The Almost Empties

I really enjoy looking at well-loved beauty products when I'm perusing a blog, so when I realised that a stack of my own products were about to be finished at the same time I jumped on the idea of snapping them for a post! I'm sad about finishing a few of these because I'll miss using them in my daily routine, but it's time to move onto other things and continue making a dent in the rest of my beauty stash. Let's look at these 'almost empties' shall we?!

I've committed myself to using up skincare before jumping into something new, and it seems to be working since I'm almost out of my beloved La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, Garnier Moisture Match Light Softening Cream and the brilliant Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm. I'm planning on switching to some of my back up products (an Avene lotion, Bioderma Hydrabio Serum* etc) that are in my drawers rather than repurchasing just yet - see, I'm learning how to behave like a 'regular' person! I need to find a new cleansing balm to try though, as I will definitely miss one in my routine - does anyone have a recommendation for me?

On the makeup front it's all about that base - I'm almost out of my Illamasqua Skin Base, Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser and Rimmel Lasting Finish 25HR Powder Foundation*. I've fallen back in love with the Dream Pure BB Cream even though it transfers, and I've been topping it with the Rimmel powder for extra coverage and to set it all on my skin.

Are you almost out of anything in your routine?
Is it just me, or is it really hard to finish colour cosmetics and much easier with bases?!
Emma x

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

lllamasqua Fire Rose // Shattered Star Nail Varnish from the Glamore Collection

Textured nail polishes seem to polarize people - I tend to only reach for them when I'm rushing out the door to go somewhere and don't feel like rocking bare nails. They are easy as pie to swipe on, forgiving on crappy nails thanks to all the pizazz and they dry really quickly, negating the need for smudge-proof top coats and the like.

 

They aren't always everyone's cup of tea though, and I find it a bit annoying that the glittery ones scratch at my skin if I come into contact with anything. I still can't get past a nice bit of sparkle though, so this Illamasqua Shattered Star nail varnish in Fire Rose* is easily my most reached for textured polish. Not too pale and girly, the silver glitters give just enough edge to make this the perfect pink for grown-up Barbie nails. 

I've had a long-standing love affair with Illamasqua products, and have a good number of their palettes and blush pans in my makeup drawers. I've just rediscovered the Skin Base foundation and I don't really know why I ever stopped using it - either way, I'm almost at the bottom of the tube and need to repurchase soon. I only have a few of their nail shades, but have been pleasantly surprised by them and appreciate that they come out with fresh colours and ideas all the time. It's also worth noting that I've never received bad customer service from an Illamasqua counter, which is pretty amazing.

Illamasqua polishes normally retail for $23 from Myer but they seem to all be on sale at the moment, so hop down if you have a shade in mind (I'm thinking of picking up Nomad, does anyone have that colour?)

Emma x


*Provided for consideration, but honestly my most reached for textured polish.

Getting Back on the Spotty Nail Bandwagon

 

shown with my 'Naked' lipstick that I bought on the same day

I've been using my at-home gel nail system for a while now but before that I indulged in one of the new Spotty Nail Polish kits from Academy of Colour that are available at Kmart since they relaunched their beauty section. The boxed set contains two cute little bottles of speckled nail paint, one a taupey beige and the other a robins egg blue. I fell so hard for the Illamasqua Speckled offerings when they first launched, so was pleased with this purchase that came in at $4 AUD.

The pale blue shade needed a few coats to achieve an opaque look, but I didn't find that each coat muddied the speckles underneath all that much so the effect was quite a nice one. I don't want to succumb to a cliché, but this has Easter written all over it and I don't care what anyone thinks!

My local discount chemist has the new Ulta3 range of Easter specific speckle polishes on sale in their catalogue (think shades like Hot Cross Fun + Hippidy Hop!) so Mister Bovary and I are planning on making a detour home soon to grab the whole lot - better than a chocolate egg, I say! This may signal that my speckled polish collection is getting a touch out of hand, but what is a beauty lover to do...

Are you a fan of the speckled nail trend, or have you moved onto textured polishes?

What nail colour or trend is your weakness? Blues? Nudes? Gimme the goss!

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

Blush Week 02

Any time I feel as though I am in a blush rut, I set myself a challenge to use a different blush each day for a whole week. I find blush week really helps me to dive into my overflowing blush drawer to try shades that haven’t graced my face in a while. I pulled out a few favourites as well as some as yet unloved new shades for this second blush week round, and I hope you enjoy peeking into what I wore last week!

Prom Princess was the first to hit my cheeks, the mid tone pink berry Veronica shade from the MAC Archie’s Girls collection was well worth the hunt. I have been wearing Cream Soda from the Betty side of the collection more often than this pink shade, so I made an effort to put the satin finish onto my apples first off the bat. I tend to wear toned down lip shades when I use this so that I don’t look overdone, I prefer to keep this the star of the show with lots of mascara.

