Makeup Brushes + Haul

Hello everybody!

I feel like I'm boring you all because this blog is supposed to be about more than beauty products but I've been soo busy with work around this Christmas period that I've had absolutely no time to even think about redecorating my room. I'm hoping I can get it done during January when life settles down a bit so stay tuned!

Today I'll be doing a post that I'm actually really excited about because it mostly involves products that I have absolutely been obsessed with over the past month and I'm kicking myself for not purchasing them earlier!

Soooo I have recently been a little bit addicted to buying beauty products online (where there is free shipping of course) because they tend to be a lot cheaper than buying them say in Myer or Priceline. These first two products I bought online from here.

This is the EX1 Delete anti-blemish/dark circle concealer in D200. Roughly $12 from Beauty Expert. 

This has become one of my makeup staples, I have been using it nearly everyday under my eyes to conceal my dark circles. I absolutely love this stuff. It's quite a thin product but it still has the perfect coverage for me- enough to cover the darkness but not so much that its cakey. It barely creases (not at all if used over primer) and i find it lasts pretty much all day. To apply, i use my ring finger to warm up the product and swipe under my eye, which I then blend using one of the products I'm about to mention. Overall, really really loving this. 

This is the Real Techniques setting brush, and it came in a set along with the next four brushes in this post for about $55, again from Beauty Expert. Not Priceline! Priceline is such a rip off when it comes to this brand. The thing I love about these brushes, is that even though they have names and certain uses, they're actually quite diverse. Each brush can be used perfectly for a whole range of things. So this Setting Brush is designed for loose powder however i have been using it to blend in the under eye concealer that I mentioned above. A lot of people would think that this brush is too big for under the eye but I think its perfect for me and it gives good coverage and doesn't crease. 

This is the Real Techniques buffing brush. I can't believe I ever used to use those flat foundation brushes. I don't think  I will ever use them again! This brush is the most perfect foundation brush I have ever come across. It buffs the product into the skin to give perfect coverage and a flawless finish. It gives medium coverage but it is also build able to full if you want. These brushes are also so incredibly soft as well so applying the foundation actually feels good! Very impressed with this product and I'd recommend it to absolutely anyone and everyone. 

This is the Real Techniques Multi- Task brush. I use it for powder bronzer and if i'm on the go it also doubles as a blush brush. Again, super soft bristles, perfect size for bronzer and I just really like it!

These are (left to right) the Real Techniques Essential Crease Brush and Fine Liner brush. Now to be honest I don't actually use the crease brush as often as the other brushes mostly because I don't wear eyeshadow every single day but also because i'm used to using another set of brushes for eyeshadow application. So still getting used to this one! The Fine Liner brush I also don't use all that often if at all because I don't use gel liner or liquid liner that comes in a pot- I much prefer the felt tip liquid liners because I find them easier to use and a lot less messy. 

These are the brushes I use in place of the Real Techniques eye brushes. They are the Manicare angled brush and shadow brush. Super cheap, you can buy them from practically anywhere probably even the supermarket. I bought these from the chemist for about $7 each. I use the angled brush to apply darker shades of shadow along the lower lash line and the shadow brush for applying all my eyeshadows except cream eyeshadows which I often use as bases. 

This is the Airbrush Concealer brush from Ecotools. As the name suggests, I use this for concealer applied on blemishes or redness. The brush is pretty fantastic, leaving a flawless finish without undoing or smudging the foundation you've already applied. I also love that these tools are from a brand that is 100% cruelty free and use recycled materials as well as natural materials like the bamboo handles. Roughly $8 from Priceline (however I have found it online for even cheaper!) its a pretty good brush considering its price. 

