May 22, 2015

Life lately

It's been another month of change here at the Potaty household (and in a sidenote, can I just say how much I adore it when my friends call my husband Mr Potaty? Love. It.) and life is moving quickly.

I didn't think I'd be writing another job-change blog post so soon, but here we are. Another change in circumstance had me stepping away from my contract role within the health and wellness field, and thinking about spending time at home with BB and Stevie with relaxation and sleep-ins on the agenda. Seriously, finally taking that big step to get a rescue puppy = best decision ever!

I could've looked back through the past zillion pics I've taken of Stevie, but I just snapped this as she's laying here in the study between BB and I on our computers. The family that interwebs together, stays together. Or something like that.

Well, of course there's no such thing as downtime, and literally the minute my calendar opened up, so did another door!

I'm stoked (Peta will love the Coastie coming out in me there) to report that I'm back working casually within education admin at a local independent school's Sports Department. I've actually worked in a very similar position before in Hervey Bay - which was my very favourite job of all time - so I'm super-ready to get my teeth stuck in. I was given a great and easy entry to the team at the College, and everyone has been very friendly (whilst also offering semi-joking condolences, as my new boss is quite the character and his booming voice precedes him wherever he goes, as does his reputation for being the socialite of the department). He's already turned up at my desk with coffee and chocolate brownies from the school canteen, so we're gonna get along juuuuust fiiiiiine.

I'm managing to balance my casual Lorna Jane shifts (which are just too much fun, honestly... working with some of those girls on Noosa's Hastings Street is one of the best ways to spend a day) with my College work, but I'm aware that I won't be able to make that last forever.



For the moment though, life is grand, I have time up my sleeve to hang with the people that matter, and both BB and I are happy and comfortable and enjoying life. And that's all that matters, isn't it?

What's moving and shaking in your life lately? Big changes afoot, or are you enjoying a calm spell?


May 04, 2015

The eyes have it - Noosa Brow Co salon review

Two weeks ago*, I visited a new brow salon here on the Sunshine Coast, and experienced their Custom Noosa Brow Co Service.

Whilst I'm certainly no beauty blogger, I like to think I have my finger on the pulse of what's new in different salon treatments, so when I noticed a new salon opening along the gorgeous Noosa River, it was very easy for me to decide to give it a try, and booked in for their two most popular services - a custom brow service and lash extensions.

As I entered Noosa Brow Co's fresh white foyer accented with sunny yellow, I felt world's away from the one previous lash extension place I'd visited before, years ago. There was no ruby red or leopard print, and I didn't feel in danger of leaving looking like a china doll, with over-curled spiky eyelashes touching my eyelids! Noosa Brow Co epitomises the classic beachside style that Noosa women demand, and owner Hannah Dahl has done a magnificent job of creating a warm welcome. Soothing cafe music played through speakers and the floor to ceiling curtains kept prying eyes at the front of the salon from seeing me enjoying my service.

As I reclined on the comfy treatment chair, Hannah asked me about my current brow maintenance schedule (none!) and politely didn't judge my lack of brow care. She's a wealth of knowledge and educated me on some common brow problems as well as described exactly what she was going to do to give me better brows. There was talk of elongating lines and facial lifting, but to be honest, she had me at looking younger.

During some waxing (not painful at all) and tweezing (again, I hardly felt a thing), Hannah told me about her recent move from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast. She has worked at some of Brisbane's best salons and still has a full client roster in Brisbane, so has definitely earned her title as a brow aficionado. Hannah waxed both the top and bottom of my brows, then reshaped my brows to give a straighter line. Once the hair removal was out of the way, she custom mixed a brow tint and applied it to select areas of my brows to even out the colour.

Forget The Block, Hannah really is the master of the big reveal. Before showing me my brows, she started on my lash extensions. For the duration of the lash application (approximately an hour), I had my eyes closed. I'd previously experienced stinging when having lashes applied for my Hens party and wedding, and was pleasantly surprised this time around, because I didn't have any discomfort at all.

The 2D lashes that Hannah applied are the newest thing in the lash world, and are designed to be lighter and less artificial-looking than other extensions - perfect for the natural look I was after. The 2D (or Russian) lash is a technique where 2 super-fine extensions are applied to one single natural eyelash, creating soft volume. It can actually go up to four lashes per each natural lash (as opposed to a 1:1 ratio for regular extensions) without weighing them down, and as a result, lashes will look much fuller, not just longer and darker.

Once the lashes were all applied and the adhesive dried, Hannah gently opened my eyes and sat me up to look in a mirror. Holy fluttering eyelashes... I was impressed!

Before: patchy brows with no shape, and spiky little straight lashes
After: a smooth brow line with even colour throughout, and long, natural-looking lashes


Will I repurchase or come back for another session? Honestly, I went into this thinking that they'd be a bit of fun, and that I'd not want to have them reapplied. And yes, eyelash extensions could be quite challenging to maintain. But these were so great, and I hardly lost a single natural eyelash in the first two weeks, that I'd definitely consider reapplication. Hannah is a skilled brow artist, and the compliments I received about my peepers were so fabulous that I could become an addict!

Two weeks on: still long and luscious, with no visible gaps
  
My brows still look amazing, and require no maintenance brushing!

And not wearing eye makeup has cut down my getting-ready-for-work time immensely!

Hannah has generously shared two wonderful offers for my Sunshine Coast readers, and I can't speak highly enough of her salon and services, so I'm happy to share!

Simply mention you read this review (but without sounding like you're name-dropping) when you book, and you will get a complimentary lash tint with your first brow appointment, and/or your first set of 2D lashes for $140 (normally $180).

Thank you so much to Hannah of Noosa Brow Co for inviting me in to her lovely new salon, I know it'll be a hit with local Sunshine Coast ladies who have highbrow expectations.

Noosa Brow Co
Shop 8 Da'Vos
201 Gympie Terrace
Noosaville 4566 (entry via Thomas Street)
Phone 07 5474 1218

Check out their Facebook page here, and their oh-so-classy Instagram here!

*I did have all sorts of good intentions about blogging about this visit straight away, but decided to wait to two weeks to see if the lashes lasted the distance. The answer is yes.