I've Been Shopping! - A Collective Haul

I’ve picked up some pretty lovely things lately, and even though a few online orders are yet to arrive it is time to share my new stash items with you.  Most are from Priceline and the supermarket, but I forgot to include my Clinique products (and GWP!) so they’ll have to feature in the next round up instead. Moving is messing with my mojo, but we’ll get there eventually.

Covergirl seems to be my Achilles heel this month, and I found all 3 of these trios on sale at various points of the month and treated myself to them. No restraint there, I tell ya! Majestic Hazels (bottom left) has a really nice mix of browns along with a mint and a cream shade, and I think I am going to really enjoy playing around with it and finding new combinations. Country Woods (bottom right) had caught my eye a few times, and those neutrals needed to be mine. Blossoms (top palette) is not something I thought I’d buy, but I love the intense mix of pink and purple as they are so pretty.

 

The Innoxa blush duo might have been a silly purchase as I really don’t need another blush and I definitely don’t need two but the purchase happened, and the free kabuki brush was procured. The BOE products I believe are Big W exclusive, and I couldn’t help treating myself to a matte lip cream and two lip lacquers for the pricely sum of $2 each! The lip loving trend continues with a Pink Lolita tinted Baby Lips by Maybelline hopping into my Priceline basket, along with a slew of new lip products that I don’t regret and am still swooning over.

 

The Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balms in Watermelon Twist + Plum Twist were inevitable purchases – one inspired by Ingrid from Miss Glamorazzi and the other a nod to a vampy side of me that needs some attention. The final lip crayon to enter my overloaded crayon collection is the Bourjois Colour Boost Glossy Finish crayon in Peach at the Beach. Could it be the cutest name ever? My vote is a yes at the moment, since I am so smitten with this shade. I am so tempted to head back for another shade, but on principle I’m waiting for a Bourjois sale. Stares intently at watch.

 

La Roche Posay’s Effaclar Duo is an absolue miracle for my skin, and now that it is available at Priceline I was able to repurchase and avoid a skin meltdown - crisis averted! I read about the Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion first on Styling You, and the very next day I popped into Big W and bought it on sale for $5! I’m yet to try it as I’m saving it for my new place it’s the little things, but 5 of my family and friends have since bought it and have been quite impressed! The Grown Body Exfoliant and Facial Moisturiser were spotted for $5 on a clearance shelf at Priceline, and I love the aesthetic of the brand so much that I just had to buy them.

 

That rounds up (most of) my collective haul! I’d love to know what you think of the products I chose, or what you have picked up lately that you think I should check out.

Happy hump day!

Stash in the Bag

 

Just can’t seem to keep a ‘normal’ amount of makeup in my handbag! They really seem to multiply, but it is great for giving me a snapshot of what I have been loving lately if I’m too lazy to sit down and nut it out myself. I was at my sisters for dinner last week and decided to rifle through my stash, and here is what I retrieved.

 

That typical winter thing, a stack of moisturising lippies or balms to keep the chapped flakiness at bay. I feel like I need to get cracking with my Lush lip scrub, which is sitting forlorn wondering where the love has gone. Love is still there for it (despite it being something I could essentially make myself) it is just that I have become a busy lazy lady of late you know how it is. Have cracked out the Baby Lips stash and it is a tad more extensive that I first thought it would be. The pictured tube is Energising Orange, but I have my eyes on the Relieving Menthol because I am a sheep who adores Sleep and Water and must have anything she approves of.

La Roche Posay Ceralip also gets a look in, though I haven’t used it enough to decide if I love it yet. It does feel pleasant and smooth on the lips, which is a positive first impression I suppose. The Jack Black balm is ace, and because I have this formula in almost every scent you can trust me on that! This Vanilla & Lavender is my personal favourite, and is great for a nice sheen and some wind protection on my nightly walks with Mister Bovary and his Papa. Last but not least for balms, my beloved Carmex Peach Sheer Tint*, of which I professed my love for in this post quite recently.

I was all about a strong chocolate crease for the eyes last week, so the lipsticks were a change from my bright line up of late. YSL Rose Bergamasque is one of the best lipsticks I possess, and a wedding lip contender at that (full post and comparison swatches are here for you) The other nude lip love to enter my life is one I am wearing as I type this – L’Oreal Color Riche 378 Velvet Rose*. This formula is seriously stellar, doesn’t fall into my lip lines or get cakey, just sits beautifully and is my perfect MLBB shade right now. Much love for both of these nudes, and that is a lot coming from a fair bear like me.

YSL Rose Bergamasque, L'Oreal Velvet Rose, Carmex Peach

 

Fess up- have you found a good nude for your complexion yet?  And do you have any tips of taking care of lips during harsh weather?

