Pret a Party

I'm at that wonderful stage of the festive season when my shopping is complete and I have the freedom to peruse the craziness of the shops without stress - and sneak an extra present or two under the tree for myself, I'm not going to lie! For those who are also being cheeky or the others who are still gathering gifts for their loved ones, I thought this was a ripper of a gift set that might lead you into Myer for a quick gift purchase. Benefit Cosmetics are known for being fun and cheeky and the holiday release of gift sets definitely embodies that - bright and interactive metal tins filled with their staple products! This Pret a Party* tin contains four little goodies that the brand are well known for which I thought was a good idea.

In theory this tin is an entire makeup look in one, albeit a very natural one (safe to say I pack more on than this each day as a blogger!) The 7.5ml POREfessional to smooth the skin and prime, Fakeup Concealer mini in Medium to cover any redness in the skin, full size They're Real Mascara and full size Benetint for your cheeks and lips! Since I've tried a few of these products and the concealer wouldn't match my pale skin tone I gave this to my best friend Candice to enjoy and trial for me, and she was impressed by the tin and said she'd be storing her makeup brushes in it as a way of recycling which I thought was a great idea. They're Real Mascara isn't one that works well with my lashes so I thought it would be interesting to see how it fared on her lovely eyes, since it seems to be a favourite of almost everyone I speak to online! So far she has used the Fakeup and it was a great match so I want to get my hands on the lighter colour for myself one day, along with Porefessional when I finish my current silicone primer.

The Pret a Party tin retails for $69 and is available from Myer. If these products don't float your boat they have a stack of other cute tins like the Party Hopping Kit with High Beam Highlighter, or the Frisky Six Starter Pack which is my personal favourite.

-Emma x

 

*Product provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Mumma Bovary + The Perils of Perfume

For me, the Estee Lauder brand was always a little harder to dip into than more youthful brands when I began having an interest in the beauty industry. Their counters always seem so polished and the staff (at least in my experience) are always lovely mature ladies who smell incredible. It wasn’t until recent launches like the Cello shots and the Modern Muse fragrance that I began to understand that mature and fun can coexist simultaneously without too much effort after all. Then I realised that I should have known this all along, because Mumma Bovary is one of the most mature ladies I know funnily enough, yet she is also the most fun to be around and has a wicked edge to her personality. I was elated to receive a Mother’s Day gift idea from Estee Lauder and wanted to share this gift idea with you in case you’ve left gift-buying to the last minute (I often do, but not this year!)

Mumma Bovary has a tendency to put funny things on her head and let us take photos...

 

 

As soon as I opened this parcel (I was in the car with my sister K) we both squealed! The pink and rose gold combination is just breathtaking, and classy beyond belief meaning those who like simply sticking a bow on a present can laze away – EL have the packaging done for you, people! I hadn’t smelt the Sensuous Nude fragrance before, but it is definitely something I could see Mumma Bovary trying. If I were buying it for myself I would probably turn to the Modern Muse set ($130) which is more floral than this scent, but I think this one is a nice one for those who like strong perfumes that aren’t headache inducing. Mumma Bovary can only wear a select few fragrances and even I have to limit my scents when I spend time with her lest I cause a migraine! She loves anything by Marc Jacobs (notoriously light and lovely) and also has a penchant for Stella McCartney and SJP. She recently bought Issey Miyake perfume from duty free, which drove me insane since it was a scent I wore, but it smells good on her that I am happy to share. I think a trip to the EL counter is next on the agenda for Mumma!

 

Seriously, look at that detail!

 

 

Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude is described as a woody musk with notes of bergamot and rose in as well, and is a permanent perfume on the EL roster. The actual Sensuous Nude Set ($120)* with 75ml Body Veil, 75ml Body Cleansing Crème and 50ml EDP spray is limited edition though, so if you have already bought your Mother’s Day gift but think this would make a great birthday or Christmas gift to pop away, I’d hop to it if I were you. They have a big range of sets available if you want to peruse online here, but my pick is the Modern Muse Set (do you think I could vouch for Charlie as my furbaby and swing a puppy-mother’s day gift my way…?)

