Salon Melbourne, Part One

Truth be told I'm pretty pumped for Salon Melbourne this weekend. It's been so long since I've been able to attend a beauty event and I'm craving some quality time with fellow beauty lovers - something that Salon offers alongside some shopping opportunities and inspiration galore. Although it (funnily enough!) targets salon owners and workers more than beauty bloggers, I still find that I learn a lot from spending the day there and always walk away feeling inspired. I'm planning on attending on Monday (10am-4pm) but it is also on Sunday (9am-6pm) if you can't work in a weekday jaunt.

my favourite advertisement at Salon Melbourne 2014 - Dermalogica, you rock!
love the crowds and checking out all of the stalls (2014 Salon)

I had a good scroll through all of the events for Monday and mapped out the main presentations I wanted to see - a lot of the education sessions are quite focused on things like hair cutting technique and how to use certain machines in a salon and that would definitely go over my head, so I'm sticking to things I can use in my day-to-day beauty life like these ones:

Mastering This Seasons Bold Lip with Ali Price (Launch Pad Stage, Monday March 2nd, 11-11:15am)
I am all about the bold lip in theory, but lately I've been reaching for my nude lip colours and 'Kylie Jenner-esque' shades so I'm hoping this will broaden my current lipstick horizons...

Beauty for EDITORIAL & Commercial with Kryolan & Rachel Montgomery (Main Stage, Monday March 2nd, 12-12:20pm)
This sounds like it will be really interesting, and hopefully I'll pick up some new makeup tips too. I am yet to try anything from Kryolan and don't really know where to begin with the brand, so this should show me some of their wares.

Magnifique Music Artists Vs. Movie Stars (Main Stage, Monday March 2nd,12:30-1:15pm)
I love the idea of a sneak peek into the creation of fictional characters, so this sounds like it will be fun to watch. I'm imagining Avatar-esque creations, but I could be totally wrong!

 

Klara Cosmetics, 2014 Salon Melbourne

What is another reason I adore Salon Melbourne...

SHOPPING!
I'm hoping that this weekend will re-spark a 'sensible' love of shopping for me once again, as I seem to be lacking in shopping skills lately...I went to the Exhibitor section of the site to see what possible haulage was in my future...
Crown Brushes
I always like the pick up some affordable makeup brushes at shows like this (IMATS too, always good for a brush!) and this year I want a new blush brush and some more shadow brushes - perhaps something for foundation application, too?
FABY
I just posted about FABY for my Valentine's Day manicure and I really want to see the full range of colours that they have!
Girlee Cosmetics
I always check out Girlee when I hit up Salon (check out the custom Girlee palette I hauled last year!) and I'm thinking of getting my hands on an icier version of Urban Decay Verve eyeshadow from the Naked 2 palette...
Kester Black
Have never seen these in person, only on Cosmetic Cupcake and they look so good!

my haul from Salon Melbourne 2014

So that is the end of my excited ramble...;)
Part Two of this post will show you what I get up to at the event and what I buy on the day, but in the meantime I'll be popping bits and bobs up on Instagram if you're interested.

If you've never been to this expo before or want some more practical tips, check out this recent post Norlin wrote - very informative!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
-Emma

*I attend Salon Melbourne as a media guest, but have not been compensated for this post. I just can't wait for the expo!

Addicted to Blush Tag (#blushfiend)

I recently decided that there was a distinct lack of blush love on here considering my status as a #blushfiend, and so when I saw the gorgeous Kat from Kitsch Snitch had created a blush tag I was all up on it! Blush is definitely my favourite thing in the beauty world and I had a blast rifling through my rather large blush drawers to pull product for this tag. These answers will definitely change for me as time goes on - sometimes the life of a #blushfiend is fickle, ya know?

What colour blush suits you the most?
I think peach tones suit my skin tone the most, despite it not being my favourite blush shade to wear (neutral wins that, with ease!) I find I receive more compliments when I wear peach tones and it seems to photograph relatively well also.

