Clinique All About Shadow Neutral Territory 2 Palette

If I weren't so afraid of being judged I would let you peek inside my palette drawers...yes, I have multiple. For now you will have to take me at my word when I say that I have a mean palette problem, and the neutral variety are my biggest weakness. I was chatting with my darling friend Carly and her spunky cousin Gemma on a shopping trip the other day when the topic of beauty obsessions came up. Carly vouched for my certified #blushfiend status, but I don't think she realises how deep my love for palettes goes...

Meet the newest love of my (palette) life.

I am always easily swayed into purchases by Jessica from Don't Call Me Jesse and she was the one who began my obsession with this palette, and I stopped by my local Clinique counter to ask when the Australian release date was. Don't you just hate it when they have no idea what product you are talking about?! I went to another lady two weeks later and got a vague answer, and it was only on my third visit that I found out the release date and had my name popped on the list for the beautiful All About Shadow Neutral Territory 2 Palette (as an aside, where is number 1...?)

Clinique has compiled their best neutral eye-shadows from previous duos/quads to create this 8 strong selection, with the much lauded Black Honey being the undoubtable star of the show. I'm sort of impressed that Clinique stand by their shades enough to relaunch them in new ways, but the 'light shade of the diamonds and pearls duo' isn't exactly the easiest shade name to note down now is it?

I quite like the reflective mirror casing that this palette is housed in, and took full advantage of the lovely weather on my photo-taking day to show you how beautiful the sky looked. It's also a nice sleek compact that really would be great for travelling with!

I think the gradient effect is really pretty while also highlighting how wearable this palette is (for light work-appropriate looks if that is what you're into, or smokier looks for nights and weekends)

I use the first shade (Sugar Cane) as my inner corner highlight and it is the bomb - pigmented and sparkly without looking chunky on the eye. I was expecting to hate this because of the shimmer but it has ended up one of my very favourites from the palette. I use the three other colours as blend out shades or all over the lid for a low-key look - so unlike me, but this palette has really made me understand how nice understated eyes can be.

The darker end of the palette is definitely my favourite though - Black Honey is just a superstar, and I love wearing the Brown Shade from the Polar Blue Quad or Hazy all over my lid on an almost daily basis with a bit of Black Honey thrown in the crease.

The beauty of these shadows isn't in the complexity or originality, but in the quality of the pans themselves. It takes a lot to wow me in the eyeshadow department, but these meld onto the lid with ease and last all day (with primer) and create effortless and beautiful looks. Pretty much impossible to stuff this one up!

Brown Shade of Polar Blue Quad all over the lid, Black Honey through the crease and Sugar Cane for my inner corner. A slick of black liner, lots of mascara and a quick blend is all it took for this look (and if I do say so myself, it looks better in person)

Absolutely in love with this palette and think that it's well worth the $65 AUD price tag (plus I got the great GWP, which always helps)

 

What do you think of the Clinique makeup line?

Do you prefer neutral palettes or choosing single shadows for your everyday looks?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

*Purchased with my own hard-earned, raves are all honest ;)

The Coral Contender

My obsession with pink lips seems to have waned a little bit and I've been rocking a bright coral lip. It all started when I was wearing a new top and wanted to embrace the bright shades in it, so I rustled through my stash and came up with 4 contenders...

Maybelline Color Sensational Coral Crush - this really is a stunning shade, and one that I have had for a few years now. Old and worn and one of my top 5 lip colours of all time, I always return to it when I get hooked back onto bright lips. It's bright, juicy and wears away so evenly that I often wear it to work!

Maybelline Color Sensational Vibrant Mandarin - A newer coral/orange acquisition, this was a shade from the revamped launch of the staple Maybelline line. More orange than the rest, the formula of this line is just divine.

MAC Party Parrot - a true matte shade from the lipstick legend, I was elated to pick this up from the MAC Iris Apfel collection back in 2012 (original post here!) This is slightly more red toned that the other coral rather than orange or pink, and is a nice flattering matte formula.

Revlon Super Lustrous 180 Melonade - A celebrated stunner that I really hunted for once I heard that it had been discontinued (even though I haven't worn it very much at all I have a back-up in my drawer!) The post that pushed me to buy this was definitely Tegan's...

Swooning over one of my favourite books (Virginia Woolf's A Room Of One's Own) and these four beautiful lip shades. Woolf's book stemmed from some lectures she gave about women and fiction, and it is something I reread regularly to get my mind going and pump me up from some writing.
 

In the end, I handed the reins over to Mister Bovary to decide and Coral Crush came up trumps! So I can now call it a household favourite, right? I've worn it consistently since these photos were taken, so that is saying something.

What bright coral lipstick do you have in your stash?
Do you own any of these beauties?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*All of these were bought with my own cash. Honesty, always.

The Skincare Edit

I’ve decided to try and be one of those bloggers who uses things up before moving onto new bottles. I find it equal parts simple and difficult, it’s nice to have my routine set out for myself but I tend to get bored of using the same item for an extended period of time. The joy I will feel at finishing some skincare is pushing me forward, but my new Boots skincare is sitting on my desk taunting me on a daily basis…

In the morning I’ve been using my Garnier Micellar Water to remove the PM layover excess (build-up of night cream etc) and then going in with my Guinot Refreshing Cleansing Milk*. I’ve just switched out from my Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion +* (which wasn’t doing much in terms of hydration for me) to the Garnier Moisture Match for Normal-Dry Skin which is one of the new releases from the brand. If I am going to get any sun exposure I use my Dermalogica Oil-Free Matte Sunscreen *instead of the Garnier, and this also acts as a great primer to wear underneath my makeup. I’m too lazy to apply serums or eye cream in the morning, until my morning coffee has sunk in I’m quite useless to be honest.

When I get home from work I remove my eye makeup with my Neutrogena Oil-Free Makeup Remover which has replaced the Clarins Instant Eye Make-Up Remover* that I used up. I then continue my routine in the shower where I use my Thalgo Pure Velvet Cleansing Cream* and my Guinot, but I’m sort of looking for a thicker balm-like cleanser so that my double cleanse feels more thorough, you know?

I then apply my serums or treatments, which changes depending on how my skin is acting at any given time. Acne being a pain or skin looking a bit bumpy? Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion sorts that out followed by some Effaclar Duo. General tone looking dull and in need of a pep up? Lancome Dreamtone Serum* is my luxe option, or a moisture mask like Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask is slapped on.

Mister Bovary won’t let his lids fall unless he has enjoyed a spritz of the Jurlique Balancing Rosewater Mist that he bought me for Christmas two years back, and I quite like a bit of L’Occitane Lavande* on my pillow (which isn’t strictly skincare but does wonders for my sanity, which I’m sure in turn keeps my skin happy!) I then pop on a bit of the Korres Jasmine Lip Butter, Aveeno Postively Radiant Intensive Night Cream* and I’m ready to hit the hay. 

That is my skincare round up right now – I’d love some recommendations for balm-like cleansers or just awesome cleansers in general!

What cleanser are you using right now?

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

YSL Gloss Volupte in 104 Prune Organdi // Photos, Swatches and Formula Review

Each time I hear that YSL are releasing a new lip formulation I become giddy with excitement. Easily my favourite brand for lips (one of my favourite brands overall too!) I have at least one colour from most of their formulas and I must say that the new gloss release from the brand has me giddy with excitement! 

I was kindly sent one of the new YSL Gloss Volupte's in the shade 104 Prune Organdi, which is a vampy selection from the line-up. Also in my parcel was a collector edition Touche Éclat which I was smitten with, though I'm still using my previous YSL pen so it remains a look-but-don't-touch for the time being. Check out that sexy print on my highlighting pen, wahooo!

Back to the point of this whole post - the delicious and addictive gloss! I am a big gloss lover, this year more than ever so this release was perfectly timed for me. I don't think Prune Organdi would have been my first choice if I had bought this at the counter, every time I head to swatch these (lunch break ritual baby) I gravitate towards the stunning corals and baby pinks on show. My wishlist has a few shades on it from the 24 available, and I must say that I prefer these over the Volupte Sheer Candy, which is a bit too sheer for my liking.

In the 24-strong range there is 3 different finishes, and I am definitely gunning for the Iridescent finish (of which Prune Organdi belongs) and the Pure range which contains less shimmer than the others. The Golden releases feel a bit too gritty on my lips if truth be told, and I've seen other beauty bloggers comment on this so I know it isn't just me.

I adore the packaging of these, not only do they look pretty on my desk they also slip nicely into my makeup bag and aren't overly bulky. I don't know if everyone will like the mixing of metals at the top of the tube, but I think it freshens things up a wee bit!

Prune Organdi is a vampy purple toned plum with subtle cool shimmer, and once it hits my lips it takes on a lovely brown tone which nudes it up a bit for me. I can see this getting a helluva lotta wear in winter when I'm all about the wine shades and deep eyes! The wear time of these babies is pretty decent too, despite them not being at all sticky - they wear evenly, which is supremely important to me in a lip formula.

check out my lemon-less lemon tree!



is it sad that I am used to this price for high-end lipsticks...?

little bit of Charlie butt with your YSL never hurt nobody

Overall I give a big round of applause to YSL for once again hitting it out of the park with a lip release - it's like they do it in their sleep now, isn't it? I'm in the process of talking my dear friend Carly into dipping her toe into the world of high-end lips (all YSL all the time) so I'll keep you updated on that one ;)

 

In a nutshell - beautifully creamy glosses in stunning shades that are worthy of at least a swatch from all of you!

 

The new YSL Gloss Volupte lipglosses retail for $49 AUD and are available wherever you usually stalk your YSL goodies (Myer, DJ's etc)

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

 

*Provided for consideration, but as always all thoughts are my own. Honesty, always.

Essie Colors of Couture collection // photos, swatches and reviews

The beauty of a bright nail polish is a sight to behold, but the feeling you get wearing a perfectly executed neutral is something else altogether. Never do I feel more polished than when I'm sporting a nude shade on my nails, and from what I've heard in the blogosphere (and from beauty loving friends) Essie is where it's at for natural nails.

I was in the car with my sister and Mumma Bovary when I opened this PR parcel, and the car was literally filled with squee's as they all dove to nick some of my new polishes. I managed to snatch them all back and swatched them the very next day for you all! The collection coincides with the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and is only available for purchase during the months of March and April for $16.95 AUD per bottle. Let me tell you, having Essie available at Priceline now is so wonderful for us Aussies!

Essie have given us a pretty broad spectrum of neutrals with this lot, ranging from deep and dark to stark and white with some beautiful tones in between.

My favourite of the bunch, Ladylike is a soft mauve and my very favourite shade from this round up. It flatters my pale hands with ease, but I think it would suit a wide range of skin tones.

I had a bit of trouble applying Ballet Slippers because of the bent bristles in my bottle - couple that with my lack of nail skills in general and it wasn't a happy household for a moment there.

Ballet Slippers is the iconic Essie pale pink that everyone seems to adore. This shade doesn't really speak to me personally, though I can see the appeal of having such a versatile shade in your collection.

Sand Tropez is another beautiful shade that I found really wearable. A sandy beige sort of colour, it has a touch of chocolate about it that I find really delicious looking on the nail.

Ah the stark white Blanc, a shade those who are adept at nail art would adore! I am pleased to have a good quality white shade in my stash for moments of need (I do tend to go through amateur nail art phases you know!) but found this tricky to use all over the nail. I should have been more careful when applying, but ultimately I'll be keeping this for nail art purposes only as it just didn't work with my super-pale skin tone.

Swooooon! Loving the look of this greige Master Plan, which is among my favourites from this classic Essie line up. Shades like this are the best of both worlds - polished and chic, but edgy and saying something at the same time!

Smokin' Hot was the most surprising of the polishes swatched. The eggplant tinged deep grey shade is a strange one, and I must admit I found my application skills lacking for this one. A bit more effort and 3 coats would have done this beautiful shade more justice, so I implore you to check out this post for a nicer view of this colour.

These classic and chic Essie staples were a joy to experience, and the stand outs in my opinion were definitely Ladylike, Sand Tropez and Master Plan.

 

What neutral nail shades do you adore?

Have you tried any classic Essie shades?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

The Daily Tray 03

I was due for an updated daily tray, so I moved everything around and shopped my stash to find some exciting beauty products to get busy with in March.

As you can see, whittling down my daily tray just isn't going to happen. I switch up my makeup almost every day, so it wouldn't make sense to have one shadow, one blush etc sitting out on my counter. When my beauty room is finally ready (should be within the week!) I will have this set up in there, but for now it stays in our guest bathroom where the light is best in the morning and I have room to spread out my beloved beauty products. This rotation will probably stay out for the whole month, with a few edits as we go along in case I get bored or fall in love with a certain look.

