Emptied in August

Clarins Eau des Jardins Uplifting Shower Gel

Will be posting a full review on this as I adored it, smells amazing and is PH balanced.

Priceline Round Cotton Pads

You constantly see these in my empties, because I use them for everything! Bioderma, toner, folded in half to fix eye liner. You name it!

Dermaveen Oatmeal Conditioner

The matching shampoo was featured in my last empties, and this isn't much better. Doesn't give my hair enough moisture, but I've used worse conditioners in the past.

Boots shave cream

This is so old the can has rusted, I found it at the back of my cabinet and was repulsed. This is not empty, but a chucker.

Sunsilk Colour Lock Shampoo

A grotty sample that I don't want to put near my head, this is also a chucker.

Shu Uemura Skin Purifying Cleansing Oil

I felt that this took my makeup off well, but did leave a bit of an oily residue. I didn't dislike it, but I can't decide if I like it enough to buy it in the future.

Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel Foundation

I really enjoyed this, it really does feel like a cross between a cream and a gel. I found that it sets really quickly so you have to blend each section of your face separately to avoid it feeling mask like. The finish it gives is like real skin, but without major flaws, and I liked wearing this to work or out to lunch on Sundays.

Lancome Tresor Midnight in Love

I love fragrance samples, and this sweet blackberry vial was lovely. It was uber sweet so I tended to wear it at night, but I can see myself buying a full bottle of this.

Australis Lash Length Extension mascara

Reviewed here, I really enjoyed using this fibre mascara and loved how easy it was to remove. In the end up it became very clumpy (in a soft, fibre-y way) but it lasted well past it's proper 'expiry' date (yes, I kept using it because I'm cheeky) Would repurchase. 

 Face of Australia Face Base Primer

I already have another tube of this on the go, it is my favourite moisturising base and it lets my foundation glide on a lot easier. I use this daily and find it helps my colour cosmetics last a little bit longer, but it's more for application help than anything. Have and would repurchase.

What did you use up this month?

What mascara and primer are you using right now?

Chanel Troublant // Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss #68

 

The new Chanel 2012 Fall collection saw me drooling. I succumbed to only one item, and that is the beautiful plummy brown pink gloss that is Troublant. The packaging has me smiling as well, it is weighty (as you would expect a $50 gloss to be) and sleek black which is sitting pretty in my makeup bag as I type.

 

 

 

This is my first purchase of this formula and I am loving the triangle tapered tip on the doe foot applicator- I despise brush tips with glosses, and was so glad to see this applicator. It applies the gloss evenly and the creamy texture really glides over the lips.

 

 

 

I never thought a pink/brown shade would suit me, but I feel like a million dollars when I wear this. It's plummy enough for winter but I can see myself wearing it all through the year, and it lasts a few hours on me which I love. It fades evenly and leaves a bit of colour behind, and is sticky enough to grip the lips but isn't overly tacky (in my opinion) I am head over heels for this shade and formulation, I think it is definitely worth trying on in store.

 

Troublant is available at Chanel counters now for $50 AUD for a limited time.

What do you think of this shade?

What is your favourite Chanel product?

 

 

Hot Diggity // Hello Darling!

Mustard is definitely one of my favourite colours to wear, from clothing to makeup looks. I often wear MAC's Outre eyeshadow and was dreaming of a similar shade to wear on my nails when Darling's Hot Diggity came into my world.

A glossy deep mustard shade with a brown tinge, this is right up my alley in terms of nail shades. I know that some may find this shade off putting (many think Outre isn't that nice either) but I know a lot of you out there are lovers of this autumn-perfect shade just like I am!

 Hot Diggity's formula is really easy to work with and was opaque in two coats- it was quite glossy, but I did pop a top coat over this before taking these photographs. I think the Darling polish range is really different to others around, and I love that they have regular spotlight sales running on their facebook page. Their regular polishes retail for $16.95 AUD and can be purchased here, with free shipping Australia wide.

 

From the Darling site:

All Darling nail lacquers are 5-free (meaning absolutely NO toulene, formaldehyde/formaldehyde resin, DBP or camphor) and are animal testing & cruelty free. Beauty doesn’t have to come at a price to your health or other living beings.

*This polish was provided for consideration, which does not impact on my instant love for the shade and formula. Honesty, always.

Inglot Freedom Palette // Photos, Swatches, Review

I've made no secret of my love for Inglot, and for my engagement party I decided to book in to get my face done there. The makeovers are $70 AUD which is redeemable on product (but does not include eyelashes or the application of them) While they made me over I made a mental checklist of colours I needed, and these are the ones I chose for my palette.

 I chose to leave the pans in their packages and complete my palette at home so that I had a chance to photograph the shade names for future reference.

 I went for a much more wearable palette than my last few, and was sure to grab a bunch of matte shades as that is a finish that is lacking in my collection. The second shade from the right appears peachy in the pan but in reality it is a champagne colour.