- peach tones suit me best -
Clinique Cheek Pop 'Peach Pop*'
 Chanel Joues Contraste ' 76 Frivole'
Chanel Joues Contraste '55 In Love'

Pressed/cream/loose blush?
The majority of my blush collection is definitely pressed powder blushes - I find them the easiest to work with, and it takes a really good cream formula for me to want to try it out! I recently bought the new MUFE HD Blush and I've heard it's a great cream formula, so I'm looking forward to testing that out.

YSL Crème de Blush '6 Rouge Passion'
Topshop Cream Blush 'Head Over Heels'
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush 'Exposed'
Illamasqua Powder Blusher 'Naked Rose'
 

Favourite shimmery blush?
I tend to favour Satin finishes in general, but sometimes a nice fine glitter or shimmer doesn't go astray and I like the glow it adds to my face on 'good skin' days. My most recent favourite is MAC's Warm Soul blush which I picked up on my honeymoon, but more glittery favourites are Chanel Pink Explosion (like a satin finish with fine glitter mixed in) and the MAC Mineralize Blush in Hand-Finish. I think the MAC Mineralize blush range is the best way to dip your toe into shimmery blushes if you are unsure of them!


MAC Mineralize Blush 'Hand-Finish'
Chanel Joues Contraste 'Pink Explosion'
MAC Mineralize Blush 'Warm Soul'

Favourite matte blush?
I actually had trouble finding a good range of matte blushes in my collection - most were satin finishes when I looked at them properly! The best matte blushes that come to mind are from Illamasqua - the pigmentation is insane and the colours are usually pretty awesome, so even though I don't wear them very often I'd have to say they are my favourite matte offering!


Illamasqua Powder Blusher 'Naked Rose'
Illamasqua Powder Blusher Duo in 'Lover/Hussy'

Favourite cream blush? 
As I mentioned, cream blushes have to be pretty darn awesome to catch my eye and these two releases certainly are! The YSL Crème de Blush range is an old favourite and the Powdery Rose shade is everything, but the brand new Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Sticks have impressed me and I really wasn't expecting them to!

YSL Crème de Blush '2 Powdery Rose'
YSL Crème de Blush '6 Rouge Passion'
Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick 'Just-Pinched Pink*'
Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick in 'Pink Fever*'

Favourite drugstore blush?
It's not until you complete a tag like this that you notice trends in your makeup drawers - it seems I have a weakness for high end blushes! These BYS Blush Trios are definitely the best quality 'drugstore' blush I've tried - the pigmentation is stellar, the lasting power is akin to a Myer branded blush and the shades are exciting and varied! The are affordably priced at around $5-6 and they are worth so much more in my eyes. Gorgeous!

BYS Blush Trio in:
On The Brightside
Coral Me In
Endless Summer
Heart Skipped a Beat

Favourite high end blush?
Easiest question in this tag by far - my beloved Chanel Joues Contraste collection took a while to kick off it must be said, but once the ball began rolling it took over my blush love! I used to read posts like this by Pink Sith and swoon over the idea of owning one, but never understood just how amazing they were until Mister bought me one for Christmas a few years ago. My collection has grown fast since then and shows no signs of stopping, Chanel JC's make me so happy!

Chanel Joues Contraste Blushes in:
80 Jersey
76 Frivole
55 In Love
64 Pink Explosion

Favourite bright blush?

I'm not afraid of a good whack of colour in a blush, so I had quite a few to rifle through for this question. I ended up choosing the bright shades that get my heart racing as they haven't been something I reach for too often lately (I'm all about the neutral cheek right now!) The most wearable bright shade is definitely my Chanel JC 'Pink Explosion' which was my first Chanel blush, and I love the way it brightens up my whole complexion when I apply it with a Real Techniques Stippling Brush. Actually, that is how I apply all of my bright blush shades!



