the power of a pretty essence blush // limited edition blushes

For a blush fiend like me, the lure of a limited edition blush is often too hard to resist. When the price of a blush is on par with a large skinny flat white from Michel’s Patisserie, any strength I might have had against the purchase is completely dissolved.

essence are constantly coming out with strong limited edition collections, with most blushes sitting around the $5 mark in each release. Wonderful for those on a budget or who are only just getting into blush, the pans are generally decent quality and the designs really unique and pleasing to look at. They aren’t overly pigmented, which should suit those with a fear of clown cheeks, and makes it a lot easier to work with for blush beginners.

The essence Marble Mania blush in Swirlpool is my favourite blush release from the brand thus far, and though it now looks a bit tired thanks to the build-up atop the powder, the performance is still going strong and it gives a great berry toned glow to the cheek. My least used essence blushes would have to be the lip & cheek crème’s from the Ready for Boarding collection, in 01 Sending You Kisses and 02 Beauty on Tour. Though I love the small pan packaging and aesthetic of this collection, I consistently reach for my YSL Crème de Blush pots over this, and we all know that YSL is too big a brand to compete with (especially in cream blush stakes, where they really dominate!)

In terms of pure pan P0rn, the Home Sweet Home collection saw the prettiest pan releases for essence. Inspired by a knitted jumper design, 01 Knits for Chicks and 02 Wool-D You Cuddle Me? Are just stunning to look at, and the pigmentation is quite decent as well.  The Cherry Blossom Girl collection and the Asian Sensation blush is a very pretty one, but lacks the punchy pigmentation I tend to prefer in a blush pan.

What features do you look for in a blush?

Luxe or affordable?

Plain or patterned?

Do you struggle to stick to one blush shade, or do you use the same colour every day?

 

*I purchased all of this myself. Beauty blogger blush problems!

I've Been Shopping! - A Collective Haul

I’ve picked up some pretty lovely things lately, and even though a few online orders are yet to arrive it is time to share my new stash items with you.  Most are from Priceline and the supermarket, but I forgot to include my Clinique products (and GWP!) so they’ll have to feature in the next round up instead. Moving is messing with my mojo, but we’ll get there eventually.

Covergirl seems to be my Achilles heel this month, and I found all 3 of these trios on sale at various points of the month and treated myself to them. No restraint there, I tell ya! Majestic Hazels (bottom left) has a really nice mix of browns along with a mint and a cream shade, and I think I am going to really enjoy playing around with it and finding new combinations. Country Woods (bottom right) had caught my eye a few times, and those neutrals needed to be mine. Blossoms (top palette) is not something I thought I’d buy, but I love the intense mix of pink and purple as they are so pretty.

 

The Innoxa blush duo might have been a silly purchase as I really don’t need another blush and I definitely don’t need two but the purchase happened, and the free kabuki brush was procured. The BOE products I believe are Big W exclusive, and I couldn’t help treating myself to a matte lip cream and two lip lacquers for the pricely sum of $2 each! The lip loving trend continues with a Pink Lolita tinted Baby Lips by Maybelline hopping into my Priceline basket, along with a slew of new lip products that I don’t regret and am still swooning over.

 

The Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balms in Watermelon Twist + Plum Twist were inevitable purchases – one inspired by Ingrid from Miss Glamorazzi and the other a nod to a vampy side of me that needs some attention. The final lip crayon to enter my overloaded crayon collection is the Bourjois Colour Boost Glossy Finish crayon in Peach at the Beach. Could it be the cutest name ever? My vote is a yes at the moment, since I am so smitten with this shade. I am so tempted to head back for another shade, but on principle I’m waiting for a Bourjois sale. Stares intently at watch.

 

La Roche Posay’s Effaclar Duo is an absolue miracle for my skin, and now that it is available at Priceline I was able to repurchase and avoid a skin meltdown - crisis averted! I read about the Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion first on Styling You, and the very next day I popped into Big W and bought it on sale for $5! I’m yet to try it as I’m saving it for my new place it’s the little things, but 5 of my family and friends have since bought it and have been quite impressed! The Grown Body Exfoliant and Facial Moisturiser were spotted for $5 on a clearance shelf at Priceline, and I love the aesthetic of the brand so much that I just had to buy them.