Moving away from brushes, I have been on the hunt for a perfect everyday BB/CC cream style tinted moisturiser/foundation that is lightweight and allows the skin to breathe during the day without clogging pores. Mostly I have been using the Garnier BB Cream which i'm not overly impressed with, but it has done the job during my search. So I had a little look through Priceline and liked the sound of what this CC cream from Models Prefer claims to do; even skin tone, reduce redness and give flawless coverage. I have to say I have never used a product that has disappointed me as much as this one. I saw no change in my skin tone/redness, it didn't give a flawless finish, it actually rubbed off during the day and I thought my skin actually looked worse than normal. The consistency is quite greasy and doesn't feel that nice once applied either. Overall, not impressed, wouldn't recommend. 0/10

So as to not end on a bad note, I thought i'd include this into my post. It's not exactly a 'new' product that i've purchased, i've actually been using this for many years now but this particular bottle I recently bought so I thought i'd add it in. It is one of the best face creams i've ever used and even though I try new products all the time I always end up going back to this one. Its lightweight, very hydrating, smells fabulous and is perfect for sensitive skin. Its great for use underneath foundation as well! It's about $16 from Priceline. 

Hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know in the comments if you know of any BB/CC creams/lightweight foundations that are good for everyday use!! 

Love you loads ♡♡♡

Product Review: Skincare

Hello everybody! It's been a while since my last post and that's because I am still yet to redecorate my room (sigh). So I thought I'd do another post on a couple of products that I have recently discovered and have been loving! I've been doing a lot of research lately on skincare because I never really believed that my skincare routine was perfectly suited to my skin type. Also breakouts really annoy me and I want to try and avoid them as much as possible. No one likes pimples. Go away pimple you are not wanted! 

So keep reading for a full review of these products I have really been loving. Ps my skin type is mostly dry and sensitive. 

This. Stuff. Is. Fabulous. 

There are simply no other words for this. I literally fell in love with this the day I bought it. It is the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, and at $55 from Myer it is a little on the pricier side BUT as deceiving as this picture is, this jar is actually quite large. I've been using it for over a week now and barely seen any dip in the product. I have been using this 2-3 times a day, once in the morning and usually twice at night- once to take off makeup and then a second time to just really cleanse my skin. Okay onto why I love it! It's a balm. So its quite an oily texture which scared me at first because of all of this media hype on how oil is bad for your skin etc etc but through my research I have learnt that oils are actually quite good for your skin (and your hair actually). Its actually really important to have a bit of oil as makeup, and harsh cleansers/scrubs can strip your skin of its natural oils which can actually send your skin into overdrive and make it produce more oils which then leads to breakouts! Confusing, I know. Moral: don't be scared of oils! Okay so the way this works is you take a little onto the tips of your fingers and rub them a little to warm up the product, then massage onto DRY skin first (this is important for removing makeup) and then add a little warm water which will turn it into a milky substance (the cleansing part). It is sooooo easy to take off makeup, I literally rub it into my eyes and because it is so gentle I can even open my eyes whilst massaging and it doesn't irritate or sting and completely removes makeup- including waterproof mascara! It leaves your skin feeling clean and soft and is very gentle so its perfect for anyone with sensitive skin, but would actually suit all skin types. 

Another recent favourite of mine, this is the Effaclar Duo from La Roche Posay. I actually have no idea what "effaclar duo" means exactly (if anyone knows, let me know in the comments!) but whatever it is, it works. Most of the writing on this is in French so its difficult to workout how exactly this works but basically I heard from many other beauty blogger/youtubers that this stuff works miracles for redness/pimples/skin irritations. And it really really does. I've been applying this in the areas where I get the most redness- cheeks and chin- every morning and every night on days where my skin seems to hate me and I find myself noticing a dramatic difference. Redness is lessened and pimples go away quicker! I also really appreciate the fact that it's in a tube. No mess no fuss. A little really does go a long way. One thing that threw me off was the price. For a mere 40ml, $26 really did seem like a stretch, but considering I only use it in spot areas and it actually really does work it seems to live up to its price. Loving this!

