Time For a Break

 

Hi guys! After blogging every week since August last year (45 consecutive posts!), the time has come for me to take a break. As much as I love writing, I'm just not feeling it lately, and I'd rather use the time to focus on other parts of my life. This is not the end for Max The Unicorn though! I'm not sure if it will be weeks or months, but I will be back.

You may have noticed that I've also slowed down my Collabs on Instagram. I was originally intending to have a break altogether from Collabs, both on my beauty and food accounts, but I don't mind working on the odd one here and there. Basically I had up to seven Collabs at once at some points in time, and I was overwhelmed, stressed, extremely busy, unhappy and not getting time for anything else. The last few months I've started being a lot more picky with what I'll accept, because it has to be worth it for me now. I'm up in the air about whether I'll get back to continuously collaborating with brands, restaurants/hotels/cafes and PR companies again (I'll play it by ear), but for now it really has to slow down for a while.

I'm feeling a lot happier with my change in priorities, and the balance I'm creating in my life. Specifically on my food account, this will also give me a chance to post all the non-obligated photos I have built up, which I've been wanting to do for a long time, but Collabs always took priority.

If you want to still follow along with what I'm up to, the best place is my food account @imhungrymax where I do enjoy posting Stories every day. But for this blog, I'll see you on the other side of my break! Happy Week, everyone.

Priceline Haul!

 

Hi guys! So I might have done a spur of the moment Priceline Haul last week! I had wanted to try some different volume hair products, and then I saw the Priceline email advertising half price haircare plus double points for one day only, so I took it as a sign and put in an order, lol. How good are sales? I'm so happy with the amount I saved.

Here's what I got!

HASK Biotin Boost Thickening Shampoo (RRP $17, bought for $8.50)
This is my holy grail shampoo and the only one I ever buy. I usually like to wait until it goes on special though, because it's quite pricey. Yes I consider $17 pricey for a shampoo! I love the results I get and that one shampoo gets all the product out. Before I discovered this thickening shampoo I was using a clarifying shampoo followed by a volumizing shampoo, but no need for two washes with this one.

HASK Biotin Dry Shampoo (RRP $12, bought for $6)
Because I love the HASK Biotin shampoo and conditioner it makes sense to try out the dry shampoo from the range, especially since it's half price. It contains biotin for volume, collagen to fortify and coffee to help boost, which I'm hoping together give a nice plumping, volumizing lift from the roots. I'm an absolute dry shampoo fiend, so it was inevitable that I'd try this eventually.

HASK Biotin Boost Thickening 5-in-1 Leave In Spray (RRP $17, bought for $8.50)
Can you tell I'm a fan of HASK? I'm so keen to try this one as I was looking for a product I could spray in that would give my hair some body and va-va-voom action! Let's hope this does the trick. It's actually crazy how many volume hair products I use, basically every product I own is designed to create body in some way or another. That's how fine my hair is!

John Frieda Volume Lift Thickening Spray (RRP $20.99 bought for $10.49)
John Frieda products have failed me in the past, but I'm going to give them another go with this volume lift thickening spray. Surely one of these products has to work, right? There was no way I was paying full price for something I'm iffy on, so a half price sale is the perfect time to try it out. It was either this or the JF Volume Lift Fine To Full Blow Out Spray Styler but that had a bad review so I went with the thickening spray. Wish me luck!

Thin Lizzy Age Reverse Undereye Treatment Concealer (RRP $34.99, bought for $20.99)
I thought I paid full price for this on Sunday (I know I paid $20.99) but Priceline now have Thin Lizzy products at 40% off and the RRP is listed as $34.99, so I must be wrong? How confusing. Anyway I love my Thin Lizzy Concealer Creme, it really covers everything, so I wanted to give this undereye treatment concealer a go. I got the shade Enchanted Rose.

I hope you enjoyed my haul! Have a great week, guys!

The AfterParty (Spoiler-Free)

 

Hi guys. Last week I watched The AfterParty on AppleTV+ and absolutely loved it! The genre is murder mystery mixed with comedy, and honestly it's just so entertaining and funny. There are only eight episodes, each with a run time of 30-45 minutes, so it's really easy to binge this quickly. Trust me, you will be hooked.

'When a high school reunion's afterparty ends in a death, everyone is a suspect. A detective grills the former classmates one by one, uncovering potential motives as each tells their version of the story - culminating in the shocking truth.'