 

That rounds up (most of) my collective haul! I’d love to know what you think of the products I chose, or what you have picked up lately that you think I should check out.

Happy hump day!

Antipodean Beauties - Winter

Week three of the Antipodean Beauties challenge saw me pondering the ‘winter’ theme, which seems quite apt considering the cold weather in Melbourne at this time of year. Icy winds and smatterings of rain put me in a pale blue and grey frame of mind, so I leant towards those shades to create this winter makeup look.

winter essentials : comforting lip balms and beautiful grey shadows

The L'Oreal Infallible shadow in Sassy Marshmallow had been in the back of my mind since the Miss Candy collection was released quite some time ago, but I was yet to pick it up to add to my (rather large!) Infallible collection. After a long study session last week I stopped by Target with my friend Carly, and ended up finding Sassy Marshmallow for less than $5 in a clearance tub! With the Antipodean Beauties Winter theme in mind, I took the iridescent pale blue shade filled with pink/red shimmer home with me and set to work.

 

I tapped some Sassy Marshmallow (still giggling at the shade name) over the lid, concentrating the pale shimmery colour on the inner half of my eye as I knew I was going back in with another colour for the outer corners. I swept a little bit of my brown toned grey Inglot shade into the crease but found it didn’t have enough impact, so I went back in with Garter Belt from my Too Faced Boudoir palette. Garter Belt has been my favourite shadow for darker eye looks since I bought this palette, and I think it looks nice with the pale blue shadow to bring it to a more wearable level.  I then mixed the dark grey Inglot shade with the shimmery greys from my Australis Frock + Roll palette and tapped them under the eye for some definition.

I finished off the eye look with these products:

Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream in Light*
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder
YSL Touché Éclat*
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed
MAC Patisserie lipstick
BOE Lip Lacquer in Milk Chocolate
Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara

What makeup looks do you turn to for cold weather?

Do you fancy pale blue shadows, or find them too '80's' for your style?

Be sure to check out the other Antipodean Beauties below for their take on the 'WINTER' theme.

 *Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Switching up the Skincare - cleansing oils & balms

I was a little bit disappointed to get to the end of my DermalogicaPrecleanse* recently, as I really enjoyed the way it easily cleaned my makeup off and kept my skin clear until the very end of the bottle. Rather than rush out to repurchase (tempted though I was) I thought it best to use up some of my other cleansing oils/balms in order to behave as ‘normal’ people do haha fat chance! I guarantee that I will be repurchasing this in the future though!

 

The first cleansing oil I pulled out was the Sanctuary Spa Ultimate Facial Cleansing Oil, which I purchased from Priceline when the brand first hit the shelves. I was pumped to use it and adore the packaging and aesthetic of the brand, but for some reason I thought to check out the ingredients before I slapped it on my face. I was just getting over a huge upsetting breakout, so when I saw that the words ‘mineral oil’ were first on the ingredients list, I physically stepped back to think about what it might do to my skin.

I haven’t been brave enough to test it out despite the rave reviews I’ve read online, I just can’t see how an ingredient like mineral oil can be good to grumpy skin like mine. I’m not claiming to be an expert on ingredients or skincare in general, so if you want to read more about mineral oil in general I highly recommend you check out Beauty Mouth by Caroline Hirons aka the skincare queen. Hirons has spoken at length about the negative aspects of mineral oil, and I think it her blog is a must-read!

I dived into my stash to find something else to use up, and came across my half empty Antipodes Grapeseed Butter Cleanser, which is a thick balm inside a thick plastic tub. I loved using it but moved onto other things (as beauty bloggers do) in order to review for the blog, but I am really happy to come back to this. It needs to be removed with a flannel/muslin cloth and I find it really moisturising, but I’m happy to report that it doesn’t leave me oily or break me out.

