The Best of 2015

Hallo humans! I'm finally getting around to wrapping up my favourites of 2015! I hadn't thought of what I would put in this post (was probably procrastinating lbr), but when I sat down to write up my list, there were quite a few obvious picks! I had quite a bit of trouble narrowing it down, and will probably throw in some honourable mentions too heh. I decided to go about picking the products I used and loved during 2015, not necessarily new products of 2015, though I did get quite a few of them last year. I'm also not mentioning products I got in the last couple of months, but you can catch up on those faves in my November and December favourites posts! Anyway, enough rambling, let's jump in before this post becomes 10000 years long!

Monthly Favourites // November 2015

Although I finished Uni at the end of October, November has still been a pretty hectic month! I've been working a bunch (does that at all justify the millions of hauls that happened in November??? Plus more in the mail WHOOPS) and my days off have mostly been trying to catch up on blogs and chillin owwwt watching shows, etc. I have quite a few new products to share with you, which I predicted I would last month. Lots of haulage = lots of exciting new products. Let's jump in!

We're Cool for the Summer

Spring is almost over and Summer is upon us. Though, here in Brisbane Spring and Summer always seem to muddle up with each other! The weather of late has been hella rowdydowdy (yeah that's actually a word). It's basically been a series of suuuuper hot, humid days, followed by intense thunder and rain storms. It's been hot and cold and wet and just damn INDECISIVE. Figure yoself out weather. Anyway - I've managed to round up a few of what you could call my "Summer essentials". I tend to wear whatever makeup I want regardless of the season, but I think these products lend themselves particularly well to hot weather! 

A Treat Yo' Self Haul

(Relatively) long time no haul! My last haul was in July so my li'l "spending ban" lasted around two months. Solid, solid...though not really. Even if I wasn't on a "spending ban" (imagine me doing air bunnies quotation marks right now), I didn't really have very much disposable income becauseeeee...I lost ma job :( I dun wanna talk about it but basically they stopped giving me shifts because I was too old and expensive. Gotta love life ayy. ANYWAYS, I got a new job last month and I promised myself I'd TREAT MA SELF when my first paycheck rolled in. Wut wuuuut so here we are. Majority of this stuff is high end cos GAL I WAS FEELIN' SPENDY. (BTW background is also a purchase: an amazing canvas from Kmart of course.)

Monthly Favourites // June 2015

So June was a bit of a heckers month for me! I had two exams right at the beginning of the month and despite finishing on the 10th, I've still been incredibly busy! I've been clearing and cleaning out my sister's old room (as well as my own) and have done quite a bit of homewares shopping! I'm still not completely moved in but will be soon. I'll probably do a room tour at some point too! Now that my friends have finished exams too, I've been a bit of a "social butterfly". I saw Inside Out yesterday and oh my gawd, IT'S SO DAMN EMOTIONAL. Legit tears runnin' down ma face. Anyway, this month's faves are quite skincare heavy so let's get into them!

So Apparently I Like Nude Lipstick Now?

BACK AT IT. Sorry for the momentary lapse in post/s last Thursday. Uni assessment has finally caught up with my procrastinatory ways! It pains me to have missed a post (for the first time EVER), but I've got to get my priorities straight! I can't promise that the schedule will be back 100%, but I'll try and have a post up at least once a week. Anyway - onto today's post: my sudden affection for nude lipsticks?! If you remember back in the early days, I was all about dem bold lips. I rarely wore nude shades, considering that most of the ones I tried clashed terribly with my skintone and made me look dead. Well, quite recently I've been reaching for nudey/neutral shades more and more because I've found some that actually suit me! Let's get into them, shall we?

Empties #7

Slowly, but surely, I've been making my way downtown through quite a few products! Sort of justifies the huge amount of hair and skincare products I've come into the possession of...right? Anyway, let's dig into the empties!

Monthly Favourites // January 2015

The first monthly favourites of the year! Surprisingly, January actually felt like a real month, like actual, whole days have passed and it hasn't just "whizzed" past. Maybe I'm in denial that it's actually, currently 2015? Regardless, let's chat about the products I've loved! A lot of these are quite "minimal" makeup bits because I guess you could say my skin needed a bit of a detox after wearing so much makeup during December! Me chowing down on sugary foods probably didn't help either...

Giveaway // 400 Followers & 2 Years

Shiwashiful turned the ripe old age of two a couple of days ago! Eep! We've reached the Terrible Twos! I actually cannot believe that I've kept this going for that long, it astounds me! Perhaps I should have more faith in myself...heh! Regardless, I really hope I can keep on keeping on for as long as possible, and that you guys will keep reading my random ramblings haha! As you guys know, I also hit 400 followers a little while back which is so exciting (for me at least)! So, I decided to roll the two milestones together and hold a giveaway to commemorate the both of them, and to say thanks to you guys for your support! This is my first giveaway ever - so forgive me for any hiccups! This giveaway will also be open internationally :)

Haul // There and Back Again

It's time to share all of my acquisitions from New Zealand! I actually didn't buy much at all, we actually didn't go out shopping that much, plus pretty much all of the stores are the same as here in Australia. If you can believe it, makeup is even more expensive over there! Why must people charge such extortionate prices for makeup!? Actually though I didn't make it to an actual "makeup" store, just the supermarket haha. 

I'll share the things I bought duty free first off.

Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector Collection (Travel Exclusive) including 03 Nude Shimmer and 04 Petal Shimmer

These glosses have been raved about by the masses - sheer, balmy and not at all sticky. The "gloss for the non-glossers". I've been wanting to try one for an age and decided to snatch up this travel exclusive which came with 2 shades for $34, RRP $26 each here. The shades aren't exactly my pick of the pack, and from swatches, they look pretty much exactly the same on the lips (they're very sheer). For that reason I think I will pop one in my upcoming giveaway (don't worry, I haven't used them yet!) but I will definitely have a review up of the other!

Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Deep

This guy has been on my wishlist for a while, and I was rather surprised to see a Benefit counter at Auckland airport. It cost NZD$35 which albeit only a dollar cheaper, when factoring conversion etc, it is a bit more affordable (at least that's what I'm telling myself). It's essentially a tinted brow gel with fibres in to help brow hairs appear thicker, more defined and hold them in place. I've been using it the past few days and I really like it, but I'm not yet sure if it was completely worth the money. I will update you guys in a review post!

I bought these beauty related products at the spa that we visited in Rotorua.

Puresource Rotorua Thermal Mud with Manuka Honey

I thought this mud mask was pretty cool as it actually contains mud from the thermal springs, which Rotorua is known for. It's supposed to be really amazing for the skin! Unfortunately I didn't go to a mud pool (too expensive!), so I'm living that experience through this mask, haha! It also contains Manuka honey which is also very New Zealand-y, and is supposedly soothing and nourishing to the skin. The couple of times I've used this, I've really liked it! It was $17 so not that expensive at all!

Apicare Sleep Easy Balm

This one was a bit of a whimsy purchase, but I just decided to buy it! It is a New Zealand brand after all... It's essentially a 'balm' (more of a body butter texture IMO) that you massage into your pulse points that helps soothe you, and get you to sleep. I do have trouble sleeping sometimes when my brain just can't shut off. I find this scent soothing and calming and it's quite a relaxing experience just massaging it into my skin! I have used this quite a few times and must say I think it works! It may be a placebo effect, but I do fall asleep quicker (I think) and sleep for longer, without randomly waking up during the night. It was $22 which was a wee bit of a splurge but you get quite a bit of product.

Now obviously I had to pick up some souvies from HOBBITON!! (If you couldn't tell, I'm a mega TLOTR fan). We only had 15 minutes in the gift store (NOT ENOUGGHHH) so I was scrambling to purchase stuff haha, I wish I had more browsing time!

The Treasure of Smaug the Terrible Dwarven Coin #5

Possibly a completely useless purchase, but it's real pretty. It's just a coin thingy but I really like it, and it's a replica made from an ACTUAL MOULD they used for the movie!

Fellowship Leaf magnet

I was hoping they'd have the actual brooch version of this, but the magnet will have to suffice. It's probably easier to display anyway! The leaf is just so dang SYMBOLIC MANN, Fellowship mems :'(

The Lord of the Rings Leather Bookmark

I thought this was pretty dang cool! It's just a bookmark stamped/embossed with the silhouette of the Fellowship.

The Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug T-Shirt

The T-shirts were pretty exxy ($30-$50) but my friend spotted the bin of kiddy sized ones which were only $15! It fits me okay, a wee bit tight, but I can deal. I really love the pattern of this one too - it's just a map (sorta like a 2 in 1 deal for me haha ;) ).

So that was my haulage, I hope you enjoyed reading! I will have another post with photos of my trip too. I'm excited to share them :D. 

Monthly Favourites // September 2014

Yes indeedy, it's the end of September, and that scares me. My university course preferences are officially in - there's no more running from my future (or lack thereof)! Pretty soon I'll be out of high school and forced to face the real world...and I ain't ready. So instead...let's talk favourites ay? I don't have too many this month, mainly because I haven't bought new makeup/stuff in ages (yay me) so I didn't have many new things to try. However, there are a few things here that I haven't mentioned on the blog before!

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter
A full review of this is on the way, but as you can see, I've already hit pan on the stuff - say whaaat?! I'll be honest, I do feel like I'm going through this quite quickly, and I don't even use it every night. Most times I do use it, I double cleanse. I really like it and I guess you could say it's my first foray into proper balm cleansers. It removes makeup super well and definitely cleanses the skin - though I always do a double cleanse - with a face cloth. It thins out to a bit of an oily texture, however it doesn't leave the skin feeling oily at all. Meaning, it doesn't make my skin feel hydrated after, but it's definitely not dry at all. Regardless, a really awesome cleansing and makeup removing product!

Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner*
Aah yep, this guy's making a return! Since I finished up my FAB Facial Radiance Pads, I've switched back to this chemically exfoliating toner. I can't say which I like better, they do pretty much the same thing. Clearer complexion, smoother skin texture and overall better looking skin is what this guy'll get you!

NAT. Vitamin C Serum*
My last post was a review on this so I won't ramble, but basically I've been using this everyday as my morning time serum and it's awesome. Super hydrating, sits well under makeup despite being an oil and I've definitely noticed a difference in my skin tone. Good stuff.

theBalm Balm Jovi Rockstar Face Palette
I've mentioned this product countless times on the blog, though mostly for the two cheek products. This month however, I've been enjoying the eyeshadows! As I mentioned, I went away for a week down to Melbourne and I took this palette with me (it's super compact and awesome for travel). The eyeshadows served me well. It contains a variety of different finishes (shimmer and matte) and shades (neutral and slight colours). The textures are pretty awesome too - pigmented and very easily blended.

Face of Australia GLAMAZON Contour & Highlight Kit in Leopardess 
Sadly this little duo was limited edition - there may still be a few floating around though! I was planning to do a review but it slipped my mind, do let me know if you'd still like to read it! Basically the contour shade in this is da bomb. Yes I just wrote da bomb. It's cool-toned, dark - but not too dark, smooth and blendable. It's also actually not too heavily pigmented, making it easy to apply just the right amount to get a lurvely shadow. Definitely my new favourite contouring shade, and I totally look like I have some cheekbone-age (sadly not Cumberbatch level). The highlighter is really pretty too!

Benefit They're Real Mascara
I finally got around to using my sample size on my trip to Melbs (I still have too many unopened AND opened mascaras...sigh) and must say, was initially unimpressed! The first time I used it, it smudged after two hours...TWO HOURS. That is a short amount of time my friends. However, on subsequent uses, I made sure to powder under my eyes well, and it lasted much better. It only smudged a little towards the end of the day. Anyways, I really like the brush - it grabs onto my (very few) lashes and does lengthen and give good volume. It even helps pump 'em up a bit even if I haven't curled my lashes, making them somewhat noticeable. Definitely one of the more 'dramatic' mascaras I've used and does quite a lot with my really sucky eyelashes.

Cuponation
Y'all probably know by now that I am a bargain hunter, I shop dem sales and hold off buying things until they go on sale (I'm very stingy). I thought I'd mention a site I recently came across that basically puts together sales, deals and coupon codes in one place. The site is called Cuponation, and has offers on beauty places like Priceline and Beautybay, as well as heaps of other categories like fashion! It's super convenient and a site I'll be looking at to check for all the deals without having to rifle through individual sites/catalogues.

Broods

I do have a music favourite this month, and it is the brother-sister duo from New Zealand called Broods! They do have quite a Lorde-y feel to them (they have the same producer) but regardless, they've created some really awesome music. Like really awesome. I've been listening to them on repeat for the last month. They make for really great study music and seriously I'm still not sick of them. Some of my favourites are Evergreen, Superstar, Mother & Father, Never Gonna Change and Coattails - I know that's a lot, but seriously I love every song. Also I'm so sad that I won't be able to go to their concert here, since it's 18+, but HOW IRONIC because I'll be in New Zealand when they're here. 

September faves done and dusted - what have been your favourites this month?

*Products sent for consideration. 

This post contains some sponsored content. For more information, please read my Disclaimer.

Matchy Matchy

There's something about colour coordination that I love, in moderation though. Matching accessories, clothes and especially makeup! Once I started wearing coordinating lip and cheek combinations, there was no going back. It's almost OCD how much I need the lip and cheek shades to be at least in the same colour family - it's even better if my nails match too ;) These are just a few of my favourite lip and cheek combinations, where in some cases, it's like each product was made for one another! Just so I don't keep repeating myself down the way, all of the combos compliment each other so well, and really bring a look together!

L-R: Maxfactor Soft Pink, NYX Peaches and Cream, theBalm Toile, NYX Antwerp

Maxfactor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink and NYX Butter Gloss in Peaches and Cream

These two products are basically as pink as I'm willing to go on any sort of a regular basis. They're both that really pretty medium pink with quite warm undertones - an almost peachy pull. I love the formulas of both of these, and the combination has a really brightening, fresh-faced effect.

theBalm Instain Blush in Toile and NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Antwerp

There is something about this particular shade that is rather unique in my collection. Different to my typical peachy-pinks, they have a deeper, more reddish quality that almost gives them a strawberry type tinge. While the lip is more of a bold option, I feel like the blush perfectly accents it.

L-R: Tarte Exposed, Clarins Nude Caramel, Essence Natural Beauty

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12hr Blush in Exposed or Essence Silky Touch Blush in Natural Beauty and Clarins Rouge Hydra Nude in Nude Caramel

This is the somewhat "my lips and cheeks but better" option - neutral and natural but not too nude. I've professed my love for the Tarte and Clarins combo already here, but I thought I would throw in another option, which actually looks to be better suited. Natural Beauty is a bit more of a peachy-brown-mauve with a sheen that gives a lovely glow to the cheeks. Either of these is perfect when I want more of a 'nothing-y' cheek and lip!

L-R: Estee Lauder Fresh Plum, Soft Amethyst

Estee Lauder Tender Blusher in Fresh Plum and Signature Lipstick in Soft Amethyst
Want a fresh Autumnal duo? These are your guys. Sadly they're both discontinued - oops. Sorry! I really wish they weren't though because together they are perfect for getting the cooler, more purply-plum tones for A/W without going super dark and vampy. The blush really is pretty much the perfect accompaniment for any purple/plum/cool lip colour. 

L-R: BYS Leftmost shade, MAC Morange, Revlon Audacious, BYS Rightmost shade, Maybelline Vibrant Mandarin

BYS Blush Trio in Coral Me In (leftmost shade) and MAC Amplified lipstick in Morange

I thought I wouldn't get much wear out of the leftmost shade in this BYS trio because it is pretty much a straight up orangey-peach, but quite contrarily, depending how light-handed you are, it goes hand-in-hand with bold shades like Morange. You might think it's orange overload, but actually with a more subtle cheek it really pulls together the look.

BYS Blush Trio in Coral Me In (rightmost shade) and Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Audacious or Maybelline Colour Sensational Vivids in Vibrant Mandarin

Gee, I have a thing for corals. The blush shade is a really great coral that has the perfect mix of pink, orange and red, making a great shade to go with basically any coral. I think colour-wise it best matches Audacious, but really it looks amazing with either lippy! Again with a bold lip (and the cray pigmentation of this trio), a light hand is advised!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post, and perhaps took some ideas or inspiration from it! I have many more combos that I could have mentioned (like the abundance of peachy-pink blushes and lip colours), but I thought these were the most notable from my stash!

What are your favourite lip and cheek combinations? Do you like to go matchy-matchy?

Monthly Favourites // March 2014

'Tis that time again...favourites time! I am almost finished up all my assessment for my first term of grade 12 which is scary stuff! I'm excited though to get into the holidays (obvs) so that I can do some more bloggy things and also catch up on tv shows and books ;). Anyways, because I've just been at school (and attempting a spending ban, which will inevitably end with the coming of holidays) I haven't been using many new products. I did however manage to scrounge together a few things I've been enjoying this month!

Organic Everescents Organic Pink Grapefruit & Ylang Ylang Leave-in Moisture

If you guys didn't already know, I have pretty dang damaged hair which is the result of me having not had it trimmed for moooooonthss but it also means it's super long :) I am getting it cut soon anyways! I haven't been using any heat on it though so it's been better than it would usually. This leave in conditioner has an interesting consistency - one akin to a body lotion which makes it interesting to use. It says you can use it on dry hair, but I prefer it on damp hair as it rubs in and absorbs much better without making the hair feel weighed down or slightly greasy. My hair isn't particularly soft the next morning, but definitely feels nourished so I think their name of leave-in moisture is quite accurate. When I choose to do 'no heat curls' (twisting my hair into little bun danglies and pinning it (sort of like Princess Leia, but not)) and use this, I find it makes the curls much nicer and also my hair softer as it is soaking in it, as opposed to rubbing all over my pillow.

Trilogy Very Gentle Moisturising cream

This has been my night cream for a while now and one that I've really been enjoying. I mix it in with my rosehip/facial oil and the combination is really lovely and moisturising. It doesn't irritate my skin in the slightest (as the name would suggest) and I just find it to be a nice, basic moisturiser. Dry skins could even use this during the day I think.

Heroine Make Lasting Mineral BB cream in shade 2

As you know, my daily routine consists of using one of my three BB creams. Though I haven't been using this one everyday, I've been using it often and really like it. It deserves its own full review though so I won't go too in depth. I find this to be my highest coverage BB cream (light-medium but very buildable) and have the longest staying power. Seriously, this stuff controls oil and stays looking nice for the whole day. Even from 7am to 8pm I've only got an oily t-zone (which I would usually get with other products at 3 or 4pm). Awesome product!

Blush and Lip combo: Clarins Rouge Hydra Nude in 04 Nude Caramel and Tarte 12hr Amazonian Clay blush in Exposed
If I ever had a makeup habit, it would be that I match my lips and cheeks (thinking about doing a post about my fave lip-cheek combos) because using shades of completely different colour families seems weird to me - even though I haven't really tried it. Regardless, I think it looks nice to have a bit o' cohesion through the facial. My fave combo this month has been a subdued one and along the lines of nudey-pinky-mauve, though the lippy is a tad more peach. I've already done a full review on the lipstick, but one for the blush is yet to come. I do have a few gripes with the blush that I'll explain in the review, but ultimately I do really like it. Exposed gives a lovely natural nuded-rose flush to the cheeks that looks slightly sculpted.

What have been your favourites in March?

The Lipstick Tag

I was recently tagged by Cherie from Cherry Picking, and Monica & Lin from Twoplicates to do the Lipstick tag. Lipstick is probably my second favourite makeup item next to blush, so when I saw this tag floating around I was very eager to do it, so thank you girls for tagging me!

Fun Fact (courtesy of my friend Tam!): In Medieval Europe, lipstick was banned by the church and was thought to be used as an 'incarnation of Satan'. Scandalous!

1. How many lipsticks do you own?

I was actually a bit afraid to count, but it's not terribly bad - about medium compared to other bloggers' tags I've read. I own 37 lipsticks and my total lip product number comes to 69 (excluding clear lip balms). Considering I only wear about three on any sort of a daily basis, it's definitely too much! Also especially in comparison to other 'normal' girls my age who probably don't even own any lipsticks! I will say though that a lot (basically the whole third row was from my Mum) were handed down, gifted or won in a giveaway so technically I haven't spent too much money on them! I would love to wear all my lipsticks, all the time but considering I'm still in school it's not really possible :S

2. What was the first lipstick you owned?

Apart from my huge Lip Smackers collection that I had when I was little, and the various lip balms along the way, my first lipstick was a hand me down from a GWP from my Mum. She only wears one shade of lipstick (dark red), so any other shade gathered in her drawers until I snatched them up! The first I really loved and started wearing from that bunch was Estee Lauder Signature Lipstick in Venetian Rose.

3. What is your favourite lipstick brand?

To be honest, I don't think I really have one, but if I had to choose it would probably be MAC. Just because, they have a huge range of colours and finishes where I think there is something for everyone.

4. What is your most worn lipstick?

Probably Essence All about Cupcake which is a great MLBB, pinky-nude shade that is slightly sheer, slightly glossy and very cheap!

5. What is your favourite finish?

Something slightly sheer (but still with medium pigment) with a lightweight and creamy texture that is slightly moisturising. Something like the L'oreal Nutri-Shine lipsticks or MAC Cremesheens.

6. What was the last lipstick you bought?

The last lipstick I bought was from my last haul, the Clarins Rouge Hydra Nude lipstick in the shade 04 Nude Caramel. I picked this up on a whim when I saw it for only $10. I have a review of it up here, but the formula is quite similar to the finish mentioned above, and the shade is a lovely peachy-brown-nude.

7. How many lip products do you currently have in your bag?

Well, considering I don't carry a handbag with me everyday, I can't really answer this question. I do, however, keep my Nivea Lip Butter in my pencil case at school. When I go out, I usually only take my lip balm and the product I'm wearing that day. I'm pretty good with clearing out my bag after - mostly because I'm so anal with my makeup collection, it all has to stay in the one place!

8. What is your favourite red lip colour?

To be honest, I don't wear red lipsticks very often but in my collection, my favourite has to be Napoleon Perdis Devine Goddess lipstick in shade Aphrodite. It's slightly lighter than it looks in the bullet (it's more like the shade you see in the bottom of the tube), but it's an amazing, bold blue-toned red that looks dayum stunning on. The formula is also super pigmented, but still creamy and long wearing.

9. How do you store your lipsticks?

I store my lipsticks in a drawer of my Keji 4 drawer set from Officeworks that is cheap, yet mimics other acrylic makeup storage. They lay flat and I'm really weird about having them 'tessellate' (I'm SUCH a nerd), hence why all the rectangular ones are at the front. As you can see though, the drawer is preeeeetty much full up so I think I'll be buying some sort of lipstick holder soon.

10. Which lipstick(s) are you currently lusting after?

Lots. Of the more high-end spectrum, I've got MAC Crosswires, the YSL Rouge Volupte Shines and the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils on my wishlist (and probably countless others that aren't springing to mind right now). On the more realistic side, I can't wait to get my hands on the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms and the newly reformulated Rimmel Moisture Renew lipsticks.

Gee that tag was pretty fun! I tag Sheri, Vanessa, Yige, Lulu and Nhi if you haven't already done it, and anyone else who would like to!

Caramel Coat

Nude lipsticks and I don't mix. Pale lipsticks tend to look horrific on me - they clash with my skin tone, settle into my lip lines and just look plain pasty. Not to mention, they make me look dead and my face devoid of colour! I'm always jealous of the girls who can pull of lovely nudes with little other makeup on. I'd resigned to the fact that I would never find the nude for me, until I stumbled across the Clarins Rouge Hydra Nude lipstick in 04 Nude Caramel.

First of all, I picked it up for only $10 on clearance at a local Terry Whites chemist which is an absolute steal for a high end lipstick! It doesn't seem to be on any of Clarins' official websites though, but I did find it on various department store sites, so I'm not sure if it's been discontinued or not. I didn't just buy it because it was cheap though, when I swatched it I thought "hey, this is a nude that would probably work for me!".

The packaging is absolutely gorgeous. Although it appears luxurious, it is a very lightweight tube with a plastic lid and a hollow metal base. The lid is translucent with an ombre effect. It also has a notch with a 'C' written on it which I thought was a cute detail.

The formula was also something I noticed straight away when I swatched it for the first time. Being named Rouge Hydra Nude, you would expect something hydrating which is what you get. The formula is very similar to other sheer lipstick/balm hybrids - Revlon Lip Butters, L'oreal Nutri-shine lipsticks, etc. but this offering is probably my favourite. It has a thin, emollient formula that isn't glossy, but isn't satin either. I think this helps it wear a little better as it's not as slippy. It feels extremely light on the lips and almost feels like nothing besides the comfort of soft feeling lips. It is slightly moisturising and doesn't cling to dry patches or settle into lines. To me, it feels very similar on the lips to the Face of Australia Glossy Lip Crayons but a bit thinner as it's not as glossy. The pigmentation is good, it's sheer but not too translucent - if that makes sense. The nude colour still shows up on my lips but doesn't look thick or like a layer of lipstick. The wear time is pretty good for a sheer lipstick, it lasts around four hours but will need touching up after eating. The lipstick does have a faint scent as well. It's sort of sweet and vanilla-ry, whilst also being lipstick-y? I really enjoy it but it doesn't linger on the lips.

Nude Caramel is a delicious sounding name and one that describes the colour pretty perfectly. The shade is a peachy-brown-nude with a depth that I would describe as being medium on the scale of nudes. For some reason I think of this as a darker, more brown version of MAC Shy Girl even though I've never swatched that lipstick. Being slightly sheer, my lip colour comes through slightly but it still blanks out the mauvey-brown shade of my lips. I'd describe it as a MLBB nude as it's not pale or concealer-y, only slightly lighter than my natural lip colour. It's very flattering on my skintone and could be worn with a no makeup makeup look to a smokey eye.

I think I've finally found the colour family of nudes that suit me! I've been wearing this a lot, and I'd say it's even become a staple shade in my collection!

Collective Haul // January 2014

Hallo people! Today I have quite the large haul to share which I've accumulated throughout January and also the end of December. The after Christmas period is the best for sales, and y'all know I love a good sale. It's a long'un...

Of course I had to pick up a few nail polishes...

Essie Marshmallow 

I found this in the clearance bin at my local Myer for only $5! This is actually a shade that I've wanted for a while - a white jelly that would work really well in combination with a lot of different glitters for a jelly sandwich. They also had a few other shades but I decided I didn't need them :P

Sportsgirl Pink and Space Jam

These were both on clearance and came down to about $2 and $3 respectively. I've already done a NOTD with Pink here. 

Ulta3 Stop the Press

This is from Ulta 3's glitterati collection from July last year and I only happened across this polish at the end of December. This was the only one I wanted from the collection so I'm super glad I found it! It's a mix of black and white matte glitters which are starting to filter down finally into mainstream brands!

Skincare stuff...

Trilogy Rosapene Day & Night Collection (Limited Edition)

I found this in my Priceline for half price which brought it down to $18. Considering the Rosehip oil alone retails for something like $30, I thought this was an excellent deal! I'm also nearing the end of my Kosmea Rosehip Oil so I'm excited to try the Antioxidant +!

Sanctuary Spa Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser

I actually bought this full price :( ($20) haha, but I realised I was in desperate need of a new cleanser. I haven't heard an awful lot about this one (some good, some bad) but - please correct me if I'm wrong - it seems to be the only Hot Cloth Cleanser available in a drugstore setting. I didn't feel like ordering online again and I do like trying new products!

Sanctuary Spa Radiance Exfoliator

I purchased this in the Priceline 40% off skincare sale so it came down to $12. I haven't tried many face scrubs and none aimed specifically at radiance, so I decided to pick this up.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

Again purchased in the 40% off sale. This is my third tube so that should speak for itself!

On to the makeup!

Stila Under the Mistletoe palette

I've already reviewed this here and if you've read it you'll know I'm not too impressed with this palette. It was only $12 so I'm not too sad but I was caught up in a whirlwind of wanting to try some Stila products!

Maybelline Fit Me concealer in shade Medium

I'm running semi-low on my concealer (I've hit considerable pan) so I thought I'd pick this concealer up. I've heard some pretty darn good things about it and it seems like everybody owns it! I payed full price ($15) for it which I'm pretty annoyed about as Maybelline goes on sale all the time but oh wells.

Benefit Go Tropi-coral Lip and Cheek kit

If you remember my wishlist, my friend bought this for me from America (thank you Yasmin!). It was about USD$30 (with tax) and actually, considering the dollar rate is actually pretty bad, I don't think I saved that much. It retails here in Australia for $40 so I probs could have bought it here but regardless I'm super happy to have it!

NYX Powder Blush in Terra Cotta

I was really excited to hear that NYX was rolling out into Targets around Aus but sadly my local Target isn't stocking it! I find that really annoying as it's pretty much a brand new Target...grrr. So anyways, I only managed to get to a stand recently. I bought this as I've heard about its similarities to NARS Lustre and also it's just a gorgeous shade! It retails for $9.95 which isn't too horrific.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12hr blush in Exposed

Another item Yas picked up for me. I had my heart set on either the Tarte blush palette from the holiday collection or the Stila convertible colour palette, but both were sold out. This guy was my next preference because I knew I had to try something from Tarte considering they are extremely hard to get a hold of in Aus. These blushes are raved about by anyone who has ever used them and Exposed is a popular shade that is different to my typical peachy-pinks!

Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch in Shimmering Sand

I've seen this floating around in the clearance bin for a few months now, but finally picked it up upon seeing the $2 sticker on it. It actually rang up to a mere $1 at the till so even better! It's quite a moussey-liquid texture that is slightly glittery but overall a nice warm golden-tan shade.

Illamasqua Concealer in CC 325

I saw this at the Illamasqua counter in the sale section (which by the way had some amazing products for really good prices!) for only $6 so I decided to grab it. It's a deep brown shade that I thought I would use for cream contouring. So far, so very good, but I'll save the deets for a review!

Face of Australia Glossy Lip Crayon in Berry Brulee

After seeing a few swatches, I knew I wanted to pick up this shade from the limited edition collection of lip crayons. They retail for only $5 and Berry Brulee is a gorgeous wearable berry-purple. The formula is amazing too!

Revlon Living Lipstick in Blase Apricot

I saw - what I assume - was the whole line being clearanced at Myer for $6 a piece. I initially dismissed them on account of their old lady looking packaging, but this shade caught my eye. It's a really pretty pinky-peach with a lovely soft, creamy and pigmented formula.

Clarins Rouge Hydra Nude in Nude Caramel

I stumbled across this at Terry White for only $10. It has a formula akin to the Revlon Lip butters or L'oreal Nutri shine lipsticks. The shade is a peachy-brown nude that comes out slightly lighter that it appears in the tube.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Antwerp

Of course I had to buy this. I've heard a ton about these and this shade in particular. I'll save it all for a review! It retails for $12.95 which I thought was a bit steep...but girls gotta do...

I'm also very happy to have a Sephora bag. Teeheee :D

Non-beauty stuff!

Kikki.K Fun for Everyday set

This was reduced to $11 which is AWESOME for Kikki.K stuff! It's from the Christmas sets but the stuff inside is absolutely adorable. Inside is a notebook, cards and envelopes, two pens and two magnetic bookmarks.

Kikki.K Celebrate Today Iphone Case

If you sign up to be a Kikki.K member, you get a $10 voucher on your initial sign up and on your birthday. There's no minimum spend, only that they have to be full price. This case came down to $2.95 and I love the pastel, simple pattern. It also came with a screen protector which I was in dire need of haha.

Dusk Tropical Summer Mood Reed and Candle set

This set from Christmas was marked down to $12. I love the scent a lot. It's a fresh and crisp, slightly fruity but also sexy scent that is perfect for summer.

Phew! That was a long post! Props to you if you actually read it all! I'm planning on going on a spending ban as I'm really content with my collection right now, and I really don't desperately want anything (shocker) for now. I'm also starting to save up for a possible trip to New Zealand at the end of the year (fingers crossed!). It shouldn't be hard to stick to the ban as I'll be back at school anyway, leaving little time for shopping!