BYS Blush Trio 'On the Brightside'
essence Beauty Beats Blush 'Groupie at Heart'
Chanel Joues Contraste 'Pink Explosion'

Biggest blush disappointment/regret?
I've spend years trying to understand the Nars blush phenomenon (perhaps I just haven't tried the right shade?) and the hype surrounding the Bourjois Blush Pots, like this one in Rose D'Or. I had to scrape away a thick layer to get my swatch to show up (and it was gorgeous once I did, for sure!) but so much effort for a blush that keeps hardening up is not worth my time. The worst blush I've ever purchased is definitely the essence Bloom Me Up Blush Stick '01 Chaising Lacy' - not only is the name spelt strangely which irks me, the texture is terrible and pills on my skin no matter what I try, with hardly any pigment to speak of. I just had to swatch you to explain it well - it looks like an arm rash, am I right?

Bourjois Blush '34 Rose D'Or'
essence Bloom me Up Blush Stick '01 Chaising Lacy'

Bourjois swatch, essence swatch

Best blush packaging?
I can appreciate many different blush packaging, but I'm not sure whether or not I have a favourite in this regard...I love how clean and clear Illamasqua pans are but hate breaking my nails opening them, I love my Chanel JC's (which I keep in their boxes) but it's hard to quickly distinguish the blush shade, and other brands have their pro's and con's as well. As long as it is relatively pretty and keeps the product safe, I'm usually a happy camper!

What's on your blush wish list?
I am looking at trying some of the Colourpop Blush line, and also really want to hunt down the MAC Pro Longwear blush 'Make You Mine' which I neglected to buy in America and now really regret it. I always wait with baited breath for a new Chanel blush release and the upcoming Crescendo looks pretty interesting...the new Bobbi Brown Blush Trio's also look utterly delectable to me!

Number 1 holy grail blush?
I have to stay true and choose my wedding day blush for this question - my beloved Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush 'Exposed'! I also snuck in my other HG blush because I'm a rebel like that...the stunning Chanel JC 'Jersey'!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush 'Exposed'



Tarte Exposed, Chanel Jersey

 

I would love to see everyone I follow complete this blush tag, it's so refreshing to think about your collection as a whole and it's made me pull out old favourites from my drawers to play with! That being said, I would especially love to tag Vita, Norlin, Ling, Sleep and Water, Tracy, Monika and Liz! Feel free to leave any blush recommendations in the comments, too - I would love to know what your favourite blush is, and which is the worst you've ever tried!

-Emma x

What's On My Face #2

 

Last week was half-frustrating and half-enjoyable for me - poor Charlie is unwell so a big chunk of my free time was spent at the vet, but he seems to be on the mend now so it was all worth it. I had a nice breakfast catch up with some old work colleagues and despite the food being average (French toast was too sweet!) it was so good to chill out and find out what everyone has been up to. I find that sometimes life gets in the way of regular catch ups with them and it's hard to coordinate that many people who all work different hours! All in all it was a decent week, but I'm looking forward to what the next week will hold for me...but for now, lets see what is on the current makeup menu for me!

 

Eyes

Bobbi Brown Smokey Cool Eye Palette*
Base
Smashbox Photo-Finish Colour Correcting Primer (sample)
Illamasqua Skin Base
Clarins Instant Concealer*
Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick in Just-Pinched Pink
Maybelline Matte Maker Powder*
Lips
Rimmel Provocalips 16hr Kiss Proof Lip Colour in Make Your Move*

-Emma xx

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

 

Current Wishlist : February 2015

Despite seemingly having a lack of shopping mojo at the moment, my lust for certain items still dwells deep in my beauty-loving belly and eventually I know I will be getting these products for myself! I think my overhauling on the honeymoon quelled my need for new things, and I'm making sure to enjoy the things I already have before adding to my stash...that being said, here are the products I'm currently lusting over.