When I used to work in the chemist, I would always walk past this and think to myself "why would anyone spend $20 on a can of water?!". Then it went on sale, 2 for $20. So my friend and I decided we would purchase it and see what all the fuss was about. I don't really know if this is can be classified as a skincare product since it is literally spring water in a can?!?! The website says its used to 'soothe and soften the skin' as well as 'restore natural balance'. I'm also not really sure what the exact proper use of this is, but I have really been enjoying using this on really hot days. Does anyone remember those mini portable fan spray thingys? This kinda reminds me of those- just a more sophisticated and expensive version. A little spritz on a hot day really freshens you up and I find it leaves my skin feeling a little softer. Great for the beach- although I wouldn't lug this huge thing around, i'd probably buy the much smaller version of it to keep in my handbag on hot days.

Another expensive product I'm sorry! This is actually an old bottle that I found lying around from about a year ago when my mum went a little crazy at the Duty Free section of the airport and then never actually used any of the Shiseido products she bought. Naturally I pounced. The set comes with this Brightening emulsion, a brightening cleanser and a brightening toner. I use these products in conjunction with each other every now and then when I feel like treating myself or if my skin is looking particularly dull. Of the three, this is my favourite and I love using it on nights out or special occasions right under my makeup as it really does brighten the skin and make you look more..alive? awake? radiant? I don't know but I like it! 

Last but not least! Super basic, super cheap moisturiser. Less than $10 at Priceline/pharmacy. Aveeno- the skin relief range. I am actually so in love with this stuff that the bottle in this photo is actually empty and I'm in desperate need of a new one (i've literally been scraping out the cream from the inside with my finger so I can still use it! This stuff is great for people like myself who have very sensitive skin prone to being itchy (especially after shaving oh boy I hate it). It is super hydrating to the skin, stops me from wanting to scratch my skin off, and doesn't leave an oily residue like some of the richer body creams and body butters. I actually even find it gentle enough to use on my face at night because of how hydrating it is. Also loving that it has a pump. Less fuss, less mess, less time. Love it. 

In conjunction with these products, I have also been having no-makeup days at least once a week and I have found that my skin has really been thanking me for it. Makeup is heavy, and clogs pores, and is just not good for the skin. Also, drinking water helps keep your skin hydrated as well as do many other fabulous things for the body. Diet also helps (not that this stops me from eating chocolate oops).

Are you waiting for the Lush product? Ha ha! No Lush products at all this week ;) I have been amazingly good (for me) and avoided walking into Lush for the last 2 weeks!! 

Except now Christmas is around the corner so that's probably going to change. Also I am in desperate need of bath bombs. 

Hope you enjoyed this super duper long post!

xoxoxo 

 ♡

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Haul & Review

Hello everybody! Firstly, I would like to apologise for how long it has been since my last post- I WAS going to do a room make over post this week but I ran out of time and actually didn't get to redecorate my room soo you'll have to wait a couple more weeks for that one!

Okay so this haul is basically just a couple of random products that I've recently bought and loved (well most of them anyway). Now because my last post was purely Lush related, and because all my friends are probably super sick of me raving on about Lush, i'm going to leave those products till the very end so you can stop reading once I get to them haha

This is the Lucas Paw Paw Ointment ($5.99 at Priceline). 

Now I know that these have been around for ages and everyone around me always had some on them but for some reason I never really joined the 'paw paw' bandwagon- Until now. This stuff is amazing. I wear it pretty much every night and wake up with the softest lips. It's also great when it's really cold as it is super super moisturising! This stuff also works on little grazes or rashes. I applied it onto a razor cut (which is actually the reason I bought it in the first place) and the cut healed pretty much overnight. Definitely an all round winner for me! 

This is the Maybelline Colour Whisper in #25 'Lust For Blush' ($11.96 at Priceline).

 Its a nudey-pinkey colour and glides on so smoothly. Okay, confession time; I actually never usually wear anything on my lips (except the occasional lip balm) because I always end up licking it off- usually because it tastes good, but also because I generally don't like the feeling of sticky liquid on my lips. HOWEVER, I am stepping out of my comfort zone and have bought my very first lipstick. I prefer a subtle lip look rather than a raging red or a shocking pink so I chose this light pink colour and so far i'm not exactly 'loving' it, but I do like it. I think it'll take a little time for me to get used to wearing lipstick and not licking it off within twenty minutes! 

This is the Benefit 'Gimme Brow' in medium/deep ($32 at the Benefit counter in Myer)

Now this was my little splurge of the month. Its quite pricey for how small it is- but it's absolutely perfect for a lazy person like myself. I am hopeless with my eyebrows. I find shaping/filling/maintaining them to be the biggest chore. That's why I love this product! It's basically a mini eyebrow mascara! All you have to do is sweep it across your brows and voila! It fills in the gaps as well as holds them in place the whole day. I recommend either heading over to the benefit counter/browbar and having one of the lovely ladies have a little play with your brows. Alternatively, you can view all of their brow products in action here! 

This is the Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover ($8.71 at Priceline). 

This is probably the best eye makeup remover I have come across. Previous to this one I was using the Revlon Colourstay Eye and Lip Makeup Remover ($19.95 at Priceline) which I simply didn't love. For less than half the price you can get this one from Neutrogena which has no oil so it doesn't clog your pores, and I find that the eyemakeup literally glides off my face. I pour a little onto a cotton pad, hold it against my eyes for about 30 seconds and then wipe away. It removes even waterproof mascara! I do however wash my face with a gentle scrub afterwards because even though it has no oil, it does leave my skin feeling a little oily. 

These adorable little teapot earphones are from Typo ($9.95). 

I know these are not exactly beauty products but I thought they were too cute to leave out! Recently my iPhone earphones died (nooOoOOoooO) so I had to purchase a new pair, and I wanted something that wasn't a ridiculous $40 so I ventured into Typo and fell in love with these. They are the 'in-ear' type which I never used to like but I've actually found that once you wear them properly they can be quite comfortable and also slightly noise cancelling- great for train rides when you regrettably did not sit in the quiet carriage! They also come in other cute shapes like moustaches, skulls, bowling balls and pink flamingos! One downside to these ones are that the little spout of the teapot digs into my ear so either I'm not wearing them properly or I should have gotten the bowling balls! Nonetheless, if your earphone ever break then I highly suggest you check these out at Typo. 

This butterfly iPhone case is also from Typo ($9.95 OR 3 for $15) 

Again- not really beauty related but I thought this would be appreciated because it's SO PRETTY. It also comes in pink! The butterflies stick out which I thought was really cool and made my phone look all 3D and pretty. One downside is that it's not bumper style so its not very protective of the screen but I love it anyway and I'm willing to make the effort of being extra careful! 

Okay onto Lush things! Stop reading here if you're sick of me already :P 

This is the ever so famous Mint Julips Lip Scrub ($9.95) 

It is soooo over priced for what it is (mint flavoured sugar) but I felt like I needed to see what all the fuss was about- and the fuss is justified. It's the most exciting scrub I've ever used! All you do is take a little on your finger and rub it into your lips, and then you lick it off! Not only is it a scrub (which you'll soon learn I have a weakness for) but it also tastes delicious! These scrubs also come in popcorn and bubblegum flavour, as well as a new one for Christmas; Santa's Lip Scrub. If you don't want to spend ten bucks on a tiny pot of sugar, you can use normal sugar (not fine sugar) and mix it with a drop of vanilla essence to create your very own homemade lip scrub!

This is the Dream Cream, the full size 240g pot is $29.95 however when I was in Lush last they had these sample sizes (45g) for $5 but I don't think they sell them in that size anymore. 

This stuff is pretty good, I still much prefer the 'Celebrate' body cream because it has a creamier consistency and I prefer the scent, however the Dream Cream is not too shabby either. Its a little more on the liquid-y side which means that it sinks into the skin quicker and I found that because of it's cooling effect it didn't feel too heavy even on hot days. It says that it's a hand and body lotion, but I don't think I would use it as a hand cream, because of the ever so slightly oily feel on the skin. Overall- not in love with it, but I would use it during the summer months on warmer days. 

