What I Wore // January 2016

For a chunk of January I was away with friends in Canggu, Bali having the time of my life and enjoying a bare face, but when I have worn makeup after the new year ticked over, this has been the face of choice. I have been enjoying playing with some other blush shades and will have a post up on those soon, but in general these were the staples I relied on during the month of January!

Inglot Freedom Palette Trio - perhaps the best fluke ever, these colours are utter perfection and were just chosen on a whim at Inglot after they applied my makeup for an event. January saw me using the third and lightest colour all over the lid, and the matte chocolate shade thrown through the crease if the need arose for something a bit more 'done up' 

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Crème Foundation - I caved in and repurchased this after seeing that it was half price at Chemist Warehouse, and I don't know how I managed without it for so long! I'll have to drum up a full review of this at some point as it's just so good. 

Chanel Jersey Joues Contraste - Chanel, need I say more? But in all seriousness, this has become my favourite go-to blush and I took it away on both of my recent overseas trips as it goes with every look you can think of!

Covergirl Full Lash Bloom Mascara -  I usually only have a mascara or two open at any given time and right now this is the one I'm trying out. Love the cute packaging and it works quite well with my lashes, but it does seem a bit harder to remove than some of my other mascaras so I'm still undecided about it.

Maybelline Master Graphic Liquid Liner* - This is a surprising winner in my books, and has gotten me back into liquid lining, and black liner in general after my long stint with chocolate eyeliner crayons. It has a slanted sharpie-esque tip that I find really easy to manoeuvre, and I'm finding it faster to apply than my Face of Australia brush tip liner, so that's a definite plus.

Inglot Trio &
Chanel Jersey Joues Contraste

I have a heap of new goodies to play with after our holiday as well as my usual trial products, so I'm looking forward to changing things up and getting creative with my makeup again. I'd love to know what eyeshadow/palette you've been loving this year, too, so let me know!
-Emma

*Product provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

4 of the Best New Blushes To Try

If you are a long time reader of this blog, you should be well aware of the fact that I am a blush fiend. Nothing gets my heart racing faster than a new blush pan and my blush collection spans more than one drawer, which I am not ashamed of in the slightest. Lately some new blushes have been released that have been really interesting, and in the interest of blush swooning I thought it pertinent to round them up and show you!

essence really hit it out of the park with their new Blush Up Powder Blush in the shade 10 Heatwave. It came along with a range of new products and is definitely the best of the bunch, and also the only new cheek shade from the German brand. The coral and deep pink ombre finish is luxe and the packaging is slim and sleek, and being able to customize your coral-to-pink cheek shade is a fun little addition. I tend to dust my NP Set blush brush in the centre of the compact to create a stunning pop of coral on the cheek, and the lasting power is on par with my Chanel powders.

Hourglass created a huge storm with their Ambient Lighting Powders, but the Ambient Blushes are what really had me grinning from ear to ear! I purchased the brightest shade Radiant Magenta and I adore the marbled look that is captured in the sleek gold compact, but the best thing about these blushes is how they look on the cheek! Lit from within doesn’t even do this blush justice, because this makes my cheeks look healthier than any other blush can. Considering I own quite a few, that is no mean feat!

Clinique have also knocked glowy blushes on the head with their adorable ambossed Cheek Pops, in which I own the shade Peach Pop*. I was initially expecting all of the wow to be from the look of the petals, but the colour and formula itself is truly very lovely. I find this great for those who like a subtle flush, but I can build this up easily to a dash of peach loveliness on my cheeks with no problems. I’m tempted to grab the other 3 shades but I’m enjoying Peach Pop so much that it has satiated my appetite (for now)

You can really blame my Chanel obsession on Pink Sith (I adore her way of thinking and her amazing love for ChanelJ oues Contraste blushes!) Pictured is the most recent Joues Contraste release, the magenta Vivacite which I posted a review of here. These powders have a rose scent that I adore and the lasting power is really impressive, and I suspect that the interlocked C’s also have something to do with my passion for this range. I am happy to be labelled a Chanel JC collector, and despite only being a beginner I use this range more than any of my other blushes.