 

*Marked items provided for consideration, but were really in my bag! Honesty, always.

June Empties

 

 

Lush Sugar Scrub*

Second time I’ve tried this (both were from sample boxes) and I just can't make my mind up about it. Review to come.

Johnson’s Pure Cotton Squares

Bit pricier than my normal ones but nice and soft, and I liked the large square shape. Probably wouldn’t try to purchase next time but wouldn’t mind using again.

Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel Foundation

My very favourite foundation, and sadly discontinued. Damn you Rimmel. Leaves a great ‘skin like’ finish and luckily I bought backups.

Ardell Clear Brow Gel

Not so clear anymore! A nice brow gel that doesn’t flake, would repurchase.

Rimmel Vinyl Gloss in Snog

These glosses are really nice but seem to turn quite quickly, though that doesn’t stop my sister repurchasing regularly. In fact, I am surprised I still have this as she normally steals them from my handbag!

 

 

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo

This is my skin saviour and keeps my skin blemish free, so needless to say this is a definite repurchase.

Bioderma Crealine H2O

Admittedly this hasn’t got a whole lot of love since Dermalogica Precleanse came onto the scene, but I still turn to it for lazy pre-cleansing and cleaning up eye makeup at my makeup table. A great precleanse for sensitive skin and I like to use it in the morning before applying my makeup.

Avon Naturals Vanilla Room Spray

This was a great scent and the can lasted for a long time, would repurchase.

The Aromatherapy Company Peppermint Cooling Foot Spray*

Though I loved the scent of this and like the idea of a foot spray, the packaging wouldn’t stop leaking and the essential oils managed to burn a hole on my white cabinet. Hoping I was just unlucky with this one?

 

Be honest- how much do you normally use up each month?

 

*Provided for consideration.

Beauty News // Shop + Report

Though I’m just back from a weekend away with Chris for our 5^th anniversary, I kept true to my title of beauty blogger and had my eyes peeled for new beauty news in the area while we were away. I thought it might be helpful to share some of the exciting beauty news with you all, and if you would like to keep up to date with the news faster add me on Instagram (@emmabovary) or Twitter (@emmabovaryblog)

 We spent Friday wandering around Rosebud, and I was elated to see tickets on the shelf and space cleared for some of my most loved French skincare brands! Uriage, Bioderma and La Roche Posay make some products that really work for me, and I can’t wait for these brands to roll out across all Priceline stores so everyone can take advantage of some lovely French skincare. For those who are yet to try any of these brands, I would recommend these products:

Uriage

Eye cream

Day Cream

Facial Spray

Bioderma

Crealine H2O

Facial Scrub

La Roche Posay

Effaclar Duo

I’m planning on picking up another tube of LRP Effaclar Duo as mine has just run out, some Bioderma H2O and a new moisturiser or sunscreen from LRP as well.

Speaking of exciting Priceline developments, they have finally rolled out Hydraluron and Eysilix (which I was very happy to receive from Priceline!) and us Aussie’s now have regular access to some top notch skincare. For information about the famed Hydraluron (which will no doubt sell out fast so run!) see the amazing Caroline Hirons, who is always recommending it as a serum to use underneath moisturiser to lock in hydration. It retails for $35 AUD- if you have tried it, let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below!

It is becoming quite evident that I don’t mind a gander in a pharmacy, fair to say? I was in Rosebud Terry White when I spotted a new Bubblegum themed nail collection from Revlon, including the famous Whimsical nail polish that I have had in my saved searches on eBay forever! I also ended up getting Girly from the same collection, and I am mighty pleased with both shades.

The new range of Ulta3 nail polishes have also been spotted at a few pharmacies (including TW Rosebud) and I grabbed a few of the shimmer + glitter shades, one of which was the amazing black + white dotted topcoat called Stop the Press. For a mere $2 these polishes are great quality and some of the shades are really unique, so I highly recommend picking up a few if you can.

Do you have any beauty news to share?

What is the latest beauty item you’ve purchased?

 

The Night Routine

 

Despite really enjoying the skincare I had been using, once again I’ve switched it up in order to explore new products and work on improving my skin. I’ve been slapping these on while watching FleurdeVlog after my nightly cleanse, and I’ve been loving the feel of the silky L’Occitane Essence Sublime serum*(on counter August 14th)! The packaging is really pretty, and undoubtedly better than the small necked Angelica Hydration Cream* which is luxe but hard to reach into. I’ve been trialling the L’Occitane products for over a month now, and the cooling Regard Radieux Eye Roll On* is a strange consistency (I’m used to eye creams over gels) but hasn’t caused milia, so thumbs up for that!