 

I really wanted to incorporate a cream blush into the mix this blush week, and the best cream blush I own is definitely Powdery Rose from YSL’s Crème de Blush range. I use the Samantha Chapman for Real Techniques Stippling Brush to apply this and I think it does a perfect job of blending it seamlessly into my cheeks. I think the benefit of cream blushes are definitely how great and seamless the finish can be if applied correctly, and the YSL pots are simply perfection for me, as I love that these are a crème to powder and don’t look too dewy without losing the glow.

Of course, during a blush week a moment of weakness is a definite possibility. I thought it would be a case of me reaching for Tarte Exposed (are you getting sick of me mentioning it yet?) but it turned out that L’Oreal The Muse’s Blush was what I gravitated towards without meaning to. The peach shade is really easy to wear and I love how large the pan is, I wish this Project Runway range was available in Australia but unfortunately I bought this from overseas (specifically from Lilladylife’s blog sale!)

Thursday saw me tired and with sore feet as I spent the day teaching and the night working retail, so I was pleased at the pretty flush that Laura Mercier’s Rose Desire left on my cheeks. I’ll be honest and say that I tend to reach for the eyeshadows in the Lingerie palette more than the two cheek shades that sit aside it, but now that I know how pretty Rose Desire is on my fair skin tone I think I will be wearing it a lot more often. Having said that, I will just drop in a mention of how amazing LM palettes are in general- very, very amazing. Highly recommend that you snatch up any you come across, as they sell out quite quickly (as Sleep and Water can attest to!)

Friday was another all day all night work day, and I leant on Rimmel’s Autumn Catwalk blush which is an old favourite of mine that is highly underrated. I’ve seen quite a few US bloggers/Youtubers mentions this line of blushes and I think that they are seriously impressive. The packaging is slimline and the colour of Autumn Catwalk is so lovely (I mix the three shades together, for reference) I am itching to get my hands on other shades from this range, perhaps I will turn to eBay or have a gander at ASOS as I know they stock some Rimmel goodies.

I had been chatting with Sarah from More than Adored and I managed to talk her into buying one of the Illamasqua Blush Duo’s* that I posted about here. I decided to take Ambition* out for a spin and wow, I had forgotten how pretty this shimmery blush is! I love the glow it gives my face and the muted berry tone of it is so pretty in pan and on cheek. I am pretty much a sucker for all things Illamasqua and this is a lot easier to throw on than some of the brighter shades, which my early mornings have appreciated.

To round up the week, I decided to take one of my brand new blushes for a spin! TheBalm’s Frat Boy is described as a peachy apricot and I think it is really pretty on the cheek. It reminds me of NYX Peach but perhaps a tad nicer on? I’m still undecided but either way I really like this, and the slimline pans the TheBalm are famous for really are awesome for storing and travel.

Are you as obsessed with blushes as I am?

What blushes have you been wearing lately? .

 

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always

 

Blush Duos : The Beauty of Two Shades in One Palette! // Illamasqua Katie/Ambition & Lover/Hussy

Blush is a definite weakness for me, and so when one of my favourite brands brought out 2 blush duos, you can bet I was elated! I bought the Hussy/Lover duo before it officially came out with the Illamasqua I’mPerfection collection, as the two shades were often lauded on other blogs and I was aching to try them. I wear the orange-apricot Lover more than I wear the strongly pigmented Hussy, and I think it looks great with neutral eyes and a peachy lip.

The other newly released duo was atop my wishlist when it landed on my desk soon after the release. I love that Illamasqua paired a rare shimmer formula of Ambition with the pale pink matte Katie. Having the option of matte or glowy cheeks in the one palette is quite a cool concept, and I had been wanting to get my hands on Ambition for a long time so am glad that need was satisfied.

Katie, Ambition, Lover, Hussy

I have heard a few people say that Katie is too pale a shade to be included in a palette like this, but as I am extremely fair I am happy with the choice of blushes in each of these. Now that I’m looking at my swatches, I don’t know why I don’t wear Ambition and Hussy more often as they are simply beautiful! I have had great success with all of the Illamasqua products I have tried so far, particularly the blushes which I find blend beautifully and last really well on my cheeks.

Pros:

-Great for people who don’t find themselves finishing whole blush pans

-Easy to try two shades from a quality brand at a lower price ($39.00 AUD at Myer!)

-Popular shades from a known brand

-A good way to branch out into shades you might not have bought individually

Cons:

-Katie may be too pale for deeper skin tones

-Some may not like both shades within a palette

-Only two colour options at this point in time

-Hardcore beauty lovers might already own some of the shades

-Precision needed when using a larger blush brush in between both pans

What are your thoughts on the idea of blush duos?