Each episode is told from the perspective of a different character, as Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) interviews the various suspects. Sam Richardson is so likeable as Aniq. I'm a huge Ted Lasso fan, but didn't recognise him from his role as Edwin Akufo on Ted Lasso until I Googled the cast after watching the whole show! Yasper's (Ben Schwartz) episode is my all-time favourite, as it's filled with hilarious song and dance numbers that are super catchy and fun. Zoe's episode is animated, providing a cute point of difference. Some other notable actors in the cast are Ilana Glazer (Comedy Central's Broad City), Ike Barinholtz (Eastbound & Down, Blockers) and Dave Franco (Warm Bodies, Now You See Me) as pop star/murder victim Xavier. Fun Fact - Dave is the younger brother of actor James Franco.

The cast do a great job in The AfterParty; it's well-written, clever and funny as hell. Make sure you check it out on AppleTV+. There's also a second season coming soon!

You may also like My Top Ten Netflix Recommendations

Have a great week guys!

Mani Monday: Barry M Crystal Rock Textured Nails!

 

Hi guys! Yes it's another Mani Monday, sorry not sorry! I got this Barry M Crystal Rock Textured Nail Paint from Priceline in a 40% off storewide sale and I'm just too excited to try it, so here we are. It was so hard to pick a colour, because they were all so pretty, but in the end I decided on Pink Tourmaline. Having a look at the Barry M website now, I'm thinking I should have picked up Amethyst, Emerald Green and Fluorite too lol!

So this textured finish means it will be an absolute bitch to remove, and if there's ever a time to apply a base coat, this would be it. However, I can't find my base, so I guess I'm royally fucked. The good news is at least you don't need a top coat. These paints are super glittery and meant to change as they dry. Pink Tourmaline applied really well, but was a bit thin after one coat, so I applied two. The rough texture finish means it would be more forgiving with smudges. I found that the paint can get a little gloopy/thick on the brush towards the end of an application, but this really wasn't a problem.

I will say that rough finish, non-shiny, colour-shift type polishes are a nightmare to photograph! I found it so hard to get good shots of both the bottle (especially since it also had gold font on the packaging) and my mani. The camera just doesn't pick up all the glittery shifty goodness. This was the best I could do.

I really love this look! The colour is so pretty and all the gold glittery particles as you move your nails are stunning. The non-smooth finish take a little getting used to, but I would definitely pick up more from the Crystal Rock collection from Barry M to try more colours.

I will now leave you with pics of my textured look nails. The last pic is of some of the Crystal Rock collection, taken from the Barry M website. Have a great week!

Credit: Barry M website

Huge Kmart Haul!

 

Hi guys! So I went a bit crazy and bought a few things online from Kmart recently. I was actually trying to redeem a gift card I had won. And I say 'trying' because, well, it seems you cannot use gift cards for Kmart online, only in-store. I probably should've read the fine print on the back of the card before spending an hour picking out the perfect items lol. Anyway, I decided to just pay for it, because I'd put in the work and I wasn't closing my browser without actually making all this pretty home decor mine. Enjoy!

I've been looking for a throw rug to drape over my white boucle computer chair, so when I saw this Anko Boucle Throw in White ($28) I couldn't believe it. A perfect match! An absolute no-brainer, in the basket it went.

Next, it's off to fake plant town, as I cannot keep a real plant alive to save myself. I got the Artificial Rubber Plant in Curved Pot ($10) and am really happy with how cute it is. I bought the Artificial Flowers in Wave Vase ($17) and even though it looks really pretty, the leaves at the back are a bit bent. I've since visited a Kmart store and they basically squash them into shelves that aren't high enough, so they're all like this.

I think I added the 4 Anko Glazed Mini Bowls ($6) at the end to make it to $100 and thus use all of my gift card (little did I know the drama that would follow!) but I mean, what a find at only $6. They are all different colours but look great together or separately. I love them! Side note - I kind of went over the $100, but who's keeping track lol.

I don't know if I've been living under a rock, but I haven't really seen anything like these pretty flower diffusers before? I don't buy diffusers normally so maybe these have been around forever, who knows!  I picked up the Floral Reed Diffusers in Elderflower & Coconut and Orange Flower & Amber ($12 each). So cute! I also got a small Lime & Coconut Floral Reed Diffuser ($2.50) because the fragrance is right up my alley!

I don't know about you, but storage containers always come in handy in my house. I got the Small Cut Out Edge Storage Tub ($3.50) and the super cute White Mini Bucket ($3.50) even though I don't know what I'll use them for lol. I have so much shit I know they'll get used. I also jumped at the Anko Adhesive Vinyl in Terrazzo ($3) pattern with a backing board for photography shoots in mind. I don't have anything like this pattern in my collection, so I was happy to find this!

