REVIEW: Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel Mist

Today I'll be reviewing the first item from my mini haul back in July (has it really been than long omg). Introducing the Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel Mist. You can find it on the Nature Republic website, though it doesn't offer much information strange enough. If you're familiar with the Nature Republic Aloe Vera Gel in the tub, which I've also tried, then this is exactly that but in mist form. The tub formula didn't really do much for me honestly, but I was drawn to just how affordable it was and how much product it offered. I find that most mists rarely contain anything over 100ml, so I was surprised to see that this came with 150ml. I wasn't looking for anything in particular at the time, but kept my eye out for any sort of mist I could use to hydrate my face and or use after setting my makeup.

The actual bottle comes wrapped up in plastic

As expected of something that comes with 150ml of product, it's definitely a decent size. Unless you like carrying around a bulky spray bottle around with you, I probably wouldn't recommend this for travelling if you're one to slip in a mist into your bag or purse. There's definitely the option of decanting it into a smaller spray bottle for convenience, so I wouldn't let size stop you from trying this mist if you do decide to give it a go.

The actual product itself is quite hydrating, nothing special, but it does the job quite well. I like to keep it on desk with my other face products, since that's where I normally do my makeup and spend most of my time on in my room. If ever I feel like my face is a bit dry or just needs some refreshing, I spray it all over and it usually does the trick. I also sometimes use it after my face makeup if I'm not using the Etude House Lock 'N Summer Face Conditioning Fixer. While it doesn't exactly prolong the wear of your makeup, I like that it adds a healthy sheen to my face and gets rid of the cakey look people often get straight after doing their makeup. Since it's still winter here in Australia, I've also been digging the semi-dewy look as opposed to all matte.

The nozzle for this mist is your regular spray nozzle found on most spray bottles. I can get pretty picky with nozzles, only because I don't appreciate getting squirted in the face by a single stream of product. While this does do a pretty decent job at covering the whole face in a few sprays, I have noticed that it tends to squirt out random blobs of product together with the actual mist. In other words, you get big droplets of product on your face sometimes. This doesn't necessarily bother me too much though, and it doesn't seem to affect my makeup after I spray it all over. It's just something to keep mind if you prefer something that offers a finer mist.

The scent of the mist itself is definitely reminiscent of the Nature Republic aloe vera tub version, if I remember correctly. They pretty much smell identical. For those who haven't tried the the aloe vera in the tub and have no idea what I'm on about, I'd say this mist smells somewhat citrus-y and really refreshing. I think it's definitely a scent that most people would like.

Overall, it's a really decent mist. For the price and the amount of product that it comes with, I think it's definitely worth a try. The bottle itself is probably not the most convenient in terms of size if you like to carry your mist with you, though you can always pour some into a separate spray bottle. The mist isn't the finest mist too, so you probably wouldn't appreciate this if you're picky with things like that. For a basic hydrating mist though, it definitely does the job. It's refreshing and it also smells good.

Would you repurchase?
For the price and value, I probably would. I haven't tried many mists though, so I'm definitely interested in trying out some different ones out there. 

REVIEW: Sukin Facial Recovery Serum & Moisture Restoring Night Cream

Today I'll finally be reviewing Sukin's Facial Recovery Serum and Moisture Restoring Night Cream. I've been so incredibly lazy during my break that I kept putting this off, until I completely forgot about it. I've been using both products for a good 2 months now, so I have a pretty good idea of how they work.

Sukin is an Australian skincare brand who prides themselves as being natural and using natural ingredients in their products. I had never used Skin products before, but chemist warehouse was having a sale at the time and I was in need of a new serum and night cream. I personally love using the more natural products on my face, and my skin seems to like it.

