September Favourites | 2014

Another month gone, another month closer to Christmas time! I know, I'm thinking way ahead but as soon as the warmer weather starts, all I can think about is Christmas. This month, I didn't buy many things, which is a good sign, but these favourites are some I've had for over a month now and really have gotten to love.

Firstly, the Urban Decay Naked2 Palette. Heaven in a palette. Now I understand the hype over these bad boys. The shadows are so creamy and easy to apply and the pigmentation is awesome. The colours in this palette I think suit me well, and it's so easy to create so many looks this palette. I love applying these shadows with the Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush. The Real Techniques brushes never let me down, such good quality for such a good price. This one is great for applying shadows all over and I've used it for my crease and also concealer, so it's a great multitask brush too!

The Rimmel Wonder'Full Mascara has been my everyday mascara for the past few weeks. I wrote a review on it here, so I won't go into too much detail but it's just great for an everyday full look. And it doesn't clump! Lastly, I think I found my "my lips but better" lipstick! I have been lusting for M.A.C.'s Patisserie for so long after Vivianna Does Makeup and Lily Pebbles always talk about. I finally caved boy am I glad I got it. It's such a nice finish on the lips and I've been wearing almost everyday!

I've also been loving the T.V. show Brooklyn Nine Nine. It stars Andy Samberg, and is about a police precinct in New York and all the stuff they get up too. Very very funny, it had me in stitches every episode.

What have you been loving this month?

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Creamy but Drying | Australis Velourlips

I am a bit of a matte lip junkie, I confess. I just prefer the look and longevity of a matte lip to a glossy lip. The Australis Velourlips have been out for a while now, but they just released 5 new colours and there was a sale on Australis, 3 for 2 at Priceline, so I new I had to pick up 3 to give a go. I chose the shades N-Y-CEE, a true red, MI-A-MEE, a bright watermelon pink, and HON-O-LOO-LOO, a soft peachy nude.

When applied these go on super easy as they are really creamy. One coat gives you a good coverage, but you can definitely build it up with another coat. However, they accentuate any lines on your lips like crazy! I exfoliated my lips before and applied lip balm but it just dried up really quickly. Other matte formulas that I use and love like M.A.C.'s and Revlon's are no where near as bad as this. I'm going to give them another try in a few months, because maybe I was a having a few bad lip days. 

Also, the colours of MI-A-MEE and HON-O-LOO-LOO didn't end up suiting me. I swatched them a fews times at the shops before and I have colours similar to those already but they just didn't look right.To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed with these products because everyone raves about them but maybe I need to give them a few more chances.

Does anyone have any tips on applying and these and stop making them dry out my lips?

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REVIEW | Rimmel Wonder'Full Mascara with Argan Oil

Personally, I think Rimmel have some of the best drugstore mascaras currently on the market, and they're pretty affordable. Recently, Rimmel came out with this new mascara and of course I wanted to give it a go. I've never seen a mascara before that has included Argan oil so I was intrigued to what it would do.

The brush you get with this mascara is a big plastic applicator which I prefer. I find that plastic applicators don't clump as much as ones with bristles. I find the applicator a little to big for my eyes but my eyes a small so it doesn't bother me too much.The website claims that you will get "full, perfectly smooth, clump free lashes". I definitely agree with the claims, except the full claim. You get smooth lashes rather than stiff unnatural lashes, so it gives off a natural look. My lashes didn't clump which is super great, maybe this is why the Argan oil is in it. On the website it doesn't give and reason and why the Argan oil is in the formula, so I'm just guessing. I don't think you get full lashes, my lashes did look longer but not fuller which I don't mind. I use this as a day mascara, because I prefer the look of natural lashes for the day at uni or work. Also, it comes off easily with makeup remover which you would assume because it's not waterproof.

Overall this is a pretty good mascara. No clumping, lengths lashes and doesn't leave you looking like a panda at the end of the day. It retails for $17.95 and you can find it at Priceline, Target, Chemist Warehouse and other good stores!

