Mister Bovary's Current Favourites

When it comes to my husband, low-key is the perfect way to describe him! Since I've slowly been working beauty products into his routine he has enough of a product pool to pick some favourites for me, so here is his inaugural current favourites post! 

Scent is a driving factor for so many of his favourites, so it makes sense that two of his favourites are aftershaves! His very favourite is Polo Red by Ralph Lauren, but he recently hijacked my bottle of Calvin Klein CK2* that is marketed as a unisex fragrance. It doesn't mesh all that well with me but he loves the oceanic scent on himself so I was happy to let him take over use of the bottle.

Another seemingly random favourite of his? Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist, which smells divine and is another item we 'share' but that he uses more of by far. He loves that it relaxes him and his skin drinks it up, plus I love the cool mist and luxurious scent right before bed every evening.

He hardly ever does anything to his hair (beanies are his newfound love!) but when he does it's all about the MUK Hard Muk Styling Mud, which is a firm paste that tousles his short hair perfectly. I buy him the 2 pack when it goes on special at Hairhouse Warehouse so we always have it on the go for special occasions. Staples in his routine are his beloved Rexona (we share as I prefer the male selection to the floral and sweet female deodorants!) and the Biore Pore Strips - grossly satisfying, am I right?

Is your man into primping or preening? What is his favourite product? Is there anything cool you think I should buy for Mister to try out and review for you?
-Emma x


*Product provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

May Favourites

All it takes to reinvigorate my love for beauty is a few new products to trial, finding an old favourite and seeing beauty products through someone else's eyes. A few weeks back my niece asked me to do her makeup for a party she was going to, and it was fun to rifle through the beauty drawers to find products that would suit a 15 year old, and that I was confident enough to use on someone for the first time. The star of the show for that makeover (apart from my gorgeous niece, obviously) was the Rimmel Kate Moss Sculpting and Highlighting Palette* - a surprise favourite of mine, since my typical cheek choices are distinctly mid-high end. The bronzer is what really sold me on this one, buttery and pigmented, and blends without effort which is what I need for my fair skin.

In terms of other base products I've returned to my half-full tube of Rimmel Matte BB Cream in Light*, which has impressed me so much that I recently purchased a back-up tube during the half price sale at Chemist Warehouse. It has the coverage of a foundation with the ease of application that a BB Cream would typically provide, making it a morning routine go-to when I've spent too long hitting the snooze button on cold mornings. The other face product that made it into the top tier for May was the MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural, which I'm much more enamoured with now than when I first trialled it. It gives a healthy glowing finish to the skin rather than the stark matte base I typically lean towards, which is quite refreshing for this cold weather and my dry skin seems to appreciate that.

Eyes have been done up with either my Too Faced Bon Bons palette or my Revlon Photoready Eye Art Lid + Line + Lash in Peach Prism with a slash of Maybelline Master Graphic Liquid Liner*. I'm loving how the addition of a jet black liquid line can really frame my eyes, and I can apply it really quickly with this sharpie-esque liner which is just what I was after. Lips have been pretty low-key (read; lazy) with my NYX Butter Glosses getting a workout - possibly my favourite gloss formula of all?

NYX Butter Gloss
Revlon Peach Prism (lid colour + glitter liner)
Rimmel Kate Moss palette - highlight, bronzer and blush

Last but not least we have the sweet Britney Spears Intimate Fantasy perfume, which I alternate with my staple Guerlain scent and genuinely adore, and my very first Kate Somerville sample which I was immediately impressed with. I received the Exfolikate Cleanser sample in my Mecca Beauty Loop Box (post here) and loved how luxuriously it cleansed my skin - it's been placed onto my running to-buy list for when I work through my backlog of skincare products (so I might get a chance to buy it in the next 5 years, ha!)

Emma x

Current Favourites - March '16

I've jolted myself out of the funk I've been in lately to grab a few products that have been singing to me for this post. It's a general favourite product post rather than the monthly round up that sometimes causes me to drop favourites in order to gather fresh material - am I the only one who subconsciously does this? I think this strategy should help me carve out a natural rotation with my beauty products, because after all I'm a bit of a magpie who flits between things enough as it is.

 

I've actually stuck to a decent routine when it comes to moisture masks and body lotions - I'm enamoured with the Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask* which I tend to leave on overnight, and the Bath and Body Works Sweet Magnolia & Clementine Body Lotion which smells utterly delightful. A handbag favourite that's been much needed for the generally-unwell Bovary household is the Soap & Glory Hand Maid Antibacterial Cleansing Gel*, which always garners compliments thanks to that famous Soap & Glory scent.