Matte 351 & Pearl 393

M351 is a creamy off white shade that I use for blending out shadows and highlighting. P393 as I mentioned above appears really peachy in the pan, but once swatched is a golden champagne sort of shade.

Matte 358 & Matte 339

 M358 is a mushroom taupe sort of shade that leans purple and reminds me of MAC Copperplate a little bit. I love this all over the lid or sheered out as a wash with a deeper colour in the outer third. M339 is a depper shade that is along the same lines but leans grey. The two go really well together on the eye.

Matte 326

M326 is a richly pigmented chocolate brown shade that is something I needed more of in my collection. I am getting into chocolate smokey eyes and this works perfectly for that.

The colours were all a breeze to swatch and blend like a dream, as do all of the Inglot shades I have tried thus far. I am pleased with the matte formula and think that all of these shades are great additions to my makeup collection.

 

 

To see this palette in action head here to see a recent face of the day! I'd love to hear what you think of it.

What do you think of the Inglot Freedom Palette system?

Do you own many matte eyeshadows?

What do you think of my colour choices?

 *This product was purchased by me after a makeover with Inglot. Honesty, always.

Alpha-H Age Delay Cleansing Oil // Product Review

I wear a full face of makeup most days, and so feel the need to double cleanse in order to ensure my skin is totally clean when I hop into bed each night. I was sent a sample tub of the Age Delay Cleansing Oil from Alpha-H, which I used each night in the shower (after removing the bulk of my makeup with a designated makeup remover) This cleansing oil is a balm-like consistency that is infused with sea buckthorn and smells of a mix of rosehip along with other floral and fruity scents. 

I massage the balm all over my face before using water to emulsify it, and though they recommend removing this balm with a cloth, I tended to just use water as I followed it up with another cleanser anyway. This stuff melts away makeup and dirt and nourishes my skin, leaving it super soft. If you don't remove the balm with a cloth there will be residue left behind, but it is pleasant and hydrating (perfecting for the aging skin that it is targeted towards!) and so I didn't mind this at all.

The full size product comes in a tube and retails for $49.95 AUD. Once I've burned through some of the other cleansers I have to trial, I will be buying a full size of this. It is not often that skincare grabs my attention as much as this has, and suffice to say I am very impressed.

Have you tried anything from the Alpha-H brand?
What do you recommend I try next?
Do you precleanse often?

*This product sample was provided for review, but my review and opinions are unbiased and honest, as always.

 

glowing guest

There is nothing I like better than a luxurious high end beauty product that makes me glow. Though I will be doing an in depth review of Dior's now discontinued Amber Diamond here soon, I have shared my thoughts on MSodaPop's guest blogger spot here. I've also shared a bit about myself and why I blog. I'd love for you to let me know what you think of it!

red lip wardrobe

I frequently use the 'but I'm a beauty blogger, so it's research' excuse when confronted with questions about my growing cosmetic collection. Here I whip it out again, to make up for the fact that the above is but a selection from my red lip wardrobe.

When I look for a red lip, I don't stick to one formula or texture. I have glosses, sheer reds, coral-toned reds, brick reds and those in the spectrum between. I do find that I need to warm up the rest of my complexion when I wear some of these shades, and I generally use a bronzer like Nars Laguna to do so.

The truer reds in my collection would be 'Screen Siren' from Vani-T and Revlon's lip butter in 'Candy Apple'. I tend to base looks around them when I wear them, as they are quite strong on their own. The Serge Louis Alvarez '#27' is a blood red gloss with lots of intense shimmer, it really is a beauty and one I'm so glad to have in my collection. Nars 'Amsterdam' is the newest addition to the red lip family, it is deep and vampy and the formula is divine.

I was a bad blogger and totally neglected my mini Nars glosses when taking these shots. The shades Babe and Misbehave are stunning, and I can apply them without a mirror but am also able to build them right up on the lip as well. I adore the Nars gloss formula (regular line, not keen on the Larger than Life range though the colours look good)

My favourite product from my red lip wardrobe is definitely MAC's Viva Glam Cyndi lipstick (now sadly discontinued) which is a Lustre finish and is coral-toned, which makes it so easy for me to wear day in and day out. I will be heart broken when Cyndi leaves my life, but for now I am enjoying her but alternating with other red shades like MAC's Hot Tahiti. That, my dear blog readers, is the beauty of having a red lip wardrobe!



dolling up a little one

My beautiful niece turned 7 over the weekend, and celebrated with a glamour party with all of her friends. My sister set up a (fake) tattoo parlour, hair curling, coloured hair spray, a nail salon and a makeup spot for the kids to explore, with someone manning each section. Can you guess which I was in charge of?

I gave the kidlets choice when adding some sparkle to their party looks (and don't worry, everything was sanitized and no sticky fingers smooshed my makeup-phew!) They liked having the power to decide what they could wear, and I think overall it went well.

