My Eyebrows Are Sisters, Not Twins.

Today I was talking eyebrows with a friend. How is it that conversation came to be? *shrugs* Who knows, we were just yapping. But then I started looking through old photos, and as I did, the devolution and evolution of my eyebrows knocked me for six.

Exhibit A...

I think it's safe to say that most of us girlies, and even some of you lads (own it if it's true), have inhabited, or are currently inhabiting, the dreaded, "What the hell have you done to your eyebrows" stage of our lives.


Some of us never realise it whilst we're there. (Who am I trying to fool here?) Most of us never realise (Okay, let's get real) None of us realise it when we're there. Heck, I could be back there now. (Gosh, please say I'm not back there now) And until we look back on those photos from last night, last summer or even a few years ago, we'll never really see it for what it is... (even with your mum harping on about them, or the lack there of).


Exhibit B...

A seriously, wafer thin look

For those of you currently inhabiting the address of "What the hell have you done to your eyebrow's?" (WARNING: Don't dismiss this easily, you may find it does apply tomorrow. If such is the case, don't fret. Those videos and photos, awaiting you in not so distant future, will soon grant you admittance to the club where one screams, "What the F*#@ did I do to my eyebrows?") don't worry, its all a part of the big picture.

We're supposed to go through that stage of making a right balls up of our eyebrows. It's the path we must tread in order to learn. We mess it up to get to know it. We break it down to build it up. All the while our future selves thank us. It's a coming of age thing. (Note, the coming of age part is not limited to the young.)

Granted some just make a right tits up of it again and again. Others never realise they're destroying there eyebrows...  but so's life. 

Number one tip: Your eyebrows are sisters, not twins.

(Honestly, I used to hack away with the tweezers, trying so much so to get my eyebrows identical I'd almost be left with nothing.)

Let me know your tips. Have you found, or are yet to find, those photos or videos that make you cringe when it comes to your brows? 

Dressing Table staple | The Royal Effect. (Lotions or Creams?)

It's my baby. Seriously. This cream, along with a few other bits and bobs, holds pride of place on my dressing table, not to mention a snugly spot in my handbag. 

Avon's Royal Jelly Hand Cream

Finding a great moisturiser can be difficult. Lotion or Cream? That can be confusing. For those of you who don't know, there is a difference between the two, and depending on your skin type, the time of year, or even certain parts of your body, one will work better for you than the other.

Lotions: Lotions have a higher ratio of water to oil in their make up. This makes them thinner, offering a light dousing of moisture. Perfect if you're not looking for much.
Creams: With a higher ratio of oil to water, creams are thicker and creamier than lotions. (Well, duh, Kartonia, check out its name.) Absorbed into the skin their moisturising properties tend to long outlast that of lotions.

I know that personally, when it comes to choosing between lotions or creams, I always choose creams, especially when it comes to my hands. Lotions in that area, for me, just don't do the trick.

So whilst I introduce you to my new lover, I feel it's only right I give you a quick break down as to why I've fallen for this hand cream above all the rest. 

v  It's a great moisturiser. And, unlike many other creams, leaves your hands feeling super soft all day. (well, at least until you wash them.)

v  You don't need to use much at all. A little dollop goes a long way.

v  The price is amazing for the magical qualities this innocent looking cream possesses. £1.50? BARGAIN.

v  Works wonders on other parts of your body too. I know it says "hand cream", but I certainly don't limit the powers of this beauty, (a little smidgen on my elbows and feet, and anywhere else that needs a boost, does me just as good.) I love it even more than Vaseline

Avon's Royal Jelly lip treatment. SPF15

v  I've even gone as far as using the lip balm. Just a smidgen of this, even under my lipstick, and I'm good to go.

My Number One Tip:  Whatever moisturiser you use, whether that be lotion, cream or even oil, try to use it immediately after showering, bathing, or washing your hands. That way you lock in that moisture. It works wonders. Trust me.

And remember, you don't have to use the same moisturiser on your face as you do your body. I don't. I don't even use the same soap on my face as I do my body. The key here is to assess your skins needs. Sometimes different areas of skin require different amounts of attention and care. Dabble. Find out what works for you.

So there it is. My favourite hand cream.  Have you fallen head over heels for the wonders of one lotion or cream yet or do you dabble? 

Summer Legs? Magic in a Bottle! | Adonia LegTone Serum

It's officially summer. And we all know what that means. It's time to wax and shave those areas usually hidden by our autumn/winter/spring garments. Summer means we've suddenly got to sought out that bikini line and parade those silky legs we were once born with, but soon lost.

And whilst getting those silky legs is one thing, getting rid of (or attempting to disguise) the dreaded orange peel thighs, no matter how faint or obtrusive, is another. Cellulite. Gosh, I hate that word. Cell-u-lite. CELLULITE.  *shudders*

All right, that's enough of that, lets get back on track. What am I getting at here?  Oh, you know, just the fact that I've seemed to have found a little bit of Magic in a bottle. It's name? Adonia Leg Tone Serum.

Believe you me, I'm actually stunned it works. We all know how these creams operate. They make all these promises, have us believing in them, and then, just like with the one before, they end up doing absolutely nothing but leaving us a few quid short, and questioning our faith in all the other pretty bottles currently, and soon to be, sitting on the the shelves of our favourite shops.