Yes, I bought a lot of candles! I just couldn't resist this gorgeous pack of 3 Fragrant Candles in Pastry Delight ($15). The fragrances are Pear Cobbler, Berry Danish and Vanilla Tarte with an 'e'. WITH AN 'E'! The three different coloured patterned glass jars in grey, purple and gold are stunning, too. I'm in love! Standby for the rest of the candles...

I loved the look of the grey and white striped Citrus and Marine Embossed Reactive Fragrant Candle ($12) even though I don't know what 'reactive' means in this context lol. It smells fresh and looks good, and is probably the dearest single candle I bought. The Out Of Office Soy Blend Fragrant Candle ($4) smells of citrus, bitter orange and sage, and you're probably getting an idea of my favourite types of aromas by now! I couldn't resist the Prosecco Pear Medium Fragrant Candle ($5.50) purely because of the scent, however I've bought this range before and am not a fan of how the sticky glue from the packaging remains on the candle. I like things to look perfect, no flaws allowed, especially my pet peeve, sticky residue from packaging. Lastly, I bought the Arch Shaped Pillar Candle ($5) and the Pink Bubble Candle ($5) merely for decoration (I don't think they even have a fragrance?) because they look interesting and will add character to a room.

Whoa! That's my epic Kmart Haul, I hope you enjoyed!

Blast From The Past ~ Lunch Series: Two Bit Villains Soda Bar

Or 'The One Where Two Meat-Eaters Unknowingly Dine At A Vegetarian Eatery'

EDIT - Guys, I'm re-publishing this post from 2016 as a Blast From The Past, mainly because I ran out of time to blog (eeek!). This week my son is doing work experience, so hopefully I'll have plenty of time to write, so there will be a proper one next Monday. Two Bit Villains is still operating in the heart of the city, so this is still relevant and hilarious, but they may have changed their dishes since seven years ago lol. The tags on the pics are my beauty account but I now have a dedicated food account on Instagram called @imhungrymax so feel free to follow me there. Hope you enjoy the post!

Two Bit Villains
Shop 150
Balcony Level, Adelaide Arcade
Adelaide

LOL. I'm still not living this down. I surprised hubby with my choice of lunch date location last week, and he was pretty amused/appalled/surprised alright when he looked at the menu. I don't know how I missed this, because I did research Two Bit Villains online before proudly making my decision, but all the meat words were in quotes. For example, panko-crumbed "chicken", housemade pressed "beef" and spice-rubbed "pulled pork". ALL THE MEAT WAS FAKE. Oh My God, we laughed. We laughed, we laughed some more, and then as staunch Carnivores, we widely avoided ordering the fake meat. I looked at hubby and could see him mentally crafting the story he would tell his workmates upon his return. This tale would not feature me in a favourable light. Anyhoo, I ordered, said no to all the vegan and dairy-free options, and returned to our table. And thus began our one hour experience as vegetarians.

Drinks: I ordered a Passionfruit Hand-Crafted Botanical Soda which was very subtle in flavour and low in bubbles. My husband had a Tummy Tonic Soda Float (ginger, citrus, mint, star anise and icecream) which came in a jar (naturally) and was quite nice.

Food: I had the Onion Rings Burger (if you read this post you'll be aware of my onion ring addiction) which was lettuce, tomato, cheese on a bun stuffed with onion rings and a swirl of tomato sauce and mustard. I picked Tater Tots as my side, probably just so I could shove them in my pockets later like Napoleon Dynamite. This was a good sized meal. I mean we are talking generous servings here. I basically couldn't finish it and hubby just managed to eat his but couldn't finish mine. This never happens (he always has the ability to finish my food). I'm pretty sure the cheese was real and the burger was good. The tater tots were good. I enjoyed and was super-full afterwards. My husband got the Nacho! Nacho! Man meal with guacamole (a basket of crunchy tortilla chips topped with housemade salsa beans, grated carrot, corn, spring onions, sour cream and cheese). He said it was really nice, even the beans which he normally doesn't like. He had onions rings as a side, and obviously we shared the tater tots and onion rings, because of my #onionringaddiction. The onion rings were super crunchy and delicious! 10/10 for the onion rings!

Fun Fact: Adelaide Arcade is supposedly haunted. I was on the look out for ghosts, but disappointingly, did not meet any on the day in question. Although the pale look on hubby's face when he saw the menu came close.

Ambience: I loved the cute, funky decor, the quirky arches and the large opening out to Rundle Mall that provided a welcome breeze. We were told if we sat on a long table we may have to share, so we made a beeline for the high tables with stools along the wall. Our table was quite private and plenty fun! There weren't a ton of other diners, perhaps another four or five tables of people. The staff were all friendly and capable, no issues there whatsoever. I'm glad it didn't get super-busy. Overall, quite a lovely dining atmosphere.

