May Favourites

So I haven't written a blog post for a long time, you can blame my new obsession of bullet journalling for that. I haven't blogged, I haven't read a blog and I haven't done anything super exciting with my make-up. However I have learnt some things since taking a step back from this blog. I have found some really great products, I haven found a few disappointing products and I have have learnt that I do still want to blog. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, hey?

Enough rambling, let's get into my the products I've been loving. I'm calling this post 'May Favourites' but let's face it,  I haven't done a favourites post since October 2017.

L'oreal Infallible Pro Glow Foundation - I have dry skin, large pores and redness. This foundation sits really nicely on my dry skin, doesn't look cakey and blends in beautifully. It hides my redness well, provides buildable medium-high coverage and whilst it is a dewy foundation you don't look shiny. This foundation has not broken me out at all. I love the effect this foundation gives me, a healthy glow, and combined with it's lasting power and colour match to my skin, I have worn this daily for a couple of months now.

Bare Minerals Moxie Plumping Lipgloss in 'Temptress' 

This lipgloss represents my one and only lip product that is mettalic-like (it's not 100% metallic but my nod to the trend). Surprisingly I love this gloss and reach for it very often. It is a really stunning berry pink that has a warm gold shimmer. It doesn't tingle, lasts for a good amount of time and doesn't feel super sticky. Unfortunately this shade was limited edition for Christmas but I highly recommend you check out the permanent range of these glosses. Side  note: Bare Minerals do amazing lip products.

Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in 'Audition' 

Audition is a muted dusty pink with a touch of nude and a lovely shine. This lipstick is nice and creamy, applies beautiful and lasts okay. It lasts for a couple of hours, which is pretty decent for a lipstick on my lips, feels very comfortable on the lips and is super easy to apply. This is my go-to lipstick and has been since Christmas when I purchased it in a Christmas set.


Laura Mercier Lip Parfait in ' Cinn-ful"

Cinn-ful is a creamy warm brown lipstick from Laura Mercier. On the lips it feels creamy yet lightweight and provides opaque shiny colour. This was an impulse purchase, I heard that Laura Mercier is leaving the Australian market and rushed to Sephora to pick up some goodies. This seemed like a colour that was very "me" so it came home with me...

Good Girl Eau de parfum  - I never get compliments on my fragrances. However, the compliments roll in whenever I wear this perfume. I'm completely useless at describing fragrances and I know for a fact I only received this parfum because of the bottle. I'm a shoe lover and the bottle of this parfum is one seriously cool stiletto. If you want to know about the notes of the fragrance here is a link: https://www.fragranceheaven.com.au/good-girl-by-carolina-herrera.html 

Skincare and Haircare Empties

Make Vibrant Shampoo + Conditioner 

This year I made the switch from supermarket hair care to "salon" haircare. This was the first "salon" haircare that I found was decent. This is a really good shampoo and conditioner, definitely one to try out. 

Paul Mitchel original The Detangler 

This conditioner is okay however the matching shampoo is nowhere near finished which is annoying. I wouldn't re-purchase this conditioner as I don't like the accompanying shampoo but the conditioner itself was fine. 

Toni & Guy Intense Softness Shampoo + Conditioner for Normal Hair 

These were both pretty good products and the packaging is practical, however mine broke during the first week. I would re-purchase these. 

Clinique liquid facial soap extra mild 

My holy grail cleanser! I think my skin might be addicted as every time I try other cleansers I seem to break out. This is very gentle meaning your skin never feels stripped. I really love this cleanser. 

October Beauty Favourites

Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Oil Lip Gloss in 'Papa don't peach'

I'm being a little sneaky including this product in my monthly favourites post as it is a relatively recent purchase. However, this is a product I have instantly fallen in love with and it's not often that I immediately love a product. What can I say? I'm pretty harsh when evaluating my beauty products.

This is a shiny lip gloss in what I consider a perfect nude. Out of all of the shades in this collection it is the deepest with a brown undertone mixed with warm peachy undertones. It glides effortlessly across my lips and is very comfortable on the lips. My lips are always on the drier side and this gloss looks great regardless of what condition my lips are in. It does not dry my lips out at all, they claim these provide hydration and I definitely believe that is true. In terms of lasting power, after an hour the pigmentation is still great and my lips are still shiny. After two hours the colour is less opaque and the shine despite having diminished, is still there.

L'oreal False Lash Butterfly Wings Intenza Mascara

For over a year my holy grail mascara has been Maybelline's Lash Sensational. However, I think I have a new holy grail mascara! This mascara is a champion! It isn't clumpy, it doesn't flake or transfer and it looks great throughout the day. Definitely a mascara to try!

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Pant in 'GNP 38' and 'GNP22'

I have been reaching for these Barry M nail polishes a lot lately. They dry quickly, one coat can suffice if you're in a rush and they wear well. The pink is like a fuchsia that isn't quite neon and the grey toned beige is a great polish for work. It doesn't attract any attention to your nails, which I personally love because my cuticles are a mess, but still looks sophisticated.


