Monthly Favourites | January 2013

The last day of January! This month has gone so fast! But today I will be sharing what I have been loving using throughout the month of January.

The Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait has been a super easy product for a day to day basis. It provides a bit of gold shimmer which on most occasions I am a fan of. The colour is very flattering but sheer, and given that my lips are already very pigmented it doesn't show up very much but I have been loving the colour it gives my lips and the very comfortable formula of it.

Another easy lip product for me this month was my Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me which is from the USA. It is a sheer tinted lip balm which also smells delicious! It is not very pigmented but it gives my lips a sheer, juicy, red-tinged look that I really like.

I have been using the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler in conjunction with the Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus Mascara (full review) this month. The curl that the Shu curler gives my short, straight lashes is phenomenal, much better than any other I have tried, granted I haven't tried many. I have a feeling it will be a long time favourite! The MM Mascara provides amazing length and also holds curl all day long!

The Bodyshop Eye Definer in Moonstone has been an amazing product for my waterline, giving me brighter and wider eyes, making me seem more awake! It does have a metallic finish which gives a lovely iridescence.  I also enjoy using it as an inner corner highlight.

As I have been wearing eyeshadow quite often during the holidays, the Essence I love Stage Eyeshadow Base has been a must-have. It primes the lids for eyeshadow while covering discolouration on the lids and making eyeshadows more vibrant. It also helps them last longer and prevents creasing.

In terms of eyeshadows I have been mainly reaching for the The Balm Balm Jovi Face Palette as it has a wide range of colours and finishes. I have also been using the blush and highlighter often. My full in-depth review is featured here.

For a daily base I have been using the Garnier BB cream for Oily/Combination skin. I was tossing up between this and the Skin79 variant but decided on the Garnier because I have been using it for the majority of the month. It provides good coverage, a relatively matte finish and moisture without making my skin oily. 

For powdering I have been using the Australis Fresh and Flawless Pressed Powder. I use this over sunscreen, concealer and/or BB cream. It sets everything whilst also providing a bit of extra coverage and good oil control. A really lovely powder!

Lastly, one of my most used blushes this month has been the Catrice Defining Duo Blush in Peach Sorbet (full review). It is just a really nice, easy natural colour. You can use the champagne shade as a highlight or mix it all together for a glowy blush.

So those are the products I've been using! Some old favourites and new discoveries! 

Collective Haul | January 2013

Today I will be showing what I have purchased over the month of January! This will not include what I bought in my Haul from Abroad or my Treats from the USA. As the Holidays have given me a lot of free time, a lot of it was spent shopping...

There were quite a few good sales going on this month, especially the week or two after boxing day so I definitely took advantage of them!

I picked up:

T.N Dickinsons Witch Hazel toner - Coles at $6.75 (Full Review)

Garnier Dark Spot Corrector - Target at $11.85 (30% off) (Full Review)

Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Transparent - Priceline at ~$9 (25% off)

Rimmel Wake me up foundation in True Nude - Priceline at ~$15 (25% off)

The Balm Balm Jovi Face Palette - David Jones at $31.46 (full price $44.95) (Full Review)

Essence Stay All Day eyeshadow in 09 For Fairies - Priceline at $5.50

Essence Kajal Pencil in 08 Teddy - Target at $1.95

Essence Gel eyeliner brush - Priceline at $2.95

Essence Lipstick in 53 All about Cupcake - Priceline at $3.95

Essence Cherry Blossom Girl Quattro Eyeshadow - Priceline at $5.95 (Full Review)

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in 420 Pacific Blue - Kmart at $6.75

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 20 - Target at ~$6 (Buy One Get One Free, went splitsies with a friend)

So that's all of it! Will review the products soon so watch this space. Now to implement some sort of spending ban...

Majolica Majorca Mascara

Today I have an Asian mascara that I picked up in Hong Kong to share, I have heard so many good things about this brand of mascaras so I knew I wanted one of them! From reviews it seemed like the Lash Expander Frame Plus would be my best bet.

I have to say that the packaging of this mascara is gorgeous! I love the gold and black and the opulent lid with the Majolica stamp on the top.