Biggest hit was definitely the BYS Diamond Shadow palette in Miami Beats*, which is chock-full of glitterific pastel shades (the kids went nuts for the pink, lo and behold) The essence Swirlpool blush also went down well, the sheen this gives is a sight to see, one of the prettiest blushes I own for sure. No love for MAC's Full Of Joy blush, the kids aren't fond of lavender it turns out. You learn something new every day!

The only ones who went for the Clinique Strawberry Fudge palette were my older niece and her friend, who weren't excited by the glitter and wanted to wear ladylike shades. The Gold Rush shade in the bottom left hand corner is such a stunner, FYI.

I gave all of the kids the choice of two Vera Wang perfumes (Princess and Glam Princess) and four lipglosses (which I applied onto the back of my hand and then onto their lips with a sanitised brush) The only one that wasn't chosen was the Mirenesse shade, they all wanted brighter pink shades so this fell by the wayside. Hello Kitty's Baby Lip looked great on, and as always my love for the essence stay with me glosses knows no bounds.

What would a 7 year old makeover be without a ton of shimmer? The new L'Occitane Pivoine Delicate Shimmering Powder* comes out with the nicest little 'puff' and the kids thought it was awesome (I think it is awesome as well!) The Vani-T Diamond Dust in Moon & Stars* is something I use on my cheekbones, and when I was finished with them the kids were all glowing like little rays of golden sunshine!

What would you do if asked to make over 30 children?

How often do you shimmer up your makeup routine?

*Marked products were provided, but used in this makeover because they are lovely and suited to occasion perfectly. Honesty, always.



Maybelline Dream Matte Powder // Rave Review, Photos, Swatch

I've only really delved into the world of face powders via the drugstore, and haven't tried any high end setting/translucent powders to date. Of all of the affordable face powders I've tried, Maybelline's Dream Matte powder reigns above all!

As you can see from the massive pan showing, I love this dearly. This is my third, perhaps fourth pan of Dream Matte, and though I've still been dipping my toe into other brands I always come back to this one.

I use this as an all-over setting powder (I generally use liquid foundation) and find that it doesn't give full coverage, and does help to hide some imperfections in the skin when I use a light coverage foundation. I used this in conjunction with my Invisible Zinc tinted moisturiser whilst in Thailand earlier in the year and found that it toned down the greasy, sunscreen look of the TM but still looked beautifully natural. Here is a picture of me wearing the TM with Dream Matte, just for reference:

 And as a side note, Chris has a wee bit of Dream Matte powder on in that photo,too! I made sure I slathered him in sunscreen while we were there, but he didn't like the shine either. Sun protection is worth it though, just powder it! I really wish I was in Thailand right now *rugs up next to heater with hot chocolate*

The packaging is a little bit bulky, as it contains a swing out section underneath the actual pan which holds a large mirror and powder puff. I actually use the mirror for all of my touch ups (as you can leave the powder section closed and still use the mirror) and so I find the packaging perfect for me. I don't often use the puff, but I like having it there if I forget a brush or just want to dab the powder on.

I don't find that the Maybelline Dream Matte powder cakes on me, even when I neglect blotting and just throw it on during the day for a touch up. It works well to control my oily t-zone and I can last until after lunch before I feel I need to check my face or freshen myself up.

The powder is fragrance-free and dermatologist/allergy tested, oil-free and won't clog pores. I wear the shade Cream (Light 4-5) and find it suits me perfectly.

What powder do you recommend I try next?

Have you tried anything from the Dream Matte line?

*This product was purchased by me (over and over again!) Honesty, always.

hauling polish // ft. Rimmel, Essie, China Glaze

For someone who isn't really 'into' nail polish, I sure have a shed load of the stuff!

Target had $4 off Rimmel products, and I realised that it brought their I <3 Lasting Finish shades down to $1.95AUD. I snapped up 5 colours that I adore, and can see myself getting a lot of wear from.

Lively Lilac, Disco Ball

Misty Jade, Hot & Spicy, Strawberry Fizz

So many beautiful shades for less than $10!

I am a huge Essie fan, and was elated to see the Resort Collection mini cube on sale for $5 at my discount chemist. China Glaze were also on offer, and I was good and only chose two shades.

I love the Essie formulation and they seem to have shades that I find really wearable. They are fast becoming my very favourite nail brand!

Your Hut Or Mine, Fair Game, Lion Around, Da Bush

Snow Globe, Secret Peri-winkle

These two shades are right up my alley, I have a few blues like this and adore them all, so was happy with my choice. Snow Globe is one that I have always loved the look of, and I never regret buying glittery top coat sort of shades as you can practically wear them with everything!

Let me know which shade stands out to you most, and what swatches you would like to see and I will be sure to fast track them.

*These were purchased by me. Honesty, always.