What blush formula do you swear by, or are you in the market for a new pan?

Are you a blushfiend like me, or do lip products get your heart racing?

Emma x

 

Chanel Joues Contraste in 88 Vivacite - Swatches, Photos, Review, Comparisons + Face of the Day

And to think that when I received my first Chanel Joues Contraste blush from Mister Bovary, I announced that it would only be a yearly purchase...introducing 88 Vivacite, my 4th Chanel JC.

I only heard about the new blush shades being released a day before I saw these on counter, and I really didn't have to think twice about it because I had a voucher with Vivacite's name written all over it! Two new powder shades were released alongside the Perfection Lumiere Velvet foundation, with the second being 89 Canaille which I was at first not tempted by, but now have on my wishlist after hearing Jessica rave about it in this video. 

Vivacite is a beautiful and bright magenta shade that is heavily pigmented. I apply this (and in fact apply each of my Chanel JC's) with the Real Techniques Stippling Brush, and a light tap is recommended to not disturb the powder too much. The colour blended with ease and lasted all day, which I expected with the experience of my other Chanel blushes in mind. It brightened up my face and left a matte finish that was still quite satin, unlike my Pink Explosion JC which contains silver shimmer that you can see upon swatching.

Being such a bright shade, I can imagine many beauty lovers being intimidated by the colour and tone of this blush. I've laid it alongside some similar shades from my blush drawers to give a comparison for you, and as you will see in my face swatch further down this can be worn with ease even on the palest complexion.

It is probably the most matte of the blushes shown here, but I think you can see in the face swatch below how it gives off a sheen to the cheek (I don't have any powder or highlighter on in this post, just Vivacite popped over my Covergirl foundation)

Other Products Used:
Covergirl Outlast foundation in 810
Too Faced Ringleader + Gangster (Pretty Rebels palette)
Rimmel Scandaleyes Rockin' Curves mascara*
Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist in 4 Pinky*

 

Chanel Joues Contraste blush in 88 Vivacite is available on counters now and retails for approx. $50 AUD. I highly recommend it for a beautiful magenta flush that brightens up the face, the Chanel JC formula really is worth swooning over!

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

 

*Marked items were provided for consideration.

The Later List

The idea of a later as opposed to a wish list is something I am becoming quite fond of. I first heard of the term from Liz in her 'Not Quite a Wish List', and I decided to jot down the items floating around in my head (and I’llbe honest- some of them came from my Christmas list!) I am still undecided on some of them but find them all quite tempting, and the realisation that I don’t have to buy them this very second is a relief for me. Rather than rushing out and buying something I won’t use very much (which I am often guilty of!) I can contemplate the purchase and make sure it is right for me before I dive in and hand over the dosh. This means that when I get my hands on these things, it is going to feel even better!

 

Hourglass image source, Chanel blush image source

 

 

The Kardashian Beauty range is something I've been very interested in checking out, and a while ago I used some Myer vouchers to pick up one of the dual ended eye crayons and one of the nude lip sets. I am very excited to try these out, and I've popped a few of the other Kardashian Beauty products onto my 'later list' once I see how I fare with these.

Something I am pretty definite about getting is the Chanel Accent JC blush from the holiday 2013 collection- I've told Mister that it best be in my stocking come December 25th ;)

A new perfume is something I'm sort of thinking of (a typical yearly thought for me!) and the new Taylor by Taylor Swift has caught my eye. The bottle is pretty different to everything else on the market at the moment, but I'll have to try the juice itself on before deciding if its meant for me. Does smell very nice in the bottle though...Samples are needed, sales people! I'm scared of getting stuck with a dud!

Dior is still tempting me with the same gloss- the pink creme Dormeuse! I almost bought this a while back but ended up springing for Princess, which I really like but still regret choosing over this one. I need a milky creamy pink, and this fits the bill so perfectly for me.

MAC neutrals are lacking in my collection, and after hearing even more raves about All That Glitters I have decided that it needs to be mine in the near future. I'm going to add one of the clear top palettes into my collection soon too, and this single shadow will be popped into my quad. I'm also tempted by Cranberry, hoping to splurge on it before Christmas as it is such a great festive looking shade!

