Perfume Purge

I have to admit that I adore the freedom that having a large perfume collection allows me, but at this point the range has become overwhelming and I'm slowly but surely using up those heavy glass bottles and making room for some other fragrances. The images below aren't the whole collection, just a selection that sit out on my shelving unit. My collection is made up of a mix of things - PR samples, birthday gifts and bottles I've hinted about to Mister over the years. My favourites have come through all of these avenues to be honest, but I'm not terribly well versed in the crazily priced luxe perfumes that are available so you won't see those here. I've made it my mission to use up these three bottles before Christmas, and as this goes live I'm one fragrance down and doing well!

My sister bought Michael Kors Very Hollywood for my birthday many years ago and I remember being so excited to receive it after sniffing it countless times at the Myer Fragrance Hall. It's a really likable white floral and according to Fragrantica it has notes of "mandarin, frozen bergamot, moist jasmine..." That mix is definitely a first for me, haha. I'm happy to say I've finished up this bottle, so the perfume purge is already going well!

I am quite fond of a rose scent every now and again and Bvlgari Rose Essentielle is probably my favourite one. I love the powdery notes of it (though I can imagine that it would turn some rose-haters off) but the nozzle has become hard to use and I'm looking forward to finishing this one up and turning to another powdery scent in its place.

Last but not least on the chopping block is my travel petite parfum of Urban Rituelle's Cotton Candy (reviewed here, and mentioned here) I still have a full bottle of this and love it to bits, but the nozzle on this petite is also knackered and I need to use it up and move onto other sweet perfumes in my collection.

I have a few perfumes on my Christmas list this year, so I'm really hoping to purge these perfumes this month before the 25th! What new scent do you have your eye (or nose?) on?
-Emma x

January Purchases & Pick-Ups

THE PURCHASES!

It isn't often that I can fit an entire months beauty purchases into a single photo, but here you have it folks - a total of TWO beauty related items purchased so far in 2015! Perhaps this will be a good thing to look back on once I post my extortionate honeymoon haul for the world to see? I picked up and looked at many a pretty during January, but nowadays it needs to be seriously amazing for me to part with - as it so happens, these two products are indeed amazing so I'm sticking to my new-found shopping mantra quite well! 

I had a Christmas voucher in my pocket and my sister took me shopping at Doncaster for my birthday on January 2nd, so the natural thing to do was finally tick the limited edition Chanel Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in 234 Poesie off my wishlist. It originally featured on my pre-USA wishlist but it was sold out everywhere I checked during our trip, so to hear that Doncaster had a solitary palette left was music to my ears! It's actually my first real Chanel eye product so it was quite an exciting purchase for me (normally I beeline for their blushes, you know me!)

My second (and last) beauty purchase for the month was towards the end, during the infamous Priceline 40% skincare sale. I knew I wanted to have a nosy around but didn't feel the urge to pick anything up, until I remembered that I'd been wanting to bring this Garnier Moisture Match Light Softening Cream for Normal-Dry Skin back into my routine as a morning moisturiser. I've previously reviewed it here and the love still stands, this is a wonderful product.

A non-beauty related purchase, but something I wanted to feature because stationary rocks! I am about to order another planner from Personal Planner with a code they provided me, and I'm super excited at the thought of personalising a planner, and using The Belle Lumiere and various #planneraddict Instagram images as my inspiration I hope to pretty it up and get myself organised with these gel pens, stickers and tags.  

PICK-UPS!

This part will feature some of the press samples I received during the month - it's like a little heads up on what may be featured soon on the blog, and serves as a reminder for myself about the new things I'm trialling! Not everything I'm sent will be featured, just the bits and bobs I feel like popping into these posts. I turned down more press samples than usual this month as I've been selective about what I'd like to trial, and so far it's made me far more exciting about all of these new things than I usually would be!



After my recent primer obsession (documented here) it seemed fitting to try out the latest primer release from makeup giants Max Factor! When I first opened this Facefinity All Day Primer ($31.95) I thought it was a super-pale foundation - d'oh!