Acne is something I like to keep at bay surprise surprise and as always I turn to Mario Badescu for that.  The Buffering Lotion is tops for under the surface bumpiness,  while the Drying Lotion zaps any big nasties without drying out my skin like other spot treatments do. Highly recommended!  I’ve been squeezing the last drops out of my La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, and was elated to find out that my local pharmacy is not stocking the range- score! I tried to describe it to my sister today, and the phrase ‘skin perfector’ and ‘a damn miracle’ were involved, so there’s that for ya…

What are you slapping on your face in the PM?

May Favourites

The cold mornings are yet to deter me from playing around with my makeup, and I found quite a few things to love during May!

I really enjoyed the skincare products I used during May, my skin was pretty well behaved and sometimes I begrudge the 6 week cycle I work with in terms of skincare and the like. Being able to trial new products is a wonderful part of being a blogger, but it can also be frustrating when I find products that really work for me.

 

Cetaphil Derma Control SPF30+ Moisturising Lotion*- I have been using this as my day lotion, and I love that it knocks the sunscreen step out of my routine as well, saving me time every morning. This is a really nice lotion, and I love the sturdy lightweight packaging, and the fact that the formula is non comedogenic and therefore great for acne prone skin like my own.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Night Cream*- I normally find it really hard to fall in love with a night cream, as often they are too heavy or rich for my skin. This strikes the perfect balance between hydrating overnight and being lightweight, so I think this would work for both dry and oily skin types.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo- Am about to run out of this and am on the hunt for my next tube. I saw online that my local pharmacy should stock it, so I have my fingers crossed that they have it on the shelf as I find it helps with the overall appearance of my skin without drying out my face as some anti-acne products do.

Like most months, blush is something that I just couldn’t leave out of my May Favourites. I have been alternating between bright pinks and apricot tones for my cheeks, tying in my lip colours to that in an effort to channel this post from Estee.

MAC Cream Soda blush- Still loving this apricot tone blush from the Archie’s Girls collection, it has been in my favourites a few times and I’ve been wearing it a few times each week since Chris bought it for me (pretty good considering it was a consolation choice, as I hadn’t yet gotten my hands on Prom Princess from the same collection!)

Chanel Pink Explosion- One of my very favourite blushes, this hot pink shot through with shimmer lasts all day on the cheek and is a beautiful bright pop of colour to brighten up a dreary Melbourne day. I would definitely recommend the Chanel Joues Contraste blush formulas, I love the two pans that I have and I hope to collect more for my collection.

Too Faced Boudoir palette- I have an in depth post on this coming up, suffice to say I absolutely adore it and have used it a whole lot since it left Mecca Maxima in my clutches.

MAC palette- I made this little quad by popping Woodwinked, Patina, Performance Art and Nylon in an empty 4 pan to create a nice neutral palette for myself. I use Nylon in my inner corner and have been loving mixing Woodwinked + Patina together lately.

Carmex Peach*- My love for these knows no bounds, I love this shade and the pink tint as well. They feel nice and minty (from the camphor) and glide on easily, and the colour is enough to brighten up my face without looking too overdone. This peach tone works really well for me when paired with the Cream Soda blush.

The extra things that have been making me smile this month!

Kit Cosmetics Cuticle Oil*- For once in my life, I am making an effort with my nails and hands! I have been loyal to using hand cream and cuticle oil more often and am starting to see a difference, which I am elated about. This cuticle oil comes in a polish style bottle and I find it really easy to apply and rub in, which again encourages me to load up my fingertips more often.

Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean perfume- I love mini versions of perfume bottles, and this was a bargain I picked up from Priceline quite a while ago. I love the fruity floral scent which contains mandarin, peach, plum with some magnolia and orchid. The main reason for its place within my May is that every time I wore it around Chris, he commented on how amazing I smelt. A definite winner!

Have you switched up your skincare routine for winter?

What blush shades have you been wearing lately?

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

 

Skincare Routine

Each time I am in the midst of a ‘good skin’ month, I feel the urge to post a round-up of the products that I’ve been enjoying. Despite suffering through what I believe was an allergic reaction to my hair mask (exacerbated by constant scarf wear!) I have been happy with the texture of my skin and am thankful for a range of products for helping me out in that respect. Since I am consistently rotating my skincare in order to review products on this blog, many are press samples or things that I only use for a 6 week period to keep the reviews coming. Just something to keep in mind!

