Monthly Favourites | May 2013

Heyo - it's that time again! Favourites time! I'm not going to drag on about how quickly this month has gone, blah blah blah, but we all know that it did! Anyhow, I have quite a few new products thrown in the mix today. 

First up for the makeup bits!

As we approach the cooler months, the weather sucks out all the moisture from my skin and lips! Especially here, the temperature dropped quite a bit, quite suddenly. To keep the lips smooth and supple I've been using a lip combo that helps all lip products apply to the lips a lot smoother. The Lush Popcorn lip scrub (limited edition) is a sugar lip scrub that helps scrub away all the dead and flaky skin, revealing soft, smooth lips. Popcorn is a really delicious caramel flavour. They advise to lick it off of your lips once scrubbed, but then....wouldn't you be eating your dead skin..? Yucky! Haha, the other lip product is the Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream. At first I wasn't so enthused by this balm, but I've grown to love it. It's not super intensely moisturising, or by any means the best lip balm EVER!!!! It's pretty average. It has got a lovely texture and sits well under lipstick and just what I've been reaching for most this month. The flavour melds well with the lip scrub too.

  For lip colour, I've been reaching for my Loreal Nutri-shine balm in Nudy Coral. As described here it's a really lovely lip balm in itself and provides the faintest hint of colour, with sparkle and shine.

For a lot of this month, I've really been enjoying my Bourjois Blush in 16 Rose Coup de Foudre. It is a beautiful peach-pink-apricot shade with a gorgeous gold shimmery-sheen. Very pretty. I'll be doing a review of it and the other shade I own soon.

I received the Neutrogena Dry touch sunscreen in the Neutrogena sample pack when I was definitely in need of a new one (my other one, Neutrogena Sport Face, had expired a year ago and I only realised recently..whoops...). I really like this suncreen, it has SPF 30+ and isn't dry to the touch per se, but it isn't crazy greasy or thick like other sunscreens. It is very lightweight and sinks into the skin well. It sits underneath makeup well and doesn't make me any oilier than I would be otherwise throughout the day. I'll definitely be picking up the full size with SPF 50!

It was inevitable, that these brushes were to feature in a favourites, and here they are. I sure have been loving ALL of the Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman brushes but these in particular I have been using the most. The Blush Brush and the Buffing Brush (each ranking 1st and 2nd on my fave brush list respectively). I won't go into detail but I've been loving the buffing brush for my foundation, you know the usual spiel. I'd never tried a flat-top type brush to apply my foundation before, and now I'll never go back! The blush brush has been my new brush-for-everything-powder. It works well for face powder, blush, bronzer, the works and I've been using it daily, maybe just to stroke its delightful softness...

I've never featured a perfume in a favourites before, now BOOM I have two here. I acquired both of these recently and have been loving them both. The first is Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Camellia which is a wonderful fresh, floral amost citrus scent. Very subtle and great for daily wear - it lasts too. The other is Michael Kors Gold Rose Edition which is beautiful - my little review (with pic spam) here. I haven't worn it too much yet, but I know it will be a firm favourite in the future!

The last item is the Green tea facial wipes from Beauty Care Co. I snagged these for an easy $2 and they are actually really good. The towelettes themselves are quite soft and damp (though they could be more moist) and they remove everything bar waterproof mascara.

I ship it. Johnlock all the way.

A bit of a TV show favourite, since you know, I'm addicted. I recently got super into Sherlock, it's just perfection, so witty and mind-blowing awesomeness, that and I'm a raging Cumberbitch. I am soooo excited for it to come back in November.

There ye go, my May Faves! What have you guys been loving this month?

Smelly Sunday | Rose Gold

Hello! This post begins the start of a sort of 'series' I'm doing called 'Smelly Sundays' where I'll review or talk about all things smelly - perfumes, candles, and other such scented things! It probably won't be regular, but if I have something smelly, I'll post it on Sunday :). Anyhoo, today's post is on a perfume that I have wanted for a while now and I got it from my friends for my birthday! Thanks guys!