Speaking of scent, the return of my staple fragrance has sparked the thought of ridding myself of a host of other bottles in my collection - there are very few days when I don't want to smell of Guerlain Champs Elysees, you know what I mean? I feel stronger when I wear this, and very mature which I like.

Colorpop's Jellyfish Blush was a last minute addition to my cart and don't those always end up being the best part of a haul? The bright shade is intimidating in the pan but on the cheek it brightens me up with ease, and I love the natural glow it adds to my cheeks. Colourpop Wisp Highlighter has also turned me off some of my other highlighters for the time being and I love how fast I can apply it with my fingers - it looks like it would be too dark for me but it blends so easily and I find it perfect. Last but definitely not least is the amazing Too Faced Love Flush Blush Wardrobe, part of my recent Too Faced haul that has been getting a major workout from me in the last few weeks. I went through and wore each shade in succession before declaring my love for this, and surprisingly I've used more of the shades Love Hangover and I Will Always Love You than Baby Love which I found pretty surprising given my penchant for neutral blushes? Perhaps the tides are turning...

What is your blush love at the moment?

Have you tried any of the Colourpop cheek products?

-Emma x

*Products provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

October Favourites

I feel like I'm repeating myself with quite a few of these selections, but I'm all for hearing about the top notch products that someone always uses so figured I'd share what I'd been loving for the month of October anyway. I was firmly focused on using up some makeup and skincare during the month as well as purging my nail polish collection so I didn't trial too much in terms of new products, but I did fall in love with a new lip combination, test out a new release foundation and fall back in love with some old favourites. 

I stuck to primarily one look this month, and it was a quick and simple one that had me out the door fast whilst still looking pulled together (I hope!) My main base of choice was a sample pot of the newly released Too Faced Born This Way Foundation that a lovely sales assistant at Mecca Maxima Doncaster gave me - this is definitely on the to-buy list and a little birdy told me a lighter shade is being released in early '16 so am waiting it out for now...eyes were my Inglot Trio Palette which looks quite new despite being thrashed around all the time at Chez Bovary! I then alternated between two lip looks for the month - either a swipe of MAC Vamplify Lipgloss in Anything but Demure*, or a layering of Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner Eastend Snob + Colourpop Westie + MAC Cremesheen Glass Fashion Scoop for a complex but perfect pale pink lip look.

Lovely smelling favourites were my Travalo perfume atomiser which helped me use up a few perfumes and my L'Occitane Lavande Cologne* which is serious bedroom luxury. I was going to sneak in a picture of my new nail polish drawers (I'm seriously obsessed!) but they aren't fully organised yet so I'm going to save that for another day. I also couldn't post a favourites without mentioning the skincare that I've fallen in love with and am sad to be finishing up - Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, it was love at first scoop!

 

What products did you love in the month of October?

What cleansing balm do you think I should try next?

-Emma

 

*Products provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

September Beauty Favourites

September passed me by quite quickly this year, and it may be cliche to say but I really cannot believe it's already October! Even though we're enjoying the first nice bursts of spring weather here in Australia I'm absolutely loving all the fall videos on YouTube and am dreaming about Bath & Body Works opening in Australia (not long now!) so I can load up on pumpkin spice errrthang! I wasn't sure if I had enough to post a favourites this month but when I looked around I realised I had a stack to talk about, so here we go!

Skincare was a major thing for me this month - not only am I lusting over Paula's Choice skincare and all of the luxe brands I want to try out at Mecca, I needed to dive into my own under-sink stash to save my skin this month! I'm not sure what I reacted to but my face broke out in a major way - cystic acne and small whiteheads on my chin and cheeks, which was painful and put me in a grump. I reached for my Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel and it's a strong one, which suited my situation perfectly. Team that with my beloved La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo and my skin is finally getting back to normal.

I'm so surprised whenever I meet someone who doesn't own a Travalo perfume atomiser...seriously, they are amazing! Mine is filled with Vivienne Westwood's Flirty Alice* at the moment (blog post here if you want to read the notes!) and I love freshening up during the work day with a quick spray. Something I've been spraying on liberally at home is the Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Fine Fragrance Mist that I bought in Hawaii - it's a must for any vanilla lover out there, I really hope they bring this one out in Australia as it would be a best seller for sure.

