Love Birds - This Gold Finch is Melting My Matchy-Matchy Heart

When I saw that Napoleon Perdis has jumped onto the matchy-matchy train, I was all aboard! My weakness for matching colours has been well documented on the blog (recently with a rosy Chanel blush and earlier with an American theme...) and seeing the pretty glosses that matched the varnish bottles made my heart leap! I quite liked the idea of getting a stunningly designed makeup bag with the products too, so was elated when the Gold Finch* duo hit my desk. If I was handing over my dollars for this collection, Flamingo would be my first pick for sure, with Gold Finch coming in runner up!

 That pop of blue totally has my heart singing - get it? Ha!

I love nude polishes that flatter my hand, this one is a pale beige with an oh-so-subtle shot of fine golden shimmer in it which gives a nice bit of depth while keeping it totally office appropriate if that's your thang. I feel really hot when I wear nude nails like this - is this strange or totally common...?

 Accent nail is two coats of Illamasqua Blizzard*, because sometimes I just can't stop myself dipping into some glitter.

 Lately I'm all about the gloss, and frequently I go through stages where all I look at while shopping is squeezy tube lipglosses. Keeping in mind the fact that I hardly ever use this style applicator, the madness continues and I think my mind finds them more 'fun' than wand style applicators. You only need a tiny bit of the Napoleon Perdis Gold Finch lipgloss otherwise the nude shade can look a bit stark, and I like how the tackiness prolongs the wear time on the lips. Overall I don't think I'd go out of my way just for the gloss in this shade, but the nail polish is a cutie and I'm very fond of the Felicia Aroney bag that the duo comes with.

Bird themes ahoy! If I were creating a duo I'd want to base it around a swamp hen, because they are the birds I see most frequently around my place and they are pretty snazzy.

What do think of matching lips to nails? An easy way to tie a look together or something you never think about?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Love Birds set was provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

January + February Pick-Ups - Haul Post

So far this year I haven't had time off from work and have been constantly on the go, which has been quite tiring. It does mean that I've been able to pick up a few pretties here and there over the last 2 months though! I bought a few other things that I didn't manage to snap a picture of for you (mint sneakers, huzzah!) but this is the bulk of the fun new shinies I've nabbed.

I'm a blush fiend, and isn't it obvious? All of these were on sale, but 5 blushes (okay 6) in a two month span is still pretty full on. Lucky I don't care and adore these new pops of colour for my cheeks!

 I'm yet to try the Sportsgirl Melon and Pink cream blushes but for $3.96 each they won't break my heart if they turn out to be greasy. The Calvin Klein blushes are so pigmented and just absolutely breathtaking in person, though I'm not a fan of the floppy top square packaging. Berry Shimmer and Heather Shimmer are deep and juicy wintery shades that made me want to throw on my grey infinity scarf and cuddle up with a coffee. The Australis LYLAS (Love You Like A Sister) blush from the Neon Crush collection is half-matte half-shimmer but 100% awesome, and despite disliking the names in this collection I actually don't mind the fun packaging.

I feel like it is my duty as a beauty blogger to try out most of the cult favourite products, so I had been meaning to pick up the Maybelline Great Lash for a while now. The Revlon Lash Potion is a great new mascara that is my go-to for everyday lashes, and to be honest the packaging is so rad that I don't mind that it doesn't stretch my lashes out as far as others can.

 

I swatched all of the shadow duos from the Australis Neon Crush collection and the only one that impressed me was this green one, and since I'd been on the hunt for a nice new green shade I was happy with this pick. The new Sinful Colors collection has some pretty awesome glitters, and this bronze and rose gold bar glitter is a stunning shade, so I just had to take it home with me. I snapped up one of the newly released lipsticks from Face of Australia in the pale pink shade Permanently Pink as well, such a nice finish.

 

My friend Carly and I went into Doncaster for the Disney Princess Film Festival to see Beauty and the Beast, and she stopped by T2 to get some fruity mixes to make iced tea with. The staff there are always so lovely (and I can't say no to a free cuppa) and when Carly got her freebies, the lady asked which flavours I was interested in trying. Is it obvious that I'm looking for a dessert replacement with these choices...?



For those who hadn't heard, Kmart have jazzed up their cosmetics sections and popped all of the beauty products into cardboard packaging to keep it sanitary. I'm iffy about the lack of testers, but I picked up some cheap treats from the new brands they have released anyway. Academy of Colour had some great nail packs out, but this $3 set of spotty polishes akin to my beloved Illamasqua Speckled polishes was a no-brainer.