It is the Michael Kors Gold Rose Edition perfume! I love all things rose gold and this scent just drew me in (be forewarned, I'll have lots of pics to show of its beauty). I have the 50mL bottle, the 30mL bottle retails for $96 in Myer which is quite expensive, but you can pick it up cheaper online.

Yes, I got out all of my rose gold bits and bobs for decoration :p

Let me just say that I suck at describing scents, let alone picking out individual notes. My nose just isn't intelligent enough. So, I will let Michael Kors himself do the talking ;)

"Luminous pink pepper with a deeply voluptuous bouquet of tuberose and a whisper of a creamy sandalwood.

Radiant glamour for an eau de parfum that's undeniably feminine."

According to Fragrantica it contains the notes of "tuberose, lily-of-the-valley, peony, gardenia, rose, water lily, pink pepper raspberry and champaca." 

As you can tell, it's definitely a floral scent. Some of those things I haven't even heard of! From my plebeian nose, I can detect the sandalwood and the floral notes, to me it's quite a sweet floral. To be honest, I don't know what most of the notes and flowers smell like individually! I think that it is night and day appropriate and as described, very feminine. The eau de parfum lasts all day and is still distinctly there by the end of the day.

The bottle is absolutely gorgeous - simplistic but it makes a statement! I love its rectangular quality and the rose gold band but it can be prone to attract fingerprints and smudges. The 'squirter' (you know, that button thing pictured above) is very firm and does need a good, hard squeeze which I quite like as it's not flimsy. The nozzle dispenses a good amount and sprays from a good distance.

Even the perfume itself is rose gold too!

I'm really not the hugest perfume person, I don't own too many and I can't tell the difference between one floral and another, but I highly recommend giving this one a sniff! I just absolutely adore it and I think it might become my 'signature scent'!

Have you tried any of Michael Kors' fragrances?

More than just Nail Polish

Hey Guys! Ulta3 is one of my favourite nail polish brands as they are so cheap ($2 a pop) and really good quality too! I always knew they had a small range of makeup but I hadn't delved into it...until now.

I had heard quite good things about their lipsticks, so whilst in Terry White I decided to give a couple a go. They have 2 ranges of differing finishes, matte and moisturising. The mattes go for $3.95 and the moisturising ones are $2.95. So very cheap just like the polishes, but...are they similar in quality?

I picked up one of each; 037 Hot Pink Kisses (matte) and 057 Sunkiss Me (moisturising). I actually really like the packaging on these. The tubes are black and very sleek, the outer corresponds to the finish of it - if it is matte, the packaging is matte and if it is moisturising the packaging is glossy. I really like that you can see the colour of the lipstick through the bottom also. The packaging really does seem and feel a lot more expensive than it really is!

For the shades themselves:

Hot Pink Kisses is a matte purple-berry-pink, not hot pink as the name would suggest.

Sunkiss Me is a sheer and glossy corally apricot shade.

Onto the formula:

For the matte shade Hot Pink Kisses, it is really pigmented and smooth to apply. It's not totally matte and still has the slightest sheen, but overall on the lips is fairly matte. It isn't too drying either. I find it does cling to dry/flaky bits (as I find most lipsticks do, especially of the matte variety) so be sure to scrub up beforehand! I find it lasted really well on me, it was looking pretty good for 4 hours up until I chowed down on a Grill'd burger. Even then it was still looking good as it leaves a stain. I imagine with little eating or drinking, this would last extremely well!

For the moisturising shade Sunkiss Me I find it has a glossy and sheer formula but still has quite good colour payoff. I don't find it particularly moisturising on the lips though it isn't at all drying. When swatched it looks rather glossy, though on the lips it is not as shiny. It definitely has a shine/sheen though and has a translucent look to it. Although the shade is on the sheer side, it is quite buildable, so you can achieve quite a bright lip with this. It doesn't accentuate dry patches too badly either. Due to its sheer and glossy qualities, it does not last very well on the lips - though this is how I typically find most sheer lippies wear. 

These do have a scent which does linger slightly. The moisturising one smells like musk stick lollies to me and the matte one is kinda fruity but a bit chemical-ly also? 