I had my fringe trimmed so wore it down for the majority of the month, and Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo was a life saver to fluff it up and stop it from separating. I've also begun using the new Tresemme Perfectly (un)Done Wave Creating Sea Foam for Soft Waves. I've so far only used this on dry locks (the directions are to use it damp but I'm a rebel, ha!) but love how soft yet subtly defined my wavy hair becomes when I use it. I'm also rather enamoured by the packaging and colour of this stuff, and bought another piece from the range that I'm currently testing alongside this, so I might have to report back.

I had a few stressed out/lazy eyeshadow-free days this month which is so unlike me, but on the days I was my usual self I busted out my Clinique Neutral Territory 2 Palette which is so beautifully blendable that it takes my breath away each and every time I use it! It does all the hard work for you and the colours are so stunning, it makes me want to invest in more Clinique makeup to be honest. I'm also still loving the Glastonberry shadow single from the new essence Love & Sound Collection that I posted about here and used in this makeup look. For a bit of glamour I've turned to Colourpop's So Quiche which definitely deserves its own post someday - it's grown up glitter done in the best possible way.

Cheeks have stuck to Max Factor's Crème Puff Blush in Nude Mauve despite all the gorgeous blushes staring at me from my drawers, something about it is so effortless and easy to wear and I just can't seem to get enough. I'm currently trying to use up this Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream* since I've had it for quite a while, but I'm definitely going to repurchase this as the pigmentation and finish is even better than some foundations in my drawer (I know right? Madness!) The most recent addition to my makeup drawers is the MAC Vamplify Lipgloss in Anything But Demure* which immediately surpassed any expectations I had for such a pigmented gloss - the colour is divine and it feels so lush on the lips, I'm so impressed by this and I didn't actually think I would like it as much as I do.

I'm really excited for the month ahead, and have a whole lot of exciting things in the pipeline that should make it a great month for me! Mister Bovary and I celebrate our first wedding anniversary at the end of October and have a fun Melbourne staycation planned that I am beyond excited for, so I'm planning to read up on travel packing posts soon to make sure I don't overdo it as I normally would! Feel free to leave links below if you've posted something, or if you've seen a post around that has helped you curb your overpacking habits.

Much love!
Emma

July Favourites



I didn't think I had much to bring to the table in regards to monthly favourites for July, but the work essentials made me smile and I thought that alone deserved their inclusion into this post. I fell back in love with an old favourite scent, found some accessories that made me feel a million bucks and had a staple makeup routine down pat for the weekdays!

I have decided that it is official - I have an obsession with fragrance mists! I have quite the collection happening (would you be interested in a collection post for them?) The latest in my stash is Britney Spears Curious. This one really pulls at my heartstrings - it was the first perfume Mister bought me many years ago and just one sniff takes me back to those early-dating butterflies (mushy though that may sound!) I actually really like the smell of most Britney scents I've tried - sweet and celebrity aren't a turn off for me when it comes to perfume it seems!

Another love of the month (and beyond) has been my collection of Chanel Joues Contraste Blushes; here I've showcased Jersey and In Love, but most of my shades have been in the rotation for a while now and my love for them only grows with each use.

When it comes to my daily face, I've been doing well by using my Laura Mercier Sweetheart Lip Glace which is part of my Project Use It Up (which is going terribly, in case you were wondering!) It's an easy thing to swipe on for work and it keeps my lips in nice condition without being high maintenance. I've also been using my L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Matte Foundation* daily and am loving the finish it gives my skin - I recently finished up my Revlon Colorstay Whipped Crème Makeup and this is what has taken that place in my daily drawer.

I've also come to appreciate my Napoleon Perdis Crease Brush more than ever, it's always been in use but perhaps this is the first time I've singled it out as a favourite? It's the perfect shape for applying and buffing colour into my crease and I love how easy it makes any eye look. A lifestyle favourite for my has to be my iPad, and more importantly the reading apps I have on it (iBooks, Kindle etc) I was recently sent Sex, Lies, and Cruising* by Cathryn Chapman and I really enjoyed it! It made me yearn for a cruise and I can't wait to read the follow up novel which is out in October: Love, Drugs, and New York. I also love that it was written by a fellow Australian!

