Gilded Ganache - Chocolate Makeup Look

Riding that Easter cliché right out with a chocolate inspired makeup look! I’m generally much more inclined to indulge in a nice creamy wedge of cheese before I scoff some chocolate, but when it comes to makeup products I’m all about the rich browns. Around this time of year I do like to partake in the consumption of too many mini Dairy Milk eggs (chocolate for breakfast is alright on the Easter long weekend, right?) so my Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette (that is cocoa scented!) was screaming to be pulled out for a quick and easy rich chocolate makeup look!

 

I basically scrounged in my big makeup drawers trying to pull out shades that reminded me of chocolate, and I figured that since they’d all be neutral they would create a pretty harmonious look no matter what I chose, so the freedom was all mine! I knew I wanted to incorporate bronzer into the look, something I don’t use on a regular basis despite having a horribly large stash of them in my possession. The Colour Theory Bronzer  ‘Sun Kissed’ is really nice and the embossing on the powder certainly suggests a higher price tag than a measly $8 which is what this pan costs.  I like the way it adds warmth and a teensy bit of dimension to my round face – I topped the apples of my cheeks with D&G Blush ‘Caramel’, which I think tied in with the ‘sweet’ theme of this look perfectly! It certainly upped the average cost of the products for this look though, in stark contrast to the bronzer…

 

For this easy neutral look I chose the Face of Australia Lip Crayon ‘Sundae’ for a glossy lip (PSA: FOA is half off here right now!) and Before all of the face colour went on I tried to switch up my standard base for fun. I used the Napoleon Perdis Stroke of Genius Liquid Cashmere Foundation in Look 1* and then went over a few blemishes and my under-eye area with a teensy dot of the Clarins Instant Concealer*.

 

I wanted to use shadows in the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette that I hadn’t given much love to previously, so I swept Gilded Ganache over my lid and some Cherry Cordial into the crease, then blended like mad for soft focus edges. I highlighted my brow bone with the matte White Chocolate, my inner corner with Champagne Truffle. I mixed a few shades in my brush to create a semi-golden look on my lower lashline, and finished it all off with essence Hot Chocolate Eyeliner and YSL Faux Cils Mascara*.

 

I’m off to enjoy the rest of this Good Friday with Mister and Charlie now – I’ve been snuggled up on the couch having some intense laptop time this morning and it’s been lovely! Now I think it’s time for a coffee wander before we head out to celebrate my brother in laws birthday later tonight. What do you have planned for the Easter long weekend?

-Emma

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

 

 

The Perfect Primers for a Flawless Face

Well prepped skin is one of the most important factors for a smooth foundation application – allowing a good morning moisturiser time to sink in is a great first step to a flawless look (and I have to admit it’s one I sometimes forget to do pre-coffee) If I know I have a long day ahead or that I want my makeup to last longer than usual, I have an arsenal of primers in my everyday makeup drawer to reach for.

Quite often I will pull out my Face of Australia Face Base Primer for day time use – it’s a renowned dupe for the pricier Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Primer*, and having compared it to the travel size NP I have in my stash I have to agree with that claim! They basically feel just like a light moisturiser and sinks in really quickly without feeling velvety like a silicone based primer. My sister has pretty dry skin and uses this when she wears foundation, and she loves how easy it is to apply and that it doesn’t break her out.

Until quite recently I was apprehensive about using silicone-heavy primers, but the pores around my nose and in between my brows have been annoying me lately so I was excited to try the Smashbox Photo Finish Color-Correcting Primer sample that I received at Sephora on our honeymoon. A thick green paste in texture, this acts like ‘spak filler’ to put it bluntly and I’ve been vigilant about double-cleansing when I wear it so it hasn’t clogged my pores or broken me out at this stage.

Last but not least is an unlikely primer in the form of the Dermalogica Oil-Free Matte SPF30 sunscreen*, which smells citrusy fresh and is something I wore all year round to protect my skin from sun damage. It leaves the skin matte without taking away any moisture from the skin and I found that my foundation sat so much nicer when I wore this underneath – a great incentive to wear sunscreen daily, no?