Hot Pink Kisses, Sunkiss Me

So there you have my thoughts on the Ulta3 lippies! I really like them and they have a good range of colours and I like that they have a matte and glossy range. For the price, they are a steal! Especially the matte ones as they are so pigmented and long wearing.

Have you tried the Ulta3 lipsticks, or any of their other makeup? Let me know if you have any recommendations!

NOTD | Starships

Today I have a Nail of the day for y'all! It's a pretty plain nail 'look' but the polish itself is pretty special ;). It is Orly Space Cadet which is an amazing foily multichrome - just amazing.

This was a limited edition polish from one of their 'FX' lines but I'm sure you can probably still get it on Ebay which is where I bought mine. The polish itself is absolutely stunning! It is super metallic and shiny and flashes so many different colours depending on the angle. I've tried to capture the many colours but the photos simply don't do it justice!

As you can hopefully see, it is mainly purple with strong flashes of green, yellow and darker shades of purple. It is a really beautiful multichrome indeed! It does, however, take around four coats to achieve the opacity pictured. You can layer a couple of coats over black for the same intense look with less effort. This stained my nails really badly yellow though, probably my fault as I didn't wear a base coat but just to note!

I actually saw Star Trek: Into Darkness yesterday so this polish (or rather the name) is actually quite fitting! I've never pegged myself a Trekkie but I really enjoyed the movie! I've not seen any other movies/episodes in the series/franchise but I really want to watch the 2009 film now, haha. The 3D was really good and I absolutely looooovee Benedict Cumberbatch (love him in Sherlock too, I'm a bit of a Cumberbitch (best fan name ever?)) and Chris Pine was nice to look at ;) hahahahaa...

Anyhoo, this is definitely one of my favourite polishes! When I wear it I often find myself staring at my nails haha. What are your favourite duo/multichromes? I notice they are becoming a lot more common with Rimmel and Sally Hansen releasing them.

Sidenote: This is my 50th post - yay!

A Fruity Foundation

Hey there! Today I have a foundation review on a product I've really been enjoying lately! It is the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation. This is a highly raved about foundation and even Essiebutton's holy grail! I had to give it a go and I bought it off of Ozsale for a mere $8 ($10 if you include shipping)! I also picked up a couple of blushes which I will have reviews for soon.

First up the for the packaging! Yay - it has a pump! I always feel like pumps are essential, yet so many brands don't have them! The bottle itself is plastic which I'm not really sure about. This foundation is pretty expensive and I would kind of expect a glass bottle, though it is light weight so great for travelling and you won't have to worry about it smashing if you drop it!

This product boasts about having a 16 hour lasting power, radiance-boosting qualities, instant blend-ability,  flawless complexion and undetectable coverage. It also has vitamin-rich fruits of lychee, goji berries and pomegranate - which explains why it smells so darn delicious! It definitely smells fruity but almost green tea ice-cream like? Whatever it is, it's yummy, fresh and makes the application a whole lot nicer! I will also add that this foundation does not contain an SPF which is good if you're wearing it at night or with flash photography. For daytime wear, simply add an SPF below.

I have it in the shade 53 Light Beige which is a teeensy bit too light for me, but I can get away with it because of it's light coverage. Coming up to winter though, I think I might lighten up a bit (though I never really notice a change). Although this is too light, I think the next shade would have been too dark. Most if not all the shades offered are quite yellow-toned.

Onto the formula, I find this is a light-medium coverage but is very buildable. I can achieve a very good medium coverage and it doesn't look cakey at all (I'm sure you could probably go even further). One pump (or even less) is just the right amount for a full face! The product itself, I would describe, as a gel (as it is marketed). It is thick, but very lightweight. When I say thick I mean it isn't very runny at all. It doesn't have a creamy consistency, so I think gel is just the right word. It certainly lives up to many of its claims! It is so blendable. It only takes a few brush strokes for the product to be completely worked into the skin which makes application very quick. The finish is also as described - dewy and it looks so natural on the skin, virtually undetectable! It doesn't cling too badly to dry patches (or accentuate them) and in turn it is slightly moisturising on the skin. This being quite dewy though, I find I definitely need a mattifying powder to avoid becoming oily throughout the day. I think this wouldn't really suit  very oily skins (I am combination).