Too Faced Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette

I always love my Chocolate Bar palette and my Sweet Peach palette from Too Faced however I feel like I need to give the shades 'bless her heart' and 'puree' some extra love this month. I had never really used these shades but have fallen in love with them. 'Bless her heart' is not as green as it appears in the pan, however it is a nice colour and something a bit different for me since I always wear browns and shimmery taupes.

Review | The Body Shop Matte Lip Liquid

The Body Shop's Matte Lip Liquid claims to be long lasting with a creamy matte velvet finish that sets with an intense and rich colour pay off. They are 100% vegetarian, don't contain carmine or gluten and are of course cruelty-free.

I have two shades from their collection, 'Nairobi Camellia' and 'Crete Carnation'. 'Nairobi Camellia' is  a neutral dusty pink colour and 'Crete Carnation' is a pinky nude. Compared to 'Nairobi Camellia' 'Crete Carnation' is more pale and a nude whereas 'Nairobi Camellia' is a deeper shade and has more of a berry mauve tone to it. I adore both of these shades and I was really pleased with the range of shades they offered. I am very subtle with my lip colours but I still managed to find two wearable shades in their collection. I often look at the type of products but can't find a shade pale enough or neutral enough...like Huda Beauty for example. I have heard amazing things about their liquid matte lipsticks. But when I swatch them they all seem to bold for me. 

Okay let's get back on track here...the applicator is the typical doe foot applicator. The formula is quite dry when you pull the applicator out of the tube and I often find that not enough product is on the applicator. I always have to dip the applicator back in. Nonetheless the product itself applies the product nicely onto your lips. It feels lightweight and does set but not immediately. Once set your lips still feel lightweight and you can honestly forget that you have anything on your lips. They are very comfortable to wear and don't accentuate your dry lips. Neither do they dry your lips out. 

These last for a minimum of two hours. I find that after 2 hours and 40 minutes I want to do something to with 'Nairobi Camellia'. As it is a bolder colour it is more noticeable when it starts to fade. It fades evenly and you don't end up with a weird outline of your lips. 'Crete Carnation' lasts easily for three hours. I think as this is closer to my natural lip colour it is less noticeable when it starts to wear. 

These retail for $14.00 and overall I really love these matte liquid lipsticks. They are definitely some of the best I have ever tried. 

Star of the week: The Chemistry Brand Hand Chemistry

The Chemistry Brand is one of the brands under the Deceim umbrella and they are now stocked in Myer - yay! Hand Chemistry - pro-repair skincare for hands is one of the best hand creams I have ever used!!!

What the box says...

"Concentrated multi-functional hand cream targets 8 signs of hand aging simultaneously. The extraordinary 19.5% active complex concentration visibly improves firmness, elasticity, density, evenness, brightness, texture, smoothness and hydration...Expect visible results in 11 days."

What I say...

Hand Chemistry is a rich hand cream however it doesn't feel heavy and thick. It is quite lightweight and instantly makes your hands feel smooth and soft. The hand cream absorbs quickly into the hands and doesn't leave behind a yucky residue, so you can get back to whatever you were doing. It also has a gorgeous scent which I'm not sure how to describe. If I had to hazard a guess I would say it was fresh and floral.

How I fix dry and chapped lipsticks

Dry, chapped, flaky and sore lips are gross. They are also annoying and can take time to heal.

When my lips need rescuing I begin with an exfoliator to get rid off the flaky bits. At the moment I am loving The Lip Scuff from The Body Shop. It looks like a lip balm however it is slightly gritty. I swipe this all over my lips - sideways and then in circular motions - and then run it off. I follow this with an intensive lip balm. I don't use an exfoliator on my lips that often, once in a blue moon actually. I usually find a good lip balm will keep my lips looking good but sometimes you do need an extra oomph!

My favourite lip balm ever is The Sugar Fresh Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15. It makes your lips feel cushion-y, does that make sense? It is also long lasting which is nice. You can apply it in the evening and when you wake-up your lips are still moisturised.

Another lip balm that can really help dry lips is the Lip Balm from Dermal. It is one of the best and most effective lip balms I have ever used. It is also super cheap and can be purchased from Priceline.

Top 10 Lip Products

Lip products are my favourite type of make-up to buy and to play around with. There are always new trends breaking, new colours to try and new formulas to put to the test! These are my top 10 lip products. 

It was difficult enough for me to whittle this list down to my top ten so there is no specific order here. 

Revlon Ultra HD Gel Lip Colour 

These lipsticks are really lovely. My personal favourite shade is 'Desert' however I also love 'Vineyard' and 'Dawn'. With a quick swipe of the lips you good pigmentation that feels really lightweight and makes your lips look juicy. These don't dry your lips out which is great, however they don't last more than 2-3 hours on my lips. 

L'oreal ColourRiche Lipsticks 

L'oreal has a collection of great shades and I especially love their nudes. I have already repurchased one of their nudes #235 which is simply called "nude". I also love 'Eva's Nude' from the Collection Exclusive range. 

Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick in 'Chihuahua'

I typically prefer a traditional lipstick bullet over liquid lipsticks and so I have only ever tried one shade from the Melted range from Too Faced. However, I really love the formula, applicator, pigmentation / everything about the product! If you want to dip your toes into the liquid lipstick "pool" I would highly recommend the Too Faced collection.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF15

For years and I mean years I heard how good this lip balm was from American bloggers and Youtubers. However living in Australia means it was nearly impossible to get :( But let me tell you, if you can get your hands on it, it really is a great lip balm. I use to use cheap lip balms but they usually dried my lips out and only moisturised my lips temporarily. I feel like this lip balm is very luxurious, it gives your lips a lovely cushion feeling and moisturises your lips. I have gone through an entire tube of this and I ordered my second tube from Nordstrom. Their shipping was pretty good!

The Body Shop Lip Scuff

It is easy to find a lip exfoliator in a tub however it is hard to find them in stick form. I have been using this one from The Body Shop and find it does a decent job when I have really chapped, dry and flaky lips. You swipe it across your lips for a little while before wiping it off. I typically put a very intensive lip balm on top afterwards.

Burt's Bees Lipstick in 'Blush Basin'

If you are looking for a cruelty free lipstick in the drugstore or prefer a natural lipstick check out the lipsticks from Burt's Bees! I adore the shade 'Blush Basin' however the red shades in the range are lovely too.

Bareminerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolour 

Bareminerals' Gen Nude lip collection is amazing. They have lipsticks, lip liners, lip glosses and matte liquid lip colours in a huge range of nudes. I love the entire collection and could easily buy many many products from this collection. The lip glosses in this range are lovely but, for me, the matte liquid lip colours are the products that deserve a special mention in this post! They wear really nicely on the lips (even if you have dry lips), wear off evenly and naturally and their lasting power is pretty good.

Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks 

Urban Decay's range of Vice lipsticks contains 100 shades and there is a shade for everybody. Both of the lippies I have from this range are the "cream" formula and they are gorgeous. These lipsticks are long wearing, very pigmented and non-drying on your lips. The two cream lipsticks I have are quite opaque however they also do a "sheer" formulation if that is more your thing.

L'oreal Paris Infallible Long Wear Lip Gloss 

If you want a non-sticky lipgloss but good pigmentation and wears for a good amount of time, check these lip glosses out!

Drugstore Showdown | Maybelline Mascaras

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

This is one of my all-time favourite mascaras and definitely my favourite mascara from Maybelline. It does a superb job of fanning out your lashes. It lengthens, separates and curls up really well. This mascara makes your lashes look gorgeous. It never smudges, clumps or flakes and it keeps your lashes up all day long. The wand on this mascara isn't your typical wand, it has two separate sections. The inner section of the wand helps get right into the roots of your lashes and the larger part is for fanning out the tips of your lashes. If you have never used mascara before it might not be the best wand to begin with, however its no big deal. Don't you hate it when your lashes end up pointing down at the end of the day?!

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

The wand on this mascara is tiny! I swear some eyebrow product wands are larger than this. This mascara is a very basic mascara. It doesn't clump and it curl your lashes up and separates them. However, unlike the Lash Sensational Mascara it isn't a dramatic effect. For a basic mascara it's fine however the brush is too small for my personal preferences and Maybelline do other mascaras that do the same thing but better (e.g., The Falsies).

Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Drama Mascara

I picked this mascara after seeing my Mum use it and loving how it looked on her. This mascara gives a dramatic effect, volumising and lengthening your lashes. However, it isn't as dramatic as the Lash Sensational Mascara. Two cons of this mascara is that it can be clumpy and it transfers very easily during application to your eyelid.

Products I Regret Purchasing

Wet n Wild Walking on Eggshells Eyeshadow Trio

'Walking on Eggshells' is a trio from Wet n' Wild that was hyped up on Youtube and beauty blogs a couple of years ago. When I visited America last I was super excited to finally get my hands onto this trio. Sadly I have only reached for this trio three times and one of those times was when I was writing up this post. I wanted to check I had my facts right. The three shades in this trio are very shimmery and I find it impossible to make a look out of it. I personally feel that a matte crease is essential. I like the shades in this trio and individually they are pretty. Primer is essential with these shadows, however I find that is true for all shadows, even high-end ones. Overall the quality is fine, especially when you consider the price, but I just can't make a look out of trio that I love.

The Balm Nude'tude Eyeshadow Palette

I am so disappointed that this eyeshadow palette is included here. However, I honestly never reach for this palette and I'm always disappointed when I do try and use it. I have nothing against The Balm though! I think they're a great brand and their blushes are amazing!!! If you want a long lasting blush you should definitely check their blushes out. With or without primer the shadows don't apply very well, they don't last, they crease and with the colours included I struggle to make an eye look that I like. I've tried it both with my favourite eye primer (Too faced Shadow Insurance) and The Balm's own primer (Put a lid on it eyelid primer).

Maybelline Master Precise Curvy Liquid Eyeliner

I don't wear eyeliner often but I do like playing around with it and experimenting. My experiment with this one failed though. I just could not get a perfect look done on both eyes when using this. I'm not saying this is a bad product, it's just a product that I personally regret purchasing for me.

Bite Beauty Cafe/Pepper Lipstick Duo

I love Bite Beauty, their philosophy and they make beautiful lipsticks, However I really regret buying this mini duo. As the individual lipsticks are so small they snap easily and both ends of mine have been mushed together :-( I would never buy one of these lipstick duos again however I would buy their full-sized products. I like both of the shades included in this duo and would repurchase them.

