds (ie: sweaty environment) and they retained the chalk really well. I'd done as the directions say and sealed the colour with heat and hairspray, and I didn't get any on my clothes, my face, or anywhere else.

I also used some hair diamonds from the same company, which I'll cover in a separate post and a video tutorial. They were fantastic!

The fabulous people at hairchalk.com.au sent me some extra products to try out, including their chalk in a different form, which is a bit easier to use and not quite as messy. The hairchalk "bugs" are similar to a small makeup pan (large eyeshadow or blush sized), and it's easier to rub your hair into the wet pan of chalk, rather than to rub the wet, dripping stick of chalk onto your hair (and drip the colour everywhere). I think you also use less chalk because you're not losing it to the drips.

hair tinsel

They also sent me some hair tinsel, which is going to be awesome in the coming holiday season. I have a clip in one, and a set of tie-in (which seem to be glow in the dark!!!!w00t!!) hair tinsel, so once I get a chance to try them out, you guys will hear all about it.

The other thing I should mention about the hair chalk is that the cleaning is really easy. I have really chemically processed hair, and it had a bunch of product in it on top of the hair chalk, but it washed right out with a double rinse-and-repeat. I did find that it made my hair quite dry, so the second night that I wore it, after I washed it out, I dropped in some leave-in conditioner overnight, and that helped a lot.

I have entered hairchalk's christmas giveaway, and so should you! Just go take a look at www.hairchalk.com.au and enter via email for your chance to win an awesome Christmas pack! If you're lucky, I may even buy some more hair chalk bugs to include in the 5000 view Christmas giveaway! Maybe we should take a vote on which colours you guys like.
UPDATE: Sarah from HairChalk has offered to send me a 12 pack of hair chalk sticks, containing all of the colours, to include in my Christmas giveaway. This is amazing, and I thank her very, very much.

Ok, I'm off for now to film some videos and get some stuff done. Catch you all later!

QUICK! DON'T MISS OUT!

Ok... so here's the deal, for those of you who haven't had a look at dollarcosmeticclub.com.au yet.

I got an email telling me that they are running a 12 days of christmas deal, where there is a different $1 deal every day, a different discounted cosmetics pack every day, and a different bonus offer every day.

Yesterday, I picked up 2 mascaras for $2 plus shipping, but missed out on my makeup remover pen because I forgot to share it on facebook. Today, 2 l'oreal eyeshadows for $2 plus shipping AND a rimmel lip liner for free. Also, they have the most amazing Maybelline pack for $19 in their store.

The best part is that everything we buy in the 12 days of Christmas sale is guaranteed delivered before Christmas, so if there's anyone who loves makeup in your family, GET ON IT!

I'm buying double-ups so that I can do a giveaway for the new year IF I can hit 5000 views by Christmas day. It's a big ask. We are currently sitting on 3,100 views, but my traffic has significantly increased in the last 2 weeks (since I was approved for the google partnership???) and I think we can do it. I'll even put out extra content to make sure there's new stuff for you to read between now and then, make it worth your while to come back here again and again.

What I'd like from you guys is simple. Comment below, and let me know what you want more of. I know I've been slack with makeup tutorials, so I'll start to do more of that, also from my view count, it looks like you guys like it when I post nail looks (?).

Anyway, go have a look at the 12 days christmas dealie, sign up for their email newsletter and they'll just email you each time there's a new deal.

Again, I am not sponsored by, or provided free product from dollar cosmetic club. I just want my readers to have the same opportunities for awesome deals that I get.

Blog news: exciting things

So this week, I'm going to skip the how-to and update you guys with where I'm at, as far as the blog is concerned. It's grown like a weed since I started almost 3 months ago, and I'm having an amazing time with it.

As you've probably noticed, I've gone from posting twice a week to posting every week day and sometimes on weekends too. I have so much stuff to show you guys that I would have a whole year's worth of twice-a-week posts, so I decided to amp it up a bit and get to you every day.