The first product is the Sukin Facial Recovery Serum. The serum is marketed as "a refreshing daily facial with natural actives of kale, spiralling, parsley and acai fruit extra to restore a healthy glow." It's apparently suitable for all skin types and is paraben free. Some may also be happy to know that it's 100% vegan and carbon neutral, and is not tested on animals. It also boasts as a product that doesn't include things such as animal derivatives, harsh detergents, artificial colours, mineral oils, etc. How do you say no to that?!

Ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Decyl Oleate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract (Acai), Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract (Goji), Spirulina Platensis Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Petroselinum Crispum (Parsley) Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract (Kale), Fragrance (Parfum)*, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol.

The actual serum comes in a 30ml glass bottle with a standard pump. I found that I needed at least 1 and half to 2 pumps to cover my entire face and neck. Given that I used it both during the day and at night after my toner, it didn't last very long. I had been using the serum in conjunction with the night cream for the past 2 months, and my bottle is now completely empty. It was nice while it lasted, but its life period is probably the biggest let down. Of course if you were to only use it during either the day or at night, it would probably last you a bit longer.

Forgive the weird lighting in the pictures above, but you get the gist. The serum comes out as a white cloudy substance, almost like shampoo(?). The formula itself is quite runny, though definitely denser than water. I would pump the serum in my palm and first dot it around my face and neck before spreading it out and patting it in. The result? My face felt plump and moisturised, prepped for moisturiser. The serum also dries out matte, so it doesn't leave any sticky residue. It just feels like your skin chugged down a big bottle of water. I personally wouldn't wear it alone without a moisturiser though, nor would I say that it gives enough hydration by itself. The directions also recommend that you follow with a moisturiser.

Lastly, the scent is one that I really can't describe. If anything, it smells quite organic but not in a terrible way. I always worry that products with natural ingredients will smell like herbs or weird medicinal plants, but this serum actually smells quite pleasant. As with most products, the scent does die down once it settles into your skin.

The next product is the Sukin Moisture Restoring Night Cream. The cream is described as "Enriched with rose hip, evening primrose and borage oils to promote elasticity and protect the skin's moisture barrier." Like the serum, its marketed as being suitable for all skin types, paraben free, and doesn't include all the nasty stuff as mentioned for the serum.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil , Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Ceteareth-20, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil (Rose Hip), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Borago Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Vanillin, Vanilla Planifolia Extract, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Linalool,* Limonene.*

The cream comes in a 120ml glass jar. Its quite a thick solid glass, so nothing flimsy. The jar also comes full to the top with product, so you know you're getting a full jar of cream as opposed to 40% air. Like the serum, I've been using this cream for a good 2 months now and I've found that my jar is still just over half full. I do like to slather this stuff on, so I can see this cream lasting for maybe 4 to 5 months. 6 months if you're not as generous, though its recommended that you throw the product away 6 months after you've opened it.

The cream itself is really nice and thick and dries to a satin/matte finish when rubbed in. Great for all those people who hate a shiny finish or a sticky feeling for nighttime. Like the serum, my skin just absorbs this thick cream up and my skin feels instantly soft and plump. Despite it being such a thick formula, it's surprisingly light and doesn't feel heavy at all. You do need to apply some effort in rubbing it in due to the thick consistency, but I find that it absorbs quite well. You could probably get away with just using the cream if you decided to not purchase the serum, though I personally like to use other hydrating products under my cream to maximise the effect. 

Like the serum, the scent is hard to explain. It doesn't smell terrible whatsoever, though if I had to try describe it I'd say it smells really fresh and clean, and not overly sweet. Likewise, it doesn't smell anything like herbs but smells somewhat organic. That's a terrible description, but its just something you have to smell for yourself. It's not terribly strong or overpowering too, and the scent doesn't seem to linger for too long.