I'm not gonna lie, we've probably eaten everything off the menu that we want to, with the possible exception of the Frozen Choc Peanut Pie dessert. I don't think we'd return, even though it was a pleasant surprise!

You may also like: Lunch Series - Bread And Bone Wood Grill

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Disclaimer: Non-sponsored. We paid for our own meals and all thoughts are my honest, unbiased opinion.

Mani Monday: Sally Hansen Mauve It

 

Hi guys! Hello to the start of a new month (I can't believe it's May aleady!) and another Mani Monday. This week I'm wearing Mauve It (213) from the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri range of polishes. How weird that up until now I've always thought it was Insta-Dry, only just noticing it is, in fact, Insta-Dri?!

Anyway I love this range because it's designed to dry very quickly, which is great if you're pushed for time or just can't be bothered spending long painting your nails. The bottle also features a flat, wide brush, making it much quicker and easier to cover the entire nail in polish in fewer strokes. I also like the smooth bottle design; the curved triangular shape fits really well in my hand for those mani shots!

I did a little bit of research and apparently Insta-Dri is formulated with a built in base and top coat for extended wear and full coverage, streak-free shine. I agree that this formula is impressive. Only one coat gives beautiful, smooth, even results. This is one of the nail polish ranges I reach for most often.

Mauve It is a really pretty pale pink shade that's flattering and easy to wear. It's kind of a pinky neutral/nude shade that's quite versatile. A classic colour! Also guys, side note - I have been super lucky with not really having a bad nail break in quite a while now. I hope I don't jinx it!

Barry M Makeup range!

 

Hi guys! Recently I won a very generous prize pack of Barry M makeup, and since it covers a fair few products from their new Fresh Face range I thought I'd post about it here! This was a Giveaway being run on Instagram, and there were six winners. I don't enter that many competitions anymore, so I consider myself very lucky. I can't believe how much there is in this prize pack! Let's have a look...

2 x Fresh Face Matte Setting Sprays
'Keep your makeup in place for longer with the Fresh Face Matte Setting Spray'.
This contains Niacinamide and Sugar Kelp. Setting sprays are not usually part of my makeup routine but I'll be giving this a go. If nothing else it will be refreshing to spritz this mist on my face.

3 x Fresh Face Colour Correcting Primers
'Prep and perfect with Fresh Face Colour Correcting Primer'.
I received these in the colours Purple, Green and Peach.
The Purple one is formulated with Snow Mushroom and Vitamin C to rebalance skin tone, hydrate, brighten and conceal yellow tones, providing a colour neutralised base when used under makeup.
The Green one is formulated with anti-redness ingredients, oat extract and Vitamin C to rebalance skin tone. Again, the goal is create a colour neutralised base on which to apply foundation.
The Peach one is formulated with caffeine, oat extract and Vitamin C to rebalance skin tone, reduce the appearance of dark circles and help soothe irritated skin. I'm looking forward to trying these!

2 x That's Swell XXL Fruity Extreme Lip Plumpers
I got these in Pineapple (the yellow one) and Plum (the purple one). I'm so excited to try these! Lip Plumpers are something I use on the reg and have tried from quite a few different brands. These appear to be coloured glosses and I'm hoping the shades look OK on the lips. We shall see!

3 x Fresh Face Luminisers
'Create a spotlight glow with Fresh Face Luminiser'.
I received these luminisers in the shades Bronze, Rose and Gold. They are designed to give a radiant glow; the formula is packed with skin-loving Aronia Berry and Hyaluronic Acid to brighten and hydrate skin. You can apply these directly to the high points of the face or mix with foundation. I'm excited to experiment with these!

3 x Baked Marble Blushers
'Create a flattering glow with the Barry M Heatwave Baked Marble Blusher. The soft powder formula is marbled with light reflecting swirls for a radiant flush of colour and subtle shimmer.'
I received the shades Sunray, Coastal and Paradise. These look so pretty! They remind me of higher end makeup, but at a fraction of the cost. I think I'm most excited to try these!

Thanks so much Barry M for the amazing prize! You can follow them on Instagram here and you can follow me here!

Weekend Walks

 

Hi guys! Another picture post this week, because I ran out of time and I'm still pretty unmotivated to blog, to be honest. I hope I get my mojo back! I've got an Empties post to write but it won't be for a while because this week I have two Collab visits and three collab posts to work on, so I'll be way too busy. Thank god it's the school holidays though! I'm looking forward to sleeping in, as getting up at 6:20 every morning takes its toll after a while!

We went for a couple of walks over the weekend. Here are some photos!