Her Beauty Days

Unexpectedly, May has been a pretty exciting month.

The blossoming of new relationships has really allowed me to view life in a new perspective. April marked the death of a relationship and the consequent month has brought a glimmer of happiness in my life.
During this month I found myself using a lot more moisturiser than I anticipated; "Winter is coming". Being deeply engrossed in the Game of Thrones show and fearing that I would develop the expected dry patches, I took extra measures to ensure my skin isn't depleted of hydration.

Looking back, May was all about taking care of myself, after April's tragic events.
You can evidently view this through the empties I've acquired.


1. L'Oréal Elvive Extraordinary oil Treatment Oil (100 mL)
My friend got me this just last year. I really loved how luxurious the glass packaging is and the product was a pleasure to work with. There is an accompanying fragrance with the oil and I absolutely adore it. I would definitely repurchase this after I use up all of my other treatment oils.

2. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (15 mL samples)
This is targeted towards very dry to dry combination skin types. Overall, a great moisturiser to use - kept my skin hydrated but other than that, nothing outstanding.

3. Frank Body Coconut & Grapeseed Coffee Scrub (200 g)
Thoroughly enjoyed using this. It did provide some minor improvements to my skin. I would consider repurchasing it in future but currently I'm quite interested in whipping up my own batch of coffee scrub. See my review here.

4. Australis Ready Set Go Finishing Powder in True Translucent (7.5 g)
A great cheap finishing powder that sets and mattifies my makeup. It doesn't leave a white cast despite being white in colour. I would repurchase this after trying out other powders.

5. Sukin Facial Moisturiser (50 mL sample)
This is a nice moisturiser that is light enough to be worn during the day and hydrating enough to be used at night for my combination skin. The inclusion of natural ingredients and oils are a bonus but I'm not a fan of the fragrance. I already have a full size bottle of this waiting to be used.

6. Hiruscar Skincare Gel (20 g)
I used this up in my earlier empties post. I won't be repurchasing it because it was quite expensive even though it did prove itself to be effective.

7. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Correcter (40 mL)
I really don't see any amazing results from using this. However I do repurchase from time to time because I feel like I need it in my skincare regime. It works to reduce the appearance of imperfections and unclogs sebum-blocked pores.

8. Essence Lipstick in 52 In the Nude (4 g)
I purchased this back when I was in the nude lips phase. Unfortunately, this shade washed me out and I barely use it. Verdict: I'm throwing it out.

9. Smartskin Facial Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes)
I usually pick these up for $1 at woolies. I don't always use them to remove my makeup; mostly for wiping my hands and dirty surfaces.

10. John Frieda Full Repair Full Body Shampoo and Conditioner (44 mL and 8.3mL samples)
I thought these worked well for my hair. No complaints coming from me! I would possibly repurchase these but I'm in no rush to grab these any sooner.

And there you have it! Last month's empties done and binned!

Pretty sure you've all heard about the amazing 40% off beauty sale Priceline hosted last week!

I was there alright, at midday and my, what a crowded scene it was. A bit cray-cray, I might emphasise.
My friend, being a guy, received this sale to be quite hilarious; there's a lot of females all in one place.

I entered the store, just to pick up a few items I'm interested in and left with a lot more than I expected!
Basically, I put in everything that I wanted to try in the cute basket given to me by the sales assistant.

I present to you the haulage:


Face products

1. Australis Fresh & Flawless Pressed Powder in Deep Natural
Why didn't I discover this earlier? I love it so far; love the inclusion of the mirror and sponge (underneath the pan of powder) and of course, the actual product itself!

2. Maybelline Dream Pure 8-in-1 BB Cream in Light
I've already tried the medium shade, loved it, so I'm picking up the lighter shade because the former is a bit dark for me.

3. & 4. Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in 100 Ivory and 103 True Ivory
My first foundation! I tend to steer clear of Rimmel's face products but after seeing the princess-themed advertisement, I was lured in. 103 True Ivory was the closest shade to my complexion and 100 Ivory  would be perfect for those days when my face becomes more paler.


Lip products

5. Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in 910 Shocking Coral
One of my favourite yet unique shades I already have in my collection. Repurchasing this shade because I'm actually running out of the lipstick. Read my review here (it's actually one of my first posts!).

5. L'Oréal Color Riche Made For Me Intense in 370 Crazy Fuchsia
I'm a crazy lover of pink lippies; I'm so glad I picked this up - it's becoming a favourite of mine!

6. L'Oréal Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain in 102 Romy
I heard these were a probable dupe for YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) Glossy Stains, I love stains and a bit of gloss so I had to try these!

7. Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Gloss in 90 Electric Shock
This shade is just gorgeous. I think there's something youthful about sporting a pink lip gloss, what do YOU think?

8. Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon in 04 Peach on the Beach
I discovered this gem on Sleep and Water's blog. When I saw the shade in real life, I was quite surprised to see what a unique and beautiful shade it was; perfect for summer!


Other products

9. Face of Australia Gentle Make-Up Remover
This is a repurchase. Cheap, does a great job at what it's supposed to do and certainly of a gentle nature.
Comes pretty close to Lancôme's Bi-Facil - that's something quite notable.

