Dreaming of Dreamtone

Who doesn't dream of a flawless skin tone? I personally battle with some lovely leftover blemish marks and general redness on my face, so was all gung-ho to try this new release from the skincare giant Lancôme.

First impressions? I love the ombre pink bottle, and the twist top open is a nice touch that I find really easy to use, and it keeps the application hygienic as well. This luxe serum targets dark spots (buzz term of late, don't ya think?) and comes in 3 variations for different skin tones/areas of concern. 

-Dreamtone 1 is targeted at fair complexions and is supposed to fight redness.
-Dreamtone 2 is for medium skin tones and fights sallow skin
-Dreamtone 3 is for dark skin and targets blemish marks.

I personally take these variation types with a grain of salt, and was sent Dreamtone 2 despite my very fair complexion. I was dubious about this serum, but also quite excited at the thought of using something so lovely and had hopes that it would help improve my skin overall. I am so pleased to say with hand on heart that I found this to make a noticeable difference in my skin, and it not only fought any dullness and redness but also helped fade some of my stubborn acne marks. Now you see why I think all 3 serums are very similar!

I generally use one or two pumps of this at night as I apply it all over my face, and the pale rose coloured serum smells luxe and floral which I am personally a fan of. Those who are sensitive to scents like this should try to nab a sample before splurging for a bottle thought, just in case. If you were wanting to stretch the serum out you can apply it only on areas of darkness or redness, but I figure that the whole lot needs help so on it goes!

Without meaning to sound totally lame, I actually look forward to applying this and love the way it feels on my skin. I have found that since using this, my skin is more even and I can head out without too much slap on if I feel like it, which is quite a thrill for me. It didn't take too long for me to see the results as well, which is a good thing since this bottle is pretty pricey and I was uncertain when I began using it. It didn't flare up any acne for me (in fact, it was a player in the skincare routine which seemed to calm my recent skin flare up!) and I've noticed that if I skip this for a few nights, my skin gets a little upset with me.

My only misgivings about this beauty of a skin serum? The face that I can't see how much I have left, and the price tag! Sitting at $105 AUD (close to US price, woohoo!) this is definitely a skincare splurge, but I can actually envision myself trotting down to Myer or clicking onto Adore Beauty for a repurchase when this press sample runs dry...wallet be warned.

Lancôme Dreamtone retails for $105 AUD and can be purchased at Adore Beauty.

What luxe skincare have you found to really work for you? Or do you stick to budget skincare and splurge on lipsticks instead?!

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

Pushing into Purple

Do you have one of those colours that you just never reach for? I think green and blue are quite elusive eye shadow shades for most people I know, though personally I love a good navy for my smoky eye and am not afraid of a little pale blue on the eyes if it is anchored down with some eyeliner! 

 

The elusive shade for me? Purple! While I can definitely see the appeal and think that it is a pretty colour, I just find it needs more effort to look good on me than other colours. I have had some success with some lilac and violet shades though, as evidenced by the things I've rounded up to play with here.

 The Colour Theory palette in Verry Berry (not a fan of the name...) is really pretty and I'm totally loving that brand at the moment. A shadow duo I am yet to try is the Nars duo in Marie-Galante which I tend to just take out and stare at rather than actually use. I think Taylor Swift Wonderstruck rollerball fell into this image because I am interested in the new scent she has out, I think all of her fragrances are really lovely.

 

Purple lips totally remind me of Angela from One Skim Mocha Please who I just adore, and my brave lip choice is MAC Sheen Supreme in Asian Flower, which is ultra glossy and a beautiful lilac shade. For a deeper and more wearable purple lip I turn to the Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in 260 Plum Twist*. 

 

I have a lot of fun playing with colours despite them sometimes being a bit daunting - that is what makeup is all about, right?