Beauty Favourites | February 2017

I struggled to look back over the products I've loved throughout February, it seems like a really month and at the same time I have no idea how we're through with the second month of 2017. There are a lot of products I've used and loved this month BUT I have only included the products that I have loved AND used consistently throughout the whole month.

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation 

Sometime last year this foundation was a favourite of mine. But as I love exploring new options, it eventually found itself un-used and shoved at the back of my drawer. I have started using this foundation again and really love it. The lasting powder is really good, especially when set with a power. It doesn't cling to any of my dry patches and

Sometime last year this foundation was a favourite of mine. But as I love exploring new products it eventually found itself shoved at the back of my drawer. I started using this foundation again and have remembered why I loved it so much! It lasts for a good amount of time, especially when set with a powder. It doesn't cling to my dry patches and gives my skin a nice texture and like the sticker on the bottle, it makes my skin look dewy + smooth.

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream 

I have always had rough and dry skin around my nails. I use hand cream but this cuticle cream from Burt's Bees has helped get rid off all that dry peeling skin. After using this nightly for around a week, my skin looked dramatically better. I highly recommend this cuticle cream!!!

Fanola Nutricare Shampoo* 

Full disclosure, I received this product for review purposes. However my opinion is 100% honest and unscripted. First up, this shampoo gets bonus brownie points for it's scent - it's a very calming warm scent that is described on the label as "milky". I also detect caramel/vanilla scents, I think? I'm dreadful at identifying scents but I do know Inlove this scent! The shampoo is quite liquid-y and lathers nicely into my hair. It doesn't strip my hair or make my hair feel too squeaky clean after use but does make my hair feel clean. I would definitely considering purchasing this shampoo with my own money (you can buy it from https://amr.com.au)

Mecca Cosmetica Happy Hands Hydrating Hand Cream (Limited Edition)

First of all, I am really sorry this was a limited edition product from Christmas. However I am hoping that this hand cream reappears again, or perhaps there is also already a hand cream in the Mecca Cosmetica line? This hand cream makes me so happy! :) It smells divine, it reminds of a fancy hotel room??? and it really moisturises your hands well without leaving behind any residue. I don't need to mention the gorgeous rose gold packaging, do I?!?!?!

O.P.I 'Ducle De Leche' Nail Polish 

I can't say no to a good pinky nude nail polish and in February 'Dulce De leech' from O.PI won my heart. I absolutely adore this shade and have re-applied it to my nails multiple times this month. I rarely reapply the same colour to my nails back-to-back however this polish is really perfect.

Milani Baked Blush 'Luminoso'

This blush gets so much hype and I do think it is deserves it. It gives your cheeks a healthy pinch of colour and a glow that is beautiful but not OTT. I also like this blush because it's easy to apply and you don't have to be too careful with it.

Revlon Ultra HD Gel Lipcolour in 'Desert'

This is a brand new lipstick that Revlon just launched in February and I LOVE IT!!! The colour 'Desert' is my favourite type of lip shade, a warm pinky peach nude. You get great pigmentation, hydration and lasting power with these new lipsticks. You can expect a review of these on the blog soon.

New Maybelline products on Australian Shelves | February 2017

There has been a flood of new products landing on the shelves in Australian "drugstores". Today I am tackling all the new releases from Maybelline. 

Maybelline have launched their Color jolt Intense Lip Paints. There are 8 shades which vary from nude to purple, so everybody should be able to find a colour they like. These remind me of the Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipsticks as they have similar sponge-tip applicators. I picked up the nude and the pink shade, so you can expect to see a review on those soon. 

 Maybelline have jumped on the cushion foundation bandwagon and now have a "dream cushion liquid compact foundation" available in 6 shade. My Chemist currently has 35% of Maybelline face products so if you're interested in trying it out, you could pop down there.

Maybelline have a double-ended contour/highlight jumbo crayon product and two new strobing sticks. The Master strobing sticks come in 100 light and 200 beige.

The Bricks Bronzer and Highlighter is also a new  product. It's the powder palette you can see below and includes a matte bronzer with a highlighter. 

I hope you have enjoyed this post and let me know in the comments below what you are most excited about!

Project Pan 2017 - Introduction

For the first time I am doing a project pan! Although none of the products in here have actual pans - can I still call it a "project pan"? Most of the products are lip products because I am forever buying new lip products and often forget to use older lip products even if I love them!

Covergirl Colorlicious 640 'Juicy Fruit' Lipgloss 

The sole reason why this lip gloss is in my project pan is because there is a story behind it...being a little bit obsessed with lip products I brought it in a hurry, after realising I had left the house without any lip products one day. For the price I find this lipgloss to be underwhelming. I want to use it up so I didn't waste my money because I don't love it.