Now that we’ve spoken about priming the skin, I’m off to sink a coffee to prime my brain for the day…

Emma x

*Products mentioned were provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

What's In My Muji // Updated Daily Tray

Upon hearing that a Muji store had opened in the new Emporium in the Melbourne CBD, I made it my mission to suss out the place and see what all the fuss was about. I’d heard about Muji most from Anna (Vivianna Does Makeup) and loved the clear and classic makeup storage ideas the store presented. After heading to the luxury bridal expo a few weeks ago (amazing by the way, highly recommend!) I dragged Mumma Bovary over to explore, and ended up picking a simple little storage bit for my everyday makeup garb to replace my ‘daily’ tray which was overflowing.

Some of the compartments aren’t as big as I’d ideally like them to be, but the storage section of the store didn’t look full so perhaps there are better options usually available. The little inserts in the back part slide out if you want to create more room, but I like the way they look when in and find that it creates enough compartments for the daily things I need. Starting from the back I have my Garnier Moisture Match moisturiser and my Napoleon Perdis Primer sample*, which is in there to remind me to trial the new Wayne Goss foundation method. 

The compartment next to that holds the two face bases I’ve been using lately which are the Napoleon Perdis Stroke of Genius* and Covergirl Outlast foundation. Next up is my lip compartment, which houses some of the lip products I’m using at the moment but definitely doesn’t fit the whole current round up. The final small compartment holds my eye products like my mascara, liners and eyeshadow base (Too Faced Shadow Insurance is the one I’m using right now)

I have the bulk of my makeup stash in some cheaper metal style storage units next to my desk. They are similar in idea to an Ikea Alex though not as lovely, but for now they are doing me just fine and I’m enjoying having most of my stash filed away neatly, with my Muji atop my desk with a mirror and some everyday perfume beside it. The Muji only cost around $14 which I was happy to pay to give this store a go - I think next time I will pick up some of the containers around $25 which are larger and would fit more of my everyday stuff. If you want to know more about any of the products you see peeking out from the Muji, hit me up in the comments!

How do you store your daily makeup?

Emma x

 

Trialling and Loving

Sometimes the stars align and thrown a whole heap of ripper beauty products into my lap for trialling! Being a beauty blogger means I am lucky enough to try out new products often, and most of the time before the general public gets a look in. I've been using all of this press-release babies for a while now and thought they deserved a wee puff up on the blog.

Napoleon Perdis - sometimes I adore the brand (they do some ripper makeovers, I went there for my 21st makeup look!) and sometimes they just miss the mark for me. I was initially really hesitant about their new Stroke of Genius Liquid Cashmere foundation*, primarily because of the inbuilt brush applicator. Upon using it however, I've fallen for the texture and the fact that the shade 'Look 1' matches is a 'hurrah' moment indeed!

Another thing I was apprehensive about trialling was the Bare Blossom Mineral Blush sample in Ember Bloom*, the idea of a loose blush powder quite frankly scares me quite a bit. The glow this gives my cheeks though - so pretty! The colour isn't very strong so I've been using this on top of my boring pink cheek powders to give it a bit of oomph, and the 'lit from within' glow everyone always raves about it finally mine!

I'd spotted these Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist lip crayons* on a few blogs and Instagram accounts before I received mine for trialling (some were also press samples, others were in hauls) and the zebra print lover in me literally squealed when I opened the parcel. I have a huge zebra print painting in my living room and it's my favourite thing in the house (bar Mister Bovary and Charlie, natch) and it seems my love for zebra was subconscious but there all along. I've been loving both shades, and the one pictured is 2 Baby which is described as a tender pink shade. These have a full post of their own coming, but suffice to say it is love. 