ColourPop Lippie Stix
I've seen ColourPop products all over Instagram and Twitter and I am utterly obsessed with doing a big haul of their stuff. Mister has promised this as a belated birthday gift but we have an upcoming Christening to pay for so we're holding off for now. I plan on grabbing some of their powder eyeshadows, brand new blushes and a bunch of the Lippie Stix. I first saw ColourPop in this video and anything Jessica likes, I usually end up wanting.

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous
I tried to nab this in America but every drugstore I went to didn't have my shade left on the display, I was sorely disappointed. I may resort to eBay if this doesn't launch in Australia soon...I watched this review of it on the plane and it spurred my need for this, coupled with the fact that my favourite foundation comes from Covergirl so it seems promising.

Urban Decay Single Eyeshadow in 'Sin'
I've almost used up the entire pan of Sin in my Urban Decay Naked Palette and it's my favourite champagne shadow, so I really feel like I need a single of it in my life. Since Urban Decay are coming to Mecca in March I will wait until then to pick it up.

The Body Shop Smoky Poppy
I've heard that this scent is sweet and musky, and the packaging makes me want to try it too. I haven't been to The Body Shop for a while so am looking forward to giving this a sniff in store and might treat myself to a shower gel or body lotion (not that I need more body lotion in this lifetime!)

The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask
Overnight masks are my kryptonite in theory, and despite only owning one of them I always pore over reviews of them online and keep an eye out for new releases to one day purchase. Seeing Caroline Hirons talk about skincare shoots it onto my wishlist, and being akin to memory foam in texture is definitely another selling point for me.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
I'm obsessed with the thought of the perfect matte red lip, but now it's just a matter of working out which Nars red is the perfect one for my pale skin. I love seeing them on Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup but her skin isn't the same tone as mine so I shall have to try on a few shades at Mecca to work this one out for myself...

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Happy Nude Year
Apart from the hilarious shade name, the seemingly rosy nude colour of this new Bourjois release has me intrigued. I adore the formula of these and am not sure why I haven't bought more after my initial love for them was realised...I will definitely be adding more shades to my Rouge Edition Velvet collection this year.


I also forgot to pop MAC Make You Mine blush on this list - d'oh! Looking at all of the inspiration for this wishlist and it seems like fellow bloggers and YouTubers are to blame for all my beautyl ustings - tsk tsk!
-Emma x

January Eats

I'd like to welcome a new regular to the emmabovarybeauty line-up - the monthly eats post! I see 2015 taking a lifestyle lean for my little slice of the internet, and I want to start incorporating all of the things that I love into my writing - when I originally began this blog in 2010 I wanted it to be about 'all of the things in life that make it beautiful' and I feel like I'm getting back on track with that now. A lot has changed for me personally since the blogs birth, and I feel its only right to pop up food posts and home posts as I see fit, since it's what make my life wonderful! Wordy ramble over, now onto some of the food I enjoyed in January!

Birthday ice-cream at Trampoline
Birthday lunch at RMB - calamari w chips and salad
Disappointing soy and ginger chicken
New 'By George' range at Coles

I celebrated my birthday at the beginning of January, and on the day spent a few hours shopping at Doncaster with my sister and my niece. I followed my lunch with a sweet treat from Trampoline Gelato - a scoop of Hazelnut Roche (nutella-like goodness, my fave!) and a scoop of Coconut!

Another beautiful birthday celebration, technically in late December but I threw it in this post anyway. My best friend Candi drove down for the day and took me out for lunch at RMB Westfield Plenty Valley. We both ordered Calamari with chips and salad, with Candi getting hers grilled as she needs GF and dairy-free options. I love that they were happy to accommodate, both versions of the calamari were beautifully cooked and the aioli was spot on for the crunchy flat chips.

I bought a premade stir-fry marinade that was soy and ginger based and cooked it with chicken for this home-cooked dish. It looked and smelt so good as it cooked and I had high hopes, but it was super bland and had almost no flavour whatsoever. Sure did look tasty, though!