What colour do you find hard to wear?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty 

The Greek Adventure

 

My in-laws recently got back from a trip to Greece and brought back some gorgeous pieces of jewellery back for all the ladies in the family. I love being able to hold beads from a country I've never visited before, it is sort of like I am able to enjoy some of the holiday from the comfort of home almost! When I think of Greece, I think of beautiful beaches, donkeys, salty air and amazing seafood - all of the things my in laws captured on camera for me on their trip (I bugged my MIL to snap shots of EVERYTHING for me!) In terms of makeup, I can't imagine wearing very much when in a hot climate like that. These things I've been wearing here in drizzly Melbourne, but could easily see myself loving in Koroni (where my FIL grew up!)

Everyone knows of the famous Nars Laguna bronzer, right? This itsy bitsy sample has lasted me an age, and was a gift given upon the opening of Mecca Maxima Melbourne back in 2010! It isn't the perfect bronzer for me (I prefer the Clinique Superbalanced grinder* personally!) but the size means it travels really well and seeing the pan each time I open up the compact is a great feeling.

One of the latest concealers I've been trying is the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser, and though it is specifically for the under eye area, I find that it works a treat on my blemishes and red marks as well! I swipe some onto a clean finger or the back of my hand rather than dabbing it right onto spots (I definitely don't need the blemish bacteria to spread and create more issues on my face!) I think this is nourishing enough to be Greek holiday worthy, don't you?
How cute is the packaging of this Suvana Organic Paw Paw + Honey balm*!? I like using this on my cuticles and lightly on my lips, but it is also great for protecting dry spots on windy days. I can picture myself using this as I trek up a Greek hill on the back of a donkey like my in-laws did, can't you?

Lining my eyes is a new obsession of mine, so this Face of Australia Liquid Eyeliner would totally be cracked out for late night feasts or heading to the nightclub near Mister Bovary's uncles place. We are contemplating heading to Greece as part of our honeymoon next year if our budget permits, and I'm often stuck daydreaming of hot nights with Greek music and cold drinks wearing a big cat eye flick of liner!

Have you ever visited Greece, or anywhere exciting in Europe?
What hot holiday staples do you think would work well in this sort of climate?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

Festive Red

Pulling out my festive red lipsticks because it just seems like the right thing to do, ya know?

I am totally embracing that cliché 'gold eyes and red lips for Christmas' that seems to be around at this time of the year. I am quite fond of wearing gloss during the hotter seasons so will probably save these traditional lipstick shades for a night out or the cooler evenings when we have festive drinks at our place. Here is what I am showcasing today!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple
Australis Go Long Longwear Lipstick in Diva*
Lancôme Rouge in Love 163M Dans Ses Bras (In His Arms)* (original post is here)
Lacura Beauty 370
Maybelline 645 Red Revival
BYS Matte Lipstick in Celebrity Status*
The Body Shop Colourglide Shine in 12*

I adore the feeling of the Lancôme Rouge in Love in 163M Dans Ses Bras (In His Arms)* because it applies so smoothly which is a treat when it comes to red lipsticks. The most exciting shade in this line up for me at the moment is The Body Shop Colourglide Shine in 12* but why oh why do pretty glittery and glossy colours like this not have a cute and memorable name to match? Numbers don't work for me, I need to connect with my shades on a personal level, ya feel me? Anyone else feel the same?


swatched in order mentioned above! last shade is the lovely Body Shop 12 ;)

For a glossy lip look this season I am definitely going to turn to my Nars gloss mini's that I bought from Mecca Maxima a year or two ago - the Nars gloss formula is my favourite, and I'm fond of a wee sheer red that won't melt in my handbag at family BBQ's! As an aside - do any of my readers keep their lipsticks in the fridge when the heat hits? Would really love to hear how you cope with lipsticks in the heat!

Do you despise numbered lipstick shades, or does the name of a colour mean little to you?

How do you take care of your lipsticks in the hot weather?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

*Products were provided for consideration, with festive honesty always. 

 

 

It's Love

The thought of doing a favourites post last month totally didn't appeal, so I just left it aside and decided to wait until I had the urge before posting some lovely things. I have been in a bit of a blah mood lately and have been chilling at home makeup-free with Charlie most days, but these have still been very loved by my face tummy and heart!

My recent breakout is still clearing up so I've been wearing my beloved Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel foundation with some Maybelline Dream Matte for a bit of extra coverage on the red areas. This has way better oil control than any other powder I've used - and matte crappy skin looks better than shiny crappy skin, in my experience!