Clinique Chubby Stick intense '01 curviest caramel' 

I rarely reach for this lip crayon which is a shame considering it's quite nice AND I feel like it was the product that kicked off the lip crayon craze! It might be a tiny bit too brown for me but I still want to wear it more because it's really nice. It makes me so sad that I have all of these amazing lip products but I forget they exist :/

Mac 'Shy Shine' (Lustre)

This is a very easy lipstick to wear, that you can throw on when you're running late. It can help make you look more polished and it doesn't matter if you've applied it with no mirror. It doesn't last all day but it doesn't dry your lips out either. I featured this in my '2016 Make-up Favourites' post so check that post out here if you want to see a swatch!

Mac 'Syrup' (Lustre)

This is sort of "cheating" because it is nearly completely used up! This was the second lipstick from Mac I brought and definitely my favourite. When I went through a stage when I wasn't interested in blogging or make-up (what was wrong with me???) this was the lipstick I wore every day. It's such a great lipstick that is appropriate for any place and any time.

Bite Beauty Pepper/Cafe Lipstick 

My first ever purchase from Sephora when they arrived in Australia was this little lipstick duo. The colours are really nice, they wear well and I love the concept behind Bite Beauty. However, having said that this duo drives me crazy. One end has broken and the other end if nearly broken, which makes application stressful. I want to use as much of this up as possible (before it crumbles to pieces). I think mini lipsticks have a tendency to break so I would love to buy a full-sized lipstick from Bite.

Maybelline Fit me Dewy +Smooth Foundation ' 115 Ivory'

I feel like I quite liked this foundation early in 2016? But I haven't reached for it for a very long time. I don't want to toss it in the bin because it's a decent foundation...so I'm going to try and use it all up.

Rimmel London Oh My Gloss ' 330 Snog' 

This is a really nice lipgloss that I love but never reach for. As lip glosses go off and go funky I want to wear this great lip gloss before I have to throw it out.

I really hope I am not being too ambitious with my targets for the project. I'll keep you updated throughout the year. If you're doing a project pan too feel free to leave a link to your blog below :)

Do these really work? Grammar Tangle Ties

I'm going to be completely honest and say that when I got sent these Glammar Tangle Ties to review I was skeptical. I've never seen hair ties like this before and they reminded me of those key rings that were popular when I was in primary school... So do these really work or do they get stuck in your hair and hurt like crazy?

The Glammar Tangle Tie is a traceless hair ring which is meant to be suitable for all hair types. The idea behind them is that they are meant to exert an uneven amount of pressure on your hair meaning there is no tell-tale sign when you pull your hair out that your hair has been tied up.

Pros:

• They feel really comfortable in your hair regardless of if you tie your hair up in a bun or a ponytail. 
• Using your standard hair tie I sometimes tie my hair up to tightly after a little while I can't bear it anymore and have to re-do my bun/ponytail. This is such a pain especially if I haven't thrown my hairbrush into my bag for work. With the Tangle Tie I never get that headache, it's impossible to tie the too tightly. But they still hold onto your hair tight enough that you don't feel like its loose. 
• You're never going to struggle when it's time to pull your hair tie out. These literally slide right out of your ponytail!

Cons: 

• After using them for a little while they loose their shape. 
• They are bulkier than your standard hair tie so they won't necessarily fit into your phone case / wallet / pocket. 

You can buy these from AMR. For a three pack it's $2. As I mentioned earlier I received these for free but I honestly would not feature them on the blog if I didn't like them. Overall I really like these hair ties and will continue to use them.

2016 Skincare Favourites

Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face Superscreen SPF50

I adore Mecca Cosmetica's To Save Face Superscreens. They come in both SPF50+ and SPF30+. For some reason there is a difference in how they feel and their formulas. I typically stray towards the SPF50 because it offers a higher level of protection. It doesn't have that yucky sunscreen scent, it absorbs into the skin super quickly and makes applying make-up easier, it sort of acts like a primer too. Bonus! You can read my full review by clicking here. Compared to the SPF50 version the SPF30 version feels more creamy.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

Last February I visited Las Vegas and I had to pay a visit to Sephora. Which is where I purchased two sugar lip treatments from Fresh. AND OH MY GOD it is seriously the only lip balm I have worn all year. In 2015 I would easily have tried out at least a dozen lip balms. This though is my holy grail of lip balms. Unlike other lip balms it doesn't dry out lips out in the long-term. It has a luxurious plump feeling on the lips, lasts forever on the lips and has a delicious scent. The tinted version is also really nice.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturiser

When it comes moisturiser, my list of requirements is rather long:
- Leaves  no yucky residue behind.
- Doesn't interfere with how my make-up applies.
- Doesn't interfere with how my make-up lasts.
- Doesn't make me feel oily at the end of the day.
- Absorbs into my skin instantly.
- Leaves my skin feeling moisturised but not overly moisturised (does that make any sense?)

I find that the Ultra Facial Moisturiser from Kiehl's satisfies everything I look for in a moisturiser. I'm on my second tub of it and I'll probably re-purchase a third. It's a great basic moisturiser.

Clinique Clarifying Lotion

I overhauled my skincare routine in 2016 and for the first time in a long time I have been using more than just a cleaner and moisturiser. I introduced the Clarifying Lotion from Clinique into my routine and noticed a definite improvement in my skin. Some people say bad things about Clinique and that this is a drying product. I'm not sure where I sit on all that but overall I really think it has improved my skin.