Spotted a cute new brand at Coles - By George! George is my Dad's name so I snapped this picture to send him for a laugh!

Green Curry at Bay Thai
Lunch at Hatch
Lindt gift from my sister-in-law
Betty Crocker Vanilla Cake on a coffee break

Some gorgeous friends of ours celebrated their engagement with a party down in Albert Park and beforehand Mister and I shared a Thai Green Curry at the newly opened Bay Thai restaurant. It was super spicy so the beers went down well, and the flavour was seriously delicious.

Another surprise birthday lunch, well done January! My sister-in-law and brother-in-law took me out for a bit to eat, but not before they sung happy birthday to me with a candle stuck into a muffin! Was so nice to chill and check out the new Hatch restaurant in Preston, and the food was pretty tasty, but some of the dishes weren't as good as they could have been. I'll definitely head back here to try more of their menu though.

The next shot is of a nice little Lindt surprise from my other sister-in-law (I landed pretty lucky with my in-laws, didn't I?)

I am quite obsessed with baking at the moment and whipped up a quick and easy Betty Crocker vanilla cake with the intent of filling Mister's work lunches with it. I had a few slices myself and damn that's a good vanilla cake - added bonus is the premade frosting which was delicious. I had a nice little coffee break with Lolita and cake, what more could you want?


Dr Pepper at The Reject Shop
Choc-coated Peanuts
Coffee at Mumma Bovary's
Moccona with a Hint of Caramel <3

Had to snap a picture of this Dr Pepper 12pack at The Reject Shop - it's the obsession I began when we hit up America last year!

I was inspired by Norlin to nab a pack of chocolate covered peanuts to take to the cinema with me - great idea, Norlin!

A nice relaxing coffee break at Mumma Bovary's, but I have to admit that I have stashed a jar of Moccona with a Hint of Caramel in her cupboards as her coffee is always woeful!

Moccona, have I told you lately that I love you? I really do - Hint of Hazelnut is my next purchase alongside you, but right now I'm sitting in front of a hot cup of you with a splash of milk and everything seems right in the world.

---

So there you have it - my first monthly eats instalment! I hope you all enjoy the lifestyle related content that I'll be posting, the bulk of my passion lies in the beauty realm but I think writing about a wider range of things every now and again will really warm my soul and make me much happier overall!

-Emma

Sweet & Simple Nail Art for Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day isn’t the biggest deal in the Bovary household (in fact, I think we are less romantic on that day than any other!) but it’s a nice excuse to share a good meal and there is definitely no harm in that! We’re heading down to the beach house tonight with Charlie in tow, to chill out and hopefully head to a restaurant for dinner tomorrow night. I’m not one for elaborate nail art most of the time as my skills are lacking, but cute simple nail art is hard to beat and I painted my nails with the first design that popped into my head when I thought about love and how simple it should be!

I started with two coats of FABY Valentina’s Day* before using my el cheapo eBay dotting tools to turn three dots of FABY Innocent Fantasy* into a cute love heart on my ring finger! My nails have all broken right down after having acrylics for the wedding, so please forgive the state of them. Valentina’s Day flooded some of my cuticles but I really think that was because I didn’t give myself a manicure before throwing on the colour, the formula was pretty decent and I like that it’s more a strawberry red shade than a straight up harsh fire engine sort of rouge. Innocent Fantasy seemed to be more pigmented than the similar shades I have from essie so that’s always a positive – I haven’t painted my whole nail with it though so I’ll reserve judgement. FABY has only just launched in Australia and I’m happy to have another 5 free brand around!

Mister Bovary was actually really impressed with how quick and cute the nail look ended up being, and I think next time I might try it with a metallic blue shade and some silver or white polish to change it up a bit. I adore my dotting tools, they are so easy to use and being so affordable means I was able to pick my mother in law up a set as well – she goes through stages with polish and has a pretty enviable OPI stash I must say!

