January + February Pick-Ups - Haul Post

So far this year I haven't had time off from work and have been constantly on the go, which has been quite tiring. It does mean that I've been able to pick up a few pretties here and there over the last 2 months though! I bought a few other things that I didn't manage to snap a picture of for you (mint sneakers, huzzah!) but this is the bulk of the fun new shinies I've nabbed.

I'm a blush fiend, and isn't it obvious? All of these were on sale, but 5 blushes (okay 6) in a two month span is still pretty full on. Lucky I don't care and adore these new pops of colour for my cheeks!

 I'm yet to try the Sportsgirl Melon and Pink cream blushes but for $3.96 each they won't break my heart if they turn out to be greasy. The Calvin Klein blushes are so pigmented and just absolutely breathtaking in person, though I'm not a fan of the floppy top square packaging. Berry Shimmer and Heather Shimmer are deep and juicy wintery shades that made me want to throw on my grey infinity scarf and cuddle up with a coffee. The Australis LYLAS (Love You Like A Sister) blush from the Neon Crush collection is half-matte half-shimmer but 100% awesome, and despite disliking the names in this collection I actually don't mind the fun packaging.

I feel like it is my duty as a beauty blogger to try out most of the cult favourite products, so I had been meaning to pick up the Maybelline Great Lash for a while now. The Revlon Lash Potion is a great new mascara that is my go-to for everyday lashes, and to be honest the packaging is so rad that I don't mind that it doesn't stretch my lashes out as far as others can.

 

I swatched all of the shadow duos from the Australis Neon Crush collection and the only one that impressed me was this green one, and since I'd been on the hunt for a nice new green shade I was happy with this pick. The new Sinful Colors collection has some pretty awesome glitters, and this bronze and rose gold bar glitter is a stunning shade, so I just had to take it home with me. I snapped up one of the newly released lipsticks from Face of Australia in the pale pink shade Permanently Pink as well, such a nice finish.

 

My friend Carly and I went into Doncaster for the Disney Princess Film Festival to see Beauty and the Beast, and she stopped by T2 to get some fruity mixes to make iced tea with. The staff there are always so lovely (and I can't say no to a free cuppa) and when Carly got her freebies, the lady asked which flavours I was interested in trying. Is it obvious that I'm looking for a dessert replacement with these choices...?



For those who hadn't heard, Kmart have jazzed up their cosmetics sections and popped all of the beauty products into cardboard packaging to keep it sanitary. I'm iffy about the lack of testers, but I picked up some cheap treats from the new brands they have released anyway. Academy of Colour had some great nail packs out, but this $3 set of spotty polishes akin to my beloved Illamasqua Speckled polishes was a no-brainer.

The ELF section was still bare so I trotted over to the vague 'eyes lips face nails' section and saw some prettily packaged lipsticks hanging around. I brought home Naked in the Moisturising finish, and my friend Carly grabbed a matte and a moisturising to test them out. I will keep you updated once I've given mine a go, but the matte berry shade from this line looked amazing on Carly when we went out to a club on Friday night! 

And now, we are on to the luxe side of things. There is nothing I love better than a nice Myer voucher or a post pay day shopping spree, and that is how these two beauties came to be mine.

It has been well documented that I am a sucker for a good Dior collection (Fairy Golds, Bird of Paradise, Exotique, Amber Diamond) and the new Spring 2014 collection had one stand out in particular for me. I quite liked the look of the hot pink Exquise, but it was once I saw Liz's post I was in like Flynn (now I'm starting to sound like Mumma Bovary...) Hot pink jelly goodness to add to my beloved Dior stash, I'm treasuring this one.

Baby's first Hourglass, let this not be the start of an expensive addiction...

I tried a few on my cheeks at Mecca Cosmetica and Carly and I both loved Radiant Magenta over all others. That being said, I can't say I won't end up picking up another one sometime in the future. For now though, I'm happy to stare at this pretty marbled pan.

My last bits and pieces were spurred on by a horribly abusive customer at work and a need to stop myself from crying. Twinings Butter Mint Sensation is a mix of vanilla and mint that I can't wait to try, and the Gloria Jeans Chai Latte capsules are for our new coffee machine. Last but not least, I stumbled across the brand new Rimmel Moisture Renew lipsticks that I had been stalking online and had to grab the nude that everyone has been raving about. Notting Hill Nude is a supposed dupe for Tom Ford's Spanish Pink, so I will have to look into this and let you know what I think about it.

Phew, now that this post is over I actually feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. It's not a guilty sort of weight, it's just that until I share my ideas and new things with you all I just don't enjoy them as much! This year I want to keep up with more reviews and sharing my purchases more frequently, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on how that would go down for you all.

Did you find any of this haul exciting?
What is the last blush you bought?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

Naked Rose by Illamasqua // Swatches, Photos, FOTD

Naked Rose is a neutral beige pink powder blush from the new Naked Strangers collection, which has some of the most stunning imagery I've seen Illamasqua create thus far. I have a few bright blush shades from the permanent Illamasqua line, but as soon as I saw this muted shade I whipped out my purse and made it mine.

The Illamasqua powder blushes are all pigmented and soft, so you only need a small amount for a full flush of colour on the cheek. I find this blush a great flush of neutral pink for cold mornings, but I think I could get a lot of wear from this colour all year round.

The packaging of this is the same as all others from Illamasqua, it sits in nicely with the rest of my Illamasqua collection and the clear top means it is easy to recognize when I'm doing my makeup in the morning.

Illamasqua blushes last really well on my skin, I find they don't fade easily and blend nicely on the skin. I considered purchasing the cream blush from the Naked Strangers collection, but read some reviews saying that it was quite sheer so I thought this pink toned powder blush would work better for me.

I find that Naked Rose works really well with my pale skin tone, and I tend to use it for most looks without having to think about matching it up with rest of the makeup. I tend to use a really small amount and blend it right out to make sure I don't overdo it, I usually wear my blush quite heavy but this blush in particular can quickly go from barely there to full on, so it is best to work with a light hand.

Face: Bourjois 123 foundation in 51

Eyes: Maybelline Lash Stiletto mascara

Lips: Clarins Lip Perfector in 01 Rose

(Please disregard the jumble behind my in the FOTD, I took this photo in the spare room which is still filled with 21st and engagement gifts!)

I purchased this blush from the Bourke St Myer counter for $42 AUD.

*This product was purchased by me. Honesty, always.