March Purchases + Pick-Ups

Another round up of purchases and pick-ups are ahead – I used some gift cards in March and treated myself to a few new beauty bits to spice up my routine, and I’m quite pleased with everything I chose.

PURCHASES!

Sugarpill 'Midori'



Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette 'Colour Field'

I picked up just one product from my visit to Salon Melbourne, a Sugarpill Single Shadow in Midori which I’ve used briefly during the month. The green theme continued when I picked up the Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette in Colour Field with a Myer gift card I had left over from Christmas – I didn’t intend to fill my drawers with new green products but it seems my green nail polish obsession is transferring over to other beauty items as well!

essence lipliners - wish me a rose + in the nude



Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation



essence 'Good Girls Wear Peach' Blush

I spiced up my lip colour stash with more shades of the essence Lipliners, which are such amazing quality (especially considering the $2 price tag!) I now have the whole range since I picked up the last two – 11 In the Nude and 12 Wish Me a Rose.  I mentioned in my New on Shelf post that I finally nabbed the Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation after failing to find my pale shade in Hawaii – so far I like the formula, but it hasn’t knocked the Covergirl Outlast Foundation off the top spot. The last makeup bit I grabbed in March is something I haven’t even swatched yet – bit of a fail as a beauty blogger, right? The essence blush ‘Good Girls Wear Peach’ from the Good Girl Bad Girl collection is quite pretty and I think that it will look gorgeous over a matte peach blush…even if they formula isn’t great I collect these limited edition blushes, so it will still be worth it.

PICK-UPS!

 

Sisley goodies!



Katy Perry - Killer Queen's Spring Reign



Rimmel Apocalips Matte Lip Velvet

Some exciting Sisley* bits hit my desk in March, and I am so pumped to have another of the fabulous Phyto Lip Twists* to stash in my handbag. A new spring scent came through to brighten up this dreary autumn weather in the form of Katy Perry’s Killer Queen's Spring Reign * (Mister and I are huge KP fans, she is a total babe!) I’ve also just started trialling the new take on the famous Rimmel Apocalips – the Matte Lip Velvet* version! I adore a good matte lip right now (bit of an obsession actually) so fingers crossed these adhere nicely to the lips.

The Body Shops Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask



OPI Hawaii mini pack

 

The press sample that has excited me most this month? The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask*! I love love love a good overnight mask (it was top of my wishlist!) and can’t wait to trial this one for the blog. I also squealed a little bit when the OPI Hawaii mini pack of polishes arrived – I think the juicy Aloha From OPI will be the first to hit my nails from this tropical collection.

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I received a few other bits and bobs that will be posted about in more detail during the month – so many lovely new bits in my stash right now and I’m loving it! I am currently lemming a new blush though (not a particular blush, I just really want a new one!) so I think that might be what I look to purchase in April.

What have you hauled recently?

-Emma x

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

 

Current Beauty Favourites

I've been all about a flawless base and warm lips lately, and my favourites also seem to reflect my efforts to wean myself off of an obsession with neutral blushes, with pink shades filling my blush drawers. I've taken to layering blushes often in an effort to spice things up, and with a new hairstyle comes new (hair) responsibilities so the rare hair-care appearance is in part thanks to that new development. All in all, a pretty stellar line-up of currently loved products!

L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray* (Normal Hold)

Never did I expect to have 'hairspray' in a favourites post - no sirree I didn't see that coming! Now that I have a fringe though I need to set it every day with spray and I've tried 3 or 4 so far, and this is easily the best - no residue, holds well enough, brushes out and comes in both full-size and mini which is great.

 

Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo (Mini)

It's a similar scenario with this - I appreciate a good dry shampoo like most people but using it to plump up my fringe is wonderful and the Tropical scent is my favourite from Batiste.

 

Rimmel Provocalips 'Make Your Move'*

Seen in action here, this long-last lip colour wasn't a colour I thought I'd fall for but it works so well with my pale skin and I've been reaching for it a whole lot since it hit my desk! Sometimes I find the formula a touch too drying but it's only happened twice so far, so perhaps it's a hint to load up on the balm at the beginning of my makeup prep.

 

Bite Beauty Matte Lip Crème 'Gavi' (mini Holiday edition)

It's definitely in the same colour family as 'Make Your Move' so I guess warm lip colours are floating my boat at the moment! The formula of these is actually insane, they feel so comfortable on the lips and look amazing, too.