Are you a Valentine’s Day lover or hater? It’s my first one as a wife! I have my fingers crossed that cupid hits Mister and he nabs me a sweet mug for my morning coffee…otherwise I might pick myself up a new one in Rosebud!

-Emma

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

What's On My Face #1

Summer seems to have finally arrived in Melbourne and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it – the sun is a welcome addition to my life and a great way to put myself in a good mood, but it’s a bit harder to sleep in the heat and puppy Charlie seems to be more lethargic when the temperature rises. It also causes me to be a bit lazy when it comes to makeup experimentation, and so this look has been a go-to for me lately. I’ve been testing out the Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Sticks for quite a while now and am gearing up for a full review which will be live next week! I’ve taken to layering the pink blush stick underneath some of my unloved blushes, especially this In2It blush I bought on our last trip to Thailand which I’ve only just opened this year!

Eyes

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

essence LongLasting eyeliner in Hot Chocolate

NYX eyeliner in Silky Cashmere

Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara

Face

Face of Australia Face Base Primer

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation

Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick in Just-Pinched Pink*

In2It Waterproof Blush in 03 Sensation

Lips

Inglot Lipstick Number 51

NYX Butter Gloss in Vanilla Cream Pie

 

A little added bonus for you is the inclusion of my current perfume of choice - Tory Burch!

-Emma x

Makeup Pile Inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey

I’m sure by now some of you have spotted the racy Fifty Shades of Grey film trailer online – I know a few people on my Facebook feed have been counting down and can't wait to see the film when it is released tomorrow! I feel a little hint of shame when I admit that I have indeed read the three books in the series, and am actually rereading the first in the line-up now…perhaps that stems from studying literature for so many years!

The 50 Shades franchise definitely isn’t the best written works I’ve ever read (so far from it that it’s laughable to be honest) but I will step up to the plate and say that I’m planning on seeing the film, if only for curiosity’s sake. Using the title as inspiration, I played around in my makeup and nail stash to grab some of the rare greyscale pieces that live within my drawers.

Eyeshadows in grey are always wonderful in theory, but sometimes they make me feel a bit too ‘rock chick’ unless they verge on taupe or I warm them up with another shadow in the crease. I think it has something to do with having dark hair and very pale skin...

If I ever need a true silver or grey look I reach for my Australis Paparazzi Perfect Palette in Frock and Roll, which I used in this frosted winter makeup look. I also have a few grey and grey/brown shades in my custom Inglot palette, and one of my most loved grey shades is Too Faced Garter Belt from the Boudoir Palette. I’d consider Mercury from Topshop a taupe shade more than a true grey as the purple tones pull through enough on me to make this something a bit out of the ordinary. Two other pops of grey in my stash that haven’t yet been touched are the Bourjois single eyeshadow in 14 Gris Delicat and the Maybelline Charcoal Smokes quad*.

The best way that I know how to inject some smooth grey shades into my beauty routine are on my fingernails – I’m always up for a deep metallic blue, but a grey tone also doesn’t go astray and these are some that are residing in my polish drawers right now. 

For an elegant and simple greige shade, essie Master Plan* is my very favourite – but for a bit of bling essie also brings it to the table with Ignite the Night*! It’s a darker more charcoal sort of glittery colour and I’m thinking it would work perfectly in an ombre nail look. An affordable nail polish comes via German brand essence and their dark metallic grey Movie Star. The final beauty product we have is not technically a grey shade but I'm taking inspiration from the sleek gunmetal tube - Smashbox lipstick in Flirty is a true stunner of a bright pink and one of the first ‘higher end’ non-Priceline lipsticks I ever bought myself. Memories…

I really enjoyed rustling through my drawers to pull colours for this post – fingers crossed I have that much fun watching the Fifty Shade of Grey film at the cinema!

-Emma

*Provided for consideration, honesty always.

