Lick the Icing

As soon as I saw the new limited edition lipstick shade called ‘Lick the Icing’ from Australis, I knew I had to make it mine. A pale pink/lilac shade unlike anything else I own, this sort of colour is one you either love or hate. Though some shades don’t technically flatter some people, lipsticks in shades that make me smile can do no wrong. I think I will wear this throughout summer, just for something different, even if Chris does give me strange looks every time. This photo makes my lips appear pretty large (is it the lipsticks doing...?) but it does accurately show how the colour looks on me. Check out this link to see it on a favourite blogger of mine, Angela!

 

Camp pastel lips-yay, or big ol' nay?

*Bought this myself. Honesty, always.

Nightly Beauty Routine

I tend to either hit a wall while blogging and fall asleep in no time, or enjoy taking my time to pamper myself before bed. If I can be bothered, these are the star products kept close to my sleeping quarters.



 

To be honest, The Body Shop Moringa body butter has been joined by the new Vanilla Bliss* fragrance, I alternate between festive and yummy or floral and summery to keep my skin soft. I can’t get enough of my Victoria’s Secret Amber Romance lotion, that stuff couldn’t smell better if it tried. Hands are treated to my all-time favourite cream, Endota Spa’s Lavender & Alpine Pepper*. Never would I have considered putting lavender with pepper, so I guess it is lucky there are places like Endota around!

 

 

I’ve been really loving my Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream, it has kept my skin soft and supple while helping out with the flaky skin issue as well. It smells good, is well-priced and the packaging is sexy- what more could I want?! My Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine is too milky pink for me to wear during the day, but I use it every night before bed and it soothes my lips and smells yummy.

 

 

I’ve almost used up my QV Heel Balm, and love slathering it on before I go to bed to keep my feet from getting dry and horrible. There is nothing worse (in my opinion) than seeing someone wearing a killer pair of shoes, with cracked and peeling heels. Avoid at all costs, prevention is better than cure in this scenario. My L’Occitane Lavande Cologne* smells too good, and relaxes me if I’m feeling anxious or having trouble going to sleep at night. This sits on my desk and I use it quite frequently to soothe my mind (and make myself smell good in the process) Huge bottle is a lifesaver! I tend to give myself a manicure before bed, so that I can sleep in a little later in the morning rather than having to do my nails then. Seche Vite is a topcoat I am trying out at the moment (and Sally Hansen Diamond Flash*, too) I’m leaning towards vampy nails right now (bottle pictured is from the essence Breaking Dawn Part 2 collection) I’m also loving festive nails, but summer is coming so I am sure brights will be gracing my nails quite often as well.

 

What products are in your nightly beauty routine? How often do you change your nail polish, or moisturise your whole body?

 

*Marked items were provided. Honesty, always.

Laura Mercier // Signature Colour Essentials

My love affair with Laura Mercier is not winding down, if anything I’m falling more and more in love with their products. The latest gift set I picked up is a beauty, and I thought I’d showcase it now while it is still readily available. I find buying palettes and sets from LM easier (and cheaper!) than choosing single shadows, I like the way it forces me to try shades I wouldn’t have picked up!

 

 

 

The Signature Colour Essentials set comes with a quite a few products, and I thought it a really nice touch that they were all individually wrapped in tissue paper (can you tell I love Christmas and unwrapping things?) As well as getting the palette for cheeks and eyes, you get a travel sized Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara, a 30ml Foundation Primer, Twilight Caviar Stick, lip glace in Sweetheart and a chunky little All Over Eye Colour brush. I love getting the chance to try a few things from the Laura Mercier line at once, rather than having to stick with the eyeshadows and wonder about the rest. This lets me dip my toe into the rest of the range with ease.

 

The true drawcard for me was the cheek and eye palette in this box, containing a Second Skin Cheek Colour in Vintage Pink, and two eye colour duets. The first contains Morning Dew, a creamy matte white, and Primrose, a shimmery pale rose beige kind of shade. The second duet contains Topaz, a taupe, and Kir Royal, a deep violet shade which applies beautifully. I find all four of these colours really wearable, and it could be feasible as a holiday palette if you don’t mind using the same four shadows in different ways. The cheek colour is stunningly classic, and a welcome addition to my Laura Mercier blush family. I love the LM signature atop this slimline package, but I do have quite a bit of trouble opening the clasp and it has been the culprit of a few chipped nails lately. Not a deal breaker for me, but definitely something to consider.

Sweetheart, Twilight, Vintage Pink, Morning Dew, Primrose, Topaz, Kir Royal

 

When I swatched all of the beautiful colours in this signature set, the Twilight Caviar Stick reminded me of a shadow I’d recently purchased, namely MAC’s Moth Brown from the By Request collection. I swatched the two side by side for you. While Twilight is darker and deeper, and Moth Brown more brown in tone, I think they are quite close in colour.

