Monthly Favourites | September 2013

September favourites time! I sound like a broken record every month, but surprisingly September actually felt pretty long! I did go on a week of camping at Fraser Island with no internet or technology so time felt different over there, also exam week seemed to drag on forever! I had quite a bit of fun but it's good to be back. I returned to almost 500 blog posts to read and heaps of youtube videos (but it's so annoying that youtube doesn't display all the new videos - only to a certain number, so I am slowly wheedling my way through my subscribed channels), not to mention all of the TV shows are coming back from hiatus - WOO!

Onto the products though!

I have one hair product to talk about, and that is the Goldwell Rich Repair 60sec Treatment. This is a hair mask which claims to help repair the hair in 60 seconds - ambitious! But I'm glad of that because I don't have time to stand in the shower for 15 minutes (wasting water!). I generally leave this in for maybe 2-3 minutes while I'm washing my face and body and whatnot. I don't believe you can repair damage, but I do think this helps to moisturise the hair a lot (my hair is so soft after using it!) and help it look and feel healthier than it probably is. It also smells divine! Hopefully this will help prevent any damage to my locks as well.

My skincare product pick of the month is the Kosmea Skin Clinic certified organic rose hip oil. I have been using this for probably 2 months (I'll review it in full in due time) by mixing in three drops with my night cream. I find that combo really helps moisturise my skin and quench any thirst it's experiencing. I can't say much as to acne scarring, but I feel like it has helped slightly, I'll keep you posted! So far I like it more than the Trilogy one though, I feel like it absorbs into the skin better and faster!

A repeat favourite - Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream. I previously said that I liked this but didn't love it...well this month my lips have been very fussy, and only liking this product! It seems the majority of my other lip balms have been making my lips dry and itchy (yes still having those issues...) which is weird as they never used to. This lip balm has been the only one that has helped this month and has been a staple.

Makeup favourites!

For base I've been using the Maybelline Dream Pure BB cream a lot! I'll have a full review up soon but so far, I think this has become my new favourite Western BB cream (taking over the Garnier oily/combo). The colour is better, less orange, if anything a little light. It provides nice light coverage, has a satin finish and is SUPER smoothing on the skin.

I have a couple of eye things:

The Lorac Pro Palette has been a go-to whenever I want to wear eyeshadow. I won this from the lovely Sarah at More than Adored - thanks Sarah! I absolutely adore this palette, I will be doing a full review with swatches, but wow wee do I love it. The formula is stellar on all the shadows, and I love the variety of shades and finishes (matte and shimmer) - you can create SO many different looks!

Sadly this next product is discontinued (DAMN YOU Essence!!). I managed to snag this Essence Sun Club gel liner not too long ago on clearance, there was no black sadly but I do LOVE this colour. It's in the shade BBC All Night Brown which is a deep brown with golden shimmer, giving it a bronze-y tinge. I love this for doing cat eyes and smudging on the lower lash line. The effect created is a lot less stark than black liquid liner, more casual and wearable for me. It frames my eyes perfectly without being too harsh or put-together. The formula is just amazing - creamy, pigmented and so easy to apply (I use the Essence gel liner brush). Essence always seems to discontinue their best selling products, which IMO is the worst business decision ever!

Cheeks Cheeks Cheeks!

Another Essence product - still available! It's the Silky Touch blush in the shade Natural Beauty. I've had this blush for ages and did a bit of 'shopping my stash' last month, and fell in love with this blush! I have actually had a review sitting in my drafts for like, 7 months, but never got around to publishing it. The formula is super silky and soft (very much so, don't drop it!), pigmented and super blendable - not chalky at all! The shade is a stunner too. It's a rose-y, mauve, bronze-y shade which is perfect for a 3 in 1 blush! It has a silver shimmer which highlights nicely, and it warms up the face really well, as well as shaping the cheeks slightly.

Last fave is theBalm Mary Lou-manizer which I have in my Balm Jovi palette. LOVE this highlighter. It's very popular in the beauty world and rightly so. The golden tone complements my yellow complexion perfectly and it looks amazing on the cheekbones. Its not gritty or glittery but has a strong frosty sheen. It's quite a strong highlight, but can be applied with a light hand.