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Save VS Splurge: Pressed Powder

Ah the joys of oily skin. My collection of powders is ever growing in my conquest to stop the shine. I'm going to be comparing two powders that I have tried and tested, one drug store and one high end, to see which one worked for me the best.

Drug Store - Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

The Rimmel website claims that it has "up to 5 hours natural shine control with natural minerals" and "helps reduce the appearance of pores". It retails for $12.95 at Priceline and you get 14g of product. Personally, that is a great price for any product you would buy at a drugstore. But being honest, it is not the greatest powder I've used. I know, everyone else loves it but I found it just wasn't as good as other ones I used. I like it, but I just don't love it. I don't think it lasts up to 5 hours and my face does look a bit cake in areas where I do get a bit of product buildup e.g. on my chin, and around my nose. It works a bit better on BB creams I found than foundations, who knows why. Overall, I found this to be alright but a bit disappointing after all the hype that it gets.

High End - M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish Natural 

This claims to have "light coverage" and is used to set foundation and to touch up. This comes in about 15 different shades, so you will find the perfect one for you.  For 10g, $49 is a bit much but boy is it worth it. It gives an almost translucent coverage over my foundation and keeps me matte. you can barely feel it on your skin. It looks like you've set your face with powder but it looks so natural and I find it never gets cake on my face. I honestly have been using this every day since I've got it. I prefer this in the day time as I use my M.A.C. Studio Fix Powder at night as it gives extra coverage. I have never loved a powder as much as I do this one. I am so glad I took the plunge to get this.

If your looking for a pressed powder that doesn't get cakey and gives you a nice light coverage, definitely spend a bit more and go for the SPLURGE option. Trust me, you will not regret it!

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Disappointing Products #2

I'm back with another disappointing products. Most of these empties were surprisingly disappointing as I had heard great things about them. Also, please not that the Daisy perfume is not part of this, it's just decoration. How can you not love the original Daisy!?

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser
This is still not available in Australia but bought it on All Cosmetics Wholesale. I was excited as some people were saying it is a dupe for Benefit's Porefessional. I gave it a go, but it didn't seem to do anything, it even made my skin oilier. I didn't find it smoothed over my pores as they still looked the same and it didn't help my makeup last either.

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder Transparent
I was so disappointed when this didn't work for me! Everyone and their mothers love this product and I bought it as an emergency powder one day when I left mine at home. I found that it made my makeup look really cake and everything bunched up, especially around my nose. This makes me so sad to say this because I was so excited about trying and using it.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Eye Colour Pencil in Smokey Taupe
When I swatched it on my hand at Priceline, it felt so creamy and the pigmentation was amazing so of course I had to get it. But when I tried it on my eyes at home, it wasn't what I thought it would be. When I applied it to my eyes, it didn't go on as creamy and tugged on my eyelids. Then when I tried to blend it out, it just ended up rubbing the colour off and leaving glitter on my eyelids. So disappointing because the colour is beautiful!

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer
This product for me I do like, but there is one thing that is stopping me from loving it and wearing it. It makes my makeup last longer and doesn't stop the oil coming through, but does slow it down which is good. BUT! The colour of the primer is orange and it doesn't blend well into my skin make my foundation have a tint of orange in it. If it was clear, I would be all over this primer but for now, it's back into hiding it goes.

Have you found anything disappointing lately?

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Doing my Sister's Makeup | Semi Formal

So my sister isn't into makeup, which is totally fine. But whenever she has a special event for school, e.g. her semi formal, I jump at the opportunity to do her makeup. Now I'm no professional but one day I'd like to do a small course on makeup, but for now, my sister is my model, which she isn't too keen on. So when she asked me to do her makeup for her semi formal, I jumped at the chance!

