Makeup Look : Peach Pop & Rendezvous

(I am off on my honeymoon until December so this post is a scheduled one. Would still love to read comments and feel free to hit me up on Instagram @emmabovary to see holiday snaps along the way! - Emma)

Each time the warmer weather rolls around it's like a switch in my brain is flicked and screams 'rock orange and peach, baby!' I don't mean to roll with the cliché seasonal makeup but when it works, it works, you know?

I love nothing better than a nice easy neutral eye and a super glowy cheek highlight when I wear peach and oranges on my cheeks and lips, and you can't get much better than TheBalm's Mary Lou-Manizer and the Too Faced Chocolate Palette. Still swooning over the cocoa scent of that palette, by the way, just wish the packaging wasn't so bulky so it was easier to travel with!

Was this look spurred on by my recent Sally Hansen Kook-A-Mango gel manicure? Possibly! I think that peach tones warm up my features enough to make me look healthier than normal, so that is always a positive thing. The Revlon Balm Stain in Rendezvous is seriously amazing - dare I say my favourite orange lip shade?! I've been wearing Clinique's Cheek Pop in Peach Pop a whole lot lately too so of course that had to be rocked in this look.

Nothing like a wee bookshelf shot to enhance a makeup post - what do your bookshelves look like? What is your ultimate orange lip shade?

 

Emma x 

Bleached Neon Skittle Manicure

(I am off on my honeymoon until December so this post is a scheduled one. Would still love to read comments and feel free to hit me up on Instagram @emmabovary to see holiday snaps along the way! - Emma)

 

The idea of a bleached neon really appeals to me for some reason - I think the toning down of a trend as strong as neon is quite a cool thing. I had seen the Maybelline Bleached Neon* range around on US blogs and Instagram accounts for quite a while before these polishes hit my desk, but as soon as they did I popped them on! I couldn't decide on a single shade so whipped up a quick and easy skittle manicure for you, but left out Chic Chartreuse to do a full manicure with at the end of this post. 

Coral Heat is a pretty pale coral shade that looks brighter in comparison to the softer shades within this limited edition collection - next to the regular coral and oranges in my stash it definitely seems more muted. Of all of the 4 shades this one was definitely my favourite, and it applied easily enough (two coats shown)

 

Sun Flare is what I would call a 'creamsicle' colour, a pale washed out peach shade that was my least favourite of this collection. I could see this looking a whole lot better on someone with a darker skin tone or even a summer tan, but on my pale hands it just looked horrible and so I'll be passing this on to someone else to try out this summer.

 

Tropink is a nice mid-pastel pink shade that isn't anything too unique, and the formula on this one wasn't as easy to work with as some of the other polishes. For the effort I have better quality pinks in my stash to use, so this is another one I'll be passing on.

Chic Chartreuse was obviously one that I quite liked, as I saved it to do a full mani with after my skittle. It's a tad more lemon-toned that other chartreuses I own (yes, I own more than one!) but I don't mind the look of this on. I think this colour would also look a bit better on a tanned hand, but for now I'll be keeping it in my stash and will rock it during summer.

 

Overall these polishes were hit and miss as some were streakier than others. I would definitely recommend Chic Chartreuse and Coral Heat over the others, but I think all 4 shades would look great used with my dotting tools for a cool bleached neon patterned nail. I think Maybelline are stepping up their game when it comes to innovative releases so cheers to that, and the colours are quite affordable at $5.95 each here.

 

"Turn up the heat this summer with bold, bright nails! colour Show Bleached Neons contains ultra-pure neon pigments combined with a white layer to wash out the neon colour. The result? Pastel nail colour with an electric kick!

Chip-resistant formula, easy-flow brush, and formaldehyde, DBP and toluene free."

 

Emma x 

*These polishes were provided for consideration and all opinions are my own. Honesty, always.

Serious Sephora Skincare

Looking at all of these Sephora VIB sale posts (see Liz's post, am swooning) is making me lemm things I'd never even heard of before - I still have to pinch myself at the realisation that by this time next week I will have visited a Sephora store for the first time ever! I'm not a VIB (obviously) but I have signed up for the Sephora emails etc and I can't wait to start accumulating some points on our holiday!

I've been perusing the skincare section of the Sephora site for a while now and have a wish list that is quite extensive - I was a good girl and used up the cleansers I already had to allow myself to go crazy in America in this regard, so I'm going to leap at the chance to choose myself some lovely new skincare soon. Would love to hear recommendations from those in the know, too!