Lips are primarily easy and wearable shades right now, as I've been focusing on my eye looks and just need a pretty lip shade that doesn't overpower the eyes. My go-to has been my Kmart Naked lipstick topped with Dior Dormeuse, but I've thrown Chanel Boy back into the mix in an effort to use it up and be able to treat myself to another luxe lipstick to replace it.
Lips
Kmart Naked lipstick
Smashbox Overexposed lipgloss*
MAC Patisserie
Chanel Boy
Bourjois Peach on the Beach
boe Boudoir Beauty jumbo lip crayon
Dior Dormeuse
essence Tribal Summer Waka Waka
Face of Australia Permanently Pink
Dior Exquise lipgloss
YSL Gloss Volupte in 104 Prune Organdi*

My obsession with eye makeup stemmed from Larie's recent post which had me seriously swooning, but I showed restraint and instead of buying the exact products she used I reached into my stash and pulled out my favourite MAC palette - Royal Assets: 6 Warm Eyes which has a stack of amazing colours including MAC Club. I plan on using this palette in a whole bunch of new ways this month, and I'm excited!
Eyes:
Too Faced Pretty Rebel palette
MAC Royal Assets Warm Eyes
Bourjoir Kaki Etonnant eyeshadow
MAC Old Gold pigment
essence Tribal Summer Inti Inka pigment
No7 Mineral Perfection Eyeshadow Trio in 05 Rose
Mineralogie Quad in A List Collection*
Clinique Chubby Tint for Eyes in Ample Amber
Covergirl Flamed Out mascara*
Revlon Lash Potion mascara
Rimmel Rockin' Curves mascara*
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Face of Australia Liquid Eyeliner
YSL Touche Éclat*

This is me showing restraint in the blush stakes, okay?

Cheeks:

Clinique Cheek Pop in Peach Pop*

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Radiant Magenta

Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls in Beige Pearl

Sunday Riley Blushing

Cezanne Lasting Cheek in 01 

Throw in my current foundation (L'Oreal Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation in N1 Pure Pearl*) and a Valentina perfume sample and we are good to go for the month!

What products do you like the look of from my updated daily tray?
How often do you switch up your daily stash?
Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

essence Ticket to Paradise collection // Photos, Swatches, Review

The essence Ticket to Paradise collection has been out for a little while now, but since all of the stands I see are consistently restocked I thought it useful to share my thoughts on some of the products I've tried so far. I find it funny that the paradise themed has been used once again by the brand, after reviewing the initial Return to Paradise collection on my blog in 2011.

 

I picked up quite a few items from the summery collection, my favourites so far being the mint crème eyeshadow in 01 Dive With Me To The Island (perfect for inner corners!) and the shimmer powder in 01 Tropical Heat. I adore the way that essence has matching shades for each collection, with the minty shades spanning across nails lids lashes and lips and the golden shimmer being kept to nails and cheeks. Little things like that really work to tie the collection in for me, and I love seeing how well thought out the collections are.

I think that my favourite part about the Tropical Heat shimmer powder is the beautifully embossed pattern of the product rather than the finish it gives on the cheek - I am not ashamed to admit that I actually collection essence limited edition powders no matter the payoff, and this one is one of the lightest shimmers in my collection. It isn't as potent as my Dior Amber Diamond or my Jemma Kidd crème, but considering the vast difference in price points I think that it's okay. Those who are after a strong cheek highlight may be disappointed by this powder, while those who like a light shimmer to highlight their cheekbones would probably get along fine with this golden powder. 

 

A note I must make about this collection is about the sheer jelly finish lipglosses (I bought the hot pink shade My Treasure Island) These are simply stunning to look at and I was mighty tempted to purchase all 3 shades, but after trying the gloss just once I was elated that I only succumbed to one. This has to be the worst tasting lipgloss ever made - it's not a flavour you can escape and I can't express clearly enough how you should avoid this gloss at all costs. Eck!

My Treasure Island Gloss, My Treasure Island lipliner, Dive With Me To The Island crème eyeshadow, Tropical Heat Shimmer Powder

 

Did you pick up anything from this tropical limited edition collection? After seeing swatches I'm heading back for the golden shimmer Tropical Heat polish!
Have you ever tried a lip product so nasty you just had to throw it?!

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty


*I purchased all of these products myself. Honesty, always.