Dare I say, the most exciting press sample this month? I absolutely adore Urban Rituelle and frequently buy bits and bobs from the brand, so the launch of the new amber based Romance Fragrance Diffuser Set ($36.95/190ml) got me a bit more excited than it probably should have...but once I smelt this thing, I knew my excitement was warranted. HEAVEN! Goodness knows Mister Bovary and I aren't the most romantic (perhaps we will be now that we're married? pah!) so any hint of romance (especially in amber form!) is welcome in our house!

Now this is a step outside of my comfort zone - my scalp is a finicky thing and I'm always hesitant to trial shampoos (truth be told there is a still a chance I will rope in a guinea pig for that and hit the conditioner up solo!) but I accepted this Pantene Colour Therapy Shampoo & Conditioner ($7.99ea/350ml) with the hope that I can move on from my Garnier shampoo and mix things up a little bit. Wish me luck!

Last but not least was some surprise drops from my beloved L'Occitane - the Relaxing Pillow Mist ($30/100ml) looks brilliant and I can't wait to pop it alongside my current L'Occitane Lavande Cologne that I use as a luxe room spray to help me catch some ZZZ's. Also pretty pumped about the Revitalising Body Scrub ($45/200g) (it's been too long since I've used a good one!) and the Immortelle Brightening Essence ($89/30ml)

I think 2015 is working out really well on the product front so far - I'm excited to plump up my bodycare routine and use my Chanel quad a bit more before popping up a swatch/review post! How much did you purchase or pick-up this month?

-Emma x

*Pick-Ups are, as stated above, press samples. If you aren't interested in seeing what I'll be trialling, feel free to skip these monthly posts - I won't be offended! Honesty, always.

Smelling Sweet for your Sweet this Valentine's Day

The idea of Valentine's Day is something I like - the romance in the air, the pent up expectations of a sweet gift, expressing your devotion to someone...the reality, however, doesn't always come through with the goods. Though Mister Bovary and I have shared a few nice dates over the years on February 14th, we aren't true romantics at heart and often choose Breaking Bad and homemade pizza over a fancy restaurant. It's the little things that he does that really make me swoon, the insignificant details he remembers and the way he always looks out for me.

Enough of the swooning - let's get to the 'heart' of things! ;)

I find fragrance to be a mood breaker every day, and at this time of year when the weather is sticky and love hearts decorate promotional images, I like to smell sweet like candy. Cotton Candy* to be precise.

 

This yummy Urban Rituelle scent originally only came as a purse spray until the brand wised up to how amazing Cotton Candy was, and created the larger EDP for us to enjoy. Considering I've gone through many of the purse sprays over the years, receiving this really made my day!

Even the classic bottle that Urban Rituelle chose to house this sweet scent in makes me swoon, and I love the way it looks on my vanity. I can't wait to get our new bedroom suite so that I can organise a daily scent tray on my dresser - it is how I hope to rotate my scents from now on, so we've been looking around for new furniture to make it happen already!

Those who aren't big fans of spun sugar scents probably wouldn't get on well with this, but I find it to be amazing and it is said to be their best seller, so I know that I am not alone in loving this pink treat.

I was perusing their website and saw that they also have a limited edition Romance soy candle for sale right now - jasmine, musk and amber, now doesn't that sound lovely!?

Urban Rituelle's Cotton Candy EDP retails for $34.95 AUD, and the range also contains hand cream, reed diffuser, candles and a lip balm for those who want to inject a bit of sweetness into their Valentine's day.

Will you be following my lead and buying yourself a Valentine's gift this year?
Are you a fan of sweet scents?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

March Empties

Another month, another lot of empties!

The Hair

Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo ‘Classic’

A staple in my shower, this is pretty much the only shampoo that my scalp will tolerate. Trialling a new fancy brand right now, fingers crossed all goes well but I will always return to this lovely blue bottle.