Last but not least is a practical addition to the wish list, in the form of an Ikea Alex unit. I've seen these in countless YouTube videos and they seem to be the perfect piece of furniture to fit my beauty loot. I can see a beautiful blush drawer, a drawer stacked high with eye shadow colours and the others filled with an assortment of my loves. I think having them organised will make it easier to rotate around, so it will be a win-win!

What is on your 'later list'?
Have you jotted down any nice things for a Christmas list yet?
Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

5 Blushes I'm Currently Loving

What need is there to come up with a reason to wax lyrical about my recent blush loves? I don’t need much of a push to chatter on about my favourite beauty product, so I’ve rounded up the five I’ve been wearing in recent months to share with you all.

As I’ve mentioned previously, the bulk of my makeup stash has been packed away and unpacking it has fallen by the wayside as we busy ourselves with house renovations and setting up our first home together. The ‘lazy-day’ cheek shade that I’m sure you’ve all heard me rave about is the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed, which is a simply amazing rosy neutral that lasts all day and looks amazing on. If I feel like something a bit brighter that lasts all day, I turn to my Chanel Joues Contraste in Pink Explosion or Frivole. My only two Chanel JC’s, I have fallen in love with the formula this year and can’t wait to pick up the new shade Accent from the upcoming holiday collection. It’s meant to be a really pretty shimmery neutral pink shade, and from the limited promo images out there I just know I’m going to be picking it up when it launches in Australia. Okay, blush swoon over, back to the point of the post! (Moral of that tangent? Go and buy a Chanel JC!) 

The only cream blush I’ve been wearing lately is the newly released Ice Bomb crème blush from essence, the solo cheek shade from the Me & My Ice Cream collection. The gorgeous apricot shade blends like a dream, and though I’m upset that the packaging of mine has cracked, I’m still really happy to have picked up this bargain blush! The last and possibly most random blush shade I’ve been wearing is the MAC Mineralize blush in Gentle, a plummy pink shade with gold shimmer. I use a light hand with this as it has the tendency to make me look a bit too flushed, but the shimmery effect is really flattering on my cheeks.

What blushes have you been wearing lately? Any shades or formulas I need to check out?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty x

February Collective Haul

Celebrating a ‘last hurrah’ of sorts, sharing some of the products I indulged in during February. March saw me begin my post graduate diploma at university, and subsequently the bulk of my spending money has been put to textbooks and a stack of new stationary to keep me on track.

Though I’ve heard negative reviews of Strawberrynet and their policies, the lure of finally getting my hands on a Jouer item was too tempting. A ‘saved search’ within my ebay account, it was Ingrid from Miss Glamorazzi that had me hooked on getting their powder blush in ‘Blossom’.  I have previously bought a YSL Crème de blush from SNet before and so when I saw #6 Rouge Passion was available, in the cart it went. The formula of theses is literally the best I’ve ever used. The CK shadow was a GWP and I chose a light neutral, as you can never have too many of those.

I am big fan of the Girlz Only dry shampoo which is available at Target for $2 per can, and when I spotted one for deep brown hair I knew that I needed to try it out. I am still using the original formula, but when I get around to trying this I will let you know how it goes. When Big W had their cosmetics sale, I popped a couple of the Maybelline City Rescue Total Clean Eye & Lip Makeup Removers to try out, and one to give to my bestie to try. Quite happy with how it is performing thus far!

There isn’t much better than receiving samples from high end beauty counters, so when my local YSL lady showed me the new Rouge Volupte Shine sample blister packs, I was over the moon. I have my eye on the shade Nude in Private but have held of purchasing until the weather cools down and I can bring out my lipsticks again. The beautiful Ulta3 set was a wonderful pharmacy find, and I’m excited to bust out the bright shades soon.

My love for Chanel Joues Contraste blushes seems to be growing, and I added the limited edition 76 Frivole to my collection at the beginning of February. A beautiful light apricot shade, this contrasts heavily with the bright Pink Explosion which was my first Chanel blush shade. I have only used this a handful of times, but am very glad to have it in my blush drawer.