I've been absolutely obsessed with my essence Long Lasting eye pencil in 02 Hot Chocolate, run quickly along my upper lash line to give it a bit of oomph. I've been using my Urban Decay Naked Palette (and can't wait to get my hands on Naked 3!) and also this little quad that my beautiful cousin Claire bought me from the U.K. - the Topshop Smokey Eye Palette in Tawny. Lazy days were made for that pale champagne shade, let me tell you!

Estee Lauder Modern Muse - stretching this vial as long as I can, and adore the scent. Lips have been loving the Carmex Moisture Plus in Clear*, which as you all should know is the bees knees of my lip stash. Now come the random loves of late! Slim Secrets Snack-Attack (caramel!) bars are delish, though my favourite flavour is definitely the Craving Crusher which is Cookies + Cream. I sneak these into the grocery basket every single week, and they are great for on the run to stop myself from eating crap at the shops. Having said that...the other day I had a fun size Mars Bar, and it was the highlight of my day! The other highlight of that day? Suffering through a work meeting but being treated to a cute little Christmas ornament at the end of it - woo hoo! And last but not least...

We welcomed our little King Charles Cavalier Charlie into our family almost a week ago, and now I can't remember being without him <3 He is going really well with toilet training and is sleeping through the night which is so good. He is an absolute smooch and a mumma's boy, and his favourite spot is sitting on my lap as I sit on the floor to write blog posts!


What are you loving right now?
Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

A Sexy Summer Shadow Look with Too Faced

When I think 'summer shadows', I gravitate towards champagne and gold aka the lazy lady shades! I think because our festive season in Australia is so hot it is easy to embrace these flattering shades, but I decided to use my favourite shades from the Too Faced Sexy Summer Shadows palette instead to create a makeup look.

I dipped my brush into the beautiful satin Toasted Coconut and blended it on the whole lid, before buffing the edges with a floppy brush to soften the edges. I'd probably take the shadow a little higher next time, but I wasn't intending on using this for a blog post so I was just playing around with the colours. I used Seashell to highlight my brow bone, as I thought the glitter in Peach Fuzz and Sunbeam were a little too much for a look like this.

I then took the beautiful deep teal Mermaid and dragged it along the outer third of my lower lash line, and it came out a lot darker on the eye than it appears in the pan as I mentioned in my last post. I am really getting into wearing colours on the lower lash line, and I think it is perfect for the upcoming summer as it is a quick and easy way to create a fun look that is low maintenance. I'm also pretty obsessed with lining my upper lash line (pencil or liquid) so I'll have to share my liner loves with you soon.

I can't remember exactly what I had on my lips for this look, I have a feeling it was a Sportsgirl gloss (I adore them!) but I didn't jot down the products as I made up my face - how frustrating! 

What do you think of this easy summer shadow look?
What colours do you like wearing on your lower lash line?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

Too Faced Summer Eyes 2013 Summer Sexy Shadow Collection

Warm weather is approaching down in my neck of the woods, and so it seems only right to bust out my Too Faced Summer Eyes palette to share with you all! I've had this for a little while now, and it was a bit of a hunt to get my hands on it, let me tell you now! I really liked the look of the palette when it first came out at Mecca Maxima + Kit Cosmetics, but the glitter in some of the shades paired with some weird colour choices (coral and pink anyone?) saw me walk out of the store empty handed (a true rarity!) Then I couldn't get the damn tin out of my head, so I marched into Kit to hand over the dosh. The dreaded words 'sold out' were uttered, a mad scramble ensued and I ended up buying it online for more than it was worth. Such is the life of a beauty addict, I suppose?

Housed in a tin much like my beloved Boudoir palette, this brightly coloured tin is covered in florals and just screams summer to me. Even the box looks as though it is underwater, it really it quite cool. I prefer the tin style to the boxes as they are nice and sturdy and more slimline for my drawers, so I was happy to bring a second Too Faced tin into my world.

