My Filming Setup | Canon 600D/ T3i + Rode VideoMic GO

I recently bought a new camera so I thought I would fill you guys in on my current filming setup.

I have always dreamed of owning a DSLR camera so when I finally bought one almost a month ago I was ecstatic. As a Media, Film and Communications major I thought it essential that I have a quality camera setup, and now I do.

I am currently using the Canon EOS 600D paired with the Rode VideoMic GO for my YouTube videos. I also use the Canon 600D for the pictures on this blog. And for those extra nosy people (I kid, I kid) I use the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS6 to film follow me vlogs.

I bought the Canon EOS 600D Twin Lens Kit last month from JB HiFi for $699 as a part of their Black Friday sale. If it weren't for the fact that this was a whopping $500 discount I would have definitely not bought it but at that price I just had to have it.
I can happily say that the 600D is most definitely the best camera I have ever owned. Previous to buying it I was using a Canon IXUS 155 for my videos and this is a definite step up. The quality is amazing and the settings are fantastic meaning far better quality videos and a much happier Angel. I love the fact that it records full 1080p HD video and the viewfinder is a happy bonus. This is by far one of the best purchases I have ever made and I am extremely happy with it.

For those curious as to what that is on top of the camera it is my Rode VideoMic GO. I bought the on Saturday so I haven't had much of chance to play around with it yet but basically it's job is to make me sound 10x better and eliminate a lot of background noise. Not to mention making me look super professional ;P
I can't really say much about it yet but from the little amount of playing around I've done with it I can tell you that it is a definite improvement from the onboard mic and gives a really good crisp sound. I bought this from my local Photo Warehouse for $129. You can also purchase it online from their website. As far as I know this was the cheapest I was able to get it and even if it wasn't it was well worth not having to wait on postage.

In terms of lighting I use two softboxes I purchased from CrazySales. They retail at $169.99 but I purchased mine on one of the website's one day sales for $109.99 including shipping. You can find them here.

I hope that this post has helped you out if you are looking into buying any of these products. I absolutely love them all and am glad to be able to produce good quality content using all of these pieces of equipment. If you have any questions about the equipment mentioned in this post be sure to leave a comment and I will do my best to answer it for you!

- Angel

March Favourites | Garnier, omSHE, Gerard + MORE!

Anyone who has seen our YouTube channel or the collab we are in will know that March was the month of the hauls. Online shopping is dangerous. DANGEROUS I TELL YOU. One thing leads to another and you have three or four packages turning up on your doorstep at once. Who is the genius that thought it was a smart idea to give me a debit card?

Anyway, lots of shopping means lots of new products to try out and I discovered some products, both new and old, that I absolutely LOVE during March and thought I would share some of my March favourites with you guys.

 120 Eyeshadow Palette

 The first of my March favourites is this 120 colour eyeshadow palette which cost me $10 from Kiwieshop. I love these because the shadows are really pigmented and there is a huge variety of colour. Unfortunately these are all sold out but you should keep an eye out on their website for when they restock because these are incredibly handy.

Gerard Cosmetics Lipstick and omSHE Lip Liner

I have have been obsessed with the combination of Gerard Cosmetics' Berry Smoothie lipstick and omSHE's Sienna lip liner.

I have owned this lip liner for ages but never had a lipstick that really matched it but paired with Berry Smoothie it is perfect. The lipstick is from Gerard Cosmetics and costs US$19. Also, you can purchase the liner from omSHE for AU$11.95. I have some more Gerard Cosmetics lipsticks on the way and will probably do a blog post when they arrive.

ELF Cosmetics Shimmer Palette

 As a Uni student I don't exactly have a big budget to work with so ELF is one of my absolute favourite brands as it brings both quality and low price. I recently bought the ELF Shimmer Palette and I am absolutely in LOVE with it. The white shade is perfect for highlighting my brow bone and it comes with a really handy brush. I bought this for US$3.99 from BeautyJoint which is very cheap as the same thing would probably be twice the price here in NZ.

ELF Essential Lipstick - Sociable

If you've read my previous post you will know that I recently bought all 12 shades of the ELF Essential Lipsticks. Sociable is my absolute favourite shade from this collection. It is a muted red lipstick with flecks of glitter throughout it. I think this looks amazing on and the lipstick itself is super moisturising and pigmented making it the perfect red for me. I bought this for US$1.99 from BeautyJoint.

Kmart Fig & Papaya Scented Candle

I have an unhealthy obsession with scented candles and this Fig & Papaya candle from Kmart is my absolute favourite right now. I have managed to almost burn through two of these in the last couple of weeks, that's how good they are. The scent is lovely and fresh and the candles give off a lot of smell. These cost on NZ$1 from Kmart.

 Kmart Berry Scented Candle

The other candle I have been loving this past month is this berry scented candle also from Kmart. I received this for my birthday in February and lit it for the first time last week and it smells absoutely amazing! Like the Fig & Papaya it lets of a lot of smell and left my room smelling amazing. This one was NZ$4 from Kmart.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I bought this on recommendation from Alex and have not regretted it at all. This is an amazing makeup remover and takes of my makeup much better than makeup wipes ever have for me. It also leaves my skin feeling refreshed and smooth. The great part is that it is non-scented making it perfectly suited for those with more sensitive skin. This is definitely one of the best purchases I have made in a long time and only cost NZ$11 from New World but a little birdie tells me they sell it for NZ$9 at Countdown. This is a product I will most definitely be repurchasing.

That is it for my March favourites guys! I hope that this has encouraged you to perhaps try out some new products and I hope that you will love them just as much as I do. Here's hoping April will bring even more fantastic new things to my collection!

- Angel x

ELF Essential Lipsticks - Review + Swatches!

I have been going through a lips phase and just about every makeup item I've bought in the the last few months has been a lipstick. Lipsticks are an obsession that can become very expensive especially here in New Zealand where prices are dramatically inflated. So, I was excited when I came across the ELF Essential lipsticks.
Unfortunately my local Kmart did not have these in stock so I ordered 8 of the 12 shades from iHerb for US$1.99 each and the other four shades that iHerb did not have from BeautyJoint for US$1.99 each.
I absolutely LOVE these lipsticks! They are super pigmented and are very moisturising. My favourite shades would have to be sociable and voodoo. Sociable is a slightly different formula to the other shades and contains specks of glitter which is why it is one of my favourites.
However, I do wish there was a bit more variety with the colours because a lot of them look very similar to me.
If you are considering buying these I would definitely recommend them. At $1.99 each they are an absolute bargain and are well worth adding to your collection!


(I've misplaced Flirtatious so I wasn't able to swatch it)

These are a definite must have and look amazing on! I should hopefully be doing a video with lip swatches for these very soon so keep an eye out on the Kiwse YouTube and subscribe to be notified when I do.

- Angel x