Mary Lou-Manizer, Natural Beauty, Gel liner

Just a couple of music favourites to add on - this month I've been listening to Imagine Dragons Night Visions almost on repeat! I seriously love it - not a single song on the album I don't like! Also Lorde Pure Heroine came out like, 3 days ago, but I am really liking it! I've been obsessed with her latest single Team. 

Anyways - what have your favourites been this month?

Sippin' Bronze Champagne

Hey, hi, hello! Today's post will be showcasing a couple of products from Jane Iredale. Jane Iredale is a mineral makeup brand. Mineral makeup is not something I have much experience with so I was excited to try these when my sister gave them to me. I have the Bronzing Powder in the shade So Bronze 1 and the 24k Gold Dust Shimmer Powder in the shade Champagne.

First up is the bronzer:

The packaging on this product is so beautiful! It is encased in a gold screw top type packaging, with her 'I' logo embossed on the top and on the powder itself. The inside is navy and the packaging feels really luxe. Personally, I find screw tops a little annoying as they take a bit more time to open and close as opposed to a clamshell, but that's just me and my laziness! It also doesn't contain a mirror, but that doesn't bother me much.

So Bronze 1 is quite a warm toned, shimmery bronze shade. The warmth I think could border on orange for those of very fair skin, so do be aware! On my medium skin it works really well. The shimmer isn't overwhelming at all. It's more so a satin base with shimmer particles, and it's not frosty or metallic at all. The shimmer particles aren't super small either, so they can be detected on the face, but not a lot of them actually transfer on. I don't use this to contour with because its warmth and shimmer don't work well to create shadows. I really adore this for sweeping kind of over my cheeks, forehead and temples and on the nose for an overall bronze-y, warm look. I generally use this when my foundation is too light, or overall I look a bit lifeless or washed out, and it perks up my skin really well! 

It's nicely pigmented, but not overly so, so it's really easy to sweep on with little effort. The powder itself is very soft but not powdery, and it blends really well. I do see that the overall quality of this bronzer is really beautiful. I'm not sure as to whether it is because it is a mineral bronzer, or what, but it is certainly an amazing bronzer!

The Gold Dust is packaged in a small plastic pot, with a gold rim that has the brand name. Being a loose powder, it contains a sifter to let product through. I tend to just use whatever has accumulated on the inside of the lid.

The 24 Karat Gold Dust Shimmer Powders certainly are a luxe feeling product! They use 24k food grade gold to create a 'gilded look'. These can be used as an eyeshadow, on the cheeks as a highlighter, on the lips or mixed in with foundation, moisturizer or hair gel for use in the hair! So far I've only used it on my eyes but I think this shade would be beautiful over the cheekbones as a more intense highlight, and really great to add a glow to your foundation or base. Champagne looks pinky in the packaging but it does translate as a slightly pink-toned champagne beige to the skin. The finish is very frosty and sparkly. In the champagne base, it contains pink and gold sparkles, giving a really beautiful glittering effect. I tend not to faff around with loose shadows (I'm such a klutz!) but this one isn't too sparkly, and doesn't have too much fallout. It feels very fine and smooth and is quite pigmented. You will want a lighter hand with this if you are using it on the cheeks.

Bronzer, 24k Gold Dust shimmer powder

In sunlight

The photos really don't to the shimmer dust justice! It's really a lot more shimmery in real life, and the different coloured sparkles come out. I really love both these products and I think they are of really high quality! I really want to try some more mineral makeup as it is supposedly better for your skin. 

Have you tried Jane Iredale?

Foam & Cream

Hola! I have another couple of products from the Natural Instinct line to share with you today. They are both cleansers - the Foaming Cleanser* and the Cream Cleanser*. Let's get into the reviews!

Both cleansers are packaged in these practical and aesthetically pleasing plastic tubes! They are colour coded with orange as they are part of the facial line. 

Like I mentioned in my last Natural Instinct review, the brand uses no nasty products and sticks to the all natural ones with heaps of benefits for the skin! Some notable ingredients in each are:

Witch Hazel and jojoba oil in the cream cleanser, Burdock and horsetail in the foaming cleanser, and Rosehip oil and pro-vitamin B5 in both. They are both lightly scented with Essential oils and smell quite similar, natural and unoffensive, I can detect a slightly lavender scent. It actually smells quite similar to the hand cream.

Cream cleanser, Foaming cleanser

The Cream Cleanser* is quite a thick, very creamy consistency. I actually use this similarly to a hot cloth cleanser. It isn't as thick or slightly balm-like as the Soap & Glory but it is thicker than most cream cleansers I've tried. I find it really lovely for either morning or night use. I use it with a flannel and it removes makeup really well. It doesn't leave my skin feeling nourished per se but it doesn't feel dry or stripped at all. This is a really lovely cleanser and I would recommend if you want to try something similar to a hot cloth cleanser, but not as thick. I think any skin type could use this, if you have oily skin and tend to stay away from creamy formulas, don't be afraid of this one!

The Foaming Cleanser* has a very thin consistency as you can see in the photo above. I prefer using this in the morning as I prefer to use more substantial cleansers at night. If you want to use this to remove makeup, I would suggest doing a double cleanse. This is definitely one of the better foaming cleansers I've tried. Others tend to lather a LOT and leave my skin feeling dry, stripped and tight - yuck! This one is different though! It foams up effectively but only a little - you don't end up with heaps of bubbles on your face (and eating them or getting them in your nostrils!). It doesn't leave my face feeling dry at all and I would even go as far as to say that my skin feels slightly nourished after use. So, dry skin could use this guy too! The cleanser freshens my skin and wakes it up in the morning!

I really love both of these cleansers, and I think they are probably my favourites from what I've tried from the brand! The both retail for AUD$9.95 which I think is a great and affordable price for all natural products! I would highly recommend checking these out!

*Products provided for reviewing purposes

NOTD | Giving me the Warm & Fuzzies

Hi guys! I've got a NOTD for you all today, showcasing one of the new Sally Hansen Fuzzy Coat polishes. This one is in the shade Fuzz-sea. I also managed to pick up another one yesterday from the Chemist Warehouse 50% off sale in the shade Peach Fuzz. I may do another post featuring that one too sometime! The color range and combinations are absolutely adorable and I think would be amazing for springtime!

The Fuzzy Coat polishes are composed of small and thin bar glitters in a clear base. A lot of brands are coming out with these types of glitters, but Sally Hansen is the only brand readily available in Australia currently. I really enjoy the overall effect of it as a top coat! From afar it looks like a mottled colourful pattern, but up close you can discern the glitters. I wouldn't say they look particularly fuzzy (nor do they feel that way, haha) but the other theme they have taken to is a wool theme, which I will admit it does look like! You know, one of those sweaters with the different colours? Anyways the fuzzy names are very cute!

I've used one quite thick coat to get the look pictured. There isn't a lot of fishing required, but the glitter isn't SUPER densely packed. You can achieve full opacity with about 4 coats, but I think that would be a pain to remove! They don't dry too bumpy either, but I've used two coats of my trusty Revlon Colorstay top coat to get a glassy smooth finish.

Fuzz-Sea is a really complementary and cute colour combination! It's made up of turquoise blue glitters and yellow-green glitters. I've decided to top it over Ulta 3 Sea Breeze Swirl which came in their 2012 Christmas candy cane. Sea Breeze Swirl is a light teal green. It appears more minty in the bottle but dries darker on the nail. The formula on this polish was not that great, it applied quite unevenly and required three coats for opacity. However, I think the colour goes really well with the fuzzies!

Overall, I really love the effect the Fuzzy Coat brings to the nail look. It adds interest and an element of nail art with little effort at all.

I also want to add that on Saturday, I'm going camping over at Fraser Island until Thursday! It's sort of a tradition (but not annually haha) and I've already been countless times before! I really love going but there will be no Internet or phone (how will I survive!? I'll be reading Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices ;) ). We are staying at a camp site which has communal barbecue areas and toilets, we've stayed there many times already and it is very enjoyable, so I'm not going totally bush/beach (even though I have before, it's really not fun showering)! Hopefully, if all goes to plan, I'll still have my posts scheduled going up on Monday and Thursday. Let's hope there are no technical difficulties!

Have you tried the Fuzzy Coats? Are you a fan?

My Knight in shining Armour

Hello humans! Today I am reviewing a skin care product I've been using for, I'd say, a good 8 weeks (or more!). It is the Soap & Glory Night in Shining Armour cream. Having used it religiously in my regime for a good length of time, I have definitely formed my thoughts on it, so let's get into it!

Of course, Soap & Glory's gorgeous vintage-y packaging (though they have since redesigned their look to be more clean...haven't seen all of the new designs but IMO it's much less fun...). The cream is packaged in a rather substantial glass jar. It's quite heavy and a little bit luxurious feeling. It's a light, oyster, duo-chromey pink (?) which is very pretty. Very simple though! 

Now, I'm only 16, and probably not the greatest person to be reviewing this product, as it's main draw is its 'wrinkle-reducing' properties. I don't have any wrinkles, and while it doesn't hurt to prevent them, I am pretty early to the party. What I was looking for in this product though was pretty much a good night cream that would moisturise my skin well, no frills. So, while I can't comment on the ambitious claims on the box regarding wrinkles, I can say that this is a very nice moisturiser. I wouldn't say its 'plumping' but my skin does feel very soft and smooth, never tight or dry. The weather has been a bit cooler (not anymore, it's practically Summer already!) and generally my skin tends to get a bit drier. With the use of this product, there hasn't been a single dry or flakey patch on my skin at all! That is, aside from healing breakouts, but my skin is smooth and feels really hydrated! In comparison to the Origins Drink Up Intensive, neither is really more hydrating than the other, so I would say that this packs a punch in terms of moisture!

The texture of this cream is quite thick, but in my opinion it doesn't feel heavy at all, but it's definitely not lightweight. It sinks into the skin really well and quite quickly and gives an instant boost of moisture. A little goes a long way and it's very spreadable, but I generally use a pea-sized amount (just 'cos). I haven't tried too many night creams, but this one is definitely not suited for use in the day time. I have combination/oily skin and my skin does tend to get a bit oily as the night wears on, but I don't really have a problem with that as I'm just lounging around at home. Considering it's so moisturising, I really wouldn't expect anything less. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for oily-skinned gals, but you could definitely still use it.  

This has an interesting scent though. Generally, Soap & Glory products have amazing scents, but I am glad that this isn't heavily scented as I would be quite weary of putting that all over my face. It doesn't exactly smell like it has been purposely scented with no detectable 'fragrance' fragrance but it does smell, lightly though. Some people may dislike it but I don't find it offensive and it dissipates once it is absorbed.

I hope you guys found my review helpful! Overall, I really like this as a basic moisturiser that really gets my skin hydrated and happy! I don't believe this is available for purchase in Australia (just yet at least) but it's quite easily accessible online. I bought mine from eBay and paid about $28 which is not too bad for 50mL of product. We'll see about those wrinkle claims though ;) haha.

What's your favourite night cream?

Collective Haul | July + August 2013

Hey guys! Today I have a haul post which is very collective. As the title suggests, I bought this stuff over a good two month period. Heck, I think I even bought some of this in June! My shopping has been very sporadic, ya know, since I was sorta on a shopping ban. There have been a number of good sales and offers which I took advantage of (the usual) but I will say that I have been justifying my purchases better, saving where it counts and only buying things I really want, haha! Also, a lot of this stuff was on my last wishlist (still got my eye on the more high end products though!).

First up a few hair and skin things!

I picked up a new shampoo and conditioner duo as I recently ran out of my current ones. I decided to pick up the Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner as I have heard a lot of good things about the range, and they were on special. I have been using these for a few weeks and have to say I really like them! They make my hair feel SUPER soft and clean. They also smell really nice! They do contain Sulphates, but the last products I used didn't so I figure it's okay to alternate. 

I managed to pick up Lush Grease Lightning quite a while ago and have been using it for a decent amount of time. I'm not really sure how I feel about this yet! I'll definitely have a full review up once I have affirmed my opinions! This was $12.95.

I repurchased the Garnier Dark Spot Corrector which I finished in my last empties. I just adore this as a morning time moisturiser as it provides just enough light hydration and I do notice my dark spots fading. This was on a bit of a discount at around $11.

I also recently ran out of my Trilogy Rosehip Oil and while I liked that one, I wanted to try out some other ones! I decided to buy the Kosmea Skin Clinic Certified Organic Rosehip Oil as I've heard quite a bit about it being the best one out there! It is on the more expensive side as far as Rosehip oils go being $21.99 at Chemist Warehouse, however this uses a different kind of Rosehip (Eglantaria as opposed to Canina). I'm yet to do a bit more research and will go into detail in my review, but so far I really like this (probably more than the Trilogy!)

Only a few makeup bits:

As you probably all know, Priceline recently had a 50% off Maybelline sale which I managed to check out. Maybelline has released quite a few new products, so I was excited to be able to get them so well discounted. Currently Chemist Warehouse is having 50% off Maybelline (as well as Revlon and Rimmel) if you are interested. I grabbed the Dream Pure BB cream ($7.50) which is designed for Oily skin with 2% salicylic acid. I have the shade medium which is a good shade, maybe a little bit light. I've been reaching for this on an almost daily basis and I'll definitely review this in full. I also bought the Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink ($6) which is from the newer Metals collection. In comparison to the original shades, I find the formula of this one to be much creamier! The shade is absolutely gorgeous and right up my alley!

Recently Sleek had a 10% off everything sale and I decided to finally grab some things I've had my eye on for ages! I cut my list down to the Face Contour Kit and the Blush in the shade Pomegranate. I will also say that the shipping was SUPER cheap, especially for International! It was only around $3 and only took about two and a half weeks to get here. I'm really excited to get using these!

Gotta have some nail stuff! 

I was super interested in picking up some of the Sally Hansen Fuzzy Coat polishes so when Target was offering a gift with purchase, I jumped at the opportunity! The minimum spend was $15 so I bought the Fuzzy Coat in Fuzz Sea ($9.95) and the Polish remover ($5.50). I was going to get two fuzzies, but I refrained! I might pick up some more in the Chemist Warehouse sale though...hehe. I was running out of my nail polish remover anyways and I've used this one for years. It is acetone free so it's not the fastest at removing nail polish, but it works! The GWP was comprised of a rather tacky looking pink bag, a Complete Salon Manicure polish in Get Juiced, a Hard as Nails treatment and a buffing block. I really love Get Juiced and have got it on my toes right now!

Lastly a fashion-y purchase which was SUCH a crazycrazycazy bargain. I picked up this pair of shoes from Witchery for only $12!! What's even more shocking is that these are $150 full price. Like whoah! Crazy markdown! They are suede with a leather upper too! They are the style Natalia but I bought them a few weeks ago now. They are a really cute sandal with a mid height heel and I love the colour. I think these will be perfect for Spring/Summer and I have been seeing this style all over the fashion blogs. I really don't wear heels often (nor do I have many occasions to do so) but I couldn't pass them up! What is up with me finding cheap shoes? Not complaining though!

A stock photo - my shade is 'coral'

So that's my collective haul! Hope you guys enjoyed and I'll probably have another haul soon enough, but I'll try not to spend too much!

I can see your Halo

Hello! Today I have a review post on a cream eyeshadow I picked up from Estee Lauder! It is the Pure Color Stay on Shadow Paint in the shade Halo. Let's get on to the review!

First up, the packaging on these is very cute! It is housed in a small glass jar with a black screw top lid. It contains 5g of product.

Estee Lauder claims that the formula of this cream shadow is 'crease-free, won't fade and provides 12 hour wear'. They also boast 'True vision color' which provides 'maximized color impact, magnified vibrancy and amplified brilliance' - which honestly sounds like a bunch of fluffy, fancy words, but! I do find the shadow very pigmented, which I think is what they are trying to get at. The texture of this cream shadow is soooo nice. It's uber creamy, and when I say creamy, I mean creamy. They have a lightweight, almost mousse-y feel and texture. In comparison, the Maybelline Colour tattoos are rock hard! The Estee Lauder version doesn't ball up when you get product out or on application, but rather slides on effortlessly. It's super blendable and adheres nicely to the lid. The longevity of this shadow does live up mostly to Estee Lauder's claims! I find that while the Maybelline colour tattoos crease on me after about 5 hours (with no primer), the Stay on Shadow Paints don't! They look great, and while I haven't worn it for 12 hours yet, they last really well. I have worn it alone (no primer) and found that I do get a little bit of creasing, but only towards the end of the day and it's very minimal. They also make great bases for other shadows and act as a primer.

Sun

Shade

The shade Halo is a great shimmery beige, champagne shade. The finish isn't crazy metallic, but it does have a pearly, almost opalescent frost to it. I really love this sort of colour all over the lid, or as a highlight shade. It's light enough to make a great base shade for other shadows to appear more vibrant, or as a stand alone colour. 

So far, this is definitely my favourite cream eyeshadow formula! In comparison to cheaper alternatives like Maybelline or Essence, the more expensive is definitely more superior in my opinion. However, the cheaper alternatives (specifically the Colour Tattoos) are definitely great if you don't want to splash out, being really great products in their own right. If I hadn't gotten the opportunity to pick this up for a much cheaper price, I probably never would have tried it. They retail for AUD$42.

What is your favourite cream eyeshadow formula?

Healthy Skin is Happy Skin

Hi guys! Today I have a foundation review for you all. It is the Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation. Sadly, Neutrogena's makeup range is not available in Australia (I wish it was!) so I was ecstatic when Cherie from Cherry Picking offered me hers. She very kindly gave me it as it was too dark for her. So, thank you so much Cherie, as it seems to be a near perfect match for me!

First up, the packaging. It comes in a glass bottle with no pump, and actually quite an inconvenient, large opening that doesn't make for easy foundation pouring. The packaging is quite simple and clean looking though, with a silver lid. It still contains the standard 30mL of product but the bottle itself is quite short and fat.

I have the shade 60 Natural Beige which, like I said, is a near perfect match for me! It's quite yellow toned, but I do believe that the Healthy Skin shade range is decent, offering both pink and yellow toned shades. 

The foundation claims include having an 'exclusive blend of antioxidants', an SPF of 20 and a lightweight, silky formula. The SPF 20 is a nice inclusion, however I've grown accustomed to wearing a higher SPF (30+) everyday anyways. Also, I've found this does flashback slightly, not anything drastic or ghost like, but my face does seem a bit paler in flash photography. I would agree with the lightweight and silky formula. It is quite a thin consistency, but not runny as it still has a creamy element to it. I find it blends and applies really well with fingers or a brush (my trusty Real Techniques Buffing Brush). This foundation also has a scent which I find quite pleasant actually! It's a bit fruity with hints of berry, but very light and not too offensive in my opinion.

 I feel the coverage offered is nearer the medium side of light-medium, but it is buildable. It covers most imperfections like redness, but I find I need an additional concealer for any acne or dark acne scarring.The finish is very natural looking. It's not totally 'skin-like' and is detectable on the skin, but not mask like at all. I would describe it as having a satin finish, it's not as glowy or dewy as the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum or the Rimmel Wake Me Up. It simply looks very healthy and radiant as the name would suggest!

I find this foundation wears really well on my combination skin. I do find that I do get a bit shiny after about 4 hours of wear (set with a powder) but my face isn't overly greasy, nor does this product make my face more oily, it just doesn't control oil very well. I would say that oily skins could probably still wear this, but with a good primer and setting powder. It lasts me the full ten hours and still looks pretty reasonable at the end of the day, without touch ups. It doesn't fade or accentuate dryness as it wears either, which is a plus!

I really like this foundation! I find it's a really good middle-of-the-road foundation in terms of coverage, finish and longevity/wear. Thank you so much again Cherie for giving me this, as I don't think I would have had the opportunity to try it otherwise! 

Have you tried this foundation and/or any Neutrogena makeup products?