Do you precleanse every day?

Do you prefer cleansing balms or cleansing oils?

*Provided for review, but that hasn’t affected my intense love for it. Thanks Dermalogica! Honesty, always.

Antipodean Beauties - Glitter

Sometimes a good makeup challenge is the push needed for a beauty blogger stuck in a rut! With the move coming up fast and no less than 4 post graduate assessments due on the same weekend, I was elated to see that Omega had created a new challenge group filled with exciting weekly challenges to try! I’m quite happy to have some inspiration handed to me on a platter, so in this second week I have joined in with the ‘GLITTER’ theme in the best way I know how!

 

 

I had a good look through my makeup stash for an eyeshadow or blush that used the chunky flakes I associate with the word ‘glitter’, but all that I dug out were makeup products filled with shimmer! I will admit that I was tempted to cheat and use some shimmer for this challenge, but seeing as it is my maiden voyage into Antipodean Beauties I thought I would turn to the makeup I apply to my fingernails – glitter polishes! I sure have a whole lot of them (many more than those pictured!) and I had a bit of fun choosing base coats (or undies!) for my glittery shades.

From the thumb :

-Ulta3 Soft Hydrangea + Australis Milky Way

-OPI Dining Al Frisco* (San Francisco collection) + Jordana LA City Lights

-Sally Hansen Shrimply Divine* + essence The Huntsman (Snow White collection)

-Australis Kick the Bucket* + Australis Glitter Strikes Back

-OPI Incognito in Sausalito* (San Francisco collection) + Jordana Magenta Magic

 

 

My favourite pairing from this manicure would have to be the pinkie finger. I fell in love with Incognito in Sausalito* at first swatch, and I think Magenta Magic looks amazing paired with the deep navy shade from the new San Francisco collection. I really enjoyed the theme of this challenge, though it has spurred me to think about adding a true glitter shadow into my ever growing collection.

 

Which pairing is your favourite?

Do you wear glitter makeup or nail polish or find it a bit too much?

This is a Blog Hop, so make sure you check out the other amazing glitter creations from the Antipodean Beauties below!
 

                             

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Fresh New Goodies from essence

It is well documented that I have a deep and intense love for budget European brand essence! Often I will post up hauls with their limited edition releases, but now that they are releasing collections I already own I’ve been happy to delve into the new products from the permanent line! A lot of their things have been discontinued, but as often happens they have replaced them with some pretty rad new products to fill the shelves. I picked up a few of the NEW items a while back, and thought I would share them in case they were overlooked on the shelf!

I love that essence writes funny things like ‘wow!’ on their new packaging; I have to admit that it does make me giggle a little when I see it. I can understand why they popped the word onto the new shadows though, from the 3D range! I like having two complementary shades in a little pan like this, and I think they have all been thought through really well. I have looked at some swatches of the coloured shades from this line and have a feeling I will be picking them up soon, but for now I have the two neutral options. 

09 Irresistible Chocolates is my pick of the two, with a shimmery mid-brown shade sitting next to a darker, more cool toned brown (a great crease shade!) 04 Irresistible Caramel Cream has a lighter beige shade next to a warmer, copper shimmer filled brown. These are a little bit powdery (as I expected for the price) but are still quite smooth with nice pigmentation. I have used the dark chocolate shade (second swatch across!) in a variation of my ‘peppermint chip’look and really liked how it went with the mint green colour!

I have been wearing a lot of my lip crayons lately, but sometimes I crave a glossy lip and the new Trendsetter shade in the Stay With Me is a really beautiful shade! It’s a bright berry pink and is the latest shade to join the line-up, though there have been a few new shades of them out lately so it is worth checking out the stand if you are a gloss fan.

I am a huge fan of cheap and dirty nail polishes (ulta3 is a fave of mine!) and essence have stepped up with their new bottle designs and some fresh shades in the mix. Naughty & Pink is a nice mid toned pink that I find more wearable than others in the usual bright pink range, and the fact that they are around the $2 mark means I can choose a new shade without denting the purse at all! I quite like the shape of the fat brush, but am yet to wear this shade on my nails so can’t comment on lasting power just yet!

