Empties 2014 // Part One

I haven’t done one of these so far this year, which tells you a lot about how long this post will be. I was originally planning on writing them up quarterly but laziness overcame and here we are in June just getting started. I threw out some things in frustration before they made it to this post, too, but this is pretty much what I’ve finished up this year!

Skin

 

Thalgo Pure Velvet Cleansing Cream

I really enjoyed using this cleanser, my full review is linked above if you want to know more about it.

Avado Sensitives Organic Face Moisturiser
I really disliked this, the scent irked me and the way it never really sunk into my skin drove me crazy. I think I bought this after seeing it in a magazine or on Primped, but it just didn’t work for my skin type.

Clarins Instant Eye Make-Up Remover
This was really nice stuff, the packaging was luxe and lightweight and I didn’t need much at all to remove my eye makeup at night. It’s pricier than my usual eye make-up remover, but definitely lovely.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo
My HG acne treatment, I don’t think I could ever be without this again (I’ve tried and it wasn’t pretty!) It clears up general crappy skin and also targets acne to stop it in its tracks.

L’Oreal Youth Code Moisturiser
I used to swear by the Youth Code range before I began trialling new products all the time, I didn’t actually manage to finish this up but it’s too old now. I found most of the Youth Code line really plumped my skin and felt lovely on. I have some of the new formulation/newly repackaged Youth Code in stocks so hopefully it is still just as nice.

Priceline Vitamin E makeup remover
Found this in a beauty box while doing a clean out and don’t want it anywhere near my eyes!

Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips
I always have a box of these in the house, I love the gross satisfaction of using them and Mister Bovary swears by these too.

The Face Shop Rice Mask + Elianto Pumpkin Mask
Both were lovely and soothing (as I find most sheet masks) but the Elianto one was my favourite purely for the pumpkin factor!

The Jojoba Company Lemon + Coconut Hand Cream
I still can’t believe I finished this, even though it was a small size I struggled through this tube because I didn’t like the scent. On paper it sounds perfect and everyone else I asked loved it, but my nose just couldn’t hack it.

Shower + Body

Soap and Glory Flake Away body scrub
This was a great body scrub with that signature Soap and Glory scent, even though it made my shower a bit slippery at times I would still repurchase.

Evo The Great Hydrator Moisture Mask
This was so good! Pleasantly surprised with this, though I wish the packaging was easier to squeeze. This makes me want to investigate Evo further…any recommendations?

PureTan Pure Moisture Coconut Body Crème
I know this is a big call, but I think this may be my all-time favourite moisturiser…I don’t have super dry skin so the light moisture worked for me, and the scent and feel of it was just beyond divine.

Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
My staple, the only shampoo my scalp will tolerate.

Original Source Chocolate + Mint Shower Gel
Why would they go and make a scent like this limited edition? Craziness I tell you, this stuff was good enough to eat!

Norsca Clear Anti-White Deodorant
Nope, still left white marks and wasn’t freshly scented enough for me. Back to Rexona I go!

Rexona for Men deodorant
Mister Bovary’s HG deodorant that I always use when he isn’t looking…

Lynx Dry Apollo
I think Mister Bovary received this in a gift pack at Christmas, either way he liked the scent and he often asks for Lynx sprays (just like a teen boy I know, but I don’t mind the smell of them either!)

Glitter Shower Gel
This came in a gift set from someone long ago and I was holding onto the set for sentimental reasons, as absurd as that may sound. Needless glitter and no lather, these sorts of gift sets are nice thoughts but rarely quality product.

The Body Shop Vanilla Body Lotion
My sister gifted this to me but it is way too old to use. I love so many of The Body Shop scents, and vanilla is always at the top.

Nuxe Reve de Miel Body Cream
So far I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve used from Nuxe, and this is no exception.

Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel
When a shower gel is pricier than the average supermarket garb, it takes a lot to impress me. This scent was seriously worth the price tag, and the quality was right up there. I think this scent is limited edition, but I’ll definitely buy it when it’s rereleased.

