Ever since I was around 15 years old, I was always able to talk the talk about travelling. Last week, I finally walked the walk. Done! Finished! Drop the mic! Your girl Kayla has booked her first overseas trip that doesn't include a visit to the family. A proper holiday where I get to soak up another culture, see the sights and do a few cliché touristy things along with crossing off a few bucket list items of my own.

I've already gone through a few details of the trip that I've always wanted to go on. You can read that here. But if you're lazy like me, let me try and summarise it in 25 words or less. I'm going to America for 30 days, going across the country, starting in LA and finishing in NY (18 words, not to shabby if I do say so myself).

So last week I took the first step in making my long awaited 'dream' into a reality. I walked into my local travel agent, locked in a date and put a deposit on my trip. My excitement literally could not be contained as I immediately messaged my two best mates telling them the news. Let the countdown begin, America here I come!

For my first makeup review, I thought I'd start with the item that you should always start your makeup with. PRIMER!

It is a crime not to prime. All the time I have friends complain to me about their makeup not lasting, or fading and I ask them; "did you prime?" Nine times out of ten, the answer would be no. **Commence eye rolling.

A good primer is the key to making any makeup look last. You've put a lot of effort into your makeup. Put plain and simple, you've literally wasted all your time and effort if you haven't primed your skin. Priming your skin preps in for the makeup that you about to apply. It helps the occurrence of clogging pores, gives your makeup something to latch onto - hence lasting longer; and if you use a good primer, it'll moisturise your skin as well!

My favourite primer for the last 2-3 years has been the Nude by Nature Airbrush Mineral Primer. I LOVE this stuff! Never have I had a primer work so well for my skin. This primer both moisturises and prepares my skin. On the days that I don't use it, I definitely notice the application of my makeup doesn't go on as smoothly and doesn't last throughout the day. It's the one priming product that I find doesn't break me out.

Remember when using the Nivea After Shave Balm as a primer was all the rage? This primer is great as it has one of the key ingredients found in that balm; glycerin. This helps your makeup stick to your skin allowing it to last all day.

This also a silicon free primer and contains green tea, papaya and vitamin E. Whenever someones asks me to recommend a primer; this is the one that I always shout. Remember it's a crime not to prime! If you're looking for a great base for your makeup, this primer is the way to go.

Beauty. Makeup. Skincare. My secret love for these three things is undeniable. To call it an obsession is an understatement. I'm somewhat known for my love of the beauty world, with my everyday makeup ritual including the often feared winged eyeliner, full brows and contouring.

Yes I put in that much effort everyday into my makeup, a full 30-minutes dedicated to making my face presentable. I do this everyday, not necessarily because I feel the need or that I'm uncomfortable with the way I look without makeup. Yes, a small percentage of it is, but truthfully; I enjoy doing my makeup every morning. I find it calming. It's me time. It's the time of the day where no one bothers me, stresses me out, asks me questions. It's just me and my makeup. I also feel quite accomplished when I finish. YES! I didn't fuck up my eye-liner; now I can conquer the world (Adulting for sure).

That's powerful. Makeup is powerful. Yes in the way that it changes your appearance. You can literally change the shape of your entire face and nose if you know how-to contour correctly. But it's also powerful in the sense that it can give you a new lease of confidence. It can keep you calm. It can make you feel like you're ready to tackle any challenge the day is about to throw at you. This is why beauty is Pretty Powerful.

Pretty Powerful is where I'll be divulging my love for the beauty industry. My favourite products, the products I'm not loving and the tips and hacks and I use in my everyday beauty routine. Just like what Bobbi Brown says. Everyone is pretty with out makeup. But give them the right makeup, they can become pretty powerful.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words; so when you flick through a photo album, a million should come to mind. Maybe not so much words, but the memories should definitely flow through.

As an avid photographer, I love photo's. Especially ones that aren't staged or posed. Photos capture a moment that your memory may not recollect in the future. Whenever I'm taking a photo I think of my favourite episode of Scrubs. The one where Brendan Frasier is playing Ben, a patient who loves photography. He hates staged photographs as he believes that they're unnatural and just prefers to take candid shots (and I totally agree). The best photos are the ones where you catch people off guard. It's these moments that are the ones that you'll appreciate the most.

Candid shots can really capture a moment way more than a staged one. It's these candid shots that spell out the 1000 words that this captured moment is worth.

The other day I was going through my room and stumbled across some old albums that I put together right after high school. They contain all the special moments from my final year of my secondary education. From cross-country, to the athletics carnival and of course the all important School Formal. Looking back on these photos, I couldn't believe how much has changed over the last four years. I literally found myself flipping through the pages and getting all giddy inside. The smile on my face couldn't be wiped as I looked upon these simpler times that gave me so much joy.

That's the thing about photo albums. You put them away, hardly look at them at then forget they exist. Then one day (like I did), you stumble upon them or decide to pull them out every now and again and see what was. Most of these photos you look upon represent some of the special times in your life as they were usually spent with the people that make you the happiest. And that's the thing. That's why I was getting all giddy inside. Cause a lot of the people that were in these photos from four years ago, are the people that are still in my life today. There the people that I'm still making great memories with, that hopefully I'll cherish forever.

Friendship. A word that I feel is thrown around way to often these days. To me a friend is someone that will drop everything for you when you are in need. A person that can comfort you in times of distress and be your partner in crime in times of hilarity. But most of all, a friend is someone that you feel so incredibly comfortable with, you can divulge every single action, thought and secret known to man kind.

Most people are lucky in the sense that their best friend lives about five minutes away. Some people are even lucky enough to have their BFF live just down the road from them, but unfortunately I am not so fortunate.


