It's Love

The thought of doing a favourites post last month totally didn't appeal, so I just left it aside and decided to wait until I had the urge before posting some lovely things. I have been in a bit of a blah mood lately and have been chilling at home makeup-free with Charlie most days, but these have still been very loved by my face tummy and heart!

My recent breakout is still clearing up so I've been wearing my beloved Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel foundation with some Maybelline Dream Matte for a bit of extra coverage on the red areas. This has way better oil control than any other powder I've used - and matte crappy skin looks better than shiny crappy skin, in my experience!

I've been absolutely obsessed with my essence Long Lasting eye pencil in 02 Hot Chocolate, run quickly along my upper lash line to give it a bit of oomph. I've been using my Urban Decay Naked Palette (and can't wait to get my hands on Naked 3!) and also this little quad that my beautiful cousin Claire bought me from the U.K. - the Topshop Smokey Eye Palette in Tawny. Lazy days were made for that pale champagne shade, let me tell you!

Estee Lauder Modern Muse - stretching this vial as long as I can, and adore the scent. Lips have been loving the Carmex Moisture Plus in Clear*, which as you all should know is the bees knees of my lip stash. Now come the random loves of late! Slim Secrets Snack-Attack (caramel!) bars are delish, though my favourite flavour is definitely the Craving Crusher which is Cookies + Cream. I sneak these into the grocery basket every single week, and they are great for on the run to stop myself from eating crap at the shops. Having said that...the other day I had a fun size Mars Bar, and it was the highlight of my day! The other highlight of that day? Suffering through a work meeting but being treated to a cute little Christmas ornament at the end of it - woo hoo! And last but not least...

We welcomed our little King Charles Cavalier Charlie into our family almost a week ago, and now I can't remember being without him <3 He is going really well with toilet training and is sleeping through the night which is so good. He is an absolute smooch and a mumma's boy, and his favourite spot is sitting on my lap as I sit on the floor to write blog posts!


What are you loving right now?
Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

September Empties ft. Antipodes, A'Kin + Lush

Only 11 emptied products this month, but at least I hit double digits!

 

Rexona Girl Tropical Energy deodorant- A constant repurchase, I adore this aerosol deodorant.

L’Occitane Ravissant shower gel*- A lovely product from one of my favourite body care brands. I wasn’t as enthralled with the scent as much as I am with the almond range, so I’d rather spend my moolah on that line instead.

A’Kin Sweet Orange + Sandalwood body scrub*- My full review is here for this lovely and gentle body scrub.

Garnier Fructis Sensitive Scalp shampoo- A staple in my routine, and the only shampoo my scalp will tolerate.

Kmart Makeup Remover cotton pads- Cheap and nasty, these get the job done with ease.

The Jojoba Company Jojoba Bead and Bamboo facial exfoliant* (3ml)- This made my skin feel smooth, but afterwards it felt sensitised and a little tender to the touch. Wouldn’t repurchase as it just didn’t work for me.

Pantene single dose intensive treatment program*- I used this ‘single dose’ treatment twice after receiving it via PinchMe, and it made my hair feel nice and smooth. Would considering repurchasing if I didn’t have a million other hair products to use up first.

Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel foundation- My HG foundation, sadly discontinued. Love the ‘skin like’ finish and ease of application- have backups ready to go!

Lush Honey I Washed the Kids soap*- As much as I love the honey scent of this, this is the second bar I’ve trialled and it just leaves my skin feeling strange. I find it hard to run my hands over my skin after I’ve used this, like it has been stripped (though it isn’t technically drying either…) I’ve no love for this Lush cult favourite, beautiful scent aside.

Clinique Take the Day Off makeup remover- I quite like this bi-phase makeup remover, even though the residue it leaves behind is sometimes a little bit annoying. I would repurchase this (but am going to wait for the next GWP, ‘cause that is how I roll)

 

So now it is your turn to share! How much did you empty this month, and what cleansing oil or balm do you suggest I try next?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty x

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.

Wasted Beauty

We all do it, so just admit it.


There are certain things you ‘save’ for a special occasion, one such occasion that takes a damn long time to come. Whether it be a beautifully embossed eyeshadow palette or an expensive perfume that was a gift from that someone special, these beauties sit alongside the staples waiting for their turn to shine and be wholly loved. If they do manage to get a look in, they are quickly popped back on the shelf for fear of running out (the dilemma of the limited edition item, you see) Whilst I have a long list of things I’m sort of hoarding (Thierry Mugler Angel EDT, travel bottle of Bioderma, Rimmel Match Perfection Crème Gel foundation…the list goes on!) this beautiful perfume set is the one that has made me rethink my ways.