Makeup

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
I’m actually using a full size of this right now and find it works wonderfully, but this sachet dried out before I could actually use it all so the idea of this was a fail.

Elianto Brow Pencil
I remember loving this while we were in KL a few years back – I wouldn’t buy it again, but boy I’m craving an overseas trip right now.

Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara
My favourite mascara thus far, this is something I will continue buying and loving. I love what it does for my lashes and how you can layer it beyond belief without it clumping – thanks Covergirl!

MAC Painterly Paint Pot
This is probably my favourite eyeshadow base because it covers any veins on my eyelids, and this pot lasted me an age without ever changing consistency. Well worth the cash in my opinion!

Avon Bond Girl perfume
My dad bought me this and I loved the scent, not enough to repurchase it but I have a few samplers of it lying around if I feel like wearing it again.

Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel foundation
Long-time readers would be aware of how much I love this discontinued foundation – I’ve squirreled away a few pots and plan on stretching them out before crying about how sad Rimmel have made me.

Quick question – favourite mascara and favourite foundation? Pop it in the comments below!

Emma x

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

Mary-Kate & Ashley Inspired Makeup Look

 

We all remember the Olsen twins for their role on Full House when they were barely walking, but since then they’ve had a rollercoaster ride adjusting to the life that has become typical for a Hollywood child star. One of their stand out features is their unique sense of style (did someone say bag lady?!) and I am personally a huge fan of the makeup looks they tend to play around with. Today I have recreated a look that is inspired by both young ladies, drawing on the non-smiling nature of their street style and the smudgy bronze makeup they tend to favour.

 

To recreate this look I layered a few coats of Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze over my lids, and smudged it quite low underneath my eye. I love the consistency of this shade and how it can be worn sheer or layered and it always looks great. I blended the edges with a fluffy brush and applied a few coats of Face of Australia Impact Curl mascara, and that was it for the eyes!

 

I’m trialling a few new base products at the moment, and for this look I went for the Palmer’s Eventone BB Cream in Fair/Light*. It gave quite a nice finish to the skin, but I went in with my Maybelline SuperStay Concealer as I have a few blemishes and redness in my skin that the BB cream didn’t completely cover. I chose my favourite neutral blush as the Olsen girls tend to veer away from bright cheeks, and the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed seemed like the kind of shade that would look beautiful on them. I set everything with a light dusting of Face of Australia Loose Powder in Outback Translucent.*

 

 

I originally chose Rimmel Nude Delight lipstick for this look, but once it was applied I remembered why I only ever wear this shade underneath a gloss – by itself it just isn’t flattering on me! Once I threw a bit of Elianto Baby Nude over the top I was really happy with the result, and thought it suited the overall look nicely. 

 

Do you think I captured the bohemian/chic style of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen? I actually felt beautiful in this look (especially once I cracked a smile!) and have worn a variation of it quite often since I took these photos.

 

Who are your style icons? I'd love for you to tell me about their style in the comments!

*Marked items were provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

purple people eater

 

I've never been much of a purple girl. My favourite colour is orange, and I wear warm colours (or black) the majority of the time. In recent weeks, however, I've fallen in love with purple-toned taupes and browns, shimmering dark violet shades and most heavily for lilac. Here I share with you a selection of my brighter purple shades, and I'd love for you to share your picks in the comments!

 

 

The first shadow is In Deep by Kit Cosmetics, which I bought on sale as a brave move to step into the world of purple AND darker eye shadows! The next one along is Quartz by Face of Australia, which is a stunning lilac shade. My MAC Dame Edna palette is next, which I love for the inclusion of three version different types of purple.

 

 

Another beautiful palette I own which contains very different types of purple shades is my Elianto palette. The beautiful Emily from Emily's Anthology brought this back from Malaysia for me quite some time ago. I fell in love with Elianto when I visited Malaysia for the first time, and I am so happy to own this beautiful palette. This palette was customisable, and I love the shades I chose and really need to use them more.

 

 

You can see the various intensities and shades here.

 

 Quartz is so so pretty!