A mix of pretty wearable colours and some fun (read: kind of weird) ones makes this a very unique palette in my overflowing collection, and I have to admit that my favourites from the bunch are definitely the rich chocolately shades sitting on the right hand side of the palette.

Toasted Coconut + Mermaid are probably what suckered me into buying this most, though I do quite like Cocoa Beach + Chocolate Sun. Something about Peach Fuzz + Sunbeam puts me off (pretty sure it is the yellow tones in Sunbeam that aren't going to flatter me...) but overall I couldn't say no.

In terms of the theme of the Too Faced Summer Eyes palette, I can see what they were working with. Golden sun, sandy beaches, some creative licence with mermaids and coral and thus a feelin' hot hot hot palette was created.

I think I will actually get more wear from the pink Plumeria since I've swatched it, and of course the brown shades have me swooning. Mermaid swatches way darker than it appears in the palette to me, and even on the eye it is a pretty dark and moody sort of colour. I'm wearing it in my next face of the day, so keep your eyes peeled to see these shadows in action. I will have to play around with the three largest pans to see if I can make them work, I'm thinking they will be used over the top of other shadows to give some sparkle to it.

What summery named eye shadow would you create if given the chance?
I'm thinking I would create a nice champagne shade with an ice-cream themed name ;)

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

The 'At Home On a Budget' Facial

The stress of completing the last assignments for my post-graduate course wreaked havoc on my skin, which was such a shame as for the last few months I've been so happy with the condition of it. Sadly it isn't just skincare that dictates how my mug fares, and the painful spots stung even more knowing that they would hang around for my dear Candice's wedding! I made sure to take extra special care of my face and body in the week leading up to her big day, and this was a mid week treat that Mister Bovary and I indulged in - our 'at home on a budget' facial!

We literally wanted the whole 'spa experience' that comes along with pampering, and so we used L'Occitane Lavande Cologne* to create a relaxing scent and took turns being the beauty therapist. I started off with Weleda Almond Soothing Cleansing Lotion* which is for sensitive skin. I then popped on a decent layer of the Apivita Express Beauty with Pink Clay*, which is supposed to draw out any impurities while cleansing the skin. I love that these come in single sachets, with enough inside for Mister Bovary and I to share with ease. After I washed off the pink clay, I threw on a Michika Complexion Rejuvenating Synergist Mask*, which is said to target fatigued skin - sign me up!

To finish up the lush pamper sesh, out came the moisturisers! We each dabbed some Kosmea Rosehip Oil* on our dry patches (a spot under my lip and a spot under his eye are the most annoying patches right now) and then finished off the whole lot with Biotherm Homme Aquapower* moisturiser from a sample from the male Glossybox.

So what do you think of my 'at-home facial' round up?
What products do you pamper your skin with?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

The Sister Makeover feat. Burberry Rosewood

Though I am by no means a trained makeup artist, my family tend to rope me into applying their makeup anytime they have a special event to attend. Indeed, when we are all going to the same event I often spend more time on their face than my own and they end up looking extra amazing (but don't worry, I always take the credit for it!) My sister recently attended a wedding and came to me to pretty up her face - here is the result!

I can't take credit for her side-swept hair (hair stylist I most definitely am not!) but I used some slightly grey-toned neutrals to just subtly define her eyes - she didn't want to go too dark for the daytime ceremony! I didn't manage to capture a photo of her front on without a funny face involved, so here is a picture of the back of her hair which looked so amazing! The plait ran from the side of her head around the back and into the flipped section which was loosely curled, and though I may be biased she looked so good!

I normally use the warmer shades from the Urban Decay Naked Palette on her (as she is quite tanned) but I went for cooler toned shades from other brands this time to mix it up a little bit. I swept Burberry Rosewood over the lid and then defined the crease with Too Faced Garter Belt, before highlighting the brow bone with Too Faced In The Buff. I went heavy with the highlight in the inner corners with Sin, and the look was complete!

Do you have a go-to look when you attend a wedding?
Do you intensify your makeup before the reception, or go all out from before the ceremony?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

Current Skincare Routine

Keeping a track of the skincare I use helps me understand what my skin wants and needs - sort of like keeping a skincare diary but one that I share with you all! This is what I've been using for over a month now, though I have switched out a few products since snapping this shot. 