Clique Liquid Facial Soap

Continuing on with the Clinique theme...I splurged on this cleanser and really enjoy it. It doesn't dry your skin out but it still gives that clean feeling. Used in combination with the Clinqiue Clarifying Lotion and the Ultra Facial Moisturiser, I noticed a drastic reduction in pimples and break outs! Yippee.

2016 Make-up Favourites

Happy New Year!!! 2016 has been and gone so it is time to talk about what products I loved in 2016. This is a huge post so let's skip the intro and get into the details...

Smashbox powder Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder

When I wandered into Mecca I wanted something that would my make-up lat longer and provide a bit of extra coverage. After receiving amazing customer service I walked out with this powder from Smashbox. And I absolutely love it! I was warned that with a heavy hand this could look a little cake and whilst that is true, it is avoidable. Instead of just having a tub of loose powder you "shave" the powder up into the accessible part of the tub which minimises wastage and helps you get only the amount of product you need.

Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation

2016 was the year of high-end foundation experimentation for me. I received a sample from Mecca after hearing mixed reviews but instantly fell in love and rushed back to buy the foundation after wearing the foundation for a handful of days. This foundation gives fantastic coverage, lasts really

Maybelline 'Rose Poudre' Nail Polish

In previous years I had different polishes on my nails every 3 days or so. In 2016 I started working full-time and my nail polish obsession faded away. Having said that I still love a good nail polish! 'Rose Poudre' is a gorgeous dusty pink colour that can be applied in one coat. It dries quickly and applies really easily, thanks to a great brush. I'm probably half-way through my current bottle and will definitely be repurchasing this polish.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

This mascara was actually in my 2015 beauty favourites but I thought it deserved to be in this post too. I have had this mascara in rotation all year and have repurchased it numerous times. The Lash Sensational does a really good job of separating and fanning out my lashes as well as adding volume without making them clumpy or gunky.

Mac Lipstick in 'Syrup' 

This lipstick from MAC is literally going to become the first lipstick I have ever completely used up. I have the tiniest nib of product in the tube which I have reluctantly working towards using up. This is a fantastic lipstick to wear as it is perfect for any situation and time.

Mac Lipstick in 'Shy Shine'

'Shy Shine' is the more neutral and lazy day version of 'Syrup' which I just talked about. It's semi-sheer and quite shimmery so it will go with any look and can be easily applied on the go. I've seen it described as a warm coral but I was going to describe it as a nude-ish pink with a slight coral undertone to it? It is more shimmery than the typical lippy I wear but I absolutely adore it.

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick 'Naked' (Cream)

In 2016 this was my "special" lipstick which I wore whenever I was going out. These lipsticks have amazing pigmentation, feel really creamy on the lips, don't dry out your lips and

Naked | Syrup | Shy Shine

Sally Hansen Complete Care 7-in-1 Nail Treatment

A good base coat is really important for a great looking manicure and healthy nails. This 7-in-1 nail treatment from Sally Hansen is a really good base coat. It dries very quickly and I have noticed my nails have been in much better condition since using this base coat.

Review | Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face Superscreen SPF 50

Regardless of if it is a freezing cold day, a scorching hot day or somewhere in the middle... we should always wear sunscreen. The say sunscreen is one of the bets anti-aging products you can use but we typically only start thinking about sunscreen when it is sunny and hot. Even when its cloudy and "meh" weather sunscreen should be applied. The Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face Superscreen with SPF50  has been my go-to SPF product for the past couple of months. It's a no-fuss product that I absolutely adore and will repurchase when my current tube empties.

This post has been sitting in my "drafts" folder for close to a week. I think it's because I want everybody to love this product as much as I do!

This sunscreen is skin-coloured but becomes invisible once applied, leaving no white cast. It feels really hydrating on the skin, absorbs quickly and leaves your skin feeling smooth. I find that this can be applied instead of or over moisturiser and used like a primer, as it provides a good base for make-up. It doesn't feel greasy and it doesn't leave any residue behind.

The packaging is great, a sleek black tube. The only thing that would improve the packaging would be if the lid flipped open instead of of the screw-off lid. There is no yucky sunscreen smell. It has no real scent, but smells nice at the same time.

Overall this is a luxurious feeling sunscreen that feels moisturising and works as a great base for make-up.

My Current Everyday Make-up Routine

I recently fell into a new everyday make-up routine. As a bonus, it was completely accidental - I was mucking around with a foundation that I could never get to look good on my skin and bingo I've got a new favourite look.

 After using Clinque's clarifying lotion and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturiser I use the Base Magique primer from L'oreal. This is one of my favourite primers ever. It makes the foundation apply so nicely and last really well. It truly does make my make-up last longer.

I forgot to include the next product in the main picture - d'oh! But I absolutely adore the Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen. You can use this instead of moisturiser and primer if you are in a hurry, however I often use it between my Kiehl's moisturiser and Base Magique primer. It doesn't smell like sunscreen, feels beautiful on the skin and it acts as a primer, making your make-up apply really nicely. It also protects you from the sun which we all know is very important.