More lifestyle favourites, a bit of a change from the usual for me! I've been smashing the Eclipse Spearmint Mint's lately, they aren't too spicy for me and the flavour is addictive - a bonus is that they stop me from snacking so much throughout the day! I've been loving little pouches lately to help with handbag organisation and while I lust over a Mimco design, I'm content (for now) with my little cheapie from Cotton On in the blue/leopard colourway. On the accessory front I've become interested in earrings once more - the golden discs have been my go-to for special nights out and the sterling silver shepherd's hook style balls have been my favourite for weekdays!

I hope August is shaping up to be a lovely month for you thus far - I'm laid out with a cold but am taking the self-imposed house arrest as time for redecorating and clearing out some unwanted bits and pieces so it isn't all bad. Do you have any tips on how to let go of possessions around the house? I would love to know!
Emma x

*Products provided for consideration but are honest favourites!

May Favourites

It's hard to fathom that winter is already upon us; just yesterday it feels like I pulled down my Christmas tree and begun the new year but here we are, almost half way through 2015. It's been a great year for me so far and May treated me kindly enough - the winter coats were brought out and I began working longer hours so time to play with my beloved beauty products was scarce, so true favourites formed easily and were oft reached for.

 

I'm still enjoying the lip products I discovered recently - the sheer terracotta MAC Hot Tahiti, the wearable essence Cool Nude and the seriously on-trend essence Lip Pencil in Satin Mauve (which was recently ruined down to a stump by an old-school pencil sharpener - whoops!) I've been pairing them each day with my new obsession - the Max Factor Crème Puff Blush in Nude Mauve which deserves a full review of it's own.



Each day has seen me reaching for an essence Long Lasting Eyeliner of some sort - I have every shade available and love them all dearly, but most frequently worn is Hot Chocolate, Berry Merry and Hot Scorch. I've also taken to keeping my rollerball of Elizabeth & James Nirvana White in my purse for daily touch-ups, though I daresay Nirvana Black would also feature had I not misplaced it in my beauty room. The strangest favourite for the month of May would have to be my Invisibobble* - I tie my hair up in a knot around the house while cleaning or lounging around and these are cute and fit my thick long hair nicely.

For special occasions I've been using this sample sized YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking Mascara* which may be the tube that brings me over to the dark side of expensive mascaras...I've also been using and loving Colourpop Cricket dusted over my lids for a nice deep purple look. I still haven't decided how I feel about my Colourpop goodies yet but I will post my haul for you shortly.

Max Factor
MAC Hot Tahiti
essence Cool Nude
essence Satin Mauve
Colourpop Cricket

 



June looks to be a good month for me - I plan on saving a bit more than usual with increased work hours for the month and a trip to the Myer beauty section is hopefully on the cards for a mid-year pick me up!
-Emma

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

2014 Beauty Favourites

I often find it a hard task collating my ‘favourite’ products each month – the pressure for rounding up an entire year’s worth is therefore quite a daunting thing! I guess the finality of the end of year matches a post like this though, so here I go with my favourites for 2014.

Skincare

It seemed I either adored supermarket cheapies or products tipping the other end of the scale this year – the new line released by Garnier blew me away, but the pricy Lancome Dreamtone serum* also made a mark in my skincare drawers (or rather, it faded some of my marks!) I switched out my Bioderma for the Garnier Micellar Water and it’s quite hard to look back now – the quality is excellent and the cheap price point is welcomed in my limited beauty budget (I picked this huge bottle up for less than $10 on sale!) so much so that I already have a backup bottle waiting in the wings. I also tried out the Garnier Moisture Match moisturiser (not pictured as I used it up) when it was first released and can’t remember the last time I liked a facial moisturiser so much – it softens my skin and is easily absorbed, the only thing I dislike about it is that I run through a tube quite fast (a small niggle considering it retails for $10…)

Lip Products

Bourjois knocked it out of the park with their Rouge Edition Velvets this year, and I adore the 3 shades that I picked up when they first launched (Pink Pong, Ole Flamingo and Frambourjoise) If ever I’m in need of a peppy bright lip I can rely on these babies, and I love how long-lasting but comfortable they are on the lips. For a more casual lip look I loved the Chapstick Cake Batter lip balm (even though it contains some nasties) or the gorgeous Maybelline Colour Elixir in Caramel Infused. My 2013 Christmas gift also got a good run, the NYX Butter Glosses which I now have in Tiramisu, Vanilla Cream Pie, Crème Brulee and Éclair. Anyone else hungry for some sweets right now…?