 

What do you think of purchasing sets like this over individual items? Do you see it as a chance to play with new products, or a waste of things you don’t want/need?

The Laura Mercier Signature Colour Essentials retails for AUD $85 and is available at Myer.

 

 

*All mentioned items were purchased by me. Honesty, always.

Instagramming #1



1.Trying out the Nuxe Shimmering Dry Oil at Mr. Masons 2. Mum’s el cheapo face creams 3. Motel breakfast of champions 4. French goodies I’m using from Nuxe & Clarins

1. Rocking my new Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Smitten 2. The Philosophy set that is on my wishlist, ‘The Bake Shoppe’ 3. Festive nails with essence 113 do you speak love? 4. Clearin’ out the pores with Biore!

1. My pick from the new The Body Shop festive range, Vanilla Bliss 2. Heading to a faux-raceday BBQ to hang with some beautiful souls 3. Planning a cheeky holiday 4. Celebrating Christmas with launch of The Body Shop’s new range.

 

If you'd like to follow me on Instagram, my username is EmmaBovary!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revlon Haul (including Myer GWP!)

I’d had my eye on a few things from Revlon, and I generally like to wait until they have a good sale on or a worthwhile promotion before I hand over the money. As luck would have it, Myer has a great gift with purchase (GWP) on right now until Christmas Eve, and you get a choice of two metallic clutches filled with products when you spend over $39.95. I chose to pick up the new Colorstay Whipped foundation (150 Buff) as I’d read a few blog reviews and they seemed positive, and I threw in the Colorstay eyeshadow quad in Siren to bring the purchase up to the correct amount. I ended up spending around $60 AUD, which is not bad when you consider how much I got in the clutch as well.

 

 

I chose the blue clutch set as I like the look of the palette and gloss more than the items in the other pack, even though that bag is more attractive. Ever since the Colorstay quads were released I’d had my eye on them, but since I’ve indulged in the beauty that is high-end eyeshadows, I was afraid I would be disappointed with the pigmentation. I haven’t had too much of a play around with them, but since I received the Addictive neutral quad and am now the owner of 2 palettes, I will be sure to let you know how I get on. I was happy with initial instore swatches, so only time will tell. The Colorburst gloss in Orchid is a pretty purple toned pink filled with shimmer, and as a lover of most Revlon lip offerings, no doubt I will love this gloss and it will fall into my regular beauty line up for summer.

The clutch also holds a Colorstay nail enamel in 280 Blue Slate, a PhotoReady 3D Volume mascara in Blackest Black and a PhotoReady Perfecting Primer sample. The clutches contents are valued at over $99, and I think it is a pretty good deal if you are thinking of picking up something from Revlon anyway, or would like to get a Christmas gift from there and pick up a bonus for your efforts!

 

If you were telling someone about Revlon and they had never heard of them before, what would you recommend they try?

 

Aquatic Blue Eyes // Recreating a Look from YouTuber Chloe Morello

The beauty of YouTube and blogs is the chance to get inspired by makeup looks that I wouldn’t have had access to otherwise. I am a big fan of Chloe Morello on YouTube, and when I saw her aquatic eyes tutorial using a Sigma palette, the urge to follow along with the tutorial was unstoppable. I pulled out the products I thought I needed, and set to work trying to follow Chloe’s makeup look.

 

 

 

Products Used:

 

Max Factor Masterpiece Colour Precision Eyeshadow in Stardust - all over base

essence duo from 50’s Girls Reloaded collection (LINK) in 03 Come on Board Captain (navy shade) - in crease

TheBalm Tempting Tara from the Shady Lady Vol.2 palette (LINK)- along waterline as colour base and as inner corner highlight

L’Oreal Color Infallible in All Night Blue- in crease

SHE Dusting Powder in Karma – centre and inner lid

Various sky blue and turquoise shades from Inglot –gradiant over lid

Face of Australia Impact Curl mascara- on the lashes, obviously!

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara – for lower lashes

 To create the look, I pretty much followed Chloe's video to a tee, just using the above products. I suggest you go and watch it after leaving a comment here, she is so nice to watch and creates some beautiful makeup looks.

 

So many eye brushes for this look!

 

 

How do you think I went at recreating the Aquatic Blue Eyes look? Do you use YouTube tutorials for inspiration as well? I’d love to know who your favourite YouTubers are so I can follow some new ones!

 

 

* I personally purchased everything used to recreate this look. Honesty, always.