I've moved on from using my cleansing balms to this Shu Uemura Unmask Cleansing Oil* (how huge is the bottle!?) I'm not a big fan of the way it removes eye makeup, but it melts face makeup away with ease and doesn't break me out plus I adore the gorgeous design on the bottle and how it looks on my bathroom countertop.

I then use my Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel (which I have since switched out for something gentler!) to cleanse my face. I adore this cleanser, it seems to have helped with my acne scars and it really cleans my skin well. I have found that my skin has become a bit sensitive lately so have moved onto a cleanser that targets that instead, but I would definitely still recommend this gel cleanser (I've used about 3/4 of it as a testament to that!)

In terms of keeping my spots under control I use the amazing La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo all over my face, then after it has sunk in I slather on some Aveeno Positively Radiant Night Cream*, or in the morning I use the newly reformulated Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion +* which is nice and light for hot weather. I forgot to include my beloved Lancôme Dreamtone Serum* in these shots, but I'll have a full review up soon anyway.

For my lips (and my cuticles) I use the Suvana Certified Organic Paw Paw + Honey Balm*, which I much prefer over the cult Lucas Paw Paw which contains petroleum.

I have to admit that I don't apply eye cream as often as I should, but when I do I love using Indeed Labs Eysilix* which is nourishing but doesn't cause milia. If my skin is a bit rough I crack out the Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion, if I've got a spot I turn to the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion and dry patches are seen to with the RosehipPLUS Rosehip Oil Roll On* (perfect to travel with, score!)

 

At least once I week I skip all of my nightly treatments in favour of the Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask, which smells delectable and leaves my skin oh so soft.

 

So that is the round up of what I have been using!

Have you tried any of these products?

What daytime moisturiser do you think I should try next?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

Pale Girl Nudes

Finding a nude lip shade that is flattering is about as hard as finding a highly sought after MAC blush a week after its limited edition release! Luckily I've managed to pile up my 'awesome nude lip product' count to four, all of them wearable and little loves of mine. 

The Elianto Nutrilip Lipstick in Baby Nude was a Malaysian purchase from a few holidays ago, and I love the (weirdly greyish...) pale nude shade and how light and pleasant it feels on my lips. The one thing I despise about it is the flimsy packaging - I definitely wouldn't recommend leaving this in your handbag as the lid flies off with ease at a moments notice! Would still repurchase if we ever return to Malaysia for a holiday.

I am a big fan of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, and Honey is one of the best shades in the line up for me! It is nice and rosy (making it ace for pale skin in my opinion) The peppermint buzz is lovely and the stain it leaves behind means I don't stress about how it wears off. A winner all around and definitely an underappreciated shade, as I will admit it lacks the excitement of some of the brighter colours in the range (think Rendezvous, Smitten + Crush)

What is that, another lip crayon in a blog post on emmabovarybeauty? I am obviously terrible at hiding my love for this lip formula, and as far as I remember the Clinique Chubby Stick was my first foray into the crayon trend - the original and the best, right? I won Whole Lotta Honey in a social media competition and it has had a pretty permanent spot in my handbag ever since. Glossier than the Revlon version, this is less rosy but dark enough to look nice on my complexion. If I'm wearing a lot of eye makeup I often wear this, and I can easily see myself finishing the whole stick in the near future.

Last but not least we have the token gloss of the group, the Mineralogie Lipgloss in Shell* which is definitely the peachiest of this bunch, but on my lips I feel it is the most 'traditional nude' shade once it hits my lips and pale face. I quite like topping all of the other nudes with this gloss to give them a bit of oomph, and I am a big fan of the packaging as well.

