Beauty News // Shop + Report

Though I’m just back from a weekend away with Chris for our 5^th anniversary, I kept true to my title of beauty blogger and had my eyes peeled for new beauty news in the area while we were away. I thought it might be helpful to share some of the exciting beauty news with you all, and if you would like to keep up to date with the news faster add me on Instagram (@emmabovary) or Twitter (@emmabovaryblog)

 We spent Friday wandering around Rosebud, and I was elated to see tickets on the shelf and space cleared for some of my most loved French skincare brands! Uriage, Bioderma and La Roche Posay make some products that really work for me, and I can’t wait for these brands to roll out across all Priceline stores so everyone can take advantage of some lovely French skincare. For those who are yet to try any of these brands, I would recommend these products:

Uriage

Eye cream

Day Cream

Facial Spray

Bioderma

Crealine H2O

Facial Scrub

La Roche Posay

Effaclar Duo

I’m planning on picking up another tube of LRP Effaclar Duo as mine has just run out, some Bioderma H2O and a new moisturiser or sunscreen from LRP as well.

Speaking of exciting Priceline developments, they have finally rolled out Hydraluron and Eysilix (which I was very happy to receive from Priceline!) and us Aussie’s now have regular access to some top notch skincare. For information about the famed Hydraluron (which will no doubt sell out fast so run!) see the amazing Caroline Hirons, who is always recommending it as a serum to use underneath moisturiser to lock in hydration. It retails for $35 AUD- if you have tried it, let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below!

It is becoming quite evident that I don’t mind a gander in a pharmacy, fair to say? I was in Rosebud Terry White when I spotted a new Bubblegum themed nail collection from Revlon, including the famous Whimsical nail polish that I have had in my saved searches on eBay forever! I also ended up getting Girly from the same collection, and I am mighty pleased with both shades.

The new range of Ulta3 nail polishes have also been spotted at a few pharmacies (including TW Rosebud) and I grabbed a few of the shimmer + glitter shades, one of which was the amazing black + white dotted topcoat called Stop the Press. For a mere $2 these polishes are great quality and some of the shades are really unique, so I highly recommend picking up a few if you can.

Do you have any beauty news to share?

What is the latest beauty item you’ve purchased?

 

Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick // Photos & Swatches of 4 Shades!

Max Factor have flown under the radar for me for quite a while now, and I have to admit that most of the time their products don’t jump out at me for whatever reason. I have found great success with their eyeliners though, and have been impressed with the new products they have been rolling out this year which seems to suggest a new, fun direction for the classic brand. When I spotted these Colour Elixir Giant Pen Sticks for half price ($4.95 from $10!) while out shopping with Chris, he told me to pop a couple into the basket as we made our way around the store. I chose 4 shades that I am really happy with, and thought I would share some swatches and brief thoughts for those who might be thinking of picking one up.

Designer Blossom is the wintery shade I’ve been craving, and is a nice pop of red that I’ve been wearing quite often since I brought these home. Vibrant Pink is the brightest offering in the new range, and since I’ve been addicted to bright pinks like this I am very happy with this shade. Couture Blush is the ‘wearable pink’ from the Giant Pen Stick range, and because it is quite close to my natural lip colour I’ve been using this as a base under some of my pink glosses for an au natural lip look. Hot Chocolate is a shade that some people have questioned in blog posts I’ve read, but it is such a nice sheer nude shimmer on the lips that I took a gamble on, and luckily for me it turned out perfectly for me! It isn’t pigmented enough to be one of those dreaded brown lipsticks, and the mix of nude and golden shimmers is really flattering once it is on the lips.

These are a little bit glossy on the lips, perhaps similar to the shine of the Revlon Balm Stains but not as glossy as the Face of Australia lip crayons or the Clinique Chubby Sticks. Shade wise I quite like all of the 4 I chose, but I haven’t been tempted to go back for any of the others. Those who want a good level of pigmentation would be happy with Designer Blossom and Vibrant Pink, but as I said I am pretty happy with the other shades.