The ELF section was still bare so I trotted over to the vague 'eyes lips face nails' section and saw some prettily packaged lipsticks hanging around. I brought home Naked in the Moisturising finish, and my friend Carly grabbed a matte and a moisturising to test them out. I will keep you updated once I've given mine a go, but the matte berry shade from this line looked amazing on Carly when we went out to a club on Friday night! 

And now, we are on to the luxe side of things. There is nothing I love better than a nice Myer voucher or a post pay day shopping spree, and that is how these two beauties came to be mine.

It has been well documented that I am a sucker for a good Dior collection (Fairy Golds, Bird of Paradise, Exotique, Amber Diamond) and the new Spring 2014 collection had one stand out in particular for me. I quite liked the look of the hot pink Exquise, but it was once I saw Liz's post I was in like Flynn (now I'm starting to sound like Mumma Bovary...) Hot pink jelly goodness to add to my beloved Dior stash, I'm treasuring this one.

Baby's first Hourglass, let this not be the start of an expensive addiction...

I tried a few on my cheeks at Mecca Cosmetica and Carly and I both loved Radiant Magenta over all others. That being said, I can't say I won't end up picking up another one sometime in the future. For now though, I'm happy to stare at this pretty marbled pan.

My last bits and pieces were spurred on by a horribly abusive customer at work and a need to stop myself from crying. Twinings Butter Mint Sensation is a mix of vanilla and mint that I can't wait to try, and the Gloria Jeans Chai Latte capsules are for our new coffee machine. Last but not least, I stumbled across the brand new Rimmel Moisture Renew lipsticks that I had been stalking online and had to grab the nude that everyone has been raving about. Notting Hill Nude is a supposed dupe for Tom Ford's Spanish Pink, so I will have to look into this and let you know what I think about it.

Phew, now that this post is over I actually feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. It's not a guilty sort of weight, it's just that until I share my ideas and new things with you all I just don't enjoy them as much! This year I want to keep up with more reviews and sharing my purchases more frequently, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on how that would go down for you all.

Did you find any of this haul exciting?
What is the last blush you bought?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

Getting Girly with YSL and Maybelline

Is it just me, or have a lot of YouTubers been rocking a pretty pink lip lately?! I adore the bright pink thing that Ingrid has going on in this favourites video, and even Estee from Essie Button has been getting into some pretty awesome pink lip action over here. This post proves that not only am I easily influenced by others, but that it is wonderfully invigorating to take inspiration from beautiful people and in turn dive into your stash to come up with some buried treasure.

A glossy pink lip has been on the menu for me for a while now, and seeing videos with pretty pinks involved has kept the trend strong. I am only just beginning to really appreciate the beauty of the Maybelline Color Whispers, and in particular the shade Petal Rebel* is totally rocking my world. It doesn't sink into lip lines and remains nice and glossy while keeping the pale pink pigment strong, which is a pretty mean feat for a light pink shade am I right?

A high end pink beauty that I've been pairing with my glossy lips is the YSL Crème de Blush in Fuschia Temptation. A lemming spurred on by the ever-inspiring Pink Sith, this appears quite a bit more fluorescent on me than it may on most thanks to my pale colouring. As you can see in the first image though, it is still very wearable and in my opinion, best applied with a nice stippling brush. As you can tell by the surface of my YSL pot, that is how I always apply my Crème de blush!

How do you go about getting girly with your makeup?
Is it just me, or is it quite hard to find a flattering pale pink lip product in a lovely formula?!

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Is Lush's Sugar Scrub Really All That Sweet?

While I wouldn't say I am the biggest fan of Lush, it isn't often that I travel to the city without popping in to play around in the sensory wonderland. I have a few favourites from the brand, particularly the shower gels and jellies which always smell amazing and do a great job of cleansing, but trying the full range is something I am yet to accomplish.

Back when I was still subscribed to a host of beauty sample boxes, I received the hard Lush Sugar Scrub more than a few times, so I feel like I've given the product enough time to really impress me. Unfortunately for this scrub lover, this one sort of let me down.

The Lush Sugar Scrub has a lovely herbal lavender scent which I like, and is a pretty green shade. It is said to stimulate your skin and the fennel and ginger inside it supposed to tackle your cellulite (high five to that, Lush!) In the official description it asks you not to let the bar come under running water as it will disintegrate, and I found this to be true the very first time I used it. The next few times I made sure to keep the packed sugary substance away from the running water (bit of a mean feat in the shower...) but I still found that this broke down easily and I couldn't manage to get more than two uses from each lump. I agree that the scrub works well at leaving soft and smooth skin behind, but for $6.50 a pop (100g) this is just too pricy for me. If it came in a large tub and was scoopable perhaps I would get along better with this, but for now I say sayonara to this one.