Eye Products

For all the palettes I loved during the year, this was the only one to really jump out as worthy of this post. I’m yet to wear this custom Inglot Palette without receiving a compliment and I am always chuffed with how my makeup looks when I use this, all sure signs of a stellar product. Another true love of mine is something I wear every day and couldn’t imagine being without – the essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Hot Chocolate, which I run along my upper lash line every morning. I added a lower lash line shade into the mix this year with the NYX Retractable Eye Liner in Silky Cashmere and all year long I loved how it ‘finished off’ every eye look for me with ease. I threw my all-time-so-far favourite mascara into the mix of favourites (Covergirl Clump Crusher) as well as the Australis Cray for Colour Eyes shadow pencil in Soiling the Fun. Terrible name aside, this is something I should’ve used more often as it’s lovely and such a pretty shade!

Scent & Nails

Every time I spray this I wish it wasn’t associated with the word ‘flirty’, but nevertheless one of my most loved fragrances this year was Vivienne Westwood’s Flirty Alice* which is lovely and fresh and something different from the rest of my scent stash. Another brilliant discovery in 2014 was the Elizabeth & James fragrances (Nirvana Black and Nirvana White, only one pictured as the other has gone walkabout) which are strong and sexy, which is what I often need to feign confidence on some days. Nails were a tricky one as I switch up my nail colour so often, but the shade that made the most impact and one I look forward to wearing is definitely the beautiful Essie Ruffles and Feathers*.

Face/Cheeks

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder would forever make this list had it not been discontinued, but thankfully I hoarded two pans in anticipation of the wedding and now I get to enjoy my favourite powder for a while longer. Blushes are my favourite thing to read about/discuss/hoard and so I stretched it out to 3 even though my Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in 80 Jersey easily won the top prize (and was the single blush I took overseas with me!) It’s followed closely by MAC Poised which I’ve mentioned quite often this year and I wore the heck out of. It was all about the nude and neutral blushes in 2014, they really were my obsession for the year. A brighter blush did manage to sneak into the line-up though, mainly due to the incredible formula…Hourglass were a big player in the beauty world this year and I enjoyed my pan of Ambient Lighting Blush in Radiant Magenta! It gives my skin that cliché ‘lit from within’ look that no other blush I own has managed to capture, and I’m looking forward to ripping into my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette in the new year!

 

Sending out best wishes for your NYE celebrations and for the year ahead – 2014 was a big one for me with the wedding and a big honeymoon, so hopefully 2015 will be relaxing and productive!

Cheers! Emma x

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Festive Five #1 - five beauty products to take you through the festive season!

I decided to whip up 5 festive posts to see you through until Christmas Eve, beginning today! Each day will see a new 5 product line up for you to peruse, and today brings you 5 miscellaneous stunners that I personally rely on at the moment for bringing me some nice festive cheer in the midst of some horrible things on the news in Australia.
1. Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Fine Fragrance Mist
This scent is all I can wear at the moment, it's absolutely delicious and I love layering it over the matching body lotion (the haul for this is coming soon, promise) The notes are: Fresh Vanilla Bean, Warm Caramel, Sugar Cookies, Whipped Cream & Snow-Kissed Musk and it makes me feel warm and cozy without being too heavy for the Australian summer.

2. Dior Fairy Golds Quint
You all must be sick of seeing me mention this, but I want to write about the things I love and this beauty gets pulled out of the drawer every December! I love how I can wear the champagne shade for an easy day look (or maybe to go with a brighter lip colour) and then deepen up the look at night with the darker or more glittery shades for a night out.

3. Essie Hors d'Oeuvres*
The hype around the Essie Encrusted collection in 2013 seemed to be all about 'On A Silver Platter' but I'm currently wearing the platinum gold Hors d'Oeuvres which is filled with different sized silver glitter and it is seriously off the hook. It's warm and cool at the same time, and I'm enjoying how full on it looks as a full mani!

4. Yves Saint Laurent Volupte Sheer Candy in 07 Sheer Fig
I find red lipstick a bit tricky to pull off, so when I saw blog raves for this sheer and pretty silver bullet I needed to have it. I don't wear it as often as I should (especially considering how pricy YSL lipsticks are!) but when I think Christmas, I think red lips, and this is a mirror-free touch-up kinda shade and that is right up my alley.

5. Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray*
I've been testing this for a little while now and I'm surprised to say that I actually think that it's making a difference! I apply in an 'X' motion from a distance (as recommended) after applying all of my makeup (making sure my mascara is dry!) and by the end of the day/night I am shocked to see my face still looking fresh when I peek in the mirror. A miraculous discovery and one I'll definitely be whipping out over the party season...