 

I find that these fade a little unevenly unlike the Clinique crayons, but it isn’t bad enough to put me off wearing them. My lips crave balm at night after I’ve worn these, so those with chronically dry lips may need to steer clear or buy one to try before indulging in a few from the range. I am pleased with these especially considering the price I picked them up for, and though I prefer the real ‘crayon’ type lip products, these lip pencil/crayon hybrids are pretty cool too.

Have you tried any of the ‘lip crayons’ that are flooding the market?

Which of these shades would you grab first?

The Blush Haul

There is nothing like a little treat when you receive some great news, and a new pop of colour for my cheeks is the best treat I can think of don’t ya think? After a big ol’ thumbs up from my mentor teacher at the end of my placement, I succumbed to the lure of MAC, Dior, BYS and Models Prefer (and soon I will be making a Bourjois order!)

 

It is hard to pick the star of the show as I am head over heels for every one of these new blush additions, but a shout out must go to the amazing Dior Crème Blush in Bikini, which is an amazing new formula that the luxe brand have just released. I love the burnt coral shade, though I also have my eye on the bright pink shade from the release as well. I have a feeling that the 4 shades will somehow form a set in my makeup drawers soon, they are just too pretty to resist, though I do have my eye on the yet to be released Chanel cream blushes as well. Bourjois also have new cream blushes out, and now that they are up on Asos I am finding it very tempting indeed.

 

Coming into the ‘orange’ side of the spectrum is my pick from the MAC All About Orange collection, the powder blush in Honey Jasmine. I ordered this online as I had a free shipping code, and I was elated to discover how long lasting it is on my cheeks and how easy to wear the colour is for me. I was excited as Larie posted this while I was waiting for it to arrive- nothing better than a post reaffirming a purchase!

For the bargain price of $5 for the set, I threw the Models Prefer Blush set into my cart on my last trip to Priceline. For a lovely cream blush stick and a pigmented powder pan reminiscent of NYX blushes, this was a big score for me and I’m very happy that the cheap gamble paid off. I never understood the appeal of the Nars Mutiples, but if they are anything like the cream stick in this set I totally get it- heaven! As an aside, I’m also using a stick blush from Vapour Organic* which is really nice, but the photos of it have mysteriously disappeared from my laptop so I am on a hunt for those so I can share it with you all.

Last, but most definitely not least, was my amazing haul of ALL of the new blush trios from BYS. For $4.50 a pop I really couldn’t help myself, and since I bought them I’ve worn them almost every day. They are a lovely formula and quite pigmented, so I’ve been applying them with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush. I have a full post with swatches coming up, so you will see shade names and swatches there. For now, enjoy the below swatches of the rest of my haul!

So now that I have indulged in a bit of a blush frenzy, I’m happily using my new loot and patting myself on the back for completing my first placement. How do you treat yourself for a job well done?

*I treated myself to these with a mixture of gift cards (silver Myer, woohoo!) and my own moolah. Honesty, always!

Mumma Bovary + Clarins, a match made in heaven

It is a common occurrence to see Mumma Bovary nudging me for a ‘wee spruce up’, and of course I don’t mind indulging her in a makeover every now and again. It seems my mind was subconsciously in a ‘Clarins state of mind’ as a whole lot of the products I threw in front of her were from the beautiful brand. Below are the products that she ended up choosing, though I admit that the Lip Perfector was my choice as I have always been curious about how she would look with paler glossy lips.

Of all of the single shadows and palettes I placed in front of Mumma B, the Odyssey Quartet (review here) was the very first thing she grabbed for. The gold leaf shade seems to instantly win hearts, but for this makeover I decided to use the 3 other (quite sheer) shades to define her eyes but keep it naturally pretty.  I then move onto the base, and Mum wanted to try a BB cream for the first time so we left the Ever Matte* (my sisters favourite!) to the side. The Clarins BB Skin Perfecting Cream* is too dark for my uber pale mug, but it is spot on for Mum so that is a plus. It was really easy to blend in and looked good, thumbs up Clarins, though was similar to a tinted moisturiser in my opinion.