Elianto have such beautifully pigmented colours, I highly recommend visiting them if you're in Malaysia! 

 

I have a post with my newer purple acquisitions coming up, featuring beauties from Laura Mercier and Illamasqua, among many others!

 

Do you have a colour that you gravitate to in your makeup?

Which shade of purple stands out most to you?

 

I bought all of these shadows myself. Honesty, always.

Nails & Novels

A not so regular instalment on emmabovarybeauty, nails & novels is the place where I share with you all the book I've been reading, and the colour on my nails. My nails have been bare for a few months now, but I'm beginning to get excited over colour on my fingertips again. Hopefully I'll start to take better care of my fingers and you'll see more of them!

'Amazing Face' by Zoe Foster, and Plum Delicious by Orly

I was uber excited for the release of Zoe Foster's beauty bible, as I have loved every other book she has written, and own them all. This is even better, because it's the beauty babble I share with friends, except funnier and more articulate. I'm taking a dose of this each night to perk up the bad mood I've been in, and the nails I am rocking at the moment are making me smile too!

*

My local chemist had the mini Orly polishes on sale for $4.99 AUD, and I couldn't pass it up. Sadly the whole range doesn't come in this form, but still a decent selection. This is my second Orly mini, I like them because of the price point and the fact that I never finish up a regular sized bottle anyway. FYI, the minis hold 5.4ml /.18Fl Oz so cheeky me has no problem taking them in my handbag for touch ups if they chip while I'm out.

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The shade is Plum Delicious, and I've popped it on top of a murky purple from Elianto (shade name unknown, Chris has taken it to put it away and it has gone AWOL) and on the ring finger of each hand I've put it on top of a Miki mini in a vivid pinky purple shade (again,AWOL) The colour combo's turned out quite similar despite the base shades being miles apart, but I really like the sheen that Plum Delicious has over them. On it's own it's too sheer for my liking, but my it's pretty over the top of another. I'll play around with it some more, and show you what it looks like on top of other varnishes soon.

Plum Delicious on my stubby nails

 *

What do you have on your nails at the moment, and what book are you reading?

I'm taking any nail polish/book titles for reccomendation, so please throw some into the comments below!!

emmabovary xx

What's in my Bag-Lip Madness Edition

Let it be noted, at this stage, that I own one set of lips. A single pucker, located under my nose by above my chin, on my face. Can someone please explain to me why, then, when I looked into my SMALL bag just now, that all of this appeared:

That there, is a massively ridiculous stash. What I think is happening here is that I always take my lip product(s) of the day in my bag with me, and this week I've not taken any of them out.  They took that chance to wiggle down to the bottom of my small handbag, and napped there. I'm used to having a big bag, this is probably one of the smallest I use at all,so I am amazed they all fit.

See? Not big! And certainly not big enough for all the lip prodz featured today! Here is what is up there, in case you are interested

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Clinique Chubby Stick in Whole Lotta Honey

Elianto Baby Nude

Rimmel Moisture Renew in 700 Nude Delight

Maybelline Colour Sensational in Coral Crush

Savvy Lip Crayon in Cafe

Jack Black balm in Vanilla + Lavender

Bloom/Boost balm in Mango Tango

Bloom/Boost balm in Berry Bang

Estee Lauder High Gloss in 11 Blush

Clinique Long Last Glosswear in 10 Air Kiss

MAC's Nice to be Nice (Hello Kitty coll)

MAC Ever Hip

MAC Moth to Flame dazzleglass

MAC Baby Sparks dazzleglass

*

I do like to have choice throughout the day, but this is excessive;P

How many lip prodz are in YOUR bag right now??

emmabovary xx

The Top Three: Lipsticks

Maybelline Coral Crush, MAC Viva Glam Cyndi, Elianto Baby Nude

After an unfortunate incident involving my brother and two smooshed lipsticks (BYS and MAC Lollipop Lovin' for those playing at home...and my brother is a 30 y.o imbecile, obvs) I got to thinking about what lippies I'd miss most if they were to leave my collection. Though I change up my lippy almost every day,the 3 shades above are the ones I always return to with a smile.