The foundation I keep making reference to is Clinique's Beyond Perfecting Foundation. This is the most expensive foundation I have ever brought and I was initially very disappointed with it. However, now that I have incorporated it into this new routine, I quite like it. It's a great colour match, it has good coverage and lasting power. It might even be my favourite / holy grail foundation! Stay tuned...

Using Elf's Complexion Brush (recommended by Emilynoel83 on Youtube, and if you don't watch her channel you should go and pay a visit to to it) I use Australis' Fresh & Flawless Pressed Powder on top of it all.

Finally, I use Benefit's Coralista blush. I was previously not a fan of this blush but I've been really pleased with it lately. It's funny how this new routine uses so many products that I previously didn't love and now I do. 

I obviously then go in with mascara and lipstick but that changes from day to day. I will say though that Max Factor's Clump Defy mascara is a great mascara if you prefer mascaras with a drier formula, its an extremely dry mascara. My all-time favourite mascara is the Lash Sensational mascara from Maybelline.

September Beauty Favourites

Time for September favourites and I have a group of really good products this month to share with you. I really love all of these products and they have been working beautifully in my make-up routine. 

Mecca Cosmetica To Save face Superscreen SPF 50

Everybody knows that sunscreen is a brilliant way to prevent wrinkles and ageing skin, however, I think there are many people that don't follow this beauty and skincare rule. I certainly don't in winter (and yes I know this is bad of me!). But I am trying to change. I have been wearing the 'To Save Face Superscreen SPF 50' from Mecca Cosmetica over my usual moisturiser and underneath my primer and I am really liking it. I don't think it has caused any breakouts, it smells really nice and not like sunscreen at all, absorbs nicely into the skin and hopefully is keeping my skin protected from evil sun rays. It doesn't seem to interfere with the wear of my make-up either which is great!

L'Oreal Base Magique Transforming Smoothing Primer

This primer makes your skin feel like it is covered in velvet, makes applying your make-up more effortless and I could swear it makes my make-up stay on for longer. With some primers I am dubious about their ability to make my make-up last longer but with this one I feel like it does something - yay! I have really been loving this primer, so much so that I can forgive the fact that it comes in a jar.

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch of Light Highlighter

I have been using this underneath my eyes as a bit of a concealer. It's the first concealer I have ever used underneath my eyes and I don't really know how to judge such a product but I like it so there you go. Let me know what you think is important in a under eye product!

Antipodes Deliverance Kowhai Flower Hand Cream 

I always walk past the Antipodes products in Priceline however I saw KitschSnitch on Youtube talk about this hand cream and decided I needed to try it for myself! The scent is amazing but I'm hopeless at describing scents so I'm not really going to try. It smells warm and a bit sweet??? On the hands it absorbs really quickly and makes your hands feels really smooth.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment 

I really should sit down and write an actual review on this lip balm because I just love it so very much! This is thicker than your typical drugstore lip balm and it lasts a really long time. Whereas some lip balms can make your lips more chapped and dry, I feel like this one isn't one of those lip balms where your lips get drier and addict to.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish By Kate Lipstick '54 Rock n' Roll Nude'

We will address the elephant in the room first - yes the rose gold packaging definitely contributed to me wandering across to the Rimmel London stand! This is a really nice pinky nude, however it is slightly more pale than the nudes I typically wear. Really nice for spring.

Repurchased Lip Products

How can you tell if a lip product is really really really good? By how many times you've seen it in a favourites video on Youtube, by swatching it instore? To me, I know a lip product is really good if I am willing to spend my hard earned money on it not just once but twice. Today we are going to be looking at the only four lip products I have ever re-purchased. Before we get stuck into hard working lip products I would like to point out that I have excluded lip balms because I have repurchased a gazillion different lip balms. Let me know if you would like to see a post on my favourite lip balms.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 'Honey'

The Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains were hyped about to the moon and back on Youtube when they were first released. I don't hear much about them anymore but I still think they are trustworthy products. I'm talking about a particular shade called 'Honey' which is - - - . Being in a lip crayon format you can swipe this across your lips wherever you are and you know your lips will be looking good. It won't have smeared itself across your face - always a good thing! It lasts well on the lips, doesn't dry your lips out and has good pigmentation. Once you get to the stage where it starting to dry down and wear off (aprox - - - hours) you can bring it back to life with a lip balm or clear gloss, or swipe some more on. It's a basic, hard-working and no fuss product.

Maybelline Colour Elixir in 'Caramel Infused' and 'Petal Plush'

When these were originally released I jumped on the bandwagon and adored these glosses. But make-up products do actually go off and they actually have "best before" deadlines printed on them. So a little while ago I did a declutter of my lip product and I tossed out three of these. I repurchased two of the shades I previously owned ('Petal Plush' and 'Caramel Infused') but did not repurchase 'Nude Illusion'. Although having said that, I think I will in the future. These have good pigmentation, feel lovely on the lips and last quite a while considering they are gloss.