Cheeks were ticked off with the Clarins Colour Accents Powder and Blush* –is it a blush, bronzer, or powder? I typically use this as a beautiful neutral blush, and the bronze action helps warm up the face while the palest section can work well all over if used sparingly. This looked oh so sexy on Mumma Bovary, and she was pretty thrilled with how different the neutral shade made her face look. The one blush she owns (a Savvy one she nicked from me!) is quite pink (see it in this post) and this is such a different look on the cheek.

 
I then handed Mumma Bovary the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Rose, and she was quite dubious about the pale pink shade with a flat sponge applicator. She didn’t mind the way it felt on her lips (they are quite smooth and smell yummy) but the shade ended up being too pale for her, and washes her out quite a bit. I guess it just shows why it is tough to do makeup on others- we are so used to our own colouring and style!

We then switched to the Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Colour in Crystal Coral, and though it took a bit of manoeuvring to get the bright pop of coral even on the lip, it looked beautiful on her! My mum loves bright or dark lip colours like berries and deep pinks, so this was definitely a more suitable lip choice for her tastes.

 

Do you prefer Crystal Coral on Mumma Bovary as well?

What colour eyeshadow do you think we should play with for her next post?

 

*Marked items were provided for consideration. This isn’t a sponsored post and I didn’t intend for it to be Clarins-centric!

The Night Routine

 

Despite really enjoying the skincare I had been using, once again I’ve switched it up in order to explore new products and work on improving my skin. I’ve been slapping these on while watching FleurdeVlog after my nightly cleanse, and I’ve been loving the feel of the silky L’Occitane Essence Sublime serum*(on counter August 14th)! The packaging is really pretty, and undoubtedly better than the small necked Angelica Hydration Cream* which is luxe but hard to reach into. I’ve been trialling the L’Occitane products for over a month now, and the cooling Regard Radieux Eye Roll On* is a strange consistency (I’m used to eye creams over gels) but hasn’t caused milia, so thumbs up for that!

Acne is something I like to keep at bay surprise surprise and as always I turn to Mario Badescu for that.  The Buffering Lotion is tops for under the surface bumpiness,  while the Drying Lotion zaps any big nasties without drying out my skin like other spot treatments do. Highly recommended!  I’ve been squeezing the last drops out of my La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, and was elated to find out that my local pharmacy is not stocking the range- score! I tried to describe it to my sister today, and the phrase ‘skin perfector’ and ‘a damn miracle’ were involved, so there’s that for ya…

What are you slapping on your face in the PM?

Dior Addict Lipstick 751 Exotique - Bird of Paradise Collection Photos, Swatches + Review

The official Dior obsession has begun, and I have entered into a passionate love affair with the luxe brand. Having only really tried Dior properly last year with the Fairy Golds eyeshadow palette, I was swept away by the new Addict lipstick + gloss range and once more this month by the Bird of Paradise collection. Billed for the US Spring/Summer slot, I find these colours translatable for the cold Melbourne winter as well so decided to pick up my very first Dior Addict lipstick from the brand. I've since been back for the new cream blushes and will perhaps look at the lip products again, but for now this is all I have purchased from the bright tropical paradise Bird of Paradise inspired collection!

751 Exotique comes in the beautiful Dior Addict tube, the design of which I was previously unfamiliar with. I will shamefully admit that I was taken aback by how these open, with the round top being pulled out leaving the whole square tube aside. Now that I’ve gotten the hang of that (beauty blogger problems, right?) I can settle back and admire the amazing flashes of colour that come off of the tube. Yep that is right, I am drooling even before the colour of the lipstick itself is exposed!