Some really cool things have happened, in the form of Google acknowledgement. You have probably noticed in the last couple of days that my blog page has an ad block on it. These ads are care of adsense, the google company that powers the monetisation of Google/YouTube partnered accounts.....so I guess what I'm trying to tell you is YAY, I HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR YOUTUBE PARTNERSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With that said, I want to urge you guys to check out my YouTube channel, if you haven't already, and subscribe/like/favourite/comment, because it all helps the channel grow! I'm getting some artwork together for the YouTube channel, and hope to have it a bit more personalized soon. I've been concentrating on the intro video and upgrading my editing software, and because I do it all myself, including artwork, photography and all content for the blog and the YouTube channel, I can only do so much with my time.

The channel is www.youtube.com/katysbeautysecrets

I'm getting lots of content in the form of sample box product and also products to try from several different brands, which is amazing. In the next few weeks, I'm going to start doing haul vids and blog posts, to show you the results of my shopping trips and things I've received in the mail. It will be like the bellabox video, but with products I've chosen. Haul videos are super popular on YouTube right now for some reason, so I want to put out relevant content there.

Apart from that, I'm just working on content here and there, so keep an eye on both places! If you want to stay up to date with all my postings here and on YouTube, don't forget to "like" my facebook page at www.facebook.com/katysbeautysecrets

Just one little thing about facebook. They have changed the way that we get our news feed now. You are now receiving updates from your friends, some of your "liked" pages (but not all of them), and some "suggested posts". On the left hand side of your feed, where you can click on your apps and games, there is an orange flag with "pages feed" next to it. If you click on that, you can view activity from all of your "liked" pages. If you aren't seeing my posts every day in your normal feed, you need to click the pages feed to check in. It's a pain in the butt, I know, but this is how facebook are doing it now, prioritizing posts that are PAID FOR by the people advertising their pages, going as far as to "suggest" paid posts to people who aren't subscribed to the pages they are advertising. But facebook is not my site, it's not my decision, and how they run their site is up to them. We all simply choose to use it (or not), so we have to accept it as it is.

That's about it for my update, I'll keep you up to date with how I'm going periodically, and most of all:

THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY READERS!




Without readers, there's no point in blogging. I'm so grateful to have every single one of you.

Crazy makeup habits: Goo Hoarding

GOO!

I love to watch Jenna Marbles on YouTube. She's sassy and smart and tells life like it is. Her foul language appeals to me, but might be a bit much for some of you, so please use your own discretion about watching THIS VIDEO .

Now that you've watched that video and have come back to see what I'm going to say about it. I AM A GOO HOARDER. I can't help it! I think it's a part of my genetics. The girly-girl gene has this habit programmed into it, I'm certain of it.

How many pink lipglosses can a girl wear?

I have...probably 50 pink lipglosses, and the ones I wear a lot are literally for making my lips look the same colour as they are naturally! Jenna has this same problem! I AM NOT ALONE!

The crazy thing about it is, I actually use all of this stuff, it's just that there's so much of it, it gets used more slowly and I pretty much always have half-used containers of...stuff...everywhere!



My purse wasn't too bad. I only found 5 lip products in there.

I want to know, dear readers, are you a goo hoarder? Do you do this too?

SHARETIME! Dollar cosmetic club.

So as a part of my blogging, I want to be able to share things that are completely awesome with you, my dear readers. Lots of bloggers would find this little gem and keep it to themselves, and I say WHY???????????? It doesn't affect my access to the awesome to let other people have it too!!! Maybe I'm just a sharing, caring kinda person. So here's today's kind-of review.

Allow me to introduce you to Dollar Cosmetic Club. They have this website where they offer brand name cosmetics for $1 each. You can buy a maximum of 2 of each product, and shipping (per order, not per piece) is generally $5...so for $7, you can have 2 brand name products, PLUS they will usually offer a bonus product if you hit the share button at the checkout and tell all your facebook or twitter friends what you got! Last week, I received 2 Revlon Just Bitten lip stains and an Almay organic eyeshadow for $7.

So what's the catch, you say? Well... really there isn't one, but there are a couple of minor downsides that are totally justifiable by the price you're paying.
First of all, they don't ship it immediately after you buy it. Generally there's a week or two between paying for the products and actually receiving them. They are dealing with a lot of orders. Be patient. You paid a dollar!
Then there's the selection. Basically, you don't get a choice of colour. They send you what they have. My 2 lip stains were both in the colour Lust, but the same day I received 2 Max Factor lipglosses and they were 2 different colours. It's just the luck of the draw. Get over it. You paid a dollar!