Like many people, I met my best friend later in life, at University to be exact. Both young girls fresh out of High School who just happened to be studying the same course. Next thing you know, we're hanging out, going to lunch and travelling to see each other outside of uni. That travelling though! One hours worth of separation. And no, it's not so bad. An hours worth of travelling isn't that bad; but it is something that we have to factor in that other friendships don't. It does become difficult, especially when you've had a disagreement with your family, or you've just been having a difficult day and you can't immediately run to your BFF.


While the distance has it's difficulties we seem to manage. Sometime's it can take weeks before we get to see each other but the lines of communication including texting, calling and tagging her in hilarious memes that pop up into my newsfeed; I think we've been doing pretty well!

Words cannot describe how fortunate I am to have this gem of a person in my life! She literally knows everything about me, my life, my feelings and everything that I've been through. She keeps me sane, level headed and keeps me calm. But most of all, she makes me happy and I am the happiest version of myself when I am around her.

 Finally turning 21! Being Australian, even though it's already been legal for you to drink alcohol since your were 18-years-old, turning 21 is still a big deal. Yes, you've legally been an adult already for the last three years, but there's something a little more official about turning 21. When you're 18, you're fresh out of high school, most have us have no idea what where doing and there's that little "teen" part at the end of that number that still makes you feel like a child (which I extremely miss!) Never the less, I'm so excited to finally be 21. There's something about saying that you're 21 which sounds so proper and official. "How old are you?", "Oh, I'm 21". Doesn't that sound so proper and adult like?! Even though turning 21 doesn't give you any legal changes like it does when your 18, turning 21 is kind of like cultures way of saying "you're an adult now. So get your shit together", (but in a more subtle, nicer way).

Disney: Beauty and the Beast

A tale as old as time. This is true. It's also a tale that I've been excited for ever since Emma Watson put out that subtle Facebook post three years ago that she would be playing Belle. In recent times, it has come out that Emma Watson turned down the lead role in the Oscar nominated movie, La La Land for the chance to play the Disney Princess. Even though the actress who did take on La La Land, Emma Stone, won an Academy Award for her performance; Watson definitely made the right choice in picking this Disney classic. This movie will stand the test of time, just as much as Watson's Harry Potter movies.

The casting of this movie was impeccable, with darling, Emma Watson taking on the role of beloved Princess, Belle. A strong willed, intelligent woman who is looking to escape the small thinking of the French town she resides in. Along with a great ensemble cast including, Emma Thompson, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Luke Evans and Downton Abbey's, Dan Steven's as the loveable Beast; this movie soars as one of the best of 2017 so far!

This has everything that you're looking for in a great Disney Movie! All of your favourite songs from the original are there and dare I say, maybe even better? Emma Watson has some pipes! An unknown talent that has now been bestowed onto the world and we are now forever grateful. Emma Thompson (omg so many Emma's!) takes on the role as Mrs. Potts and of course means the great responsibility of the classic song (and my personal favourite) Tale As Old As Time, originally sung by Angela Lansbury. Amazing! Beautiful! All the songs were amazing and definitely lived up to the hype. Even the new original song in this movie is fantastic and I can definitely see it becoming a classic!

I liked how this movie made the stakes higher than the original. This gave the film it's major difference compared to the original animation. This was a great arc for the film, therefore you became more emotionally connected to the characters, which Disney always does so well! (Always balls hysterically **cough, cough, Up).  

Long story short. Get off your ass and go see this movie! you won't regret it, I promise.

4.5 Stars!                                                                                                  

Travelling. Something that I've always wanted to do ever since I was a little girl. Being a traveler is something that is in my blood and is something that has been etched into me since I was very young, going on my first cross-country trip when I was just 2 months old. I know; my parents were very brave taking a 2-month old onto a plane. Bare in mind it was only a three hour plane ride from New Zealand to Australia, but still; props to them. Ever since I can remember, I've always wanted to see the world and I attribute this to my parents. You see, my parents didn't exactly meet in the most conventional way.

My parents met when they were in their young 20's. My dad was a young man from a small town in the South Island of New Zealand and my mum was from Sydney, Australia. In 1992, by chance, both my parents booked a contiki trip to America, meeting in NY and finishing in LA. This is where they met. After her trip, my mother arrived home with flowers waiting for her from my father. Two years of being in a long distance relationship my parents got married. Fast forward 23 years later and my parents are still together. I know; it's fucking adorable. Funny thing? The last thing my grandmother said to my mum before she went through the departure gate was "you might meet someone". So cliché. Hollywood should jump on this story, (seriously!) Also, every time Getaway was on TV my mother would burst out "been there" and I'd instantly roll my eyes but also fill with jealousy because all I'd ever want to do is be everywhere that my mother had been. My parents have travelled the world and I want to do nothing but the same.

So here I am, 21 years old (just a year younger than my mum when she started travelling) organising my trip to America, coincidently the same contiki that my parents did (no pressure). Of course, it would be amazing if I were to meet someone over there, but that would be a bonus. That is not my reasoning for going half-way across the globe. I want to travel by myself, meet new people and see how the rest of the world lives. The trip I want to do is the 'grand southern'. A trip that goes all the way across the south of America. To say that I am excited is an understatement. There are so many things that I want to cross off my bucket list in America. See an NBA game, go to Disneyland, go to Maddison Square Garden, be in a live studio audience for a late night talk show and of course the food. ALL THE FOOD! This is a trip that I've been planning since I was 14-years-old and I couldn't be more pumped. Yes, the idea of travelling by myself is a bit frightening but I think it'll be good for me. It will definitely put me out of my comfort zone, but that's a good thing! Experiencing new things, big or small can only be a good thing. Can't it? Well I'm certainly keeping a positive outlook on it and I definitely have a vision. I've got to start writing my bucket list and make sure I tick everything off. Cause who know's? This may be my only chance to go over there!