What sort of body scrub floats your boat?
I think the Lush Rub Rub Rub shower scrub sounds like a better option, don't you?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Product came in a sample box, as stated above. Honesty, always.

The Movie Date Face



I'm a little bit obsessed with pink glossy lips at the moment, and seem to be basing many of my makeup looks around this key component. The Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in Haute Pink Twist* has earned a permanent spot in my makeup bag, and when I went out with a girlfriend for lunch at Schnitz and to see Walking With Dinosaurs, this is what I wore. (Yes, two adults went to see a dinosaur movie, and were the only ones there without children!)

I pulled out my Too Faced Pretty Rebel palette and used a few shades to create my eye look for the day. I popped a bit of the bright pink Totally Fetch in the centre of my lid, and then dabbed some of the pearly peach Ringleader on either side of it - as an aside, Ringleader is fast becoming my favourite shade because it is so much prettier on the eye than it looks in the pan! I then decided that it looked like crap, so randomly went in with some of the shimmery brown Gangsta shade in the crease, which then made me love the look a little bit. Dainty was my matte brow highlight, and I popped some Designer Brands Absolute Liquid Eyeliner on my top lashline. I finished it all off with a few coats of the new Covergirl Flamed Out mascara*!

I'm pretty obsessed with my shimmery baked Etude House blushes, and for this look I stuck with Sugar Cookie Blush in 002 pink and loved how my cheeks were glowy all day long!

Are you a fan of kids movies, too?
What is the last film you watched, and would you recommend it?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Smelling Sweet for your Sweet this Valentine's Day

The idea of Valentine's Day is something I like - the romance in the air, the pent up expectations of a sweet gift, expressing your devotion to someone...the reality, however, doesn't always come through with the goods. Though Mister Bovary and I have shared a few nice dates over the years on February 14th, we aren't true romantics at heart and often choose Breaking Bad and homemade pizza over a fancy restaurant. It's the little things that he does that really make me swoon, the insignificant details he remembers and the way he always looks out for me.

Enough of the swooning - let's get to the 'heart' of things! ;)

I find fragrance to be a mood breaker every day, and at this time of year when the weather is sticky and love hearts decorate promotional images, I like to smell sweet like candy. Cotton Candy* to be precise.

 

This yummy Urban Rituelle scent originally only came as a purse spray until the brand wised up to how amazing Cotton Candy was, and created the larger EDP for us to enjoy. Considering I've gone through many of the purse sprays over the years, receiving this really made my day!

Even the classic bottle that Urban Rituelle chose to house this sweet scent in makes me swoon, and I love the way it looks on my vanity. I can't wait to get our new bedroom suite so that I can organise a daily scent tray on my dresser - it is how I hope to rotate my scents from now on, so we've been looking around for new furniture to make it happen already!

Those who aren't big fans of spun sugar scents probably wouldn't get on well with this, but I find it to be amazing and it is said to be their best seller, so I know that I am not alone in loving this pink treat.

I was perusing their website and saw that they also have a limited edition Romance soy candle for sale right now - jasmine, musk and amber, now doesn't that sound lovely!?

Urban Rituelle's Cotton Candy EDP retails for $34.95 AUD, and the range also contains hand cream, reed diffuser, candles and a lip balm for those who want to inject a bit of sweetness into their Valentine's day.

Will you be following my lead and buying yourself a Valentine's gift this year?
Are you a fan of sweet scents?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Living in an Orange Oasis with Covergirl

I think it is fair to say that I am not a summer loving girl at heart. Sure, I enjoy the odd beach trip and daily dose of sunshine, but I'd much rather a big coat and boots than a melting hot day where my lipstick isn't safe in my handbag. One part of summer I do enjoy is being able to work out outdoors more often, and another is the bright and happy polishes that seem to crop up more often! Orange is my weak spot (seriously, even my coffee machine is orange!) and when the new Covergirl Outlast Glosstini in Orange Oasis* hit my desk I was very excited to jump back into the bright nail game!

This took three thin coats to become opaque, and there were some bald spot issues which were a little bit frustrating. Luckily the perfect orange shade made it worthwhile, and I am pleased to say that this seems to really flatter my fair skin, but I can also envision it rocking darker skin tones as well - orange is a multi-tasker, what can I say!?

After being on a glitter nail kick followed by a deep metallic kick, it feels nice to return to an old favourite in orange. I don't see colours like this on many people, I notice a lot of bright pink or blue this summer, but I urge you to grab a mini bottle of polish and give a scary colour a go - that is the beauty of small sizes, people!

I absolutely loving wearing a jolt of summer on my nails, even though the formula needs a bit of work. What nail colour screams summer to you?!