 

Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Crème in Iced Gold // Swatches, Review, News and BeautyBay purchase

When I heard the rumours fly that Jemma Kidd had gone bust, my thoughts dove to the Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Crème that had been sitting on my wishlist for an age. I made my way over to Beauty Bay and threw the shade Iced Gold into my basket, and for an extra pound and a half I upgraded to the luxe shipping, with comes with deluxe samples. I received the Session Styling Kit from Sebastian, which contains a stack of hair companions, and some samples from Talika.

 

Jemma Kidd’s Dewy Glow is a light crème highlighter, and despite only having it in my possession for a short time I thought I would post initial opinions and swatches. That way you have the opportunity to buy the item, before they all disappear! This is incredibly lightweight and blends out to a glowy finish rather than something chunky and stark, and I prefer a crème formula to a liquid like Benefit’s High Beam, as I find it sits on the skin more comfortably and doesn’t push the foundation underneath around. It does contain shimmer in the formulation, so bear that in mind if you decide to purchase it. I find that the shimmers are so fine and sheer out well, and is great for popping on top of cheekbones to really bring light to the face. The rubberized packaging is similar to Nars and feels really sturdy, holding 4.25g worth of glowy goodness.

 

 

 

 

 

Jemma Kidd named the shade well, it does have golden tones and a certain ‘iced’ appears which makes it really beautiful. It isn’t pink like Benefit’s High Beam at all, but isn’t as golden as Sun Beam either. It is cooler than Benefit Watts Up, and takes on an almost white appearance when compared to TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer, which appears much more yellow toned. I've swatched Iced Gold with one swipe, and then layered it to show how it can be built up.

 

 

 

I think it is a gorgeous addition to my collection, and I’m pleased to have picked it up while it is still around. I’ve heard a lot of positive things about the Jemma Kidd range, so I hope that the company rights itself and continues to impress, and perhaps I will dip my toe into other products from them. (Since I heard the rumours of the company going bust, JK herself has tweeted and confirmed the news.)

Have you tried anything from the Jemma Kidd range?

What are your favourite highlighters, and how often do you reach for them?

 



*I purchased this product, as stated in this post. Honesty, always.

Pixie Pink Slip

Despite leaning more to the orange loving side of the colour spectrum, pink is still a lot of fun for me to wear, especially when the weather heats up. I’m still obsessed with the Jordana Glitters I bought while in Sydney for IMATS/BBU, and so  last week I decided to use one. Of course, I coated each and every nail with a glitter bomb. Such a pain to get off, but so worth it until then- I got a compliment about my nails while watching Chris play indoor football!

 

 

 

 

 

I used the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in 170 Pink Slip* as a pale base for the glitter chunks, so that they really stood out. I don’t think I would wear Pink Slip on its own as a manicure as it hovers between very pale pink and white, and doesn’t flatter my pale hands very much. I think I will be getting a lot of use out of it as a glitter base though! The Jordana Glitter I’ve used in this look is 05 Pixie Pink, which is a mix of medium pink hex glitter and small glitters in a clear base.

 

How often can you be bothered wearing glittery nails?

Do you have a favourite 'base' shade for wearing under effect polishes?

 

*Marked item was provided at an event, which does not affect my opinion of it, obviously. Honesty, always.

 

What's In My Makeup Bag - Weekend Edition

Heading away for a top notch weekend with family and friends, and decided to share what I’m taking along with me! Bioderma Crealine H2O* is a no brainer, and this travel sized bottle is perfect for packing away for times like this. I’ll be ‘freshening up’ before the evening events kick off on Friday and Saturday, so having this to give myself a clean canvas to work with is a must. Maybelline’s Dream Matte powder (not pictured, is in my handbag) will be on me at all times, to keep shine at bay and ensure any photos don’t see me appearing as shiny as a new dollar. The new Kiehls Aromatics range in Orange Flower & Lychee is coming with me (lotion & body cleanser*) as I love trying out new scents while staying somewhere new. I have a thing for sheer reds and lip crayons, so naturally a few from each category snuck their way into the makeup bag as well.

 

The usual skincare suspects are coming along for the weekend, as well as some Laura Mercier loves that I can’t stop using. My Clinique Superbalanced bronzer* is a definite favourite to make me look awake when I’m feeling less than perky (planning on some ciders over the weekend, obviously!) and so will my YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat*. I’ve planned my outfits pretty thoroughly and know what lipsticks will suit the looks, so bright pinks and oranges are a must! I didn’t have enough time to really try on all the shades with the looks, so threw a heap from each category in there to choose from on the day. Serial overpacker, but we’re going up on a big bus with lots of room for luggage so I don’t mind!

 

 

 

If you spot any products you’d like a review of or have any makeup look ideas you want me to try, please drop a comment below and let me know!

Do you have any tips on packing? Do you overpack, underpack, or hit it out of the park every time?

 

 

*Marked items were provided for consideration, which wasn’t a factor in them being thrown into my makeup bag. Honesty, always.