So there you have it, the essentials for a fun festive season - nice scents, pretty shadows, blingy nails, an easy red lip and something to lock it all into place! Hope you're having a wonderful lead-up to Christmas and that you're fitting in some rest and relaxation along the way!
-Emma xx

*Provided for consideration, but popped into the festive five out of pure love! Honesty, always.

My Top Five Eyeshadows Palettes

I'm still in a post-honeymoon funk and am trying to get the house in order before I even think about holiday posts and haul sharing. I've filed them away for now but they are coming, that I know for sure. Edging my way back into blogging with a top five post is the way to go about this, I think!

 

I may be a certified blush fiend, but show if I showed you my eyeshadow palette drawer I'll bet it'd also knock your socks off! I never set out to 'collect' eyeshadow palettes but I am someone who wears eyeshadow everyday, so it just sort of happened. I find them easier to store than single shadow pots and I like the value of getting a bunch of shades that generally fit well together rather than a few random pretties that I have to match up myself. I actually found it quite difficult to narrow my list down, but these 5 babies are the ones I'd save if the entire lot was threatened.

MAC 'Bare My Soul' quad (from the Temperature Rising collection 2013) is a serious stunner, and easily one of the best things I've bought from MAC in my time (see a look featuring it here) The two brown shades cop a beating regularly as they are the perfect tone for me, and the addition of 'easy to wear' colour is always a push in the right direction for me. I plan on creating a nice festive green look with this soon...

Dior Fairy Golds, the palette that signals the holiday season for me and brings back all the memories of the Christmas before. Long shifts in retail and hazy mornings resulted in this palette becoming my go-to, hence the nice bit of #panporn that is happening here (check this post for a fresh, pristine pretty) I'll be honest and say that the golden flakey shade doesn't come out often and the sparkly white is but a rare topper for my lids, but my love for the other three shades somehow makes that okay. I think I need another Dior palette in my life, though I probably should have thought about that on my holiday as they are so pricey here!

One of the more recent palettes to slide on into the drawer, Nars And God Created the Woman was a nice little workhorse during my 3 week+ jaunt abroad. I took this and one other palette with me to make do, and I was pretty pleased with how many looks I was able to whip up and blend fast with this set.

I was thinking hard when I chose the Pretty Rebel palette from Too Faced - I adore the Chocolate Bar palette among many others from the brand, but something about this one really makes my heart sing. I don't get as much use as I should from a lot of the colours (Miss Sparkles and Totally Fetch are pretty pristine as you can see!) but my love for the Ringleader and Gangsta shades pulled this bad boy into the top five. I love that they've included a matte blending/highlight colour in Dainty, and the duochrome Girly that reminds me of MAC Club is a really cool addition and makes this palette all the more unique.

Last but in no realm least is the belle of the ball, my beloved Urban Decay Naked palette. Yes it sits alongside it's shiny tinned 'Naked 2 & 3' siblings in the palette drawer, but nothing in my collection gets as much consistent love as this does and I much prefer it to the updated counterparts. I know that posts about it have been done to death in the blogging world but my love is pure and true, and so this is the one that must round out my top five eyeshadow palette round up!

 

I think it's quite obvious that my true love lies with a nice neutral shadow, but trust me when I say that I do often wear colours out of this category! I can't tell you how happy it made me to gush about these beauties - so often with this blog I overthink posts and I need to learn to let myself 'go with the flow' as they say.

 

Have a great weekend all -

Emma

Current Favourites - October 2014

I'm at the stage where I need to do another beauty room tidy in order to appreciate the whole of my stash, but for now these are the products that are knockin' my socks off!

I'm all about playing up the eyes at the moment, and my neutral palettes have been loving the limelight. I'll forever love my Urban Decay Naked Palette (need new singles of Virgin + Sin!) but the Nars And God Created the Woman palette is already a firm favourite, too. A nice little sweep of my NYX Retractable Eyeliner in Silky Cashmere on my lower lashline seals the deal - highly recommend it!

Now that my focus has turned to perfecting the neutral eye look, I've been loving fuss free balms and tints on my lips most days. The Chapstick Cake Batter Lip Balm is out of this world delicious (I'll be real for a moment, cake batter tastes way better than actual cake!) and the new Maybelline Baby Lips Electro Neon Lip Balms* are so much more pigmented than I thought they would be!

