A Beautiful Birthday...

Hello world, I am officially an adult. That's right, I turned 18 (finally) on the 4th. I celebrated on Friday by taking my close friends out to dinner to a lovely Italian restaurant, and then headed to the city to 'club the night away'. This was my first time in a nightclub (though I would most likely have been allowed in before my 18th birthday anyway as I haven't looked my age, underage, in many years; I guess I just like to play by the rules sometimes), interestingly titled Tramp, and, boy, was it an eye-opening experience. I'm generally a very insecure person, and all I can say was, being surrounded by slim, tanned, pretty girls draped in mini-skirts and sequins was a real shot to the ol' self-esteem. But it didn't matter so much once the dancing started.


As a first-time night clubber, I was fairly clueless as to appropriate nightclub attire, and therefore showed up in jeans, knee-length boots and this...

It's an undoubtedly beautiful dress, but I became so overheated while dancing (especially while trying to breathe and see through the dry-ice) that we had to take regular fresh-air breaks. But it was all worth it once the dancing started and the inhibitions went out the window. Unfortunately, due to the fact that I've been very sick recently (just in time for exam week) and my friend has been sick for months on end, we had to leave fairly early. But all in all, definitely an experience I will be trying again.

Anyway, on to the presents. I noticed a very apparent theme running through my presents this year. For the most part, they were in some way beauty-related. Is this some sort of subtle hint, I wonder? Something my friends and family have been trying to tell me for some time, just waiting for the opportunity to present itself? I like to think it was just a coincidence...

Firstly, I received this limited edition Chanel lip cream, Levres Signees, which features five fabulous shades in a shape that forms the iconic Chanel double C. I'm usually not a coloured lip person (I have naturally red lips and try my best to downplay this), but come on, this is Chanel, and if one were to wear coloured lips this is the only way to go. Not to mention, the shades are all so smooth and creamy that they're such a pleasure to wear anyway.

I also received this ultra-shiny, ultra-smoothing Clarins Gloss Appeal lip gloss in Crystal (aka, clear). What sets Gloss Appeal apart are the special pigments which illuminates the lips with gold or silver reflections (in my case, silver) which enhance the light.

Next, I received a hefty gift voucher to my local beauty salon (who use the brand of products, Thalgo, pictured above) after complaining about how badly I need a facial for the past year. This is something I'm so excited for because the salon also offer massages. Everybody loves massages.

And lastly, early last week, I was sent this cute little hair accessory (it wasn't necessarily a birthday present, but due to the fact that I received it so close to my birthday, I count it towards my present tally). The Zann Clip is a revolutionary substitute for uncomfortable jaw clips, designed to not leave the dent in your hair that regualr barrettes do. It took a little while to get the hang of it, I even had to watch the online instructional videos (featuring a woman who has the most naturally beautiful hair I've seen in a long time), but once that little hurdle was behind me, I was free to bask in the ease and comfort the Zann Clip provides. But the biggest positive that I experienced with the Zann Clip was the security. Once my hair was secured in place wrapped around the clip, I was sure it wasn't going anywhere.
Two thumbs up.

Alltogether, a very lovely birthday.
What are some 18th birthday presents you remember?

Catch.

Romany

[photos courtesy of splendicity.com, us.clarins.com, thescene.com, barkins.com.au , the-soul-sanctuary.com and oliviafrancis.com]