January Purchases & Pick-Ups

THE PURCHASES!

It isn't often that I can fit an entire months beauty purchases into a single photo, but here you have it folks - a total of TWO beauty related items purchased so far in 2015! Perhaps this will be a good thing to look back on once I post my extortionate honeymoon haul for the world to see? I picked up and looked at many a pretty during January, but nowadays it needs to be seriously amazing for me to part with - as it so happens, these two products are indeed amazing so I'm sticking to my new-found shopping mantra quite well! 

I had a Christmas voucher in my pocket and my sister took me shopping at Doncaster for my birthday on January 2nd, so the natural thing to do was finally tick the limited edition Chanel Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in 234 Poesie off my wishlist. It originally featured on my pre-USA wishlist but it was sold out everywhere I checked during our trip, so to hear that Doncaster had a solitary palette left was music to my ears! It's actually my first real Chanel eye product so it was quite an exciting purchase for me (normally I beeline for their blushes, you know me!)

My second (and last) beauty purchase for the month was towards the end, during the infamous Priceline 40% skincare sale. I knew I wanted to have a nosy around but didn't feel the urge to pick anything up, until I remembered that I'd been wanting to bring this Garnier Moisture Match Light Softening Cream for Normal-Dry Skin back into my routine as a morning moisturiser. I've previously reviewed it here and the love still stands, this is a wonderful product.

A non-beauty related purchase, but something I wanted to feature because stationary rocks! I am about to order another planner from Personal Planner with a code they provided me, and I'm super excited at the thought of personalising a planner, and using The Belle Lumiere and various #planneraddict Instagram images as my inspiration I hope to pretty it up and get myself organised with these gel pens, stickers and tags.  

PICK-UPS!

This part will feature some of the press samples I received during the month - it's like a little heads up on what may be featured soon on the blog, and serves as a reminder for myself about the new things I'm trialling! Not everything I'm sent will be featured, just the bits and bobs I feel like popping into these posts. I turned down more press samples than usual this month as I've been selective about what I'd like to trial, and so far it's made me far more exciting about all of these new things than I usually would be!



After my recent primer obsession (documented here) it seemed fitting to try out the latest primer release from makeup giants Max Factor! When I first opened this Facefinity All Day Primer ($31.95) I thought it was a super-pale foundation - d'oh!

Dare I say, the most exciting press sample this month? I absolutely adore Urban Rituelle and frequently buy bits and bobs from the brand, so the launch of the new amber based Romance Fragrance Diffuser Set ($36.95/190ml) got me a bit more excited than it probably should have...but once I smelt this thing, I knew my excitement was warranted. HEAVEN! Goodness knows Mister Bovary and I aren't the most romantic (perhaps we will be now that we're married? pah!) so any hint of romance (especially in amber form!) is welcome in our house!

Now this is a step outside of my comfort zone - my scalp is a finicky thing and I'm always hesitant to trial shampoos (truth be told there is a still a chance I will rope in a guinea pig for that and hit the conditioner up solo!) but I accepted this Pantene Colour Therapy Shampoo & Conditioner ($7.99ea/350ml) with the hope that I can move on from my Garnier shampoo and mix things up a little bit. Wish me luck!

Last but not least was some surprise drops from my beloved L'Occitane - the Relaxing Pillow Mist ($30/100ml) looks brilliant and I can't wait to pop it alongside my current L'Occitane Lavande Cologne that I use as a luxe room spray to help me catch some ZZZ's. Also pretty pumped about the Revitalising Body Scrub ($45/200g) (it's been too long since I've used a good one!) and the Immortelle Brightening Essence ($89/30ml)

I think 2015 is working out really well on the product front so far - I'm excited to plump up my bodycare routine and use my Chanel quad a bit more before popping up a swatch/review post! How much did you purchase or pick-up this month?