Perfume has been quite the rushed affair lately, I seem to be slapping the snooze button a few too many times (shall we blame the stress of wedding planning on my sleep cycle?) I can't stop reaching for my Ralph Lauren Midnight Romance* perfume - it's a nice but slightly sexy fruity floral and a note I can suss out is raspberry. Another sweet option is kept in my handbag in case I forget to apply anything before I leave the house - my beloved Urban Rituelle purse spray in Cotton Candy.

Skincare has been the usual, I'm a bit scared to change anything in my routine as the wedding looms (I currently have 3 blemishes that have taken residence on my face and I don't want any more to join the party!) Lancôme Dreamtone* is seriously heavenly and working at kicking the pigmentation on my cheeks to the curb, and le bod has been loving the Victoria's Secret Amber Romance that was in my latest skincare post.

What are you currently loving?

Emma x

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Beauty Favourites // January 2014

 

It has been a while since I've done a favourites post, but I decided that I wanted to share some lovely things that I've been using this month.

Face of Australia Bronzer Tinted Tanning Mousse* - For the first time in a long time I've been using fake tan *gasp* and though I still glow like a ghost, I have been enjoying the tiny bit of colour that I've been getting with this. The fact that it does apply with a tint is infinitely helpful to a klutz like me, and the mousse texture is pretty easy to work with, leaving no streaks thus far (though I did miss a patch which was pretty funny!)

Etude House Sugar Cookie Blush in 002 - Glowy pink cheeks and pretty packaging is a blush fiends dream! I bought this (and some other shades) on my last day of teaching placement, so not only is it pretty it also reminds me of a great accomplishment. Blush win!

Savvy Cheek Balm in Blissful Blush - Such a great texture for a cheap $3 blush, I'm very happy with this coral shade and love how easy it is to blend. This was probably my favourite shade from my recent Blush Week post.

Maybelline Color Whisper in Petal Rebel* - Glossy pink lips are my kryptonite right now, and this little beauty along with my Covergirl Gloss Balm in Haute Pink Twist* have been gracing my lips a lot this month.

 

Maybelline Color Bloom Balms in Pink Blossom and Peach Blossom - A beautiful gift from my friend Carly who was recently in Bali! Adore how these apply clear and deepen quickly, and the stain is such a nice thing to wear under other glosses or lipsticks. I really hope Maybelline brings these to Australia, they would sell so easily!

PureTan Pure Moisture Coconut Body Crème* - The smell of this is summer, straight up. I do wish it was a touch more moisturising for my elbows, but it leaves my skin soft and smelling of coconut so suffice to say I am addicted. Love the whipped crème style texture, swoon!

 

Dermalogica Oil Free Matte MediBac Clearing spf30* - I adore this matte sunscreen, it works brilliantly as a primer underneath makeup and I used it while on holiday in Albury as well as anytime I was outside in January. It doesn't break me out and I find that my makeup is always better when I wear this underneath.

What products have you been loving this month?

Please leave your sunscreen recommendations in the comments below, I want to get my next purchase organised with time to read some reviews!

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

*Provided for consideration, but true favourites. Honesty, always.

 

Loving Right Now // The New, The Old and The Reliable

Bought myself the newly released Savvy blushes a while back, and inserted them into my daily routine without a second thought. The shades aren't crazily pigmented so they are quite easy to apply, which tempts me to buy them all for Mumma Bovary as well and expand her blush shade repertoire... The pictured shade is Plum, which is purple-toned enough to be exciting but also ties in nicely with most eye looks. Lately I've been alternating between a dark eye or a shimmery champagne, gravitating towards Dior Fairy Golds more often than not if truth be told.

When I haven't been rocking Dior, ye olde faithful MAC shadow in Jaunty makes an appearance. Stupidly limited edition (Hey Sailor collection, 2013) I don't feel bad about mentioning this absolute stunner as I feel I am simply preparing you for the day it is rereleased, and then you can all rush out and buy a pan. But save me one for a back up, okay?

 

Fulfilling the reliable quota for this post is the stunning Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss in Pango Peach. It's become the go-to gloss shade now that I'm scared of the hot Melbourne sun melting my lippies, and it is super flattering with pretty much every eye look you can think of. Plus it is a favourite of Jess from The Belle Lumiere, so you just know it is a winner.

 

What products are you loving right now? Tell me what blush you have on today!

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty