Autumn Orange Kick

As soon as I saw Liz from Beauty Reductionista post about her current orange obsession "Winter Orange Kick" I was inspired to pull all the orange from my makeup drawers and go to town. I find that my pale skin generally allows me to play around with oranges quite easily (peach can be slightly more challenging) so this is just a selection of the orange products that I have.

my orange autumn kick!

I'm not too fussed on tone when it comes to orange - I love a great bright orange for nails and lips, but for eyes I'm happy with a lighter orange or a burnt sienna shade - like Jardin or Cannes in the Too Faced A La Mode Eyes Palette. Cheeks are an area of the face I love to deck out in orange tones - at the moment these two essence blushes are what I'm reaching for! Wool-D You Cuddle Me? from the Home Sweet Home collection is a great mix of pale orange with a hot pink pattern, and the ombre blush trend is one I'm happy to be a part of with I <3 Summer Break from the Beach Cruisers collection- the ability to mix a custom colour is so much fun!

I do love a good bright orange - my favourite is hands down the Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous which I wore in this makeup look back in November (looking at that post makes me want to wear Sally Hansen Kook-A-Mango so bad!) I love the formula of the Maybelline Colour Elixirs and prefer light colours like Breathtaking Apricot over the darker reds and purples - I generally like a matte finish if I'm wearing deeper shades. I have to admit that the Revlon Lip Butters are very unloved in my stash, and despite loving the colour of Peach Parfait the gritty feel of it does tend to drive me crazy when I wear it...

The most loved product from my current autumn orange kick? My beloved Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick in Coral Sheen, which is a gorgeous bright burst of cream blush for the cheek that is hard to beat now that the weather has turned a bit miserable. I think that nothing beats a nice bright blush on a grey day, it tends to perk up my whole complexion and I'm looking forward to working in pops of colour with my dark day-to-day autumn/winter wardrobe.

{Jardin, I <3 Summer Break, Wool'd You Cuddle Me?, Breathtaking Apricot
Peach Parfait, Rendezvous, Coral Sheen}

Are you on any sort of colour kick at the moment? I have to admit that I'm admiring a whole lot of purple at the moment which has never happened before, but since it's generally just for my eyes I have to say that orange is still pipping it at the colour post. Would love to know of your favourite orange beauty products!?

-Emma x

 

The Blush Files : 7 Days of Blush (evidence from a blush fiend)

My obsession with blush has been well documented (just take a look inside my overspilling blush drawer to see!) and those who have gone shopping with me in the past have adamantly labelled me a blush fiend. Some people have a penchant for beautiful lip products (see Norlin and her wonderful #lippyaday challenge!) while others have a skincare stash to rival their local Kit Cosmetics. My soft spot is definitely for those pretty pans of colour that warm up my face, and I find them the most fun aspect of makeup application. I challenged myself a while back to wear a different blush pan each day for a week, to get used to rotating what I wear and to get Tarte Exposed out of my clawing hands for once! Here are the spoils of my challenge, which was a success!

 

As well as my rosy neutrals, I threw a few brighter pinks into the mix for the week to give my cheeks a good pop of colour. Chanel’s Pink Explosion was naturally involved, and I love the shade stippled on with my Samantha Chapman for Real Techniques Stippling Brush. Truth be told, I absolutely love using that brush for the majority of my blushes, whether cream, powder, pigmented or not. BYS Pink Velvet was another pink that got a turn, I adore the BYS blush formula and even the packaging is sturdy (especially when compared to their lipstick casings) Illamasqua’s Naked Rose is one of my favourite blushes, and the matte dusty pink looks great against pale skin like mine.

 

Milani Berry Amore is a shade that took me a while to get used to, but the gold veining really works when used with a light hand. I did cheat slightly during the challenge, as I used my staple blush on one of the days where I was running out of the door to work. Tarte Exposed is a neutral rosy blush that is too beautiful for words, Chris bought it via eBay for me as a Christmas gift and I fall more in love with it every day. See, blush fiend!

 I also tried out my Korres Pink Zeas May blush for the first time, and really like the wearable pink shade. The final choice for my 7 day challenge was a mix of two Bourjois shades, I first applied Rose D’Or before topping my cheekbones and the apples with Lune D’Or, just to play around with it and see if I could change the shades up a bit.

 

So, has my status of a blush fiend been upheld, or do I need to do more to convince you, dear readers? Which blush shade would you nab from this loot given the chance?

 

*All of these blush pans were bought by me, or given as gifts from my fiancé. He knows the way to my heart is through my chipmunk cheeks ;P Honesty,always. 