Because she's not into makeup, she lets me have a bit of a free reign but I know she wants something simple. Which is good, because if she asked me to do a cat eye, I would have been screwed because I can't even do one properly on myself. I started off by applying the Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Skin Primer  to help her makeup stay on during the night. Then I used her BB cream which is the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfecter Daily All-In-One BB Cream in light which matches her well. For concealer, on her face I used the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer  and for under the eyes, I used the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer. To powder her face I used the M.A.C. Studio Fix Powder to add a bit more coverage. I then added a bit of colour to the cheeks using NARS Powder Blush in Deep Throat. I then used the NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and the M.A.C. Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly to prime her eyes. I got to use my favourites eyeshadows at the moment, the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette.  I used the shade Foxy as an all over base, then Tease in the crease. Then Booty Call  in the inner corners to highlight, Chopper  over the lid with a wet brush to intensify the colour then I used Blackout to subtly line the upper lash line. To finish off, I used her Clinique High Impact Mascara and Revlon's Colorburst Lipgloss in Peony.

I wish I had taken a photo because she looked so beautiful and natural, if I do say so myself. I can't wait to do her makeup again.

What are your favourite looks to try on different people.

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September Playlist | 2014

Spring has officially sprung in Australia. I'm and half happy because Spring is such a beautiful time of year because the sun is shining but it is still cool outside. And I'm half sad because that means Winter is over and Summer is coming. Oh well, I can't control the weather. Here are a bunch of songs that have been tickling my fancy the past couple of weeks and I hope you enjoy them too.

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Welcome to the Family

This week I welcomed another M.A.C. lipstick into my world, Patisserie. After hearing so much love about it from Vivianna Does Makeup and Lily Pebbles, I took the plunge. It is definitely the perfect "my lips but better shade". I think I have found my perfect nude!

What's your perfect nude?

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My Top 5 T.V. Shows

I confess, I'm a T.V junkie. I find that I prefer watching a whole bunch of episodes of a certain T.V. show rather than a movie. But that's just me. I also prefer comedies over drama, but my guilty pleasures are English crime shows like Midsomer Murders or Jonathan Creek, or even Escape to the Country. I feel like a nonna when I watch that show, but I somehow enjoy watching people look around English country homes. I digress! Here are my 5 favourite T.V. shows, and if you haven't seen them, definitely give them a go.

5. Community
This is a hilarious American show about a group of different people starting Community College and forming a study group, and follows their misadventures through college. My favourite characters are Troy and Abed, two guys who are a bit childish so you can just imagine the stuff they get up too. Definitely a show that will have you in stitches.

4. Bad Education
This English show starring and written by Jack Whitehall is one of the funniest I've seen. Jack Whitehall plays a young, not very good teacher that has deal with not only his problems, but the ones of his meddling students. If I had a teacher like him, I would never get anything done but it would be a hoot.

3. 30 Rock
Tina Fey. That's all that needs to be said here. She is such an amazing person and this show never fails at making me laugh uncontrollably. I love the character of Liz Lemon, but my favourite is Kenneth, he is so innocent and the things that he says are always funny. It follows the life of Liz Lemon, and the struggle to balance her work and personal life, which a lot of people can relate to now days. If you haven't seen this, where have you been!?

2. Misfits
Usually I hate shows that involve a lot of swearing, drugs, sexy time and all that other stuff but somehow, I became so attracted to this show. It's about a group of 5 youths doing their probation when a series of events change their lives forever. It's just such a good show, the script is amazing and the characters are so well written. The last episode of season 3 left me in tears for days, the emotions!

1. New Girl
Who's that girl? IT'S JESS! Probably my favourite show of all time. I have a mahoosive girl crush on Zooey Deschanel, so anything with her in it is a hit in my books. It follows her character, Jessica Day, moving into a loft with 3 other guys and their misadventures. I feel like I can relate to Jess as we share some of the same personality quirks. Also, if Nick Miller was real, I have dibs on him! This show makes me laugh and makes me cry. Throughout the whole first season I was yelling at my T.V. saying "GET TOGETHER ALREADY" at Jess and Nick because that on-screen chemistry, phwoar.

What are your favourite T.V. shows to watch. I'm looking for some new ones to get into, so leave some suggestions in the comments below!

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