One claim it doesn't live up to, however, is it's staying power. It claims 16 hours but I highly doubt it would last that long, especially on me or oilier skin types. I find it gets through the day fine (10 hours) but it isn't looking too fresh by the end. I would definitely recommend a good setting powder with this, I really like the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder. To amp up the staying power and coverage of this foundation, I really like mixing it with my Revlon Colorstay Foundation. The Healthy Mix then softens the finish of the Colorstay.

Overall, I really love this foundation! It's definitely one of my faves and Holy Grail material! Although it is relatively expensive and the shade range isn't extensive, I highly recommend giving this one a go! This retails for around about AUD$30 I believe for the usual 30mL of product. 

Have you tried the Healthy Mix Serum foundation (or the original)? How do they compare?

Collective Haul | Birthday and Bits & Bobs

Howdy! So on Saturday, it was my birthday! I thought I would do a bit of a haul on the things I bought with my birthday money. I also bought a few other things that I didn't necessarily use my bday money for, but were essentials! That's my excuse anyway...haha.

So, I've pretty much gotten all of what was on my first wishlist (all the things I really wanted at least) and the thing I was most excited about were the Real Techniques brushes!!! It was actually perfect when iHerb had their 20% off sale on the brushes, which made them even cheaper (along with a discount code)!! In my opinion that is a totally awesome bargain, keeping in mind iHerb sells the brushes at American RRP where Priceline sells them for more than double that! 

I bought the;

Core Collection (includes the Buffing Brush!) for $14.39 (full price $18).

Starter Set for $14.39 (full price $18)

Stippling Brush for $7.99 (full price $9.99)

Blush brush for $7.19 (full price $8.99)

I also picked up the Queen Helen Mint Julep Masque for $3.84, which is crazy cheap for the amount you get. I've heard really good things about this.

So with a $10 off code, it all came to a mere $41.80. Crazy!

You can use my discount code TKZ374 (First orders only) for $5 off or $10 off if you spend more than $40.

Kmart is quickly becoming my favourite store (lol, but seriously.) as lately it has been having really good sales and their stuff is so cheap. Across the board; clothes, shoes, candles, other essential shiz. CHEAP.

Anyway, I picked up three of the Face of Australia Glitterati polishes as they were having $4 off FOA, these worked out to be 75c (like I said, CHEAP)! I got Studio 54, Dancing Queen and Lookin' for some hot stuff. Sadly these were the only shades in stock, I'm still looking out for the milky ones!

I bought the Beauty Care Co Makeup remover pads and green tea facial wipes. Both were $2 each. Firstly, how cheap is that! You get 200 pads for $2! I usually get the Woolies ones (80 pack for $3) but no more!

Kmart also had a sale on some lippies for $5 each. I picked up the Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lipstick in the shade Salsa.

One more thing that I picked up from Priceline, the Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Camellia Perfume. It was $15 for 100mL, pretty cheap. A spur of the moment purchase, but I really like the scent!

I went to Daiso which recently opened up in the Myer Centre, Queen St Mall. I was super excited as I've already been to one in Hong Kong and I had a blast! Everything was $2.80. I didn't go crazy at all and definitely could've bought more. Sadly though the Makeup Sponge detergent was sold out which is what I really wanted. They literally have everything, sweets, drinks, storage pieces, crockery and some cosmetics and skincare, and MOAR.

I picked up a sheet mask because I've really wanted to try one! I got the Collagen one (not that I really need it) but I'm hoping it will provide some moisture to my skin. My friend who was with me bought the Q10 one so we swapped so we could try both (you get 3 in a pack)!

More skincare bits:

I managed to buy the Origins Clear Improvement mask which was on my wishlist for $34 from Kit Cosmetics. I also grabbed a sample of the Drink Up Intensive mask (to which the SA was quite sour about...). Sadly at both Kit and Mecca, they didn't have the Soap & Glory cleanser that I wanted. Hurmph, I'll have to go online then.