Have you picked up anything from essence lately?

What is your top budget brand?

Peppermint Chip // Stash Shopping Makeup Look

Sometimes a classic colour combination is something not to be messed with, and often when I land on a winning combination I am immediately hooked! I was inspired by the thought of a mint chip cookie for this look, and it has been my go-to on and off for a while now.

 

A quick rifle through the unloved sections of my stash brought out some real winners, with the Chanel Illusion D’Ombre cream eyeshadow in Epatant being the star of the scene. I’ve been using it on and off for weeks now, and love that it isn’t too green by itself those scared of colour, take note! A light pop of BYS metallic green over the top of it can really kick the ‘mint’ effect up a notch though, and then you throw a bit of chocolate goodness through the crease and it's done - good enough to eat! 

A smudge of essence Hot Chocolate really ties the theme together for me, and I brought out my Clinique High Lengths mascara* out to really stretch my lashes out. The funny rubber brush takes a while to get used to (I may not even be there yet) but I sure love the length it gives, so I’m not going to complain!

Chanel Epatant, Burberry Copper, BYS palette, Clinique High Lengths*, Clinique Strawberry Fudge, essence Hot Chocolate

I was having a pretty good skin day when I took these photos, but props must also be given to the cheek stars that I think did a nice job of warming up my face against the relatively cool toned eye look that was the star of the show. Clinique Superbalanced Bronzer* is my top pick for a bronzer, you’ll often see my spruiking it to anyone if the topic of faux sun is mentioned in passing. In fact, I was raving about it to my lecture buddy at University earlier this week! I topped it off with my snapped but still beautiful Burberry Lip Mist in Copper (best GWP ever, I’d say!) and the peppermint chip makeup look was complete!

Bourjois 123 Perfect foundation, Laura Mercier foundation primer, Clinique Superbalanced Bronzer*, L'Oreal The Muse's Blush

What do you think of wearing chocolate and mint together? Keep it in the ice cream cone or go for it?

Most Loved : July

August already, which is something I am finding hard to fathom. It feels like only yesterday, as cliché as it sounds, that I was beginning my post graduate course and pining over the thought of moving out of home one day, sigh. Now I can officially say “we’re moving in this month” and “I will be a qualified teacher soon.” I’ll stop the end of month musing there, and get on with the task at hand: sharing my most loved products of July!

 

Eyes were kept fairly neutral, with my Urban Decay Naked 2 getting some long awaited love. I hold a huge amount of love in my heart for the original Naked palette from the brand, but the second instalment sat unloved in my drawers for quite a while. I’ve been using Bootycall as a brow + inner corner highlight, Pistol as a nice crease shade and Busted when I want something a bit darker. The newest addition to my palette collection took a few weeks to steal my heart, but I can now say I am in love with the MAC Bare My Soul palette from the Temperature Rising collection.  I've also been popping a bit of my Beauty Attitude Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Busted Brown in place of a traditional eyeliner, to add a nice frame to my shadows. If I’ve felt like a little pop of colour on my lids, I’ve barely stepped out of the neutral realm in using my Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Epatant.

 

I do apologise for the reoccurrence of the cheek colours in each monthly round up post, but my love for these two shades really does know no bounds. The Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed is the easiest shade to throw on, and I find it adds a warmth to my face that nothing else can. A pop of bright colour on the cheeks is almost always Chanel Pink Explosion, which looking back was a wonderful choice on Chris’ behalf for Christmas 2013. I have expressed my love for the idea of a new Chanel cheek shade each festive season, and this year I’m once again happy for him to hold the reins and select a shade for me to fall in love with.