OPI and the Muppets have teamed up once again and I was kindly sent two nail varnishes to play around with. Looking at the shards of glitter in the awesomely-named Gaining Mole-mentum* just makes my heart happy, as petty as that sounds. I'm sifting through my nail polish stash to find the perfect base shade to wear with this to my niece's communion on the weekend - I think she will appreciate the bling!

Are you using anything that is just blowing your socks off right now?
I'd love to hear about it, new things always spark my interest!

Emma x

Love Birds - This Gold Finch is Melting My Matchy-Matchy Heart

When I saw that Napoleon Perdis has jumped onto the matchy-matchy train, I was all aboard! My weakness for matching colours has been well documented on the blog (recently with a rosy Chanel blush and earlier with an American theme...) and seeing the pretty glosses that matched the varnish bottles made my heart leap! I quite liked the idea of getting a stunningly designed makeup bag with the products too, so was elated when the Gold Finch* duo hit my desk. If I was handing over my dollars for this collection, Flamingo would be my first pick for sure, with Gold Finch coming in runner up!

 That pop of blue totally has my heart singing - get it? Ha!

I love nude polishes that flatter my hand, this one is a pale beige with an oh-so-subtle shot of fine golden shimmer in it which gives a nice bit of depth while keeping it totally office appropriate if that's your thang. I feel really hot when I wear nude nails like this - is this strange or totally common...?

 Accent nail is two coats of Illamasqua Blizzard*, because sometimes I just can't stop myself dipping into some glitter.

 Lately I'm all about the gloss, and frequently I go through stages where all I look at while shopping is squeezy tube lipglosses. Keeping in mind the fact that I hardly ever use this style applicator, the madness continues and I think my mind finds them more 'fun' than wand style applicators. You only need a tiny bit of the Napoleon Perdis Gold Finch lipgloss otherwise the nude shade can look a bit stark, and I like how the tackiness prolongs the wear time on the lips. Overall I don't think I'd go out of my way just for the gloss in this shade, but the nail polish is a cutie and I'm very fond of the Felicia Aroney bag that the duo comes with.

Bird themes ahoy! If I were creating a duo I'd want to base it around a swamp hen, because they are the birds I see most frequently around my place and they are pretty snazzy.

What do think of matching lips to nails? An easy way to tie a look together or something you never think about?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Love Birds set was provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Adore Beauty Sampler Bag

I love the idea of sample boxes, but am often left disappointed with the lacklustre contents and unused products that fill my drawers even though I’ve long cancelled any subscriptions. I was elated to see that Adore Beauty have once again brought out some sampler packs, letting customers know exactly what they are getting before they order! All of the products are high quality and decently (cutely!) sized, and I was kindly sent the Skincare/Makeup option as opposed to the Skincare/Haircare option.

Before I hop onto my mini-loving bandwagon, let me mention the other products that fill this lovely sampler bag. The St.Tropez Illuminator is pretty darn cool, I had thought ‘ooh nice brand’ and thought no more of it, but when I swatched it I saw that it is fill of iridescent blue shimmers that have blown my mind. Can’t wait to play around with this and see how I can make it work for me. The Philosophy Purity cleanser is a nice size to get a feel for the brand; I actually have another of the same size in my stash so thumbs up for two travel friendly cleansers to trial!

 

I was also happy to see a nice Rose Balm from Lanolips included, I’ve had lots of experience with their lovely lip products but am yet to try this rose scented tube. Another product I haven’t had much experience with (technically) is the Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Primer (not to prime is a crime, as Mister Christopher loves quoting when I apply my makeup!) I have heard that this is the same formula as my beloved Face of Australia Face Base primer, so thumbs up already if that is true.

Let’s talk mini products- I am a huge sucker for them! Look how darn cute the mini products are, Bioderma Crealine h20 comes in a few sizes and I had previously thought my travel sized bottle* was the cutest of the family, but as it turns out this little guy trumps them all! I will be saving this for a weekend away with Mister Christopher, until then the squeeing will continue.