Overall, my skin has felt nice and moisturised after using the two in conjunction. I feel like the serum didn't do too much to my skin other than hydrate it, though it was a nice addition to my skincare routine while it lasted. Likewise, the cream does what it's supposed to do: moisturise. My skin looks and feels plump after using it and wake up with my face still feeling somewhat moisturised. I tend to move around while I sleep and often end up sleeping on my side, so there is a chance of my moisturiser transferring onto my pillow. Other than that, both products haven't broken me out or irritated my skin in any way. If you're just looking for a nice everyday moisturising serum or moisturiser, I'd definitely give these a go. I can't say much about the longevity of the serum, though I'm really impressed with how long the night cream has lasted me and how much product is left even after 2 months of everyday use. 

Would you repurchase?

I probably wouldn't repurchase the serum again, only because I feel like I can find better products out there that can offer me better skin properties. On the other hand, I'd be happy to repurchase the night cream again if ever I was in need of one and I didn't feel like ordering online. You get a good amount of product too, so what's there to lose?

BTS CONCERT: Melbourne 2015

So I went to go see BTS live in Melbourne on July 12 with a friend. Best. Night. Ever.

I actually started writing this yesterday, the day after the concert, but I got so caught up with feels and trying to remember the night, and ended up getting completely distracted. This is me attempting to record the beautiful memory. 

I went to sleep thinking about BTS and woke up thinking about them. Mind you, I spent several hours after I got home just reading through fan accounts, looking at photos taken by fans and watching fancams posted by others. Anything to somehow relive those moments. I ended up sleeping at 6AM due to pure exhaustion, and woke up at 1 in the afternoon. While lying in bed yesterday reading up on everyone's posts from the concert, I thought I may as well write a little something. It's honestly just a big blur right now since it happened so fast, but it'd be nice to have something to read over in the future.

The concert didn't start until 6.30pm, and doors opened at 5.30pm. My friend and I decided to go into the city a bit earlier though, to have lunch (Korean, of course) and kill time. We actually ended up having too much time to spare, so we headed to the venue just after 4pm. The weather was the worst that day, it was raining all day and it was cold and miserable #winter. Not the best weather to welcome BTS.

Everyone was able to get a cute little banner, prepared by the Australian BTS fan club. We were expected to hold them up during the chorus in 'I Need U'. It was super thoughtful, and a nice way to show our love. Not to mention, a nice little souvenir for fans. 

They gave out little BTS photo cards too, organised by the Australian BTS fan club on twitter.

We must've got to the venue around 4.30pm. I knew some Korean fansites came to both Sydney and Melbourne concerts, and were giving out free gifts. The fansites usually post info on twitter but I could't check it earlier that day, so we were too late and missed out on the freebies. I just wanted a V slogan :( We ended up waiting inside the venue building for about an hour once we arrived. The place was already packed with people by then, just chilling around in their BTS gear, some even cosplayed. We waited just outside our door, so we could hear some sound coming from inside the actual venue. It was probably just sound check, but the thought of BTS inside just metres away was dkvbirwugkbj to say the least. 

We found our seats as soon as we got in. My friend and I had balcony seats so since we were so high up, we expected to have a pretty good view of the stage. It totally exceeded my expectations once I actually sat down though. My view was so good, I could see the whole stage clearly. We were fortunate enough to get second row seats, so were super close to the front. Being my first time in the venue, I didn't expect the balcony seats to be so steep, which was fab because we could see over the people in front of us. Since my friend and I had individual tickets with different seats, we had a whole plan to talk to the people in between us about possibly moving over. We were literally 9 seats away. Luckily, no one ended up sitting in the seat next to me so we were able to fangirl together throughout the whole concert. Despite not having light sticks, we ended up making good use of our extra glow sticks and just waved them around throughout the whole thing.

I didn't end up bringing my camera since I didn't really want to risk it. Security didn't even end up doing a bag check though, so I totally could've. I did have my phone at least. Security was pretty tight with photography, and they even warned all of us about live streaming, taking photos, and filming. So what do I do? I film. Although I did manage to film short snippets of some performances, they're all around 10 seconds long and I decided that I just wanted to enjoy the concert honestly. I was in a deep trance throughout the whole concert anyway, so I really didn't bother taking out my phone for most of it.

Someone had already put up the setlist from the BTS Sydney show, so I had an idea of what they were going to perform. The songs went in this order:

Opening VCR

N.O

We Are Bulletproof Pt.2

We On

힙합성애자 (Hiphop Lover)

Let Me Know

Rain

이불긱 (Blanket Kick)

하루만 (Just One Day)

예기 봐 (Look Here)

Outro: Propose

VCR

No More Dream

Tomorrow

Miss Right

좋아 (I Like It)

If I Rule the World

Cypher Pt.3: Killer

호르몬 전쟁 (War of Hormones)

Danger

I Need U

상남자 (Boy In Luv)

Predebut VCR

Road/Path

쩔어 (DOPE)

흥탄소년단 (Fun Boys)

지겍의 방탄 (Rise of Bangtan)

Time for the good stuff! I feel like I've forgotten a lot of it to be honest, but I do remember some things here and there. I'll just attempt to go through what I can remember and what stood out to me. 

When it was time to start, the lights were dimmed and everyone started screaming. Not long after, they started playing a VCR. It was a school classroom concept, so the VCR showed dialogue of a teacher taking BTS' attendance. They then played an epic clip of BTS storming into the classroom all badass, full guyliner and all. The lights were dimmed again after the VCR and not long after, 7 figures walked out onto the stage in the dark. They must've worn white, since I remember being able to see their bright silhouettes despite it being so dark. All of a sudden N.O started playing and they started walking down the little set of stairs to the main stage. I can't even explain it in words, that feeling. They started performing N.O straight away and I was just left in awe. I was so fixated on them all, I was like a fat kid eyeing candy. I couldn't take my eyes off them, let alone come to terms with the fact that these 7 beautiful people were performing just metres away from me. I was in the same room as them. I remember just frantically tapping my friend and shrieking "oh my god they're real!" 

The fanchants throughout the whole concert were really really impressive. I feel like most of us just ended up singing (screaming) the entire songs, though it was obvious that a lot of people had memorised the official fanchants. BTS had a little break and greeted us after the first 2 songs. Their English though, omg. They all introduced themselves in English and we all screamed for each member. It's not clear, but I do remember Rap monster talking about how deep and meaningful their songs are and how he wanted to convey that to us. His voice is so soothing, I don't know what it is but I'd be happy to just listen to him speak all day. I remember him asking us, "Can you guys understand our songs?" and we just screamed back as if saying yes. He was like, "Wow, you guys must be good at Korean!" He also talked about how their series of concerts is a trilogy, and emphasised that there would a third part and that we should look forward to it. J-Hope was hella cute too, they all had a drink and J-Hope was like, "It's so hot... hot, hot, hot!" in his usual dorky manner. Cutie. 

Blanket Kick was such a cute performance. I remember seeing Jungkook running backstage just after they finished singing Rain. I had watched the dance practice to the song on youtube before so I knew the choreo. They had a little break just before performing again and Rap monster said something about being BTS being cute. The stage people pulled out a bed on stage and the whole audience went crazy. If you've watched the dance practice, you'll know that Jungkook pops up from under the covers at his part. The music started playing and it wasn't until I realised there were only 6 of them on stage that I turned to my friend and screamed while pointing "Omg Jungkook... he's gonna pop up!" So cute, ugh. I want to pick them all up and put them in my pocket. There was also a little J-Hope/Jimin action on stage during the middle. J-Hope made it look like he was kissing Jimin and full on pushed him onto the wall behind him.

Rap monster, Suga and J-Hope left the stage for Propose so it was just the vocal line. Man, they can sing. They all sound as good as the real track, Jungkook still manages to sound so soulful live and Jimin can definitely hit those high notes. They were all sitting on spinning stools for the performance, but they got up and started playing around on stage. I think it was during this performance where Jin kept looking at the big screen behind him to check who was on big screen. At one point he even spun his whole stool around and just sat there staring at it. He kept turning around to check who was on, and would turn back around as if to check on our reaction (mainly consisting of screaming and loud noises). He was still looking at the screen when the camera suddenly focused on him at his part, and he turned back around with a sort of expectant expression. Of course, we couldn't not scream for our pink princess. The amount of Jimin/Jungkook action though. Jimin went over to Jungkook, then Jin came and Jimin pulled Jungkook away as if he was playing the role of a jealous boyfriend (Jikook shippers hola). That went on for pretty much the whole performance, though I can't say Jungkook looked like he particularly hated it. The Jimin/Jungkook ship sailed so hard that night. V seemed to be in his own world, from what I can remember. 

No Dream came on after another VCR. I'll be honest, the only thing I remember from that performance is Jimin's abs. I think we were all expecting it. When it came time, I made sure to really focus on him. Safe to say, everyone went crazy. I got such a good look of them despite being so far up. They're so defined, just his whole body skcsbfukjf his arms. I was blessed that day. Tomorrow came on after No Dream and omg. My jam. I've loved that song ever since their album dropped. The body rolls though. Enough said. Miss Right was next and it was super cute. The boys got us to sing along to the chorus, karaoke style with lyrics on the big screen. They made us practise once before they started singing. Everything was great honestly, though there was that one line that had really complicated Korean and we all like "sjdsdbigjkg... saram" V was being hella cute too and tried covering the song lyrics on the big screen with his arms. The instrumental would stop during the chorus at times, and BTS would make us sing the chorus back to them. 

The Cypher stage was probably one of my favourite stages on the night, or it really stood out to me at least. It was rapper line, so only Rap moster, Suga and J-Hope were on stage. I was always aware that they were great rappers but damn, they really outdid themselves. Suga is so underrated, his live was so on point! The stage was so hyped overall and their rap was so clear and powerful. I hadn't really paid much attention to the track in the past but after hearing it live, I can't get enough of it. After Danger, Rap monster introduced I Need U as one of their most recent songs. When it came to the chorus, we all held our banners up like planned. It was so beautiful, just being able to look down on the audience under us holding up their banners too. I hope the boys appreciated it. It must've looked so nice from their view on stage.

After Boy In Luv, they played a VCR of clips from their pre-debut phase and clips from debut. It was really heart-warming and there were English subtitles for us so it was even more meaningful. We were all "Awww"-ing in unison. I remember discovering them a couple of months before they officially debuted, and just how pumped I was to finally see them perform on TV. It really made me think of just how hard-working these boys are, and how much they've grown as artists. I'm sure all fans can relate. They played Road/Path straight after and it was a nice time to just chill and appreciate their voices. I don't quite remember if any of the members said anything, but all the boys left the stage after it ended and the lights were turned on, as if to signal the concert was over. Not long after, everyone started chanting "BTS" Next thing we know, they casually walk out on stage in their changed outfits. Rap monster said a little something and finally introduced the next song Dope. 

Dope was probably another one of my favourite performances. It's been my jam ever since they released their new album. It was so hyped, everyone on the balcony ended up getting up from their seats. We had been sitting down for a majority of the concert, but I guess the adrenaline just got to us. The boys were hyped, we were hyped. It was just a really fun performance.

The last 2 songs were Fun boys and Rise of Bangtan. Jungkook suddenly came out with a gopro camera during Rise of Bangtan, so he was filming here and there. All the boys were really playful, they still sung while doing the choreography, and they handed the camera around to each member. I assume they'll do something with the footage, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I knew the end was nearing so it was really bitter sweet. After they finished performing they talked to us one last time. Everyone said their thank you's and Rap monster did most of the talking, as expected. He spoke about the time he was in New Zealand 10 years ago. He said he watched the Melbourne Cup (A horse racing event in Melbourne), and talked about how great it was to see all the horses running. Then he said how funny it was that back then he watched the horses run, but 10 years later we (the fans) are here watching BTS run around on stage. He probably would have never guessed that he'd be where he is now 10 years later. He also taught us the Korean word for thank you (kamsahamnida) and made us repeat after them.

They finally said their last goodbye's and started leaving one by one. V and Jimin were the last to leave the stage. I Need U started playing in the background so Jimin started singing along, before he and V finally left. They played another cute VCR once they left the stage, with rolling credits and extra scenes of BTS being adorable. We all stayed to watch till the end, while still singing along to I Need U playing in the background. Once that was over, Dope started playing and we all (reluctantly) started to get up and exit. Once we were out I had to sit down and take a breather, I needed time to let everything sink in. It was like I had just watched a 3D movie, and we were casually leaving. Back to reality.

Extras: There were definitely some other cute moments throughout the concert, like the boys playing rock paper scissors to decide which one had to do aegyo. It might've been during Miss Right, though I can't quite remember. Rap monster asked us if we knew the Korean word aegyo and spelt it out for us. It came down to Rap monster versus V, but V ended up losing. Regardless, all of them ended up doing aegyo that night. They also spoke a lot during their breaks and Rap monster said some really meaningful things. I could probably go on writing to be honest, but I feel like I've covered a lot already. I may or may not add to this if I do end up remembering more. Nonetheless, it was a really memorable night and one that I'll never forget. Now excuse me while I wallow in my own self pity.

Bonus selfie from the night ^^

HAUL: Roseroseshop ☆

So much for posting more often, let's just admit that I suck at this. In reality though, I just haven't had all that much to blog about. Apologies. I'll try harder, I promise.

In my last post I mentioned that I bought in bulk with my friends. Well, it arrived. Since I wasn't the one who placed the order, my friends and I caught up the other day to distribute our goodies. It totally looked like we were dealing drugs out it in the open, even I'd be suspicious. We ordered from roseroseshop, if that wasn't already obvious from the title. I've only ever bought from their eBay store, though I had only heard good things from the people that have ordered from their site.

I wasn't too fussed with the samples, so I let my friend keep them all.

While I'd love to say that I bought everything you see in the photo above, I didn't want my bank account to start weeping (let's be honest, it's probably already bathing in its own tears). So, in an effort to rule it down to a couple of items, I ending up buying 5 products in total. Despite wanting to buy the whole store, I did manage to control myself. Applause!

I don't think I was looking for anything in particular, so I just went it looking for anything that appealed to me. I bought:

★ Nature Republic Aloe Vera Mist 92% Soothing Gel Mist

★ 3W Clinic Intensive UV Sunblock Cream

★ Innisfree Mineral Shading (#07 Sweet Vanilla)

★ Etude House Dr. Mascara Fixer (Perfect Lash)

★ Secret Key Snow White Skin Booster (for my mum)

Other than the skin booster, I'll probably make a review for each if I can remember. I've also got some other products getting shipped my way, so I'm looking forward to trying those out too. 

(Shoutout to my swag buddy Natt and her boyfriend for ordering everything, and even taking photos for me)

Update ☆

Zzzzzz finally! I really need to start taking care of my blog more ㅠㅠ

It's pretty much been a month since my last post, a bit pathetic if you ask me. I do have a good excuse though, believe me. University thought it would be good to bombard me with multiple assessments in the span of one month, basically. In between all of that, I was just really lazy and had no real motivation with so many things happening at once. Forgive me.

I had my last exam of the semester last Tuesday though, so I have technically reclaimed my freedom. It hasn't even been a week since holidays started, but I've already fallen into my usually holiday routine of sleeping at a ridiculous time in the morning and waking up at lunchtime. This can't be healthy. I also got offered a place at my host university in Japan not long ago. So uh, things just got official. I pretty much got the all-clear to start booking flights, organising insurance, and whatnot.