Apart from that, it's all the awesome! I can't wait for their next offer!

You can find them at www.dollarcosmeticclub.com.au

Also, yesterday they launched a new dealie-thingie with their other part, cosmetics corner, who have lots of really awesome (high end!!!) products for cheap Today I picked up an Elizabeth Arden foundation for $12, and a Calvin Klein lipstick for $8! You can't go wrong! Check it out!

I'm not being paid by, asked by or encouraged by Dollar Cosmetic Club to endorse their site. They have not reimbursed me in any way, and I have not received free product from them. I simply wish to share awesome deals with my readers.

October Bellabox!

My October Bellabox arrived today! The theme for this month was Pretty in pink party, to raise awareness (and funds) for breast cancer research. $1 from every box this month was donated, and they featured products that support breast cancer awareness.

Sooo....what did I get?

Well, for starters, I'm super stoked because I got four... yes FOUR full sized products in my box.

They were:

Carmex moisture plus tinted lip balm: The information for this product was not printed on the card enclosed with the box, but it's super cute, pink-tinted and feels amazing on my lips.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri fast dry nail colour; 260 Sonic Bloom $13.95 RRP: An awesome neon pink colour that dries in 60 seconds! We all know how I feel about nail polish so I'm extra excited about this one.

Cedel blow dry fast heat protector, 165ml $9.99 RRP: I'm about to try this one out. It is apparently a 2 in one heat protectant which somehow speeds up the dry time on your hair to reduce the exposure to heat as well... interesting!

Elf cosmetics eyeshadow quad, $3.99 RRP; Some gorgeous nude/bronze colours here. They'll get a run in my makeup box for sure.

Also in my bellabox, I received samples of:

Estee Lauder Reilience Lift Instant Action Lift Treatment, 5ml (30ml RRP $100): Facelift in a bottle... let's see how this stacks up against my Aum product from last week.

Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Extra Radiance Renewer, 7ml (30ml RRP $74): an exfoliant that doesn't irritate the skin. Very interested to see how this goes.

DKNY Fresh Blossom Eau So Intense 1.5ml (100 ml RRP $135): Perfume sample! I love perfume samples! This one's not quite my style, but I think my mum might like it.

Also in the box was a cute little heart shaped chocolate, which 2 year old Max claimed as soon as we opened the box. It was tough trying to get a picture of the box in its entirety before he nabbed it.

So... did the box pay for itself this month? Oh yes. The nail polish alone was only $1 less than the cost of the box, so as far as I'm concerned, it's so worth getting. If you happen to sign up for bellabox (www.bellabox.com.au for $15 per month you get samples delivered to your door to try!), let them know I referred you. I'll get 50 bonus points to use in their store and often, they'll give out little freebies to both members when you join up and refer a friend.

More importantly, am I happy with this month's box? YES! Very happy! So looking forward to next month!

Second giveaway winner!

Congratulations to Deb Bond, our lucky "liker" from facebook who won the giveaway today!

You have a box of goodies heading your way which includes the box pictured, plus some extra goodies from brands like Biore, Dermalogica and MAC!

I'll be in touch soon to organize getting your prize to you! Have a great weekend, everyone and I'll see you all on Monday for how-to!

1000 view giveaway!

On my facebook page, I announced that I'd hit my goal and exceeded 1000 views in my first month, and would be doing a giveaway to celebrate!

At this stage, it's a little one, but I do have a habit of adding things to the boxes as I go along, so there's a fair chance you'll get some happy little surprises in the box if you win.

So far, it's just a Rimmel eyeshadow, 2 ChiChi duo lipglosses (6 colours in total) and some hand cream and bath salts. I have some skincare bits and pieces lying about here to pop in there too.

All items in the giveaway are brand new and unused.

All you have to do to be in the running for this little box of goodies is hit the like button on my faebook page at www.facebook.com/katysbeautysecrets

If you're already subscribed to my facebook page, you're already in the draw, but what I like to see is people getting their friends involved and giving them a chance to win too, so anyone who shares this post on their facebook timeline will get an extra entry! Just go to the facebook page and share it from my post so that I see the share pop up in my stats and know that you've done it.

GOOD LUCK, everyone! I'll have the boys draw the winner on Thursday 11/10/12.