How easy do you find it to wear nude lip products?
Have you hopped on the lip crayon trend, or are you sticking to bright lipsticks instead?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

{The Maid of Honour} Wedding Manicure

{the peonies in my bridesmaid bouquet, the clutch we held on the day and the accessories to match}

 My beautiful best friend Candice got married over the weekend, and I was lucky enough to have the privilege of standing beside her as maid of honour as she made this new step with her man. I'm not sure how much detail she would be happy about me divulging here, so until I've spoken to her about it I thought I'd stick to the small details...I just couldn't help myself from posting the nail shades I chose to wear on the day! The bridesmaids all wore different dresses made in the same turquoise/teal shade, and Candice asked us to wear neutral style polish to set off the look. I think she chose really well, some of us had natural nails (moi) while others had acrylics or gels, but all of us felt really comfortable and I personally loved my choices.

I've loved the essence Nude Glam polish in Café Ole for a really long time now, but I had to repurchase it to wear over the weekend as I didn't want to have to go through the trillions of polishes stored in shoe boxes that we are yet to unpack. It's a gorgeous nude shade that complements my super-pale skin (or translucent as it was touted at the wedding!) but there are also other shades in the range for different skin tones. The brush is nice and wide and the formula is pretty spot on, but I don't find it lasts a super long time on my nails (most polishes don't, my nails are pretty weak)

I decided to create a rough glittered tip to my nails (sort of in an ombre style with it one third of the way up each nail) and I adored the effect! Sadly I was too busy posing for photos to snap a good picture of them, so you're stuck with these shots and your nail lover imagination! I chose OPI Witch is Witch for the glitter, the bar glitter inside looks awesome against the nude and it made me smile every time I looked down at my nails during the day.

 

What sort of polish did you wear to your wedding, or what do you plan on wearing?

I am definitely having a bit of glitter in my wedding mani next year (and we just worked, the wedding is now less than a year away! Countdown is on!)

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

 

 

The Later List

The idea of a later as opposed to a wish list is something I am becoming quite fond of. I first heard of the term from Liz in her 'Not Quite a Wish List', and I decided to jot down the items floating around in my head (and I’llbe honest- some of them came from my Christmas list!) I am still undecided on some of them but find them all quite tempting, and the realisation that I don’t have to buy them this very second is a relief for me. Rather than rushing out and buying something I won’t use very much (which I am often guilty of!) I can contemplate the purchase and make sure it is right for me before I dive in and hand over the dosh. This means that when I get my hands on these things, it is going to feel even better!

 

Hourglass image source, Chanel blush image source

 

 

The Kardashian Beauty range is something I've been very interested in checking out, and a while ago I used some Myer vouchers to pick up one of the dual ended eye crayons and one of the nude lip sets. I am very excited to try these out, and I've popped a few of the other Kardashian Beauty products onto my 'later list' once I see how I fare with these.

Something I am pretty definite about getting is the Chanel Accent JC blush from the holiday 2013 collection- I've told Mister that it best be in my stocking come December 25th ;)

A new perfume is something I'm sort of thinking of (a typical yearly thought for me!) and the new Taylor by Taylor Swift has caught my eye. The bottle is pretty different to everything else on the market at the moment, but I'll have to try the juice itself on before deciding if its meant for me. Does smell very nice in the bottle though...Samples are needed, sales people! I'm scared of getting stuck with a dud!

Dior is still tempting me with the same gloss- the pink creme Dormeuse! I almost bought this a while back but ended up springing for Princess, which I really like but still regret choosing over this one. I need a milky creamy pink, and this fits the bill so perfectly for me.

MAC neutrals are lacking in my collection, and after hearing even more raves about All That Glitters I have decided that it needs to be mine in the near future. I'm going to add one of the clear top palettes into my collection soon too, and this single shadow will be popped into my quad. I'm also tempted by Cranberry, hoping to splurge on it before Christmas as it is such a great festive looking shade!

Last but not least is a practical addition to the wish list, in the form of an Ikea Alex unit. I've seen these in countless YouTube videos and they seem to be the perfect piece of furniture to fit my beauty loot. I can see a beautiful blush drawer, a drawer stacked high with eye shadow colours and the others filled with an assortment of my loves. I think having them organised will make it easier to rotate around, so it will be a win-win!

What is on your 'later list'?
Have you jotted down any nice things for a Christmas list yet?
Emma @ emmabovarybeauty