Current Favourites - April/May 2015

April and May have been a whirlwind of work, health issues and lots of hard days which I'm glad to have survived with my sanity intact! I've been using 'Maui meditation' to get me through those tough spots (aka, dreaming of the times I spend sunbaking in Maui on the honeymoon!) and playing around with some beauty bits to keep me content. I hardly ever reach for purple or mauve makeup bits but it's basically all I've wanted to wear for a while now - what is happening to me?!  

I've become a lot more interested in lip products, instead of forgetting to apply anything in the morning as I often do, I've been lining my lips with my essence lipliner 'Satin Mauve' which is a great wearable yet spunky mauve for me, or sometimes turning to the new nude in my collection, essence 'Cool Nude'. MAC 'Hot Tahiti' is something that I'm currently thrilled with - I was searching for an easy to wear red and didn't realise that it was sitting in my stash the whole time! The glaze finish and terracotta tone makes this a perfect everyday red for me and I think it will cop a beating come winter in Melbourne (though it feels like winter right now, so...)

 

I've been wearing the purple shade from my No7 Smoky Rose Quad, a gorgeous mid-tone purple with golden shimmer that reminds me of Laura Mercier 'African Violet' which is a favourite of both myself and Vita (Making Up 4 My Age) I've been pairing it with a dash of essence eyeliner 'Berry Merry' along my upper lashline and I've been loving it sick - I've finally found a purple look I can love!

I've been using Maybelline Color Tattoo 'Bad to the Bronze' daily in hopes of using it up (I probably should have entered it into my Project Use It Up now that I think about it...) and am appreciating how wonderful the shade is under so many eyeshadows - it could do with being a bit creamier at this stage of its makeup life, but I suppose that is to be expected. A newcomer into the favourite ranks is the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, a gorgeously plain and silky balm that has whipped my skin into shape in recent weeks.

 

What have you been loving?

-Emma

Watt's Up. Freshly Candy?

 

A sunny day calls for some pretty makeup, and this is what came out of my makeup drawer. 

 

I decided to go for a pretty pink lipstick that was one of the first lipsticks I ever chose (and was recommended by Zoe Foster) the stunning L’Oreal Colour Riche in Freshly Candy. I’ve since snapped this poor little thing, and it is in my drawer with the other broken lippies waiting to be mended. I paired it with Benefit’s Hervana, which when swirled together is a pale pink flush that isn’t my favourite, but goes with a lot of looks and so is still worth a spot in my collection.

 

Benefit’s Watt's Up* is one of the best highlighters I own, and the colour is pretty much perfection. I went for one of my favourite eye shadow palettes for my eyes, No.7’s purple smoky palette (bought in Thailand from Boots) I also popped some of my L’Occitane Pivoine Délicate Roll-On & Gloss Duo* on top of my lipstick. The duo roll on is great for perfume touch ups and for adding a bit of pale pink shine to my pout. I’ve swatched both below for you.

 

 

 

The No.7 palette  isn’t super pigmented, which isn’t too bad because it means it helps me create a subtle eye look. It is something I hardly do, and I must admit I’ve been enjoying it.

What do you think of subtle eye looks? Do you tend to play up your eyes, cheeks or lips most often?