Another thing to cross off my wishlist is the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo which I'm super excited to get using! I bought mine from Terry White Chemists for $25.95. Not every store stocks LRP so you can find a local stockist here.

Lastly is a freebie which arrived just in time for my birthday! You can get this little Neutrogena sample pack for free as they are celebrating 50 years. As at the writing of this post, it is still available here. Simply follow the gift app directions and you'll be on your way!

So those were my self-gifted gifts for my self, haha. I also did get some other things from my sisters (Blackmilk leggings!) but I seriously need to go on a spending ban now!

Empties #1

Hi guys! So today I have my very first empties post! I've been collecting these empties since before I even started blogging! It takes me ages to finish products so don't expect another one of these posts for a good long while! I actually have quite a few products to talk about so I'll try to keep it brief!

First up, I have a few hair bits:

Kerastase Nutritive Thermo-reactive intensive nutrition shampoo:

I really liked this shampoo! I found it really moisturising but not to the point where it made my scalp oily. Sometimes my scalp gets a bit itchy and I found that this was nicely moisturising that I didn't experience that itchiness much. I've also tried the conditioner from this range which I really liked.

Repurchase? Maybe in the future, but I try different shampoos all the time!

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisture & Shine conditioner:

I have used this range of shampoo and conditioner a few times (by times, I mean bottles worth) and while I liked it, it didn't do much. It's targeted for dry/damaged hair but I didn't find it particularly moisturising. It's pretty average in my opinion.

Repurchase? No, like I said, I like to try different ones.

Moroccan Oil:

I really enjoy using hair oils but I find they all pretty much do the same thing. It was nice and moisturised my hair, made it feel soft and look shiny. This one was noticeably thicker in consistency though, so it may weigh down finer hair. It smelled really nice and this sample lasted me quite a while.

Repurchase? Maybe in the future, though I have a couple of hair oils on the go currently.

Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Oil Miracle Gold Shimmer Treatment:

This was a plain hair mask but it was actually shimmery, which was a bit weird but the shimmers didn't stay, they rinsed out as normal. This was pretty typical, it made my hair soft and shiny, but nothing that really wowed me and it didn't help much with damage or preventing it.

Repurchase? No, If you have any good and cheap hair mask recommendations, let me know!

For skincare:

Coles 4in1 Cleansing Wipes:

These claim to do a multitude of things but I didn't find that it lived up to those claims. The wipes themselves weren't super moist, and the actual towlettes were actually kind of scratchy. They removed makeup fine but waterproof mascara took time and effort. They left my skin feeling slightly dry.

Repurchase? No

Simple Refreshing Facial wash gel:

This was a pretty simple (hah) cleanser, pretty basic. Good if you have clear or sensitive skin, but it really doesn't do much. I used it in the morning to get rid of the oils and grime from overnight, and it did a decent job. This was just a travel size though it lasted me ages.

Repurchase? No, I've actually got another travel size of this that I'm yet to use but I wont purchase after finishing that one.

Estee Lauder Hydrationist:

This was just a sample size but it lasted me pretty well and I got a good idea of whether I liked it - which I do! Really moisturising but still very light on the skin. I just really like it!

Repurchase? I would definitely consider purchasing though it is expensive, I really want to try some cheaper alternatives.

Clinique Anti-blemish solutions spot treatment gel:

I had a smaller size of this though I found it lasted me a long long time. Overall, I wasn't a fan. It worked in the first two weeks or so, but then I just found it quite alcohol-y and didn't really get rid of pimples very well.

Repurchase? No

EOS Summer fruit lip sphere:

I enjoyed this, probably my favourite scent out of the ones I tried. I like it because it is thin in texture, therefore nice under lipsticks. But it is still nicely moisturising. I got all the product out by 'depotting' it. Stick a knife in the line next to the rim and it should pop out.

Repurchase? I've still got a few of them on hand, but I probably would in the future once I run out of them all.

MOR Lip macaron in Peach Nectar:

This lasted me a whole year! I use it every night and I find it thick and moisturises well, I can still feel it the next morning. As you can see, I've put the excess EOS lip sphere in here so technically that one isn't completely finished but whatevs. 