Lancôme Dreamtone Serum*
My only wish is that this was within my current price range for skincare...*cries* I honestly believe that this changed the texture and tone of my skin and the acne scarring on my left cheek - it's empty now and the heart breaks! See my full review here.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (in particular, Verve)
Obsession isn't even the word for this shade, and the palette in general to be frank. I've reached for it over all of my other beautiful shadows and am enjoying dipping into shades I've neglected and just generally playing around and getting to know this palette. That is such a #beautyblogger thing to say, isn't it?

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Crème Foundation (150 Buff)
I'm all about the full-coverage base right now - give me (almost) flawless skin all day errday. This bad boy is wonderful, shame it took me so long to dip into the glass jar but I'm making up for lost time now (whilst still indulging in Illamasqua Skin Base in an effort to use it up...)

Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick 'Just-Pinched Pink'*
Love how pigmented this is, and the shade is a neutral pink that totally suits my complexion!

In2It Blush 'Sensation'
I pulled this from my blush drawers to admire the pretty embossing (now almost gone!) but fell in love with the easy colour and the thought of how little time it will take to use up this tiny little pan...I've been dusting a bit of this over the top of the aforementioned Maybelline Blush Stick and they are a great pair!

 

Current blush loves? Dreamtone dupe? Favourite Naked palette shade?

-Emma

 

*Products provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

March Empties

Another month, another lot of empties!

The Hair

Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo ‘Classic’

A staple in my shower, this is pretty much the only shampoo that my scalp will tolerate. Trialling a new fancy brand right now, fingers crossed all goes well but I will always return to this lovely blue bottle.

L’Oreal Elvive Total Repair Restoring Crème Conditioner

Don’t remember too much about this sample sachet, but I don’t remember disliking it so that is a plus.

The Body

Haus of Gloi Twice is Nice Pumpkin Butter

Haul post here! HoG scents are to die for, and this is one of my favourites from the permanent line. I like the sample sized tubs as I get to dabble in a few scents, and this is one I will repurchase later on.

Weleda Citrus Hydrating Body Lotion*

Reviewed here, this was a great moisturising lotion and I adored the tangy scent!

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Cream Body Scrub*

Reviewed here. A gentle and moisturising scrub, this smelt nice and actually persuaded me to like the gentle scrub side of the spectrum. Straight up peach scent, delish!

The Rest

Urban Rituelle Cotton Candy Petite Parfum

Reviewed here. Seriously, this couldn’t be any better (okay, if it were longer lasting it might be better) Introduced as a PR sample, this particular vial was a repurchase and I am now elated that Urban Rituelle brought this into 100ml bottle form. Hallelujah! Sweet and sugary, this is one of my very favourite perfumes.

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

I have gone through so many of these, it really is the best powder I’ve come across. Am trialling other brands right now and missing this so much, am staring forlornly at my sealed backup and trying to stay strong and use up others first. Beauty blogger problems!

How much did you use up in March?

 

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

 

March Empties

My second month of empties posts now, and I didn't do as well as I'd hoped to. April will be better *crosses fingers* but here is what I managed to use up in March:*Schwarzkopf Taft Styling Hairspray- not even sure whose this originally was, but I used it all up and it's gone! *Original Source Lemon and TeaTree Shower Gel 250ml-really enjoyed this, and was so super cheap! Bottle states that '10 real lemons help make one zesty bottle of this' which is too cute for words! No animal testing as well, big win from me. *Rexona Girl Air Petals- weird name, super cute bottle with sparkly lid. Got the job done and smelt quite nice. *Baylis & Harding Spa O2Eco Exfoliating White Tea, Gogi Berry & Fig with natural geranium, ylang ylang, cedarwood,lemon and patchouli oils Body Scrub 200ml-for all of the ingredients in the title alone, this smelt like nothing. So faint, blah. And was not a scrub by any means>< *Spa Fabric Aloe Vera Tonic facial mask (sheet mask)-anti-stress is a nice feature, but this didn't do anything noticeable. Forgettable. *Clinique Anti-Blemish Clarifying Lotion-15ml sample, step 2 in the 3step program. Soothes the skin after cleansing, have already purchased a full-sized bottle of this. *Clinique Anti-Blemish Clearing Moisturiser-7ml sample size which I used up in the blink of an eye. Keeps my skin well-moisturised, but I've already used up a full sized bottle of this and the 50ml bottle doesn't last long enough to justify the buy for me. *Dr. Dennis Gross peel pads-the lovely gals at Mecca Cosmetica shared two days worth of this with me, and I love love love them! They put them in the little sample screw jars for me, as well as giving me some sheets in foil which I am yet to use. *Eco Aroma Body Lotion and Facial Mist-I did not use these, but am dubious about their ingredients and am not willing to use them on face of body, so in the bin they go! That's my March Empties, I'm hoping to wow you all with April's efforts so I'm off to use some slap=) How did you go with your empties?