 

Leaving a great sheen on the lips without being slippery or too moisturising, Exotique is a fresh pop of watermelon pink that gets my heart racing. As soon as I set eyes on the colour I knew it had to be mine, and I was so pleased to find it flattering on my pale skin tone. Having said that, this is quite a buildable shade so it can be worn nice and bright or with a quick swipe of sheer colour. It would no doubt look amazing on darker skin tones as well, and considering it is my first foray into the famed Dior Addict I have to say I am, ahem, addicted!

Have you succumbed to anything from the Bird of Paradise collection? This is limited edition so get a move on if you haven't!

What do you think of pinks like this?

Have you tried a Dior Addict before?

Jimmy Choo EDP // A Sweet Scent to Enjoy with a Cosmopolitan

Launched in February 2011, the simply named Jimmy Choo fragrance was the very first from the brand.  For me, the Jimmy Choo label is synonymous with Sex and the City, and the thought of sky high heels and cosmopolitans is quite a positive connection to have with a brand. When I first heard that the brand had jumped into the bustling fragrance world, I immediately hunted it down for a sniff. It wasn’t until recently that I had the chance to try it on for an extended period of time, thanks to a sample vial I procured at a Myer counter.

The pink snakeskin design wouldn’t be my first choice of packaging, but I think it ties in nicely with the grenade style bottle said to be inspired by Murano glass. Tamara Mellon was the mind behind the design, and it is said to be a fragrance that is "feminine yet empowering, with a lot of sensuality to it”

This is the description taken from Fragrantica:

“The seductive composition is a modern chypre fruity, with green top notes, tiger orchid, sweet toffee caramel and Indonesian patchouli.”

Being someone who isn’t well versed in fragrance, I smell a lot of sugar in this 'sweet patchouli' scent, and the caramel becomes quite evident on my skin. As with most fragrances this isn’t incredibly long lasting on me, but it does sit longer than others and I’m happy with that. I did really enjoy wearing this, but I’m still unsure as to whether or not a full bottle would be justified. It reminds me quite strongly of my sister in law, who is a big fan of it and wore it on our first holiday together, so perhaps I will leave it to her and enjoy it when I am in her presence.

Jimmy Choo EDP retails between $99-$139 and is available at Myer and David Jones.

 

Do you forgo a new perfume if you know it is someone’s signature scent?

How sweet can you go with your fragrances?

Couture Sugar Oasis // A Simple, Wearable Makeup Look

Sometimes I relish in wearing simple, easy to throw on makeup. Having a slew of products can often make choosing quite difficult, but I know what staples I can lean on and have them close at hand in case I feel like creating a look like this one- easy, simple, fresh and pretty!

The main player for this look is definitely the glossy lip, and in my opinion no-one makes a better gloss than Nars! Oasis is a beautifully plummy pink with fine golden shimmer in a formula that lasts a long time on my lips, and gives a brilliant dimension to pink or nude lipsticks. I popped it over the top of the new Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick in Couture Blush, which is a soft pink shade. I have Nars Oasis in my handbag a lot of the time, as it goes with everything and it feels really moisturising for a gloss, without slipping all over my face!

 

Along with a sweep of Sunday Riley Blushing on my cheeks, I turned to my Too Faced Boudoir palette for this super simple eye look. Despite causing a bit of fall out (due to the silver micro-glitter) I love the way that the nude-mauve Sugar Walls looks all over the lid with a little bit of Covergirl Clump Crusher on the lashes. 

 

What is your easy go-to look?

How often do you wear lip crayons or lipgloss?

What's in my Shower // The Pink Edition

I did not intend for this edition of ‘What’s in my Shower’ to take on a primarily pink theme, but when I snapped the images I saw that they all shared the same hue so I decided to embrace it! Since taking these photographs I’ve actually finished up a few of the products, but I still wanted to show you the great shower products I’ve been using, so here we go!