Pink is yet again the theme of my lip choices this month, with my motto being the brighter the better! MAC Girl About Town is an amazing, long lasting and flattering lipstick from a brand that is often hit and miss in regards to lip products in my opinion. I’ve been wearing it a little too often this month, but it makes me smile wide and that is all that matters, right? For something a little more inconspicuous I’ve been turning to L’Oreal Colour Riche in Velvet Rose*, which has gone well with Busted + Busted Brown that I mentioned earlier. The other lip product that has captivated me is one I am not fully in love with, purely because of the lack of lasting power (even compared to other lip glosses) The Laura Mercier Lip Glace is Sweetheart is such a lovely shade that indeed leaves the lips glossy like a glass reflection, and the scent and flavour is so divine. It doesn’t stay around for long, though it must be said that having such a sweet scent makes reapplying quite an enjoyable task.  

How dark do you shadows go on a day to day basis?
Do you have a beauty tradition like our (will be) annual Chanel blush?         

*Marked items provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

My Current Default Look

Pink has been my default shade for lips and cheeks this season, I think because I feel as though it really brightens up my pale face. I’ve also had great success finding some bright pink products with amazing lasting power (Chanel Pink Explosion blush being the first to jump to mind) which must have a lot to do with it. I swatched and reviewed the Maybelline Vivid range here, and the lipstick that has been getting the most love this month has been Vivid Rose, which is funnily enough a rose toned bright pink lipstick that fades evenly, and lasts nicely on my lips.

 I’ve been pairing it with my BYS Blush Trio palette in On the Brightside (full swatches and review here) particularly the centre shade, which is of course the brightest of the whole collection. Brave, you say? With a stippling brush this sheers out perfectly, but I keep it strong enough so that the pink lip and cheek work in tandem to make me look awake. I’m really sleeping with my eyes open, shh. Eyes have been less creative than usual, and the MAC Bare my Soul quad (from the Temperature Rising collection) has been copping a hiding! I’ve been throwing all 4 shades into some looks, but the staple would have to be Romantico all over the lid (paler brown shade, VP formula) with Friendly (deep chocolate VP) heavy through the crease.

Do you have a default look you turn to on cold mornings?

Can you suggest a new eye look for me to try out?

 

Little Beauty Purchases

I’m actually quite pleased at how good I’ve been on the spending front this month. I suppose the looming bills are something I’m not used to, and so I’ve been stashing my dollars away for the scary day when they are stuffed into my mail box rather than bringing home some of the beautiful high end products that are out at the moment. These products are a collective mini haul of sorts, just showing you some items I’ve picked up while out and about (though this isn't every product, just most)

The Models Prefer $5 Blush Set impressed me, so much so that I raced out to get the Bronzer Set that you see here. A powder pan and a cream stick bronzer akin to the Nars offerings, I am yet to try these but am happy to have them (and all for the sum of $4 AUD!) I was tweeting with Nalini from The Made Up Maiden about how great the price point was for the new Models Prefer products, and I encouraged her to take a chance on the blushes and in turn she talked me into buying the bronzer box! I think the beauty of having blogger friends is that they can recommend some great products (though that is also the dangerous part of having blogger friends!)

The two pretty lip shades sitting right there were an add-on to Mumma Bovary’s chemist purchases. She enlisted my help in finding her a new lippy shade (was a success, post is coming!) and when I swooned over these bright shades she threw them into the basket. Aren’t Mum’s the best? Both lipsticks are from the Satin brand, the pink being Shade 5 and the coral being Shade 20. Frustrates me to no end when cute lipsticks have crappy names, don’t you agree?

Last but not least we have some of the brand new Maybelline goodies to hit the shelves! My new girlfriend from university had bought these on a U.S trip and so when we spotted them on a ‘study day’ in Priceline (ahem) she helped me choose the new Colour Tattoo in Inked in Pink and the Colour Whisper in Who Wore it Red-er. I haven’t tried either of these out yet, but was ecstatic to see the new line from Maybelline hit my desk not long after I bought these, so full reviews are forthcoming of all of the hot new shades. Who Wore It Red-er is actually more fuschia pink when swatched, so it will be interesting to see how it looks on my lips!

Have you treated yourself to anything little lately? Or are you saving up for something pricey instead?