I love buying luxe gifts like candles and perfume for Mother’s Day, but this year I’ve bought her an adorable floral gardener’s kit and a silver necklace personalised with her nickname. We’re having Mother’s Day lunch at a Thai restaurant on Sunday and I am looking forward to the Massaman! Are you spending this weekend with loved ones?

Emma x

*This gift set was kindly provided for consideration, all swooning is my own and completely honest. Honesty, always!

 

jane iredale, an introduction

This Mothers Day, jane iredale has created a beautiful cosmetic set which is a gift with certain purchases. When I received this in the mail, I assumed that this was not the GWP but was a large kit the company provided, and so when I realised that this was indeed a GWP I was very impressed!

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Two full size products and two generous samples make up this set, which basically provides you with a whole look!

24 Karat Gold Dust in Champagne appears coral in the tub, but once swatched transforms into a coral-toned champagne beauty! I've been using this along my cheekbones as a highlight, and am planning on trying it out as a brow highlight soon,too. You can lightly dust this over your whole face as well, it is nice to have so many options within the one product.

The large tub has a screw on  lid with a clear top and gold rim, and the usual powder sifter within.

Swatch of 24 Karat Gold Dust in Champagne

Isn't it just beautiful? I was very impressed with this, when I first saw it I was unsure how I was supposed to use it as I thought it was quite dark, but the swatch made me realise its true beauty.

I will be honest and say that I am yet to try this Longest Lash mascara out as I dislike having too many mascaras open at once lest I waste them, but I've heard good things about this one so I am positive. It comes in a squeezy tube with a nice sized want inside, which is a great concept and stands out from regular mascara tubes. It promises both thickened lashes and length, which is what I like in mascara!

The Tokyo Just Kissed lip plumper is the cutest little sheer rose lipstick that is the perfect size for throwing into your handbag, and you're able to apply it on the go without needing a mirror. The texture is not sticky in the slightest and tingles when it is on the lips. Despite adoring the cute packaging and dinky size, I know that I hardly ever reach for sheer lipsticks any more, so I will probably be gifting this to my Mum to use and enjoy.

Swatch of Tokyo and Champagne.

The Onyx Mystikol is a really amazing product, and one I haven't seen done before in this format. One end houses a powdered black eyeliner, and the other contains a pearlescent highlighter.

The Onyx Mystikol reminds me of something inspired by Cleopatra, and I think that the classic style is something that would really resonate with my Mum. Mum thought that this was a crazy concept, and she loved it!

You can see the bullet that holds the powdered liner here.

To use the Onyx Mystikol you unscrew the pigment pot from the end, which is spring loaded. You then dip the firm sponge tip into the liner and start applying. It is probably not the cleanest product to use, but for personal use it doesn't worry me. The formula was created to be long-lasting and crease proof (as all eye products should be!)

The other end houses this beautiful shimmering white highlighter, which is more pigmented than I imagined it would be.

Swatch of Mystikol liner, highlighter, Tokyo and Champagne

Same swatches, with highlighter blended out a little

This set is valued at $81 AUD but is free when you spend a certain amount at participating salons. For salon and stockist information, call 1300 SKINCARE or head to www.margifox.com.au. Mothers Day is Sunday the 13th, and there may be a salon carrying jane iredale right near you so be sure to check to check it out!

You can see some of these products in action here on my darling Mother's gorgeous face!

These are the very first jane iredale products I have tried, which is crazy as I had always admired the range when I've seen it in salons and reviewed on blogs. I'm looking forward to learning more about the brand and will definitely keep you updated on any purchases I make! I think this set is a wonderful introduction to the brand, and whether you buy something for Mum and keep this yourself or do it the other way around, you should all be happy campers!

(These products were provided for consideration for review, which in no way affects my opinion of them. Honesty, always.)