10. L'Oréal Super Liner Liquid Eyeliner
I've seen this used by my mum a few times. Curiosity got the better of me; this had to come home with me.

11. L'Oréal Colour Riche Le Vernis in 601 French Riviera
A pretty baby blue polish with darker blue shimmers? How could I resist?!

And that concludes my haul!
I don't understand the relationship I have with sales. Please stop calling out to me!
Well done to those who are on or have completed spending bans!

I hope you've enjoyed this post.

Not too long ago, Priceline had a half price sale on Maybelline cosmetics.

Cheeky sales looming your way? You'll take the opportunity, I'd say!
(Well that's what I did).

In this post, I'll be imparting with you some Rimmel London lip and eye products from my recent haul.


First up we have the lovely lipsticks, the Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss lippies in the shades, #111 Kiss of Life, #106 and #101. I fell in love with the sassy red packaging, and being fond of matte formulas when it comes to lipsticks, I had to pick these up.


#111 Kiss of Life is a beautiful, bright classic red that compliments most skin tones. This is my favourite shade out of the bunch; perfect for those special occasions like on a dinner date for example.

#106 is a brilliant deep pink. I call this shade the more flirtatious and younger sister of #111 Kiss of Life. Appropriate for most occasions and a great bold alternative to the classic red.

#101 is a cool tone pale mauve-pink that looks beautiful swatched but once applied on my pigmented lips, makes me look a bit washed out. But with the addition of colour to my face, I think I can pull this off. My sister and friend think otherwise. This shade has the most drying formulas out of the trio; the product settles into the fines, distastefully emphasising them. I suggest exfoliating the lips and applying a moisturising lip balm or plumping product prior to application.

The formulae of these matte lipsticks can be a bit drying but it is also dependent on the shade of the lipstick. Great pigmentation and if you're a fan of fruity, artificial melon scents, then this one's for you.
On the downside, this product is definitely not "kiss-proof"; if you're planning to get frisky with a boy, I suggest using another lip product, as this lipstick transfers very easily.


Ah, the highly spoken, Apocalips Lip Lacquers. I picked up the shade #500 Luna on asos after observing its absence in Australian stores. This is a beautiful peachy coral colour leaning more towards the orange side. Initially, I was very excited to try this product out after reading numerous posts raving on what a great pigmented lip gloss this was. Well, based on my own experiences, this has got to be possibly the worst lip gloss I've tried. The colour is highly pigmented swatched on my arm but once applied on the lips, oh my... The finish is non uniform in appearance. This lip product is excellent in accentuating my lips in the most unsightly manner; it clings onto dry patches (I didn't know I had), did not adhere to my lips properly and sinks into lip lines. Adding to much product on made my lips look like I had a viscous peach coloured slime slapped on - very unflattering and tacky, and of course sticky.
This product is the first product I've tried to appreciate; I've given up and I think the formula is a huge failure. Likewise to the Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss lipsticks, you can expect the same melon scent in this product.

So I recently subscribed to Lust Have It! (an Australian beauty box subscription), after eyeing a few reviews on my favourite beauty blogs.

The whole concept of a beauty box subscription, really excites me! You don't know exactly what day your box will turn up at your front door (you can predict the day) and you don't know what's gems are hidden behind all that cardboard packaging. I love surprises!

Here's my first impression and thoughts on this month's box. I was really impressed with the box that encompassed the products. This month's colour is a beautiful dusty pinkish nude with a floral pattern. There is also a magnetic closure flap to seal the box. Perfect storage for the little things! It stands upright as well - I can easily pop this on my shelf with all my books. You can never have too many boxes!

Let's check out the box shall we?

Upon opening...


I have recently viewed a blogger's review on this month's box; I was hoping I'll get a different box though. Looks like I got a similar one! I was initially a bit disappointed by the products, but after playing around with them, I've started to appreciate them!

Here's the card that came in with the goodies:


This month's theme is associated with the 'Great Gatsby'. I don't find that the products I received really complimented the theme that much.


The goodies I got:


1. Rachel K - Mineral Colour Control CC Cream
Just 4 sample sachets. I've seen swatches of these and they look like they suit those with yellow skin tones. Similar to a BB cream, just with colour control (hence CC cream). The fact that these are made in Korea, convinces me that they're going to be decent products. I've read a lot of positive reviews on Korean BB creams!


2. Batiste - Dry Shampoo Cherry
I have a few Batiste dry shampoos lying around; I usually get these free from beauty events. But I'm fine with this one. It has a nice cherry scent that's not too overpowering. My old shampoo cans are running out so this one will be the perfect substitute! But keep in mind though, I don't use dry shampoos too often.



3. Pure Fiji - Hydrating Body Lotion (Ocean Mist)
I was disappointed by the size of the this sample. Would really appreciate a bigger sized sample!
Upon reading the "info card" provided, I was expecting a fresh oceanic scent from the lotion...however the contrasting smell of the lotion was quite pleasant! The lotion is enveloped in a beautiful veil of vanilla and coconut! I will definitely use this! I'll be popping this into my handbag later when my other lotion samples run out.
NB: product made in Fiji.