This mascara contains fibers in it which are supposed to attach to the ends of your lashes making them physically longer. This is the first fiber mascara I've tried and while most of the fibers go where they should, some stick out in the wrong direction or not at the end of the eyelash. This can be fixed easily with a comb through of a lash comb or spoolie. 

The wand is quite a funny shape that takes some getting used to but one I have grown to love! it extremely skinny has a curved end of zig-zags and a straight end. I typically find it's easier to catch all my lashes with the straight side. The comb defines the lashes amazingly. I find it creates great length and definition making it quite a 'natural' look. I find the only area it lacks in is volume, which can be fixed by layering it over a volumizing mascara.

The formula is waterproof and smudge-proof and relatively easy to take off (provided you use a makeup wipe or remover). I really like this mascara and it might just be my new favourite! It will be a sad day when this runs out...

Witchy Business

I have another new addition to my skincare routine to review today. It is the T.N. Dickinson's Witch Hazel toner. This is highly raved about by Dom from DOMMsmiles so I decided to try it out!

Witch Hazel is quite well known for it's acne-fighting properties because it is a strong anti-oxidant and astringent. I was previously using the Clinique 3-step toner, which besides removing the excess gunk on my skin, wasn't really doing anything. I also felt it was quite strong as it contains quite a high percentage of alcohol and it is quite tingly and cooling on my skin. I felt like I needed a change and something a bit more targeted toward my skin's needs. The witch hazel does also contain alcohol but only a little at 14%. Also this is a MUCH cheaper than the Clinique. 

I have been swiping it over my face and neck on a cotton ball morning and night for the past two weeks. It removes the excess dirt on my face after cleansing, which I feel most toners do. It doesn't burn at all on the skin. It does have quite a distinct, funky smell but it is not at all noticeable when applied.

I have noticed a difference in my skin, and I can honestly say that it works better for me than the Clinique one! I feel like I am breaking out less and even during 'that time of the month' the pimples are not as bad as they would have been prior to my usage  Albeit, I haven't been using it for too long for a good indication, but things are looking up! I feel l am getting less cystic pimples and that they are clearing up faster. It has also tightened my pores a bit, which might just all be in my head, but I feel like they are less noticeable!

Overall, I will definitely continue using this until it runs out and keep you guys updated! It is really inexpensive at AUD$6.75 at Coles or Priceline for 240mL. 

Garnier Dark Spot Corrector

Today I have a new skincare item I have been using for the past two weeks! It is the Garnier Dark spot corrector daily illuminating moisturiser. After Kaye's rather glowing reviews of this product, I decided to give it a go!

I was in need of a new moisturiser and Garnier was having 30% off at Target, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to pick it up. It claims to reduce sun spots, age spots and blemish marks. I do have quite a few freckles on my cheeks and hyper pigmentation from acne.

I have been using it morning and night and within the first week I noticed a difference in my skin! It has brightened up my whole face giving it a nice 'glow', if that's possible! My skin feels soft and smooth. It provides a good amount of moisture but doesn't make my combination skin oily, which is good as it is marketed for all skin types. The moisturizer is thin in texture and feels very light on the skin. It has a slight citrus-y scent which doesn't linger on the skin after application but it smells very refreshing!

From my two weeks of use, I have noticed my blemish marks have faded quite significantly. I will continue to use this and maybe after a good few more weeks, they might disappear entirely (wishful thinking at its best!). I haven't however noticed a difference in my freckles and I can't exactly vouch for age spots! 

I really like this moisturizer! I definitely recommend it, even if you don't have any dark spots it is still a really nice moisturizer that provides a brightened complexion and an improved texture. It retails for AUD$16.95 for 50ml of product.

Dreaming Under a Cherry Tree

Today I have an item from Essence's Trend Edition Cherry Blossom Girl. I have the eyeshadow quad in Dreaming Under a Cherry Tree. I was going to get the blush also but sadly it was all sold out!

This quattro eyeshadow contains a coraly-burnt orange with gold shimmer, a peach with a silver frosty finish, a shimmery browny-bronzy-taupe shade and a frosty light grey. I think these colours will be really pretty for the summer and I don't have any like them!