L’Oreal Elvive Total Repair Restoring Crème Conditioner

Don’t remember too much about this sample sachet, but I don’t remember disliking it so that is a plus.

The Body

Haus of Gloi Twice is Nice Pumpkin Butter

Haul post here! HoG scents are to die for, and this is one of my favourites from the permanent line. I like the sample sized tubs as I get to dabble in a few scents, and this is one I will repurchase later on.

Weleda Citrus Hydrating Body Lotion*

Reviewed here, this was a great moisturising lotion and I adored the tangy scent!

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Cream Body Scrub*

Reviewed here. A gentle and moisturising scrub, this smelt nice and actually persuaded me to like the gentle scrub side of the spectrum. Straight up peach scent, delish!

The Rest

Urban Rituelle Cotton Candy Petite Parfum

Reviewed here. Seriously, this couldn’t be any better (okay, if it were longer lasting it might be better) Introduced as a PR sample, this particular vial was a repurchase and I am now elated that Urban Rituelle brought this into 100ml bottle form. Hallelujah! Sweet and sugary, this is one of my very favourite perfumes.

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

I have gone through so many of these, it really is the best powder I’ve come across. Am trialling other brands right now and missing this so much, am staring forlornly at my sealed backup and trying to stay strong and use up others first. Beauty blogger problems!

How much did you use up in March?

 

*Marked items were provided for consideration. Honesty,always.

 

beauty week at a glance #1

When I saw the concept of beauty at a glance on Larie’sblog, I knew it was a series I would love to install on the blog. After getting the A-OK from Larie (whose posts I adore whole heartedly!) I began snapping pictures of the main players for a week’s worth of makeup looks. This won't be a weekly series, but will occur when I feel like sharing some makeup shots with you. I hope you enjoy seeing what I wore during the week!

 

Monday:

Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronze Universel, Tarte Exposed, Face of Australia Lychee Crush*, L’Oreal Metallic Lilac, MAC Moth Brown, Face of Australia Impact Curl, Barry M Toffee lipgloss.

Loved the combination of purple toned eyes with a flush of natural bronze cheeks! I am still getting the hand of the Chanel Bronze Universel, it is so unlike anything else I own. 

 

Tuesday:

TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer, L’Oreal Metallic Lilac, MAC Moth Brown, MAC Sheen Supreme  Asian Flower, essence I like Candy gloss, YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat*, MAC Rosy Outlook, Poison Apple Apothecary White Rabbit (thanks Dee!)

Really loved this purple look, the lips didn’t compete too much with the eyes, which I think was thanks to the blush which tied it all together. 

 

Wednesday:

Sally Hansen Complete Care*, Illamasqua Freak*, L’Oreal Infallible Endless Chocolate, YSL Touche Eclat*, Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude, Rimmel  Nude Delight, Barry M Toffee, Sportsgirl Give some Lip in Stardust.

Nude central today, I adore the L’Oreal Infallible’s and don’t give this chocolate shade enough love. Barry M Toffee is such a winner as well.

Thursday:

essence Asian Sensation blush, MAC Painterly paintpot, essence quad in Dreaming Under a Cherry Tree,  Inglot teal shadow, Urban Rituelle CottonCandy*, Maybelline Dream Matte Powder, Face of Australia Impact Curl mascara, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous.

Was quite obviously trialling out the new essence products I bought on this day, and I ended up really loving the warm and pretty coral look. Rendezvous needs to come out in Australia, it is an amazing shade! For the eyes I used the taupe shade from the essence quad all over the lid, with the peach and the coral blended into the crease. The teal Inglot shade was a lower lashline colour to tie the look in with the dress I had on.

 

Friday:

Guerlain Champs Elysees, Revlon Balm Stain in Rendezvous, Face of Australia Impact Curl mascara, MAC Painterly paint pot, Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze, YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat*, BYS Fierce Fuschia, Face of Australia Loose Powder in Outback Translucent*.

Finally getting around to using my Color Tattoo, and am really enjoying the ease of it all. The Guerlain is my favourite perfume, such a stunning scent and I’ve gone through bottle after bottle of the stuff.