-Emma x

*Pick-Ups are, as stated above, press samples. If you aren't interested in seeing what I'll be trialling, feel free to skip these monthly posts - I won't be offended! Honesty, always.

The Nail Polish Declutter

Following on from my 2015 goal of slimlining my skincare and makeup stash, I decided to also rifle through my ridiculous nail polish stash and get rid of a few bottles. I must admit that I had hopes of trimming it down in anticipation of gaining some new nail polish racks and storage in the New Year, something that the husband hinted at looking into to help get my beauty room looking neater. It sure would help selecting manicure colours, which is often frustrating with my collection being spread out in various storage units in that office!

colours I have given away or am about to

I knew I needed to relinquish my hold on ‘nice colours’ that I would never wear – using excuses about future nail art enterprises and how pretty they looked in the bottle just isn’t going to cut it anymore. I basically know what I like to wear when it comes to nail shades, and yet here I sit with a veritable tonne of baby pink shades that will never see the light of day on my fingertips! I have to admit that it was hard for the hoarder in me to look at beautiful bottles from Australis, Darling and Essie and make the decision to add them to the pile, but ultimately they are too nice to waste away collection dust and the shades will better suit the deeper skin tones of my family anyway.

My plan is to go through and get rid of a few polishes at a time (judging by these photos I'm keeping all of my cool-toned shades, ha!) and whittle down my collection bit by bit, that way it won't feel overwhelming for me. Seriously though, if you saw how many polishes I have...

Charlie being most helpful during my nail polish declutter!

Most of the ladies in my family wear nail polish regularly so giving these away shouldn’t be too hard, and I’m looking forward to displaying my beloved nail shades once we decide on what racks would suit the room best. Would you be interested in a polish storage post when that day comes?

-Emma x

Maybelline The Nudes Palette In Action - Warm Nude Bronze Makeup Look

As soon as I stepped into CVS in Los Angeles in November, I made a beeline for the makeup aisles, bypassing the tempting snack food section with thoughts of US-only makeup firmly in my minds eye. The first thing I picked up was an Essie polish, and the second thing I picked up was Maybelline The Nudes Palette, which I'd first seen on The Dark Side of Beauty who gave it an honest review that didn't deter me from wanting it. I've only used the palette a handful of times, and this is one of the looks I created with it. 

 

I have to agree with Nancy's first impressions of the palette - some of the shades are nice and smooth but others are quite dry and stiff, though still better than most drugstore palettes that are readily available on the Australian market at the moment. If you compare something like this to Lorac, Urban Decay or even Too Faced you will walk away disappointed, so remember the price point of this palette ($13 USD approx.) and judge accordingly. I think the shade range is what deters me from using the palette all the time - the bronze/golden shades are something I'd only wear in a planned look for an event, and the rest of the cooler toned can be a bit flat on my pale skin at times. Having said that, I've only played around with the palette a few short times so my opinions may change once I give it a go with a few more looks. 

Products Used: (clockwise in above image)
-Dolce & Gabbana Blush in Caramel
-Maybelline Dream Matte Powder
-YSL Touche Éclat*
-essence eyeliner in Hot Chocolate
-NYX eyeliner in Silky Cashmere
-Inglot brow pencil
-Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara in Medium Brown*
-Bite Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayon in Leche
-Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid-Touch Foundation*
-Maybelline The Nudes Palette

I didn't actually push myself to use mainly Maybelline products for this post (nor is this a sponsored post!) but it's what I'm testing out at the moment, so it worked out well for the palette focus of this post! A few base favourites made an appearance as well as my two very favourite eyeliners - the only other honeymoon purchase to make it into the mix was the Bite Beauty Matte Lip Crème in Leche, which is well-loved around these parts.




D&G Caramel, Bite Beauty Matte Lip Crème in Leche

 

How many neutral palettes do you have to own to be labelled crazy?

What brand do you turn to for a good neutral shadow? Any drugstore offerings I've been missing out on?

- Emma x 

 

Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.