Okay saved my favourite till last! This is the Mask of Magnaminty ($16.95)

This face mask is made of China clay, Evening primrose oils, Aduki beans and Peppermint oil. Its main purpose is to prevent breakouts and deeply cleanse the skin. I also find is seriously wakes my skin up (mint has that effect on me). I absolutely looooove this face mask. I use it once or twice a week and store it in the fridge, not because it needs to be stored in there, but because it feels even more invigorating when its applied cold. I pretty much love anything minty, exfoliating or deep cleansing so this mask is perfect for me! I definitely recommend it to anyone prone to breakouts or if you feel your skin is a little dull recently. I'd also recommend going in and receiving a skin diagnosis from one of the beautiful girls or guys in your nearest Lush store as they'll recommend the best products for your specific skin type :) 

And that's the end of my haul & review! I hope you enjoyed it :) Feel free to leave a comment on anything you've read or recommend any products that you've been loving lately! 

♡

Lush Haul!

Soon enough, you will find out that I have a little bit of an obsession with Lush. It's somewhat an unhealthy obsession because I literally cannot walk past the store without sticking my nose in and sniffing everything! Now this isn't the greatest thing for my bank account, particularly because the Lush shop is right on my way to the station from work so as you can imagine, not only does it take me about an extra 20-40 minutes to get home but I also frequently spend looooots of money in there ;)

So I thought it only fitting that my first post on this blog be a Lush haul and review. Keep reading for a full description of what I bought :)

hey ho this is me :)

This is the Christmas Penguin Bubble Bar ($6.50). This little guy is soooo cute, but unfortunately in order for him to do his bubbly goodness you have you break a little piece of him off and let the running water wash over him :( a little bit goes a long way so you really don't need to use tooo much of him to get loads of bubbles which is kinda good in a way as it means its reusable :) 

This is the So White Bath Ballistic ($5.50) Now it looks very plain and white and boring but this actually smells AMAZING! It smells like fresh apples and I can just tell that this is going to give me an amazing bath experience. I'm considering buying a few more because unfortunately these only come out around Christmas. 

This is the Luxury Lush Pud Bath Ballistic ($6.75) and not only does it smell sooo good but when I bought this one, it has only just come out so the lady who was serving me showed me a tester that she dropped into a bowl of water. Now let me tell you, the colours that come out of this little thing are amaaaaaaazing. Im not going to tell you what it looks like because I think you should all go out and buy one for yourself and experience it :P But trust me, you won't be disappointed. Im so so so excited to use this one! 

This is actually one of the first things I ever bought from Lush, its the Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub ($12.95). Now I am the biggest sucker for anything 'scrub' related. I love everything grainy and rough to the skin and this little tub of blue is aaaall that and more. As you can probably tell i've already used quite a bit of this (which made it quite hard to take that second photo mind you) and that's because i've been using it at least 3 times a week. I don't know how good that is for your skin but I just can't get enough! There are two ways of using it; the first is just as a normal shower gel in the shower onto wet skin. The second (and the way I use it) is straight onto dry skin right before you take a shower, the salt particles roughly scrub away all the dead skin cells leaving your whole body feeling sooooo incredibly smooth! They also say this can be used in the hair to add volume but I haven't used it this way as I'm a little cautious of putting salt into my already thick hair! 

This is the Rudolph Fresh Face Mask ($15.95) It's limited edition over the Christmas period and the little red jelly is supposed to be Rudolphs nose which I thought was a cute touch :) The mask itself is quite stiff so you need to wet your hands a little when applying. Its made of cucumber and aloe vera gel to soothe the face and calm redness, oatmeal and calamine to nourish and soothe, lavender oil to soothe, and green tea powder that acts as an antioxidant. This is great for a pamper evening especially for people with sensitive skin or skin that occasionally breaks out. Because it's a fresh face mask, it only lasts two weeks so make sure you use it all before it goes off! 

And there you have it :) Hope this inspires you to get inside a Lush shop and have a sniff around or talk to one of the lovely ladies or gentlemen in there! 

<3

Welcome!

Hello there! 

I have decided to start this blog, as a separate blog from my tumblr where I can post my own thoughts on a whole range of things from beauty to design to fashion to life in general. 

Hopefully there will be a post coming up later today so stay tuned! 

xoxo