The shades are quite pigmented, soft and smooth. The only shade I found slightly chalky was the light grey. I really like the mix of shades and they are quite wearable whilst also adding a pop of colour.

This is a limited edition item and judging from how fast Essence sells out, if you want it, I would reccommend going out and getting it as soon as possible! It retails for $5.95 for 5 grams of product and the Cherry Blossom Girl Collection is exclusive to Priceline.

Jon Balm Jovi

Today I have quite an exciting product to share! This is the first high-end purchase I've ever made! It is the Balm Jovi Rockstar Face Palette by The Balm. This has been raved about by many including emilynoel83. I have been dying to try out some of The Balm's products so when I saw this in David Jones reduced from $44.95 to $31.46, I decided I had to get it, especially since it is limited edition and for a $101 value, that's pretty good!

This Face palette contains; 12 Eyeshadows, 1 Highlighter, 1 Blush and 2 lip/cheek colours.

The packaging is cardboard casing like most of the Balm's products and although it is thin it is very sturdy. The palette is extremely compact and I expect perfect for travel! It also includes an adorable heart-shaped mirror.

Now onto the Eyeshadows...

The Heavy Metal column contains eyeshadows with either a metallic, glittery or frost finish. The Classical shadows are all matte. The Alternative column has mostly shimmery shades. All shadows are soft, buttery and pigmented, even the mattes which is a finish infamous for being chalky and patchy. The formula of these shadows is excellent! I also really like the variety of colours and finishes available; neutrals, deeper shades, mattes and shimmers!

Alice Copper, Lead Zeppelin, Iron Maid-in, Metal-ica, Presto, Moderato

Alice Copper is a frosty copper-maroon shade

Lead Zeppelin is an olive green with gold glitter/shimmer particles

Iron Maid-in is a frosty gold with a champagne undertone

Metal-ica is a frosty silvery white

Presto is a matte cool-toned dark brown

Moderato is a matte deep purple

Allegro, Adagio, Third Eye Blinded, rem, The Stroke, Blink 1982

Allegro is a matte yellow based medium brown

Adagio is a matte pinky cream

Third Eye Blinded is a light pink champagne shade with shimmer

rem is a violet with a heavy golden shimmer

The Stroke is a dark blackened navy blue with lighter blue shimmer

Blink 1982 is a taupey-beige-purple with gold shimmer

The Disco Disco Solid Gold Luminizer is basically a mini size of their highlighter Mary-Lou Manizer. It is a soft gold with a champagne-beige undertone and is great for all skin tones as it is not too yellow or cool-toned. 

The Pop Pop Don't You Want Me? blush is also a mini size of one of The Balm's blushes - Frat Boy. It is a very pretty peachy-pink shade with a matte finish. It has great pigmentation and is easily blended.

The Lip and Cheek colours are Milly and Vanilly. Milly is a nudey pink and Vanilly is a classic, blue-based red. Both are quite opaque and last well on the lips. Vanilly does stain the lips a bit after wear.

Solid Gold, Don't You Want Me?, Milly, Vanilly

The palette even contains a little 'billboard' chart outlining look ideas.

Overall, I love this palette! I love that the company put a lot of effort into the packaging and names of the products to go with the theme of the palette. It was also considerate of them to have a separate flap for the cream products, powder and cream mixing can get pretty messy! The Balm is available at David Jones and if you can get your hands on it before it's gone, especially because it is currently on sale, I highly recommend it!

Treats from the USA

Today I have another haul from the USA! A friend recently got back from her trip to America and kindly picked up a few things for me while she was there!

I asked her for a few things that aren't available in Australia that I was dying to get my mitts on!

I got:

Eos lip spheres in Pomegranate Raspberry, Medicated Tangerine and Lemon drop (SPF 15) 

I already own a couple of these and absolutely love them!

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me and Pink Punch

Elf Contouring Blush/Bronzer in St Lucia

Revlon Lip Butter in Peach parfait

Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette

Reviews will be up soon. Thanks so much Tam!

NOTD | Peanut Butter Jelly Time

Today I have my very first NOTD (Nail of the Day) post! Featured in this post is a Jelly Sandwich using OPI Houston we have a Purple and Essence Make it Golden.