Next to regular sized products from my stash, for comparison

The squeeing continues with the mini Benefit They’re Real, which is adorable compared to the regular sized mascara. I have had the normal tube for so long, sitting unopened in my mascara drawer waiting for the right moment to crack it open. I am a big fan of travel sized mascaras as I find they last a long time without taking up too much space in the makeup bag, so I am going to make an effort to try this highly lauded mascara soon. I have also had TheBalm Hot Mama in my stash for a while and think I might like it more than the famed Nars Orgasm, so when I saw this little baby pan I was thrown into a world of cute! I think it might take a bit of work with a smaller than usual sized blush brush, but seriously, I think I might just keep it out on my desk to make me smile.

So I am happy to report that the sampler packs contain a wonderful group of products to get you out of any skincare or makeup rut, and they each retail for $34.95AUD at Adore Beauty (click this to buy, not an affiliated link) I am pretty chuffed with my super cute mini's and am excited to try out the new products and see how I go with them. In the sampler you also receive a 10% off voucher to use on any full size version of the products included, which is a terrific idea from the Adore Beauty team!


What are YOUR opinions on sample box subscriptions or sampler bags?
Do you wish they were all as good as this one?

*Sampler bag was provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Australian Beauty Stars

Australia Day is upon us once more, and I thought it an appropriate time to sit down and pull out some Australian products from my stash to share with you all. I will be honest and admit that I don’t really think of where a brand is based when making a decision to purchase, so I am glad to see so many stellar Australian brands that have crept into my collection.  Here are some of the Aussie beauty stars in the Bovary household!

 

Bronzers:

Napoleon Perdis Blush Patrol

Nvey Eco Nourishing Bronzer in Oasis*

Face of Australia  pressed powder in Bronze*

My favourite from this bunch would have to be the Face of Australia offering, as I adore the sleek and slim compact. The colour is quite shimmery, so a light hand is recommended to get that world renowned Aussie beach babe glow!

Face and Eyes:

Sportsgirl Get Cheeky Cheek & Eye Shimmer

Face of Australia blush in Hello Dolly

Sportsgirl Get Cheeky in Rose

Nvey Eco eyeshadow in 162*

Sportsgirl Shady Lady eye colour in Prom Night

Face of Australia Liquid Liner in black

Face of Australia Loose Powder in Outback Translucent*

My favourites include the FOA liquid liner and loose powder, they are seriously hard working and so easy on the purse that it is quite hard to believe.  

Lips:

Lanolips Lip Ointments in Apples, Lemonaid, Mulberry* and  Sunshine

Sukin Nourishing Lip Treatment*

Grown Alchemist Watermelon & Vanilla lip balm*

Face of Australia lipstick in Malibu Barbie

Lipstick Queen lipstick in Saint Red*

I am loving all of these nourishing lip products this summer, but Malibu Barbie is such a happy shade of pick that it takes the cake!

 

Indulgences:

Urban Rituelle Organic Hand Cream with lemongrass, lemon myrtle, grapefruit and eucalyptus

MOR hand cream in Cassis Noir

Endota Spa Lemon & Organic Sugar body scrub*

Sukin Wellbeing Body Oil*

Urban Rituelle Cotton Candy perfume*

The Sukin Wellbeing Oil is so amazing, I am hoping that they decide to cancel its status as ‘limited edition’ and keep that baby on the shelf forever. Massage oil, moisturiser, hair tamer, it seriously does it all and smells brilliant. The Urban Rituelle Cotton Candy is finally back out in a 100ml bottle, I have been clutching the purse sized spray that I bought and not wanting to waste it, and am so happy to now have this to clutch instead.

 

Skincare:

Sukin Facial Moisturiser*

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist

Grown Rose Absolute, Ginseng & Chamomile Facial Toner*

The Jojoba Company Antioxidant Serum*

Australis Make-Up Finishing Spritz*

The Jojoba Company Intense Recovery Balm*

Simplicite One Step Exfoliating Cleanser*

Simplicite Plant Gel Cleanser*

Of course Jurlique had to be mentioned when writing about great Australian brands, they have products of such a high quality with beautiful packaging, and I love the indulgence they bring to my beauty routine. Sukin are also an amazing low cost brand, I recommend them to people all the time and love their clean packaging and affordable skincare.