But this one... well, what can I say? This one seems to be different. I know. It's crazy. A beauty product like this that actually works. I must be off my rocker, right? But I'm not. I swear. Well, at least not completely.

This serum actually works, at least for me. And as it currently sits pride of place on my dressing table during these summer months, having done me proud on my recent holiday (where parading the pins was customary) I feel its only right I let you in on one of my faves.

The idea is, you apply it four times a day. Twice in the morning, (four minutes apart) and twice before bed, (again, four minutes apart).  The results? Erm, soft, toned, gorgeous looking legs, and not a dimple in sight.

But lets get real here. There must be some kind of catch to this magic, right? Well, this cream isn't the cheapest in the world. In fact, its not cheap at all. At $79 for one, which works out at about £46, you could definitely do a lot more with your money. But if you can, and are willing, this product is definitely a must.

 So whether those annoying dimples are faint or in your face, all over your thighs or just on your bum, there actually seems to be something that helps. Cool, huh?

Let me know what you think, or if you've tried it. I'd love to hear your views. 

Mother and Daughter Time in Malta

 Doing mum's make-up became custom on this holiday. (And don't worry, it didn't always look like this.)

If you know Malta (or are just in the know when in comes to finding countries to party with), you'll probably recognise that Malta's carnival was a few months back now. Four months and five days if we're counting. Yes, I know. It's held during the week leading up to ash Wednesday, which is in spring. We're in summer. That was ages ago. I know. I know.  But I couldn't not share. Malta was beautiful, and the people knew how to have fun. I couldn't keep that to myself. 

Five days in Malta. Invited by the Maltese carnival committee. We we're out there to display the arts. To give a little taster of what Carnival in the UK, specifically Notting hill carnival, (Europe's biggest street festival) had to offer. We were there to create a relationship between both our Fiestas. For future collaborations. It was a bit shaky at times. It rained when we really needed it not to. The music got mixed up when we were on stage. The final day of carnival was cancelled due to weather. But apart from all of that I had a blast.  

From flamboyant floats to amazing costumes, Malta certainly welcomed me with open arms . And with such a beautiful country to see, this trip wasn't just one of sight seeing, food eating and parading the streets in costumes (which I loved, of course). This was trip was also a great little bonding trip for me and mum too.

We started, and spent most of our time, in Valletta, the Capital city of Malta.

And that's where I saw this little cutie. (Don't worry. I did get permission from his mum.) Seriously though, how cute is he? Too, too cute, right? I could just gobble him up. (No cannibalism here though, I assure you.)

Mum knows how to strike a pose.

The floats were made of Paper mache. And I must admit I did completely fall in love with this band here.

So mum got suited up, (Make-up courtesy of me) and waited with part of her costume, (The main part. The oversized head part. The part that actually MADE the costume.) left back in the UK. Talk about embarrassing. But we worked with what we had, and it didn't seem Although, it didn't seem to disappoint.

We hopped on the ferry on our third day and set sail for Gozo. The journey took twenty minutes but it felt more like five. I barely had enough time to buy a packet of Haribo Pinballs when suddenly we were there.

And Gozo, the "sister island of Malta", was not only gorgeous, but lots of fun too.

Back to Malta and we headed off to Mdina. "The Silent City". What can I say about this place. The architecture. The narrowed streets. The lanterns. Cathedrals. Horses and Carriages, I felt like I had been transported to another time. Everything was so serene.

We found a Café called the Fontanella Tea Garden in the Silent City of Mdina. The views from there are breathtaking, and they not only have outdoor seating but indoor as well. Obviously we sat outside to feast our eyes on the view. It was lovely. Not to mention the drinks. Ooh, and try the cakes. And if you love chocolate, try the chocolate tea. It's basically just melted chocolate in cup.

Mum's Irish Coffee went down a storm and I must admit my berry smoothie was very yummy too.

After getting back from another day of  partying and feasting our eyes and taste buds we we're knackered. Look at mum. She looks ready for bed, right? *shakes head* Nope. Don't let her innocent looks deceive you. We went down to the bar after that.  

And then that was that. It was time to come home.

Inter-nety-weby-land

My own little corner of the inter-nety-weby-land. That's how I see this place. *Looks around* It's a bit empty in here though. I should probably start filling these blank spaces. Maybe... an introduction? I would have thought that was something I should add in the "about me" section, but oh well.

My name's Kartonia. I'm a Brit (specifically a Londoner). I not long finished my degree in Psychology and Health studies, and at the moment I'm kind of drifting. The curse of the twenties I've heard. I'm choosing, however (after many a night panicking) to embrace it. What else can I do?  Drifting's cool.

I love to write. I love to draw. I love to paint. I love festivals and carnivals and partying. Basically I love anything creative. Anything where I get to make something out of nothing. It's probably why every time I watch the Great British Bake Off, one of my favourite shows (although  nowhere near the love I have for Doctor Who, of course) I run to the kitchen and feel super empowered. (Is it bad that I count out 14 tablespoons, or at least what I consider to be a tablespoon, to measure out my quantities when it comes to my cakes? Sometimes it's a soup spoon)  14 spoons of flour. 14 spoons of sugar. No one's complained so far, and I really can't be asked to buy the scales.

I'm rambling now. I'll stop. For your sake I'll stop. I promise. ('Till next time, of course.)