Repurchase? Probably not, I've actually got two more of these since I bought it in a three pack so I have heaps more to go through.

The Body shop Body Butter:

I'm kind of 'eh' on this product. It was super thick and even maybe hard to spread? But I didn't even feel it was that moisturising for how heavy it was.

Repurchase? No

The Body Shop Shower Gel in cherry Blossom:

A shower gel. I find they all do the same thing. I liked the scent, pretty subtle and floral. I don't generally use shower gel, I really like the Dove beauty bars. I received this as a gift so I took it travelling and what not.

Repurchase? No

Onto the Miscellaneous:

Kmart candles in Comforting Vanilla & Jasmine and Fig & Papaya:

I talked about the scents here so I won't waste my breath (or finger muscles?). I will say that I emptied out the wax using the freezer method. Simply put them in the freezer for a couple of hours and pry out the wax using a knife. It should pop out pretty easily.

Repurchase? Definitely, my two favourite scents from the range.

Oral B Satin Floss:

Hmm, I don't really know why I included this? Haha, didn't really like it though. It was kind of like tape? So too thick for my liking.

Repurchase? No

Blink Eye drops:

My eyes get pretty dry and red at times, this one did the job.

Repurchase? Probably

Whowheeee, that was a looooong post. If you stuck it out till the end, good job! Haha, well I probably won't have another of these posts for ages so enjoy it!

Wishlist #2 | Skincare Splurge

Hello! Today I have another wishlist post, pertaining more to skincare. I am actually quite content with my makeup collection (of course, there's always room for more) but I find what needs a huge overhaul is my skincare routine. These are the products that I've really been lusting for. They are more on the pricey side as I've used 'drugstore' skincare products for a long time and I feel like a more luxurious change!

1. Origins Drink Up Intensive

I've heard a lot of good things about this mask and sometimes I really feel like my skin needs an extra boost of moisture. This isn't high on my 'priority' list but I definitely want to pick this up sometime.

2. Origins Clear Improvement

I've already sampled this mask and with my few uses, I already know I love it! It really cleans out the skin and draws out impurities, so I am eager to pick up the full size!

3. La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo

This has gotten some serious rave reviews in helping clear up skin. I suffer from acne-prone skin and I have a few really stubborn bumps that refuse to go! So I'm really hoping that this will help.

4. Soap & Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser

I first heard about this from Emma and since have read many rave reviews! I'm pretty sick of my current cleanser, it doesn't seem to really benefit my skin very much so I'm hoping that this one will!

5. Dermalogica Microfoliant

This is probably the brand's most popular product and while I don't think I'll be grabbing it any time soon, it has definitely earned it's place on my all-time wishlist! I feel like my current exfoliators couldn't hold a candle to this one! 

Hopefully some of these will feature in a haul sometime! What luxury skincare products are on your wishlists?

Intergalactic Gloss

Hey guys! So today I am reviewing the ever hyped up Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers! I was going to buy these instore when they arrived but I couldn't resist when I was on ASOS ordering my semi-formal dress...

Anyhoo, I picked up two shades; 101 Celestial and 501 Stellar. Celestial had actually been out of stock but I was browsing and it came back in stock just long enough for me to reserve it in my cart! Lucky! 

I really love the packaging of these, they are housed in plastic tubes and on the bottom it fades from black to clear so you can see the colour inside. I really like the top of the tube which is like a crystal shard or something, very space-y.

Stellar is a really bright and bold pink. It is very warm and almost borders on a coral-tinged pink.

Celestial is a pinky-brown mauve shade, perfect for daily, MLBB (My Lips But Better) wear.

They come with doe-foot sponge applicators. I really like these applicators. They have a dip in the centre which pools the product so you have enough for the entirety of your lips and don't have to keep dipping in for more. They are also quite flexible, so they move and adjust to your lips, making application quite pleasant. They are also pointed so it is very easy to get precise application. Who knew you could write so much about a bit of sponge?