 

Did you know that all of these products were true blue? If you are a fellow Aussie, I would love to know how you are spending today (or the public holiday on Monday!) If you are one of my beloved International readers, I am curious to know what your perceptions of our country really are? Would love to hear from you in the comments!

*Marked products were provided for editorial consideration. Honesty, always.

Red Carpet Palette by NP Set

I went along to an NP Set event a while ago, and here I will showcase one of the beautiful palettes the company have launched. To see the makeup tips I learned at the event, click here.

The Glam Palette is the top of this image, while the Red Carpet is the lower, and the one I will be showing you today.

The eyeshadow colours in this palette range from a yellow-toned golden shade to a gorgeous muted blue shade, which happens to be my favourite from the palette.

The first and last shades are stand outs in my opinion, and I think they would be beautiful paired together. These palettes are marketed at people who are just beginning to experiment with makeup, and I think that the shades in this palette are nice to push people out of their comfort zones. The blue-toned purple shade would be beautiful as a lower lash liner to spice up a natural look!

The blushes in this palette are stunning! I love the pop of pastel pink and apricot shade, and they look nice swirled together as well as used on their own. Quite good pigmentation for the brand, and they look just as nice applied sheerly as they do built up for a stronger cheek look.

Swatches of the two blushes.

The palette comes with four lip glosses as well, and while I dislike pans of gloss, I can see people liking the ability to layer up the shades with one another.

The fuschia pink looks great, as does the orange toned red, but the brown toned one with blue based shimmer just confuses me, and I find the clear gloss with silver glitter too chunky to use. I don't find them usable, or good for beginners.

All in all I think these palettes are terrific value for money, and love that the back of the palette has tips and tricks on how to get the most out of the palette. Someone like my sisters or other friends who don't have a large makeup collection would benefit from this compact collection, and the price point of only $29 AUD is a great plus for this palette. As it so happens, I am head over heels for the dusty muted blue in this palette, and have a FOTD coming up with it tomorrow!

NP Set is available at Big W and Target stores nationwide, and these palettes are out now! 

*This product was provided for consideration for review, and I attended this event as a guest of NP Set, which does not affect my opinion or review of the product. Honesty, always.

A Subtle Pop of Bright

Despite being one to embrace bright shades in all aspects of makeup, I know that many are wary of busting out of their shell and moving away from neutral tones. When it comes to eye makeup, most people I know (non-beauty bloggers!) lean towards champagnes or greys for their day to day eye look. I've come up with a subtle look that is safe for work but adds a bit of brightness to the face!

By using a small sweep of colour close to the lower lashline, you add a great frame to your eyes and it still allows you to work with neutral shades on the upper lid. This time around I chose a gorgeous turquoise shade from my Rimmel palette, and paired it with champagne tones from the same palette topped with some Napoleon Perdis eye dust in Starlight.

This look was done quite a while ago, and if I were to recreate it I would all more liner to the top lashline to balance out the contrast of shimmer and matte shades. I would also love to try it out with a foundation rather than the tinted moisturiser I used in this look, just to create a smoother canvas to work with.

I think the pop of colour is a really great idea, and would work with anything from an electric orange to a mossy green shade. I know a lot of people are afraid of wearing blue shadow, but I think wearing it in this way is a great stepping stone to braver, brighter looks!

Products used:

Dove Essential Nutrients Tinted Moisturiser in Beige

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

Milani Baked Blush in Berry Amore

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara

Clinique High Impact mascara (for lower lashline)

Rimmel Eyeshadow Quad

Sportsgirl Liquid Lip Colour in Wow!

Napoleon Eye Dust in Starlight

What do you think of this subtle pop of bright?