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning (for face)
I'm hesitant about the whole fake tanning thing, but a wee bit of colour on my pasty mug wouldn't go astray and I've heard this one is the bees knees!

Clinique Take The Day Off $28.50 USD/3.8oz
This is a sure thing, I've wanted to try it for so long but it's something like $55AUD so there was no chance of that happening. I need a good cleansing balm in my life right now!

Peter Thomas Roth Skinstant Mask Magic $20 USD/3X 0.5oz
This is a bit of an excitement extra for me, I've seen some good reviews of the PTR masks and I'd like to be able to put my two cents in, plus 3 mini sizes for $20 isn't too crazy for a little thrill.

Ole Henrikson Pure Truth Melting Cleanser $34 USD/4oz
Put the word melting near cleanser and I am all yours, Ole!

Boscia Makeup-Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil $28 USD/5oz
Seemingly a YouTube girl favourite, this one is more natural than others I've been checking out and I'm looking forward to trying this brand for the first time.

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads
Love the Dr. Dennis Gross Peel Pads (may get those too...) but these come with rave reviews from people I trust so I'm on board with trying them out.

Also quite tempted by some Glamglow goodies (never tried the brand before!) but I guess we'll see how overwhelmed I get once I hit U.S shores (we fly out tomorrow!)
Any other skincare bits I should be looking into?

Emma x

Sally Hansen Kook a Mango - Gel Nail Colour & Complete Salon Manicure

Sally Hansen and I are getting along marvellously at the moment - I've long been a fan of the Complete Salon Manicure and back in June I hauled the 'gel polish' version of my very favourite SH shade, Kook a Mango! (Here is my haul post, and here is my original Kook a Mango post!) Having the shade for days when I feel like a quick swipe of colour is perfect, and I'm contemplating using my at home Sensationail kit with the gel version before we head on our honeymoon with the shade to brighten up my nails in celebration!

The Kook a Mango colour went on easily and I cured it under the LED light just as I would my other gel shades, and so far I've been happy with the quality of the Sally Hansen gel nails that I've tried. I'm currently using the Sensationail branded base/top coat, and after that I have a Gelish set that I'm going to try out.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure retails for $9.95 and the gel version for $19.95 (currently $14.96 on sale), both available at Priceline!

It's a nice bright colour for a holiday, dontcha think?
I'm tossing up between this, a hot pink or a nice metallic shade for(we hit up LA and Vegas before Hawaii, with a mani change or two in between!) Click on your choice in the poll I've popped up to the right in my sidebar, would love your input!

Emma x

I purchased this on sale at Priceline. Honesty, always.

Once // Spaghetti Tree // Pink Makeup Look

I was due for a good night out, so when a chance to see Once The Musical before the official opening popped up I jumped at the chance. I’m definitely not a musical buff but I had the vague idea that it was a love story and since I’m a bit mushier than the average at the moment I was interested in giving Once a go.

 

I definitely think that it is more of a play with musical elements than a straight up musical, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much. The talent of the cast is seriously outstanding and to hear them jamming before the show on stage was pretty special, but my favourite part was actually seeing them changing the set during the show as it was all done seamlessly and integrated into the action with a single set being slightly altered for each scene. I spoke with a few others who were fans of the film that Once is based on and they were really impressed with the stage adaption, but I haven’t seen the film myself so can’t comment on whether or not they did it justice.

 

Before the show my friend and I went to have dinner at the Spaghetti Tree (59 Bourke St.) which is one of my favourite restaurants in the Melbourne CBD (Mister took me there for our first anniversary years ago!) We both ordered a plate of Pumpkin Mezzaluna (roasted pumpkin ravioli served with napolitana sauce, capsicums, herbs and spinach, $21) and it was really tasty with the ravioli pillows having just the right amount of pumpkin inside and the sauce was perfectly flavoursome.

 

I went with a pink makeup selection for the night out and was really happy with how everything paired with the bright pink lip. I also picked out some jewellery to wear for the night from the unloved section of my stash!

 

Main Makeup Bits:

Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray*
Nars And God Created the Woman Palette
Face of Australia Liquid Eyeliner

Chanel Pink Explosion Joues Contraste Blush
Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Pink Pong

 

Once the Musical is at theatres now, for more details and to buy tickets head here.

I think I need to head out to the dinner and the theatre more often, I had a really nice time!

What stage show is the best you’ve ever seen?

Emma x

 

*I received tickets to Once but all opinions are my own!