I can’t seem to put my finger on the occasion that this marked (it was a few years ago now, this was released early 2010) but I remember Chris handing it over, impeccably wrapped with a big ol’ grin on his face. I was elated as I always spritzed myself with Tresor in Love whenever I passed a Lancome counter, and now I was free to wallow in the stuff. Fast forward to last Christmas, I mentioned a perfume I had my eye on to the boy… his response was a firm no, followed by a stern word about the wasted gift set that still sat upon my shelf, unopened and pristine.

“Saving things for a special occasion is stupid. Put it on and let’s order Dominos.”

With that, I took it down and since then have been enjoying the fruity sweet rose scent and the love that it was given with. I want to enjoy the things in life that make me smile, the taupe shadows and the discontinued highlighters, the limited edition blushes and the hard to find lipsticks. Life is short, and I am going to enjoy the beautiful things (material or otherwise) while I can.

What are you saving for a special occasion?

Instant Repurchase

Though I rotate cosmetics like there is no tomorrow, often I stick with some star products from the lineup. A product has to absolutely knock it out of the park for me to repurchase, so for these to jump back into the stash instantly speaks volumes!

Face of Australia Liquid Liner – This was originally a PR sample which I adored. I misplaced it, and ran out to grab another one quick smart. I then found the first, so have two floating around my stash and both are still going strong with no sign of drying out. This comes with a fine brush style tip and is a deep inky black. I was terrible at liquid liner before I learnt with this brush, and now I have the confidence to use lots of different sorts of liquid liners! A game changer, and affordable to boot.

Bioderma Crealine H20 – Ah Bioderma, the cult favourite that came into my world and swept me off my feet. Again this originally came to me via PR, I have repurchased this quite a few times now and still love it for the initial cleanse each night. I have temporarily put it on the backburner in an effort to show love to (aka use up!) my other cleansing waters and oils, but when they bite the dust it is me and this guy (and Dermalogica Preclease, 3 peas in a pod)

Lush Lip Scrubs – I change up the flavour every time, but keep going back to this little jar of soft lip-making goodness. Basically a sugar and deliciousness blend, this is an easier option for me as I can’t be bothered making my own lip scrub. Tastes deliciously sweet (duh!) and comes in a bunch of flavours, this is well worth the cash.

Guerlain Champs Elysees – I think everyone has that ‘one scent’ that just suits them perfectly and makes them feel a million dollars, and this is the one for me! Quite a mature fragrance, this is strong and makes me feel powerful and in charge. I’ve gone through bottle after bottle of this, and am looking forward to picking up yet another one from Paris on our honeymoon a few years down the track.

Rimmel Match Perfection Crème-Gel Foundation – Yet another love that first came to me via PR! I fear this is discontinued now that the new bottled version has taken its place on the drugstore shelves, so I am planning on stocking up when I find some in my shade in a discount bin. A foundation that covers it all but looks just like skin (seriously, it is undetectable!) this is my HG formula.

What products are instant repurchases for you? Do you tend to chop and change as much as I do, or are you loyal to a few key players in your beauty team?

 

Fresh Faced with BB Powder & Chanel Frivole

Lately, Melbourne has been struggling through a heat wave of recrod preportions. Sweltering nights spend tossing and turning are backed onto days at university with insufficient air conditioning and long walks with rays beating down on my back. Honestly, some of the nicest days of late have been spent at work in the cool air of the shop floor. We were lucky enough to have a cooler day (around 25C) a while back and I relished in pulling on my jeans and throwing on a light jumper to spend the day with Mumma Bovary doing errands and having rice paper rolls for lunch. As I often do, a mix of new release products were mixed with old favourites to get my face presentable!

I’ve been trialling the new Rimmel Match Perfection foundation* and so far I am enjoying the light-medium coverage and natural finish. I still prefer the cream-gel version in the pot (which I fear may be discontinued!) but the packaging is definitely nicer, a heavy glass bottle with handy pump opening. I’ve been setting it with my L’Oreal Nude Magique BB Powder* which is one of the exciting new BB/CC type products that the brand have recently launched. Cheeks were of course dusted with my new Chanel acquisition, the limited edition powder blush in 76 Frivole.

As always I used MAC Coquette to add some definition to my brows, it is seriously one of the most versatile eye shadows I’ve come across from MAC. I love it swept through the crease with a soft angled crease brush, but for this look I left it on the brows and used the essence duo to cover my lids and line my lower lashline as well. I finished the simple eye look off with generous coats of my new favourite mascara, the Covergirl Clump Crusher. Absolutely loving the volume and length it gives my lashes, not to mention the compliments I’ve been receiving from coworkers, family and friends.

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation SPF 18 in 010 Light Porcelain*

L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Powder for light skin*

Essence 50s Girls Reloaded palette in 03 Come on Board Captain

Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara in Black

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara in black brown

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Dynasty at Dusk

Mac Coquette for brows

Sportsgirl Shady Lady in Prom Night for highlight

What do you think of my fresh faced look? What are your best tips on escpaing this horrendous heat?

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