 I would say Coral Crush would take out the top spot between these, and I wear it more than any other lipstick shade. It glides on effortlessly, I adore the packaging, and it brightens up my whole face with just one swipe. Lipstick perfection! The only negative I can find for this baby is that it never shows up in photos as beautiful as in reality. <3

MAC Viva Glam Cyndi was purchased on a whim when I found out that Gaga's first shade looked terrible on me. It's the perfect beginners red, as it's easy to apply and not shockingly bright/dramatic. I pretty much always choose this as my red, and if the need for a bright comes along I simply build it up over a red stain. Cyndi Lauper, you gun you!

Elianto's Baby Nude has one of the cutest lipstick names ever, and smells delicious. I fell in love with Elianto last year when I visited Malaysia, and this lippy is my 'lazy day' shade. Moisturising and soft, this pale nude shade doesn't wash me out, and acts as a great base if I wear a pigmented gloss. Only downfall is it's flimsy packaging, as gorgeous as it may be it must be noted that the lid isn't fond of staying put in a make-up bag.

Top Three lipstick swatches

Have you tried any of these shades? What are your top 3 lipstick shades?

emmabovary xx

Lilac Lovin' FOTD

I've never been a purple girl, but lately it's all I've been wanting to wear. This FOTD was originally meant to be all about the gloss, but the pictures didn't do Funtabulous justice (a separate review of this bad boy is the plan) Here's what I used:

Bourjois HealthyMix Foundation #52

Revlon ColorStay Under Eye Concealer

Elianto Brow Pencil in Light Brown

Face of Australia Fairy Floss lipstick

MAC Funtabulous

Face of Australia Concealer

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Benefit BadGal Lash Mascara

Nars Laguna bronzer

Benefit Carmella perfume

Napoleon Perdis brushes

Elianto shadow in Autumn Thistle(top left hand side)

Estee Lauder shadow (purple,in gold palette)There was brown shadow on the crease brush from the day before, so when I used the Estee Lauder shade in the crease they mixed. I actually really like the effect, so left it. I also realise that I look a bit like a strange pixie in the first picture, but it's better than the other pictures from that day, so up it goes. Hope you enjoyed my FOTD, if you have any new ideas for them I'd love to see them=) Or link in the comment section if you've done a FOTD lately yourself, I'd love to see.

emmabovary xx

Orange FOTD

Orange is pretty much my favourite colour, so here is a FOTD using some of my favourite citrusy prodzLook was partially inspired by Mister Christopher's t-shirt, which I wear to bed sometimes=)

Products used:

*Face of Australia Primer

*Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in #52

*Stila Convertible Colour in Gladiola

*Face of Australia Translucent Powder

*Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Facial Mist

*MAC Slimshine in Missy

*Elianto eyeshadows in Light Salmon & Coco Orange

*Maybelline Falsies mascaraMAC Slimshine in MissyElianto Light Salmon as a wash and Coco Orange in corner&crease

Finished off with Maybelline Falsies

I love this look as I think it's nice to brighten up your face in this dreary weather, with someone a little bit different. Are you into orange at the moment?

emmabovary xx

Aussie Aussie Aussie!

I adore the country that I live in, and love to dress up on Australia Day to show everyone! Sadly I worked all day today, and didn't think the boss would appreciate blow up hands or hot pink tshirts emblazoned with the flag. I decided instead, since my workplace is all for bright make-up, I would show my patriotism with a green & gold eye.Face: Bourjois Healthy Mix No.52

Maybelline Finish Matte Pressed Powder 02 Light Beige

NYX Blush in Peach

Eyes:Urban Decay Primer Potion

NYX single shadow in Algae

Yellow shade from Victoria Jackson's Beauty To Go palette

Revlon Fabulash mascara in Blackest Black

Elianto brow definer pencil in 03 Light Brown

Please excuse my skin in these pictures, my face is acting up like crazy right now and I'm having massive trouble with it=( If anyone can help with this, please do!

How did you spend Australia Day??