Have you ever finished a pan of blush before?

*One duo was provided for consideration, the other I personally purchased. Honesty, always.

A Failed Makeup Experiment

Sometimes playing around with makeup can be the highlight of my day, which really yells out that I am a beauty fanatic. A while ago I was browsing around on Facebook and saw that Illamasqua had posted some gorgeous crazy looks for inspiration, so I studied one of them and set to work recreating the look on myself. I cannot for the life of me find that image, so I do apologise! Just picture this look with more finesse, and nicer flicked eyeliner!

I grabbed my Inglot palette, MAC Sweet & Punchy (Veluxe Pearl) and my Smokin’ matte BYS palette and set to work. I used this more as a makeup technique practise than anything else, but do think that without the too-thick liner (and with tamed brows!) I could make this wearable another time.

 

 

I like the idea of throwing a smokey haze of that dusty blue into my crease, but I think it needs a good slap of black liquid liner (Australis Curve Ink* is my pick right now, has anyone tried it yet?) and more mascara to make it work.

 

I think it is important to document a wide range of looks on this blog, not just the ones that I like best. Seeing mistakes shows you that playing with makeup is fun, and that it doesn’t have to be taken seriously all the time.

How often do you delve into your makeup drawers just to play around? Do you get crazy and recreate looks, or create new looks by yourself?

 

 

*Products were all bought by me, except the Australis liner which I mentioned because it is my current favourite. Honesty, always.

 

 

The Blush Files : 7 Days of Blush (evidence from a blush fiend)

My obsession with blush has been well documented (just take a look inside my overspilling blush drawer to see!) and those who have gone shopping with me in the past have adamantly labelled me a blush fiend. Some people have a penchant for beautiful lip products (see Norlin and her wonderful #lippyaday challenge!) while others have a skincare stash to rival their local Kit Cosmetics. My soft spot is definitely for those pretty pans of colour that warm up my face, and I find them the most fun aspect of makeup application. I challenged myself a while back to wear a different blush pan each day for a week, to get used to rotating what I wear and to get Tarte Exposed out of my clawing hands for once! Here are the spoils of my challenge, which was a success!

 

As well as my rosy neutrals, I threw a few brighter pinks into the mix for the week to give my cheeks a good pop of colour. Chanel’s Pink Explosion was naturally involved, and I love the shade stippled on with my Samantha Chapman for Real Techniques Stippling Brush. Truth be told, I absolutely love using that brush for the majority of my blushes, whether cream, powder, pigmented or not. BYS Pink Velvet was another pink that got a turn, I adore the BYS blush formula and even the packaging is sturdy (especially when compared to their lipstick casings) Illamasqua’s Naked Rose is one of my favourite blushes, and the matte dusty pink looks great against pale skin like mine.

 

Milani Berry Amore is a shade that took me a while to get used to, but the gold veining really works when used with a light hand. I did cheat slightly during the challenge, as I used my staple blush on one of the days where I was running out of the door to work. Tarte Exposed is a neutral rosy blush that is too beautiful for words, Chris bought it via eBay for me as a Christmas gift and I fall more in love with it every day. See, blush fiend!

 I also tried out my Korres Pink Zeas May blush for the first time, and really like the wearable pink shade. The final choice for my 7 day challenge was a mix of two Bourjois shades, I first applied Rose D’Or before topping my cheekbones and the apples with Lune D’Or, just to play around with it and see if I could change the shades up a bit.

 

So, has my status of a blush fiend been upheld, or do I need to do more to convince you, dear readers? Which blush shade would you nab from this loot given the chance?

 

*All of these blush pans were bought by me, or given as gifts from my fiancé. He knows the way to my heart is through my chipmunk cheeks ;P Honesty,always. 

Instagramming #2

Queen Helene, saving me from spots // Flash byJimmy Choo, having a nosy around the Myer Fragance Hall // New IntenseHydration range from BB is mighty tempting // Checking out the new Maybellinemakeup remover

Party animal on a Saturday night // Australis Pout Paste– dare I say, an OCC Lip Tar drugstore equivalent? // First time trying Ben& Jerry’s!

Sweet Valentine gestures // A bright blush face of the daywith Illamasqua Morale // What I Wore for Valentine’s Day date night //Some much loved products that are copping a hiding this week

Froyo time, favourite topping was the popping mango balls //Bargains filling up my basket // Oogling the new Rimmel duochrome nailshades at Priceline // Revlon Honey & L’Oreal The Muse’s Blush-apicture so nice you saw it twice ;)

 

It has been a while since my first Instagramming blog post,so I thought I would update you with what has been happening over there! If you’dlike to follow me, my name is emmabovaryon Instagram.

Hope you are having a lovely weekend, I’d love to hear yourplans in the comments below!