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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