Top left: Petal Plush Bottom Left: Caramel Infused From left to right: 235 Nude, Honey, Peach Lollipop

Maybelline Baby Lips Candy Wow in 'Peach Lollipop'

This is a great lip product for when you need something but not anything super special. It's a moisturising tinted lip balm. The pigmentation isn't super amazing but it gives your lips a bit of life - a peachy shade, needless to say.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in #235 'Nude'

I owned this lipstick quite a long time ago but my Mum fell in love with it so I let her have it. Earlier this year when My Chemist Warehouse has 50% off L'oreal I repurchased it. It's my perfect nude lipstick and even though the lasting power isn't amazing, it's still decent, and does what it needs to do.  I also love the packaging, the scent of the lipstick and how it feels on the lips.

Thanks for reading and let me know in the comments below what lip products you've repurchased.

Empties #8

My little stash of empty, used up products has been accumulating so I decided it was time to do an 'empties' post. These posts are iconic in the blogosphere and on youtube. Another thing that is very typical in the blogosphere is that these posts come far and few between. I think everybody is guilty of letting the empties pile grow a bit too much...I certainly am!

Lets get into it, shall we?

Maybelline's 'Baby Skin' Primer 

When the tube you see pictured here ran out I brought another one immediately. However, even though I am a good half way through the new tube, I am unsure if I love it as much as I originally did. This primer is very silicon-y and you have to be careful not to apply it. If you apply it, it feels like your face is going to slide off. Having said that, it does help with my enormous pores and redness. It also makes my face feel really smooth, which I love. Would I repurchase? Maybe.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

I love this mascara and have already repurchased another one. It does a good job at separating your lashes and fanning them out. My lashes are pretty ordinary but this mascara makes them look great. It doesn't clump or transfer anywhere and is easy to remove. Would  repurchase?Already have.

Max Factor Clump Defy Mascara

I love this mascara too! But for entirely different reasons. Whereas the Lash Sensational from Maybelline is quite wet, this is the driest formula of mascara I have ever used. The wand is great and makes application a zinch. This mascara doesn't do spectacular things but it is a good basic mascara that I know I can rely on. Would  I repurchase? Already have.

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Black Mascara

I believe this mascara costs $48 which is more than I would ever pay for a mascara. I received this for free with a magazine. The brush on this mascara was extremely large and it took me a while to get use to it. This mascara did work really well but to be honest, it has been sitting in my empties for a long time, and I can't remember much about it! If you have $48 to spend on a mascara it wasn't bad. Would I repurchase? Probably not - if it was cheaper it would still be a "maybe".

Top: Maybelline Lash Sensational: Estee Lauder Bottom: Max Factor Clump Defy

Simple Cleansing Wipes

These are always featured in my empties and I always stock up when Priceline has these on sale. They are useful when I want to remove swatches. I don't use them all that often on my face or eyes but I can if I need to as they are quite gentle. Would I repurchase? Always.

L'Occitane Handcream

I am a really bad blogger - I cannot remember the name of this hand cream. This was really good and at the end I stopped using it because I adored the fresh scent so much! L'Occitane do lovely handcreams and their small $12 tubes are great for the handbag. Plus, they last a long time. Would I repurchase? Yes.

Midnight Fantasy perfume by Britney Spears


Celebrity perfumes are not always popular but this is only the second bottle of perfume I have ever completely used up. It stayed around for awhile was quite intense which are key criteria for any perfume in my opinion! Would I repurchase? Yes!

Essence colour & care 'I care for you' Review

Essence have a new line of nail polishes, in addition to their colour & go collection they now have a colour & care collection. The colour & care collection consists of 4 polishes and all are soft, creamy and pastel shades. 'I care for you' is a gorgeous pale pink polish.

The polishes from this collection are marketed as nail polishes that are made with natural ingredients and with strengthening properties.

The ingredients are:
BUTYL ACETATE, ETHYL ACETATE, NITROCELLULOSE, ISOSORBIDE DICAPRYLATE/CAPRATE, ADIPIC ACID/NEOPENTYL GLYCOL/TRIMELLITIC ANHYDRIDE COPOLYMER, ALCOHOL DENAT., STEARALKONIUM BENTONITE, STYRENE/ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, DIACETONE ALCOHOL, N-BUTYL ALCOHOL, TRIMETHYLPENTANEDIYL DIBENZOATE, BENZOPHENONE-1, PHOSPHORIC ACID, CI 19140 (YELLOW 5 LAKE), CI 77491 (IRON OXIDES), CI 77742 (MANGANESE VIOLET), CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE). 

As you can see these nail polishes are 5-free, that is free from the 5 ingredients that should be avoided in nail polishes (dibutyl phthalate, toluene, camphor, formaldehyde and formaldehyde resin). 


The formula of this nail polish is really good, quite thin but easy to work with thanks to a lovely brush. The brush is flat and very wide, making it easy to coat your nails with minimal strokes. After two coats I felt like the polish was opaque however on a few nails I felt like I could do another coat. They were opaque but there was a very faint streak. Another coat solved this problem and in the future I can see myself stopping at 2 coats. The coats themselves dry quite quickly. 

I always wear base coat but for the first time in probably four years (yes seriously) I applied this with no base coat!!! The polish applied well onto my nails and didn't emphasise any random bumps on my nails. At work I am very very very tough on my nails, so please keep that in mind...on the third day I started developing a little bit of tip wear. There were no major  chips or anything. I was really pleased with this as it was with no base-coat or top-coat and, as I said, my job is out to murder polished nails.