***

I really enjoyed taking some quick snaps after I finished my makeup in the morning, and I hope you enjoyed taking a peek into my beauty week!

*Marked items were 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.

Cotton Candy // Urban Rituelle's Petit Parfum

For someone who claims to be clueless about fragrance, I have amassed a wide collection of bottles filled to the brim with the stuff! My most reached for fragrance of late has without a doubt been my purse sized Urban Rituelle parfum in the scent 'Cotton Candy'.

Coming from the Sweet Treats collection, Cotton Candy is officially described as "A playful, melt in your mouth scent that opens wit ha sweet explosion of rich, spun sugar followed by the warmth of smooth toffee & powdery musk." This scent does invoke cotton candy (or fairy floss as we call it) and I love the uber sweet nature of it, though I can see how some would find it cloying and too much for them.

 

I wore this to work, to dinner, to brunch, literally everywhere I went had a sniff of this. The girls at work would ask every day if they could borrow a squirt or two, and this 12ml bottle was drained quite quickly. I was nearing the end of this when it smashed, and I am thankful that it will only be a mere $13.99 to bring a fresh bottle back into my purse!

 

 

The Cotton Candy fragrance (and the rest of the Sweet Treats range) comes in a variety of forms, and I was kindly gifted a hand cream to match my fragrance. I find the cream a much lighter scent than the parfum, so those who like just a touch of sweetness may prefer these sorts of items within the range. Also available are lip balms, soaps, candles, butter creams and gift sets. The packaging of the gifts sets? Divine, perfect for Christmas so you bet a few people in my corner of the world will have something from Urban Rituelle range under the tree.

 

I have already purchased a new bottle of this, and will probably stockpile some when they seem to be leaving stores. I'm also tempted to get another scent from the collection, but I just can't decide! (Peach Blossom and Pomegranate are calling my name...) Even though it isn't the longest lasting scent I own, I quite like spraying it throughout the day.

 

 Urban Rituelle is available at Myer, Forever New and stores across Australia and internationally. To buy online and for more stockists both Australian and International, click here.

 

Are you a fan of sweet fragrances?

What is your number one fragrance right now?

 

*These products were provided for consideration, but I honesty loved the fragrance and would've raved about it no matter what. I repurchased this with my own money. Honesty, always.

What's in my Makeup Bag // August 2012

A while ago I tweeted that my goal for the day was to find the perfect makeup bag for my handbag, and on my lunch break the next day I ran into this Sugar Baby Hibiscus print darling. It's a great size but quite stiff and hard to get into sometimes, so I will be buying one off Etsy soon to interchange with it, but for now I am a happy camper. I thought it would be a great time to share what I tote along with me every day!

It fits exactly what I need on a day to day basis, but any more than that won't fit without it being cumbersome and hard to close. I've worked out how I like everything to sit in there, and it is quite snug.

As you can see I like to keep a few lip options on hand at all times, and I can't see that changing in the near future.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy- using this up so I keep it on hand to remind me to use it.

MAC lipstick in Patisserie-a great nude that really works for my skintone.

Urban Rituelle Petit Parfum in Cotton Candy- review of this up this week

Australis Lash Length Extension mascara-I've now switched this out to my new mascara as this was finished, but I loved it.

Natural Compatibles lipstick in Berry- favourite lippy, keep it with me in case I need to feel tough

essence stay with me gloss in Deep Rose-goes with everything and can be worn on top of any of the above lipsticks to switch it up a bit.

Urban Rituelle Lemongrass & Lemon Myrtle hand cream- I love the smell of lemongrass and this is a nice hand cream formulation, I also appreciate the thin packaging which sits nicely in the makeup bag.

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder- my favourite setting powder, I like having this on hand for extra coverage when I touch up during the day.

essence Oil Control Paper- I love the sturdy dispenser that these blotting papers came with in the long discontinued Return to Paradise collection.

 

What do you carry with you each day?