Rose Gold Obsession

Though many fashion experts stand by the ‘skin tone’ rule when it comes to gold or silver colour choices, I throw caution to the wind and wear it all! Though it may sound strange, I don’t mind if a piece of clothing, nail colour or shadow doesn’t suit me, as long as it makes me feel pretty and happy. Rose gold definitely fits that bill, and these recent additions can attest to my love for the middle of the road shade.

mani is just Australis' Rose Tattoo in this image 

I see rose gold as a more modern and chic metal when compared to silver (or white gold) and the traditional yellow gold. Working in the retail jewellery sector, I often advise people on what styles look good and what suits them. I always say, go with your gut, and customers are always content with a new piece of jewellery if it makes them feel the warm and fuzzies. This rose gold phone case from Portmans gives me the warm and fuzzies, no doubt!

 

 

I didn’t hesitate to buy the new Australis nail polish in Rose Tattoo when I saw it land in my local Priceline (side note: check out the new polish range, they are all ace!) This glittery Rose Gold topcoat from Portmans was stashed inside my stocking on Christmas morning, and the two were totally made for one another. I love the way the rose gold glitter flakes sit atop the metallic rose gold, and next time I am going to try it out the glitter with a nude underneath to let it really stand out. I have worn the Australis shade by itself as a mani, and absolutely loved it.

 

What metal tones do you gravitate towards? I’d love to know who wears what!

*I purchased the Australis shade myself, and as stated the Portman’s polish was a gift.

Cheek Week // blushes that graced my face

I've been rotating the same group of cheek shades this month, now that I'm getting up early each morning for work the less choices the easier it is choose. Essential for work days are long-lasting, easy to wear shades, hence my cream-centric choices!

I picked up all three of the new Revlon Photoready Cream blushes when they launched in Australia a few weeks ago, and I posted a full photo-heavy post on them earlier this month! I've used the pale peach Pinched most out of the lot, and though it is a very pale colour I can get away with it if I build it up. Flushed is a nice pop of pink for these spring days, and Coral Reef goes really well with the gloss of the same name.

The longest lasting blush I own is the YSL Creme de Blush in Powdery Rose, which also happens to be my very favourite blush. The texture is second to none and I feel put together whenever I wear this shade. Though I hardly wear bronzer, I do go through stages where bronzer is an everyday appearance. I have been using the Clinique SuperBalanced Powder Bronzer, it's one of those nifty ones that you shave a fresh slice off each time you use it. I like the way it looks on my skin (I use the lightest shade) and it lasts well on my skin, as it absorbs oil and is mineral.

I am enjoying the fresh look that my cream blushes leave on my cheeks, but I've recently picked up a few new cheek products so will be switching them in in the next couple of days. The Clinique bronzer is staying in my everyday stash as I've been loving the healthier look it gives me, but I won't be bringing it to Sydney with me as it's just too bulky for light travel.

What has graced your cheeks lately?

Are you as obsessed with blushes as I am?!

*The Clinique bronzer was provided for review, which doesn't affect my opinion of the product. Honesty, always.

Coral Reef, Pinched, Flushed // Revlon Photoready Cream Blush // Swatches, Photos, Review

 The new Revlon Escapism collection by Gucci Westman saw the release of three creme blushes, as well as a slew of other beautiful products. Naturally, I was drawn to them like the proverbial moth to a flame, and here are the spoils. (I will also admit to picking up other pieces from the collection later in the week!)

 

 The packaging of these is nice and compact, a thick plastic pot with a screw top lid.

 

 From what I understand the most popular shades are definitely the latter two, brighter shades. I am happy to own all three, and have been wearing them all equally.

 Pinched is a pale peach shade that it very sheer, even on my palest-of-the-pale skin tone. I have been wearing this regardless, as I find the hint of colour to work well when I'm playing up my features with bronzer. Those with skin tones darker than mine might want to give this shade a miss, and instead pick up one of the more intense flushes from the range.

Coral Reef is a great match for the lauded Super Lustrous gloss of the same shade, and being a fan of coral colours in general this was a sure fire win for me. Though it appears super vibrant in its pot, it sheers out easily and creates a beautiful flush on the cheeks. I like wearing this with a slick of black liquid liner and the Coral Reef gloss, the look ties in well together and I find it flattering. 

Flushed is a hot pink shade that sheers out, just like the others, to a very wearable pop of pink on the cheek. Of all the blush colours I own, my pink shades get the most love and so this is a nice change from the baby doll pinks I generally go for.

See, I told you they could be sheered out easily!

I find these long-lasting so far (though have only worn them a few times each) but I have had a problem with Pinched fading on my cheeks in a patchy way (which you could only see if you were reaaaally close to my face) I have a feeling it didn't get on with my Dermalogica sunscreen, as when I've worn it previously I didn't have a problem.

I love the muted but bright shades that Gucci Westman dreamed up for this PhotoReady collection, and coming into the warmer weather of Australia means these should get a good run in my 'everyday face' bag.

 

Have you tried anything from the new Escapism collection?

What are your thoughts on bright cheeks?

 

*These products were purchased by me and I am not affliliated with Revlon. Honesty, always.