On to the formula, they are called lip lacquers, so to my interpretation they are liquid lipsticks, though I have heard them called very pigmented lip glosses. In my opinion, when I think of a gloss, it still has a slight translucency to it (even if it is very pigmented) and to me the Apocalips are very opaque. They are glossy but not to the extent of a lip gloss, which to me would be much more glossy. I would say they are maybe a bit glossier than a glossy lipstick. But as I said, the pigmentation of these are amazing! The texture is really nice and lightweight. Not sticky at all which is awesome! They remind me a lot of the Lancome L'absolu Creme de Brilliance lipglosses in terms of their lightweight, non sticky feel.

In terms of how they wear, I have heard that they are not as long wearing but I would tend to disagree. I wore Stellar for a good 5 hours, albeit I didn't eat or drink much. What I find that I dislike is the way they wear. They lose their glossiness after about 3 or so hours (these timings aren't super accurate) and begin to settle into the lip's lines and dry, flaky bits which it didn't accentuate upon initial application. Despite this, I found the colour stayed pretty well, though they didn't stain the lips very much. It was very easy to wipe away with a tissue.

These are scented, and I've heard a lot of people dislike the scent, though I actually like it! They smell pretty much the same as the Spring Kate Moss lipsticks which I think smell like grape hubba bubba. Artificial, sweet and fruity.

So overall, I'm a fan! I like their texture, pigmentation and I think they last pretty well. I would probably only have to touch them up once during the day, which is not a problem for me. I probably won't pick up any more as I've pretty much covered my bases with a nude and a bright. You can currently pick these up off of ASOS for $7.16 for 5.5mL of product.

Have you guys tried these? What are your thoughts?

Monthly Favourites | April 2013

Hey guys, it's time for my April Favourites! I am just baffled that we are already almost halfway through the year - where did it go?! Anyways, these are the products I've been using throughout the month.

For the makeup bits:

For base, I've been absolutely loving the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation. I picked this up off of Ozsale and have been using it for the past 2-3 weeks. I just love the finish, texture and coverage of this product! It's a dream to blend and looks so natural on the skin. I'll have a full review up soon though!

For blush, I've been using the Essence Home Sweet Home blush in the shade 02 Wool-d you cuddle me which I have a review on here. It's a really pretty peachy-pink shade that looks really nice and natural on the cheeks and imparts a beautiful glow. I find it also lasts a really long time too!

On my lips has been the L'oreal Nutri-Shine lipstick in the shade Pink Nude which I have a review on here. Awesome, super flattering peach-pink-nude shade. Love.

For mascara I've been using the Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus which was actually in my January Favourites also (review here), while I've been using it throughout the months between, I've just been gravitating towards it a lot this month. It keeps my curl and looks wonderfully natural which is just my cup of tea!

Eyeshadow wise, gotta give it to the Maybelline Color Tattoo in the shade Bad to the Bronze which I've also reviewed here. I don't often wear eyeshadow day to day, on weekends if I want to though, this has generally been my pick! So easy to slick on, beautiful shade to boot! Though it does crease on me, so a primer is needed underneath.

For some sort of 'skincare' bits:

As the aforementioned mascara is waterproof, to remove it I love Lancome Bi-Facil. This is an awesome eye makeup remover that removes waterproof mascara really easily, I just soak a cotton pad and hold in over for 30 seconds, wipe it away a couple times and ta-da! I only have a mini and probably won't purchase as it is quite exxy, but a lovely product!

Lately, I've been really getting into face masks and absolutely adore what they do for my skin. This month I've been loving the Origins Clear Improvement mask which is a white clay and active charcoal mask that really cleans out those pores. It makes my skin feel super clean and fresh and helps bring acne to the surface, and I've found it's helped with it in general. I've used this sample size 3 times and am itching to pick up the full size!

I've been using the Trilogy Rosehip Oil for a few months but particularly this month I've been loving it. Especially after face masks, I find it really helps inject some moisture back into my skin and brightens and smooths a bit too. I just use 2-3 drops and press it into my face and it works a treat!

So those were my favourites, some old and some new!

What have been you guys' faves this month?