I can’t go without a few shower gel options, so L’Occitane Ravissant shower gel* sits alongside Bodycology Sweet Pea and they are both deliciously floral and sweet, with the L’Occitane having more of a floral + citrus twist. I also had a few sample sized Soap + Glory products floating around (some of which featured in past empties) and though I wasn’t a fan of the Clean Girls shower gel, I quite liked the Scrub ‘Em and Leave ‘Em tub which smelt artificial yet deliciously expensive. I would definitely recommend The Breakfast Scrub* over Scrub of Your Life for both scent and texture, but I think any Soap & Glory scrub is well worth a try to be honest and the travel sized versions available at Kit Cosmetics make it so easy to dip your toe into the brand.

I have my very favourite cleanser sitting front and centre, the Fab Pore Hot Cloth cleanser* works so nicely with my skin and we are in the midst of a love affair as I type! Speaking of love affairs, the L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil* really exceeded my expectations (which were high to begin with, great work L’Occitane!) as both a shower oil and a shaving oil. Let me tell you, when your shaving oil smells this good your legs will be smooth more often, just so that you can relish in the amazing sweet almond scent – sigh,heaven! This is on the ‘definite repurchase’ list, no doubt.

Continuing with the pink trend, I’ve been trialling the new Kerastase Cristalliste* range (thick hair version) and I’m happy to report that the conditioner leaves my thick crazy mane soft and silky, though the texture of it is thinner than expected and needs a bit of muscle to escape the tube. The shampoo surprisingly didn’t upset my scalp as much as I thought it might, my head acts out against any shampoo that isn’t Garnier (and that includes hating all other dandruff shampoos!) but it tolerated this one quite fine. Hurrah for schmancy hair care that makes me feel like a French lady wink wink.

 

What would you steal first from my shower loot?

Does your shower also resemble the aftermath of a pink fairy explosion?

How many shower gels do you have on the go at once?

*Marked items were provided for consideration, but not planted for post purposes, I promise! Honesty, always.

 

Dior Bird of Paradise Collection // Spring-Summer 2013

 

It seems that a new brand has captured my attention, and now every time Dior releases a new collection I am all over it! The latest is probably my favourite so far in terms of overall presentation; I applaud the way that Dior approached the Bird of Paradise collection with bright colours that still remain wearable. Inspired by the vibrant colours of Latin America, this is what Dior has to say:

The Bird of Paradise collection embraces the vibrancy of nature and translates to versatile, wearable color for summer. Lips are inspired by tropic temperatures, while eyeshadow palettes feature a spectrum of luminous, marine blues, bamboo greens, and subtle accents of soft yellow for dramatic, shimmering lids inspired by the plumage of an exotic bird. A combination of bright pigments and rich textures celebrate summer’s energetic mix.

 

I definitely had my eyes on the Jelly lip pens, but once I saw the Addict lipsticks I decided that those were the ones for me, as they are more pigmented and I’ve heard great things about the formulation. The Jelly Lip Pens are quite sheer but apply rather smooth, and I do love a good lip crayon so I’d suggest swatching them on counter if you can. I ended up only getting one Addict, and have a post with detailed images coming up shortly. I also love the look of the glosses, and will be checking them out next time I make it to a Dior counter (am hopefully going to fit in a Dior makeover soon)

 

 

I adore the idea of small pairs of polishes, the pair in the image below is the most tempting for me and I could definitely see myself wearing both of the shades. I am also contemplating picking up one of the eye shadow quints, though I only have one in my collection (Fairy Golds, for the record) I love the quality and think that I could make these work for me.

 

One of the most impressive and talked about products from the Dior Bird of Paradise collection is definitely the Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise blush/bronzer pans! With a mix of shades you get more versatility with a product like this, so I can see why it is so popular (see Amarixe here!) I wasn’t totally drawn to it though, so gave it a miss and kept my focus on the lip products instead. I also had a look at the Nude Tan BB Crème, but my oh my they are dark! I am going to try the proper BB crème during my makeover, as the lightest shade of this is far too dark for me to even contemplate.

Overall I love the aesthetic of this collection, and I think that the products are of a wonderful quality and definitely worth checking out on counter. I will be checking out the lip products and perhaps the quints next time I pass by.

What products stand out to you from this collection?

What luxury brand has captured your heart?