Despite earlier mentioning holding off on lipstick purchases until the weather becomes bearable again, here I present my Maybelline Vivid collection (along with a cheeky Sportsgirl sale lipstick) I chose Neon Red, Vivid Mandarin and Hot Plum as they were shades I think I will get the most use from during the cold and grey winter months (which is when I like to wear bright lips most!)

Clockwise from bottom left: MAC Gentle, Chanel Frivole, YSL Rouge Passion, Jouer Blossom, MAC Poised

Just to further highlight my blush madness, I threw the new cheek shades of mine into a single shot, purely for swooning purposes. The bottom MAC shades were from this MAC haul, which I shared with you last week.

So there you have it, the stack of beauties I added to my cosmetic collection during February. Have you bought anything nice lately?

 

Wishlist #1 // 2013

Chanel images courtesy of Temptalia.

 

Another year, another batch of newly released products for me to lemm over! As you can see, my appetite for Chanel blushes has gone into overdrive since I first acquired a Joues Contraste for Christmas. Rouge is a permanent shade in that line, and the crazy red with strong shimmer is intimidating, but its siren song is singing to me every time I pass by a counter. I’m also planning on picking up the new shade from their Spring 2013 line, an apricot shade called Frivole. I think that both of these are justified, because they are quite unlike anything else I have in my blush drawer.

 

Jumping over into the ‘drugstore’ realm, I am lusting over the new lip releases from L’Oreal and Maybelline. The L’Oreal Caresse Shine Stains are said to be akin to my beloved YSL Glossy Stains, and I’m hoping that the amazing Ling from The Best Beauty Blog will have one of these in her suitcase for me when she comes home from overseas. Maybelline have a few new products I really want to pick up, and the wait for them all is driving me mad. The Color Sensational Vivid lipsticks are right up my alley, and I know a few will be coming home with me when I manage to find them. I love the bright shades I’ve seen on other blogs, and think I’ll get a lot of wear out of them. Their Color Whispers are also quite exciting, they seem to be similar to the Revlon Lip Butters and the shades seem very pretty and wearable.

Are you wishing for any of these as well? Do you fall harder for new blushes, or new lip colours?

What I Received this Christmas

I’m still full from all of the turkey and fresh fruit I gorged on during Christmas & Boxing Day, but I thought I’d pop in and give you a quick post before I get into the swing of regular posting again! I wanted to show you some of the beauty related gifts I was lucky enough to receive this year, as I love peeking into others peoples days and thought you might feel the same. Chris requested a wish list from me early on in December, and naturally I managed to come up with some beauty products I wouldn’t mind seeing underneath the tree. He took the list into our local Myer and is now firm friends with the ‘nice chick from the Chanel bit’, and I am very proud of him.

A Chanel JC blush was something I’d always lemmed over after seeing Pink Sith rave about it, but I could never decide on a shade when I was at the counter. I took myself out of the equation and asked Chris to select a shade for me, and he went for the bright and summery Pink Explosion! He bought the Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist off his own back, when we started dating years ago I used to have a bottle and he loved it, so he wanted me to have it again. So sweet!

I’d been eyeing off the YSL Sheer Candy range and fell in love with the deep red shade Sweet Fig, so Chris chose that off my list without even knowing what sort of colour it was. He was pretty much dragging the Chanel lady all over the place to find things that I’d like, he is pretty clueless when it comes to cosmetics (though he is a fan of Garnier concealer and Maybelline Dream Matte powder!) The Inglot pans were something I picked up myself for under the tree, I am a little bit frightened of how intense the blush is but every time I go into the store I am drawn to it like a moth to flame, so I think it wanted to join my blush family.

I am so grateful for all of the beautiful gifts I received this year, as well as the delicious food and the time spent with family. As well as the beauty related gifts above I received pajamas, Tupperware, a stack of board games (fam are looking forward to us moving in together I think!) and an iPad 4. Elated that I will now be able to blog on the go more often, and blog read on my lunch break every day!

How did you spend Christmas Day? Did you receive any cosmetic gifts as well? I’d love to hear about them!