In terms of my morning routine, I like to keep it quite simple and use cleansing water like Bioderma Crealine h20 to rid my skin of any remnants of my nightly routine. I’ll be honest and say that this isn’t always a step I undertake daily as I can be quite lazy in the mornings! I then pop on a full pump of Cetaphil Derma Control SPF30+ moisturiser*, which is broad spectrum and non comedogenic. This keeps my skin smooth and helps prevent acne whilst providing UVA/UVB sun protection. I find this to be a great moisturiser and I’m glad that the lightweight bottle is pump action and cheap enough when it comes time to repurchase! While this sinks in, I begin applying my eye makeup, then move onto applying primer and the rest of my makeup routine.

At night, I take a lot more time caring for my skin. I begin by removing my eye makeup before I hope into the shower, with Maybelline’s City Rescue makeup remover which I am about to run out of. I then use Dermalogica Precleanse* and Antipodes Grace cleanser* while I shower. I am still having a love affair with Precleanse, and am enjoying the touch of class that Antipodes brings to my bathroom. I find the creamy formula of Grace to still be quite lightweight, and it doesn’t add any oil or shine to my skin as I at first thought it might. I do still prefer my Soap & Glory Fab Pore Hot Clothcleanser* though, as I find it leaves my skin softer and smells a little nicer than this luxe metal tube. I switch up my facial scrubs quite often, and right now I’m using the Dermalogica Skin Prep scrub* (sample tube).

After cleansing, I move onto layering a few treatments and serums depending on how my skin is acting that particular day. I suffer from a little bit of acne, and so without these treatments my skin acts a fool! Mario Badescu is wonderful for acne prone skin, and I rely on the Buffering Lotion to take care of my bumpy forehead and deep pimples, while the Drying Lotion stops the spots about to erupt in their tracks. I also love La Roche Posay Efflacar Duo to keep my skin acne free overall, and will definitely be repurchasing when this tube meets its end. I sometimes use Lacura Hyaluronic Gel to help suck some moisture into my skin, but lately I’ve been favouring my Kosmea Radiance 24/7 Youth Boost*.

To end my skincare routine, I take time massaging in a night cream to moisturise the dry patches of my face. I was using a lightweight lotion during the heat wave we experienced earlier in the year, but now that it is chilly I have cracked open my tub of Aveeno Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream*. Such a lovely name, isn’t it? I found the texture of this really strange, it is sort of like curdled yoghurt, and at first I doubted how hydrating it would be. Happy to report that I was way off, you need the tiniest bit of this to cover your whole face and it works so well at hydrating without being heavy or breaking me out!

 

 

Phew! That rounds up the skincare loot that has been slapped on my mug lately. Now it is YOUR turn! What products do you swear by for your skin?

 *Items provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

 

 

 

On Rotation: March 2013

Saw this on Eat Paint Sniff Glue (one of my favourites!) and I knew I had to follow her lead!

Skin Care

Makeup Remover: Dermalogica Precleanse*

Cleanser: Soap & Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser*

Exfoliant: Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub*

Toner/Facial Spray: Uriage Thermal Spray*

Moisturiser: Cosmecology Hydra Skin*

Night Treatment: La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo

Spot Treatment: Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion / Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

Eye Cream: Kiehls Midnight Recovery Eye

Mask: Queen Helene Mint Julip / The Jojoba Company Botanical Hydrating Mask*

Lip Balm: La Roche Posay Ceralip / Lip Smackers Kool Aid in Strawberry & Kiwi

Body Care:

Hand Cream: The Jojoba Company Lemon & Coconut*  

Body Scrub: Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub*

Shower Gel/Cream/Lotion: Bodycology Sweet Petal / Soap & Glory Clean on Me

Soap: -

Body Lotion: Dove Body Milk* / Haus of Gloi Twice is Nice Pumpkin Butter

Perfume: Avon Bond Girl / Ralph Lauren Pony #2

Candle: Dusk Chocolate Caramel (Easter collection)

Hair Care

Shampoo: Kérastase Cristalliste Bain Cristal Epais*

Conditioner: Kérastase Cristalliste Lait Cristal*

Treatment: Kérastase Cristalliste Lumiere Liquide* / Organix Argan Oil*

Shine Spray: -

Hair Spray: L’Oreal Elnet Hair Spray*

Leave In Conditioner: -

Styling Product: Batiste Boho Dry Shampoo

Makeup

Base: Face of Australia Face Base / Illamasqua Skin Base / YSL Touche Eclat*

Eyes: MAC Painterly Paint Pot / Maybelline Bad to the Bronze Color Tattoo / MAC Coquette eyeshadow / Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara

Lips: Maybelline Juicy Bubblegum lipstick / Face of Australia Peaches & Cream / essence Me & My Icecream

Cheeks: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed / Chanel JC Pink Explosion / MAC Cream Soda

Nails: L'Oreal Color Riche Luxembourg Garden

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.