In this case the jelly is Houston we have a Purple. A jelly is a finish of nail polish where it is sheer but buildable, usually opaque in 3-4 coats. They are called 'jellies' because their finish is translucent or 'squishy' looking. A jelly sandwich is when you layer a glitter polish between a few coats of a jelly, creating a translucent, almost stained glass effect!

OPI Houston we have a Purple is a nice purple leaning pink. The formula is super smooth, self-leveling and it dries extremely shiny. Essence Make it Golden is a polish consisting of a few sizes of Gold hex glitter and gold shimmer. When layered underneath HWHAP, the glitter appears rose gold.

Dolly Wink

 Today I have a couple of items from the Japanese makeup brand Dolly Wink to share. I picked up their eyebrow powder and also their liquid eyeliner.

 I have the eyebrow powder in the shade 03 Dark Chocolate which is the darkest available. It comes with two different coloured powders; a dark, ashy brown and a light, almost creamy brown. The brown is also cool-toned so it suits people with black hair.

 The purpose of the two shades is to mix and match your perfect brow colour. I initially thought I wouldn't use the light one at all but I have been mixing it with a bit of the darker one and filling in the front of my brows with that and the tail-end of my brows with the darker powder alone. I find this creates a much more natural effect with definition without is being too dark or stark.

 The kit also comes with a brush. The brush is a bit too fat so it doesn't provide thin, hair like strokes but it does the job of filling in the brows. 

Darker shade, lighter shade

 The powders have a nice dry texture and are not too pigmented which is good because it makes it easy not to overdo your brows. I find that their lasting power is okay, even when topped with a clear gel (in my case the essence clear gel mascara), by the end of the day I find the colour has completely faded.

The Dolly Wink eyeliner in Black has a nice thin tip which is super precise and the very end of the tip is also nice and flexible making it very easy to draw lines. Because the tip is thinner at the top and fatter at the bottom, you can get both a thin or thick line.

However, because it is so precise, it will show every shake in your hand so you must have a steady hand whilst applying your eyeliner! The colour is super pigmented and black so you don't have to draw over and over your eye to get decent pay off. It lasts all day and is waterproof. 

Catrice

Today I have a couple of items from Catrice cosmetics to review today. I picked up a blush and a nail polish.

The Catrice Defining Duo Blush in 020 Peach Sorbet contains two shades; a darker, dirtier peach and a light peach-champagne. Both shades are shimmery.

The blush is nicely pigmented and the formula is soft and silky. The colour stays on the cheeks for a good while and is a very flattering shade of peach.

Darker shade, lighter shade, blended 

The darker shade can be used on its own on the cheeks and the lighter shade can be used as a highlighter along the cheekbones, or they can be blended together to create a very pretty colour!

The nail colour in 840 Genius in The Bottle is a very pretty duochrome colour which is a deep gold which flashes to a light green and even blue in some angles. 

This is supposedly a dupe (duplicate) of Chanel's Peridot but from comparison swatches Genius in the Bottle is a bit more bronze. It took three coats to get opaque.

Top Makeup

Today I have a couple of items from Topshop's line of makeup to review!

I picked up these Topshop bits while I was overseas and fortunately, unlike the clothes, their makeup range was relatively cheap. I bought a cream blush in the shade Head over Heels and a lipstick in the shade Ohh La La.

I absolutely love the packaging on both of these products! The blush is packed in a sturdy, matte, plastic container with cute grey polka dots on the front and a mirror inside. The lipstick is housed in a matte metal tube with grey stripes.

Head over Heels is a very pretty peachy-pink shade with fine gold shimmer throughout. The formula is very nice and despite it being a cream blush, it applies and dries down to a dry finish as if it were a powder blush. It is nicely pigmented and easy to blend with even your fingers!

 

Ohh La La is a light coral shade with pink undertones. It is a creamy lipstick with no shimmer and the pigmentation on this one isn't extremely opaque but it gives a nice glossy finish to the lips. It isn't at all drying to the lips either! It does have a slight scent that I can't describe but I do really like.

Ohh La La lipstick, Head over Heels blush

Overall I really like both of these products and for the price they are really nice. They both last really well on the face and lips. My only regret is...that I didn't buy more!