Positioned next to the Pure Fiji Hydrating Body Lotion...

4. Savi Organic Soothing Cream
This is a small sample in a really cute bottle! It claims to have all these skin care properties and has a very natural herbal smell. This will be perfect for those nasty flare ups. It's also Australian Certified Organic! Anything promoted to be "organic" gets my tick of approval!

5. Real Purity - Natural Lipstick (in Romantic Red)
This appears to be a reddish pink lipstick sample in one of those plastic containers you'd expect children's watercolour paints to be enclosed in. Similarly the brush, resembles those brushes found in those cheap paint kits - what I used in my early childhood days to play with! This "lip brush" is from Crown Brush. The company (on the card provided) is exhibited to be "the leading industry resource for cosmetic and skincare brushes". Albeit, the bristles on the brush is really soft, I find this brush to be useless with the application of the lipstick sample. The lipstick sample looks quite nice on my lips. I just  apply it with my fingers and I'm done! Great buildable colour for more intense - richly saturated lips. This lipstick claims to make your lips appear fuller and more plump and yes, I do believe my lips looked a bit plump! But this could be attributed to a variety of different factors unrelated to the the formula of the lipstick. A great idea is to pop this into your bag in the case of an "emergency"! Great to use for a pop colour on your lips and for a healthy flush on your cheeks!


6. Klara - H2O Proof Eyeliner
Just your average black eyeliner pencil that claims to be waterproof with long lasting vibrant colour. There's a sponge tip at the end for smudging purposes. It was difficult to produce solid lines, plus, the colour wasn't intensely black, like how I would like it to be. I don't think I'll be using this, so I'll hand this over to my sis who's a fan of pencil liners. Also, in regards to the price tag, I don't think this product is worth $18.

Last but not least,


7. OPI - Pure Lacquer Nail Apps
To be honest, I've never tried these nail apps before, so I was quite excited upon receiving this. I love the brand OPI. Personally, they are the best when it comes to the longevity and application performance of nail polishes. And talk about the multitude of colours and textures they have!
I don't mind the cocktail pattern against the silver base; this is the only product that I think compliments the "Great Gatsby" theme well, but I don't find this appropriate for an everyday look (for me, personally). On a brighter note, my sister will be ecstatic to receive this!
I can't believe these retail for for $19.99.

With this month's box, I'm not that thrilled with the contents. I received 2 full sized items and 5 samples.
However, I am appreciative of the products received. I can find a good use for them all (worst case scenario would be receiving tanning lotion!).

If you're interested in subscribing to Lust Have It!, check out the link.
The cost for the subscription service is $19.95 for each month but you can get $5 off your first box with my exclusive code, "Herdays".

I'll be subscribing to Bellabox next, so I'll share my experience with you on that box soon.
This box retails for $15 for each month.
Both boxes don't charge extra for shipping, so that's a bonus!

A week back I was in Priceline, on the search for a hot pink lipstick, after seeing some swatches of M.A.C's 'Viva Glam Nicki' on someone's blog.

On being a Uni student with a limited budget, I wasn't ready to fork out the RRP (in Australia) for the lipstick, so looking for a dupe was the only option for me at the moment.

I came across the Maybelline stand and Priceline was having a $10 sale (save $6.95) on all of their Color Sensational® Lipsticks (ends Monday 17th June).

Swatching a few shades from their Vivids range, I fell in love with '910 Shocking Coral', albeit it wasn't really a dupe for 'Viva Glam Nicki'.

After purchasing this shade, it's quickly becoming a favourite of mine for this month. I've been sporting it during the day/night, whenever I feel like my lips need a bit of attention.

It's a beautiful, loud, hot pink with a hint of orangey tones. Depending on the lighting and how you view it, it's not really a coral lipstick. I have trouble describing this lipstick colour; I've never seen anything like it. Yes, it's quite a "shocking" colour to me. Nevertheless, I love it!

My camera hasn't been able to capture the true colour of it; you have to see it in person.

Here's a swatch on my hand in natural daylight:


Lipstick packaging (I love the squarish/prism glossy cover with the silver interior):



NB: the case is more of a reddish pink colour, rather than orange. My camera has failed to capture the true colour of it (apologies!).

And here's what it looks like on my lips!


Overall, I'm very pleased with the lipstick!

Pros:
- vibrant, richly pigmented, opaque colour
- very moisturising
- can be worn during the daytime without the intensity of the colour (just apply thinly - 1 coat)
- easy application
- smells like play-doh and cupcakes (if you're sensitive to smells this can be a negative, though you don't smell it once it's on your lips)
- colour lasts for quite a few hours! (possibly all day if you avoid interaction with your lips)

Cons:
- nothing I can think of

If you're interested in purchasing this lipstick, check out Priceline for the $10 deal or The Chemist Warehouse for a cheaper deal! (they're having 50% off Maybelline, Revlon and Rimmel cosmetics! SALE ENDS SUNDAY 16th)

I hope you enjoyed this post!