Since I leave for Japan in early September, I won't be returning for my second semester of university here. In other words, I pretty much have a whole 3 months to myself. Other than revising all the Japanese I've ever learnt in my life, I now officially have more time to blog! I think I may have some stuff I'd like to review soon, and I'm also waiting on some new Korean products to arrive since some friends and I bought in bulk (Shoutout to N8 u da bomb.com). I also have the BTS concert coming up this July, 35 days and counting omg.

That's pretty much it. I vow to take better care of this blog and post more often. I honestly live thee most boring life ever though, so this may be a challenge ^^;;;;;

Dog Lovers Show

So last weekend I was able to volunteer at the Dog Lovers Show in Melbourne. For those who don't know, it's basically a huge exhibition for all things dog related. There were dogs of all sizes and different breeds literally everywhere, dog supplies for sale, special dog performances, dog related activities, and even a chance to pat each and every dog in the exhibition.
You could call it dog heaven, if you must.

My first shift was on the Saturday from 9.30am to 5pm, despite the actual exhibition starting at 10am. Since the most practical way of getting there was by tram, and the fact that I take a whole day to get ready, I woke up at 6am to make sure I had time to make myself look decent and catch the tram to the place. The first day was hella exhausting and I was allowed to go home early since all I was doing was handing out show guides at the entrance, and people had stopped coming in. Sunday was probably the most enjoyable, despite it being the busiest day. I was only rostered for 9.30am to 1pm that day, so I had a chance to take photos and enjoy the actual exhibition after my shift.

Outside the exhibition building

They recommended wearing "comfortable" shoes, but my feet still ached after a day of standing and walking around. My legs look so chubby from this angle, I don't even know why I took a photo of my feet. Moving on...

Bonus artistic angle shot of outside the exhibition building in the morning, since I arrived too early and I didn't want to be the first volunteer to show up. The struggle was real.

I got some sneaky shots of the main stage on my phone, while I was on duty making sure no one was leaning on the railing and whatnot. I didn't tell anyone off that day, I thought it was awkward enough walking around trying to look like I was relevant. It was pretty crowded throughout the whole building though, to say the least.

Cue the cute dog photos!

Yes, that is a dog wearing a tutu.

I couldn't get enough of this rainbow poodle!

I didn't notice this cute little puppy at first since it was all the way in the corner. At this point I just felt like dying, it was so cute I just couldn't handle. I literally dragged myself out of the exhibition after this, I wanted every puppy in the building. Overall, it was a pretty good first experience of volunteering though and I'd probably do it again. 

Shoutout to my bby Tu for telling me about this opportunity, you da bomb

I'M SEEING BANGTAN!

Breathe in, breathe out. I am calm, no, not really. How do you even calm when you know that you're going to see BTS in July, in your own city?!? This time not just on a screen, but in person. It was a stressful morning to say the least, but tickets are bought and it's confirmed ㅠㅠ

Let me tell you a little story, a situation worthy of making the top 10 worst nightmares a fangirl could possibly experience. It's short, I promise. First, the organisers only gave us 4 days notice of when tickets would go on sale. "It's fine, I have enough in my account" I thought. I then transfer my friend's money into my account the day before the ticket sale, and go home happy. I check my account balance at home that same night and would you look at that, I'm literally $5 short of what I actually need. I then try not to freak out and ask my mum to transfer at least $10 into my account. Mind you, the tickets went on sale this morning at 9AM. Long story short, the extra money didn't turn up in my bank account this morning so I literally had to rush to the bank at my university at around 9.30, looking like a corpse who had just escaped its coffin, and manually deposit money into my account. I then went on to have a mini heart attack thinking all tickets were sold out.

While I did manage to get tickets in the end though, 5 minutes before my 10AM lecture, I wasn't able to get the tickets we wanted and I was only able to get single seats. But ayyyyyy I should be thankful I'm even going. Okay, end of story.