The Covergirl Outlast Glosstini's come in a range of shades, and are only $4.95 for 3.5ml.

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

What's In My Makeup Bag // Weekend Away Edition

I spent the Australia day long weekend with my family down in Albury. Not only were we celebrating living in the beautiful country we call home, but we had some pretty big birthday events to mark as well - a 40th and a 5th, to be exact! 22 family members trucked up there to spend some quality time together, and very early on Saturday morning while Mister Bovary swam laps and wallowed in the steam room, I snapped a few pictures of the makeup bag I've been carrying around with me lately!

The Playboy pouch was a birthday present for my 17th, and it only resurfaced while moving house last year. Playboy isn't really my jam, but the camel/tan colour is and the size is great for popping in my handbag.

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder - a serious staple, this has disappeared from some pharmacy stands but still remains at Priceline. Does anyone know what is going on with this product?

Napoleon Perdis powder brush - I have a stack of the NP brushes as Chris' often buys me the sets for my birthday. This brush is freshly washed and is perfect for the aforementioned powder.

Revlon Lash Potion mascara - I wore not a lick of mascara the whole time we were away, but wanted to have this at hand in case we ended up going out for a nice dinner somewhere. We stuck to having BBQ's by the resort pool instead, which was a much more relaxed option.

Perfume samples (Cavalli, Burberry, Estee Lauder and Katy Perry) - These lightweight scent solutions were perfect for travelling with, and though I used my Victoria's Secret Love Spell body mist more often than these, they always stick around in my handbag for a random spritz.

Clinique Chubby Stick in Two-Ton Tomato- I like to keep a nice sheer red on me in case I need to fancy up a look, and at the moment this summer-appropriate red is my pick.

Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Pango Peach- The best shade to wear when you can't decide on a lip colour! It makes your lips look deliciously glossy but still very natural, and I think the name of it is super cute too.

Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in Haute Pink Twist*- My mistake was in thinking this was your run of the mill sheer pink lip crayon - that is why it took me so long to trial this press sample after neglecting it for other shades. This is bright but wearable and packs a mean does of pigment without even trying - I am totally in love with this formula, thanks Covergirl!

Clinique Two-Ton Tomato, Revlon Pango Peach, Covergirl Haute Pink Twist

How many lip shades do you like to tote about with you?
What powder should I try after I finish this Maybelline Dream Matte?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Beauty Favourites // January 2014

 

It has been a while since I've done a favourites post, but I decided that I wanted to share some lovely things that I've been using this month.

Face of Australia Bronzer Tinted Tanning Mousse* - For the first time in a long time I've been using fake tan *gasp* and though I still glow like a ghost, I have been enjoying the tiny bit of colour that I've been getting with this. The fact that it does apply with a tint is infinitely helpful to a klutz like me, and the mousse texture is pretty easy to work with, leaving no streaks thus far (though I did miss a patch which was pretty funny!)

Etude House Sugar Cookie Blush in 002 - Glowy pink cheeks and pretty packaging is a blush fiends dream! I bought this (and some other shades) on my last day of teaching placement, so not only is it pretty it also reminds me of a great accomplishment. Blush win!

Savvy Cheek Balm in Blissful Blush - Such a great texture for a cheap $3 blush, I'm very happy with this coral shade and love how easy it is to blend. This was probably my favourite shade from my recent Blush Week post.

Maybelline Color Whisper in Petal Rebel* - Glossy pink lips are my kryptonite right now, and this little beauty along with my Covergirl Gloss Balm in Haute Pink Twist* have been gracing my lips a lot this month.

 

Maybelline Color Bloom Balms in Pink Blossom and Peach Blossom - A beautiful gift from my friend Carly who was recently in Bali! Adore how these apply clear and deepen quickly, and the stain is such a nice thing to wear under other glosses or lipsticks. I really hope Maybelline brings these to Australia, they would sell so easily!

PureTan Pure Moisture Coconut Body Crème* - The smell of this is summer, straight up. I do wish it was a touch more moisturising for my elbows, but it leaves my skin soft and smelling of coconut so suffice to say I am addicted. Love the whipped crème style texture, swoon!

 

Dermalogica Oil Free Matte MediBac Clearing spf30* - I adore this matte sunscreen, it works brilliantly as a primer underneath makeup and I used it while on holiday in Albury as well as anytime I was outside in January. It doesn't break me out and I find that my makeup is always better when I wear this underneath.

What products have you been loving this month?

Please leave your sunscreen recommendations in the comments below, I want to get my next purchase organised with time to read some reviews!

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

*Provided for consideration, but true favourites. Honesty, always.